|
New Space News
Latest Dispatches of Space and Astronomy Occurrences 2013: Jan 2012: Dec Nov Oct Sep Aug Jul Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan 2011: Dec Nov Oct Sep Aug Jul Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan 2010 2009 2008 more |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Powerful jets from Mars-bound comet spied by Hubble National Geographic, March 30, 2014 The Hubble Space Telescope is keeping tabs on an icy interloper which, after lurking in the outer reaches of the Solar System for a million years, is heading for a close encounter with Mars. Comet-hunting Rosetta satellite locks on to its target International Business Times, March 30, 2014 The European Space Agencys comet-hunter woke up from hibernation in deep space. While still far away from comet 67P/ChuryumovGerasimenko, it observed the frozen body. Newfound pink world lurks at Solar System fringes Associated Press, March 29, 2014 Peering into the far reaches of the Solar System, astronomers have spied a pink frozen world 7.5 billion miles from the Sun – the second such object in a region of space beyond Pluto considered a celestial wasteland. U.S. Air Force secretive X-37B space plane shatters orbit record NBC News, March 28, 2014 The robotic miniature space shuittle has broken its own all-time endurance record in orbit after more than 470 days of circling the Earth on a mystery mission for the American military. 'Mars yard' to test European rover BBC, March 27, 2014 Airbus has built a giant sand pit about the size of a basketball court in Stevenage to mimic the surface of Mars. Icy Chariklo asteroid has ring system BBC, March 26, 2014 The asteroid Chariklo has been confirmed as the smallest object in the Solar System to display a ring system. Encircling bands of material are more usually associated with the giant planets, such as Saturn and Uranus. Europe begins Mars site selection for 2018 ExoMars rover BBC, March 26, 2014 The European Space Agency has published a list of eight sites it is considering as a destination for the 600 lb. vehicle, which will land in January 2019 to search for evidence of past or present life. Space shuttle veteran preserves history Los Angeles Times, March 17, 2014 NASA shuttle veteran Dennis Jenkins, who spent 30 years sending shuttles into space, now is helping the California Science Center build its Endeavour display, giving old parts new life for the L.A. exhibit.
Shooting photos of the stars Popular Photography, Feb. 27, 2014 The night sky has inspired artists for millennia, and it is no less a muse for photographers today. Digital technology makes shooting stars more accessible than ever and requires no special equipment.
Using big data to find a second Earth Time magazine, jan. 17, 2014 Somewhere out there are worlds that can support life as we know it and Lisa Kalenegger has a way to find them. The private space race is on Phys.Org News, Jan. 3, 2014 Private American rockets blast open 2014 and commercial space race with big bangs on Jan. 6 and 7.
Top exoplanet finds of 2013 Science News, Dec. 28, 2013 With the addition of 180 new worlds to the Paris Observatory's list of confirmed exoplanets, there are now more than 1,000 known planets orbiting stars other than the Sun. Dark energy gets more confusing Science News, Dec. 28, 2013 New measurements of light from distant exploding stars were supposed to illuminate the dark energy that is pushing the cosmos apart. Instead they have further shrouded the Universe's fate. Meteorite makes an impact Science News, Dec. 27, 2013 A 62-foot-wide space rock plowed through the atmosphere and exploded over southwestern Russia, shattering windows and causing 1,600 injuries. It was the largest recorded meteor since 1908. OPfficials reevaluated impact risks and increased monitoring for future events. Visitor from the Oort Cloud Science News, Dec. 27, 2013 Comet ISON was an ordinary-sized comet millions of years ago in the faraway Oort Cloud. A passing star may have given it a nudge onto a journey to within about 750,000 miles of the Sun. Methane shortage on Mars Science News, Dec. 26, 2013 After months of searching, the NASA rover Curiosity detected no appreciable methane in Mars atmosphere, disappointing scientists who had hoped to find a strong sign of life on the Red Planet. Voyager 1 reaches interstellar space Science News, Dec. 24, 2014 Some 36 years later, the Voyager 1 spacecraft became the first human-made object to pass beyond the heliosphere, the giant invisible bubble inflated by subatomic particles from the Sun, and enter the space between the stars. Death of a planet hunter Science News, Dec. 24, 2013 Using the Kepler Space Telescope, scientists discovered 10 earth-sized worlds and identified hundreds of yet-to-be-confirmed Earth-sized candidates. Planck refines cosmic history Sciencde News, Dec. 20, 2013 Astronomers say good-bye to the European Space Agency's Planck satellite, breaking off contact with the source of the most precise measurements yet of the Universes oldest light. The editor apologizes for the inconvenience of this missing segment of the New Space News archive.
The white veins of Mars ABC News, Jan. 19, 2013 Curiosity rover hits a jackpot in its quest for a wetter past. NASA's Spirit and Opportunity rovers nine years on the Red Planet Huffington Post, January 2013 The golf-cart-size rovers landed on Mars in January 2004 on what was to have been only a 90-day search for signs of past water activity on the Red Planet. NASA sends Mona Lisa to the Moon on a laser beam MSNBC, Jan. 18, 2013 The U.S. space agency's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter scientists sent an image of the famous painting from Earth to the Moon-orbiting spacecraft's Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter. It waa the first one-way laser communication at planetary distances. Smoky black cloud in space hides baby stars European Southern Observeatory, Jan. 16, 2013 A photo from a telescope in South America shows a deep space cloud obscuring a noisy nursery of starbith. Europeans agree to build a key piece of NASA's Orion spaceship NBC News, Jan. 16, 2013 NASA and the European Space Agency have signed an agreement calling for the Europeans to provide the service module for the Orion space capsule, the U.S. space agency's crew vehicle for exploration beyond Earth orbit. International space station to receive inflatable module Washington Post, Jan. 16, 2013 The ISS is getting a new, inflatable room that resembles a giant spare tire. Russia plans to send a probe to the Moon in 2015 Reuters, Jan. 15, 2013 Russia will resume a long-dormant quest to explore the moon by sending an unmanned probe called Luna-Glob, or Moon-Globe, there in 2015 on the first rocket to blast off from a new facility that Russia is building in its far eastern Amur region. Satellites spy beetle attacks on forests Live Science, Jan. 15, 2013 A computer program can detect minute changes in the health of forests by analyzing wavelengths of light given off by the landscape and recorded in satellite images. Galaxies' crash sparks largest known spiral galaxy BBC, Jan. 11, 2013 Astronomers using the Galaxy Evolution Explorer satellite to hunt for star-forming regions around galaxy NGC 6872 accidentaly spotted what now is the largest known spiral galaxy, a vast swathe of ultraviolet light from young stars, indicating a galaxy as big as five of our Milky Way galaxies. The large rocky asteroid Apophis will not hit Earth in 2036 BBC, Jan. 11, 2013 Astronomers have decided a 300m-wide asteroid will not hit the Earth in 2036. California's SpaceX plans astronaut flights in 2015 BBC, Jan. 10, 2013 The U.S. firm says it expects to start launching humans into orbit in its Dragon capsule. Earth-sized planets number 17 billion BBC, Jan. 8, 2013 Astronomers say one in six stars hosts an Earth-sized planet in a close orbit suggesting a total of 17 billion such planets in our galaxy. 100 billion alien planets fill our galaxy Fox News, Jan. 5, 2013 Our Milky Way galaxy is home to at least 100 billion alien planets, and possibly many more. Black Beauty meteorite points to Mars' kinder, gentler past Tech News World, Jan. 5, 2013 A baseball-sized meteorite that contains more water than any previously found from Mars is adding evidence to the case for life on the Red Planet. Carbon rich asteroids caused dark patches at protoplanet Vesta French Tribune, Jan. 5, 2013 It had been thought that dark patches on Vesta came about from geological processes on the planet. However, now it seems the dark patches occurred from the collision of asteroids. Dwarf galaxies found orbiting Andromeda confound scientists Alaska Dispatch, Jan. 4, 2013 Thirteen dwarf galaxies are playing a cosmic-scale game of Ring Around Andromeda, forming an enormous structure astronomers have never seen before and are hard-pressed to explain with current theories of how galaxies form and evolve. NASA says 2013 will be a year of science on the space station Orlando Sentinel, Jan. 4, 2013 NASA will step closer to fulfilling the promise of the $100 billion space station that was intended to be a groundbreaking laboratory circling about 220 miles above Earth. NASA's next Mars mission readies for 2013 launch NASA, January 2013 The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission, scheduled for launch in late 2013, will be the first mission devoted to understanding the Martian upper atmosphere. Astronomy calendar of celestial events for 2013 Sea & Sky, January 2013 Dates for notable celestial events including moon phases, meteor showers, eclipses, occultations, oppositions, conjunctions, and other interesting events. Night sky highlights for 2013 MSNBC, January 2013 The year's most eagerly awaited shows in the skies above might not happen, but that's exactly what makes them so eagerly awaited. First alien Earth will be found in 2013 Discovery, January 2013 The first truly Earth-like alien planet is likely to be spotted in an epic discovery that would cause humanity to reassess its place in the Universe.
NASA, December 2012 Shuttles retired, Mercury ice, interstellar matter, Curiosity lands, Hubble discoveries, Orion spacecraft, commercial space, lost pioneers and more. Top 10 science stories of 2012 CNN, Dec. 28, 2012 Danger meets discovery: Curiosity on Mars, Baumgartner's jump from space, planet with four suns, nearby star has a planet, Vesta is a protoplanet, SpaceX to the space station. Top 10 space stories of 2012 Astronomy, Dec. 28, 2012 Astronomers found tiny galaxies ferociously forming stars, the most advanced planetary rover safely touched down on Mars, physicists discovered a particle theyÕve been seeking for 40 years, and more. The biggest astronomy stories of 2012 Tech Hive, Dec. 28, 2012 This year in geek: Mercury, Voyager 1, Hubble, exoplanets, commercial space, Curiosity, supersonic man, and more. The best astronomy images of 2012 Slate, Dec. 19, 2012 21 mind-bending shots. Space Today Online, Dec. 13, 2012 A spacefaring nation is a country with a rocket powerful enough for space launches. Spacefaring nations are those which launch their own satellites to orbit. The first countries to loft their artificial moons to orbit above Earth are listed in chronological order. North Korea puts satellite in orbit, prompting outrage Spaceflight Now, Dec. 12, 2012 North Korea launched a three-stage rocket to deploy an object in orbit, catapulting the isolated nation into an elite club and raising international concerns over the country's long-range missile strike capabilities. See: The first nations able to put their own satellites in orbit » Onward and skyward Science News, Dec. 1, 2012 With new efforts aimed at the stars, China seeks to revive its astronomical reputation.
Mikhail Kornienko and Scott Kelly to stay a year at space station ARRL, Nov. 27, 2012 Cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko of the Russian Federal Space Agency and NASA Astronaut Scott Kelly plan a one year mission aboard the International Space Station in 2015. They will collect scientific data important to future human exploration of our Solar System and to understand better how the human body reacts and adapts to the harsh environment of space as NASA plans for missions around the Moon, an asteroid and ultimately Mars. Three hams return to Earth from ISS ARRL, Nov. 20, 2012 A Soyuz spacecraft carrying Expedition 33 Commander Suni Williams, KD5PLB, and flight engineers Yuri Malenchenko, RK3DUP, and Aki Hoshide, KE5DNI, landed in the steppes of Kazakhstan, returning them safely to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) after 127 days in space. First map produced of Universe 11 billion years ago Reuters, Nov. 13, 2012 An international team of astronomers has produced the first map of the Universe as it was 11 billion years ago, filling a gap between the Big Bang and the rapid expansion that followed.
NASA rover finds Mars' soil similar to Hawaii's Reuters, Oct. 30, 2012 In the first inventory of minerals on another planet, NASA's Mars rover Curiosity found soil that bears a striking resemblance to weathered, volcanic sand in Hawaii. International Space Station deploys five CubeSats ARRL, Oct. 4, 2012 Five research CubeSats - all with Amateur Radio communication systems - were deployed from the International Space Station. The satellites were launched from the Kibo station module using a specially equipped robotic arm. The group includes TechEdSat, FITSAT-1, WE WISH, RAIKO, and F-1..
Endeavour's final flight photo gallery DVICE, Sept. 23, 2012 Space shuttle Endeavour made a last flight aboard the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft from Edwards Air Force Base to the California Science Center. Astrochemistry enters a bold new era with ALMA Astronomy Magazine, Sept. 21, 2012 The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array is opening a new era of deciphering the chemistry of the universe. Landsat 8 photo satellite to join 40-year mission Associated Press, Sept. 21, 2012 The leet of NASA satellites for 40 years has documented forest fires, tsunamis and everyday changes in the Earth's geography. Dawn spacecraft sees hydrated minerals on giant asteroid Astronomy Magazine, Sept. 21, 2012 The giant asteroid Vesta has its own version of ring around the collar. Curiosity Mars rover picks up the pace BBC, Sept. 20, 2012 The Curiosity rover is making good progress towards its first major science destination on Mars. President's signature, U.S. flag onboard Curiosity NASA, Sept. 19, 2012 Curiosity's deck holds an anodized aluminum plaque bearing signatures of US officials, including President Obama and Vice President Biden, on the rover's 44th Martian day. Snapshots of the Heavens: Amazing Astronomy Photos Time Magazine, Sept. 19, 2012 The Royal Observatory culled 800 entries from astronomers and astro-photographers around the world to compile the best astronomy photos of the year. Dark energy camera snaps first images ahead of survey BBC, Sept. 18, 2012 Dark Energy Survey's 570-million-pixel camera, the most powerful sky-scanning camera yet built, will scan 300 million galaxies in the coming five years to pin down the mysterious stuff that makes up nearly three-quarters of our Universe. Cosmonauts and astronaut land in Kazakhstan CBS, Sept. 16, 2012 Two Russian cosmonauts and a NASA flight engineer bid their three International Space Station crewmates farewell Sunday, strapped into their Soyuz TMA-04M ferry craft, undocked from the lab complex and fell back to Earth, making a pinpoint landing in Kazakhstan to close out a 125-day voyage. Girls launch their own high-interest STEM project into space Edutopia, Sept. 14, 2012 Six middle-school girls from Bowling Green, Kentucky, got the idea to launch a camera into space. They had to learn everything from weather balloons to high-definition cameras, raise thousands of dollars to buy the gear, and address a host of technical challenges. Three months later, they had breathtaking photographic evidence from 22 miles above Earth to prove that they had accomplished their mission. Dawn departs Vesta USA Today, Sept. 5, 2012 NASA's Dawn spacecraft has spiraled out of the gravitational grasp of the asteroid on its way to explore another asteroid, Ceres, in 2015. Spacewalking team repairs space station's power system USA Today, Sept. 5, 2012 Astronauts have triumphed over a stubborn bolt on their second try. Five obstacles to landing people on Mars USA Today, Sept. 2, 2012 Sending humans on a mission to Mars will require overcoming outlandish obstacles.
Twin probes launched to explore radiation belt USA Today, Aug. 30, 2012 NASA's two-year mission to study Earth's Van Allen radiation belts is under way.
New York Times, August 25, 2012 Neil Armstrong, who made the "giant leap for mankind" as the first human to set foot on the Moon, died on Aug. 25, 2012. He was 82. First man on Moon Neil Armstrong dead at 82 Reuters, August 25, 2012 U.S. astronaut Neil Armstrong, who took a giant leap for mankind when he became the first person to walk on the Moon, has died at the age of 82 ollowing complications from heart-bypass surgery. To hero-astronaut Neil Armstrong, moonwalk was 'just' a job Associated Press, August 25, 2012 Neil Armstrong made "one giant leap for mankind" with a small step onto the Moon. He commanded the historic landing of the Apollo 11 spacecraft on the Moon July 20, 1969, capping the most daring of the 20th century's scientific expeditions and becoming the first man to walk on the Moon. Reactions to the death of Neil Armstrong, the first human to walk on the Moon Washington Post, August 25, 2012 "Neil was among the greatest of American heroes – not just of his time, but of all time," President Barack Obama said. Video: Neil Armstrong becomes first man on the Moon Washington Post, August 25, 2012 NASA footage showing Neil Armstrong taking his first steps on the Moon on July 20, 1969. Photo gallery: A look at Armstrong's life and career Washington Post, August 25, 2012 A collection of Neil Armstrong photographs. Newspaper page: A look at Neil Armstrong's historic moonwalk Washington Post, August 25, 2012 A look back at Neil Armstrong making history on July 20, 1969, when he became the first person to walk on the Moon. Revisit that moment with the Washington Post's article and front page featuring his remarkable feat. Photo gallery and video: Space legend Neil Armstrong dies CNN, August 25, 2012 Americans celebrate his remarkable life as an example to young people around the world to work hard to make their dreams come true, to be willing to explore and push the limits, and to selflessly serve a cause greater than themselves. Slide show: Neil Armstrong Houston Chronicle, August 25, 2012 Armstrong and fellow astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin spent nearly three hours walking on the Moon, collecting samples, conducting experiments and taking photographs. In all, 12 Americans walked on the Moon from 1969 to 1972. Reflecting on Neil Armstrong's Moon landing in 1969 Newsday, August 25, 2012 Armstrong's achievements captivated the nation. See in a gallery how a newspaper's columnists, editorial board and editorial cartoonist reacted to his landing. Moonwalker's 'a' got lost in transmission Associated Press, August 25, 2012 Was the walk on the Moon one small step for man, or a man? Farewell Neil Armstrong, the ultimate test pilot Wired Magazine, August 25, 2012 Neil Armstrong – who has died at the age of 82 – was best known as the commander of Apollo 11, but his career at NASA began nearly a decade earlier as a research test pilot. Wikipedia: Neil Armstrong August 26, 2012 Encyclopedic entry about Neil Alden Armstrong (August 5, 1930–August 25, 2012), an American astronaut, test pilot, aerospace engineer, university professor, United States Naval Aviator, and the first person to walk on the Moon.
Mars rover completes first drive Mars rover's wind sensor damaged Nasa selects another Mars mission Nasa's Mars rover zaps first rock Rover panorama: Begin exploring Mars Mars rover spied by satellite Rover makes detailed crater image Rover made near-perfect landing Space - the new rock and roll Rover makes first colour panorama Mars rover lifts its mast cameras Rover pictured on Mars from space Rover shoots movie during descent Photo shows Mars rover descent Nasa rover touches down on Mars Geological 'sweet shop' awaits Mars rover Nasa rides 'bucking bronco' to Mars Curiosity updates from the BBC. NASA Curiosity rover sends back first color picture Associated Press, August 7, 2012 The rover transmitted its first color photo and a low-resolution video showing the last 2 1/2 minutes of its white-knuckle dive through the Martian atmosphere. Curiosity's perilous landing was cleaner than any of NASA's pre-tests back home on Earth Los Angeles Times, August 7, 2012 In its final seconds, Curiosity required a correction of less than 10 feet after a journey of 352 million miles. NASA's Curiosity rover successfully lands on Mars BBC, August 6, 2012 The one-ton vehicle landed in a deep crater near the planet's equator to embark on a mission of at least two years to look for evidence that Mars may once have supported life. . Tweets from NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Twitter, August 6, 2012 @MarsCuriosity. Where is the Curiosity rover now? NASA Mission Control The latest updates on NASA's Mars Science Laboratory. Curiosity is the largest in a series of space buggies NBC News, August 6, 2012 Curiosity is the most sophisticated in a line of rovers dating to the Apollo era when astronauts were able to extend their range on the Moon with lunar equivalents of a dune buggy. Map of U.S. rovers on Mars CNN, August 6, 2012 Locations of previous America rovers on Mars prior to the August 2012 landing of the Mars Science Laboratory known as Curiosity. NASA's Mars Curiosity rover aims for accuracy USA Today, July 19, 2012 High heat, blazing speed, and a highly choreographed arrival – seven minutes of terror – as the Mars Curiosity rover lands on the Red Planet. NASA's Seven Minutes of Terror video 5:07 NASA, June 22, 2012 NASA's Curiosity one-ton robot rover makes an unprecedented risky maneuver during landing on Marts that keeps rover team members back on earth in suspense for 7 fateful minutes. NASA's retreat from Mars USA Today, July 17, 2012 The U.S., the former USSR, Russia, the European Space Agency, China and Japan have tried to reach Mars 43 times. Most that succeeded carried the American flag. Only six missions to the surface of Mars have successfully landed, all American. NASA's Mars program remains strong USA Today, July 22, 2012 USAToday article said to leave a false impression. BBC, August 7, 2012 The inquisitive scientist founded the University of Manchester's Jodrell Bank Observatory with the the Lovell Radio Telescope. India set to launch Mars mission in 2013 AFP, Aug. 2, 2012 India plans to put an orbital probe around the Red Planet to study its climate and geology. India also is planning its first manned spaceflight in 2016.. Students blend astronomy and social media Hays Free Press, August 1, 2012 tudents learned how telescopes work and how to collect data and shared their experiences through social media outlets.
High energy stereoscopic telescope sees first light Astronomy Magazine, July 27, 2012 The largest-ever Cerenkov telescope, looking out from Namibia, is dedicated to observing the most violent and extreme phenomena of the Universe in high-energy gamma rays. Sally Ride, an American woman who shattered the space ceiling New York Times, July 23, 2012 The first American woman to fly in space, Dr. Sally Ride, died July 23 at her home in San Diego. She was 61. Astronomers spot a primordial pinwheel, the oldest prominent spiral galaxy yet Scientific American, July 19, 2012 Three billion years after the Big Bang, most galaxies were clumpy and odd-shaped, but at least one had already assumed a familiar form. The shuttle Enterprise goes on display in New York BBC, July 19, 2012 The craft, completed in 1976, was NASA's first shuttle orbiter. It was not intended to fly into space. Instead, it performed test flights within Earth's atmosphere and paved the way for the five operational shuttles that followed. Cassini spies bright-blue daytime lightning on Saturn Fox News, July 19, 2012 NASA's Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn has captured an amazing view of lightning as bright blue spots inside a giant storm that raged on the ringed planet last year. Vegan food for astronauts on the first Mars mission One Green Planet, July 19, 2012 Remember astronaut ice cream, freeze-dried in a foil pouch? Or astronaut food squeezed out of tubes? Times have changed. The crew of the 2030 Mars mission will have fresh fruits and vegetables and live plants. Planet UCF 1.01 discovered by Florida scientists Orlando Sentinel, July 18, 2012 University of Central Florida scientists discovered another planet outside our Solar System. It is the closest Earth-size planet ever discovered. They named it UCF after their school. Pioneer spacecraft anomaly solved, and it's not new physics Los Angeles Times, July 18, 2012 A Jet Propulsion Laboratory researcher has solved the unexpected slowing of the two Pioneer spacecraft as the result of heat radiated by the spacecraft. A half century of pioneering the skies at Palomar CNET, July 17, 2012 After observing quasars and supernovae with its huge mirrors, storied Palomar Observatory, northeast of San Diego, still beckons scientists with its 200-inch telescope. Discovery Channel wide-field telescope focuses for you USA Today, July 16, 2012 The storied Lowell Observatory's new Discovery Channel Telescope in Arizona will bring asteroids hurtling past Earth, comets burning in the solar wind and frozen worlds whirling at the edge of our Solar System into your living room. Russian Soyuz blasts off with crew for the space station BBC, July 15, 2012 A Russian rocket has blasted off from Kazakhstan with a a three-man crew of Russian, Japanese and American astronauts bound for the International Space Station (ISS). Satellites have an electric future BBC, July 14, 2012 One of the most interesting trends in satellite production in the next few years is likely to be the wide introduction of electric ion propulsion units replacing the chemical thrusters used to maneuver them in space. What happened to Hilton's hotel on the Moon? BBC, July 13, 2012 It is more than half a century since the idea of a Hilton hotel on the Moon was first mentioned. NASA could be 'terrified' at Mars landing Los Angeles Times, July 11, 2012 NASA's Mars mission aims to determine whether conditions existed at any time to support microbial life on the Red Planet. Hubble discovers new Pluto moon BBC, July 11, 2012 Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have discovered a fifth moon circling the dwarf planet Pluto, with an irregular shape between 6 and 15 miles across. Virgin Galactic to launch small satellites BBC, July 11, 2012 Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic private company is pushing ahead with its small satellite launch system. Huge vortex spied on Saturn moon BBC, July 11, 2012 Nasa's Cassini spacecraft has spotted a swirling green mass of gas at the south pole of Saturn's moon Titan. Move to open sky for Skylon spaceplane BBC, July 11, 2012 The UK government is working to put in place regulations that would license the operation of spaceplanes in European airspace. Asteroid named for gay rights pioneer Frank Kameny Associated Press, July 10, 2012 A Canadian amateur astronomer has named an asteroid he discovered after a U.S. gay rights pioneer, who died in Washington in 2011.
World's most powerful rocket launches secret US satellite Christian Science Monitor, June 29, 2012 The NROL-15 spy satellite blasted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida atop a Delta 4-Heavy booster, the most powerful liquid hydrogen rocket engines ever built. Astronomers' old trick opens new window on extrasolar planets Christian Science Monitor, June 27, 2012 A method astronomers have used for nearly 20 years to indirectly find planets orbiting other stars has for the first time been used to take the direct measure of an extrasolar planet itself. New NASA game lets players build and launch a virtual rocket MarketWatch, June 27, 2012 With NASA's Rocket Science 101, a game for iPads and computers, you don't have to be a rocket scientist to launch a spacecraft. Meteor metal among Solar System's oldest UPI, June 26, 2012 U.S. scientists have discovered a primitive mineral in a meteorite that they believe to be among the oldest minerals formed in the Solar System.
China Radio International, July 10, 2012 Reaction to China's successful, first manned space docking with the launch of the Shenzhou-9 spacecraft was loud and clear from the U.S. space community: "Congratulations!" Chinese astronauts return safely to Earth in rough landing Christian Science Monitor, June 29, 2012 Three Chinese astronauts returned to Earth after 13 days in space on a historic mission that made their country only the third nation ever to successfully dock a manned spacecraft to another in orbit.. Shenzhou-9 docks with Tiangong-1 BBC, June 17, 2012 China's Shenzhou-9 capsule, carrying the nation's first female astronaut, links up with the Tiangong-1 space lab. Who is China's first female astronaut? Christian Science Monitor, June 16, 2012 Liu Yang, a 34-year-old fighter pilot, is China's first female astronaut to travel into space. China launches rocket carrying its first female astronaut Los Angeles Times, June 16, 2012 Shenzhou-9 marks China's breakthrough into the exclusive club once made up only of the United States and Russia.. UPI, June 15, 2012 NASA data from its Voyager 1 spacecraft show the venerable deep-space explorer, launched in 1977, has nearly reached the edge of the Solar System. Hobby-Eberly Telescope measures two stars with one planet Penn State Live, June 1, 2012 Penn State astronomers have measured a pair of stars orbited by one planet – like the stellar system of the fictional planet Tatooine in the movie Star Wars. The orbits of the stars and planet in the system, named Kepler 16, are aligned so that they eclipse each other when observed from Earth.
First private space telescope may hunt asteroids New Scientist, May 31, 2012 A private, non-profit organization plans to launch a space telescope dedicated to finding deadly asteroids before they find us - a project that governments have been slow to take up. SpaceX Falcon 9 Dragon launch to space station NASA, May 22, 2012 The flight by Space Exploration Technologies was part of its contract with NASA to have private companies launch cargo safely to the International Space Station.
Marathon mouse space mission boosts bone protection New Scientist, April 7, 2012 A group of mice have returned to Earth after the longest mission any animal has endured in space. The mice were floating around for 91 days to test a way to prevent the breakdown of bone.
Jupiter moon's ocean may be too acidic for life Yahoo, March 4, 2012 The ocean underneath the icy shell of Jupiter's moon Europa might be too acidic to support life. Rocket passes big test for first private launch to space Yahoo, March 4, 2012 A private SpaceX rocket sailed through a dress rehearsal for launch of a Dragon capsule soon to the International Space Station. Oxygen envelops Saturn's icy moon BBC, March 2, 2012 NASA's Cassini spacecraft has detected oxygen around one of Saturn's icy moons, Dione. Galactic collision creates mysterious dark core Christian Science Monitor, March 2, 2012 Images captured by the Hubble Space Telescope reveal a mysterious clump of dark matter left behind after a massive collision in galaxy cluster Abell 520.
Possible 2018 mission means Mars exploration not totally dead Dvice, Feb. 29, 2012 NASA scrapes together funds from human spaceflight and space technology to make something happen in the next six years. How to capture images of stars USA Today, Feb. 28, 2012 Digital technology has done wonders for making astrophotography easy and affordable, with few extra tools needed. Astropix.com » China will attempt to dock with its space station module Washington Post, Feb. 17, 2012 China this summer will send three astronauts to dock with and live inside an experimental orbiting module launched last year. Russian cosmonauts take six-hour stroll in space The Register, UK, Feb. 17, 2012 Flight Engineers Oleg Kononenko and Anton Shkaplerov moved a crane and did other outside housekeeping at the International Space Station in preparation for a new lab and docking module. Mysterious Great Eruption of Eta Carinae is a star that didn't die ars technica, Feb. 16, 2012 During the 19th century, the Eta Carinae star system suddenly became the second-brightest in the night sky, then faded. It released energy as if the star had gone supernova, yet Eta Carinae somehow survives to this day. Celebrating John Glenn's feat 50 years later San Francisco Chronicle, Feb. 16, 2012 He was the first American to orbit the Earth, aboard the Mercury capsule Friendship 7 on Feb. 20, 1962. Hubble finds a relic of a shredded galaxy ESA/Hubble, Feb. 15, 2012 Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have found a cluster of young blue stars surrounding a mid-sized black hole that probably formed at the heart of a now-disintegrated dwarf galaxy. Privately-built Xombie rocket makes first free-flight for NASA Washington Post, Feb. 15, 2012 Masten Space Systems' private unmanned rocket made its first autonomous free-flight at the Mojave Air and Space Port in the California desert as part of a NASA program exploring vertical landing systems for Solar System exploration. President Obama kills later exploration of Mars and outer planets Wired, Feb. 13, 2012 The U.S. 2013 budget takes a deep bite out of Mars and outer-planet science. Iran has launched its third space satellite Christian Science Monitopr, Feb. 3, 2012 The Middle Eastern nation launched a small Earth-observing satellite into orbit, marking the country's first successful mission since a failed attempt to put a monkey in space. Space voyages shouldn't become politically incorrect MSNBC, Feb. 3, 2012 Politicians ask why we should spend money on space programs and going to Mars, when we need dollars here on Earth? The answer is in the benefits of the space program we see all around us. Spectacular new high-resolution image of our 'Blue Marble' Wired UK, Feb. 3, 2012 NASA used the planet-pointing satellite, Suomi NPP, to snap an extremely high-resolution photograph that is the 2012 version of the famous Blue Marble image of our watery world. Does our Milky Way galaxy have an evil twin? Christian Science Monitor, Feb. 3, 2012 The Hubble Space Telescope has photographed the galaxy NGC 1073, a barred spiral twin to our own Milky Way. Newly seen 'super Earth' is at just the right distance for life National Geographic, Feb. 2, 2012 A planet that probably is a rocky super Earth has been found squarely within its star's habitable zone, making it one of the best candidates yet to support life. NASA makes first ever video of the dark side of the Moon Fopx News, Feb. 2, 2012 A gravity-mapping Grail spacecraft orbiting the Moon has beamed home its first video of the lunar far side – a view people on Earth never see. NASA identifies high-priority technologies for next 5 years Information Week, Feb. 2, 2012 Recommendations, in pursuit of NASA's goals for space exploration and better understanding of Earth, focus on 16 technologies from radiation mitigation to solar power. We're living in a space cloud Discovery, Feb. 1, 2012 A NASA robotic probe sampling particles flowing into our Solar System from our galactic neighborhood shows we're living in a cloud – and likely to stay in it for thousands of years.
With the Sun's activity set to diminish, is global cooling coming? Fox News, Jan. 31, 2012 The debate over global warming may be heating up again amid new scientific evidence that the Sun's activity is cooling down, which might cause temperatures to fall on planet Earth. Russian Mars probe splashes Into Pacific Ocean Mashable, Jan. 15, 2012 The failed Russian space probe, Phobos-Grunt, that was slated to visit the Martian moon Phobos, instead dropped into Earth's Pacific Ocean. Scientists gear up to take a picture of a black hole PhysOrg, Jan. 14, 2012 By imaging the glow of matter swirling around a black hole before it goes over the edge of the point of no return and plunges into the abyss of space and time, scientists can see the outline or shadow of the black hole. International Space Station maneuvers to dodge space junk The Mirror, UK, Jan. 13, 2012 Thrusters were fired to move the ISS up to avoid being struck by a piece of space junk just larger than a cricket ball from an old communications satellite. Tiny planet triplets orbit dwarf star Futurity, jan. 13, 2012 The trio are rocky, smaller than Earth and orbit a star too closely to be in its habitable zone where the temperature is mild enough for liquid water and possibly life to exist.. Hubble spies earliest galaxy cluster ever seen Astronomy Now, Jan. 12, 2012 Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have uncovered a distant cluster of five tiny very young galaxies in the initial stages of construction 13.1 billion light years away. New tool peers through the heart of the Milky Way Gant Daily, Jan. 12, 2012 The infrared spectrograph can address a wide range of scientific issues from precise masses of eclipsing binary stars to the composition of M-dwarfs, the most common type of stars in our Milky Way galaxy. Amazing astronomy illustrations from the 1800s LiveScience, Jan. 11, 2012 Recently digitized drawings by a 19th-century artist reveal stunning sunspots, auroras and even planetary bodies as they were observed in the Victorian era. . Astronomers see more planets than stars in galaxy St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Jan. 11, 2012 The more astronomers look for other worlds, the more they find that it's a crowded and crazy cosmos. A fat cluster of galaxies is named El Gordo AccuWeather, Jan. 11, 2012 The most massive, hottest, most X-rays of any cluster found so far at great distance – consisting of two separate galaxy subclusters colliding at millions of miles per hour – is so far away that its light has traveled seven billion years to reach Earth. Stars are a window to science Charlotte Observer, Jan. 9, 2012 Astronomy institute in Western North Carolina draws kids in. How the Universe evolved from nothing Associated Press, Jan. 9, 2012 Theoretical physicist Lawrence Krauss's book follows his hugely popular YouTube video. video » 1:04:52 Tracing dark matter with ripples in the Whirlpool Galaxy Universe Today, Jan. 9, 2012 Ripples in the outer gas mirror the underlying dark matter revealing that hydrogen in the disk is wrapped loosely around the galaxy's central bulge. Astronaut to lead starship effort BBC, Jan. 5, 2012 Mae Jemison, the first African-American woman to go into space, has been chosen by NASA and the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to lead the 100-Year Starship project that will take humanity to the stars. Stars that ring like bells Science 2.0, Jan. 5, 2012 The planet-hunting Kepler space telescope is finding we can see, but not, hear sonic pressure waves generated from stars. America's secret spaceplane may be spying on China BBC, Jan. 5, 2012 America's 29-ft. model of a space shuttle, the X-37B spaceplane, may be spying on China's Tiangong laboratory in space. The U.S. robot craft has a payload bay similar to a van and can descend through the atmosphere to a runway. Images: X-37B spaceplane Tiangong spacelab Unlocking cosmology with type 1a supernovae Universe Today, Jan. 5, 2012 Cosmologists publish papers that constrain the size of the visible Universe, the rate of its breakneck expansion, and the distance to galaxies that lie closer and closer to the edges of both time and space. Type 1a Supernova. How exactly do they do it? How bad can a coronal mass ejection be? AccuWeather, Jan. 4, 2012 NASA has said Earth will face a barrage of increasingly common solar storms known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs) during 2012 and 2013. NASA's Grail-A and Grail-B gravity twins are circling the Moon BBC, Jan. 1, 2012 The U.S. space agency has placed the two satellites in elliptical orbits around the lunar body to map gravity variations across the Moon in unprecedented detail.
Where would Earth-like planets find water? Discovery, Dec. 30, 2011 Astronomers have been finding extrasolar planets in the habitable zones surrounding their stars. This is the 'Goldilocks Zone' where temperatures are just right for water to remain in liquid form and presumably nurture life as we know it.. Dazzling satellite view of vast, bright Moon crater Wired Magazine, Dec. 30, 2011 The enormous crater Aristarchus can be seen with the naked eye and modest binoculars enhance the view. NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter snapped an image as it swooped down to 16 miles above the lunar surface, just twice as high as airliners fly on Earth. Space mountain produces terrestrial meteorites NASA, Dec. 30, 2011 The discovery of a towering mountain on the giant asteroid Vesta could solve a longstanding mystery: How did so many pieces of the giant asteroid end up right here on our own planet? NASA is not a priority for most presidential candidates Boston Herald, Dec. 29, 2011 Of all the presidential candidates, the election of Newt Gingrich likely would have the greatest effect on NASA for one simple reason. He would pay attention to it. Twin probes about to enter Moon orbit TG Daily, Dec. 29, 2011 NASA's twin GRAIL-A and GRAIL-B spacecraft are entering orbit around the Moon to study its composition and gravity field. Two planets survived the death of their suns Time Magazine, Dec. 29, 2011 Kepler Space Telescope revealed planets that were swallowed by their stars and lived to tell the tale. China's spaceflight plans through 2016 are far-reaching USA Today, Dec. 29, 2011 China plans to launch space labs and manned craft and prepare to build space stations over the next five years. Its eventual goals are to have a space station and put an astronaut on the Moon. By the end of 2016, China will launch space laboratories, manned spacecraft and spave freighters, and make technological preparations for the construction of space stations, according to a new five-year plan.
Washington Post, Jan. 5, 2012 The news ranged from spectacular auroral displays and effects on communications, power grids and satellite operations, to meteor showers, comets, solar and lunar eclipses, and space exploration. 2011's top mysteries of space The Week, Dec. 29, 2011 Between a giant planet made of diamond and a massive stellar explosion that shone with the light of a trillion suns, 2011 was quite a year for stargazers. Hunt for 'Goldilocks Planet' is among top 2011 sci-tech stories Radio Free Europe, Dec. 29, 2011 The astronomical search came in third in RFE/RL's list of the most intriguing breakthroughs in the world of science and technology this past year. Best picks of space and astronomy pics from 2011 Universe Today, Dec. 28, 2011 The year 2011 was picturesque, bringing discovery of a supernova, the end of an era in human spaceflight, and more. 2011 photo highlights from Saturn Spaceflight Now, Dec. 27, 2011 NASA's Cassini spacecraft circling Saturn returned scores of picturesque scenes of the giant planet and its moons in 2011. The color images show not only the planet Saturn, but also its methane-rich moon Titan and some of the planet's other rocky satellites. Scientists have discovered 62 moons orbiting Saturn. Cassini is in an extended mission to study Saturn through 2017. The must-see outerspace travel videos of 2011 First Post, Dec. 22, 2011 Cool space and science videos from an historic year in space. A brighter future for spaceflight Space Travel, Australia, Dec. 21, 2011 These are probably the worst times the spaceflight community has experienced in decades. But there's reason for hope. Space lasts and firsts in 2011 EE Times, Dec. 21, 2011 It was a year of lasts and firsts in space exploration. There was a growing list of space firsts during 2011 that have greatly accelerated man's understanding of the Universe. Most amazing astronomy stories – 11 in 2011 MSNBC, Dec. 21, 2011 From imaging of potentially habitable faraway planets, detection of another moon around Pluto, and lunar and solar eclipses, astronomical research in 2011 made extraordinary strides and raised questions for the future. Astronomy discoveries in 2011 The Quad, Boston University, December, 2011 2011 was an important year for astronomy, and with more advances in our capabilities to explore the Universe, 2012 might be even more impressive. NASA's biggest news in 2011 NASA, Dec. 20, 2011 NASA planned for human exploration of deep space, fostered commercial spaceflight and made major outerspace discoveries in 2011.
Discovery, Dec, 23, 2011 NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) imaged a beautiful nebula called Barnard 3 and nicknamed Wreath Nebula by mission scientists. Merry Christmas from International Space Station astronauts 240 miles up The Daily Mail, UK, Dec. 20, 2011 Commander Ron Garan and his crew are having a busy and festive season as three more astronauts prepare to join them for the holidays. Hark! Is that the Christmas Star in the sky? The Journal, Dec. 17, 2011 Astronomy Ireland checked out an extremely bright star that's been shining in the night sky and found it's actually the planet Jupiter. Christmas gamma-ray burst intrigues astronomers CNN, Nov. 30, 2011 There are differing explanations for the strange observations of a gamma-ray burst detected on December 25, 2010, by the Burst Alert Telescope on NASA's Swift satellite. Agence France-Presse, Dec. 23, 2011 A fragment of a Russian satellite that crashed into Siberia struck a residential house on a street named after cosmonauts. NASA is using smartphone-driven robots at the ISS Information Week, Dec., 27, 2011 Small satellites powered by modified smartphones act as astronaut assistants aboard the International Space Station. ISS astronaut shoots movie of sungrazer Comet Lovejoy National Geographic, Dec. 22, 2011 Time-lapse video shot through a window of the International Space Station by Commander Dan Burbank shows Earth's horizon at dawn with lightning storms, stars and Comet Lovejoy rising above and beyond the atmosphere. Hubble offers a glimpse of the dawn of time The Daily Mail, UK, Dec. 22, 2011 An image of the cold and dark Universe shows a unique galaxy forming at the rate of 100 suns a year just 750 million years after the Big Bang when the Universe was a mere five percent of its current age. Hubble spots possibly organic carbon compounds on Pluto's surface Popular Science, Dec. 21, 2011 The Hubble Space Telescope has sniffed out evidence of complex carbon molecules, the building blocks of life, on the frozen surface of the distant dwarf Solar System planet Pluto. Russian, European, American astronauts are 30th expedition to the space station Spaceflight Now, Dec. 21, 2011 A Russian Soyuz rocket lifted a three-man all-veteran crew from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to Earth orbit enroute to the International Space Station. New 'deep fried' planets found are survivors of star death National Geographic, Dec. 21, 2011 Two newfound Earth-size planets seen by NASA's Kepler Space Telescope probably are charred survivors of a near-death encounter with their fading parent star. Scientists thrilled by new images of asteroid Vesta CBS, Dec. 21, 2011 NASA's Dawn spacecraft has sent home more than 10,000 pictures of the asteroid Vesta since it slipped into orbit around the giant space rock in summer 2011. It seems Earth usually may have a second moon PhysOrg, Dec. 21, 2011 Sometimes near Earth orbit (NEO) comets and asteroids get pulled in by the Earth-Moon system's gravity to become moons of Earth temporarily. NASA's RXTE satellite may have found the smallest black hole Forbes, Dec. 17, 2011 After astronomers recently discovered what may be the largest black holes in the Universe, they now may have found the smallest. Comet Lovejoy survives brush with the Sun PC Magazine, Dec. 16, 2011 The first sungrazing comet to be discovered by an observer on the ground in more than 40 years did not disintegrate, was not vaporized, as it passed our star, and retains much of its brilliance as it moves away. Russia's Mars probe to plunge to Earth in January USA Today, Dec. 16, 2011 The unmanned Phobos-Ground Mars probe stuck in Earth's orbit will plummet to Earth between Jan. 6 and Jan. 19. Our supermassive black hole will eat gas cloud BBC, Dec. 14, 2011 A giant gas cloud is spiraling at 5 million mph along a squashed-oval path toward the supermassive black hole at the heart of our Milky Way galaxy. It t will arrive in the middle of 2013 providing our first close-up look at a black hole consuming a cloud. Nasa's space harpoon will take samples from comets BBC, Dec. 14, 2011 Engineers say it will be safer to collect material from the big frozen chunks of ice, gas and dust using the harpoon rather than trying to land on the celestial bodies. The samples should reveal the origins of the planets and how life was created on Earth. Russian space designer Boris Chertok dies at 99 USA Today, Dec. 14, 2011 Russian rocket designer Boris Chertok, who played a key role in engineering Soviet-era space victories, died of pneumonia at age 99. He was involved in orbiting the world's first satellite in 1957 and preparing the first human spaceflight in 1961. He once was deputy to the father of the Soviet space program, Sergei Korolyov. Giant plane to launch people and cargo into orbit USA Today, Dec. 13 Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and aerospace pioneer Burt Rutan are building a giant airplane and spaceship to zip people and cargo to orbit. 50th anniversary of the first Orbital Satellite Carrying Amateur Radio OSCAR 1 ARRL QST, Dec. 12, 2011 On December 12, 1961, the first amateur radio satellite, OSCAR 1, was launched to Earth orbit. Japan launches its second spy satellite this year Associated Press, Dec. 12, 2011 Japan successfully put a spy satellite into orbit from Tanegashima Island and expects to complete its network of intelligence-gathering spacecraft with a launch in 2012. Volcanoes on Io BBC, 2011 Professor Brian Cox, a particle physicist at the University of Manchester, explains the incredible volcanism on Jupiter's moon Io, the most geologically active object in the Solar System. Video, 5:20 SpaceX poised to make history with space station docking Los Angeles Times, Dec. 9, 2011 The private Hawthorne, California, venture SpaceX will attempt the first-ever commercial cargo run to the International Space Station in February 2012. Its Dragon space capsule will dock with the $100-billion International Space Station – a feat that's been accomplished only by the world's wealthiest nations. Mars rover Opportunity finds 'most powerful' water clue BBC, Dec. 8, 2011 The aging rover has found slivers of a bright material that looks very much like gypsum, which is calcium sulphate, an unambiguous signal of water activity on the Red Planet. A major milestone in the search for Earth's twin Reuters, Dec. 6, 2011 The most Earth-like planet ever discovered is circling a star 600 light years away, a key finding in an ongoing quest to learn if life exists beyond Earth. Kepler-22b, on the list of more than 500 planets found to orbit stars beyond our Solar System, is the smallest and the best positioned to have liquid water on its surface. New views of giant asteroid Vesta revealed Taiwan News, Dec. 6, 2011 NASA's Dawn spacecraft has beamed back stunning images of the massive asteroid Vesta revealing it is more like a planet than an asteroid. How to picture the size of the Universe Wired News, Dec . 6, 2011 NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has produced the deepest image of the universe ever taken when astronomers pointed Hubble at one small patch of the sky for several months and recording every tiny photon of light they could capture. Final space shuttle commander leaving NASA Florida Today, Dec. 5, 2011 Chris Ferguson, a veteran of three shuttle missions and the last astronaut to command a space shuttle, is retiring from NASA after 11 years. Alien planets get pigeonholed MSNBC, Dec. 5, 2011 Researchers have set up an online "periodic table," known as the Habitable Exoplanets Catalog, for extrasolar planets ranging from so-called Hot Mercurians to Cold Jovians, with Earth-like worlds right in the middle. Record massive black holes discovered lurking in monster galaxies UC Berkeley, Dec. 5, 2011 Astronomers have seen the largest black holes to date – two monsters with masses equivalent to 10 billion Suns that are threatening to consume anything, even light, within a region five times the size of our Solar System.. Incredible spinning star rotates at a million miles per hour Universe Today, Dec. 5, 2011 The massive, bright, young, hot blue giant star, located in the Large Magellanic Cloud, called VFTS 102, rotates at a million miles per hour, or 300 times faster than our Sun does. New Horizons becomes closest spacecraft to approach Pluto NASA, Dec. 3, 2011 NASA's New Horizons mission has reached a special milestone on its way to reconnoiter the Pluto system, coming closer to the dwarf planet than any other spacecraft. Video» Dwarf Planet Mysteries Beckon to New Horizons 2:45 Massive 18 new planets discovered Hindustan Times, India, Dec. 3, 2011 Using twin telescopes at the Keck Observatory in Hawaii, Caltech astronomers have discovered 18 new Jupiter-like planets orbiting massive stars. Europe ends calls to stranded Mars probe BBC, Dec. 3, 2011 It is looking increasingly grim for Russia's Mars probe stuck circling the Earth since its launch in early November. Other than brief radio contact, there has been silence. The European Space Agency is ceasing further attempts to get a signal. Strange red galaxies a 'missing link' in history of the Universe? Christian Science Monitor, Dec. 2, 2011 The discovery of four ruby-red, dim galaxies at the farthest fringes of the Universe help scientists understand how the earliest galaxies evolved to become what we see today. Hot on trail of 'just right' far-off planet New York Times, Dec. 2, 2011 In the last few years, astronomers have announced they have found planets orbiting stars in a sweet spot known as the habitable zone – not too hot, not too cold – where water and perhaps life are possible. U.S. Air Force X-37B space plane orbital cruise extended Engadget, Dec. 2, 2011 The billion-dollar robotic vehicle's spaceflight has been extended beyond the 270 days of its initial design. Astronomers catch final moments of a death star before supernova strikes Daily Mail, UK, Dec. 1, 2011 A fairly nondescript star system in the Whirpool galaxy suddenly caught astronomers' attention this summer as it went supernova. Newfound alien planet is hot enough to melt iron The Register, UK, Dec. 1, 2011 NASA's Kepler Space Telescope sees an Earth-sized exoplanet ideal for barbecues with a year less than three days. The curious aftermath of Neptune's discovery Physics Today, Dec. 1, 2011 Controversy following the sensational news of Neptune's observation in 1846 propelled U.S. astronomers to the international limelight.
