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Nov 1, 2011 21:31:51 GMT -6
Post by skywalker on Nov 1, 2011 21:31:51 GMT -6
Stupid government!
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Nov 2, 2011 14:51:42 GMT -6
Post by swamprat on Nov 2, 2011 14:51:42 GMT -6
I agree with all three posts, Sky.
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Nov 2, 2011 18:02:46 GMT -6
Post by casper on Nov 2, 2011 18:02:46 GMT -6
I wonder if skywalker likes the government...? Maybe we should ask him sometime. ;D
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Nov 15, 2011 22:34:22 GMT -6
Post by Deleted on Nov 15, 2011 22:34:22 GMT -6
STUPID GOVERNMENT!
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Nov 15, 2011 22:43:09 GMT -6
Post by Deleted on Nov 15, 2011 22:43:09 GMT -6
~hugz Jo~
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Nov 16, 2011 21:46:02 GMT -6
Post by Deleted on Nov 16, 2011 21:46:02 GMT -6
Or is it the stupid people electing them?? Wait..is that us?
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Nov 17, 2011 0:02:29 GMT -6
Post by skywalker on Nov 17, 2011 0:02:29 GMT -6
Don't look at me...I didn't vote for those idiots.
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Nov 17, 2011 1:55:10 GMT -6
Post by Deleted on Nov 17, 2011 1:55:10 GMT -6
Yeah but the ones any of us vote for probably aren't much better..no politician is
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Nov 17, 2011 10:51:54 GMT -6
Post by skywalker on Nov 17, 2011 10:51:54 GMT -6
Sad but true. They are all worthless.
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Nov 17, 2011 18:11:42 GMT -6
Post by swamprat on Nov 17, 2011 18:11:42 GMT -6
If you believe all of this, I've got some beachfront property in Kansas I'll sell you.....U.S. Human Spaceflight Program Still Strong, NASA Chief Saysby Denise Chow, SPACE.com Staff Writer Date: 17 November 2011 This artist's concept shows NASA's giant rocket, the Space Launch System, soaring off a launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rocket is NASA's new booster for deep space missions to an asteroid and ultimately Mars. CREDIT: NASANASA is on track with its goals for future space exploration, including the development of a new rocket and spacecraft designed to take astronauts to asteroids and Mars, the agency's administrator told lawmakers today (Nov. 17). NASA chief Charles Bolden testified before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Science and Space today to discuss NASA's human spaceflight ambitions and its work to turn them into a reality. "Contrary to popular belief, this has been an incredible year for NASA," Bolden said. He pointed to the completion of the International Space Station, the burgeoning commercial space sector that will assume the responsibility of taking cargo and eventually astronauts to the orbiting outpost, and the concurrent development within NASA of a new heavy-lift rocket and space capsule designed to explore farther out in the solar system, as indicators that NASA's future is vibrant despite the tough economic times. Bolden listed these three areas as the agency's key priorities for the future. NASA retired its 30-year space shuttle program in July to focus instead on manned exploration beyond low-Earth orbit. The transition left a gap in U.S. human spaceflight capabilities, and the agency is currently relying on Russian rockets to take astronauts to and from the space station until U.S. commercial services become available. In the meantime, NASA is also moving ahead with the development of its Space Launch System and Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle. The booster and space capsule are being designed to carry astronauts on future missions to an asteroid and Mars. The design of the MPCV capsule is based on plans for NASA's Orion spacecraft, which was originally part of the now-defunct Constellation program to return astronauts to the moon. Bolden said incremental tests have already been completed for the $10 billion Space Launch System. Most recently, NASA successfully test-fired a huge upper-stage rocket engine, called the J-2X, on Nov. 9 at the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. The agency is aiming to complete an unmanned test flight of the MPCV capsule by 2014. The NASA administrator also spoke about the challenges of working within such a difficult fiscal climate, particularly without the benefit of a clearly established budget. Like many other federal agencies, NASA has been forced to trim costs across a wide variety of programs. "When I talk about prioritization, that is exactly what we're doing," Bolden said. "There are science imperatives that we have to be able to satisfy if we're going to go to Mars. There's no capability we can drop off the table. How do we accomplish the critical goals and objectives, but do it with less?" Yet, Bolden expressed optimism that NASA is on track, with a manned mission to the Red Planet firmly in its sight. "I think people are excited about space," Bolden said. "We are putting in place a capabilities-driven program because we have decided that our ultimate destination for humans is Mars." And, in an indication that NASA is committed to its goals for human spaceflight, the agency recently started accepting applications for its next astronaut class. "I don't recruit astronauts if I don't intend to fly them," Bolden said. www.space.com/13664-nasa-future-space-exploration-progress.html
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Nov 20, 2011 14:57:59 GMT -6
Post by auntym on Nov 20, 2011 14:57:59 GMT -6
