This week in space

in

Water supersaturation in the Martian atmosphere discovered

This is just more of a reason for us to step up and get to Mars, set up a space port, start mining material usesful for fuel and construction and start expanding our presence in the solar system.

New analysis of data sent back by the SPICAM spectrometer on board ESA's Mars Express spacecraft has revealed for the first time that the planet's atmosphere is supersaturated with water vapour. This surprising discovery has major implications for understanding the Martian water cycle and the historical evolution of the atmosphere.

Read more about it HERE

 

SpaceX says 'reusable rocket' could help colonize Mars

Exactly. I love Elon Musk as he is one of the few people in the U.S. pushing manned space flight forward.

The US company SpaceX is working on the first-ever reusable rocket to launch to space and back, with the goal of one day helping humans colonize Mars, founder Elon Musk said Thursday.

Read more about it HERE

 

China launches module for space station

Here the Chinese are pushing further ahead of us. They have far more brain power than the U.S., they have a society that isn't going to halt a space program over a few launchpad deaths, and they are building their own space station. Oh, might I add they have a manned moon mission in the works.

China launched an experimental module to lay the groundwork for a future space station on Thursday, underscoring its ambitions to become a major space power.

Read more about it HERE

 

Snafu as China space launch set to US patriotic song

Bwahahahahahahaha.

It was supposed to be a patriotic tribute to China's technological prowess. Instead, a video showing the launch of China's first space station module inadvertently glorified the country's biggest rival.

Read more about it HERE

 

Galaxy caught blowing bubbles

That is absolutely beautiful.

Hubble's famous images of galaxies typically show elegant spirals or soft-edged ellipses. But these neat forms are only representative of large galaxies. Smaller galaxies like the dwarf irregular galaxy Holmberg II come in many shapes and types that are harder to classify. This galaxy's indistinct shape is punctuated by huge glowing bubbles of gas, captured in this image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope.

Read more about it HERE

 

Heavy metal stars produce Earth-Like planets

Well, this gives us a good idea of where to start looking for more planets. Although, we are alreayd finding a LOT of planets very easily (but mostly gas giants).

New research reveals that, like their giant cousins, rocky planets are more likely to be found orbiting high metallicity stars. Furthermore, these planets are more plentiful around low mass stars. This could have important implications for the search for life outside of Earth.

Read more about it HERE

Chuck Lorre Productions #353

in

"I have long believed that we as human beings are genetically inclined to elevate and worship those of us we deem to be very beautiful or very talented. We do this because we are somehow comforted by our adoration. It makes us feel good. As children we sleep beneath the images of movie, TV, music and sports stars and dream about the mystery and grandeur of their lives. As adults, the posters come off the wall, only to be replaced by a steady, noxious stream of tabloid vulture. But perhaps most enjoyable of all is watching the fall from grace. Nothing beats a good ol' public crucifixion. Especially when it's self-inflicted. My theory for why this is considered entertainment is, again, a genetic one. DNA, even if it's mediocre, wants to ensure it's own survival. The existence of superior DNA is viewed as a threat. When beautiful and talented people screw up, we can't help but feel that this somehow improves the chance for our mediocre descendants to eat meat. In other words, evolution my ass."

This week in space

in

Computer simulation shows Solar System once had an extra planet


Hrmm, Nibiru ring a bell anyone?

A new study published on arXiv.org shows that, based on computer simulations, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune may not have been the only gas giants in our solar system. According to David Nesvorny from Colorado’s Southwest Research Institute, our current solar system could never have happened without the existence of a fifth planet.

Read more about it HERE

 

Globular clusters on a plane

Ok, so does anyone else feel like a galaxy comes along, cannibalizes another, then takes a big fat dump and leaves it along a plane before moving on to the next?

Globular clusters are generally some of the oldest structures in our galaxy. Many of the most famous ones formed around the same time as our galaxy, some 13 billion years ago. However, some are distinctly younger. While many classification schemes are used, one breaks globular clusters into three groups: an old halo group which includes the oldest of the clusters, those in the disk and bulge of the galaxy which tend to have higher metallicity, and a younger population of halo clusters. The latter of these provides a bit of a problem since the galaxy should have settled into a disk by the time they formed, depriving them of the necessary materials to form in the first place. But a new study suggests a solution that’s not of this galaxy.

Read more about it HERE

 

An X1.4 Solar Flare and a CME

Nothing really to say here, X class falres just interest me.

A large coronal mass ejection (CME) shot off the West (right) side of the sun at 6:24 PM ET on September 21, 2011. The CME is moving away from Earth at about 900 miles per second.

Read more about it HERE

 

Exploring an asteroid with the Desert RATS


Other than in movies, like Armageddon, I don't think we need a vehicle for landing on and exploring asteroids yet, we aren't quite ready for mining the asteroid belt.

Earlier this month, European scientists linked up with astronauts roaming over the surface of an asteroid. Desert RATS, NASA’s realistic simulation of a future mission, this year included a European dimension for the first time.

Read more about it HERE

 

NASA completes Orion spacecraft parachute testing in Arizona

Parachutes, seriously? We know that there is a secret space program not in the public view that has had anti gravity capabilities for ages now.

NASA this week completed the first in a series of flight-like parachute tests for the agency's Orion spacecraft. The drop tests at the U.S. Army's Yuma Proving Grounds in Arizona support the design and development of the Orion parachute assembly.

Read more about it HERE