NASA's Kepler Space Telescope discovers super-Earth hot rod Discovery News, Nov. 30, 2011 A planet about 1.6 times the radius of Earth has been found circling the Sun-like star Kepler-21. AMSAT reports OSCAR 51 amateur radio satellite mission ends ARRL QST, Nov. 29, 2011 AMSAT-OSCAR 51, the popular amateur radio FM repeater satellite, reached the end of its operational lifespan after seven years. Liquid living worms survive space BBC News, Nov. 29, 2011 Worm colonies can be established on space stations without the need for researchers to tend them. NASA rover launched to seek out life clues on Mars Reuters, Nov. 26, 2011 An unmanned Atlas 5 rocket blasted off from Florida, launching a nuclear-powered NASA rover toward Mars to look for clues on what could sustain life on the Red Planet. Webb telescope probably will redefine history SBS TV, Australia, Nov. 24, 2011 NASA's big new telescope could redefine our understanding of Earth's place in the universe, but it's not without an astronomical price tag. NASA to launch massive Curiosity rover toward Mars Scientific American, Nov. 24, 2011 Mars explorer is the biggest planetary rover ever built. It's bigger than a Smart car and weighs more than NASA's last three Mars rovers combined. Stranded Russian Mars probe sends some signals BBC, Nov. 24, 2011 The European Space Agency (ESA) contacted the stricken Russian probe Phobos-Grunt with partial success. Russia could join a NASA-European Mars mission after losing its probe Bloomberg, Nov. 24, 2011 Russia is talking to NASA and the European Space Agency about participating in Mars expeditions in 2016 and 2018. Hubble captures a geriatric star dying in a puff of green smoke The Daily Mail, UK, Nov. 24, 2011 Teetering on the edge of the faraway mass of stars known as globular cluster NGC 1846 is a little green puff that intrigued astronomers in a picture from the Hubble Space Telescope's Advanced Camera for Surveys. Most liveable alien worlds ranked BBC, Nov. 23, 2011 Scientists list which moons and planets are most likely to harbor extra-terrestrial life. Apollo 13 astronaut's notes up for auction ABC TV News, Nov. 23, 2011 A famous set of notes scribbled by astronaut James Lovell aboard the failed Apollo 13 mission is at auction in Texas. Sweet potatoes may someday soar high Gannett, Nov. 23, 2011 The lowly tuber could feed astronauts traveling to Mars and beyond, according to research showing it could be grown in space as a major source of vitamin A, antioxidants and carbohydrates. On one of Jupiter's moons, oceans, a lake – and life? Time, Nov. 17, 2011 Europa, the innermost icy satellite of the giant planet, has a tortured, young surface, which may have lakes and oceans, and hold life. Astronomers make high-resolution topographical map of Moon Wired Magazine, Nov. 17, 2011 Astronomers at Arizona State University used NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter to build a stunning map of the Moon – the highest-resolution, near-global topographic image of our lunar neighbor yet. After 34 years in space, the Voyager spacecraft fly on and on and on Time, Nov. 11, 2011 The creaky old spacecraft add 330 million miles to their odometers every year – each mile is a new distance record for the reach of the human species. Now the Voyagers are poised to pass the outermost boundary of the Solar System into the truly uncharted regions of interstellar space. Russia to restart planetary exploration with Mars probe Spaceflight Now, Nov. 7, 2011 Russia will launch on Nov. 8 the Phobos-Grunt probe to a moon of Mars, resuming the country's exploration of the Solar System after funding woes and mission failures hindered progress over the last two decades. The ambitious Phobos-Grunt, first conceived in the 1990s, will attempt to enter orbit around Mars, land on the Red Planet's potato-shaped moon Phobos, collect samples and return to Earth.
Not such a stretch to reach for the stars New York Times, Oct. 17, 2012 The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) drew hundreds to a symposium on the 100-Year Starship Study, which is devoted to ideas for visiting the stars. Famous telescope seeks new name BBC, Oct. 14, 2011 The Very Large Array in New Mexico, one of the world's most famous radio telescope facilities, is in need of a new name. Cleaning up the trash in space The Week Magazine, Oct. 14, 2011 Since the Space Age began with the launch of Sputnik 54 years ago, we've turned the region just above Earth's atmosphere into a giant scrap yard, littered with everything from exploded rockets to tools lost during spacewalks. NASA buys flights on Virgin Galactic's private spaceship Fox News, Oct. 14, 2011 The space tourism company Virgin Galactic has struck a deal with NASA worth up to $4.5 million for research flights from New Mexico on SpaceShipTwo. NASA plans to launch the James Webb Space Telescope in 2018 Miami Herald, Oct. 14, 2011 The telescope program, over budget and behind schedule, is planned for launch in 2018 and won't draw too heavily on resources for other projects, the NASA administrator said. NASA's first step toward an asteroid will be wet Houston Chronicle, Oct.14, 2011 NASA crew will train astronauts for asteroid mission in the sea for 13 days in the underwater Aquarius lab. New NASA satellite to monitor Earth's weather and climate MSNBC, Oct 12, 2011 In a clean room at the Astrotech Payload Processing Facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians are preparing NASA's National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System Preparatory Project (NPP) spacecraft for flight. New signs point to a billion planets in our galaxy where extra-terrestrials might be Daily Mail, UK, Oct. 8, 2011 A computer model predicts that up to 1.2 per cent of planets could support life at any given time, with life-bearing planets being snuffed out and re-evolving life after supernovas bathed their surfaces in deadly radiation. Supernova that lit up the skies 1,000 years ago still puzzling astronomers Daily Mail, UK, Oct. 8, 2011 Researchers have detected pulses of gamma rays with energies exceeding 100 billion electron-volts coming from the Crab Nebula. These are a million times more energetic than medical X-rays and 100 billion times more than visible light.. Scientists predict that one-third of Sun-like stars might have Earth-like planets Daily Mail, UK, Oct. 8, 2011 Analysis of data from the Kepler Space Telescope predicts that there may be more 'Earth-like' planets than previously thought. Ski resort in space: scientist says snow flurries on Saturn's moon would make for perfect piste Daily Mail, UK, Oct. 8, 2011 Mapping at the Lunar and Planetary Institute at Houston, Texas, has revealed the surface of Enceladus is covered in superfine ice crystals. Space between the stars in the Milky Way looks like a writhing nest of vipers Daily Mail, UK, Oct. 8, 2011 The Greeks and Romans looked at the skies and saw animals and gods, but the first picture of the gas between the stars looks more like a pit of snakes. Astronomers have been trying to snap it for 30 years. The oldest stars in space: 10 billion-year-old supernovas spotted in the Subaru Deep Field Daily Mail, UK, Oct. 8, 2011 A project spearheaded by Tel Aviv University researchers has revealed the massive number of supernovas in the Subaru Deep Field, a patch of sky the size of a full moon. Nobel Prize discovery was made with Hawaii telescope Pacific Business News, Oct. 8, 2011 The three U.S.-born scientists who won the Nobel Prize in physics made their discovery that the universe is expanding at an accelerating pace with the telescope at the W.M. Keck Observatory on the summit of Hawaii's Mauna Kea. Venus ozone layer is a surprise BBC, Oct.7, 2011 Scientists discover that Venus has an ozone layer high in its atmosphere, overturning the long-held view that it did not. Did two giant collisions turn Uranus on its side? Scientific American, Oct. 7, 2011 A pair of giant impacts early in solar system history could reconcile the dramatic tilt of Uranus with the equatorial orbit of its satellites. Three exoplanets Hubble didn't discover earlier Discovery Channel, Oct. 6, 2011 Hubble has done it again. The 21-year old space telescope has managed to pick out the impossibly faint glow from three worlds orbiting another star! However, this is a discovery with a huge difference: the image containing the star and its family of exoplanets was acquired in 1998.. Europeans planning closest solar probe ever PC Magazine, Oct. 5, 2011 The European Space Agency (ESA) will send a probe closer to the Sun than has ever been attempted in an ambitious space mission expected to happen in 2017. Comets were a water source for a thirsty early Earth Reuters, Oct. 5, 2011 Astronomers have found the first comet with ocean-like water in a major boost to the theory that the celestial bodies were a significant source of water for a thirsty early Earth. Citizen scientists help find life on Mars MSNBC, Oct. 1, 2011 Interested in helping NASA scientists pinpoint where to look for signs of life on Mars? Join MAPPER for the 2011 field season. Scientists zero in on black hole MSNBC, Oct. 1, 2011 Astronomers used a quintet of space telescopes to look at the tumult surrounding a supermassive black hole and found a horribly messy eater.
How old is the Universe? STO, September 2011 Many astronomers say the Universe is 13.7 billion years old, plus or minus 10 percent. How do they know? There are four approaches to calculating the age. Timeline of first orbital launches by country Wikipedia, Sept. 30, 2011 While a number of countries have built satellites, only a few have developed the capability to send objects into orbit using their own launch vehicles. SpaceX aims to build fully reusable space transports MSNBC, Sept. 30, 2011 Millionaire space entrepreneur Elon Musk says his next-generation launch system is essential for Mars trips. YouTube video, 3:58, » Messenger findings to revolutionize views of Mercury Los Angeles Times, Sept. 30, 2011 Data from the spacecraft orbiting the tiny planet next to the Sun indicate it has a lopsided magnetic field, a surprising abundance of sulfur and unusual hollows on its surface. Heavenly Palace: China launches first element of space station BBC, Sept. 29, 2011 A Long March rocket carrying China's first space laboratory, Tiangong-1, has launched from the Jiuquan spaceport in the Gobi Desert to an orbit some 350km above Earth. After winning coveted shuttle, New York City museum changes the plan for it New York Times, Sept. 28, 2011 Officials hope to build a museum to house the shuttle Enterprise on a parking lot opposite the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum.
