Supernovae spacewalks and snow The week in space: related news

SPACE: Chinese Space Walkers Stalk The Space Station

November 3, 2008: On September 27th, a Chinese Shenzhou space capsule came within 45 kilometers of the International Space Station, and two of the three crewmen made the first Chinese space walk (going outside the spacecraft in their space suits.) Later, a small, 88 pound microsatellite (the BX-1) was released from the Shenzhou. This was supposed to be a science experiment, but the fact that the Shenzhou came so close to the International Space Station, and then released a smaller, maneuverable (via small gas jets) BX-1, indicated another satellite destruction drill. The BX-1 could easily have been directed at the nearby space station, and destroyed it.

SPACEHAB Sees Opportunity in Space Florida's Launch Complex

SPACEHAB, Incorporated (NASDAQ:SPAB), and its Astrotech subsidiary, leading providers of commercial space services, join with Space Florida in recognizing the immense opportunities for America's commercial space program in the joint Air Force Space Command and Space Florida Dedication Ceremony of Launch Complex 36. The Ceremony marked the symbolic "groundbreaking" following the announcement by the Air Force Space Command of its commitment to commercial space and its intention to lease LC36 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station to Space Florida. The U.S. Air Force's official "intent to lease" the site to Space Florida includes the build-out of the launch pad to support multiple-customers and multi-vehicle configurations for commercial, civil and military customers.

It's Official, Australia Needs a Space Agency

Dante_J writes "In the final report published by the Australian Senate inquiry into 'The Current State of Australia's Space Science & Industry Sector' entitled 'Lost in Space? Setting a new direction for Australia's space science and industry sector,' it calls for the formation of a 'Space Industry Advisory Council' to oversee the creation of a fully-fledged Australian Space Agency. Of the top 20 GDP nations, Australia is the only one without a Space Agency, which impacts on many aspects of ordinary life, not to mention Research and Engineering endeavors. Every satellite operated by Australia is owned by another party and the costs of this alone are comparable to that of a Space Agency. The report is a tidy piece that drew upon submissions form Andy Thomas, and an impressive collection of Australian Academics and Space Science entities fr

Supernovae, spacewalks and snow: The week in space

Europe's first space cargo ship, the Jules Verne Automated Transfer Vehicle, plunged into the atmosphere and broke apart before falling into the Pacific Ocean (Courtesy of ESA)

Hubble Space Telescope Exhibit Set for Grand Opening at Kentucky Space Center Visitor Complex

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL – Celebrating the stunning discoveries of one of the greatest telescopes ever built, Eye on the Universe: The Hubble Space Telescope exhibit debuted at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on Friday, October 3, 2008. The exhibit opens prior to the launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis on the fifth and final shuttle mission to NASA's Hubble Space Telescope.

Gasoline price fall not leading to demand recovery: MasterCard

An ongoing fall in retail gasoline prices is not leading to an immediate bounce in US demand, according to figures released Tuesday in the MasterCard Advisors survey for the week ending October 24. On a four-week moving average, gasoline demand slipped 8% from the year-ago figure, with an average 61.724 million barrels consumed during the week. The demand decline was milder during the week-to-week period, with 62.279 million gallons consumed, and demand slipping to a negative 6.4% rate from the year-ago period -- the same percentage fall as in the previous week ending October 17, 2008. An average 8.897 million b/d of gasoline were used during the week ending October 24, the report said. National average prices in the most recent survey week dropped to $2.

Space shuttle Endeavour races toward space station

Space shuttle Endeavour lifts-off from pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center, Friday Nov. 14, 2008, in Cape Canaveral, Fla.. Space shuttle Endeavour seven member crew is on a mission to the International Space Station. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

The ISS Marks 10 Years In Space

Matt_dk writes to point out the upcoming tenth anniversary of the International Space Station in two days' time. "On 20 November 1998, a Russian Proton rocket lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for a historic mission: It was carrying the first module of the International Space Station ISS, named Zarya (Russian for 'dawn'). This cargo and control module, which weighs about 20 tonnes and is almost 13 meters long, provides electrical power, propulsion, flight path guidance and storage space. The launch of the module... heralded a new era in space exploration, as, for the first time ever, lasting cooperation in space was achieved between Russia, the US, Europe, Canada and Japan. Over the next ten years, many other modules were brought into orbit, and ISS developed into the largest human outpost in space.

