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Topic 36 of 108: Space Science News

Fri, Mar 24, 2000 (12:29) | Marcia (MarciaH)
The latest from NASA and other agencies
866 responses total. 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 1 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Mar 24, 2000 (12:31) * 27 lines
Space Science News for March 22, 2000

The Earth's magnetosphere is being buffeted by high-speed solar wind
particles from a coronal hole straddling the center of the Sun's disk. The
solar wind velocity has increased from 350 to 600 km/s during the past 12
hours. Follow the action at http://www.spaceweather.com
SpaceWeather.com

MORE SPACE SCIENCE NEWS:

#1 Curiouser and Curiouser: The exotic world of gamma-ray astronomy has
taken yet another surprising turn with the revelation that half the
previously unidentified high-energy gamma ray sources in our own galaxy
actually comprise a new class of mysterious objects. FULL STORY at
http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast23mar_1m.htm
Curiouser
and Curiouser

#2 Solar Cycle Update: Is the real Y2K problem just starting? The
solar cycle appears to be on schedule for a peak in mid-2000.
FULL STORY at
http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast22mar_1m.htm
Solar
Cycle Update 




 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 2 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Mar 24, 2000 (14:37) * 0 lines 
 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 3 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Mar 24, 2000 (14:39) * 19 lines
Space Science News for March 24, 2000

The Compton Gamma-ray Observatory is destined for a watery grave in the
remote Pacific on June 3, 2000. At a press conference today, NASA officials
cited human safety concerns in explaining their decision to de-orbit the
satellite, which has revolutionized our understanding of the cosmos during
a highly successful 9 year mission. FULL STORY at
http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast25mar_1m.htm

Farewell Compton

MORE NEWS: The RADAR Cop in Space -- NASA's IMAGE satellite scheduled for
launch on March 25 will revolutionize our understanding of Earth's
magnetosphere and improve space weather forecasting. FULL STORY at
http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast24mar_1m.htm

The RADAR Caop in Space 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 4 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Mar 27, 2000 (11:07) * 9 lines
SPACE WEATHER NEWS: On March 25, 2000, a solar flare erupted near
the center of the Sun's disk. It appears that a coronal mass
ejection was launched toward Earth. An interplanetary shock wave
could pass our planet during the next 24 to 48 hours, triggering
moderate geomagnetic activity and aurorae. For more information
and daily updates please visit http://www.spaceweather.com .
SpaceWeather.com 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 5 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Mar 29, 2000 (15:50) * 9 lines
NASA Science News for March 29, 2000
With the discovery of extrasolar planets smaller than Saturn, astronomers
are increasingly convinced that other stars harbor planetary systems like
our own. FULL STORY at
http://www.spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast30mar_1.htm
Planet
Hunters on Safari 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 6 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Mar 29, 2000 (19:44) * 15 lines
Space Weather News for March 29-30, 2000

Aurora Watch: Skywatchers in northern Europe, Canada, Alaska, and the
northermost tier of US states could be treated to a display of aurora
borealis tonight thanks to elevated levels of geomagnetic activity late in
the day on March 29.

Also today, the SOHO spacecraft captured beautiful images of a full-halo
coronal mass ejection (CME) from the Sun. Full-halo CMEs are massive
bubbles of hot gas headed either directly toward or away from Earth. This
one appears to have erupted on the back side of the Sun and is proceeding
away from our planet.

Details on both are available at http://www.spaceweather.com 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 7 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Mar 30, 2000 (17:15) * 14 lines
NASA Science News for March 30, 2000
Next Thursday, April 6, three planets and the thin crescent Moon are going
to put on a memorable sky show when the quartet converge inside a circle 9
degrees across. The grouping is just the prelude to a grander alignment of
planets on May 5, 2000. Is doom at hand, as many mystics assert? Find out
by reading the FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast30mar_1m.htm
Planets for Dessert

Also, for kids and kids-at-heart, a younger person's version of this
article is available at the NASA Kids web site:
http://kids.msfc.nasa.gov/news/2000/news-planetalign.asp?se
The
Planets Line Up 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 8 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Mar 31, 2000 (17:01) * 43 lines
Propagation Report from ARRL

Geomagnetic indices did rise last Friday, the day before the
contest, but even then the planetary K index rose only briefly to 4.
On Saturday and Sunday the planetary K index was mostly 1 or 2, and
during one period was even 0. What is really interesting is that the
College K index, measured in Alaska where the geomagnetic activity
is higher due to proximity to the polar region, was actually 0 over
six 3 hour periods on Saturday and Sunday.

Solar flux and sunspot numbers were higher this week than last, with
average sunspot numbers up 54 points and average solar flux rising
several points. Solar flux actually peaked for the short term during
the previous week on March 22, when the noon reading at Penticton
was 233.8 and the reading two hours later was 235.6. The low for
week was Tuesday, when solar flux was 200.9. It may go lower this
weekend, if solar flux this Sunday goes below 200.

The predicted solar flux for the next five days, Friday through
Tuesday, is 205, 200, 195, 205 and 210. Flux values may again dip
below 200 around April 10-16, then peak near 250 around April 22 or
23. Possible days of geomagnetic upset, based on the solar rotation
are April 18 and 19 and April 28.

MSNBC ran another story this week on the so-called solar heartbeat.
You can see the article at http://www.msnbc.com/news/389042.asp,
which explains a theory concerning how layers of gas rotating at
different speeds may affect the formation of sunspots and solar
flares. MSNBC also ran a story about a new solar satellite that was
launched last Saturday. Called IMAGE, or Imager for
Magnetosphere-to-Aural Global Exploration, it will be used to study
the relationship between solar wind and the earth's magnetosphere.
It will deploy four wire antennas that are each 820 feet long,
making it the longest artificial object in space. Read about it at
http://www.msnbc.com/news/386647.asp?0a=235A162. NASA also ran a
story on the IMAGE at
http://science.msfc.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast27mar_1m.htm.

Sunspot numbers for March 23 through 29 were 236, 230, 243, 255,
227, 232 and 238 with a mean of 237.3. 10.7 cm flux was 224.1,
218.9, 205.1, 211.3, 204.9, 200.9 and 208.8, with a mean of 210.6,
and estimated planetary A indices were 11, 10, 8, 5, 5, 5 and 9,
with a mean of 7.6. 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 9 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Mar 31, 2000 (19:13) * 9 lines
NASA Science News for April 1, 2000

On April Fools Day, 2000, NASA researchers are questioning
the fate of five high-flying sweet treats that disappeared
after a meteor balloon flight in April 1999.
FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast01apr_1m.htm 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 10 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Apr  3, 2000 (13:51) * 12 lines
NASA Science News for April 3, 2000

Like blood pulsing in an artery, newly discovered currents
of gas beat deep inside the Sun, speeding and slackening
every 16 months. The solar "heartbeat" throbs in the same
region of the Sun suspected of driving the 11-year cycle of
solar eruptions. Scientists are hopeful that this pulse can help
them unravel the origin and operation of the solar cycle.
FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast03apr_1m.htm 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 11 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Apr  4, 2000 (23:10) * 13 lines
Space Weather News for April 4-5, 2000

The interplanetary magnetic field in the vicinity of Earth turned southward
on April 4. This condition often creates a weak point in our planet's
magnetospheric shielding against the solar wind. Geomagnetic activity is
currently high. If active conditions continue, observers in northern
Europe, Canada, Alaska and the northern tier of US states could be in for a
display of aurora borealis around local midnight on April 5 (when April 4
turns into April 5). The Moon is just one day past New, meaning that even
very faint Northern Lights could be visible against tonight's dark skies.

For more information see: http://www.spaceweather.com 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 12 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Apr  5, 2000 (14:20) * 13 lines
NASA Science News for April 5, 2000

The Boulder sunspot number exceeded 300 this week as the
sunspot cycle continued its march toward Solar Max. Do these
high sunspot counts mean that the solar maximum will be
bigger than expected? Find out the answer by reading
the FULL STORY at
http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast05apr_1m.htm

REMINDER: On April 6, 2000, the Moon, Jupiter, Mars and Saturn
will put on a beautiful after-dinner sky show. DETAILS at
http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast30mar_1m.htm 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 13 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Apr  6, 2000 (15:02) * 9 lines
NASA Science News for April 6, 2000

During an unplanned rendezvous, the Ulysses spacecraft found
itself gliding though the immense tail of Comet Hyakutake,
revealing that comet tails may be much, much longer than
previously believed. FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast06apr_2.htm 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 14 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Apr  6, 2000 (15:25) * 10 lines
Space Science News - April 6, 2000

An interplanetary shock front passed NASA's ACE spacecraft around
1630 UT on April 6, 2000, abruptly raising the solar wind velocity
from 375 to nearly 600 km/s. Usually such disturbances arrive at
Earth about one hour after they pass ACE. Aurorae at middle latitudes
could be in the offing tonight. Follow this developing story at
http://www.spaceweather.com. 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 15 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Apr  7, 2000 (12:16) * 11 lines
NASA Science News for April 7, 2000
Subject: Geomagnetic Storm

A major geomagnetic storm hit our planet on Thursday after an
interplanetary shock wave passed by Earth on April 6, 2000.
Displays of aurora borealis were spotted in Europe, Asia, Canada,
Alaska and in the continental US as far south as North Carolina.
The storm appears to be subsiding, but forecasters note that more
aurorae might be visible Friday night. FULL STORY at
http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast07apr_2m.htm 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 16 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Apr  7, 2000 (22:36) * 49 lines
Propagation Forecast Bulletin 14
April 7, 2000

The sunspot number took a big leap this week, rising to 301 on
Sunday. It has not been this high since November 12 of last year,
when it was 324. Two days prior on November 10 meters the solar flux
was 343, which is still the record for this cycle. The average
sunspot count for the week was only up about 8 points though, and
average solar flux was about the same as last week.

Solar flux is a measurement of 2.8 GHz energy from the sun, measured
at the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory operated by the
National Research Council Canada in Penticton, British Columbia. You
can visit the observatory web site at http://www.drao.nrc.ca/.

Sunspot numbers are calculated by multiplying the number of visible
sunspot groups by 10, and adding the number of individual spots in
all the groups. A multiplication factor is also used, and it differs
for each observatory. You can see a complete explanation for sunspot
numbers and their derivation at
http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast05apr_1m.htm.

Geomagnetic indices have been high this week, with the average
planetary A index almost double last week's number. The A index was
in double-digits every day, with April 4 being the most disturbed.
The planetary A index was 21, with planetary K indices as high as 5,
and the mid-latitude index at 6 during the same period.

Coming up on Saturday and Sunday is the HF CW weekend for the Japan
International DX Contest. Unfortunately, as this bulletin is being
written on Thursday night, a major geomagnetic storm is raging. An
interplanetary shock wave passed earth at 1730z on April 6, and
Aurora have been spotted in North America as far south as North
Carolina. The planetary K index for the end of thez day on Thursday
was 8, and the A index was 56. The Boulder K index at 0300z on
Friday is also 8. A severe geomagnetic storm began at 0100z on April 7.

For the next five days, Friday through Tuesday, the expected
planetary A index is 30, 20, 15, 10 and 7. The predicted solar flux
for the same five days is 175, 180, 180, 175 and 170. Solar flux is
expected to rise above 200 again around April 14 and stay there well
into the month of May.

Sunspot numbers for March 30 through April 5 were 225, 248, 287,
301, 252, 184 and 221 with a mean of 245.4. 10.7 cm flux was 205.5,
225.4, 222.9, 219.3, 215.4, 206.7 and 194.4, with a mean of 212.8,
and estimated planetary A indices were 10 meters, 19, 14, 16, 12, 21
and 12, with a mean of 14.9. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 17 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Apr 10, 2000 (13:20) * 9 lines
NASA Science News for April 10, 2000

On the heels of NASA's 7th annual Great Moonbuggy Race, engineers
from the Apollo program discuss the challenges of building the original
Lunar Rover. This story includes RealVideo of one of the original
rovers in action on the Moon. FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast10apr_1m.htm 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 18 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Apr 11, 2000 (16:29) * 10 lines
NASA Science News for April 11, 2000

Where's the Edge?: Will humans always be confined to the Solar
System? Not if NASA's Advanced Space Transportation Program
has a say in the matter! Find out how scientists are working to turn
science fiction into standard practise with new and innovative ways
to reach the stars. FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast11apr_1m.htm 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 19 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Apr 12, 2000 (11:48) * 8 lines
NASA Science News for April 12, 2000

A group of volunteer scientists is converging on Huntsville for
an out-of-this-world meeting -- the High Energy Astrophysics
Workshop for Amateur Astronomers. FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast12apr_1m.htm 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 20 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Apr 14, 2000 (13:47) * 11 lines
NASA Science News for April 14, 2000

The sled dogs of California's Eastern Sierra are unhappy. Why? A
persistent La Niña condition in the Pacific has left the mountain range
with less than its usual supply of snow. As data continue to flow in from
Earth orbit, NASA scientists are working to understand how El Niño and La
Niña affect our global climate. FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast14apr_1m.htm 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 21 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Apr 17, 2000 (12:35) * 9 lines
NASA Science News for April 17, 2000

NASA's Cassini spacecraft, currently en route to Saturn, has
successfully completed its passage through our solar system's asteroid belt
between Mars and Jupiter. FULL STORY at

http://www.spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast17apr_3.htm 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 22 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Apr 18, 2000 (19:40) * 12 lines
NASA Science News for April 18, 2000

April's Lyrid Meteor Shower: The oldest known meteor shower peaks
on the morning of April 22. Bright moonlight will reduce the
number of shooting stars that are easy to see, but many meteor
enthusiasts will be watching anyway because it's been over 3 months
since the last major meteor display.
FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast18apr_1m.htm 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 23 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Apr 21, 2000 (14:37) * 7 lines
NASA Science News for April 21, 2000

Amateur astronomers attended a unique meeting in mid-April to
learn about high-energy astrophysics and how they can participate
in it. FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast21apr_1m.htm 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 24 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Apr 24, 2000 (12:05) * 10 lines
NASA Science News for April 24, 2000

Like an excited kid hoping to snag a fly ball at a professional
baseball game, NASA's Stardust spacecraft has extended its
high-tech "catcher's mitt" to collect a valuable space
souvenir -- a batch of interstellar dust particles.
FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast24apr_1.htm 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 25 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Apr 25, 2000 (14:05) * 11 lines
NASA Science News for April 25, 2000

Stargazers around the globe were treated to an unexpected and rare
display of red-colored aurora on April 6-7, 2000, after a vigorous
interplanetary shock wave passed by Earth. This story includes a
gallery of more than 40 images showing the aurora borealis from
Europe and over parts of the United States as far south as Florida.
FULL STORY at

http://www.spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast25apr_1m.htm 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 26 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Apr 26, 2000 (00:09) * 9 lines
NASA Science News for April 26, 2000

Using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, a team of scientists
has attacked one of astronomy's oldest and thorniest problems,
determining the distance to a cosmic object. FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast26apr_1m.htm 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 27 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Apr 26, 2000 (12:32) * 39 lines
EXPLODING STAR FEATURED ON WEB SITE
Wednesday, April 26, 2000 16:04

A spectacular view of an exploding star was released today on a new
web site launched to mark the Hubble Space Telescope's 10th year in
orbit.
The multi-coloured fireball, some 6,500 light years from Earth in the
constellation Aquila, looks like a giant eye in space.
A few thousand years ago a dying star about the same size as the Sun
erupted and threw off its outer layers to create the "planetary
nebula" NGC 6751.
Shells of gas were hurled into space at speeds of 25 miles per
second, glowing with the strong ultra-violet radiation emitted by the
star's hot exposed core.
The celestial cataclysm offers a sobering vision of what is in store
for us.
Our own Sun is predicted to undergo the same death throes in about
six billion years' time. When it happens nothing in the Solar System,
including the Earth, will escape destruction.
The image is one of a number of dramatic pictures now available on
the new Internet site http://hubble.stsci.edu
Others include infant galaxies that existed billions of years ago,
and tall, gaseous pillars that serve as incubators for embryonic
stars.
NGC 6751 shows several poorly understood features. Blue regions mark
the hottest glowing gas, forming a ring around the central stellar
remnant.
Orange and red colours mark the locations of cooler gas, which tends
to lie in long streamers pointing away from the central star, and in
a tattered ring around the edge of the nebula.
The origin of the cooler clouds within the nebula is still uncertain,
but the streamers are evidence that they are affected by radiation
and raging winds from the hot star at the centre. The star's surface
temperature is estimated to be a scorching 140,000C.
Hubble will be decommissioned in 2010 and replaced by the even more
powerful Next Generation Space Telescope.
© Press Association

Thanks for this, Maggie*

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 28 of 866: Spring's Scribe  (MarciaH) * Thu, Apr 27, 2000 (13:27) * 10 lines
NASA Science News for April 27, 2000

An international team of cosmologists has released the first detailed
images of the universe in its infancy. Analysis of the images is
already shedding light on some of cosmology's outstanding mysteries
-- the nature of the matter and energy that dominate intergalactic
space and whether space is "curved" or "flat." FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast27apr_1.htm 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 29 of 866: Spring's Scribe  (MarciaH) * Fri, Apr 28, 2000 (00:24) * 8 lines
NASA Science News for April 28, 2000

NASA scientists are working to solve the need for computer speed
using light itself to accelerate calculations and increase data bandwidth.
FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast28apr_1m.htm 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 30 of 866: Spring's Scribe  (MarciaH) * Fri, Apr 28, 2000 (19:35) * 29 lines
Propagation Forecast Bulletin 17 - April 28, 2000

Sunspots and solar flux were up this week. The average sunspot
number was up over 40 points and average solar flux rose over 30
points over the past week. Geomagnetic indices have been mostly
quiet, with April 24 the most active day.

Last week's bulletin ARLP016 said that the solar flux should be up
around 220 this weekend, but conditions are not cooperating.
Although activity has been higher this week than last, it is not as
high as expected.

Solar flux is expected to hover around 175 to 185 until April 8,
then dip below 170, and rise to around 200 from May 19 through 28.
The planetary A index prediction indicates unsettled conditions for
Friday. The A index should stay quiet from this weekend until May 6
and 7, when it may rise to 15.

Predicted solar flux for the next five days, Friday through Tuesday
is 180, 175, 175, 180 and 180.

Sunspot numbers for April 20 through 26 were 179, 211, 226, 252,
222, 229 and 197 with a mean of 216.6. 10.7 cm flux was 180.6,
187.3, 201.8, 206.1, 205.6, 202.5 and 189.9, with a mean of 196.3,
and estimated planetary A indices were 14, 10, 7, 8, 21, 6 and 4,
with a mean of 10. 




 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 31 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, May  1, 2000 (00:23) * 10 lines
NASA Science News for May 1, 2000

One year ago this week killer tornadoes raged across Oklahoma.
Now, NASA scientists are figuring out how to predict such storms
using lightning data from Earth-orbit.

FULL STORY at http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast01may_1m.htm 




 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 32 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, May  1, 2000 (01:59) * 12 lines
Space Weather News for May 1, 2000

A coronal mass ejection (CME) from a small sunspot group was recorded
by the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory on April 30, 2000. If
material from the eruption is heading toward Earth, as animations
of the CME suggest, then the shock wave will probably arrive
late on May 2nd or sometime on May 3rd. Forecasters estimate a
30% chance of active geomagnetic conditions at middle-latitudes
on May 3, 2000.

For more information, please visit http://www.spaceweather.com 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 33 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, May  1, 2000 (02:25) * 3 lines
Since no one apparently cares to read about this in News I ave created a new topic in Geo for it. Too bad I could not telnet and link the two of them together. But, that is the way it is, and no one seems willing to do it for me.

http://www.spring.net/yapp-bin/restricted/read/Geo/33/new

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 34 of 866: What's happenin' in the news? (sprin5) * Mon, May  1, 2000 (08:29) * 1 lines
I'll do it ! Just email me or ask. In the instructions say "link news topic 21 to science" or whatever it is.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 35 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, May  1, 2000 (13:51) * 2 lines
Please link this topic to Geo... I am most grateful. If you want to link it to science that is ok, too, but too many duplicates mess up my hot list!
Mahalo plenty!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 36 of 866: What's happenin' in the news? (sprin5) * Mon, May  1, 2000 (14:23) * 1 lines
Linkage complete.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 37 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, May  1, 2000 (14:52) * 3 lines
*Big Hugs*

Mahalo!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 38 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, May  2, 2000 (13:21) * 10 lines
NASA Science News for May 2, 2000

The eta Aquarid meteor shower, caused by bits of debris
from Halley's Comet, will peak on May 5-6, 2000. Lunar
observers will be watching the Moon on the nights after
the shower for possible signs of meteorite impacts.
FULL STORY at

http://www.spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast02may_1.htm 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 39 of 866: Maggie  (sociolingo) * Tue, May  2, 2000 (15:57) * 25 lines
I couldn't see this posted elsewhere, sorry if i've duplicated, I only just picked it up.

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20000413/sc/space_quasar.html

Astronomers Spot Most Distant Quasar Ever Observed
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Astronomers peering across the universe have spotted the most distant object ever observed, a quasar 26 billion light-years away, researchers said on Thursday.

This quasar, confirmed as the most faraway object by scientists working with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, probably started sending its light in Earth's direction when the universe was less than a billion years old, the researchers said in a statement.

The universe is thought to be about 14 billion years old now, give or take a couple billion years. And it has been expanding since the theoretical Big Bang that started it all.

Quasars are extremely bright but extremely compact objects thought to be powered by matter-sucking black holes as massive as a billion suns.

Michael Turner, a spokesman for the Survey at the University of Chicago, said this means that the quasar is about 26 billion light-years away now, but because of the expansion of the universe, it used to be a lot closer.

``When it emitted the light, it was only about 4 billion light-years from the space in the universe where Earth would be eventually,'' Turner said in a telephone interview. ``It's only when we talk about the most distant objects that we have to take the expansion of he universe into account.''

A light-year is the distance light travels in a year, about 6 trillion miles.

Another way to think about cosmic distances and ages is to determine how bent the light gets as the universe expands. The more bent it gets to the red end of the spectrum, the older the object is determined to be. This is known as redshift.

This newly observed object has a redshift of 5.8, the highest ever measured. It is in fact too red to be seen by the human eye, even with the most sophisticated equipment. But it was observed through data gathered by the Sky Survey last month, and scientists confirmed its distance last week.

An image of the distant quasar can be viewed on the World Wide Web at http://www.sdss.org. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 40 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, May  2, 2000 (16:06) * 1 lines
Interesting. I wonder if it is the same things as the Keck found a couple of weeks ago. I shall hunt it up and see. Thanks, Maggie!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 41 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, May  2, 2000 (16:13) * 1 lines
A suggestion - please! We post articles and comments of length in Geo 24 for space stuff and this should just be for posting the news releases. Does that sound ok?

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 42 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, May  3, 2000 (14:54) * 8 lines
NASA Science News for May 3, 2000

A team of explorers including astrobiologist Richard Hoover and
astronauts Jim Lovell and Owen Garriott traveled to Antarctica
in January 2000 to search for meteorites and extreme-loving
microbes.
FULL STORY at http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast03may_1m.htm 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 43 of 866: What's happenin' in the news? (sprin5) * Wed, May  3, 2000 (15:01) * 1 lines
The gps devices just got accurate down to 5 to 10 feet or better. A friend says he can see when he changes lanes on his now!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 44 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, May  3, 2000 (15:06) * 1 lines
GPS stuff has gotten very sophisticated with an enormous constellation of satellites tracking your every move. Great stuff! That is the next thing on my son's wish list - he has installed ground monitors on Kilauea to check for movement in the surface (Supposedly, the entire seaward flank of Kilauea is gonna break off and we will all be dead from the terific tsunami generated thereby!)

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 45 of 866: geospring (sprin5) * Wed, May  3, 2000 (18:35) * 1 lines
Will you let us know when the tsunami heads this way so we can climb up onto some hills?

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 46 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, May  3, 2000 (18:43) * 1 lines
If you get a tsunami, I shall call you live and direct as you are fleeing! Count on it - and you'd better take my buddy with you *grin* You are both crucial to my well-being! (You gotta see this wallpaper on a good monitor! It is gorgeous! Hope he likes it, as well...)

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 47 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, May  4, 2000 (14:55) * 18 lines
Thursday's Classroom for May 4, 2000
The Amazing Moon Buggy + Planetary Alignment lessons
This week, Thursday's Classroom takes a wild ride on the original
interplanetary Sport Utility Vehicle: the amazing Apollo Moon Buggy.
Students will tap their toes to the beat of the "Moon Buggy Boogie," play a
stimulating game of "Lunar Rover Lunacy," covert measurements from English
to metric units in "Moon Math," and more...
Please visit: http://www.thursdaysclassroom.com
Thursday's Classroom

Also, a note for recent subscribers: The March 30, 2000, episode of
Thursday's Classroom features lessons and activities related to the
May 5, 2000, planetary alignment.
See: http://www.thursdaysclassroom.com/index_30mar00.html
Planetary
Alignments 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 48 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, May  4, 2000 (14:59) * 16 lines
NASA Science News for May 4, 2000
Interplanetary Low Tide
Tidal forces on Earth caused by other planets in the solar
system will be at a low point this week when Mercury, Venus,
Mars, Jupiter and Saturn "line up" on the far side of the
Sun. The alignment won't be visible to the naked-eye, but
there will be a meteor shower that could produce a nice sky
show. FULL STORY at
http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast04may_1m.htm
Interplanetary Low Tide

See also:
http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast02may_1.htm
5/5/2000: The Meteor Shower 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 49 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, May  4, 2000 (17:17) * 12 lines
Three Planets and a Coronal Mass Ejection

Space Weather News for May 4, 2000

The planets Mercury, Jupiter and Saturn have entered the field of view of
instruments on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory as they
approach the Sun for Friday's much-touted conjunction. Animations of this
rare event include two coronal mass ejections with three planets in the
background. For more information, please see http://www.spaceweather.com
SpaceWeather.com 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 50 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, May  5, 2000 (14:25) * 48 lines
Propagation Forecast Bulletin 18 - May 5, 2000

It seems odd to view the solar disk at the peak of the solar cycle
and see few sunspots, but that was the case this week. Solar flux, a
measure of 2.8 GHz energy from the sun which correlates roughly with
sunspots and the ionization of the particles which reflect HF radio
waves, were down sharply this week. On Thursday, when this bulletin
was written, the thrice daily solar flux numbers were 133, 134.5 and
134.7. Solar flux has not been this low since January. Average
solar flux for this week dropped over thirty points, and average
sunspot numbers were down over seventy points, when compared to the
previous week.

Geomagnetic conditions were fairly unsettled as well, with planetary
A indices in the double-digits throughout the week, and K indices
often as high as 4. There weren't any severe geomagnetic storms, but
geomagnetic conditions were rarely quiet.

Looking at monthly trends, the average monthly solar flux for
January through April was 159, 174.1, 208.2 and 184.2.

The lower activity should continue for the next few days. Predicted
solar flux for Friday, May 5 through the following Tuesday is 130,
130, 135, 145 and 150. The predicted planetary A index for those
days is 10, 15, 12, 10 and 10.

KA5WQM wrote to remark on poor 10 meter conditions. He said that in
central Oklahoma the band has been unusable since last Thursday.
There are a couple of influences to consider. One is the season.
Ten meters is much better right around the equinox, and we are
moving every day closer to summer conditions when occasional short
skip via sporadic E-layer propagation will be the norm.

Of course the other factor is the lower sunspot activity and solar
flux. Doing a path projection from Oklahoma to Hawaii with a solar
flux of 230, there is a good bet for strong openings on 10 meters
from 1800 to 2230z. Lower the solar flux to 170, and the period in
which strong signals are likely over that path shrinks to 1930 to
2130z. With the solar flux at 130, communication is possible, but
strong openings are much less likely. During this month 15 meters
should be far better for long distance HF communications than 10.

Sunspot numbers for April 27 through May 3 were 163, 238, 142, 126,
121, 108 and 113 with a mean of 144.4. 10.7 cm flux was 183.5,
183.4, 174.9, 169.5, 157.7, 152.8 and 137.3, with a mean of 165.6,
and estimated planetary A indices were 13, 17, 12, 11, 14, 18 and
15, with a mean of 14.3. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 51 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, May  6, 2000 (11:08) * 16 lines
Space Weather News for May 6, 2000

The wide field coronagraph on board the orbiting Solar and Heliospheric
Observatory recorded a series of dazzling coronal mass ejections (CMEs) on
May 5, 2000, with Mercury, Jupiter and Saturn in the background. These
eruptions apparently came from active sunspot groups that are just over the
Sun's western limb. CMEs like these, seen in profile, are unusually
beautiful.

This weekend the visible disk of the Sun is remarkably devoid of large
sunspots as we approach the peak of the sunspot cycle in mid-2000.

For more information and images please visit: http://www.spaceweather.com
SpaceWeather.com 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 52 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sun, May  7, 2000 (23:13) * 12 lines
NASA Science News for May 8, 2000

NASA astronomers have collected the first-ever radar images
of a "main belt" asteroid. It's a metallic, dog bone-shaped
rock the size of New Jersey, an apparent leftover from an
ancient, violent cosmic collision. The asteroid, named 216
Kleopatra, was discovered in 1880, but until now, its shape
was unknown. FULL STORY at
http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast08may_1.htm

An Asteroid goes to the Dogs 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 53 of 866: geospring (sprin5) * Mon, May  8, 2000 (16:47) * 1 lines
I saw it, it does look like a giant dog bone.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 54 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, May  8, 2000 (16:53) * 1 lines
Yup! Like the North American Nebula looks like its name, and the Owl Nebula and other goodies up there! Thanks for looking!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 55 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, May  9, 2000 (15:48) * 10 lines
NASA Science News for May 9, 2000

The Sun appeared nearly featureless this weekend as the sunspot
area dropped 10 times below its average value. Nevertheless,
scientists say Solar Max is still on the way.
FULL STORY at http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast09may_1m.htm

Solar Ups and Downs 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 56 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, May 11, 2000 (15:10) * 11 lines
NASA Science News for May 11, 2000

Images made by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory show for
the first time the full impact of the actual blast wave
from Supernova 1987A. The observations are the first time
that X-rays from a shock wave have been imaged at such an
early stage of a supernova explosion.
FULL STORY at http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast11may_1m.htm

Impact! Chandra images a young supernova blast wave 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 57 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, May 11, 2000 (16:18) * 16 lines
Space Weather News for May 11, 2000

Material from a coronal mass ejection that left the Sun on May 8 is
expected to pass by our planet late on May 11 or early May 12. Depending
on the characteristics of the magnetic field within the disturbance, it
could trigger minor geomagnetic storms on Earth. There is a slim chance of
aurorae at mid-latitudes, but auroral activity will more likely be
concentrated over high latitude regions including northern Europe, Canada
and Alaska.

Visit http://www.spaceweather.com for more information and updates.

SpaceWeather.com

--- 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 58 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, May 12, 2000 (15:13) * 11 lines
NASA Science News for May 12, 2000

NASA scientists have discovered unexpected spiral-shaped
flames on Earth. By studying these peculiar flames, researchers
hope to mitigate fire hazards on spacecraft and gain new
insights about complex systems in nature. FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast12may_1.htm

Not Just Another Old Flame 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 59 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, May 15, 2000 (00:05) * 14 lines
NASA Science News for May 15, 2000

A black hole binary star system called XTE J1550-564 has
recently become one of the brightest sources in the x-ray
sky. Astronomers are fascinated by fluctuations in the x-ray
emission from this source, which if converted to sound
waves would feel like the deep rumbling vibrations from a
bass speaker at a rock 'n roll concert. FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast15may_1m.htm

The Humming Black Hole 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 60 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, May 15, 2000 (00:33) * 20 lines
Aurora Watching

The Sun is currently entering a peak of storminess, part of
a cycle that lasts 11 years. This causes a stronger "solar
wind," which is a constant stream of charged particles.
When these particles hit the Earth's magnetic field, the
interaction releases visible light, which we in the north
know as the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights (there's
the Aurora Australis, or Southern Lights, Down Under).
During these storm peaks, the spectacular auroras can be
visible much further south than usual.
You can learn more about auroras, check out the space
weather forecast, and download aurora videos at

http://www.sec.noaa.gov/

Click here to learn more about auroras.
http://dac3.pfrr.alaska.edu/~pfrr/AURORA/INDEX.HTM 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 61 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, May 15, 2000 (16:00) * 12 lines
NASA Science News for May 16, 2000

The planets Venus and Jupiter will pass less than 42 arcseconds
apart on May 17. Because the pair is so close to the Sun, only
the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory will have a good view of
the close encounter, which is similar to the "Christmas Star"
conjunction of 2 BC. FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast16may_1.htm?list

A Christmas Star for SOHO 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 62 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, May 16, 2000 (00:44) * 12 lines
Full Halo Coronal Mass Ejection

Space Weather News for May 16, 2000
On May 15 a coronagraph on the ESA/NASA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory
captured rare images of a full halo coronal mass ejection with 4 planets
and the Pleiades in the field of view. Material from the eruption could
arrive in the neighborhood of Earth on May 17 or 18.

For more information and animations, visit http://www.spaceweather.com

SpaceWeather.com 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 63 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, May 17, 2000 (00:12) * 14 lines
Students take control of a prototype Mars Rover

NASA Science News for May 17, 2000

Students from around the country will take control of a
prototype Mars rover named FIDO as it explores a western
Nevada desert. The FIDO rover is a testbed for future missions,
including the proposed Mars Mobile Lander that is currently
under study for a possible launch in 2003. FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast17may_1.htm?list

Heel, FIDO, Heel! 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 64 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, May 17, 2000 (20:17) * 23 lines
Gravitational Lenses

The hallmark of a scientific theory is that it makes
predictions about the real world that can be tested.
Interestingly, Einstein's theory of general relativity
posed major problems for verification: The differences it
predicted from Newton's laws were so small they were
extremely difficult to measure -- especially with the
technology available in the early part of the twentieth
century.

One prediction that could be checked concerned a
gravitational field's ability to bend light rays, a
phenomenon known as gravitational lensing. Sir Arthur
Eddington used a solar eclipse in 1919 to test the theory.
He looked at the position of a distant star in line with
the edge of the sun during the eclipse (allowing it to be
observed in the daytime). It appeared to be shifted 1.75
arc seconds from its actual place in the sky. The
gravitational field of the sun was bending the light
arriving from that star, providing an early confirmation of
Einstein's theory. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 65 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, May 18, 2000 (00:09) * 9 lines
To Be or Not to Be, La Nina?
NASA Science News for May 18, 2000

Just last month, scientists were predicting that current La
Niña conditions would persist, but now data from Earth-orbiting
satellites show that it may be on the decline. Is it too soon
to revise the 2000 hurricane forecast? FULL STORY at
http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast18may_1m.htm
To Be or Not to Be, La Niña? 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 66 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, May 18, 2000 (00:43) * 16 lines
I could not resist posting this image. The solar coronal outburst framed the items you can see listed behind the solar image. Quite extraordinary!





Why were conditions so rough on HF?
Noise can get very high, especially here in the Pacific North West. Signals get weaker than normal on some bands, and deep fades occur. Why?

CME -- that's why. What's a CME? A coronal mass ejection is a huge (like, larger than earth... or bigger!) gas bubble
threaded with magnetic field lines. This bubble is ejected from the Sun. This ejection of gas lasts for several hours, and if
it is directed toward the earth, can result in a very high energy bombardment into our atmosphere and ionosphere. And
our Geomagnetic field becomes very active. A highly active Geomagnetic field degrades radio communications

http://hfradio.org/propagation.html#CME1 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 67 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, May 18, 2000 (22:56) * 23 lines
Great Ganymede!

NASA Science News for May 19, 2000

This weekend NASA's Galileo spacecraft will pass 808 km above
the surface of our solar system's largest moon, Ganymede. The
spacecraft will hunt for signs of mysterious "cryptovolcanoes"
and collect new data on Ganymede's unique magnetic field. This
story includes plasma wave audio sounds from Ganymede's magnetosphere
recorded during a previous flyby. FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast19may_1.htm

Great Ganymede!

__ 








 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 68 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, May 19, 2000 (14:23) * 13 lines
The Secret Lives of Alien Volcanoes

NASA Science News for May 19, 2000

The latest images of Io from NASA's Galileo spacecraft
reveal a bizarre world of hot volcanoes, sulfurous
snowfields, and slip-sliding mountains. FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast19may_2.htm?list

The Secret Lives of Alien Volcanoes 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 69 of 866: Ginny  (vibrown) * Sat, May 20, 2000 (00:17) * 4 lines
Here's some more info on "dark matter".

http://dmtelescope.org
http://www.bell-labs.com/org/physicalsciences/projects/darkmatter/darkmatter.html

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 70 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, May 20, 2000 (00:43) * 1 lines
Ooh - good stuff to read on a dark Friday night. But, I am stuck with the W3.1 laptop because my newly installed norton antivirus has frozen the entire computer and everytime it come time to boot the task bar it shuts it down again. and we scandisk and try again with the same results. Now, what do I do?

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 71 of 866: Ginny  (vibrown) * Sat, May 20, 2000 (01:03) * 3 lines
Yikes, NORTON is hanging your system? I know you mentioned that McAfee caused problems, but I'm surprised about Norton.

There's a way to boot the computer up in "windows safe mode", so you can uninstall whatever is causing problems...let me go look it up.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 72 of 866: Ginny  (vibrown) * Sat, May 20, 2000 (01:15) * 13 lines
OK, here's the info from my Windows 95 guide (the one distributed with new PCs).

1. Restart your computer.

2. When you see the following text: "Starting Windows 95...", press and release the F8 function key. This should display a menu.

3. Type the number for the option you want (or select it with the down arrow key).

I would try the "Safe mode" option, that boots Windows with a minimal configuration, and try uninstalling Norton. Hopefully you'll be able to boot the system normally after that.

Then I'd call Norton to complain. Who needs an anti-virus program that causes more problems than an actual virus??

Good luck!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 73 of 866: geospring (sprin5) * Sat, May 20, 2000 (05:34) * 1 lines
Good advice about booting in to Safe Mode. Sometimes this alone will fix some problems.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 74 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, May 20, 2000 (18:45) * 1 lines
That's what I did - as I wrote in computer conf/virus topic, I think the problem might just be the factthat I enabled Norton to check all drives at startup. There is one imbedded (know how to rid of them?!) program which is the first to load on the task bar and that is precisely where the problem came and it would shut down completely each time. I slept on it and came up with the same idea as you did and you can see that it worked. I deleted the Norton but kept the zipped download so I can reinstall it if my conclusions are correct - and have it not examine the drives until everything is up and running. However, if it still has a problem with that particular program (which I never use - an internet connection which I do not prefer but NEC did...), it will continue to shut down my computer at every encounter?! Yes?

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 75 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, May 20, 2000 (18:53) * 1 lines
Someone even gave me a crutch I did not remember till just now...Your computer's FATE lies in F8. It is a good one to remember!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 76 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, May 22, 2000 (13:44) * 12 lines
Radio JOVE -- NASA helps students tune in to radio bursts from Jupiter

Jupiter is a source of powerful radio bursts that can
produce exotic sounds on common ham radio receivers.
NASA scientists are helping students tune in to the
giant planet as part of an innovative educational program
called Radio JOVE. FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast22may_1.htm?list

Radio JOVE 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 77 of 866: Ginny  (vibrown) * Tue, May 23, 2000 (12:47) * 5 lines
Do you know the name of the embedded program?

If it's in your Startup folder, you should be able to delete it from the Startup folder to keep it from running. If it's not there, it might be in the win.ini or system.ini file; at least I think Windows 95/98 still has those files...they would be in the c:\windows or c:\windows\system directory.

The only other place I can think of would be the Windows Registry, but you'd have to hunt through the Registry keys for it. There should be a Registry Editor program (regedit.exe or regedt32.exe) in the c:\windows or c:\windows\system directory. (I'm not sure exactly where it is on Windows 95/98, and I'm on and NT system right now.)

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 78 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, May 23, 2000 (16:03) * 15 lines
(Answered the above in The Software/Computer conference)

Galileo swoops by the largest moon in the Solar System

NASA Science News for May 23, 2000

On Saturday, May 20, 2000, NASA's Galileo spacecraft successfully
flew past the largest moon in our solar system -- Ganymede,
which orbits around Jupiter. Galileo dipped to 809 kilometers
(503 miles) above the surface in the spacecraft's first flyby
of Ganymede since May 7, 1997. FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast23may_1.htm?list

A Big Moon Close Up 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 79 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, May 23, 2000 (16:06) * 1 lines
Ginny, the really odd thing is that it does not show up in the taskbar remove/add nor in the start/startup folder... it is so exasperating!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 80 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, May 24, 2000 (16:41) * 12 lines
NASA Science News for May 24, 2000

Crystal balls rarely have anything to do with science, but soon
NASA researchers will be using a set of quartz spheres to examine
one of the last, untested portions of Einstein's General Theory of
Relativity. The spheres make up four extraordinary gyroscopes
heading for Earth orbit on board the Gravity Probe B mission in 2002
to measure the twisting and compression of space and time around
our rotating planet. FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast24may_1m.htm?list 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 81 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, May 26, 2000 (14:42) * 10 lines
NASA Science News for May 26, 2000

The pioneering space station concepts of the mid-1950's
don't look much like the erector-set habitat in orbit today.
Read about Werner von Braun's early designs for an outpost in
space and how he advocated his ideas to the public 50 years
ago. FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast26may_1m.htm?l=NzMwMjk2IG1hcmNpQEFMT0hBLk5FVCBTTkdMSVNUIC66FwsfrRgz 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 82 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, May 29, 2000 (00:19) * 12 lines
What's the Matter with Antimatter?

NASA Science News for May 29, 2000

Antimatter -- it may be the ultimate fuel for space travel,
but right now it is fleeting, difficult to work with and
measured in atoms instead of kilograms or pounds! In this
two-part story we'll explore what antimatter is, and how it
may be used for space propulsion. FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast29may_1m.htm?list 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 83 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, May 30, 2000 (13:00) * 11 lines
Solar Activity Puffs Up Earth's Atmosphere

NASA Science News for May 30, 2000

As a result of the approaching solar maximum, Earth's
atmosphere is puffed up like a marshmallow over a campfire
leading to extra drag on Earth-orbiting satellites.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast30may_1m.htm?list 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 84 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, May 31, 2000 (00:36) * 11 lines
Advanced Space Propulsion Workshop begins this week

NASA Science News for May 31, 2000

Scientists and engineers are gathering in Pasadena today to discuss
cutting-edge research in space transportation at a workshop sponsored
by the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast31may_1m.htm?list 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 85 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jun  1, 2000 (13:36) * 17 lines
Arctic Asteroid!

NASA Science News for June 1, 2000

In January, 2000, a seven meter, 200 metric ton rock from space
streaked across the skies of western Canada. The meteor was at
least as bright as the Sun before it exploded over the Yukon
Territory. Scientists have recovered fragments of the carbon-rich
rock, which researchers say is the most valuable meteorite find in
at least 30 years.

FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast01jun_1m.htm?list 




 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 86 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jun  1, 2000 (13:39) * 20 lines
Yukon Meteor Blast

Thursday's Classroom for June 1, 2000

On January 18, 2000, a "small" 200 metric ton asteroid streaked across the
skies of western Canada and exploded in the atmosphere. Now, scientists
have recovered fragments of the space rock and discovered that they are
members of a rare class of meteorites possibly containing amino acids and
other organic compounds.

In this week's episode of Thursday's Classroom, students can learn more
about the Yukon meteor by attending a "Cosmic BBQ," calculating "Fractions
of a Meteorite" and more.

VISIT: http://www.thursdaysclassroom.com

Thursday's Classroom: Yukon
Meteor Blast 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 87 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jun  2, 2000 (16:26) * 14 lines
Mercury Rising -- see Mercury and the Moon this Saturday

NASA Science News for June 2, 2000

There are two really good times to see Mercury this year and next week
is one of them. Good Mercury-watching begins this Saturday evening,
June 3, when a slender crescent Moon and the elusive planet appear
together for stargazers just after sunset. Mercury's apparition
as an evening star will continue through mid-June.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast02jun_1.htm?list 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 88 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Jun  5, 2000 (12:32) * 16 lines
First Light for a Space Weather Satellite

NASA Science News for June 5, 2000

NASA's IMAGE mission, a unique satellite dedicated to the
study of space storms, has returned its first pictures of
electrified gas surrounding our planet. Using antennas as
large as the Empire State Building, IMAGE is taking
an unprecedented look at Earth's magnetic environment and
its response to fierce gusts of solar wind.

FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast05jun_1m.htm?list
__ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 89 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Jun  5, 2000 (18:34) * 14 lines
June's Invisible Meteors

NASA Science News for June 6, 2000

During the next week thousands of meteors will streak through
the sky, but don't expect to see many. They are the Arietids and
zeta Perseids -- the most intense daytime meteor showers of the
year. The best way for many meteor enthusiasts to enjoy the show
is by listening to meteor echoes on a common FM or ham radio.

FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast06jun_1m.htm?list
__

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 90 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Jun  5, 2000 (23:53) * 36 lines
Solar activity report for 6/5/00

Region 9026 continues to produce M-class flares,
and the A index increases.

Sunspots :
132
SFI : 171
A index : 21
K index :
3

Conditions for the last 24 hours :
Solar activity was
moderate. The geomagnetic field was unsettled to active.

Forecast for the next 24 hours :
Solar activity will be
moderate to high. The geomagnetic field will be unsettled
to active.

Solar activity forecast
SOLAR ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED TO BE AT MODERATE TO HIGH
LEVELS. REGION 9026 WILL LIKELY PRODUCE M-CLASS FLARES
WITH AN ISOLATED CHANCE OF AN X-CLASS FLARE.

Geomagnetic activity forecast :
THE GEOMAGNETIC FIELD IS
EXPECTED TO CONTINUE AT UNSETTLED TO ACTIVE CONDITIONS
THROUGH DAY ONE. MOSTLY QUIET TO UNSETTLED LEVELS ARE
EXPECTED ON DAY TWO. UNSETTLED WITH OCCASIONAL ACTIVE
PERIODS ARE LIKELY ON DAY THREE DUE TO A FAVORABLY
POSITIONED CORONAL HOLE AND THE POSSIBILITY OF EFFECTS FROM
THIS MORNING'S C4/CME AT 05/0325Z. 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 91 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jun  6, 2000 (00:00) * 3 lines
The above post was from a Yahoo weather club of which I am a memeber. There is another club I'd like you to consider if you are logged into Yahoo, Jack and I would be happy for you to join the conversation going on in there.

http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/seti2000 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 92 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jun  6, 2000 (17:15) * 11 lines
Here Comes the Sun!

Space Weather News for June 6, 2000

An intense "X-class" solar flare today was followed by a full-halo coronal
mass ejection. Material from the leading edge of the disturbance is
expected to arrive on Thursday, June 8, with possible auroral displays to
follow. For images and updates please visit http://www.spaceweather.com

SpaceWeather.com 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 93 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jun  7, 2000 (20:34) * 19 lines
More Solar Eruptions on June 7, 2000

Space Weather News for June 7, 2000

Following close on the heels of yesterday's two X-class solar flares, a
third powerful X-class flare erupted today at approximately 1545 UT. Soon
afterward, coronagraphs on the orbiting Solar and Heliospheric Observatory
detected a faint full halo coronal mass ejection. It appears to be heading
in the direction of Earth at ~800 km/s. This latest full halo CME will
probably extend the geomagnetic disturbances expected to begin on Thursday
when an interplanetary shock wave spawned by a CME on June 6 collides with
our planet's magnetosphere. Aurora watchers are advised to be on the alert
for Northern Lights beginning after sunset on Thursday, June 8.

For more information, please visit http://www.spaceweather.com

SpaceWeather.com 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 94 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jun  8, 2000 (12:49) * 13 lines
Impact: An Interplanetary Shock Wave Passes Earth

Space Weather News for June 8, 2000

A vigorous shock wave passed NASA's ACE solar wind monitoring spacecraft
this morning at 0842 UT. Disturbances detected by ACE usually reach Earth
about an hour later. This disturbance was the leading edge of a gigantic
bubble of gas ejected from the Sun on June 6. It's been expanding toward
our planet for the past day and a half. For more information and updates
please visit http://www.spaceweather.com

SpaceWeather.com 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 95 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jun  8, 2000 (17:25) * 14 lines
Date: Thu, 8 Jun 2000 16:40:9
Subject: Solar Storms A'brewing

Thursday's Classroom for June 8, 2000

This morning an interplanetary shock wave hit Earth's magnetosphere
triggering aurora over some parts of our planet. In this episode of
Thursday's Classroom, students can learn more about space storms and aurora
by calculating the speed of a coronal mass ejection, playing Sunspot
Twister, or producing their own Space Weather report. For more information
and activities, please visit http://www.thursdaysclassroom.com

Thursday's Classroom 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 96 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jun  9, 2000 (21:18) * 15 lines
A Little Physics and A Lot of String

NASA Science News for June 9, 2000

One day space tethers may be used for boosting orbits, powering
satellites, and even sending payloads to the Moon or Mars -- all
without the expense of conventional propellants. Scientists
discussed this innovative technology at the recent Advanced
Space Propulsion Workshop held in Pasadena, CA.

FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast09jun_1.htm?list
__ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 97 of 866: What's happenin' in the news? (sprin5) * Sat, Jun 10, 2000 (07:23) * 5 lines
From that article:

"In one variant of a momentum-exchange tether, the faster-moving tether system grabs a slower-moving satellite in a lower orbit using a grapple at the end of a tether line between 20 and 200 kilometers long.

After orbiting around the Earth once together, the rotating tether system tosses the satellite forward into a higher orbit, somewhat like a roller derby skater grabbing a teammate and slinging them forward. The first skater transfers some of their momentum to the second skater, leaving the first skater going slower afterward. Similarly, the tether system gives some of its momentum to the satellite, ending up in a lower orbit."

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 98 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Jun 10, 2000 (13:00) * 9 lines
A friend made this comment in email this morning:

They used to think about a tether attached to the surface of the earth
with the outer end 100's of miles into space. Theoretically the outer end
would have orbiting velocity. Objects could climb up the tether into
orbit. The problem was the strength and weight of such a tether;
probably impossible.

These present suggested uses for tethers may be more practical.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 99 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Jun 10, 2000 (21:55) * 17 lines
A solar flare, a CME, and a solar wind disturbance -- all in one day!

Space Weather News for June 10, 2000

The prolific flare-producing sunspot group #9026 unleashed another
moderately strong solar flare today. The eruption was accompanied by a
partial halo coronal mass ejection (CME) that might be Earth-directed. If
so, material from the CME would arrive in the vicinity of our planet on
June 12 or 13. A SOHO coronagraph animation of the event shows a beautiful
billowing CME peppered by speckles and meteor-like streaks resulting from
energetic particles hitting the spacecraft's camera.

Earlier in the day, as predicted, a solar wind disturbance from a CME on
June 7 struck Earth's magnetosphere. Active geomagnetic conditions were
observed for about nine hours, but have since subsided.
For more information and pictures, please visit
http://www.spaceweather.com

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 100 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Jun 12, 2000 (13:09) * 10 lines
Date: Mon, 12 Jun 2000 08:30:40 -0700

SFI=187 | A=24 | K=3 up from 2 at 1500 on 12 June.
SAF: moderate, GMF: at quiet to minor storm levels

Aurora Level: 4
Solar Wind: 469.6 km/s at 1.3 protons/cc

More: http://hfradio.org/propagation.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 101 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jun 13, 2000 (00:29) * 14 lines
From the Drawing Board to the Stars

NASA Science News for June 13, 2000

In this scientific human interest story, Dr. Jim Burch, principle
investigator for NASA's IMAGE space weather satellite, describes
what it's like to visualize a modern space mission and then, years
later, to make it happen. Burch shares his experiences as a
competitor for mission funding, as a coordinator of far-flung
personnel and institutions, and as an onlooker during the anxious
moments of launch.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast13jun_1.htm?list

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 102 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jun 13, 2000 (16:06) * 14 lines
Solar wind disturbance passes Earth

Space Weather News for June 13, 2000

The shock front from a beautiful full-halo coronal mass ejection that left
the Sun on June 10 apparently passed by Earth at approximately 2200 UT on
June 12. Although the solar wind velocity increased substantially,
geomagnetic disturbances so far have been mild. The chances for widespread
aurora tonight are low.

For more information please see http://www.spaceweather.com
SpaceWeather.com

---

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 103 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jun 14, 2000 (01:27) * 15 lines
Solstice Moon

NASA Science News for June 14, 2000

This week's full Moon, which takes place just four days before the June
solstice, will appear unusually big and colorful to observers in the
northern hemisphere.

FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast14jun_1.htm?list
__
You are subscribed to Science.NASA.gov NASA Science News mailing list
with the address marci@ALOHA.NET. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 104 of 866: What's happenin' in the news? (sprin5) * Wed, Jun 14, 2000 (08:14) * 1 lines
Any solstice celebrations planned, anyone?

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 105 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jun 15, 2000 (15:21) * 12 lines
Ocean Tides Lost and Found

NASA Science News for June 15, 2000

Lunar tides impart tremendous energy to Earth's oceans, but
where does it all go? Scientists studying data from the orbiting
TOPEX/Poseidon satellite believe they now have an answer.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast15jun_2.htm?list
__

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 106 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jun 15, 2000 (17:27) * 19 lines
Thursday's Classroom for June 15, 2000

This month's full Moon will appear bigger and more colorful than usual
because it occurs so close to the northern summer solstice. Students can
learn more about the Moon and the famous illusion that makes the Moon
appear larger when it's near the horizon by making an edible Moon Munchie
spyglass, calculating Loony Basketball Math, and reciting "Full Moon
Wherewolf" homonym poetry. For more information, please visit
http://www.thursdaysclassroom.com

Thursday's Classroom

Note: These lessons are relevant even after this week's full Moon. For
several days following June 16, the Moon will appear nearly full and, of
course, there's another full Moon every month. Each one hovers above the
horizon for a while as it rises, triggering the 'Moon Illusion.' The
illusion simply lasts longer for northern observers near the time of the
summer solstice. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 107 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jun 16, 2000 (00:30) * 11 lines
The Incredible Ions of Space Transportation

NASA Science News for June 16, 2000

After nearly 40 years of development and the successful flight of
Deep Space 1 in 1998-1999, ion propulsion has now entered the
mainstream of propulsion options available for deep-space
missions. FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast15jun_1.htm?list
__

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 108 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Jun 19, 2000 (16:53) * 15 lines
From: NASA Science News
Precedence: Bulk
Space Lasers Take Aim at the Wind

NASA Science News for June 19, 2000

NASA scientists are studying a type of radar that uses laser light instead
of microwaves to provide snapshots of the winds that travel the globe.
Knowing the wind's speed and direction over large areas could help
meteorologists answer the riddle of tomorrow's weather and benefit many
areas of the world's economy.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast19jun_1m.htm?list 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 109 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jun 20, 2000 (00:30) * 13 lines
Scientists Discover Sugar in an Interstellar Cloud

NASA Science News for June 20, 2000

Scientists have discovered a molecular cousin to table
sugar in a giant interstellar cloud known as Sagittarius B2.
The discovery of this sugar molecule in a cloud where new
stars are forming means it is increasingly likely that chemical
precursors to life are formed in such clouds long before planets
develop around stars.

FULL STORY at
http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast20jun_1.htm?list

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 110 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jun 21, 2000 (00:25) * 16 lines
Asteroids Have Seasons, Too

NASA Science News for June 21, 2000

Earth isn't the only world where seasons are changing this week.
Millions of miles from our planet, southern winter is giving way
to spring on asteroid 433 Eros. As the Sun rises over the south
pole of Eros, instruments on NASA's NEAR-Shoemaker spacecraft
will catch a glimpse of never-before-seen terrain.

FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast21jun_1.htm?list
__ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 111 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jun 21, 2000 (23:41) * 11 lines
Coming Soon: Better Solar Storm Warnings

NASA Science News for June 22, 2000

In the past, predicting the onset of a geomagnetic storm was difficult. Forecasters couldn't say with much precision how long it would take for a solar coronal mass ejection to reach Earth. Now scientists have created a model that reliably forecasts the arrival of these billion-ton gas clouds.
FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast22jun_1m.htm?list
__ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 112 of 866:  (sprin5) * Thu, Jun 22, 2000 (08:40) * 1 lines
I heard on the news on the radio on the way to work that they've found water on Mars.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 113 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jun 22, 2000 (12:09) * 18 lines
Indeed.......here is the NASA press release:

Mars Surprise -- images reveal signs of recent water flow on Mars

NASA Science News for June 22, 2000

In what could turn out to be a landmark discovery in the
history of Mars exploration, scientists using data from
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft have observed features
that suggest current sources of liquid water at or near the
surface of the red planet. NASA scientists compare the features
to those left by flash floods on Earth.

FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast22jun_2.htm?list
__ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 114 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Jun 26, 2000 (12:58) * 15 lines
The Ups and Downs of Ozone

NASA Science News for June 26, 2000

Scientists are watching carefully as the ozone layer,
which protects animal and plant life from harmful
solar ultraviolet radiation, begins an uncertain
recovery. Ozone destroying chemicals in the atmosphere
are on the decline, but the timing and nature of the
expected recovery -- and even whether a recovery is
occurring at all -- are controversial topics.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast26jun_1m.htm?list

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 115 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jun 27, 2000 (15:00) * 14 lines
Giant Planet Power Breakfast

NASA Science News for June 27, 2000

Jupiter and Saturn have spent much of the last few months hidden
in the bright glare of the Sun. Now they are rising before dawn
and are visible again with the naked eye. This week the slender
crescent moon will join the pair for a dazzling show in the sky
before sunrise.

FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast27jun_1.htm?list
__

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 116 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jun 28, 2000 (17:20) * 14 lines
Setting Sail for the Stars
NASA Science News for June 28, 2000

Scientists met last month to discuss the latest
developments in solar sail technology. A new
mission, the Interstellar Probe, could carry a
spacecraft beyond the edge of the solar system by
2018.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast28jun_1m.htm?list
__ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 117 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jun 29, 2000 (16:18) * 12 lines
Making a Splash on Mars

NASA Science News for June 29, 2000

On a planet that's colder than Antarctica and
where water boils at ten degrees above freezing,
how could liquid water ever exist? Scientists say
a dash of salt might help.

FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast29jun_1m.htm?lis

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 118 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jun 30, 2000 (14:15) * 16 lines
Earth reaches its greatest distance from the Sun on the 4th of July

NASA Science News for June 30, 2000

The Earth will reach its greatest distance from
the Sun this year on the 4th of July, but don't
expect a break from the heat of northern summer.
This article discusses Earth's slightly
elliptical orbit and the effects (some
negligible, some substantial) that lopsided
orbits have on planets around the solar system.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast30jun_1m.htm?list
__

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 119 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Jul  3, 2000 (22:42) * 13 lines
Mars passes by the Sun

Space Weather News for July 3, 2000

Solar activity was low over the weekend and is expected to remain so for
the next 24 to 48 hours. Nevertheless, on July 1st and 2nd coronagraphs on
the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory captured a beautiful sequence of
images showing Mars as it passed less than one degree from the Sun. The
animation includes several coronal mass ejections associated with small
solar flares. For more information visit http://www.spaceweather.com 




 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 120 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jul  6, 2000 (12:29) * 10 lines
Here Comes Comet Linear

NASA Science News for July 05, 2000

Comet 1999 LINEAR S4, which can already be seen
through binoculars, is expected to become a faint
naked-eye object similar in appearance to the
Andromeda Nebula as it glides by the Big Dipper
this month. Maximum brightness is expected on
July 23, 2000.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 121 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jul  7, 2000 (00:24) * 15 lines
Some Comets Like it Hot

NASA Science News for July 07, 2000

Amateur astronomers are discovering pieces of a
giant comet that broke apart in antiquity as the
fragments zoom perilously close to the Sun. You
can join the hunt, too. All you need is a
computer and an internet connection to view
realtime data from the orbiting ESA/NASA Solar
and Heliospheric Observatory.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast07jul_1.htm?list

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 122 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Jul  8, 2000 (14:01) * 15 lines
Space Weather News for July 8, 2000

Coronagraphs on board the orbiting ESA/NASA Solar and Heliospheric
Observatory (SOHO) recorded a full halo coronal mass ejection (CME) on July
7th. Forecasters estimate that material from the CME will arrive in the
neighborhood of Earth on July 11th.

While the CME was ongoing, SOHO's wide field coronagraph also captured the
planet Mercury racing by the Sun twice as fast as the drifting field of
background stars. Mercury joined two other planets, Mars and Venus, in the
coronagraph's field of view.

For animations and more information, please visit
http://www.spaceweather.com 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 123 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Jul 10, 2000 (12:25) * 11 lines
A solar wind disturbance arrives at Earth

Space Weather News for July 10, 2000

The shock front from a July 7th coronal mass ejection has apparently
reached our planet about a day earlier than expected. The disturbance,
recorded by NASA's ACE spacecraft at 0600 UT on July 10, was not
extraordinarily vigorous. Nevertheless, skywatchers are advised to be on
the alert for aurora. For more information please visit
http://www.spaceweather.com 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 124 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Jul 10, 2000 (16:02) * 13 lines
Cosmic Light Pollution

NASA Science News for July 10, 2000

A series of unmanned balloon flights will measure
the subtle ultraviolet glow of the night sky and
help unravel one of the most perplexing mysteries
of astrophysics -- the origin of ultra
high-energy cosmic rays.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast10jul_1.htm?list 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 125 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jul 11, 2000 (17:13) * 11 lines
The propagation continues upward:


SFI=225 up from 215 | A=28 up from 18 | K=3 down from 4 at 2100 on 11 July.
SAF: moderate to high, GMF: at active to minor storm levels

Aurora Level: 5
Solar Wind: 543.3 km/s at 5.7 protons/cc

More: http://hfradio.org/propagation.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 126 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jul 11, 2000 (17:20) * 18 lines
Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2000 15:26:37 -0500
From: NASA Science News

Comet Borrelly or Bust

NASA Science News for July 11, 2000

NASA's experimental Deep Space 1 probe --left for
dead after a guidance system failure in late 1999 --
was revived last month in a thrilling cross-
the-solar-system rescue conducted by JPL
engineers. The craft set sail again on June 28,
2000, just in time for a planned rendezvous with
periodic comet Borrelly in 2001.

FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast11jul_1.htm?list

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 127 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jul 12, 2000 (11:58) * 13 lines
Brown Dwarf Solar Flare

NASA Science News for July 12, 2000

The Chandra X-ray Observatory has detected the
first-ever flare from what's known as a brown
dwarf, or failed star. Scientists were surprised
at the outburst, which unleashed an amount of
energy comparable to a small solar flare.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast12jul_1m.htm?list

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 128 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jul 13, 2000 (17:36) * 17 lines
Aurora Warning
Space Weather News for July 13, 2000

Stargazers in both hemispheres are advised to watch for auroras tonight as
the result of a strong solar wind disturbance that struck Earth's
magnetosphere at approximately 0940 UT (5:40 a.m. EDT) on July 13th. The
strong geomagnetic storm that started this morning may now be subsiding,
but another interplanetary shock wave is expected to arrive on July 14th
and extend the current period of geomagnetic unrest. Auroral displays at
middle latitudes are possible (but by no means guaranteed) around local
midnight on July 13th through 15th. For more information please visit
http://www.spaceweather.com

Photographers who capture pictures of Northern or Southern Lights during
the next few days are invited to send their images as attachments to
webmaster@spaceweather.com for display on SpaceWeather.com. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 129 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jul 13, 2000 (18:06) * 8 lines
SFI=232 up from 230 | A=31 up from 12 | K=2 down from 5 at 2100 on 13 July.
SAF: moderate to high, GMF: at unsettled to minor storm levels

Aurora Level: 7
Solar Wind: 618.4 km/s at 3.6 protons/cc

More: http://hfradio.org/propagation.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 130 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jul 14, 2000 (01:18) * 21 lines
Pacific Lunar Eclipse


NASA Science News for July 14, 2000

This weekend the Moon, the Sun and the Earth will
align for the longest total lunar eclipse in 140
years. The best places to see the event are in
and around the Pacific Ocean, including Hawaii
and Australia. Observers along the west coast of
North America will be able to see a partial
eclipse just before the Moon sets on Sunday
morning. During totality skywatchers may also be
able to spot the asteroid 4 Vesta, which
coincidentally makes a rare appearance as a
naked-eye object during the days around the
eclipse.

FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast14jul_1m.htm?list

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 131 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jul 14, 2000 (14:56) * 11 lines
Powerful Solar Flare Triggers Radiation Storm

Space Weather News for July 14, 2000

This morning an X5-class solar flare, one of the most powerful flares of
the current solar cycle, triggered a proton storm in the neighborhood of
our planet. Just after the eruption, coronagraphs on board the ESA/NASA
Solar and Heliospheric Observatory recorded a full halo coronal mass
ejection heading toward Earth at greater than 1000 km/s. Please visit
http://www.spaceweather.com for details and updates on this developing
story.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 132 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jul 14, 2000 (19:20) * 20 lines
The following Alerts and Warnings are in effect:

sr@hfradio.org

The following Alerts and Warnings are in effect:

Magnetic A-Index greater than 50 Watch for 15 Jul 2000 UT
Comment: K-indices of greater than 6 are possible beginning at 1800 UT on 15 July

Magnetic A-Index greater than 50 Watch for 16 Jul 2000 UT
Comment: K-indices of greater than 6 are possible beginning at 1800 UT on 15 July

Magnetic A-Index greater than 50 Watch for 17 Jul 2000 UT
Comment: K-indices of greater than 6 are possible beginning at 1800 UT on 15 July

Magnetic K-Index of 6 Observed 14 Jul 2000 from 15:00 to 18:00 UT
Comment: None


More: http://hfradio.org/propagation.html 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 133 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jul 14, 2000 (19:26) * 22 lines
A Solar Radiation Storm

NASA Science News for July 14, 2000

A powerful solar flare on July 14th triggered an
intense radiation storm in the vicinity of Earth.
The eruption was followed by a fast-moving
coronal mass ejection that is expected to strike
Earth's magnetosphere as early as Saturday. The
impact could trigger Northern and Southern Lights
bright enough to be seen in spite of this
weekend's brilliant full Moon. Such a display is
by no means guaranteed, but it is possible.
Observers across the Pacific could be in for a
very rare treat: the sight of shimmering colorful
aurora during the total lunar eclipse of July 16,
2000.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast14jul_2m.htm?list
__

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 134 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Jul 15, 2000 (13:57) * 49 lines

Solar Wind data is incorrect due to proton
overload of the sensors on the spacecraft.
True solar wind speed is approx. 775 to 800 km/s
with a density of approx. 25 to 30 protons/cm3

ADVISORY: The shock wave from Friday's fast-moving
coronal mass ejection could arrive as early as
1900 UT.

ALERT(S): Magnetic A-Index Greater than 50 Watch for 15 Jul 2000 UT
Comment: K-indices of Greater than 6 are possible beginning at 1800 UT on 15 July

Magnetic A-Index Greater than 50 Watch for 16 Jul 2000 UT
Comment: K-indices of Greater than 6 are possible beginning at 1800 UT on 15 July

Magnetic A-Index Greater than 50 Watch for 17 Jul 2000 UT
Comment: K-indices of Greater than 6 are possible beginning at 1800 UT on 15 July

Magnetic K-Index of 6 Observed 14 Jul 2000 from 15:00 to 18:00 UT
Comment: None

Magnetic A-Index Greater than 30 Warning valid from 15 Jul 2000 0000 to 0600 UT
Comment: None

The following Warning was EXTENDED at 0000 UT on 15 Jul 2000 and is now
valid through 0000 UT on 17 Jul 2000
Magnetic K-Index Greater than 6 Warning valid from 13 Jul 2000 1438 to 15 Jul
2000 0000 UT
Comment: None

The following Alert was CONTINUED at 0100 UT on 15 Jul 2000
Protons Event Greater than 10 MeV @ Greater than 10pfu BEG 14 Jul 2000 1050 UT
Comment: The current proton flux is approximately 8500 pfu's.

The following Alert was CONTINUED at 0100 UT on 15 Jul 2000
Proton event Greater than 100 MeV @ Greater than 1pfu BEG 14 Jul 2000 1040 UT
Comment: The current proton flux level is approximately 100 pfu's . A
maximum proton flux of approximately 400 pfu's was reached at 1620 UT on 14 July.

Magnetic A-Index Greater than 30 Observed 15 Jul 2000 0600 UT
Comment: None

Type II Radio Emission 15 Jul 2000 1433 UT
Comment: Estimated shock velocity = 788 km/s

More: http://hfradio.org/propagation.html 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 135 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Jul 15, 2000 (19:16) * 60 lines
An Extreme Geomagnetic Storm is Underway

Space Weather News for July 15, 2000

A powerful shock wave from the fast-moving July 14th coronal mass ejection
has arrived in the neighborhood of Earth. An extreme geomagnetic storm
was underway at 1900 UT (3:00 p.m. EDT) on July 15th. If conditions
persist as they are now, aurora could be visible at middle (and possibly
even equatorial) latitudes. The best time to view aurora is usually near
local midnight. In this case, sky watchers are advised to look for aurora
as soon as night falls. For more information and updates please visit
http://www.spaceweather.com

Readers are invited to send pictures of tonight's aurora and the July 16,
2000, total lunar eclipse (visible across the Pacific Ocean) as an email
attachment to phillips@spacescience.com for possible posting on
spaceweather.com and/or spacescience.com.

For more information about the lunar eclipse:

Pacific Lunar Eclipse
http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast14jul_1m.htm

**************************

SEVERE GEOMAGNETIC STORM:

Kp Index is at 9. A Index is 118.

We are in a catagory G5 Storm. NOAA's Space Weather
scale indicates the following effects:

Power systems: grid systems can collapse and
transformers experience damage.


Spacecraft operations: extensive surface charging,
problems with orientation, uplink/downlink, and
tracking satellites.


Other systems: pipeline currents reach hundreds of
amps, HF (high frequency) radio propagation
impossible in many areas for one to two days,
satellite navigation degraded for days,
low-frequency radio navigation out for hours, and
the aurora seen as low as the equator.

The Proton Monitor on the Solar and Heliospheric
Observatory is registering solar wind speeds in
excess of 900 km/s

The wave of solar particles - known as a solar
proton event - is already four times more intense
than any other event detected since the launches
of SOHO in 1995 and ACE in 1997. At mid-afternoon
(UT) on July 14th, the storm of particles from
the Sun was still intensifying.

More: http://hfradio.org/propagation.html 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 136 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jul 18, 2000 (01:00) * 12 lines
X-ray Star Stuff

NASA Science News for July 18, 2000

Astronomers using the Chandra X-ray Observatory
are seeing how supernovae spray the essential
elements of rocky planets and life into
interstellar space.

FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast18jul_1m.htm?list

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 137 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jul 20, 2000 (01:01) * 16 lines
Unveiling the Infrared Sky

NASA Science News for July 20, 2000

Your home computer can become a portal to a
wonderland of stars, thanks to a massive release
of images from an infrared sky survey sponsored
by NASA and the National Science Foundation. The
current release is based on a volume of data
several hundred times larger than that contained
in the human genome!

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast20jul_1.htm?list
__

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 138 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jul 21, 2000 (12:02) * 33 lines
Coronal Mass Ejection

21 July 2000

There is high probability that the CME (Coronal Mass
Ejection) from the major M-class solar flare of
19 July 2000 will arrive today. It is expected to
hit the Earth almost head-on. It is not expected
to be as intense as this last weekend's event.

Auroral activity is expected to increase to storm
levels on 21 July 2000. There is a good chance for
observations of auroral activity from many dark-sky
middle latitude regions, particularly prior to
midnight when the moon is still below the horizon
and optimal observing conditions exist. Moonrise
occurs near local midnight.

TWO ADDITIONAL M-Class flares occured today:

:ALERTS:

X-Ray event M5/1B/S12W14 BEG 20 Jul 2000 2022 MAX 20 Jul 2000 2025 END
20 Jul 2000 2028 UT
Comment: None

X-Ray event M5.5 BEG 21 Jul 2000 1430 MAX 21 Jul 2000 1437 END 21 Jul
2000 1443 UT
Comment: None


More: http://hfradio.org/propagation.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 139 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jul 21, 2000 (12:02) * 1 lines
Watch for Aurora tonight!!!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 140 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jul 21, 2000 (12:25) * 123 lines
Propagation Forecast Bulletin 29 - July 21, 2000

This has been quite a week for solar activity, with blasts of solar
wind dominating space weather news. Saturday was the big day for HF
radio blackouts and aurora, with the planetary A index jumping to an
incredible 152 and the mid-latitude A index at 148. The planetary K
index, updated every three hours, was at 9 for three readings on
Saturday. A K index reading of 9 over a 24-hour period would be
equivalent to an A index of 300. This is big, really big.

These numbers are associated with an extreme geomagnetic storm that
was nearly off the scale. On Friday one of the most powerful solar
flares of the current cycle triggered a storm of protons directed
toward earth. The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory recorded a full
halo coronal mass ejection heading toward earth at greater than
one-million meters per second. Check out animations of this event at
http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/data/CME/.

There are only a few events of this magnitude in the average solar
cycle. The only factor that probably impeded a spectacular aurora
visible far down into the U.S. was that this is the summer season.
A dark evening sky would reveal a rich tapestry of northern lights.
Of course, it being winter in the southern hemisphere, bright
displays were reported in Australia and New Zealand. The author made
a weak attempt Saturday night, walking barefoot into the middle of
the street and trying to peer north past city lights, but no auroral
glow was visible. Seattle is north of the 47th parallel, and
although there were no local reports of aurora, there were
observations as far south as 40 degrees in Europe, Asia, and parts
of Eastern North America. If you point your web browser toward
http://www.sec.noaa.gov/info/kp-aurora.html you will see a nice map
from the June, 1968 issue of Sky and Telescope which shows how far
south aurora may be visible depending on the planetary K index.
What is not clear from this map is whether it shows how far south
the edge of the aurora extends, or how far south it is visible when
looking north.

Another coronal mass ejection emerged on Wednesday, July 19, but the
predicted effect is uncertain because the ejection may not be aimed
squarely at earth. On Thursday the planetary K index went up to 6
for several hours, but by the end of the UTC day it was 3. The
planetary A index for Thursday was 43, and the College A index,
recorded in Alaska, was 57.

The latest forecast shows the planetary A index rising to 50 on
Friday, then dropping to 20 and 15 and then 10 on Saturday through
Monday. Solar flux peaked for the recent short term at 252.9 on
Thursday, and is expected to drop to 245, 235, 230 and 225 on Friday
through Monday. The next short term minimum is predicted around July
28 at 170, followed by another peak above 200 around August 6-9.

The author has received many more inquiries recently asking for
explanations of the various parameters reported in this bulletin.
Although the explanations were repeated six weeks ago, it is
probably time to run them again, and they follow this paragraph.
Feel free to send questions to the author via k7vvvarrl.net.

Amateur Radio operators who use HF generally like increased sunspots
because they correlate with better worldwide radio propagation.
When there are more sunspots, the sun puts out radiation which
charges particles in the earth's ionosphere. Radio waves bounce off
of these charged particles, and the denser these clouds of ions, the
better the HF propagation. When the ionosphere is denser, higher
frequencies will reflect off of the ionosphere rather than passing
through to space. This is why every 11 years or so when this
activity is higher, 10 meters gets exciting. 10 meters is at a high
enough frequency, right near the top of the HF spectrum, that radio
waves propagate very efficiently when the sunspot count is high.
Because of the wavelength, smaller antennas are very efficient on
this band, so mobile stations running low power on 10 meters can
communicate world wide on a daily basis when the sunspot cycle is at
its peak. There are also seasonal variations, and 10 meters tends to
be best near the spring or fall equinox.

The sunspot numbers used in this bulletin are calculated by counting
the sunspots on the visible solar surface and also measuring their
area. Solar flux is measured at an observatory in British Columbia
using an antenna pointed toward the sun tuned to 2.8 GHz, which is
at a wavelength of 10.7 cm. Energy detected seems to correlate with
sunspots and with the density of the ionosphere.

Other solar activity of concern to HF operators are solar flares and
coronal holes, which emit protons. Since the charged ions in the
ionosphere are negative, a blast of protons from the sun can
neutralize the charge and make the ionosphere less reflective.
These waves of protons can be so intense that they may trigger an
event called a geomagnetic storm.

The Planetary A index relates to geomagnetic stability.
Magnetometers around the world are used to generate a number called
the Planetary K index. You can hear the Boulder K index updated
every three hours on WWV, or by calling 303-497-3235.

A one point change in the K index is quite significant. A K index
below 3 generally means good stable conditions, and above 3 can mean
high absorption and poor reflection of radio waves. Each point
change reflects a big change in conditions.

Every 24 hours the K index is summarized in a number called the A
index. A one point change in A value is not very significant. A full
day with the K index at 3 will produce an A index of 15, K of 4
means A of 27, K of 5 means A of 48, and K of 6 means A of 80. You
can find an explanation of these numbers on the web at
http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/stp/GEOMAG/kp_ap.html.

The number reported here is the Planetary A index, which is a
worldwide average based on the K readings from a number of
magnetometers. The numbers reported on WWV are the Boulder K and A
index, measured in Colorado. Generally the higher the latitude of
the measuring station, the higher the K and A indices reported.
This is because the effects of geomagnetic instability tend to
concentrate toward the polar regions of the globe.

Currently we are near the peak of the solar cycle, so conditions are
generally better because of the increased ionization of the
ionosphere. But along with the increased sunspots come more solar
flares and coronal holes, producing disturbed conditions.

Sunspot numbers for July 13 through 19 were 240, 243, 229, 268, 335,
343 and 342 with a mean of 285.7. 10.7 cm flux was 231.9, 203.9,
213.1, 218.9, 228.3, 261.9 and 249.9, with a mean of 229.7, and
estimated planetary A indices were 33, 35, 152, 46, 9, 13 and 15,
with a mean of 43.3.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 141 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Jul 22, 2000 (21:15) * 11 lines
Contrary Thermometers

NASA Science News for July 21, 2000

Scientists are working to understand why the
lower atmosphere isn't heating up as fast as some
global warming models predict.

FULL STORY at
http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast21jul_1m.htm?list 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 142 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jul 26, 2000 (17:20) * 15 lines
Station Sightings

NASA Science News for July 24, 2000

Thanks to a new NASA web site, stargazers can
track the progress of the growing International
Space Station (ISS) from their own backyards.
Because it reflects sunlight down to Earth, the
ISS often looks like a slow-moving star as it
crosses the sky. It can even appear as bright as
the star Sirius if you know when and where to look.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast24jul_1m.htm?list 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 143 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jul 26, 2000 (17:23) * 11 lines
Camping Out with the Planets

NASA Science News for July 25, 2000

Earth's slender crescent Moon will glide by two
brilliant planets in the dawn sky this week as it
heads for a close encounter with Mercury on July 29th.

FULL STORY at
http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast25jul_1m.htm?list 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 144 of 866: Lucille Oftedahl  (alyeska) * Wed, Jul 26, 2000 (19:46) * 1 lines
You can tell when you look into the night sky which are stars and which are satellites. the satelittes are brighter and move across the sky. I don't get to see much of the night sky right now with this weather. I don't even get to use my pc in the evening, there is so much lightening that I have to unplug it.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 145 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jul 27, 2000 (10:36) * 16 lines
Yikes, Dear!!! Blessed be the laptops which enable use even with lightning... but not connected to a modem. Alas, you are in down-time summer I guess.

A Lot Less Snow

NASA Science News for July 27, 2000

An instrument on board NASA's Terra satellite
recorded much less snow than usual over parts of
North America during the winter of 1999-2000.
This story includes a snow map of North America
in March 2000 and sample pictures from Terra's
snow-mapping "MODIS" instrument.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast27jul_2m.htm?list 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 146 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jul 28, 2000 (23:24) * 16 lines
Comet LINEAR Misbehaves

NASA Science News for July 28, 2000

Although comet LINEAR was not bright enough to
see with the unaided eye when it passed by Earth
this week, the comet is grabbing the attention of
astronomers with peculiar behavior, including
orbit-altering jets and fragments breaking away
from its nucleus.

FULL STORY at
http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast28jul_1m.htm?list
__ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 147 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jul 28, 2000 (23:36) * 14 lines
Comet LINEAR breaks apart
Space Weather News for July 28, 2000

There is growing evidence that comet LINEAR, which made its closest
approach to the Sun earlier this week, is disintegrating. Today's
spaceweather.com features images and animations of the apparent breakup.

Also, an interplanetary shock wave struck Earth's magnetosphere on July
28, 2000, triggering minor geomagnetic activity.

For more information please visit http//www.spaceweather.com

http//www.spaceweather.com 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 148 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jul 28, 2000 (23:58) * 17 lines
Back to the Future on Mars

NASA Science News for July 28, 2000

In 2003, NASA plans to launch a relative of the
now-famous 1997 Mars Pathfinder rover. Using
drop, bounce, and roll technology, this larger
cousin is expected to reach the surface of the
Red Planet in January 2004 and begin the longest
journey of scientific exploration ever
undertaken across the surface of that alien
world.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast28jul_2m.htm?list
__ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 149 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Jul 31, 2000 (13:25) * 14 lines
The Stuff Between the Stars

NASA Science News for July 31, 2000

The cosmos is laced with tiny specks of dust that
decide the fate of young stars and planets. Now,
NASA scientists can study the properties of
far-flung space dust using special laboratory
facilities at the Marshall Space Flight Center.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast31jul_2m.htm?list
_ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 150 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Jul 31, 2000 (13:41) * 16 lines
Meltdown! Comet LINEAR comtinues to disintegrate....

NASA Science News for July 31, 2000

Comet LINEAR continued to blow itself apart this
weekend as astronomers around the world monitored
the action. The comet is still bright enough to
see through amateur telescopes, but it's fading
fast. This story compares the breakup of comet
LINEAR with another famous fragmented comet,
Shoemaker-Levy 9, that collided with Jupiter six
years ago.

FULL STORY at
http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast31jul_1m.htm?list 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 151 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Aug  2, 2000 (20:35) * 15 lines
Looking Forward to the International Space Station

NASA Science News for August 02, 2000

Scientists at a recent media forum said they are
eager to begin using the International Space
Station as an innovative orbiting research
laboratory. "The Hubble Space Telescope is
to astrophysicists as the International Space
Station will be to other researchers -- a working
science laboratory in space," noted one participant.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast02aug_1.htm?list 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 152 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Aug  4, 2000 (14:24) * 15 lines
Watching Wildfires from Space

NASA Science News for August 04, 2000

NASA satellites are keeping a close eye on
wildfires raging across the Western US. Every few
hours, a global map of smoky aerosols is updated
at the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer web site.
Now, anyone with a connection to the Internet can
share the same "bird's eye" view
enjoyed by NASA scientists.

FULL STORY at
http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast04aug_1m.htm?list 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 153 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Aug  4, 2000 (14:26) * 25 lines
A Comet Comes Apart

Thursday's Classroom for August 3, 2000
http://www.thursdaysclassroom.com
Late last month stargazers were eagerly anticipating the arrival of Comet
LINEAR, which was expected to become the first naked-eye comet in three
years. But the comet surprised observers by blowing apart as it passed
near to the Sun. Even now, astronomers are watching intently as Comet
LINEAR dissolves into a haze of gas and dust.

This week's episode of Thursday's Classroom features stories for kids and
educational lesson plans about comets and Comet LINEAR. Activities
include:
* Comet Cones -- Kids who sample one of these delicious treats will never
forget the "dirty snowball" model for comets.
* Really Big Numbers -- How many zeros are in Comet LINEAR's distance from
Earth? Kids find out in this lesson about scientific notation.
* The Comet Coloring Book -- Students can color original art by Duane
Hilton as they follow along with this week's lessons.
...and more!

Please visit http://www.thursdaysclassroom.com 




 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 154 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Aug  4, 2000 (15:33) * 19 lines
Space Weather News for August 4, 2000
http://www.spaceweather.com

Comet LINEAR blew apart so thoroughly last week that astronomers can't
find any sizable pieces from its fractured icy core. New groundbased
images of the comet posted today revealed no fragments brighter than 22nd
magnitude. The new data are fueling speculation that Comet LINEAR itself
might have been the fragment of a larger body that passed through the
inner solar system centuries ago.

On a related note, SpaceWeather.com is pleased to announce a new feature:
the weekly Meteor Outlook by Robert Lunsford, secretary general of the
International Meteor Organization. Updated every Friday, the Outlook
offers a comprehensive preview of likely meteor activity suitable for
novices and experts. This week's update describes the growing rate of
pre-dawn Perseid meteors leading up to the shower's maximum on August
12th. 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 155 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Aug  8, 2000 (22:53) * 18 lines
Perseid Dawn

NASA Science News for August 08, 2000

The Perseid meteor shower peaks on August 12,
2000. This year the bright, nearly-full Moon
will outshine the Perseids most of the night, but
for an hour between moonset and sunrise on
Saturday morning, star gazers could witness a
brief but beautiful meteor shower. The setting
Moon may put on a show of its own Saturday.
Wildfires and dust storms have filled parts of
our atmosphere with aerosols. A low-hanging Moon
seen through such dusty air can take on a
beautiful pink or orange hue.

FULL STORY at
http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast08aug_1.htm?list

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 156 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Aug  9, 2000 (18:42) * 22 lines
Meteors and a Full-halo Coronal Mass Ejection

Space Weather News for August 9, 2000
http://www.spaceweather.com

SOLAR ACTIVITY: The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory recorded a
full-halo coronal mass ejection today from sunspot group 9114, near the
center of the Sun's visible disk. Material from the eruption could
trigger geomagnetic activity when it arrives in the vicinity of Earth in
approximately three days.

NEW ONLINE METEOR COUNTS: As part of our expanding coverage of meteor and
comet activity, spaceweather.com will now feature daily meteor counts
reported by a network of observers across North America. The
daily-updated data includes visual and radio meteor detections.

COMET LINEAR: A new picture from the ESO Very Large Telescope shows
mini-comets inside Comet LINEAR's disintegrating core.

For images, animations and expanded coverage of these items, please visit
http://www.spaceweather.com 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 157 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Aug 11, 2000 (17:45) * 26 lines
Perseid meteor update + an ongoing geomagnetic storm

Space Weather News for August 11, 2000
http://www.spaceweather.com

On the eve of the Perseid meteor shower, sky watchers report seeing 10 to
15 meteors per hour streaming from the constellation Perseus. That's
consistent with an expected peak rate between 30 and 50 visual meteors per
hour before dawn on August 12th. The projected maximum is somewhat weaker
than Perseid maxima of recent years, but observers are also reporting that
this year's Perseid meteors have been pleasantly bright. The shower
should put on a good show for northern hemisphere observers this Saturday
morning.

Readers are invited to send their photos of the 2000 Perseids to
phillips@spacescience.com (Tony Phillips).

There is a chance that Saturday morning sky watchers at higher latitudes
could spot colorful auroras during the Perseid meteor shower. Our planet
is experiencing an ongoing geomagnetic storm triggered by a
southward-pointing interplanetary magnetic field in the vicinity of Earth.
If conditions persist, high latitude (and possibly even mid-latitude)
auroras are possible.

For more information, please visit http://www.spaceweather.com 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 158 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Aug 11, 2000 (17:46) * 14 lines
Twin Rovers Headed for Mars

NASA Science News for August 10, 2000

The traffic on Mars is expected to double in the
near future. NASA today announced plans to launch
two large scientific rovers to the red planet in
2003, rather than the original plan for just one.
This story includes a striking new video of the
planned Mars 2003 rover mission.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast10aug_1.htm?list 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 159 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Aug 12, 2000 (17:34) * 24 lines
Aurora & Meteor Alert

Space Weather News for August 12, 2000
http://www.spaceweather.com

Last night, during the peak of the Perseid meteor shower, a shock wave
from the Sun set off a beautiful display of aurora borealis. Observers in
dark-sky areas across Canada and much of the United States were treated to
the unusual spectacle of meteors seen against a backdrop of colorful
Northern Lights. Auroras were spotted as far south as Los Angeles, CA.

Conditions remain favorable for more aurora borealis Saturday night and
Sunday morning. Plus, the Perseid meteor shower is not entirely over.
Stargazers could see as many as 25 meteors per hour before dawn on Sunday,
Aug. 13.

If you have pictures of weekend auroras and/or Perseid meteors, we invite
you to submit them to SpaceWeather.com as an email attachment sent to
phillips@spacescience.com (Tony Phillips).

