NASA's Athena lander successfully touched down near the lunar south pole, within a permanently shadowed crater. While the landing was considered a triumph, the extreme cold of -280°F (-173°C) presents a significant challenge for the mission's scientific objectives, which include searching for water ice and characterizing the lunar environment. The frigid temperatures will limit the lander's operational lifespan and complicate data collection. Despite this, the mission team is optimistic about Athena's ability to return valuable data from this unexplored region of the Moon.
The Astrobotic Technology's Peregrine lunar lander mission, carrying NASA's Athena scientific payload, failed after a propellant leak shortly after launch. The spacecraft lost control and ultimately tipped over on the lunar surface, ending any hope of deploying its instruments designed to study the moon's exosphere and surface composition. While Peregrine did achieve lunar orbit, the mission is considered a loss for NASA and its partners, marking a setback for commercial lunar exploration efforts.
HN commenters express disappointment at the loss of Athena, with some questioning the wisdom of not designing the lander for such a contingency. Several point out the difficulty and expense of space missions, highlighting that failure is an inherent risk. One commenter notes the irony of the lander's name, Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, being associated with such a seemingly avoidable mishap. Others discuss the possibility of a future mission salvaging usable components from Athena, though this is considered unlikely. Some speculate about the root cause of the tipping, suggesting issues with the landing site or deployment mechanisms. A few lament the broader lack of investment in space exploration, while others emphasize the importance of learning from these failures for future endeavors.
NASA has successfully demonstrated the ability to receive GPS signals at the Moon, a first for navigating beyond Earth’s orbit. The Navigation Doppler Lidar for Space (NDLS) experiment aboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) locked onto GPS signals and determined LRO’s position, paving the way for more reliable and autonomous navigation for future lunar missions. This achievement reduces reliance on Earth-based tracking and allows spacecraft to more accurately pinpoint their location, enabling more efficient and flexible operations in lunar orbit and beyond.
Several commenters on Hacker News expressed skepticism about the value of this achievement, questioning the practical applications and cost-effectiveness of using GPS around the Moon. Some suggested alternative navigation methods, such as star trackers or inertial systems, might be more suitable. Others pointed out the limitations of GPS accuracy at such distances, especially given the moon's unique gravitational environment. A few commenters highlighted the potential benefits, including simplified navigation for lunar missions and improved understanding of GPS signal behavior in extreme environments. Some debated the reasons behind NASA's pursuit of this technology, speculating about potential future applications like lunar infrastructure development or deep space navigation. There was also discussion about the technical challenges involved in acquiring and processing weak GPS signals at such a distance.
Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lander successfully touched down on the lunar surface, making them the first commercial company to achieve a soft landing on the Moon. The mission, part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, deployed several payloads for scientific research and technology demonstrations before exceeding its planned mission duration on the surface. Although communication was eventually lost, the landing itself marks a significant milestone for commercial lunar exploration.
Hacker News users discussed Firefly's lunar landing, expressing both excitement and skepticism. Several questioned whether "landing" was the appropriate term, given the lander ultimately tipped over after engine shutdown. Commenters debated the significance of a soft vs. hard landing, with some arguing that any controlled descent to the surface constitutes a landing, while others emphasized the importance of a stable upright position for mission objectives. The discussion also touched upon the challenges of lunar landings, the role of commercial space companies, and comparisons to other lunar missions. Some users highlighted Firefly's quick recovery from a previous launch failure, praising their resilience and rapid iteration. Others pointed out the complexities of defining "commercial" in the context of space exploration, noting government involvement in Firefly's lunar mission. Overall, the sentiment was one of cautious optimism, acknowledging the technical achievement while awaiting further details and future missions.
Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lunar lander successfully touched down on the moon, marking a significant milestone for the company and the burgeoning commercial lunar exploration industry. The robotic spacecraft, carrying NASA and commercial payloads, landed in the Mare Crisium basin after a delayed descent. This successful mission makes Firefly the first American company to soft-land on the moon since the Apollo era and the fourth private company overall to achieve this feat. While details of the mission's success are still being confirmed, the landing signals a new era of lunar exploration and establishes Firefly as a key player in the field.
HN commenters discuss the Firefly "Blue Ghost" moon landing, expressing excitement tinged with caution. Some celebrate the achievement as a win for private spaceflight and a testament to perseverance after Firefly's previous launch failure. Several commenters question the "proprietary data" payload and speculate about its nature, with some suggesting it relates to lunar resource prospecting. Others highlight the significance of increased lunar activity by both government and private entities, anticipating a future of diverse lunar missions. A few express concern over the potential for increased space debris and advocate for responsible lunar exploration. The landing's role in Project Artemis is also mentioned, emphasizing the expanding landscape of lunar exploration partnerships.
NASA's video covers the planned lunar landing of Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost Mission 1 lander. This mission marks Firefly's inaugural lunar landing and will deliver several NASA payloads to the Moon's surface to gather crucial scientific data as part of the agency's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. The broadcast details the mission's objectives, including deploying payloads that will study the lunar environment and test technologies for future missions. It also highlights Firefly's role in expanding commercial access to the Moon.
HN commenters express excitement about Firefly's upcoming moon landing, viewing it as a significant step for private space exploration and a positive development for the US space industry. Some discuss the technical challenges, like the complexities of lunar landing and the need for a successful landing to validate Firefly's technology. Others highlight the mission's scientific payloads and potential future implications, including resource utilization and lunar infrastructure development. A few commenters also mention the importance of competition in the space sector and the role of smaller companies like Firefly in driving innovation. There's some discussion of the mission's cost-effectiveness compared to larger government-led programs.
Lox is a Rust library designed for astrodynamics calculations, prioritizing safety and ergonomics. It leverages Rust's type system and ownership model to prevent common errors like unit mismatches and invalid orbital parameters. Lox offers a high-level, intuitive API for complex operations like orbit propagation, maneuver planning, and coordinate transformations, while also providing lower-level access for greater flexibility. Its focus on correctness and ease of use makes Lox suitable for both rapid prototyping and mission-critical applications.
Hacker News commenters generally expressed interest in Lox, praising its focus on safety and ergonomics within the complex domain of astrodynamics. Several appreciated the use of Rust and its potential for preventing common errors. Some questioned the performance implications of using Rust for such computationally intensive tasks, while others pointed out that Rust's speed and memory safety could be beneficial in the long run. A few commenters with experience in astrodynamics offered specific suggestions for improvement and additional features, like incorporating SPICE kernels or supporting different coordinate systems. There was also discussion around the trade-offs between using a high-level language like Rust versus more traditional options like Fortran or C++. Finally, the choice of the name "Lox" garnered some lighthearted remarks.
NASA's Parker Solar Probe is about to make its closest approach to the Sun yet, diving deeper into the solar corona than ever before. This daring maneuver, occurring in late December 2024, will bring the spacecraft within 7.3 million kilometers of the solar surface, subjecting it to extreme temperatures and radiation. Scientists anticipate this close flyby will provide invaluable data about the Sun's magnetic field, solar wind, and coronal heating, potentially unraveling longstanding mysteries about our star's behavior.
Hacker News commenters discussed the practicality of calling the Solar Probe Plus mission "flying into the Sun" given its closest approach is still millions of miles away. Some pointed out that this distance, while seemingly large, is within the Sun's corona and a significant achievement. Others highlighted the incredible engineering required to withstand the intense heat and radiation, with some expressing awe at the mission's scientific goals of understanding solar wind and coronal heating. A few commenters corrected the title's claim of being the "first time," referencing previous missions that have gotten closer, albeit briefly, during a solar grazing maneuver. The overall sentiment was one of impressed appreciation for the mission's ambition and complexity.
Amateur radio operators successfully detected the faint signal of Voyager 1, the most distant human-made object, using the Dwingeloo radio telescope in the Netherlands. Leveraging Voyager 1's predictable signal pattern and the telescope's sensitivity, they confirmed the spacecraft's carrier signal, demonstrating the impressive capabilities of both the aging probe and the terrestrial equipment. This marks a significant achievement for the amateur radio community and highlights the enduring legacy of the Voyager mission.
