AFP - The Phoenix lander's analysis of soil samples taken on Mars has found possible traces of a contaminant called perchlorate, a highly oxidizing substance which is detrimental to life, NASA has said. Read more…
SPACE.com - Top astronomers and other planetary scientists will step into the ring this month to duke it out over a basic, yet controversial, question: What is a planet? Read more…
SPACE.com - New results from NASA's Phoenix Mars lander suggest that the surface layers of the Martian arctic region may not be as friendly to life as initial results suggested, NASA said today. Read more…
NASA has awarded an enterprise architecture services contract to Information Dynamics of Elyria, Ohio. Agency-wide services under the contract will include business and data architecture, technical architecture, architecture integration and governance, and compliance reporting services. Read more…
Arizona Kids and teens are set to blast their local libraries into orbit after completing Outer Space Base, a library series of space science programs in Tucson. Read more…
NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center has awarded a multi-year contract to Northrop Grumman Corporation's Integrated Systems Division of San Diego for engineering and technical services in support of the center's planned operation of two Global Hawk aircraft. Read more…
NASA Television will air interviews with each of the seven astronauts who will fly to the Hubble Space Telescope beginning at 8 a.m. EDT, on Monday, Aug. 11. Read more…
NASA's Glenn Research Center has awarded a follow-on contract to DB Consulting Group Inc. of Silver Spring, Md., for a variety of tasks including work involved in computer science, computer and software engineering, security, networking, application development and Web services at the center. Read more…
NASA's Human Research Program will fund nine proposals from six states to investigate questions about the affects of space radiation on human explorers. Read more…
NASA Television will broadcast a special high definition feed of two hours of highlights from America's human spaceflight history as the agency celebrates its 50th anniversary. Read more…
NASA has awarded research contracts worth a total of $12 million to two industry teams to study how the introduction of new aircraft types may affect air traffic management efficiency, aviation safety and the environment in the future. Read more…
NASA has selected Innovative Health Applications, LLC , or IHA, of Cape Canaveral, Florida, to provide medical and environmental services at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Read more…
Above is a graphic of the tweet from the Mars Phoenix Twitter that water had been confirmed on the surface of the planet Mars. NASA also reported on its website that the NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander has confirmed water in a soil sample on Mars. The Phoenix Mars Lander has instruments that allow it to heat up soil samples and then identify the vapors that these heated samples produce. Laboratory tests aboard NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander have identified water in a soil sample. The lander's robotic arm delivered the sample Wednesday to an instrument that identifies vapors produced by the heating of samples. "We have water," said William Boynton of the University of Arizona, lead scientist for the Thermal and Evolved-Gas Analyzer, or TEGA. "We've seen evidence for this water ice before in observations by the Mars Odyssey orbiter and in disappearing chunks observed by Phoenix last month, but this is the first time Martian water has been touched and tasted." With enticing results so far and the spacecraft in good shape, NASA also announced operational funding for the mission will extend through Sept. 30. The original prime mission of three months ends in late August. The mission extension adds five weeks to the 90 days of the prime mission. "Phoenix is healthy and the projections for solar power look good, so we want to take full advantage of having this resource in one of the most interesting locations on Mars," said Michael Meyer, chief scientist for the Mars Exploration Program at NASA Headquarters in Washington. The soil sample came from a trench approximately 2 inches deep. When the robotic arm first reached that depth, it hit a hard layer of frozen soil. Two attempts to deliver samples of icy soil on days when fresh material was exposed were foiled when the samples became stuck inside the scoop. Most