The Suess-Urey (S-U) mission has been proposed as a NASA Discovery mission to return samples of matter from the Sun to the Earth for isotopic and chemical analyses in terrestrial laboratories to provide a major improvement in our knowledge of the average chemical and isotopic composition of the solar system. The S-U spacecraft and sample return capsule will be placed in a halo orbit around the L1 Sun-Earth libration point for two years to collect solar wind ions which implant into large passive collectors made of ultra-pure materials. Constant Spacecraft-Sun-Earth geometries enable simple spin stabilized attitude control, simple passive thermal control, and a fixed medium gain antenna. Low data requirements and the safety of a Sun-pointed spinner, result in extremely low mission operations costs.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0094-5765(96)00140-3 | DOI Listing |
Nature
January 2025
Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
Evaporation or freezing of water-rich fluids with dilute concentrations of dissolved salts can produce brines, as observed in closed basins on Earth and detected by remote sensing on icy bodies in the outer Solar System. The mineralogical evolution of these brines is well understood in regard to terrestrial environments, but poorly constrained for extraterrestrial systems owing to a lack of direct sampling. Here we report the occurrence of salt minerals in samples of the asteroid (101955) Bennu returned by the OSIRIS-REx mission.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Raman characterization results of lunar relevant simulants, including liquid water, ice, and organics using NASA Langley developed standoff ultra-compact micro-Raman (SUCR) sensor are presented. The SUCR sensor is designed as an instrument applicable for future lunar surface operations. The SUCR is equipped to be mounted on a lunar lander's platform or on a rover's robotic arm for close Raman inspection of mixed samples on the lunar surface, including mapping the mineralogy, determining water ice distribution, and identifying frozen volatiles.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAstrobiology
January 2025
Experimental Biophysics and Space Sciences, Department of Physics, Freie Universitaet Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
The (PSS) experiment was part of the European Space Agency's mission and was conducted on the International Space Station from 2014 to 2016. The PSS experiment investigated the properties of montmorillonite clay as a protective shield against degradation of organic compounds that were exposed to elevated levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation in space. Additionally, we examined the potential for montmorillonite to catalyze UV-induced breakdown of the amino acid alanine and its potential to trap the resulting photochemical byproducts within its interlayers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLife Sci Space Res (Amst)
February 2025
Institute for High Energy Physics named by A.A. Logunov of NRC "Kurchatov Institute", Protvino, Russia.
Exposure to ionizing radiation during manned deep space missions to Mars could lead to functional impairments of the central nervous system, which may compromise the success of the mission and affect the quality of life for returning astronauts. Along with radiation-induced changes in cognitive abilities and emotional status, the effects of increased motor activity were observed. The mechanisms behind these phenomena still remain unresolved.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLife Sci Space Res (Amst)
February 2025
Studio Ozark Henry, Conterdijk 23, Wulpen, Belgium. Electronic address:
Spaceflight occurs under extreme environmental conditions that pose significant risks to the physical and mental health and well-being of astronauts. Certain factors, such as prolonged isolation, monotony, disrupted circadian rhythms, heavy workload, and weightlessness in space, can trigger psychological distress and may contribute to a variety of mental health problems, including mood and anxiety disturbances. Recent findings regarding spaceflight-associated alterations in cerebrospinal fluid spaces, demonstrating enlargement of the brain's perivascular spaces from preflight to postflight, at least suggest reduced glymphatic clearance in microgravity, and have raised concerns about long-term cognitive health in astronauts.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!