NASA has tweeted in space, but now one of its astronauts is breaking a new space Twitter barrier. He will tweet from space in Spanish and English.
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USATODAY.com Science and Space - Top Stories
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NASA astronaut takes Twitter to space en Espanol
2 Jul 2009 | 2:24 pm -
Baaad news? Global warming now shrinking sheep
2 Jul 2009 | 2:18 pmLike the wool sweater that emerges from the dryer a size too small, global warming seems to be shrinking sheep. -
New form of El Nino may increase Atlantic hurricanes
2 Jul 2009 | 11:14 amEl Nino may have a split personality. -
NASA: Fuel test a success, shuttle launch day set
1 Jul 2009 | 2:14 pmTo NASA's relief, a fueling test on space shuttle Endeavour uncovered no hydrogen gas leaks Wednesday and paved the way for another launch attempt late next week for the delayed mission. -
Myanmar fossil may shed light on evolution
1 Jul 2009 | 2:01 pmFossils recently discovered in Myanmar could prove that the common ancestors of humans, monkeys and apes evolved from primates in Asia, rather than Africa, researchers contend in a study released Wednesday.
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SPACE.com
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World's Largest Commercial Satellite Launched
3 Jul 2009 | 1:03 pmThe world's largest commercial satellite, TerreStar-1, launched into space on Wednesday. -
Mysterious Light Originates Near A Galaxy's Black Hole
3 Jul 2009 | 1:03 pmThe black hole inside the M87 galaxy is accelerating particles to very high speeds, releasing photons with a trillion times more energy than visible light. -
NASA Probe Looks at Bright Side of Mars
3 Jul 2009 | 1:03 pmNASA shifted the orbit of its Mars satellite Odyssey to make better use of its infrared camera for mapping the surface. -
Wild Fireworks Spotted in Space
3 Jul 2009 | 1:03 pmNew image of a gaseous space nebula reveals tens of thousands of giant comet-like knots raining down. -
'Toy Universe' Could Solve Life's Origins
3 Jul 2009 | 1:03 pmThe power of computer processing could one day solve the riddle of life's origin.
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AviationWeek.com Homepage
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USAF Boosts Space Situational Awareness
3 Jul 2009 | 10:09 amBoosting conjunction analysis took center stage after defunct Russian satellite crashed into Iridium spacecraft -
EC Extends Austrian Probe
2 Jul 2009 | 6:33 amLufthansa said it was surprised by the European Commission's decision to extend its probe of the Austrian takeover. -
White House Talks Russia, Missile Defense
2 Jul 2009 | 6:31 amHas no intention of trading a proposed missile interceptor site in Europe in exchange for 'a better deal' official said -
EU Pushes Global Blacklist
1 Jul 2009 | 7:11 amEuropean Union Transport Commissioner Antonio Tajani is urging for the EU blacklist to be expanded. -
Think Tank: Reconsider U.K. F-35
1 Jul 2009 | 6:38 amThe Institute for Public Policy Research says U.K. government should re-examine its defense equipment requirements
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Military Space News, Nuclear Weapons, Missile Defense
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Underwater Robots Identify Potential Threats In Murky Waters
Boca Raton FL (SPX) Jul 03, 2009 - Novel underwater laser networking and imaging technologies being developed by scientists at the Ocean Visibility and Optics Laboratory at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University may provide significant advantages over existing technologies in rapidly identifying and communicating potential threats in murky coastal waters. -
NKorea fires four short-range missiles amid nuclear standoff
Seoul (AFP) July 2, 2009 - North Korea on Thursday test-fired four short-range missiles, South Korean military officials said, further fuelling tension sparked by its nuclear standoff with the international community. -
IAEA's Amano: veteran diplomat battling proliferation
Vienna (AFP) July 2, 2009 - Japan's Yukiya Amano, who was elected Thursday as head of the UN nuclear watchdog, is a lifelong diplomat who has no illusions about the challenges the agency faces in hotspots including Iran. -
First Flight Of Land-Based MQ-8B Fire Scout
San Diego CA (SPX) Jul 03, 2009 - A Northrop Grumman MQ-8B Fire Scout Vertical Unmanned Aircraft System (VUAS), designated P7, has successfully completed first flight operations at Yuma Proving Grounds, Ariz. Unlike current Navy configured Fire Scouts, P7 was built in an operational land-based configuration. -
No more US troops to Afghanistan this year: Jones
Washington (AFP) July 2, 2009 - White House National Security Adviser James Jones has warned US commanders in Afghanistan that they will not receive more troops beyond those already promised by President Barack Obama.
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Discovery News - Space
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Inflatable Tower Proposed to Outer Space
