Published By: Devyani

Science & Space Roundup: Top News of the Day (May 24)

Here are today’s most important updates from the realm of Science and Space.

SpaceX Launches Starlink Satellites, Nails 450th Booster Landing in Historic Weekend Blitz

(@SpaceX/X)

SpaceX just lit up the skies over California on Thursday afternoon (May 23), launching 23 new Starlink satellites in the first of up to three planned missions over the weekend. A veteran Falcon 9 rocket—booster B1075, on its 18th flight—blasted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base, adding to its résumé of 14 prior Starlink missions. 

The first stage nailed its landing on the “Of Course I Still Love You” droneship in the Pacific just 8.5 minutes after liftoff, marking SpaceX’s 450th successful booster recovery- a jaw-dropping reminder of their reusability mastery. Meanwhile, the upper stage cruised onward, eventually deploying the satellites into low Earth orbit. Over the next few days, these spacecraft will fine-tune their positions to join the sprawling Starlink "megaconstellation," now buzzing with over 7,000 active satellites. 

This ever-growing orbital network blankets the globe (minus the poles), beaming high-speed internet to even the most remote corners. All users need it? A clear view of the sky and a Starlink dish. Not too shabby for a weekend’s work, SpaceX!

Beneath Venus’s Hellscape: Thin Crust and Volcanic Chaos Fuel Planetary Mystery

(@konstructivizm/X)

Venus is serving up some serious geological drama beneath its toxic, smoggy surface. A fresh NASA-backed study hints that our planetary neighbor- often called Earth’s "evil twin"- might be hiding chaotic, bubbling activity just under its thin crust. While Venus is nearly Earth-sized, that’s where similarities end. Its surface is a hellscape: 460°C temperatures, air pressure that could crush submarines, and skies choked with sulfuric acid. No wonder Soviet landers in the 1970s died within hours! 

But here’s the twist- Venus isn’t geologically dead. Unlike Earth’s shifting tectonic plates, Venus sports weird circular "coronae," like giant lava blisters, possibly from hot plumes punching through the crust. Think of a pizza crust bubbling under molten cheese. New simulations suggest Venus’s crust is surprisingly thin (25–40 miles) and self-destructing: as it thickens, the base either snaps off or melts, recycling material and fueling volcanoes. 

The catch? We need better data. Upcoming missions like NASA’s VERITAS and Europe’s Envision aim to map Venus in detail- if budget cuts don’t derail them. Until then, why Earth became a life-filled oasis while Venus morphed into a pressure cooker remains one of space’s juiciest mysteries.

Martian Dust Devil Photobombs Perseverance Rover’s Epic 1,500-Day Selfie

(@NASAPersevere/X)

NASA’s Perseverance rover just snapped a jaw-dropping Mars selfie- and it’s not alone. In the background, a ghostly dust devil whirls across the rusty landscape, about 3 miles behind the rover. The tiny twister, looking like a pale puff of smoke, photobombed the rover’s 59-image photo shoot earlier this month. Megan Wu, an imaging scientist involved in the project, called the shot a “classic” Mars moment. “That dust devil? It’s the kind of shot that makes you go, ‘Yep, that’s Mars,’” she said. 

The selfie isn’t just a pretty picture- it celebrates Perseverance’s 1,500th Martian day (1,541 Earth days) on the job. You can spot its latest drill hole in the soil, part of its mission to collect rock samples near Jezero Crater, an ancient lake scientists believe might hold clues about past microbial life. Launched in 2020, the rover’s now coated in red dust from drilling rocks, looking every bit the seasoned Martian explorer. Its samples could one day hitch a ride back to Earth- if it survives the dusty grind, of course. Talk about a multitasker!

ISRO & TIFR Forge Cosmic Alliance to Power India’s Space Science Ambitions

On May 16, 2025, India’s space ambitions took a leap forward as ISRO and the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) joined forces in Bengaluru. Over 50 scientists and engineers from both institutions brainstormed strategies to supercharge the nation’s capabilities in space science and astronomy- a powerhouse partnership aiming for the stars. 

Dr. Tirtha Pratim Das, ISRO’s Space Science Programme Director, kicked things off by highlighting their decades-long scientific camaraderie and the urgency to formalize this alliance. With India’s Space Vision 2047 on the horizon and evolving policies reshaping the sector, he stressed the need for clear goals and timelines. TIFR Director Jayaram N. Chengalur echoed this, pitching the fusion of ISRO’s tech muscle with TIFR’s research brilliance to tackle fields like cosmic rays, planetary science, and space weather. 

Yashwant Gupta of TIFR’s radio astrophysics hub spotlighted India’s cutting-edge radio telescopes and their role in global mega-projects, hinting at exciting synergies with ISRO. Post lively breakout sessions, the teams rolled out concrete action plans. This meet wasn’t just talk- it’s a bold step toward cementing India as a global frontrunner in unraveling the universe’s mysteries. Game on, cosmos!