All 15 entries tagged Nasa

Hubble Service Mission 4. The last hurdle.

Sadly, this Service is the last one before Hubble reaches its end-of-life point. Here is a video (shot in a true Hollywood spirit) that describes what will be changed and how long will it last for. Most of the things mentioned in this video had been done yesterday (Fri 15th) by the astronauts, but it is still relevant. Actually, this movie is very professional.
VIDEO

: 16 May 2009 09:15 |  Tags: Hubble Mission 4 Nasa Telescope |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

some videos

Launch of the Kepler telescope: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7929831.stm

and here is the disastrous launch of the CO2 mission: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/7908724.stm
It reminds me of another mission in which the cover did not open up and the mission was dead….. i can’t remember, but if i do – i’ll post more details. hmmmm, i am pretty sure it was a telescope….

Vlad.

P.S. sorry for being a bit quiet at time, but final report is a matter of priority for now :)

: 07 Mar 2009 23:50 |  Tags: Co2 Kepler Nasa |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

some news

1. the most powerful gamma-ray burst had been recorded by Fermi telescope. gas trains supposedly moved at 99.9999% of c . there was also longest delay between highest and lowest energy emissions of about 5 sec. different mechanisms are thought to be responsible for these emissions. more here
2. astrophysicists from Leicester uni are following comet Lulin as it gets closer to our planet. the comet is of a green colour due to its atmosphere’s components – poisonous cyanogen and diatomic carbon. the comet will be visible to the naked eye, so watch out for it! more here
3. scientists from Gutenberg Universitat have measured one-neutron halo using laser techniques for the first time. More here
4. exploration. NASA and Chamber of Commerce (US) will hold a workshop concerned with current advancements in Lunar Surface Systems to support lifeforms and robots. we are going to watch out for the news from the workshop when it opens on the 25th this month. more here

: 21 Feb 2009 14:39 |  Tags: Fermi Telescope Green Comet Halo Lss Moon Nasa |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

NASA's shuttle

perhaps the best picture of the shuttle this year!?

: 17 Dec 2008 21:49 |  Tags: Nasa |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

stuff

a quickie:
1. one in five spiral galaxies are red, not blue as was thought before. Article
2. Found some “sugar” in the Milky Way. More
3. Urine-recycling machine has been installed together with a new freezer, scientific oven (whatever this is), sleeping quarters and more on ISS, as part of “home improvements” programme. More
4. Commitee is fighting over size of ESA budget for ISS and robotic frighters, that will soon replace shuttles. Here

: 26 Nov 2008 12:53 |  Tags: Iss Nasa |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Cat's Eye. NGC 6543

Writing about web page http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_1189.html

this beautiful picture of Cat’s Eye nebula was reprocessed, that allowed for a much sharper image originally produced by Hubble Telescope’s camera. algorithm had also used a more colourful palette, giving the image, with its well defined internal and external structure, an all different perspective.
simply gratifying to look into Cat’s Eye :)
Enjoy

: 07 Oct 2008 22:49 |  Tags: Nasa |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

spot–dry for weeks

Writing about web page http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/soho/sunspot_20080923.html

apparently, the Sun had no sunspots for weeks now. the first one in months was observed on 23 September. this spot (picture on the right) is said to mark the beginning of the new solar cycle, Cycle 24.

observations of last 400 years predict an increased solar activity in the next few months.
did not know that sunspots have winter breaks as well as scientists at LHC :)

Vlad.

: 24 Sep 2008 08:48 |  Tags: Nasa Sunspot |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Disgrace!

Writing about web page http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_east/7631578.stm

i feel ashamed of such a move by NASA magazine and some academics.
Rap and science??? are you bloody mad? for as much as i like music, i do put science at first. unlike Jonathan Chase… here is a part of lyrics used (quoted from BBC page): “We’ve been on Earth for many years and we are still producing answers; as time passes, collective knowledge advances”
from his own words that he wants ”...to make basic scientific ideas more accessible”. Well, you are not exactly making science clear by saying ” We’ve been on Earth for many years ...”!!!!! to me personally, it sounds like we are all made of stuff.
arghhh, i am so not pleased about NASA’s commissioning and Scince Museum’s decision to perform rap on site.

here is the comment from Prof Mark Brake (University of Glamorgan): “rap comments on the world through a “hard” or “soft” emotional lens” – this is the first time someone looks at the science through emotional lens!!! science and emotions are incompatible, full stop. science is (perhaps, should be)objective study in its nature, although i allow for some other “sciences” being subjective.
i hope that it won’t take-off, as it might mislead the public. public has already been mislead with “end of the universe” (LHC).

Vlad.

Your comments?!

: 23 Sep 2008 15:08 |  Tags: Nasa |  Comments (10) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Opportunity for Opportunity

Writing about web page http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mer/news/mer-20080922.html

having explored depths of the crater Victoria, NASA’s Mars rover “Opportunity” is now being directed towards new target. this move is an ambitious one, as the rover may not make it to the final destination.

there are actually two rovers, two twins – Opportunity and Spirit. Both exceeded life expectations than most optimistic JPL scientists predicted. they are quite sure that Spirit is not going to make it. shame.
HiRISE (the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment) camera on board of Reconnaissance Orbiter (NASA) will help to guide rover to its new target. Also, some software will help rover to make autonomous decisions as it encounters hazards like sand dunes or obstacles, mainly represented by rocks.

