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Space: Final Frontier

Started by Imperator; Last updated May 4, 08 11:00 AM CDT by SeacoastNH | View history

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Space: Final Frontier

"The Earth is the cradle of humanity, but mankind cannot stay in the cradle forever." -Konstantin Tsiolkovsky

Nearly four decades after Neil Armstrong took his giant leap for mankind, the race is on—again. And this time, the course has expanded, with government scientists reaching outward towards Mars, and private entrepreneurs, from Amazon's Jeff Bezos to Virgin's Richard Branson, jumping in to open up the wonders of the universe to anyone who's got the cash. Branson's Virgin Galactic aims to launch in 2009 with $200K orbits, but the wealthy and willing can already pony up $25 mil for a journey to the Russian space station. Too bad PanAm didn't hang around for the second act—they once had a waiting list of 93,000 for travel to the moon.

Stories

Stories 81 - 100 of 276

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March 2008
- Spacewalkers Give Dextre Arms
  
  newser | Houston Chronicle | Mar 16, 08 7:31 AM CDT
  
  Dextre the space robot now has arms. Astronauts attached them in an overnight spacewalk outside the International Space Station, the second of three that will be needed to bring the $209 million robot fully to life, the Houston Chronicle reports. On Monday, astronauts will give Dextre a tool belt, lights, and cameras, and he'll be ready to go. More »
- Dextre Lives! Space Robot Gets Power
  
  newser | Associated Press | Mar 15, 08 1:46 PM CDT
  
  Dextre's finally getting some juice. Astronauts aboard the international space station solved a glitch last night and got power flowing to their partially built robot, the AP reports. Now they can go ahead with a spacewalk tonight to finish assembling it. “There was obviously some real concern over the last day or two for getting that powered up,” said one official. More »
- Google Sky Freed From Google Earth
  
  newser | InformationWeek | Mar 14, 08 8:10 PM CDT
  
  Not only can stargazers store their telescopes, but now they can put away some of their software, too. Google has freed its Sky program from the Google Earth software, and computer-screen galaxy-watching can now be done simply via web browser. “This release makes Sky accessible to just about anyone with an Internet connection,” one Google rep tells InformationWeek. More »
- Laws of Physics May Need an Overhaul
  
  newser | Economist | Mar 14, 08 6:04 PM CDT
  
  The laws of physics just might be broken. Scientists have detected gravity-defying behavior from spacecrafts flung around the Earth, the Economist reports. Five different spacecrafts picked up speed at a pace deviating,ever so slightly, from the laws created by Newton and Einstein. After laborious calculations, astronomers have created a formula to predict the phenomenon. If it holds up, it means that our laws of gravity need major revision. More »
- Space Robot Taking Shape
  
  newser | Houston Chronicle | Mar 14, 08 9:11 AM CDT
  
  Astronauts began assembling a 12-foot robot named Dextre last night outside the international space station. The overnight spacewalking mission hit a slight glitch when the robot failed to power up, but NASA officials expect to resolve it soon, the Houston Chronicle reports. Spacewalks on Saturday and Monday will be needed to finish Dextre, who will then take over much of the space station's construction. More »
- Endeavour Docks After New Damage Check
  
  newser | Associated Press | Mar 13, 08 3:45 AM CDT
  
  The Endeavour docked with the international space station without a glitch yesterday just after the shuttle was again examined for damage, AP reports. The craft did a full backflip before docking so every inch of it could be inspected. Launch videos first revealed that something may have hit the shuttle's nose seconds after lift off. More »
- Shuttle Safe, Mission On
  
  newser | Houston Chronicle | Mar 12, 08 4:07 AM CDT
  
  The crew of the space shuttle Endeavour is on course to dock with the international space station with apparently no damage to the heat shield during takeoff, the Houston Chronicle reports. Tracking cameras indicated possible debris near the shuttle just after launch that may have struck near the ship's nose. Detailed inspections have become routine on missions since the loss of the Columbia in 2003. The shuttle is delivering a robot repairman and a Japanese space lab. More »
- Endeavour Blasts Into Space
  
  newser | Houston Chronicle | Mar 11, 08 6:30 AM CDT
  
  The shuttle Endeavour thundered off its launch pad early this morning, carrying seven astronauts and two major pieces of hardware to the International Space Station. On board is a $1 billion science module that contains research gear for the station's lab, the first Japanese contribution to the orbital base, reports the Houston Chronicle . Also accompanying the astronauts is a 12-foot, spacewalking Canadian robot bearing the name Dextre. More »
- Star Could Fire Death Ray at Earth
  
