Legged Robot Breakthrough Enables Autonomous Resource Prospecting on Moon and Mars

• The Ars Technica science editor, John, is calling for readers to comment on a rule that puts politicians in charge of science. • The goal is to gather resources and opinions on the matter, which can potentially impact science-related decisions.

• Marine biologists discovered four mysterious black cocoons attached to a rock approximately 20,000 feet beneath the surface of the Pacific Ocean. • Upon analysis, the spheres were found to contain a previously unrecorded species of flatworm, marking a significant discovery for deep-sea exploration.

• NASA is planning a rescue mission for the Swift Observatory, a space telescope dedicated to studying the universe's most powerful explosions. • Without intervention, the observatory is projected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere and burn up within a few months.

• The Vera C. Rubin Observatory has officially launched its 10-year mission, known as the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST). • The project aims to create the "greatest cosmic movie ever" by systematically mapping and filming the night sky over a decade.

• A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket successfully launched 29 Amazon Leo broadband satellites from Florida on Thursday, July 2. • The launch took place at 12:30 a.m. ET, marking a significant step in the deployment of Amazon's satellite internet constellation.

• A team of six scientists and six crew members will soon launch an eight-month expedition from Kirkenes, Norway, to explore the remote Arctic Ocean. • The mission utilizes a floating laboratory that will drift in the ice to discover and document new species in one of Earth's least-studied regions.

• NASA has awarded nearly $600 million to three companies to execute four robotic lunar lander missions aimed at supporting the agency's long-term lunar base ambitions. • As part of the Moon Base update, NASA is studying the deployment of the PROMISE rover, an engineering model based on the Curiosity and Perseverance Mars rovers.

• The Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile has launched an unprecedented survey of the southern sky to map the solar system and the broader universe. • The project utilizes the largest camera ever constructed to capture high-resolution data on the Milky Way galaxy and distant celestial objects.

• NASA's Ames Partnerships Office reported generating $29,670,000 from Reimbursable Agreements and $655,231 in patent-related funds in 2024. • The Ames SBIR/STTR program provided $31,785,029 in seed funding to support small business innovation and technology transfers.

• Europe is experiencing a severe heatwave with temperatures surging well above seasonal norms, particularly in France and Spain. • Thermometers in these regions have climbed above 40°C, characterized by prolonged heat and a lack of nighttime cooling.

• Astronomers utilizing data from the New Horizons spacecraft have discovered that solar winds gradually slow down as they travel toward the edge of the solar system. • The research indicates that the solar wind speed decreases by approximately 13% to 15% within the outer heliosphere.

• NASA has announced new lunar landing contracts for the Artemis Moon Base program and proposed a potential new mission called PROMISE. • The PROMISE mission aims to send a spare nuclear-powered Mars rover to the lunar surface to test its capabilities in a different environment.