Globular Clusters are still mysterious objects. But the Hubble has studied them and removed at least some of the mystery. One burning question is whether or not GCs host black holes, much like galaxies do.

There are different sizes of black holes. The gravitational collapse of a star forms stellar-mass black holes. They range from about five to tens of solar masses. Supermassive Black Holes (SMBHs) are gargantuan and reside at the center of galaxies. They can contain billions of times more mass than the Sun. Then there are intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs.)

But IMBHs are elusive.

When the Hubble came along, its ability to discern individual stars in GC helped astronomers detect IMBHs. The stars in a GCs center are more tightly packed than the stars toward the edges. That central region is where astronomers thought IMBHs might be hiding.

NGC 6397 is a globular cluster in the constellation Ara. It’s about 7,800 light-years from Earth and is one of the two closes GCs. It holds about 400,000 stars. In a 2021 study, astronomers looked at Hubble images and data from other facilities to examine NGC 6397 for evidence of an intermediate-mass black hole.

Black holes can’t be seen, so to infer their existence, astronomers study the motion of the stars in the GCs core. The black hole’s massive gravitational force affects those stars’ trajectories and velocities, and by measuring them, astronomers can estimate the black hole’s mass. The 2021 paper found something extraordinary: there wasn’t one black hole at the center of NGC 6397; there was a group of them.

“We found very strong evidence for an invisible mass in the dense core of the globular cluster, but we were surprised to find that this extra mass is not ‘point-like’ (that would be expected for a solitary massive black hole) but extended to a few percent of the size of the cluster,” said Eduardo Vitral, one of the paper’s authors.

Finding a clump of stellar-mass black holes was surprising and went against expectations. Astronomers thought that the cores of GCs were a likely place to find the elusive IMBHs.

The researchers haven’t wholly concluded that the mass in the center of the GC is all black holes. They call it a CUO: a cluster of unresolved objects. The CUO has from 1000 to 2000 solar masses; whatever they are, they’re dense.

The paper’s authors say that stellar evolution explains what’s likely there. They think the CUO includes the remnants of massive stars: neutron stars, white dwarfs, and black holes. Through a process called dynamical friction, more massive objects gradually sink to the GCs center while less massive stars migrate to the periphery.

“We used the theory of stellar evolution to conclude that most of the extra mass we found was in the form of black holes,” said Mamon. Two other recent studies also proposed that stellar remnants, particularly stellar-mass black holes, could populate the inner regions of globular clusters. “Ours is the first study to provide both the mass and the extent of what appears to be a collection of mostly black holes in the center of a core-collapsed globular cluster,” said Vitral.

None of this would’ve been discovered if it weren’t for the Hubble. It had some help, especially from the ESA’s Gaia spacecraft. But the Hubble’s ability to resolve individual stars was critical.

In their paper, the authors explain how critical Hubble observations were to their results. “On the other hand, Gaia data by itself has much too few stars with sufficiently accurate PMs <proper motions> at low projected radii to probe the IMBH or CUO mass, and even less the CUO size. This highlights the requirement of combining HST and Gaia for proper mass-orbit modelling of the PM of stars in GCs.”

Understanding the black holes at the heart of GCs depends heavily on how accurately astronomers can measure the proper motion of stars. The Hubble has made an enormous contribution, but as Gaia releases more data, its PMs will grow in accuracy. According to the paper’s authors, the James Webb Space Telescope will start to contribute, too.

“Continued pointings of GCs with HST and soon James Webb Space Telescope will lead to longer baselines and more accurate PMs,” the authors write. “The third data release of the Gaia mission will double the PM precision, thus enabling more accurate mass-orbit modelling, not only of nearby GCs such as NGC 6397 but also of more distant ones, in conjunction with HST data.”

We all love the James Webb Space Telescope. It’s amazing!

But for those of us who came of age alongside the Hubble, it’s sort of a weird feeling watching the JWST supplant the Hubble and maybe eventually relegate it to a lesser role.

But as these images and research shows, the Hubble is still in the game.

More:

• Press Release: Hubble Gazes at Colourful Cluster of Scattered Stars
• Published Research: Does NGC 6397 contain an intermediate-mass black hole or a more diffuse inner subcluster?
• Universe Today: Hubble Sees a Glittering Jewel in the Small Magellanic Cloud. But the Jewel is Disappearing

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

11-01-2023 om 00:43 geschreven door peter  

Top Ten Mars Discoveries This Week From Google Map, UFO Sighting News.

{ https://www.ufosightingsdaily.com/ }

10-01-2023 om 23:40 geschreven door peter  

VIDEO – Mysterious Objects Spotted in Clear Skies Over Punta Gorda: Is it a UFO?

On January 7th, 2023, a UFO sighting was reported in Punta Gorda, Florida. According to the account, the sighting took place on a clear evening with eight miles of visibility. The observer observed two distinct objects: a smaller object with flashing lights, which was followed by a larger, rectangular object with very fast flashing white lights.

The observer initially began filming the objects, and at one point, the larger object stopped and disappeared, only to reappear about 10 degrees to the right of its original location. The object then continued on its path before stopping again and disappearing. The account states that the objects seemed to be no more than half a mile away at the closest point and proceeded to be less than a mile away. The observer noted that from their viewpoint, the objects appeared to be quite large.

After observing the objects, the observer contacted the Punta Gorda airport to inquire about any possible aircraft in the area at the time of the sighting. However, the airport reportedly informed the observer that their radar range is limited, and they were unable to provide any information about the objects. The observer stated that they have three separate films of the object.

• Mysterious UFO spotted over Tamaulipas highway, Mexico

This account of UFO sighting is interesting. However, it’s important to remember that just because something is unidentified doesn’t mean it’s alien or extraterrestrial in nature. There are many possible explanations for this sighting, such as aircraft, weather balloons, drones, or even misidentifications of celestial bodies. Without more information or analysis of the films taken, it is impossible to say for certain what the observer observed.

{ https://www.latest-ufo-sightings.net/ }

10-01-2023 om 22:22 geschreven door peter  

LATEST UFO SIGHTINGS AND VIDEOS - 10/01/2023

SpaceX launches OneWeb satellites for 2nd time, nails landing in Florida

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched 40 OneWeb Satellite from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Jan. 9, 2023. A few minutes after stage separation, the first stage of the rocket landed on Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Credit: SpaceX

DEEP OCEAN LIGHTS Point to Alien Activity | The Proof is Out There: Bermuda Triangle

Strange lights illuminating from the bottom of the Bermuda Triangle may point to strange alien activity. See more in this clip from Season 1, "USOs & Underwater Forces."

