Space probes

Artistic concept of the New Horizons space probe near Pluto and its satellite Charon (Image Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute)

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Planetary scientists Guillaume Robuchon and Francis Nimmo of the University of California at Santa Cruz are examining the possibility that Pluto has an underground ocean analyzing the possible signs of its existence. In 2015 the New Horizon space probe should reach Pluto to discover this and other stuff.

Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) (image NASA/GSFC)

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The Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) was an orbital observatory launched in September 1991 from the Space Shuttle Discovery with the aim of studying the Earth’s atmosphere and in particular the ozone layer through ten different instruments performing chemical, dynamic and energy studies. It was decommissioned in 2005 and a few days ago it fell to Earth reminding us of the space debris problem.

Artistic concept showing the GRAIL spacecrafts at work (image NASA/JPL-Caltech)

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The two twin spacecraft that make up the GRAIL (Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory) took off on a Delta II launch vehicle. The GRAIL mission aims to map the structure of the lunar crust and lithosphere to understand how it evolved.