This Week at NASA: More Exoplanets, Undersea Astronaut Training and More

NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope has helped astronomers confirm the discovery of the nearest rocky planet outside our solar system.
The planet, called HD 219134b, is a bit larger than Earth and located a mere 21 light-years away in the Cassiopeia constellation, near the North Star. While HD 219134b orbits too close to its star to sustain life, it is the closest exoplanet to Earth to be detected transiting, or crossing in front of, its star – which makes it perfect for extensive scientific research. The results of this discovery are the subject of a study accepted for publication in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. Also, Exoplanet found far from its central star, Orion fairing separation tests, NEEMO 20 mission, California’s “rain debt” and Unmanned Air Traffic Management.