2 Jul 2009 | 1:45 amA nine-mile-high inflatable tower could offer cheap access to outer space. -
Astronomers Identify New Class of Black Hole
1 Jul 2009 | 12:20 pmA new class of black hole may help to explain how supermassive black holes develop. -
Gravity's Imprint Sought in Big Bang Glow
1 Jul 2009 | 1:15 amScientists begin a search for gravitational waves stemming from the Big Bang. -
ET's Earth Appears More as Pale, Red Dot
26 Jun 2009 | 6:45 amMolecules relevant to life in Earth's atmosphere show up in red wavelengths. -
Mysterious Space Blobs 'Tween' Galaxies
24 Jun 2009 | 2:30 pmScientists find that these space blobs are actually adolescent galaxies.
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Defense Industry Daily
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July 4th Holiday
3 Jul 2009 | 7:34 amDID does not publish on July 4th, or on the associated civic holiday when July 4 falls on a weekend. We hope our readers in Canada and the USA have enjoyed the period from Canada Day on July 1st to... [summary] -
EMALS: Electro-Magnetic Launch for Carriers
1 Jul 2009 | 11:35 amEMALS Components (click to view full) As the US Navy continues to build its new CVN-21 Gerald R. Ford Class carriers, few technologies are as important to their success as the next-generation EMALS... [summary] -
France’s Future SSNs: The Barracuda Class
1 Jul 2009 | 9:32 amSSN Barracuda cutaway (click to view full) In December 2006, France’s Defence Ministry awarded a contract for nuclear-propelled fast attack submarines to state-owned warship builder DCN and... [summary] -
Roll Call: 10 US Armed Services Staffers to Know
1 Jul 2009 | 8:43 amIn Washington, knowing “who” is usually more important than knowing “what.” Roll Call magazine offers a valuable feature for industry and government personnel alike, as it... [summary] -
Up to $172.4M to 3 Companies for DISA NECC Support
1 Jul 2009 | 7:33 amThe Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific awarded 3 indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee contracts with a potential value of $172.4 million to provide Net-Enabled... [summary]
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NYT > Space & Cosmos
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Exhibition Review: Catch a Booming, Blazing Star
2 Jul 2009 | 11:17 pm“Journey to the Stars,” a new show at the American Museum of Natural History, is easily the most beautiful planetarium show I have ever seen and the most vertiginous. -
National Briefing | Science and Health: Shuttle’s Fuel Tank Fills, With No Hydrogen Leak
1 Jul 2009 | 11:45 pmPaving the way for a July 11 launching, NASA successfully filled the fuel tank of the space shuttle Endeavour without recurrence of a hydrogen leak. -
Vatican’s Celestial Eye, Seeking Not Angels but Data
30 Jun 2009 | 7:32 pmThe Vatican Observatory Research Group does workmanlike astronomy that fights the perception that science and Catholicism necessarily conflict. -
An Astronaut Goes From Walking on the Moon to Painting It
30 Jun 2009 | 11:58 amAlan L. Bean, the fourth man to walk on the Moon, has high hopes that the 40th anniversary of the moon landing may lure art critics to take a look at his paintings. -
Q & A: The Earth’s Paunch
29 Jun 2009 | 10:21 pmThe earth bulges at the Equator. Does this include the oceans?
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SPACEFLIGHT
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SpaceShip Two rocket motor testing revealed
2 Jul 2009 | 5:24 amVirgin Galactic is testing a range of fuels for its SpaceShip Two rocket motor with an eye on "whole life issues"... -
Will son of Shuttle-C replace NASA's Ares?
29 Jun 2009 | 10:42 amNASA's Moon rockets of choice face oblivion under President Obama's first budget, so will a new spin on an old idea win... -
Business: Good week - Bad week
29 Jun 2009 | 2:00 amAEROVIRONMENT The unmanned aircraft and efficient electrical systems company turned in a record quarter to 30 April -
This Week Briefings
26 Jun 2009 | 5:00 amFrance and Germany have failed in their attempt to broker a six-month extension to an existing... -
More WhiteKnight Two testing details after Oshkosh
26 Jun 2009 | 2:00 amDetails of future WhiteKnight Two testing and an evaluation of its Pratt & Whitney Canada 308A engines should emerge after July's Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture air show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
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OrlandoSentinel.com - Home
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Report: South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford spending holiday weekend in Florida
4 Jul 2009 | 5:38 amSouth Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, his wife and family are spending the Fourth of July weekend in Florida, according to the Palm Beach Post newspaper. -
Weather for the Fourth: Expect mostly sunny and hot
4 Jul 2009 | 5:29 amCentral Floridians, expect the weather to be mostly sunny and hot for your Fourth of July celebrations. -
Palin resignation leaves questions over 2012 run
4 Jul 2009 | 4:51 amWASILLA, Alaska (AP) — Even for a nonconformist, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has defied political logic with her sudden, stunning announcement to leave office more than a year early. -
In bad economy, more choosing five-finger discounts
3 Jul 2009 | 9:00 pmPricey watches and designer clothing aren't selling all that much these days. Instead, they're getting stolen. -
Concerns flare about wildlife, beach fireworks
3 Jul 2009 | 9:00 pmShirley Reynolds challenges Daytona Beach on oceanside fireworks and possible harm to sea turtles and other beach animals Thousands of people will celebrate Independence Day watching massive fireworks tonight. But a Volusia County woman and other environmentalists question whether the rockets' red glare could be harming wildlife.
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chron.com Space
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Astronaut taking Twitter to space en Espanol
2 Jul 2009 | 5:46 pmAstronaut Jose Hernandez is scheduled to fly aboard the space shuttle Discovery in August and tweet bilingually from orbit. -
NASA says it can get to moon while spending less
30 Jun 2009 | 11:20 amThis cheaper option is not as powerful as NASA’s current design with its fancy new rockets, the people-carrying Ares I and cargo-lifting Ares V. But the cut-rate plan would still get to the moon. -
Sophisticated weather satellite rockets into orbit
27 Jun 2009 | 5:11 pmThe satellite will give forecasters another powerful tool for tracking hurricanes and tornadoes. -
July 11 launch sought for shuttle after fueling test
24 Jun 2009 | 6:53 pmIf all goes well, NASA hopes to launch Endeavour to the international space station on July 11th. The shuttle and a crew of seven will deliver the final segment of a Japanese lab.
