The Universe Is 13.82 Billion Years Old
(Source: Slate)
The Universe is a wee bit older than we thought. Not only that, but
turns out the ingredients are a little bit different, too. And not only
that, but the way they’re mixed isn’t quite what we expected, either.
And not only that, but there are hints and whispers of something much
grander going on as well. So what’s going on?
ESA’s Planck mission is what’s going on. Planck has been scanning the
entire sky, over and over, peering at the radio and microwaves pouring
out of the Universe. Some of this light comes from stars, some from
cold clumps of dust, some from exploding stars and galaxies. But a
portion of it comes from farther away...much farther away. Billions of
light years, in fact, all the way from the edge of the observable
Universe.
This light was first emitted when the Universe was very young, about
380,000 years old. It was blindingly bright, but in its eons-long
travel to us has dimmed and reddened. Fighting the expansion of the
Universe itself, the light has had its wavelength stretched out until
it gets to us in the form of microwaves. Planck gathered that light for
over 15 months, using instruments far more sensitive than ever before.
(3/23)
Astronaut Abby's Soyuz Space Launch
Adventure (Source: RocketHub)
Hi, I'm Astronaut Abby, a 15 year old high school student who is
aspiring to be the first astronaut to Mars. My journey to become the
first astronaut to Mars has led me on many great adventures over the
past 5 years giving me opportunities to meet and learn from many
scientists, engineers and astronauts! My next adventure will take me to
a different part of the world and give me an opportunity to do
something that is rarely experienced by anyone…even adults: Travel to
Russia, share an inside look at the Russian Federal Space Agency, and
experience a legendary Soyuz space launch. Click here
to help. (3/22)
Business Tour Spotlights Post-Shuttle
Space Coast (Source: Florida Today)
The message that struck visitors attending a tour of Brevard County’s
economic highlights was as important as it was simple: Far from dead,
the local economy is thriving. Indications are the message was getting
through. “Man, I thought you were toast after NASA left,” said Bob
Leak, a site-selection manager from Raleigh, N.C., and tour
participant. “It’s amazing how well this area has turned it around, so
we came here to see how you did it.”
The four-day business media tour, offered by the Economic Development
Commission of Florida’s Space Coast to showcase the area wraps up today
with a helicopter tour of the area and a possible ride on the Zero G
Experience “weightlessness” flight. In panel discussions over the last
two days, local aerospace, manufacturing and defense industry
representatives focused on the benefits of doing business on the Space
Coast.
Along with the natural environment, such as the beaches, river and the
weather, they emphasized a talented, high-tech workforce. “The space
program sets us apart, but it also limits people to think we’re just
space,” said Lynda Weatherman, the EDC’s president and chief executive
officer. “But we’re far more diversified than that.” (3/22)
Brazilian Engineering Company Eager to
Land at Melbourne Airport (Source: Florida Today)
A subsidiary of a Brazilian aviation company has plans to come to
Melbourne International Airport, a project expected to create at least
50 jobs during the next three years. The investment by Archo Solutions
Engineering USA Corp. could also lead to at least 36 spinoff jobs,
representing a total annual payroll of $3.87 million. Archo is a
subsidiary of Solutions Designs & Engineering of São Paolo, Brazil.
Archo provides engineering and other support services to aviation
companies. Embraer, the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer with a plant at
the airport, is one of Archo’s biggest clients. “Melbourne is a major
aviation and aerospace cluster that will grow over the next 10 years,
and we will grow with them,” said Ivan Avila, Archo’s chief operations
officer. Archo was in Brevard last week to sign the initial agreement
with airport officials.
Research park executives began courting Archo in May at the Expo Aero
Brasil 2012. Archo worked primarily with John Thomas, Florida Tech’s
assistant vice president for economic development and community
affairs. “We are working diligently to build a world-class,
international aviation-aerospace community at the research park, and
Archo clearly exemplifies the type of tenant we desire,” Thomas said.
(3/19)
'Angry Birds' Arrive at Kennedy Space
Center (Source: CFL13)
Excited children tried out the newest attraction at Kennedy Space
Center Visitor Complex. Angry Birds Space Encounter opened Friday. The
Complex partnered with the game's creator, Rovio Entertainment, to
bring the characters to life. There are six interactive stations as the
birds follow their kidnapped eggs into an intergalactic wormhole and
face off against space pigs. Visitors can even create their own Angry
Bird and print it out as a keepsake. They can also square off against
other guests by launching mini birds through slingshots. (3/22)
Lone Indian in Google Lunar X Prize
Fighting to Raise Resources (Source: Times of India)
There comes an age in everybody's life when you must lock up your
childhood fantasies. Rahul Narayan is well past that age. He has a
family to feed. He is 39. He has neither rich parents, nor indulgent
benefactors. He has sunk all his savings and nearly two years into a
hobbyist project. He needs upwards of $20 million to see it through.
When he meets potential funders with his plan, it elicits looks of
amusement.
Some people laugh, asking if his whole project is just an elaborate
con. For a year and a half now, Narayan has neglected the IT company he
runs with partners — some are classmates from IIT-Delhi — to set up a
ragtag team of dreamy graduates fresh out of engineering college,
trying to do what only big governments with classified budgets have
done before — land a spacecraft on the moon. Narayan is the leader of
Team Indus, a Delhi-based startup that is the lone entrant from India
in the Google Lunar X Prize competition. (3/23)
India, US Agree for Future Cooperation
in Moon, Mars Missions (Source: Deccan Herald)
India and the US have agreed to cooperate on future missions to the
Moon and Mars after successful collaboration in Chandrayaan-1 lunar
mission. "Building on NASA's collaboration in India's highly successful
Chandrayaan-1 lunar mission in 2008, NASA and ISRO agreed to explore
further cooperative space exploration work, including future missions
to the Moon and Mars.
"To this end the working group agreed to continue discussions in
planetary science and Heliophysics to identify areas of potential
cooperation," Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and NASA said
in a joint statement. Existing cooperation, in the use of US and Indian
earth observation satellite data, has produced information yielding a
broad range of societal benefits including improved weather and monsoon
forecasting, disaster management and response, improved agricultural
and natural resource use and better understanding of climate change.
(3/23)
Texas Space Week - We Have an
Out-of-This-World Opportunity (Source: Austin Business Journal)
Representatives from NASA’s Johnson Space Center and private companies
involved in NASA’s Commercial Crew Program were at the Capitol March 19
as part of 2013 Space Week Texas, which highlighted how NASA is seeking
strategic partnerships with the private sector to enable the
commercialization of technology, support space exploration programs and
build stronger ties across the industry.
Boeing, SpaceX and Sierra Nevada are developing orbital transport
vehicles to compete for a contract to ferry NASA astronauts to the
International Space Station; space travel is already commercialized in
that NASA is paying Russia to ferry astronauts to the station. NASA
already has consortium relationships with Bay Area Houston Economic
Partnership, Greater Houston Partnership,
Houston Technology Center and the Bay Area Houston Advanced Technology
Consortium — all of which are providing it with better insights into
potential opportunities and synergies with other industries. Texas
lawmakers are doing their best to attract and encourage the private
sector to start their space adventures in Texas. (3/22)
NASA Plum Brook Vacuum Chamber is
World's Largest, Despite Texas Claim (Source: Cleveland Plain
Dealer)
The press release from NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston
contains an exciting media offer: “The world’s largest thermal-vacuum
chamber will be open to news media at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in
Houston on Thursday, April 4.” Problem is, the world’s largest vacuum
chamber is not in Houston. It’s in Sandusky at NASA Glenn’s Plum Brook
facility.
Local NASA supporters want to suck the air out of Johnson’s Texas-sized
boast. “Everything is bigger in Texas. At least in the eyes of the
people who live there,” said Kurt Landefeld of Huron, who is a member
of “Friends of Plum Brook.” The vacuum chamber at Plum Brook, called
the Space Power Facility, measures 863,000 cubic feet. The one at
Johnson, called Chamber A, is 400,000 cubic feet. (3/22)
Congressman Joe Kennedy III Visits
Astronaut Program (Source: Sharon Patch)
Sharon's "Train Like an Astronaut" program was presented to elementary
school students at the Heights Elementary School on Friday, March 22.
