The Way Out

John Glenn On Mars

2012-02-18T13:01:00.000-08:00

John Glenn, who became the first American to orbit the Earth fifty years ago, says America should commit to going to Mars.

He does not say there should be an Apollo style effort, however. Rather, Glenn says we need to take full advantage of ISS to learn how to live and work in space. The former U. S. senator from Ohio envisions a Mars ship being assembled in low Earth orbit and leaving from there as opposed to being launched directly from Earth.

Of course, President Obama has said he expects Americans to reach Mars sometime in the 2030s, but Glenn wants Mars to be a more definite goal.

China Moving On

2012-02-17T11:26:00.000-08:00

China is planning to launch its fourth manned space mission sometime this summer. The Shengzhou 9 mission will have a crew of three and is scheduled to visit the Tiangong 1 space station module. A major goal of the mission will be to demonstrate a manual docking capability. After docking, the crew will spend time working aboard Tiangong 1, making the mission the most ambitious Chinese manned flight to date.

China may also launch a fifth manned mission later in the year.

Russian Space Issues

2012-02-16T10:55:00.000-08:00

A problem during testing has caused a delay in the next manned Soyuz launch to ISS. On top of a string of mishaps in 2011, some are wondering whether the Russian space program is simply going through a bad patch, or whether there is a systemic weakness in the Russian effort.

Operating in space is among the toughest things humans do, so the bad patch option is definitely a possibility. However, a case can be made for the weakness in the system explanation. Over the past few years-- even though Russia takes great pride in its space program-- funding for the Russian space program has been kept at very low levels. At the same time, many scientists and engineers have either retired or left the program for better opportunities. Sound familiar?

Russia is now increasing space funding, so maybe the program will regain its historical competence.

Trimming NASA's Sails

2012-02-15T11:34:00.000-08:00

President Obama's new budget is cutting way back on NASA's exploration program. As reported in this blog, the shortfall in funding will likely force NASA to withdraw from its partnership with ESA in the ExoMars program, which would have worked towards a robotic sample return mission. Now, NASA is also putting its Flagship program to the outer Solar System on indefinite hold. A Flagship mission is a huge, expensive mission, like Cassini or Galileo, that attempts to answer big, important questions.

NASA will continue to try to develop smaller, less expensive missions, but the first golden age of planetary science might be coming to an end.

Finding Dark Matter

2012-02-14T11:25:00.000-08:00

Japanese researchers don't know what dark matter is, but they have managed to map its distribution throughout the universe.

Scientists can't detect dark matter directly. Instead, they infer its existence by the pull its gravity exerts on normal matter. By carefully studying galaxies, the researchers found dark matter is all over. Indeed, galaxies are not isolated systems-- dark matter extends far beyond the visible galaxy to form a web that links all galaxies together, making the cosmos one unimaginably huge, complex structure.

Now, if we can only figure out exactly what the stuff is.

Obama's 2013 NASA Budget

2012-02-13T10:43:00.000-08:00

The Obama administration presented its 2013 federal budget today. The NASA budget, less than 0.5 percent of total federal spending, is basically flat, but priorities within that budget have changed slightly.

Spending on planetary science is cut in this budget, which would likely mean NASA would have to abandon its partnership with ESA on its ExoMars missions set for launch in 2016 and 2018. On the other hand, spending on manned spaceflight, technology development, and support for commercial space initiatives is increased. In manned spaceflight, the funding is for continuing development of the Orion space capsule and the heavy-lift launcher meant to push Orion into deep space.

Of course, this is simply the first step in a long, often bewildering process. Mr. Obama's budget as offered today will not pass Congress; it is just a place to start. By the end of the process, NASA's budget could be very different, and the overall federal government may or may not come out with a budget at all.

Europan Water

2012-02-12T12:38:00.000-08:00

Researchers have theorized for years that Jupiter's moon Europa may have a huge ocean of liquid water under the shell of ice that completely covers the surface. Some researchers now say there might be lakes, as well.

The lakes of liquid water would exist above the ocean, within the outer ice shell. The lakes would serve as a system linking the water in the ocean with the surface, providing a way to replenish the ice of the shell while also allowing energy from outside to reach the ocean. Such an exchange system could increase the possibility that life could exists inside the moon.

Cutting Mars Exploration?

2012-02-11T13:59:00.002-08:00

The debt and deficit problems of the federal government may force cancellation of NASA's two missions to Mars set for launch in the second half of this decade.

The science community will no doubt fight for the missions, which are being developed in partnership with the ESA, but budget troubles in both the U. S. and Europe may make saving the missions an uphill battle.

NASAA designed its Mars exploration program to build a foundation that would support a manned Mars mission. So, cutting part of that program, at least for now, would seem to push the first human flight to Mars deeper into the future. That may or may not be inevitable given the economic reality of our time, but it is unfortunate on many levels.

Deep Space Study

2012-02-10T11:16:00.000-08:00

NASA is looking at ways to advance deep space exploration sooner rather than later. One study is looking at the advantages and disadvantages of establishing an outpost at the Earth-Moon L-2 point. That's a point in space beyond the Moon at which the gravity of Earth, Moon, and Sun cancel out, so an object placed there will tend to stay there. Since the point is beyond the Moon it would be the farthest into space humans have yet ventured. It would also allow astronauts there to tele-operate rovers on the far side of the Moon, thus carrying out the first extensive exploration of that lunar hemisphere.

NASA would also use the outpost to test technology and understand the challenges of sending humans into deep space. The space agency will also bring in academics and commercial space experts to develop a rounded rationale for the project.

The study is to be completed March 30, 2012.

Ramping Towards Reusability

2012-02-09T11:00:00.000-08:00

Armadillo Aerospace is making step-by-step progress in its goal of building a reusable manned spaceflight system capable of reaching orbit. The same AA STIG-A rocket was successfully launched on suborbital flights in both December and January from Spaceport America in New Mexico. The company is already working on the STIG-B, which is designed to be a reusable launcher capable of reaching orbit. The STIG-B is scheduled for a test flight in the spring.

AA is also in a partnership with Space Adventures to develop a manned suborbital spacecraft. Seats on those commercial flights would go for $102,000-- half the cost of a ticket on a Virgin Galactic suborbital.

Reusability, of course, would be a huge step forward in truly opening the space frontier. Fleets of private craft capable of flying multiple missions to orbit would allow any number of exciting projects-- which would push technology even further.

Encouraging Commercial Spacecraft

2012-02-08T10:48:00.000-08:00

NASA hopes to give at least two companies development money for private manned spacecraft that would carry astronauts to and from ISS. NASA wants a demonstration flight in 2017, and a test flightt before that.

The big problem may be money. Congress failed to fully fund this effort last year, and it could fail to do so again this year.

Ancient Martian Oceans?

2012-02-07T10:53:00.000-08:00

As reported in this blog yesterday, a new study argues Mars has been in the grip of a "super-drought" for the latest 600 million years. Another new study, however, presents some of the best evidence yet that Mars boasted oceans billions of years ago.