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Space News From SpaceDaily.Com
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LockMart Awarded Concept Development Contract For USAF Space Fence
Moorestown NJ (SPX) Jul 03, 2009 - The U.S. Air Force has awarded Lockheed Martin a $30 million contract to begin concept development for Space Fence, a system of land-based S-Band radars and supporting operations centers that will detect and report on objects and debris orbiting the Earth. Lockheed Martin was one of three industry teams to receive contracts. -
Indonesia launches rocket into space
Jakarta (AFP) July 2, 2009 - Indonesia successfully launched a home-grown rocket into space on Thursday as part of plans to send a satellite into orbit by 2014, officials said. -
Interview With ISRO's Madhavan Nair
New Delhi, India (PTI) Jul 03, 2009 - How do you assess cooperation of India and Russia in space? ISRO has had a long standing and successful co-operation with the erstwhile USSR in Space with the active participation of USSR in setting up the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) in early Sixties, Joint meteorological studies using more than 1000 meteorological sounding rockets launched from Thumba supplied from USSR and launching for India's Aryabhata, Bhaskara-I and 2 and for IRS-1A, 1B and IRS-1C in addition to the Tracking support for several Indian satellites. -
XMM-Newton Discovers A New Class Of Black Holes
Paris, France (ESA) Jul 03, 2009 - Astronomers using ESA's XMM-Newton X-ray observatory have discovered a black hole weighing more than 500 solar masses, a missing link between lighter stellar-mass and heavier supermassive black holes, in a distant galaxy. This discovery is the best detection to date of a new class that has long been searched for: intermediate mass black holes. -
Satellite Successfully Performs Post-Launch Maneuvers
Palo Alto CA (SPX) Jul 03, 2009 - Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) has announced that the satellite it built for TerreStar Networks is successfully performing post-launch maneuvers. The world's largest commercial satellite deployed its solar arrays Wednesday evening, following its launch aboard an Ariane 5 rocket from the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
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digg.com: Stories / Space / Popular
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Top 10 Apollo hoax claims (PICS)
3 Jul 2009 | 11:20 pmLanding humans on the moon was a monumentally improbable feat. We examine some of the claims that the moon landing was a hoax. -
Buzz Aldrin urges unity for mission to Mars (w/VID)
3 Jul 2009 | 8:51 pmUS moonwalker Buzz Aldrin says that the right kind of global leadership could set mankind on a path to the colonisation of other planets. -
APOD: 2009 July 3 - Perihelion and Aphelion
3 Jul 2009 | 2:22 pmA different astronomy and space sciencerelated image is featured each day, along with a brief explanation. -
Solar Power from Outer Space: Microwaves and Frickin' Lasers
3 Jul 2009 | 1:20 pmIn order to meet our world's rising energy needs, and to help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, some ideas that seem right out of a science fiction novel are picking up steam with start-ups and investors. But does using satellites for energy production really make sense financially or environmentally? -
Could we Garden on Mars?
3 Jul 2009 | 12:10 pmYou can grow certain hardy plants in the soil on the Moon; just add air and water! So, my question is this: what about other worlds?
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New Scientist - Space
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Lunar uranium and Martian sand traps: the week in space
2 Jul 2009 | 4:18 pmThis week, a new lunar orbiter sent back its first images and engineers prepared a mock Mars rover to help free Spirit, which is stuck in a sand trap on the Red Planet -
Brain scanner for astronauts passes 'vomit comet' test
2 Jul 2009 | 11:30 amA device designed to study astronauts' brain activity has been tested in zero gravity for the first time – one day it could be used to monitor mission-compromising depression -
X-rays are smoking gun for middleweight black holes
1 Jul 2009 | 10:00 amAstronomers have found the best evidence yet of an elusive intermediate-mass black hole -
Satellite creates best topographic map of the Earth
30 Jun 2009 | 11:05 amAn instrument aboard the Terra satellite has generated the most complete digital topographic map of the Earth ever made, covering 99% of the planet -
Solar ghosts may haunt Earth's radioactive atoms
30 Jun 2009 | 7:43 amMysterious seasonal wobbles in the rate of radioactive decay may be caused by elusive particles from the sun
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Science @ NASA
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Space Station Marathon
The International Space Station (ISS) is about to make a remarkable series of flybys over the United States. Beginning this 4th of July weekend, the station will appear once, twice, and sometimes three times a day for many days in a row. -
Space Station Room With a View
Astronauts are looking forward to an unprecedented view of the cosmos when the largest window ever built for space is installed on the International Space Station. -
Satellites Guide Relief to Earthquake Victims
In the aftermath of a recent, deadly earthquake, the NASA-led SERVIR program orchestrated use of satellite data to show Honduran disaster officials where help was needed most. -
Mystery of the Missing Sunspots, Solved?
Where have all the sunspots gone? Scientists studying a jet stream deep inside the sun may have found the answer. -
Running Out of This World
With NASA poised to launch the world's most famous treadmill (COLBERT) to the International Space Station, an astronaut describes what it's like to run in space where sweat floats and there is no gravity to hold your feet to the ground.
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Universe Today
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Find the Answer to This Week's WITU Challenge
3 Jul 2009 | 2:51 pmThe answer to this week's Where In The Universe challenge is now available back on the original post. Check it out! And happy 4th of July holiday weekend to everyone in the US! © nancy for Universe Today, 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags: Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh -
Weekend SkyWatcher's Forecast: July 3-5, 2009
3 Jul 2009 | 11:49 amGreetings, fellow SkyWatchers! Are you ready for a Moon-filled weekend? Then let's have a look a some great lunar features as we race Mad Max to the "Megadome"! For some lucky viewers in Japan and Hawaii, there will be an occultation of Antares to enjoy. How about some great double stars… Or a chance to see if you can spot a penumbral lunar eclipse? Then follow me out to the backyard. The stars are waiting… (...)Read the rest of Weekend SkyWatcher's Forecast: July 3-5, 2009 (1,046 words) © tammy for Universe Today, 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to… -
Happy Fourth of July!
