ScienceDaily: Space & Time News

Orion's launch abort system motor exceeds expectations Posted: 06 Mar 2015 11:49 AM PST It took just three seconds for the attitude control motor of NASA's Orion Launch Abort System (LAS) to prove that its material can survive not only the intense temperatures, pressures, noise and vibrations experienced during a launch emergency but also 40 percent beyond. The LAS is being designed to bring a crew to safety should there be a problem in the launch pad or during ascent.

NASA spacecraft becomes first to orbit a dwarf planet Posted: 06 Mar 2015 07:28 AM PST NASA's Dawn spacecraft has become the first mission to achieve orbit around a dwarf planet. The spacecraft was approximately 38,000 miles (61,000) kilometers from Ceres when it was captured by the dwarf planet's gravity at about 4:39 a.m. PST (7:39 a.m. EST) Friday.

'Habitable' planet GJ 581d previously dismissed as noise probably does exist Posted: 06 Mar 2015 07:26 AM PST A new report has dismissed claims made last year that the first super-Earth planet discovered in the habitable zone of a distant star was 'stellar activity masquerading as planets.' The researchers are confident the planet named GJ 581d, identified in 2009 orbiting the star Gliese 581, does exist, and that last year's claim was triggered by inadequate analysis of the data.

Black holes and dark sector explained by quantum gravity Posted: 06 Mar 2015 06:16 AM PST A quantum version of General Relativity demonstrates that dark energy and dark matter are different manifestations of gravity. The theory calculates the precise value of the cosmological constant, derives the baryonic Tully-Fisher relation, gives a quantum description of Black Holes and calculates the baryonic mass content of the observable universe.