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We’re testing a new way of landing on Mars… by crashing into its surface. The Simplified High Impact Energy Landing Device (SHIELD) is a lander concept being tested at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). It could one day provide a new way for low-cost missions to land on Mars. Rather than rely on parachutes or retrorockets, SHIELD would include a collapsible, accordion-like base to absorb the energy of a landing. A full-size prototype of the base was tested on Aug. 12, 2022. The prototype was hurled at the ground from the top of a nearly 90-foot-tall (27-meter-tall) drop tower at JPL. A steel plate ensured the impact was even harder than what would be experienced on Mars. The design worked: After crushing against the steel plate at 110 mph (177 kph), several electronic components inside the SHIELD prototype, including a smartphone, survived the impact. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/California Academy of Sciences

NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover is filling sample tubes with rocky material on the Red Planet as the agency works on the next steps to get them safely back to Earth. The Mars Sample Return campaign would bring samples collected by the Perseverance rover to Earth for detailed study. The campaign involves an international interplanetary relay team, including the European Space Agency (ESA). These samples could answer a key question: did life ever exist on Mars? Aaron Yazzie, who works on the Mars Sample Return campaign, explains the work being done at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory to ensure the safe return of the sample tubes. For more information on Mars Sample Return, visit mars.nasa.gov/msr Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Science of how red sprites and blue jets form over thunderstorms. Some of the greatest red sprites ever caught on camera with easy to understand explanations including a new discovery are highlighted in this video. Explore the colorful world of Transient Luminous Events including gigantic jets, elves, halos and more as they are initiated by massive horizontally extensive lightning flashes in thunderstorms far below. COPYRIGHT 2020 PECOS HANK & PAUL SMITH For licensing contact hankschyma@gmail.com Support this channel https://www.patreon.com/pecoshank RED SPRITES and BLUE JETS EXPLAINED On rare nights with clear visibility over powerful distant thunderstorms, you might be able to see and capture red sprites. Sprites are large scale electrical discharges occurring high above thunderstorms in the upper atmosphere. They are massive events, sometimes 50 kilometers tall by 50 kilometers wide. Sprites belong to a mysterious and colorful group of phenomenon called Transient Luminous Events,or TLEs. Other TLE’s include halos, Elves, trolls, secondary jets, Blue starters, Blue jets and the magnificent gigantic jets. But what exactly are these transient luminous Events, and how do they form? In 2019 I teamed up with one of the most successful TLE photographers in the world, Paul Smith. Our objective was to simultaneously document TLEs from different locations to help US understand and CAPTURE them better. We didn’t know what we would find, if anything… But we never expected to DISCOVER a NEW TLE. RED SPRITE DISCOVERY Visual reports of Transient Luminous Events date back several centuries. It wasn’t until 1989 that the first ones were accidentally caught on camera. Years after discovery, they were named sprites for their spirit like nature. BASIC PHYSICS: In my last video we showed how one lightning flash can abruptly change the electric field triggering a second lightning flash in a sort of domino effect. Sprites are also initiated by a large electric field change that occurs during a massive horizontally extensive lightning strike far below. These parent flashes transfer huge amounts of charge and are almost always positive in polarity… Meaning that the earth rapidly gains a net positive charge from the strike. But pools of positive charge near the tops of thunderstorm complexes also change, abruptly gaining negative charge. This suddenly creates a powerful electric field between the tops of thunderstorms and a high concentration of positively charged ions existing 100 kilometers or so up into the lower ionosphere. It’s this new imbalance that can initiate a sprite. BLUE JETS: On occasion, a cloud flash will have one end of the leader exit the upper extent of the thunderstorm and propagate toward the upper atmosphere. The rarified air and low pressure of the upper atmosphere leads to a visible transformation in the leader as the ionization travels upward. This is how a blue jet forms, as well as gigantic jets. SECONDARY JETS: Sometimes a large sprite event can trigger a second TLE. We call these secondary jets. Secondary jets become visible near the tops of thunderstorms where Nitrogen excites in the blues or purples and extend upward to altitudes where Nitrogen excites more red. In a photograph of a sprite and secondary jet event, you can see the gradual transitioning from blues to reds as the pressure quickly decreases in altitude. NEW TLE DISCOVERY On May 25, 2019 I was documenting a vibrant sprite storm over Oklahoma and captured something I’ve never seen or heard of. After two large sprite events, a mysterious green afterglow appeared. It seemed as if the sprite had triggered a small Aurora. Early that next morning I called Paul to discuss the strange captures. He was the first to agree it was something new and hypothesized that it was likely oxygen being excited by powerful sprites. Keeping in the theme of sprites, trolls and elves, we are referring to these Green emissions from excited Oxygen in Sprite Tops as GhOSTs. CREDITS: This video was made possible by the hard work and generosity of Paul Smith, Frankie Lucena, Scott Currens and research by lightning scientist Tom Warner. For more in-depth understanding of how lightning works, visit Tom Warners website at ZTresearch.com MUSIC by Hank Schyma, Dan Workman and Christine Wu.