2 Jul 2009 | 2:48 pmCourtesy of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan Astronomers working with the Subaru Telescope have released these new images of a "fireworks display" in a near-infrared image of the Helix Nebula, showing comet-shaped knots within. (...)Read the rest of Happy Fourth of July! (560 words) © anne for Universe Today, 2009. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us Post tags: Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh -
Perchlorates and Water Make for Potential Habitable Environment on Mars
2 Jul 2009 | 12:36 pmThis mosaic assembled from Phoenix images show the spacecraft's three landing legs. Splotches of Martian material on the landing leg strut at left could be liquid saline-water. Click for larger version on Spaceflightnow. com Credit: Kenneth Kremer, Marco Di Lorenzo, NASA/JPL/UA/Max Planck Institute and Spaceflightnow.com. Used by permission Scientists say that the Arctic region studied by Phoenix lander may be a favorable environment for microbes. Just-right chemistry and periods where thin films of liquid water form on the surface could make for a habitable setting. "Not only did we… -
First Images from LRO
2 Jul 2009 | 11:58 amWoohoo! NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has taken its first images of the Moon! There are two cameras on board which combine to create the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera, or LROC. They were both activated June 30, and their "first light" images were of a region in the lunar highlands south of Mare Nubium (Sea of Clouds). "Our first images were taken along the moon's terminator — the dividing line between day and night — making us initially unsure of how they would turn out," said LROC Principal Investigator Mark Robinson of Arizona State…
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NPR Topics: Space
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Astronomers See A New Class of Black Hole
3 Jul 2009 | 10:00 amScientists say X-ray data collected by the European Space Agency's XMM-Newton spacecraft show evidence of a new type of black hole in a galaxy about 290 million light years from Earth. Astronomer Sean Farrell explains what the discovery might tell us about galaxy evolution.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us -
Salty Sea May Lurk Under Saturn Moon
25 Jun 2009 | 10:00 amSalty ice grains inside in Saturn's outer ring point to a possible underground ocean on the moon Enceladus.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us -
Breaking Ground On The First Spaceport
20 Jun 2009 | 9:13 amOut in the wilds of New Mexico, they're marketing a new kind of commercial space — as in, outer space. On Friday, New Mexico broke ground on what's billed as the world's first commercial spaceport.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us -
Summer Sky Highlights What's Missing
19 Jun 2009 | 10:00 amThis season's astronomical highlights are about what won't be visible in the night sky. Astronomer Paul Rao discusses what he describes as "the eclipse of the century," Jupiter's mysterious missing moons, the vanishing rings of Saturn and the forthcoming Perseid meteor shower.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us -
NASA Moon Missions To Search For Water
17 Jun 2009 | 9:48 pmA rocket is scheduled to blast off for the moon Thursday afternoon carrying two probes that will gather data to prepare for possible future manned missions. One probe will map the moon, and the other will search for water ice.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
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The Space Review
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Lessons for the future of human space flight
28 Jun 2009 | 11:00 pmAs the Augustine commission reviews NASA's human spaceflight plans, it is receiving no shortage of advice. Former NASA associate administrator Wes Huntress offers some lessons learned for the future of human space exploration. -
To boldly go... anywhere?
28 Jun 2009 | 10:59 pmThe "Star Trek" franchise got a much-needed and successful re-launch with its latest movie. Eric Sterner argues that it's also time to re-think what NASA does and how much we are willing to spend to support it. -
Big Sky Ranch
28 Jun 2009 | 10:58 pmYou may not have heard of Bill King, but he was one of the pioneers of America's satellite reconnaissance program. Dwayne Day recalls the life and career of King, who recently passed away. -
North Korea's missiles: how will they use their ultimate asset
28 Jun 2009 | 10:57 pmNorth Korea appears to be preparing for another missile test, perhaps disguised again as a satellite launch attempt. Taylor Dinerman looks at how the West's reaction, including South Korea's development of its own space launch system, could affect the North's plans. -
Review: A Dictionary of the Space Age
28 Jun 2009 | 10:56 pmSpace is legendary for having its own distinct jargon, from formal acronyms to informal slang. Jeff Foust reviews a book that provides a detailed set of definitions for those words and their origins.