of the material in Wednesday's sample had been exposed to the air for two days, letting some of the water in the sample vaporize away and making the soil easier to handle. "Mars is giving us some surprises," said Phoenix principal investigator Peter Smith of the University of Arizona. "We're excited because surprises are where discoveries come from. One surprise is how the soil is behaving. The ice-rich layers stick to the scoop when poised in the sun above the deck, different from what we expected from all the Mars simulation testing we've done. That has presented challenges for delivering samples, but we're finding ways to work with it and we're gathering lots of information to help us understand this soil." NASA's news release also says the Phoenix Mars Rover's mission has been extended through September 30th. Permalink | Recent Headlines | News Feeds Read more…
ScoutRobot is a wheeled robot that has the ability to jump over objects. ScoutRobot can sense how high the obstacle is in front of it and then jump high enough to clear the obstacle. The reason the robot appears to float is because it is literally floating on air. ScoutRobot has an aluminum cylinder powered by compressed air that is stored in two plastic bottles. New Scientist says one limitation of the robot is that ScoutRobot has no idea what it is on the other side of whatever it is jumping over. If ScoutRobot were to jump into a puddle of mud or water it might then be unable to get out. Find more about ScoutRobot at Gearfuse. Permalink | Recent Headlines | News Feeds Read more…
Using new tools to look at the universe, says Patrick Brady, often has led to discoveries that change the course of science. History is full of examples. Galileo was the first person to use the telescope to view the cosmos, says Brady, a UWM professor of physics. His observations with the new technology led to the discovery of moons orbiting Jupiter and lent support to the heliocentric model of the solar system........ Read more…
PRESS RELEASE Date Released: Monday, August 4, 2008 Source: Scaled Composites Scaled Composites: Accident Investigation Update August 1, 2008 The rocket oxidizer cold-flow test accident of 26 July 2007 at Scaled Composites was a devastating event. Read more…
SpaceX Falcon Flight Ends Prematurely During Ascent Keith Cowing Saturday, August 2, 2008 Update: Audio recording of short press conference (quality is poor, sorry) The third attempt by SpaceX to launch its Falcon 1 rocket failed this evening several minutes into its flight. Read more…
PRESS RELEASE Date Released: Saturday, August 2, 2008 Source: SpaceX SpaceX Sets August 2 for Falcon 1 launch First Privately Developed Liquid Fuel Rocket to Orbit Editor's note: Check here for SpaceX updates. Read more…
STATUS REPORT Date Released: Friday, August 1, 2008 Source: Goddard Space Flight Center NASA Solicitation: Mission Operations Mission Services Follow-on Request for Information Synopsis - Aug 01, 2008 Attachment A Statement of Work - SOW - Posted on Aug 01, 2008 New! Read more…
PRESS RELEASE Date Released: Friday, August 1, 2008 Source: Northrop Grumman Corporation Defense Support Program Satellite Decommissioned Northrop Grumman-Built Flight 19 Retired Following 9 Years of Service The United States Air Force's Defense Support Program (DSP) Flight 19 satellite, built by... Read more…
PRESS RELEASE Date Released: Friday, August 1, 2008 Source: Space Systems/Loral Space Systems/Loral Delivers Intelsat Satellite to Launch Base Galaxy 19 is the Fifth Space Systems/Loral-Built Satellite to Launch This Year Space Systems/Loral (SS/L), a subsidiary of Loral Space & Communications... Read more…
PRESS RELEASE Date Released: Wednesday, July 30, 2008 Source: Goddard Space Flight Center NASA Awards GPM Core Spacecraft Propellant Tank Contract WASHINGTON - NASA has selected Carleton Technologies, Pressure Technology Division, Westminster, Md. Read more…
PRESS RELEASE Date Released: Wednesday, July 30, 2008 Source: Kyoto Planet Group Kyoto Planet Capital Partners Invests in SustainPro Conference Adding Momentum to #1 Sustainable Corporate Operations Event and Online Community Eco-conscious financial services and media company Kyoto Planet Group... Read more…
PRESS RELEASE Date Released: Wednesday, July 30, 2008 Source: Space Foundation Space Technology Offers Surprising Solution to Oil Spills Space Foundation Announces Universal Remediation Inc. as New Certified Space Technology COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. Read more…
