How many secrets does the universe hide from humans? Plenty of them. But our scientists are on a constant mission to unravel these secrets. And they have achieved tremendous success in this endeavor. Let us check some of the latest developments in the field of space research. This compilation of latest space news for students gives you a short summary of all significant news.
Solar Orbiter Mission to study the Sun’s secrets
The European Space Agency has embarked on one of its most ambitious projects by launching the Solar Orbiter spacecraft. This is the greatest of all missions till date which will research on the Sun. The aim of the probe is to study the uncharted areas of the Sun. The spacecraft took off on its mission from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on February 9, 2020.
This mission is a result of the collaboration between the ESA and NASA. It will study the polar regions of the Sun which are still unknown territories to scientists. Although scientists embarked on the mission almost two decades back, technical hurdles kept delaying the launch.
As the Orbiter will enter an extremely hot territory, it is built in a manner as to shield it from the heat. The spacecraft has an intricate heat shield made of titanium foils. The outer coating is made of a special material called Solar Black which was exclusively created for this mission. This outer coating has stable thermal properties which will help it to withstand the extreme heat.
The main object of the Solar Orbiter is to study how the Sun controls the heliosphere or the protective bubble that surrounds the solar system. Scientists believe that they will get an answer to this question by studying the polar regions of the Sun. They expect the probe to send the first images of the Sun’s poles only by 2025. Preliminary studies will commence by November 2021.
Record-breaking space mission by a female astronaut
The next item in space news for students is something that makes us proud. Christina Koch, a female astronaut from NASA claimed a record-breaking feat when she landed on the Earth on February 6, 2020, after her space voyage. After spending 328 days in space, Koch became the woman with the longest continuous space voyage to her credit.
The 41-year-old astronaut took off on her mission on March 12, 2019. She spent almost a year aboard the International Space Station, witnessing 5,248 orbits around the Earth. Koch conducted six spacewalks during this period. She also created history by becoming a part of the first all-woman spacewalk.
Christina Koch is an electrical engineer with an expertise in space science instruments development. She is an inspiration for the girls around the world who dare to walk on the paths untrodden by female feet.
Is the star Betelgeuse heading towards a supernova?
Most of our stargazers will be aware of the Betelgeuse, the bright star that we spot in the night sky as a part of the Orion, the hunter constellation. Betelgeuse is the star that sits on the shoulder of the hunter. It is a reddish star and is one of the largest stars visible to the naked eye. It is located around 700 light-years from the Sun.
Of late, Betelgeuse is seen to be losing its shine. Now it is at its dimmest for more than a century. Scientists speculate that the star might be nearing its end. As Betelgeuse has a huge mass, it is likely to end its life with a supernova explosion. The continuous dimming of the star may be indicative of an impending explosion and demise. But some scientists believe that it will take a longer time for this event to happen. It is for our scientists to wait and watch whether the hunter’s shoulder will be entirely chipped off.
These are some important space news for students that hit the headlines in February. Stay tuned to our News section for more.