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Space Politics
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Shelby wins battle on stimulus funding
3 Jul 2009 | 12:09 amEarlier this week NASA Watch reported that Sen. Shelby was fighting to redirect stimulus money from commercial crew activities to Constellation, going so far, reportedly, as to threaten to put a hold on the nominations of Charles Bolden and Lori Garver, and had won some kind of compromise on the funding from the administration (which, through NASA, had submitted the spending plan for the $1 billion in overall stimulus funding appropriated to the space agency.) Today’s Orlando Sentinel has a few more details, including that $100 million of the $150 million originally planned for… -
Bolden/Garver nomination hearing scheduled
2 Jul 2009 | 12:42 am[Note: apologies for the lack of posts recently; I'm actually on vacation this week.] The Senate Commerce Committee formally announced yesterday what had been expected for some time: they will hold a nomination hearing for NASA administrator nominee Charles Bolden and deputy administrator nominee Lori Garver next week, on the afternoon of July 8. It had been clear for some time that they were not going to be able to squeeze in a nomination hearing before Congress went on recess this week, but there is a desire to get the two confirmed in advance of the Apollo 11 40th anniversary events later… -
Senate doesn’t follow House lead on exploration cuts
25 Jun 2009 | 9:38 amThe Commerce, Justice, and Science subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee marked up their FY2010 appropriations bill yesterday and appear to have more closely followed the White House’s request than the House did earlier this month. According to the summary, the bill provides $18.68 billion for NASA overall, equal to the administration’s topline request. The summary doesn’t give the full breakout of funds by account so it’s hard to tell how closely this matches the president’s request (especially if they created a “Construction and… -
Senate committee to take up NASA spending bill
24 Jun 2009 | 4:32 amThe Senate Appropriations Committee is scheduled to take action this week on an appropriations bill that includes funding for NASA. The Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS) appropriations committee will markup its version of the bill at 2:30 pm today (138 Dirksen); the full appropriations committee will then deal with the bill tomorrow at 3 pm (106 Dirksen). Recall that the full House passed a CJS appropriations bill, HR 2847, last week that funded NASA at $18.2 billion for fiscal year 2010, including a significant cut in exploration. -
Thoughts on the Augustine committee meeting
18 Jun 2009 | 8:10 amI was at the Augustine committee meeting in DC yesterday, the first public meeting (of four currently planned) to solicit input on the future of NASA’s human spaceflight plans. Since the process is just now underway, it’s hard to draw too many conclusions about the meeting, but I did want to pass along some thoughts and observations from the meeting for those who weren’t there: * The meeting was very much an information-gathering meeting, and at times seemed like drinking from a firehose: they went from 9 am to 5 pm with only a short break (originally 30 minutes, but…
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NASA Watch
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Sen. Shelby Gets His Way (Update)
3 Jul 2009 | 9:03 pmKeith's note: Sen. Shelby and his staff have certainly been busy. They don't like the way that the Obama Administration and NASA have been looking at using stimulus money for commercialization. So, how did he act on this? He threatened to put amendments into legislation that would punish various field centers at NASA (other than MSFC of course) that have been involved in commercialization by stripping them of facilities or programs so as to send a message. Shelby has also talked of putting a hold on the nomination of Bolden and Garver if he did not get his way. Apparently, he has gotten his… -
Stennis Caught up in Possible Contract Rigging
3 Jul 2009 | 8:50 pmU.S. Joins Whistleblower Suit Alleging SAIC Rigged Contract, Washington Post "The charges of bid-rigging relate to a 2004 contract for a computing center at the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi, which has provided state-of-the-art supercomputing resources to the military for the past 15 years. The whistleblower suit alleges that the request for proposals was crafted to make it virtually impossible for any company besides SAIC to win." -
Ever Wonder Why Some NASA Websites Are Stale?
2 Jul 2009 | 5:00 pmNASA LaRC Website Policy LMS-CP-5909 Revision: F "General Note - Web sites shall be reviewed yearly for public web sites and every three years for all other web sites by the RNO for the web site. This review shall be reflected by renewal of web site registrations in AWRS. Policy and content reviews shall be performed yearly for public web sites and every three years for all other web sites by Center subject matter experts tracked by AWRS as required by the Agency and LaRC Office of Chief Information Officer (OCIO). Any violations of these policies and content restrictions constitute grounds… -
LRO's First Images Of The Moon
2 Jul 2009 | 11:43 amFirst Moon Images From NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter "NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has transmitted its first images since reaching the moon on June 23. The spacecraft's two cameras, collectively known as the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera, or LROC, were activated June 30. The cameras are working well and have returned images of a region in the lunar highlands south of Mare Nubium (Sea of Clouds). As the moon rotates beneath LRO, LROC gradually will build up photographic maps of the lunar surface. "Our first images were taken along the moon's terminator -- the dividing line… -
Move An Asteroid 2009 Competition
2 Jul 2009 | 9:20 amLast few days remaining to win a scholarship to attend IAC'09 in Korea through SGAC "Move An Asteroid 2009" Competition! "Move An Asteroid 2009" is an International Student and Young Professional Technical Paper Competition. The competition accepts individuals or team (maximum of 3 individuals) under the age of 33 to submit a 3-10 page technically detailed paper on a unique and innovative concept for deflecting an asteroid/comet with at least 50 metre of diameter.Please visit www.spacegeneration.org/asteroid for more information. The deadline for entries is 26th July 2009. The winner will be…
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Open NASA
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Doing my part
26 Jun 2009 | 10:06 amCross-posted at Cosmo.Sphere One of the advantages of working in the ISS National Laboratory Office is that I get to support projects that actually fly in space. This morning, I got to sit with my Department of Defense counterparts on-console while astronaut Mike Barratt operated the SPHERES experiment. We’re using the SPHERES free-flying satellites inside the Space Station to develop and test new algorithms for flying satellites in formation and autonomous rendezvous & docking procedures. As space gets more crowded and we endeavor to fly more commercial and government… -
Future Tech: Spider-bots dial Home
23 Jun 2009 | 9:39 pmWarning:This is an idea of how to meet our mission to explore space, bring enthusiasm to the general public all while helping expand the space market.Some of the ideas are based on things that are already developed. The depth to which this train of thought can take us is not complete and requires your input to get there. What would it be like if you could control a spider-bot in Mars from your home computer?You could use it to explore Mars (or any other planet) as if you were actually there.Wouldn’t that be fun?I think so!That is why I think it would be awesome if NASA helped spearhead an… -
Wiki Design: from Toasters to Spaceships
20 Jun 2009 | 11:19 pmParticipatory Exploration. Frednet. Lunar Boom Town. Open Luna. These all deal with the concept that we are trying to take the brainpower of the interested public and use it to solve the technical, political, and business problems that confront our efforts to expand into space. Consider a tool that can facilitate this. Look at Wikipedia. According to last year’s annual report (check it out in your spare time, Nick,) there were “approximately 100,000 active editors (defined as users who made more than 5 changes in the last month).” 100,000! That’s a huge number of… -
Launch Scrubbed, but Go to Post
13 Jun 2009 | 6:18 amSo an hour ago, I showed up at the ISS Mission Evaluation Room to watch the shuttle launch. Last night, a friend of mine was asking me if I was going to get up at 6 AM to watch the launch. I wasn’t that enthusiastic about doing it, but realized that I had to option to go into my console in the MER and not only watch it on a nice big flat screen but I could also hear the other voice loops beyond PAO and CAPCOM if I watched it in the MER and used my headset. This morning rolls around, my alarm clock goes off, and shortly thereafter I stumble into the MER, hoping that I didn’t miss… -
Got Communication?