For more information, including pictures of last night's aurora and the
coronal mass ejection that energized the ongoing geomagnetic storm, please
visit http://spaceweather.com 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 160 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Aug 15, 2000 (13:19) * 17 lines
The Extraordinary Geomagnetic Perseid Meteor Shower

NASA Science News for August 14, 2000

An interplanetary shock wave from the Sun struck
Earth's magnetosphere just before the peak of the
Perseid meteor shower on August 12, 2000,
triggering a powerful geomagnetic storm.
Stargazers across Canada and the United States
were treated to the rare spectacle of a meteor
shower seen against the backdrop of colorful
Northern Lights.

FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast14aug_1.htm?list 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 161 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Aug 17, 2000 (12:29) * 17 lines
NASA goes on SAFARI

NASA Science News for August 16, 2000

Southern Africa offers a unique climate
sub-system where scientists can study the effects
of industrial activity, biomass burning and
changing patterns of land usage on the
environment. Last weekend an international team
of scientists launched an intensive campaign --
part of the SAFARI 2000 project -- to study this
complex region from the ground, the air and from
space.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast16aug_1m.htm?list 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 162 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Aug 17, 2000 (23:42) * 19 lines
The Indefatigable Ions of Deep Space 1

NASA Science News for August 17, 2000

NASA's Deep Space 1 probe, en route for an
encounter with Comet Borrelly, has run its unique
propulsion system for more than 200 days --
longer and more efficiently than anything ever
launched. The almost imperceptible thrust from
the system is equivalent to the pressure exerted
by a sheet of paper held in the palm of your
hand. The ion engine is very slow to pick up
speed, but over the long haul it can deliver 10
times as much thrust per pound of fuel as more
traditional rockets.

FULL STORY at
http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast17aug_1.htm?list 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 163 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Aug 21, 2000 (23:25) * 13 lines
Arctic Ice Revealed

NASA Science News for August 22, 2000

An orbiting radar has cut through clouds and dark
of night to monitor the ebb and flow of Arctic
ice. Scientists say the data could reveal
important trends in global climate change.

FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast22aug_1.htm?list 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 164 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Aug 23, 2000 (13:22) * 19 lines
Hot X-rays from a Cold Comet


NASA Science News for August 23, 2000

Normally, x-ray astronomers concern themselves
with the most violent and fiery denizens of the
Universe. Colliding galaxies, supernova
explosions and black holes are common targets for
x-ray telescopes like NASA's powerful Chandra
X-ray Observatory. But, last month researchers
solved a cosmic mystery when they turned Chandra
toward Comet LINEAR, a chilly snowball from the
outer solar system.

FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast23aug_1m.htm?list 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 165 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Aug 24, 2000 (19:10) * 16 lines
Counting Brown Dwarfs

NASA Science News for August 24, 2000

Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope
have taken attendance in a class of brown dwarfs
and found indications that these odd and elusive
objects also tend to be loners. The Hubble census
-- the most complete to date -- provides new and
compelling evidence that stars and planets form
in different ways.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast24aug_1.htm?list 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 166 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Aug 25, 2000 (11:50) * 15 lines
Antibiotics in Orbit

NASA Science News for August 25, 2000

Pilot studies indicate that microbial antibiotic
production can be increased by up to 200 percent
in space-grown cultures. Scientists who studied
such antibiotics during the "John
Glenn" shuttle mission in 1998 are looking
forward to more low-gravity experiments on the
International Space Station.

FULL STORY at
http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast25aug_1m.htm?list 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 167 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Aug 28, 2000 (14:57) * 13 lines
New Evidence for an Alien Ocean

NASA Science News for August 28, 2000

Fluctuations in the magnetic field surrounding
Jupiter's moon Europa are a telltale sign of
salty liquid water beneath the moon's icy crust.
Europa could harbor the solar system's largest
ocean.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast28aug_1.htm?list 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 168 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Aug 28, 2000 (19:14) * 15 lines
Comet Champion of the Solar System

NASA Science News for August 28, 2000

Less than seven months after the Solar and
Heliospheric Observatory registered its 100th
comet discovery, amateur astronomers help SOHO
double its record-setting total. Scientists think
that most of SOHO's comets are fragments from the
breakup of a single giant comet long ago.

FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast28aug_2.htm?list 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 169 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Aug 29, 2000 (23:06) * 16 lines
Culprits of Climate Change

NASA Science News for August 29, 2000

For many years, researchers agreed that climate
change was triggered by "greenhouse
gases," with carbon dioxide from burning of
fossil playing the biggest role. However, NASA
funded scientists suggest that climate change in
recent decades has been mainly caused by air
pollution containing non-carbon dioxide
greenhouse gases.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast29aug_1.htm?list 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 170 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Aug 31, 2000 (21:51) * 15 lines
Evil-doers Beware! Space Scientists are on the Case

NASA Science News for August 31, 2000

Two NASA scientists are working with the police
and the FBI to track down criminals using
out-of-this-world video technology. The new
technique, called VISAR, is also expected to
improve military reconnaissance, medical research
and video on home computers. This story includes
pictures and video of VISAR in action.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast31aug_1.htm?list 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 171 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Sep  1, 2000 (14:21) * 15 lines
A Close Encounter with a Space Rock

NASA Science News for September 01, 2000

This morning a half-kilometer wide space rock is
zooming past Earth barely 12 times farther from
our planet than the Moon. In cosmic terms, it's a
near miss, but there is absolutely no danger of a
collision. Instead, the encounter offers
astronomers an unusually good opportunity to
study a near-Earth asteroid.

FULL STORY at
http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast01sep_1.htm?list 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 172 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Sep  6, 2000 (14:19) * 12 lines
Sunbathing at Solar Maximum

NASA Science News for September 05, 2000

NASA scientists say that Solar Maximum is now in
full swing. Does that mean you're more likely to
catch a sunburn at the beach? The answer is
"no," and this story explains why.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast05sep_1.htm?list 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 173 of 866:  (sprin5) * Wed, Sep  6, 2000 (14:24) * 1 lines
It's very hot in Austin right now, two days ago was the hottest day in history, About 110. And we're in solar max to boot!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 174 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Sep  6, 2000 (14:36) * 1 lines
I noted it was 112 in Austin tying the all time record and 115 in San Antonio. That is not civilized!!! How does that feel?? Instant mummification??!!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 175 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Sep  8, 2000 (19:55) * 15 lines
Ozone Hole Update

NASA Science News for September 08, 2000

Antarctica's ozone hole now covers an area three
times larger than the entire land mass of the
United States - the largest such ozone-depleted
region ever observed.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast08sep_1.htm?list


There is a graphic: http://www.spring.net/yapp-bin/restricted/read/Geo/4.2

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 176 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Sep  8, 2000 (20:35) * 18 lines
Audacious & Outrageous: Space Elevators

NASA Science News for September 07, 2000

Science-fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke was once
asked when the "space elevator," a
notion he helped to popularize, would become a
reality. Clarke answered, "Probably about 50
years after everybody quits laughing."
Nowadays NASA scientists are taking the idea
seriously. In fact, they've compiled plans that
could turn the space elevators of science fiction
into a real-life mass transportation system to
space by the end of the 21st century.

FULL STORY at
http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast07sep_1.htm?list 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 177 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Sep 12, 2000 (00:49) * 13 lines
Watch Out for the Harvest Moon

NASA Science News for September 11, 2000

The Harvest Moon, arguably the most famous Full
Moon of the year, arrives on Wednesday, Sept.
13th. Check out this story to discover what
makes the Harvest Moon special and to ponder the
possibility of Harvest Moons on another planet.

FULL STORY at
http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast11sep_2.htm?list 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 178 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Sep 12, 2000 (00:55) * 20 lines
Where did all the sunspots go?

Space Weather News for Sept 12, 2000
http://www.spaceweather.com

Telescopes monitoring the Sun recorded something extraordinary yesterday
-- the solar disk was nearly devoid of spots. With solar maximum in full
swing, the Boulder sunspot number dropped to its lowest value of the year.
In spite of the "blank Sun," our planet could be in for a bit of space
weather on Tuesday if, as expected, a solar coronal mass ejection that
left the Sun on Saturday strikes a glancing blow to Earth's magnetosphere.
The impact could trigger modest geomagnetic activity.

In other space weather news, astronomers have discovered a bright Near
Earth Asteroid that will pass by our planet on Sept. 17. Amateur
astronomers can monitor the fast-moving space rock in 8-inch or larger
telescopes.

For more information, please visit http://SpaceWeather.com 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 179 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sun, Sep 17, 2000 (13:06) * 20 lines
Three Coronal Mass Ejections and a Near-Earth Asteroid

Space Weather News for Sept. 17, 2000
http://www.spaceweather.com

No fewer than 3 coronal mass ejections appear to be heading toward Earth
following solar eruptions on Friday and Saturday. The CMEs could trigger
aurora at middle-latitudes when they arrive during the next few days. We
invite aspiring aurora photographers to visit our online aurora gallery,
which includes photo settings that worked well during the geomagnetic
storm of August 12, 2000.

Also, the bright Near-Earth asteroid 2000 RD53 will fly by our planet on
September 17, barely 11 times farther away than the Moon. Amateur
astronomers with 8 inch or larger telescopes can spot the space rock as it
zooms by. (Note: There is no relationship between the asteroid and the
CMEs.)

For more information please visit http://www.spaceweather.com 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 180 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Sep 21, 2000 (23:48) * 15 lines
A Good Month for Asteroids

NASA Science News for September 20, 2000

September has been a good month for astronomers
studying Near-Earth asteroids (NEAs). No fewer
than five sizable minor planets have flown past
our planet since the beginning of the month,
affording astronomers a close-up look at these
ever-scary space rocks.

FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast20sep_1.htm?list 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 181 of 866: What's happenin' in the news? (sprin5) * Fri, Sep 22, 2000 (10:42) * 8 lines

from the cool astronomy picture of the day site,



\ src="http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0009/spirograph_heritage.jpg">


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 182 of 866: What's happenin' in the news? (sprin5) * Fri, Sep 22, 2000 (10:44) * 6 lines
http://www.heavens-above.com/

GSOC satellite tracking pages, good stuff!

Tells you when to spot the shuttle, Mir, and other satellites.


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 183 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Sep 22, 2000 (17:25) * 1 lines
Thanks for that...it is a great url to add to the bookmark list!!! I have used it to watch them go overhead. You can really see them just after it gets dark in the evening and same with the morning!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 184 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Sep 22, 2000 (20:17) * 17 lines
HAPPY AUTUMNAL EQUINOX

Interplanetary Fall

NASA Science News for September 22, 2000

Today Earth joins two other worlds in the solar
system where it is northern autumn. Read this
story to learn more about Earth's September
equinox and to ponder the bizarre seasons of
other planets.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast22sep_1.htm?list89800 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 185 of 866: Cheryl  (CherylB) * Sat, Sep 23, 2000 (10:21) * 1 lines
I'm a day late, but I hope everyone (in the Northern Hemisphere) did have a Happy Autumnal Equinox. For those south of the Equator it was, of course, their Vernal Equinox.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 186 of 866: Carys  (Carys) * Sat, Sep 23, 2000 (10:23) * 1 lines
What about the people that live on the Equator? I quess everyday is pretty much the Equinox for them.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 187 of 866: Cheryl  (CherylB) * Sat, Sep 23, 2000 (10:28) * 1 lines
It might be. Maybe Marcia can clear up what it would be.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 188 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sun, Sep 24, 2000 (21:53) * 3 lines
Since it is "an imaginary line" encircling the globe - much like other latitude and logitude lines - it is likely and "imaginary" equinox! Can one stand on an imaginary line since it is just there - no width, no depth? Hmmm...Virtually, perhaps?

I am devoid of incoming mail so I am back to using telnet to Hawaii on Line and Pine for email. The virtual stone age is back. They are going to get a call from me in the morning!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 189 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Sep 28, 2000 (20:58) * 14 lines
Mail returned to normal...

Bright Planets and Random Meteors

NASA Science News for September 28, 2000

This week's new Moon sets the stage for a
"sporadic" meteor show featuring a cast
of eye-catching stars and planets.

FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast28sep_1.htm?list 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 190 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Oct  2, 2000 (18:24) * 14 lines
Peering into the Ozone Hole

NASA Science News for October 02, 2000

Concentrations of ozone-destroying gases are
down, but the Antarctic ozone hole is bigger than
ever. It turns out there's more to ozone
destruction than just CFCs.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast02oct_1.htm?list89800 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 191 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Oct 10, 2000 (21:19) * 14 lines
The Moonlit Leonids 2000

NASA Science News for October 10, 2000

Our planet is heading for a minefield of cosmic
dust streams laid down by periodic comet
Tempel-Tuttle. The result could be a series of
meteor outbursts on Nov. 17 and 18, 2000.

FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast10oct_1.htm?list

---

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 192 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Oct 12, 2000 (18:59) * 14 lines
Sun Sample Return Mission Nears Launch

NASA Science News for October 12, 2000

The science payload for NASA's Genesis
spacecraft, which will collect samples of the
solar wind and return them to Earth, is now
complete.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast12oct_1.htm?list89800 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 193 of 866:  (sprin5) * Fri, Oct 13, 2000 (07:37) * 1 lines
Aren't they going to do some work on the space station, also?

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 194 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Oct 13, 2000 (13:28) * 1 lines
I think that is also planned. Provinding they can move around in there once it is entirely stocked. Sounds claustrophobic... They will be in the direct path of solar wind and it behooves them to study it, certainly!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 195 of 866: What's happenin' in the news? (sprin5) * Mon, Oct 16, 2000 (05:10) * 1 lines
I guess the 100th Shuttle is up there now, right?

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 196 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Oct 16, 2000 (14:27) * 19 lines
Shuttle finally got off the ground after the hurricane and mysterious pin kept it grounded. Check NASA tv to watch their goings-on
http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/countdown/video/video45m.html

Backyard Gamma-ray Bursts

NASA Science News for October 16, 2000

With the successful launch of NASA's HETE-2
satellite, amateur astronomers will soon be able
to spot the most powerful explosions in the
Universe from the comfort of their own back
yards. Professionals are also looking forward to
the new data, which they hope will unravel the
mysteries of gamma-ray bursts.

FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast16oct_1.htm?list 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 197 of 866:  (sprin5) * Tue, Oct 17, 2000 (07:14) * 1 lines
Number 100?

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 198 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Oct 26, 2000 (21:15) * 9 lines
A Close Encounter with Asteroid Eros

NASA Science News for October 26, 2000 5:00:00 PM

NASA's NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft swooped 5 kilometers above the surface of 433 Eros on Oct 26th, marking its closest-ever approach to the tumbling space rock. Scientists hope the flyby will uncover clues about extra boulders and missing craters on the near-Earth asteroid.

FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast26oct_2.htm?list89800

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 199 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Oct 26, 2000 (21:19) * 1 lines
Think so the 100th shuttle mission...and back down again.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 200 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Oct 31, 2000 (16:44) * 9 lines
Trick or Treat: It's Toutatis!

NASA Science News for October 31, 2000

NASA scientists are monitoring a large near-Earth asteroid that tumbled past our planet on the morning of Halloween 2000. Amateur astronomers can spot it for themselves in telescopes later this month and through binoculars when it passes even closer to Earth in Sept. 2004.

FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast31oct_1.htm?list89800

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 201 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Nov  2, 2000 (21:58) * 8 lines
Water on the Space Station

NASA Science News for November 2, 2000

Rationing and recycling will be an essential part of life on the newly-populated International Space Station. In this article, the first of a series about the challenges of living in orbit, Science@NASA explores where the crew will get their water and how they will (re)use it.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast02nov_1.htm?list89800

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 202 of 866:  (sprin5) * Fri, Nov  3, 2000 (07:01) * 1 lines
They picked the callsign "alpha" in a jublilant video conference to Mission HQ. It's the beginning of man in space for perhaps the rest of history, there may never be a time when man is not in space from now on.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 203 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Nov  7, 2000 (15:27) * 9 lines
Much Ado about 2000 SG344

NASA Science News for November 7, 2000

Later this century a relic from NASA's earliest space exploration efforts might return to Earth, if current estimates are confirmed. The near-Earth object, which follows an orbit almost identical to our planet's, looks like an asteroid but may be an Apollo-era rocket booster.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast06nov_2.htm?list89800

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 204 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Nov  9, 2000 (11:28) * 18 lines
Space Weather News for Nov. 9, 2000
http://www.spaceweather.com

RADIATION STORM: High-energy particles are bombarding satellites this
morning after a solar eruption unleashed a strong radiation storm. Radio
blackouts and minor satellite glitches are possible while the storm
persists.

NEAR-EARTH ASTEROID 2000 UG11: A 250-meter asteroid zoomed past Earth on
Tuesday just 6 times farther from our planet than the Moon. New video
clips show the space rock racing through the sky on Nov. 1st - 7th.

AURORA BOREALIS: Geomagnetic storms on November 3rd and 6th triggered
widespread aurora. Pictures of the Northern Lights are now available on
SpaceWeather.com.

For more information and images please visit http://www.spaceweather.com 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 205 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Nov 10, 2000 (11:00) * 18 lines
Aurora Alert


Space Weather News for Nov. 9, 2000
http://www.spaceweather.com

The Nov. 8th solar eruption that triggered an ongoing radiation storm
around Earth also launched a coronal mass ejection (CME) that appears to
be heading in the direction of our planet. The CME raced away from the
Sun traveling faster than 2000 km/s and it could strike Earth's
magnetosphere late Friday or Saturday. Forecasters estimate a 25% chance
of severe geomagnetic storms at middle latitudes during the next 48 hours.
Stay tuned to http://spaceweather.com for continuing coverage.

Photographers who capture images of the aurora are invited to send them as
email attachments to webmaster@spaceweather.com for display on
SpaceWeather.com. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 206 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Nov 13, 2000 (17:37) * 9 lines
Breathing Easy on the Space Station

NASA Science News for November 13, 2000

Life support systems on the International Space Station provide oxygen, absorb carbon dioxide, and manage vaporous emissions from the astronauts themselves. It's all part of breathing easy in our new home in space.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast13nov_1.htm?list89800

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 207 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Nov 15, 2000 (18:14) * 18 lines
Wanted: Leonid Meteor Spotters

Space Weather News for Nov. 15, 2000
http://www.spaceweather.com

The 2000 Leonid meteor shower is just around the corner. Forecasters
expect at least two outbursts of shooting stars as Earth passes through
debris from comet Tempel-Tuttle this Friday and Saturday. Spaceweather.com
will post current meteor counts and reports from around the world
beginning Thursday and continuing through the end of the shower. We invite
all our readers to participate and report what they see. All you need are
clear skies! Visit http://www.spaceweather.com for more information and
observing tips.

And don't forget NASA's live webcast of the Leonids from the stratosphere!
Visit http://www.leonidslive.com for details. 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 208 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Nov 16, 2000 (18:22) * 10 lines
Lighting Up the Ecosphere

NASA Science News for Nov. 15, 2000

Using satellite images of city lights at night, NASA scientists are
mapping the spread of urban areas around the globe and monitoring their
impact on our planet's ecosystem. FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast15nov_1.htm 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 209 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Nov 17, 2000 (18:19) * 12 lines
Flowing Sand in Space

NASA Science News for Nov. 17, 2000

NASA scientists are sending sand into Earth orbit to learn more about how
soil behaves during earthquakes. Their results will help engineers build
safer structures on Earth and someday on other planets, too.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast17nov_1.htm 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 210 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Nov 22, 2000 (19:09) * 8 lines
A Solar Flare Stuns Stardust

NASA Science News for November 22, 2000

Earlier this month one of the most intense solar radiation storms in decades temporarily blinded NASA's Stardust spacecraft, which is heading for a rendezvous with comet Wild-2.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast22nov_1.htm?list89800

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 211 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Nov 24, 2000 (15:02) * 17 lines
Weekend Aurora Warning; Asteroid Toutatis Brightens
Space Weather News for Nov. 24, 2000
http://www.spaceweather.com

SOLAR FLARES: This morning, two powerful solar flares triggered an ongoing
radiation storm around Earth. The eruptions from a sunspot group near the
center of the Sun's visible disk also launched two coronal mass ejections
toward our planet. Sky watchers should be alert for aurora when the CMEs
strike Earth's magnetosphere later this weekend.

ASTEROIDS: Near-Earth asteroid Toutatis, which passed close to Earth on
Halloween, is actually brightening as it moves away from our planet.
Amateur astronomers can spot the space rock in 8- to 10-inch telescopes as
it reaches peak brightness next week.

For more information, visit http://www.SpaceWeather.com . 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 212 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Nov 27, 2000 (11:37) * 9 lines
Microscopic Stowaways on the ISS

NASA Science News for November 26, 2000

Wherever humans go microbes will surely follow, and the Space Station is no exception. In this article, NASA scientists discuss how astronauts on the ISS will keep potentially bothersome microorganisms under control.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast26nov_1.htm?list89800

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 213 of 866: Mike Griggs  (mikeg) * Mon, Nov 27, 2000 (11:51) * 1 lines
That was pretty interesting. It shows that there is so much more think about than you first realise when going into space. I always thought it was a case of piling five guys into a rocket and shooting them up to an orbiting spacecan. I guess it's not that simple...

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 214 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Nov 27, 2000 (13:51) * 1 lines
Nope, or we would have done it long ago... and a lot more guys would have died...

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 215 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Nov 29, 2000 (16:35) * 13 lines
Sky show tonight: a close encounter between Venus and the Moon

Space Weather News for Nov. 29, 2000
http://www.spaceweather.com

The recent spate of geomagnetic disturbances produced auroras mainly at
high latitudes. Middle- and low-latitude observers didn't see much in the
way of Northern Lights. But tonight there's a sky show that anyone can
enjoy: a dazzling close encounter between Venus and the crescent Moon.
Visit http://www.spaceweather.com for details about that and to view a
gallery of pictures captured during this week's geomagnetic storms. 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 216 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Dec  1, 2000 (01:18) * 9 lines
Far-out Housekeeping on the ISS

NASA Science News for November 29, 2000

Life in space is a daring adventure, but somebody still has to cook dinner and take out the trash. Science@NASA interviews two astronauts about the thrill and routine of daily life in orbit.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast29nov_1.htm?list89800

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 217 of 866:  (sprin5) * Fri, Dec  1, 2000 (07:03) * 1 lines
The ham satellite (the big one the hams have been waiting for) is succesfully up! Any news on this Marci?

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 218 of 866: Mike Griggs  (mikeg) * Sat, Dec  2, 2000 (09:35) * 1 lines
Oh, I forgot to mention, someone pointed out Jupiter to me when I was in Japan. Is it possible to see Jupiter with the naked eye??? I was unconvinced but secretly impressed :-)

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 219 of 866: What's happenin' in the news? (sprin5) * Sat, Dec  2, 2000 (12:43) * 1 lines
Of course it is, Jupiter can be very visible.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 220 of 866: Mike Griggs  (mikeg) * Sat, Dec  2, 2000 (15:49) * 1 lines
Well I wasn't sure :-) Cool, I've seen Jupiter :-)

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 221 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Dec  4, 2000 (19:45) * 0 lines 
 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 222 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Dec  4, 2000 (19:52) * 2 lines
Get a cheap pair of binoculars, Mike - you can see the four Galillean moons easily. And, they change from night to night as you
watch them orbit!!!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 223 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Dec  4, 2000 (19:54) * 9 lines
EO-1: It's not just a good idea, it's the law!

NASA Science News for December 4, 2000

NASA's Earth Observing-1 satellite blasted off last week with a payload of new instruments that could revolutionize remote sensing. The work of the new satellite is regarded as so important it's actually required by law.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast04dec_1.htm?list89800

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 224 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Dec  4, 2000 (19:56) * 9 lines
Sedimentary Mars

NASA Science News for December 4, 2000 4:00:00 PM

New Mars Global Surveyor images reveal sedimentary rock layers on the Red Planet that may have formed underwater in the distant martian past.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast04dec_2.htm?list89800

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 225 of 866: What's happenin' in the news? (sprin5) * Tue, Dec  5, 2000 (07:42) * 1 lines
So, they're debating how much water may have been on Mars, and whether the liquid was water (probably), these sedimentary layers were found on the giant canyon that would stretch from NY to California. They should drop the next lander in this sediment!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 226 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Dec  5, 2000 (15:01) * 2 lines
..but only if they are sure it would be able to hear their commands. We lost the last one that way... I'd like a specimen for my collection, thank you!!!
Santa,I have been naughty but soooo nice this year...

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 227 of 866:  (sprin5) * Wed, Dec  6, 2000 (08:37) * 1 lines
The best of both worlds, right? Which is more important, this sedimentary area or the ice cap areas where there may be water for a landing? And when is the next Mars launch?

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 228 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Dec  6, 2000 (14:55) * 11 lines
I'll let you know when I know - stay tuned...

A Disintegrating Glacier

NASA Science News for December 6, 2000

Recent satellite images reveal two new icebergs floating off the Antarctic coast. The icy behemoths are fragments of the Ninnis Glacier.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast05dec_1.htm?list89800

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 229 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Dec  6, 2000 (15:05) * 3 lines
Latest Mars updates are available at

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 230 of 866: Mike Griggs  (mikeg) * Wed, Dec  6, 2000 (17:27) * 7 lines
Get a cheap pair of binoculars, Mike - you can see the four Galillean moons easily. And, they change from night to night as you
watch them orbit!!!


That is cool, Marcia!! When I was in school I dropped Astro so that I could concentrate on other stuff (like smashing rocks to pieces with hammers and blowing up alternate universes with Quantum singularities... :-)

I should definitely start checking out the sky a bit more. Trouble is it means going outside at night when it's all cold. Still, I guess in the summer it could be a joint trip with one of my lady friends.... :-)


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 231 of 866:  (sprin5) * Wed, Dec  6, 2000 (19:57) * 1 lines
One of the brightest objects in the sky will be the space station with the solar panels unfurled. Has anyone seen this yet or does anyone know a website for times, dates to view it?

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 232 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Dec  7, 2000 (00:31) * 8 lines
Terry, I posted the satellite tracking and spotting of ISS back a few...

for all satellites:
http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/RealTime/JTrack/

For ISS and such:
http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/RealTime/JTrack/Spacecraft.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 233 of 866:  (sprin5) * Thu, Dec  7, 2000 (07:38) * 1 lines
Cool, I'll check it out, have you seen it yet?

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 234 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Dec  8, 2000 (15:57) * 4 lines
ISS updates
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/ops/stage4a/status.html

This is Shuttle mission 97

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 235 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Dec  8, 2000 (15:58) * 0 lines 
 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 236 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Dec  8, 2000 (16:01) * 5 lines
Have not yet seeen it. The last time I looked I saw the space junk re-entry. That was REALLY neat!!! ISS seems to orbit so they are over Hawaii
quite frequently, so I'll hunt again. Did see the Shuttle and MIR linked up - brilliant like Venus!!! 




 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 237 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Dec  8, 2000 (16:26) * 20 lines
Pass the Can Opener, Please
In early December engineers in Waco, Texas, will cut a hole big
enough to drive a truck through in the aft fuselage of a 747SP
jumbo jet. It's a key step in converting the airliner into the
Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA),
whose 2.5-meter (98-inch) telescope will peer at the heavens
from an altitude of 41,000 feet beginning in 2003.

A Yuletide Partial Solar Eclipse
During the partial eclipse of the Sun on December 25, 2000,
the Moon passes slightly north of the Sun's center as seen from
nearly all parts of North America south of the Arctic Circle.

A Passing Affair
Cassini will pass 9.8 million km from Jupiter, en route to Saturn,
on December 30th. 





 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 238 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Dec  8, 2000 (16:33) * 9 lines
The Baffling Geminid Meteor Shower

NASA Science News for December 8, 2000

Most meteor showers are caused by comets, but the Geminid meteor shower, which peaks next Wednesday morning, seems to come from a curious near-Earth asteroid.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast08dec_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 239 of 866: What's happenin' in the news? (sprin5) * Sat, Dec  9, 2000 (10:06) * 1 lines
Curious indeed!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 240 of 866: Cheryl  (CherylB) * Sat, Dec  9, 2000 (10:23) * 3 lines
Marcia, maybe Santa Claus will bring you that Martian rock for Christmas this year. Do you have a Lunar rock to go with it? Just kidding.

On the disintergrating glazier, a few years ago an iceberg broke off the Anarctic Ice Shelf that was slightly smaller than the state of Rhode Island. Suffice to say, it was easily visible from space.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 241 of 866:  (sprin5) * Sat, Dec  9, 2000 (12:18) * 1 lines
It's probably still afloat?

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 242 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Dec  9, 2000 (23:23) * 1 lines
That, or fused into the polar ice sheet next winter....

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 243 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sun, Dec 10, 2000 (17:08) * 24 lines
NEWSALERT: Sunday, December 10, 2000 @ 0557 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED, SHUTTLE DEPARTS STATION
---------------------------------------------
With hugs and handshakes, the Endeavour astronauts bid farewell to the crew of space station Alpha Saturday, closed hatches between the two spacecraft and undocked to wind up an edge-of-the-seat mission to install a huge set of solar arrays.
http://spaceflightnow.com/ops/stage4a/001209fd10/
Follow the mission's progress in our status center:
http://spaceflightnow.com/ops/stage4a/status.html
Watch video clip of shuttle crew departing station:
http://spaceflightnow.com/ops/stage4a/video/001209farewell_qt.html

FOUR ADDITIONAL MOONS DISCOVERED ORBITING SATURN
------------------------------------------------
An unprecedented surge in planetary moon discoveries continued this week as astronomers reported the discovery of four more moons orbiting Saturn, bringing the total number of moons found around the planet since October to ten.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0012/10saturnmoons/

DELAYED ARIANE 4 ROCKET LAUNCH RESET FOR MONDAY
-----------------------------------------------
After a postponement to double-check the rocket's nose cone, Arianespace has rescheduled the flight of Ariane 4 launcher carrying the Eurasiasat 1 communications satellite for Monday evening from South America.
http://spaceflightnow.com/ariane/v137/status.html 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 244 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Dec 12, 2000 (16:58) * 10 lines
The Incredible Shrinking Ozone Hole

NASA Science News for December 12, 2000

After reaching record-breaking proportions earlier this year the ozone hole over Antarctica has made a surprisingly hasty retreat.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast12dec_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 245 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Dec 14, 2000 (19:35) * 11 lines
Christmas Eclipse

NASA Science News for December 14, 2000


A solar eclipse is coming on Christmas Day, 2000. The winter landscape across parts of North America will assume an eerie cast, and cooler-than-usual winds might swirl, as the New Moon glides across the face of the Yuletide Sun.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast15dec_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 246 of 866:  (sprin5) * Fri, Dec 15, 2000 (07:59) * 15 lines




src="http://a799.ms.akamai.net/7/799/388/a22603ce3aeabf/www.msnbc.com/news/719513.jpg"
align="left">
This Mars life story is *new*, as reported by MSNBC today. "Dec. 13 — A
new scientific report offers compelling evidence that primitive life
existed on Mars, NASA says. Researchers report that tiny magnetite
crystals, identical to those used by aqueous bacteria on Earth as
compasses to find food and energy, have been found in the Martian
meteorite ALH84001."



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 247 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Dec 15, 2000 (12:55) * 5 lines
Really nice!!!! Thank you Big Time for posting that image! 





 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 248 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Dec 15, 2000 (12:56) * 19 lines
NEWSALERT: Friday, December 15, 2000 @ 1612 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

HUBBLE SEES SATELLITE FOOTPRINTS IN JUPITER AURORA
--------------------------------------------------
Check out a spectacular Hubble Space Telescope close-up view of an electric-blue aurora that is eerily glowing one half billion miles away on the giant planet Jupiter. Auroras are curtains of light resulting from high-energy electrons racing along the planet's magnetic field into the upper atmosphere.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0012/15hubble/

UNIVERSE'S MOST MASSIVE SPIRAL GALAXY REVEALED
----------------------------------------------
The most massive spiral galaxy known so far in the Universe has been discovered by a team of astronomers. This galaxy is located at a distance of approximately 6 billion light-years and its measured mass is more than 1,000 billion times that of the Sun.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0012/15spiral/

TWIN TELESCOPES POISED TO EXPLORE STRUCTURE OF UNIVERSE
-------------------------------------------------------
More than 300 people traveled thousands of miles to a remote mountaintop in Chile for the dedication of two of the most powerful survey instruments ever built: the Baade and the Clay 6.5-meter reflecting telescopes.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0012/15carnegie/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 249 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Dec 15, 2000 (18:49) * 12 lines
Weekend Aurora Watch

Space Weather News for Dec. 14, 2000
http://www.spaceweather.com

A coronal mass ejection that left the Sun on Thursday appears to be
heading for Earth. The disturbance could trigger aurora late Saturday or
(more likely) Sunday when it strikes our planet's magnetosphere. For
details and animations please visit http://www.spaceweather.com . 




 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 250 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Dec 16, 2000 (12:17) * 22 lines
NEWSALERT: Saturday, December 16, 2000 @ 0520 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

CHINA PLEDGES DEVELOPMENT OF MANNED SPACE PROGRAM
-------------------------------------------------
China is poised to launch the second test flight of its Shenzhou spacecraft -- an orbiter capable of carrying an astronaut into space -- a Chinese official said this week in his year-end press briefing in Washington.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0012/15china/


STATION CREW AWAITS SPARE PARTS FOR AIR SCRUBBER
------------------------------------------------
The international space station's air purification system is working smoothly, NASA's lead flight director said Friday. But unexpected equipment failures during the crew's first six weeks in space have left the astronauts just one failure away from a possible forced evacuation.
http://spaceflightnow.com/ops/stage4a/001216scrubber/


KENNEDY SPACE CENTER CELEBRATES ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF 2000
-------------------------------------------------------
During the past year, NASA's Kennedy Space Center began an ambitious schedule of Space Shuttle launches as construction of the International Space Station shifted into high gear, plus managed six rocket launches and formed partnerships across the board.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0012/16ksc2000/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 251 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Dec 16, 2000 (19:20) * 3 lines
CHRISTMAS SOLAR ECLIPSE

http://www.skypub.com/sights/eclipses/solar/001225partial.html

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 252 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Dec 18, 2000 (00:02) * 9 lines
Learning from Lightning

NASA Science News for December 17, 2000

Little by little, lightning sensors in space are revealing the inner workings of severe storms. Scientists hope to use the technique to improve forecasts of deadly weather.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast17dec_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 253 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Dec 19, 2000 (22:15) * 23 lines
Geomagnetic activity alert + near-Earth asteroid news

Space Weather News for Dec. 19, 2000
http://www.spaceweather.com


METEORS & AURORA: Sky watchers who venture outside to view the Ursid
meteor shower Thursday night or Friday morning might also spot aurora
borealis. A coronal mass ejection that left the Sun on Monday is likely
to buffet Earth's magnetosphere later this week. Forecasters estimate a
20% chance of severe geomagnetic activity when the CME arrives.


NEAR-EARTH ASTEROIDS: A newly-discovered near-Earth asteroid, 2000 YA,
will pass just two lunar distances from Earth on Dec. 22nd. There's no
danger of a collision, say scientists, but the small space rock will be
near enough to see through large amateur telescopes or through small
telescopes equipped with CCD cameras.

For more information, images and animations, please visit
http://www.spaceweather.com 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 254 of 866:  (sprin5) * Wed, Dec 20, 2000 (09:00) * 10 lines
There was a very interesting piece this morning on NPR on the Saturn moon,
Euuropa. It seems there may be water beneath the ice that may support
life. Even though the sun's energy is very distant, there is some kind of
gravitational tide effect from Saturn and other moons that may be enough
to generate higher temperatures and enable liquids under the icy surface.
There is some kind of underwater sub expedition planned by NASA in the
next 10 years. This could be an exciting development, I haven't searched
o the net yet, but I'm sure there's more out there on this, on NPR.org's
site for sure.


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 255 of 866:  (sprin5) * Wed, Dec 20, 2000 (09:06) * 5 lines
Correction, substitute Jupiter for Saturn. Big detail.

EUROPA & HOW LIFE BEGINS $

NPR's Richard Harris explores what it would take for life to begin elsewhere in the solar system. Pictures released yesterday of Jupiter's moon Europa suggest that the chemicals necessary for life may exist in large frozen oceans there -- just waiting for the right conditions to sprout life. On Earth, oceanographers think that life may have begun in a similar primordial soup at the bottom of the ocean. They're looking at unique heat-resistant organisms that live next to hot-gas vents on the ocean floor. 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 256 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Dec 20, 2000 (13:20) * 1 lines
I posted that bit of info in Geo 24 - the astronomy topic update. Fascinating stuff! (...and we knew which planet you meant *hugs*) 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 257 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Dec 20, 2000 (17:02) * 9 lines
Martian Micro-Magnets

NASA Science News for December 20, 2000

Certain types of bacteria on Earth are atomic engineers -- atom by atom they build tiny magnetic crystals to help themselves follow our planet's magnetic field. Now scientists have found such crystals in an unlikely place: a martian meteorite!

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast20dec_1.htm?list89800

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 258 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Dec 22, 2000 (19:57) * 10 lines
Watching the Angry Sun

NASA Science News for December 22, 2000

As the Sun's stormy season approaches its zenith, solar scientists have the best seat in the house, using the largest coordinated fleet of spacecraft and ground observatories ever assembled to observe angry outbursts of solar radiation.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast22dec_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 259 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Dec 22, 2000 (20:47) * 23 lines
A meteor outburst, after all....

Space Weather News for Dec. 22, 2000
http://www.spaceweather.com


METEORS: Sky watchers in Europe and on the US west coast spotted a modest
outburst of Ursid meteors Thursday night. Astronomers had hoped for a
more impressive display, but the flurry of faint shooting stars was
nevertheless welcomed because it confirmed a new model of cometary debris
streams.


AURORA WATCH: Conditions may be favorable for high-latitude auroras
tonight. The interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) near Earth turned
sharply southward after a solar wind disturbance arrived in the
neighborhood of our planet. South-pointing IMFs make our magnetosphere
more vulnerable than usual to solar wind gusts -- additional gusts could
trigger Northern Lights.

For more information visit http://www.spaceweather.com 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 260 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sun, Dec 24, 2000 (20:35) * 47 lines
NEWSALERT: Monday, December 25, 2000 @ 0050 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

AN OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD HOLIDAY GREETING
-------------------------------------
The international space station crew offer the people of planet Earth greetings for the holiday season in a message from their orbiting home 235 miles up. The three men are the first residents of the new station, beginning what is planned to be a continuous human presence in space for the 21st century.
Watch video message:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a/video/001224greetings_qt.html
Astronauts report first Santa sighting:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a/video/001224santa_qt.html

CARGO SHIP SET FOR REDOCKING TO SPACE STATION
---------------------------------------------
Spaceflight Now will have complete live coverage of Tuesday's redocking of the Progress M1-4 cargo freighter to the international space station. Cosmonaut Yuri Gidzenko will manually guide the craft to the orbital linkup using two joysticks and a television picture.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

See our timeline of the redocking sequence:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a/fdf/redocking.html

RARE CHRISTMAS ECLIPSE VIEWABLE IN NORTH AMERICA
------------------------------------------------
On Christmas Day, step outside and get a rare Christmas present-a partial solar eclipse! Sky watchers living in the continental United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean will have a perfect view of the partially eclipsed Sun.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0012/24eclipse/

SANTA BECOMES TEST PILOT AT FLORIDA'S SHUTTLE LANDING SITE
----------------------------------------------------------
Not only does Santa Claus know when you are sleeping or awake -- bad or good, he also knows with pinpoint accuracy the exact location of each planned delivery stop. With newly-installed GPS on his sleigh, Santa plans to fly by the Kennedy Space Center to test his space-age equipment.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0012/24santaslf/

OBSERVATIONS CONFIRM THE UNIVERSE WAS HOTTER IN PAST
----------------------------------------------------
A fundamental prediction of the Big Bang theory has finally been verified. For the first time, an actual measurement has been made of the temperature of the cosmic microwave background radiation, at a time when the Universe was only about 2.5 billion years old.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0012/24vlthot/

SCIENTISTS DELIGHTED BY FIRST IMAGES FROM EO-1 SATELLITE
--------------------------------------------------------
Scientists have seen the first images from NASA's Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) spacecraft launched last month and now flying in formation with the Landsat 7 satellite. Researchers say they are excited with the performance of the instruments on the EO-1 technology demonstrator.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0012/23eo1first/


SPACEHAB RESEARCH MODULE TO FLY ON '02 SHUTTLE MISSION
------------------------------------------------------
A commercial Spacehab Research Double Module will be flown aboard a space shuttle in 2002 for a NASA science flight. Spacehab is marketing a portion of space in the module to commercial users, including other national space agencies.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0012/23sts112/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 261 of 866: Curious Wolfie  (wolf) * Mon, Dec 25, 2000 (15:29) * 1 lines
too bad it's rainy here, we won't be able to witness the christmas eclipse *frown*

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 262 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Dec 25, 2000 (15:53) * 1 lines
check in Geo 24 for my ex's Pennsylvania shots.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 263 of 866: Curious Wolfie  (wolf) * Mon, Dec 25, 2000 (16:23) * 1 lines
did, thanks sweetie! *HUGS*

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 264 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Dec 25, 2000 (17:35) * 2 lines
Merry Christmas Dear - and *Happy Hugs* to go with it. What was your surprise???
(We need to talk, I think)

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 265 of 866: Curious Wolfie  (wolf) * Mon, Dec 25, 2000 (18:18) * 1 lines
yes--did you get my msn invite? (for IM?)

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 266 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Dec 25, 2000 (18:29) * 1 lines
nope!!! I'll send you one!!! I had this problem with B earlier.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 267 of 866:  (sprin5) * Tue, Dec 26, 2000 (05:35) * 1 lines
Wolfie, I was in up in your 'hood yesterday, Shey and I went to Tyler to see mjy dad, but we had a short visit as we were trying to get home before any of the heavy weather predicted for today.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 268 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Dec 26, 2000 (13:45) * 30 lines
NEWSALERT: Tuesday, December 26, 2000 @ 1510 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

BRIEF LOSS OF CONTACT RAISES FEARS ABOUT MIR STATION
-----------------------------------------------------
Contact with the unmanned Russian Mir space station was briefly
lost today. While normal communications later were restored,
the incident heightened concern about the Russians' ability to
precisely control the abandoned station's upcoming re-entry and
breakup.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0012/26mir/

CARGO SHIP REDOCKS TO INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
-------------------------------------------------
Cosmonaut Yuri Gidzenko remotely piloted an unmanned Progress supply ship to a trouble-free manual redocking with the international space station today as the two spacecraft sailed 230 miles above Mongolia. Includes video clips.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a/001226redock/

OCEAN-HARBORING MOON GANYMEDE SEEN BY CASSINI
---------------------------------------------
The solar system's largest moon, Ganymede, is captured here alongside the planet Jupiter in a color picture taken by NASA's Cassini spacecraft earlier this month at a distance of 16.5 million miles.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0012/26cassgany/

LAUNCH SCHEDULE
---------------
See our Tracking Station for a the latest listing of upcoming space launches for the New Year. http://spaceflightnow.com/tracking/ 





 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 269 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Dec 26, 2000 (16:05) * 15 lines
Solar Eclipse Pictures

Space Weather News for Dec. 26, 2000
http://www.spaceweather.com


If bad weather, over-sleeping, or simply not living in North America
prevented you from seeing the Christmas 2000 solar eclipse, now you have a
second chance. The SpaceWeather.com eclipse gallery features dozens of
images captured by sky watchers using everything from professional
hydrogen-alpha telescopes (that show sunspots and solar filaments) to
makeshift solar filters assembled from computer CDs. Visit
http://spaceweather.com for more... 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 270 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Dec 30, 2000 (00:08) * 24 lines
NEWSALERT: Saturday, December 30, 2000 @ 0505 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

CASSINI HAS CLOSE ENCOUNTER OF THE JOVIAN KIND TODAY
----------------------------------------------------
NASA's Cassini space probe makes its 6-million mile flyby of Jupiter today at 1012 GMT (5:12 a.m. EST). The encounter acts as a gravity-assisted sling-shot, boosting the craft's speed by 2,500 mph to over 30,000 mph for its continued trek to Saturn. We'll have a wrap up story following a news conference later today.
http://spaceflightnow.com/cassini/

CASSINI EYES JUPITER'S CLOUDS IN GREAT DETAIL
---------------------------------------------
Images taken by NASA's Cassini spacecraft using three different filters reveal cloud structures and movements at different depths in the atmosphere around Jupiter's south pole.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0012/30cassclouds/

HEAVY DOSE OF RADIATION CAUSES GALILEO GLITCHES
-----------------------------------------------
NASA's Galileo spacecraft passed through the highest radiation environment it will experience in its current orbit of Jupiter late Thursday. The exposure caused an alarm from the probe's camera system and a computer reset in another portion of the spacecraft.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0012/30galileorad/

SPACE STATION RESIDENTS GIVE NEW YEAR'S MESSAGE
-----------------------------------------------
The Alpha astronauts beamed down New Year's greetings Friday, saying "let the real space odyssey 2001 proceed." Commander William Shepherd, flight engineer Sergei Krikalev and Soyuz pilot Yuri Gidzenko fielded questions from reporters in an early morning communications session, saying they plan to mark the arrival of the new year with at least one - and probably two - special meals. (Includes video clip!)
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a/001229greet01/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 271 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Dec 30, 2000 (13:34) * 10 lines
Galileo Looks for Auroras on Ganymede

NASA Science News for December 28, 2000

NASA's durable Galileo spacecraft flew above the solar system's largest moon this morning in search of extraterrestrial Northern Lights -- a telltale sign of Ganymede's unique magnetic field.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast28dec_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 272 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Dec 30, 2000 (18:12) * 62 lines
New color movie stars Jupiter's clouds / Galileo's dark encount

NEWSALERT: Thursday, December 28, 2000 @ 0525 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now


CASSINI MAKES FIRST COLOR MOVIE OF JUPITER'S CLOUDS
---------------------------------------------------
Imagery from NASA's Cassini spacecraft has been used to generate this first color movie of Jupiter's horizontal bands of clouds from the Saturn-bound probe. The orange and white bands slide in opposite directions from each other and a swirl of winds gyrate around Jupiter's Great Red Spot.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0012/28jupmovie/


GALILEO HAS DARK ENCOUNTER WITH JOVIAN MOON GANYMEDE
----------------------------------------------------
NASA's intrepid Galileo spacecraft zips past Ganymede on Thursday for a unique close encounter that provides a chance to study the faint auroral glows on the solar system's largest moon. (Includes video clips!)

