Revolutionary Space Advancements and Solar Discoveries: What's New?

Recent developments in science and technology highlight significant advancements. Researchers propose that the Sun's magnetic field may originate closer to its surface. SpaceX has launched operational spy satellites for U.S. intelligence. Additionally, significant progress has been made in gene-edited wheat trials and in deorbiting Amazon's prototype satellites.

Following is a summary of current science news briefs.

Sun's magnetic field may originate closer to the solar surface

The sun's magnetic field, which causes solar storms like the one that hit Earth this month and produced beautiful auroras, may originate at shallower depths in the star's interior than previously thought, according to researchers. The sun's outer 30% is comprised of an "ocean" of churning gases plunging more than 130,000 miles (210,000 km) below the solar surface. The research, comparing new theoretical models to observations by the sun-observing SOHO spacecraft, provides strong evidence that its magnetic field is generated near the top of this ocean - less than 5% inward, or about 20,000 miles (32,000 km) - rather than near the bottom, as long hypothesized.

SpaceX launches first satellites for new US spy constellation

SpaceX on Wednesday launched an inaugural batch of operational spy satellites it built as part of a new U.S. intelligence network designed to significantly upgrade the country's space-based surveillance powers, the first deployment of several more planned this year. The spy network was revealed in a pair of Reuters reports earlier this year showing SpaceX is building hundreds of satellites for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office, an intelligence agency, for a vast system in orbit capable of rapidly spotting ground targets almost anywhere in the world.

Australian trial of gene-edited wheat aims for 10% bigger yields

The groundwork for a major trial of gene-edited wheat has begun in Australia, where a state company is growing hundreds of varieties it says could be up to 10% more productive and make farming more sustainable. Gene-editing is an emerging technique its advocates say could create more nutritious, hardier crops with higher yields and less need for water, fertiliser and chemicals.

Amazon to deorbit pair of prototype satellites, calling tests successful

Amazon will begin a process to discard two prototype satellites it launched to space in 2023, it said on Thursday, following an early test campaign of its Kuiper broadband internet constellation, a planned network of over 3,000 satellites that will compete with SpaceX's Starlink. The tech giant said the tests of KuiperSat-1 and KuiperSat-2 in low-Earth orbit produced a "100% success rate across our key mission objectives, with every major system and subsystem on board performing nominally or better on orbit."

Boeing targets June 1 for Starliner's debut crew launch amid helium leak probe

NASA and Boeing are targeting June 1 for the company's first crewed launch of its Starliner spacecraft as engineers investigate the cause of a helium leak and examine how it could affect crucial parts of the mission, the agency said Wednesday. The helium leak on Starliner's propulsion system has held up the spacecraft's first mission to space carrying humans, initially planned for May 7 but successively delayed as NASA and Boeing attempt to fix the issue and run new tests on the spacecraft.