Danish astronaut aboard SpaceX warns Europe not to lag behind in space; NASA spacecraft document how Jupiter’s lightning resembles Earth’s lightning and more

A summary of current scientific news follows.

A Danish astronaut flying on a SpaceX spacecraft has warned Europe not to be left behind in space

Europe is falling behind in the global space race and is at risk of losing key technologies, Danish astronaut Andreas Mogensen said ahead of Elon Musk’s second space flight on Elon Musk’s next SpaceX mission in August. Mogensen, who will be the first non-American pilot to launch a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft into the International Space Station (ISS), hopes to one day fly into space on an independent European mission.

NASA spacecraft documents how Jupiter’s lightning resembles Earth’s

Jupiter is covered in brown ammonia clouds, which are made of water, just like on Earth. As with Earth, lightning often forms within these clouds—a curious sight observed by various spacecraft that have visited our solar system’s largest planet, including NASA’s Juno probe. According to scientists, the data obtained by Juno provides new information about how Jupiter’s lightning processes are similar to those on Earth, despite the dramatic differences between the two planets.

South Korea is set to launch its third domestic space rocket on Thursday

South Korea will launch its own Nuri space rocket at 6:24 p.m. (09:24 GMT) on Thursday, the science ministry said. The Nuri rocket’s third flight will mark a major step in South Korea’s new space program as the country seeks to become a major player in an intensifying race with its Asian neighbors.

South Korea cancels third domestic rocket launch due to technical glitch

South Korea on Wednesday canceled the third flight of its domestic space rocket due to technical problems just hours before launch, marking a significant step forward in its growing space program. South Korea wants to compete with its Asian neighbors to play a major role in space technology.

Britain pledges to fund carbon dioxide measurement project in Brazilian Amazon

Britain announced new funding on Tuesday for a major scientific experiment measuring the impact of rising carbon dioxide levels on trees in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest, the British Embassy said. Secretary of State James Cleverley visited the project north of Manas, where scientists are erecting dozens of towers that inject carbon dioxide into the forest canopy and monitor how plants absorb it.

(With inputs from agencies.)