Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Beautiful
The launch is prefect and it was very nice looking. So far everything went as planned with separation of the main stage and second stage.
Weather delay for launch
Currently the launch is delayed do to weather, count down will resume at 11:04 with launch at 11:08 EST. Still depending on weather. The main concern currently is because of the clouds in the area. The rocket can't launch into a cloud because of concerns over static electricity build up as it would pass through the clouds that could mess with the sensors on the test rocket.
Latest on launch of Ares rocket
The latest info is that it is scheduled to launch at 9:30 CST do to weather concerns, everything else is clear.
For live video go here http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html
For live video go here http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html
Monday, October 26, 2009
Ares test launch on for tomorrow
The first test launch of the new Ares rocket is set for tomorrow morning at 8am EST. Should be pretty interesting to see how this thing goes. Apparently 40% of all new rockets fail on launch.
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/091026-ares-IX-launch-preview.html
More info at http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/constellation/ares/flighttests/aresIx/index.html
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/091026-ares-IX-launch-preview.html
More info at http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/constellation/ares/flighttests/aresIx/index.html
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Over 400
(PLANETQUEST) -- European astronomers this week announced the discovery of 32 new worlds - including a handful of so-called "super Earths" - bringing the total exoplanet tally to over 400.
The latest batch of exoplanets was discovered by an international team of astronomers using the High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher (HARPS), the spectrograph for ESO's 3.6-metre telescope in La Silla, Chile. With more than 75 exoplanet discoveries to its credit, the instrument has become a powerful tool for planet hunters.
Perhaps even more exciting to scientists than the big numbers are the increasingly small planets being found. Several of the worlds recently discovered with HARPS are just a few times larger than Earth, marking progress toward the ultimate goal of detecting small, terrestrial planets. However, none of the planets announced last week are considered habitable.
Finding small, rocky planets that might resemble Earth is a key goal for NASA's Kepler spacecraft, which is currently scanning thousands of distant stars for signs of transiting exoplanets.
http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/news/exoplanets400.cfm
The latest batch of exoplanets was discovered by an international team of astronomers using the High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher (HARPS), the spectrograph for ESO's 3.6-metre telescope in La Silla, Chile. With more than 75 exoplanet discoveries to its credit, the instrument has become a powerful tool for planet hunters.
Perhaps even more exciting to scientists than the big numbers are the increasingly small planets being found. Several of the worlds recently discovered with HARPS are just a few times larger than Earth, marking progress toward the ultimate goal of detecting small, terrestrial planets. However, none of the planets announced last week are considered habitable.
Finding small, rocky planets that might resemble Earth is a key goal for NASA's Kepler spacecraft, which is currently scanning thousands of distant stars for signs of transiting exoplanets.
http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/news/exoplanets400.cfm
Mars trip simulation
Starting next year the ESA will simulate a trip to Mars. They are currently looking for volunteers. While the simulation will take place here on earth they will be isolated from the rest of the world.
The crew will follow a programme designed to simulate a 250-day journey to Mars, a 30-day surface exploration phase and 240 days travelling back to Earth. For the ‘surface exploration’, half of the crew will move to the facility’s martian simulation module and the hatch to the rest of the facility will be closed.
Candidates should be aged 20-50, motivated, in good health and no taller than 185 cm. They should speak one of the working languages: English and Russian. Candidates must have a background and work experience in medicine, biology, life support systems engineering, computer engineering, electronic engineering or mechanical engineering.
http://www.physorg.com/news175252902.html
The crew will follow a programme designed to simulate a 250-day journey to Mars, a 30-day surface exploration phase and 240 days travelling back to Earth. For the ‘surface exploration’, half of the crew will move to the facility’s martian simulation module and the hatch to the rest of the facility will be closed.
Candidates should be aged 20-50, motivated, in good health and no taller than 185 cm. They should speak one of the working languages: English and Russian. Candidates must have a background and work experience in medicine, biology, life support systems engineering, computer engineering, electronic engineering or mechanical engineering.
http://www.physorg.com/news175252902.html
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Saturn, the mini solar system
It's been long known that Saturn and Jupiter have lots of moons. Both have rings, although Saturn's are obviously easier to see. Recently though it was found that Saturn also has its own asteroid belt, sort of.
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/newsreleases/newsrelease20091006/
PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has discovered an enormous ring around Saturn -- by far the largest of the giant planet's many rings.
The new belt lies at the far reaches of the Saturnian system, with an orbit tilted 27 degrees from the main ring plane. The bulk of its material starts about six million kilometers (3.7 million miles) away from the planet and extends outward roughly another 12 million kilometers (7.4 million miles). One of Saturn's farthest moons, Phoebe, circles within the newfound ring, and is likely the source of its material.
Saturn's newest halo is thick, too -- its vertical height is about 20 times the diameter of the planet. It would take about one billion Earths stacked together to fill the ring.
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/newsreleases/newsrelease20091006/
PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has discovered an enormous ring around Saturn -- by far the largest of the giant planet's many rings.
The new belt lies at the far reaches of the Saturnian system, with an orbit tilted 27 degrees from the main ring plane. The bulk of its material starts about six million kilometers (3.7 million miles) away from the planet and extends outward roughly another 12 million kilometers (7.4 million miles). One of Saturn's farthest moons, Phoebe, circles within the newfound ring, and is likely the source of its material.
Saturn's newest halo is thick, too -- its vertical height is about 20 times the diameter of the planet. It would take about one billion Earths stacked together to fill the ring.
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