Canada To Launch First Space Mission To Hunt Asteroids: related news

Canada to launch first-ever space mission to search for asteroids

Canada is preparing to launch the first space mission ever to search for asteroids between Earth and the sun -- the type of asteroid most likely to slam into our planet. Fittingly for this country, the Near Earth Object Surveillance Satellite is not a Hubble-sized monster. It is a 60-kilogram micro-satellite, costing a mere $10-million yet able to deliver science results never seen before. NEOSSat will search for asteroids that are closer to the sun than Earth. These are nearly impossible to see from our planet's surface -- there is too much atmosphere and sunshine -- but easier to spot from space. The suitcase-sized satellite is expected to launch in two years. "This is the first space-based asteroid-searching telescope, period. Why shouldn't Canada be the leader in a field? And it happens in this case, we are," said Alan Hildebrand of t

Canada To Launch First Space Mission To Hunt Asteroids

Canada will launch a suitcase-sized satellite in 2009 to spot potentially dangerous asteroids near Earth's orbit. It will be the first space mission devoted to hunting asteroids and may help find ones that are difficult to spot from the ground.

NASA'S Shuttle Crew Returns Home After Successful Mission

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., March 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Space shuttle Endeavour and its crew landed at 8:39 p.m. EDT Wednesday at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., after completing a 16-day journey of nearly 6.6 million miles in space. The first landing attempt at Kennedy was bypassed due to low clouds in the area. Endeavour's flight was the longest shuttle mission to the International Space Station and included a record five spacewalks. The shuttle's seven astronauts worked with the three-member station crew and ground teams around the world to install the first section of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory and the Canadian Space Agency's two-armed robotic system, known as Dextre. "The success of this mission makes the International Space Station truly international," said NASA Associate Administrator for Space Operations B

NASA'S Shuttle Crew Returns Home After Successful Mission

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., March 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Space shuttle Endeavour and its crew landed at 8:39 p.m. EDT Wednesday at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., after completing a 16-day journey of nearly 6.6 million miles in space. The first landing attempt at Kennedy was bypassed due to low clouds in the area. Endeavour's flight was the longest shuttle mission to the International Space Station and included a record five spacewalks. The shuttle's seven astronauts worked with the three-member station crew and ground teams around the world to install the first section of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory and the Canadian Space Agency's two-armed robotic system, known as Dextre. "The success of this mission makes the International Space Station truly international," said NASA Associate Administrator for Space Operations B

Russia will not need space tourism when space program well financed -analysts

KOROLYOV, Moscow region. April 11 (Interfax-AVN) - Vitaly Lopota, the president of the Energia space rocket corporation, said he believes space tourism is a forced measure compensating for insufficient financing of the Russian space program. "Tourism is a forced activity. I am sorry, but we have built the ISS [the International Space Station] not for space tourists but for serving the needs of the people of Earth," Lopota said. Alexei Krasnov, the head of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos)'s manned flight programs, said the ISS crew will be increased to six by 2009. "There are plans to manufacture four Soyuz spacecraft in 2009 to launch crews to the ISS," he said. If the Russian space program was financed in full, Russia would not need to make money on space tourism, Krasnov said.

US space shuttle Endeavour launched from Florida

The US space shuttle Endeavour has blasted off from its Florida home port on a rare night launch, carrying equipment bound for the International Space Station. Endeavour will take the first part of a Japanese space lab to the ISS during the 16-day mission. The seven-strong crew will install a two-armed robot designed to carry out repairs outside the orbiting space station. Endeavour, which flew its first mission in 1992, is expected to spend 12 days at the ISS. After Endeavour leaves the ISS, Europe's first cargo ship, an unmanned Automated Transfer Vehicle called Jules Verne, will get its chance to dock. The ATV was launched from Europe's spaceport in French Guiana on Saturday night. It will orbit near the station during the shuttle's visit, ready to move into position in early April.

First Space Lawyer Graduates

PHPNerd writes "Over at space.com is an interesting article about the first space lawyer. He graduated from the University of Mississippi. 'Any future space lawyer might have to deal with issues ranging from the fallout over satellite shoot-downs to legal disputes between astronauts onboard the International Space Station. The expanding privatization of the space sector may also pose new legal challenges [...] "We are particularly proud to be offering these space law certificates for the first time, since ours is the only program of its kind in the U.S. and only one of two in North America," said Samuel Davis, law dean at the University of Mississippi.'"

Canada to launch first space mission to hunt asteroids

NEOSSat is similar in design to the diminutive Microvariability and Oscillations of Stars (MOST) satellite (shown), which launched in 2003 (Illustration: University of British Columbia)

Where Are The Space Advocates?

QuantumG writes "Greg Zsidisin appeared on The Space Show today to ask Where Are The Space Advocates?. For the first time in decades Space is once again a political issue with all four major presidential candidates having something to say about space policy and yet nothing is being heard from space advocates. As we enter a new "Space Nexus" like we did after Apollo, now is a critical time to let your representatives know how you feel about space exploration, and yet no-one has anything to say." The show itself is a podcast if you want to give it a listen. Personally I'm hoping that this election puts space exploration back in the public consciousness- Apollo inspired a generation to learn math and science. I want my kid to be inspired by something bigger than that.

Space Shuttle Endeavour docks at space station to deliver Japan lab TECHNOLOGY The U.S. space shuttle Endeavour docked at the International Space Station on Wednesday night on a mission to deliver Japanese and other space laboratories. [KYODO]

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Shuttle Lifts Off for Longest-Ever Space Station Mission

For the first time since space station construction began nearly 10 years ago, all five major partners were about to own a piece of the orbiting real estate. The launch of the first section of Kibo, or Hope, finally propelled Japan into the space station action. "With this flight I believe that we finally became a real partner of the (space station) project," said Keiji Tachikawa, head of the Japanese Space agency.

Endeavour crew tell Japanese students about space mission

Crew members of the U.S. space shuttle Endeavour including Japanese astronaut Takao Doi met Japanese junior and senior high school students on Tuesday, telling them about their mission in March to deliver the first of three sections of Japan’s Kibo space laboratory. The event was held at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo to provide the Japanese students with an opportunity to learn about the manned space mission at the International Space Station and to answer their questions.

NASA Sets Briefings to Preview Next Space Shuttle Mission

NASA will hold a series of news media briefings May 1 to discuss the upcoming space shuttle Discovery mission, STS-124. NASA Television and the agency's Web site will provide live coverage of the briefings from the Johnson Space Center, beginning at 8 a.m. CDT. Questions also will be taken from participating NASA locations. Discovery's 13-day mission is targeted for launch to the International Space Station on May 31. It is the second of three flights to launch components of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory. The shuttle also will deliver the lab's robotic arm system that will support operations outside of Kibo. Following the briefings, members of the STS-124 crew will be available for a series of round-robin interviews.

European Space Agency launches first robot freighter into space

The Ariane 5 ES-ATV launcher, on its mobile launch table, arrives for fuelling and final launch preparations at the Launch Zone (ZL-3) of Ariane Launch Complex no. 3 (ELA-3) at the Guiana Space Centre March 7, 2008. Picture taken March 7, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

European Space Agency launches first robot freighter into space

The Ariane 5 ES-ATV launcher, on its mobile launch table, arrives for fuelling and final launch preparations at the Launch Zone (ZL-3) of Ariane Launch Complex no. 3 (ELA-3) at the Guiana Space Centre March 7, 2008. Picture taken March 7, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

Roundup: Nighttime shuttle launch; U.S. may protect oilsands; Spitzer's next move?