Titan's giant arrow explained TG Daily, Aug. 17, 2011 The giant white arrow on the surface of Titan, Saturn's largest moon, is not an 'X marks the spot' from aliens. Aerobic life existed 300 million years earlier than thought TG Daily, Aug. 17, 2011 Oxygen may have been sustaining life in Earth's oceans long before there was any trace of it in the atmosphere. 575-Ft asteroid to zoom past Earth in cosmic close call Irish Weather Online, Aug. 17, 2011 The third near-Earth asteroid of 2011 will pass between the moon and Earth. Private spacecraft set to dock with ISS in November Dvice, Aug. 17, 2011 For the first time, a private, commercial spacecraft will launch into Earth orbit and autonomously dock at the International Space Station. Hubble Telescope captures Necklace Nebula International Business Times, Aug. 12, 2011 The dying binary star 15,000 lightyears away has reflective gases in a circle of blue, green and red that resemble a jeweled necklace.. Orion spaceship set for new round of tests AP, Aug. 12, 2011 The Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle and abort system will be subjected to sound vibration tests. Mars rover explores ancient crater Endeavour BBC, Aug. 12, 2011 Mars exploration rover, Opportunity, moved across the planet surface. Two galaxies caught on collision course UPI, Aug. 12, 2011 Two galaxies are heading for a collision about 450 million light years from Earth. NASA creates deep space mission department to explore asteroids and Mars International Business Times, Aug. 12, 2011 NASA was charged by Uncle Sam to put astronauts on an asteroid by 2025, and Mars by mid 2030s. Twin lunar spacecraft prepared for launch from Cape Canaveral Florida Today, Aug. 12, 2011 Twin moon-bound spacecraft flying in formation in lunar orbit will produce a high-quality map of the moon's gravity field and determine the structure of its interior from crust to core. Oddball exoplanet is darker than coal Discovery, Aug. 11, 2011 A dark alien world reflects less than one percent of the starlight that falls on it, making it the blackest exoplanet known. SETI project: We're listening again, ET San Jose Mercury News, Aug. 11, 2011 Forty-two radio telescope dishes will restart listening for intelligent life in the Universe. Award-winning physicist says now is not a good time to cut NASA Ogden Standard-Examinar, Aug. 8, 2011 The space shuttle fleet has improved the lives of countless people across the United States. NASA Mars rover on final approach to rim of huge crater PC Magazine, Aug. 8, 2011 The rover Opportunity is at the rim of the Endeavour crater. Meteorites carried life's building blocks to Earth Agence France-Presse, Aug. 8, 2011 Analysis of carbon meteorites suggests they brought the building blocks for DNA to Earth. Spacecraft Digest database is online AGI, Aug. 7, 2011 An encyclopedic database lists more than 2,000 past, present, and planned satellites. Antimatter belt surrounds Earth BBC, Aug. 7, 2011 Researchers discover Earth's magnetic field holds a band of antimatter particles between the bands of normal matter particles. Britain's Prince Harry wants to be a NASA astronaut International Business Times, Aug. 7, 2011 Britain's prince is said to be obsessed with going to space and wants to enter NASA training. Nearly 100 unknown Milky Way star clusters found Christian Post, Aug. 6, 2011 Europe's infrared VISTA Variables Telescope at the Paranal Observatory discovered 96 previously undetectable star clusters. Juno spacecraft leaves Earth for long journey to Jupiter CBS, Aug. 5, 2011 An Atlas 5 rocket launched NASA's solar-powered Juno probe on a five-year voyage to Jupiter. Boeing pilots to make space trip BBC, Aug. 5, 2011 Two Boeing employees will crew the first manned mission of its new astronaut capsule the CST-100 in 2015. Post-shuttle U.S. space explorers need not be human Reuters, Aug. 4, 2011 The U.S. space spotlight shifts toward space exploration without human beings on board. Water on Mars? Scientists have found the strongest evidence yet Washington Post, Aug. 4, 2011 For decades, space scientists have searched Mars for signs of water, the liquid generally believed to be essential for life. Earth may once have had two moons BBC, Aug. 3, 2011 A theory suggests Earth once had a small second moon that perished in a slow motion collision with its big sister. Oxygen finally spotted in space BBC, Aug. 2, 2011 Astronomers using the Herschel space telescope spot molecular oxygen in space for the first time. Dawn spacecraft gets cozy with massive asteroid MSNBC, Aug. 1, 2011 Scientists are poring over images of the massive asteroid Vesta, the first time it has been photographed up close. SpaceX preps for Red Planet living in a colony on Mars PC Magazine, Aug. 1, 2011 Space Exploration Technologies believes trips to Mars will be as commonplace as a trip to Europe in just several decades.
Weird moon crater may be crash site of old NASA spacecraft Tehran Times, July 31, 2011 A strange-looking scar on the moon has astronomers wondering whether the cause of this peculiar impact feature is a piece of space debris that smashed into the lunar surface or a spacecraft that made a planned crash landing decades ago. International Space Station springboard to far space Voice of Russia, July 30, 2011 The ISS will be used for testing technologies to build a permanent base on the Moon and organize manned missions to asteroids and the planet Mars. SpaceX plans commercial cargo launch to space station Reuters, July 28, 2011 Space Exploration Technologies, a privately owned firm developing a space taxi with U.S.-government backing, plans to launch a test capsule to the International Space Station. Nine space stars who should have gone to orbit MSNBC, July 23, 2011 A total of 355 people flew on U.S. space shuttles. Of those, 299 were Americans. Seven of them also had made pre-shuttle flights. About 90 percent of all Americans who have ever gone into orbit did so in a shuttle. Even so, there are others who should have flown aboard shuttles. Astronomers find largest, most distant reservoir of water Jet Propulsion Laboratory, July 22, 2011 Two teams have discovered the largest and farthest reservoir of water ever detected in the Universe. The water, equivalent to 140 trillion times all the water in the world's ocean, surrounds a huge black hole, called a quasar, more than 12 billion light-years away. Vesta rock turns for Dawn probe BBC, July 22, 2011 The giant asteroid Vesta is revealing more of itself to the US space agency's Dawn mission. NASA's next rover destination will be a mountain on Mars New York Times, July 22, 2011 NASA's Mars Science Laboratory nuclear-powered rover Curiosity will land at Gale Crater, a 96-mile-wide depression near the Martian equator with a three-mile-high mountain at its center. Beautiful exoplanet aurorae is 1000 times brighter than on Earth TG Daily, July 22, 2011 The aurorae are 100 to 1000 times more luminescent than on Earth. Race to the moon heats up for private firms New York Times, July 21, 2011 The next generation of space entrepreneurs is whipping up excitement over returning to the Moon. End of the space shuttle era
AP, July 21, 2011 Thousands were on hand at Cape Canaveral for the touchdown of Atlantis with four astronauts returning from the International Space Station, ending NASA's 30-year shuttle journey. Applause, but no tears at the end in Mission Control AP, July 21, 2011 Two dozen men and one woman in Mission Control stayed focused as they made sure the Atlantis shuttle and its crew of four were safe on the ground. Russia says it's now the era of Soyuz after shuttle Agence France-Presse (AFP), July 21, 2011 Moscow declared this the era of the Soyuz after the U.S. shuttle's last flight left the Russian space capsules as the sole means for delivering astronauts to the International Space Station. Interest in space memorabilia soars as shuttle era ends USA Today, July 20, 2011 Space shuttle relics grow in price and popularity as NASA's 30-year-old shuttle program ends. Private space race heats up as US shuttle retires Agence France-Presse (AFP), July 13, 2011 Private companies, aided by 50 years of NASA's cash and expertise in human space flight, are rushing to be the first to build a space capsule to replace the retiring US shuttle in the next few years. US shuttle's final spacewalk Agence France-Presse (AFP), July 12, 2011 Two US astronauts wrapped up the last spacewalk of the shuttle era at the International Space Station. Space shuttle retirement leaves yawning gap in human spaceflight Guardian, UK, July 7, 2011 NASA's farewell to the shuttle fleet underlines 30 years of missions that defined modern space flight. Closure of the shuttle program has left the space agency facing an uncertain future, with no means to fly astronauts into space, and no clear role in the ongoing human exploration of the Solar System. Space shuttle legacy: soaring in orbit and costs Yahoo! News, July 6, 2011 The space shuttle program cost $196 billion over 40 years, ended the lives of 14 astronauts and managed to make less than half the flights promised. Despite that, there were big achievements that weren't promised: major scientific advances, stunning photos of the cosmos, a high-flying vehicle of diplomacy that helped bring Cold War enemies closer, and something to brag about. Apollo and Atlantis: a study in space contrasts MSNBC, July 6, 2011 Astronauts have lifted off from Florida 165 times, and the only one of those launches that drew as much attention as Atlantis' final shuttle flight was the 21st liftoff, which was Apollo 11. Majority sees U.S. leadership in space as essential Pew Research Center, July 5, 2011 Nearly six in ten say it is essential that the U.S. continue to be a world leader in space exploration and a majority say the shuttle program has been a good investment for the country. Good-bye space shuttle Science News, June 18, 2011 Timeline looking back across three decades and 135 flights at the space plane's scientific legacy. End of an era Science News, May 25, 2011 As NASA's space shuttles land for the last time, they leave behind a sound scientific legacy. PC Magazine, July 20, 2011 Space Telescope Science Institute (STSI) scientists have discovered a fourth satellite orbiting the dwarf planet Pluto at the outer fringe of the Solar System. Funding for the James Webb Space Telescope is In jeopardy NPR, July 15, 2011 To punish NASA, the U.S. House Appropriations Committee approved a bill to kill funding in 2012 for the James Webb Space Telescope, the Hubble Telescope's replacement. NASA to choose between two Mars landing sites AP, July 13, 2011 NASA's nuclear-powered Mars rover Curiosity in summer 2012 will touch down either in Gale Crater near the Martian equator or Eberswalde crater in the southern hemisphere. Twilight of the dinosaurs backed by new study Agence France-Presse (AFP), July 12, 2011 Paleontologists say dinosaurs were wiped out by a space rock that smashed into the Yucatan peninsula, Mexico, area of Earth 65 million years ago igniting massive fires. NASA's next-generation space telescope on the chopping block Fox News, July 7, 2011 Lawmakers have taken the ax to the James Webb Space Telescope, NASA's next-generation space telescope, the successor to Hubble and the space agency's biggest post-shuttle project. Storm as wide as Earth rages on Saturn MSNBC, July 6, 2011 The Great White Spot is a staggeringly powerful thunderstorm about 6,200 miles wide, nearly as wide as Earth, with a tail of white clouds that encircle Saturn. .
