NASA Launches Super-Size Mars Rover
NASA has launched into space again to research the liveability of Mars by sending the Mars Science Laboratory on an eight-month journey. One of it’s payload is Curiosity Mars Rover, the world’s biggest extraterrestrial explorer. Curiosity weights a ton and it is a mobile, nuclear-powered laboratory holding 10 scientific instruments that will sample Martian soil and rocks, analyzing them on the spot. It also comes with a drill and a stone cutting laser machine.
NASA’s Mission To Jupiter With Solar Powered Juno
NASA has launched solar powered spacecraft Juno for its 5-year Jupiter mission at 12:25 p.m. ET on Friday.
The spacecraft plans to orbit around Jupiter’s poles 33 times and examine it with eight science instruments. The data Juno gathers has the potential to make a significant contribution to the understanding of the solar system’s origin and evolution.
Juno will use solar panels to power itself wth three arrays of panels. Two with 4 panels each and one with 3 panels that cover a total area of 60 square meters.
Asteroid Passing Close To Earth June 27
An asteroid measuring 16 to 35 feet will fly by 8,000 miles of Earth on Monday June 27. According to NASA, it will make the closest approach at 9:30 a.m. EDT. Called 2011 MD, the asteroid was discovered by MIT Lincoln Laboratory’s LINEAR programme.
Shuttle Discovery Launch Pushed Back To February 2011
NASA has moved Discovery’s 39th and final fight to early February to give engineers more time to determine the root cause of cracks in the shuttle’s external tank. The crack could cause foam insulation to break loose during launch and damage the shuttle’s heat-shield components.
Space Station Celebrates 10 Years
The crew of the International Space Station marked the 10th anniversary of continuous human occupation. Space agencies from United States, Russia, Europe, Canada and Japan have been building the $100 billion space station since 1998. President Obama has authorized NASA to continue the space station program through at least 2020.
NASA Astronaut Checks In To Foursquare From Space
NASA astronaut Doug Wheelock checked in to the international space station, hence unlocking the NASA Explorer Badge on Foursquare.
Check out NASA Foursquare page at: http://foursquare.com/nasa
Solar Tsunami To Hit Earth
Earth is bracing for a cosmic tsunami as tons of plasma from a massive sun eruption is heading directly toward Earth. The eruptions, dubbed coronal mass ejections, started early Sunday and was captured by cameras aboard NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). The effect of this eruption will reach earth on August 4, 2010.
Source: Solar Storm Headed for Earth Tonight; May Spawn Auroras
NASA Celebrates Hubble 20th Year
NASA is celebrating Hubble Telescope 20th birthday with the release of a series of new photos. Check it out.
NASA Takes HD Photos Of Sun
NASA has released new high definition images of the sun, taken from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) spacecraft. The video and images shows clear eruptions from the sun. The SDO carries four telescopes along with other high-tech equipment, will examine the sun’s magnetic field and its impact on the Earth’s atmosphere and climate.
Source: NASA Mission YouTube Channel
Obama Has Vision For Mars And Asteroids Exploration
US President Barack Obama laid out plans for an eventual manned mission to Mars and to asteroids. But he said it has to be done the smart way after being critic by Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon. He also proposed a $40 million fund to boost the economy around NASA’s facilities in Florida.
Barack said: The bottom line is, nobody is more committed to manned space flight, to human exploration of space, than I am. But we’ve got to do it in a smart way.
Source: Obama Vows Renewed Space Program