Love watching The Proof Is Out There: Bermuda Triangle Edition? Stay up to date on all of your favorite The HISTORY Channel shows at history.com/schedule.

Earth-size planet found in TOI 700 system's habitable zone

NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has been used to discover Earth-size planet TOI 700 e. It is "orbiting within the habitable zone of its star – the range of distances where liquid water could occur on a planet’s surface," according to NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.

The TOI 700 system is about 100 light-years away.

Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Robert Hurt/NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

X1.9 solar flare! Hyperactive sunspot eruption seen by spacecraft

Sunspot AR3184 erupted with an X1.9-class solar flare on Jan. 9, 2022. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) captured the fireworks. The sunspot has been very active since it rotated into SDO's view.

Full Story: https://www.space.com/huge-solar-flar...

Credit: NASA/SDO/helioviewer.org | edited by Space.com's Steve Spaleta

• (https://twitter.com/stevespaleta)

SpaceX did a Brilliant Upgrade On Starship Booster For 33 Engines Static Fire this week

Finally, SpaceX Booster 7 - our hero is back and better than ever with some robustness Upgrade to gear up for 33 Engines Static Fire this week!
So, what has the SpaceX team upgraded on the B7 over the past month?

Discuss everything about this in today's episode of Alpha Tech:

Until now, Booster 7 and Ship 24 continue to be cited as the pairing that will conduct the orbital test flight, with Musk citing that the latest schedule is hopeful the first orbital flight of Starship could happen as soon as next month.
"We have a real shot at late February. March launch attempt appears highly likely," Musk wrote.

Schedule clarity will be gained via the return of Booster 7 on last Sunday from its time back in the Mega Bay (High Bay 2) after it was transported away from its perch on the Orbital Launch Mount (OLM) in December.
With road closures posted for this week, we hope a big test comes soon.
Booster 7 alone completed more than 24 distinct tests (including six static fires) between early April and late November.

Now back to the main topic, let's see what's new on B7 after the latest reborn.
Firstly, have you noticed that its appearance has become more attractive?
Well, Booster 7 is surprisingly shiny. Doesn't look like there are any missing tiles now.
Yeah, SpaceX’s futuristic Starship interplanetary craft may embody the golden age of sci-fi in more ways than one: in addition to (theoretically) taking passengers from planet to planet, it may sport a shiny stainless-steel skin that makes it look like the pulp covers of old.
This is a special full-hardness steel alloy mentioned as being among the 300 series of high-strength, heat-resistant alloys — not the plentiful, pliable stuff we all have in our kitchens and buildings. Musk also ever mentioned another “superalloy” called SX500 that SpaceX’s metallurgists have developed for use in the Raptor engines that will power the vehicle.

Secondly, full engine shields.
One month ago, B7 has 20 missing panels for each of its outer Raptor engines. That engine shielding looks great now!
Any replacements would need to be modified to ensure that the ad-hoc system installed to prevent the conditions that led to Booster 7’s first explosion from recurring can still be used for future static fire tests.
But honestly, it’s unclear why SpaceX would need to reinstall those panels now for Booster 7’s upcoming 33-engine static fire(s) and a full-stack wet dress rehearsal(s) when they weren’t needed for 11 and 14-engine static fires and a dozen other fire-free tests.
SpaceX did a Brilliant Upgrade On Starship Booster For 33 Engines Static Fire this week

NASA Just Detected Several Massive Objects Entering Our Solar System!

While we have made several trips to space in hopes of trying to find life beyond Earth, things usually don’t happen the other way around. Well, that has just changed. Scientists have actually detected a new interstellar visitor, and it brought with it hundreds of questions. Join us as we dig deeper into what’s going on with this mysterious visitor, and what this could mean for the future of humanity!

But before we get to the visitor, we’re going to take a look back at 2017 to make sense of what’s going on right now! There are trillions of space rocks in our solar system alone, even more outside of it. But the space crafts, telescopes, and lasers we have on Earth still spend night and day studying them anyway.

That’s because any information we might find about the rocks flying around in space could change everything in an instant. So there’s no stone we can leave unstudied. While scientists spend all day and night studying space, we’ve never really had anything major enter our solar system. Even if we did, it’s usually right at the edge of our solar system. That, too, if it’s fast enough to make it through the sheer pressure objects have to deal with. So to have an interstellar object make it even remotely close to being detected by the machines on Earth was never really a goal.

Virgin Orbit rocket suffers anomaly during air launch on first UK mission

Virgin Orbit's Cosmic Girl carrier plane deployed the "Start Me Up" mission's LauncherOne rocket for an air launch on Jan. 9, 2022. The rocket was deployed about an hour after the plane lifted off from Spaceport Cornwall in the UK.

Full Story: https://www.space.com/virgin-orbit-fi...

• The rocket suffered an anomaly during the flight and failed to deliver its payload to orbit, according to Chris Relf, Virgin Orbit director of systems engineering and verification.

Credit: Virgin Orbit

Mars Ingenuity Helicopter found here after its most recent fascinating flight I 4K

Watch the latest spectacular flight that took place on the Red planet. Enjoy

Scientists Just Found This 3,500 Year Old Box Next To The Pyramids That Contained This Secret

Welcome to Futureunity, where we explore the fascinating world of science, technology, and the universe! From the inner workings of the human body to the outer reaches of space, we delve into the latest and most interesting discoveries that are shaping our world. Whether you're a science buff or just looking for some mind-blowing facts, we've got you covered. Join us as we uncover the mysteries of the world around us and discover new frontiers in the fields of science and technology. Get ready for a journey that's both educational and entertaining!

{ https://www.youtube.com/ }

10-01-2023 om 21:14 geschreven door peter  

How Could We Detect Life Inside Enceladus?

For astrobiologists, the scientists dedicated to the search for life beyond Earth, the moons of Saturn are a virtual treasure trove of possibilities. Enceladus is especially compelling because of the active plumes of water emanating from its southern polar region. Not only are these vents thought to be connected directly to an ocean beneath the moon’s icy surface, but the Cassini mission detected traces of organic molecules and other chemicals associated with biological processes. Like Europa, Ganymede, and other “Ocean Worlds,” astrobiologists think this could indicate hydrothermal activity at the core-mantle boundary.

