Bill Nye, Neil deGrasse Tyson Celebrate 35 Years of The Planetary Society
Bill Nye “The Science Guy,” dances at the 35-year anniversary of The Planetary Society, a nonprofit space exploration advocacy organization, of which Nye is CEO. CreditCredit: Olivia Hemaratanatorn Led by Bill Nye “The Science Guy,” with help from astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, space exploration advocacy organization The Planetary Society recently celebrated its 35th anniversary and […]
Planets on Parade in the November Sky: How and When to See Them
Venus, sometimes known as the “morning star” when it rises early in the morning, will be visible in the predawn sky in November.Credit: NASA/JPL Say farewell to the ringed beauty Saturn: In November, it drops into the sunset fires, until it is out of sight. In fact, not a single bright planet is evident in […]
Robotic Eyes to Assist Satellite Repairs in Orbit
NASA is developing and demonstrating technologies to service and repair satellites in distant orbits. This photo looks closely at one of the tools that could be used for satellite servicing in the future: the Visual Inspection Poseable Invertebrate Robot (VIPIR), a robotic, articulating borescope equipped with a second motorized, zoom-lens camera. To source
Robotic Eyes to Assist Satellite Repairs in Orbit
NASA is developing and demonstrating technologies to service and repair satellites in distant orbits. This photo looks closely at one of the tools that could be used for satellite servicing in the future: the Visual Inspection Poseable Invertebrate Robot (VIPIR), a robotic, articulating borescope equipped with a second motorized, zoom-lens camera. To source
Earth from Space
ESA’s Sentinel-3 Project Manager Bruno Berruti and Thales Alenia’s Project Manager Yvan Baillion join the show to tell us more about the Sentinel-3A satellite and its mission To source
LEGO Won't Be Making Fan's Space Station Despite 10,000 Votes
LEGO will not be producing Christoph Ruge’s International Space Station model, which recreated the orbiting outpost using the toy company’s iconic plastic bricksCredit: LEGO Ideas LEGO will not be launching a model of the International Space Station, passing on the orbiting outpost during its most-recent review of fan-suggested and supported projects. The company announced its […]
Celebrity comet spotted among Gaia’s stars
A local cosmic celebrity was recently pictured among the multitude of stars and Solar System bodies surveyed by ESA’s Gaia satellite: Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko, currently accompanied by another ESA spacecraft, Rosetta. To source
Death from Above: Mass Extinctions Tied to Comet Strikes
Many of Earth’s mass extinctions over the eons have been caused by comet strikes, a new study suggests. Over the past 260 million years, cratering rates on Earth have peaked every 26 million years or so, in tune with a previously noted cycle of mass-extinction events, researchers found. Furthermore, five of the six largest impact […]
Space Station Crew Celebrates 15-Year Streak of Humans in Orbit
The crew of Expedition 45 spoke to the media about the 15 years that the International Space Station has hosted humans.Credit: NASA TV Yesterday (Nov. 2) marked 15 years since humans took up permanent residence in the International Space Station, and the six crewmembers on board took some time to talk about what the station […]
NASA to Unveil New Findings About Mars' Atmosphere Thursday
Artist’s illustration of NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft, which is investigating how, why and when Mars lost most of its atmosphere.Credit: NASA GSFC NASA will reveal new results about the atmosphere of Mars this Thursday (Nov. 5), and you can watch the action live. The space agency is hosting a news conference on Thursday at 2 p.m. […]
Sally Ride's Life Shines in New Photobiography Book for Kids
“Sally Ride: A Photobiography of America’s Pioneering Woman in Space” (Roaring Brook Press, 2015) hopes to introduce young readers to the historic figure and share something of her spirit and personality.Credit: Macmillan A new children’s photobiography of Sally Ride, the first American woman to fly in space, traces the course of her life in pictures […]
BAE Takes Stake in British Air-Breathing Rocket Venture
PARIS — Defense technology giant BAE Systems plc on Nov. 2 said it had agreed to purchase a 20 percent equity stake in single-stage-to-orbit engine designer Reaction Engines Limited (REL) and would provide the company with “industrial, technical and capital resources” for ground-based testing of a prototype. The investment is a fresh gust of confidence […]
US Air Force Launches 11th GPS 2F Satellite
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket lifts off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida carrying the 11th GPS 2F satellite for the U.S. Air Force.Credit: ULA WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force successfully launched the 11th satellite in its current-generation series of positioning, navigation and timing satellites Oct. 31 from Cape Canaveral […]