SDO IS BACK--DATA RESTORED: Data from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) are available again after technicians repaired a broken fiber optic link on August 5th. The greater than 2-day outage missed the emergence of three new sunspots and the spectacular eruption of a large prominence. Retrospective movies may be possible as missing data are back-filled. Stay tuned. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text.
ROCKETS ARE LAUNCHING AT A FEVERISH PACE: Launch pads at Cape Canaveral just experienced their busiest day in almost 60 years. On August 4th, two rockets blasted off barely 12 hours apart. Gilbert Plumer witnessed them both from Rockledge, Florida:
"The last time there were multiple launches on the same day from the Cape was on March 16, 1966," says Plumer. "I could see both rockets over the palm tree in my back yard."
The first was an Atlas V rocket carrying a missile-warning satellite for the U.S. Space Force. Second was a SpaceX Falcon 9 propelling South Korea's Danuri spacecraft to the Moon. Meanwhile, in West Texas, Blue Origin launched a New Shepard rocket with 6 space tourists onboard--the third rocket launch in a single day. Fourth, China launched a small spaceplane, the Chongfu Shiyong Shiyan Hangtian Qi, into a 346 x 593 km x 50.0 deg orbit.
Days like August 4th are responsible for the skyrocketing curves in this graph of tracked objects orbiting Earth:
Above: These data were extracted from Jonathan McDowell's General Catalogue of Artificial Space Objects and recently published in Nature.
In 2018 there were about 2000 active objects in Earth orbit. Since then, SpaceX alone has more than doubled that number. 2022 is poised to break the all-time record for launches. It's getting busy up there.
An article published in the April 2022 issue of Nature Astronomy reviews the effects of Earth's growing satellite population. Interested? We recommend reading "The case for space environmentalism."
Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter
STERLING SILVER TIGER HEART PENDANT: Are you looking for a far-out gift? Consider the sterling silver Tiger Heart Pendant. On June 26, 2022, this one hitched a ride to the stratosphere onboard an Earth to Sky Calculus cosmic ray research balloon:
You can have it for $142.95. The golden tiger is surrounded by a partial halo of sparkling cubic zirconia crystals, tracing the shape of a heart. A rich layer of rhodium plating ensures the longevity of the pendant and its 18-inch chain.
The Tiger Heart Pendant makes a great anniversary, Christmas, or birthday gift. It comes with a greeting card showing the pendant in flight and telling the story of its trip to the stratosphere and back again.
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All sales support hands-on STEM education
Realtime Noctilucent Cloud Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter
Realtime Aurora Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter