Silica on Mars Volcano Tells of Wet and Cozy Past “Light-colored mounds of a mineral deposited on a volcanic cone more than three billion years ago may preserve evidence of one of the most recent habitable microenvironments on Mars. Observations by NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter enabled researchers to identify the mineral as hydrated silica and to see its volcanic context. The mounds’ composition and their location on the flanks of […]
NASA astronaut Shannon Walker, Expedition 25 flight engineer, is pictured with a bag of candy floating freely in the Unity node of the International Space Station. high res (1.4 M) low res (95 K)
China to launch manned space lab around 2020: report, Reuters “China said on Wednesday it would launch a space lab to be manned for long stretches within about 10 years, a move it believes would bring it closer to the United States and Russia as powers capable of reaching the moon. The official Xinhua news agency, quoting an unidentified space official, said a trial space lab would be launched before […]
Nile Delta at Night As Seen From Orbit “From 220 miles above Earth, one of the Expedition 25 crew members on the International Space Station took this night time photo featuring the bright lights of Cairo and Alexandria, Egypt on the Mediterranean coast. The Nile River and its delta stand out clearly as well. On the horizon, the airglow of the atmosphere is seen across the Mediterranean. The Sinai Peninsula, […]
NASA Solicitation: Aircraft Maintenacne Operational Support and Microgravty Services Market Research Questionnaire “Johnson Space Center’s (JSC) Flight Crew Operation Directorate (FCOD) anticipates procuring services under an Aircraft Maintenance and Operational Support (AMOS) and/or Microgravity Services (MS) contract. As part of the Government’s continuous information exchange with industry while formulating the acquisition strategy for the AMOS and/or MS services requirement, the Government requests your assistance as it seeks to arrive at […]
Keith’s note: NASA has delayed space shuttle Discovery’s launch countdown by a day to repair air leaks in the right hand Orbital Maneuvering System Pod. The earliest launch attempt will be on 2 November. There will be a press conference today at 10:00 am EDT to discuss this issue. – Watch NASA TV – Updates Update from Marc at KSC: Space Shuttle Discovery Leak Delays Launch to Tuesday, November 2, […]
Budget cuts may doom extra shuttle launch, Orlando Sentinel “Just weeks after President Barack Obama signed into law a new blueprint for NASA — one that was supposed to add another space shuttle launch next year — the compromise is in danger of coming undone by a lack of money. But with gains likely on Election Day, congressional Republicans are expected to have the muscle to block increases in the […]
Obama welcomes Chilean mine rescue heroes “[President Obama will] meet with some of the Americans involved in the rescue of 33 miners earlier this month. The rescuers were recruited from NASA and several U.S. businesses.” Keith’s 9:00 am EDT note: Hmm … NASA people at the White House. Curiously there is no mention whatsoever at NASA.gov. Nothing on NASA TV. No media advisory, no Q&A opportunity – nothing. President Obama […]
NASA Survey Suggests Earth-Sized Planets Are Common “Nearly one in four stars similar to the sun may host planets as small as Earth, according to a new study funded by NASA and the University of California. The study is the most extensive and sensitive planetary census of its kind. Astronomers used the W.M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii for five years to search 166 sun-like stars near our solar system for […]
AAS email: Plutonium 238 Production: An Ongoing Issue for Washington “It is not often that a $30M issue in an appropriations bill gets a lot of attention. In fact, it is not uncommon to hear Senate staff state that they have $100M round off errors, but recent language in Congressional legislation appropriating funds of this magnitude can have a direct, negative impact on the long-term success of US planetary science […]