www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111120/GJLIFESTYLES/111119690/-1/FOSLIFESTYLES NASA grows audience, credibility through tweetups[/color] BROCK VERGAKIS,Associated Press Sunday, November 20, 2011 HAMPTON, Virginia (AP) — Rocket science isn't easily explainable in 140 characters, but NASA is asking a group of people to do just that with a series of VIP tours for some of its ardent Twitter followers. The events called tweetups offer ordinary science fans a behind-the-scenes look at the space agency's facilities that can include its astronauts and scientists. In exchange, many participants — whose day jobs range from church office worker to baker — narrate their day through tweets, photographs and videos. NASA's imagination-grabbing work gives it a bigger pool of fans to draw from than many companies or government agencies, and it sets itself apart further with its egalitarian approach to social media. While it's not unusual for an organization to give special access to journalists or influential bloggers, experts say NASA sets itself apart by inviting people who may only have a few dozen followers. "It goes against the grain of only talking to people that have a lot of influence," said William Ward, a social media professor at Syracuse University. Participants are chosen through a lottery. While some end up being self-described techies who blog regularly about space, it's important to NASA that it draws people with a wide range of interests who can tweet with authentic voices to a varied audience. "I think everybody knows if you hear it from a friend or a family member, you see it as being much more credible than it being from a government organization like NASA," said Stephanie Schierholz, NASA's social media manager. The sentiment was echoed by a participant in a tweetup held last week at Langley Research Center in Hampton. "I know I have friends at home who are following every word here. And they're not normally space enthusiasts, but it's just something that, 'Hey, David's going down there. Let's see what he's up to.' And they're following my photos and my tweets and they get excited, too," said David Parmet, from Westchester County, New York. NASA's first tweetup was in 2009, and it's held a total of 30. Some have coincided with news events like rocket launches, and one is planned in Florida the week of Thanksgiving for the Mars rover launch. The events can last from two hours to two days, ranging from a few dozen participants to more than 100. Participants pay their own travel expenses. While it's not clear how many new Twitter followers NASA has gained from the tweetups, the number is expanding rapidly. Since June, nearly 600,000 people have started following the agency — about 4,000 to 5,000 per day — for a total of about 1.6 million. NASA tweetup alumni closely monitor their reach and noted that when 150 participants were invited to Kennedy Space Center in Florida this August for the Juno spacecraft launch their tweets — through the power of retweets — had 29.9 million potential views. "This is pretty small from a resource perspective, yet it has this huge impact," Schierholz said. The tweetup has become a prime example of how NASA is harnessing social media to keep the agency in the public's imagination in an era where its most recognizable program, the space shuttle, has come to an end. CONTINUE READING: www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111120/GJLIFESTYLES/111119690/-1/FOSLIFESTYLES
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Nov 22, 2011 22:53:41 GMT -6
Post by skywalker on Nov 22, 2011 22:53:41 GMT -6
If you believe all of this, I've got some beachfront property in Kansas I'll sell you..... ...And you buy that I'll throw the Golden Gate in for free.
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Nov 22, 2011 23:04:35 GMT -6
Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2011 23:04:35 GMT -6
"Participants are chosen through a lottery. While some end up being self-described techies who blog regularly about space, it's important to NASA that it draws people with a wide range of interests who can tweet with authentic voices to a varied audience." In other words, a "lottery" isn't going to work for us. We will have to train volunteers as actors/actresses to put out our propaganda. How did someone get the "real Shaq" to start tweeting? wow. That did happen.
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Nov 22, 2011 23:11:14 GMT -6
Post by skywalker on Nov 22, 2011 23:11:14 GMT -6
If they ever need somebody to rip the government a new one every day I'm available. I'll even work cheap.
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Dec 1, 2011 20:03:41 GMT -6
Post by auntym on Dec 1, 2011 20:03:41 GMT -6
www.ufodigest.com/article/astronaut-marc-garneau-ufos Astronaut Marc Garneau On UFOsjane taber OTTAWA— Globe and Mail Update Posted on Wednesday, November 23, 2011 Jane Tabler's article: Marc Garneau's take on extra-terrestrials: 'There must life out there'. on the Globe and Mail website gives us remarkable insight into the former Canadian astronaut and Member of Parliament and his views on life in the universe. Marc Garneau was approached by a Parliament Hill commissionaire this week and asked: “Are we alone in the universe?” He gets that a lot. The two-term Liberal MP from Montreal has a hard time shaking off the legacy of his earlier job – that of Canada’s first astronaut. Although he flew his first of three missions to space 27 years ago, he doesn’t mind answering the questions. He feels he has a responsibility. “Good question,” the 62-year-old politician said, proceeding to tell the commissionaire what he believes: We have not been visited but we are also not alone. “I know that a large number of people believe we have been visited because they believe that some of those unexplained things in the sky must be because someone is looking at us,” he said in an interview with The Globe. “I’m not of that category.” “But at the same time, I am 100 per cent, well not 100 per cent, but I am really, really quite certain that there must be life out there in the universe,” he asserted. Mr. Garneau, an engineer who describes himself as a “bit of a scientist,” said that since there are “billions of solar systems, there’s got to be somewhere life is possible.” But when it comes to having been visited by an extra-terrestrial, Mr. Garneau is clear: “I personally do not believe we have.” “I believe that if a civilization is so advanced that it can actually time travel from some other part of the universe and come and look at planet Earth, they are not going to spend their time just sort of orbiting around and looking at us,” he said by way of explanation. “They don’t have anything to worry about. They could come down and investigate and they don’t have to make a mystery of it, and that’s never actually happened.” CONTINUE READING: www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/marc-garneaus-take-on-extra-terrestrials-there-must-be-life-out-there/article2246751/
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Dec 5, 2011 18:10:54 GMT -6
Post by swamprat on Dec 5, 2011 18:10:54 GMT -6