Data from the ESA's Mars Express spacecraft suggests a large area of the lowlands in the northern hemisphere of Mars contains sedimentary material that is consistent with the makeup of an ocean floor. Previously, researchers had identified what looks to be ancient ocean shorelines on Mars.

The two new studies are not mutually exclusive. The supposed oceans would have existed, and disappeared, hundreds of millions or billions of years before the super-drought took hold.

Drought Conditions On Mars

2012-02-06T10:38:00.000-08:00

Researchers studying soil samples collected by NASA's Phoenix Lander three years ago say that while Mars was warmer and wetter early in its history, the surface has suffered a "super drought" for the past 600 million years that makes today's surface inhospitable to life.

They looked for evidence that the soil had interacted with water, such as the presence of particles of clay. In fact, extremely small amounts of clay were found. Scientists estimate that in the billions of years of Mars history the surface has been exposed to water for a total of perhaps only 5,000 years.

Mars may still harbor life, but if it does, that life almost certainly exists well beneath the surface, where Mars also has tons of water ice.

Recruiting Astronauts

2012-02-05T11:23:00.000-08:00

Even though NASA currently has no spaceship capable of putting humans into space, it is still recruiting astronauts. Perhaps more interestingly, the agency is having great success. More than 6,300 applications for the astronaut class of 2013 have been received. That's the second highest total for a class ever.

There are 58 people in NASA's astronaut corps at present, and the space agency is looking to add between nine and fifteen in the 2013 class.

Given the uncertainty surrounding NASA's manned spaceflight future, the number of applications may seem curious. Then again, the one trait all astronauts share might will be an optimism about the future.

Eating Our Way To Mars

2012-02-04T12:08:00.000-08:00

When you think of Mars, you probably don't think of Hawaii, or vice versa. Nevertheless, a research project involving a mock Mars mission is going to take place on the Big Island.

Cornell University is partnering with the University of Hawaii-Manoa to conduct a four month study meant to gain insight into the eating habits of astronauts on deep space missions. Six volunteers will spend the time in a mock Mars ship, and their eating will be monitored and analyzed. We know astronauts on extended missions tend to eat less as time goes by, which could pose health risks to future Mars explorers. So, the study will seek ways to keep astronauts interested in eating over the long term.

VG Looking Forward

2012-02-04T10:18:00.000-08:00

George Whitesides, CEO of Virgin Galactic, told an aerospace group in Los Angeles recently that test flights of its WhiteKnightTwo/SpaceShipTwo combination are continuing apace. So far, the suborbital spaceship has only been tested in glider mode, but rocket-powered flights are expected to begin this summer. VG hopes to begin commercial suborbital flights from Spaceport America in New Mexico next year.

VG is also contemplating the farther future. Whitesides said the company's technology will at some point allow point-to-point travel which would theoretically allow people to reach any point on Earth within an hour. He also said VG is looking at orbital capability. For now, however, the focus is on getting the suborbital business up and flying.

Iranian Satellite Launch

2012-02-03T11:20:00.000-08:00

Iran announced it launched a 110-pound Earth observation satellite into orbit earlier today. The satellite is to fly a two month mission.

Iran has said it plans to put a man on the Moon by 2025, but many nations are concerned Iran's space effort is a cover for developing rockets that can deliver nuclear warheads. Given that-- and given recent talk of tough international economic sanctions against Iran because of its nuclear program, speculation that Israel may soon attack Iran's nuclear facilities, and reports that the U. S. has developed a bomb capable of destroying even hardened, underground installations-- an Iranian rocket launch at this precise moment is, to say the least, interesting.

Possible Abode Of Life Found

2012-02-02T10:52:00.000-08:00

Astronomers have discovered an exoplanet a mere 22 light years away that is the strongest candidate yet found to be the home of life.

The world is a so-called super-Earth, with 4.5 times the mass of Earth, and orbits a red dwarf. Astronomers hadn't expected to find such worlds around such tiny stars. Further, this planet orbits firmly within its star's habitable zone, which means liquid water can exist on its surface. Scientists go on the assumption that where liquid water exists, life can exist.

Another surprise-- the host star is part of a triple-star system. Astronomers have generally doubted planets could maintain stable orbits over the long term in multiple star systems. Once again, Nature is showing us that the possibilities for life in the cosmos are broader than we imagined.

Columbia Aftershocks

2012-02-01T11:25:00.000-08:00

Nine years ago today, space shuttle Columbia was torn apart during re-entry. It has always been clear that launch and re-entry were the two most dangerous elements of a manned spaceflight, but somehow losing Columbia was a particular shock.

The accident led to fundamental changes. The Bush administration undertook a high level review of NASA's manned spaceflight effort and decided to end the shuttle program, replacing it with Constellation, a capsule-based program that would establish a manned lunar base and go on to put astronauts on Mars. Constellation was underfunded, however, and the Obama administration canceled it.

Current U. S. manned space policy focuses on building a technological infrastructure that will support deep space missions and a broad, permanent move into space. If a Republican wins the White House this year, that policy will likely be replaced, with Newt Gingrich pushing fundamental change and aggressive goals. while Mitt Romney seems interested in putting his own stamp on the space program.

All that began with a fireball in the skies over Texas.

Clearing Out Space Debris

2012-01-31T10:51:00.000-08:00

The current powerful solar storm hitting Earth is creating spectacular aurorae and messing with non-hardened electronics, but it could also help out with the space debris problem in low Earth orbit.

Huge storms on the surface of the Sun are currently flinging bursts of energy at Earth. That energy heats the atmosphere, causing it to expand. As the atmosphere reaches farther out into space, it applies more friction to objects in low Earth orbit. Friction slows objects, giving gravity an assist in bringing the objects back to Earth.

Of course, the effect is small, and thus will affect only small objects. Still, NASA estimates that perhaps half a million objects could fall out of orbit and burn up in the atmosphere. At orbital speed, each of those tiny pieces would act like a bullet fired from a high-powered rifle if it hit a spacecraft, so the fact that many of them will be gone is no small thing.

Building A Private Future

2012-01-30T10:23:00.000-08:00

On February 7, NASA will solicit proposals from private companies wanting to work with NASA to build a private manned spacecraft capable of ferrying humans to and from ISS. This will be the third round in the process. NASA will give funding to more than one company, hoping that at least one design will produce an actual vehicle.

Given NASA's limited resources, the agreements executed will not give NASA the authority to dictate the final design of these new ships, but the space agency and the winning companies will work closely together.

Farmers Insurance Commercial

2012-01-29T12:39:00.000-08:00

Farmers Insurance is currently airing a television commercial that shows a fake space capsule crashing into a little fake house. This happens in a presumably fake classroom. It seems the company offers homeowner's insurance that will protect against your home being hit by space debris.

Of course, no person has yet been killed by incoming space debris, and such debris hitting a house or a car is an extremely rare event, so the company stands to make solid money on such a policy. Still, the fact that the company is showcasing such an option might have significance beyond the corporate balance sheet. It suggests the company has data saying the American people are aware of the space debris problem. Perhaps someone in the political class should test that hypothesis. Solving the problem will eventually require someone to step up and say something must be done.

NEOShield

2012-01-29T11:00:00.000-08:00

A new consortium of universities, research institutes, and corporations in the U. S. and several European nations has been put together to study strategies and hardware required to protect Earth from collisions with near-Earth objects (NEOs)-- asteroids and comets. The studies will be carried out over the next three and a half years, and the point, obviously, is to begin to develop real options before they become necessary.

Taxpayer funded space research is criticized as being a waste of money, but it was precisely that research that established comets and asteroids pose a continuing threat to Earth-- a theory developed during research supporting the Apollo lunar landings. That money may turn out to have been extraordinarily well spent.

Days Of Tragedy

2012-01-28T11:37:00.000-08:00

This is a tough period for NASA each year. Yesterday marked the 45th anniversary of the Apollo 1 fire that claimed three astronauts. Nineteen years later, seven lives were lost-- remarkably. the first astronauts to die during a mission-- when Challenger exploded. On February 1, 2003, seven more were lost when Columbia broke apart during re-entry.

It's still the case that no astronaut-- likely no human-- has ever been lost while actually in space. Given the extreme danger of spaceflight, that record speaks volumes about the abilities of the engineers who design manned spacecraft, the workers who build them, and the astronauts and controllers who fly the missions.

More Florida Space Debate

2012-01-27T10:54:00.000-08:00

In the CNN GOP presidential debate last night, space policy came up again. Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich restated their positions, while Rick Santorum and Ron Paul essentially said the country couldn't afford a huge new project like building a lunar base just now.

Romney also tried to use Gingrich's proposal to build an American lunar base by 2020 as a way to suggest Gingrich lacks sound, practical judgment. Gingrich countered by comparing his proposal with John Kennedy's call to put a man on the Moon within the decade. Whatever the political realities of this year turn out to be, the technological case is clear. Given national priority, the U. S. is far closer to being able to meet Gingrich's goal now than it was to being able to go to the Moon when Kennedy stood before Congress in May, 1961.

Gingrich Proposes Lunar Base

2012-01-26T10:24:00.000-08:00

Campaigning on Florida's Space Coast, Newt Gingrich promised there would be an American lunar base by 2020 if he's elected president, saying America's space program needs "a kick in the pants."

At the same time, Mr. Gingrich said he would cut NASA's budget, arguing the agency needs to be leaner and less bureaucratic. The money saved would be used to establish huge prizes that would guide space development by encouraging the private sector to meet certain specific goals, like establishing a base on the Moon.

Final Entry For Phobos-Grunt

2012-01-25T10:52:00.000-08:00

The failed Russian attempt to reach a moon of Mars, Phobos-Grunt, crashed into the South Pacific just short of the coast of Chile, according to the final official report.

The report puts the main crash area 50 miles off the coast. It notes, too, that some pieces of the probe could have reached land, but there have been no reports of injury or damage from such debris.

The First Florida Debate

2012-01-24T10:27:00.000-08:00

Space policy came up in the first televised debate before next week's Florida presidential primary.

Mitt Romney, noting the economic problems of the Space Coast and arguing President Obama has no space policy, said he would bring together leaders from NASA, the military, universities, and commercial space to develop a goal for the nation that would maintain American leadership in space.

Newt Gingrich took a different tack. He argued for a smaller, leaner NASA and the establishment of huge financial prizes to encourage development of a space industry capable of accomplishing big things, like building a lunar base, or putting people on Mars. He noted such prizes aided the development of air travel.

Neither Rick Santorum nor Ron Paul addressed the issue.

Antarctic Meteorites

2012-01-23T11:41:00.000-08:00

A recent scientific expedition to Antarctica has netted planetary geologists 300 rocks that originated on other worlds. Antarctica is a favorite hunting ground for meteorites because the dark rocks are easily seen on the white snowfields.

With limited budgets facing NASA and other space agencies for the foreseeable future, Antarctica may be scientists' main physical connection to the cosmos for quite a while.

Gingrich And Florida

2012-01-22T11:21:00.000-08:00

Newt Gingrich's dominating victory in yesterday's GOP presidential primary in South Carolina puts him in position to make a strong bid to win the Florida primary January 31.

Space policy may play a role in Florida. With the retirement of the space shuttle, jobs is an issue on the Space Coast; Florida is trying to attract more private space companies, which would hopefully hire some of the highly skilled people furloughed by NASA and shuttle contractors, for example. Gingrich is a long-time supporter of moving into space, and emphasizes the role private enterprise should play in the process. Mitt Romney, on the other hand, has called Gingrich's support for building a manned lunar base "zany" in this era of huge budget deficits.

Sparks about space might fly.

Tracking The X-37B

2012-01-22T10:57:00.000-08:00

On its second test flight, the USAF's X-37B unmanned spaceplane has far exceeded it's supposed maximum flight time of 270 days, and there's no indication when it might land.

Exactly what it's doing out there is unclear-- the USAF isn't telling-- but as its orbit takes the craft repeatedly over the Middle East and Afghanistan, some speculate it might be on an intelligence-gathering mission.

Officially, the USAF says the X-37B is testing new technologies, which could cover just about anything.

Dragon Delayed

2012-01-21T11:51:00.000-08:00

The first flight of SpaceX's Dragon capsule to ISS has been delayed. The launch had been scheduled for February 7, but now the company says the flight will take place sometime in the spring.

No specific reason for the delay was given. A company spokesperson simply said the delay would give the company more time to work on the capsule.

SpaceX is trying to become the first private company to dock a spacecraft at ISS.

Axial Tilt And Life

2012-01-20T11:32:00.000-08:00

An often ignored factor in determining the habitability of a planet is the tilt of that planet's axis of rotation, says astrobiologist Rene Heller. The tilt of Earth's polar axis creates the seasons, of course, but Heller says it does more than that-- it moderates and stabilizes the climate over long periods, allowing life to develop and thrive. Without the tilt, he argues, equatorial regions would becomes blazingly hot, and polar regions freeze solid. Life would be a challenge.

Heller goes beyond that. He notes the over the long term a star's gravity erases axial tilt, bringing all planets straight up and, eventually, into tidal lock-- that is, the same hemisphere of the planet would always face the star. That would not be conducive to life. Therefore, he argues, axial tilt is intimately related to habitability.

New Take On Lunar Water

2012-01-19T09:22:00.000-08:00

A new study using the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has found more evidence that significant amounts of water ice exists in the permanently shadowed regions of the Moon.

The study looked at deep craters near the lunar poles. Elsewhere on the Moon, soil is about 0.5 percent water, but in these sheltered areas perhaps 2 percent is water. That's enough to support human operatioms.

Martian Meteorites

2012-01-18T10:42:00.000-08:00

Last July, a shower of meteors fell to the desert sands of Morocco. Subsequent studies have shown the space rocks originated on Mars.

Some 220 pounds of rock that is recognized as coming from Mars now exist on Earth; about ten percent of that total comes from the new Moroccan haul. Scientists and collectors are now scrambling to snap up as many of the rocks as possible.

This particular bunch of rocks could play a role in the search for life on Mars. Because we know precisely when the rocks arrived on Earth and were able to collect them quickly, if studies find evidence suggesting life, it's a good bet that evidence also come from Mars.

