Lean U.S. missions to Mars, Jupiter moon recommended - Reuters, Mar 7, 2011
For the decade 2013-2022, five separate panels of scientists and experts agreed on a suite of missions that would get the greatest scientific return from money spent, recognizing that even these projects could be budget busters. The recomendations put limits on a mission's budget, stating that they only should be undertaken if the cost is about $2.5 billion, which is $1 billion less than independent estimates. The missons planned are a mission to Europa and its subsurface ocean -- which might support life (considered a second priority mission), and space missions to Mars.
To me this is good news since I was under the impression that American government essentially scrapped all space exploration plans, especially so - planeary expeditions. I knew that president Barack Obama followed earlier administrations in recognizing the end of the space shuttle era -- the final mission occurred this year. Obama also canceled his predecessor's Constellation moon program, angering some lawmakers and former astronauts who argued that it would make the United States a second or third-rate power in space. These plans give us some hope that our country would continue to be a country with ambitious space research program.
Friday, March 25, 2011
14. Tourists in Space
Boeing, Space Adventures to market commercial space flights - usatoday.com, Sep 15, 2010
Boeing and Space Adventures announced an agreement to market commercial rides to low Earth orbit aboard a Boeing capsule now in development. Boeing built a 7-person Crew Space Transportation-100 spacecraft designed to launch atop United Launch Alliance's Atlas V and Delta IV rockets and SpaceX's Falcon 9, which have pads at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Space Adventures has flown seven spaceflight participants to the space station aboard Russian made Soyuz spacecraft.
This, as far as i know, is the first attempt to create a commercially viable business enterprise related to outer space. If successful, it might give a boost to the space research, especially if there would be a competition among several companies. Space research is beneficial to many other scientific endeavours as it requires advances in material science, communications, computers, fuel chemistry and other areas of research.
Boeing and Space Adventures announced an agreement to market commercial rides to low Earth orbit aboard a Boeing capsule now in development. Boeing built a 7-person Crew Space Transportation-100 spacecraft designed to launch atop United Launch Alliance's Atlas V and Delta IV rockets and SpaceX's Falcon 9, which have pads at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Space Adventures has flown seven spaceflight participants to the space station aboard Russian made Soyuz spacecraft.
This, as far as i know, is the first attempt to create a commercially viable business enterprise related to outer space. If successful, it might give a boost to the space research, especially if there would be a competition among several companies. Space research is beneficial to many other scientific endeavours as it requires advances in material science, communications, computers, fuel chemistry and other areas of research.
13. new Soyuz launch date
Russia sets new Soyuz launch date on April 5 - Reuters, Mar 21, 2011
Space agency chief Anatoly Perminov was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying the Soyuz TMA-21 would blast off at 1118 GMT on April 5 from Russia's Baikonur launch pad in Kazakhstan. Russia delayed the launch to resolve a communication problem with the Soyuz, raising fears over its reliability and whether the mission would begin in time to honour the April 12 anniversary of cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin's first manned flight into space. Russian Soyuz spacecraft is used since 2009 exclusively for space station crew transport.
To my understanding, reliability is the most important issue now, when Russia is the only provider of the transport spacecraft in the world. Russian space industry, being in decline since the desintegration of the Soviet Union, somewhat recovered dusring the last few years, when the government started to invest more money into the spacecraft design and production. New launch pad is being built currently in Russia's Far East, called Vostoichy Cosmodrome.
Space agency chief Anatoly Perminov was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying the Soyuz TMA-21 would blast off at 1118 GMT on April 5 from Russia's Baikonur launch pad in Kazakhstan. Russia delayed the launch to resolve a communication problem with the Soyuz, raising fears over its reliability and whether the mission would begin in time to honour the April 12 anniversary of cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin's first manned flight into space. Russian Soyuz spacecraft is used since 2009 exclusively for space station crew transport.
To my understanding, reliability is the most important issue now, when Russia is the only provider of the transport spacecraft in the world. Russian space industry, being in decline since the desintegration of the Soviet Union, somewhat recovered dusring the last few years, when the government started to invest more money into the spacecraft design and production. New launch pad is being built currently in Russia's Far East, called Vostoichy Cosmodrome.
