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SpaceX to launch ‘Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich’ ocean-mapping satellite on Saturday. Watch it live!

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Individuals living in coastal communities or navigating treacherous waters will both advantage from information moving from the new Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite mission.

The satellite is required to dispatch Saturday (Nov. 21) at 12:17 p.m. EST (9:17 a.m. nearby time and 1717 GMT) Space Launch Complex 4 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, on a five-year journey to plan ocean rise related with a dangerous atmospheric devation. Sentinel-6 will dispatch on board a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. You can watch it live here on Space.com, kindness of NASA TV.

Climate is 80% go for the prime dispatch opportunity on Saturday and a reinforcement dispatch time on Sunday at 12:04 p.m. EST (9:04 a.m. neighborhood time and 1704 GMT). NASA held two media briefings Friday to examine the effect the new mission will have on current guides and models.

Sentinel-6 won’t be spoken to independently in items from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), however it will upgrade the models and guides NOAA and different accomplices in the mission as of now produce to all the more likely shield world populaces safe from increasing tropical storms, delegates said.

Sentinel-6 perceptions will be remembered for, for example, ocean wave gauges (convenient for transportation items over the sea) and hurricane forecasts, to empty seaside populaces rapidly if the need emerges.

When Sentinel-6 completes its one-year charging period, anybody around the globe – including teachers, understudies and different individuals from general society – can download the crude information from the site of the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT).

For specialists hoping to improve their atmosphere models, Sentinel-6’s work will effectively consolidate with other science missions. For instance, the altimetry accumulated from Sentinel-6 could be joined with Earth’s gravity estimations from NASA’s Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites.

This mix of estimations will show the amount of ocean level ascent comes from dissolving ice sheets, and how much from ocean rise comes from sea development because of generally speaking sea warming, said Karen St. Germain, overseer of NASA’s Earth science division, in an instructions zeroed in on the mission’s science return.

“Since 70% of the Earth’s surface is ocean, the oceans play an important role in how the whole system [of global warming] changes,” she said. “These global changes are creating both risks and opportunities for our human communities.”

The advantages from Sentinel-6’s information will stream to pretty much every area influenced by environmental change, since 90% of the warmth caught by human-transmitted ozone depleting substances winds up in the sea at last, said Josh Willis, Sentinel-6 venture researcher at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, in the science preparation.

“We’re watching the rate of sea level rise right before our eyes, and it’s satellites like this that allow us to do it,” Willis said. The pace of ocean level ascent is quickening, making it critical to add top notch information from Sentinel-6 to existing satellite altimeters, he noted. The present ocean level ascent is near 5 millimeters every year, more than twofold the yearly ascent rate graphed during the 1990s.

Convoluting forecasts is that ocean level ascent doesn’t go at a similar rate the world over. Huge urban communities, for example, New York City and Amsterdam are particularly inclined to waters making floods among their populaces, said Craig Donlon, Sentinel-6 task researcher at the European Space Agency, in a similar preparation. More regrettable, he added, for each centimeter in ocean level ascent, upwards of 3,000,000 additional individuals overall are presented to flooding dangers.

“The Earth is warming, and the greatest indicator is sea level rise,” Donlon said. While space satellites have been following that in detail for a very long time, the underlying foundations of this issue started in the mechanical unrest, when countries started consuming coal, oil and other common assets to control their economies.

While the researchers are anticipating exact outcomes from Sentinel-6, the dispatch groups are attempting to remain safe in the midst of more up to date pandemic conventions, for example, temperature checks while entering structures, physical separating among laborers and isolates after movement.

“There are worse things than being trapped on the coast of California,” kidded Tim Dunn, dispatch overseer of NASA’s dispatch administrations program, during the news gathering on Friday. While the group can’t eat in cafés not surprisingly, they are as yet doing group building exercises, for example, open air porch gatherings and joint exercise, additionally outside, he said.

Morale stays high among the gathering and Dunn said he is glad for all the variations his partners are making. “It’s good to come together with the team, and to know the importance of what we’re doing,” he said. “It does energize us and give us the necessary energy to continue to press forward.”

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Researchers Achieve Breakthrough in Quantum Simulation of Electron Transfer

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A team at Rice University has achieved a significant breakthrough in simulating molecular electron transfer using a trapped-ion quantum simulator. Their research offers fresh insights into the dynamics of electron transfer and could pave the way for innovations in molecular electronics, renewable energy, and cc.

Electron transfer is a critical process underpinning numerous physical, chemical, and biological phenomena. However, the complexity of quantum interactions has long made it a challenging area to study. Conventional computational techniques often struggle to capture the full range of variables influencing electron transfer.

To address these challenges, the researchers developed a programmable quantum system capable of independently controlling key factors such as donor-acceptor energy gaps, electronic and vibronic couplings, and environmental dissipation. Using ions trapped in an ultra-high vacuum and manipulated by laser light, the team demonstrated real-time spin dynamics and measured electron transfer rates.

“This is the first time that this kind of model has been simulated on a physical device while incorporating the role of the environment and tailoring it in a controlled way,” said Guido Pagano, lead author of the study published in Science Advances.

Pagano added, “It represents a significant leap forward in our ability to use quantum simulators to investigate models and regimes relevant to chemistry and biology. By harnessing the power of quantum simulation, we hope to explore scenarios currently inaccessible to classical computational methods.”

Through precise engineering of tunable dissipation and programmable quantum systems, the researchers explored both adiabatic and nonadiabatic regimes of electron transfer. The experiment not only illuminated how quantum effects function under diverse conditions but also identified optimal parameters for electron transfer.

The team emphasized that their findings bridge a critical gap between theoretical predictions and experimental verification. By offering a tunable framework to investigate quantum processes in complex systems, their work could lead to groundbreaking advancements in renewable energy technologies, molecular electronics, and the development of novel materials.

“This experiment is a promising first step toward understanding how quantum effects influence energy transport, particularly in biological systems like photosynthetic complexes,” said Jose N. Onuchic, study co-author. “The insights gained could inspire the design of more efficient light-harvesting materials.”

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Crew Dragon Mission Delay Extends Astronauts’ Stay on ISS by a Month

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The next mission of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon to the International Space Station (ISS) has been postponed by a month due to delays in completing a new spacecraft. This decision will extend the stay of some astronauts aboard the ISS, including two who have been there since June.

NASA announced on December 17 that the Crew-10 mission, initially scheduled for February, is now set to launch no earlier than late March. The delay stems from the need for additional time to finish the fabrication, assembly, testing, and integration of a new Crew Dragon capsule.

Crafting the New Dragon Capsule

“Fabrication, assembly, testing, and final integration of a new spacecraft is a painstaking endeavor that requires great attention to detail,” said Steve Stich, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program Manager. He commended SpaceX’s efforts to expand the Dragon fleet and the flexibility of the ISS crew in accommodating the delay.

The new Crew Dragon will be the fifth in SpaceX’s lineup of crewed spacecraft, complementing its three cargo Dragon vehicles. According to Sarah Walker, SpaceX’s Dragon Mission Management Director, the spacecraft was near completion as of July and was undergoing final work at SpaceX’s California facility. It is now expected to arrive in Florida for final preparations in January.

While NASA did not specify the exact reasons for the delay, it considered other options, including using an existing Crew Dragon or making adjustments to the launch manifest, before opting for the delay. Existing capsules, including Freedom, currently at the ISS, and Endeavour and Resilience, which recently returned from other missions, were not available for a February launch.

Crew Adjustments and Extended ISS Stay

The Crew-10 mission will proceed with its planned roster: Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers from NASA, Takuya Onishi from JAXA, and Kirill Peskov from Roscosmos.