Vlad.

: 23 Sep 2008 09:50 |  Tags: Nasa Rovers |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

3D pics from Phoenix

Writing about web page http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/phoenix/news/phoenix-20080717.html

a couple of days back we received three dim pictures from Mars. it is great that NASA bothers to upload them on-line, although most visitors struggle to see the 3-dim pics as they require red and blue stupid-plastic-glasses. most people don’t have a constant need iof the junk (sorry Bob!)
if any of you have these glasses, can you tell us whether these pictures are good or whether it was a waste of time looking at them?

cheers.

: 19 Jul 2008 17:55 |  Tags: Nasa Phoenix |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Water on Mars

Writing about web page http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7511523.stm

but we won’t see it, ha!
the clue was given away when they discovered how much clay mineral was there. that could have only happened in presence of water. but then again, plus-minus true. for all i know, if it did not come Phoenix – it might be just an educated guess.
in 2009, Nasa are going to send another rover to explore life before and after water has disappeared. what???!!! it is like having a number of robots in your house – one for bringing sleepers, another for putting a sleeper onto your left foot and the third robot to put the second sleepers onto the remaining legs! pointless, just make this robot do these all in one go. never mind, it is american NASA we are dealing with.
in a few years we might see Chinese go to the Moon and then they suddenly decide: “since we are here, shall we just fly to Mars and back?”. it won’t surprise me.

p.s. the link to the bbc article is at the top and to the left in RSS feeder.

: 17 Jul 2008 16:19 |  Tags: Nasa Phoenix |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

I am back with the news…

Writing about web page http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/spitzer/news/spitzer-20080715.html

... that a group of scientists, using NASA’s Spitzer telescope, were able to find second brightest star in the Galaxy. Its name is Peony star in Peony nebula. Scientists think that it might go off in suppernova style. It might happen tomorrow…... or in a few million years :)

anyway, it is nice to know that it would have been placed instead of Sun, it would touch Mercury’s orbit.
another thing is that if there is a nearby planet inhabited with human-like-creatures, then during the “ka-boom” stage of this star I would not want to be in their place. although you would get (together with the planet and you would be the first one to go) evaporated in less than a second, it might be worth taking a look at the “fireworks” in the sky.

still, we’ve got our Eta Carina(e) to worry about, so forget about global worming or third world war – tomorrow might not come after all :)

: 17 Jul 2008 13:04 |  Tags: Nasa Spitzer Telescope |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

SP+

Writing about web page http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/10jun_solarprobe.htm

Solar Probe+ is planned for launch in about 7 years will study the Sun (not the newspaper), its atmosphere and magnetic field.
there are a couple of things that bother scientists – high temperature of the corona and speed of the solar winds. neither could be explained since the first observations were made. hence NASA planning to dip SP+ into solar corona.it should not come as a surprise that the spacecraft will be powered by solar panels.
those of you who can’t be bothered to read, then click here to listen to the podcast.

Vlad.

: 12 Jun 2008 12:31 |  Tags: Nasa Solar Probe |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

GLAST to blast!

Writing about web page http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/GLAST/main/index.html

On the 9th of June a group of scientists, engineers and NASA officials gave a green light to the launch of the gamma-ray large area space telescope (GLAST). The purpose of the mission is to explore dark corners of the Universe by looking at black holes, pulsars and anything else to do with gamma-ray. In particular, scientists at NASA want to investigate the origins of cosmic rays and (!) “…search for signals of new physics”, whatever it might be.
Here is the page where you can find video briefly comparing two projects, the current SWIFT and GLAST, which should be launched in about 5 hours. On the same page you’ll find other video-casts. In the one with STS-124 booster camera, notice how the colour of the sky changes.

GLAST (depicted above and below in schema), will look at the same objects as SWIFT, but in a new energy range (I am not really sure which “new” range they are talking about). Hopefully, this will assist to gather far more information than with the SWIFT on its own.

: 11 Jun 2008 12:23 |  Tags: Glast Nasa |  Comments (1) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

"Visions of the future", NASA and other news

Hi guys!

*NASA*
there is an interesting survey on NASA’s website: Do you think Phoenix will find evidence that life could have once existed on Mars? (Just scroll to the bottom of NASA’s main page)
there are two possible answers: Yes/No. you can see the results of this survey, but i advise to answer the question first and then view the votes – you may (or may not) be pleasantly surprised.

another update from NASA: toilet has now been fitted (on ISS) – no problems there!

*BBC Documentaries*
this time “Visions of the future” caught my eye. I did miss it last night on the box, but thankfully, you can find this programme on BBC iPlayer (here)
if you want to read a short review (BBC FOUR), then click here
I haven’t seen it myself, so be patient and i’ll write a small review. Otherwise you can do so too by posting a comment.

*Other news*
some of us received letter from Dr Dixon concerning electronics lab and i thought that electronics will haunt my ass for the rest of my life, but it only does so when you need to collect your lab book.

Vlad.

: 05 Jun 2008 10:32 |  Tags: BBC Documentaries Nasa |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem