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To International Space Station , Dragon soars on invent and Resupply Aeronautics

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A business Dragon supply vessel constructed and possessed by SpaceX soared into a reasonable blue sky over Florida’s Space Coast Thursday with a zoological garden of research trials and occasion shocks heading for the International Space Station.

Researchers stacked 40 hereditarily built into the Dragon case to help check the viability of a test medication to battle muscle and bone decay. There’s additionally an examination supported by Anheuser-Busch to ponder the malting of grain in microgravity, which could prompt the fermenting of lager in space, the organization says.

An ignition test to be conveyed to the station will direct investigation into the conduct of flares in restricted spaces in microgravity. NASA and business groups have uncovered seven CubeSats stowed inside the Dragon shuttle for arrangement in circle, including the first nanosatellite worked in Mexico to travel to the space station.

What’s more, there are a couple of occasion treats available for the space station’s six-man group.

“As far as presents and so forth, I’m not sure I want to divulge anything, but I think I would tell you that Santa’s sleigh is certified for the vacuum of space,” kidded Kenny Todd, administrator of room station tasks and coordination at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Packed brimming with 5,769 pounds (2,617 kilograms) of gear, the mechanized payload tanker launched from cushion 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 12:29:24 p.m. EST (1729:24 GMT) Thursday to commence a three-day trek to the space station.

The 213-foot-tall (65-meter) Falcon 9 launcher lighted nine Merlin 1D principle motors to climb away from cushion 40 with 1.7 million pounds of window-shaking push. A reasonable harvest time evening sky welcomed the lamp fuel filled Falcon 9 as it diverted upper east from Cape Canaveral to adjust its flight way to the space station’s circle.

The departure happened a day delayed after extraordinary high-elevation winds kept the Falcon 9 from propelling Wednesday. Be that as it may, the upper level breezes died down enough Thursday to allow the Falcon 9’s red hot flight, and the business launcher effectively conveyed its Dragon load payload into a starter circle eight-and-a-half minutes after the fact.

The Falcon 9’s first stage did the primary piece of lifting before withdrawing more than two minutes into the flight. The primary stage sponsor flew itself back through Earth’s climate and arrived on SpaceX’s automaton dispatch “Of Course I Still Love” stopped in the Atlantic Ocean east-upper east of Jacksonville, Florida, denoting the 46th time SpaceX has recuperated one of its supporters unblemished for reuse on a future flight.

The main stage flown on Thursday crucial its first excursion to space and back.

Then, the Falcon 9’s subsequent stage lit its single Merlin motor to infuse the Dragon supply deliver into space. A moment later, the payload container conveyed from the second phase of the Falcon 9, and a forward-mounted camera indicated the Dragon taking off from the rocket against the inky darkness of room.

SpaceX affirmed the stock ship expanded its capacity producing sun oriented boards to a range of 54 feet (16.5 meters), and the entirety of the ship’s Draco moving engines were prepared to start a progression of moves to meet with the space station early Sunday.

In the wake of discharging the Dragon shuttle, the Falcon 9 rocket’s upper stage was relied upon to proceed on an all-inclusive span coast enduring about six hours. SpaceX proposed to gather warm information and other data on the presentation of the phase during a few circles of the Earth, before the Merlin motor reignites for a long transfer consume to drive the rocket body once more into Earth’s climate for a ruinous reemergence over the far southern Indian Ocean.

SpaceX said the long-term explore is important to check the upper stage’s preparation to help future missions that may require the rocket to drift in the outrageous condition of room for as long as six hours. Missions that necessitate that ability incorporate high-elevation orbital infusions for U.S. military and National Reconnaissance Office satellites.

The all-inclusive trip of the upper stage was required to take up a portion of the Falcon 9’s abundance fuel limit, leaving deficient force in the principal stage to enable the supporter to come back to an arrival at Cape Canaveral. Rather, SpaceX handled the rocket adrift.

The dispatch of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket makes room for two other significant spaceflight exercises on inverse sides of the world.

At Cape Canaveral, United Launch Alliance is preparing an Atlas 5 rocket for a 11-hour mock commencement Friday to practice strategies for the primary dispatch of Boeing’s Starliner group case in the not so distant future. The commencement exercise will incorporate filling of the Atlas 5 with fluid fuels at Cape Canaveral’s Complex 41 platform, somewhat more than a mile away from SpaceX’s Falcon 9 dispatch office at cushion 40.

The Atlas 5’s training commencement at cushion 41 couldn’t proceed a similar day as SpaceX’s dispatch from the neighboring cushion.

Russian groups in Kazakhstan intend to dispatch a Soyuz promoter at 4:34 a.m. EST (0934 GMT) Friday with a Progress resupply and refueling vessel. The Progress payload crucial booked to dock with the space station early Monday, approximately 24 hours after the appearance of SpaceX’s Dragon shuttle.

Italian space traveler Luca Parmitano and NASA flight engineer Drew Morgan will man the space station’s Canadian-assembled robot arm to catch the Dragon supply transport Sunday. The automated arm will situate the Dragon shuttle on the station’s Harmony module, where space travelers will open brings forth and start unloading the payload inside the inventory ship’s interior compartment.

The Dragon payload container propelled Thursday is making its third journey to the space station, following two past full circle flights in 2014 and 2017. This crucial SpaceX’s nineteenth resupply trip to the station under a multibillion-dollar contract with NASA.

Here is a separate of the Dragon rocket’s 5,769-pound (2,617-kilogram) supply load. The figures beneath do exclude the mass of freight bundling, which is remembered for NASA’s general payload mass:

  • Science Investigations: 2,154 pounds (977 kilograms)
  • Vehicle Hardware: 675 pounds (306 kilograms)
  • Group Supplies: 564 pounds (256 kilograms)
  • Spacewalk Equipment: 141 pounds (65 kilograms)
  • PC Resources: 33 pounds (15 kilograms)
  • Unpressurized Payloads: 2,037 pounds (924 kilograms)

Eight of the 40 mice propelled toward the space station Thursday have been hereditarily built to need myostatin, a protein that demonstrations to restrain muscle development in creatures. The muscle-bound, without myostatin mice — or “mighty mice” — are joined by four different gatherings of rodents, including bunches that will be given a trial tranquilize in space to square myostatin action and advance muscle development.

Each of the 40 mice will profit to Earth alive for the Dragon case toward the beginning of January. Researchers will direct the equivalent myostatin protein blocker to a portion of the mice after they are back on the ground to survey how the medication influences their pace of recuperation.

“The focus of this project is going to be to determine whether getting rid of myostatin in mice that we send to the International Space Station can prevent, or at least mitigate, the loss of muscle due to microgravity,” said Se-Jin Lee, teacher at the Jackson Laboratory and University of Connecticut School of Medicine, and head specialist for the rat look into test.

The medication preliminary to be directed to the mice on the space station likewise hinders activin, a protein that controls bone mass.

“By blocking activin with this drug, bone density increases significantly,” said Emily Germain-Lee, a co-investigator on the experiment and professor at University of Connecticut School of Medicine. “And as you probably know, astronauts who spend a lot of time in space lose not only muscle mass, but also bone mass.”

“Anything that can be done to prevent muscle and bone loss would be very important to maintaining the health of astronauts during space travel,” Germain-Lee said. “But … loss of bone mass is also a huge health problem for people here on Earth. There are actually lots of diseases that lead to bone loss in both children and adults. And, of course, osteoporosis is a big health issue for people who are elderly or bedridden.”

“By testing this experimental drug in life subjected to microgravity, we hope to be able to test the therapeutic strategies for combating both the bone loss and muscle loss that occur in lots of different conditions,” Germain-Lee said.

Gary Hanning, chief of worldwide grain examine at Anheuser-Busch, said the organization’s malting test on board the Dragon payload crucial the third in a progression of examinations taking a gander at how the earth of room influences blending forms.

“This series has been constructed to look at the impact of space environment on the germination process of barley,” Hanning said. “So the germination processes is taking seed and creating the new plant from that, and so that’s a very key step in the life cycle of any plant, and particularly important to malting barley. So much of our research on earth is focused on seed germination and the environmental impacts that would affect seed germination, as well as physiological effects.”

