NASA China Eye Cooperative Earth Space Science Tasks: related news

NASA-China Eye Cooperative Earth, Space Science Tasks

You likely saw some of the recent stories coming out of the UK that NASA chief, Mike Griffin, has spotlighted the prospect that China could possibly place people on the Moon, perhaps before the U.S. replants its own boots there.

Aldrin Warns that NASA will fall Behind Russia and China in Space Exploration

The world knows the huge potential China and Russia have for space exploration. Russia is maintaining a strong presence in space with their sturdy Soyuz program and China has set its sights on having their very first "taikonaut" EVA at the end of this year. But where does this leave NASA? The US space agency has spearheaded the exploration of space for the last 50 years, but amongst all the talk about NASA setbacks, overspending and delays, could the glory days be coming to an abrupt end? In May, the legendary astronaut John Glenn spoke out against Shuttle decommissioning and last week, US Senator Bill Nelson called a meeting at Cape Canaveral to raise concerns about announced job cuts in 2010. Now, the most famous NASA ex-employee and second man on the Moon, Buzz Aldrin has voiced warnings that the US could lose its grip on space and beg

NASA, USDA Sign Space Station Research Agreement

On Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Tex.) hosted NASA Administrator Michael Griffin and Secretary of Agriculture Edward T. Schafer during the signing of a memorandum of understanding to enable the USDA's Agricultural Research Service to conduct plant related research on the International Space Station. The research will improve our understanding of biological cellular mechanisms and may lead to creative new ways to improve American agriculture, protect the environment and contribute to better human health. The agreement reflects NASA's ongoing efforts to develop the space station as a national laboratory, with the ability to serve a broad range of users. Senator Hutchison introduced the NASA Authorization Act of 2005, which envisioned a cooperative relationship for the space station and NASA.

NASA considers continuing shuttle use after 2010

Michael Griffin, administrator of the American space agency, NASA has ordered a study into considering the possibility of continuing the usage of the space shuttle, a space vehicle that takes astronauts to the International Space Station. The agency originally planned to retire all shuttles in 2010 after mission STS-134, but concerns over staff job losses that were created by the Space Shuttle program caused Griffin to order the study. The space crafts have been in use since 1981 and it's replacements, the Ares rockets, will not be in use until 2015 causing a 5 year gap where NASA will have no manned space flights, which is the reason the agency is considering extending usage for five more years, when the vehicles can be immediately replaced by their successors.

Infrastructure needed for future space exploration

The United States is facing a crisis in its human space program. The huge investments in the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station (ISS) programs are leveling off, but the replacement for the Space Shuttle and the new space exploration architecture plans for future visits to the Space Station and missions to the Moon and Mars (called the “Vision for Space Exploration” or VSE) are still in early development. A “gap” in the ability of the United States to provide human and cargo transportation to and from the ISS is now of grave concern as the fleet of Space Shuttles is reaching the end of its operational life. This type of unfortunate situation has happened before (1975 to 1981) between the end of Saturn-Apollo rocket operations and initial operations of the Space Shuttle.

NASA Sets Briefings For Hubble Space Telescope Shuttle Mission

HOUSTON -- NASA will hold a series of news media briefings Sept. 8 - 9 to preview the space shuttle's fifth and final servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. NASA Television and the agency's Web site will provide live coverage of the briefings from the Johnson Space Center and the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. Questions also will be taken from other participating NASA locations.

Space Station Invaded by Students from Outer Space Base

HOUSTON, Aug. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Arizona kids and teens are set to blast their local libraries into orbit after completing Outer Space Base, a library series of space science programs in Tucson. Nine- to thirteen-year-olds will participate in a live educational downlink with Expedition 17 astronaut Greg Chamitoff aboard the International Space Station on Friday, Aug. 15, from 1:10 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. CDT. The Pima County Public Library is the first public library system to host a space station downlink. The downlink also will be a first for the State of Arizona. Outer Space Base programs are the product of a partnership between the library, NASA, the Lunar and Planetary Institute, and the Mars Education Program at

NASA engineers work on alternative moon rocket

This artist rendering shows NASA's next-generation of moon rockets being developed at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Ala. Ares I, left, is the crew launch vehicle that will carry astronauts to space. Ares V is the cargo launch vehicle that will deliver the lunar lander and other large hardware to space. By day, the engineers in Huntsville, work on NASA's new Ares moon rockets. By night, some go undercover, working on a competing design. These dissenters and their backers say their alternative rocket would be safer, cheaper and easier to build than the two Ares spacecraft, which have already cost NASA $7 billion. (AP Photo/NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center)

NASA engineers work on alternative moon rocket

This artist rendering shows NASA's next-generation of moon rockets being developed at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Ala. Ares I, left, is the crew launch vehicle that will carry astronauts to space. Ares V is the cargo launch vehicle that will deliver the lunar lander and other large hardware to space. By day, the engineers in Huntsville, work on NASA's new Ares moon rockets. By night, some go undercover, working on a competing design. These dissenters and their backers say their alternative rocket would be safer, cheaper and easier to build than the two Ares spacecraft, which have already cost NASA $7 billion. This artist rendering shows NASA's next-generation of moon rockets being developed at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Ala.

