Of course it’s going to be otherworldly, the images were literally taken on another world, but perhaps as a species we’re going to have to get more accustomed to the idea of seeing the presence of life on grounds other than that which we walk upon.
Right now, we can only send technology to other worlds, but we’re just 121 years on from working out how to develop flying machines so think where we might be by the end of this century.
As part of the Mars 2020 mission, NASA sent up their Perseverance Rover and underneath it was carried the Ingenuity Helicopter, which was planned to make five flights over the red planet.
In the end, the helicopter completed 72 flights, and also became the first aircraft to successfully complete a powered, controlled flight on another world.
Perhaps one day people, and not just our machines, will make it here (NASA/JPL-Caltech)
The helicopter was meant to go to places which the rover couldn’t safely reach and take a series of images so we could look upon this other world, and in 2022, snapped a spectacular view.
Wreckage of a spacecraft, laying in the sands of Mars and slightly reddened by the contact, a collection of objects manufactured on another world that may now lie forever upon the near-silent surface of the red planet.
Ian Clark, an engineer who worked on Perseverance’s parachute system, told The New York Times: “There’s definitely a sci-fi element to it. It exudes otherworldly, doesn’t it?
“They say a picture’s worth 1,000 words, but it’s also worth an infinite amount of engineering understanding.”
If you’re thinking this is the work of aliens, then I’m sorry to say it isn’t, these shattered remains strewn upon red sand are man-made.
While it may look ‘otherworldly’ and right out of science fiction, this debris isn’t actually evidence that aliens live among us or have been getting as close to us as the surface of Mars.
Beautiful, isn’t it? (NASA/JPL-Caltech)
If we’re finding spaceship debris on another planet then it’s because we put it there, and what the NASA helicopter found was part of the landing equipment used to bring Ingenuity down to the surface of Mars along with the Perseverance Rover.
When it comes to space humans are dreadful litterbugs, the orbit of our planet is clogged full of debris we’ve sent up there and now no longer need.
Now it seems like we’re also going to be clogging up other worlds with our leavings too.
Perhaps one day we’ll make it to Mars and be able to clean all this up, or maybe we’ll leave this debris where it lies as a point in the history of human space travel.
According to the Natural History Museum, there are about 2,000 active satellites orbiting Earth but around 3,000 more ‘dead’ satellites which we don’t use still floating up there.
There are also thousands more pieces of debris floating around our planet which pose a danger to spacecraft and our future hopes of space travel.
Featured Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Topics: Space, Science, Technology, NASA
Joe Harker
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Lad puts ‘showerproof’ Uniqlo coat to the test amid Manchester downpours
The sellout hybrid down puffer coat is designed to hold up against the most extreme of British weather conditions
Someone took the Oasis reunion a little bit too seriously…
And by that I mean I got a coat that makes me look like I could be the sixth member of the band, ready to fall out with my wayward brothers Liam and Noel.
Before you wonder, no, I didn’t get tickets. I’m road-testing Uniqlo’s next-generation Hybrid Down Coat, a brand new addition to their AW24 collection that’s super-lightweight but promises to keep you warm and dry whatever the weather.
The latest iteration of Uniqlo‘s sellout down range, it’s filled with a mixture of cotton padding and down, and coated with a water-repellent finish, while breathable mesh and ventilation holes mean you won’t get sweaty when jumping out of a cold winter’s morning onto a hot, crowded bus. It’s no surprise people are already raving about the ‘showerproof’ coat which has racked up dozens of five-star reviews. And the best part? The hood is removable.
But how does it stack up against the Great British Weather?
I’ve been wearing it to the office almost religiously since I got it (Adam Hamdani)
In the cold ❄️
If you’ve ever been to my current hometown of Manchester, you know that grey skies and rainy clouds are the norm up here.
On the coat goes, and the first thing I notice about it is the genuine high quality feel of it. It feels pretty lightweight considering the size and bulk of it, one of those where if you were wearing it on a cold morning but the weather got warm in the afternoon, you’d have no problem carrying it under one arm or stuffing it into your laptop bag.
It has a zip that goes about three quarters of the way down the coat, but buttons all the way down to make it a nice snug fit and keep all the warmth locked in when you need it.
In the rain ☔️
The following day, it was time to really put this coat to the test. I have around a 10-minute walk to the bus stop and it is lashing it down, with fast winds too. Let’s do it.
The first thing I notice is the coat doesn’t flap out, some coats are chaos to wear when it comes to winds as they flap all over the place, but this one seems to hold pretty well. The rain also appears to just brush off the coat? Small trickles remain but the majority of the rainfall seems to just be bouncing off the coat with grace.