12. Humanoid robot on space station
NASA's humanoid robot unveiled on space station - NASA, February 24th 2011
In February 2011 NASA launched first ever human-like robot to space to become a permanent resident of the International Space Station. The 300-pound Robonaut 2, or R2 consists of a head and a torso with two arms and two hands. The dexterous robot not only looks like a human but also is designed to work like one. With human-like hands and arms, R2 is able to use the same tools station crew members use. Testing this robot inside the station will provide to its designers important data about its ability to operate in microgravity, and general usefulness in the space station environment.
I was impressed by this article, because I frequently think that human beings confined to a spece station limited space and spending there months and sometimes years should eventually be replaced by robots like this one. Humans should only visit space stations for the short periods of time, avoiding exposure to cosmic rays and extremely lo gravity conditions.
In February 2011 NASA launched first ever human-like robot to space to become a permanent resident of the International Space Station. The 300-pound Robonaut 2, or R2 consists of a head and a torso with two arms and two hands. The dexterous robot not only looks like a human but also is designed to work like one. With human-like hands and arms, R2 is able to use the same tools station crew members use. Testing this robot inside the station will provide to its designers important data about its ability to operate in microgravity, and general usefulness in the space station environment.
I was impressed by this article, because I frequently think that human beings confined to a spece station limited space and spending there months and sometimes years should eventually be replaced by robots like this one. Humans should only visit space stations for the short periods of time, avoiding exposure to cosmic rays and extremely lo gravity conditions.
11. Space in a Bottle
Astronauts Capture Space in a Bottle - FOX News, March 02, 2011
Two astronauts drifting 220 miles above the blue and white blob of planet Earth Monday collected an unusual souvenir: a bottle full of space. Spacewalkers Stephen Bowen and Alvin Drew opened and "filled" a Japanese-designed metal cylinder with space -- or rather the vacuum of outer space -- and then sealed it to be brought back to Earth with space shuttle Discovery. Not that this sampling of space was intended for science. Dubbed "Message in a Bottle," the activity was designed to be more symbolic than scientific. Part of JAXA's Education Payload Observation designed to enlighten the general public about microgravity research and human spaceflight, "Message in a Bottle" is aimed at encouraging children to imagine what is possible.
To me projects like this are very useful in giving general public, and especialy to childeen, something related to space exploration and science, but at the same time - something which an average person can easily understand and visualise. This way children can develop interest to science and later participate in more complex activities in school. "There is no message in there," said Wheelock. "They are going to encourage people — when this goes on tour — to approach this glass-enclosed bottle of space and write whatever message they would put in there to deliver to the rest of the universe.", - says the researcher.
Two astronauts drifting 220 miles above the blue and white blob of planet Earth Monday collected an unusual souvenir: a bottle full of space. Spacewalkers Stephen Bowen and Alvin Drew opened and "filled" a Japanese-designed metal cylinder with space -- or rather the vacuum of outer space -- and then sealed it to be brought back to Earth with space shuttle Discovery. Not that this sampling of space was intended for science. Dubbed "Message in a Bottle," the activity was designed to be more symbolic than scientific. Part of JAXA's Education Payload Observation designed to enlighten the general public about microgravity research and human spaceflight, "Message in a Bottle" is aimed at encouraging children to imagine what is possible.
To me projects like this are very useful in giving general public, and especialy to childeen, something related to space exploration and science, but at the same time - something which an average person can easily understand and visualise. This way children can develop interest to science and later participate in more complex activities in school. "There is no message in there," said Wheelock. "They are going to encourage people — when this goes on tour — to approach this glass-enclosed bottle of space and write whatever message they would put in there to deliver to the rest of the universe.", - says the researcher.
10. Yuri Gagarin
Подготовка и проведение мероприятий, посвященных празднованию 50-й годовщины полета в космос Ю.А. Гагарина
On April 12th this year it's going to be a 50th anniversary of the flight of Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet pilot and cosmonaut who was the first man in space ever. The page above belongs to the administration of Gagarin's birthplace. It outlines the activities which are planned to celebrate this anniversary. One more web site, that of Russian TV channel, tells about Gagarin's friends. The TV reporter Ksenia Stepanova met a few of them and they shared with her what the remember about the hero.
I was born after this first spaceflight by Yuri Gagarin, but some of my friends remember this day in 1961, the filing of pride for their country, the jubilation and festivities in the streets of Russian cities. Russian space industry, even being in a relative decline now, is still capable of bringing cosmonauts and astronauts to the international space station, which is especially important now, when Americans grounded their space fleet.
On April 12th this year it's going to be a 50th anniversary of the flight of Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet pilot and cosmonaut who was the first man in space ever. The page above belongs to the administration of Gagarin's birthplace. It outlines the activities which are planned to celebrate this anniversary. One more web site, that of Russian TV channel, tells about Gagarin's friends. The TV reporter Ksenia Stepanova met a few of them and they shared with her what the remember about the hero.
I was born after this first spaceflight by Yuri Gagarin, but some of my friends remember this day in 1961, the filing of pride for their country, the jubilation and festivities in the streets of Russian cities. Russian space industry, even being in a relative decline now, is still capable of bringing cosmonauts and astronauts to the international space station, which is especially important now, when Americans grounded their space fleet.
9. Space Tragedies
NASA Commemorates Three Space Tragedies - space.com, 26 January 2007
This article describes NASA's commemoration of three tragedies: accidental fire in Apollo I spacecraft when three astonauts died on Jan. 27, 1967, Challenger rocket booster seal failure on Jan. 28, 1986 when 7 people died, and 2003 loss of Columbia orbiter when seven STS-107 astronauts died during landing. After more than two years of recovery efforts, NASA resumed shuttle flights in July 2005. The space agency plans to retire its remaining three orbiters-Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour-after ISS assembly is completed by September 2010. "We have an opportunity to show once again that NASA can do what it says it's going to do," NASA chief Michael Griffin told space agency employees this month during an agency-wide update.
To me those three tragic accidents show that there's no sure safe way to achieve anything, especially in such a new area as space research. However tragic are these events, we have to remember that any human endeavour involves some risk, and space flights by comparison are not the most dangerous enterprise ever. Strangely enough, three most dangerous jobs are actually fisherman, logger, and rancher
This article describes NASA's commemoration of three tragedies: accidental fire in Apollo I spacecraft when three astonauts died on Jan. 27, 1967, Challenger rocket booster seal failure on Jan. 28, 1986 when 7 people died, and 2003 loss of Columbia orbiter when seven STS-107 astronauts died during landing. After more than two years of recovery efforts, NASA resumed shuttle flights in July 2005. The space agency plans to retire its remaining three orbiters-Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour-after ISS assembly is completed by September 2010. "We have an opportunity to show once again that NASA can do what it says it's going to do," NASA chief Michael Griffin told space agency employees this month during an agency-wide update.
To me those three tragic accidents show that there's no sure safe way to achieve anything, especially in such a new area as space research. However tragic are these events, we have to remember that any human endeavour involves some risk, and space flights by comparison are not the most dangerous enterprise ever. Strangely enough, three most dangerous jobs are actually fisherman, logger, and rancher
8. Shortened Days
How the Japan Earthquake Shortened Days on Earth - space.com, 13 March 2011
The length of the 24-hour Earth day shortened by 1.8 microseconds as a result of the massive earthquake that struck northeast Japan on March 11, according to geophysicist Richard Gross at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. The reason is similar to the situation of a figure skater drawing her arms inward during a spin to turn faster on the ice. The closer the mass shift during an earthquake is to the equator, the more it will speed up the spinning Earth. Another earthquake consequence is that Japann's main island has moved about 8 feet. An earthquake in China last year shortened the day by 1.26 microseconds. The 9.1 Sumatra earthquake in 2004 shortened the day by 6.8 microseconds.
These events, like shortening Earth day, do not have any significant effect on everyday life. I think that Daylight Saving Time has certain effect on human health, and not all scientists agree that this effect is beneficial. I think humanity should invest more effort and resources into scientific methods of earthquake predictions, so that natural disasters like Japanese earthquake won't have such a devastating effect on the population.
