Tomb to Planets: Science's New Frontiers

Recent science news highlights the discovery of an ancient Egyptian pharaoh's tomb and advancements in space exploration. Airbus UK secured a major contract for a Mars rover platform, NASA-Boeing partnerships aim to launch Starliner, while European aerospace giants discuss potential satellite business mergers.

Breaking new ground in archaeology, researchers have unearthed a large limestone burial chamber believed to be the final resting place of an unidentified Egyptian pharaoh. This significant discovery, made near Abydos, dates back 3,600 years and sheds light on a turbulent era in Egypt's history. University of Pennsylvania Museum and Egyptian archaeologists announced the finding, marking the second significant tomb discovery this year.

In the realm of space innovation, Airbus' UK arm has secured a substantial contract worth $194 million from the European Space Agency to develop the landing platform for the first British-built rover destined for Mars. Initially scheduled for 2022, the launch was delayed due to geopolitical conflicts affecting its Russian launch vehicle.

Meanwhile, NASA and Boeing are working together to prepare the CST-100 Starliner for crewed flights by early 2026, after resolving issues from its debut mission. Furthermore, the U.S. Space Force awarded contracts to Rocket Lab and Stoke Space to enhance its launch systems, highlighting the growing emphasis on expanding national security capabilities in space.

(With inputs from agencies.)