Hanning said Anheuser-Busch’s tests in space have given the organization’s exploration group another point of view.

Matthew Ronald grew up in Chicago. His mother is a preschool teacher, and his father is a cartoonist. After high school Matthew attended college where he majored in early-childhood education and child psychology. After college he worked with special needs children in schools. He then decided to go into publishing, before becoming a writer himself, something he always had an interest in. More than that, he published number of news articles as a freelance author on apstersmedia.com.

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China’s Tianwen-2 Set for Launch to Asteroid and Comet

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China’s Tianwen-2 Set for Launch to Asteroid and Comet

China has taken a major step forward in its deep-space exploration efforts as the Tianwen-2 spacecraft arrived at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province for final launch preparations. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) confirmed the development on February 20, 2025, signaling that the mission is on track for its scheduled launch in the first half of the year.

A Dual-Purpose Mission

The Tianwen-2 mission is a combined near-Earth asteroid sample return and comet rendezvous mission, marking another ambitious endeavor for China’s space program. The mission is set to launch aboard a Long March 3B rocket, with a tentative liftoff expected around May 2025.

The primary target of Tianwen-2 is the near-Earth asteroid Kamoʻoalewa (2016 HO3), a small celestial body with a diameter estimated between 40 to 100 meters. The asteroid is considered a quasi-satellite of Earth, meaning it follows a co-orbital path with our planet. Scientists believe Kamoʻoalewa might be a fragment of the Moon, ejected into space after an ancient impact event.

After collecting samples from Kamoʻoalewa, the main spacecraft will continue its journey to comet 311P/PANSTARRS, a celestial body that exhibits both asteroid-like and comet-like characteristics. By studying these two objects, scientists aim to gain valuable insights into the composition, evolution, and history of the solar system, including the distribution of water and organic molecules.

Launch Preparations Underway

CNSA stated that the launch site facilities are fully prepared, and pre-launch tests are proceeding as planned. Engineers and scientists are meticulously working to ensure the spacecraft is ready for its complex mission, which will involve multiple orbital maneuvers, sample collection, and deep-space travel over nearly a decade.

Sampling Kamoʻoalewa: Two Innovative Techniques

To collect material from Kamoʻoalewa, Tianwen-2 will employ two advanced sampling methods:

  1. Touch-and-Go (TAG) Method – This technique, used by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx and JAXA’s Hayabusa2 missions, involves briefly touching the asteroid’s surface to gather samples.
  2. Anchor-and-Attach System – This approach uses drills attached to the spacecraft’s landing legs, allowing for a more stable and secure extraction of subsurface material.

Early mission concepts, when Tianwen-2 was initially known as Zheng He, indicated that China aimed to collect between 200 and 1,000 grams of asteroid samples. These samples will help scientists analyze Kamoʻoalewa’s mineral composition, origin, and potential similarities with lunar material.

Challenges in Sample Return

Although China has successfully executed two lunar sample return missions—Chang’e-5 (2020) and Chang’e-6 (2024)—returning asteroid samples presents unique challenges. Unlike the Moon, Kamoʻoalewa has negligible gravity, requiring specialized landing and sampling techniques. Additionally, the reentry module carrying the samples will experience higher velocities, demanding advanced thermal protection and parachute deployment systems.

To address these challenges, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) conducted high-altitude parachute tests in 2023, ensuring the safe return of asteroid samples to Earth around 2027.

Comet Rendezvous: Studying 311P/PANSTARRS

Returning samples from Kamoʻoalewa will not mark the end of Tianwen-2’s mission. The spacecraft will execute a gravitational slingshot maneuver around Earth, propelling it toward comet 311P/PANSTARRS in the main asteroid belt. The rendezvous is expected around 2034.

311P/PANSTARRS is considered a transitional object between asteroids and comets, making it an ideal candidate for studying the origins of cometary activity within the asteroid belt. Scientists hope to analyze its orbit, rotation, surface composition, volatile elements, and dust emissions, shedding light on the evolution of comets in the inner solar system.