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0012/28ganyflyby/


MARTIAN WATER MAY BE ICE IN PLANET'S INTERIOR
---------------------------------------------
Liquid water that once flowed on the surface of Mars could now be locked up deep in the planet's interior as an unusual form of ice, scientists reported earlier this month.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0012/28marsice/


SURPRISE SWITCH FOR MIR EMERGENCY CREW
--------------------------------------
Russian space managers have changed the makeup of a two-man cosmonaut crew on standby for a flight to the abandoned Mir space station in the event of any future emergency that might cause an uncontrolled re-entry.

http://spaceflightnow.com/mir/001227mircrew/


RESEARCHER PROPOSES DARING ASTEROID SAMPLE RETURN
-------------------------------------------------
In the wake of NASA's successful Near-Earth Asteroid Rendezvous space mission, a University of Arkansas researcher is putting together a team of scientists to take asteroid research to the next level -- bringing asteroid samples back to Earth.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0012/27asteroid/


CONTACT RESTORED WITH NEW AMATEUR RADIO SATELLITE
-------------------------------------------------
The amateur radio community received a welcome Christmas present Monday when workers were able to restore contact with the AMSAT-OSCAR 40 satellite that had been silent for nearly two weeks.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0012/27ao40/


IRIDIUM SATELLITES USED TO MAP GLOBAL SPACE WEATHER
---------------------------------------------------
Scientists are now able to simultaneously measure the magnetic and electrical fields over large areas of the ionosphere above the Earth's polar regions, allowing great improvement in the understanding and forecasting of global space weather and helping prevent disruption of communication and power systems.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0012/27iridiumsci/


RUSSIANS LAUNCH SIX COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITES
---------------------------------------------
A Ukrainian-made Tsyklon 3 rocket loaded with six Russian communications satellites blasted off Wednesday. The launch occurred at approximately 1900 GMT (2 p.m. EST) from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Northern Russia.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0012/27tsyklon/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 273 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Dec 30, 2000 (19:19) * 7 lines
More Cassini URLs

NASA Jupiter Millennium Flyby: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/jupiterflyby/

Cassini mission site: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/cassini

Cassini imaging science team: http://ciclops.lpl.arizona.edu/ 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 274 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Dec 30, 2000 (19:35) * 9 lines
Retreat of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet

NASA Science News for December 27, 2000

Scientists say that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is retreating more slowly than they thought. In fact, it may have been growing just 8,000 years ago -- long after the end of the most recent Ice Age.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast27dec_1.htm?list89800

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 275 of 866: What's happenin' in the news? (sprin5) * Tue, Jan  2, 2001 (09:40) * 1 lines
Wow, what a plethora of space news today. Great work, gleaning all this Marci!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 276 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jan  2, 2001 (14:07) * 13 lines
Get our your receivers tonight - over 100/hour expected!! I am delighted you find it interesting - lots of goodies in there!

Listen to the Quadrantids tonight

Space Weather News for January 2, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

The Quadrantid meteor shower will peak over North America before dawn on
Wednesday morning, January 3rd. No matter where you live you can listen
to the shower by tuning in to a radio meteor listening station at the NASA
Marshall Space Flight Center. The installation, located in Huntsville,
AL, is perfectly situated to detect a Quadrantid outburst. For more
information and realtime audio please visit http://www.spaceweather.com 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 277 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jan  2, 2001 (14:12) * 35 lines
NEWSALERT: Tuesday, January 2, 2000 @ 0541 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

STATION SKIPPER WRITES POEM TO USHER IN THE NEW YEAR
----------------------------------------------------
The international space station's Exedition One commander, Bill Shepherd, has written a poem capturing his thoughts and reflections, as he and Russian shipmates, Yuri Gidzenko and Sergei Krikalev, usher in 2001.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a/001231poem/

SHUTTLE ATLANTIS GOES FOR SIX HOUR RIDE TO PAD TODAY
----------------------------------------------------
Rolling along at speeds reaching one-mile per hour, space shuttle Atlantis will be transported from Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building to the seaside launch pad 39A after sunrise today. Atlantis is due for blastoff later this month on a space station assembly mission.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

DESPITE PUMMELING, EARLY EARTH CONDITIONS RIPE FOR LIFE
-------------------------------------------------------
Even during an extraordinarily violent era in Earth's early history, when our young planet was being whacked by asteroids and comets so frequently that scientists refer to it as "Late Heavy Bombardment," conditions most of the time at the Earth's surface were quite hospitable for the microbes that lived here, according to new research.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/01earlyearth/

SEA LAUNCH TO LOFT RADIO BROADCASTING SATELLITE
-----------------------------------------------
The Sea Launch command ship and Odyssey platform are sailing to the equatorial waters of the Pacific Ocean for next week's flight of a Zenit 3SL rocket with the first of two broadcasting spacecraft for XM Satellite Radio.
http://spaceflightnow.com/sealaunch/xm1/status.html

THERE WERE A LOT SPACE HEADLINES OVER THE HOLIDAYS!
---------------------------------------------------
Do you need to catch up on the news that occurred over the holidays? Check out our weekly archived reports for all the space headlines, including Cassini's beautiful pictures and movies of Jupiter from its recent flyby, the new fears about Mir, NASA's revived mission to Pluto and the latest with the international space station.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/breaking_archive.html

LAUNCH SCHEDULE
---------------
See our Tracking Station for a the latest listing of upcoming space launches for the New Year.
http://spaceflightnow.com/tracking/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 278 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jan  3, 2001 (17:11) * 10 lines
A New Look for the New Year

NASA Science News for January 3, 2001

The Science@NASA home page has a new look and we're pleased to offer a host of new services as well, including Spanish-language science stories ... and more!

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast03jan_1.htm?list89800
---

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 279 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jan  3, 2001 (17:14) * 29 lines
NEWSALERT: Wednesday, January 3, 2001 @ 0601 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLES IN DISTANT GALAXIES MEASURED
-----------------------------------------------------
Two astronomers at The University of Texas at Austin, working with an international team of collaborators, have shown that they can provide reliable measurements of black hole masses for active galactic nuclei such as quasars even at great distances.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/03holemeasure/

NEXT TEST FLIGHT OF CHINESE CAPSULE EXPECTED SOON
-------------------------------------------------
Amid much speculation regarding a possible launch date for China's second prototype manned spacecraft, called Shenzhou, the Hong Kong-based Wen Wei Po newspaper is reporting that workers are readying the spacecraft for a launch some time in early January, possibly this week.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/03china/

COMPUTER TROUBLE FORCES HALT TO ATLANTIS ROLLOUT
------------------------------------------------
A problem with the main computer inside the crawler-transporter Tuesday forced NASA to stop the rollout of space shuttle Atlantis from Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building to the seaside launch pad 39A. Atlantis was returned to the VAB for swap-out of the crawler. Rollout is now set for Wednesday.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a/010102rollout/

THERE WERE A LOT SPACE HEADLINES OVER THE HOLIDAYS!
---------------------------------------------------
Do you need to catch up on the news that occurred over the holidays? Check out our weekly archived reports for all the space headlines, including Cassini's beautiful pictures and movies of Jupiter from its recent flyby, the new fears about Mir, NASA's revived mission to Pluto and the latest with the international space station.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/breaking_archive.html

LAUNCH SCHEDULE
---------------
See our Tracking Station for a the latest listing of upcoming space launches for the New Year.
http://spaceflightnow.com/tracking/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 280 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jan  4, 2001 (14:58) * 9 lines
Earth at Perihelion

NASA Science News for January 4, 2001

This morning at 5 o'clock Eastern Standard time Earth made its annual closest approach to the Sun. Although sunlight falling on our planet is 7% more intense today than it is in July, northerners shouldn't expect any relief from winter.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast04jan_1.htm?list89800

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 281 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jan  5, 2001 (17:43) * 8 lines
The Case of the Missing Mars Water

NASA Science News for January 5, 2001

Plenty of clues suggest that liquid water once flowed on Mars --raising hopes that life could have arisen there-- but the evidence remains inconclusive and sometimes contradictory.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast05jan_1.htm?list89800

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 282 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Jan  6, 2001 (18:23) * 26 lines
Russian PM Orders Demise of Aged Mir Space Station - Jan 5 2001 7:01AM
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov has
signed a resolution ordering that the aged Mir space station be taken
out of orbit and sunk into the ocean early this year, the Russian space
agency said Friday.
A spokesman for space agency Rosaviakosmos said that Kasyanov
had signed the document on Dec. 30, formalizing a government
decision from November to take the nearly 15-year-old Mir, originally
intended to orbit Earth for just five years, out of service due to a lack
of funding.
The order calls for establishing a commission to determine how Mir will
be brought down, and also says that resources that had been
dedicated to the orbiter were to be focused on the $60 billion
International Space Station (ISS). The ISS, a 16-nation venture, uses
technology developed for Mir, which for years was the world's only
manned space station.
During its lifetime Mir helped Soviet and Russian cosmonauts set a
string of space endurance records that have been the nation's pride --
and the envy of the envy of the better-funded United States.
But in recent years a spate of mishaps dulled the revolutionary space
station's image, including a near-catastrophic collision with a cargo craft
and a communications failure on Christmas day last month that
sparked fears that Mir was spinning out of control.
U.S. space officials have pushed Russia to dump Mir, saying it drained
sparse resources that would be better spent on Russia's role in the
International Space Station. 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 283 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jan 11, 2001 (14:14) * 18 lines
Aurora Watch and Lunar Eclipse Photos

Space Weather News for January 11, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

AURORA WATCH: SOHO coronagraphs recorded a full-halo solar coronal mass
ejection (CME) on Wednesday that could hit Earth's magnetosphere by week's
end. Our planet is already inside a faster-than-usual solar wind stream
that could set the stage for auroras when the CME arrives. Visit
SpaceWeather.com for details and animations of the CME.

LUNAR ECLIPSE: While you're at spaceweather.com, check out our growing
gallery of images from Tuesday's total lunar eclipse. Pictures include
shots of the copper-colored Moon seen over Europe, Asia and the Middle
East as well as striking views of a partially-eclipsed Moon rising over
the eastern parts of the USA.

Visit http://www.spaceweather.com

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 284 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jan 11, 2001 (22:32) * 8 lines
Chandra Links Pulsar to Historic Supernova

NASA Science News for January 11, 2001

New evidence from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory suggests that a known pulsar is the present-day leftover from a stellar explosion witnessed by Chinese astronomers in 386 AD. The discovery could force astronomers to rethink what they know about the ages of neutron stars.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast11jan_1.htm?list89800

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 285 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jan 12, 2001 (22:33) * 8 lines
Ballooning for Cosmic Rays

NASA Science News for January 12, 2001 12:00:00 PM

Astronomers have long thought that supernovas are the source of Galactic cosmic rays, but there's a troubling discrepancy between theory and measurements. An ongoing balloon flight over Antarctica could shed new light on the mystery.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast15jan_1.htm?list89800

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 286 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sun, Jan 14, 2001 (16:33) * 18 lines
CME buffets Earth; Stardust flyby Monday morning
Space Weather News for January 13, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

AURORA WATCH: As expected, the leading edge of a coronal mass ejection
that billowed away from the Sun on January 10th reached our planet today.
Although conditions seemed favorable for auroras, the passing shock wave
did not trigger substantial geomagnetic activity.

STARDUST: On Monday morning, NASA's Stardust spacecraft will fly by Earth
for an orbit-altering gravity assist maneuver designed to send Stardust on
its way to comet Wild 2. Amateur astronomers with mid-sized or large
telescopes might be able to spot the spacecraft as it races by and
brightens, perhaps, to 10th or 12th magnitude.

Visit http://www.spaceweather.com for details. 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 287 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sun, Jan 14, 2001 (16:37) * 35 lines
NEWSALERT: Saturday, January 13, 2001 @ 0558 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

CHANDRA FINDS EVIDENCE OF BLACK HOLE 'EVENT HORIZONS'
-----------------------------------------------------
Astronomers have used NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory to study some of the darkest black holes yet observed. Their work strongly confirms the reality of the "event horizon," the one-way membrane around black holes predicted by Einstein's theory of relativity.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/13chandrahole/

REMAINS OF OUR GALAXY'S 'LAST MEAL' DISCOVERED
----------------------------------------------
A telltale bulge in the disk of the Milky Way galaxy may be the remnants of a smaller galaxy consumed billions of years ago as our galaxy formed, astronomers announced this week. The discovery may provide scientists with new data to support -- or challenge -- existing models of how galaxies are created.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/13galremains/

STARDUST'S BLURRY VISION FIXED AS CRAFT NEARS EARTH
---------------------------------------------------
As NASA's Stardust comet probe barrels towards Earth for a close encounter flyby on Monday, its navigation camera appears to be working again after an apparent post-launch contamination of the device.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/13stardustflyby/

NEWBORN STAR OFFERS INSIGHT INTO OUR SOLAR SYSTEM'S PAST
--------------------------------------------------------
Evidence that small dust grains are agglomerating into larger blocks inside a persistent shell of gas and dust around a young, nearby star is giving a team of astronomers a rare glimpse into the process that likely formed our solar system.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/13newborn/

EARLIER HEADLINES
-----------------
REPORT: U.S. NEEDS STRONGER DEFENSE ROLE IN SPACE
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/12milspace/

NEW IMAGES SHOW DETAIL OF NEIGHBOR GALAXY'S GAS
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/12galaxygas/

ROCKET STAGE REPLACEMENT ON TAP FOR SEA LAUNCH ZENIT
http://spaceflightnow.com/sealaunch/xm1/status.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 288 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sun, Jan 14, 2001 (18:57) * 8 lines
New Evidence for Black Holes

NASA Science News for January 12, 2001

By seeing almost nothing, astronomers say they've discovered something extraordinary: the event horizons of black holes in space.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast12jan_1.htm?list89800

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 289 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sun, Jan 14, 2001 (18:58) * 34 lines
NEWSALERT: Friday, January 12, 2001 @ 0527 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

HUBBLE FINALLY MAY HAVE PROOF BLACK HOLES DO EXIST
--------------------------------------------------
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope may have, for the first time, provided direct evidence for the existence of black holes by observing the disappearance of matter as it falls beyond the "event horizon."
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/11hubblehole/

REPORT: U.S. NEEDS STRONGER DEFENSE ROLE IN SPACE
-------------------------------------------------
Calling space a "top national security priority," an independent commission chaired by the nation's next Secretary of Defense concluded in a report released Thursday that the United States military needs to take a more active and better focused role in Earth orbit.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/12milspace/

NEW IMAGES SHOW DETAIL OF NEIGHBOR GALAXY'S GAS
-----------------------------------------------
Using radio telescopes in the U.S. and Europe, astronomers have made the most detailed images ever of Hydrogen gas in a spiral galaxy other than the Milky Way -- the galaxy M33, known to amateur astronomers as the Pinwheel Galaxy.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/12galaxygas/

NEARBY GALAXIES YIELD CLUES TO EARLY UNIVERSE
---------------------------------------------
Astronomers are using these three NASA Hubble Space Telescope images to help tackle the question of why distant galaxies have such odd shapes, appearing markedly different from the typical elliptical and spiral galaxies seen in the nearby universe.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/11hubbleuv/

ROCKET STAGE REPLACEMENT ON TAP FOR SEA LAUNCH ZENIT
----------------------------------------------------
The Sea Launch vessels have set sail for home, departing the equatorial waters of the Pacific Ocean on a voyage back to the United States so a portion of the Zenit 3SL rocket can be replaced in the wake of an aborted engine ignition sequence this week.
http://spaceflightnow.com/sealaunch/xm1/status.html

U.S. FIRM TO BUILD CHINESE COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITE
---------------------------------------------------
Space Systems/Loral announced this week that it had received a contract from a Hong Kong-based satellite operator to build Apstar 5, a replacement for the aging Apstar 1 communications spacecraft.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/12apstar5/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 290 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Jan 15, 2001 (22:34) * 12 lines
NEWSALERT: Monday, January 15, 2001 @ 1757 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

ENGINEERS ASSESS NEW BOOSTER WIRING ISSUE
-----------------------------------------
With shuttle Atlantis poised for launch Friday on a critical space station assembly mission, NASA managers plan to meet late today to assess the resolution of booster wiring problems and the results of weekend inspections that have raised additional concerns.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a/010115srb/

Watch our Mission Status Center for updates today:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 291 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Jan 15, 2001 (22:35) * 25 lines
NEWSALERT: Monday, January 15, 2001 @ 0528 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

SUPERNOVA MAY CONTROL THE CENTER OF OUR GALAXY
----------------------------------------------
Scientists using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory have discovered that an apparent supernova remnant in the center of our galaxy might help regulate a nearby supermassive black hole and that such relationships between supernova remnants and black holes might be common throughout the universe.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/15galaxycenter/

MARS ORBITER CHECKS OUT LANDING SITE FOR FUTURE PROBE
-----------------------------------------------------
The European Space Agency has announced the selection of a landing site for the British Mars lander, Beagle 2, that will be carried to the red planet aboard ESA's Mars Express orbiter in 2003. Newly released images from NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows the landing zone.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/15beagle2/

BRITISH AND CHINESE SATELLITES HEAD FOR SPACE RENDEZVOUS
--------------------------------------------------------
A tiny British-built spacecraft is achieving a variety of firsts in the nanosatellite technology field. SNAP-1 will finish off this series of ground-breaking accomplishments in the next few months as it approaches a rendezvous with another satellite.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/15snap1/

ATLANTIS ASTRONAUTS BOUND FOR CAPE
----------------------------------
The five astronauts that will ride space shuttle Atlantis into orbit later this week to attach the U.S. Destiny laboratory to the international space station are scheduled for arrival at Kennedy Space Center on Monday evening. Launch is scheduled for early Friday morning from Florida.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 292 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jan 16, 2001 (00:02) * 29 lines
NEWSALERT: Tuesday, January 16, 2001 @ 0500 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

WIRING CHECKS DELAY SHUTTLE ATLANTIS LAUNCH TO FEBRUARY
-------------------------------------------------------
On the eve of shuttle Atlantis' countdown to launch Friday, NASA managers on Monday instead ordered engineers to haul the spacecraft back to the Vehicle Assembly Building for work to test suspect wiring in the ship's booster separation system.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a/010115srb/

MOST DETAILED VIEW INTO DARK CLOUD UNVEILED
-------------------------------------------
Astronomers have just taken an important step towards answering the fundamental question of which processes are responsible for transforming a dark and diffuse interstellar cloud of gas and dust into a much denser, shining object.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/16eso/

STARDUST SLING-SHOTS PAST EARTH ON COURSE TO COMET
--------------------------------------------------
Officials at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California say that Stardust is now on course to Comet Wild 2, where it will collect dust samples for return to Earth. That word comes after a close encounter with Earth early Monday, marking the completion of the craft's first solar orbit since its launch in 1999.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/16stardust/

A SHOCKING TIME FOR CLUSTER 2
-----------------------------
Studies of near-Earth space will never be the same again. For the first time in the history of space exploration, identical instruments on four spacecraft have begun to return simultaneous measurements of a region of space known as the bow shock.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/16cluster/

GALILEO KEEPS PROBING JOVIAN MAGNETOSPHERE
------------------------------------------
This week finds Galileo completing week 12 of a 14-week-long survey of the Jovian magnetosphere. Playback of data stored during the spacecraft's December 2000 passage through the Jupiter system is not scheduled to start until early next month.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/16galileothisweek/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 293 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jan 16, 2001 (23:18) * 38 lines
NEWSALERT: Wednesday, January 17, 2001 @ 0426 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

NASA'S SHUTTLE CHIEF DEFENDS ROLLBACK DECISION
----------------------------------------------
Launch of the next space shuttle mission has been delayed from Friday to no earlier than Feb. 6. NASA's shuttle program manager said in the end, the launch team had little choice after problems surfaced with wiring. "I guard against the phenomena of 'go fever' like it was the plague. And you have to be very sensitive as you get closer to launch."
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a/010116dittemore/

Station 'Alpha' reacts to shuttle delay:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a/video/010116shepreax_qt.html

CHINA'S SHENZHOU 2 CAPSULE RETURNS TO EARTH SAFELY
--------------------------------------------------
The Shenzhou 2 spacecraft returned safely to Earth Tuesday, touching down in China's inner Mongolian region at 1122 GMT after making 108 orbits. The mission paves the way for a future manned mission by the Chinese.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/16china/

INDIVIDUAL STARS SPOTTED IN ANDROMEDA'S BULGE
---------------------------------------------
An individual team, including an astronomer of Observatoire de Paris, has recently observed for the first time individual stars in a very dense -- but very interesting -- zone of an external galaxy, enabling for the first time an eagerly awaited comparison with the corresponding zone (bulge) of our Milky Way galaxy.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/17andromeda/

SPACE TUG POISED FOR LAUNCH TO RUSSIA'S MIR STATION
---------------------------------------------------
The Progress M1-5 cargo ship, the last spacecraft to visit Russian Mir space station, rolled out to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome on Tuesday. Blastoff is scheduled for early Thursday.
http://spaceflightnow.com/mir/010116progroll/

NASA OPENS 2ND GENERATION REUSABLE ROCKET PROGRAM
-------------------------------------------------
NASA has created a new program office to lead its effort to enable development of a new reusable launch vehicle for flight in 2010 that will be dramatically safer and less expensive than today's rockets.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/17rlv2/

THE EASTERN U.S. KEEPS ITS COOL WHILE THE WORLD WARMS
-----------------------------------------------------
Much of the Earth has warmed over the last half-century, but the eastern half of the United States has shown a cooling trend. NASA-funded research indicates cooler temperatures in the eastern U.S. are caused by an increase in sun-shielding clouds produced by warmer ocean temperatures in the Pacific.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/17easttemp/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 294 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jan 17, 2001 (17:26) * 64 lines
Russia to Lauch Mir Space Station's Nemesis

BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan (Reuters) - Russia launches a cargo rocket on
Thursday to help it bury the last vestige of the Soviet Union's
ambitious space exploration program -- the record-breaking Mir space
station.
The unmanned Progress M1-5 vessel, one of the craft that were used
to ferry food and water to Mir, will this time only carry enough fuel for
its own engines to guide Mir out of orbit and into the Pacific Ocean.
The rocket is due to blast off from Kazakhstan's windswept Baikonur
cosmodrome at 0656 GMT. It is scheduled to dock four days later with
the 130-tonunmanned space station.
In early March, both will crash into the ocean.
Space officials have said up to 40 tonnes of debris will reach the
earth's surface at a speed high enough to smash through two meters
(6.5 feet) of reinforced concrete.
Russia has said it expects Mir to hit earth on March 5-6 but the precise
date and time will depend on solar activity and the success of the
Progress mission.
If the automatic docking controlled from the earth fails, a Russian crew
of Gennady Padalka and Nikolai Budarin is ready to take off in 12 days
to guide the station out of orbit manually.
This would end the 15-year history of Mir, whose first part was launched
into orbit on February 20, 1986, with an originally designed life-span of
just three years.
Russia, struggling to overcome an economic crisis after almost a
decade of steep recession, could not find $200 million needed to
maintain the station. It decided in November to dump Mir into the
ocean on its 15th birthday.
Yuri Koptev, head of Russia's space and aviation agency, said last
month there was little point in maintaining a station where cosmonauts
spent 80 percent of their time on repairs.
Cash-strapped Russia, where power cuts regularly plunge whole regions
into darkness and many people use kerosene lamps and home-made
stoves to survive the winter, has long regarded the station as an
example of its technological genius.
MANY RECORDS SET
The station, visited by 28 long-term expeditions with a total of 106
cosmonauts, has set many records.
Kazakh cosmonaut Talbat Musabayev spent more than 30 hours in one
month working outside the station to secure his place in the Guinness
Book of Records.
Russian Sergei Avdeyev, who spent 747 days in space, remains the
only cosmonaut in the world to have toasted the New Year three times
in orbit.
But Mir has also seen a number of frustrating glitches.
In February 1997, fire broke out when cosmonauts tried to change an
air filter. A few months later, Mir's energy supply fell dramatically after
a Progress cargo craft hit it during docking and damaged its solar
batteries.
In September 1997, a computer failed, leaving Mir spinning aimlessly.
Two years later, the station went into hibernation after Mission Control
shut down its main computer by accident.
After the dumping of Mir, Russia will focus on the ambitious $60 billion,
16-nation venture to build the International Space Station (ISS).
But for many who remember the heyday of the Soviet space industry,
when state funds were spent generously on the sector to dazzle the
West with its achievements, the dumping of Mir will mean the end of
an epoch.
"Thursday's launch would have been nothing out of the ordinary if it
wasn't aimed at guiding Mir out of its orbit," Nikolai Zelenshchikov, first
deputy head of the Energiya corporation that runs Mir, told Reuters.
"This is sad, but we understand that Mir's work must come to an end
and we should then switch over to building the ISS." 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 295 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jan 17, 2001 (18:02) * 9 lines
Precocious Earth

NASA Science News for January 17, 2001

Tiny zircon crystals found in ancient stream deposits suggest that Earth harbored continents and liquid water remarkably soon after our planet formed. Life could have established a foothold on Earth 400 million years earlier than expected.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast17jan_1.htm?list89800

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 296 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jan 18, 2001 (20:46) * 30 lines
NEWSALERT: Thursday, January 18, 2001 @ 0220 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

ICE MAY HAVE FORMED MARTIAN CHANNELS
------------------------------------
Some channels on the surface of Mars believed to have been formed by running water may have instead been carved by streams of ice. Channels in one region of Mars share a number of key characteristics with those created by ice streams that flow beneath Antarctica's surface and empty into the surrounding oceans.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/18marsice/

U.S. WEATHER SATELLITE LAUNCH BUMPED TO SATURDAY
------------------------------------------------
A vintage Titan 2 rocket built in the 1960s is poised for a $430 million launch before sunrise Saturday from Central California carrying a crucial replacement global weather satellite for the U.S. military. The liftoff was delayed 24 hours so workers could replace a faulty cabling used in pre-flight rocket testing.
http://spaceflightnow.com/titan/g9/preview.html

CASSINI PROBE FAILS TO FIND LIGHTNING ON VENUS
----------------------------------------------
Space physicist Donald Gurnett says that a search for lightning on Venus in 1998 and 1999 using the Cassini spacecraft failed to detect high-frequency radio waves commonly associated with lightning. The possible existence of lightning at Venus has long been controversial.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/18cassvenus/

GLOBALSTAR ACTS TO ASSURE FUNDS FOR FURTHER OPERATIONS
------------------------------------------------------
Globalstar has announced that, in order to have sufficient funds available for the continued progress of its marketing and service activities, it has suspended indefinitely principal and interest payments on all of its funded debt and dividend payments on its preferred stock.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/18globalstar/

EXPERIMENTAL EUROPEAN SATELLITE SWITCHES ROCKETS
------------------------------------------------
Europe has officially dropped a previous agreement with Japan to launch the Artemis experimental communications satellite aboard the unproven H-2A rocket in favor of using an Ariane 5 booster.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/18artemis/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 297 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jan 18, 2001 (20:52) * 8 lines
The Eastern U.S. Keeps Its Cool

NASA Science News for January 18, 2001

While surface temperatures across most of the globe are on the rise, the eastern U.S. appears to be slowly cooling. Scientists say the trend could be a result of increasing cloud cover triggered by warming Pacific waters.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast18jan_1.htm?list89800

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 298 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jan 19, 2001 (15:13) * 45 lines
NEWSALERT: Friday, January 19, 2001 @ 0606 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

REMARKABLE NEW VIEWS CAPTURES OF ORION NEBULA
---------------------------------------------
Orion the Hunter is perhaps the best known constellation in the sky, well placed in the evening at this time of the year for observers in both the northern and southern hemispheres, and instantly recognizable. The new pictures captured by astronomers are a must see!
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/19orion/

NUCLEAR ENGINE PROMISES TO SLASH TRAVEL TIMES TO MARS
-----------------------------------------------------
A novel type of nuclear reactor could cut make it possible for spacecraft to travel from the Earth to Mars in as little as two weeks, one Israeli researcher has found. A little-known isotope of an artificially produced element could power future robotic or human spacecraft far more efficiently than chemical or other nuclear propulsion sources.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/19marsnuclear/

SPACE STATION CREW FACES TOUGH SCHEDULE
---------------------------------------
An 18-day delay for the next space station assembly mission has thrown a wrench into the on-board crew's timeline, compressing an already busy schedule of work that must be completed before arrival of their replacements in early March, officials said Thursday.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a/010118issupdate/

LAUNCH OF PROGRESS FREIGHTER TO MIR SCRUBBED
--------------------------------------------
Orientation troubles aboard the abandoned Russian space station Mir forced officials to scrub Thursday's planned launch of an unmanned freighter that will ultimately deorbit the outpost in March.
http://spaceflightnow.com/mir/010118scrub/

TITAN ROCKET TO LAUNCH WEATHER SATELLITE SATURDAY
-------------------------------------------------
The 26-hour countdown is scheduled to begin this morning at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California leading to Saturday's launch of a U.S. military weather satellite aboard a refurbished Titan 2 rocket booster. We will have live coverage launch!
http://spaceflightnow.com/titan/g9/status.html

STARDUST LOOKS DOWN ON MOON'S NORTH POLE
----------------------------------------------
Just after NASA's Stardust spacecraft successfully flew by the Earth on Monday to use the planet's gravity to change its orbit, the comet-bound probe took a series of images of the Moon to calibrate its onboard camera.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/19stardustlunar/

LEONIDS ROSE TO OCCASION, DESPITE BAD WEATHER
---------------------------------------------
Read about the adventures and results of European astronomers as they attempted to image the Leonids meteors by splitting up into teams and working from different locations to create stereo observations.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/19leonids/

CASSINI SPACE PROBE JOURNEYS INTO JUPITER'S MAGNETOSPHERE
---------------------------------------------------------
NASA's Cassini spacecraft shows that the craft recent was inside Jupiter's magnetosphere at the same time the Galileo probe flew within the vast surrounding environment of charged particles moving under the influence of the planet's magnetic field. This marks the first time humankind has placed two spacecraft within the magnetosphere of an outer planet at the same time.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/19jupmagnet/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 299 of 866: What's happenin' in the news? (sprin5) * Sat, Jan 20, 2001 (11:31) * 1 lines
Wow, Mirs finally coming down in March.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 300 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jan 25, 2001 (15:40) * 11 lines
Yup - hope their aim is good!!!

Layers of Mars

Last year NASA's Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft spotted mysterious
layered regions on Mars. If the layers are sedimentary deposits that
formed underwater, as some scientists suspect, they could be the best
places to hunt for elusive Martian fossils.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast23jan_1.htm?list89800

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 301 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jan 25, 2001 (21:55) * 40 lines
NEWSALERT: Friday, January 26, 2001 @ 0257 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now
Sponsored by European AstroFest 2001
http://www.astronomynow.com/astrofest


WORLD'S LARGEST HUMAN GATHERING SEEN FROM SPACE
-----------------------------------------------
Space Imaging's Ikonos satellite has taken a detailed color photograph of the largest human gathering in the history of the world, the Maha Kumbh Mela, a spiritual event held every 144 years in Northern India.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/26ikonos/

NASA SETTLES ON NEW SPACE SHUTTLE LAUNCH SCHEDULE
-------------------------------------------------
As expected, NASA managers Thursday agreed on a revised near-term shuttle launch schedule, delaying the next flight one day to February 7 and the flight after that from March 1 to March 8. Other downstream flights face delays of several weeks and two space station crew rotation missions are under review.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a/010125sked/
See our updated master timeline of Atlantis' flight:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a/fdf/98plan.html

OLD CARGO SHIP LEAVES MIR TO MAKE WAY FOR NEW ONE
-------------------------------------------------
The Progress M43 cargo ship departed the Mir space station Thursday. The craft, which joined Mir last October, left from the Kvant-1 module to free up the docking port for arrival of Mir's deorbiting tug launched Wednesday.
http://spaceflightnow.com/mir/010125progm43/

NASA CRAFT REVEALS EARTH'S INVISIBLE MAGNETIC TAIL
--------------------------------------------------
The first large-scale pictures of the hidden machinations of the Earth's magnetic force-field are now available, including confirmation of a suspected but previously invisible "tail" of electrified gas.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/26image/

EUROPE'S SATELLITES TRACK CLIMATE CHANGES
-----------------------------------------
In July an Ariane 5 launcher will send into orbit Europe's big new environmental satellite, Envisat. Scientists will expect fresh insights into how the world is changing from the 8-tonne spacecraft.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/26esaearth/

SCIENTISTS RUSH TO PROPOSE PLUTO MISSION
----------------------------------------
On December 20, NASA announced that it would be soliciting proposals for a mission to the Pluto-Charon system and the Kuiper Belt beyond to arrive at Pluto by 2015. The formal announcement of opportunity was released January 19. Proposals are due on March 21.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/26plutorush/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 302 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jan 25, 2001 (23:14) * 11 lines
Earth's Invisible Magnetic Tail

NASA Science News for January 25, 2001

The first global views of our planet's magnetosphere, captured by NASA's
IMAGE spacecraft, reveal a curious plasma tail that stretches toward the
Sun.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast25jan_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 303 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Jan 27, 2001 (20:56) * 10 lines
Greening of the Red Planet

A hardy microbe from Earth might one day transform the barren ground of
Mars into arable soil. Scientists discussed the possibility at a recent
NASA-sponsored conference

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast26jan_1.htm?list89800 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 304 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Jan 27, 2001 (21:56) * 34 lines
NEWSALERT: Saturday, January 27, 2001 @ 0610 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now
Sponsored by European AstroFest 2001
http://www.astronomynow.com/astrofest

DEORBITING TUG ARRIVES AT SPACE STATION MIR
-------------------------------------------
After a three-day chase, an unmanned cargo ship successfully reached Russia's space station Mir today, becoming most likely the last arrival from Earth to the outpost. The Progress M1-5 spacecraft, carrying propellant for Mir's deorbiting, docked to the station at 0534 GMT (12:34 a.m. EST).
http://spaceflightnow.com/mir/010127dock/

TECHNICAL SNAG HITS NASA'S MARS GLOBAL SURVEYOR
-----------------------------------------------
One of the orientation-controlling reaction wheels has failed aboard NASA's Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft in orbit around the Red Planet, the space agency says.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/27mgswheel/

ATLANTIS RETURNS TO PAD AFTER BOOSTER CHECKS
--------------------------------------------
Space shuttle Atlantis is back on its seaside launch pad for the first human spaceflight of 2001. The shuttle was rolled out of the Vehicle Assembly Building on Friday after precautionary cable inspections on the spaceship's twin solid rocket boosters.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

BOEING'S DELTA 2 ROCKET TO FLY TUESDAY
--------------------------------------
The first Delta rocket launch of 2001 is scheduled for early Tuesday from Cape Canaveral with a replacement Global Positioning System military navigation satellite onboard.
http://spaceflightnow.com/delta/d283/status.html

AOL USERS
---------
The links below should make it easier for AOL users to reach our stories.
DEORBITING TUG ARRIVES AT SPACE STATION MIR
TECHNICAL SNAG HITS NASA'S MARS GLOBAL SURVEYOR
ATLANTIS RETURNS TO PAD AFTER BOOSTER CHECKS
BOEING'S DELTA 2 ROCKET TO FLY TUESDAY 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 305 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Jan 29, 2001 (00:02) * 44 lines
NEWSALERT: Monday, January 29, 2001 @ 0226 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now
Sponsored by European AstroFest 2001
http://www.astronomynow.com/astrofest

DELTA 2 ROCKET POISED TO CARRY GPS SATELLITE
--------------------------------------------
A Boeing Delta 2 rocket stands ready for an overnight liftoff from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Tuesday with a replacement NAVSTAR Global Positioning System military navigation spacecraft. We will have live coverage!
http://spaceflightnow.com/delta/d283/status.html
Watch our live streaming Webcast:
http://spaceflightnow.com/delta/d283/live_qt.html

15 YEARS AFTER CHALLENGER
-------------------------
On a bitterly cold January morning 15 years ago Sunday, space shuttle Challenger and her seven-member crew made a fateful voyage into history. Spaceflight Now marked the anniversary with a comprehensive timeline of the events of that day. (Includes video and audio clips)
http://spaceflightnow.com/challenger/timeline/

ULYSSES SOLAR EXPLORER DETECTS MAGNETIC SHIFT
---------------------------------------------
An intriguing change in the Sun's magnetic field has been spotted by the solar probe Ulysses. Although the shift had been previously known by scientists, this is the first time the event has been detected by a spacecraft out of the elliptic plane of the solar system, where all planets but Pluto orbit.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/28ulysses/

VIRTUAL RAINS HERALD DAWN OF NEW CLIMATE UNDERSTANDING
------------------------------------------------------
Weather prediction is hard enough. But what are the possibilities for predicting events related to weather? With new tools being developed at Goddard Space Flight Center, and NASA's ever increasing suite of Earth observations, scientists just might be on the road to estimating future weather-related incidents.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/29virtualrain/

COMPANIES JOIN FORCES TO CREATE 2ND GENERATION RLV
--------------------------------------------------
Kelly Space and Vought Aircraft Industries jointly announced last week that the two companies had signed a teaming agreement and submitted proposals to develop, in cooperation with NASA, a 2nd Generation Reusable Space Launch Vehicle.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/28sli/

NEXT ARIANE 4 ROCKET IS ON THE LAUNCH PAD
------------------------------------------
A pair of European military communications satellites are almost ready to take to the skies aboard an Ariane 4 launch vehicle that is currently undergoing final tests at its South American launch pad.
http://spaceflightnow.com/ariane/v139/status.html

'PSEUDOGYRO' CAN SAVE SATELLITES FROM FAILURE
---------------------------------------------
Software developed by The Aerospace Corporation can save satellites from failure, extend the on-orbit life of satellites with ailing hardware gyros, and save large sums of money in insurance costs, among other benefits.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/29pseudogyro/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 306 of 866:  (sprin5) * Tue, Jan 30, 2001 (07:53) * 1 lines
Wow, a new shuttle (rlv? is that like an suv?) wonder what it will look like?

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 307 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jan 30, 2001 (17:04) * 24 lines
From the drawings I have seen, it looks very much like the current one but more swept-back angle to the tail.

High-latitude Aurora Warning

Space Weather News for January 30, 2000
http://www.spaceweather.com

A coronal mass ejection that left the Sun on Sunday could buffet Earth's
magnetosphere late Tuesday or perhaps Wednesday. Sky watchers at higher
latitudes (including places like Canada, Alaska, and the northern tier of
US states) should be alert for auroras after local nightfall for the next
two days.

For more information please visit http://www.spaceweather.com 











 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 308 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jan 31, 2001 (14:40) * 31 lines
NEWSALERT: Wednesday, January 31, 2001 @ 0647 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now
Sponsored by European AstroFest 2001
http://www.astronomynow.com/astrofest

PIN-POINTING BLACK HOLES IN DISTANT GALAXIES
--------------------------------------------
The most detailed images ever made of faint, distant radio galaxies, located billions of light years from Earth, reveal that many of them harbor central massive black holes. It adds further support to the belief that super-massive black holes are inextricably linked with the way galaxies formed in the early universe.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/31pinpoint/

ASTRONOMERS TAKE THE PULSE OF A SUN-LIKE STAR
---------------------------------------------
A team of astronomers has precisely measured the 'throbbing' of a Sun-like star that lies 24 light-years away. The slow 'pulse rate' of the star confirms ideas of what the Sun will be like a few billion years from now.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/31pulsating/

CASSINI UNCOVERS JUPITER'S MAGNETIC BUBBLE
------------------------------------------
NASA's Cassini space probe had made the huge magnetosphere surrounding Jupiter visible in a way no previous spacecraft has been able to do. The magnetosphere is a bubble of charged particles trapped within the magnetic environment of the planet.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/31jupmag/

X-RAY VIEW INTO A STARBURST
---------------------------
Luminous starburst galaxies are where a lot of young stars are currently forming. They come in different varieties including those where creation is concentrated at its nucleus and activity at the center is so intense that fantastic 'bubbles' are created giving rise to streams of hot gas, or 'superwinds'.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/31starburst/

THE FIRST 'RINGED MOLECULE' FOUND AROUND STARS
----------------------------------------------
Life as we know it is based on the ability of the carbon atom to form ring-shaped molecules. But rings of carbon are not exclusive to Earth, as experts in space chemistry now know.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/31ringed/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 309 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jan 31, 2001 (18:39) * 17 lines
The Solar Wind at Mars

NASA Science News for January 31, 2001

Scientists think Mars once had a thicker atmosphere than it does today,
perhaps even comparable to Earth's. But where did all that Martian air
go? New evidence from NASA's Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft supports a
long-held suspicion that much of the Red Planet's atmosphere was simply
blown away -- by the solar wind.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast31jan_1.htm?list89800 






 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 310 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jan 31, 2001 (19:23) * 37 lines
NEWSALERT: Tuesday, January 30, 2001 @ 1200 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now
Sponsored by European AstroFest 2001
http://www.astronomynow.com/astrofest
BOEING DELTA 2 ROCKET LOFTS ANOTHER GPS SATELLITE
-------------------------------------------------
Exactly ten years after the U.S. military troops reaped the benefits from the Global Positioning System while fighting the Gulf War in featureless deserts, a new satellite was launched into orbit today to keep the constellation going.
http://spaceflightnow.com/delta/d283/
Also see our Mission Status Center:
http://spaceflightnow.com/delta/d283/status.html

BUILDING BLOCKS FOR LIFE MAY HAVE COME FROM OUTER SPACE
-------------------------------------------------------
The chemical building blocks necessary for the formation of life on Earth, as well as rudimentary structures that could have been the basis for the first cells, may have come from outer space, one group of scientists has concluded.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/30spacelife/

CHANDRA SEES MULTITUDE OF NEW STARS FORMING NEARBY
--------------------------------------------------
NGC 3603 is a bustling region of star birth in the Carina spiral arm of the Milky Way galaxy, about 20,000 light-years from Earth. For the first time, this Chandra image resolves the multitude of individual X-ray sources in this star-forming region.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/30chandra/

MIR IN STABLE MODE AS DISCARDED FREIGHTER REENTERS
--------------------------------------------------
The Progress M43 cargo spacecraft, which undocked from Russia's space station Mir last week, reentered Earth's atmosphere Monday where it burned up. The supply ship was replaced with a fresh craft over the weekend that carries the fuel needed to deorbit Mir in March.
http://spaceflightnow.com/mir/010129progm43/

GALILEO WRAPPING UP JOVIAN MAGNETOSPHERE STUDY
----------------------------------------------
This week, Galileo winds down on its 14-week-long successful collaboration with the Cassini spacecraft to study the influence of the solar wind on the Jovian magnetosphere.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/30galileothisweek/

NASA NAMES STS-108 SHUTTLE MISSION ASTRONAUTS
---------------------------------------------
Astronauts have begun training for the STS-108/Utilization Flight-1 mission to rotate International Space Station crews and to deliver experiments and scientific racks for the station's U.S. Laboratory, Destiny.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0101/30sts108crew/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 311 of 866: MarkG  (MarkG) * Thu, Feb  1, 2001 (11:32) * 5 lines
I was reading yesterday that a New York museum has de-classified Pluto, stripping it of planetary status.