  newser | Space.com | Mar 10, 08 3:49 PM CDT
  
  Don't freak out, but an unstable star a mere 8,000 light years away could go supernova at any time, sending a massive gamma ray burst hurtling toward Earth, possibly destroying the ozone layer and blasting half of the planet with deadly radiation. WR 104 is what's known as a Wolf-Rayet star, and "Wolf-Rayet stars are regarded by astronomers as ticking bombs," a researcher tells Space.com. More »
- Shuttle to Launch Giant Robot Into Space
  
  newser | Houston Chronicle | Mar 10, 08 2:05 PM CDT
  
  When the shuttle Endeavour launches at 2:28am tomorrow, it will carry what has been pure sci-fi until now: a giant space robot. After astronauts assemble it, Canada’s Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, known as “Dextre,” will roam the outside of the International Space Station completing repairs considered too dangerous for spacewalkers, the Houston Chronicle reports. More »
- Space Truck Shoots Into Orbit
  
  newser | BBC | Mar 9, 08 11:42 AM CDT
  
  Europe's first automated cargo ship blasted off from the South American jungle early today, headed for a rendezvous with the International Space Station, the BBC reports. The craft—the biggest and most complex that Europe has ever launched—will deliver food, water, pressurized air, fuel, and personal items to the ISS crew and remove garbage. More »
- Europe to Launch Space Truck
  
  newser | BBC | Mar 8, 08 3:20 PM CST
  
  Europe is about to launch its most sophisticated spacecraft ever, the BBC reports. The “Jules Verne,” set to take off tomorrow, will deliver supplies to the International Space Station while nudging the station higher into its orbit to prevent it from falling to Earth. The freighter is fully automated—no humans aboard—marking a major step toward manned European missions. More »
- Astronauts Will Have to Hitch Rides With the Russians
  
  newser | Washington Post | Mar 7, 08 2:04 PM CST
  
  When NASA retires its fleet of space shuttles in 2010, the agency will have no way of sending men into space until 2015, at the earliest, the Washington Post reports. To carry astronauts and cargo to the International Space Station, largely funded by American taxpayers, the US will have to rely on the only other country that can send men into space: Russia. And we'll have to pay for the privilege. More »
- Saturn Moon Rings Detected
  
  newser | Space.com | Mar 7, 08 4:20 AM CST
  
  Saturn’s second-largest moon, Rhea, could be the first known moon with rings. The spacecraft Cassini detected apparent evidence of rings when it spotted debris around Rhea as it flew by in 2005, reports space.com. The set of rings has not been directly seen, but scientists inferred that the rings existed because the spacecraft measured a drop in electrons on both sides of the moon. More »
February 2008
- Korea's Kimchi Ready for Lift-Off
  
  newser | International Herald Tribune | Feb 28, 08 8:56 AM CST
  
  South Korea spent millions to make sure its first astronaut is well-prepared for his mission—by perfecting a space-safe kimchi, reports the International Herald Tribune . South Koreans put down 1.6 million tons of the national dish each year, and Ko San will blast off April 8 for a 10-day stint at the International Space Station with his share of fermented cabbage in tow. More »
- NASA to Smash Moon in Hunt for Lunar Ice
  
  newser | Space.com | Feb 27, 08 8:08 PM CST
  
  No, they're not angry at the moon—but NASA is preparing two spacecraft for head-on collisions with the lunar South Pole. The idea is that the double impact might uncover ice suspected to be hiding in the moon's poles, Space.com reports. Scientists detected large amounts of hydrogen there on a previous smash-and-learn expedition. More »
- Satellite Shot Destroyed Toxic Fuel
  
  newser | Associated Press | Feb 25, 08 12:10 PM CST
  
  The missile fired at the errant spy satellite on Wednesday succeeded in destroying a tank full of toxic fuel, the Defense Department has concluded after analyzing the debris from the shootdown. The tank was said to have held 1,000 pounds of toxic hydrazine, which could have been released into the atmosphere as the satellite fell to Earth, the AP reports. "By all accounts this was a successful mission," Gen. James Cartwright said today. More »
- Scheme to Plant Telescope on Moon Gathers Steam
  
  newser | Washington Post | Feb 25, 08 5:16 AM CST
  
  The moon may have to start earning its keep if NASA gets its way. With the far side of our lunar satellite a perfect environment for delicate, deep-space measurements, two research teams are furiously plotting ways to deploy astronomy equipment there. If astronauts return to the moon after 2019, they might bring new telescopes with them to plant on the lunar surface, reports the Washington Post . More »
- Japan Launches Super Speed Internet Satellite
  
  newser | Associated Press | Feb 23, 08 1:33 PM CST
  
  Japan today launched a satellite that, if successful, will be able to sling information across Japan and remote parts of Southeast Asia at high speeds and low cost, the AP reports. The satellite, dubbed “Kizuna,” won’t be used commercially–instead, scientists will run about 100 experiments on it, including a test HDTV broadcast. But researchers hope it will help Japan build one of the most advanced networks on the planet, Reuters reports. More »
- Questions Trail After Satellite
  
  newser | New York Times | Feb 22, 08 11:59 AM CST
  
  The US Navy's destruction of a spy satellite on Wednesday continues to stir doubts both domestically and internationally, reports the New York Times. China issued an explicit warning yesterday, and Russia has raised questions. “The geopolitical fallout of this intercept could be far greater than any chemical fallout that would have resulted from the wayward satellite,” said House Homeland Security Committee member Edward Markey. More »

Stories 81 - 100 of 276

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Images (31)
Videos (7)

A film still from %u201CVoyage to the Moon,%u201D aka %u201CA Trip to the Moon%u201D (Le Voyage dans la lune; 1902). 35mm film, black and white, silent, 13 minutes (approx.). Directed by George Melies (Scene360.com)

Cover of Jules Verne's From the Earth to the Moon (Scribner, Armstrong & Company, 1874)

Cover of Jules Verne's From the Earth to the Moon (Scribner, Armstrong & Company, 1874)

This handout image obtained 19 February (Getty Images)

This photo released by NASA shows a sunburst view of the Space Shuttle's robot arm over a cloudy Earth taken June 1,1996, during the flight of Space Shuttle Endeavour. (AP Photo/Courtesy of Earth Sciences... (Associated Press)

Space Shuttle Atlantis streaks into the sky on mission STS-106 after a perfect on-time launch from Kennedy Space Center in this file photo from Sept. 8, 2000. NASA will try to launch Atlantis on the... (Associated Press)

In this Dec. 19, 2006 file photo, a view of the international space station is seen from the space shuttle Discovery. Astronaut Suni Williams, who is registered for the Boston Marathon, will run the equivalent... (Associated Press)

solar_system3 ((c) Royalty-free image collection)

%u20AC%u2122s first generation of newborn stars condensed and ignited in the middle of a huge cloud of cold molecular hydrogen.The immense nebula is an estimated 7,500 light-years away in the southern... (Associated Press)

This photo from the Advanced Camera for Surveys on the Hubble Space Telescope shows a pillar of gas and dust called the Cone Nebula which resides in a turbulent star-forming region. (KRT Photos)

Hubble Captures Image Of Merging Galaxies (Getty Images)

Scientists Capture Deep Space Image Of Early Universe (Getty Images)

Hubble Captures Images of Hoag's Object (Getty Images)

Gamma-Ray Burst From Chandra X-Ray Observatory (Getty Images)

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL -- The 2001 Mars Odyssey is launched on a Delta II rocket at Cape Canaveral, Florida, Saturday, April 7, 2001. (KRT Photos)

-July 22 NASA's rover Sojourner is photographed next to the boulder dubbed "Barnacle Bill" on the planet Mars on July 22. The rover used its spectrometer to study the rock's chemical makeup. (KRT Photos)

Martian Landscape (Archive Photos)

Mercury Astronaut Gordon Cooper Dies at 77 (Getty Images)

Mercury 6 Booster Rocket (Archive Photos)

(FILES) Mercury program astronauts pose (Getty Images)

John Glenn (Archive Photos)

Alan Shepard (Archive Photos)

Virgil 'Gus' Grissom (Archive Photos)

Scott Carpenter (Archive Photos)

Astronaut Deke Slayton (NASA)

First Man In Space (Archive Photos)

Space Tourist Returns To Earth (Getty Images)

The Great Canary Telescope is a seen on a mountaintop of the Santa Cruz de Tenerife, in the Canary Islands, Friday, July 13, 2007. The Great Canary Telescope is among the world's largest telescopes. The... (Associated Press)

The Martian moon Phobos is seen in an image released by NASA Wednesday April 9, 2008. The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter took the image... (AP Photo)

The International Space Station with the Space Shuttle Discovery docked to it, is seen from the ground in Tyler, Texas, Thursday Oct. 25, 2007. The ISS & Discovery are on orbit, approximately 200 miles... (AP Photo)

The launch of the Space Shuttle Atlantis, STS-115 is shown in this Sept. 9, 2006 photo. An experiment on that flight involving salmonella, best known as a culprit of food poisoning is reported in Tuesday's... (AP Photo)

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STS-114 space shuttle discovery return to space launch (anyhandleleft (YouTube))

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Space Shuttle Challenger disaster (ei2232 (YouTube))