Tag: Space

Sciency Words: Didymoon

~ J.S. Pailly ~ 9 Comments

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Today’s post is part of a special series here on Planet Pailly called Sciency Words. Each week, we take a closer look at an interesting science or science-related term to help us all expand our scientific vocabularies together. Today’s term is:

DIDYMOON

Let it not be said that scientists don’t have a sense of humor. When they discovered that the asteroid 65803 Didymos has its own moon, they named that moon Didymoon.

My06 Didymoon 1

Yes, asteroids can have their own moons, but we knew that for many years before the discovery of Didymoon. The important thing you need to know is that we humans are planning to use Didymoon for target practice.

My06 Didymoon 2

Multiple space agencies around the world, including NASA, are collaborating on a mission called the Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment mission (AIDA). Didymos and Didymoon will pass near Earth in October of 2022. As they approach, AIDA will launch, and it will try to hit Didymoon really, really hard to see how much we can shift its orbit.

AIDA is a crucial test. Are we capable of changing the orbits of objects in space? Can we protect our planet from incoming asteroids and comets?

My06 Didymoon 3

Didymos and Didymoon are correct. They’re not like the asteroid from the K-T Event, which wiped out the dinosaurs, or the object from the Tunguska Event, which leveled an astonishing number of trees.

But if we can adjust Didymoon’s orbit around Didymos, we’ll be better prepared to adjust the trajectories of other asteroids that might be heading our way.

Sciency Words: The Tunguska Event

~ J.S. Pailly ~ 7 Comments

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Today’s post is part of a special series here on Planet Pailly called Sciency Words. Each week, we take a closer look at an interesting science or science-related term to help us all expand our scientific vocabularies together. Today’s term is:

THE TUNGUSKA EVENT

June 30, 1908, was a bad day to be a tree. At least, it was a bad day for a heck of a lot of trees in the middle of nowhere, Russia.

My03 Tunguska Event

Something—there’s debate over what exactly is was—fell from space that day. It didn’t make it to the ground. Instead, it exploded midair above the Tunguska River.

According to human eyewitnesses, who were many miles away, the sky appeared to be split in two by fire. They heard a series of loud booms. The ground shook, and there was a sudden and intensely hot burst of wind so strong it apparently knocked people off their feet.

According to tree eyewitnesses… actually, we can’t ask the trees what they saw. They died. About 2,000 square kilometers (almost 800 square miles) of forest were scorched and flattened.

Scientific debate continues over what caused the Tunguska Event. It could have been an asteroid; however, asteroid debris can usually be identified by the presence of certain rare metals, such as iridium and osmium. These metals have not been found in the Tunguska region, at least not in quantities that would be atypical for Earth.

Another possibility (which makes the most sense to me) is that is was a comet. Comets are composed of lighter, more volatile chemicals like water. So when the Tunguska comet exploded, it would have been completely vaporized, leaving no debris.

The absurdly huge asteroid that killed the dinosaurs gets a lot of attention in popular culture, but asteroids (and comets) don’t have to be mass-extinction-sized to cause considerable damage. If the Tunguska Event had been the New York Event, there would be no more New York. And if something that big fell over the ocean, the resulting tsunamis could obliterate hundreds of miles of nearby coastlines.

Much like the Carrington Event of 1859, the Tunguska Event serves as a warning. Space is dangerous. Space is deadly. Earth can’t protect us from everything.

New Mission Statement

~ J.S. Pailly ~ 4 Comments

After my recent interview on Doorway Between Worlds, I realized the mission statement on my blog is seriously out of date. It was mostly about the 2015 Mission to the Solar System, which is over now. It’s been over since, like, December of 2015.

So today, I’m proud to introduce my brand new mission statement for 2016 and beyond!

* * *

Space… the final frontier. These are the research voyages of science fiction writer J.S. Pailly.

His mission: to learn about planets and stars. To learn about spaceships and alien life. To NOT just make stuff up but to study real life science.

To research physics, chemistry, astronomy, astrobiology (yes, astrobiology is a real science)… and to take all that research and use it to write really cool science fiction stories.

My00 Astro-James

Why am I doing this? Because real life science is far stranger and more exciting than anything I could have possibly imagined.

My00 Boldly Going

And to boldly go where no science fiction writer has gone before!

Sciency Words: Panspermia

~ J.S. Pailly ~ 8 Comments

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Today’s post is part of a special series here on Planet Pailly called Sciency Words. Each week, we take a closer look at an interesting science or science-related term to help us all expand our scientific vocabularies together. Today’s term is:

PANSPERMIA

What if bacteria have their own space program? What if microorganisms can travel from planet to planet all by themselves?

Ap13 Panspermia Adventures Part 1

Admittedly, this bacterial space program is a poor man’s way to explore the universe. Single-celled astronauts don’t know when they’ll be launched into space, nor can they predict where they’ll be going. There are no rocket ships. There’s no mission control.