The Space Shuttle Is Delivering a New Toilet to the Space Station

Space shuttle Endeavour lifts-off from pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center, Friday Nov. 14, 2008, in Cape Canaveral, Fla.. Space shuttle Endeavour seven member crew is on a mission to the International Space Station. (AP Photo/Jim Dietz)

The Space Shuttle Is Delivering a New Toilet to the Space Station

Space shuttle Endeavour lifts-off from pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center, Friday Nov. 14, 2008, in Cape Canaveral, Fla.. Space shuttle Endeavour seven member crew is on a mission to the International Space Station. (AP Photo/Jim Dietz)

Endeavour space shuttle docks at International Space Station

The space shuttle Endeavour docked with the International Space Station on Sunday to begin a 12-day mission that will focus on preparing the outpost to accommodate more astronauts for long-duration stays. The space shuttle Endeavour docked with the International Space Station on Sunday to begin a 12-day mission that will focus on preparing the outpost to accommodate more astronauts for long-duration stays.

Retired NASA Space Craft Operator Witnesses 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 29 July 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.

Space Adventures' Client, Private Astronaut Richard Garriott, Successfully Launches...

Space Adventures' Client, Private Astronaut Richard Garriott, Successfully Launches to the International Space Station Garriott Makes History as 1st Second-Generation Astronaut VIENNA, Va., Oct. 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Space Adventures, Ltd., the only company that provides human space missions to the world marketplace, today announced that its orbital client Richard Garriott and his crew successfully launched aboard a Soyuz TMA spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan en route to the International Space Station (ISS). Garriott joins the Expedition 18 crew, which includes NASA astronaut Michael Fincke and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Lonchakov. (Photo: here ) In preparation for his spaceflight, Garriott, son of NASA astronaut Owen Garriott, completed a cosmonaut-training program at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center lo

Space Tourist Simonyi Prepares For Second Flight

Toren Altair writes "Space Adventures announced today that Charles Simonyi, Ph.D., intends to train with the Soyuz TMA-14 crew in preparation for a spring mission in 2009 to the International Space Station. Simonyi flew his first space mission in 2007. He would be the first space tourist to repeat the experience. Space Adventures' sixth orbital spaceflight participant, Richard Garriott, son of NASA astronaut Owen Garriott, is currently scheduled to launch to the ISS on October 12 of this year."

Endeavour lifts off to Space Station

Space shuttle Endeavour and its seven-member crew lifted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center at 7:55 p.m. EST Friday to repair and remodel the International Space Station. Endeavour's STS-126 mission will carry to space about 32,000 pounds, which includes supplies and equipment necessary to double the crew size from three to six members in spring 2009. The new station cargo includes additional sleeping quarters, a second toilet, a water reclamation system and a resistance exercise device. The mission's four planned spacewalks primarily will focus on servicing the station's two Solar Alpha Rotary Joints, which allow the outpost's solar arrays to track the sun. The starboard SARJ has had limited use since September 2007.

Next Space Shuttle flight on November 14

Tags: Hubble Space Telescope, International Space Station, iss, Space, Space Shuttle, Space Shuttle Endeavour, USA

Space Shuttle Endeavour Moves to Launch Pad 39B

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., Sept. 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- For the first time since July 2001, two shuttles are on the launch pads at the same time at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Space shuttle Endeavour completed a 4.2-mile journey to Launch Pad 39B on Friday, Sept. 19, at 6:59 a.m. EDT. Endeavour left Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building at 11:15 p.m. Thursday, traveling at less than 1 mph atop a massive crawler-transporter. Endeavour will stand by at pad B in the unlikely event that a rescue mission is necessary during space shuttle Atlantis' upcoming mission to repair NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, targeted to launch Oct. 10. After Endeavour is cleared from its duty as a rescue spacecraft, it will be moved to Launch Pad 39A for the STS-126 mission to the International Space Station.