Nighttime launch: The U.S. space shuttle Endeavour blasted off from a seaside Florida launch pad Tuesday to deliver part of a long-awaited Japanese space laboratory and a Canadian-built robotic system to the International Space Station. Piercing the still of night with a thunderous boom and a flash of white-hot flame, the spaceship lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center at 2:28 a.m. EDT and disappeared swiftly into clouds to begin a 16-day flight. "We'd like to say konnichiwa, domo arigato and banzai (hello, thank you and banzai)," commander Dominic Gorie said shortly before liftoff, speaking some Japanese in a nod to that country's important role in the mission. "God truly has blessed us with a beautiful night here to launch so let's light ‘em up and give ‘em a show.

Happy Space Day!

It’s the first Friday in May; therefore it must be Space Day! Since 1997 people around the world have used this day to celebrate humankind’s accomplishments in our exploration of space, as well as recognizing the benefits and opportunities that space exploration provides. While anyone can celebrate this occasion, the main goal of Space Day is to “promote math, science, technology and engineering education by nurturing young peoples' enthusiasm for the wonders of the universe and inspiring them to continue the stellar work of today's space explorers.â€� So, if you can, spend some time today talking about space and astronomy with a young person. Even better: do a space-related activity together….

Countdown Starts for Shuttle Launch

The crew of space shuttle Endeavour, from left, mission specialist Garrett Reisman, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Takao Doi of Japan, pilot Gregory Johnson, commander Dominic Gorie, mission specialist Mike Foreman, mission specialist Rick Linnehan, and mission specialist Robert Behnken arrive at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Saturday, March 8, 2008 to prepare for their upcoming launch. Endeavour is on schedule to launch March 11.(AP Photo/John Raoux)

10 Satellites Launched in Record Setting Mission for India (Video)

India’s space agency sent a record 10 satellites into Earth orbit with a single launch early Monday. The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket ejected all the satellites within minutes of each other after liftoff from the Sriharikota space station in southern India. Initial signals indicated all the satellites were working normally. India is seeking to compete with other space-faring nations for commercial launch services, and this mission's success demonstrates India's ability to launch multiple payloads into precise orbit. The flight breaks the previous record of eight satellites launched at once by a Russian rocket, according to Indian news reports.

Russia Announces End to Space Tourism in 2010

epsas writes "On Cosmonaut's Day (April 12th 2008) the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roskosmos) announced that they will cease it's $40,000,000-a-flight space tourism enterprise. Vitaly Perminov, the head of Roskosmos, elaborated on this statement by citing national criticism of the space tourism project; all the while reiterating Roskosmos's focus on the International Space Station and the new launch site at Vostochny Cosmodrome: 'Vitaly Lopota, the president of the Energia space rocket corporation, said he believes space tourism is a forced measure compensating for insufficient financing of the Russian space program.' This statement (made the day before) by Vitaly Lopota follows another announcement that 'Energia is ready to send missions to the Moon and Mars if told to do so by the government.

Report: Managing Space Radiation Risk in the New Era of Space Exploration

Space exploration is a risky enterprise. Rockets launch astronauts at enormous speeds into a harsh, unforgiving environment. Spacecraft must withstand the bitter cold of space and the blistering heat of reentry. Their skin must be strong enough to keep the inside comfortably pressurized and tough enough to resist damage from micrometeoroids. Spacecraft meant for lunar or planetary landings must survive the jar of landing, tolerate dust, and be able to take off again. For astronauts, however, there is one danger in space that does not end when they step out of their spacecraft. The radiation that permeates space-- unattenuated by Earth's atmosphere and magnetosphere--may damage or kill cells within astronauts' bodies, resulting in cancer or other health consequences years after a mission ends.

SPACEISS Mission Puts First S. Korean Astronaut in Orbit

Tuesday's Soyuz spacecraft launch from Kazakhstan marked multiple milestones. On board was Yi So-yeon, South Korea's first astronaut and, at age 29, the youngest woman ever to go to space. The mission's commander, Sergei Volkov, became the first second-generation astronaut or cosmonaut to reach space. The spacecraft is scheduled to deliver its passengers to the ISS on Thursday.

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