Scientific Instruments on Board

The Tianwen-2 spacecraft is equipped with a suite of cutting-edge instruments to study its targets, including:

  • Multispectral and infrared spectrometers – To analyze surface composition.
  • High-resolution cameras – To map geological features in detail.
  • Radar sounder – To probe subsurface structures.
  • Magnetometer – To search for residual magnetic fields.
  • Dust and gas analyzers – To examine cometary activity.
  • Charged particle detectors – To study interactions with the solar wind (developed in collaboration with the Russian Academy of Sciences).

China’s Expanding Deep-Space Ambitions

Tianwen-2 follows the highly successful Tianwen-1 Mars mission, which saw China land the Zhurong rover on Mars in 2021. The Tianwen series is a key part of China’s growing presence in deep-space exploration:

  • Tianwen-3 – A Mars sample return mission, scheduled for 2028–2030.
  • Tianwen-4 – A Jupiter system exploration mission, launching around 2030, featuring a solar-powered orbiter for Callisto and a radioisotope-powered spacecraft for a Uranus flyby.

Chinese researchers have emphasized the importance of asteroid sample return missions, citing their potential for groundbreaking scientific discoveries and the development of new space technologies.

With Tianwen-2, China is taking a bold step into the future of deep-space exploration. By returning samples from an asteroid and studying a comet, the mission will provide crucial insights into the origins of the solar system and planetary evolution. As launch preparations continue, the world eagerly anticipates another milestone in China’s space program.

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SpaceX to Launch 21 Starlink Satellites from Florida on February 4

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SpaceX to Launch 21 Starlink Satellites from Florida on February 4

SpaceX plans to launch another batch of Starlink satellites into orbit from Florida’s Space Coast on February 4, 2025. The mission will deploy 21 Starlink satellites, including 13 equipped with direct-to-cell communications capabilities, marking another major step in SpaceX’s ambitious plan to provide global high-speed internet coverage.

The Falcon 9 rocket flight from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station is scheduled to take place during a roughly three-hour launch window that opens at 3:37 a.m. (0837 GMT). SpaceX will livestream the event on its X account (formerly Twitter), with coverage beginning about five minutes before liftoff.

The mission will use the experienced Falcon 9 first-stage rocket, which will be making its 21st launch and landing. According to SpaceX, this rocket has already flown on 20 missions, 16 of which were dedicated Starlink launches. If all goes as planned, the rocket will return to Earth about eight minutes after liftoff, landing on the unmanned “Just Read the Instructions” craft in the Atlantic Ocean.

The Falcon 9 upper stage will continue its journey to deploy 21 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO) about 65 minutes after liftoff. This will be SpaceX’s 15th Falcon 9 mission in 2025, with nine flights dedicated to expanding the Starlink constellation.

Direct-to-cell capabilities


A notable feature of this mission is the inclusion of 13 Starlink satellites with direct-to-cell capability. These advanced satellites are designed to enable seamless connectivity for standard mobile phones, eliminating the need for specialized hardware. This technology has the potential to revolutionize communications in remote and underserved areas, providing reliable internet and cellular services directly to users’ devices.

The growing Starlink constellation


SpaceX is rapidly expanding its Starlink network, which is already the largest satellite constellation ever assembled. In 2024 alone, the company launched more than 130 Falcon 9 missions, about two-thirds of which were dedicated to Starlink deployments. According to astrophysicist and satellite tracker Jonathan McDowell, SpaceX currently operates nearly 7,000 Starlink satellites in LEO.

The Starlink network aims to provide high-speed, low-latency internet access to users around the world, especially in regions lacking traditional infrastructure. With this latest launch, SpaceX is expanding the network’s capacity and coverage, bringing its dream of global connectivity closer to reality.

Recyclability and sustainability


The Falcon 9 rocket’s first-stage booster exemplifies SpaceX’s commitment to reusability, a key factor in reducing the cost of spaceflight. By successfully landing and reusing the rocket, SpaceX has revolutionized the aerospace industry and set a new standard for sustainable space operations.

However, the rapid expansion of the Starlink constellation has raised concerns among astronomers and environmentalists. The growing number of satellites in LEO has created problems such as light pollution, which can interfere with astronomical observations, and space debris, which poses a threat to other spacecraft. SpaceX is actively working to mitigate these issues by implementing measures such as blacking out satellite surfaces and responsibly deorbiting inactive satellites.