The program has spanned the entire school district in Sharon and all
the classes congregated in the gymnasium to watch, listen and learn
about NASA on Friday. Special Guest speaker Congressman Joseph Kennedy
III spoke with the students about the importance of NASA and what it
does for our country, before going live with NASA. (3/23)
Rumors Wrong About NASA Socials
Cancellation (Source: America Space)
A re-post of a NASA memo that appeared on NASA Watch, SpaceRef, and
later Universe Today suggested NASA will not be creating new versions
of the highly-popular social media events known as “Socials.” This
created a bit of an uproar from fans of these events. The belief that
“Sequestration will Cancel NASA Socials” – is, at best, at least
somewhat, inaccurate. In an effort to clarify the fate of NASA’s
Socials, AmericaSpace reached out to NASA Deputy Associate
Administrator for Communications Bob Jacobs for clarifications
regarding the posts.
“We expect socials to continue as usual. The suspension of outreach
activities gives us time to assess the complete suite of communications
efforts across NASA. Nothing has been canceled. The fiscal realities of
the sequester and our budget require us to focus on mission critical
work and to review resources across the agency... It is important to
remember that the fiscal year budget is more than $1 billion less than
originally requested. We are being financially responsible with the
reviews underway as a result of sequestration,” Jacobs said.
Seeking to confirm that NASA won’t be cancelling any established events
and will be hosting new ones, we pressed Jacobs if this was, in fact,
what would actually be taking place. We have registrations open for
more events, and we expect those to go forward as planned,” Jacobs
reiterated. Editor's Note: Now there's a "We The People" White House petition for this. Click here. (3/23)
Russia Extends Space Cooperation With
US (Source: RIA Novosti)
Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree set to extend the
U.S.-Russia agreement on cooperation in the use and exploration of
outer space till 2020, the government reported on Saturday. “The
agreement extention corresponds with Russia’s interests and will help
promote effective implementation of its space programs as well as joint
U.S.-Russian space projects, including exploration of the Moon and
Mars,” the government said in a statement on its official web site.
Originally signed on June 17, 1992, the U.S.-Russian space cooperation
agreement between NASA and the Russian Space Agency was later extended
in 1997, 2002 and 2007. The agreement extension is embodied with an
exchange of notes between the two states. Russia’s Foreign Ministry has
already received the U.S. note, while Medvedev's dercee has approved
Russia's note draft. (3/23)
Senate Passes $3.7 Trillion Budget,
Setting Up Contentious Negotiations (Source: New York Times)
After an all-night debate that ended just before 5 a.m., the Senate on
Saturday adopted its first budget in four years, a $3.7 trillion
blueprint for 2014 that would provide a fast track for passage of tax
increases, trim spending modestly and leave the government still deeply
in the red a decade from now. No Republicans voted for the Senate plan,
and four Democrats opposed it, all from red states and are up for
re-election in 2014. (3/23)
Film by Franklin Institute Explores
Benefits of Exploring Space (Source: Philadelphia Inquirer)
A giant blinking eye appears on the screen, followed by a close-up of
how optic nerves are connected to the brain. Before long, viewers are
whizzing through space. The computer-rendered graphics are worthy of
any science-fiction film, but this is a movie about science facts.
Called To Space & Back, coproduced by the Franklin Institute and a
New Hampshire company called Sky-Scan Inc., the film explores the
benefits of space exploration.
The half-hour movie was shot at an eye-popping 60 frames per second -
at least double what you usually see at a movie theater - allowing for
quick lateral movement without blurring. It is a full-dome show,
meaning it covers the entire round screen in the Fels Planetarium, so
be prepared for an eyeful. Two projectors beam high-resolution images
from opposite sides of the dome, each channeling the output of four
computers. All of it is seamlessly stitched together, along with the
audio, said the Franklin Institute's chief astronomer, Derrick Pitts,
one of the producers. Editor's Note: Here's another
pro-space/science video gaining popularity on the Internets. (3/23)
Moog Conducts More Than 7,900 Hot Fire
Tests on 400 Engines in 2012 (Source: SatNews)
In the past year, Moog ISP, part of Moog Inc.'s Space and Defense
Group, successfully conducted more than 7,900 hot fire tests on 400
engines for at least 14 different customers. Along with testing engines
and a variety of propellants and propulsion systems, Moog ISP
manufactures liquid rocket engines, tanks and propulsion systems for
satellites and launch vehicles.