50 Years of NASA

Fifty years ago this week NASA was born. On July 29, 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed into law the "National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958." NASA replaced NACA, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, to meet the challenge of exploring beyond Earth, and in particular, to send a human into space. NASA has accomplished a lot during the last 50 years, and now its time to celebrate. To commemorate the anniversary, NASA has developed an interactive multimedia website that provides a historic tour of its first five decades of exploration. It's a fun and interesting site that offers lots of history and a little look at the future, too. The site combines historic and current video with entertaining computer animation, and the virtual exhibit takes a World's Fair approach to NASA history, with pavilions that host each decad

Eye-Fi Collaboratates With Nikon To Introduce The 'Eye-Fi' Connected Nikon D90 Digital SLR Camera

Eye-Fi Inc. (www.eye.fi), makers of the world’s first wireless memory card for digital cameras, has announced that it collaborated with Nikon Corporation, a world leader in digital imaging and precision optics, to deliver enhanced integration of its Eye-Fi cards with Nikon’s newly announced digital SLR camera, Nikon D90. The D90 is Nikon’s second “Eye-Fi Connected” camera, following the Nikon D60, which was released earlier this year. Eye-Fi Connected cameras make it easier for photographers to use their Eye-Fi cards to wirelessly upload images to their computer or favorite online photo sharing site.

Eye-Fi Collaborates With Nikon to Introduce the 'Eye-Fi Connected' Nikon D90 Digital SLR Camera

PRNewswire/ -- Eye-Fi Inc. (www.eye.fi), makers of the world's first wireless memory card for digital cameras, today announced that it collaborated with Nikon Corporation, a world leader in digital imaging and precision optics, to deliver enhanced integration of its Eye-Fi cards with Nikon's newly announced digital SLR camera, Nikon D90. The D90 is Nikon's second "Eye-Fi Connected" camera, following the Nikon D60, which was released earlier this year. Eye-Fi Connected cameras make it easier for photographers to use their Eye-Fi cards to wirelessly upload images to their computer or favorite online photo sharing site.

NASA Needs to Take Space Sex Seriously

The US space agency needs to have better consideration for the sexual needs of their astronauts during long missions in space. Also, more research needs to be done to investigate human embryo development in zero-gravity or low-gravity environments, especially if NASA is serious about setting up a colony on Mars in the next 30 years. These warnings have been issued by a NASA advisor at a time when the agency doesn't have enough funds allocated for human space physiology. These concerns are by no means trivial, basic human needs and the ability to procreate beyond Earth may be critical for missions lasting years…

NASA's Kepler Telescope Set to Use 3PAR in the Search for Distant Earth-Like Planets

3PAR INC ("PAR-N") - NASA's Kepler Telescope Set to Use 3PAR in the Search for Distant - Earth-Like Planets 3PAR, the leading global provider of utility storage, announced that NASA Ames Research Center has chosen 3PAR Utility Storage for a mission that will send the Kepler Space Telescope into orbit around the Sun to find planets in solar systems outside our own. Set to launch in February of 2009, the mission will use 3PAR Utility Storage to store digital images taken with the powerful telescope and its camera. NASA Ames chose the resilient 3PAR storage system to meet its strict cost and performance requirements while maintaining massive scalability and avoiding the need for a full-time, dedicated storage expert. "Even rocket launches have budget constraints," said Chris Middour, Deputy Manager for the Kepler Operations Science Center an

NASA Chooses LIFEPAK(R) 1000 Defibrillator for Use on International Space Station

Physio-Control of Redmond, WA, just announced that its LIFEPAK 1000 defibrillator has been deployed on the International Space Station (ISS) as the first automated external defibrillator (AED) in space. The International Space Station is a state-of-the-art, orbiting laboratory complex that travels 240 miles above the Earth. Crew members currently have interior living and working space for conducting ongoing medical and space research.

