Space Science Snapshots
Have a seat and take a quick trip into space! At APL, our space scientists and engineers strive every day to break new ground—through research, spacecraft and instrument designs, and much more. Check out these snapshots of their innovative work, which are helping to inform policymakers, cut the costs of exploration, and push the boundaries of space and planetary science.
Discovery of a Lunar Cold Spot at Apollo 16’s South Ray Crater
Nighttime temperature data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter’s (LRO) Diviner instrument reveal a faint cold spot surrounding South Ray crater at the Apollo 16 landing site. Astronaut footprint depths within the cold spot are deeper on average than at other Apollo sites, suggesting lower-density surface regolith.
Revealing an Overlooked Part of the Solar Corona in Parker Solar Probe Images
A new approach uses images captured by the WISPR instrument onboard the APL-built Parker Solar Probe to subtract the background F-corona emission and hence reveal a previously underappreciated part of the Sun’s atmosphere.
Parker Solar Probe Data Reveals That Solar Eruptions May Distort Clues to Solar Wind Origins
An APL-led study using data from the APL-built Parker Solar Probe has found that coronal mass ejections reshape near-Sun conditions, redefining our understanding of the solar wind near the Sun.
Moderate Coronal Mass Ejection Sparks First Severe Storm of Solar Cycle 25
An APL-led study uses Solar Orbiter’s Heliospheric Imager (SoloHI) from an off-Sun–Earth perspective to track a coronal mass ejection and accurately forecast its arrival at Earth, where it triggered the first severe geomagnetic storm of the current solar cycle.
Novel Supernova Analysis Resolves Long-standing Cosmic Mystery
An APL-led study of thermonuclear supernovae yields a new estimate of the cosmic expansion rate, eliminates the Hubble tension, and reveals new details about the nature of the dark energy.
Asteroid 433 Eros Is Really Good at Absorbing Shocks from Impacts
APL-led analysis of crater properties on 433 Eros shows that one of the largest impacts on the asteroid caused global seismic vibrations that were limited in magnitude by the asteroid’s very dissipative interior. A quantitative assessment of the decay of seismic waves suggests that Eros, one of the largest near-Earth asteroids (~16 kilometers), might actually be a rubble pile.
Experiments Re-create the Chemistry in the Center of Asteroids
Experiments conducted in the APL Meteorite Lab mimicked the chemistry experienced in asteroidal cores 4.5 billion years ago, revealing distinct chemical signatures imparted in the early solar system.
Juno Uses Energetic Neutral Atoms to Characterize the Atmosphere of Jupiter’s Moon Io
The APL-built JEDI sensor on NASA’s Juno mission observed energetic neutral atoms coming from the upper atmosphere of Jupiter’s moon Io, providing significant new constraints on the moon’s nightside atmosphere.
Dwarf Planet Ceres May Have Widespread Organic Materials
A fusion of two datasets from NASA’s Dawn mission revealed new candidates for organic materials on Ceres, which heightens Ceres’ astrobiological potential.
Shock-Generated Transients Form High-Speed Jets and Accelerate Particles
An APL-led study uses multi-mission observations to shed light on the formation of high-speed jets and relativistic electrons, advancing our understanding on collisionless shocks and transient phenomena in space.
How Can Shocks Generate Relativistic Electrons?
An APL-led study reveals a cross-scale process driving relativistic electron acceleration at planetary shocks, yielding new insights into particle acceleration across the universe.
How the Sun Accelerates Rare Ions
The APL-built SIS instrument on Solar Orbiter has measured several small solar flares that may reveal why these types of solar eruptions may preferentially accelerate rare ion species.