The length of the 24-hour Earth day shortened by 1.8 microseconds as a result of the massive earthquake that struck northeast Japan on March 11, according to geophysicist Richard Gross at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. The reason is similar to the situation of a figure skater drawing her arms inward during a spin to turn faster on the ice. The closer the mass shift during an earthquake is to the equator, the more it will speed up the spinning Earth. Another earthquake consequence is that Japann's main island has moved about 8 feet. An earthquake in China last year shortened the day by 1.26 microseconds. The 9.1 Sumatra earthquake in 2004 shortened the day by 6.8 microseconds.
These events, like shortening Earth day, do not have any significant effect on everyday life. I think that Daylight Saving Time has certain effect on human health, and not all scientists agree that this effect is beneficial. I think humanity should invest more effort and resources into scientific methods of earthquake predictions, so that natural disasters like Japanese earthquake won't have such a devastating effect on the population.
7. Eye of Sauron
Giant Black Hole Looks Like 'Eye of Sauron,' Scientists Say - space.com, 11 March 2011
Observing the black hole that sits at the heart of a spiral galaxy called NGC 4151, which is 43 million light-years from Earth, scientists are trying to determine the cause of powerful X-ray emission which comes from that region. There're two possible scenarios. One possibility is that black hole was growing much more rapidly about 25,000 years ago and material was falling into the black hole which produced this powerful radiation. According to the second scenario, material spiraling into the black hole from an accretion disk spawned a vigorous outflow of gas from the surface of this disk, which then heated the gas in its path to X-ray-emitting temperatures.
Black hole research is one of the most challenging areas of astrophysics. No direct experiments are possible, and all results are based math used to build models to explain observation data, sometimes in more than one way. To me this always makes these explanations somewhat tentative, which is why i find methaphors like the one used in this article ("Eye of Sauron") very appropriate.
Observing the black hole that sits at the heart of a spiral galaxy called NGC 4151, which is 43 million light-years from Earth, scientists are trying to determine the cause of powerful X-ray emission which comes from that region. There're two possible scenarios. One possibility is that black hole was growing much more rapidly about 25,000 years ago and material was falling into the black hole which produced this powerful radiation. According to the second scenario, material spiraling into the black hole from an accretion disk spawned a vigorous outflow of gas from the surface of this disk, which then heated the gas in its path to X-ray-emitting temperatures.
Black hole research is one of the most challenging areas of astrophysics. No direct experiments are possible, and all results are based math used to build models to explain observation data, sometimes in more than one way. To me this always makes these explanations somewhat tentative, which is why i find methaphors like the one used in this article ("Eye of Sauron") very appropriate.
6. Close Encounter With a Comet
NASA’s Second Close Encounter With a Comet - nyt, February 13, 2011
Tempel 1 is a comet which NASA scientists are studying for a number of years. In 2005 Deep Impact spacecraft slammed a 820-pound projectile into its surface, and this year another spacecraft, Stardust, will fly very near this celestial body, just mere 125 miles from its surface. It will make 72 high-resolution photographs of the comet's surface. Using this kind of spacecraft for observation scientists are able to get direct answers to certain questions, like what's the nature of some depressions in the comet's surface, whether they're creatrs caused by impacts of results from undersurface explosions.
For me it's pretty amazing that this latest spacecraft, called Stardust, is already on its second mission. First time around it went to a comet Wild 2, collected samples of dust, returned to Earth orbit and released a canister containing the comet dust, which parachuted back to the ground. Now it continues its work traveling to yet another comet.
Tempel 1 is a comet which NASA scientists are studying for a number of years. In 2005 Deep Impact spacecraft slammed a 820-pound projectile into its surface, and this year another spacecraft, Stardust, will fly very near this celestial body, just mere 125 miles from its surface. It will make 72 high-resolution photographs of the comet's surface. Using this kind of spacecraft for observation scientists are able to get direct answers to certain questions, like what's the nature of some depressions in the comet's surface, whether they're creatrs caused by impacts of results from undersurface explosions.
For me it's pretty amazing that this latest spacecraft, called Stardust, is already on its second mission. First time around it went to a comet Wild 2, collected samples of dust, returned to Earth orbit and released a canister containing the comet dust, which parachuted back to the ground. Now it continues its work traveling to yet another comet.
