A new video released by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory shows radar images acquired during a June 25 Earth flyby of asteroid 1999 JD6. The asteroid is made up of two distinct lobes, and measures 200 – 300 metres (660 to 980 feet) in diameter. The radar images were obtained by pairing NASA's 70-meter-wide (230-foot) Deep […]
Could Asteroids Provide Fuel for Space Travel?
This is the question a new project at the Missouri University of Science and Technology will aim to answer. Through the testing of easily-evaporated compounds contained in meteorites, researchers will strive to develop a space-based fueling plan, utilizing near-Earth objects such as comets and asteroids, for future space travel. The project, titled “Laboratory Demonstration and […]
Don’t miss one of the greatest shows on Earth!
The Perseid meteor shower is at its peak August 12 & 13, so make sure to take in the show! At the shower's height, you can expect as many as 100 meteors per hour in the pre-dawn hours (fewer in urban areas). The yearly Perseid meteor shower is the result of Earth's orbit intersecting the […]
New Mineral Identified in Martian Meteorite!
A new mineral, named Tissintite, has been discovered in a meteorite from Mars! This new mineral formed under high pressure during an impact shock event, and is the most vacancy-rich clinopyroxene known. Tissintite may hold new information about impact processes on Mars! The meteorite, Tissint, fell to Earth in Morocco on July 18th, 2011, and […]
The Center for Meteorite Studies honors the legacy of Mr. Herbert Fales
A new plaque unveiled at the Center for Meteorite Studies commemorates Herbert G. Fales, a steadfast supporter and early contributor to the Center, without whom ASU’s world class meteorite collection may never have come to be. In 1957, Sputnik’s launch put space exploration at the forefront of the American conscience. The following year, Harvey H. […]
