NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory News and Features
24 Jul 2014, 19:09 UTC
Images of Rosetta's target comet resolve structures as small as 330 feet (100 meters) across.
Surface impressions of Rosetta's comet
24 Jul 2014, 19:09 UTC
Images of Rosetta's target comet resolve structures as small as 330 feet (100 meters) across.
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory News and Features
24 Jul 2014, 17:23 UTC
A new study finds more than 75 percent of recent water loss from the Colorado River Basin came from underground sources, with grave implications for the West's water supply.
Parched West Is Using Up Underground Water: NASA/UCI
24 Jul 2014, 17:23 UTC
A new study finds more than 75 percent of recent water loss from the Colorado River Basin came from underground sources, with grave implications for the West's water supply.
NASA Breaking News
24 Jul 2014, 17:23 UTC
A new study by NASA and University of California, Irvine, scientists finds more than 75 percent of the water loss in the drought-stricken Colorado River Basin since late 2004 came from underground resources. The extent of groundwater loss may pose a greater threat to the water supply of the western United States than previously thought.
Satellite Study Reveals Parched U.S. West Using Up Underground Water
24 Jul 2014, 17:23 UTC
A new study by NASA and University of California, Irvine, scientists finds more than 75 percent of the water loss in the drought-stricken Colorado River Basin since late 2004 came from underground resources. The extent of groundwater loss may pose a greater threat to the water supply of the western United States than previously thought.
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
24 Jul 2014, 14:32 UTC
The Sunshield on NASA's James Webb Space Telescope is the largest part of the observatory—five layers of thin membrane that must unfurl reliably in space to precise tolerances. Last week, for the first time, engineers stacked and unfurled a full-sized test unit of the Sunshield and it worked perfectly. The Sunshield is about the length of a tennis court, and will be folded up like an umbrella around the Webb telescope’s mirrors and instruments during launch. Once it reaches its orbit, the Webb telescope will receive a command from Earth to unfold, and separate the Sunshield's five layers into their precisely stacked arrangement with its kite-like shape. The Sunshield test unit was stacked and expanded at a cleanroom in the Northrop Grumman facility in Redondo Beach, California. The Sunshield separates the observatory into a warm sun-facing side and a cold side where the sunshine is blocked from interfering with the sensitive infrared instruments. The infrared instruments need to be kept very cold (under 50 K or -370 degrees F) to operate. The Sunshield protects these sensitive instruments with an effective sun protection factor or SPF of 1,000,000 (suntan lotion generally has an SPF of 8-50). In addition to providing a ...
NASA's Webb Sunshield Stacks Up to Test!
24 Jul 2014, 14:32 UTC
The Sunshield on NASA's James Webb Space Telescope is the largest part of the observatory—five layers of thin membrane that must unfurl reliably in space to precise tolerances. Last week, for the first time, engineers stacked and unfurled a full-sized test unit of the Sunshield and it worked perfectly. The Sunshield is about the length of a tennis court, and will be folded up like an umbrella around the Webb telescope’s mirrors and instruments during launch. Once it reaches its orbit, the Webb telescope will receive a command from Earth to unfold, and separate the Sunshield's five layers into their precisely stacked arrangement with its kite-like shape. The Sunshield test unit was stacked and expanded at a cleanroom in the Northrop Grumman facility in Redondo Beach, California. The Sunshield separates the observatory into a warm sun-facing side and a cold side where the sunshine is blocked from interfering with the sensitive infrared instruments. The infrared instruments need to be kept very cold (under 50 K or -370 degrees F) to operate. The Sunshield protects these sensitive instruments with an effective sun protection factor or SPF of 1,000,000 (suntan lotion generally has an SPF of 8-50). In addition to providing a ...
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory News and Features
23 Jul 2014, 22:27 UTC
Comet C/2013 UQ4 (Catalina) was originally thought to be an asteroid, but observations by NASA's NEOWISE spacecraft indicate that it's a comet.
