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Blue Origin Plans to Begin Commercial Suborbital Research Flights in 2016

The New Shepard space vehicle blasts off on its first developmental test flight over Blue Origin’s West Texas Launch Site April 29. The crew capsule reached apogee at 93,600 meters before beginning its descent back to Earth. – See more at: http://spacenews.com/blue-origin-plans-to-begin-commercial-suborbital-research-flights-in-2016/#sthash.yGlkotRd.dpufCredit: Blue Origin WASHINGTON — Blue Origin expects to start launching commercial payloads on […]

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Where Will the 1st Astronauts on Mars Land?

NASA is pressing forward on identifying possible landing zones for the first human expeditionary crews on Mars.Credit: Dan Durda HOUSTON — Where should humanity set up its first-ever outpost on Mars? The ideal Red Planet crewed site should be of high scientific value — allowing pioneers to search for signs of Mars life and investigate […]

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'Méridien' (US 2015): Book Excerpt

'Méridien' (US 2015): Book Excerpt

S.H. Jucha was a senior manager in the technical education and software development industries, with degrees in biology and broadcast communications. He is the author of the science fiction series, “Space.com’s Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights . S. H. Jucha recently published his third novel, “Méridien ” (self-published, 2015), concluding his Silver Ships trilogy, which […]

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A Brighter Moon

Although Dione (near) and Enceladus (far) are composed of nearly the same materials, Enceladus has a considerably higher reflectivity than Dione. To source

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A Brighter Moon

Although Dione (near) and Enceladus (far) are composed of nearly the same materials, Enceladus has a considerably higher reflectivity than Dione. To source

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Phobos 'Stretch Marks' Show Martian Moon Is Falling Apart

New research suggests that the long, thin grooves on the surface of Mars’ moon Phobos are caused by the competing pull of the planet and the moon.Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona Long, thin “stretch marks” on the surface of Phobos are early signs that the Martian moon is falling apart, new research suggests. Phobos is a […]

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Leonid Meteor Shower Peaks Overnight Tonight: What to Expect

Photographer Scott Tully captured this photo of a Leonid meteor over rural Connecticut in the predawn hours of Nov. 17, 2012.Credit: Scott Tully The Leonid meteor shower, one of the most celebrated of the year’s annual “shooting star” displays, will peak overnight tonight (Nov. 17) and early Wednesday morning.  You can see the famous Leonids […]

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The Right Stuff

Human spaceflight and operations image of the week: ESA’s operations managers are team leaders, motivating people and managing complex systems and situations on the cutting edge of human exploration To source

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Famous Leonid Meteor Shower Peaks This Week

Astrophotographer Jeff Berkes captured this shot of Leonid meteors over a house in New Jersey in 2012. The 2015 Leonids will peak overnight Nov. 17-18.Credit: Jeff Berkes One of the year’s most anticipated meteor showers peaks this week. The Leonid meteor shower will reach its maximum overnight Tuesday into Wednesday (Nov. 17 to Nov. 18), […]

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Bulova to Sell Replica of Astronaut's Watch Worn on the Moon

Bulova will soon offer a replica of the prototype chronograph that Apollo 15 astronaut David Scott wore on the moon.Credit: Bulova via collectSPACE.com A new replica of the only privately-owned wristwatch worn on the moon’s surface will soon go on sale for much less than the astronomical price tag that the historic timepiece sold for […]

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Wild, History-Making Comet Landing By Philae Probe Recreated in Video

Wild, History-Making Comet Landing By Philae Probe Recreated in Video

An amazing new video shows the wild ride a European spacecraft took to the surface of a comet last year. The new video, which the European Space Agency (ESA) released last week, reconstructs history’s first-ever touchdown on a comet , which was performed by the Rosetta mission’s Philae lander on Nov. 12, 2014. Things didn’t go […]

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Exoplanet's Global Winds Let Rip at 5,400 MPH

A windy day on HD 189733b is nothing to take lightly.Credit: Mark A. Garlick/University of Warwick A windy day on HD 189733b is nothing to take lightly. The planet, located about 63 light years away in the constellation Vulpecula, has winds reaching 5,400 mph, roughly 20 times faster than anything ever experienced on Earth. PHOTOS: […]

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