This Week In Space - October 25, 2013
Scientist Confirm the Most Distant Galaxy Ever
A newly discovered galaxy (with the incredible name 'z8_GND_5296') is said to be the most distant galaxy we've ever seen. Scientists have used spectroscopy to confirm it's distance, by looking at the chemical signatures of the elements. It's estimated that it's a staggering 700 million light-years away.
LADEE Laser Breaks Communication Record
The LADEE craft bound for a moon mission has set a new record for space communication. It used onboard lasers to communicate with earth at a rate of 622 megabits per second. This test showed an 'error-free upload rate'. This is great news for increasing the speed of communication between earth and crafts bound for other celestial objects.
Japanese Asteroid-Blasting Cannon
If you're constantly fearing an asteroid collision with earth, an answer to your worries is on it's way. Japanese scientists have successfully tested a cannon to blast asteroids. While it's purpose is actually to search for water and organic materials, perhaps someday in the future we could use it as something more.
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