Space News
Billion-dollar 'discovery machine' set for launch
Phys.org - 17 Dec 2013 11:27
Europe on Thursday will place a billion-dollar bet on a space telescope designed to provide the biggest and most detailed 3-D map of the Milky Way.
Sub-Earth-Mass Moon Orbiting a Gas Giant Primary or a High Velocity Planetary System in the Galactic Bulge
SpaceRef - 17 Dec 2013 04:37
We present the first microlensing candidate for a free-floating exoplanet-exomoon system, MOA-2011-BLG-262, with a primary lens mass of M_host ~ 4 Jupiter masses hosting a sub-Earth mass moon....
NASA Engineers Crush Fuel Tank to Build Better Rockets
NASA Breaking news - 17 Dec 2013 18:00
NASA completed a series of high-tech can-crushing tests last week as an enormous fuel tank crumbled under the pressure of almost a million pounds of force, all in the name of building lighter, more affordable rockets.
Comet Tourism Flight Trades ISON For Lovejoy
Universe Today - 17 Dec 2013 18:31
When Comet ISON entered its zombie stage a few weeks ago, the effects were not only felt in the astronomical community, but also on astronomy tourists as the comet faded from the view of amateurs. German company ”Eclip...
First detection of a predicted unseen exoplanet
Phys.org - 17 Dec 2013 16:23
A team of European astronomers, including EXOEarths member Alexandre Santerne (CAUP), used the SOPHIE spectrograph at the Observatoire de Haute-Provence (France), to confirm the presence of Kepler-88 c, an unseen planet ...
Massive stars mark out Milky Way's 'missing' arms
Phys.org - 17 Dec 2013 11:00
A 12-year study of massive stars has reaffirmed that our Galaxy has four spiral arms, following years of debate sparked by images taken by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope that only showed two arms.
Space Life Sciences Training Program Applications Open
PTTU - 17 Dec 2013 23:03
NASA's Ames Research Center News and Features: The Space Life Sciences Training Program (SLSTP) provides undergraduate students entering their junior or senior years with professional experience in space life science dis...
Cosmos with Cosmos Episode 8: Journeys Through Space and Time
Planetary Society - 17 Dec 2013 23:00
Sagan makes us confront the limitations of our mortality given the immensities of space and time presented to us by the cosmos.
Spacecraft's 'Rainbow Eyes' Looks Deep Into The Sun | Video
SPACE.com - 17 Dec 2013 22:37
NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory views the Sun in multiple wavelengths, each one revealing a little more about its dynamics. The views are compiled to reveal how different parts of the Sun appear under each wavelength o...
Doubling Down With Rare White Dwarf Systems
PTTU - 17 Dec 2013 22:17
NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory: The shortened names of two systems that will evolve into a rare class of binary stars in the future.
How to See Spectacular Prime Time Night Launch of Antares Commercial Rocket to ISS on Dec. 19
Universe Today - 17 Dec 2013 22:02
WALLOPS ISLAND, VA - Orbital Sciences Corp. is marching forward with plans for a spectacular night blastoff of the firms privately developed Antares rocket and Cygnus cargo spacecraft on Thursday, Dec. 19 from a seaside ...
Galaxy's Most Precise 3D Map: Gaia Probe Will Make It | Video
SPACE.com - 17 Dec 2013 21:41
Using a billion pixel camera and 2 telescopes, the European spacecraft will scan every star at least 70 times during a 5 year period. This will create the most comprehensive guide to the Milky Way to date.
Mysterious Mounds | Space Wallpaper
SPACE.com - 17 Dec 2013 21:05
This space wallpaper is a color-coded topography map of Juventae Chasma revealed by Mars Express. White and red show the highest terrains, while blue and purple show the deepest.
Satellite failures threaten hurricane forecasts, Senate panel is told
Phys.org - 17 Dec 2013 20:08
There's a storm brewing in the world of U.S. weather forecasting, and - much like the hurricanes that meteorologists are trained to predict - there's not much anyone can do about it.
Arianespace Orders Two Vega Launchers for Unidentified Customer
Space News - 17 Dec 2013 20:07
The dates correspond to when the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology plans to launch its next Earth observation spacecraft.
Welcome to Radio Galaxy Zoo!
Galaxy Zoo - 17 Dec 2013 20:00
Today’s post is from Ivy Wong, who is delighted to announce our newest Galaxy Zoo project. Welcome to the extraordinary world of radio astronomy. Observe the Universe through radio goggles and discover the jets that ar...
NASA rolls out rocket for Thursday's ISS cargo launch
Phys.org - 17 Dec 2013 19:52
With the space station cooling system hobbled and a commercial cargo launch waiting in the wings, NASA Tuesday prepared all options but said no decision had yet been made on whether spacewalk repairs would be needed.
Sierra Nevada Completes Work on Commercial Crew Contract from 2011
Space News - 17 Dec 2013 19:34
The company's $101.9 million Space Act Agreement culminated with a free-flight test of a mockup of the company's Dream Chaser spaceplane.
Watch a Star Blast Out Waves of Light
Universe Today - 17 Dec 2013 19:16
6,500 light-years away in the southern constellation Puppis an enormous star pulses with light and energy, going through the first throes of its death spasms as it depletes its last reserves of hydrogen necessary to main...
Important space weather instrument cleared for installation onto GOES-R spacecraft
PTTU - 17 Dec 2013 19:05
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center: The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite - R Series Program completed its next instrument, the Solar Ultra-Violet Imager, which is now ready for integration onto the GOES-...
CST-100 Launch-abort Engines Complete Testing Milestone
Space News - 17 Dec 2013 19:04
A pair of engines, each capable of generating about 39,000 pounds of thrust, were fired for a combined 29.7 seconds.
Antares Rocket Raising
SpaceRef - 17 Dec 2013 18:41
The Orbital Science Corporation Antares rocket is seen as it is raised into position at launch Pad-0A, Tuesday, December 16, 2013, at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, V...