And if you think a lot of human astronauts have died in the name of space exploration, the fatality rate for bacterial astronauts is way, way higher.

Ap13 Panspermia Adventures Part 2

Panspermia comes from the Greek words for “all” and “seeds.” It can be loosely translated as “seeds in all places” or “seeds everywhere.” As a scientific concept, panspermia hypothesizes that microorganisms can hop from one world to another via asteroid impacts.

There’s very little proof for panspermia, but scientists have gathered plenty of circumstantial evidence.

  • Many asteroids (especially C-type asteroids) contain water and amino acids. It’s not much, but very simple organisms might be able to eek out an existence there.
  • Life didn’t appear on Earth until after an event known as the late heavy bombardment, when loads of asteroids pummeled our planet. Mars and Venus, the moons of Jupiter and Saturn… they all got pummeled too. Life could have been seeded across the whole Solar System at that time.
  • The earliest fossilized microbes on Earth appear to have already developed a certain degree of complexity. Maybe they evolved this complexity before coming to Earth.
  • Tardigrades have become famous for their ability to survive in space, but a surprising number of other microorganisms can survive in space too. Some apparently grow better up there than they do here. Why are these life forms are so well adapted to space? Maybe it’s because they’re from space.
  • Plenty of meteorites found here on Earth originate from other places in the Solar System, and there’s good reason to suspect that Earth rocks have made it to other planets too. Any of these rocks could have had microscopic passengers aboard.

So how seriously should we take the panspermia hypothesis? Even if we accept the possibility that bacteria could travel between worlds, that doesn’t mean they do or that such things are common occurrences.

But as a science fiction writer who’s in the middle of world-building for a new story, I think panspermia is a great place to start. If I decide panspermia is true, I can have a universe where life is everywhere—and perhaps where all life is genetically similar in some respects. If I decide panspermia is false (within my fictional reality), I’ll have a universe where life is rare, separated by strange and wildly dissimilar genetic structures.

Both options offer intriguing storytelling opportunities. Which to choose? Which to choose….

Links

Panspermia: A Promising Field of Research from the 2010 Astrobiology Science Conference.

Tiny Animals Survive Exposure to Space from ESA.

Bacteria in Space! from Scientific American.

The Continuing Controversy of the Mars Meteorite from Astrobiology Magazine.

Earth and Mars Could Share a Life History from Mars Daily.

Mars vs. the Moon: Where Do You Want to Go?

~ J.S. Pailly ~ 11 Comments

Okay, fellow humans. Where should we go next? Should we return to the Moon or push onward to Mars?

Ap12 Mars vs the Moon

It would be nice if we could do both, but space exploration is expensive. So at least in the near future, we as a species will probably have to choose.

If you pay any attention to NASA’s public relations, you know the United States is aimed for Mars. Almost every new piece of NASA tech is billed as Mars-ready or Mars-capable. Almost every experiment, including Scott Kelly’s Year in Space mission, is somehow Mars related. NASA has produced tons of videos, posters, and infographics, and they’ve made #JourneytoMars a thing on Twitter.

But an actual Mars landing is still at least twenty years away. A lot could happen in twenty years, politically and economically speaking. Regarding the politics of space exploration, international partnerships play a key role. Big, expensive projects become a lot more feasible when costs are divvied up among multiple countries.

Right now, the European Space Agency (ESA) is mulling over the idea of establishing a permanent outpost on the Moon. This moon base, or “moon village” as it’s sometimes called, would be the successor to the International Space Station.

If ESA does get their moon village started, no doubt the Russians and the Japanese will want to be part of it. And so will the U.S. But where will that leave NASA’s #JourneytoMars ambitions?

Personally, I’d really like human beings to finally set foot on Mars, preferably in my lifetime. But ESA’s moon base proposal seems more achievable in the near-term. In a way, it does feel like a logical next step after the International Space Station. But that’s just my opinion.

So what do you think? Were do you, fellow humans, want to go next: back to the Moon or onward to Mars?

Sciency Words: Z-Series Spacesuits

~ J.S. Pailly ~ 6 Comments

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Today’s post is part of a special series here on Planet Pailly called Sciency Words. Each week, we take a closer look at an interesting science or science-related term to help us all expand our scientific vocabularies together. Today’s term is:

Z-SERIES SPACESUITS

What is a spacesuit? Is it a garment? Is it a type of apparel that you wear in space? Or is a spacesuit actually a kind of minimalistic, human-shaped spacecraft?

Last week, we took a look at a new spacesuit concept that’s definitely more of a garment. A tight-fitting, super sexy kind of garment. Today, we’re turning our attention to something that follows the human-shaped spacecraft philosophy of spacesuit design.

This is NASA’s experimental Z-1 spacesuit: a big, bulky spacesuit that’s sort of reminiscent of Buzz Lightyear.

Ap10 Z-1 Spacesuit

The Z-1 is made from “soft” materials, which weigh less than the “hard” materials of current spacesuits and allow astronauts a greater range of motion. On the downside, soft suits are less durable and provide less protection.

After the Z-1, NASA’s next experimental suit was named the Z-2. This time, rather than borrowing color schemes from Toy Story, NASA went with something from Tron.

Ap10 Z-2 Spacesuit

For the Z-2, NASA went back to hard materials, at least for the torso. They also added electro-luminescent panels, because they look cool. I mean, because they improve visibility in dark environments. It’s dark in space, you know. Looking cool is just a bonus.

While the Z-1 and Z-2 have many differences, there is one design feature they have in common. Notice the body shapes of these suits. Notice that they both look sort of top-heavy. There’s a reason for that.

The Z-series spacesuits aren’t clothes. You don’t put them on like clothes. Instead, you climb in through an entry hatch in the back, which extends up over the shoulders to make room for your head. I have to admit, this does sound a whole lot more convenient than all that mechanical counter pressure stuff from last week. Just climb in, close the hatch behind you, and you’re good to go (well, I’m sure there’s still life support and pressurization stuff to do, but you’re basically good to go).

Both the Z-1 and Z-2 are prototypes. Neither has been sent to space, and I’m under the impression they never will be. Instead, they’re being tested here on Earth using vacuum chambers and such. But maybe someday, thanks to the Z-series suits, astronauts on the Moon or Mars will have the convenience of hatch-back spacesuit entry.

And by the way, if anyone at NASA is reading this, here’s my proposal for the Z-3. It’s inspired by The Fifth Element.

Ap10 Z-3 Spacesuit

So the next time you’re heading to space, what kind of spacesuit do you want? Do you want to wear a garment-like mechanical counter pressure suit, or would you prefer the convenience of something like the Z-series?

Links

Z-1 Next Generation Spacesuit (Infographic) from Space.com.

NASA’s Futuristic Z-2 Spacesuit: How It Works (Infographic) from Space.com.

The Z-1 from NASA.gov.

NASA’s Next Prototype Spacesuit Has a Brand New Look, and It’s All Thanks to You from NASA.gov.

Saturn’s Story: Rings, Moons, and Alien Life

~ J.S. Pailly ~ 7 Comments

Where did Saturn’s rings come from? It is possible that the rings were always there, that they formed 4.5 billion years ago along with the rest of the Solar System. However, it seems more likely—a heck of a lot more likely—that the rings formed recently.

About 100 million years ago, Saturn would have had a different collection of moons than it does today. Then catastrophe struck. Moons started ramming into each other, or perhaps they strayed too close to Saturn (crossing the Roche limit) and were ripped apart by Saturn’s gravity.

Sp03 Poor Unfortunate Moon

The rings we see today are basically the icy debris left by that previous generation of moons. It’s also starting to look like many of Saturn’s current moons also formed around that time, accreting from the rubble.

Enceladus may be one of those newly formed moons. Enceladus is of particular interest to astrobiologists. Its subsurface ocean would be an ideal environment for life, but as I said last week, that’s only if life has had sufficient time to evolve. 100 million years doesn’t give evolution a much time to do its magic.

However, astrobiologists have taken a keep interest in another of Saturn’s moons: Titan. So I want to mention something important. Titan is not a young moon. It did not coalesce from lunar debris 100 million years ago. Titan is probably 4.5 billion years old, making it as old as Saturn, as old as the Solar System itself.

In fact, Titan would have been there when that previous generation of moons was destroyed. Titan would have watched it happen.

Ap09 Titan and Saturn's Rings

So while I’m less confident about the prospects of Enceladian life than I used to be, the odds of finding life on Titan are as good as they ever were.

Super Sexy Spacesuits (Sciency Words: Mechanical Counter Pressure)

~ J.S. Pailly ~ 4 Comments

Sciency Words MATH

Today’s post is part of a special series here on Planet Pailly called Sciency Words. Each week, we take a closer look at an interesting science or science-related term to help us all expand our scientific vocabularies together. Today’s term is:

MECHANICAL COUNTER PRESSURE

Turns out the costume designers of many classic, B-movie Sci-Fi flicks may have been on to something. Space adventurers of tomorrow may actually end up wearing snug, form-fitting spacesuits. For legitimate, practical reasons (not just fan service!).

Ap07 Super Sexy Space Suits

Spacesuits need to accomplish several things: provide breathable air, regulate your body temperature, keep you pressurized…. For that last part, current space suit designs rely on air pressure. Essentially, spacesuits are human-shaped balloons filled with enough air to replicate atmospheric pressure.