10 Jun 2009 | 6:54 pmA few weeks ago over lunch, I had the pleasure of participating in a discussion about how we improve communication at Goddard. In short, communication is currently a big concern on center - everyone knows that it is important, and most think that it isn’t currently particularly effective. (By the way, I would personally propose that effective communication may be THE area that could raise NASA’s success to a whole new level. Look at our history: In 1986, Challenger exploded thanks to poor communication that manifested itself as a bad O-ring. Seventeen years later, the…
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White Label Space
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NASA's Vision for Human Space Exploration
11 Jun 2009 | 3:43 amThis excellent promotional video by NASA is a captivating and clear explanation of its vision for human space exploration in the coming decades, a vision embodied by the Constellation Program. The first phase of the program starts with utilization of the International Space Station in Earth orbit. That is followed by long duration missions to the Moon's surface then eventually human exploration of Mars.The video does mention the troubled Ares-1 launch vehicle but it does explain the role of the Orion spacecraft which will carry four astronauts after the Space Shuttle is retired. The video… -
Preliminary Landing Site Considerations
15 May 2009 | 1:27 pmThe International Atlas for Lunar Exploration by Phil Stooke (also available on our website’s Amazon.com carousel widget) shows the landing sites proposed by the Euromoon 2000 team. These are located at peaks of eternal light near the Moon’s south pole. In the Atlas Stooke also suggests other nearby landing sites with rover routes into the permanently shadowed zones.We are considering targeting our Google Lunar X PRIZE mission for landing at or near one of those sites since they offer great potential for winning the Water Bonus Prize. Finding a useful deposit of water ice on the Moon… -
What is White Label Space
8 May 2009 | 4:00 pmWe have been preparing a Google Lunar X PRIZE (GLXP) team since March of 2008. At first we didn't have a team name or even a vision for how we would approach the GLXP. At that time, we were united only by the common belief that the time had come for privately-funded space missions to the Moon and further destinations.As we started work on our business plan, we realized that the GLXP is all about reaching out and engaging the general public so one of the first things we did was establish this White Label Space blog. Through this blog we have explored some of the commercial aspects of the GLXP… -
White Label Space Joins Google Lunar X PRIZE
8 May 2009 | 2:36 amTeam White Label Space was formed back in early 2008 by a group of experienced space professionals inspired by the challenge of the Google Lunar X PRIZE. With a strong background in space engineering and knowledge of the costs involved, the group realized that there were numerous global companies that could finance a Google Lunar X PRIZE mission with less than 10% of their yearly advertising expenditure. Like the early Apollo missions, the winning Google Lunar X PRIZE mission will reach billions of people. By reaching this audience, White Label Space will offer an unprecedented advertising… -
Ikegami Camera Shows Full Earth from Moon
3 May 2009 | 3:11 amThis video shows what the surface of the Moon looks like in HD. The footage was taken by a special HD camera developed by Ikegami currently orbiting the Moon onboard the Japan's Kaguya spacecraft (also called SELENE). The camera design is a customised version of the HDL-40, modified by Ikegami to withstand the high radiation, vibration and thermal environment of space.
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EurakAlert!: Space
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Many characteristics of Mars, including ice, are similar to Earth, paper says
1 Jul 2009 | 9:00 pm(Texas A&M University) Mars gets as far as 250 million miles away, but many parts of it closely resemble places on Earth, including its landscape, history of water, soil and even its weather, says a Texas A&M University researcher in the current issue of Science magazine. -
AGU journal highlights - July 2, 2009
1 Jul 2009 | 9:00 pm(American Geophysical Union) Featured in this release are research papers on the following topics: "Ancient supervolcano's eruption caused decade of severe winters"; "Understanding fault movement during Wenchuan earthquake"; "First direct measurement of lunar backscatter from solar wind"; "Reducing uncertainty in estimates of global sea level rise"; "Boost in freshwater content of Arctic Ocean "; "Data gaps in records hinder detection of climate trends"; "Glaciers cause seismic activity in Iceland"; and more. -
Pinpointing origin of gamma rays from a supermassive black hole
1 Jul 2009 | 9:00 pm(Washington University in St. Louis) An international collaboration of 390 scientists reports the discovery of an outburst of very-high-energy gamma radiation from the giant radio galaxy Messier 87, accompanied by a strong rise of the radio flux measured from the direct vicinity of its super-massive black hole. The combined results give first experimental evidence that particles are accelerated to extremely high energies of tera electron Volt in the immediate vicinity of a supermassive black hole and then emit the observed gamma rays. -
LRO's first moon images
1 Jul 2009 | 9:00 pm(NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center) NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has transmitted its first images since reaching the moon on June 23. The spacecraft's two cameras, collectively known as the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera, or LROC, were activated June 30. The cameras are working well, and have returned images of a region in the lunar highlands south of Mare Nubium (Sea of Clouds). -
NASA's Fermi Telescope reveals a population of radio-quiet gamma-ray pulsars
1 Jul 2009 | 9:00 pm(University of California - Santa Cruz) A new class of pulsars detected by NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope is solving the mystery of previously unidentified gamma-ray sources and helping scientists understand the mechanisms behind pulsar emissions.
