This Week's Highlights: Space Edition

There is lots more hope for GJ 581d's existence than we previously thought. The earth-like planet, a heap of mass fairly close to our own, was disregarded as a mistaken interpretation of star signals just last year, but a reevaluation by astronomers at Queen Mary University uncovered a serious problem with those findings: the statistical techniques which suggested the planet was never there are often used for larger bodies. GJ's small size isn't able to be detected by traditional technology, lead astronomer Dr Guillem said. She believes its rediscovery is significant in two ways: one, its relative proximity at 20 light years away is startling, and two, it's officially ranked as the most earth-like planet to date.

A solution to the oxygen-lacking atmosphere of Mars is slowly coming into focus. As of August last year, NASA expressed its interest in tasking a machine called Moxie to produce adequate oxygen for future space travelers. This will save money and space onboard rockets to the point where billions of dollars can be spared, say MIT scientists working on the project. To create a rich atmosphere of O2, they want to include Moxie in one of the six scientific instruments of a Mars rover slated for launch in 2020. The rover will carry out missions as a sort of follow-up to the discoveries made by its earlier brethren, generating electricity to power Moxie and other important tools. It's a good idea to note that Moxie won't exactly create a breathable atmosphere; instead it will sidestep the issue and generate oxygen in the form of gas tanks. Larger Moxie's might be designed by the 2030's to prepare liquid oxygen, should all go well.

When virtual reality/AR and space travel intertwine, what do you get? A badass collaboration between NASA and Osterhout Design Group (ODG) to create VR goggles for future astronauts, that's what. Early this week, their unwavering dedication to work together on a product that can deliver insane experiences was announced, and it means a lot for the space industry. Imagine have a digital checklist constantly in your line of sight without having to refer to a paper sheet, or having your actions guided by electrical directions telling you how to accurately and efficiently achieve a task. These enhancements are both part of Assisted Reality software, one of many potential uses NASA is considering to meet evolving demands.



A new NASA study is saying water used to exist on Mars' surface in great quantities: enough to cover the whole planet with a depth of 450 feet. As it supposedly existed for longer than the time earth life needed to develop, you might be wondering why there are no extraterrestrials  roaming about. Well, it turns out that when Mars lost its protective atmosphere envelope, all the hydrogen became lost in space and hence, no water could stay to support life. However, the thought that it may have stayed long enough to give way to creatures is as incredible a possibility as it is a good reason to continue pursuing the Red Planet and its many mysteries.