Both NASA and the ESA are hoping to send missions to Enceladus that could study its plumes in more detail. These include the Enceladus Orbitlander recommended in the Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey 2023-2032 and the ESA’s Enceladus Moonraker, which could depart Earth in the next decade, taking advantage of a favorable alignment between the planets. In anticipation of what these missions could find, an international team of researchers used data from the Cassini mission to establish how samples of plume material could constrain how much biomass Enceladus has within it.

The team was led by Antonin Affholder, a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Arizona and the Institute of Biology at the Ecole Normale Superieure, University of Paris. He was joined by researchers from the Paris Observatory’s Institute of Celestial Mechanics and Ephemeral Calculations (IMCCE), the Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), the Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur, and the International Research Laboratory for Interdisciplinary Global Environmental Studies (iGLOBES). The paper that describes their findings was recently published in the Planetary Science Journal.

While the Cassini orbiter revealed a great deal about Enceladus and its surface features, scientists have been speculating about the existence of plume activity. The first hints came from the Voyager 1 and 2 probes, which flew through the Saturn system in November 1980 and August 1981 (respectively). Based on the reflective surface and its location near the core of Saturn’s E ring (largely composed of water ice and silica), scientists speculated that the moon was geologically active and the source of material in the ring (possibly through the venting of water vapor).

The Cassini probe first encountered indications of plume activity during its passage in 2005, which were interpreted as signs of possible cryovolcanism. During its many subsequent encounters, Cassini flew directly through Enceladus’ plumes and obtained data from its spectrometer and magnetometer. Combined with imaging and ionic data, the readings obtained suggested that the southern polar plumes emanated from pressurized subsurface chambers. Since then, multiple studies have been conducted that have attempted to constrain the type of subsurface environment.

This includes numerical simulations showing how water could circulate in the core at high temperatures and detecting hydrogen in the plume. According to Affholder, who spoke to Universe Today via email, these findings point toward possible hydrothermal activity and methanogenesis similar to what has existed here on Earth for billions of years:

“On Earth, hydrogen is generated by hydrothermal processes in the ocean. Additionally, this hydrogen generation in Earth’s ocean supports methanogenesis, a metabolism known to be used by life on Earth very early on. This metabolism is also ubiquity found in ‘anoxic’ (oxygen-poor) environments. The antiquity and ubiquity of methanogenesis, and the elements supporting the existence of hydrothermalism on Enceladus together make the case that methanogenesis could occur in Enceladus’s ocean. This hypothesis might even predate findings of the Cassini mission, as it was suggested in 1999 by Thomas McCollom that methanogenesis could support primary production on Jupiter’s moon Europa which is in many ways similar to Enceladus.”

Artist rendering showing an interior cross-section of the crust of Enceladus, which shows how hydrothermal activity may be causing the plumes of water at the moon’s surface.

µCredits: NASA-GSFC/SVS/NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI

In the coming years, a dedicated mission may be sent to Enceladus to investigate its plume activity more closely – like the Enceladus Orbitlander or Moonraker. Upon arrival, this mission will either fly directly through the plumes and/or dispatch a lander to the surface to obtain samples of the plumes’ gas and grains, then analyze them for evidence of potential biosignatures. To get a better idea of what this might look like, Affholder and his colleagues calculated the likely abundance of certain biosignatures in the plume material based on the assumption that a methanogenic ecosystem exists.

“Using these calculations, we deduce the sample size required to capture at least one cell with a 95% chance or more,” said Affholder. “Other than cells, we have also looked at the production of small organic molecules such as amino acids. We used our ecosystem model and the assumption of Earth-like life to predict the concentration of amino acids in the plume under the hypothesis that an ecosystem exists and under the competing hypothesis that these amino acids are produced ‘naturally’ in hydrothermal settings.”

They found that (accounting for uncertainties) capturing at least one cell would require up to 1 milliliter (0.034 fluid ounces) of plume material to be sampled. This may sound like a tiny amount but based on the mission architecture for NASA’s Orbitlander, it would take hundreds of passes through the plume material to obtain this amount. Affholder and his colleagues acknowledge that these results are subject to large uncertainties concerning the chemical and physical processes that might affect the concentration of amino acids in the sample. For starters, Affholder conveyed that their calculations are a bit optimistic:

“Indeed, the calculations assume that most cells retain their structure upon traveling across the ocean in rising warm water and being outgassed into space. A variety of things can happen during this journey to the plume: cells could be destroyed during outgassing, but they could also be consumed by ‘heterotrophs’ (organic matter-eating organisms). Heterotrophs are almost always present in ecosystems on Earth. Hence, it would seem that assuming the presence of methanogens without that of heterotrophs does not make complete sense from an ecosystem perspective.”

“Concerning the detection of amino acids, we place the threshold concentration below which biotic production is unlikely at an achievable limit of detection for onboard instruments eg those envisioned for the Orbilander concept. It is important that we define the required limits of detection to allow the interpretation of ‘negative results.’ Maybe one could interpret our result as an argument not to prioritize cell detection instruments over broader spectrum biosignature detection instruments such as gas chromatography or mass spectroscopy, which are able to identify molecules such as amino acids.”

The “Ocean Worlds” of the Solar System.

Credit: NASA/JPL

Therefore, further research is needed to address the role of heterotrophs and establish tighter constraints on the amount of organic matter that could be detected. This will ensure that future missions don’t run the risk of mistaking negative results for the absence of biotic production (instead of being merely too small to detect). Nevertheless, this research constitutes an important first step in establishing what a future mission to Enceladus should look for and how the results could be interpreted. This will likely have significant implications for future mission architectures – and not just for Enceladus.

Throughout the outer Solar System, there are “Ocean Worlds” that have icy surfaces and subsurface oceans. Most of these bodies are moons that orbit gas giants, like Jupiter’s Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto, Saturn’s Titan and Dione, and Neptune’s Triton. However, astronomers and astrobiologists have begun eying other bodies like Ceres, Pluto, Charon, and other “dwarf planets” more closely in recent years. Several missions are planned to explore some of these bodies, all of which will benefit from research that helps establish what they could find. Said Affholder:

“What we do for Enceladus may translate at least in part for similar bodies – icy moons. Titan also has a global ocean overlain by ice and is the target of the upcoming NASA Dragonfly mission. Europa in the Jovian system is an icy moon that should be reached by the NASA Europa Clipper and by the ESA’s JUpiter ICy Explorer (JUICE) in the 2030s. I believe we are at the beginning of a very exciting era of exploration of icy moons, for which I am excited.”

Further Reading: Planetary Science Journal

The post How Could We Detect Life Inside Enceladus? appeared first on Universe Today.

Source: 

• https://www.universetoday.com/159453/how-could-we-detect-life-inside-enceladus/

{ https://beforeitsnews.com/ }

10-01-2023 om 01:54 geschreven door peter  

1.5 Mile High Structure Found On Mars In Crater, Google Map, UFO Sighting News.

Date of discovery: Jan 9, 2023
Location of discovery: Mars

Coordinates: Coming soon.

 

Hey all, I was using Google Mars map, and found this very tall ancient structure on Mars. The structure is so tall it shows a shadow for over 5 miles. Its about 1.5 miles tall, but since its on the floor of a crater, which is about 2-3 miles deep, its goes unnoticed. Yet I found it odd and exciting. The map I used is the infrared map, which shows things...detail that the human eye cannot normally see. 

Scott C. Waring - Taiwan 

 

{ https://www.ufosightingsdaily.com/ }

10-01-2023 om 00:36 geschreven door peter  

The Pentagon’s Top-Secret UFO Investigation: What We Know

In May 2021, Congress held its first hearing on UFOs, or unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs), in over 50 years. The hearing was led by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Senator Marco Rubio, and Representative Ruben Gallego, who included an amendment in the latest defense bill requiring the Department of Defense (DoD) to establish a permanent office to investigate UAPs. The DoD has collected around 400 credible reports of UAPs, but has not provided any definitive answers, offering possible explanations such as airborne clutter, natural atmospheric phenomena, classified US technology, classified foreign technology, or other unidentified sources.

The government’s interest in UAPs dates back to the 1950s, when the Pentagon launched Project Blue Book to investigate over 12,000 UFO sightings, of which over 700 remain unidentified. In the 2000s, Senator Harry Reid of Nevada established the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (ATIP) to further investigate UAPs. The ATIP program was unclassified but not widely known to the public, and was officially ended in 2012.

Lou Elizondo, who was in charge of ATIP, became convinced that the UAPs they were investigating may not be of this world. When he tried to present this information to his superiors within the Pentagon, he faced skepticism and eventually resigned, bringing the program to public attention in 2017. Tom DeLonge, of the band Blink 182, has also been involved in bringing attention to the issue of UAPs.

• Congressional UFO Hearing Slated for May 17, 2022

Overall, the government is taking UAPs seriously as a national security issue, recognizing the need to investigate and identify any potential threats. However, the exact nature and origin of UAPs remains unknown.

 { https://www.latest-ufo-sightings.net/ }

09-01-2023 om 23:39 geschreven door peter  

VIDEO: Mysterious UFO Sighting Reported in Naples, Italy

On December 2022, a strange UFO was spotted outside a residence in Naples, Italy. According to the witness, the object appeared to be spinning like a flying saucer and then suddenly disappeared. There were no discos or clubs in the area with lights that could have caused the strange sight.

In the video of the incident, the UFO can be seen turning on itself and moving before disappearing from view. The witness is at a loss to explain what the object could be and submitted the video to our website through our Facebook page.

Here’s a video. Watch it in FULL screen!

{ https://www.latest-ufo-sightings.net/ }

09-01-2023 om 22:38 geschreven door peter  

09-01-2023 om 22:28 geschreven door peter  

LATEST UFO SIGHTINGS AND VIDEOS - 09/01/2023

SpaceX Starship new timeline revealed, S24/B7 Full Stack & Massive Testing incoming

Mysterieuze Bol die uit Zichzelf Beweegt - de Betz-Bol

Jarenlang zijn er talloze vreemde artefacten gevonden - boeken met vreemde codes, onverklaarbare kaarten, stenen met ongebruikelijke vormen, oude figuren die vreemde dingen uitbeelden, en... het geval van de Betz-bol, een mysterieuze metalen bol die per ongeluk werd gevonden door een Amerikaans gezin in de jaren zeventig dat het vermogen had om zelfstandig te verhuizen ... Destijds veroorzaakte de bol een grote media-razernij en werd door velen beschreven als 'buitenaardse technologie'. Het begon allemaal in april 1974, toen een familie uit de stad Jacksonville, Florida, een vreemd bolvormig metalen voorwerp vond met een gewicht van ongeveer 20 pond en afmetingen die iets kleiner waren dan die van een bowlingbal.

See Mars Helicopter Ingenuity's first flight of 2023 in time-lapse + stats!

NASA's Mars helicopter Ingenuity took its first flight on 2023 on Jan. 4. See a time-lapse of the flight, color images and statistics.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech | edited by [Steve Spaleta]

• (https://twitter.com/stevespaleta)

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How Virgin Orbit transported a rocket to the UK

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Credit: Virgin Orbit

Nasa's Mars Perseverance Rover Sends Superb Pictures -Curiosity Mission Update [2022 - 2023]

Hello Everyone: Watch in this fantastic video Nasa's Mars Perseverance Rover Released Super Stunning Pictures of Mars and Curiosity Mission Update [2022-2023]

And watch Curiosity's Panoram images and latest photos of Mars sent by NASA'S Perseverance Rover acquired on latest sol 667

China launches 5 micro-satellites atop Galactic Energy's CERES-1 Y5 rocket

A Galactic Energy-developed CERES-1 Y5 carrier rocket launched 5 small satellites from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on Jan. 9. 2023. Galactic Energy is a rocket maker based in Beijing.

Credit: Space.com | footage courtesy: China Central Television (CCTV) | edited by Steve Spaleta (https://twitter.com/stevespaleta)

Booster 7's Final Roll to the Launch Site? | SpaceX Boca Chica

Super Heavy Booster 7 was rolled out to the launch site in Boca Chica, potentially for the final time, ahead of an expected WDR and 33 engine static fire.

Dream Chaser - The Dream Of Lifting Body Space Planes

Dream Chaser isn't the first space plane, it is however on course to be the first operational Lifting Body space plane, intended to perform its first demo launch on a Vulcan rocket and rendezvous with the International Space Station during 2022.
But its been a long time coming, the concept of lifting body space planes goes back to the 1950's, and NASA was test flying demonstrators 60 years ago, starting with the 'Flying Bathtub', build from a steel frame overlaid with plywood, and towed behind a car.
But it would take some cues from the Soviet BOR-4 test vehicle to arrive at a more optimal design, stable across much larger ranges of speed.