The delay has implications for the Crew-9 mission, launched in late September with NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. They were joined by NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have been on the station since June after arriving on Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner.

Originally, Williams and Wilmore were scheduled to stay for just over a week, but their time on the ISS will now extend to about 10 months. NASA had earlier decided to return the uncrewed Starliner to Earth due to concerns with its thrusters.

Despite the delay, NASA emphasizes that Williams and Wilmore are not “stranded” as they can return to Earth in an emergency. Their extended stay is tied to the decision to use the new Crew Dragon for the upcoming mission, as preparing another vehicle was deemed impractical.

Looking Ahead

Assuming the Crew-10 launch proceeds in late March, the Crew-9 spacecraft is expected to return to Earth in early April after a handover period. This delay underscores the complexity of preparing new spacecraft while ensuring the safety and readiness of all missions.

As the new Crew Dragon nears completion, SpaceX and NASA remain focused on maintaining seamless operations aboard the ISS and advancing human space exploration.

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Boeing Starliner crews will have an extended stay on the ISS due to SpaceX’s delay

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NASA said on Tuesday that it has decided to postpone the launch until at least late March because SpaceX’s upcoming crew rotation mission to the ISS would utilize a new Dragon spacecraft that won’t be ready by the initial February launch date.

For the two NASA astronauts who traveled to the ISS last June on Boeing’s troubled Starliner spacecraft, that means an even longer stay. On June 5, they took off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V on the first crewed mission of Starliner. They arrived at the ISS one day later for a stay that was only expected to last eight days.

NASA decided to be cautious and maintain Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams aboard the ISS while sending Starliner home without a crew due to issues with the spacecraft’s thrusters and helium leaks on its propulsion module.

In order for Williams and Wilmore to have a trip home, they will now be traveling on the SpaceX Crew Dragon Freedom, which traveled up to the ISS and docked in September, although with only two crew members on board rather than the customary four.

When Crew-10 arrived in late February, the mission’s goal was to take a trip home.

However, NASA confirmed that Crew-10 will not fly with its replacement crew until late March. This allows NASA and SpaceX time to prepare the new Dragon spacecraft, which has not yet been given a name, for the voyage. Early January is when it is anticipated to reach Florida.

“Fabrication, assembly, testing, and final integration of a new spacecraft is a painstaking endeavor that requires great attention to detail,” stated Steve Stich, the program manager for NASA’s Commercial Crew. “We appreciate the hard work by the SpaceX team to expand the Dragon fleet in support of our missions and the flexibility of the station program and expedition crews as we work together to complete the new capsule’s readiness for flight.”

It would be the fifth Dragon spacecraft with a crew. Its fleet of four current Dragon spacecraft has flown 15 times, sending 56 passengers to space, including two who were two-time fliers. The first crewed trip took place in May 2020. Each spacecraft’s name is chosen by the crew on its first flight.

According to NASA, teams considered using the other crew Dragon spacecraft that were available but decided that rescheduling Crew-10’s launch date was the best course of action.

JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut and mission specialist Takuya Onishi will undertake his second spaceflight, Roscosmos cosmonaut and mission specialist Kirill Peskov will make his first spaceflight, NASA astronaut and commander Anne McClain will make her second spaceflight, and NASA astronaut and pilot Nichole Ayers will become the first member of the 2021 astronaut candidate class to reach space.

Given that Crew-9 won’t be able to return home until a handover period following Crew-10’s arrival, Wilmore and Williams may have to spend nearly nine months aboard as a result of the delay.

Rotations aboard the ISS typically last six months.

It is unclear when and how Starliner will receive its final certification so that it can start trading off the regular ferry service with SpaceX, as NASA’s Commercial Crew Program aims to have two providers for U.S.-based rotation missions with SpaceX and Boeing. This is due to the Crew Flight Test mission’s incomplete launch.

According to the terms of its contract, Boeing must deliver six missions to the ISS before the space station’s service ends, which is presently scheduled for 2030.

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