Space News
Black Holes Heated Early Universe Slower Than Previously Thought
SPACE.com - 5 Feb 2014 20:03
Black holes acting as companions to early stars may have taken more time to raise the temperature of the ancient universe than previously thought, a new study suggests. URL: early-black-holes-heat-universe
SpaceX's next cargo mission to space station is Mar 16
Phys.org - 5 Feb 2014 23:41
The next cargo supply mission to the International Space Station by the US company SpaceX has been set for March 16, NASA said Wednesday.
NASA-funded science balloons launch in Antarctica
Phys.org - 5 Feb 2014 15:41
In the bright light of Antarctica's summer sun, a NASA mission launched its first 18 science balloons between Dec. 27, 2013, and Feb. 2, 2014. BARREL, or the Balloon Array for Radiation belt Relativistic Electron Losses,...
100 Points of Light: Behind the Webb
SpaceRef - 5 Feb 2014 15:57
The Webb Telescope's Near Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) instrument will be used to study star formation and the chemical composition of young, distant galaxies....
Kepler finds a very wobbly planet
Phys.org - 5 Feb 2014 01:20
(Phys.org) --Imagine living on a planet with seasons so erratic you would hardly know whether to wear Bermuda shorts or a heavy overcoat. That is the situation on a weird, wobbly world found by NASA's planet-hunting Kepl...
NASA boards the 3-D-manufacturing train
Phys.org - 5 Feb 2014 23:58
Given NASA's unique needs for highly customized spacecraft and instrument components, additive manufacturing, or "3-D printing," offers a compelling alternative to more traditional manufacturing approaches.
NASA Mars orbiter examines dramatic new crater
Phys.org - 5 Feb 2014 23:53
(Phys.org) --Space rocks hitting Mars excavate fresh craters at a pace of more than 200 per year, but few new Mars scars pack as much visual punch as one seen in a NASA image released today.
NASA Evolves Student Rocketry Challenge, Enhances Ties to Space Launch System
PTTU - 5 Feb 2014 23:25
NASA Breaking News: Student teams from 26 colleges and universities in 16 states and Puerto Rico will design and launch innovative rockets and payloads as part of the 2013-2014 NASA Student Launch rocketry competition.
NASA Chief Treads Carefully on James Webb Space Telescope Budget
SPACE.com - 5 Feb 2014 23:21
The $8.8 billion James Webb Space Telescope, now in what is expected to be the most expensive year of its protracted development, could find itself back in trouble if Congress cannot keep the money coming.
New study finds early universe 'warmed up' later than previously believed
e! Science News - 5 Feb 2014 22:34
A new study from Tel Aviv University reveals that black holes, formed from the first stars in our universe, heated the gas throughout space later than previously thought. They also imprinted a clear signature in radio wa...
Virgin Galactic's Billionaire Founder Sir Richard Branson Takes Zero-G Flight
SPACE.com - 5 Feb 2014 22:23
Branson and a number of other Virgin Galactic customers took to the skies recently for a training flight aboard the 'vomit comet' -- an airplane that achieves brief periods of microgravity via parabolic maneuvers.
Early universe 'warmed up' later than previously believed, study finds
Phys.org - 5 Feb 2014 21:50
A new study from Tel Aviv University reveals that black holes, formed from the first stars in our universe, heated the gas throughout space later than previously thought. They also imprinted a clear signature in radio wa...
Supercomputer simulations shed light on formation, explosion of stars in earliest galaxies
Phys.org - 5 Feb 2014 21:45
Ab initio: "From the beginning." It's a term used in science to describe calculations that rely on established mathematical laws of nature, or "first principles," without additional assumptions or special models. But whe...
NASA's Troubled $8-Billion Hubble Successor Is Back on Track [Slide Show]
Scientific American - 5 Feb 2014 21:25
After setbacks, delays and cost overruns that almost led to its cancellation, “the telescope that ate astronomy” should be able to meet its 2018 launch date --
Russian Progress 54 Cargo Ship Launches to the International Space Station
SpaceRef - 5 Feb 2014 21:20
The unpiloted ISS Progress 54 cargo craft launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Feb. 5, bound for the International Space Station to deliver almost three tons of food, fuel, supplies and experiment hardw...
Brand New Impact Crater Shows Up on Mars
Universe Today - 5 Feb 2014 21:04
The great thing about the longevity of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is that we can see changes taking place on the Red Planet, such as this relatively new and rather large impact crater. This image shows a stunning 30...
The Creation of Debate
Bad Astronomy - 5 Feb 2014 20:34
Last night, science advocate Bill Nye "debated" with creationist Ken Ham, the man who runs the Creation Museum in Kentucky. I was torn about the event; I think it's important that science get its advocacy, but I also wor...
Wobbly Alien Planet with Wild Seasons Found by NASA Telescope
SPACE.com - 5 Feb 2014 20:24
Astronomers have discovered an alien planet that wobbles at such a dizzying rate that its seasons must fluctuate wildly. The faraway world, which is 2,300 light-years away, was spied by NASA's planet-hunting Kepler space...
A Nursery for Unruly Young Stars
SpaceRef - 5 Feb 2014 20:19
This striking new image, captured by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, reveals a star in the process of forming within the Chamaeleon cloud....
U.S. Spaceflight Regulatory Chief Eager To Begin Rulemaking Process
Space News - 5 Feb 2014 20:10
The chief U.S. regulator for commercial spaceflight told lawmakers wants to start making rules governing paid passenger flights sooner than some in industry would prefer.
Looking Backward: Curiosity gazes upon the setting Earth
Planetary Society - 5 Feb 2014 19:58
A few days ago, Curiosity looked westward after sunset and photographed Earth setting toward the mountainous rim of Gale crater.
Faint Threat | Space Wallpaper
SPACE.com - 5 Feb 2014 19:53
The faint spot at the center of this space wallpaper from ESO's Very Large Telescope is the Near-Earth Object 2009 FD. It may look insignificant, but there was a possibility that this asteroid would collide with the Eart...