The February 4 launch is part of SpaceX’s broader strategy to achieve global internet coverage and support its growing customer base. With the addition of direct-to-cell-connect satellites, the company is poised to offer even more versatile and simple connectivity solutions.

As SpaceX pushes the boundaries of space technology, the world will be watching to see how the Starlink network evolves and addresses the challenges associated with large-scale satellite constellations. For now, the focus is on the upcoming launch, which will mark another milestone in SpaceX’s journey to connect the world.

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Scientists Trap Molecules for Quantum Tasks, Paving the Way for Ultra-Fast Tech Advancements

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Scientists Trap Molecules for Quantum Tasks, Paving the Way for Ultra-Fast Tech Advancements

In a groundbreaking milestone for quantum computing, researchers from Harvard University have successfully trapped molecules to perform quantum operations. This achievement marks a pivotal advancement in the field, potentially revolutionizing technology and enabling ultra-fast computations in medicine, science, and finance.

Molecules as Qubits: A New Frontier

Traditionally, quantum computing has focused on using smaller, less complex particles like ions and atoms as qubits—the fundamental units of quantum information. Molecules, despite their potential, were long considered unsuitable due to their intricate and delicate structures, which made them challenging to manipulate reliably.

However, the latest findings, published in the journal Nature, change this narrative. By utilizing ultra-cold polar molecules as qubits, the researchers have opened up new possibilities for performing quantum tasks with unprecedented precision.

A 20-Year Journey to Success

“This is a breakthrough we’ve been working toward for two decades,” said Kang-Kuen Ni, Theodore William Richards Professor of Chemistry and Physics at Harvard and senior co-author of the study.

Quantum computing leverages the principles of quantum mechanics to perform calculations exponentially faster than classical computers. It has the potential to solve problems that were once deemed unsolvable.

“Our work represents the last critical piece needed to construct a molecular quantum computer,” added co-author and postdoctoral fellow Annie Park, highlighting the significance of this achievement.

How Molecular Quantum Gates Work

Quantum gates, the building blocks of quantum operations, manipulate qubits by taking advantage of quantum phenomena like superposition and entanglement. Unlike classical logic gates that process binary bits (0s and 1s), quantum gates can process multiple states simultaneously, exponentially increasing computational power.

In this experiment, the researchers used the ISWAP gate, a crucial component that swaps the states of two qubits while applying a phase shift. This process is essential for creating entangled states—a cornerstone of quantum computing that allows qubits to remain correlated regardless of distance.

Overcoming Long-Standing Challenges

Earlier attempts to use molecules for quantum computing faced significant challenges. Molecules were often unstable, moving unpredictably and disrupting the coherence required for precise operations.

The Harvard team overcame these obstacles by trapping molecules in ultra-cold environments. By drastically reducing molecular motion, they achieved greater control over quantum states, paving the way for reliable quantum operations.

The breakthrough was a collaborative effort between Harvard researchers and physicists from the University of Colorado’s Center for Theory of Quantum Matter. The team meticulously measured two-qubit Bell states and minimized errors caused by residual motion, laying the groundwork for even more accurate future experiments.

Transforming the Quantum Landscape

“There’s immense potential in leveraging molecular platforms for quantum computing,” Ni noted. The team’s success is expected to inspire further innovations and ideas for utilizing the unique properties of molecules in quantum systems.

This advancement could significantly alter the quantum computing landscape, bringing researchers closer to developing a molecular quantum computer. Such a system would harness the unique capabilities of molecules, opening doors to unprecedented computational possibilities.

The Road Ahead

The implications of this achievement extend far beyond academia. By unlocking the potential of molecules as qubits, the researchers have taken a vital step toward creating powerful quantum computers capable of transforming industries ranging from pharmaceuticals to financial modeling.

As researchers continue to refine this technology, the dream of a molecular quantum computer—one that capitalizes on the complexities of molecular structures—moves closer to reality. This breakthrough represents not just a leap forward for quantum computing but a glimpse into the future of technology itself.

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