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collectSPACE
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Rim shot
1 Jul 2009 | 9:42 pmLunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, rounding the Moon in what is referred to as its commissioning orbit, is now undergoing checkouts of its sharp-shooting instruments as they are powered on. Though the highest resolution imaging won't start until LRO drops into a lower orbit, the science team behind the LRO Camera (LROC) plans to begin obtaining photos as early as this weekend and among their early targets may be one or more of the Apollo landing sites. LROC's observations may even help answer a "moonwalking mystery" relating to Cone Crater and how close astronauts came to peering over its rim. -
Big book of Apollo
30 Jun 2009 | 12:44 pmTaschen, the German publisher responsible for the second most expensive book in history (the $12,500, 75 pound, 700 page tribute to Muhammad Ali, "Greatest Of All Time") has announced the details behind its Apollo 40th anniversary tome, "Moonfire: The Epic Journey of Apollo 11". Limited to 1,969 copies, the oversized (12.8 by 15.7 in.) 350-page book combines the text from author Norman Mailer's 1971 "Of a Fire on the Moon" with the archival photographs from NASA's and LIFE magazine's collection. Each copy retails for $1,000, which includes a framed and numbered print autographed by Apollo 11… -
Apollo almond and moon rock mousse
29 Jun 2009 | 1:12 pmMoonwalker Charlie Duke, commenting on the lunar dust-rich atmosphere inside Apollo 16's lunar module, radioed "It has that taste -- to me, [of] gunpowder -- and the smell of gunpowder, too." Choclatique, a California-based artisanal confection company, imagined tastier -- and more colorful -- moon rocks for their Apollo 11 40th anniversary tribute. Their Moon Rocks Collection includes 15 hand decorated and hand filled chocolates with flavors including Lift Off Lime, Mission Control Fig, NASA Nuts and Tangy Orange. -
NASA names nine new astronauts
29 Jun 2009 | 9:30 amNASA announced the members of its 20th class of astronaut candidates on Monday, following the review of more than 3,500 applications. The nine-member 2009 class will begin their training in August at the Johnson Space Center. Ranging from 30 to 43 years of age, the new ascans are: Serena Aunon, Jeanette Epps, Jack Fischer, Michael Hopkins, Kjell Lindgren, Kathleen Rubins, Scott Tingle, Mark Vande Hei and Gregory Wiseman. They will train for stays on the International Space Station and new exploration missions. -
Mickey Mouse's pin-point lunar landing
28 Jun 2009 | 4:07 pmThe Walt Disney Company had planned to mark the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11 with the release of five limited edition pins under their "Disney Pin Trading" program, but the series was canceled for a "variety of reasons" according to the company's website. The pins, which would have been limited to 2,000 pieces each had they been released, would have featured Disney characters, including Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Stitch, in scenes from the first manned lunar landing. The canceled set was revealed in connection with an auction of pre-production pins held on Saturday during a trading event…
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Spacehack
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MiniSpaceWorld Design Contest
29 Jun 2009 | 11:22 pm(image via Ferenc Gál) MiniSpaceWorld aims to create a spectacular scale model world for space flight and astronomy. Light and sound effects, day and night simulations in the different Worlds, historical and modern vehicles in motion, and representation of future life scenes will enrich the visitors’ experience. Under the motto “Space for Everybody”, MiniSpaceWorld will also explicitly feature products already use in our everyday life today that originated from space activities. The MSW Design Contest is a contest open for participants worldwide about imagining various parts of… -
LCROSS Amateur Observation Campaign
19 May 2009 | 3:18 pmA NASA mission to search for water on the moon. The LCROSS mission is going to do this by sending a rocket crashing into the moon causing a big impact and creating a crater, throwing tons of debris and potentially water ice and vapor above the lunar surface. This impact will release materials from the lunar surface that will be analyzed for the presence of hydrated minerals which would tell researchers if water is there or not. This crash will be so big that we on Earth may be able to view the resulting plume of material it ejects with a good amateur telescope. The impact ejecta cloud should… -
Regolith Excavation Challenge
8 Apr 2009 | 5:24 pm(photo via Violet Blue) The Regolith Excavation Challenge allows citizen inventors to participate by applying their talents to develop innovative solutions and new technologies to efficiently excavate lunar regolith. The project is designed to promote the development of mechanical designs to excavate lunar regolith. Excavation is a necessary first step towards lunar resource utilization, and the unique physical properties of lunar regolith make excavation a difficult technical challenge. Advances in lunar regolith excavation have the potential to contribute significantly to the nation’s… -
Global Telescope Network
26 Mar 2009 | 1:15 pmA project that allows individuals or groups to dedicate some portion of their time to analyzing data taken with other people’s telescopes. The Global Telescope Network is a network of small telescopes around the world for the purpose of supporting the science of NASA and ESA high energy astrophysics missions, including XMM-Newton, Swift and GLAST. These missions are designed to study astronomical objects through their emission of x-rays and gamma rays. However, much can be learned by combining observations over a broad range in the electromagnetic spectrum. The GTN has been assembled to… -