Space debris is closest ever to the International Space Station CNN, June 29, 2011 Space junk from a mysteriously unknown source passed within 1,100 feet of the orbiting station. Not seeing sunspots Science News, June 29, 2011 Astronomers have been counting sunspots and tracking solar cycles for 400 years. But recent studies of sunspots and other observations of the sun suggest that the Sun's newest 11-year cycle may not be starting on schedule this time. Headin' on out: NASA aims for Jupiter, Mars and the Moon Time, June 29, 2011 A Jupiter probe called Juno, a Mars rover named Curiosity and a mission named GRAIL to study the Moon's gravity field. Most distant quasar raises questions Science News, June 29, 2011 When a super-bright object appeared surprisingly soon after the Big Bang, it challenged theories of how black holes arise. A fine how-do-you-do from an asteroid Science News, June 27, 2011 A shudder of air and a quick streak of light were the only signs of an asteroid 2011 MDÕs near-Earth flyby. Brilliant new photos of Mercury from MESSENGER Wired, June 16, 2011 MESSENGER dropped into its final orbit around Mercury on March 17, 2011. The MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging spacecraft has sent home 20,000 photos. Rare cosmic blast traced to black hole USA Today, June 16, 2011 Astronomers think they've discovered the source of a mysterious blast of gamma rays that reached Earth. An odd little comet with lousy table manners MSNBC, June 16, 2011 The quirky, belching comet Hartley 2 confounds existing theories of the early Solar System. Next solar cycle could be a no-show Science News, June 15, 2011 Could the Sun's next cycle be delayed and maybe not happen at all? That could have major implications for EarthÕs climate. Mercury composition unique among rocky planets Science News, June 15, 2011 MESSENGER data give clues and reveal craters that could hold frozen water. Japanese space probe finds unique asteroid dust Reuters, June 14, 2011 A Japanese space probe landed in the Australian outback after a seven-year voyage to an asteroid, safely returning a capsule containing a unique sample of dust. A year of the Moon in 2.5 Minutes YouTube, June 14, 2011 NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio used data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter to show the changing Moon through the year 2011, compressing a month into 12 seconds and a year into 2.5 minutes. Aquarius salt mapper satellite goes into orbit BBC, June 10, 2011 Aquarius/SAC-D to measure sea saltiness MSNBC, June 7, 2011 A collaboration among NASA, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France and Italy will map changes in brine levels from 408 miles above the Earth. New super stellar explosions are bright and hard to explain Science News, June 8, 2011 Six new supernovas are blue, brilliant and bizarre oddballs producing spectacular light shows as their glowing debris roils the gas around them. Russia lifts U.S., Russian, Japanese crew to the ISS AP, June 7, 2011 Soyuz carried Russian Sergei Volkov, NASA's Michael Fossum, and Satoshi Furukawa of Japan's JAXA space agency to a five-month tour of duty aboard the International Space Station. Milky Way twin staggers skywatchers USA Today, June 1, 2011 What does our Milky Way galaxy looks like from afar? Here's a look-alike galaxy 174 million-trillion miles away. Life can thrive far below a planet's surface Science News, June 1, 2011 A discovery in a South African mine suggests life could exist elsewhere below the surface of a planet or moon. 'Worms from hell' unearth possibilities for extraterrestrial life Washington Post, June 1, 2011 Scientists have found complex, multi-celled roundworms a mile below our planet's surface in South African gold mines where temperatures can rise to as much as 99 degrees Fahrenheit, suggesting the potential for life on other planets and moons.
The Moon has a watery interior Science News, May 31, 2011 Parts of the moon's interior may contain as much water as in Earth's upper mantle. Mars underwent a rapid buildup Science News, May 31, 2011 Mars grew up in a hurry, reaching half its current size in no more than 1.8 million years. Contender for most-distant object Science News, May 31, 2011 Energy from a short-lived stellar explosion may have come here from the most remote object ever seen. Juno's 400-million-mile trip to Jupiter to arrive 2016 Juno movie » NASA, May 30, 2011 Launching between Aug. 5-26, 2011, the unmanned Juno spacecraft will explore the largest planet in the Solar System to unlock its secrets and those of the Solar System. NASA's next Mars rover, Curiosity, to be launched in fall 2011 NASA, May 29, 2011 The Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity will assess the habitability of the planet and whether the Martian environment ever was able to support microbial life. NASA's next Mars satellite, MAVEN, to be launched in fall 2013 NASA, May 28, 2011 The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) satellite will be the first mission devoted to understanding the Martian upper atmosphere. Lunar watershed discovered NASA, May 26, 2011 A science team has measured water from the Moon in tiny globules of molten rock, which are glass trapped within crystals suggesting the water content of lunar magma is 100 times more than previously imagined. Survey captures local universe in 3-D Science News, May 25, 2011 The most complete view to date of the nearby cosmos takes in 45,000 galaxies.. NASA's latest news from Saturn NASA, May 25, 2011 Unlocking the secrets of the ringed planet. NASA's latest news from Mars NASA, May 25, 2011 The space agency explores the Red Planet. NASA gives up trying to contact Mars rover Spirit NASA, May 24, 2011 NASA has quit raying to regain contact with the long-lived Mars Exploration Rover Spirit, not heard from since March 22, 2010. Scouring space for life – more Earths out there than we thought? Time, May 24, 2011 An expanded habitable zone around stars makes extraterrestrial life more likely. Cassini and telescope see violent Saturn storm NASA, May 19, 2011 NASA's Cassini spacecraft at Saturn and a European Southern Observatory telescope on Earth tracked the growth of an early-spring storm in Saturn's northern hemisphere so large it stretches around the entire planet. Is Hartley-2 a new breed of comet? NASA, May 17, 2011 Were thin tendrils of dust and ice packed into a single mass or did a hodge-podge of mini-comets come together to form the core? NASA to launch a science probe to an asteroid In 2016 NASA, May 15, 2011 NASA will launch an unmanned spacecraft to an asteroid and use a robotic arm to pluck samples that could explain our Solar System's formation and how life began. OSIRIS-REx (Origins-Spectral Interpretation-Resource Identification-Security-Regolith Explorer) will be the first U.S. mission to return samples from an asteroid to Earth. OSCAR I and amateur radio satellites celebrating 50 years ARRL QST, May 11, 2011 The amateur radio satellite OSCAR I, the world's first non-government bird, was successfully launched into a low Earth orbit on Dec. 12, 1961, four years after the launch of Sputnik I. First American manned spaceflight 50th anniversary Space Today Online, May 5, 2011 NASA astronaut Alan Shepard was the first American to fly in space, on May 5, 1961, in the capsule Freedom 7.
50th anniversary of first human flight in space Space Today Online, April 12, 2011 USSR air force pilot Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space. Stagnation fears haunt Russian space program Reuters, April10, 2011 Fifty years after Yuri Gagarin blasted into orbit, descendants of the Soviet craft that carried him still generate pride and profit for Russia, but critics say the nation's space program has slid into stagnation. How a penniless mystic won Russia the space race The Telegraph, UK, April 10, 2011 A review of the BBC documentary The Storyville: Knocking on Heaven's Door by filmmaker George Carey about the Soviet Union's success in the Space Race from the work of pioneering scientists as well as penniless 19th-century mystic Nikolai Fedorov.
NASA's Hubble rules out one alternative to dark energy NASA< March 14, 2011 Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have ruled out one theory on the nature of dark energy after recalculating the expansion rate of the Usingniverse.
Dark matter – new evidence on how galaxies are born Time, Feb. 23, 2011 The universe's most dazzling star clusters, so-called starburst galaxies, are formed by its least visible matter – dark matter.
Planet discovery – one step closer to a second Earth Time, Jan. 10, 2011 Kepler-10b, a planet found by the Kepler team, is just 40% larger than Earth – the smallest planet yet found outside our solar system.
Sumbandila OSCAR 67 amateur radio satellite active over the Americas ARRL QST, Oct. 21, 2010 The FM repeater aboard the South African amateur radio satellite Sumbandila OSCAR 67 (SO-67) was activated over North and South America. Amateur radio satellite OSCAR 67 active for the scouting Jamboree On The Air ARRL QST, Oct. 12, 2010 The FM repeater aboard the South African amateur radio satellite Sumbandila OSCAR 67 (SO-67) will be active for the scouting Jamboree On The Air (JOTA). The supernova's secrets cracked at last? Time, Sept. 24, 2010 The universe's most dramatic phenomenon is captured by scientists using a 3-D simulation.
Chinese amateur radio satellite XW-1 is launched ARRL QST, Dec. 21, 2009 China's first amateur radio satellite, XW-1, was launched to become Hope-OSCAR 68 (HO-68). Diamonds link comet to mammal extinction CNN, Jan. 2, 2009 Tiny diamonds found in the soil are evidence a comet exploded above North America 13,000 years ago, leading to the extinction of dozens of mammal species. 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission Space Today Online, July 16, 2009 Apollo 11, the first manned mission to land on the Moon, was launched July 16, 1969, carrying Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin, Jr. On July 20, Armstrong and Aldrin became the first humans to land on the Moon.
Amateur radio satellite functioning since 1990 likely to stop working by end of 2008 ARRL QST, Nov. 12, 2008 Working in space since 1990, digital satellite AMSAT-OSCAR 16 (AO-16) has been operating as an FM voice repeater through 2008. Strange ring found circling dead star NASA, May 29, 2008 NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has found a bizarre ring of material around the magnetic remains of a star that blasted itself to smithereens. Star dies an explosive death Associated Press, May 22, 2008 In a stroke of cosmic luck, astronomers for the first time witnessed the start of one of the universe's most fiery events: the end of a star's life as it exploded into a supernova.
|