Apparently Pluto is twice as big as the next biggest asteroid in the Kuiper Belt (not sure of my terms here, memory plays trick), but only about an eighth as big as Uranus.

So the museum's exhibit shows only 8 planets, and they reckon Pluto will be "happier as the king of the Kuiper Belt rather than the smallest, furthest planet". Who even knew that asteroids orbited the sun beyond the planets? Not me.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 312 of 866: Moon Dreams  (Moon) * Thu, Feb  1, 2001 (14:16) * 5 lines
I was reading yesterday that a New York museum has de-classified Pluto, stripping it of planetary status.
WOT? New Yorkers! They seem to think they are the center of the world. ;-)

I don't think Astrologers will dare remove Pluto from natal charts. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 313 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Feb  1, 2001 (19:06) * 39 lines
Astronomers have considered Pluto an escaped Uranian moon for years... Astrologers are in an entirely different universe from astronomers...are they not???

Hubble gives preview to death of our Sun

NEWSALERT: Thursday, February 1, 2001 @ 0602 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now
Sponsored by European AstroFest 2001
http://www.astronomynow.com/astrofest

ANT-LIKE SPACE STRUCTURE PREVIEWS DEATH OF OUR SUN
--------------------------------------------------
This dramatic Hubble Space Telescope image, showing 10 times more detail than ground-based views, reveals the "ant nebula" -- a dying, Sun-like star. Hubble directly challenges old ideas about the last stages in the lives of stars.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/01hubble/

JUPITERS MAY BE CRITICAL IN FORMING HABITABLE WORLDS
----------------------------------------------------
If you're looking for solar systems with Earth-like planets that could harbor life, one scientist believes you should first look for planets with the mass and orbit of Jupiter that could nurture smaller worlds.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/01habitable/

MARS GLOBAL SURVEYOR COMPLETES PRIME MISSION
--------------------------------------------
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft, which has collected more information about the red planet than all previous missions combined, completed its primary science mission Wednesday and now begins a new era of continued exploration.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/01mgs/

SOLID ROCKET BOOSTER MAKERS MERGE AS ALLIANT BUYS THIOKOL
---------------------------------------------------------
Rocket motor maker Alliant Techsystems announced Wednesday it had reached an agreement to purchase Thiokol Propulsion for $685 million in cash. Alliant builds the solid-fueled boosters for Delta, Titan 4B, Pegasus and Taurus rockets; Thiokol manufactures the space shuttle solid rocket boosters.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/01alliant/

JET PROPULSION LABORATORY GETS NEW LEADER
-----------------------------------------
Dr. Charles Elachi has been named the new director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, replacing Dr. Edward C. Stone effective May 1. Elachi has served in a variety of research and management positions at JPL since 1971. Most recently, he has been director for space and Earth science programs.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/01jplchief/ 





 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 314 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sun, Feb  4, 2001 (19:28) * 24 lines
NEWSALERT: Saturday, February 3, 2001 @ 1844 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

TAKE A PEEK AT THE RED PLANET'S FRETTED TERRAIN
-----------------------------------------------
Martian "fretted terrain" occurs in regions of buttes and mesas that stand at the erosional margin where northern low-lying plains meet the higher-standing cratered uplands. Found mostly in the mid-northern latitudes, some of the best examples of fretted terrain occur in Deuteronilus Mensae, as seen here.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/03mgslyot/

SPACESUIT CONCERN ARISES AS ATLANTIS NEARS LAUNCH
-------------------------------------------------
Two EVA spacesuits packed aboard space shuttle Atlantis will have to be replaced before launch next week after concerns were raised about their integrity.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

COMET COLLISIONS: ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVED?
-------------------------------------------
Recurring collisions between comets during the solar system's formation may have ground smaller comets to bits, leaving only big comets larger than 20 kilometers (12 miles) to survive.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/03oort/

CLUSTER 2 CLEARED FOR SCIENTIFIC WORK
--------------------------------------
Cluster's unique mission formally got under way this week when the European Space Agency Commissioning Review Board gave unanimous approval for the start of scientific operations. Cluster's mission is to explore the magnetosphere - the region of space dominated by Earth's magnetic field.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/03cluster/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 315 of 866:  (sprin5) * Mon, Feb  5, 2001 (09:25) * 7 lines
I heard on NPRs Earth and Sky this morning that the red dwarf stars, which
are 80% of the stars in the Universe, are extrememly low energy. This is
why we can't see even the closest one, Proxima Centauri. But they've
revised the view that they could have planets with life, now they believe
it's possible for life supporting planets to revolve around the red
dwarfs. It was in interesting commentary.


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 316 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Feb  5, 2001 (15:48) * 33 lines
Fascinating! I think I posted something about it back a few or on Geo 24

NEWSALERT: Monday, February 5, 2001 @ 0601 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

STATION'S DESTINY RIDES ON LABORATORY ATTACHMENT
------------------------------------------------
The shuttle Atlantis is set for launch Wednesday on a critical mission to deliver the $1.38 billion U.S. laboratory module, Destiny, to the international space station, finally clearing the way for the start of orbital research later this year. Read our comprehensive six-part mission preview report:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a/010204preview/

ASTRONAUTS FLY TO FLORIDA, COUNTDOWN BEGINS
-------------------------------------------
With the five-member crew of space shuttle Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center, the launch team inside Complex 39's Firing Room 3 started the countdown on schedule Sunday night leading to liftoff at 6:11 p.m. EST (2311 GMT) on Wednesday.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html
See our countdown timeline chart:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a/fdf/98countdown.html

NASA OPENS SPACE STATION SCIENCE COMMAND POST
---------------------------------------------
The command and control center for scientific research aboard the international space station is open for business. The science command post linking Earth-bound researchers with their experiments and astronauts in orbit was commissioned Friday during ceremonies at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/04isspoc/

SAND DUNES LOOK LIKE SHARKS' TEETH IN MARS CRATER
-------------------------------------------------
Sometimes, pictures received from Mars Global Surveyor's Mars Orbiter Camera are "just plain pretty." This image, taken in early September 2000, shows a group of sand dunes at the edge of a much larger field of dark-toned dunes in Proctor Crater.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/04mgsshark/

HUYGENS RELAY LINK MYSTERY FULLY UNRAVELLED
-------------------------------------------
A special calibration test is being conducted with the Huygens receivers on board the Saturn-bound Cassini spacecraft. The test results will provide a solid engineering basis for the design of new mission scenarios which can recover the Huygens relay link performance following a problem uncovered previously.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/04huygens/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 317 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Feb  5, 2001 (16:16) * 11 lines
Carbonated Mars

NASA Science News for February 5, 2001

Here on Earth the only way to make carbonate rocks is with the aid of
liquid water. Finding such rocks on Mars might prove, once and for all,
that the barren Red Planet was once warm and wet.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast04feb_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 318 of 866: Cheryl  (CherylB) * Mon, Feb  5, 2001 (18:57) * 1 lines
Aren't there supposed to be signs on Mars of terrain forms which could only have been created by water erosion.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 319 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Feb  7, 2001 (23:15) * 32 lines
NEWSALERT: Wednesday, February 7, 2001 @ 0538 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

LAUNCH DAY ARRIVES FOR ATLANTIS AND DESTINY LAB
-----------------------------------------------
The trouble-free countdown continues at Kennedy Space Center as Atlantis nears its sunset launch today at 6:11 p.m. EST (2311 GMT), but weather at overseas emergency landing sites could be a stumbling block in getting the shuttle airborne with the Destiny laboratory module for the international space station. We will have extensive live coverage starting at 9:30 a.m. EST (1430 GMT) today!
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

Read our six-part mission preview report:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a/010204preview/

SPECTACULAR LAYERS OF MARS EXPOSED IN BECQUEREL CRATER
------------------------------------------------------
Toward the end of its primary mapping mission, NASA's Mars Global Surveyor acquired one of its most spectacular pictures of layered sedimentary rock exposed within the ancient crater Becquerel.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/07mgsbecquerel/

ARIANE 4 POISED FOR TONIGHT'S MILITARY MISSION
----------------------------------------------
Two European military communications satellites are stacked atop the most powerful version of Arianespace's Ariane 4 rocket for liftoff today from the jungle launch pad in Kourou, French Guiana.
http://spaceflightnow.com/ariane/v139/status.html

TITANIC COLLISION SEEN IN DISTANT UNIVERSE
------------------------------------------
A student astronomer in Australia has discovered the "wreckage" of a vast collision between two giant clusters of galaxies. The finding changes scientists' views of how clusters and individual galaxies evolve.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/07collide/

NASA PICKS BOEING DELTA 2 TO LAUNCH WEATHER SATELLITE
-----------------------------------------------------
NASA has exercised a contract option to launch the NOAA-N polar-orbiting weather satellite aboard a Boeing Delta 2 rocket in January 2003 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/07noaan/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 320 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Feb  8, 2001 (12:22) * 32 lines
NEWSALERT: Thursday, February 8, 2001 @ 0740 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

LIFTOFF OF ATLANTIS!
--------------------
Putting on a dramatic sunset sky show, the shuttle Atlantis blasted off and rocketed away after the international space station Wednesday, carrying a $1.4 billion module that will serve as the station's main laboratory and central control center.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a/010207launch/

Watch our Mission Status Center for live updates:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

EUROPE'S ARIANE 4 CARRIES OUT MILITARY MISSION
----------------------------------------------
Arianespace launched its first double military payload Wednesday, lofting a pair of communications relay satellites for the British and Italian defense ministries.
http://spaceflightnow.com/ariane/v139/

U.S. COMMERCIAL SPACE INDUSTRY WORTH $61 BILLION
------------------------------------------------
The American commercial space industry generated $61.3 billion in direct and indirect economic effects in 1999, putting it on a par with many existing conventional industries, a new federal study concluded Wednesday.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/08faaforecast/

CONGRESS' SPACE POLICY: SUPPORTIVE BUT CAUTIOUS
-----------------------------------------------
While the new Congress and the new President are both strong supporters of NASA and space exploration, don't except any major new initiatives from either in the immediate future, a key Congressman cautioned Tuesday.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/07congspace/

WHY DAZZLING STARS ARE GIVEN BORING BUT USEFUL NAMES
----------------------------------------------------
Of the 100 billion stars in our Milky Way galaxy, only a handful have colorful names, while the rest are designated by letters and numbers that are the stellar equivalent of a Social Security card.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/08naming/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 321 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Feb  8, 2001 (23:23) * 27 lines
NEWSALERT: Friday, February 9, 2001 @ 0411 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

ATLANTIS TO RENDEZVOUS WITH SPACE STATION TODAY
-----------------------------------------------
Space shuttle Atlantis is nearing the completion of its two-day pursuit to catch the international space station with the orbital linkup scheduled for 1650 GMT (11:50 a.m. EST) today.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a/010209dock/
Live coverage of docking:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

OLD BROWN DWARF-LIKE STARS DISCOVERED
-------------------------------------
Astronomers have discovered a kind of star never previously observed. These small, cool stars look superficially like brown dwarfs but are actually the remnants of ordinary stars that have been whittled down to cool Jupiter-sized bodies over billions of years by spilling material over to a white dwarf companion star.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/09dwarf/

X-33 ENGINES PASS TEST
----------------------
Qualification test firings of the unique engines designed to propel America's X-33 space plane into high-speed, suborbital flight in 2003 began Tuesday at NASA's Stennis Space Center. The ignition test went the full scheduled duration of 1.1 seconds with no observed anomalies.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/09aerospike/

SPACE VIEWS OF EL SALVADOR SAVE LIVES AFTER EARTHQUAKE
------------------------------------------------------
Digital damage maps derived from satellite images are helping the teams clearing up after the disastrous earthquake in El Salvador. For the second time in a few short weeks, the recently-signed 'Charter on Disaster Relief' has swung into action to bring the satellite resources of the European, French and Canadian space agencies.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/09spot/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 322 of 866:  (sprin5) * Fri, Feb  9, 2001 (10:33) * 1 lines
What did you think about the red dwarf reassessment, Marci?

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 323 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Feb  9, 2001 (17:36) * 12 lines
Not sure. It will be an interesting and lively intellectual discourse as they try to sort out the what-ifs and where-ases of the theory. Since our sun is headed in that direction in another few billion years, it may be of some relevance. Here is something I refuse to take the blame for:

Global Warming on Mars

NASA Science News for February 9, 2001

Artificial greenhouse gases that are bad news on Earth could provide the
means to make Mars a more comfortable place for humans to live.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast09feb_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 324 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Feb  9, 2001 (20:08) * 31 lines
NEWSALERT: Tuesday, February 6, 2001 @ 0521 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

SECRETS OF THE MARTIAN NOACHIAN HIGHLANDS
-----------------------------------------
Among the most exciting places that the Mars Global Surveyor's Mars Orbiter Camera has photographed during its three and a half years in orbit has been this crater in central Noachis Terra.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/06mgsnoachis/

ATLANTIS COUNTDOWN ROLLS ON
---------------------------
The countdown ticked along smoothly at Kennedy Space Center on Monday as engineers focused on loading Atlantis' three power-generating fuel cells. With a favorable weather forecast, the shuttle remains set for blastoff at 6:11 p.m. EST (2311 GMT) on Wednesday.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html
See our complete STS-98 mission coverage:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a/

TITAN 4 ROCKET COULD LAUNCH NEXT TUESDAY AT EARLIEST
----------------------------------------------------
A puzzling problem with a guidance computer is keeping a U.S. Air Force Titan 4B rocket and its sophisticated communications satellite cargo grounded at Cape Canaveral, Florida.
http://spaceflightnow.com/titan/b41/010205inu.html

ATLAS 3B AND PROTON ROCKETS PICKED BY ECHOSTAR
----------------------------------------------
The rockets that will loft the next two EchoStar direct-to-home TV broadcasting satellites were picked Monday and the joint U.S.-Russian venture International Launch Services won both contracts.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/06echostar/

ARIANE 4 PREPPED FOR ALL-MILITARY LAUNCH
----------------------------------------
Arianespace officials have cleared Ariane 4 rocket with a pair of European military communications satellite for launch on Wednesday evening at 2228 GMT (5:28 p.m. EST), the opening of a one-hour window. Liftoff will take place from ELA-2 at the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana.
http://spaceflightnow.com/ariane/v139/status.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 325 of 866: Lucille Oftedahl  (alyeska) * Fri, Feb  9, 2001 (20:17) * 1 lines
The Atlantis launch was really spectacular Wednesday. The con trail was colored almost like a rainbow. It seemed to go up faster this time.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 326 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Feb 12, 2001 (00:14) * 14 lines
It was stunning and I hope they make a poster out of it as it crossed the terminator and into sunset and full daylight as it rose. Did you see it go up, Lucie? How envious I am!!!

Halo Coronal Mass Ejection

Space Weather News for February 11, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

A beautiful coronal mass ejection billowed away from the Sun early Sunday.
Although the bulk of the explosion was directed away from Earth, it
appears that some of the ejecta is nevertheless heading our way. The edge
of the expanding cloud will likely reach Earth on Tuesday and could
trigger auroras at high latitudes. For more information, including movies
of the event, please visit http://www.spaceweather.com. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 327 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Feb 12, 2001 (13:21) * 31 lines
NEWSALERT: Monday, February 12, 2001 @ 0237 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

PROBE TO ATTEMPT FIRST LANDING ON ASTEROID TODAY
------------------------------------------------
NASA's $223 million mission to get up-close and personal with an asteroid goes out with what could very well amount to a bang as the NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft heads for an unprecedented landing on Eros today.
http://spaceflightnow.com/near/status.html

Tune into our live Webcast of the landing:
http://spaceflightnow.com/near/live_qt.html

SHUTTLE DOCKING PORT TO BE ADDED TO DESTINY TODAY
-------------------------------------------------
Atlantis' spacewalking astronauts Tom Jones and Bob Curbeam plan to step outside the shuttle again on Monday to lend a hand attaching a cone-shaped docking port to the newly-installed Destiny lab.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a/010212fd6/

We will have live updates throughout the spacewalk:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

NASA DELIGHTED BY SMOOTH DESTINY LAB ACTIVATION
-----------------------------------------------
The Atlantis astronauts and the international space station's three-man crew floated into the $1.4 billion Destiny module for the first time Sunday and sailed through the new laboratory's initial activation and check out.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a/010211fd5/index2.html

LAUNCHES OF XM RADIO SATELLITES SHUFFLED
----------------------------------------
Sea Launch has decided to flip-flop the flights of its Zenit 3SL rocket carrying the two broadcasting spacecraft for XM Satellite Radio in the continuing wake of an aborted countdown January 8.
http://spaceflightnow.com/sealaunch/xm1/status.html 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 328 of 866:  (sprin5) * Mon, Feb 12, 2001 (14:38) * 1 lines
Wow, live webcast of the Eros asteroid landing. What time?

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 329 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Feb 12, 2001 (15:19) * 50 lines
NEAR Spacecraft Leaves Orbit to Land on Asteroid

LAUREL, Md. (Reuters) - Space probe NEAR Shoemaker left its yearlong
orbit of monster asteroid Eros and headed toward the big rock's surface
on Monday, the first time any craft tried to land on this kind of cosmic
object.
"We're on a flight path now that will take us to the surface," mission
Director Bob Farquhar said in an update from the project's
headquarters outside Washington.
The bus-sized spacecraft was never meant to land -- it orbited the
21-mile-long asteroid for a year, taking some 160,000 images and
beaming them back to Earth -- but it was at the end of its expected life
and had satisfied all its objectives, so Farquhar and others decided a
landing attempt could provide some "bonus science."
To get the solar-powered ship out of its 21-mile-high orbit, thrusters
were fired around 10:31 a.m. EST to send it toward the asteroid. Four
more burns were scheduled to slow NEAR to what scientists hoped would
be a soft landing.
The landing was scheduled for about 3 p.m. EST, but because it will
take 17.5 minutes for light to travel the 196 million miles from the
craft to Earth, scientists at Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics
Laboratory in Laurel said they would not have much information at the
exact instant of touchdown.
NEAR Shoemaker -- short for Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous and in
honor of the late astronomer Gene Shoemaker -- was supposed to
come down to Eros at a leisurely speed of from 2 to 7 mph. However, if
things went awry during the complicated maneuver, the landing could
be much faster and much harder. The craft could be flattened on
impact.
If all went as planned, however, NEAR would take images as it edged
closer to Eros and send them back to Earth, as it has since it first
started orbiting the asteroid on Valentine's Day 2000.
When it landed, NEAR could hit one of the huge boulders that dot the
asteroid's surface, or become buried in one of the so-called sand
ponds. Or it could go into "ostrich mode" and turn its antenna toward
the surface and away from Earth, and never be heard from again.
It took NEAR about four years to travel a 2 billion-mile, looping route
to Eros, named for the Greek god of love. At a cost of $223 million, the
mission is considered a model for the cheaper, faster space flights
envisioned by NASA.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has already rated
the mission a success for the data it has collected about Eros, a
so-called near-Earth asteroid that has the potential to collide with the
planet in 1.5 million years or so.
If Eros ever did hit Earth, the results would be catastrophic; indeed, a
much smaller space rock is thought to have been responsible for
wiping out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.
Astronomers were also interested in the composition of this rock
because it is probably a remnant from the formation of the rocky inner
planets of our solar system some 4.5 billion years ago. 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 330 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Feb 12, 2001 (16:06) * 85 lines
NEAR Spacecraft Lands on Asteroid

COLUMBIA, Md. (AP) - The NEAR spacecraft touched down on the
barren, rocky surface of Eros, successfully completing history's first
landing on an asteroid.
NEAR's landing at about 3:05 p.m. EST Monday was confirmed when
Mission Control received a beacon signal from the craft resting on the
surface of Eros, some 196 million miles from Earth.
``I am happy to report that the NEAR has touched down,'' said Robert
Farquhar, mission director. ``We are still getting signals. It is still
transmitting from the surface.''
Engineers watching from monitors from Mission Control broke into
applause at confirmation of history's first landing of a manmade object
on an asteroid. The mission, controlled by the Johns Hopkins
University Applied Physics Laboratory, also was the first into deep
space operated by a non-NASA center.
NEAR flawless performed five rocket firings, starting Monday morning,
to drop it out of a 15-mile orbit of Eros and slow it toward the surface.
Early indications are that Mission control completed its plan to guide
NEAR to a feather-like touchdown by slowing its velocity, relative to the
surface of the asteroid, to about the speed of a fast walk, 3 to 5 miles
an hour.
The landing completes a five-year, 2-billion-mile mission for the robot
craft and boosts the technical experience in putting spacecraft on
objects with extremely light gravity.
``This gives us a lot of practice,'' said Ed Weiler, NASA's chief scientist.
``We'll eventually want to land on comets because they hold the clues
to beginnings.''
Weiler said the experience gained in the NEAR landing attempt on Eros
can be applied in about a decade when NASA may launch a landing
mission to a comet.
NEAR became the first spacecraft to orbit an asteroid when it arrived at
Eros, an object named for the Greek god of love, on Valentine's Day
last year. The mission had been scheduled to end on Wednesday,
anniversary of achieving orbit.
Farquhar said it was decided to attempt the landing to squeeze a final
bit of science out of the $223 million mission.
No matter how the landing attempt ended, Weiler said, earlier, NEAR
was ``a total success. It returned 10 times more data than expected.''
Officials targeted NEAR to land on Eros at the edge of a deep
depression called Himeros. Scientists picked this spot because it is
thought to be on the edge of two different geologic formations.
During the final hours of its descent, NEAR furiously took pictures of
Eros' surface as it drew closer and closer. Scientists hoped the final
shots before impact would clearly show rocks as small as a fist, an
unprecedented close-up view of an asteroid.
``In those final images, we'll be seeing objects that are just a few
inches in resolution,'' said Andrew Cheng, chief project scientist of
NEAR.
Farquhar had warned in advance that landing NEAR n Eros is
exquisitely ``tricky.''
NEAR was not designed to land anywhere. Shaped like tin can attached
to four solar panels, the craft was not equipped with wheels or braces
to absorb the landing force.
Weiler commented, ``This is not a landing. It is a controlled crash.''
Eros has very light gravity, about one-thousandth that of Earth, which
means that an object, such as NEAR, weighing 1,100 pounds on Earth,
would weigh only slightly over a pound in the gravity field of Eros. A
quarter, dropped from head-high on Eros, would take five seconds to
fall to the surface.
Weiler said the final descent of NEAR was actually slower than the
asteroid's rotation and there was risk that the spinning space rock
could actually swat the craft back into orbit.
NEAR traveled more than 2 billion miles during its five-year mission. It
was launched Feb. 17, 1996, into an independent solar orbit. NEAR
swung by the Earth once to pick up speed and then streaked outward
toward Eros, an asteroid in an elongated orbit that nears Mars and
approaches Earth's orbit.
In December 1998, a rocket firing designed to put the craft into orbit of
Eros failed and NEAR sped past the asteroid. A second rocket firing
series was successful and the spacecraft eventually returned to Eros
and slipped into history's first orbit of an asteroid.
The craft spent the last year snapping photos of Eros, second- largest
of the asteroids that approach the Earth's orbit. The NEAR instruments
also gathered information about the asteroid's composition, structure,
size and shape.
NEAR was built and operated under a faster-better-cheaper space
exploration philosophy developed at NASA. Under the direction and
control of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, the
spacecraft was designed, built and launched in just 26 months. Some
deep space explorations have taken a decade or more to mount. NEAR
is also the first deep-space mission to be operated by a non-NASA
space center.
On the Net:
Mission site: http://near.jhuapl.edu/media/index.html 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 331 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Feb 12, 2001 (17:50) * 10 lines
NEWSALERT: Monday, February 12, 2001 @ 2100 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

NEAR SHOEMAKER SURVIVES ASTEROID LANDING
----------------------------------------
The NEAR Shoemaker probe is apparently alive and well after touching down on the surface of asteroid Eros today. The spacecraft returned remarkable close up views of the asteroid's surface as it swooped down to its historic landing. Check our home page for the latest news and pictures.

http://spaceflightnow.com/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 332 of 866:  (sprin5) * Tue, Feb 13, 2001 (07:53) * 1 lines
Pretty neat, they landed a craft not designed to land and a beacon kept sending back signals. The close ups are very clear and show some good size boulders ona very solid asteroid, not a pile of rubble or block of ice.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 333 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Feb 13, 2001 (12:34) * 29 lines
Looks amazing, doesn't it?! I NEED a litle piece for my collection!!!

NEWSALERT: Tuesday, February 13, 2001 @ 0439 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

NEAR PROBE MAKES HISTORIC LANDING ON ASTEROID EROS
--------------------------------------------------
NASA's $223 million mission NEAR Showmaker spacecraft made an unprecedented landing on the surface of asteroid Eros Monday, returning spectacular pictures on the way down. Check our home page for the latest news, pictures and video.
http://spaceflightnow.com/

ASTRONAUTS SAIL THROUGH 2ND SUCCESSFUL SPACEWALK
------------------------------------------------
The Atlantis astronauts staged a near-perfect spacewalk Monday, connecting a shuttle docking port to the $1.4 billion Destiny laboratory module, installing a mounting fixture for a new robot arm and opening the lab's picture window on the world.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a/010212fd6/index2.html
Latest updates in our status center:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

EXPERIMENTS TO STUDY FAILURES ON SMALL SATELLITE
------------------------------------------------
NASA experiments on a small British satellite are studying the effects of radiation on the various systems that make up each experiment. To yield this information, engineers are actually hoping for the components to fail.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/13strv/

GALILEO PLAYING BACK RECORDED OBSERVATIONS
------------------------------------------
It is going to be a relatively quiet week for the Galileo spacecraft. On Friday, the spacecraft performs standard maintenance on its propulsion systems. Other than that, playback of the data stored on the on-board tape recorder continues.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/12galileothisweek/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 334 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Feb 15, 2001 (16:52) * 10 lines
The Sun Does a Flip

NASA Science News for February 15, 2001

NASA scientists who monitor the Sun say that our star's awesome magnetic
field is flipping -- a sure sign that solar maximum is here.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast15feb_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 335 of 866: Lucille Oftedahl  (alyeska) * Thu, Feb 15, 2001 (19:13) * 2 lines
I am waiting, not so patiently for the pictures the camera will send back from the asteroid.
They had better success there than on Mars and this one wasn't intended to be.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 336 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Feb 16, 2001 (12:52) * 35 lines
I agree, Lucie!!!

NEWSALERT: Friday, February 16, 2001 @ 1800 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

ATLANTIS DEPARTS STATION AFTER FLAWLESS LAB DELIVERY
----------------------------------------------------
The shuttle Atlantis undocked from the international space station today, leaving the outpost behind with a new $1.4 billion laboratory module and some 3,000 pounds of equipment and supplies.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a/010216undock/index2.html

See our status center coverage of the mission:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

CHANDRA FINDS MOST DISTANT X-RAY GALAXY CLUSTER
-----------------------------------------------
The most distant X-ray cluster of galaxies yet has been found by astronomers using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. Approximately 10 billion light years from Earth, the cluster 3C294 is 40 percent farther than the next most distant X-ray galaxy cluster previously known.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/16chandra/

MARTIAN SEDIMENTARY ROCK FOUND IN UNLIKELY PLACE
------------------------------------------------
Although most of the best examples of layered sedimentary rock seen on Mars are found at equatorial and sub-tropical latitudes, a few locations seen at mid- and high-latitudes suggest that layered rocks are probably more common than we can actually see from orbit.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/16mgsspall/

FIRST CANADIAN ASTRONAUT GETS A PROMOTION
-----------------------------------------
The Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for the Canadian Space Agency has announced the appointment of astronaut Marc Garneau as Executive Vice-President of the CSA.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/16garneau/

LAUNCH SCHEDULE
---------------
Keep up-to-date with planned space shuttle and rocket launches from around the globe with our Worldwide Launch Schedule page
http://spaceflightnow.com/tracking/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 337 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Feb 16, 2001 (13:09) * 3 lines
SEMI-LIVE PICTURES FROM EROS ASTEROID

http://near-mirror.boulder.swri.edu/iod/descent_image/image.jpg

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 338 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Feb 17, 2001 (00:04) * 13 lines
Weekend Aurora Watch

Space Weather News for Friday, Feb. 16, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

SOHO coronagraphs spotted a full-halo solar coronal mass ejection on
Thursday that appears to be Earth-bound. The expanding cloud will likely
reach our planet during the weekend and could trigger geomagnetic activity
when it arrives. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for possible
auroras. Meanwhile, in an unrelated development, NASA scientists say the
Sun's enormous magnetic field is flipping! For more information please
visit http://www.spaceweather.com 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 339 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Feb 17, 2001 (13:26) * 196 lines
===========================================================
SKY & TELESCOPE'S NEWS BULLETIN - FEBRUARY 16, 2001
===========================================================
For images and Web links for these items, visit http://www.skypub.com
===========================================================
"Astronomy: An Immersive Journey Through the Universe" is set of
CD-ROMs that makes astronomy accessible to beginners and delivers the
high accuracy required by serious astronomy enthusiasts. Use it to
chart the positions of more than a million objects, take more than 60
expertly narrated tours, and enjoy thousands of graphics and photos.
To order your copy for $29.95, visit Sky Publishing's online store
(http://store.skypub.com/skypub/default.asp?links=REDAC)
or call 800-253-0245.
===========================================================

NEAR AND EROS MEET
Although given no better than a 1-in-100 chance of survival, the Near
Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) spacecraft thumped onto the dusty,
boulder-strewn surface of minor planet 433 Eros on Monday and lived to
tell about it. The spacecraft continued to broadcast to Earth after
touching down at an estimated 1.5 meters per second at 3:05 p.m. EST
(20:05 Universal Time). As mission personnel looked on anxiously, NASA
tracking stations in California and Spain continued to receive a
low-power signal (but no data) after the first-ever landing on a small
solar-system body.
The landing sequence began about 4 hours earlier, as a rocket firing
forced NEAR-Shoemaker out of its 35-kilometer-high orbit and sent it
on a collision course with Eros. Four more rocket firings, beginning
at altitude of 5 km, slowed the craft during its 47-minute freefall.
Engineering data and altitude measurements showed that the spacecraft
descended to the surface just as planned, perhaps bouncing once before
settling down tipped to one side and resting on the corners of two
solar-cell panels. The touchdown site is on the shoulder of Himeros, a
broad depression in the southern hemisphere.
NEAR Shoemaker's onboard camera radioed more than 50 pictures as the
surface drew closer. The landscape looked smooth and dust-covered for
the most part, peppered with myriad boulders ranging from house- to
fist-size. But mission scientists were most surprised by the lack of
small impacts. "We are absolutely amazed by the absence of small,
fresh craters," exclaimed imaging-team leader Joseph Veverka, as well
as by numerous shallow sinkhole-like depressions. The final frame,
taken from a height of 125 m, showed an area 6 m wide and revealed
details only about 1 centimeter across. NASA had intended to cease
tracking the spacecraft on February 14th, when the mission was to
officially end. However, since the spacecraft survived, it has been
granted a reprieve as scientists try to glean more useful data from
the probe.

LIFE UNDER FROZEN MARTIAN LAKES?
The Antarctic lake Vostok, has received much attention for being an
analog to the Europan surface. Scientist believe that the lake,
covered by nearly 4 kilometers of ice, closely resembled the proposed
ocean on Jupiter's frozen moon. Both bodies of water seemed to have
formed by geothermal heating, and because the ice above is so thick,
both seas remained sealed from sunlight and air for millions of years.
Thus, if life exists in Lake Vostok (drilling missions have yet to
reach the liquid layer), it's plausible that life could also exist on
Europa.
However, scientists now believe that Vostok better resembles another
planet suspected of once harboring life: Mars. Natalia Duxbury (Jet
Propulsion Laboratory) and her colleagues suggest that Vostok did not
form by geothermal heating after all. Instead models of Vostok created
by the researchers imply that the Antarctic lake was originally an
open body of water that froze over between 5 and 30 million years ago.
And as such, any life found inside the lake would be older than the
Antarctic ice sheet.
This model bares a striking resemblance to the red planet. The Martian
north pole is known to be covered with ice. However, Mars's axial tilt
has changed dramatically throughout the planet's lifetime and the
current polar regions were once much warmer. Therefore it is easy to
assume that sometime in Martian history, the poles, like Duxbury's
model of Vostok, were once open bodies of water that later froze over.
Assuming life was present while Vostok was an exposed lake, and
assuming life is seen the lake today, it seems possible that if life
existed in an ancient Martian polar lake, it may still be there too.
The European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiter, scheduled for launch
in 2003, will examine the Martian poles for buried liquid water. A
similar experiment will eventually be flown to Europa as well. Details
of the study can be found in the January 25th Journal of Geophysical
Research.

PLUTO'S PALETTE REVEALED
During the 1980s Pluto and its satellite Charon repeatedly passed in
front of and behind one another as seen from Earth, a fortuitous
series of "mutual events" whose light curves allowed astronomers to
create crude maps of Pluto's surface. The maps showed that the half of
Pluto facing Charon was distinctly pink with a broad, dark belt
girding its midsection. Theorists surmised that the planet's
equatorial zone contained reddish organic byproducts derived from the
frosts of nitrogen, methane, and carbon monoxide that cover the
adjacent brighter regions.

However, when Eliot F. Young (Southwest Research Institute), Richard
F. Binzel (MIT), and Colorado high-school student Keenan Crane
analyzed four mutual events recorded in both blue and yellow light,
they got an unexpected surprise: the dark band actually consists of
separate blue and yellowish red regions. As the trio of researchers
report in the January issue of Astronomical Journal, these
variegations may indicate that bluish frosts are mixed with dark
material in varying amounts or that the equatorial belt has received
different amounts of heat and radiation to drive the organic reactions
in the icy surface.

COMET MCNAUGHT-HARTLEY HIGH IN HERCULES
Comet McNaught-Hartley (C/1999 T1) is still moving north, reaching yet
higher in the morning sky for the Northern Hemisphere. The
8th-magnitude comet rises around 11 p.m. for midnorthern latitudes and
is an easy target for binoculars as it moves through Hercules this
coming week. By the first light of dawn, the comet will be about 65
deg. above the eastern horizon. Here are positions for
McNaught-Hartley for 0 hours Universal Time in 2000.0 coordinates:

Date R.A. Dec.
Feb 17 17h 06m +30.4 deg.
Feb 19 17 12 +32.3
Feb 21 17 17 +34.1
Feb 23 17 22 +36.0
For details and a finder chart for the month of February, see the
Special Sky Events page at
http://www.skypub.com/sights/skyevents/0102skyevents.html .

THIS WEEK'S "SKY AT A GLANCE"
Some daily events in the changing sky, by the editors of Sky & Telescope.

FEB. 18 -- SUNDAY
* Some doorstep astronomy: This is the time of year when the bright
constellation Orion stands at its highest in the south in early evening.
Look for Orion's Belt, a diagonal row of three stars, in its middle.

FEB. 19 -- MONDAY
* Jupiter's Great Red Spot should cross Jupiter's central meridian (the
imaginary line down the center of the planet's disk from pole to pole)
around 11:01 p.m. EST. The "red" spot is currently very pale orange-tan. It
should be visible for at least 50 minutes before and after in a good 4- or
6-inch telescope if the atmospheric seeing is sharp and steady. For a list
of all predicted Red Spot transit times, see
http://www.skypub.com/sights/moonplanets/redspot.html .
* Jupiter's largest moon, Ganymede, casts its shadow on the planet from
9:42 to 11:55 p.m. EST.

FEB. 20 -- TUESDAY
* Mars is near Beta Scorpii this morning and Wednesday morning. Take a
look with binoculars! In a telescope, Beta is revealed as a fine double star.

FEB. 21 -- WEDNESDAY
* More doorstep astronomy: Once you've found Orion and his Belt high in
the south (see Sunday above), follow the line of the Belt to the lower left
for about two fist-widths at arm's length to find brilliant Sirius. In the
opposite direction, Orion's Belt points roughly to the group of bright
Jupiter, yellow Saturn, and orange Aldebaran.

FEB. 22 -- THURSDAY
* Jupiter's Red Spot transits around 8:32 p.m. EST.

FEB. 23 -- FRIDAY
* New Moon (exact at 3:21 a.m. EST this morning).

FEB. 24 -- SATURDAY
* Shortly after sunset, look just above the western horizon, far below
Venus, for the hairline crescent Moon.

============================
THIS WEEK'S PLANET ROUNDUP
============================

MERCURY is hidden deep in the glow of sunrise.

VENUS is the brilliant object (magnitude -4.6) shining in the west during
and after dusk.

MARS (magnitude +0.6, in the head of Scorpius) rises around 1 a.m. and
glows yellow-orange in the south before dawn. To its lower left is
similarly-colored Antares.

JUPITER and SATURN (magnitudes -2.4 and -0.2, respectively) shine brightly
high in the southwest to west during evening. Jupiter is the brightest;
yellowish Saturn is 8 degrees to Jupiter's lower right. To Jupiter's right
are the Pleiades, and farther to Jupiter's left or upper left sparkles
orange Aldebaran.

URANUS and NEPTUNE are hidden in the glare of the Sun.

PLUTO (magnitude 14; invisible without a large telescope) is in Ophiuchus
in the southeast before dawn.

(All descriptions that relate to the horizon or zenith -- including the
words up, down, right, and left -- are written for the world's midnorthern
latitudes. Descriptions that also depend on longitude are for North
America. Eastern Standard Time, EST, equals Universal Time [GMT] minus 5
hours.)

More celestial events, sky maps, and news of the world's astronomy research
appear each month in SKY & TELESCOPE, the essential magazine of astronomy.
See our enormous Web site and astronomy bookstore at http://www.skypub.com/.
Clear skies! 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 340 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Feb 20, 2001 (20:35) * 13 lines
Blazing Venus

NASA Science News for February 20, 2001

Fiery Venus is a wonderful planet to look at, but you wouldn't want to
live there! This is a good time to keep an eye on the second planet from
the Sun as it approaches Earth and delivers a dazzling sky show.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast20feb_1.htm?list89800 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 341 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Feb 21, 2001 (17:09) * 23 lines
NEWSALERT: Wednesday, February 21, 2001 @ 1612 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

ATLANTIS TAKES DETOUR TO MOJAVE DESERT LANDING
----------------------------------------------
Running two days late, the shuttle Atlantis dropped out of a cloudy Mojave Desert sky and glided to a smooth landing Tuesday at Edwards Air Force Base to wrap up an extended space station assembly flight. (Includes video!)
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a/010220landing/

Read our call of the landing:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

RUSSIAN MIR SPACE STATION REACHES 15TH ANNIVERSARY
--------------------------------------------------
The Mir space station marked its 15th anniversary in orbit on Tuesday, one day after the captains of the Russian space program defended their decision to deorbit the pioneering outpost.
http://spaceflightnow.com/mir/010220anni/

RESEARCH DETERMINES HOW PLANTS TELL WHICH WAY IS UP
---------------------------------------------------
Scientists are expanding the understanding of how gravity affects plant growth, which has implications for agriculture and space travel. Extended space missions will need to use plants and know how gravity affects the growth of plants.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/21plants/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 342 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Feb 21, 2001 (23:08) * 14 lines
Nature's Tiniest Space Junk

NASA Science News for February 21, 2001

NASA scientists are using an experimental radar to monitor a swarm of
space dust surrounding our planet -- cosmic junk that can pose an
electrical hazard to satellites. Now anyone can listen to the radar
echoes, live on the Internet! (This story also includes an unusual radar
movie of a 2000 Leonid meteor.)

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast21feb_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 343 of 866: What's happenin' in the news? (sprin5) * Fri, Feb 23, 2001 (11:36) * 1 lines
Any news on the status of Mir, Marci?

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 344 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Feb 23, 2001 (15:19) * 39 lines
Not yet other than it will take a different trajectory than originally planned!

