Vasilisa
Symbolic Herald
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<Dawn>
Spacecraft Data Suggest Saturn Moon's Ocean May Harbor Hydrothermal Activity
Things to know:
• Cassini finds first evidence of active hot-water chemistry beyond planet Earth
• Findings in two separate papers support the notion
• The results have important implications for the habitability of icy worlds
NASA's Cassini spacecraft has provided scientists the first clear evidence that Saturn's moon Enceladus exhibits signs of present-day hydrothermal activity which may resemble that seen in the deep oceans on Earth. The implications of such activity on a world other than our planet open up unprecedented scientific possibilities.
"These findings add to the possibility that Enceladus, which contains a subsurface ocean and displays remarkable geologic activity, could contain environments suitable for living organisms," said John Grunsfeld, astronaut and associate administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. "The locations in our solar system where extreme environments occur in which life might exist may bring us closer to answering the question: are we alone in the universe."
New Horizons will fly by Pluto this summer, after its nine-year journey to get there. It will be the first time a probe has ever passed close to Pluto. As such it will be the first time relatively clear photographs will be taken of Pluto, and of its largest moon, Charon. Click here to help the New Horizons team name the geological features of Pluto and Charon!
ROSETTA’S LANDER PHILAE WAKES UP FROM HIBERNATION
Rosetta's lander Philae is out of hibernation!
The signals were received at ESA's European Space Operations Centre in Darmstadt at 22:28 CEST on 13 June. More than 300 data packets have been analysed by the teams at the Lander Control Center at the German Aerospace Center (DLR).
"Philae is doing very well: It has an operating temperature of -35ºC and has 24 Watts available," explains DLR Philae Project Manager Dr. Stephan Ulamec. "The lander is ready for operations."
For 85 seconds Philae "spoke" with its team on ground, via Rosetta, in the first contact since going into hibernation in November.
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Philae shut down on 15 November 2014 at 1:15 CET after being in operation on the comet for about 60 hours. Since 12 March 2015 the communication unit on orbiter Rosetta was turned on to listen out for the lander.
New Horizons will fly by Pluto this summer, after its nine-year journey to get there. It will be the first time a probe has ever passed close to Pluto. As such it will be the first time relatively clear photographs will be taken of Pluto, and of its largest moon, Charon. Click here to help the New Horizons team name the geological features of Pluto and Charon!