5. Mission to Mercury
Mission to Mercury - nyt, March 18, 2011
In the middle of March this year first ever man-made object, a spacecraft called Messenger, has slipped into an orbit around Mercury. The craft travelled to Mercury for seven years over the distance of 5 billion miles. The scientists, controlling the spacecraft, are starting to turn on its instruments. The observations are to begin on April 4th. Mercury is the planet closest to Sun in the Solar system, so the temperatures Messenger must be able to withstand are very high, this is why it will be protected by ceramic-fabric sunshade.
I think this article shows clearly that human scientific interests are expanding slowly but surely to the most extreme places in the universe. Engineers find the right materials to protect scientific instruments from the Sun even at the close distance like just 46 million miles. The temperature on the surface of this planed is around 500°C, so we should expect Messenger to quickly reach this temperature if left unprotected.
In the middle of March this year first ever man-made object, a spacecraft called Messenger, has slipped into an orbit around Mercury. The craft travelled to Mercury for seven years over the distance of 5 billion miles. The scientists, controlling the spacecraft, are starting to turn on its instruments. The observations are to begin on April 4th. Mercury is the planet closest to Sun in the Solar system, so the temperatures Messenger must be able to withstand are very high, this is why it will be protected by ceramic-fabric sunshade.
I think this article shows clearly that human scientific interests are expanding slowly but surely to the most extreme places in the universe. Engineers find the right materials to protect scientific instruments from the Sun even at the close distance like just 46 million miles. The temperature on the surface of this planed is around 500°C, so we should expect Messenger to quickly reach this temperature if left unprotected.
4. Bad Astronomy
Bad Astronomy: Misconceptions and Misuses Revealed, from Astrology to the Moon Landing "Hoax" - a book by Philip C. Plait.
This book by a science writer, who teaches in astronomy department at Sonoma State University, deals with common myths and misconceptions related to astronomy, like "The sky is blue because it reflects the blue color of the oceans", "The Hubble Space Telescope is bigger than all Earth-based telescopes." or "The Moon is bigger near the horizon than when it's overhead." One very interesting chapter deals with "conspiracy" theory, according to which American astronauts never landed on the moon, and the whole landing event was staged in one of the Hollywood studios.
I got this book in the local library and enjoyed it greatly. I've actually never heard about this "moon conspiracy theory", so it was very enlightening for me to learn truth about it so that if somebody mentiones this to me i'd be able to debunk this stupidity with the knowledge I learned from this book. I also found answers to the questions which seem to be simple on the surface, but the answers i though to be correct are actually wrong. For instance now i know that the seasons are caused by the Earth's tilt.
This book by a science writer, who teaches in astronomy department at Sonoma State University, deals with common myths and misconceptions related to astronomy, like "The sky is blue because it reflects the blue color of the oceans", "The Hubble Space Telescope is bigger than all Earth-based telescopes." or "The Moon is bigger near the horizon than when it's overhead." One very interesting chapter deals with "conspiracy" theory, according to which American astronauts never landed on the moon, and the whole landing event was staged in one of the Hollywood studios.
I got this book in the local library and enjoyed it greatly. I've actually never heard about this "moon conspiracy theory", so it was very enlightening for me to learn truth about it so that if somebody mentiones this to me i'd be able to debunk this stupidity with the knowledge I learned from this book. I also found answers to the questions which seem to be simple on the surface, but the answers i though to be correct are actually wrong. For instance now i know that the seasons are caused by the Earth's tilt.
3. Gazing Afar for Other Earths
Gazing Afar for Other Earths, and Other Beings - nyt, January 30, 2011
This article describes various efforts humanity undertakes in its search for other forms of life out there on different planets. We learn about a satellite observatory called Kepler, which is used by the scientists to look for the stars which are best for harboring planets. As it happens, recently astronomers revealed a list of 400 such stars which they found using Kepler. With the same tool the scientists even hope to find among them a subset of planets where it's not too hot nor too cold for the water to stay in liquid state, which is a prerequisite of life. Some resarchers go even further, saying that life can be based on a completely different elements, not carbon and oxigen.
I was surprised to read in this article that if we are to find life based on completely alien chemical rules, "Traditional religious images of ourselves as God’s creatures, or even of God, could be in for a rough time." I think this is far from being so, because any religious person would explain that if Got is omnipotent, He could have created as many life forms as He wished, based on one or many different sets of chemical rules. From this point of view our search for life on different planets should not necesserily bring end to our religios beliefs.
