🌍 A Giant Asteroid Just Passed Terrifyingly Close — While NASA Loses Control of Artemis III! ☄️🔴 Is This a Cosmic Warning or Something Bigger? 🚨

A new asteroid has been discovered that comes uncomfortably close to Earth, raising concerns about our planetary defenses.

Two upcoming missions are set to pass very close to the tail of 3I/ATLAS, a comet that is generating excitement and curiosity among astronomers.

Additionally, recent shakeups in NASA’s Artemis III plans have left many wondering about the future of lunar exploration.

In this week’s space bites, we delve into these pressing topics, Fjwwting with the asteroid situation.

Currently, we know of about a million asteroids in the solar system, a number expected to increase dramatically when the Vera C.

Rubin Observatory becomes operational.

The asteroids of greatest concern are those that can cross Earth’s orbit, known as near-Earth asteroids.

Among these, the Atira asteroids are particularly worrying; they have orbits entirely within Earth’s orbit and are quite rare, with only 39 identified to date.

These asteroids are challenging to detect because they orbit close to the Sun, making them difficult to spot against the solar glare.

Recently, astronomers discovered a new object designated 2025 SC79, measuring 700 meters across, which passes close to Earth every few months.

This discovery was made using the Dark Energy Camera on the National Science Foundation’s Blanco 4-meter telescope, which surveys these kinds of asteroids.

While there is no expectation that this asteroid will collide with Earth, it highlights the need for space missions capable of observing asteroids from different vantage points.

The challenge lies in the fact that many potentially hazardous asteroids remain hidden from our view due to their proximity to the Sun.

If you’re interested in learning more about this asteroid, check out a detailed story from Evan Gooff on Universe Today.

Moving on to 3I/ATLAS, this object is rapidly passing through the solar system and leaving a tail behind it, similar to traditional comets.

As particles from the comet interact with the Sun’s solar wind, they spread out, creating a tail that is now of great interest to scientists.

Coincidentally, two space missions are on course to pass very close to the tail of 3I/ATLAS.

The European Space Agency’s Hera mission is headed to investigate the aftermath of the DART mission, which impacted the asteroid Dimorphos.

At the same time, NASA’s Europa Clipper is en route to Jupiter to study its moon Europa.

Both missions are expected to come within at least 8 million kilometers of the comet tail, allowing them to detect ions created by the interaction with solar wind.

While Hera may not have the best instruments for this task, the Europa Clipper is equipped with a plasma instrument and a magnetometer, ideally suited for such observations.

Scientists working on these missions are under pressure to develop a science plan quickly, as the closest approach to the tail will occur in just a couple of months.

For more information, you can find a story by Andy Thomas Wakin on Universe Today.

Additionally, the JUICE mission may also have an opportunity to observe the tail of 3I/ATLAS, further expanding our understanding of this intriguing comet.

Now, let’s shift our focus to the Artemis missions, particularly Artemis III, which has faced significant delays and complications.

As we approach late 2025, the Artemis II mission is set to launch, recreating the historic Apollo 8 mission with a team of four astronauts flying by the Moon.

However, the next phase, Artemis III, which aims to land astronauts on the Moon, requires a completely different architectural approach than Artemis II.

SpaceX has been awarded a contract to develop the human landing system, a modified version of the SpaceX Starship, intended to transport astronauts to and from the lunar surface.

Unfortunately, delays in the Starship program indicate that Artemis III is unlikely to meet its 2027 deadline for a crewed lunar landing.

Recently, Shawn Duffy, acting administrator for NASA, confirmed that alternatives for reaching the Moon are being explored due to these setbacks.

Potential options include using Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Lander, which was initially designed for cargo but could be modified for crewed missions.

Lockheed Martin has also expressed interest in developing a lunar lander, while NASA may consider building one in-house to meet the tight timeline.

However, the costs associated with these alternatives are concerning, with estimates for Lockheed Martin potentially exceeding $20 billion.

Compounding these issues is the current climate of government shutdowns, tensions between Elon Musk and the White House, and significant layoffs at NASA.

As the White House pushes to cancel the lunar Gateway project, the future of Artemis III remains uncertain.

Matt Williams has written an in-depth analysis of these developments, providing further insights into the challenges ahead.

In the realm of astronomy, researchers are investigating the metallicity of stars and planets, shedding light on the evolution of habitable worlds.

Metallicity refers to the abundance of elements heavier than hydrogen and helium, which are essential for planet formation and the emergence of life.

New research indicates that the density and radius of planets in a star system increase over time, influenced by the availability of these heavier elements.

The findings suggest that the ratios of iron to magnesium and carbon to oxygen decrease significantly between 2 and 6 billion years, impacting the potential for habitability.

As a result, the rate of habitability in different galaxies may vary based on their stellar history and the number of generations of stars that have formed and died.

Moving on to dark matter, this elusive substance constitutes a significant portion of the universe’s mass, yet it remains invisible and undetectable by traditional means.

Dark matter is believed to outnumber visible matter by a ratio of about 5:1, influencing the motion of galaxies and stars without interacting with electromagnetic radiation.

Neutrinos, which stream from various cosmic events, serve as an example of particles that share similar properties with dark matter, moving at near-light speeds without interacting with regular matter.

Most theories posit that dark matter is “cold,” moving slowly, with one of the leading candidates being weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs).

A new study proposes that while dark matter may not emit detectable radiation directly, it could affect the light passing through regions of dark matter, causing a shift in color based on its interactions.

Astronomers have also made significant discoveries regarding supermassive black holes, including an extreme system with one black hole orbiting another.

This system features a smaller black hole, approximately 150 million solar masses, orbiting a supermassive black hole of 18.

35 billion solar masses, creating detectable flashes as it passes through the larger black hole’s accretion disk.

This phenomenon demonstrates the complexity of black hole interactions and may indicate that many more such systems exist in the universe.

Additionally, astronomers recently identified a new supernova in galaxy NGC 1637, designated 2025 PHT, and were able to analyze the precursor star using data from the James Webb and Hubble Space Telescopes.

This discovery highlights the potential for upcoming telescopes, like the Nancy Grace Roman telescope, to find numerous precursor stars before they explode as supernovae.

As we continue to explore these fascinating developments, it is clear that the landscape of space exploration is rapidly evolving.

The challenges facing the Artemis III mission reflect broader issues within the space industry, where competition and uncertainty reign.

In the coming weeks, we will keep you updated on these stories and more as we navigate the complexities of our universe.