Through The Wormhole

2012-01-17T10:46:00.000-08:00

"Through The Wormhole" is a series of one hour documentaries hosted, narrated, and executive produced by actor Morgan Freeman which runs on the Discovery Science Channel. The program explores a range of science topics, from how to build a stable wormhole to the question of life beyond Earth, from speculation about machine intelligence to the possibility of extending the average human lifespan into the thousands of years.

The show is well produced and intelligently presented. The speculation offered is based on the science or mathematics involved, not speculation based upon other speculation. The series is also willing to deal with some of the implications of the possibilities discussed. This program is worth a look.

Phobos-Grunt Crashes

2012-01-16T11:14:00.000-08:00

The failed Russian Mars probe Phobos-Grunt crashed into the central Pacific this past weekend. Russia's space agency said pieces of the probe likely reached the surface, but nothing has been confirmed.

Therefore, there have also been no reports of damage or injury caused by falling debris.

A Second Saturn?

2012-01-15T10:34:00.000-08:00

Astronomers have found what could be a planet with a ring system similar to Saturn's orbiting a young, Sun-like star 430 light years away. The object was found by observing the pattern of starlight blocked by the object as it passed in front of the star. Usually, the pattern is a simple dip in light, but in this case the pattern was more complex, consistent with four dust rings orbiting the object.

The mass of the thing is not yet clear, so it could be a super-Saturn, in which case the rings could be made of dust and shepherded by tiny moons, or it could be big enough to be a developing small star. In that case, the rings could be a disk of material from which planets will eventually form. Further observation will determine just how massive the object really is.

Computer Virus At JAXA

2012-01-14T12:13:00.000-08:00

It can happen to the best of us.

A computer at the Japanese space agency has been infected with a virus. The agency said the virus got access to sensitive information about the H-2 Transfer Vehicle, the Japanese cargo ship that services ISS.

The agency doesn't yet know where the virus originated, but the very same computer was infected last summer.

Phobos-Grunt Coming Home

2012-01-13T10:56:00.000-08:00

Phobos-Grunt, the Russian space probe intended to sample the Martian moon Phobos and return the sample to Earth, is expected to fall back to Earth sometime this weekend. The probe never made it out of Earth orbit as an upper stage rocket failed to ignite.

Russia says most of the probe will burn up during re-entry, but as many as twenty pieces may reach the surface. Those pieces are currently seen hitting harmlessly in the Indian Ocean, but that could still change.

Kepler Finds Tiny Solar System

2012-01-12T10:42:00.000-08:00

Using data from the Kepler planet-hunting spacecraft, astronomers have discovered three tiny planets in orbit around a tiny star. The star is a red dwarf, and all three worlds are smaller than Earth-- a major breakthrough in the search for exoplanets. One of the three, the smallest, is roughly the size of Mars. All three orbit the star in less than two Earth days, so they are not seen as likely homes of life.

This discovery does bring up another possibility related to life, however. Red dwarfs are the most common stars in the universe. They are also stable for extraordinarily long periods-- billions of years. If a civilization decided to expand beyond its home star system, therefore, establishing colonies in red dwarf systems might be obvious stepping stones. Now, we have confirmed that at least some red dwarfs have planetary systems, which would mean those potential colonizers could have plenty of raw materials at their disposal in their new homes. It might be worth monitoring such stars for radio signals.

More Planets Than Stars

2012-01-11T10:47:00.000-08:00

There are roughly 100 billion stars in the Milky Way. According to a new study, however, there are even more planets-- perhaps 160 billion-- orbiting their stars in an area corresponding to the expanse between Venus and Saturn. Further, most of those worlds are small and rocky, roughly similar to Earth.

Actually, of course, there are even more planets than that because we know planets orbit stars both inside and outside those boundaries. Just in the Solar System, Mercury orbits inside Venus while Neptune and Uranus orbit outside Saturn. It's also possible that most planets do not orbit stars at all. They are rogue planets, ejected from their home systems, flying through the void of space unattached.

Another Approach To Finding Exoplanets

2012-01-10T11:13:00.000-08:00

Astronomers using old Hubble Space Telescope data have already found a couple of exoplanets. Now, they are going to take a more systematic approach to mining HST archival data in hopes of finding more.

The new effort will focus on 350 nearby stars. Using the data, researchers have found planets in orbit around a star 130 light years distant. If any further possible exoplanets are found in the ten years of data available, they can be checked by leading observatories using techniques not yet developed when the HST images were originally taken.

Searching For Aliens

2012-01-09T11:18:00.000-08:00

SETI researchers have already begun focusing their search for alien radio signals on Earth-like exoplanets found by the Kepler planet-hunting spacecraft. That list will almost certainly grow as Kepler continues its mission. There is also another possibility. Astronomers have found Jupiter- and Neptune-type worlds orbiting in the habitable zones of their stars, and speculate those exoplanets could have Earth-like exomoons. If such giant satellites are discovered, they would also be SETI possibilities.

This, of course, constitutes a new era for SETI. Heretofore, researchers would sometimes target Sun-like stars, but most SETI searches scanned the sky.

Using The X-37B

2012-01-08T10:39:00.000-08:00

Reacting to a news report that said the U. S. Air Force is using its secret X-37B unmanned spaceplane to spy on China's space station module, the USAF insists it's doing nothing of the kind. Outside experts tend to agree, noting the difference in the orbits of the two spacecraft. Of course, that doesn't mean the U. S. isn't interested in Tiangong 1, but those same experts say America has better ways to get information about it.

The USAF says it is using the X-37B to test new technologies, but declines to go beyond that. For whatever it's worth, the outside experts say that's reasonable.

One of those new technologies is clearly not a cloaking device. Amateur astronomers around the world are tracking both spacecraft.

Greeley Haven

2012-01-07T11:16:00.000-08:00

NASA's Mars rover Opportunity will spend the long Martian winter at a rocky outcrop on the rim of Endeavour Crater dubbed Greeley Haven by the rover team. The spot will allow Opportunity to keep its solar panels trained on the Sun through the winter, as well as providing some interesting rocks for study in the immediate vicinity.

Greeley Haven is named for Ron Greeley, a planetary scientist involved in the exploration of Mars since the early days of Mariner. Greeley died last October.

Infiniti Commercial

2012-01-06T10:32:00.000-08:00

A television commercial for Infiniti cars starts out: "If no one ever challenged the status quo, the Earth would still be flat....."

Well, no. Earth was never flat. Dark Ages Europeans may have thought so, but they were an uneducated lot, on the whole. Even then, educated Europeans interested in such things, and Moslem scholars, and others in the world, understood Earth is round.

Yes, the only point of the commercial is to sell cars, and yes, the flat Earth notion is commonly accepted in our culture, but its still fair to point out when mass media is sloppy.

Finding Life Bearing Exomoons

2012-01-05T10:32:00.000-08:00

Of the thousands of exoplanets found so far by NASA's Kepler spacecraft, 37 Neptune-sized worlds and 10 more that are Jupiter-sized orbit within the habitable zone of their parent stars. While they are not necessarily good candidates to be the home of life (though Carl Sagan once imagined life flourishing in more benign layers of the huge atmospheres surrounding such planets), possible terrestrial type moons orbiting those worlds could support life.