Keep Hubble successor on trackBy Meg Urry, Special to CNN Mon December 5, 2011 An artist's rendering of the James Webb Space Telescope, planned as the powerful replacement for Hubble. Editor's note: Meg Urry is the Israel Munson professor of physics and astronomy and chairwoman of the department of physics at Yale University. She is also the director of the Yale Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics. She previously worked as a senior astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which runs the Hubble Space Telescope for NASA.(CNN) -- Nearly everyone I meet has heard of the Hubble Space Telescope. Many have seen its beautiful images of the birthplace of new stars and planetary systems, or of the "gravitational lenses" that reveal a mysterious "dark matter" that dwarfs the amount of matter bound up in stars or galaxies. This year's Nobel Prize in physics went to three scientists who used Hubble to detect the mysterious dark energy -- a sort of fifth fundamental force, previously unknown -- that we now think is causing the accelerated expansion of the universe. Hubble pictures and the knowledge the HST generates have changed our view of the cosmos and reached nearly every schoolchild in America. Hubble passed its 20th birthday last year -- young on a human time scale, but pretty elderly for a working spacecraft. Although frequent "body transplants" -- that is, the installation of new cameras and other systems -- keep Hubble acting like a teenager, it will reach the end of its useful lifetime by the end of the decade. What happens after Hubble takes its last picture? A decade ago, the astronomy and astrophysics community recommended as its very highest priority the James Webb Space Telescope to succeed Hubble. It will be a 6.5-meter foldable telescope -- roughly the size of a typical classroom, and more than six times the area of the Hubble mirror. It is named after James E. Webb, who ran NASA from February 1961 to October 1968, a time of incredible scientific innovation and the Apollo moon program. The telescope named after him will answer new questions far beyond the capabilities of Hubble. For example, JWST will look for signs of carbon-based life in the atmospheres of planets around other stars. The discovery of life elsewhere in our galaxy would be as mind-blowing as NASA's Apollo-era picture of the "Earth-rise" as seen from the moon. Because of its large foldable mirror, enormous solar shade and cryogenically cooled cameras, JWST will be able to see the very faint light from the very distant first galaxies, which formed 13 billion years ago, and perhaps the super explosions of the first stars formed in our universe. Last July, in a difficult budget environment, the House zeroed NASA's budget for the JWST project. Three weeks ago, Congress restored JWST funding for this fiscal year but warned that its budget and schedule milestones would be closely monitored. The cost over two decades is $8.8 billion dollars, including five years of operation, with nearly half already spent for technology development and construction. On Tuesday, the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee will hold a hearing at which leading scientists and JWST program managers will describe the scientific grasp of this advanced telescope and how the replanned mission can be achieved on time and within a strict cost cap. The 2001 survey, "Astronomy for the New Millennium," named a space infrared telescope like the JWST as the No. 1 priority. NASA started the JWST project soon after, with Canada and Europe as partners, and now 70% of the telescope is already made or in fabrication. The next report, in 2010, "New Worlds, New Horizons," described the essential role of JWST across the scientific landscape, from the "cosmic dawn" of stars and galaxies to the development of life on planets outside our solar system. With a flagship mission like JWST, the U.S. can continue its international leadership in science and technology. Other countries like China and India are investing substantially in these areas, and a larger fraction of their college students major in science and engineering. Failing to complete JWST would disappoint our international partners and send a strong signal to the world that the U.S. is stepping back from forefront science. Scientific discovery is not a luxury. Fundamental physics discoveries from early in the 20th century contribute greatly to our national economy, according to "Gathering Storm," the National Academies' report that warned that U.S. science, technology, engineering and mathematics need to be bolstered to ensure an good economic future. Even in a time of fiscal austerity, the U.S. needs this next-generation space telescope. Astronomical discoveries feed the fundamental curiosity of humans about how we got here, where we are going, and whether there is life beyond Earth. They add to the edifice of knowledge that is our legacy as humans. Hubble made incredible advances. With JWST the nation will go much further. www.cnn.com/2011/12/05/opinion/urry-james-webb-telescope/index.html?hpt=hp_bn9
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Dec 16, 2011 7:44:17 GMT -6
Post by swamprat on Dec 16, 2011 7:44:17 GMT -6
Why am I not surprised? NASA Budget Woes Delay Space-Taxi Plans DECEMBER 15, 2011, 5:39 P.M. ET By ANDY PASZTOR U.S. space officials said budget uncertainties will push back the use of private space taxis for transporting astronauts into orbit by at least a year, necessitating a new contracting strategy with suppliers and delaying such flights until at least 2017. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration will use flexible, cost-sharing arrangements to support private efforts by at least two prospective U.S. providers to develop commercially built rockets and spacecraft, William Gerstenmaier, who heads the agency's manned program operations, said on Thursday. The flexible contracts will replace conventional contracts for development work, which NASA was slated to kick off earlier this week with a formal request for proposals, Mr. Gerstenmaier said. NASA has used such a flexible approach in the past to spur development of private cargo spacecraft, setting program milestones and sharing development costs but providing reduced technical and financial oversight. Mr. Gerstenmaier blamed the change in plans on an uncertain budget environment that prompted the agency to pursue a strategy that offered a "lot of flexibility" on the financial side. The White House requested more than $800 million annually to support development of private space taxis, but lawmakers have reduced that amount to about $400 million. The shift indicates agency officials