Space

NASA’s newest space observatory could sniff exoplanet atmospheres for signs of life

Artist rendition of what it might look like on the surface of Trappist-1f, a planet in the Trappist-1 system. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Published

5 years ago

January 31, 2020

Amy Thompson

Over the course of our existence, humanity has struggled to definitively answer the question: “Are we alone?”

Is Earth the only planet in the vast cosmic sea that contains life? As our technology becomes more advanced, we get closer and closer to the answer.

Our solar system contains a multitude of worlds, planetary bodies ranging from ice planets to gas giants with magnificent rings to rocky, terrestrial worlds like our own. But what lies out beyond our stellar neighborhood?

It’s only been in the last few decades that scientists have detected planets orbiting other stars. We call them exoplanets. Since that initial discovery, researchers have trained their telescopes on the cosmos in search of new and different worlds.

Their efforts were not in vain, as thousands of exoplanets have been detected. Now, scientists are starting to shift their focus to the individual planets and learning as much as they can about them. Do they contain life? What are they made of? What kind of atmosphere do they have?

These are the types of questions we hope to answer about the alien worlds that fill our universe.

One element essential to life on Earth is oxygen. Its presence is what scientists refer to as a biosignature. (These are the types of things NASA’s next Mars rover will look for.) A recent paper published in Nature Astronomy details a new technique that scientists are hoping will help them detect the presence of oxygen in exoplanet atmospheres.

Like methane, oxygen is a biosignature but its presence does not guarantee we will find life. There are plenty of non-biological processes that produce oxygen (as well as methane). However, if other biosignatures are detected in addition to oxygen, the chances of life increase significantly.

NASA’s Curiosity rover detected a methane cycle on Mars that varies with the seasons. However, its orbital counterparts — European spacecraft TGO and Mars Express — have not. The science team is working to identify what is causing the methane spikes as well as why it seems to disappear as it rises through the atmosphere.

Possible sources and sinks of methane on Mars. Credit: NASA

“Oxygen is one of the most exciting molecules to detect because of its link with life, but we don’t know if life is the only cause of oxygen in an atmosphere,” Edward Schwieterman, an astrobiologist at UC Riverside and co-author on the study, said in a statement. “This technique will allow us to find oxygen in planets both living and dead.”

The new method was developed by a team led by Thomas Fauchez, a planetary scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. It is derived from the behavior of oxygen molecules in Earth’s atmosphere.

When oxygen molecules collide, they produce a signal—a very subtle dip in infrared radiation. Unfortunately, that signal is so faint that current observatories cannot detect it in distant planets. But that will soon change. NASA’s latest and greatest telescope, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will come online sometime in the next few years. Fauchez’s team has shown that JWST, which will observe the universe in the infrared, should have what it takes to spot it.

: When NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope comes online, it will help us identify the best planets to look for life. Credit: NASA

: The Mars 2020 rover now has an offical name: Perseverance. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

“Before our work, oxygen at similar levels as on Earth was thought to be undetectable with Webb,” said Fauchez in a statement. “This oxygen signal is known since the early 1980s from Earth’s atmospheric studies but has never been studied for exoplanet research.”

In the meantime, NASA’s Mars 2020 rover will launch to the red planet in July. Once it’s on Mars, it will study Jezero Crater, the site of an ancient river delta and scan the region for signs of life (like oxygen, methane, and other biosignatures). The rover will also bag up bits of Mars to be returned to Earth at a later date.

Elon Musk

SpaceX Starship gets FAA nod for ninth test flight

The FAA has given the green light for Starship’s ninth test flight.

Published

21 hours ago

May 22, 2025

Joey Klender

(Credit: SpaceX)

SpaceX has received FAA approval for the ninth test flight of the Starship rocket. The approval was delayed due to the federal agency finishing its comprehensive safety review of the eighth flight earlier this year.

The FAA said in a statement that it has determined that SpaceX has “satisfactorily addressed the causes of the mishap, and therefore, the Starship vehicle can return to flight.”

The eighth test flight occurred back on March 6. SpaceX completed a successful liftoff of Starship and the Super Heavy Booster, before the two entered stage separation a few minutes after launch.

Starship Flight 8: SpaceX nails Super Heavy booster catch but loses upper stage

The booster returned and was caught by the chopsticks on the launch pad, completing the second successful booster catch in the program’s history. However, SpaceX lost contact with Starship in the upper atmosphere.

The ship broke up and reentered the atmosphere over Florida and the Bahamas.

The debris situation caused the FAA to initiate a mishap investigation:

Starship Flight 8’s Ship 34 provided some beautiful fireworks in the sky during its rapid unscheduled disassembly. Beautiful but unfortunate.
Hopefully, Flight 9 would no longer have any RUD incidents. pic.twitter.com/p4qAToDXOM
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) March 7, 2025

The FAA said it will verify that SpaceX implements all the corrective actions on Flight 9 that it discovered during the mishap investigation.

There is no current confirmed launch window, but the earliest it could take off from Starbase is Tuesday, May 27, at 6:30 p.m. local time.

To prevent any injuries and potentially limit any damage, the FAA has stayed in contact with various countries that could be impacted if another loss of vehicle occurs:

“The FAA is in close contact and collaboration with the United Kingdom, Turks & Caicos Islands, Bahamas, Mexico, and Cuba as the agency continues to monitor SpaceX’s compliance with all public safety and other regulatory requirements.”

The agency has also stated that the Aircraft Hazard Area (AHA) is approximately 1,600 nautical miles and extends eastward from the Starbase, Texas, launch site through the Straits of Florida, including the Bahamas and Turks & Caicos.

For flight 8, the AHA was just 885 nautical miles.

News

Starlink Direct to Cell to boost remote businesses in Chile

Entel teams up with Starlink Direct to Cell to power SMEs & industries in Chile’s remote regions. Remote businesses get a major tech upgrade.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 8, 2025

Maria Merano

(Credit: SpaceX)

Entel will provide Starlink Direct to Cell services to businesses in Chile and Peru, boosting connectivity in underserved regions.

Entel is Chile’s leading telecommunications provider. Its strategic collaboration leverages Starlink’s Direct to Cell service by offering advanced internet solutions to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large corporations.

The partnership targets industries like mining, agriculture, and forestry, which often face connectivity challenges in remote areas. By tapping into Starlink’s low-latency satellite constellation, Entel aims to bridge these gaps, driving innovation and competitiveness.

The collaboration with Entel follows Starlink’s April expansion in Brazil, where its internet was integrated into John Deere’s agricultural equipment. Through its mobile app, Starlink provided Brazilian farmers with live video feeds, sensor data, and real-time sharing.

Starlink direct to your unmodified phone with no new hardware required! https://t.co/V4SvvEhZHK— gorklon rust (@elonmusk) May 8, 2025

Entel’s Starlink Direct to Cell service includes value-added features such as 24/7 network monitoring, proactive management, and dedicated technical support. An observability feature will allow businesses to track real-time connectivity performance through web or mobile applications, enhancing operational efficiency.

The service’s accessibility to SMEs is a key focus. Starlink Direct to Cell is expected to empower small businesses to engage in e-commerce, improve customer communication, and expand digital operations.

Starlink’s Direct to Cell expansion into Peru underscores Entel’s regional ambitions, positioning it as a leader in Latin America’s business connectivity landscape. While details of the Peruvian rollout remain forthcoming, the move aligns with the region’s post-COVID-19 economic recovery. Reliable internet is critical for businesses to adopt cloud-based technologies and access global markets.

Starlink’s growing influence in Latin America highlights its role in transforming connectivity for underserved areas. Entel’s partnership strengthens its portfolio and helps businesses navigate a digital economy. As industries in Chile and Peru leverage Starlink’s capabilities, the collaboration could set a precedent for regional telecom providers, fostering innovation and economic growth across diverse sectors.

News

SpaceX’s Starlink Router Mini targets home Wi-Fi dead zones for $40

The Starlink Router Mini tackles home Wi-Fi dead zones for just $40. Compact & mesh-compatible, it’s built for basic setups.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 7, 2025

Maria Merano

starlink-router-mini-$40-home-wi-fi-dead-zones

SpaceX’s Starlink Router Mini recently launched to enhance home Wi-Fi connectivity by addressing dead zones at home, offering a budget-friendly option for customers. The Starlink Router Mini is a $40 mesh-compatible device.

The Router Mini targets users seeking affordable solutions to extend coverage in smaller spaces. SpaceX describes the new Starlink router as a lower-performance device suited for “basic Wi-Fi needs” in compact setups.

“It works well in most basic residential setups and is a good option for extending coverage. However, in homes where rooms have multiple barriers between them (mirrors, multiple walls, brick or stone walls), you may notice a drop in performance unless you use wired connections,” the company noted.

In contrast, the Gen 3 router, now priced at $120 after dropping from $199, delivers stronger performance for larger homes with multiple devices. The Router Mini complements the Gen 3 router, which comes bundled with the standard Starlink dish and supports mesh networking.

“If you need simple, reliable Wi-Fi and want to keep costs down, the Router Mini is a solid option. But if you’re looking for stronger, more consistent performance across a larger or busier home, the Gen 3 Router is the way to go,” SpaceX explained.

New Starlink router gets FCC approval, hints at dish upgrades

Both routers support Wi-Fi 6 speeds and can operate in wired or wireless mesh modes, though the dual-band Starlink Router Mini has fewer antennas (“2×2 2.4 GHz, 2×3 5 GHz MU-MIMO”) compared to the tri-band Gen 3’s four-plus antenna setup.

The Router Mini’s debut follows its appearance in an FCC filing and a Starlink app update referencing a “mini mesh” device. It also connects to the Starlink Mini dish, boosting its limited Wi-Fi range. The device’s affordability and mesh compatibility make it an attractive option for customers looking to optimize their Starlink setup without investing in additional Gen 3 routers.

As Starlink continues to expand its global broadband network, the Router Mini addresses growing demand for flexible, cost-effective home connectivity solutions. By offering a cheaper mesh device, SpaceX strengthens its ecosystem, catering to diverse user needs while maintaining its lead in satellite internet innovation.