The space shuttle Atlantis launched on a mission to visit the International Space Station Monday afternoon, reports the Associated Press.
Atlantis’ blastoff was the fifth successful launch of 2009, following three other visits to the station and — on Atlantis’ previous flight — a final overhaul of the Hubble Space Telescope.
Butterflies Going To International Space Station
November 12, 2009 || Category: Space News | Leave a Comment
While they may never admit it, it’s likely that when they’re ready to launch some astronauts have butterflies in their stomachs.
Next week, the astroanuts may have them in their stomachs, but they’ll also have them on board the space shuttle Atlantis as it luanches for a visit to the International Space Station.
Messenger Probe Finds Seasonal Changes On Mercury
November 4, 2009 || Category: Space News | 2 Comments
NASA’s Messenger space probe has discovered what appear to be seasonal changes on the planet Mercury, according to the Associated Press.
The probe made the observations during its third flyby of Mercury on Sept. 29, when it took a host of measurements and images of the innermost planet’s surface and atmosphere. Only about half of the [...]
After several delays, NASA completed a brief test flight Wednesday of its new Ares I-X rocket.
The rocket, which could take humanity back to the moon and beyond, was launched yesterday morning. From start to finish the test took six minutes.
Wednesday’s launch, three years in the making, represented the first step in NASA’s effort to [...]
NASA Debuts iPhone Application
October 29, 2009 || Category: Science News, Technology News | Leave a Comment
Want to keep up with the latest developments at NASA?
Now there’s an app for that.
The space agency launched an iPhone application last week that allows users to track current and future launches as well as keep up with the position of the International Space Station.
The app also offers users access to the agency’s vast [...]
NASA will have to wait a few hours or possibly another day for the test launch of its new Ares I-X rocket according to the Associated Press.
The space agency decided to delay Wednesday’s scheduled launch due to inclement weather conditions at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center.
The delay was the second in as many days for the [...]
Astronomers will all turning their eyes to the heavens for the next three nights in honor of Galileo, reports the Associated Press.
The “Galilean Nights” promoted by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) aim at giving hundreds of thousands of people the thrill of looking through a space telescope for the first time.
More than 1,000 public events [...]
NASA’s Swift satellite has sent back a stunning new look at our closest neighbor, the Andromeda Galaxy.
The newly released photo shows a high-resolution image of our neighbor in ultraviolet.
“The galaxy, known as M31 in the constellation Andromeda, is the largest and closest spiral galaxy to our own. This mosaic of M31 merges 330 individual images [...]
Cirque du Soleil founder, Guy Laliberte returned to Earth Sunday after a 12-day visit to the International Space Station, UPI reports.
Laliberte and two other astronauts landed safely in Kazakhstan.
Laliberte, who wore a bulbous clown nose during his stay aboard the International Space Station, was extracted from the Soyuz capsule Sunday morning following its landing.
After the [...]
Fox News has listed the 10 most prominent Lunar crashes since the creation of that heavenly body over 4.6 billion years ago. Here is their list:
#10: The LCROSS/LRO Probe
# 9: The Smart 1 Probe
# 8: Moon Meteorite Plague
# 7: “Sea of Showers”
# 6: The Lunar Prospector
# 5: Apollo 11 [...]
The search for water on the moon will take a huge step forward Friday when NASA crashes a water-seeking spacecraft into the lunar surface.
If all goes well, on Friday about 7:30 a.m. ET, the two parts of the LCROSS spacecraft will smack into the lunar surface at nearly 6,000 mph, sending up plumes of moon [...]
After a third success flyby, NASA’s Messenger probe has set a course for Mercury.
The probe completed a 12,000 mile-per-hour flyby last week, where it lost some data due to a communications glitch, and then set course for the solar system’s first planet. If everything goes according to plan, the probe will reach the innermost [...]
Say hello to Ardi, humankind’s most latest archeological find that puts her into the ever-lengthening family tree of human beings.
“Ardipithecus” is 4.4 million years old, which makes it about 1 million years older than the previous oldest link in the human geneolgy, a unique find several years ago by the famous Leaky team which they [...]
Billionaire and founder of the Cirque du Soleil, Guy Laliberte spent millions to become one of the first tourists in outer space, according to the Associated Press.
Laliberte blasted off into orbit on a Russian rocket on Wednesday. He spent millions from a personal fortune on his two week visit to the International Space Station (ISS), [...]
Scientists have discovered something extraordinary and new about our Moon. According to a new study, there are minute traces of water in the Moon’s dirty.
Three different space probes found the chemical signature of water all over the moon’s surface, surprising the scientists who at first doubted the unexpected measurement until it was confirmed independently [...]
Austrian Researchers Say Search for Intelligent Life Too Limited
September 23, 2009 || Category: Science News | 2 Comments
Researchers in Austria say that humanity’s current search parameters for intelligent life in the universe may be too limited.
