Greenland Ice Melting Too Dramatically
NASA has reported that Greenland’s ice sheet melted over a larger area earlier this month for several days than at any time in more than three decades. 97% of Greenland ice sheet melting as shown on NASA’s satellite data. Researchers do not know if this extensive melt event will contribute to sea level rise.
Russian Soyuz Rocket Launches Into Space
A trio of Russian, Japanese and US astronauts blasted off on a Russian Soyuz rocket for a four-month mission on the International Space Station (ISS).
NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, Russian cosmonaut Yury Malenchenko and Japan’s Akihito Hoshide will be at the ISS in two days. The Soyuz is schedule to dock on Tuesday with the ISS at 08:52 a.m. Moscow time (0452 GMT).
Solar Storm Swept Over Earth
The solar storm originated from a massive solar flare that included a powerful eruption on the sun sent a wave of charged solar plasma toward Earth. It is expected to arrive sometime today according to NASA
The solar storm could amplify Earth’s northern lights displays.
NASA Using Social Media To Get User Interest To Mars Program
The Mars spacecraft launched last November is about to land on Mars. What methods did NASA use to get your interest?
A suspense and cinematography video titled “Seven Minutes of Terror” was posted on YouTube in June. It is done like a movie trailer.
So far the video has succeeded in getting user interest in space exploration.
Astronauts Enter The Dragon
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation’s Dragon cargo ship was revealed for the first time to the crew on the International Space Station yesterday. The Dragon is the first commercially built and operated spacecraft to rendezvous and dock with another spacecraft on orbit.
SpaceX developed the Dragon to carry cargo and eventually crew.
The first NASA astronaut to go in is Donald Pettit and he said the Dragon looks like it carries about as much cargo as his pickup truck back home in Houston. It also smell of a brand new car
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.