Astronomers are now developing techniques that will allow them to detect such moons. Just as Kepler finds planets by observing dips in starlight signifying a planet could be crossing the star's disk, astronomers are refining that approach so they can see the even tinier dips caused by a moon. They believe they can detect moons about one-third the size of Earth. Any smaller than that and the world probably couldn't hold a life-supporting atmosphere in any case.

Testing Orion MPCV

2012-01-04T10:12:00.000-08:00

Last month, NASA conducted a flight test of its Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, the spacecraft designed to carry astronauts into deep space. The flight dropped an Orion from an aircraft to test how it would survive a landing on only two parachutes instead of the standard three. Orion hit the ground at the top of the predicted speed range and made it through intact.

NASA is aiming for a first, unmanned spaceflight of Orion in 2014, but the first manned deep space mission may not be until 2021.

By then, if all goes extremely well, there could be one or more private companies with a similar deep space manned capability-- that seems to be the goal of Obama administration policy. So why should NASA build Orion and the huge rocket meant to launch it? Are those efforts largely job programs for aerospace workers who might otherwise swell the already unhealthy number of the unemployed? Will Orion ever fly beyond low Earth orbit? We'll know in a few years.

Eight Years Ago Today

2012-01-03T11:10:00.000-08:00

Eight Earth years ago today NASA's Spirit rover landed on Mars. Seventeen days later, on the other side of the Red Planet, Opportunity bounced to a stop.

Those two events marked the beginning of a remarkable exploration. Slated for 90 day missions, both rovers far exceeded that. Spirit only gave out last year, and Opportunity is still rolling along. Together, they have helped scientists build a new understanding of Mars, making a strong case that water once flowed on the surface of the planet.

Planetary Lake Lander Project

2012-01-02T11:21:00.000-08:00

The Planetary Lake Lander Project is developing technology to explore the depths of two mountain lakes in the central Andes of Chile. One of the lakes is crystal clear, while the water of the other is brown with silt, thus furnishing different challenges.

A major goal of PLLP is to study the effects of climate change on the lakes, but another goal is to develop techniques of remote robotic exploration, and possibly even technology, that could be used to explore the methane lakes of Saturn's moon Titan.

Oldest Galaxy?

2012-01-01T10:44:00.000-08:00

Astronomers, after taking two years to confirm their data, recently announced the discovery of what could be one of the first galaxies to form. It is 12.9 billion light years away, which means it may have formed only 750 million years after the Big Bang.

A galaxy so early on surprised astronomers, but they had another shocker coming. The galaxy is also producing stars at a prodigious rate-- another fact that goes against current theories about the early universe and the earliest galaxies.

Possibly, the first galaxy found in that early epoch happens to be an anomaly. If further research finds the earliest galaxies were in fact energetic, dynamic places, however, theory will have to change.

GRAIL Twins At The Moon

2011-12-31T10:33:00.000-08:00

NASA's twin GRAIL spacecraft are scheduled to drop themselves into lunar orbit this weekend after a voyage that started last September. The long trip gave mission managers time to thoroughly check out the two identical craft. By contrast, of course, Apollo capsules reached the Moon in two or three days.

The GRAIL spacecraft are designed to fly in the same orbit and study the Moon in microwave. The object is to map the lunar gravitational field in unprecedented detail. Doing that, scientists expect to learn much about the composition, internal structure, and evolution of the Moon.

Lava Tube Life

2011-12-30T11:21:00.000-08:00

Researchers exploring lava tubes in the Cascade Mountains in Oregon have found many species of bacteria living inside the tubes, and they speculate similar life could exist in lava tubes on Mars.

Some of the bacteria found eats iron in olivine, which is a common rock on both Earth and Mars. Lava tubes would provide, potentially, a sheltered, more stable environment for life, as opposed to open plains.

Gig 'Em, Aggies

2011-12-29T10:22:00.000-08:00

A Shuttle Motion Simulator, used to train astronauts to fly the space shuttle for 34 years, will have a new home and a new mission at Texas A&M University.

The SMS will have a dual purpose. It will be used by engineering faculty and students to help them develop new technology for new spacecraft, but it will also eventually be made available to everyone, giving anyone interested a taste of what it was like to ride the space shuttle.

Try, Try Again

2011-12-28T11:25:00.000-08:00

Days after a failed Russian rocket launch, Russia successfully launched six communications satellites for an American firm.

Both rockets involved used Soyuz technology, but the successful one used an older, more basic version. The failure is still under investigation.

Organics On Pluto?

2011-12-27T10:48:00.000-08:00

Researchers using the Hubble Space Telescope have found new evidence that the surface of Pluto may be covered by hydrocarbon and organic molecules, the building blocks of life as we know it. They note such molecules could account for the reddish tint of Pluto. We also know Pluto's surface contains many exotic ices, but the world is not considered a possible abode of life. It's simply too cold.

If all goes well, we'll shortly get a much closer look at Pluto. NASA's New Horizons spacecraft is scheduled to arrive there in 2015.

Chinese Launch Record

2011-12-26T11:44:00.000-08:00

China successfully launched its 18th space mission of the year yesterday as a Long March rocket delivered a mapping satellite to orbit. The 18 successes in 19 tries set a Chinese record and beat the U. S. best of 17 successes in 18 attempts.

China plans to launch 20 missions in 2012, and that is to include its third manned flight.

The Christmas Star

2011-12-24T11:49:00.000-08:00

Every year about this time, the media speculates about what the Star of Bethlehem may have been. Was it a comet? A supernova? A miracle? We'll likely never know for sure.

But there is another possibility. It could have been a literary device. The tradition in that area at that time held that the birth of an extraordinary person was heralded by some remarkable natural event-- an earthquake, a fierce storm, or a new star. The Gospels, of course, were written after Jesus' ministry, and meant to proclaim His unique nature. So, using the device of a star marking the birth would have been understood by the people of the time as a way to open an important story.

Russian Space

2011-12-23T11:22:00.000-08:00

A Soyuz spacecraft has delivered three more people to ISS, bringing the space station crew to its full complement of six for the first time since September, but a Russian military communications satellite crashed shortly after launch due to a rocket failure yesterday.

It was the fifth Russian rocket failure this year. Perhaps more disturbingly, the failures have occurred in more than one model of Russian launcher. The string of incidents bears directly on U. S. space efforts because, at least for the time being, the only way American astronauts have to access ISS is by riding on Soyuz. The most recent failure was by a rocket that is a derivative of the model that launches Soyuz.

These failures could simply be a statistically quirky bad stretch, but if they signal a weakening of Russian industry and technological capability, they have important implications beyond space.

Catching Up With Dawn

2011-12-22T10:17:00.000-08:00

NASA's Dawn probe recently dropped into low orbit around the giant asteroid Vesta in order to take close up images of the surface. Early images show a wealth of detail-- lines, grooves, dimples, and a myriad of small impact craters.

After Dawn's studies of Vesta are complete, it is scheduled to move on to the largest asteroid, Ceres.