NASA/NSS Space Settlement Contest
3 Mar 2009 | 5:35 pm(credit: NASA Ames Research Center) Space settlement needs inexpensive, safe launch systems to deliver thousands, perhaps millions, of people into orbit. Sponsored by NASA Ames Research Center in conjunction with the National Space Society, each spring students (6-12th grade) send their designs for homes in space for judging by NASA engineers and scientists. Individuals, small teams of two to six, and large teams of seven or more (often whole classrooms with teacher leadership) may enter. To learn more and participate by March 31, 2009, visit: http://nss.org/settlement/nasa/Contest/index.html…
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Space News Examiner
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Ulysses odyssey ends: you can watch live today
30 Jun 2009 | 4:24 amAfter more than 18 years of space adventuring and scientific achievement, Ulysses will end its odyssey today. Unlike the Greek hero, this space probe will have no homecoming. Instead, it will become a ghost ship. Launched from the payload bay of spa... -
NASA names nine new astronaut candidates
29 Jun 2009 | 1:37 pmOne plays the penny whistle. Another has a non-profit foundation she uses to fly relief supplies into Africa. You can find two others in their woodworking shops in their free time. They're part of NASA's newest astronaut candidates class. Nine peopl... -
Lunatic fringe: blow up the moon because it's gay
28 Jun 2009 | 9:40 amYou can run across some strange things on the internet. Like this "petition to NASA" , which demands that we blow up the moon because, among other perceived problems, it's gay. I think we should send some morons into space to land on... -
NASA returns to the moon--first image from lunar mission
23 Jun 2009 | 6:26 amFly me to the moon, we said--and NASA complied. Shown here--the first live streaming image from LCROSS, taken early today from slightly more than 5,000 miles above the lunar surface. LCROSS is one half of a paired robotic mission that will scout ahe... -
NASA's moon mission: watch live streaming fly-by video Tuesday
22 Jun 2009 | 9:20 pmAs NASA prepares to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission in July, a dual-purpose robot mission is closing in on the moon. Among the many missions of the LRO/LCROSS mission: search for signs of water for future human exploration, a...
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Astroengine.com
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The Guardian Tackles the Moon Landing Hoax… Badly
4 Jul 2009 | 1:27 amI despise the so called Moon landing hoax with every fibre of my being, this is probably the reason why I don’t write about it much. Besides, other bloggers do a great job of slamming the conspiracy theorist claims, so there’s little point in me weighing in to pick at the left-overs. Every hoax claim has been debunked to the point that there really can be no doubt that 40 years ago, we landed on the Moon. In fact, we did it six times. Hoax rehash As we fast approach the 40 year anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing on July 20th, there’s bound to be articles posted about the… -
I See Mars Faces… Everywhere
3 Jul 2009 | 8:09 pmThe two suspect shapes spotted by Mars conspiracy theorists. Exhibit 1: The Egyptian statue. Exhibit 2: ?? During my search for material for last week’s Wide Angle: Mars Roving on Discovery, I was looking for images snapped by the Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) Spirit and Opportunity. During my trawl around Google Images, I managed to find a high-resolution picture of the rocky outcrop on the side of Victoria Crater when Opportunity was imaging the area in 2006. I’ve always loved these Victoria images; you can easily see layering in the exposed rock and boulders strewn below. In… -
If I Was A TV-Loving Alien, I’d Live In 40 Eridani
3 Jul 2009 | 1:45 pm16.5 light years away, a revolution in sci-fi television programming is about to explode to life… Yes, it really is that exciting. Almost like a tsunami approaching a peaceful shore, island inhabitants totally unaware of its impending arrival, the triple star system of 40 Eridani is about to be bathed in a very special terrestrial signal… So why am I getting so excited for this random star system? Well, 15 years ago, the awesome five-season show Babylon 5 aired in the US and the UK. For me, B5 formed a watershed of my love for sci-fi. In fact, you could say I was a teenage… -
Mining Asteroids: Not At Those Overheads
29 Jun 2009 | 11:34 pmIn The Future™, when mankind is Sufficiently Advanced®, nations, companies and entrepreneurs will be shuttling huge cargo spaceships to and from the asteroid belt. Asteroid mining is going to be the first REAL gold rush, “thars gold in them thar rocks!” But not only gold, we’ll be able to consume asteroids of all their constituents; platinum, iridium and silicon (silicon?). Global economies will be flooded with a new-found wealth being fed by the new Solar System’s bounty. Times will be good, after all, this is The Future™. Although asteroid mining… -
NASA Tests Orion Shock Absorbers, Probably a Good Idea
27 Jun 2009 | 6:51 pmAlthough there are doubts about Constellation, and NASA recently announced a “plan B” launch option for a return trip to the Moon, Orion development continues as planned. Next up is the development of the Orion shock absorbers, intended to take the sting out of the return capsule’s landing. Tests are currently being carried out at the Landing and Impact Research Facility in NASA’s Langley Research Center on the seat pallet that will protect the Orion astronauts’ from the shock of touch-down. It is hoped Orion will be a land-anywhere capsule, including land and…