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Uniqlo
In midler weather 🌦️
I wouldn’t ever wear this coat with anything else heavy on, a light jumper at most. Otherwise you might end up sweating even in the cold because this thing keeps you warm!
The coat is obviously quite long, so worrying about how to style it isn’t really a concern of mine outside of not wearing a hoodie underneath – lesson learnt. You can wear whatever bottoms you feel comfortable in with this piece as it’s quite a casual coat mainly concerned with protecting you from the elements.
My verdict?
I love it. Uniqlo’s Hybrid Down Coat is one that I’ll certainly be using on repeat throughout autumn and into winter. It’s easy to look after, I wear it most days when commuting into work and if I’m heading to do my Big Shop. At £110, this coat is definitely an investment but you’ll get a lot of wear out of it and compared to some others on the market, you’re paying for quality that will last in the long run.
Browse Uniqlo’s Hybrid Down collection here.
Featured Image Credit: LADbible/ Uniqlo
Adam Hamdani
NASA mystery as astronauts rushed to hospital after returning from space
Four NASA astronauts were rushed to hospital on return to Earth
A crew of four NASA astronauts were sent to hospital on their return from space and we don’t fully know why.
The group were brought back down to Earth on SpaceX’s Dragon capsule on 25 October after spending more than 200 days on the International Space Station (ISS).
After a successful landing down near Pensacola, Florida, however, a NASA astronaut ‘experienced a medical issue’, the space agency said.
It was then announced that NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin were taken to the Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola in Florida.
Three of the crew members left the hospital and arrived at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, while the ‘one astronaut who remained at Ascension was in stable condition under observation as a precautionary measure’.
Thankfully, the astronaut involved was released after a night in hospital.
“To protect the crew member’s medical privacy, specific details on the individual’s condition or identity will not be shared,” NASA added.
“During its return to earth, the SpaceX Dragon executed a normal entry and splashdown.
Four NASA astronauts were rushed to hospital on their return to Earth (Joel Kowsky/NASA via Getty Images)
“Recovery of the crew and the spacecraft was without incident.
“During routine medical assessments on the recovery ship, the additional evaluation of the crew members was requested out of an abundance of caution.”
In a post-splashdown news conference, NASA provided little update on the situation, saying the hospital visits were done ‘out of an abundance of caution’.
It didn’t specify any details in regard to the health concerns.
This comes after NASA astronauts on board the ISS were being issued safety precautions because of 50 ‘areas of concern’.
The US space agency and its Russian counterpart Roscosmos say they have been aware of a leak on the ISS since 2019.
The group were brought back down to earth on SpaceX’s Dragon capsule on 25 October after spending more than 200 days on the ISS (Paul Hennessy/Anadolu via Getty Images)
But following various safety concerns, they have been taking a look at four cracks and 50 other ‘areas of concern’ on board.
NASA has since told the Washington Post that Roscosmos has used ‘a combination of sealant and patches’ to cover up the cracks, with internal risk assessments scoring it a five out of five.
“We have conveyed the seriousness of the leaks multiple times, including when I was in Russia earlier this year,” NASA associate administrator, Jim Free, told the outlet.
In the short-term, they’ve recommended to astronauts to keep the hatch closed as much as possible ‘in the evening’.
Though when the hatch is open, NASA’s space experts have been instructed to remain on the US side of the space station in the case of an emergency.
They remain adamant that the ISS is still safe enough for the remaining 11 people onboard.
LADbible Group has contacted NASA for comment.
Featured Image Credit: Joel Kowsky/NASA via Getty Images/Paul Hennessy/Anadolu via Getty Images
Anish Vij
NASA astronauts on International Space Station warned of ‘top safety risk’ after 50 ‘areas of concern’ discovered
NASA says the issue is at its highest level of risk
NASA astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) are being issued safety precautions with 50 ‘areas of concern’ on board.
The American space agency and its Russian counterpart have been aware of a leak on the ISS since 2019.
However, in a report from September, NASA and Roscosmos have referred to the leak as a ‘safety risk’ for astronauts in the station.
They are currently looking into four cracks and 50 other ‘areas of concern’ as fixes remain ongoing.
Although NASA has told the Washington Post that Roscosmos has used ‘a combination of sealant and patches’ to cover up the cracks, internal risk assessments score it a five out of five.
“We have conveyed the seriousness of the leaks multiple times, including when I was in Russia earlier this year,” NASA associate administrator, Jim Free, told the outlet.