Naming Exoplanets

2011-12-21T10:51:00.000-08:00

With hundreds of exoplanets already confirmed, and literally thousands more likely to be confirmed over the next several years, some researchers are suggesting we need to develop a process by which such worlds can be named. They point out that, among other things, giving a world a name would allow the general public to more easily identify with them. So far, each planet-hunting project has adopted its own method of designation, which has resulted in more scientific notations than actual names.

Of course, how they should be named is another matter. Coming up with thousands, and eventually millions and billions, of distinct names is daunting, and probably unnecessary. Perhaps the protocol could be that those worlds capable of supporting life would get a name, while all others make do with simpler designations.

The possibility also exists that some of these worlds already have names that we might eventually learn.

Earth-Sized Worlds Found

2011-12-20T12:12:00.000-08:00

Astronomers have confirmed the discovery of two Earth-sized exoplanets orbiting a star similar to the Sun that is 950 light years away. The two have 0.87 and 1.03 times the mass of Earth.

Alas, neither is in the habitable zone of the star; both orbit extremely close to the star. They are, therefore, almost certainly barren-- unbearably hot, and without atmospheres. That said, astronomers believe the worlds actually formed farther out in the system and migrated in to their current orbits, so there's a small chance they once orbited in the habitable zone, had atmospheres, and potentially supported life.

Shockwave Avalanches On Mars

2011-12-19T10:53:00.000-08:00

Meteors slamming into a slope could directly trigger an avalanche. That's obvious. A meteor strike could also set up a seismic wave that could cause avalanches. That's pretty clear, too. Researchers have found a different twist on Mars, however. Meteors screaming through the thin Martian air also set up shockwaves that can bring on avalanches. Computer simulations have strengthened that case by producing the same patterns found in images of the Martian surface.

The atmosphere of Mars is so thin that it doesn't protect the surface from incoming space rocks, so Mars has several fairly substantial such collisions each year.

Romney And Lunar Colonies

2011-12-18T10:08:00.000-08:00

During an interview on "Fox News Sunday" this week, Governor Mitt Romney once again criticized Newt Gingrich for his support of lunar colonies, citing that as an example of Gingrich being "zany."

First, "zany" seems an interesting word to use. Beyond that, however, Gov. Romney argues the federal government has no money for such a project. The fact is that the NASA budget in its entirety is a fraction of one percent of the federal budget. Adding a lunar base program over a few years could be accomplished while holding NASA's share of federal spending to one percent of the yearly total, especially given the bloated federal budgets coming up. That may or may not be a good idea, but it doesn't necessarily seem zany.

The above scenario also assumes the U. S. taxpayer would foot the entire bill. If NASA were the lead agency in an international lunar base program, the cost would be shared by the partner nations. Or, if it were done by a public/private consortium, to expand the economy beyond Earth while also pursuing breakthroughs in science and technology, the cost of the effort would be shared by the private partners and ultimately be covered by increased economic activity. Again, Gov. Romney may not be attracted to the idea, but that doesn't mean a case for it cannot be made.

Paul Allen

2011-12-17T10:18:00.000-08:00

Of all the billions of humans who have ever lived, only a very few have had a truly deep and profound effect on society, history, and progress. If things break right, Paul Allen may turn out to be one of those few.

Allen co-founded Microsoft with Bill Gates. Microsoft has played a key role in the personal computer revolution that continues to change the social world as it evolves into ever more advanced devices. Microsoft also made Paul Allen a billionaire. Allen has used that wealth to, among other things, team with Burt Rutan to produce the first privately funded manned spacecraft to actually reach space in 2004-- a huge accomplishment. Allen has also funded the Allen Telescope Array for the SETI Institute, which is searching the heavens for radio signatures of alien civilizations. Recently, Allen has also helped found Stratolaunch, a company that has a revolutionary approach to delivering payloads, eventually including humans, to Earth orbit-- an approach the company expects will lower the cost and increase the flexibility of space operations.

So, Paul Allen has already been at the heart of a transforming change involving culture and technology, as well as having a hand in a milestone in space travel. If he follows that up by helping in giving mankind reliable, relatively inexpensive access to Earth orbit and playing a role in humanity's first contact with an alien race, Allen could end up a major figure in human history.

UFO At Mercury?

2011-12-16T11:07:00.000-08:00

UFOlogists, at least some of them, are claiming NASA recently imaged a huge UFO near Mercury. It's as big as the planet, they say.

Since this story is not on the television networks 24/7, NASA has obviously denied it's imaged any such thing. The key phrase in this controversy might be "as big as the planet." NASA explains the image pointed out by the UFOlogists involved is in fact an after image of Mercury itself. The image appears in a photograph of a huge solar flare. Those who see a giant spaceship also postulate cloaking technology that was temporarily overwhelmed by the powerful radiation to explain why such a spectacular spaceship hasn't been detected before or since. An after image of Mercury would seem more reasonable.

NASA And 2012

2011-12-15T07:17:00.000-08:00

NASA's Dr. Donald Yeomans recently took time to refute, point by point, various theories connected to the notion that the world will end December 21, 2012. Yeomans, reasonably enough, argued there's absolutely no reason to think anything untoward will happen that day.

He's no doubt correct, but it was likely a waste of his time to make that case. Those who don't believe an apocalypse is nigh don't need his assurance, while those who do believe likely won't listen to an Establishment type like Yeomans. He noted scientists needed to do a better job of communicating with and educating the general public, which is no doubt true, but that is the work of decades.

The Mayan calendar notwithstanding, we will have those decades.

Phobos-Grunt Gone

2011-12-14T13:24:00.000-08:00

A Russian space official has told the local media that saving the Phobos-Grunt mission is "mission impossible" and predicts the probe will fall back to Earth sometime in mid-January, 2012.

The Soviet/Russian record at Mars is abysmal-- not one mission has been a complete success-- whereas American and European missions to Mars have regularly produced extraordinary results. On the other hand, Soviet Veneras are still the most successful probes to reach Venus, where American and European attempts have, on the whole, met with more limited success over the years.

Why the difference? Part of it is probably a matter of emphasis, but part of it is also simply the roll of the cosmic dice.

Stratolaunch

2011-12-14T11:46:00.000-08:00

Paul Allen and Burt Rutan teamed to put the first private manned spacecraft into space in 2004. Now, they have established a company to take the next giant step.

The strategy of Stratolaunch is to do away with the iconic rocket on a launch pad. Instead, the largest aircraft ever built-- a dual-hulled bruiser with a wingspan of 385 feet-- will carry a spacecraft to altitude. From there, a multistage rocket built by SpaceX will ignite, driving the craft into Earth orbit. The system is designed to eventually deliver both manned and unmanned craft to orbit at a cost and complexity level that may finally open space to a broad range of people and possibilities.

The first test flight could happen as soon as 2015, with operational flights commencing shortly thereafer.

New Name For OSC Rocket

2011-12-13T09:54:00.000-08:00

Virginia-based aerospace company Orbital Sciences has renamed its Taurus 2 rocket, christening it the Antares. The company says it expects the launcher to be a major factor in the aerospace industry, and therefore should have its own name.

