Mars Base Camp

Elon Musk isn't the only businessman focused on Mars.  Lockheed Martin is also developing a mission architecture, called the Mars Base Camp, that would support thousand day manned missions.

The MBC itself would be an orbital outpost that would serve as a staging base for surface exploration excursions.

Musk

Elon Musk says he can begin colonizing Mars by 2022.

He also plans a rocket service that can deliver a person anywhere on Earth in an hour.

NASA-Russia Agreement

NASA and Russia have signed an agreement to build a small space station in lunar orbit.

They are also seeking other international and private industry partners.

Arecibo

The Arecibo Observatory seems to have come through Hurricane Maria fairly well.

Short term, it may serve as a FEMA emergency resource.

Aussie Space

Australia has announced it is creating a national space agency.

The idea has been around for decades, but the government feels Australia is now in a position to participate in the new era of space operations.

STAR TREK: DISCOVERY

The new STAR TREK television series premiered on CBS last night.

From now on, it will be on CBS AllAccess.

Arecibo Damaged

Early indications are that the giant Arecibo radio telescope was damaged by Hurricane Maria.

A large antenna was blown off; the resulting debris punched holes in the telescope's main dish.  A smaller dish was also damaged.

Iran

Iran says it is strengthening its missile capabilities, to include a missile that can carry multiple warheads.

Western analysts have often argued Iranian efforts in space were a cover for the development of ICBMs.

Areceibo

Puerto Rico is totally without power in the wake of Hurricane Maria.

The Areceibo radio telescope is down for an undetermined period.

Mars Lab

NASA supports a small lab at the University of Florida that simulates conditions on Mars to determine whether Earth microbes could live there.

So far, 31 possibles have been found.

Back To Saturn

NASA is already looking at ways to go back to Saturn.

Among the possible new missions are a Saturn atmospheric probe and missions focused on the moons Titan and Enceladus.

NG Buys OATK

Northrop Grumman has bought Orbital ATK in a deal worth $9.2 billion.

NG helped build the earliest American spacecraft, while OATK is a NewSpace company.

Vesta Ice

A new study suggests there may be significant amounts of water ice under the surface of the giant asteroid Vesta.

Water has now been established as a major component throughout the Solar System, which augurs well for human expansion into space.

Lunar Water

Researchers have produced the first map detailing the distribution of water on the Moon.

The map shows water is distributed widely across the surface with greater concentrations in the polar regions.

Cassini

Cassini will end its mission to Saturn tomorrow by plunging into the planet's atmosphere.

The point of the plunge is to prevent the probe from accidentally contaminating moons that may harbor life.

Virgin Galactic

Virgin Galactic says it will begin powered test flights of SpaceShipTwo shortly.

Sir Richard Branson wants to begin commercial flights by the end of 2018.

Boron

Curiosity has found boron on Mars.

That's important because boron can be key in the development of life.

Whales

Solar flare activity might play a role in sperm whale beachings, new research suggests.

Flares can disrupt Earth's magnetic field, which in turn could throw off the whales' navigational sense.

Florence

Florence, the asteroid that had a close approach to Earth last week, has two small moons.

It also has a ridge and at least one large crater.

Tough Time

Harvey hammered Houston, and now Irma is threatening all of Florida.

It's a tough time for NASA.

Venus Rover

NASA is looking at a Venus rover that would operate mechanically as well as electronically.

The heat and pressure at the surface of Venus would destroy the usual electrical system within minutes.

Voyager 1

Voyager 1 launched 40 years ago yesterday, on its way to the gas giants and beyond.

Today it's in interstellar space and still functioning, a remarkable achievement.

EMP

A nuclear blast correctly placed just above the atmosphere-- or a particularly powerful solar outburst aimed at Earth-- could take down an electric grid and disable defense system.  Such an event is called an electromagnetic pulse, or EMP.

North Korea could be close to being able to deliver such a punch.  Since the bomb would not re-enter the atmosphere, there is no heat shield problem.

Whitson

Peggy Whitson is safely home after 288 days on ISS.

All told, she now has 665 days in orbit, an American record.

It's Bridenstine

Oklahoma Representative Jim Bridenstine will be nominated to be the next NASA administrator, according to the White House.

Bridenstine has been active in space policy throughout his three terms in the House.

TRAPPIST-1

A new study holds the seven Earth-like planets in the TRAPPIST-1 system could have water.

Three of those planets are in that star's habitable zone.