Space and astronomy news
[/caption] To see one shorn shuttle is bad enough. Seeing two NASA space shuttles edged together and voluntarily gutted of their spaceflight capability for lack of Federal Government funding in the prime of their lives is beyond sad. Two of NASA’s trio of space shuttle orbiters – Discovery & Endeavour – switched locations at the …
Continue reading “Shuttle Duo Nose-to-Nose Rendezvous highlights Retirement Duty”
[/caption] Barely discernable in the pre-dawn twilight and appearing as an eerie, ghost like figure, Space Shuttle Atlantis and her four person crew swiftly glided to a triumphant landing at the Kennedy Space Center that closed out NASA’s three decade long Space Shuttle Era – in the wink of an eye it was all over. …
Continue reading “Ghostly Landing of Atlantis Closes America’s Space Shuttle Era Forever”
[/caption] The first ever Vesta Vista snapped from the protoplanets orbit has been transmitted back through 117 million miles of space to eager eyes waiting on Earth. Although Vesta had been observed by telescopes on Earth and in space for more than two centuries since its discovery, only scant detail on its surface could be …
Continue reading “First Ever Vesta Vistas from Orbit – in 2D and 3D”
It’s been over a week since the NASA Tweetup and I’m still thinking about it. For good reason, of course… it was awesome. Over the course of two days I saw a capsule that had been to space and back, talked with five astronauts (one currently in orbit!), toured Kennedy Space Center, met a muppet, …
Continue reading “Two Days of Tweetness: Witnessing a Shuttle Launch”
[/caption] Voyager, Proteus and SpaceShipOne have become aerospace legends. As has the man who established them all – Burt Rutan. Zenith Press has released a chronicle of the man and his machines entitled Burt Rutan’s Race to Space: The Magician of Mojave and His Flying Innovations. The book provides a chronicle of all the air …
Continue reading “Burt Rutan’s Race To Space: A Primer For Things To Come”
[/caption] KENNEDY SPACE CENTER – The “Final Four” shuttle astronauts who will ever voyage to Earth orbit aboard a NASA Space Shuttle Orbiter jetted into the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) this week for their final simulated countdown training at the seaside Florida Launch Pad. The all veteran crew for the STS-135 mission arrived at Kennedy’s …
Continue reading “Final Shuttle Voyagers Conduct Countdown Practice at Florida Launch Pad”
[/caption] It starts out innocently enough: a small speck against a field of background stars, barely noticeable in the image data. But… it’s a speck that wasn’t there before. Subsequent images confirm its existence – there’s something out there. Something bright, something large, and it’s moving through our solar system very quickly. The faint blur …
Thanks to Space.com and the Tech Media Network for sharing this great graphic showing NASA’s “new” MPCV and how it compares with other human spaceflight vehicles. Source SPACE.com:
[/caption] NASA celebrated the 50th anniversary of the first American manned spaceflight at a special ceremony on May 5, 2011 which recreated every moment of that short suborbital flight by the late Mercury astronaut Alan B. Shepard. The event unfolded from the very spot and launch pad 5/6 where he blasted off from Cape Canaveral …
Continue reading “50th Anniversary Ceremony Recreates First US Manned Spaceflight by Alan Shepard”
[/caption] A large space rock will pass close to Earth on November 8, 2011 and astronomers are anticipating the chance to see asteroid 2005 YU55 close up. Just like meteorites offer a free “sample return” mission from space, this close flyby is akin to sending a spacecraft to fly by an asteroid – just like …
Continue reading “Take a Look: Huge Asteroid to Fly By Earth in November”