The cosmos is about to reveal its secrets like never before. The Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile has officially begun its monumental Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) a decade-long mission to capture the universe in unprecedented detail. This ambitious project, over two decades in the making, promises to revolutionize our understanding of the cosmos, from the mysteries of dark energy and dark matter to the expansion of the universe.
With the largest digital camera in the world—a staggering 3,200 megapixels—the Rubin Observatory is poised to take about 1,000 images per night generating approximately 10 terabytes of data daily. This data deluge will enable scientists to create an ultrawide, ultrahigh-definition time-lapse record of the universe offering insights into cosmic phenomena that have remained elusive until now.
The Rubin Observatory’s cosmic mission begins
The Rubin Observatory’s campaign kicked off on June 30 marking the start of a journey that will see it capture a new image roughly every 40 seconds. Over the next decade, it will observe the entire southern sky every few nights, revisiting each point in the sky roughly 800 times. This relentless observation will allow scientists to record changes and cosmic events with unprecedented precision.
Brian Stone performing the duties of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Director, captured the significance of this milestone in a press release: “Today, we begin filming the greatest cosmic movie ever made.” The observatory’s first images were captured last summer during a test run, revealing millions of galaxies, stars, and thousands of previously unseen asteroids. These initial glimpses hint at the wealth of discoveries that lie ahead.
Darío Gil Under Secretary for Science at the U.S. Department of Energy emphasized the transformative potential of the Rubin Observatory’s mission: “It is embarking on a mission that will redefine modern cosmology and astrophysics. By seeking to understand the enigmatic phenomena of dark energy and dark matter, we are not just observing the stars; we are striving to grasp the fundamental laws that govern our existence.”
Cyborg cockroaches dive into search and rescue
In a twist that might seem straight out of a science fiction novel, scientists from Nanyang Technological University Singapore and Waseda University have developed a tiny diving suit that allows cyborg cockroaches to survive swimming underwater for hours. These cyborg insects, fitted with electronic controllers, have potential applications in search and rescue operations, particularly in flooded environments.
The flexible diving suit consists of an oxygen-generation tank, a flexible shell, and four silicone supply tubes attached to the roaches’ spiracles. In tests, these cyborg roaches were able to swim underwater for up to 3 hours. The team reports that the tubes can be removed painlessly afterward without harming the roach. This innovation was put to the test this spring after a devastating earthquake in Myanmar where cyborg roaches assisted in search and rescue efforts.
NASA’s lunar deliveries: Paving the way for a Moon Base
NASA has taken another step toward establishing a $20 billion Moon Base by awarding contracts to three companies for future lunar deliveries. Earlier this year, NASA announced plans to pause the construction of an orbiting Lunar Gateway space station and focus on building a lunar base instead. The first three missions to deliver payloads to the lunar surface are scheduled to happen before the end of 2026.
This week, NASA announced four more missions heading to the moon, scheduled for late 2028. The space agency has awarded contracts totaling nearly $600 million to AstroboticFirefly Aerospace and Intuitive Machines to deliver science payloads for the Moon Base. Astrobotic will make two trips to the moon, while the other two companies will each make one.
All of these deliveries will rely on updated versions of each company’s lander designs, building on insights from previous missions under NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. The payloads will include a Stereo Camera for Lunar Plume Surface Studies (SCALPSS) a Laser Retroreflector Array (LRA) and a Linear Energy Transfer Spectrometer (LETS). These instruments will collect landing data, determine the location of spacecraft in lunar orbit or on the surface, and measure the energy of incoming space radiation.
Joel Kearns deputy associate administrator for exploration at NASA Headquarters, likened the network of instruments to weather stations on Earth: “It’s akin to having weather stations in different locations on Earth. These three payloads are flight-proven and their data is critical to supporting safe human exploration of the lunar surface.”