International Space Station changes orbit awaiting tourist: report

The International Space Station as seen from the US space shuttle Discovery in June 2008. The orbital path of the International Space Station was successfully adjusted Saturday to accommodate the landing of the world's sixth space tourist in eight days time, Interfax reported citing Russian space programme officials.

Expert Can Speak on Space Debris Such as Lost NASA Tool Bag

Newswise - As NASA's lost tool bag continues to float in space, Auburn University has a credible source who can address space debris and its effect on space craft and satellites. Henry Brandhorst of our Space Research Institute and his team study how even the smallest speck of dust can devastate man-made materials in space. As an interesting visual, the Institute uses the second fastest gun in the country to blast tiny particles through a vacuum and into a variety of materials.

Priceline.com's Airfare Index for the Week of October 27, 2008, Tracking Weekly Changes...

Priceline.com's Airfare Index for the Week of October 27, 2008, Tracking Weekly Changes in Domestic Airfares --(Business Wire)-- Priceline.com's (Nasdaq: PCLN) Airfare Index is a tracking barometer that looks for the largest week-to-week swings in average published-price roundtrip airfares for select markets. Each dollar amount shown is the average of the lowest fares returned through multiple airfare searches for flights that are at least 7 days away from departure. The percentage change compares fare averages for the current week with those from the previous week. Amounts shown include all taxes and airline fees. Airfare pricing is subject to change and there is no guarantee that any airfare will be available at the amounts shown. -0- *T Priceline.

Photo of Priceline.com's Airfare Index for the Week of September 15, 2008, Tracking...

Photo of Priceline.com's Airfare Index for the Week of September 15, 2008, Tracking Weekly Changes in Domestic Airfares --(Business Wire)-- Priceline.com's Airfare Index is a tracking barometer that looks for the largest week-to-week swings in average published-price airfares for select markets. Each dollar amount shown is the average of the lowest fares returned through multiple airfare searches for flights that are at least 7 days away from departure. The percentage change compares fare averages for the current week with those from the previous week. Amounts shown include all taxes and airline fees. Airfare pricing is subject to change and there is no guarantee that any airfare will be available at the amounts shown. The photo is available on Business Wire's Web Site and AP PhotoExpress.

Aerojet Propulsion Assists NASA's STS-126 Launch to International Space Station

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Nov. 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Aerojet, a GenCorp (NYSE: GY) company, used its propulsion to assist in the Space Shuttle Endeavour launch of its 15-day mission to deliver additional equipment and supplies to the International Space Station for resident crew expansion. Aerojet propulsion will also be used in on-orbit operations and during landing on this 27th shuttle mission to the Station. Atlantis roared into orbit tonight from Kennedy Space Center's launch pad 39A. Aerojet's Orbital Maneuvering Engines, primary thrusters, gas generators and Vernier thrusters have flown on every space shuttle mission since the first Shuttle was launched in 1981. "We are proud of our 100 percent mission success record with the United States Space Shuttle," said Aerojet's Flight Production Director, David Carter.

Space tourist backs access to space station

U.S. space tourist Richard Garriott speaks during his first news conference since returning to earth in Star City, outside Moscow. Garriott said that NASA, the Russian space agency and other officials need to give private entrepreneurs broader access to the international space station.

Space Adventures' Client, Private Astronaut Richard Garriott, Successfully Launches to the International Space Station

VIENNA, Va., Oct. 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Space Adventures, Ltd., the only company that provides human space missions to the world marketplace, today announced that its orbital client Richard Garriott and his crew successfully launched aboard a Soyuz TMA spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan en route to the International Space Station (ISS). Garriott joins the Expedition 18 crew, which includes NASA astronaut Michael Fincke and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Lonchakov. (Photo:

Space Adventures' Client, Private Astronaut Richard Garriott, Successfully Launches to the International Space Station

VIENNA, Va., Oct. 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Space Adventures, Ltd., the only company that provides human space missions to the world marketplace, today announced that its orbital client Richard Garriott and his crew successfully launched aboard a Soyuz TMA spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan en route to the International Space Station (ISS). Garriott joins the Expedition 18 crew, which includes NASA astronaut Michael Fincke and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Lonchakov.

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