Rockets rock!

Europe’s newest rocket successfully launched for the first time. On July 9, the European Space Agency’s new Ariane 6 rocket (pictured) launched its first payload into low Earth orbit. Ariane 6 builds on the longstanding success of the Ariane 5 rocket, adding new capabilities including deorbiting its upper stage after use. Image credit: ESA / S. Corvaja.

The House Appropriations Committee moved forward with NASA’s funding bill this week. The bill cuts NASA’s FY2025 budget below the White House’s request, increasing it from FY23 levels less than the current rate of inflation. The shortfall does not impact every aspect of the space agency evenly, prioritizing funding for human space exploration over science missions. The Planetary Society, along with a coalition of scientific organizations and over 40 members of Congress, supports a restoration of space science funding to $9 billion.

JWST has detected an atmosphere on an exoplanet in its star’s habitable zone. A team of researchers used the space telescope to examine LHS 1140 b, one of the closest exoplanets to our Solar System that lies within its star’s habitable zone where surface liquid water could be possible. Their observations suggest that LHS 1140 b may have an atmosphere, and that 10 to 20% of its mass may be composed of water. This makes LHS 1140 b a compelling exoplanet in the search for life.

NEOWISE’s mission is set to end on July 31. Since 2011, NASA’s NEOWISE (Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer) has been in orbit discovering main-belt asteroids, near-Earth objects, and the first known Earth Trojan asteroid. The spacecraft no longer has enough propellant to stay in orbit and will end its mission at the end of this month. NEOWISE is expected to burn up in our planet’s atmosphere sometime between late 2024 and early 2025.