The Physics of UFOs: Eric Weinstein + Hal Puthoff

Eric Weinstein is a Managing Director at Thiel Capital, creator of geometric unity, a unified theory in physics, and the intellectual dark web, a loose coalition of intellectuals dedicated to free thought. Hal Puthoff is former CIA, NSA and AATIP (the government’s official UFO investigation program). In the 70’s, he oversaw Stargate: the government’s psychic spy program at Stanford Research Institute. In this conversation, we discuss the physics of UFO’s, private aerospace as the keepers of fundamental science and Hal’s experience with parapsychology. Please enjoy

{ https://www.youtube.com/ )

09-01-2023 om 21:11 geschreven door peter  

BY SCOTT ALAN JOHNSTON

The new JWST images, presented by The University of Texas at Austin on January 5th, show six barred spiral galaxies over 8.4 million years old, two of which are older than 11 billion years (the oldest galaxy ever seen is around 13.4 billion years old).

Most of these galaxies were previously imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope, like EGS-23205, pictured below. (EGS stands for Extended Groth Strip, a region of the sky that has been extensively images and studied by international surveys). However, in the Hubble images, the bars are largely obscured.

JWST has an advantage over Hubble in observing extremely old and distant galaxies, partly because its larger mirror can collect more light from distant, dim objects. But it also has an advantage due to its use of infrared rather than optical wavelengths. Light from older and more distant objects is ‘red-shifted’ along the electromagnetic spectrum, meaning that JWST’s detectors can pick them up better than Hubble can.

Infrared is also very effective at seeing through gas and dust, enabling JWST to pick out the stellar nurseries in the bars which would otherwise be obscured.

Shardha Jogee, professor of astronomy at The University of Texas at Austin, explained the implications of these early forming bars for models of galactic evolution:

“Bars solve the supply chain problem in galaxies,” Jogee says. “Just like we need to bring raw material from the harbor to inland factories that make new products, a bar powerfully transports gas into the central region where the gas is rapidly converted into new stars at a rate typically 10 to 100 times faster than in the rest of the galaxy…This discovery of early bars means galaxy evolution models now have a new pathway via bars to accelerate the production of new stars at early epochs.”

The new images are part of the Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science Survey (CEERS), and their initial findings have been accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

JWST is ushering in an exciting time for astronomers, and this was a promising start to 2023.

“I took one look at these data, and I said, ‘We are dropping everything else!’” says Jogee.

Learn more:

• “James Webb Telescope Reveals Milky Way-like Galaxies in Young Universe,” UT Austin.
• Yuchen Guo et al., “First Look at z > 1 Bars in the Rest-Frame Near-Infrared with JWST Early CEERS Imaging,” ArXiv Preprint.

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

08-01-2023 om 23:23 geschreven door peter  

Mysterious UFO Sighting in Austin, Texas Causes Stir on Social Media

The video of the UFO sighting in Austin, Texas (3rd January 2023) has caused quite a stir on social media, with many people wondering what could have caused the bright light and strange object captured on film. Some have suggested that it could be a drone, possibly even one belonging to the local police department, due to the presence of a searchlight and the fact that the video appears to have been filmed through double-paned glass.

Others, however, are skeptical of this explanation and believe that the object could be something more mysterious. Some commenters on the original Reddit post claim to have seen similar objects at a United States Air Force base, leading some to speculate that the object could be some sort of military technology. Others have pointed out the triangle shape of the object as seen in the video, suggesting that it could be an unidentified flying object of extraterrestrial origin.

Regardless of what the object may be, it has certainly sparked a lot of debate and speculation among those who have seen the video. Some believe it could be a hoax or a staged event, while others think it could be a genuine mystery that deserves further investigation. Until more information becomes available, the true nature of the object in the video remains a mystery.

{ https://www.latest-ufo-sightings.net/ }

08-01-2023 om 17:02 geschreven door peter  

Proving the Existence of Aliens: 40+ UFO Cases Examined in New Book

Evidence of Extraterrestrials: Over 40 Cases Prove Aliens Have Visited Earth (Amazon link) is a book by Warren Agius that delves into the topic of extraterrestrial life and aims to provide a case-by-case analysis to prove the existence of aliens. The book begins with the Aurora Crash in 1897 and the battle of Los Angeles in 1942, and goes on to explore other UFO incidents such as the Roswell crash, the Phoenix lights, and the Tic Tac encounter. In these chapters, Agius presents detailed accounts of these incidents and provides impeccable documentation to support his claims.

Agius also discusses the influence of six government UFO programs on the pursuit of disclosure. He examines the various ways in which these programs have attempted to uncover the truth about UFO sightings and encounters, and how they have influenced the search for extraterrestrial life. In addition to these government programs, Agius also looks at the role that private organizations and individuals have played in the investigation of UFO incidents.

According to Joseph J. Truncale, a reviewer on Amazon, the book is a good review of some of the most compelling UFO cases reported over the years. Truncale notes that while he remains a skeptic, he is open-minded to the possibility of extraterrestrial life due to the recent military photographs and research that has been done. Emilia V Cooley, another reviewer, describes the book as a must-read for anyone interested in UFOs, crash sites, and cover-ups.

{ https://www.latest-ufo-sightings.net/ }

08-01-2023 om 16:49 geschreven door peter  

George Knapp – UAP Cover Up by the U.S Government, Mainstream Journalists, and Hollywood Continuous

UFO researchers Bryce Zabel and Ross Coulhart recently appeared on George Knapp’s show to discuss their belief that the US government, mainstream media, and Hollywood are covering up knowledge of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP). At a recent press conference, Department of Defense officials discussed their efforts to address UAP, but Zabel and Coulthart see this as an attempt to control the narrative and downplay public interest in the government’s involvement with UAP. Predict

They also point out the multiple delays in the release of a major report on the government’s findings on UFOs and extraterrestrial life. The New York Times and other mainstream media outlets have engaged in “prebunking” of the report, which Zabel sees as evidence of bias against the paranormal by mainstream journalists.

{ https://www.latest-ufo-sightings.net/ }

08-01-2023 om 16:38 geschreven door peter  

LATEST UFO SIGHTINGS AND VIDEOS - 08/01/2023

How SpaceX Falcon Heavy Launch SHOCKED NASA Scientists 2023!

This is Falcon Heavy. It costs $90m. For a mere $1b a year, or about 4% of NASA’s budget, we could launch it to every planet in every launch window. And that’s before the bulk discount.
One may criticize the Falcon Heavy rocket for having a short launch manifest, as it has only four launches in five years. There just aren't that many commercial customers right now for the heavier-lift rocket when a cheaper Falcon 9 or another medium-lift class of booster will suffice. But when one considers the more extreme cases—such as big Department of Defense missions to geostationary orbit or potential human exploration plans—the Falcon Heavy shines.
And indeed, even after SLS launched, this monster still proves itself to be an engineering masterpiece, shocking NASA scientists.

Find out the real reason behind this in today's episode of Alpha Tech:

When it was envisioned in 2010, NASA’s SLS was tipped to be the world’s largest and most powerful rocket in addition to being extraordinarily cheap and quick to build due to ample use of existing components, such as engines and boosters from the Space Shuttle program.
Back then the Starship was simply a concept, as was the Falcon Heavy, the first attempt at heavy orbital vehicle undertaken by SpaceX, and roughly comparable in its payload capacity to the SLS.
Then, in 2014, NASA administrator Charlie Bolden uttered a quote that would go on to be ridiculed and memified ever since. “Let’s be very honest. We don’t have a commercially available heavy-lift vehicle. The Falcon 9 Heavy may some day come about. It’s on the drawing board right now. SLS is real.”
Two years later, in 2016, Bolden said he still did not believe commercial companies were up to the task. "If you talk about launch vehicles, we believe our responsibility to the nation is to take care of things that normal people cannot do, or don’t want to do, like large launch vehicles," Bolden said. "I’m not a big fan of commercial investment in large launch vehicles just yet."
How SpaceX Falcon Heavy Launch SHOCKED NASA Scientists 2023!

Starship Ready For Wet Dress Rehearsal After Completing Critical Load Test, Virgin Orbit, SpaceX

SpaceX completed a 5000-ton starship orbital launch mount structural test. Starship-24 & super heavy booster-7 full stack wet dress rehearsal and 22 engine static fire test soon. Pad 39A launch tower work continues.

SpaceX begins 2023 with the Transporter-6 launch. Virgin Orbit preparing for first U.K. launch. NASA's Perseverance rover places fifth sample tube on Mars.

Scripted on 6th January 2023

00:00 Starship Updates

05:54 200th SpaceX Mission, 100 More This year

08:37 Virgin Orbit Ready For First International Launch

09:48 Perseverance Sample Drop 50% Complete

China's Plan To Take Over Space In 2023!

SpaceX News and Updates: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...

The Space Race is dedicated to the exploration of outer space and humans' mission to explore the universe. We’ll provide news and updates from everything in space, including the SpaceX and NASA mission to colonize Mars and the Moon. We’ll focus on news and updates from SpaceX, NASA, Starlink, Blue Origin, The James Webb Space Telescope and more. If you’re interested in space exploration, Mars colonization, and everything to do with space travel and the space race... you’ve come to the right channel! We love space and hope to inspire others to learn more!

2 Pyramids Share Unusual Similarities | Ancient Aliens (Season 1)

Two pyramids located on two different continents share uncanny features. See more in this clip from "Aliens and Unexplained Engineering."

{ https://www.youtube.com/ }

08-01-2023 om 16:01 geschreven door peter  

BY ANDY TOMASWICK

All that destruction happened when telegraphs and electricity were just getting off the ground as technologies. Now, with cell phone towers and massive high-voltage transformers, the risk of a catastrophe is orders of magnitude greater.

However, ground-based systems aren’t the only ones vulnerable to the effects of space weather. Satellites play an increasingly important role in our lives, from providing internet connections to war-ravaged Ukrainians to allowing visitors to navigate downtown Chicago. Their location above the protection of the Earth’s atmosphere makes them particularly vulnerable to adverse space weather effects. 

So what would happen today if we got hit with another solar storm the size of the Carrington event? It’s unclear how far the damage might go, but it would clearly be a calamity on the Earth’s power and communications grids. Since those each have far-reaching implications on society at large, there is a very high likelihood that daily routines, at least of people that commonly use those systems, would be massively disrupted for days, weeks, or months. 

Unfortunately, as the paper points out, we are not adequately prepared for it. The eventual appearance of a solar flare is not an if; it is a when. And it’s also an awful time to start planning for such a catastrophe, given that it will take less than a day from the time we detect it for a storm to start causing damage. 

Buzulukova and Tsurutani’s suggestion is a logical one – scientists should map out the worst-case scenarios, what their probabilities are, and what impact they would have. Then we should collectively, as a society, decide what risk we should take on in the event of such a storm happening. Because someday it will happen. And we can’t say we haven’t been warned.

Learn More:

• Buzulukov & Tsurutani – Space Weather: From Solar Origins to Risks and Hazards Evolving in Time
• UT – The Sun Could Hurl Powerful Storms at Earth From its Goofy Smile
• UT – During a Solar Flare, Dark Voids Move Down Towards the Sun. Now We Know Why

• UT – What Was the Carrington Event?

Lead Image:

• Artist illustration of a space weather event.
  Credit – NASA

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

08-01-2023 om 01:11 geschreven door peter  

 BY ANTON POZDNYAKOV

Io Is Having a Major Vulcanic Outburst

Astronomers have been watching Jupiter’s moon Io and detected enormous volcanic outbursts starting last summer. According to one scientist who has been watching the moon since 2017, this is the largest volcanic outburst he’s ever seen. Because of its low gravity, volcanic eruptions can hurl lava with escape velocity, putting it into orbit around Jupiter. It’s believed this orbital lava contributes to surface features on other Jovian moons and forms part of Jupiter’s rings.

• More about eruptions on Io.

Solar Wind Might Create Water on the Moon

We know there’s water on the Moon. Not just in the permanently shadowed craters at the poles but mixed in with the regolith across the Moon. Not much, though, about a water bottle’s worth of H2O in a cubic meter of regolith. How did it get there? By studying samples returned by the Chang’e 5 mission, scientists have matched the chemical constituents in lunar water to the hydrogen particles streaming from the solar wind. These particles impact the regolith and combine with oxygen to produce water.

• More about water on the Moon.

Structures on the Moon Could Be Build With Microwaves

Although it’s been 50 years since humanity walked on the Moon, we’re on our way to building a permanent habitat there. And that means building permanent structures that protect people from the brutal lunar environment. Building your structures, roads, and landing pads out of the plentiful lunar regolith makes sense, but what’s the best way to do it? A team of engineers suggests that just beaming microwaves at the slightly magnetic regolith could sinter it into structures without the need for binding agents like cement.

• More about building things on the Moon.

How to Navigate on the Moon

We use GPS technology to find our way around the Earth, but what about exploring the Moon? There’s no GPS there. Instead, a NASA engineer believes they’ll be able to use landmarks to navigate on the Moon. They fed data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter into a machine-learning algorithm. Then they built up a 3D simulation of what it would look like from any spot on the Moon – a navigational fingerprint. Just by looking at their surrounding mountains and craters, astronauts will be able to know precisely where they are.