NEWSALERT: Friday, February 23, 2001 @ 1518 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

TITAN 4 ROCKET LAUNCH ON HOLD
-----------------------------
Saturday's scheduled launch of an Air Force Titan 4B rocket from Cape Canaveral has been postponed due to a vehicle issue. Further details on the problem and when the launch might be rescheduled are expected later today.
http://spaceflightnow.com/titan/b41/status.html
We'll have a live video Webcast of launch:
http://spaceflightnow.com/titan/b41/live_qt.html

ASTEROID OR COMET BLAMED FOR MASS EXTINCTION
--------------------------------------------
Earth's most severe mass extinction - an event 250 million years ago that wiped out 90 percent of all marine species and 70 percent of land vertebrates - was triggered by a collision with a comet or asteroid, according to new findings.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/23extinct/

COLUMBIA UNVEILING DELAYED
--------------------------
The overhauled space shuttle Columbia is being kept inside Boeing's assembly plant in Palmdale, California, longer than planned today because of bad weather. After nearly a year-and-a-half of major modification and inspection work, Columbia is due for rollout today to be mounted atop a 747 carrier aircraft for the trek back to Kennedy Space Center.
http://spaceflightnow.com

SOHO WATCHES KAMIKAZE COMET AS IT PLUNGES INTO SUN
--------------------------------------------------
A comet that fell into the Sun on February 7 was tracked by two different instruments on the ESA-NASA SOHO spacecraft, enabling scientists to characterize it quite precisely. This was just one of nearly 300 comets discovered by SOHO since 1996!
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/23soho/

SPACE STATION RESIDENTS TO TAKE WEEKEND GETAWAY
-----------------------------------------------
The three-man Expedition One crew living aboard the international space station will depart the orbiting outpost for a short time Saturday to move their Soyuz capsule to a different docking port.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

NEW TELESCOPE MAKES BLACK HOLE DISCOVERY
----------------------------------------
Working independently, two teams of astronomers have used the new 6.5-meter telescope at the MMT Observatory on Mount Hopkins, Ariz., to discover a massive black hole -- the first ever found in the galactic halo, thousands of light years above the Milky Way galactic plane.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/23mmt/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 345 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Feb 23, 2001 (19:38) * 10 lines
The Great Moon Hoax

NASA Science News for February 23, 2001 12:00:00 PM

Yes, there really is a Moon hoax, but the prankster isn't NASA. Moon rocks
and common sense prove Apollo astronauts really did visit the Moon.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast23feb_2.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 346 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Feb 23, 2001 (19:45) * 12 lines
Apocalypse Then

NASA Science News for February 23, 2001

They say lightning never strikes twice. Well, how about asteroids? A
violent collision with a space rock, like the one that doomed the
dinosaurs, may have also caused our planet's greatest mass extinction 250
million years ago.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast23feb_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 347 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Feb 24, 2001 (14:25) * 29 lines
NEWSALERT: Saturday, February 24, 2001 @ 1114 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

SPACE STATION RESIDENTS TAKE WEEKEND GETAWAY
--------------------------------------------
The three-man Expedition One crew living aboard the international space station departed the orbiting outpost for a short time this morning to move their Soyuz capsule to a different docking port.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html
See a graphic illustrating the flyaround:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a/010224flyaround/graphic.html

NEAR MISSION EXTENDED THROUGH END OF THE MONTH
----------------------------------------------
NASA granted an additional four-day extension for the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) Shoemaker mission on Friday so that the spacecraft can return additional data from the surface of the asteroid Eros through the end of the month.
http://spaceflightnow.com/near/010223extend/
Previous coverage of NEAR Shoemaker's landing:
http://spaceflightnow.com/near/status.html

TITAN 4 LAUNCH DELAYED FURTHER
------------------------------
Launch of the $455 million Titan 4B rocket carrying a $750 million Milstar military communications satellite has been pushed back to Tuesday at the earliest. The extra time is needed so technicians can further study and fix a problem with the rocket's telemetry system.
http://spaceflightnow.com/titan/b41/status.html

JOHNSON SPACE CENTER CHIEF GEORGE ABBEY OUSTED
----------------------------------------------
NASA announced late Friday that George Abbey, one of the most powerful and enigmatic figures in the space program, was being replaced as director of the Johnson Space Center. Abbey, who becomes a special advisor to the NASA Administrator, was ousted in the wake of huge cost overuns in the international space station program. Read the NASA news release:
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/23abbey/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 348 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Feb 26, 2001 (18:56) * 54 lines
NEWSALERT: Monday, February 26, 2001 @ 1100 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

BRITISH GOVERNMENT RESPONDS TO NEO TASK FORCE
---------------------------------------------
The British government issued a response Saturday to a task force
report on the threat posed by near-Earth asteroids and comets,
concurring with many of the recommendations in the report but
promising little in the way of immediate, concrete action.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/26neo/

RUSSIANS LAUNCH SUPPLY SHIP FOR SPACE STATION ALPHA
---------------------------------------------------
The Progress M-44 cargo freighter is bound for the international
space station today after being propelled into orbit by a Russian
Soyuz-U rocket. On Saturday, the three-man Expedition One departed
the orbiting outpost for a short time to move their Soyuz capsule to
a different docking port to make way for the Progress.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

CANADA STUDIES THIRD-GENERATION RADARSAT SATELLITE
--------------------------------------------------
Work on the third Radarsat remote sensing satellite has officially
gotten underway as the Canadian Space Agency issued a feasibility
studies contract to MacDonald, Dettwiler, and Associates.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/26radarsat3/

GLITCH WITH TITAN 4 ROCKET RESOLVED, LAUNCH DATE SET
----------------------------------------------------
The Titan 4B rocket has been cleared for liftoff Tuesday with the
Milstar communications satellite cargo, the Air Force announced
Saturday after isolating and correcting a problem with the vehicle's
first stage telemetry relay system.
http://spaceflightnow.com/titan/b41/status.html

GALAXY GROUPS SURVEYED BEYOND LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD
------------------------------------------------
In a cosmically short time, probably in a few billion years, our
Milky Way galaxy will smash into the Andromeda galaxy. Pulled
together by gravity, the two spiral galaxies will violently merge
perhaps into another kind of galaxy, an elliptical galaxy.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/25groups/

HOW DID MATTER COME TO DOMINATE THE UNIVERSE?
---------------------------------------------
The seemingly unremarkable fact that the universe is full of matter
turns out to be something physicists can't quite account for.
According to the big bang theory, equal amounts of matter and
antimatter were created at the birth of the universe, but precious
little antimatter is to be found in the universe today.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/25matter/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 349 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Feb 27, 2001 (13:00) * 29 lines
NEWSALERT: Tuesday, February 27, 2001 @ 1109 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

TITAN 4 ROCKET STANDS POISED FOR BLASTOFF TODAY
---------------------------------------------------
There is $1.2 billion on the line today at Cape Canaveral where a powerful Titan 4B rocket awaits an afternoon launch carrying a crucial U.S. military communications satellite that will serve as a switchboard-in-the-sky. We will the most comprehensive live coverage throughout the day in our status center and Webcast.
http://spaceflightnow.com/titan/b41/status.html

Live streaming broadcast of the launch:
http://spaceflightnow.com/titan/b41/live_qt.html

NEW EVIDENCE FOUND TO SUGGEST ANCIENT MARS LIFE
-----------------------------------------------
Crystals of the mineral magnetite, embedded within a famous Martian meteorite, have provided scientists with the latest evidence that primitive life once existed on Mars.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/27marslife/


GRISSOM 'FLIES' ONE LAST TIME AT CAPE CANAVERAL
-----------------------------------------------
Lt. Col. Virgil "Gus" Grissom, one of America's first astronauts, will once again fly from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Grissom's "flight" is possible because the Air Force's Titan 4B rocket scheduled for launch today has been named "Gus" in honor of him.
http://spaceflightnow.com/titan/b41/010226patch.html

STRESS, CHAOS FORM SOLAR SYSTEM'S TALLEST MOUNTAINS
---------------------------------------------------
Researchers studing images taken by the Galileo and Voyager spacecraft have found that enigmatic mountains on Jupiter's moon Io may be the combined result of heating, melting and tilting of giant blocks of crust. The moon has some of the tallest mountains in our solar system.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0102/27iomount/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 350 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Mar  1, 2001 (11:38) * 25 lines
NEWSALERT: Thursday, March 1, 2001 @ 1145 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

NEAR SHOEMAKER PHONES HOME FOR THE LAST TIME
--------------------------------------------
NASA's NEAR Shoemaker -- the intrepid space probe that provided the first intensive examination of an asteroid -- has finally reached the end of its five-year adventure.
http://spaceflightnow.com/near/010228end/

STATION, SCIENCE SQUEEZED IN NASA BUDGET PROPOSAL
-------------------------------------------------
President George W. Bush's 2002 budget proposal, released Wednesday, provides essentially no increase in funding for NASA while mandating serious reforms to the international space station and the cancellation of two planetary science missions.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/01budget/

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE SPOTS A GALAXY ON THE EDGE
-------------------------------------------------
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has snapped this remarkable view of a perfectly "edge-on" galaxy. This new Hubble picture reveals with exquisite detail huge clouds of dust and gas extending along, as well as far above, the galaxy's main disk.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/01hubble/

JUPITER'S LARGEST MOON MAY BE A WET, SLUSHY PLACE
-------------------------------------------------
Planetary scientists studying Jupiter's icy moon Ganymede have combined stereo images from the Galileo and Voyager missions and found provocative features on the moon. They have mapped long swathes of bright flat terrain that they think is evidence of water or slush that emerged one billion years or so ago.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/01ganymede/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 351 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Mar  2, 2001 (14:47) * 15 lines
Buck Rogers, Watch Out

NASA researchers are studying insects and birds, and using so-called smart
materials with uncanny properties to develop mindboggling new aircraft
designs.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast01mar_1.htm?list89800 








 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 352 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Mar  2, 2001 (15:21) * 15 lines
Sunspots and a Coronal Mass Ejection

Space Weather News for March 2, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

SOLAR ACTIVITY: This week the face of the Sun looked remarkably blank as
the sunspot number dropped to its lowest level in three months. But
there's more to solar activity than sunspots! On February 28th a filament
collapsed on the Sun and the eruption sent a coronal mass ejection toward
Earth. The expanding cloud will likely reach our planet on Saturday,
March 3rd, and trigger high latitude auroras.

For more information about this and other space weather news, please visit
http://www.spaceweather.com. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 353 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sun, Mar  4, 2001 (13:33) * 25 lines
NEWSALERT: Friday, March 2, 2001 @ 1107 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

NASA KILLS X-33 AND X-34
------------------------
NASA announced Thursday that it would not provide any additional funding for the X-33 or X-34 launch vehicle technology demonstration programs, effectively killing both projects before either made its first flight.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/01x33/index2.html

SETTING SAIL THROUGH SPACE
--------------------------
The Planetary Society and Cosmos Studios are ready to test the first solar sail ever deployed in space later this year. Solar sails are seen by many space observers as the "wave of the future" that will revolutionize space flight as spacecraft travel beyond the solar system.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/02sail/

CALLING PIONEER 10
------------------
The longest operating deep-space probe is getting at least one more chance for life as project managers have secured observation time with radio antennas to try to contact the spacecraft for the first time since last summer.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/02pioneer10/

RARE METEORITES REKINDLE SOLAR SYSTEM BIRTH DEBATE
--------------------------------------------------
A new meteorite study is rekindling a scientific debate over the creation of our solar system. The study is based on the microscopic analysis of two rare meteorites recently discovered in Antarctica and Africa.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/02meteor/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 354 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Mar  6, 2001 (12:00) * 45 lines
NEWSALERT: Monday, March 5, 2001 @ 1348 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

SHUTTLE DISCOVERY SET FOR SUNRISE LAUNCH THURSDAY
-------------------------------------------------
The seven astronauts who will ride shuttle Discovery into space made a late-night arrival at Kennedy Space Center on Sunday as preparations remain on schedule to start the countdown today. The shuttle is poised for liftoff Thursday at 6:42 a.m. EST (1142 GMT).
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

STS-102 MISSION THEATER
-----------------------
From countdown to touchdown we will provide the internet's most comprehensive video coverage of Discovery's mission to the International Space Station. Subscribe to the Mission Theater today!
http://spaceflightnow.com/theater/theater.html

VOLCANIC IO ERUPTS
------------------
Newly released images taken by NASA's Galileo spacecraft captures a dynamic eruption at Tvashtar Catena, a chain of volcanic bowls on Jupiter's moon Io, and changes in the largest active field lava flows in the solar system, the Amirani flow.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/04ioerupt/

PLUTO MISSION CLINGS TO LIFE
----------------------------
NASA will continue to accept proposals for a mission to Pluto at the request of Congress despite a proposed budget that includes no funding for such a mission, agency officials confirmed Friday.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/03pluto/

DID COMETS WATER EARTH?
-----------------------
A physics professor at the University of Iowa says that he has found new evidence to support his theory that the water in Earth's oceans arrived by way of small snow comets.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/05smallcomet/

EUROPE, JAPAN PLAN JOINT MARTIAN OBSERVATIONS
---------------------------------------------
Japanese and European Mars orbiters will keep each other company once they arrive at the red planet in 2003 and 2004. A recent meeting between the Mars Express and Nozomi teams forged an agreement to work together once their respective probes arrive in Martian orbit.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/05marscoop/

COMMERCIAL SATELLITE TO SCAN ALL OF JAMAICA
-------------------------------------------
Space Imaging has signed an agreement with the government of Jamaica to take 1-meter, high resolution satellite images with the orbiting Ikonos spacecraft of the entire country to be used by land-related and mapping agencies.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/04jamaica/

EUTELSAT LOOKS ACROSS ATLANTIC TO BUY NEW SATELLITE
---------------------------------------------------
EUTELSAT, the 48-member European Satellite Telecommunications Organization, has signed a contract for a broadband communications satellite from Boeing Satellite Systems Inc. The satellite, to be known as e-BIRD, is a spin-stabilized Boeing 376 HP model.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/03ebird/

To Subscribe: mailto:newsalert-on@astrolists.com

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 355 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Mar  7, 2001 (13:33) * 44 lines
NEWSALERT: Wednesday, March 7, 2001 @ 0327 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

DISCOVERY 'GO' FOR LAUNCH AMID STATION BUDGET TROUBLE
-----------------------------------------------------
With the shuttle Discovery poised for launch Thursday on the next space station assembly mission, senior NASA managers Tuesday attempted to downplay the potential impact of a projected $4 billion budget shortfall, calling an expected down-sizing a "minor adjustment."
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a1/010306iss/

COUNTDOWN ROLLS ON FOR THURSDAY'S SHUTTLE LAUNCH
------------------------------------------------
The trouble-free countdown continues at Kennedy Space Center for shuttle Discovery's sunrise blastoff Thursday. The weather forecast is generally favorable with the only concern being unseasonably cold temperatures.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a1/010306count/

STS-102 MISSION THEATER
-----------------------
From countdown to touchdown we will provide the internet's most comprehensive video coverage of Discovery's mission to the International Space Station. Subscribe to the Mission Theater today!
http://spaceflightnow.com/theater/theater.html

RUSSIA OFFERS MODULE, EXTRA SOYUZ CAPSULE TO PARTNERS
-----------------------------------------------------
Russian Aviation and Space Agency, Rosaviacosmos, has endorsed the development of the first commercially operated module of the international space station in hopes of charging rent to its partners.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/06enterprise/

CHECKING ON AN OLD AND ACTIVE COMETARY FRIEND
---------------------------------------------
When Comet Hale-Bopp passed through the inner solar system in early 1997, it was admired in the sky as a "classical" comet, with a bright head and an enormous, multi-colored tail. Now four years later, astronomers have captured new views of the comet.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/07halebopp/

CHANDRA SNAPS REMARKABLE IMAGE OF GALAXY GROUP
----------------------------------------------
A new Chandra image reveals great detail and complexity in the central region of the compact galaxy group known as HCG 62. Such galaxy groups, which contain fewer galaxies than the better-known galaxy clusters, are an important class of objects because they may serve as cosmic building blocks in the large-scale structure of the Universe.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/07chandra/

UNIQUE DOUBLE-HEADER AS TWO SHUTTLES GRACE CAPE SKIES
-----------------------------------------------------
Space shuttles Atlantis and Columbia made it back to Florida's Space Coast on Monday after lengthy cross-country ferry flights from California, but there wasn't enough parking spots at Kennedy Space Center for both spaceplanes and their carrier aircraft.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/06ferryflights/

BOEING'S DIGITAL CINEMA READY FOR VIEWING
-----------------------------------------
Boeing digital cinema, a capability that enables same-day delivery of digital media via satellite to multiple movie theaters, is ready for viewing.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/06cinema/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 356 of 866:  (sprin5) * Wed, Mar  7, 2001 (14:26) * 1 lines
Digital cinema, wow. What clever cracker will be first to break this for home consumption?

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 357 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Mar  8, 2001 (13:10) * 32 lines
NEWSALERT: Thursday, March 8, 2001 @ 0545 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

NASA COUNTS DOWN TO DISCOVERY'S SUNRISE LAUNCH
----------------------------------------------
The shuttle Discovery has been fueled for blastoff today on a flight to deliver the international space station's second full-time crew and nearly five tons of supplies and equipment, including the lab's first suite of scientific experiments. We are providing continuous live coverage in our status center:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html
Read our comprehensive mission preview:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a1/010307preview/

STS-102 MISSION THEATER
-----------------------
From countdown to touchdown we will provide the internet's most comprehensive video coverage of Discovery's mission to the International Space Station. Subscribe to the Mission Theater today!
http://spaceflightnow.com/theater/theater.html

HUBBLE SPIES HUGE CLUSTERS OF STARS FORMED IN ANCIENT CRASH
-----------------------------------------------------------
Studying galactic interactions is like sifting through the forensic evidence at a crime scene. Astronomers wade through the debris of a violent encounter, collecting clues so they can reconstruct the celestial crime to determine when it happened. Take the case of M82, a small, nearby galaxy that long ago bumped into its larger neighbor, M81.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/08hubble/

MIR REENTRY TARGET DATE SET
---------------------------
Russian space officials decided to postpone the deorbiting of the Mir space station to around March 20 to save the propellant onboard the Progress spacecraft.
http://spaceflightnow.com/mir/010308reentry/

ARIANESPACE TO LAUNCH FIRST ARIANE 5 ROCKET OF 2001
---------------------------------------------------
The Ariane 509 rocket was rolled to its South American launch pad Wednesday in final preparation for liftoff this evening to deliver European and Japanese telecommunications satellites into orbit.
http://spaceflightnow.com/ariane/v140/status.html 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 358 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Mar 10, 2001 (23:02) * 10 lines
The End is Mir

NASA Science News for March 10, 2001
Space station Mir, the heaviest thing orbiting our planet other than the
Moon itself, will return to Earth around March 20th.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast10mar_1.htm?list89800 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 359 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Mar 12, 2001 (12:16) * 40 lines
NEWSALERT: Monday, March 12, 2001 @ 0703 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

ITALIAN-MADE 'MOVING VAN' DOCKED TO SPACE STATION
-------------------------------------------------
The Leonardo Multipurpose Logistics Module has been mounted to the international space station with its 9,993 pounds of equipment and experiments for the U.S. Destiny laboratory. The astronauts are slated to enter the $150 million pressurized module in a few hours, then start unpacking its contents on Monday night.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a1/010312fd5/

MARATHON SPACEWALK SETS NEW ENDURANCE RECORD
--------------------------------------------
In a marathon spacewalk marked by unexpected glitches and lost hardware, two astronauts mounted critical equipment on the hull of the international space station Sunday. The 8-hour 56-minute long excursion, was the longest in spacewalk U.S. history.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a1/010311fd4/

DISCOVERY MAKES BELATED DOCKING WITH STATION
--------------------------------------------
The shuttle Discovery glided to a delayed-but-successful docking with the international space station early Saturday to deliver the first of three new crew members after flight controllers finally managed to lock down a possibly free-swinging solar panel.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a1/010310fd3/

STS-102 MISSION THEATER
-----------------------
We are providing the internet's most comprehensive video coverage of Discovery's mission to the International Space Station, including multiple views of Thursday's launch, extraordinary onboard video, daily news conferences and the mission highlights. Subscribe to the Mission Theater today!
http://spaceflightnow.com/theater/theater.html

REPORT: CHINA PLANS FIRST MANNED MISSION NEXT YEAR
--------------------------------------------------
China plans to launch its first astronauts in late 2002 following more unmanned test flights of the Shenzhou test capsule, according to Japanese news reports.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/11china/

TWO SPACECRAFT REVEAL NEW DETAILS OF JUPITER'S AURORA
-----------------------------------------------------
Bright auroras on parts of Jupiter where those shimmering glows have not previously been seen appear in new images taken from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. The research is part of a joint study with Cassini to examine how the aurora is affected by the solar wind.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/10jupaurora/

UNIVERSE PUT ON THE SCALES
--------------------------
Only 35 percent of the Universe's contents is in the form of matter, according to new findings. The rest is believed to be in the form of 'dark energy'. This measurement, the most accurate to date, is based on data from 141,000 galaxies.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/10weigh/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 360 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Mar 14, 2001 (21:33) * 34 lines
NEWSALERT: Wednesday, March 14, 2001 @ 1921 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

VOLCANOES MAY HAVE PLAYED ROLE IN MARTIAN LIFE
----------------------------------------------
Two of the oldest volcanoes on Mars, which have been active for 3.5 billion years, are providing clues to the possibility of life on the planet, according to preliminary analysis by geologists of new data from the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/14marsvolcano/

STATION CREW ROTATION COMPLETE
------------------------------
Astronaut Susan Helms moved aboard the international space station today, completing the lab's first crew rotation and becoming the first woman to live aboard the outpost. The astronauts are ahead of schedule unloading the Leonardo cargo carrier.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a1/010314fd7/

STS-102 MISSION THEATER
-----------------------
We are providing the internet's most comprehensive video coverage of
Discovery's mission to the International Space Station, including
multiple views of liftoff, extraordinary cockpit launch video,
daily news conferences and the mission highlights. Subscribe to the
Mission Theater today!
http://spaceflightnow.com/theater/

DEEP X-RAYS SHOW UNIVERSE TEEMING WITH BLACK HOLES
--------------------------------------------------
For the first time, astronomers believe they have proof black holes of all sizes once ruled the universe. NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory provided the deepest X-ray images ever recorded, and those pictures deliver a novel look at the past 12 billion years of black holes.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/14chandra/

ASTRONOMERS FIND MISSING TYPE OF QUASAR
---------------------------------------
Astronomy's "most wanted" list shortened by one this week when researchers announced that they had spotted the first type II quasar, an object on the fringes of the known universe whose existence they had suspected for two decades.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/14quasar/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 361 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Mar 14, 2001 (21:47) * 13 lines
Home, Space Home

NASA Science News for March 14, 2001

On the ground, the International Space Station would be an odd looking
building -- but space is an odd place to live! Find out how space
weather, orbital free fall, and the Space Shuttle's payload bay shapes the
architecture of the ISS.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast14mar_1.htm?list89800 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 362 of 866:  (sprin5) * Thu, Mar 15, 2001 (08:37) * 1 lines
So Mir's going to crash somewhere in Australia. Will it land on the locale of Survivor? 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 363 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Mar 15, 2001 (18:39) * 14 lines
What a thought - and could they have envisioned a more spectacular ending for the series?!

Welcome Interference -- astronomers get a new tool in the hunt for planets

NASA Science News for March 15, 2001

NASA scientists have combined starlight from the two largest telescopes on
Earth to form an extraordinary optical interferometer -- a powerful tool
in the search for planets outside the solar system.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast15mar_1.htm?list89800 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 364 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Mar 15, 2001 (18:48) * 25 lines
NEWSALERT: Thursday, March 15, 2001 @ 1700 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

RUSSIANS REFINE PLAN FOR REENTRY OF SPACE STATION MIR
-----------------------------------------------------
After weeks of uncertainty, Russian space officials have set the early hours of March 22 as the definitive target for the Mir's fiery reentry into Earth's atmosphere.
http://spaceflightnow.com/mir/010314date/

SPACE STATION CARGO TRANSFER IN HIGH GEAR
-----------------------------------------
The Discovery astronauts spent the day repacking the Leonardo cargo module with space station trash and discarded equipment while the lab's departing crew members briefed their replacements on the finer points of operating the growing outpost.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a1/010315fd8/

NOW SHOWING: MORE THAN A DOZEN SHUTTLE LAUNCH VIEWS
---------------------------------------------------
Spaceflight Now's STS-102 Mission Theater is now showing more than a dozen varied views of shuttle Discovery's spectacular sunrise blast off last week. Among the 50 other clips available, are daily reports and mission highlights. Subscribe to the Mission Theater today!
http://spaceflightnow.com/theater/

VOLCANOES ON JOVIAN MOON IO TRY ERASING THEIR AGE
-------------------------------------------------
The amount of lava gushing from individual volcanoes on Jupiter's moon Io dwarfs earthly comparisons, and the pace at which lava is repainting Io's surface suggests a novel technique for determining the relative ages of surface regions there.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/15io/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 365 of 866: What's happenin' in the news? (sprin5) * Fri, Mar 16, 2001 (07:05) * 1 lines
I watched a little bit of Mission to Mars last night, have you seen this Marci? How accurate is this movies portrayal of the technology we'd actually use on a mission like this?

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 366 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Mar 16, 2001 (12:14) * 39 lines
Propagation from ARRL

Solar flux declined this week, having reached a short-term peak a
week prior to Wednesday. But average daily solar flux and sunspot
numbers were higher this week than last. Daily sunspot numbers
reached a peak of 174 on Monday. This is the highest it has been
since February 9, when it was 179, or January 23, when it was 178.

Geomagnetic conditions have been quiet, with A indices in the
single-digits. Quiet conditions should continue, although there is a
possibility that sunspot group 9373, currently at the center of the
solar disk oriented toward earth, could produce some solar flares on
Thursday or Friday. You'll hear the results on the WWV reports a few
days later if the K index rises above 3.

Solar flux is expected to be around 135 on Friday and 130 for the
following few days, then rise to around 145 on March 22-24. By
comparison, a year ago the average sunspot number and solar flux
reported in this bulletin (ARLP011) was respectively 193.4 and
194.9.

Scott Craig has a revised version of his Solar Data Plotting
Utility, which works with the data presented in this bulletin. The
new version was released last week, and has a new feature which can
connect to the internet and automatically download the solar data
from an ARRL FTP site. His website is at
http://www.craigcentral.com, and the software is at
http://www.craigcentral.com/sol.htm.

Next week is the spring equinox, with anticipated spring propagation
conditions. 15 and 20 meters should be open later into the evening,
with 20 meters possibly open all night. 10 meters should improve
around the change of seasons, but will probably degrade for
worldwide propagation as spring moves toward summer.

Sunspot numbers for March 8 through 14 were 98, 113, 131, 139, 174,
110 and 159 with a mean of 132. 10.7 cm flux was 167.2, 161.4,
160.1, 157.8, 157.6, 147.3 and 142.2, with a mean of 156.2, and
estimated planetary A indices were 6, 6, 5, 4, 10, 7 and 7 with a

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 367 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Mar 16, 2001 (17:36) * 42 lines
List-Subscribe:

NEWSALERT: Friday, March 16, 2001 @ 1854 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

DISCOVERY TO STAY AN EXTRA DAY AT SPACE STATION
-----------------------------------------------
Mission managers have decided to extend Discovery's stay at the International Space Station by one day. Meanwhile, the station's first crew looks forward to homecoming, if not Earth's gravity.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a1/010316fd9/

GALILEO GETS FINAL REPRIEVE BEFORE CRASH INTO JUPITER
-----------------------------------------------------
The resilient Galileo spacecraft doesn't know when it call it quits. So, NASA has outlined the details of one last mission extension, which includes five more flybys of the Jovian moons before a final plunge into the crushing pressure of the giant planet's atmosphere.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/16galileo/

WALKER SAYS NO TO NASA ADMINISTRATOR JOB
----------------------------------------
A former Congressman who had been considered as a leading candidate to succeed Dan Goldin as NASA administrator said Thursday he has no interest in the position.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/16walker/

SEA LAUNCH TO LOFT RADIO RELAY SATELLITE SUNDAY
-----------------------------------------------
The countdown got underway Thursday for Sea Launch's planned Sunday mission to place the first digital audio relay spacecraft into orbit for XM Satellite Radio, a company that aims to broadcast music, news and entertainment programming directly to cars across America starting this summer.
http://spaceflightnow.com/sealaunch/xm2/status.html

TWIN TELESCOPES TEAM UP TO SHARPEN THEIR FOCUS
----------------------------------------------
The two largest telescopes in the world were linked together this week for the first time, a key step forward for efforts to directly observe extrasolar planets.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/16keck/

TWO ASTEROIDS GET IRISH TOUCH
-----------------------------
Two asteroids have been given Irish names in time for St. Patrick's Day. Discovered in July 1987 by famed asteroid hunter and planetary astronomer Eleanor Helin, the asteroids have been officially christened by the International Astronomical Union and honor Irish contributions to astronomical research.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/16irish/

NOW SHOWING: MORE THAN A DOZEN SHUTTLE LAUNCH VIEWS
---------------------------------------------------
Spaceflight Now's STS-102 Mission Theater is now showing more than a dozen varied views of shuttle Discovery's spectacular sunrise blast off last week. Among the 50 other clips available, are daily reports and mission highlights. Subscribe to the Mission Theater today!
http://spaceflightnow.com/theater/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 368 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Mar 19, 2001 (14:52) * 42 lines
NEWSALERT: Monday, March 19, 2001 @ 0718 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

DISCOVERY DEPARTS THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
-------------------------------------------------
The international space station's first commander formally turned the ship over to his replacement Sunday night, wishing the lab's second three-person crew good luck aboard the orbital outpost and urging them to "sail her well" during their four-and-a-half-month stay. Discovery then undocked to bring the Expedition One crew home.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a1/010318fd12/

COMPUTER ISSUE RESOLVED AS MODULE RETURNS TO SHUTTLE
----------------------------------------------------
The Leonardo "moving van" was pulled away from the space station and returned to Discovery's payload bay Sunday morning after delivering five tons of equipment and supplies to the orbiting outpost. The move followed intensive troubleshooting to verify the health of the shuttle's flight computers.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a1/010318fd11/

SATELLITE LAUNCHED TO BEAM DIGITAL RADIO ACROSS AMERICA
-------------------------------------------------------
American motorists seeking something new from their car radios received a boost Sunday when a rocket launched from a platform in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and delivered a digital audio broadcasting satellite into orbit.
http://spaceflightnow.com/sealaunch/xm2/
Read our call of the countdown and launch:
http://spaceflightnow.com/sealaunch/xm2/status.html

MIR VETERANS RECALL STATION'S GLORY, LAMENT ITS PASSING
-------------------------------------------------------
As the shuttle and station crews wrapped up a quiet but productive day in space, four of the five Mir veterans on board reflected on the upcoming demise of the old Russian station, lamenting its passing but looking forward to the future.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a1/010317fd10/

GROUND CONTROL PREPARES TO BOOST MIR'S POWER SUPPLY
---------------------------------------------------
Russian mission controllers in Korolev plan to restart space station Mir's orientation system on Wednesday, or around 24 hours prior to the complex's scheduled deorbiting, officials said Friday.
http://spaceflightnow.com/mir/010317control/

U.S. PROVIDES DATA TO RUSSIA FOR MIR SPLASHDOWN
-----------------------------------------------
United States space specialists are providing Russian technicians with Mir space station positional data to help ensure the vehicle's safe splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.
http://spaceflightnow.com/mir/010317usaf/

U.S. TO BUILD CONSTELLATION OF SATELLITES FOR TAIWAN
----------------------------------------------------
Taiwan has chosen Orbital Sciences to build a fleet of six microsatellites that aims to study Earth's atmosphere to aid scientists in weather and climate forecasting and ionosphere and gravity research fields.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/18rocsat/

To subscribe send email to newsalert-on@astrolists.com

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 369 of 866:  (sprin5) * Mon, Mar 19, 2001 (22:07) * 3 lines
Marcia, did you see the Wired article on the new rocket technology they want to use to send men to Mars, the propellant reaches a temperature of a million degrees and is contained by magnetic force. I think they said it could reach Mars in about 4 months.

Pretty amazing.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 370 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Mar 19, 2001 (23:32) * 15 lines
No, but I will look for it and report back! Thanks!

2001 Mars Odyssey: Coming soon to a launch pad near you!

NASA Science News for March 19, 2001

NASA's latest mission to Mars, an orbiter scheduled for launch on April 7,
2001, will seek out underground water-ice and explore space weather around
the Red Planet -- and that's not all!

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast19mar_1.htm?list89800 




 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 371 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Mar 19, 2001 (23:42) * 1 lines
Sprin5 , I searched Wired and subscribed to their news...could not find the article. Will look elsewhere but am most interested! Thanks for the Wired suggestion. I had forgotten it existed!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 372 of 866: What's happenin' in the news? (sprin5) * Tue, Mar 20, 2001 (07:21) * 1 lines
I actually read it in their magazine, I don't know if they carried it online. 140 days or so is a very fast trip to Mars considering current technology takes about 9 months. 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 373 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Mar 20, 2001 (12:52) * 18 lines
That is truly incredible. I searched their site and weent back to the last century and did not find the article. I am sure more will be written about it, and when I find it, I will put it in here!

Geomagnetic Storm

Space Weather News for March 20, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

AURORA WATCH: A moderate geomagnetic storm that began Monday when a solar
coronal mass ejection buffeted Earth's magnetic field shows no immediate
signs of abating. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras
after local nightfall.

HERE COMES THE SUN: Another coronal mass ejection is heading our way.
SOHO coronagraphs spotted a very faint CME on Monday that could arrive in
the neighborhood of our planet on March 22nd or 23rd.

For updates and more information please visit http://www.spaceweather.com 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 374 of 866: What's happenin' in the news? (sprin5) * Tue, Mar 20, 2001 (21:40) * 8 lines
It's in the light green Jan 2001 Wired that says
"Touch me all over" on the cover. Zip Drive! Building the Fast Track to
Mars. Page 96. Aa rocket that runs on million degree plasma and could
someday fuel a fast track trip to Mars.

VASIMR - variable specific impulse magnetoplasma rocket.



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 375 of 866:  (sprin5) * Wed, Mar 21, 2001 (07:51) * 4 lines

Taco Bell is going to give us all free tacos if the Russians can hit a target with the re-entering Mir:

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20010320/sc/taco_bell_mir.html

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 376 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Mar 21, 2001 (19:41) * 47 lines
Ok will look for the Wired article online...thanks, Terry!

NEWSALERT: Tuesday, March 20, 2001 @ 0825 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

TITO CONTROVERSY HEATS UP
-------------------------
In an escalating battle of wills, NASA is staging a news conference today to discuss its opposition to Russian plans for launching American millionaire Dennis Tito to the international space station next month as history's first space tourist.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/20tito/
Read NASA news release on Tito training:
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/20tito/index2.html

STORMY WEATHER THREATENS SPACE SHUTTLE'S HOMECOMING
---------------------------------------------------
The Discovery astronauts tested the shuttle's re-entry systems late Monday and packed up for landing early Wednesday to bring the international space station's first crew back to Earth after 141 days in the weightlessness of space.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a1/010320eom/
We will have live landing coverage:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html
See a detailed entry timeline:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a1/fdf/102entry.html

FIRE ALARM SENDS STATION CREW SCRAMBLING
----------------------------------------
A fire alarm went off in the Destiny laboratory module of the international space station Monday. It turned out to be a false alarm, but it shut down ventilation systems, computers dropped off line and the station's new crew was unable to find the documentation needed to reactive critical systems.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a1/010319falsealarm/

SPACE STATION MIR TO REMAIN ALOFT FOR AN EXTRA DAY
--------------------------------------------------
Russian space officials have postponed the deorbiting of the Mir space station by 24 hours to Friday. The decision to delay the reentry was caused by lower than expected descent rate of the station in the upper atmosphere.
http://spaceflightnow.com/mir/010319date/

LOCKMART'S ATHENA ROCKET WELCOMED BACK AT NASA
----------------------------------------------
Lockheed Martin's Athena rocket, facing a very uncertain future after being left out of a NASA launch services contract two years ago, received favorable news from the space agency Monday.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/20athena/

STARDUST COMET PROBE'S VISION GETS FUZZY AGAIN
----------------------------------------------
In December, Stardust, the mission to Comet Wild 2 to capture dust particles and return them to Earth, cleared a coating that was clouding its camera optics by applying heat. Today, team members are investigating the reappearance of the coating, which is similar to the frost on a car windshield.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/20stardust/

ORBITAL PICKED TO BUILD THREE TV SATELLITES FOR PANAMSAT
--------------------------------------------------------
PanAmSat has announced a new multi-spacecraft agreement with Orbital Sciences Corporation for the development of the next generation of Galaxy cable satellites. The contract solidifies Orbital as a major supplier in the world market for GEO communications satellites.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/20oscpas/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 377 of 866: Lucille Oftedahl  (alyeska) * Wed, Mar 21, 2001 (21:06) * 5 lines
That %#*&%*# shuttle woke me up this morning at 2:30. I thought a tree had fallen on the house, it was so loud. When I got awake enough to start to think I realized what it was but the blasted thing raised me right up out of the bed.

When it hits the earth's atmosphere it sounds like someone set off a pair of cannons in the back yard. This time it must have entered right over Polk county.

Pleasant dreams.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 378 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Mar 22, 2001 (11:36) * 26 lines
Grumble grumbel - I'll trade you a few earthquakes and a volcanic eruption to hear that and watch a launch...*sighing with envy* Thanks for reporting!

New Aurora Photos + A Geomagnetic Activity Alert

Space Weather News for March 21, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

AURORA PHOTOS: The intensity of this week's strong geomagnetic storm
surprised many forecasters. Nevertheless, quick-witted photographers
around the world were able to capture beautiful photos of the aurora
borealis. You can see some of the best images in our March 20th aurora
gallery.

GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY WARNING: Coronal mass ejections that left the Sun on
March 19th and 20th could buffet Earth's magnetosphere before the weekend.
Our planet may also be heading for an encounter with a solar wind stream.
Together these events could trigger another round of geomagnetic activity.

NEAR-EARTH ASTEROID: A newly-discovered asteroid will pass by Earth on
March 23rd four and a half times farther away than the Moon. There's no
danger of a collision, but the space rock (about the size of a football
field) will be close enough for amateur astronomers to spy through
properly-equipped telescopes.

For more information please visit http://www.spaceweather.com 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 379 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Mar 22, 2001 (11:46) * 13 lines
Staying Cool on the ISS

NASA Science News for March 21, 2001

In a strange new world where hot air doesn't rise and heat doesn't
conduct, the International Space Station's thermal control systems
maintain a delicate balance between the deep-freeze of space and the Sun's
blazing heat.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast21mar_1.htm?list89800 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 380 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Mar 22, 2001 (12:40) * 50 lines
NEWSALERT: Thursday, March 22, 2001 @ 1650 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

FINAL HOURS COUNTING DOWN FOR SPACE STATION MIR
-----------------------------------------------
The space station Mir -- a relic of the once grand Soviet space program that later served as a stepping stone to today's world cooperation in orbit -- is making its final laps around Earth.
http://spaceflightnow.com/mir/status.html

STATION PIONEERS BACK ON EARTH AFTER HISTORIC VOYAGE
----------------------------------------------------
After a dramatic reversal of fortune, the shuttle Discovery dropped out of orbit and glided to a pre-dawn landing at the Kennedy Space Center Wednesday, bringing the international space station's first full-time crew back to Earth after a 141-day space odyssey.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a1/010321land/

NASA CONTINUES PROTESTING SPACE JOYRIDE OF DENNIS TITO
------------------------------------------------------
NASA managers vow to continue efforts to convince their Russian counterparts not to launch U.S. millionaire Dennis Tito to the international space station next month, saying the would-be space tourist has not been properly trained and represents a clear safety threat to the multi-billion-dollar station and its crew.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/20tito/

RUSSIA STANDS FIRM ON TITO; COSMONAUTS RESUME TRAINING
------------------------------------------------------
The Russian Aviation and Space Agency ordered the Russian Soyuz taxi crewmembers to resume training at the Johnson Space Center on Tuesday but remained adamant that Dennis Tito would fly with to the space station with or without NASA's consent.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/20tito/russianreax.html

DEEP SPACE 1 PROBE LOADS UP FOR TREK TO COMET
---------------------------------------------
NASA's Deep Space 1 spacecraft, sailing through the solar system today, has taken delivery of a new cargo: the latest software for its ambitious encounter with Comet Borrelly this September.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/21ds1/

BLINKING STAR EXPLAINS MYSTERY ABOARD GALILEO
---------------------------------------------
When a star tracker on NASA's Galileo spacecraft temporarily lost a star being used as a reference point for monitoring the spacecraft's attitude, engineers suspected an aberration in the equipment, not in the star. After all, this particular star is one of the 50 brightest in the sky.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/22galblink/

X-RAY TELESCOPE PROVIDES WEALTH OF DATA ABOUT COMET
---------------------------------------------------
Most of their time is spent frozen in the outer reaches of the solar system. But when these balls of ice and dust, which we know as comets, decide to make an appearance, the spectacle is often grandiose.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/22comet/

POLAR TELESCOPE SIGHTS FIRST HIGH-ENERGY NEUTRINOS
--------------------------------------------------
A novel telescope, buried deep in the Antarctic ice at the South Pole, has become the first instrument to detect and track high-energy neutrinos from space, setting the stage for a new field of astronomy that promises a view of some of the most distant, enigmatic and violent phenomena in the universe.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/22polar/

NASA ASTROBIOLOGY INSTITUTE ANNOUNCES NEW TEAMS
-----------------------------------------------
NASA has selected four new teams to become part of the agency's Astrobiology Institute (NAI), a national and international research consortium that studies the origin, evolution, distribution and future of life on Earth and in the universe.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/21astrobio/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 381 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Mar 23, 2001 (14:07) * 26 lines

NEWSALERT: Friday, March 23, 2001 @ 1624 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

MIR DIVES INTO PACIFIC
----------------------
The 15-year odyssey of the Russian space station Mir ended in an extraordinary fireball in Earth's atmosphere today. Fiery debris rained down on the South Pacific Ocean after a successful controlled reentry of the station.
http://spaceflightnow.com/mir/status.html

DELTA 2 ROCKET PICKED TO LAUNCH QUICKBIRD 2 SATELLITE
-----------------------------------------------------
A commercial eye-in-the-sky with better vision than any other Earth imaging satellite will be lofted into space by a Boeing Delta 2 rocket this fall, officials announced Thursday.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/23quickbird2/

WHITE DWARFS SHED LIGHT ON DARK MATTER
--------------------------------------
Some of the invisible "dark matter" that makes up most of the mass of our galaxy may be in the form of previously undetected white dwarf stars, astronomers reported this week.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/23darkmatter/

LAUNCH SCHEDULE UPDATES
-----------------------
Our Worldwide Launch Schedule is updated regularly to reflect the latest news on human and unmanned rocket flights planned from spaceports around the globe. Today you can find out about newly announced delays for this June's space shuttle mission and the next two Titan 4 rocket launches.
http://spaceflightnow.com/tracking/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 382 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Mar 23, 2001 (14:27) * 22 lines
----------------------------------------------------------
/ PHYSICSWEB: E-mail alert
\ (http://PhysicsWeb.org)
==========================================================
----------------------------------------------------------
| News
==========================================================
* First sighting of dark matter: (22 Mar)
Astronomers have seen dark matter directly for the first
time. Ben Oppenheimer of the University of California at
Berkeley and colleagues in the US and UK have discovered
a new kind of white dwarf that could account for up to a
third of the 'dark' matter in the Universe. The extremely
dim burnt-out stars were found in the 'galactic halo'
that surrounds the Milky Way. Oppenheimer's team believes
they represent part of the invisible matter - proposed to
exist 70 years ago - that binds together galaxies and
galaxy clusters with its gravitational pull (B R
Oppenheimer et al 2001 Science at press).
[ http://PhysicsWeb.org/article/news/5/3/10 ]
---------------------------------------------------------- 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 383 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Mar 24, 2001 (16:47) * 11 lines
Beam it Down, Scotty!

NASA Science News for March 23, 2001

Solar power collected in space and beamed to Earth could be an
environmentally friendly solution to our planet's growing energy problems.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast23mar_1.htm?list89800 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 384 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Mar 28, 2001 (12:57) * 12 lines
Cannibal Coronal Mass Ejections

NASA Science News for March 27, 2001

Fast-moving solar eruptions that overtake and devour their slower-moving
kin can trigger long-lasting geomagnetic storms --and dazzling auroras--
when they strike Earth's magnetosphere.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast27mar_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 385 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Mar 28, 2001 (13:05) * 60 lines
NEWSALERT: Tuesday, March 27, 2001 @ 0754 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

NASA AND MILITARY CONTINUE SEARCH FOR MARS LANDER
-------------------------------------------------
NASA said Monday that it would begin a joint review with a military mapping agency to investigate images that may have pinpointed the location for the lost Mars Polar Lander spacecraft.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/27mpl/

NASA TESTS ROCKET MODEM USING GLOBALSTAR SATELLITES
---------------------------------------------------
Imagine a day when self-diagnostic tools allow future rockets to phone home with vital information about their condition, location and performance. NASA engineers believe the technology could replace expensive ground systems, reducing the cost of space flight.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/25modem/

U.S. NAVY SATELLITE TO LAUNCH ATOP ATLAS 3 ROCKET
-------------------------------------------------
Lockheed Martin's Atlas 3 rocket will be used to loft the U.S. Navy's eleventh satellite for the UHF Follow-On communications network, officials announced Monday. Scheduled for blastoff in 2003 from Cape Canaveral, the commercial mission will be managed under the auspices of International Launch Services.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/27atlas3uhf/

SPACE TELESCOPE USING MEMBRANES STUDIED
---------------------------------------
Lockheed Martin has been contracted by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to conduct a study on a low-mass membrane telescope for NASA's New Millennium Program. The telescope concept would allow construction of an orbiting observatory with reduced weight and cost.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/26dart/

FINAL CREW MEMBERS NAMED TO HUBBLE OVERHAUL MISSION
---------------------------------------------------
Three astronauts have been named to complete the STS-109 crew already in training for a mission that will feature five spacewalks to upgrade NASA's Hubble Space Telescope in late 2001.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/27sts109crew/

NASA NAMES FUTURE SPACE STATION EXPEDITION CREWS
------------------------------------------------
As the Expedition Two crew gets settled aboard the International Space Station, American crew members for future space station missions have begun formal training to meet launch dates, beginning in 2002. The 14 astronauts, six assigned to primary crews and eight assigned to backup crews.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/24expcrews/

MOVEMENT OF EARTH'S CRUST CAN BE DETECTED WITH GPS
--------------------------------------------------
The same type of technology used by motorists to help them navigate city roadways can now be used to detect and measure the smallest movements in the Earth's crust, an international group of scientists has found.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/25gps/

TRW TO CONDUCT GOES-R WEATHER SATELLITE STUDY
---------------------------------------------
TRW's weather systems business took another step forward with the award of a contract to study how to accommodate advanced sensors onto the next series of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites, starting with GOES-R, for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/27goesr/

VETERAN SATELLITE TESTBED GETS NEW LEASE ON LIFE
------------------------------------------------
A NASA experimental satellite that completed its mission to test futuristic communications technologies has been given to a university-led consortium for use in educational studies.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/24acts/

STUDENT EXPERIMENTS TO FLY HIGH THANKS TO NASA
----------------------------------------------
A NASA education program will give high school students from across the country the opportunity for their dreams to literally take flight when experiments designed by the students fly on either a Space Shuttle or sub-orbital rocket.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/24kidexp/

NEW NASA 'TRAFFIC LIGHT' ACCELERATES COMPUTERS
----------------------------------------------
A new "traffic light" for computers, originally developed by NASA scientists, offers the potential to increase their speed and efficiency by prioritizing computer programs. The Portable Batch System enables system administrators to specify the order in which individual programs should be processed.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/26comp/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 386 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Mar 28, 2001 (13:08) * 120 lines
QUICK SPACE

- Detecting Planet Killers as a Sideline
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/deepimpact-01c.html

- Finding Your Own Cloud Nine
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/future-01b.html

- India In High-Stakes Bid To Join Global Satellite Launch Club
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/india-01b.html

- Home, Space Home
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/iss-01m.html

- NASA And NIMA Continue Joint Review Of Mars Polar Lander Search Analysis
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-polar99-01a.html

- Engineering a Better Faster Risotto
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/oped-01a.html

- A Constellation Of Orbital Power
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/ssp-01b.html

- World's Largest Plasma Wind Tunnel Reaches Completion
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/windtunnels-01a.html

------------------
HEADLINES IN BRIEF
March 27, 2001

----------
SPACEGUARD

- Detecting Planet Killers as a Sideline
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/deepimpact-01c.html

Paris (ESA) March 27, 2001 - A 100 metre-wide space rock known as 2001 EC16 paid a passing visit to Earth's vicinity last Friday. As it swept by at a little over 1.7 million km from Earth - approximately four and a half lunar distances - the only people to pay it much attention were a dedicated band of astronomers.