Retired NASA SpaceCraft Operator Witnessed Extraterrestrial in Space Shuttle Mission

Clark McClelland is a retired Spacecraft Operator with NASA who during a 34 year career was responsible for ensuring the safety of numerous NASA missions including Mercury spaceflights, Apollo missions, the International Space Station and the Space Shuttle. In a statement released on his website on July 29, 2008, McClelland revealed that he witnessed an eight to nine foot tall extraterrestrial in association with a Space Shuttle mission he was monitoring from the Kennedy Space Center. He wrote:

Celebrate NASA's 50th Birthday With Every Space Launch Ever!

Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientists celebrate Explorer I, the first American satellite to launch after Sputnik started the space race on Oct. 4, 1957. Although the sat launched in January 1958 and the National Aeronautics and Space Act was approved in July, NASA didn't open its doors until Oct. 1. (Photograph Courtesy of NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Collection via NASA's new nasaimages.org)

Astronauts handle explosives on daring spacewalk

In this image from NASA TV International Space Station Commander Sergei Volkov is seen during a space walk on the International Space Station, Thursday, July 10, 2008. In this image from NASA TV International Space Station Commander Sergei Volkov is seen during a space walk on the International Space Station, Thursday, July 10, 2008. (AP Photo/NASA TV)

NASA May Hire Japanese Spacecraft For ISS Service Mission

schliz writes "NASA is talking to Japan's space agency about using one of its spacecraft for servicing missions to the International Space Station, according to Japanese media reports. NASA has been considering various options to maintain its commitment to the Space Station after the Space Shuttle is retired from service in 2010. According to Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun, 'unofficial negotiations' between NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (Jaxa) began in February."

From Space to the Olympics

Space and the Olympics might not be synonymous in most people's minds — although this image of the Opening Ceremony fireworks makes it look like Olympic Stadium is going supernova — but there are a few connections between the two for this year's Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. Google Earth recently updated the satellite imagery it uses for the Beijing area to provide users with better maps. They also used satellite imagery to create a 3-D tour of all the facilities for the 2008 Olympics (see video below). Other space connections include several space explorers who carried the Olympic torch on its running tour around the world, and NASA space spinoff technology used in some of the clothing and equipment for Olympic use.

Sigma Space Delivers Main Systems For NASA's First Global Hawk Science Instrument

LANHAM, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sigma Space announced today the delivery of the complete opto-mechanical system, electronics, and fuselage structure for NASA's first science instrument to be flown in the Global Hawk platform. The instrument, built under the direction of Dr. Matthew McGill from Goddard Space Flight Center, is a lidar designed to provide information on cloud and aerosol properties. It will be applied to atmospheric research, climate change studies, and hurricane surveillance and study. Sigma collaborated with Northrop Grumman's Integrated Systems Division for aircraft integration.

President Sarkozy and the French (Space) Revolution

It seems to be the week for big politics and space exploration. Yesterday, the Universe Today reported that Buzz Aldrin was worried about the future of the politically-driven US space policy; he is currently lobbying US President hopefuls Barack Obama and John McCain to increase NASA funding. On the other side of the pond, French President Nicolas Sarkozy also wants NASA's European counterpart, ESA, to do better. However, Sarkozy wants to change the face of the ESA into the NASA model by making it politically driven, rather than leaving European bureaucrats to decide ESA priorities. ESA has operated independently from political pressures that often weigh down on space agencies, but Sarkozy is a huge advocate of the US system and believes space exploration should be politically motivated.

NASA astronaut Gregory Chamitoff prepares the 3D Space experiment inside Columbus - Image

NASA astronaut Gregory Chamitoff prepares the 3D Space experiment inside the European Columbus laboratory. The Mental Representation of Spatial Cues During Space Flight (3D Space) experiment looks at the perception and localization of objects in the environment and their influence on spatial orientation and reliable performance of motor tasks in microgravity.

A Cold War Meeting in Space 33 Years Ago Today

On July 17, 1975, something momentous and unprecedented happened: two Cold War-rivals met in space. The Apollo-Soyuz Test Project saw spacecraft from the United States and the Soviet Union docking together in space, ushering in a new era of cooperative ventures between the two countries that once were rivals in the "space race." Preparing for the mission, the astronauts and cosmonauts had to visit each other's countries for training, and the two space agencies had to share classified information with each other in order for the rendezvous and docking to work successfully. A few years ago, Tom Stafford, one of the American astronauts said the Apollo-Soyuz mission "showed the whole world that if the Soviet Union and America could work together in space, they could work together on the Earth.

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NASA's Hubble Space Telescope maintains its orbit around Earth. The space agency hopes to upgrade the aging observatory some time in 2008. Credit: NASA

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