• More about Moon navigation.

China’s Considering Where to Build Lunar Station

China recently announced its plans for upcoming missions to the Moon, including its subsequent three landers/rovers in the Chang’e series. Chang’e 6 will return to the Moon’s south pole and retrieve a sample for study back on Earth. Chang’e 7 will comprehensively survey the south polar region, and Chang’e 8 will test technology for a future lunar research station. This will pave the way for future humans to fly to the Moon and build a permanently inhabited lunar base.

• More about China’s station on the Moon.

Space-Based Power Test

Generating power in space and beaming it down to Earth isn’t a new idea. It also isn’t the most realistic way to do things, as there are obvious major downsides. However, the technologies required to achieve space-based power generation and transmition can be promissing and can be used in other usecases. So, a team at Caltech just launched a satellite called Space Solar Power Demonstrator that will test some of the tech involved. It consists of three main experiments: DOLCE, which demonstrates the architecture and deployment mechanisms of the modular spacecraft; ALBA, which assesses the effectiveness of different types of photovoltaic cells in space; and MAPLE, which demonstrates wireless power transmission at a distance in space.

• More about generating power in space.

Don’t Miss Out On Space News

If you want to get a curated selection of the most important space and astronomy news every week, subscribe to our Weekly Email Newsletter and get magazine-size ad-free news directly from Fraser Cain.

If you prefer the news to be videoed at you, check out our Space Bites playlist on our YouTube channel.

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

07-01-2023 om 23:57 geschreven door peter  

 BY ANDY TOMASWIC

The polarization of an object is indicative of what is on the surface and potentially what is then under the surface of these bodies. That is of particular interest to asteroid mining companies, and the Arecibo release contains that data for 110 of the asteroids, and a few of them were particularly interesting.

There is a shortage of NEAs that are “metal rich,” which is one of the main characteristics that asteroid miners are looking for in a potential mining prospect. Two of the 110 asteroids studied seemed to have high albedos, indicating that they could be metal-rich – a rare find in the area around Earth.

Potentially more interesting, though, is one particular asteroid – or, more accurately, a binary pair of asteroids called 2017 YE5. This binary page has high albedo but relatively low density, leading scientists to believe that it might be full of ice rather than metal. Water is also of particular interest to asteroid miners, as it can be a key component in one of the most in-demand substances in space – rocket fuel.

Another potentially exciting finding in the data set is the discovery of five E-type asteroids. These asteroids, which contain significant concentrations of a mineral called enstatite, could be a source of silicon, magnesium, and oxygen. Arecibo saw these asteroids for what they were; however, previous data sets didn’t identify the specific characteristics that mark them as E-type.

As with all of these data set releases, there’s still more work to be done, as there might be other misclassified asteroids lurking. But it shows that, even years after it collapsed into a pile of rubble, Arecibo still provides the scientific community with more and more insights.

Learn More:

• UCF – Arecibo Observatory Scientists Publish Major Study on Near-Earth Asteroids
• Virkki et al – Arecibo Planetary Radar Observations of Near-Earth Asteroids: 2017 December–2019
  December
• UT – NASA’s KaBOOM Experimental Asteroid Radar Aims to Thwart Earth’s Kaboom
• UT – Awesome Radar Images Reveal Asteroid 2014 HQ124’s Split Personality

Lead Image:

• Artist’s depiction of a series of NEAs.
• Credit – Adobe Stock

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

07-01-2023 om 23:39 geschreven door peter  

LED Tech Makes UFOs Over Taiwan Building, Jan 6, 2022, UFO Sighting News. Video.

{ https://www.ufosightingsdaily.com/ }

07-01-2023 om 22:49 geschreven door peter  

US Air Force unveils B-21 Raider - dubbed the 'most advanced military aircraft ever built' - with cutting-edge stealth bombers costing $750 million apiece

• US Air Force publicly unveiled its next-generation stealth bomber in Palmdale, California on Friday night
• B-21 Raider is the most advanced long-range, stealth intercontinental strategic bomber in the world
• Cutting-edge stealth technology makes it virtually 'invisible' to enemy radar and detection
• Bomber, named for WWI's 'Doolittle Raiders,' is capable of conventional and thermonuclear strikes 

By KEITH GRIFFITH FOR DAILYMAIL.COM and WIRES

The US Air Force has publicly unveiled its next-generation stealth bomber, which has been called the 'most advanced military aircraft ever built.' 

Pentagon officials and representatives of contractor Northrop Grumman revealed the B-21 Raider at a dramatic ceremony in Palmdale, California on Friday night.

As a crew of airmen drew back the tarp covering the sophisticated bomber, a cheer went up from the crowd of invited guests, excited to get their first glimpse of the plane after years of anticipation. 

The ceremony started with a flyover of the three US bombers still in service: the B-52 Stratofortress, the B-1 Lancer and the B-2 Spirit. Then the hangar doors slowly opened and the B-21 was towed partially out of the building.

'This isn't just another airplane,' Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said. 'It's the embodiment of America's determination to defend the republic that we all love.'

Similar in shape to the B-2, a 'flying wing' design already in the Air Force's inventory, the B-21 be able to deliver both conventional and nuclear weapons around the world due to its long-range and mid-air refueling capabilities.

Each B-21, billed as a 'sixth generation bomber', was projected to cost approximately $550 million each in 2010 dollars, or about $750 million in today's inflation-adjusted dollars. 

Pentagon officials and representatives of contractor Northrop Grumman revealed the B-21 Raider (seen under a large tarp) at a dramatic ceremony in Palmdale, California on Friday night

Each B-21, which can deliver both conventional and nuclear bombs, was projected to cost approximately $550 million each in 2010 dollars, or about $750 million in today's inflation-adjusted dollars 

Similar in shape to the B-2, a 'flying wing' design already in the Air Force's inventory, the B-21 will also be able to deliver nuclear weapons around the world because of long-range and mid-air refueling capabilities

'This isn't just another airplane,' Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said. 'It's the embodiment of America's determination to defend the republic that we all love.'

The Air Force planned to buy at least 100 of the planes and begin to replace B-1 and B-2 bombers. 

The service has estimated that the program will likely cost at least $203 billion over 30 years to develop, purchase and maintain the B-21 fleet.