In the future, spacesuits might be made of a web of “coils.” When activated (using an electrical current, perhaps) these coils would contract, morphing around all the curves and contours of your body, physically compressing you with enough pressure to simulate atmospheric pressure.

This process of being squeezed and compressed by your spacesuit is known as “mechanical counter pressure.” Parts of a mechanical counter pressure spacesuit will still have to be pressurized: the helmet, for obvious reasons, but also the gloves and boots. Mechanical counter pressure could severely damage the fine bones of the fingers, wrists, ankles, and toes.

So why would you want to wear a mechanical counter pressure suit?

  • Because your spacesuit would weigh a whole lot less.
  • Because your spacesuit would be a lot less bulky, giving you a wider range of motion while working in space.
  • Because if your spacesuit is punctured or torn, you won’t depressurize. The coils will remain contracted.
  • Because you want to look good for all the alien hunks/babes you’ll be meeting in space.

Unfortunately, mechanical counter pressure suits are still very much on the drawing board. The biggest problem seems to be getting the coils to contract and stay contracted without a continuous electric current running through them. There’s not much risk of getting electrocuted by your suit, but the continuous current would eventually make your suit hot. Very hot.

So NASA’s next generation of spacesuits will probably go in a different and less sexy direction. We’ll talk more about that next week.

P.S.: Just to clarify, when I say your spacesuit would get very hot, I’m not referring to the sexy kind of hot.

Links

Shrink-Wrapping Spacesuits from MIT News.

Futuristic Skintight Spacesuit May Shrink-Wrap Astronauts from Space.com.

Future Spandex from TV Tropes.

Space Fairies: When Astronauts “See Things” in Space

~ J.S. Pailly ~ 4 Comments

Tinkerbelle has been up to some mischief in space. Ever since the Apollo Missions, astronauts have reported seeing strange flashes of white or bluish white light. Astronaut Don Pettit once described them as “luminous dancing fairies.” Sadly, these fairies aren’t magic. They’re a sign of something rather dangerous.

In space, you can expect to see these fairies at any time. They’ll appear to flicker and flutter all around the interior and exterior of your spacecraft, but they’ll be most visible in the dark. And if you really want to get a good look at them, you should close your eyes.

You read that right. Close your eyes. This phenomenon is easiest to observe with your eyes closed… a fact which gives a pretty big hint about what’s really going on.

Cosmic radiation is ubiquitous. In space, cosmic rays are constantly passing through your body, steadily raising your cancer risk. Every once in a while, a cosmic ray will pass through your eye. When it does, it may trigger the rods and cones of your retina, or it may even hit your optic nerve directly. And that’s when you start seeing pretty lights.

So the next time you’re in space…

Aa01 Come to Space

… close your eyes for a few minutes and count how many flashes you see. That’ll give you some sense of how much radiation you’re soaking up.

P.S.: According to this article from Universe Today, Apollo Mission astronauts saw on average one “fairy” every 2.9 minutes.

Enceladus: Too Young for Life?

~ J.S. Pailly ~ 3 Comments

Does life exist on Enceladus? Maybe. I don’t know. It depends.

Ap05 Enceladian Jellyfish 1

Calm down, Enceladian jellyfish thing. We’re still trying to figure this out.

Astronomers recently determined that Enceladus has a decoupled crust, meaning there is a global ocean of liquid water hidden beneath this tiny moon’s surface. Just the kind of environment that could support alien life. But there’s a problem.

A recent scientific paper, entitled “Dynamical Evidence for a Late Formation of Saturn’s Moons,” suggests that Enceladus may be too young for life to have evolved there. (Please note: I typically try to read these sorts of papers in their entirety, but this one is 50 pages long. I think I got the gist of it, but I cannot honestly say I read the whole thing).

After examining tidal forces, orbital resonances, and orbital inclinations within the Saturnian system, the paper reaches two possible conclusions:

  • Either the Saturnian system changes at an oddly slow rate…
  • Or Saturn’s rings and many of its moons—including Enceladus—formed very, very recently.

If you were a dinosaur, specifically a dinosaur who knew how to use a telescope, you may have been able to watch as a previous generation of Saturn’s moons were destroyed. Perhaps these moons collided with each other. Perhaps they were torn asunder by Saturn’s gravity. Perhaps you would have wondered, with your walnut-sized dinosaur brain, if anything like that could ever happen to Earth.

Anyway, the destruction of Saturn’s old moons left a whole lot of debris, forming a disk of icy and rocky material around the planet. Much of that debris is still there in the rings, but some of it accreted together, forming new moons like Enceladus.

All of this happened, according to this “Dynamical Evidence” paper, about 100 million years ago. That doesn’t give life a whole lot of time to evolve, which is bad news for out Enceladian jellyfish friend.

Ap05 Enceladian Jellyfish 2

Sorry, buddy.