Space and Astronomy in February: What to Expect - The New York Times

Science|Space and Astronomy successful February: What to Expect

Green Light for a Comet

The comet C/2022 E3 (Z.T.F.) has been steadily approaching Earth for the archetypal clip successful immoderate 50,000 years. On Thursday, Feb. 2, the comet volition marque its closest attack to our planet, and its green-hued crystal shot and process volition beryllium disposable from the Earth’s surface.

Even if upwind foils opportunities to spot the comet that day, determination volition beryllium much chances to spot it, including connected Feb. 10, erstwhile its proximity to Mars successful the nighttime entity whitethorn marque it casual to find.

Traffic astatine the Space Station

Late successful the month, 2 spacecraft could propulsion up to the International Space Station, each with important missions.

The first, as aboriginal arsenic Feb. 20, volition beryllium an bare Russian Soyuz capsule. The spacecraft’s ngo is to supply a travel location for a trio of Russian and American astronauts whose archetypal thrust was damaged during what was astir apt a micrometeoroid onslaught successful December. That unit of astronauts had been expected to instrumentality to Earth successful March, but may enactment successful orbit respective much months.

The advancement of that formation could impact the timing of Crew-6, a motorboat of 4 astronauts to the I.S.S. aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon vas that is to regenerate the 4 astronauts of Crew-5. Flying aboard Crew-6 are Stephen Bowen and Warren Hoburg of NASA, Andrey Fedyaev of Russia and Sultan Alneyadi, who volition beryllium the 2nd astronaut from the United Arab Emirates to sojourn the station.

New Rocket Progress

The archetypal flights of caller rockets (or archetypal flights of existing rockets from caller places) volition beryllium highlights of 2023.

January had a mixed commencement connected this front. The institution Rocket Lab had its archetypal formation from a launchpad connected Wallops Island successful Virginia aft earlier trips from its New Zealand location base. But an effort by Virgin Orbit to motorboat the archetypal orbital rocket from England failed. The institution ABL Space Systems besides experienced an “energetic explosion” during its archetypal launch.

There are different rockets to support an oculus connected successful February. At the extremity of January, SpaceX completed a fueling trial of Starship, its adjacent procreation orbital rocket prototype. The rocket is cardinal to SpaceX’s ambitions of getting to Mars and NASA’s plans to get astronauts backmost connected the moon. The institution whitethorn adjacent behaviour a “static fire” this period — wherever the 33 engines connected the rocket’s booster signifier occurrence portion the vessel itself is held successful place. If that succeeds, it could acceptable up the rocket’s archetypal formation to orbit successful March.