New Atlas

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Sun sets on Dawn spacecraft's asteroid belt mission

David Szondy November 1, 2018

After 11 years exploring the asteroid belt, NASA's Dawn mission has come to the end. The space agency confirmed that all contact has been lost with the deep space probe after it failed to make two scheduled communications with the Deep Space Network (DSN) on October 31 and November 1, 2018.

Artist's concept showing Dawn arriving at the dwarf planet Ceres

Materials

Ultra-rare mineral points to huge impact crater in Australia

Michael Irving October 17, 2018

Woodleigh Crater in Western Australia is one of the largest on Earth. But now, researchers from Curtin University have discovered new evidence that the crater could be bigger than previously thought – thanks to the presence of one of the rarest minerals ever found.

The incredibly-rare mineral reidite has been found in an impact crater in Western Australia

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Larger lander joins Japan's hopping robots on asteroid Ryugu

Nick Lavars October 3, 2018

The tiny robots currently skipping across the surface of asteroid Ryugu have gained some company today, with mothership Hayabusa 2 successfully deploying their bigger sibling, the Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout (MASCOT).

Space

Japan lands bouncing robots on asteroid Ryugu

David Szondy September 22, 2018

Japan has scored a space race double first by becoming the first nation to land not one, but two rovers on an asteroid. JAXA has confirmed that both of the robotic MINERVA-II1 spacecraft successfully deployed from the unmanned Haybusa2 probe and have touched down on the asteroid Ryugu.

Artist's concept of the two MINERVA-II1 rovers

Space

Robotic hoppers prepare to skip across the surface of asteroid Ryugu

Nick Lavars September 19, 2018

Before heading in for a closer look itself, JAXA's Hayabusa 2 probe will drop a pair of small rovers onto the asteroid Ryugu this week, which will bounce across the surface and scope out the scene.

Space

NASA's asteroid-hunting spacecraft starts to swoop in on Bennu

Nick Lavars August 21, 2018

The lengthy two-year journey of OSIRIS-REx toward the asteroid Bennu has entered its final leg, with the probe officially beginning the approach phase of its mission. This will see it slowly close in on the chunk of space rock before snatching a sample for scientists to study here on Earth.

Space

Oldest volcanic meteorite dates back to the dawn of the solar system

Michael Irving August 6, 2018

Asteroids are the leftovers from the formation of the solar system, and they can tell us a lot about those early years. Now scientists have studied a weird space rock and found that it’s the oldest known igneous meteorite, dating back to one of the very first volcanic eruptions in the solar system.

Space

Rare double asteroid scoots by Earth

David Szondy July 12, 2018

Findings from three major world observatories confirm that a very rare binary asteroid came within a cosmic whisker of Earth on June 21, 2017 The near-Earth asteroid (actually two asteroids) passed within 3.7 million of our planet for the first time in 170 years before heading out into deep space.

Artist's concept of what binary asteroid 2017 YE5 might look like

Space

Asteroid belt may be remains of half a dozen ancient planets

Michael Irving July 3, 2018

They might seem like boring rocks, but asteroids and meteorites have fascinating stories to tell about the history of the solar system. New research from the University of Florida has now traced back the origins of almost all asteroids in the inner belt to just five or six ancient minor planets.

Researchers have found that 85 percent of asteroids in the inner belt could have come from ...

Space

Interstellar visitor 'Oumuamua's trajectory suggests it's not an asteroid after all

Michael Irving June 28, 2018

‘Oumuamua is the first interstellar visitor ever detected passing through our Solar System, and while it was originally classed as an asteroid after its discovery, astronomers have now updated the label. ‘Oumuamua, it turns out, is a comet after all, but it’s unlike any other known comet.

A new artist's impression of the interstellar object 'Oumuamua, which is now believed to be a ...