This article describes various efforts humanity undertakes in its search for other forms of life out there on different planets. We learn about a satellite observatory called Kepler, which is used by the scientists to look for the stars which are best for harboring planets. As it happens, recently astronomers revealed a list of 400 such stars which they found using Kepler. With the same tool the scientists even hope to find among them a subset of planets where it's not too hot nor too cold for the water to stay in liquid state, which is a prerequisite of life. Some resarchers go even further, saying that life can be based on a completely different elements, not carbon and oxigen.
I was surprised to read in this article that if we are to find life based on completely alien chemical rules, "Traditional religious images of ourselves as God’s creatures, or even of God, could be in for a rough time." I think this is far from being so, because any religious person would explain that if Got is omnipotent, He could have created as many life forms as He wished, based on one or many different sets of chemical rules. From this point of view our search for life on different planets should not necesserily bring end to our religios beliefs.
2. 'Supermoon' Phenomenon
NASA Scientist Explains Science Behind 'Supermoon' Phenomenon - space.com, 13 March 2011
This article explains the "supermoon" phenomenon, which is, essentially, is a situation when the moon makes its closest approach to Earth. As it happens, on March 19th the moon was at its closest in 18 years. Some astrologers linked the "supermoon" situation to the earthquake in Japan and other natural disasters, but the scientists assure that this is not the case: according to the most detailed studies, the effects on Earth from a supermoon are minor. The amount of energy, stored within Earth's outer shell or crust is huge, and the forces, exerted by the moon are minor in comparison, and they can't have noticable effect.
This article, essentially, shows that astrology makes statements not based on science, and we should always check scientific sources when dealing with such natural phenomena like tsunami and earthquakes. Sometimes we're inclined to pay attention to unreliable sources, causing panic and misunderstanding, which is especially dangerous when people start making predictions. Making predictions is very difficult, especially about the future.
This article explains the "supermoon" phenomenon, which is, essentially, is a situation when the moon makes its closest approach to Earth. As it happens, on March 19th the moon was at its closest in 18 years. Some astrologers linked the "supermoon" situation to the earthquake in Japan and other natural disasters, but the scientists assure that this is not the case: according to the most detailed studies, the effects on Earth from a supermoon are minor. The amount of energy, stored within Earth's outer shell or crust is huge, and the forces, exerted by the moon are minor in comparison, and they can't have noticable effect.
This article, essentially, shows that astrology makes statements not based on science, and we should always check scientific sources when dealing with such natural phenomena like tsunami and earthquakes. Sometimes we're inclined to pay attention to unreliable sources, causing panic and misunderstanding, which is especially dangerous when people start making predictions. Making predictions is very difficult, especially about the future.
1. Even More Things in Heaven and Earth
Even More Things in Heaven and Earth - nyt February 3, 2011
In this article the author, Michael Byers, starts with a recent announcement by the astronomers that a planetary object called Eris is smaller than Pluto. This allows us to revisit Pluto's status, which was doungraded from this of a planet to a "dwarf" since discovery of Eris in 2005. The author goes on to tell us about the discovery of Pluto in 1930, which was, as it happens, a result of a serious of measurement errors and observational mistakes.
I found this article interesting, because it shows how the human knowledge moves ahead even though there are mistakes in the process of acquiring data and interpreting the results. The author says at the end of the article that astronomers identified 1,235 possible planets in other star systems. Potentially there are inhabitants on one of them - and this what makes the science of astronomy really fascinating for me.
In this article the author, Michael Byers, starts with a recent announcement by the astronomers that a planetary object called Eris is smaller than Pluto. This allows us to revisit Pluto's status, which was doungraded from this of a planet to a "dwarf" since discovery of Eris in 2005. The author goes on to tell us about the discovery of Pluto in 1930, which was, as it happens, a result of a serious of measurement errors and observational mistakes.
I found this article interesting, because it shows how the human knowledge moves ahead even though there are mistakes in the process of acquiring data and interpreting the results. The author says at the end of the article that astronomers identified 1,235 possible planets in other star systems. Potentially there are inhabitants on one of them - and this what makes the science of astronomy really fascinating for me.
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