don't feel confident Congress will provide adequate funds to support the development of two separate families of commercially built rockets and spacecraft. Already, Congress has attached some strings that could further reduce NASA's budget for commercial rocket development by linking such dollars to the agency's progress in developing a separate, larger rocket funded entirely by the agency. The new strategy is designed to persuade commercial space ventures to continue their own funding of proposed rockets and capsules, which are meant to transport U.S. astronauts to the international space station toward the end of this decade. NASA has relied on so-called Space Act Agreement funding arrangements in the past to partner on proposed commercial space projects with companies including Boeing Co., Orbital Sciences Corp. and closely-held Space Exploration Technologies Corp. Another result is that NASA will have to contract with Russian space officials and potentially pay them hundreds of millions of additional dollars to continue transporting U.S. astronauts to the space station for longer than previously anticipated. NASA previously said even a year or so delay in deploying private crew taxis would mean paying roughly $400 million extra to the Russians.While the change of plans reduces NASA's financial commitment to the development of the rockets, it also limits the agency's influence over the engineering and design of the spacecraft. The downside of the new approach, Mr. Gerstenmaier told reporters, is that it "doesn't ensure that we will get exactly what we need." Rep. Ralph Hall, the Texas Republican who heads the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, issued a statement stressing the challenges facing NASA. "Given current federal budget constraints, I continue to be concerned about NASA's ability to afford contracting with two or more companies to ferry our astronauts to and from the International Space Station," Mr. Hall said. "NASA cannot impose its safety requirements as would be possible under a normal acquisition process.” Read more: online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204026804577100653299316744.html
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Dec 17, 2011 19:13:18 GMT -6
Post by swamprat on Dec 17, 2011 19:13:18 GMT -6
New pics from NASA:Dawn Orbiting Vesta Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
This artist's concept shows NASA's Dawn spacecraft orbiting the giant asteroid Vesta. The depiction of Vesta is based on images obtained by Dawn's framing cameras. Dawn's mission to Vesta and Ceres is managed by JPL for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. Dawn is a project of the directorate's Discovery Program, managed by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. UCLA is responsible for overall Dawn mission science. Orbital Sciences Corp. in Dulles, Va., designed and built the spacecraft. The German Aerospace Center, the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, the Italian Space Agency and the Italian National Astrophysical Institute are international partners on the mission team. More information about the Dawn mission is online at: www.nasa.gov/dawn and dawn.jpl.nasa.gov . www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/dawn/multimedia/pia15174.htmlDioneImage credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science InstituteNASA's Cassini spacecraft obtained this unprocessed image on Dec. 12, 2011. The camera was pointing toward Saturn's moon Dione from approximately 69,989 miles (112,636 kilometers) away. www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cassini/multimedia/cassini20111212-i.html
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Dec 18, 2011 16:45:40 GMT -6
Post by skywalker on Dec 18, 2011 16:45:40 GMT -6
It looks pretty much the same as our moon does...just a big round lifeless rock. I guess all moons are just moons...
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Dec 18, 2011 17:44:39 GMT -6
Post by Deleted on Dec 18, 2011 17:44:39 GMT -6
Yea, but Dione is more of a white color. Our moon is more of a gray color...
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Dec 19, 2011 20:26:55 GMT -6
Post by swamprat on Dec 19, 2011 20:26:55 GMT -6
NASA to Announce Discovery of New Alien Planets TuesdaySPACE.com Staff Date: 19 December 2011 ASA will unveil its latest discoveries in the search for planets beyond our solar system on Tuesday (Dec. 20). The new alien planet announcement is based on findings made by NASA's Kepler planet-hunting spacecraft, an observatory that has been orbiting Earth since its launch in March 2009. The Kepler mission has already found 2,326 potential planets during its first 16 months of operation, with 28 of those confirmed as definite planets. Earlier this month, the Kepler science team announced the discovery of Kepler-22b, the first potentially habitable alien planet. This distant world, which is located about 600 light-years from Earth, orbits its star in the habitable zone that could support liquid water, and perhaps life. NASA announced the discovery of Kepler-22b on Dec. 5. Between Kepler and the other ground- and space-based planet searches underway, scientists have discovered a total of more than 700 confirmed alien planets. They're still on the hunt for a truly Earth-like world, though, roughly the right size and temperature to host life. Tuesday's press conference will begin at 1 p.m. EST and will be webcast on NASA's website. Speakers will include: • Nick Gautier, Kepler project scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. • Francois Fressin, the lead scientist on the new discovery, of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Mass. • David Charbonneau, professor of astronomy at Harvard University • Linda Elkins-Tanton, director of the Carnegie Institution for Science's Department of Terrestrial Magnetism in Washington The $600 million Kepler mission is slated to run until at least November 2012, though its science team is hoping for an extension of the mission until 2016 or so. www.space.com/13982-nasa-alien-planets-announcement-tuesday.html
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Dec 20, 2011 17:52:33 GMT -6
Post by swamprat on Dec 20, 2011 17:52:33 GMT -6
First Ever 'Earth-Sized' Alien Planets DiscoveredBy Clara Moskowitz Published December 20, 2011 NASA/JPL-Caltech/T. Pyle This illustrated graphic shows the two newfound Kepler-20 planets shown to scale with Earth and Venus.