Moog ISP conducts hot fire tests at its Niagara Falls, N.Y. facility.
The Moog facility includes four vacuum-capable rocket test cells and
one sea-level-capable rocket test cell. In 2012, Moog performed hot
fire tests on engines (ranging in thrust levels from approximately 250
lbf to less than 1 lbf) for commercial and military clients, including
Sandia and MELCO. (3/22)
NASA Extends Hubble Space Telescope
Science Operations Contract (Source: SpaceRef)
NASA is extending its contract with the Association of Universities for
Research in Astronomy for the agency's Hubble Space Telescope Science
Operations activities at the Space Telescope Science Institute in
Baltimore, Md., for 36 months. The option the agency chose to exercise
has a total estimated value of $76 million and extends the period of
performance through April 30, 2016. (3/22)
NASA Suspends All Education and Public
Outreach (Source: NASA Watch)
NASA Internal Memo: Effective immediately, all education and public
outreach activities should be suspended, pending further review. In
terms of scope, this includes all public engagement and outreach
events, programs, activities, and products developed and implemented by
Headquarters, Mission Directorates, and Centers across the Agency,
including all education and public outreach efforts conducted by
programs and projects.
The scope comprises activities intended to communicate, connect with,
and engage a wide and diverse set of audiences to raise awareness and
involvement in NASA, its goals, missions and programs, and to develop
an appreciation for, exposure to, and involvement in STEM. Audiences
include employees, partners, educators, students, and members of the
general public.
The scope encompasses, but is not limited to: programs, events, and
workshops; permanent and traveling exhibits, signage, and other
materials; speeches, presentations, and appearances, with the exception
of technical presentations by researchers at scientific and technical
symposia; video and multimedia products in development (and renewal of
existing products); Web and social media sites in development (excludes
operational sites); certain external and internal publications; and any
other activity whose goal is to reach out to external and internal
stakeholders and the public concerning NASA, its programs, and
activities. (3/22)
NASA: Outreach Suspension a Temporary
Adjustment (Source: NASA)
After NASA Watch posted news of NASA's decision to halt education and
public outreach activities, NASA responded with a couple of clarifying
tweets: "Heard that NASA communications & outreach is shutting
down? We're not going anywhere. Given the budget climate, we're
reviewing outreach to ensure we’re communicating smartly - priority on
mission critical activities." (3/22)
Arianespace Reaffirms its North
American Market Presence (Source: SpaceRef)
The value, reliability and on-time delivery of Arianespace's services
have resulted in multiple payload launch contracts from all major
U.S.-based television broadcast and telecommunications providers -
including the latest agreement with Intelsat announced this week. In
addition to Intelsat's new accord for the orbiting of three satellites
on Ariane 5 missions through 2017, three other U.S. operators that have
endorsed Arianespace with key agreements are DIRECTV, EchoStar Corp.
and O3b Networks Limited.
The launch services industry's track record validates Arianespace's
philosophy that "quality has a price." The company's Ariane 5 is the
industry's undisputed heavy-lift workhorse, with 54 consecutive
successes from the Spaceport in French Guiana; its medium-lift Soyuz
has performed flawlessly in 26 commercial flights from Baikonur
Cosmodrome and the four missions performed to date from French Guiana;
while the new lightweight Vega began its career with a successful
introductory launch at the Spaceport. (3/22)
Ongoing Science as Crew Counts Down to
Dragon Departure, New Trio (Source: NASA)
Science was the main focus aboard the International Space Station while
preparations continued for the Dragon spacecraft release, now set for
Tuesday, and Thursday’s launch and docking of three new Expedition 35
crew members. After their lunch hour, the current Expedition 35 trio
conducted an emergency drill simulating a pressure loss.
