This past Saturday, an Atlas V carrying NASA’s MSL Curiosity Mars rover thundered off the launch pad on the way to Mars. Ever wondered what the rocket launch is like from the roof of the massive VAB (Vehicle Assembly Building) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center? Videographer David Gonzales shot the launch for Universe Today using 3 different high definition cameras and recorded audio using a high definition audio device.
During ignition you can see white steam stream out the flame trench followed by the darker exhaust as the Solid Rocket Boosters come to life. The Atlas V lifts off on a pillar of bright orange fire leaving behind a white trail of smoke and an artificial cloud of condensed water droplets. Man-made thunder fills the air as Curiosity takes the first step on the journey to Mars.
Like a performer preparing for their big finale, a distant star is shedding its outer…
For a little over a month now, the Earth has been joined by a new…
Despite decades of study, black holes are still one of the most puzzling objects in…
74 million kilometres is a huge distance from which to observe something. But 74 million…
Astronomers have only been aware of fast radio bursts for about two decades. These are…
How do you weigh one of the largest objects in the entire universe? Very carefully,…