They say the best things fall in threes , and that ’s certainly the type next week , with three bountiful events sure to whet the appetite of even the most passive blank space fan .
How often do you get exciting new research on a potentially habitable world , a billionaire ’s plan to colonize the Solar System , and the spectacular finale of one of the 21st 100 ’s big blank foreign mission all in one calendar week ?
That ’s what we ’ve get to appear forward to , start with NASA ’s “ surprising evidence ” for an ocean on Europa on Monday . Then on Tuesday , Elon Musk will reveal his Interplanetary Transport System and how he design to institutionalize human race around the Solar System . Last but not least , ESA ’s Rosetta missionary station will end in thrilling fashion on Friday .
Here ’s a bit more selective information about each , and how you may tune up in for all the activity .
Monday
The fun start on Monday , when NASA is go to revealnew informationfrom its Hubble Space Telescope that may suggest at a subsurface sea on Europa at 2 pm EDT ( 7 post-mortem BST ) .
We already have it away such an ocean probably exist , thanks to feather seen by Hubble in 2012 that seemed to originate from it . Now , it seems NASA has found more evidence for its existence – and if we had to hazard , we ’d say it ’s probably more plumes of water rabbit on from the ocean .
One thing it ’s in spades not , though , is evidence for life on Europa . In fact , NASA went so far as to tweet that it was “ not aliens ” following the common cyberspace speculation around these announcements .
There ’s no telecasting of the annunciation , but you ’ll be able-bodied to listen to audiohere .
Tuesday
What do you get when you interbreed billion of dollar bill with a desire to colonize the Solar System ?
Well , you probably get something like Elon Musk . Yes , on Tuesday , the CEO of SpaceX is go to reveal hisbold plansto send humans to Mars , and perchance elsewhere .
Details at the moment are few and far between , but it appear that Musk has a plan for a new spacecraft that can take many people ( perhaps up to 100 ) beyond Earth orbit .
earlier , he was calling this marriage offer the Mars Colonial Transport ( MCT ) . However , in atweet last calendar week , he revealed his idea could go “ well beyond ” Mars , and instead is now calling it the Interplanetary Transport System ( ITS ) .
On Tuesday , we ’ll finally find out what he ’s got up his sleeves . Musk is going to be giving a talk at the International Aeronautical Congress in Guadalajara , Mexico , at 2.30pm EDT ( 7.30pm BST ) .
If you ca n’t make it to Mexico , SpaceX are move to be streaming what is sure to be a fascinating talk of the town righthere . We ’ve also embedded it below , because we fuck you .
Friday
The week ends on a bit of a melancholy eminence . Because , follow Friday , we ’ll besaying goodbyeto one of the most awful infinite foreign mission of the C .
Yes , the Rosetta ballistic capsule has enamour the hearts of million . On August 6 , 2014 , it entered orbit around Comet 67P / Churyumov - Gerasimenko , commence two years of observation after a 10 - year journey from Earth .
In November 2014 , it then released the Philae lander , which extend to down on the surface after a bumpy landing . Together , both Rosetta and Philae have increase our understanding of comets like never before .
We ’ve already tell our painful goodbyes to Philae , after ESA officially confirm the probewas deadin July ( although there was a bit of in effect tidings when Rosetta discovered its final resting placeearlier this month ) .
And now it ’s time to say adios to Rosetta . On Friday , September 30 , the spacecraft ’s orbit is going to be purposefully turn down as its commission comes to an end . It will get close and closer over the next calendar week , until the final hooray .
The last is estimated to take position at 6.40am EDT ( 11.40am BST ) on Friday , when Rosetta will bear upon the comet at walk upper before it turn all its systems off . Owing to its distance from Earth , though , we wo n’t have confirmation of the impact until 40 minute of arc later on .
There will be a alive watercourse on ESA ’s websitehere , although it is n’t available yet , so check back nearer the time .
An alien sea , bass space human geographic expedition , and a spacecraft ’s last goodbye . Who enunciate we did n’t foul up you ?