Notícies d'astronomia

Into the Light

Reflecting on his experience as he emerged from the craft into the daylight on the Expedition 24 mission's second spacewalk, astronaut Doug Wheelock said "the colors of the Earth just explode at you as you exit toward the planet. Notice what looks like scorch marks on the hatch thermal cover, the effect of vacuum and atomic oxygen on the threads and thread sealant used on the thermal cover. The 'smell' of space follows suit, I’ve heard it described like burnt cake or cookies, or like the smell of an extinguished match." Wheelock and fellow astronaut Tracy Caldwell Dyson completed the second of three spacewalks to remove a failed ammonia coolant pump module on the station's S1 truss on Wednesday, Aug. 11. Image Credit: NASA

NASA Announces Commercial Crew Initiative Forum

NASA is hosting a forum to present an overview of common themes captured from industry responses to NASA's Commercial Crew Initiative Request For Information (RFI).

Testing for the Future

Testing advanced designs for high-speed aircraft in 1948, an engineer makes final calibrations to a model mounted in the 6 x 6 Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel at the NACA Ames Aeronautical Laboratory, Moffett Field, California. NACA, NASA’s predecessor organization the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, was established in March 1913 by Congress to "supervise and direct the scientific study of the problems of flight, with a view to their practical solutions." The Ames Aeronautical Laboratory is now NASA’s Ames Research Center. Image Credit: NASA

NASA Plans Next Space Station Repair Spacewalk For Monday

The third spacewalk to restore full cooling capability to the International Space Station is scheduled for Monday, Aug. 16.

50 Years of Communications in Space

The idea behind a communications satellite is simple: send a signal into space, and send it back down to another spot on the globe. In NASA's early days, engineers discovered the easiest way to accomplish this: bounce signals off a giant metal balloon floating in orbit. The concept was developed into the aptly-named Echo program, and Echo 1A became the first successful launch of the project on Aug. 12, 1960. Echo 1A, now commonly known as just Echo I, was a 100 foot diameter balloon made of mylar polyester. The spacecraft was designed as a passive communications reflector for transcontinental and intercontinental telephone, radio, and television signals. Pictured here is a scale prototype of the Echo satellite undergoing a Skin Stress Test on May 1, 1960. The prototype was 12 feet in diameter, with the size being chosen because that was the ceiling height in the NASA Langley model shop. After an unsuccessful launch attempt for the original Echo I satellite, Echo 1A and the follow-on Echo II were successfully launched. The Echo projects were instrumental in letting the world see that the U.S. was a major force in the space race not very far behind Russia. Among the many contributions of the Echo programs are the first voice communication via satellite which was made by none other than then President Eisenhower and the first coast-to-coast telephone call using a satellite. In addition, the Echo programs resulted in advances in atmospheric density, solar pressure, gossamer structures, solar sailing, and transmitting videos via satellites. The Echo 1A satellite re-entered the atmosphere on May 24, 1968. Image Credit: NASA

NASA Announces Media Day For Hurricane Research Flights

NASA will host media in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Houston on Tuesday, Aug. 31, for a behind-the-scenes look at the agency's major airborne campaign studying Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico hurricanes.

First NASA It Summit To Gather Industry Leaders And Explore Tech Innovations

NASA's first Information Technology (IT) Summit will bring together government and industry leaders to explore the outer reaches of information technology.

Twin Brother NASA Astronauts Available For Satellite Interviews

For the first time, twin brothers are slated to be in space simultaneously early next year.

Testing at the Space Power Facility

The Centaur Standard Shroud at Glenn Research Center's Space Power Facility, Plum Brook Station, protects spacecraft during launch. When it was constructed, the Space Power Facility was the world's largest vacuum chamber. It stands more than 122 feet high, 100 feet in diameter and provides a vacuum environment for the study of space propulsion. Originally commissioned for nuclear-electric propulsion studies, the SPF has been recommissioned for current and future use in the ongoing research and development of space propulsion systems. Image Credit: NASA

NASA and Israel Space Agency Sign Statement of Intent for Future Cooperation

During a meeting Tuesday at NASA Headquarters in Washington, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and Israel Space Agency Director General Zvi Kaplan signed a joint statement of intent to expand the agencies' cooperation in civil space activities.

NASA'S First It Summit To Showcase Public And Private Tech Innovations

NASA is inviting journalists to cover its first Information Technology (IT) Summit on Aug. 16-18.

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden Issues Statement On The Death Of Former Senator Ted Stevens And Monday's Plane Crash In Alaska

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden Issues Statement On The Death Of Former Senator Ted Stevens And Monday's Plane Crash In Alaska

NASA Langley Selects Maryland Company For Information Tech Support

NASA has selected Stinger Ghaffarian Technologies to provide the agency's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va., with computing support services.

NASA Invites Media to Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer Arrival

NASA will host a media event at 10:30 a.m. EDT on Thursday, Aug. 26, at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the arrival of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS).

'Island Universe' in the Coma Cluster

A long-exposure Hubble Space Telescope image shows a majestic face-on spiral galaxy located deep within the Coma Cluster of galaxies, which lies 320 million light- years away in the northern constellation Coma Berenices. The galaxy, known as NGC 4911, contains rich lanes of dust and gas near its center. These are silhouetted against glowing newborn star clusters and iridescent pink clouds of hydrogen, the existence of which indicates ongoing star formation. Hubble has also captured the outer spiral arms of NGC 4911, along with thousands of other galaxies of varying sizes. The high resolution of Hubble's cameras, paired with considerably long exposures, made it possible to observe these faint details. This natural-color Hubble image, which combines data obtained in 2006, 2007, and 2009 from the Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 and the Advanced Camera for Surveys, required 28 hours of exposure time. Image Credit: NASA/ESA/Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)

NASA Announces Tweetup For Next Space Shuttle Launch

NASA will give 150 of its Twitter followers an insider's look at the nation's space program and the opportunity to view a space shuttle launch in person.

NASA Selects Contractor For Wallops Island Protection Project

NASA selects the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers for the Launch Facilities Protection Project at the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility.

Inspiration on Parade

Astronaut Leland Melvin waved to the crowds from the NASA Glenn Research Center float during the 2010 Pro Football Hall of Fame Festival Timken Grand Parade on Saturday, August 7, 2010. Melvin is a veteran of two space shuttle flights to the International Space Station and has logged over 565 hours in space. Prior to his selection as an astronaut, he was chosen by the Detroit Lions in the eleventh round of the 1986 National Football League college draft and participated in the Toronto Argonauts and Dallas Cowboys football training camps. Melvin is currently on assignment at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., in support of the Summer of Innovation program. In doing so, he has traveled across the country, engaging thousands of students and teachers in the excitement of space exploration and inspiring them to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM. The Summer of Innovation initiative is a multi-faceted, intensive middle school program designed to improve STEM teaching and learning in partnership with federal agencies, non profits, industry, and academic and information organizations. Melvin rode on the NASA Glenn Research Center float that depicted the Space Shuttle Discovery. The float won the Janice C. Meyer award for exceptional merit during the parade. Image Credit: NASA/Chris Lynch

NASA Announces Next Opportunity for Cubesat Space Missions

NASA has announced a second opportunity for small satellite payloads to fly on rockets planned to launch in 2011 and 2012.

NASA Seeks Data from Innovative Lunar Demonstrations

NASA has issued a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) to purchase specific data resulting from industry efforts to test and verify vehicle capabilities through demonstrations of small robotic landers.

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