Of course, the Taurus 2 has had two launch failures. Skeptics could argue that's another, less honorable reason to change the name. OSC, however, seems to be making no attempt to hide the fact that this isn't a new rocket, just a new name.

Antares is designed to carry cargo to ISS.

Mercury's Spin

2011-12-12T11:22:00.000-08:00

For centuries, astronomers thought Mercury always had the same hemisphere facing the Sun, similar to the situation with the Moon and Earth. With the advent of the Space Age, however, they found the actual situation is very odd-- three days on Mercury equals two Mercurian years.

Now, they might know why. Caloris Basin is a huge impact site on Mercury-- exactly the right size, age, and location to mark the spot a giant asteroid crashed into the planet, knocking its rotation from being tidally locked on the Sun to its current strange rotation.

Romney And Gingrich

2011-12-11T12:16:00.000-08:00

In a presidential debate last night, Mitt Romney criticized Newt Gingrich for supporting lunar colonies and lunar mining. Gov. Romney argued we don't have the money for that. Speaker Gingrich stood firm, however, countering that we need to build a better future and get today's children excited about math, science, and the lives they can have if they work hard.

Indeed, Gingrich has a history of supporting space exploration, dating back decades to when he was connected to the L-5 Society, a space advocacy group that supported space colonization. Given that history in the subject, which Gov. Romney seems to lack, it might be reasonable to assume that Gingrich has thought more and more deeply about how major projects in space may be successfully carried out than Mr. Romney has.

Martian Gypsum

2011-12-10T09:20:00.000-08:00

NASA's Opportunity rover has found what looks to be a vein of gypsum on the rim of Endeavour crater. Gypsum has been found elsewhere on Mars, but this would be the first time it was found clearly in association to where it formed.

Gypsum is a mineral associated with running water on Earth, and scientists think the same would hold true on Mars. If it does, this discovery could be the strongest evidence yet for a warmer, wetter early Mars. That, in turn, would increase the odds for life existing on Mars at some point.

Colorado Spaceport?

2011-12-09T12:05:00.000-08:00

The State of Colorado is asking the FAA for authority to develop a commercial spaceport. Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper says the spaceport would likely be developed outside Aurora, which is a suburb of Denver.

Colorado is already a major state in the aerospace industry, so building a commercial spaceport probably makes sense. So far, the only commercial spaceport on the horizon in the U. S. is Spaceport America in New Mexico, though other areas, such as Florida's Space Coast, are also looking at similar projects.

2011-12-08T11:32:00.001-08:00

Gullies cut into the polar regions of Mars were taken to be evidence of water running on the surface, but a new study argues the gullies were instead cut by flowing carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide and water make up the Martian polar caps.

The study looks at the climate history of Mars and determines that carbon dioxide would flow at a higher temperature than water. which makes it the more likely gully-cutter.

Phobos-Grunt Doomed?

2011-12-07T08:27:00.000-08:00

According to SPACE.com, Russia's Phobos-Grunt mission may be doomed. One analyst involved in the attempt to save the probe is quoted as saying it seems to be "dead in the water." Indeed, the probe has been uncontrolled and out of radio contact since shortly after launch on November 8 except for one brief burst on November 23.

One experienced satellite watcher is predicting the spacecraft will fall back to Earth sometime in January. Of course, since Phobos-Grunt was designed to return rock samples from Mars' moon Phobos to Earth, it has a heat shield for re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. Some fairly large chunk of the probe, therefore, may reach the surface.

ATA Back

2011-12-06T12:26:00.000-08:00

The Allen Telescope Array of the SETI Institute is back in operation after seven months in mothballs due to funding shortfalls. The University of California at Berkeley dropped out of the project, but the general public and the U. S. Air Force came through.

ATA will concentrate early on observing worlds found by NASA's Kepler planet-hunting spacecraft, especially those in the habitable zones of their stars.

Kepler-22b

2011-12-05T11:16:00.000-08:00

NASA has announced its Kepler planet-hunting spacecraft has confirmed the discovery of a planet in the habitable zone of its star-- which happens to be a star similar to our Sun. That means the world, dubbed Kepler-22b, could support life. It has a radius 2.4 times larger than Earth, and, depending on how its atmosphere works, the average temperature on Kepler-22b could be a balmy 72 degrees F.

NASA also announced Kepler has found another 1,000 candidate planets, which pushes Kepler's overall total to over 2,300. Of those, 207 are approximately the size of Earth, and dozens are in their star's habitable zone.

Shiny Regions

2011-12-05T07:03:00.000-08:00

Synthetic aperture radar on the Cassini probe has shown the surface of Saturn's moon Enceladus is extremely rough and crisscrossed by grooves in the ice, some of which are wide and deep and many miles long. It has also shown a particularly shiny region on the surface that scientists can't yet explain.

This is especially peculiar because Saturn's huge moon Titan-- a world very different from Enceladus-- also has a shiny region. That one is in the foothills of a mountain range. Whether the two could have the same cause is unclear.

Phobos--GRUNT Update

2011-12-04T11:21:00.000-08:00

Phobos-GRUNT, the Russian attempt to bring a soil sample back to Earth from the Martian moon Phobos, seems on the verge of complete failure.

Laumched November 8, an upper stage rocket failed to fling it on to Mars, leaving the probe stranded in low Earth orbit. Radio contact with the probe has also been lost, and the launch window to reach Phobos has closed.

More Huge Planets Found

2011-12-03T12:01:00.000-08:00

Editor's note: The last three weeks I have been dealing with family emergencies, and I apologize for the break in this blog.

Astronomers have discovered 18 new Jupiter-sized planets orbiting stars slightly larger and slightly older than the Sun, bringing the number of confirmed exoplanets to over 700. They aren't "hot" Jupiters. either. They orbit their stars at distances roughly comparable to the distance at which Jupiter orbits the Sun.

So, some of these systems might give us an inkling of the future of our Solar System.

Phobos-GRUNT

2011-11-11T09:56:00.000-08:00

Russian engineers are trying to save the Phobos-GRUNT Mars mission now stranded in extremely low Erth orbit, but there are reports that they have lost contact with the probe.

If that's the case, and if communications cannot be re-established, Phobos-GRUNT will fall back to Earth in fairly short order.

The First Stars

2011-11-10T11:59:00.000-08:00

Astronomers have traditionally thought the first stars to form in the universe were giants that blazed through their short lives and exploded in titanic supernovae that seeded the universe with the heavier elements. It's a fantastic, majestic vision.

It may also be wrong. A new study at JPL, using computer simulations to re-create the early universe, suggests the first stars were much smaller than previously thought, perhaps only tens of times larger than the Sun. That would mean supernovae then were similar to supernovae today, which suggests the heavier elements built up over time.

Launching Orion

2011-11-10T10:15:00.000-08:00

NASA is pushing to bring the first test flight of the Orion capsule, being built by Lochheed Martin, forward three years into 2014.

Orion is designed to carry astronauts on deep space missions. and NASA wants the early, unmanned test flight to judge how ready Orion would be for such missions. The idea is to put Orion into an Earth orbit having an apogee of about 5,000 miles and letting it barrel back to a splashdown on Earth from there, thus simulating the speed, and therefore the re-entry heat, associated with a return from deep space.