Currently, scientists search for evidence of life based on water or carbon metabolism.
Now researchers from Austria have started a systematic study of solvents other than water that might be able to support life outside our planet. They’re [...]
Looking to visit the coolest spot in our solar system? If you thought to really experience the cold of outer space, you’d have to travel to Pluto, you’d be a few million miles off.
NASA’s new Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has discovered that the south pole of our moon is colder than Pluto after making its first [...]
Astronomers Discover Rocky Planet Outside Our Solar System
September 17, 2009 || Category: Science News | 2 Comments
Astronomers have finally found a place outside our solar system where there’s a firm place to stand — if only it weren’t so broiling hot.
As scientists search the skies for life elsewhere, they have found more than 300 planets outside our solar system. But they all have been gas balls or can’t be proven to [...]
The Mars rover Spirit traveled millions of miles to the red planet and has been sending back NASA scientists a wide variety of pictures and data.
But now it appears the rover may have come up against an obstacle it can’t overcome.
The rover has been stuck in the sands of Mars since May and yesterday NASA [...]
On last week’s Slice of SciFi, we brought you news that the Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee found that NASA would need an additional $3 billion a year to continue its current goal of back to the moon and possibly onward to Mars. And given the current economic climate, it [...]
French Photographers Create Milky Way Panorama
September 15, 2009 || Category: Featured, Space News | Leave a Comment
French photographers have stitched together a series of images to create a 360 degree panoramic view of the Milky Way galaxy, according to Wired.
The project available from the European Southern Observatory lets you visit any part of the galaxy and can be viewed on-line HERE.
Serge Brunier and Frédéric Tapissier patched together 1,200 photos of the [...]
After a week in space, the space shuttle Discovery touched back down to Earth Friday in California, according to the Associated Press.
Discovery landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California after weather conditions in Florida forced NASA officials to move the landing from Florida to California.
“Welcome home, Discovery,” Mission Control radioed. “Congratulations on an extremely [...]
Shuttle May Need to Dodge Debris on Return Flight
September 10, 2009 || Category: Space News | Leave a Comment
The space shuttle Discovery may have to dodge some floating “space junk” on its return flight to Earth, according to the Associated Press.
NASA scientists are looking at the possiblity that the return path for the shuttle may need to be altered to avoid some identified floating space debris. Reports indicate the debris may have come [...]
NASA Releases New Images From Hubble
September 10, 2009 || Category: Featured, Space News | 7 Comments
Following the successful repairs to the Hubble Space Telescope by the crew of a space shuttle is yielding some spectacular new photos of our universe.
NASA began releasing some of the new views of our universe yesterday.
NASA officials said they plan to use the orbiting observatory to probe Pluto, the one-time planet on the fringes of [...]
Remember the classic “Trek” episode, “By Any Other Name” where Captain Kirk had to fend off an alien invasion by a group from the Andromeda galaxy?
Well, it may be that our fictional hero was on to something. No, our galaxy hasn’t been invaded by aliens from Andromeda. But a new study of the Andromeda [...]
Will Astronauts Have to Dodge “Space Junk?”
September 3, 2009 || Category: Space News | Leave a Comment
If you think junk lying around on the roads is bad on Earth, imagine how much worse it is in space.
Any junk left lying aroud in space is moving at a good rate of speed up in orbit around our planet. In fact, debris left in space from unused satellites and other man-made objects can [...]
Astronauts Complete Successful Space Walk
September 2, 2009 || Category: Space News | Leave a Comment
Astronauts Nicole Stott and Danny Olivas successfully tackled a hefty tank removal job at the international space station Tuesday, reports the Associated Press. The space walk is one of several scheduled during the space shuttle Discovery’s seven-day mission to the International Space Station.
The astronauts disconnected a 1,300-pound ammonia tank and held it steady while [...]
Discovery Launches, Docks With Space Station
August 31, 2009 || Category: Space News | Leave a Comment
The exercise machine named after popular comedian Stephen Colbert has made it to the international Space Station according to the Associated Press..
The space shuttle Discovery docked with the station early this morning after lifting off over the weekend. The launch was delayed several times last week due to weather and a faulty valve. But NASA [...]
Mechanical Failure Calls Off Rocket Test in Utah
August 28, 2009 || Category: Space News | Leave a Comment
Yesterday we brought you news about NASA’s scheduled test of a new booster rocket, designed to help humanity get back to the moon or possibly Mars.
The test was scheduled for yesterday, but according to the Associated Press, NASA called off the test. The reason cited was mechanical failure.
The test wasn’t immediately rescheduled as officials scrambled [...]
NASA will test the latest generation of its new Ares moon rocket today, reports USA Today.
The first stage will be tested will be mounted horizontally and while it will be put through a series of tests, it will never leave the ground.
The same may be true for its ever being used to send human [...]