Two planets orbiting a star 950 light-years from Earth are the smallest, most Earth-size alien worlds known, astronomers announced Tues., Dec. 20. One of the planets is actually smaller than Earth, scientists say. These planets, while roughly the size of our planet Earth, are circling very close to their star, giving them fiery temperatures that are most likely too hot to support life, researchers said. The discovery, however, brings scientists one step closer to finding a true twin of Earth that may be habitable. "We've crossed a threshold: For the first time, we've been able to detect planets smaller than the Earth around another star," lead researcher François Fressin of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Mass., told SPACE.com. "We proved that Earth-size planets exist around other stars like the sun, and most importantly, we proved that humanity is able to detect them. It's the beginning of an era." To discover the new planets, Fressin and his colleagues used NASA's Kepler space telescope, which noticed the tiny dips in the parent star's brightness when the planets passed in front of it, blocking some of its light (this is called the transit method). The researchers then used ground-based observatories to confirm that the planets actually exist by measuring minute wobbles in the star's position caused by gravitational tugs from its planets. "These two new planets are the first genuinely Earth-sized worlds that have been found orbiting a sunlike star," University of California, Santa Cruz astronomer Greg Laughlin, who was not involved in the new study, said in an email to SPACE.com. "For the past two decades, it has been clear that astronomers would eventually reach this goal, and so it's fantastic to learn that the detection has now been achieved." Chances for lifeThe two Earth-size planets are among five alien worlds orbiting a star called Kepler-20 that is of the same class (G-type) as our sun, and is slightly cooler. Two of the star system's planets, Kepler-20e and Kepler-20f, are 0.87 times and 1.03 times the width of Earth, respectively, making them the smallest exoplanets yet known. They also appear to be rocky, and have masses less than 1.7 and 3 times Earth's mass, respectively. Kepler-20e makes a circle around its star once every 6.1 days at a distance of 4.7 million miles (7.6 million kilometers) — almost 20 times closer than Earth, which orbits the sun at around 93 million miles (150 million km). The planet's sibling, Kepler-20f, makes a full orbit every 19.6 days, at a distance of 10.3 million miles (16.6 million km). Both planets circle closer to their star than Mercury does to the sun. These snuggly orbits around their star give the newfound planets steamy temperatures of about 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit (760 degrees Celsius) and 800 degrees Fahrenheit (430 degrees Celsius) — way too warm to support liquid water, and probably life, researchers said. Fressin said the chance of life on either of these planets is "negligible," though the researchers can't exclude the possibility that they used to be habitable in the past, when they might have been farther from their star. There is also a slim chance that there are habitable regions on the planets in spots between their day and night sides (the planets orbit with one half constantly facing their star and the other half always in dark). But astronomers aren't holding out hope. "The chances of liquid water and life as we know it on Kepler-20e and f are zero," Laughlin said. Flip-flopped planetsThe planetary system around Kepler-20 is an unusual one. For one thing, scientists say the rocky planets can't have formed in their current locations. "There's not enough rocky material that close to the host star to form five planets," Fressin said. "They didn't form here; they probably formed farther from their star and migrated in." Furthermore, the five planets are in an odd order, with the rocky worlds alternating with their gaseous, Neptune-size siblings. That's quite different from most solar systems, including our own, which keeps the rocky terrestrial worlds in close to the sun, with the gas giants farther out. "How did that form?" Fressin said. "I think it's a puzzle the theorists will have to try to explain." The star's other planets are called Kepler-20b, 20c, and 20d. Their diameters are 15,000 miles (24,000 km), 24,600 miles (40,000 km), and 22,000 miles (35,000 km), respectively, and they orbit Kepler-20 once every 3.7, 10.9, and 77.6 days. The largest of these, Kepler-20d, weighs a little under 20 times Earth's mass, while Kepler-20c is 16.1 times as heavy as Earth, and Kepler-20b is 8.7 times our planet's mass. Evolving effortScientists say finding the smallest exoplanets yet represents a significant milestone in the fast-evolving effort to learn about planets beyond the solar system. The first alien planet was discovered in 1996, and the first planet found through the transit method came just 11 years ago. Both of those planets were roughly the size of Jupiter. "I think we're living in special times," Fressin said. "This was unfeasible 10 years ago, and just with the quality of detectors and the quality of the treatment is it possible now." The total tally of known alien planets is above 700. Kepler alone has discovered 28 definite alien planets, and 2,326 planet candidates, since its launch in March 2009. Earlier this month, the Kepler team announced another landmark find, the first planet known to occupy the habitable zonearound its star where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. That planet, called Kepler-22b, is about 2.4 times as wide as Earth. The dream now is for astronomers to combine the two discoveries and find an Earth-size planet that's also orbiting its star in an Earth-like orbit that puts it in the habitable zone. "The holy grail of the search for other worlds