More than three weeks after arriving at the station, the SpaceX Dragon
spacecraft is ready for the trip back to Earth, now scheduled for March
26. Dragon's return date, originally scheduled for March 25, was
postponed due to inclement weather developing near its targeted
splashdown site in the Pacific Ocean. The additional day spent attached
to the orbiting laboratory will not affect science samples scheduled to
return aboard the spacecraft. (3/22)
Bolden Reaffirms Asteroid Mission Plans
(Source: Space Policy Online)
In response to a criticism that has been made since the goal was
announced that the specific destination asteroid has not been named,
Bolden said that when President Kennedy announced men would land on the
Moon before the end of the decade, he did not say they would land on
the Sea of Tranquility. “I can’t tell you which asteroid, but
there will be one in 2025,” Bolden asserted. (3/22)
Dragon Will Stay in Space One Day
Longer (Source: Florida Today)
SpaceX’s Dragon capsule will spend an extra day in space, after a
forecast of poor weather near its Pacific Ocean splashdown site caused
a 24-hour delay in its scheduled return home. NASA said Friday that the
capsule will instead depart the International Space Station early
Tuesday morning instead of Monday. (3/22)
Where Will Bezos' Saturn Engines Land?
(Source: Smithsonian)
The team had plenty of underwater pieces to choose from; 13 F-1-powered
Apollo rocket ships with five engines each blasted into orbit from
Florida’s John F. Kennedy space center between 1967 to 1973, dropping
the spent engines into the ocean during their ascent. In a blog post
this week, Bezos called the remains “an incredible sculpture garden of
twisted F-1 engines.” Without serial numbers, the team must now rely on
restoration efforts to find clues to the engines’ former spacecraft.
There is no public timetable as to when it will be determined which
mission these engines were a part of.
Bezos has stated that he hopes the restored engines will make their way
to the Museum of Flight in Seattle, but Ceruzzi says that parts of the
engines also could end up in the Air and Space Museum. The murkiness of
the laws governing international waters, and the artifacts discovered
within them, will likely delay such a decision for a while. ”It remains
a possibility,” he explains, “but we won’t know until their ownership
is settled, until we find out whether or not they are from Apollo 11
and of course until NASA offers them to us.” (3/22)
Missile Defense Today Bears Little
Resemblance to ‘Star Wars’ (Source: Space News)
When President Ronald Reagan called for an ambitious national effort to
develop technology to intercept and destroy strategic ballistic
missiles, he warned of the challenges ahead. “This will be a formidable
technical task, one that may not be accomplished before the end of the
century,” Reagan said in a 1983 speech. Thirty years later, the U.S.
Missile Defense Agency continues to wrestle with technical challenges,
but also to demonstrate significant accomplishments, particularly in
halting short- and medium-range ballistic missiles.
The current missile defense architecture bears little resemblance to
the initial plan proposed by Reagan and his administration to deploy
thousands of ballistic missile sensors and interceptors on land, ships
and aircraft and in space to counter a full-scale Soviet attack. Much
of that change is due to the changing nature of the threat. Click here.
(3/22)
NASA Pulls Technical Database Offline
During Spy Investigation (Source: Space.com)
NASA has taken its huge database of technical reports offline in
response to the arrest last weekend of a former contractor suspected of
spying for China. The space agency decided to shut down the NASA
Technical Reports Server (NTRS) as part of a broad security review.
"I’ve closed down the NASA Technical Reports database while we review
whether there’s a risk," NASA chief Charles Bolden told the House
Appropriations Committee. (3/22)
Sequester, Spending Bill Chop NASA
Funding (Source: Federal Times)
Congress sent a fiscal 2013 spending bill to President Obama on
Thursday that will leave NASA with about $1.2 billion less this year
than it received last year. Thanks to the sequester budget cuts already
in effect, NASA was bracing for a cut of about $900 million from the
roughly $17.8 billion it received in fiscal 2012. But the space agency
is facing about $300 million in additional cuts as part of the broad
spending bill the House passed Thursday. The bill finances government
operations through the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30.
The House vote sends the bill to the president, who is expected to sign
it, averting a threatened government shutdown. Six months into fiscal
2013, NASA now knows what it will receive for the entire year: $16.65
billion. Charles Bolden was already fretting about the sequester, even
before the additional cuts. He warned lawmakers that the cuts will push
back modernization of key facilities integral to development of NASA’s
deep-space manned mission to Mars.
The cuts will affect some of NASA’s most important installations
teaming up on the program, including Kennedy Space Center in Florida,
Johnson Space Center in Texas and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in
California. Six technology projects would be canceled, as well as
several flight demonstration projects. Click here.
(3/22)
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