NEOWISE Spots a Comet That Looked Like an Asteroid
23 Jul 2014, 22:27 UTC
Comet C/2013 UQ4 (Catalina) was originally thought to be an asteroid, but observations by NASA's NEOWISE spacecraft indicate that it's a comet.
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory News and Features
23 Jul 2014, 21:14 UTC
NASA has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to investigate the possibility of using commercial Mars-orbiting satellites for telecommunications with future Mars missions.
NASA Seeks Proposals for Commercial Mars Data Relay Satellites
23 Jul 2014, 21:14 UTC
NASA has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to investigate the possibility of using commercial Mars-orbiting satellites for telecommunications with future Mars missions.
Most Recent News
- 25 Jul 2014
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12:12 UTC
Timely arrival of Pharao space clock
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08:05 UTC
Cal Madow
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00:44 UTC
New Views of the Rosetta Comet
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SSTL marks completion of TechDemoSat-1 LEOP phase with a “selfie”
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- 24 Jul 2014
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Mystery in the Perseus Cluster
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Surface impressions of Rosetta's comet
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Parched West Is Using Up Underground Water: NASA/UCI
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Satellite Study Reveals Parched U.S. West Using Up Underground Wate...
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NASA Selects Contract for Mission Support Services at Ames
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NASA's Webb Sunshield Stacks Up to Test!
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Science Release: New mass map of a distant galaxy cluster is the mo...
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13:36 UTC
Rosetta:Hints of features
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Hubble Finds Three Surprisingly Dry Exoplanets
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Earth from Space
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11:16 UTC
Battiston and Israel on a visit to AVIO
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10:58 UTC
Italy and China, cooperation in space
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22:14 UTC
- 23 Jul 2014
Blogs
One Universe at a Time
25 Jul 2014, 11:00 UTC
Growing up I was a bit of a risk taker. Along with a few of my friends, I occasionally did things that (while very cool) were in retrospect notoriously dangerous. Occasionally my Mom found out about these activities, which worried her to no end. As she put it, “You could have died!” This is absolutely true. Some of the stunts we pulled could have ended in serious injury or death. It is also true that my friends and I survived childhood largely unscathed. The reason I bring this up is because recently there has been a flurry of stories about solar activity in 2012, and the headlines are much the same “You could have died!” There is some truth to this. In 2012 there was a very large coronal mass ejection emitted by the Sun. A coronal mass ejection (CME) occurs when a burst of solar material (mostly ionized hydrogen) is blasted off the Sun. These happen fairly regularly when the Sun is in an active period. If it occurs in the direction of Earth, the ionized material interacts with the Earth’s magnetic field, and are driven toward the polar regions where they and produce northern (and southern) lights. This ...
You Could Have Died!
25 Jul 2014, 11:00 UTC
Growing up I was a bit of a risk taker. Along with a few of my friends, I occasionally did things that (while very cool) were in retrospect notoriously dangerous. Occasionally my Mom found out about these activities, which worried her to no end. As she put it, “You could have died!” This is absolutely true. Some of the stunts we pulled could have ended in serious injury or death. It is also true that my friends and I survived childhood largely unscathed. The reason I bring this up is because recently there has been a flurry of stories about solar activity in 2012, and the headlines are much the same “You could have died!” There is some truth to this. In 2012 there was a very large coronal mass ejection emitted by the Sun. A coronal mass ejection (CME) occurs when a burst of solar material (mostly ionized hydrogen) is blasted off the Sun. These happen fairly regularly when the Sun is in an active period. If it occurs in the direction of Earth, the ionized material interacts with the Earth’s magnetic field, and are driven toward the polar regions where they and produce northern (and southern) lights. This ...
Astronotes
25 Jul 2014, 10:13 UTC
In many walks of life a single concerted effort to achieve the impossible will usually encounter opposition on all sides, however it appears that this reality is little diminished when it comes to astronomy. So for the largest space telescope in history to get off the ground and become that next-generation space-cruising observational paragon that it is said it will be, its engineers and designers have needed no less than three decades to overcome a host of technological, financial, and operational handicaps each of which, left unresolved, would have threatened to bring the entire project to a standstill. ISIM: Hidden behind the golden mirror will be the powerful NIRCam or Near InfraRed Camera comprising two modules with coronagraphic capabilities to record the spectra of light from distant objects, NIRSpec or Near InfraRed Spectrograph, MIRI or Mid-InfraRed Instrument whose jurisdiction will span from 5-27 micrometres, and the FGS or Fine Guidance Sensor along with NIRISS/Near InfraRed Imager and Slitless Spectrograph which will be able to capture astronomical images and undertake spectroscopy in the wavelength 0.8-5 micrometres.(image credit: NASA) The first challenge to JWST gaining its “impossible” cosmic eyesight has been to do with heat. A telescope that is trying to see ...
JWST: Profile of a Master Telescope
25 Jul 2014, 10:13 UTC
In many walks of life a single concerted effort to achieve the impossible will usually encounter opposition on all sides, however it appears that this reality is little diminished when it comes to astronomy. So for the largest space telescope in history to get off the ground and become that next-generation space-cruising observational paragon that it is said it will be, its engineers and designers have needed no less than three decades to overcome a host of technological, financial, and operational handicaps each of which, left unresolved, would have threatened to bring the entire project to a standstill. ISIM: Hidden behind the golden mirror will be the powerful NIRCam or Near InfraRed Camera comprising two modules with coronagraphic capabilities to record the spectra of light from distant objects, NIRSpec or Near InfraRed Spectrograph, MIRI or Mid-InfraRed Instrument whose jurisdiction will span from 5-27 micrometres, and the FGS or Fine Guidance Sensor along with NIRISS/Near InfraRed Imager and Slitless Spectrograph which will be able to capture astronomical images and undertake spectroscopy in the wavelength 0.8-5 micrometres.(image credit: NASA) The first challenge to JWST gaining its “impossible” cosmic eyesight has been to do with heat. A telescope that is trying to see ...
Tom's Astronomy Blog
25 Jul 2014, 09:57 UTC
The UK is considering to open a spaceport and do it by 2018. The idea is for the UK to become a leader in the growing space market. Business Secretary Vince Cable: “Space is big business for the UK. It … Continue reading → U.K Spaceport concept. Image: U.K. Space Agency via Spaceref The UK is considering to open a spaceport and do it by 2018. The idea is for the UK to become a leader in the growing space market. Business Secretary Vince Cable: “Space is big business for the UK. It already contributes £11.3 billion to the economy each year, supporting nearly 35,000 jobs. That’s why it’s important for us to prepare the UK for new launcher technology and take steps towards meeting our ambition of establishing the first British spaceport by 2018.” Exploring the opportunities that commercial spaceflight presents, and potentially making strategic investments in this area, will support the growth of this thriving industry and underpin the economy of tomorrow, making the UK the place for space He and the government are very likely correct, a spaceport will provide a focal point for investment, provided they can get established early on and now is the time. ...
U.K. — The Place for Space?
25 Jul 2014, 09:57 UTC
The UK is considering to open a spaceport and do it by 2018. The idea is for the UK to become a leader in the growing space market. Business Secretary Vince Cable: “Space is big business for the UK. It … Continue reading → U.K Spaceport concept. Image: U.K. Space Agency via Spaceref The UK is considering to open a spaceport and do it by 2018. The idea is for the UK to become a leader in the growing space market. Business Secretary Vince Cable: “Space is big business for the UK. It already contributes £11.3 billion to the economy each year, supporting nearly 35,000 jobs. That’s why it’s important for us to prepare the UK for new launcher technology and take steps towards meeting our ambition of establishing the first British spaceport by 2018.” Exploring the opportunities that commercial spaceflight presents, and potentially making strategic investments in this area, will support the growth of this thriving industry and underpin the economy of tomorrow, making the UK the place for space He and the government are very likely correct, a spaceport will provide a focal point for investment, provided they can get established early on and now is the time. ...
Starts With a Bang!
25 Jul 2014, 01:26 UTC
And what they mean for humans here on Earth.Continue reading on Medium »
Throwback Thursday: The Truth About Solar Storms
25 Jul 2014, 01:26 UTC
And what they mean for humans here on Earth.Continue reading on Medium »
Starts With a Bang!
25 Jul 2014, 00:33 UTC
If spiral galaxies have a preferred direction, it just might be.Continue reading on Medium »
Is our Universe left-handed?
25 Jul 2014, 00:33 UTC
If spiral galaxies have a preferred direction, it just might be.Continue reading on Medium »
Most Recent Blogs
- 25 Jul 2014
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13:11 UTC
TechDemoSat-1 celebrates ride uphill with a selfie
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13:06 UTC
Southern Delta Aquariid Meteor Shower 29-31 July, 2014
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CometWatch – 24 July
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LEGO Hubble
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Hubble Space Telescope could be LEGO model with fans' votes
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12:44 UTC
A Keno Game Problem
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12:03 UTC
Astronomers Find Unexpected Lack of Water Vapour on Hot Jupiters
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Events for August 2014
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11:58 UTC
Fart@France: Building & testing the larges valveless pulsejet ever ...
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11:51 UTC
UKube-1 & TechDemoSat-1 videos
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EXOSKN: An open-source spacesuit
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11:39 UTC
Alan Bond: The British engineer says he will revolutionise space tr...
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11:30 UTC
Space Rocks for Two Science Promoters
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11:28 UTC
Mining the Moon? Space Property Rights Still Unclear, Experts Say
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11:27 UTC
Alien Planet's Size Measured Like Never Before
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11:25 UTC
Bunnies on the Moon? 7 Lunar Myths Apollo 11 Debunked
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11:00 UTC
You Could Have Died!
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10:13 UTC
JWST: Profile of a Master Telescope
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10:11 UTC
New Rosetta Social Media theme kit
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07/25/2014 – Ephemeris – Tomorrow’s viewing event at Sleeping Bear ...
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09:59 UTC
Star Quote of the Day: 25 July 2014
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09:57 UTC
U.K. — The Place for Space?
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09:05 UTC
This Week’s Sky at a Glance, July 25 – August 2
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08:11 UTC
Surface Impressions of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko
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07:48 UTC
Mystery in the Perseus Cluster
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Inflatable Solar Array Technology Packs Incredible Power In Small P...
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Parkes and Narrabri telescopes may shut within two years, CSIRO war...
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Night Log 2014-07-24
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Cosmic Crab Nebula
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Space Angels Network Forms Partnership With Space Foundation
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05:31 UTC
To fire this missile, just add water
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05:14 UTC
Alien Atmospheres – Methane, CFCs and Signs of Extraterrestrial “In...
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Pretty pictures of the Cosmos: Perception
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04:32 UTC
James Dean of star family burns brightest
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A Closer Look at Alaska's Forests
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The 1970s Spacecraft Is Doing Science Again! Just, Not Where We Exp...
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Comet C/2013 UQ4 Catalina: a new image (24 July 2014)
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Virgin Galactic Hires USAF Pilot
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Throwback Thursday: The Truth About Solar Storms (Synopsis)
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Throwback Thursday: The Truth About Solar Storms
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Apollo 11 Splashdown 45 Years Ago on July 24, 1969 Concludes 1st Mo...
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Is our Universe left-handed? (Synopsis)
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Is our Universe left-handed?
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00:07 UTC
Russian 'Gecko' Satellite Not Responding to Commands
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00:00 UTC
Controversial Sealand Skull Still Raises Many Questions Is It Of Ex...
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00:00 UTC
Lost 25th Dynasty Egyptian Tomb Re-Discovered After Been Buried Und...
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00:00 UTC
New mass map of a distant galaxy cluster is the most precise yet
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13:11 UTC
- 24 Jul 2014
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23:24 UTC
New Approach in Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence: Targeting...
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23:19 UTC
IQ Test.
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23:06 UTC
An Asteroid Occultation
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23:24 UTC