is to find an Earth analogue, a true Earth twin," Fressin said. "We just need to have these two pieces of the puzzle together." While the newfound planets orbit with periods of 6.1 and 19.6 days, Fressin estimated the habitable zone around Kepler-20 begins at orbits that take roughly 100 days to make a circuit. Astronomers think it's only a matter of time before they finally find one that's just right. "These discoveries are a great technological step forward — to detect small planets, in size like Earth — but these planets are very hot and not in the habitable zone around their star," astronomer Lisa Kaltenegger of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics wrote in an email. Kaltenegger, who studies the habitability of exoplanets, was not involved in the new study. "If we can already find these small planets with radii around Earth's now, some future ones could be in the habitable zone of their stars and THOSE future ones would be great targets to look for liquid water and signatures for life." A paper detailing the discovery was published online in the journal Nature Dec. 20. Copyright 2011 Space, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Read more: www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/12/20/first-ever-earth-sized-alien-planets-discovered/?test=faces#ixzz1h7b0oWGU
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Jan 10, 2012 15:54:55 GMT -6
Post by auntym on Jan 10, 2012 15:54:55 GMT -6
www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2012/jan/HQ_12-006_Astro_Artifacts.html?utm_content=SPACEdotcom&utm_campaign=seo%2Bblitz&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social%2BmediaNASA News David Weaver/Bob Jacobs Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 david.s.weaver@nasa.gov / bob.jacobs@nasa.gov Jan. 9, 2012 RELEASE : 12-006 NASA ADMINISTRATOR MEETS WITH APOLLO ASTRONAUTS;[/color] Agency Will Work Cooperatively to Resolve Artifact Ownership Issues[/color] Washington -- The following is a statement from NASA Administrator Charles Bolden regarding the ownership of early space exploration mementos and artifacts: "Earlier today, I had a good meeting with former Apollo astronauts Jim Lovell, Gene Cernan, Charlie Duke, Rusty Schweickart and other representatives of former astronauts and agency personnel, where we discussed how to resolve the misunderstandings and ownership questions regarding flight mementos and other artifacts. "These are American heroes, fellow astronauts, and personal friends who have acted in good faith, and we have committed to work together to find the right policy and legal paths forward to address outstanding ownership questions. "I believe there have been fundamental misunderstandings and unclear policies regarding items from the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and Skylab programs, and NASA appreciates the position of the astronauts, museums, learning institutions and others who have these historic artifacts in personal and private collections. "We also appreciate their patience and will explore all policy, legislative and other legal means to resolve these questions expeditiously and clarify ownership of these mementos, and ensure that appropriate artifacts are preserved and available for display to the American people." For information about NASA and agency programs, visit: www.nasa.gov
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NASA
Jan 20, 2012 15:07:46 GMT -6
Post by auntym on Jan 20, 2012 15:07:46 GMT -6
gizmodo.com/5877826/ufo-hunters-find-ufo-nasa-tells-ufo-hunters-to-stop-saying-wordsJan 20, 2012 UFO Hunters Find UFO, NASA Tells UFO Hunters to Stop Saying WordsUploaded by ridleyja on Jan 1, 2012 NASA has now explained that this is yet another lens artifact. We still think it is important to have independent eyes on these data sources. Also it should be noted that my intent was to get some other data out there. Also trying to have some fun with it. LOL! No reason to be a hater! To reproduce this data please click link below then input behindH12 for the telescope and the 26th through the 1st for the dates: stereo-ssc.nascom.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/imagesand here is the you tuber that broke the story thanks: www.youtube.com/user/MrMBB333Also here is the link for the rest of the song by Antony Wallace: UFO Hunters Find UFO, NASA Tells UFO Hunters to Stop Saying Words UFO Hunters Find UFO, NASA Tells UFO Hunters to Stop Saying Words Deja vu! Like on December 2011, UFO hunters claim they have found proof of a spaceship entering the solar system in NASA's own video footage. This time, the spaceship has a triangular shape, so it must be an Imperial Star Destroyer. The alleged starship looks huge, the size of a planet according to these UFO hunters: NASA is trying to hide the situation now but you can still see the first 2 days of the object's entrance at the lasco site. Click link below then input behindH12 for the telescope and the 26th through the 1st for the dates. Comparing it for size to the planetary objects that are seen in this telescope, if my calculations are correct, that thing is enormous Except it's not. It's not enormous. It's not a spaceship. Like the last time, this is an technical glitch. NASA had to publish a note explaining what happened. The answer is very simple: it's an optical effect. The answer lies on the exact opposite side of the image. At the same time as this strange-looking feature starts being visible, the very bright planet Venus enters [STEREO'S] field-of-view from the lower left. This is not a coincidence. The strange-looking geometrical 'object' is actually an internal reflection of the planet Venus within the telescope optics. This effect has been seen many times before. CONTINUE READING: gizmodo.com/5877826/ufo-hunters-find-ufo-nasa-tells-ufo-hunters-to-stop-saying-words
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NASA
