Posts Tagged ‘NASA’

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Back to Mars


22 Nov

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On Saturday, the Mars Science Laboratory mission takes it’s next big step- the launch of the next Mars rover, the Curiosity. It will take almost 9 months to reach the Red Planet, and be lowered to the planet in a brand new method, using a rocket powered sky crane  and cables.

Stop and think about everything in that last paragraph- Mars Rover, rocket powered sky crane, the Red Planet. How cool does all of that sound. How cool is all of that? Doesn’t it make you want to be a rocket scientist? Why couldn’t I have been better at Physics?

Interstellar Travel


08 Oct

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This might be the only time in my life I have wished I lived in Orlando. In fact, I’m not certain I wish I lived in Orlando, I simply wish that I had been in Orlandofor the 100 Year Starship Public Symposium.

We all know I am fascinated by space. NASA is my favorite government agency. The idea of interstellar travel is one I find fascinating. And while I may not have been able to contribute to either the hard science or the science fiction addressed at the conference, I would have loved to been there to experience it.

Want to discover new planets?


14 Sep

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If you’re an astronomer, especially one who’s interested in finding new planets, Chile is apparently the place to be. Astronomers in Chile just announced the discovery of 50 new planets, one of them a possible super-Earth (no idea what makes it super). In fact, this same telescope in Chile is responsible for the discovery of the both the possible super-Earths. Talk about a cool place to work.

However, it looks like Europe will soon be the place to be, once the European Extremely Large Telescope (great name) if built. The new super-Earth will be a prime target for the telescope.

Space Race


22 Aug

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It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of space exploration. And as such, I love the idea of a new space race- the race to Mars. We’re still a minimum of ten years out, probably closer to 20 or more- NASA is thinking mid-2030s, but Europe and Russia have teamed together to attempt a mission, as well.

I shouldn’t get too excited- but Mars in my lifetime? How cool is that. I know we went to the moon then never went back, but still, Mars, a whole other planet.

All I really have to say is “On your marks…”

Mission to Jupiter


06 Aug

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My love of the Astronomy Picture of the Day site means I’m excited about NASA’s new Juno Mission to Jupiter. Even better pictures than Voyager! A camera dedicated to a public feed so that we can all see what they are seeing! Sure, the probe won’t get there for 5 years, but imagine!

There will be 3 Lego figurines aboard Juno. They will depict Galileo, who was the first to discover 4 of Jupiter’s moons, as well as the Roman gods, Jupiter and his wife Juno.

It may not be a shuttle, but NASA is still doing some cool stuff.

Goodbye to the Space Shuttles


09 Jul

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Posted in Politics, Science, Technology | 2 Comments »

Friday marked the end of an era- the last launch of a space shuttle. I grew up watching shuttle launches on the Today Show while my family ate breakfast. I grew up in the era of Space Camp (the movie) and the Challenger explosion. These are important memories in my childhood, and it saddens me that similar new memories are not being made.

NASA still has plans. There is still the international space station, and we are getting closer every year to civilian space flights. But there will be no more space shuttles, at least not for the foreseeable future.

Terrestrial Alien Life


02 Dec

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Bonus Science Content!

NASA held a press conference today to say that a way has been discovered for life to develop on a non class M planet. (Okay, that last bit is Trekkie speak, but still.)

There are certain basic chemical building blocks to life as we know it, there’s now research showing that one of those building blocks can be altered, changing it to a chemical that is normally poisonous.

There needs to be more research, but finding extra-terrestrial life may be easier if we can challenge the paradigms of what’s needed to create life right here on Earth.

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