As a fix, they’ve instructed astronauts to keep the hatch closed as much as possible ‘in the evening’.
When the hatch is open, NASA’s employees are instructed to remain on the US side of the space station in the case of an emergency.
There are 50 ‘areas of concern’ on board the International Space Station (Getty Images via NASA)
It’s so they are close enough to their spacecraft if they were told to evacuate.
NASA’s Office of Inspector General said in April the cracks were a ‘top safety risk’ and that ‘NASA identified an increase in the leak rate to its highest level to date’.
While they don’t know the exact reason behind the leaks, Free insisted that ‘the leakage rate has gone down’ in recent months.
“We’ve asked them to minimise how long that hatch is open, and they are minimising it,” Free said.
“We’ve come to a compromise that they close it in the evening.”
The space agency believes that the ISS is still safe enough for the remaining 11 people onboard.
NASA is preparing its astronauts on the International Space Station over safety concerns (Getty Images via NASA)
This comes after a NASA astronaut was taken to hospital for an undisclosed medical issue on their return from a nearly eight-month space station mission, last week.
A SpaceX capsule carrying three Americans and one Russian parachuted into the Gulf of Mexico after undocking from the International Space Station.
NASA news chief Cheryl Warner said: “To protect the crew member’s medical privacy, specific details on the individual’s condition or identity will not be shared.
“The one astronaut who remains at Ascension is in stable condition under observation as a precautionary measure.”
While a NASA spokesperson added: “We’re grateful to Ascension Sacred Heart for its support during this time, and we are proud of our team for its quick action to ensure the safety of our crew members.
“NASA will provide additional information as it becomes available.”
Featured Image Credit: Getty Images via NASA
Anish Vij
Giant explosions on the Sun’s surface could decide NASA’s plan to send astronauts to Mars
It’s set to rock the Red Planet once again
The future of NASA’s plan to put astronauts on Mars is set to go under the microscope when a massive explosion on the surface of the Sun rocks the Red Planet.
2024 is a big year for the fiery ball at the centre of our solar system, with the Sun at the peak of its activity. And it’s a rare event that scientists can’t wait to study with it having the potential to decide many aspects of a first of its kind manned mission to Mars.
American space agency NASA is keen to push forward with Mars expeditions as quickly as possible, especially after finding evidence that alien life might have been erased on the planet.
But one thing that desperately needs to be studied before it becomes a reality is the huge explosions that take place on the Sun every 11 years or so.
Dubbed the solar maximum, it’s when the Sun enters the peak of its activity.
Earth is fine in these scenarios because of the huge magnetic field around the globe (mostly) shielding us from the impact of these solar bombs. But Mars doesn’t have the luxury of an electrical charge shielding it, meaning the Sun’s actions put it in a much more vulnerable position.
An explosion on the surface of the Sun captured by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory. (NASA/GFSC/SDO)
The reality is that these could have huge affects on robots and future astronauts on the Red Planet. Right now, we simply don’t know what they could be.
Therefore, NASA’s plan is a simple but complex one: study the Sun’s volatility in relation to Mars and whether it hurts the chances of future missions to the planet.
Two Mars spacecraft – NASA’s MAVEN [Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN] and RAD [Radiation Assessment Detector] – will spend time above the Martian surface studying the impact of these solar storms on the magnetic field-less below.
This artist’s concept depicts NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) near Mars. (NASA/GSFC)
One key aspect being analysed is how much radiation astronauts would take if they were on the planet during these flare ups and whether this could be limited by the use of caves as protection.
Principal investigator for NASA’s MAVEN orbiter is Shannon Curry, of the University of Colorado Boulder’s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics.
She said: “For humans and assets on the Martian surface, we don’t have a solid handle on what the effect is from radiation during solar activity.
“I’d actually love to see the ‘big one’ at Mars this year – a large event that we can study to understand solar radiation better before astronauts go to Mars.”
CGI of an astronaut on Mars. (Getty Stock Image)
RAD’s principal investigator, Don Hassler of the Boulder, Colorado, office of the Southwest Research Institute, said: “While MAVEN’s instruments are more sensitive to lower-energy ones, RAD is the only instrument capable of seeing the high-energy ones that make it through the atmosphere to the surface, where astronauts would be.”
Another part of the exploration will focus on Mars’ history, with it once being a wet Earth-like planet some billions of years ago.
Now it is an ice cold desert and the question as to how it got like this has left astronomers baffled for decades.
While there’s little water left on Mars, with most of it now ice under the surface and at both poles of the planet, some does still circulates as vapour in the atmosphere.