Jan 20, 2012 15:18:57 GMT -6
Post by auntym on Jan 20, 2012 15:18:57 GMT -6
www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2012/01/-from-the-x-files-dept-nasa-refutes-triangular-ufo-seen-in-footage-captured-by-the-stereo-b-spacecra.htmlJanuary 19, 2012 From the X-Files Dept: NASA Refutes Triangular "UFO" Seen in Footage Captured by the STEREO-B SpacecraftUFO conspiracy theorists have attempted to use publicly available NASA images to prove that the space agency must be engaging in an elaborate cover-up, calling attention to new footage captured by a telescope onboard NASA's STEREO-B spacecraft — one of a pair of probes parked on either side of the sun which, together, provide a 360-degree view of the inner solar system. The footage shows Venus, Earth and, on the opposite side of the field-of-view, a strange triangular or diamond-shape "object" entering the field-of-view of the HI2 telescope on STEREO B around December 26, 2011. At the same time as this strange-looking feature starts being visible, the very bright planet Venus enters the HI2-B field-of-view from the lower left. Notice that Venus and the feature stay in step almost exactly opposite each other across the middle of the detector. This is not a coincidence. The strange looking geometrical "object" is actually an internal reflection of the planet Venus within the telescope optics. This effect has been seen many times before. Here's a particularly striking example of internal reflections caused by the planet Earth as seen early in the STEREO mission, taken from NASA Stereo image artifacts pages. CONTINUE READING: www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2012/01/-from-the-x-files-dept-nasa-refutes-triangular-ufo-seen-in-footage-captured-by-the-stereo-b-spacecra.html
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NASA
Jan 28, 2012 10:37:35 GMT -6
Post by swamprat on Jan 28, 2012 10:37:35 GMT -6
NuSTAR Spacecraft Arrives in CaliforniaScienceDaily (Jan. 27, 2012) — NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, mission arrived at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California this morning after a cross-country trip by truck from the Orbital Sciences Corporation's manufacturing plant in Dulles, Va. The mission is scheduled to launch from Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean on March 14. Once the observatory is offloaded at Vandenberg, it will be moved into a processing hangar, joining the Pegasus XL rocket that is set to carry it to space. Over the weekend, technicians will remove its shipping container so that checkout and other processing activities can begin next week. Once the observatory is integrated with the rocket in mid-February, technicians will encapsulate it in the vehicle fairing, which is also scheduled to arrive at Vandenberg today. After processing is completed, the rocket and spacecraft will be flown on Orbital's L-1011 carrier aircraft to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at Kwajalein Atoll for launch in March. The Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array is an Explorer mission that will allow astronomers to study the universe in high energy X-rays. Launching in 2012, NuSTAR will be the first focusing hard X-ray telescope to orbit Earth and is expected to greatly exceed the performance of the largest ground-based observatories that have observed this region of the electromagnetic spectrum. NuSTAR will also complement astrophysics missions that explore the cosmos in other regions of the spectrum. X-ray telescopes such as Chandra and XMM-Newton have observed the X-ray universe at low X-ray energy levels. By focusing higher energy X-rays, NuSTAR will start to answer several fundamental questions about the Universe including: • How are black holes distributed through the cosmos? • How were heavy elements forged in the explosions of massive stars? • What powers the most extreme active galaxies? NuSTAR's primary science objectives include: • Conducting a census for black holes on all scales using wide-field surveys of extragalactic fields and the Galactic center. • Mapping radioactive material in young supernova remnants; Studying the birth of the elements and to understand how stars explode. • Observing relativistic jets found in the most extreme active galaxies and to understand what powers giant cosmic accelerators. NuSTAR will also study the origin of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars while responding to targets of opportunity including supernovae and gamma-ray bursts. NuSTAR will perform follow-up observations to discoveries made by Chandra and Spitzer, and will team with Fermi, making simultaneous observations which will greatly enhancing Fermi's science return. For more information, visit www.nasa.gov/nustar and www.nustar.caltech.edu/ . www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120127172327.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily%2Fmatter_energy+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Matter+%26+Energy+News%29
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NASA
Feb 10, 2012 17:41:28 GMT -6
Post by swamprat on Feb 10, 2012 17:41:28 GMT -6