SWOT: Earth Science Satellite Will Help Communities Plan for a Better Future A new Earth science mission, led by NASA and the French space agency Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES), will help communities plan for a better future by surveying the planet’s salt and freshwater bodies. The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission will measure the height of water in lakes, rivers, reservoirs, and the oceans. As climate change accelerates the water cycle, more communities around the world will be inundated with water while others won’t have enough. SWOT data will be used to improve flood forecasts and monitor drought conditions, providing essential information to water management agencies, civil engineers, universities, the U.S. Department of Defense, disaster preparedness agencies, and others who need to track water in their local areas. In this video, examples of how SWOT data will be used in these communities are shared by a National Weather Service representative in Oregon, an Alaska Department of Transportation engineer, researchers from the University of Oregon and University of North Carolina, a NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientist working with the Department of Defense, and a JPL scientist working with the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Agency. :30 - Flood Watches & Warnings - Portland, Oregon 1:08 - Water Management - Fern Ridge Lake, Oregon 2:05 - Protecting Infrastructure - Alaska 2:54 - National Security - Department of Defense 3:24 - Coastal Protection -Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/CNES/Thales Alenia Space

In this video, we see the Sun rotating on its axis over the course of 365 days. The Sun is a giant ball of plasma and gas, and it takes about 25 days to rotate once at its equator. The rotation is not uniform, however, and it takes slightly longer to rotate at the poles. The video begins with a view of the Sun from above. We can see the Sun's surface rotating slowly, and we can also see the Sun's atmosphere, which is made up of hot plasma. As the video progresses, we get a closer view of the Sun's surface. We can see the solar flares and sunspots that are constantly appearing and disappearing on the Sun's surface. The video ends with a view of the Sun from the side. We can see the Sun's rotation in three dimensions, and we can also see the Sun's prominences, which are huge loops of plasma that extend out from the Sun's surface. This video is a fascinating look at the Sun, and it helps us to understand how this giant ball of plasma works. It is also a beautiful video, and it is sure to amaze viewers of all ages. Here are some additional details that you could include in the description: The Sun is the star at the center of our solar system. It is a giant ball of hot plasma, and it is about 109 times the diameter of Earth. The Sun's rotation is responsible for the day-night cycle on Earth. As the Sun rotates, different parts of Earth are exposed to sunlight. The Sun's rotation also affects the Earth's climate. The Sun's heat is unevenly distributed across the Earth's surface, and this difference in heat causes the Earth's atmosphere to circulate. The Sun's rotation is also responsible for the solar wind. The solar wind is a stream of charged particles that flows from the Sun. The solar wind can affect Earth's atmosphere and magnetic field.

"Watch the highlights of the second match of the Super11 Asia Cup 2023 between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat first, scoring 265-7 in their 50 overs. Sri Lanka's bowlers were led by Matheesha Pathirana, who took 3-40. In reply, Sri Lanka were restricted to 249-9, with Charith Asalanka top-scoring with 62. Bangladesh won the match by 16 runs." Here are some additional details that you can include in the description: The match was played at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Sri Lanka. The weather was overcast, with a few showers during the match. The pitch was slow and turning, making it difficult for the batsmen. Bangladesh's openers, Tamim Iqbal and Naim Sheikh, put on a 70-run partnership before Sheikh was dismissed for 31. Shakib Al Hasan scored 41 runs, but Bangladesh lost wickets at regular intervals in the middle overs. Pathirana was the pick of the bowlers for Sri Lanka, taking three wickets in his first four overs. Asalanka's 62 was the only significant contribution for Sri Lanka, and they were eventually bowled out for 249.