Hacker News commenters express excitement and awe at the ingenuity involved in receiving Voyager 1's faint signal with the Dwingeloo telescope. Several discuss the technical aspects, highlighting the remarkably low power of Voyager's transmitter (now around 13.8W) and the sophisticated signal processing required for detection. Some marvel at the vast distance and the implications for interstellar communication, while others share personal anecdotes about their involvement with the Voyager missions or similar projects. A few commenters clarify the role of ham radio operators, emphasizing their contribution to signal processing rather than direct reception of the raw signal, which was achieved by the professional astronomers. There's also discussion of the signal's characteristics and the use of the Deep Space Network for primary communication with Voyager.
Voyager 1, currently over 15 billion miles from Earth, successfully transmitted data using a backup thruster control system not activated since 1981. NASA engineers recently rediscovered the system's functionality and tested it, confirming Voyager 1 can still send scientific data back to Earth via this alternative route. This extends the spacecraft's operational lifespan, though using the backup system requires slightly higher power consumption. While the primary thruster control system remains functional for now, this rediscovery provides a valuable backup communication method for the aging probe.
Hacker News commenters generally expressed awe and excitement at Voyager 1's continued operation and the ingenuity of the engineers who designed and maintain it. Several commenters highlighted the remarkable longevity and durability of the spacecraft, given its age and the harsh environment of interstellar space. Some discussed the technical details of the trajectory correction maneuver and the specific hardware involved, including the attitude control thrusters and the now-resurrected TCM thruster. A few questioned the phrasing of "breaking its silence," pointing out that Voyager 1 continues to send scientific data. Others reflected on the historical significance of the Voyager missions and the small, but important, course correction that ensures continued communication with Earth for a few more years.
Summary of Comments ( 218 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43359412
Hacker News users discuss the surprisingly low temperature of -280°F (-173°C) recorded by Astrobotic's Peregrine lander, named Athena, after landing in a permanently shadowed crater. Several commenters point out that this temperature, while cold, isn't unexpected for a permanently shadowed region and is well above absolute zero. They discuss the possibility of finding water ice at such locations, with some speculating about its potential uses for future lunar missions. The discrepancy between Celsius and Fahrenheit scales is also mentioned, highlighting the importance of context when discussing extreme temperatures. Some users express skepticism about the viability of commercial lunar missions given Astrobotic's struggles.
The Hacker News post discussing the Ars Technica article about Athena landing in a cold, dark crater has generated several comments. Many commenters focus on the extreme temperature reported, -280°F (-173°C), questioning its plausibility. One commenter points out that this temperature is approaching absolute zero (-459.67°F or -273.15°C), and suggests that the actual temperature is likely higher, perhaps closer to -173°F, speculating that there might have been a typo in the article. This comment sparks a discussion about the possibility of a Fahrenheit/Celsius mix-up, with other commenters agreeing that such an error is likely.
Further discussion revolves around the difficulty of accurately measuring temperatures in space, particularly on the surface of another celestial body. One commenter explains the concept of radiative cooling in a vacuum, stating that objects lose heat through radiation and that the temperature of an object in space depends on a balance between incoming solar radiation and outgoing thermal radiation. They suggest that the shadowed crater floor, shielded from direct sunlight, could indeed reach very low temperatures.
Other commenters question the significance of landing in a dark crater, wondering why this location was chosen. There isn't a clear answer provided within the comments, although some speculate it might be related to searching for volatiles, such as water ice, which are more likely to be found in permanently shadowed regions.
Another line of discussion branches into the broader mission of Athena and its implications. Commenters express excitement about the potential scientific discoveries that might arise from studying the lunar south pole, particularly with regard to understanding the early solar system and the potential for future lunar resource utilization.
Overall, the comments section reflects a mix of skepticism about the reported temperature, curiosity about the mission's objectives, and excitement about the potential scientific gains from exploring the lunar south pole. The most compelling comments highlight the complexities of measuring temperature in space and the potential scientific value of exploring permanently shadowed craters. There is a palpable sense of anticipation for future updates and findings from the Athena mission.