----------
TECH SPACE

- Finding Your Own Cloud Nine
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/future-01b.html

Pasadena - March 26, 2001 - In the continuous quest to find cost-effective methods to explore the planets, NASA engineers have risen to the occasion by developing a variety of new balloon methods inspired by centuries-old, solar-heated hot-air balloons, as well as by conventional helium light-gas balloons.

------------------- ADVERTISEMENT ---------------------
The Door Is Open To Cutting Edge Technologies

MSU TechLink can help your company develop strategic
partnerships between Department of Defense laboratories
and aerospace companies in the Northwest. Partnering
with DoD will help leverage R&D investments and enhance
commercialization opportunities.
Visit Techlink Today
-- http://techlink.msu.montana.edu/aero.html --
-------------------------------------------------------

---------
SPACEMART

- India In High-Stakes Bid To Join Global Satellite Launch Club
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/india-01b.html

Sriharikota (AFP) March 27 - 2001 - India will make its bid for membership of the exclusive global club of commercial satellite launchers on Wednesday with the long-awaited maiden mission of its newly-developed delivery rocket. The blandly-named Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) is the most technologically challenging project so far undertaken by the Indian space programme and carries the hopes and aspirations of thousands of scientists, engineers and industrialists.

------------
STATION NEWS

- Home, Space Home
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/iss-01m.html

Huntsville - March 27, 2001 - Homes on Earth provide shelter from the wind and rain. But a home in Earth orbit must shield its occupants from the solar wind, and it must withstand a steady rain of dust-sized meteoroids, many moving faster than a speeding bullet!

---------
MARSDAILY

- NASA And NIMA Continue Joint Review Of Mars Polar Lander Search Analysis
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-polar99-01a.html

 Washington - March 26, 2001 - NASA and the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) today said researchers from the two agencies will continue a joint review of the initial results of NIMA's search for the missing Mars Polar Lander. This analysis is extremely challenging, and has thus far produced no definitive conclusions.

-------------
OPINION SPACE

- Engineering a Better Faster Risotto
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/oped-01a.html

Herndon - March 27, 2001 - One of my nephews, due to circumstances beyond his control, ended up for a while in a very selective school. While he is blessed with many wonderful attributes, superior academic achievement isn't, and may not ever be, one of them. The faculty, quickly realizing this, spent an entire academic year not attempting to rescue him from drowning in academic quicksand, but rather figuring out how to get him to leave.

------- "SMALLER SATELLITES: BIGGER BUSINESS?" ------
Strasbourg will be the setting for the International
Space University's 6th Annual Symposium. This year's
theme will be small satellites with an emphasis on
concepts, applications and markets. Join some of the
world's leading experts, manufacturers and users in
interdisciplinary presentations and discussions on a
wide variety of issues pertaining to small satellites
Strasbourg - May 21-23 - 2001
--------- http://www.isunet.edu/Symposium/ ----------
SPACEMART

- A Constellation Of Orbital Power
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/ssp-01b.html

Huntsville - March 27, 2001 - It's December 2000 and the governor of California flips a switch illuminating the state Christmas tree on the capital lawn. Twenty minutes later, he orders aides to pull the plug. Why? Statewide power shortages.
----------
TECH SPACE

- World's Largest Plasma Wind Tunnel Reaches Completion
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/windtunnels-01a.html

Paris (ESA) March 27, 2001 - On 13 March 2001 'wind-on' was achieved in the SCIROCCO Plasma Wind Tunnel. For the first time a 6200 degree Celsius hot air plasma, that is an ionized gas produced at extremely high temperatures and flowing at a speed of approximately 4 km per second, was generated in the newly constructed Italian arc jet test facility.

-----------------------------
SPACEDAILY EXPRESS LIST NOTES
--------------------------------------------
SpaceDaily Express is issued daily and lists
all new postings to www.SpaceDaily.com
Subscription is free: subscribe@spacer.com 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 387 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Mar 28, 2001 (13:12) * 21 lines
Solar activity is on the rise...

Space Weather News for March 27, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

SOLAR ACTIVITY: In recent days the Boulder sunspot number has rocketed to
339, its highest level since July 2000. At least one large sunspot group
has a complex magnetic field that could harbor energy for powerful solar
flares. Forecasters estimate a 20% chance of an X-class eruption during
the next 24 hours.

AURORA WATCH: An interplanetary shock wave buffeted Earth's magnetosphere
Tuesday morning and another may be following close behind. A coronal mass
ejection that left the Sun on March 25th will arrive late Tuesday or
Wednesday and possibly trigger additional geomagnetic disturbances. In
recent days Alaskan sky watchers have enjoyed some of the best auroras of
the current solar cycle. Check out our gallery of aurora photos for the
latest images.

For more information and updates, please visit http://www.spaceweather.com 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 388 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Mar 28, 2001 (15:32) * 91 lines
--------------------------------------------
SPACEDAILY EXPRESS - March 28, 2001
** forward SpaceDaily Express to a friend **
--------------------------------------------

-----------
QUICK SPACE

- What Should We Tell The Universe?
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/outerplanets-01c.html

- US and Taiwan Go COSMIC Over Atmospheric Studies
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/cosmic-01a.html

- TechLink Helps Companies in Northwest Blast Into AeroSpace
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/techlink-01a.html

- Staying Cool on the ISS
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/iss-01n.html

- When Will Television Invades Mars
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-general-01b.html

- Can Liquid Water Still Exist On Mars
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-water-science-01e.html

- Failure IS an Option
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/oped-01b.html

------------------
HEADLINES IN BRIEF
March 28, 2001

-------------
SPACE SCIENCE

- What Should We Tell The Universe?
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/outerplanets-01c.html

Pasadena - March 28, 2001 - NASA's embattled mission to Pluto and the Kuiper belt isn't on firm ground at the moment, but it's far from being totally dead. Even if the project is officially terminated in the short term, the possibility of resurrecting this mission in the future has not been eliminated.

---------
SPACEMART

- US and Taiwan Go COSMIC Over Atmospheric Studies
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/cosmic-01a.html

Boulder - March 28, 2001 - COSMIC is a joint U.S.-Taiwan scientific project, with a goal to launch a constellation of six microsatellites to collect atmospheric sounding measurements. The scientific foundation for COSMIC is the radio occultation (limb sounding) technique developed by JPL and Stanford University in the late 1960s to study planetary atmospheres.

- TechLink Helps Companies in Northwest Blast Into AeroSpace
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/techlink-01a.html

Bozeman - March 27, 2001 - The TechLink Center at Montana State University is helping companies throughout the Northwest establish productive technology development and commercialization partnerships with NASA, the Department of Defense (DoD), and other federal agencies.

------------
STATION NEWS

- Staying Cool on the ISS
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/iss-01n.html

Huntsville - March 28, 2001 - The universe is a place of wide extremes: light, dark.. wet, dry.. air, vacuum.. hungry, fed. Human life tends to flourish in the balance. We feel most comfortable in places that are not too hot or too cold, not too light or too dark -- in other words, places that are "just right."

---------
MARSDAILY

- When Will Television Invades Mars
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-general-01b.html

Miami - March 28, 2001 - If you like TV, you'll love the Mars Channel. Take your seats for the network premiere of interplanetary telly

- Can Liquid Water Still Exist On Mars
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-water-science-01e.html

Moffett Field - March 28, 2001 - In 1998, NASA's Associate Administrator Wesley Huntress, Jr., stated, "Wherever liquid water and chemical energy are found, there is life. There is no exception."

-------------
OPINION SPACE
- Failure IS an Option
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/oped-01b.html

Boise - March 28, 2001 - In the months since the twin failures of the Mars Polar Lander and the Mars Climate Orbiter, NASA has profoundly changed the manner in which it applies the "Faster, Better, Cheaper" philosophy of space exploration.

---------------------------------
SPACEDAILY EXPRESS LIST NOTES
--------------------------------------------
SpaceDaily Express is issued daily and lists
all new postings to www.SpaceDaily.com
Subscription is free: subscribe@spacer.com
or remove@spacer.com
------------------------------------------------ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 389 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Mar 28, 2001 (16:25) * 13 lines
The Lure of Hematite: Curious deposits of rust on Mars hint at ancient water

NASA Science News for March 28, 2001

On rusty-red Mars, a curious deposit of gray-colored hematite (a mineral
cousin of common household rust) could hold the key to the mystery of
elusive Martian water.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast28mar_1.htm?list89800 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 390 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Mar 29, 2001 (19:51) * 60 lines
NEWSALERT: Thursday, March 29, 2001 @ 0705 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

IRIDIUM SYSTEM COMPLETES ITS MIRACLE RESURRECTION
-------------------------------------------------
Back from the brink of impending destruction, the reborn Iridium telephone satellite system relaunched commercial service Wednesday as the network's new owners prepare to debut data relay services via the orbiting constellation in June.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/29iridium/

LAST-SECOND ABORT GROUNDS FIRST FLIGHT OF INDIAN ROCKET
-------------------------------------------------------
India's newest rocket was one second away from launch Wednesday on its inaugural flight when computers detected a malfunctioning engine and aborted the liftoff.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/28gslvd1/

TWO SPACE PROBES SEE GIANT PLUMES ON VOLCANIC MOON IO
-----------------------------------------------------
Two tall volcanic plumes and the rings of red material they have deposited onto surrounding surface areas appear in images taken of Jupiter's moon Io by NASA's Galileo and Cassini spacecraft in late December 2000 and early January 2001.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/28galcassio/

MASSIVE INFANT STARS ROCK THEIR CRADLE
--------------------------------------
A new Hubble image has helped to decipher the complex interplay of gas and radiation of a star-forming region in a nearby galaxy. The image graphically illustrates just how these massive stars sculpt their environment by generating powerful winds that alter the shape of the parent gaseous nebula.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/29hubble/

NEW SKIES SELECTS BOEING SATELLITE TO EXPAND FLEET
--------------------------------------------------
New Skies Satellites N.V. has ordered from Boeing a power-house communications spacecraft with 88 transponders that will provide a wide-range of television, internet and multi-media services across North America. Sea Launch has been tapped to loft the craft in 2003.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/29nss8/

BOEING SATELLITE ARM PICKS SEA LAUNCH FOR SPACEWAY
--------------------------------------------------
Boeing Satellite Systems on Wednesday announced that a pair of Sea Launch Zenit 3SL rockets will carry the two Spaceway broadband communications spacecraft into orbit in 2002 and 2003.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/29spaceway/

SCIENTISTS UNRAVEL THE KINKS IN SOLAR WAVES
-------------------------------------------
Kinks in the Sun's magnetic field have puzzled scientists since they first started studying the solar wind, and now researchers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory have found the reason: they are caused by the evolution of a type of magnetic wave called Alfven waves.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/29kinks/

AFTER LOFTING DESTINY, ASTRONAUTS VISIT WEST WING
-------------------------------------------------
It was a Texas reunion of sorts at the White House Wednesday as the crew of STS-98 and their families got an opportunity to spend some time with the President of the United States.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/29sts98potus/

COLLIDING SOLAR ERUPTIONS PACK POWERFUL PUNCH
---------------------------------------------
Fast-moving solar eruptions apparently overtake and often devour their slower kin. This discovery was made by a team of astronomers working with tandem NASA spacecraft.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/28cme/

SBIRS HIGH PAYLOAD SUCCESSFULLY PASSES KEY TEST
-----------------------------------------------
Senior leaders from the Air Force recently observed a key test sequence of hardware for the next-generation missile warning satellite system known as SBIRS at the Lockheed Martin Sunnyvale facility.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/28sbirs/

HORMONE MAY PREVENT BONE BEING LOST IN SPACE
--------------------------------------------
The reality of long-term space travel is raising questions about how to deal with the impact of long-term weightlessness on the body. Researchers say that one of the destructive results -- accelerated and significant loss of bone density -- may be thwarted by a hormone secreted by the gut to help the body use food as fuel.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/28bone/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 391 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Mar 30, 2001 (16:18) * 50 lines
Massive Sunspot May Lead to Geomagnetic Storms

The Sun has developed the largest sunspot seen in 10 years according to
images from SOHO, a satellite that monitors the Sun. The size of this
enormous spot is equivalent to the total surface area of 13 Earths. The
sunspot region has already produced a coronal mass ejection and a powerful
solar flare, and these are likely to lead to geomagnetic storms.

The worldwide network of Magnetic Observatories operated by the U.S.
Geological Survey (USGS) is monitoring the geomagnetic field that is
expected to become quite disturbed as result of this solar activity. While
geomagnetic storms give rise to the beautiful Northern lights, they can
also pose a serious threat for commercial and military satellite operators,
power companies, astronauts, and they can even shorten the life of oil
pipelines in Alaska by increasing pipeline corrosion.

Geomagnetic storms occur when plasma, a hot ionized gas of charged
particles produced by eruptions on the Sun, impacts the Earth's magnetic
field causing it to fluctuate wildly. These fluctuations cause currents to
flow in conductors on the ground and in space. Solar eruptions can produce
billions of tons of plasma traveling at speeds in excess of a million miles
an hour. The first eruption should hit the Earth's magnetic field some time
on Friday, March 30, and the second on Saturday. The geomagnetic field will
likely become very active and there is a strong chance of Aurora sightings

The USGS provides valuable geomagnetic data to a wide variety of users and
organizations that are affected by geomagnetic storms. The agency operates
a network of 14 magnetic observatories that continuously monitor the
Earth's magnetic field. The data are collected in near-real time via
satellite to a downlink center located in Golden, Colo., and provided to
numerous customers including NOAA's Space Environment Center and the U.S.
Air Force Space Command Center. Plots of the data from these observatories
can be seen on-line at: http://geomag.usgs.gov/frames/plots.htm

The SOHO satellite is operated jointly by the European Space Agency and
NASA.

As the nation's largest water, earth and biological science, and civilian
mapping agency, the USGS works in cooperation with more than 2000
organizations across the country to provide reliable, impartial, scientific
information to resource managers, planners, and other customers. This
information is gathered in every state by USGS scientists to minimize the
loss of life and property from natural disasters, to contribute to the
conservation and the sound economic and physical development of the
nation's natural resources, and to enhance the quality of life by
monitoring water, biological, energy, and mineral resources.

### USGS ### 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 392 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Mar 30, 2001 (19:02) * 13 lines
Back-to-School Time for Astrobiologists

NASA Science News for March 30, 2001

NATO and NASA are joining forces to host an Advanced Study Institute for
astrobiology in Crete, Sept 29-Oct 10, 2001. A diverse group of the
world's most prominent scientists will share with students what they have
learned lately about life in the Universe.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast30mar_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 393 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Mar 31, 2001 (16:44) * 41 lines
NEWSALERT: Saturday, March 31, 2001 @ 2029 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

ALPHA CREW PROMISES WARM WELCOME FOR TITO
-----------------------------------------
The space station's crew will welcome U.S. millionaire Dennis Tito aboard Alpha next month if the Russians proceed with plans to launch him - over NASA's objections - as part of mission to deliver a fresh Soyuz lifeboat.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage6a/010330briefing/

LARGEST SUNSPOT IN 10 YEARS BLAZES AWAY WITH ERUPTIONS
------------------------------------------------------
A huge sunspot over a dozen times larger than the surface area of the Earth and growing, has now rotated with the Sun to face our planet. The sunspot, which is the largest of the current solar cycle, is also the largest to appear in a decade.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/31sunspot/

FIRST BLACK HOLE DISCOVERED IN GALACTIC HALO
--------------------------------------------
A professor at the University of Southampton is part of an international team which has discovered a stellar mass black hole -- the first ever found in our galactic halo. This region of space lies above and below the main spiral arms of our galaxy, thousands of light years above the Milky Way galactic plane.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/31galactichalo/

A NEW MARTIAN ODYSSEY IS ABOUT TO BEGIN
---------------------------------------
With memories of recent back-to-back failures still painfully fresh, NASA is leaving no stone unturned to make sure the $305 million Mars Odyssey probe makes it safely into orbit around the Red Planet later this year. The spacecraft is scheduled for launch April 7 atop a Boeing Delta 2 rocket.
http://spaceflightnow.com/delta/d284/010330preview.html

AIR FORCE MILSTAR 2 SATELLITE BEGINS ON-ORBIT TESTING
-----------------------------------------------------
A combined MILSATCOM Joint Program Office/Lockheed Martin team has begun on-orbit testing of the first U.S. Air Force Milstar 2 communications satellite following the successful February 27 launch and activation of critical spacecraft systems.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/30milstar/

BOEING BOOKS ASTRA SATELLITE TO RIDE ARIANE 5 ROCKET
----------------------------------------------------
Arianespace, Boeing Satellite Systems and Societe Europeenne des Satellites (SES) have announced the signing of a contract to launch the Astra 3A telecommunications spacecraft on an Ariane 5 heavy-lift vehicle.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/30astra3a/

SBIRS FACILITY OPENS IN COLORADO
--------------------------------
The Space and Missile Systems Center, Air Force Space Command and Lockheed Martin took a giant step toward building greater unity and teamwork as the Space Based Infrared Systems Combined Task Force opened Thursday at a ceremony in Boulder, Colo.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0103/30sbirs/

List-Subscribe: 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 394 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Apr  3, 2001 (12:23) * 11 lines
A Record-Setting Solar Flare

Space Weather News for April 3, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

The biggest sunspot of the current solar cycle unleashed the most powerful
solar flare in at least 12 years yesterday. The "X17" class eruption
blasted a coronal mass ejection into space and triggered an ongoing solar
radiation storm around our planet. For details and updates please visit
http://SpaceWeather.com . 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 395 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Apr  3, 2001 (12:38) * 44 lines
NEWSALERT: Tuesday, April 3, 2001 @ 0512 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

SUPERNOVA FOUND TO CONFIRM ACCELERATING UNIVERSE
------------------------------------------------
The serendipitous discovery of a distant supernova has confirmed that the universe is expanding at an accelerating rate because of the presence of a pervasive, mysterious "dark energy," astronomers reported Monday.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/03supernova/

EXOTIC CO2 PROCESS MAY HAVE CARVED MARTIAN GULLIES
--------------------------------------------------
Liquid carbon dioxide breakouts rather than water probably created the Martian gullies discovered last summer in high-resolution images from the Mars Global Surveyor orbiter camera, some scientists say.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/01co2gullies/

OBSERVATORY SEES VISTAS IN HEART OF ORION NEBULA
------------------------------------------------
A new astronomical instrument has been installed on the European Southern Observatory telescope at La Silla. It is well suited for studying the complex processes that take place in the innermost regions of star-forming clouds. Among the first images are some of the most penetrating, mid-infrared views ever obtained of the central region of the Orion Nebula.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/02orion/

NEW EXPLORERS: SELF-INFLATING SOLAR-HEATED BALLOONS
---------------------------------------------------
In the continuous quest to find cost-effective methods to explore the planets, NASA engineers have risen to the occasion by developing a variety of new balloon methods inspired by centuries-old, solar-heated hot-air balloons, as well as by conventional helium light-gas balloons.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/03balloon/

COLD POLAR RINGS HELP FORM CLOUDS THAT DESTROY OZONE
----------------------------------------------------
Newly discovered, narrow rings of cold air over Earth's poles help form colorful clouds that destroy ozone, according to a new report. The ozone layer protects life on Earth from the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation that could cause skin cancer in humans and biological damage to living things.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/02polarrings/

JUPITER RADIATION BELTS HARSHER THAN EXPECTED
---------------------------------------------
New measurements from NASA's Cassini spacecraft indicate that any future spacecraft venturing very near Jupiter would be zapped by the radiation belts there even more severely than had been previously estimated.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/01jupbelts/

GALILEO CONTINUES REPLAY OF JOVIAN MOON DATA
--------------------------------------------
There are no engineering activities scheduled this week, so the spacecraft can concentrate on playing back the data stored on the on-board tape recorder during its December flyby of Ganymede.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/03galileothisweek/

BOEING AND ALENIA SPAZIO SIGN TRADING AGREEMENT
-----------------------------------------------
Officials from Boeing and Alenia Spazio signed an agreement whereby Boeing will purchase fuel tanks from Alenia Spazio for the upper stage of the Boeing Delta 2 launch vehicle. Alenia Spazio has agreed to purchase Delta launch services for its satellite program.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/02boeingalenia/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 396 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Apr  3, 2001 (12:51) * 14 lines
A Supernova Sheds Light on Dark Energy

NASA Science News for April 3, 2001

A discovery by astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope supports the
notion that the Universe is filled with a mysterious form of "dark energy"
-- a possibility first proposed, then discarded, by Albert Einstein early
in the last century.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast03apr_1.htm?list89800 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 397 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Apr  3, 2001 (23:07) * 12 lines
Plumbing the Space Station

NASA Science News for April 3, 2001 12:00:00 PM

Nothing goes to waste on the International Space Station - nearly
everything is recycled. What makes this ecologist's dream world work? Some
of the fanciest plumbing in the solar system!

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast03apr_2.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 398 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Apr  4, 2001 (15:09) * 14 lines
Super-flare coronal mass ejection reaches Earth

Space Weather News for April 4th 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

Monday's super solar flare hurled a coronal mass ejection (CME) into space
that was mainly -- but not entirely -- directed away from Earth. The edge
of the expanding CME passed our planet at approximately 1500 UT (11 am
EST) on April 4th. Sky watchers should be alert for auroras after local
nightfall. Almost certainly, this geomagnetic storm will be less intense
than the one on March 31st that spawned "Northern Lights" as far south as
Mexico. Nevertheless, isolated severe storms are possible. Check
SpaceWeather.com for details and updates. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 399 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Apr  6, 2001 (16:14) * 11 lines
Was Johnny Appleseed a Comet?

NASA Science News for April 5, 2001

A new experiment suggests that comet impacts could have sowed the seeds of
life on Earth billions of years ago.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast05apr_1.htm?list89800 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 400 of 866:  (sprin5) * Sat, Apr  7, 2001 (18:19) * 1 lines
Odyssey is on the way to Mars!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 401 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Apr  9, 2001 (20:21) * 4 lines
YES!!!! Up Up and Away!!! 




 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 402 of 866: What's happenin' in the news? (sprin5) * Tue, Apr 10, 2001 (08:33) * 3 lines
http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/nm/20010406/imdf06042001011516a.jpg

Hubble shot of galaxies intermingling.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 403 of 866: What's happenin' in the news? (sprin5) * Tue, Apr 10, 2001 (08:33) * 3 lines
Eleven new planets (as reported by CNN):

http://www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/space/04/05/new.planets/index.html?s=2

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 404 of 866: What's happenin' in the news? (sprin5) * Tue, Apr 10, 2001 (08:34) * 3 lines
Really nice shot of the space station.


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 405 of 866: What's happenin' in the news? (sprin5) * Tue, Apr 10, 2001 (08:35) * 1 lines
And, since I'm on such a roll, here's the log of the space station for the last couple of months. If you really want the nitty gritty of what goes on up there.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 406 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Apr 10, 2001 (18:42) * 15 lines
Here Comes the Sun (again!)

Space Weather News for April 10, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

A powerful X-class solar flare erupted Tuesday morning, triggering radio
blackouts and a minor radiation storm. The explosion also hurled a
coronal mass ejection (CME) toward Earth. Today's CME joins another
already en route to our planet. Forecasters estimate a 25% chance of
severe geomagnetic activity at middle latitudes when the CMEs arrive late
Wednesday or Thursday. Sky watchers should be alert for auroras after
sunset on Wednesday.

Tune in to SpaceWeather.com for details and updates. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 407 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Apr 10, 2001 (18:50) * 12 lines
Leafy Green Astronauts

NASA Science News for April 9, 2001

NASA scientists are learning how to grow plants in space. Such far-out
crops will eventually take their place alongside people, microbes and
machines in self-contained habitats for astronauts.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast09apr_1.htm?list89800 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 408 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Apr 10, 2001 (20:39) * 63 lines
NEWSALERT: Monday, April 9, 2001 @ 1427 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now


ODYSSEY SPACECRAFT HEADS TO MARS IN SEARCH OF WATER
---------------------------------------------------
When the 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft enters orbit around Mars later this year, it will kick off a restructured Mars science program that focuses on the search for water on the Red Planet, past and present.

http://spaceflightnow.com/mars/odyssey/010408science.html

On Sunday NASA gave an Odyssey status update:
http://spaceflightnow.com/mars/odyssey/status.html


INDIA RESCHEDULES DEBUT LAUNCH OF ITS GSLV ROCKET
-------------------------------------------------
The first development launch of Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle has been set for April 18. The original launch attempt of GSLV was aborted one second before the liftoff on March 28 because an engine failed to develop the required thrust.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/09gslv/


NEW INTERNATIONAL SATELLITE TO STUDY OUR EXPLOSIVE SUN
------------------------------------------------------
Life on Earth would be impossible without the light and heat generated by our nearest star, the Sun. However, this giant ball of hydrogen and helium gas can affect our world in many different ways. Not surprisingly, scientists want to learn as much as possible about our erratic neighbor, so spacecraft that can observe the Sun continuously are essential tools.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/09solarb/


SPACECOM CHIEF: SPACE MUST BE TOP NATIONAL PRIORITY
---------------------------------------------------
American military involvement in space will become more critical to national security in coming years, says U.S. Space Command's top officer Gen. Ralph E. Eberhart.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/09milspace/


-------------------------------------------------------------------------
HUBBLE CALENDAR FOR 2001 -- AVAILABLE NOW!

This remarkable calendar features stunning images of planets,
stars, gaseous nebulae, and galaxies captured by NASA's orbiting
Hubble Space Telescope, which is one of the most important
scientific instruments of our time.

http://astronomynowstore.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------


AOL USERS
---------
The links below make it easier for AOL users to reach our stories.

ODYSS EY SPACECRAFT HEADS TO MARS IN SEARCH OF WATER

OUR MARS ODYSSEY MISSION STATUS CENTER

INDIA RESCHEDULES DEBUT LAUNCH OF ITS GSLV ROCKET

NEW INTERNATIONAL SATELLITE TO STUDY OUR EXPLOSIVE SUN

SPACECOM CHIEF: SPACE MUST BE TOP NATIONAL PRIORITY 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 409 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Apr 10, 2001 (23:59) * 205 lines
--------------------------------------------
SPACEDAILY EXPRESS - April 9, 2001
** forward SpaceDaily Express to a friend **
--------------------------------------------

------------------ ADVERTISEMENT --------------------
The London Satellite Exchange
- Buy or sell satellite capacity -
Capacity on NewSat-I is available soon, and will provide
attractive pricing combined with excellent coverage. The
satellite is the former Palapa B2R, now in inclined orbit
at 42.5 degrees East.
Contact the traders +44 207 680 7268
-------------------- www.e-sax.com -------------------

-----------
QUICK SPACE

- 2001 Mars Odyssey probe to launch new era in Mars exploration
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010406133440.2lt8wb65.html

- India To Relaunch Failed Satellite Rocket April 18
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/india-01c.html

- Russia launches new Proton rocket
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010407071752.r8b9p1f0.html

- Endeavour Launch Set For April 19
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/shuttle-01h.html

----------------
MORE QUICK SPACE

- A European Mars Moving Ahead
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/marsexpress-01a.html

- Search for water on Mars goes on
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010406133404.yb30ugde.html

- From triumph to catastrophe: NASA's missions to Mars
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010406133339.ko8wpfcq.html

- Space Critical For US Forces
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/milspace-01k.html

- A Nukeless Ukraine Backs Current ABM Treaty Arrangements
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/bmdo-01z.html

- Russian General Touts Western Support For Euro-Shield
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/bmdo-01za.html

- Computer Security Threat Is Real Warns Space Command Chief
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/cyberwar-01a.html

- North Korea sold 540 missiles to Mideast countries:
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010406053343.iwdiyzpx.html

- Delta IV RS-68 Engine Fires Up For Extended Test
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/delta4-01c.html

- EU launches satellite navigation system to rival GPS
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010405165455.zvkd6rgz.html

- Bonnet Calls For More European Investment In Space Science
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/esa-general-01a.html

- Competition Heats Up For GLAST
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/glast-01a.html

- Japan to join project to build giant space telescope
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010406085455.zrbfuo02.html

- Tropical Ocean Warming Driving Recent Northern Climate Change
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/greenhouse-01l.html

- Understanding Two Big Ice Cubes
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/icesat-01a.html

- Hitchhiking Molecules On Comets Can Survive Impacts With Earth
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/life-01l.html

- Man in space: "the greatest event in the history of the world"
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010407022221.l3jqoj70.html

- 40 years after Gagarin, space remains the final frontier
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010407013005.kvns1a0k.html

------------------
HEADLINES IN BRIEF
April 9, 2001

---------
MARSDAILY
- A European Mars Moving Ahead
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/marsexpress-01a.html
London - April 9, 2001 - If you live in Europe, there's almost certainly a research institute or industrial company near you that is contributing materials or expertise to Mars Express, Europe's first mission to the Red Planet.

-----------------------
MARS 2001 LAUNCH SEASON
- 2001 Mars Odyssey probe to launch new era in Mars exploration
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010406133440.2lt8wb65.html
- Search for water on Mars goes on
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010406133404.yb30ugde.html
- From triumph to catastrophe: NASA's missions to Mars
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010406133339.ko8wpfcq.html
--------
SPACEWAR
- Space Critical For US Forces
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/milspace-01k.html
Washington - April 9, 2001 - American military involvement in space will become more critical to national security in coming years, said U.S. Space Command's top officer.

- A Nukeless Ukraine Backs Current ABM Treaty Arrangements
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/bmdo-01z.html
Kiev (Interfax) April 8, 2001 - Ukraine is convinced that the ABM Treaty, the nucleus of the existing strategic arms limitation system, must be preserved, well-known Ukrainian military expert and Chairman of the State Commission for the Defense-Industrial Complex Vladimir Gorbulin writes in an article published by the Ukrainian newspaper Zerkalo Nedeli on Saturday.
- Russian General Touts Western Support For Euro-Shield
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/bmdo-01za.html
Moscow (Interfax) April 8, 2001 - Leonid Ivashov, the head of the Russian Defense Ministry's main department for international military cooperation, said the West has expressed an interest in Russia's proposals on the creation of a European ballistic missile defense system.
- Computer Security Threat Is Real Warns Space Command Chief
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/cyberwar-01a.html
Washington - April 9, 2001 - The four-star general whose organization is responsible for DoD computer security says the "cyber" threat against U.S. military information systems is real.
- North Korea sold 540 missiles to Mideast countries: expertv
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010406053343.iwdiyzpx.html

---------
SPACEMART

- India To Relaunch Failed Satellite Rocket April 18
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/india-01c.html
Bangalore (AFP) April 7, 2001 - India will relaunch its first major commercial satellite later this month after the previous attempt was aborted, dealing a blow to the country's ambitious space programme.

- Delta IV RS-68 Engine Fires Up For Extended Test
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/delta4-01c.html
Hancock County - April 9, 2001 - Continuing with testing of the Delta IV Common Booster Core (CBC) and integrated RS-68 main engine at NASA's Stennis Space Center, Boeing officials today announced another successful test, the third in the program's series of integrated stage assembly tests.
- Russia launches new Proton rocket
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010407071752.r8b9p1f0.html
- EU launches satellite navigation system to rival GPS
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010405165455.zvkd6rgz.html

-------------- Micro Satellite Tender ---------------
COSMIC is a joint U.S.-Taiwan scientific project that
will use a constellation of six microsatellites to
collect atmospheric sounding measurements. Industry
partners to build and deliver six GPS receivers, six
solid-state recorders plus payload computers are now
being sought by the University Corporation.
----------- http://www.ucar.cosmic.edu/ -----------

-------------
SPACE SCIENCE
- Bonnet Calls For More European Investment In Space Science
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/esa-general-01a.html
Paris - April 9, 2001 - Greater investment in space science would help nurture Europe's scientific community and consequently build up the knowledge-based society that Europe's heads of state declared they wanted at the European Union summit in Lisbon last year. This was a common message delivered to the General Assembly of the European Geophysical Society in Nice last week by the outgoing and incoming directors of ESA's science programme.
- Competition Heats Up For GLAST
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/glast-01a.html

Redondo Beach - April 9, 2001 - TRW has been awarded a six-month study contract by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., to refine its development concept for NASA's Gamma Ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST), a successor to the TRW-built Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (Compton GRO).
- Japan to join project to build giant space telescope
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010406085455.zrbfuo02.html

------- "SMALLER SATELLITES: BIGGER BUSINESS?" ------
Strasbourg will be the setting for the International
Space University's 6th Annual Symposium. This year's
theme will be small satellites with an emphasis on
concepts, applications and markets. Join some of the
world's leading experts, manufacturers and users in
interdisciplinary presentations and discussions on a
wide variety of issues pertaining to small satellites
Strasbourg - May 21-23 - 2001
--------- http://www.isunet.edu/Symposium/ ----------
----------
TERRADAILY
- Tropical Ocean Warming Driving Recent Northern Climate Change
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/greenhouse-01l.html
Boulder - April 9, 2001 - A progressive warming of tropical oceans, likely due to the buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, is driving major climate changes observed in the Northern Hemisphere since 1950, according to a new study published in the April 6 issue of the journal Science.
- Understanding Two Big Ice Cubes
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/icesat-01a.html
Orono - April 9, 2001 - In a world that measures everything from hemlines to the speed of light, the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets present a special challenge. They are ancient and complex, the two most massive ice cubes on the planet.
----------
EXO WORLDS
- Hitchhiking Molecules On Comets Can Survive Impacts With Earth
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/life-01l.html
Berkeley - April 9, 2001 - Simulating a high-velocity comet collision with Earth, a team of scientists has shown that organic molecules hitchhiking aboard a comet could have survived such an impact and seeded life on this planet.
------------
STATION NEWS
- Endeavour Launch Set For April 19
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/shuttle-01h.html
Houston - April 5, 2001 - Endeavour will launch April 19, 2001, to deliver a new generation of Canadian space robotics to the International Space Station. The robotic arm is longer, stronger, more flexible and more capable than even the Space Shuttle's venerable arm.
------------
YURI'S NIGHT
- Man in space: "the greatest event in the history of the world"
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010407022221.l3jqoj70.html
- Key dates in the history of space flight
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010407013207.yyf5ftfl.html
- 40 years after Gagarin, space remains the final frontier
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010407013005.kvns1a0k.html
- Cosmonauts biographies published in Gagarin anniversary volume
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010406165110.gcrajr7s.html
- Official Celebration Site
http://www.yurisnight.net
-----------------------------
SPACEDAILY EXPRESS LIST NOTES
--------------------------------------------
SpaceDaily Express is issued daily and lists
all new postings to www.SpaceDaily.com
Subscription is free: subscribe@spacer.com 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 410 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Apr 11, 2001 (12:13) * 40 lines
NEWSALERT: Wednesday, April 11, 2001 @ 1433 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

GIOTTO'S LEGACY IN THE EXPLORATION OF COMETS
--------------------------------------------
Almost 15 years ago, ESA's Giotto spacecraft made history by obtaining the first close-up pictures of a comet's black, icy nucleus. Recently scientists and engineers who worked on the pioneering deep space mission came together to reminisce about past triumphs and to look forward to the next generation of comet explorers.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/11giotto/

WHITE HOUSE PROPOSES $14.5B NASA BUDGET FOR '02
-----------------------------------------------
NASA administrator Dan Goldin said Monday that the agency faces "difficult decisions" in a number of programs in the near future despite a 2002 budget request that gives the agency a modest funding increase.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/10nasabudget/

XEUS: A NEW CONCEPT IN EXPLORING X-RAY UNIVERSE
-----------------------------------------------
Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Or, in the case of the Universe, was it massive black holes or galaxies? To answer this question by studying black holes in the early Universe requires an extremely sensitive X-ray telescope.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/10xeus/

GALILEO BUSY BEAMING DATA
-------------------------
Another quiet engineering week sees the spacecraft concentrate once again on data playback from the tape recorder. These data were recorded when Galileo flew through the depths of the Jupiter system last December.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/10galileothisweek/

XM SATELLITE RADIO LOOKS FORWARD TO NEXT LAUNCH
-----------------------------------------------
XM Satellite Radio reports that its first spacecraft is performing well during initial testing and checkout in orbit while preparations continue for the launch of the sister digital radio broadcasting craft next month.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/11xmupdate/

GOES-M WEATHER SATELLITE ARRIVES IN FLORIDA FOR LAUNCH
------------------------------------------------------
The GOES-M environmental weather satellite, currently targeted for launch July 12, arrived Tuesday by C-5 air cargo plane at the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility from the manufacturing plant in Palo Alto, Calif.
http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/ac142/010411arrive/

TRMM SATELLITE CRITICAL TOOL IN MONITORING HURRICANES
-----------------------------------------------------
As the 2001 Hurricane Season approaches, forecasters will once again rely on high-resolution rain data from a NASA satellite in its arsenal of tools used to monitor the size, location, and strength of hurricanes and tropical storms.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/10trmm/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 411 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Apr 11, 2001 (16:26) * 14 lines
Severe geomagnetic storming on Wednesday, April 11th

Space Weather News for April 11, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

A strong solar wind disturbance hit our planet's magnetosphere around 1400
UT (noon EDT) on Wednesday, April 11th, triggering a severe geomagnetic
storm. If the storm continues unabated, middle-latitude sky watchers
could spot auroras tonight. Usually the best time to look for "Northern
Lights" is around local midnight. In this case, it might be better to go
outside not too long after sunset -- before the storm subsides and before
the bright Moon rises. Visit spaceweather.com for updates and images from
the ongoing storm. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 412 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Apr 11, 2001 (16:53) * 20 lines
Severe geomagnetic storming on Wednesday, April 11th (corrected)

Space Weather News for April 11, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

A strong solar wind disturbance hit our planet's magnetosphere between
1300 and 1400 UT (9 to 10 a.m. EDT) on Wednesday, April 11th, triggering a
severe geomagnetic storm. If the storm continues unabated,
middle-latitude sky watchers could spot auroras tonight. Usually the best
time to look for "Northern Lights" is around local midnight. In this case,
it might be better to go outside not too long after sunset -- before the
storm subsides and before the bright Moon rises. Visit spaceweather.com
for updates and images from the ongoing storm.

NOTE: Some subscribers may have received an earlier version of this
announcement citing an incorrect time for the onset of the geomagnetic
storm. This updated notice is correct.

--- 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 413 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Apr 12, 2001 (12:16) * 100 lines
--------------------------------------------
SPACEDAILY EXPRESS - April 12, 2001
** forward SpaceDaily Express to a friend **
--------------------------------------------
MAIN SPACE
- Russia Clears Tito For April 28 Flight To ISS
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/tourism-01m.html
- Japan's Space Agencies Under Mounting Pressure To Merge
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/japan-general-01a.html
- Defense Satellite Concerns May Kill SingTel Takeover of Optus
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/optus-01a.html
- Indonesia to launch telecom satellite in 2003
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010411032252.ki5wswmd.html

----------
MORE SPACE
- Space legend lives on as Russia remembers Gagarin
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010411031049.gab5towd.html
- Soviet Space Feats
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010411024158.zx661hjx.html
- NASA's space shuttle program turns 20
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010411192826.dt8sx63k.html
- Russia launches space conference despite snub by US, Britain
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010411153526.0egmlwn3.html
- Russia mulls rapid reaction force for missile defense shield
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010410180103.z8jb5zmj.html
- Cuban Missile Crisis Veterans Warn of "Nuclear Folly"
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/icbm-01f.html
- Cooperation, not confrontation serves Europe-US relations better
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010412020629.61wrczzo.html
- Concerned world looks on as Bush pursues foreign policy agenda
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010412024051.z4pp0bts.html
------------------
HEADLINES IN BRIEF
April 12, 2001
------------
SPACE TRAVEL
- Russia Clears Tito For April 28 Flight To ISS
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/tourism-01m.html
Moscow - April 11, 2001 - Russian space officials have announced the go ahead for Dennis Tito's flight to the space station via a Soyzu-TM taxi flight set for liftoff April 28. NASA remains opposed to the flight, but realizes it has little option but to accept the unilateral move by Russia to commercialize the station ahead of its own belated plans.
-----------
JAPAN SPACE
- Japan's Space Agencies Under Mounting Pressure To Merge
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/japan-general-01a.html
Tokyo - April 11, 2001 - Japan's three major space agencies have taken the first tentative steps to a possible merger later this decade with an agreement to establish an initial joint program office to coordinate launch vehicle development, along with the sharing of ground facilities such as tracking stations and IT support services.
-------------
SPACE HISTORY
- Space legend lives on as Russia remembers Gagarin
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010411031049.gab5towd.html
Gagarin - (AFP) Apr 11, 2001 - Russians above a certain age can remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when they heard that Yury Gagarin had died. And as with US president John F. Kennedy, the circumstances of the cosmonaut's death are shrouded in uncertainty, giving rise to outlandish conspiracy theories.
- Soviet Space Feats
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010411024158.zx661hjx.html
- NASA's space shuttle program turns 20
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010411192826.dt8sx63k.html
Washington (AFP) Apr 11, 2001 - NASA marks 20 years of space shuttle flights Thursday -- an era of remarkable successes tainted by the tragedy of the Challenger explosion -- amid uncertainty over the future of the program.

YURI'S NIGHT
- Man in space: "the greatest event in the history of the world"
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010407022221.l3jqoj70.html
- Key dates in the history of space flight
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010407013207.yyf5ftfl.html
- 40 years after Gagarin, space remains the final frontier
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010407013005.kvns1a0k.html
- Cosmonauts biographies published in Gagarin anniversary volume
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010406165110.gcrajr7s.html
- Official Celebration Site
http://www.yurisnight.net

---------
SPACEMART
- Defense Satellite Concerns May Kill SingTel Takeover of Optus
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/optus-01a.html
Sydney - April 11, 2001 - A takeover bid of Australia's number two telecom carrier Cable and Wireless Optus, by Singapore's majority state owned telecom firm SingTel is under growing pressure following concerns over a conflict of interest.
- Indonesia to launch telecom satellite in 2003
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010411032252.ki5wswmd.html
Jakarta (AFP) Apr 11, 2001 - The state-run PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia (PT Telkom) is planning to launch its Telkom-2 telecommunications satellite in 2003 to replace the Palapa B4, a report said Wednesday.

--------
SPACEWAR
- Russia launches space conference despite snub by US, Britain
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010411153526.0egmlwn3.html
Moscow (AFP) Apr 11, 2001 - An international conference aimed at outlawing a military build-up in space opened here Wednesday amid Russian anger that the United States and Britain had apparently snubbed a forum held at President Vladimir Putin's initiative.
- Russia mulls rapid reaction force for missile defense shield
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010410180103.z8jb5zmj.html
Moscow (AFP) Apr 10, 2001 - Russia's plans for a European missile defense system could include a joint center to monitor for rocket attacks and an international rapid-reaction force, a Russian official told Interfax Tuesday.

- Cuban Missile Crisis Veterans Warn of "Nuclear Folly"
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/icbm-01f.html
Moscow (AFP) April 12, 2001 - Two leading US participants in the 1962 Cuban missile crisis and scores of veteran Russian diplomats and military officials have relived the 13 days that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.