The B-21 is part of the Pentagon's efforts to modernize all three legs of its nuclear triad, which also includes silo-launched nuclear ballistic missiles and submarine-launched warheads, as it shifts from the counterterrorism campaigns of recent decades to meet China's rapid military modernization.

China is on track to have 1,500 nuclear weapons by 2035, and its gains in hypersonics, cyber warfare and space capabilities present 'the most consequential and systemic challenge to U.S. national security and the free and open international system,' the Pentagon said this week in its annual China report.

Northrop is calling the plane a sixth generation aircraft given its ability to connect to other aircraft and easily integrate future weapons into its systems architecture. 

Other changes include advanced materials used in coatings to make the bomber harder to detect, Austin said.

'Fifty years of advances in low-observable technology have gone into this aircraft,' Austin said. 'Even the most sophisticated air defense systems will struggle to detect a B-21 in the sky.'

Other advances likely include new ways to control electronic emissions, so the bomber could spoof adversary radars and disguise itself as another object, and use of new propulsion technologies, several defense analysts said.

It also features more durable stealth-enabling low observable surface material that will require less maintenance and keep operations costs and downtime to a minimum, Doug Young, sector vice president and general manager at Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems, told Reuters in an interview.

'This aircraft was possible because of American innovation,' said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at the ceremony

As a crew of airmen drew back the tarp covering the sophisticated bomber, a cheer went up from the crowd of invited guests, excited to get their first glimpse of the plane after years of anticipation

Pentagon officials and representatives of contractor Northrop Grumman revealed the B-21 Raider at a dramatic ceremony in Palmdale, California on Friday night

The crowd of guests is seen at the unveiling ceremony where they caught the first glimpse of the plane

The US Air Force finally unveiled its secret B-21 stealth bomber aircraft on Friday in Palmdale, California, which is touted to be virtually 'invisible' to all enemy stealth radars and will included the latest features in military tech

While the Raider may resemble the B-2, once you get inside, the similarities stop, said Kathy Warden, chief executive of Northrop, which is building the bomber.

'The way it operates internally is extremely advanced compared to the B-2, because the technology has evolved so much in terms of the computing capability that we can now embed in the software of the B-21,' Warden said.

Northrop beat out a team comprised of Boeing and Lockheed Martin when it won the 2015 contract to make the bomber, alongside suppliers including engine maker Pratt & Whitney, Collins Aerospace, GKN Aerospace, BAE Systems and Spirit Aerosystems.

The rollout at Northrop's Plant 42 in Palmdale provided the first photographs of the new bomber. So far, only artist renderings have been published.

Six of the planes, which is to have its first flight in mid-2023, are in various stages of assembly. More than 8,000 people from Northrop Grumman, industry partners and the Air Force work on the program today which consists of more than 400 suppliers in 40 states.

THE B-21'S NEWEST FEATURES FOR MODERN WARFARE 

The B-21's features groundbreaking stealth technology built on top of more than three decades and six generations of US bomber innovation. 

Northrop boasts that the new aircraft will included advance materials that will greatly reduced infrared, acoustic, electromagnetic, visual and radar signatures, making it virtually undetectable.  

The bomber's stealth tech is expected to counteract even the latest Russian and Chinese surface-to-air missiles, something '90 percent of the nation's current bomber fleet is incapable of doing,' the company said. 

The B-21 will also include a 'digital bomb bay', which will allow the aircraft to integrate new weapons faster than ever before. It ensures that the bomber can be readily and affordably upgraded.  

Northrop Grumman unveils the B-21 Raider, a new high-tech stealth bomber developed for the U.S. Air Force

The B-21 Raider is set to replace the $2bn per plane B-2 Spirit - and features a smaller wingspan and price tag of $639m. Unlike its predecessor, the B-21 will be able to go on unmanned bomber and surveillance missions anywhere in the world

An early artist rendering of the plane is seen. Developers Northrop Grumman said the aircraft will also use AI-controlled sensors to share data with all branches of the military in record time for coordinated strikes

The new system grants the aircraft the ability to be nuclear-capable and carry an estimated payload of 30,000 pounds of firepower. 

Additionally, the B-21 will come with AI-controlled sensors, which Northrop said would be able to identify enemy targets and share intelligence with allies for coordinated strikes in record time. 

The system will be able to share data with the Army, Navy, Air Force and Space Force. 

'The B-21 provides utility to accomplish our nation's security objective in every scenario imaginable,' retired Air Force Lt. Gen. David Deptula told the Wall Street Journal. 'No other weapons system can do that.' 

'The B-21 is America's China-deterrence bomber,' said Mark Gunzinger, a retired bomber pilot who flew the B-52.

A FULLY REMOTE STEALTH BOMBER 

Unlike its predecessor, the B-2 Spirit, the B-21 Raider is expected to allow for unmanned missions. 

While the current plans for the Raider include a crew of two, the Air Force has said that future aircraft must be able to be completely remote.

Representatives for Northrop called the B-21 'pioneering' and 'technological excellence.'

'The B-21 is the most advanced military aircraft ever built and is a product of pioneering innovation and technological excellence,' said Northrop sector vice president and general manager Dough Young.

A teaser for the unveiling of the B-21 Raider released by aerospace and technology contractor Northrop Grumman

HOW DOES IT COMPETE WITH RUSSIA AND CHINA? 

The stealth aspect of the B-21 Raider is touted as its main asset against Russian and Chinese forces. 

Like its predecessor, the B-21 is expected to be a subsonic aircraft, meaning it will fly slower than 768 mph. 

That puts it at a notable disadvantage against China's J-20 stealth fighter, which flies at more than 1,300 mph and is capable of carrying 24,000 pounds of payload. 

The B-21 will also be slower than Russia's SU-57, which can hit a top speed of 1,330 mph and reportedly saw its first operational use in November when officials claimed it downed a Ukrainian jet. 

Despite the slow speed, Northup claims the B-21 will be among the most undetectable aircrafts in the sky, capable of hiding from foreign nation's radar system. 

The Air Force is planning to buy at least 100 of the B-21 Raider. Pictured: A rendering of jet released by the US Air Force

Russia currently touts the most capable surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, which can shoot down stealth aircrafts from 250 miles away. 

China currently employs is HQ-17 SAM system, which can track 24 different targets and shot two down at the same time from nine miles away. 

Although there have been rumors that China has developed a new radar capable of detecting any and all stealth aircrafts, they have been rejected by military experts. 

The Department of Defense has said that a new generation of stealth bombers are needed for America's national security imperative, which includes deterring conflicts in the South China Sea.  

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ }

07-01-2023 om 22:04 geschreven door peter