YU55 And Planetary Defense

2011-11-09T12:18:00.000-08:00

As predicted, Asteroid YU55 whizzed past Earth yesterday, coming closer than the Moon does. Astronomers, both amateur and professional, welcomed the event and used the opportunity to collect data on the composition and structure of the body.

Due to cosmic geometry, YU55 never posed a danger to Earth, but the close shave is a reminder of what could happen. Efforts to protect Earth from asteroid and comet strikes are moving ahead, but they are gathering little pace. Hopefully, a really near miss-- let alone a real disaster-- won't be necessary to get detect-and-deflect programs on a faster track.

Problem For Phobos-GRUNT

2011-11-09T09:51:00.000-08:00

A malfunction threatens Russia's first attempt at an interplanetary mission since 1996. The Phobos-GRUNT probe is stranded in Earth orbit after the upper stage rocket that has to fling the probe on its way to Mars failed to ignite. Engineers have three days to salvage the mission.

Phobos-GRUNT's objective is to reach the Martian moon Phobos, scoop up a sample of the surface, and return the sample to Earth.

Hitching a ride on Phobos-GRUNT is China's first attempt at an interplanetary mission, a probe intended to go into orbit around Mars.

Blurry Vision

2011-11-08T10:09:00.000-08:00

Another negative facing at least some astronauts on long space missions may be blurry vision, a new study finds. The vision can blur in space and persist, perhaps for months, after returning to Earth.

Scientists think the problem is due to changing blood flow patterns in microgravity.

Phobos-GRUNT Set To Fly

2011-11-08T09:21:00.000-08:00

Russia's Phobos-GRUNT mission to the Martian moon is set to launch today. The goal of the mission is to pick up a sample of Phobos and bring it back to Earth for analysis.

This will be Russia's first interplanetary effort in nearly two decades. The old Soviet Union didn't have much luck with Mars mission, so we'll see if Russia can do better.

White House Denies Contact With ETs

2011-11-07T13:17:00.000-08:00

Responding to two petitions on a White House website, an official with the Office of Science and Technology has stated for the record that the U. S. Government is not now nor has ever been in contact with ETs.

Fat chance that will settle the matter.

Successful Proton Launch

2011-11-06T09:39:00.000-08:00

After a stumble last summer, a Russian Proton rocket successfully launched three Russian communications satellites last week.

The satellites are part of the Russian equivalent of the U. S. GPS system. The Russian network was allowed to degrade during the 1990s due to financial problems in Moscow. Now, Russia is rebuilding the 24-satellite constellation.

The Proton suffered a launch failure last summer, which raised some concerns about flying NASA astronauts aboard the Soyuz, which is launched atop a Proton derivative. Russia conducted a quick investigation, however, and successful launches since have probably rebuilt some confidence.

Searching For Alien Lights

2011-11-05T11:42:00.000-07:00

Noting that the lights of human cities, on the night side of Earth, could be seen from well out in the Kuiper Belt using technology on a par with our current stuff, astronomers are now suggesting we should look for the lights of possible alien colonies out there. Just in case.

They also say that the next generation of space telescopes will be able to detect the lights of alien settlements in the Kuiper Belts of nearby stars. Coupled with a robust SETI effort and an aggressive exoplanet finding program, this new approach increases the chance of finding interstellar civilizations.

Mars500 Ends

2011-11-04T09:27:00.000-07:00

Mars500, the simulated Mars missioon in Russia that included six crewmembers, has ended after 520 days. All seems to have gone well.

Researchers expect to learn much about the physical and psychological stresses of an actual mission, and Russia suggests the logical follow-up study would be a similar program done in microgravity on ISS. Such an effort, Russia says, could be done after 2014.

New Take On Doomsday

2011-11-03T11:54:00.000-07:00

Scientists have developed a new model for simulating the damage caused if a huge meteor struck Earth. The previous model used was vastly simplified-- assuming Earth was a perfect sphere with a perfectly smooth surface. The new model uses Earth's actual shape-- not quite perfectly spherical-- along with the actual topography and the actual wind and water currents to simulate a more realistic catastrophe.

There is at least some good news. Taking the strike that allegedly killed off the dinosaurs as a test case, researchers found the simulation showed less damage from the strike than previous simulations had. Earth's "imperfections" had limited the damage.

That probably didn't help the dinosaurs, but it suggests a bigger rock than previously thought might well be needed to wipe out human civilization.

Succes For China

2011-11-03T10:43:00.000-07:00

China successfully docked its Shengzhou 8 spacecraft and Tiangong 1 module yesterday, demonstrating a critical capability for any space program with ambitiion.

The two vehicles will remain docked for 12 days, after which they will separate and dock a second time, for the practice.

Chinese Docking

2011-11-02T10:32:00.000-07:00

Two Chinese space vehicles are scheduled to make the first orbital docking in the history of the Chinese space program today. Though the vehicles are unmanned, a successful docking would be a big step forward, as docking is essential to doing big things in space.

China plans big things, aiming to have a manned space station in Earth orbit in a few years.

Extending Kepler

2011-11-01T10:11:00.000-07:00

The managers of NASA's planet hunting Kepler mission are considering writing a proposal to extend the mission beyond its original November 2012 end. So far, Kepler has identified 1.235 candidate exoplanets, including dozens of potential Super Earths and Earth-like worlds. All those numbers would be increased if NASA could continue the mission.

Operating Kepler at the current level in an extended mission would cost about $20 million a year. If Congress and President Obama are serious about supporting basic scientific research even during these tight budget times, extending Kepler should be an easy call.

Boeing At KSC

2011-10-31T12:57:00.000-07:00

Boeing and NASA have reached an agreement to lease one old space shuttle hangar at Kennedy Space Center to Boeing. The company will use the hangar as the place to build and test its new commercial manned spacecraft, the CST-100.

The agreement is for fifteen years, and both Boeing and NASA hope to have the CST-100 operational by 2015.

Eris

2011-10-30T10:50:00.000-07:00

A new study shows that the Kuiper Belt object Eris, which orbits the Sun about three times farther out than Pluto, has almost exactly the same diameter as Pluto. The discovery of Eris in 2005, when astronomers thought it was actually larger than Pluto, led to the demotion of Pluto to dwarf planet status.

The new study also finds Eris is roughly 27 percent more massive than Pluto, which makes it much denser-- implying a rocky core of some size under the ice field that seems to cover the entire world.

THE WAY OUT Possiblity

2011-10-29T11:48:00.000-07:00

Both Elon Musk of SpaceX and Robert Bigelow of Bigelow Aerospace are interested in someday sending people to Mars. SpaceX is making progress towards man-rating its Dragon capsule, but flying to Mars in a capsule-- even in linked capsules-- seems impossible from the standpoint of keeping a human crew healthy and sane. BA's inflatable module technology, on the other hand, could build large, capable, true spaceships for pushing into deep space.

See the possibility? Dragon could take the crew to the big, multi-modular Mars ship, which could then fly to the Red Planet. Another Dragon capsule could land on Mars. Now, if only we can figure out how to make a buck from such an enterprise-- preferably, lots of bucks.