LightYears BlogFebruary 10th, 2012 Astronaut feels space's toll on his bodyIt’s not really why he signed up to be an astronaut, but like it or not, Mike Barratt and his eyes have become a science project. The eye charts he reads, the red drops that turn his eyes yellow and the ultrasounds being performed on him could determine whether he or any other astronaut ever journeys into deep space or sets foot on other worlds. NASA’s new priority is how to protect astronauts from going blind on the years-long trip to get wherever they are going. “I absolutely agree that this is our number one priority,” Barratt said. Why? Because when Barratt blasted off to the international space station, he needed eyeglasses for distance. When he returned to Earth, his distance vision was fine, but he needed reading glasses. That was more than two years ago. And he’s not getting better. “We really need to understand this. This is a critical point for understanding how humans adapt to spaceflight,” he said. In the past few years, about half of the astronauts aboard the international space station have developed an increasing pressure inside their heads, an intracranial pressure that reshapes their optic nerve, causing a significant shift in the eyesight of male astronauts. Doctors call it papilledema. Female space travelers have not been affected. Some of the astronauts slowly recover. Others have not. Space station astronauts typically spend about six months in orbit. Barratt is one of 10 male astronauts, all older than 45, who have not recovered. Barratt returned from a six-month stint aboard the station in October 2009 and has experienced a profound change in his sight. He used to be nearsighted. But now, the space veteran says he’s eagle-eyed at long distance but needs glasses for reading. There is no treatment and no answers as to why female space flyers are not affected. Doctors have found that Barratt’s retinas have microscopic folds or wrinkles on them, and the back of his eye, the optic nerve, is no longer round but has flattened. “I think this is showing that there are physiologic aspects of adaption to spaceflight we weren’t seeing before,” said Barratt. This raises a red flag for all of NASA’s plans for long-duration human space flight. The space station is supposed to be the test bed for how humans would learn to live in space, but it opens profound questions on whether humans will ever venture to Mars or to an asteroid if they are unable to figure out how the outer-space environment is affecting the eyes. “It is a serious problem and one we are going to have to understand more about before we would be able to send somebody into a long-duration mission away from Earth, where they would be away for years,” he said. Right now, the only data that doctors have are from six-month tours of duty on the space station. “What we’re seeing appears to occur within the first couple of months of flight and appears to level off, plateau after about four to five months,” Gibson said. “If it’s just a matter of giving them a stronger prescription, we can live with that,” he said. “But if there is an elevated intracranial pressure as the cause of this, we have to be concerned about other neurologic effects." That means there could be other effects on the body that haven’t become apparent. This is why a three-year mission to Mars is in question. It would be humans' next great leap, and NASA is spending almost $18 billion over the next five years to develop a heavy lift rocket that would take astronauts to the Red Planet or even to an asteroid. They would travel in a new spacecraft, Orion. “I’m still hopeful that in 20 years, we’ll have advanced propulsion capabilities that can get us there in a matter of weeks to a few months. Then, a lot of these problems go away,” he said. lightyears.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/10/astronaut-feels-spaces-toll-on-his-body/?hpt=hp_bn1
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NASA
Feb 13, 2012 18:27:16 GMT -6
Post by swamprat on Feb 13, 2012 18:27:16 GMT -6
Now, tell me where in the heck they’re going to get the money for this?? They are currently cutting NASA’s budget like crazy. “International partnerships” or not, this ain’t gonna be cheap.....NASA eyes plan for deep-space outpost near the moon Written By Leonard David Published February 13, 2012 NASA is pressing forward on assessing the value of a "human-tended waypoint" near the far side of the moon — one that would embrace international partnerships as well as commercial and academic participation, SPACE.com has learned. According to a Feb. 3 memo from William Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for human exploration and operations, a team is being formed to develop a cohesive plan for exploring a spot in space known as the Earth-moon libration point 2 (EML-2). Libration points, also known as Lagrangian points, are places in space where the combined gravitational pull of two large masses roughly balance each other out, allowing spacecraft to essentially "park" there. A pre-memo NASA appraisal of EML-2, which is near the lunar far side, has spotlighted this destination as the "leading option" for a near-term exploration capability. EML-2 could serve as a gateway for capability-driven exploration of multiple destinations, such as near-lunar space, asteroids, the moon, the moons of Mars and, ultimately, Mars itself, according to NASA officials. A capabilities-driven NASA architecture is one that should use the agency's planned heavy-lift rocket, known as the Space Launch System, and the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle "as the foundational elements." Copyright 2012 SPACE.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Read more: www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/02/13/nasa-eyes-plan-for-deep-space-outpost-near-moon/?intcmp=features#ixzz1mI5YpwU1
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NASA
Feb 13, 2012 19:00:04 GMT -6
Post by Steve on Feb 13, 2012 19:00:04 GMT -6
It sounds ambiguous to me. I need further information why a EML-2 at the Lagrange point is important. So we go there and park a vehicle. Politically it is not a 'destination'. The surface of the moon, Mars, or an asteroid is a destination, but the Lagrange point? NASA is desperately looking for any program 'inertia' I fear. sigh.
Steve
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NASA
Feb 13, 2012 20:38:56 GMT -6
Post by lois on Feb 13, 2012 20:38:56 GMT -6
Why the far side of the moon, makes one wonder..?
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