- Cooperation, not confrontation serves Europe-US relations better
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010412020629.61wrczzo.html
- Concerned world looks on as Bush pursues foreign policy agenda
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010412024051.z4pp0bts.html
----------------------------
SPACEDAILY EXPRESS LIST NOTES
--------------------------------------------
SpaceDaily Express is issued daily and lists
all new postings to www.SpaceDaily.com
Subscription is free: subscribe@spacer.com 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 414 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Apr 12, 2001 (23:03) * 50 lines
NEWSALERT: Friday, April 13, 2001 @ 0257 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

MOLECULES HITCHHIKING ON COMETS MAY SURVIVE IMPACTS
---------------------------------------------------
Simulating a high-velocity comet collision with Earth, a team of scientists has shown that organic molecules hitchhiking aboard a comet could have survived such an impact and seeded life on this planet. The results give credence to the theory that the raw materials for life came from space and were assembled on Earth into the ancestors of proteins and DNA.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/13molecules/

ODYSSEY'S LAUNCH PUT SPACECRAFT ON GOOD COURSE
----------------------------------------------
NASA has decided to postpone the first trajectory tweaking maneuver by the 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft that was envisioned for next Monday, officials announced Thursday.
http://spaceflightnow.com/mars/odyssey/status.html

EXPEDITION TWO CREW WORKS AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL
---------------------------------------------
The international space station's Expedition Two Crew spent this week loading the Progress supply craft with trash and unneeded items in preparation for its undocking next week to clear the aft port on the Zvezda module for the relocation of the Soyuz capsule.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

ACCIDENT DELAYS COSMOS 1 SOLAR SAIL PROJECT LAUNCH
--------------------------------------------------
The Planetary Society disclosed Wednesday that it's plans to launch a solar sail demonstration satellite later this month would be delayed indefinitely due to a testing accident that damaged the spacecraft.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/12cosmos1/

SUN TAKES ANOTHER SOLAR SHOT, THIS TIME AT EARTH
------------------------------------------------
An angry Sun fired off another powerful X-class flare Tuesday. X-class flares are the most powerful classification, and this flare, rated X-2, was the most recent in a series that included one of the most powerful solar blasts in 25 years.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/12flare/

FIRST MEASUREMENTS MADE OF COLD WATER IN MILKY WAY
--------------------------------------------------
The search for water in space goes on. Using ESA's Infrared Space Observatory, astronomers have for the first time measured the total amount of water in cold regions of our galaxy. This is especially interesting because these regions are the birthplace of stars like the Sun, and Solar Systems like our own.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/12coldwater/

NASA TO TRACK MORE ASTEROIDS WITH NEW CAMERA
--------------------------------------------
Asteroid search efforts got a boost from a new, improved camera installed this week for NASA's Near Earth Asteroid Tracking system on the 1.2-meter Oschin telescope at the Palomar Observatory near San Diego, Calif.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/13neat/

NEW WAY TO STUDY EVOLUTION OF WHITE DWARF STARS
-----------------------------------------------
The Joint Astrophysical Plasmadynamic Experiment (J-PEX) recently launched successfully on a NASA sounding rocket. The J-PEX objective is to produce the first high-resolution spectrum of a white dwarf star at extreme ultraviolet (EUV) wavelengths.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/13jpex/

PRATT TO DEVELOP NEW UPPER STAGE ROCKET ENGINE
----------------------------------------------
Pratt & Whitney Space Propulsion operations announced this week its plans to begin development of a full-scale engine demonstrator for a next generation high-performance liquid-hydrogen-fueled 60,000 pound-thrust-class rocket engine, designated the RL60.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/12rl60/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 415 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Apr 13, 2001 (11:52) * 20 lines
Interplanetary shock wave passes Earth, triggers magnetic storm

Space Weather News for April 13, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

AURORA ALERT: An interplanetary shock wave struck Earth's magnetosphere
early on Friday the 13th and triggered a strong geomagnetic storm.
Forecasters anticipate that a second shock wave will arrive later Friday
or Saturday, possibly intensifying the ongoing disturbance.
Middle-latitude sky watchers should remain alert for auroras after local
sunset.

AURORA GALLERY: A pair of coronal mass ejections that hit Earth's
magnetosphere on April 11th sparked an intense display of auroras. Sky
watchers in the United States saw "Northern Lights" as far south as the
New Mexico-Texas border. Check out our aurora gallery for more than 50
images of the storm.

Visit http://SpaceWeather.com 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 416 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Apr 13, 2001 (15:09) * 14 lines
Life as We (Didn't) Know It

NASA Science News for April 13, 2001

Biologists always thought life required the Sun's energy, until they found
an ecosystem that thrives in complete darkness. A team of scientists
including members of the NASA Astrobiology Institute are sailing the high
seas on a daring expedition to explore this strange new world -- right
here on our own planet.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast13apr_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 417 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Apr 14, 2001 (16:58) * 20 lines
NEWSALERT: Saturday, April 14, 2001 @ 1750 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

A VIRTUAL COLUMBIA ON ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY
------------------------------------------
Spaceflight Now toured the space shuttle Columbia at the Kennedy Space Center this week to mark the 20th anniversary of its maiden flight and captured the scene in two virtual reality panoramas.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/14ov102/

EUROPE GOES TO MARS
-------------------
If you live in Europe, there's almost certainly a research institute or industrial company near you that is contributing materials or expertise to Mars Express, Europe's first mission to the Red Planet.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/14marsexpress/

TURNING DIAMOND FILM INTO SOLAR CELLS
-------------------------------------
Timothy Fisher is taking a Tiffany's approach to converting sunlight into electricity: with a $348,000 grant from National Reconnaissance Office, the assistant professor of mechanical engineering is exploring the use of polycrystalline diamond as a replacement for the silicon solar cells currently used in many space applications.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/14diamondarrays/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 418 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Apr 16, 2001 (18:04) * 35 lines
NEWSALERT: Monday, April 16, 2001 @ 1651 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

SHUTTLE ASTRONAUTS ARRIVE IN FLORIDA FOR LAUNCH
-----------------------------------------------
Astronauts representing four countries -- the most diverse for any one crew -- flew to Kennedy Space Center today in preparation for blastoff aboard space shuttle Endeavour on Thursday bound of the international space station. Meanwhile, a Russian cargo ship undocked from the station earlier today.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

STS-100 MISSION THEATER IS NOW OPEN
-----------------------------------
Sign up today for Spaceflight Now's Mission Theater Package, your front row seat for video coverage of shuttle Endeavour's mission to deliver the Canadian-made robotic arm to the International Space Station. You will gain access to online video clips, plus receive an embroidered mission patch like those worn by the astronauts and a VHS tape featuring the daily mission highlights and additional launch and landing footage.
http://spaceflightnow.com/theater/sts100/pack.html

CLIMATE CHANGE LINKED TO ANOMALY IN EARTH'S ORBIT
-------------------------------------------------
About 23 million years ago, a huge ice sheet spread over Antarctica, temporarily reversing a general trend of global warming and decreasing ice volume. Now a team of researchers has discovered that this climatic blip corresponded with a rare combination of events in the pattern of Earth's orbit around the Sun.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/16anomaly/

X-40A CRAFT PAVES WAY FOR NASA'S X-37 SPACE PLANE
-------------------------------------------------
The X-40A vehicle successfully performed a second free flight test on April 12 at Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards, Calif. The X-40A was lifted by an Army Chinook helicopter and released. The craft made a smooth touchdown shortly thereafter.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/15x40a/

ANTIBIOTIC EXPERIMENT HEADING FOR SPACE STATION
-----------------------------------------------
The University of Colorado at Boulder-based BioServe Space Technologies Center is sending an intriguing biomedical experiment to the international space station April 19 to test the effects of long-term weightlessness on antibiotic production.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/15issbioserve/

NASA SHOWS EARTH'S GLOBAL HEAT ENGINE DRIVING PLANTS
----------------------------------------------------
Scientists at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center have assembled the first long-term global data set that demonstrates the connection between changing patterns of sea surface temperature and patterns of plant growth across the Earth's landscapes.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/15plantgrowth/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 419 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Apr 17, 2001 (13:27) * 33 lines
NEWSALERT: Tuesday, April 17, 2001 @ 1508 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

STATION TO GROW TWO-HANDED ARM DURING SHUTTLE VISIT
---------------------------------------------------
The shuttle Endeavour stands poised for blastoff Thursday on the most complex space station assembly flight yet attempted, a two-spacewalk mission to install a $900 million Canadian robot arm able to move around the station's exterior like a 58-foot-long mechanical inchworm. Read our multi-part mission preview!
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage6a/010416preview/
See the astronauts' master flight plan:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage6a/fdf/100plan.html

LAUNCH COUNTDOWN CONTINUES SMOOTHLY
-----------------------------------
Endeavour's countdown began on schedule Monday evening and continued smoothly overnight. NASA officials report there are no technical problems standing in the way of liftoff on Thursday. You can follow the three-day countdown in our Mission Status Center:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

STS-100 MISSION THEATER IS NOW OPEN
-----------------------------------
Sign up today for Spaceflight Now's Mission Theater Package, your front row seat for video coverage of shuttle Endeavour's mission to deliver the Canadian-made robotic arm to the International Space Station. You will gain access to online video clips, plus receive an embroidered mission patch like those worn by the astronauts and a VHS tape featuring the daily mission highlights and additional launch and landing footage.
http://spaceflightnow.com/theater/sts100/pack.html

CONTRACTS AWARDED FOR MARS SAMPLE RETURN STUDIES
------------------------------------------------
NASA's Mars Exploration Program has awarded four industry team contracts to conduct initial studies of specific implementation scenarios for a first Mars sample return mission that might be launched as early as 2011.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/17marssample/

NANOTECHNOLOGY GETS A BOOST
---------------------------
In the forefront of nanotechnology development, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has acquired one of the world's finest electron beam lithography systems, one that will allow researchers to work on the sub-molecular scale.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/17nanotech/ 




 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 420 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Apr 17, 2001 (13:36) * 82 lines
--------------------------------------------
SPACEDAILY EXPRESS - April 17, 2001
** forward SpaceDaily Express to a friend **
--------------------------------------------

-------------- Micro Satellite Tender ---------------
COSMIC is a joint U.S.-Taiwan scientific project that
will use a constellation of six microsatellites to
collect atmospheric sounding measurements. Industry
partners to build and deliver six GPS receivers, six
solid-state recorders plus payload computers are now
being sought by the University Corporation.
----------- http://www.ucar.cosmic.edu/ ------------

-----------
QUICK SPACE
- US space tourist flies to Baikonur to try out spacesuit
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010416133936.mnpr8ga4.html
- India Set For Second Launch Bid
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010417011036.jwv9erln.html
- Diamonds In The Sun
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/solarcell-01b.html
- Endeavour Launch Set For April 19
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/shuttle-01h.html
- Turning Stars Into Gold
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/neutron-star-01a.html
- Satellite Industry Turns Over $80 Billion Annually
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/satellite-biz-01e.html
- Mutual Inspection Of Compliance For Missile Destruction Treaty Ends
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/icbm-01g.html

------------------
HEADLINES IN BRIEF
April 17, 2001
---------
SPACEMART
- India Set For Second Launch Bid
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010417011036.jwv9erln.html
Bangalore (AFP) April 17, 2001 - The India Space Research Organization was counting down Tuesday for its second attempt at launching a new rocket that carries the country's hopes of entering the commercial launch market. Countdown began early Monday with take-off scheduled for 3:43 pm (1013 GMT) Wednesday.
- Satellite Industry Turns Over $80 Billion Annually
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/satellite-biz-01e.html
New York - April 9, 2001 - The Satellite Industry Association (SIA) latest annual survey found a 17 percent increase in revenues for 2000, with the commercial satellite industry now generating over $80 billion in revenues annually.
----------
TECH SPACE
- Diamonds In The Sun
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/solarcell-01b.html
Nashville - April 10, 2001 - Timothy Fisher is taking a Tiffany's approach to converting sunlight into electricity: with a $348,000 grant from National Reconnaissance Office, the assistant professor of mechanical engineering is exploring the use of polycrystalline diamond as a replacement for the silicon solar cells currently used in many space applications.

-------------
SPACE SCIENCE
- Turning Stars Into Gold
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/neutron-star-01a.html
Leicester - April 15, 2001 - Many common elements, such as oxygen and carbon, are known to be made in stars and distributed through the Universe when a star explodes as a supernova. This is the origin of most of the material that makes up the Earth.

--------
SPACEWAR
- Mutual Inspection Of Compliance For Missile Destruction Treaty Ends
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/icbm-01g.html
Almaty (Interfax) April 11, 2001 - The United States, Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus and Ukraine will end on May 31, 2001 the mutual inspection activities that have lasted for 13 years to check compliance with the treaty on elimination of medium and shorter range missiles.

---------------------
YESTERDAY'S HEADLINES
- Final Decision On Tito Flight Tuesday
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/tourism-01n.html
- Was The Big Bang A Big Bump
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/cosmology-01b.html
- Can Europe's RLV Plans Rise Like A Phoenix
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/rlv-01c.html
- Delayed Funding Could Torpedo Russia's ISS Contribution
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/iss-01q.html
- NASA Beefs Up Asteroid Tracking With NEAT New Camera
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/asteroid-01d.html
- Violet Will Enable Chips Of Ultra New Level
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/chip-tech-01a.html
- Climate Wobble Linked To Rare Anomaly In Earth's Orbit
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/iceage-01a.html
- Khrunichev Space Center To Supply Rocket Boosters To India
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/india-01d.html 





 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 421 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Apr 17, 2001 (17:37) * 11 lines
Solving Charles Darwin's 'Abominable Mystery'

NASA Science News for April 17, 2001

About 130 million years ago the first flowering plants suddenly appeared
-- an event Charles Darwin described as an 'abominable mystery.' Now,
scientists using chemical fossils are unraveling this ancient puzzle.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast17apr_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 422 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Apr 18, 2001 (15:23) * 12 lines
The Amazing Canadarm2

NASA Science News for April 18, 2001 9:00:00 AM

Crawling around the International Space Station like an agile worm, the
newest Canadian robotic arm will be essential for building and maintaining
the ISS.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast18apr_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 423 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Apr 18, 2001 (15:25) * 35 lines
NEWSALERT: Wednesday, April 18, 2001 @ 1519 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

EXPEDITION TWO CREW LEAVES STATION FOR SHORT TRIP
-------------------------------------------------
For the Expedition Two astronauts today wasn't just another day aboard their orbiting outpost. The three-person crew left the station for a short time to move their escape capsule to a different docking port.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

STATION TO GROW TWO-HANDED ARM DURING SHUTTLE VISIT
---------------------------------------------------
The shuttle Endeavour stands poised for blastoff Thursday on the most complex space station assembly flight yet attempted, a two-spacewalk mission to install a $900 million Canadian robot arm able to move around the station's exterior like a 58-foot-long mechanical inchworm. Read our multi-part mission preview!
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage6a/010416preview/

STS-100 MISSION THEATER IS NOW OPEN
-----------------------------------
Sign up today for Spaceflight Now's Mission Theater Package, your front row seat for video coverage of shuttle Endeavour's mission to deliver the Canadian-made robotic arm to the International Space Station. You will gain access to online video clips, plus receive an embroidered mission patch like those worn by the astronauts and a VHS tape featuring the daily mission highlights and additional launch and landing footage.
http://spaceflightnow.com/theater/sts100/pack.html

NEW INDIAN ROCKET MAKES SUCCESSFUL INAUGURAL FLIGHT
---------------------------------------------------
India's fledgling space program experienced a major boost Wednesday as the maiden Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle took to the skies and successfully delivered an experimental communications satellite into orbit.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/18gslv/

MOON'S DARK SIDE YIELDS CLUES TO EARTH'S CLIMATE
------------------------------------------------
Scientists have revived and modernized a nearly forgotten technique for monitoring Earth's climate by carefully observing "earthshine," the ghostly glow of the dark side of the moon.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/18earthshine/

PROGRESS REPORT ON GALILEO
--------------------------
The pace of activity onboard NASA's Galileo spacecraft picks up a bit this week during the relatively quiet cruise portion of an orbit in order to maintain the health of the thrusters and of the tape recorder for when they are needed the most -- during the intense activities of the close satellite encounters.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/18galileothisweek/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 424 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Apr 23, 2001 (03:00) * 33 lines


NEWSALERT: Monday, April 23, 2001 @ 1514 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

TWO ROBOTIC ARMS AT WORK IN SPACE TODAY
---------------------------------------
The Canadarm2 took its first step today by detaching one hand from its launch container and grabbing the international space station's Destiny module. Endeavour's robot arm is also in use today, hoisting the Raffaello cargo module for docking to the station. See our Status Center for live updates:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

CANADA'S ROBOT ARM INSTALLED ON STATION
---------------------------------------
The Canadian-made space station robotic arm was attached to the orbiting outpost by spacewalking astronauts Sunday and moved its joints for the first time in space.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage6a/010422fd4/

PROBE SHOWS EROS' SURFACE THE RESULT OF IMPACTS
-----------------------------------------------
NEAR mission science team members have concluded that the majority of the small features that make up the surface of asteroid Eros more likely came from an unrelenting bombardment from space debris than internal processes.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/23near/

ESA AND CHINESE EXPLORE JOINT SPACE MISSION
-------------------------------------------
A new East-West scientific collaboration recently took a further step towards acceptance when a group of European Space Agency delegates and space scientists travelled to Beijing to meet their Chinese counterparts. Under discussion was possible European participation in a dual-spacecraft mission known as Double Star.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/23esachina/

PANAMSAT LANDS IN KAZAKHSTAN FOR LAUNCH
---------------------------------------
PanAmSat announced that the company's new PAS-10 Indian Ocean Region satellite has arrived in Kazakhstan in preparation for its May launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. PAS-10 will be rocketed into space aboard a Proton launch vehicle and will provide digital video, data and Internet services throughout a 30-million square mile footprint.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/23pas10/ 




 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 425 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Apr 23, 2001 (05:24) * 37 lines
NEWSALERT: Sunday, April 22, 2001 @ 0910 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

ACTION-PACKED DAY AHEAD IN SPACE FOR ASTRONAUTS
-----------------------------------------------
The Canadian-made space station robotic arm, folded up in a pallet, is scheduled for attachment onto the orbiting outpost today as two spacewalking astronauts step outside Endeavour for a dramatic 6.5-hour excursion to assemble the $900 million limb. We have complete live coverage in the Status Center:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html
See the astronauts' detailed timeline:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage6a/fdf/100plan.html

ENDEAVOUR ARRIVES AT SPACE STATION TO DELIVER ROBOT ARM
-------------------------------------------------------
Shuttle skipper Kent Rominger guided Endeavour to a glacial docking with the international space station Saturday as the two spacecraft sailed 243 miles above the south Pacific Ocean at five miles per second.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage6a/010421fd3/

A WRINKLE IN SPACE MAY GROUND LIGHTWEIGHT MIRRORS
-------------------------------------------------
Inflatable structures are ideal for many space applications, but very small wrinkles may make enormous mirrors impractical, says a researcher. Wrinkles make the polymer membranes currently used for space-based inflatable structures unsuitable for use as mirrors.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/22inflate/

HONING IN ON IMPACT OF NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS IN SPACE
--------------------------------------------------
Determining how nuclear explosions in space affect U.S. defense systems is what an Arnold Engineering Development Center team hope to determine using its new plasma radiation source "cold" X-ray test capability.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/21nukes/

NEW SPIN PUT ON MYSTERY OF MISSING SOLAR NEUTRINOS
--------------------------------------------------
Every day the sun spews out subatomic particles called neutrinos, and instruments count how many make their way to Earth. But the instruments only detect half as many neutrinos as scientists expected to see. Where did all the neutrinos go? In recent years, scientists worldwide have converged on an answer.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/21neutrinos/

PRINCETON SCIENTISTS DESIGN TELESCOPE FOR NASA CONTEST
------------------------------------------------------
It is possible that human beings are only a decade away from finding out whether or not it is alone in the Universe, and Princeton University is playing a large role in this potential discovery.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/22planetfinder/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 426 of 866: Cheryl  (CherylB) * Mon, Apr 23, 2001 (11:24) * 1 lines
There was a theory concerning the extinction of the dinosaurs being linked to the appearance of flowering plants. It seems that the dinosaurs digestive systems weren't up to handling the new type of plants, consequently they died off from really bad constipation, more or less.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 427 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Apr 23, 2001 (16:15) * 13 lines
Thanks for reposting that - I went back to the old url to try to see what I could retrieve. You saved me from having to do that. I will repeat Terry's cooment that it will likely end up as part of a Jay Leno routine.

Look Ma -- No Hands! Containerless Processing at MSFC

NASA Science News for December , 20

Using a force field to float molten test samples precisely in mid-air,
NASA's Electrostatic Levitator creates a unique environment for space-age
materials processing.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast23apr_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 428 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Apr 24, 2001 (10:04) * 131 lines
QUICK SPACE

- Global Hawk Makes Historic First Unmanned Flight To Australia
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/uav-01d.html

- Boeing Signs Brazil For Delta 4 Comsat Launch
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/delta4-01d.html

- Astronauts work aboard space station
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010423214916.zwg7bj0k.html

- Space tourist to make trip despite US reluctance: Russia
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010423202630.dx0jsorn.html

- Space tourist Tito "happiest man in the world"
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010423143724.hbl3b49r.html

- Human Evolution Punctuated By Cosmic Impacts
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/asteroid-01e.html

- Nanotechnology Gets A Boost With Purchase Of EB System At JPL
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/chip-tech-01b.html

- Boeing Rocketdyne RS-68 Engine Triumphs In 10k Run
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/delta4-01e.html

- Air Pollution Control Could Impact Global Warming Trends
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/greenhouse-01m.html

- Wetter Upper Atmosphere May Delay Global Ozone Recovery
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/ozone-01d.html

------------------
HEADLINES IN BRIEF
April 24, 2001

--------
SPACEWAR

- Global Hawk Makes Historic First Unmanned Flight To Australia
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/uav-01d.html

Adelaide - April 23, 2001 - The United States’ Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Global Hawk made international aviation history Monday when it completed the first non-stop flight across the Pacific Ocean by an autonomous aircraft, flying from Edwards Air Force Base on the west coast of the U.S. to RAAF Base Edinburgh, South Australia

- Raytheon To Develop And Validate Milstar Upgrade For SMART-T
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/milstar-01b.html

---------------------------------------------
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$12,600 All Inclusive
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---------
SPACEMART

- Boeing Signs Brazil For Delta 4 Comsat Launch
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/delta4-01e.html

Huntington Beach - April 23, 2001 - Boeing and Space Systems/Loral officials confirmed today that a Brazilian telecommunications satellite will be launched on a Delta IV rocket next year. The launch of Estrela do Sul, which will provide telecommunications services to North and South America, is scheduled for launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., during the second half of 2002. Loral Skynet will operate the satellite built by Space Systems/Loral.

- Boeing Rocketdyne RS-68 Engine Triumphs In 10k Run
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/delta4-01d.html

Canoga Park - April 23, 2001 - The Rocketdyne RS-68 engine, being developed by The Boeing Company for the Delta IV family of launch vehicles, has achieved a major milestone in logging more than 10,000 seconds of accumulated hot-fire test time. The engine program is on track for first launch of the Delta IV in early 2002.

------------
STATION NEWS

- Astronauts work aboard space station
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010423214916.zwg7bj0k.html

- Space tourist to make trip despite US reluctance: Russia
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010423202630.dx0jsorn.html

- ISS fitted out with Canadian, Italian contributions
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010423181730.0jjqfkdn.html

- No decision on controversial space tourist flight: NASA
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010423160942.ke7mv69v.html

- NASA agrees to controversial space tourist flight
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010423152617.20stzgko.html

- Space tourist Tito "happiest man in the world"
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010423143724.hbl3b49r.html

----------
SPACEGUARD

- Human Evolution Punctuated By Cosmic Impacts
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/asteroid-01e.html

Liverpool - April 24, 2001 - The theory of gradual and uninterrupted human evolution has been called into question after two researchers found that human evolution has been repeatedly punctuated by large-scale cosmic catastrophes.

----------
TECH SPACE

- Nanotechnology Gets A Boost With Purchase Of EB System At JPL
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/chip-tech-01b.html

Pasadena - April 23, 2001 - In the forefront of nanotechnology development, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., has acquired one of the world's finest electron beam lithography systems, one that will allow researchers to work on the sub-molecular scale.

----------
TERRADAILY
- Air Pollution Control Could Impact Global Warming Trends
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/greenhouse-01m.html
Irvine - April 23, 2001 - Climate researchers are warning that efforts to reduce air pollution could, if not well designed, make global warming worse. Limiting emissions of man-made nitrogen oxides, a strategy to control ozone in the lower atmosphere, would result in increased methane abundance and lead to additional greenhouse warming.
- Wetter Upper Atmosphere May Delay Global Ozone Recovery
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/ozone-01d.html

Greenbelt - April 23, 2001 - NASA research has shown that increasing water-vapor in the stratosphere, which results partially from greenhouse gases, may delay ozone recovery and increase the rate of climate change.


---------------- Space Transportation Summit ---------------
The 2001 World Summit on the Space Transportation Business
brings together the key players of the space launch industry
to focus on the principal strategic issues of the business
-- http://www.euroconsult-ec.com/web/space/space_h_ws.htm --
Hotel Inter-Continental
Thursday 17 & Friday 18 May 2001 Paris
------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------
SPACEDAILY EXPRESS LIST NOTES

--------------------------------------------
SpaceDaily Express is issued daily and lists
all new postings to www.SpaceDaily.com
Subscription is free: subscribe@spacer.com 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 429 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Apr 24, 2001 (10:05) * 40 lines
NEWSALERT: Tuesday, April 24, 2001 @ 1734 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now


SPACEWALKERS PLAY ELECTRICIANS OUTSIDE STATION
----------------------------------------------
Endeavour astronauts Chris Hadfield and Scott Parazynski have embarked a 6.5-hour spacewalk today to re-wire the Canadarm2 so it can operate from its new home on hull of the international space station's Destiny lab module. We have live coverage in the Status Center:

http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html


THE RATIONALE BEHIND OUR MISSION THEATER
----------------------------------------
MARS ODYSSEY TAKES SNAPSHOT OF EARTH
------------------------------------
NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft turned its multipurpose camera homeward last week and took its first picture -- a shot of a faint crescent Earth -- as the spacecraft heads off toward its destination, the planet Mars.
http://spaceflightnow.com/mars/odyssey/010424earth/

TWO U.S. COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITES SUFFER DISRUPTIONS
-----------------------------------------------------
Loral's Telstar 6 and PanAmSat's Galaxy 3R telecommunications satellites each went dark for a time over the weekend due to internal computer failures. Both craft, however, were working on backup systems by Monday.

Telstar 6 story:
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/24telstar6/

Galaxy 3R story:
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/24g3r/

ALCATEL TO BUILD NEW GE CRAFT; ILS TO LAUNCH THEM
-------------------------------------------------
France-based Alcatel Space has signed a contract with International Launch Services (ILS) for launch of two spacecraft for GE American Communications Inc. in 2002 and 2003.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/24geils/

GALILEO UNDERGOES CALIBRATION
-----------------------------
This week on NASA's Galileo spacecraft in orbit around Jupiter sees the continuation of the set of instrument calibrations that began on Sunday.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/24galileothisweek/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 430 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Apr 25, 2001 (16:06) * 12 lines
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: The Webcast

NASA Science News for April 25, 2001

Astrobiologists are visiting the Indian Ocean to explore a bizarre
undersea ecosystem that doesn't need sunlight to flourish. You can join
them via a live webcast on April 26th!

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast25apr_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 431 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Apr 25, 2001 (16:08) * 178 lines
--------------------------------------------
SPACEDAILY EXPRESS - April 25, 2001
** forward SpaceDaily Express to a friend **
--------------------------------------------

---------------- Space Transportation Summit ---------------
The 2001 World Summit on the Space Transportation Business
brings together the key players of the space launch industry
to focus on the principal strategic issues of the business
-- http://www.euroconsult-ec.com/web/space/space_h_ws.htm --
Hotel Inter-Continental
Thursday 17 & Friday 18 May 2001 Paris
------------------------------------------------------------

-----------
QUICK SPACE

- India's experimental satellite runs into minor snags
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010424155415.dnahk40o.html

- Canadarm2's Installation Complete During Hadfield's Second Spacewalk
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/iss-01s.html

- "Space tourist" delighted with NASA green light
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010425085931.47nejdq1.html

- Russia To Propose Non-Strategic Missile Defense For Europe
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/bmdo-01zc.html

- China To Develop Civil Satellite Technology Base
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/china-01zb.html

- Boeing Signs Brazil For Delta 4 Comsat Launch
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/delta4-01e.html

- Boeing Rocketdyne RS-68 Engine Triumphs In 10k Run
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/delta4-01d.html

- Eutelsat Order New GEO Bird From Astrium
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/satellite-biz-01f.html

- Malaysian satellite operator gets backdoor listing in takeover bid
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010425071737.lahvh8qk.html

----------------
MORE QUICK SPACE

- Tito To Take Space Taxi To ISS
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/tourism-01q.html

- Green light given for space tourist's trip: NASA
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010425022847.xqathrhl.html

- Endeavour astronauts complete second spacewalk
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010425022352.xs5ov87d.html

- Keep Galileo's Eyes Open, Say Petitioning Scientists
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/galileo-01g.html

- Japan To Test Hyper Plane At Woomera
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/japan-hyperx-01a.html

- MAP Spacecraft Arrives At KSC To Begin Launch Preparations
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/map-01a.html

- Impacts Shaped Eros Topography
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/near-01n.html

- 15 years later, nuclear industry struggles with Chernobyl's legacy
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010425030348.wg469tva.html

- Thinning of ozone layer over Arctic eases: meteorological agency
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010424143450.wnhc31hf.html

------------------
HEADLINES IN BRIEF
April 25, 2001

---------
SPACEMART

- Boeing Signs Brazil For Delta 4 Comsat Launch
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/delta4-01e.html

Huntington Beach - April 23, 2001 - Boeing and Space Systems/Loral officials confirmed today that a Brazilian telecommunications satellite will be launched on a Delta IV rocket next year. The launch of Estrela do Sul, which will provide telecommunications services to North and South America, is scheduled for launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., during the second half of 2002. Loral Skynet will operate the satellite built by Space Systems/Loral.

- Boeing Rocketdyne RS-68 Engine Triumphs In 10k Run
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/delta4-01d.html

Canoga Park - April 23, 2001The Rocketdyne RS-68 engine, being developed by The Boeing Company for the Delta IV family of launch vehicles, has achieved a major milestone in logging more than 10,000 seconds of accumulated hot-fire test time. The engine program is on track for first launch of the Delta IV in early 2002.

- Eutelsat Order New GEO Bird From Astrium
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/satellite-biz-01f.html

Paris - April 23, 2001 - Eutelsat has signed contracts with Astrium Space Industries for the delivery of a new satellite called W3A. The procurement of this new 50-transponder spacecraft will meet Eutelsat's ambitions to consolidate its market position in Europe for multimedia services, reinforce its expansion path into Africa and strengthen its in-orbit redundancy programme.

- Malaysian satellite operator gets backdoor listing in takeover bid
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010425071737.lahvh8qk.html

- India's experimental satellite runs into minor snags
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010424155415.dnahk40o.html

------------------ ADVERTISEMENT --------------------
The London Satellite Exchange
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at 42.5 degrees East.
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-------------------- www.e-sax.com -------------------

------------
STATION NEWS

- Canadarm2's Installation Complete During Hadfield's Second Spacewalk
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/iss-01s.html

Saint-Hubert - April 24, 2001 - Canadian Space Agency Astronaut Chris Hadfield and NASA's Scott Parazynski stepped out of the Shuttle Endeavour for the second time today to rewire cables on the International Space Station and power up Canadarm2 from its new connecting point on the Destiny Lab.

- Tito To Take Space Taxi To ISS
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/tourism-01q.html

Moscow - April 24, 2001 - A US businessman who has paid to be the first space tourist, Dennis Tito, will make his controversial flight to the International Space Station even in the absence of US approval, the Russian Space Agency said Monday. Tito "will travel to the space station no matter what," RSA spokesman Sergei Gorbunov said. "We will guarantee Mr. Tito's safety during the flight."

- "Space tourist" delighted with NASA green light
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010425085931.47nejdq1.html

- Green light given for space tourist's trip: NASA
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010425022847.xqathrhl.html

- Endeavour astronauts complete second spacewalk
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010425022352.xs5ov87d.html

--------
SPACEWAR
- Russia To Propose Non-Strategic Missile Defense For Europe
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/bmdo-01zc.html
Moscow - (Interfax) April 24, 2001 - The Russian president's strategic security advisor Marshal Igor Sergeyev and Head of the Russian Defense Ministry's Main Department for International Military Cooperation Col. Gen. Leonid Ivashov are flying to Brussels on Wednesday, bringing along proposals for creating a non-strategic missile defense system for Europe.
- Global Hawk Makes Historic First Unmanned Flight To Australia
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/uav-01d.html

------------
DRAGON SPACE
- China To Develop Civil Satellite Technology Base
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/china-01zb.html
Shanghai - (Interfax) April 24, 2001 - China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced that it will develop new generation satellites for civil spaceflight during the 10th Five-year Plan period (2001-2005). The gross investment in the program will greatly exceed the investment in civil spaceflight during the 9th Five-year Plan period (1996-2000), said Guo Baozhu, deputy director of CNSA.

-------------
JOVIAN DREAMS
- Keep Galileo's Eyes Open, Say Petitioning Scientists
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/galileo-01g.html
Leavenworth - April 24, 2001 - NASA recently extended the successful Galileo spacecraft's mission until January 2003 to continue study of Jupiter's fascinating moons, particularly the extremely volcanic moon Io. But scientists now say that a planned powerdown of Galileo's imaging suite at the end of this year will hamstring efforts to solve Io's many mysteries.

----------
TECH SPACE
- Japan To Test Hyper Plane At Woomera
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/japan-hyperx-01a.html
Canberra - April 24, 2001 - An agreement was signed today between between the Commonwealth of Australia (Department of Defence) and the National Aerospace Laboratory (NAL) of Japan for use of the Woomera Prohibited Area in South Australia for flight testing scale model super-sonic transport planes.

-------------
SPACE SCIENCE
- MAP Spacecraft Arrives At KSC To Begin Launch Preparations
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/map-01a.html
KSC - April 24, 2001 - NASA's Microwave Anisotropy Probe (MAP) arrived today at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida from the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. The spacecraft will undergo final readiness preparations for its upcoming launch this summer aboard a Boeing Delta II launch vehicle.

---------
EROSDAILY
- Impacts Shaped Eros Topography
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/near-01n.html
Laurel - April 24, 2001 - NEAR mission science team members have concluded that the majority of the small features that make up the surface of asteroid Eros more likely came from an unrelenting bombardment from space debris than internal processes.
----------
TERRADAILY
- 15 years later, nuclear industry struggles with Chernobyl's legacy
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010425030348.wg469tva.html
- Thinning of ozone layer over Arctic eases: meteorological agency
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010424143450.wnhc31hf.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 432 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Apr 25, 2001 (16:10) * 36 lines
NEWSALERT: Wednesday, April 25, 2001 @ 1319 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

NASA LOSES BID TO STOP JOYRIDE FLIGHT OF DENNIS TITO
----------------------------------------------------
Faced with no options, the NASA-led panel that manages the International Space Station granted the Russians an exemption on Tuesday to fly tourist Dennis Tito to the orbital outpost.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/soyuz2s/010424titogo/

TITO ARRIVES IN BAIKONUR
------------------------
Aspiring space tourist Dennis Tito and his two Russian crewmates are at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan today in preparation for launch aboard a Soyuz spacecraft on Saturday.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/soyuz2s/010424titogo/index2.html

SPACE STATION SUFFERS COMPUTER TROUBLES TODAY
---------------------------------------------
Problems with two command and control computers aboard the international space station have delayed the start of today's robot arm operations. The station's new robot arm is supposed to be put to the test today, maneuvering a 3,000-pound cargo pallet about to make sure it can do the heavy lifting required for future assembly flights.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

SPACEWALKERS PLAY ELECTRICIANS OUTSIDE STATION
----------------------------------------------
Two spacewalking electricians wired the international space station's new robot arm into the lab's power grid Tuesday, completing the $900 million crane system's initial installation after extensive troubleshooting to activate an initially dead backup circuit.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage6a/010424fd6/

HUBBLE MAKES POPULAR OBSERVATION FOR ITS BIRTHDAY
-------------------------------------------------
Rising from a sea of dust and gas like a giant seahorse, the Horsehead nebula is one of the most photographed objects in the sky. NASA's Hubble Space Telescope took a close-up look at this heavenly icon. The detailed view was released to celebrate the orbiting observatory's eleventh anniversary.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/25horsehead/


NEW SATELLITE TO REINFORCE EUTELSAT'S EXPANSION PATHS
-----------------------------------------------------
Eutelsat has announced that it has signed a contract with Astrium Space Industries for the delivery of a new satellite called W3A. The 50-transponder spacecraft will meet Eutelsat's ambitions to consolidate its market position in Europe for multimedia services, reinforce its expansion path into Africa and strengthen its in-orbit redundancy program.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0104/25w3a/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 433 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Apr 27, 2001 (04:32) * 11 lines
The Mysterious Case of Crater Giordano Bruno

NASA Science News for April 26, 2001

A band of 12th century sky watchers saw something big hit the Moon 800
years ago. Or did they? A new study suggests the event was a meteoritic
trick of the eye.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast26apr_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 434 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Apr 27, 2001 (04:33) * 15 lines
NEWSALERT: Thursday, April 26, 2001 @ 2346 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

STATION COMPUTER FAILURES DELAY SHUTTLE DEPARTURE
-------------------------------------------------
Mission managers have decided to keep shuttle Endeavour docked to the international space station two extra days, as controllers struggle to regain use of the command computers in the Destiny lab. Earlier this afternoon two more computers unexpectedly shut down.
With the station computers crippled, NASA has requested that the Russians postpone Saturday's planned launch of the Soyuz spacecraft carrying U.S. space tourist Dennis Tito.

Follow this developing story our space station mission status center:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

Tito's Soyuz rocket was rolled to the launch pad early Thursday:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/soyuz2s/010426rollout/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 435 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Apr 27, 2001 (07:35) * 13 lines
The Transparent Sun

NASA Science News for April 27, 2001

Giant sunspot 9393 is making a rare second transit across the face of the
Sun. Its unusual reappearance came as no surprise to scientists who
tracked the behemoth by peering right through our star! Now, thanks to
SOHO instrument teams, you too can see the hidden side of the Sun on the
internet.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast27apr_1.htm?list89800

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 436 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Apr 28, 2001 (06:10) * 13 lines
Weekend Aurora Watch

Space Weather News for April 27, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

AURORA WATCH: Giant sunspot 9393 unleashed a powerful solar flare and
hurled a coronal mass ejection (CME) into space on Thursday, April 26. The
CME will probably hit Earth's magnetosphere on Saturday or, perhaps, early
Sunday. NOAA forecasters estimate a 10% chance of a major geomagnetic
storm at middle latitudes.

Stay tuned to http://SpaceWeather.com for updates. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 437 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Apr 30, 2001 (11:11) * 11 lines
Tourist Tito boards international space station

NEWSALERT: Monday, April 30, 2001 @ 1435 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

SPACE TOURIST TITO CHECKS IN AT THE 'HOTEL ALPHA'
-------------------------------------------------
The Soyuz TM-32 spacecraft carrying U.S. millionaire space tourist Dennis Tito and two cosmonaut crewmates successfully docked with the international space station today as the two vehicles sailed 240 miles above central Asia.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage6a/010430fd12/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 438 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Apr 30, 2001 (11:13) * 224 lines
--------------------------------------------
SPACEDAILY EXPRESS - April 30, 2001
** forward SpaceDaily Express to a friend **
--------------------------------------------

Hi Folks,

We have been busy the past week moving servers and
were unable to send out the newsletter until today.

If you have any problems with accessing SpaceDaily.com
this week please let us know.

Thanks,
Simon Mansfield

-----------
QUICK SPACE

- Technique Detects When Satellites Are Low On Fuel
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/fuel-01d.html

- Galileo Forges Ahead With New Release Of Funds
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/gps-euro-01d.html

- Clues To The Universe From Canada's First Microsatellite
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/microsat-01d.html

- Intelligent Nanostructures React To Environmental Changes
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/nanotech-01g.html

- A Wrinkle In Space May Ground Lightweight Mirrors
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/ngst-01b.html

- College Students Take Once-In-A-Lifetime Ride On Vomit Comet
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/tourism-01r.html

- MicroMachines Key To Maintaining Large Space Structures
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/nanotech-01h.html

- Gazkom Plans To Launch Two New Yamal Satellites In 2002
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/launcher-russia-01f.html

- ESA May Consider Soyuz Launches From Kourou Space Center In November
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/launcher-russia-01g.html

- Test Facility Hones In On Impact Of Nuclear Explosions In Space
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/radiation-01c.html

- Japanese consortium sets up satellite launch venture
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010426023507.rnaf0mq7.html

- China plans to launch space telescope in 2005
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010425145037.5h9g2d9v.html

- Arabsat to look into launch on world stage
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010428175141.c85qq0gc.html

------------------
HEADLINES IN BRIEF
April 30, 2001

----------
TECH SPACE

- Technique Detects When Satellites Are Low On Fuel
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/fuel-01d.html

West Lafayette - April 25, 2001 - A computer model originally applied to such theoretical problems as understanding the mathematics behind soap bubble formation could be worth millions of dollars for companies that operate communications satellites.

- A Wrinkle In Space May Ground Lightweight Mirrors
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/ngst-01b.html

Fayetteville - April 25, 2001 - Inflatable structures are ideal for many space applications, but very small wrinkles may make enormous mirrors impractical., says a University of Arkansas researcher. Bob Reynolds, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, has determined that wrinkles make the polymer membranes currently used for space-based inflatable structures, such as reflectors or communications antennae, unsuitable for use as mirrors.

----------
NANO SPACE

- MicroMachines Key To Maintaining Large Space Structures
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/nanotech-01h.html

Fayetteville - April 25, 2001 - Tiny micro electro-mechanical systems dubbed MEMS may be the key to maintaining giant space-based structures, according to U of A researchers Steve Tung and Larry Roe. Although space-based solar collectors or antenna arrays can be many square miles in size, tiny MEMS devices can keep them oriented correctly to ensure their long-term operation.

- Intelligent Nanostructures React To Environmental Changes
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/nanotech-01g.html

Albuquerque - April 25, 2001 - Intelligent nanostructures that report on their environment by changing color from blue to fluorescent red under mechanical, chemical, or thermal stress have been created by researchers at Sandia National Laboratories and the University of New Mexico.

--------------
MICROSAT BLITZ

- Clues To The Universe From Canada's First Microsatellite
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/microsat-01d.html

Toronto April 25, 2001 - Clues to some of the universe's enduring mysteries could soon be captured, thanks to a space telescope and microsatellite set to go into space next year -- a Canadian first that is now being built by a team of U of T aerospace researchers.

------- "SMALLER SATELLITES: BIGGER BUSINESS?" ------
Strasbourg will be the setting for the International
Space University's 6th Annual Symposium. This year's
theme will be small satellites with an emphasis on
concepts, applications and markets. Join some of the
world's leading experts, manufacturers and users in
interdisciplinary presentations and discussions on a
wide variety of issues pertaining to small satellites
Strasbourg - May 21-23 - 2001
--------- http://www.isunet.edu/Symposium/ ----------

---------
SPACEMART

- Gazkom Plans To Launch Two New Yamal Satellites In 2002
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/launcher-russia-01f.html

Moscow (Interfax) April 25, 2001 - Gazkom, the operator of the Gazprom satellite network, plans to launch two new Yamal communications satellites at the end of next year, company Deputy General Director Andrei Shestakov said at a conference of operators and users of satellite communications and broadcast networks in the Moscow region town of Dubna.

- ESA May Consider Soyuz Launches From Kourou Space Center In November
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/launcher-russia-01g.html

Moscow (Interfax) April 25, 2001 - The European Space Agency (ESA) in November may consider the possibility of launching Russian Soyuz launch vehicles from the Kourou space center in French Guyana, French Minister of Research Roger-Gerard Schwarzenberg told a Tuesday news conference at the Interfax central office.

- Galileo Forges Ahead With New Release Of Funds
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/gps-euro-01d.html

Paris - April 25, 2001 - Galileo, Europe's global satellite navigation system, leapt an important hurdle on 5 April 2001 when European Union Transport Ministers agreed to make available Euro 100 million for the start of the programme. The ministers will decide on the release of a further Euro 450 million at their meeting next December, when they will also approve the setting up of an entity to manage the programme.

- Arabsat to look into launch on world stage
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010428175141.c85qq0gc.html

------------------ ADVERTISEMENT --------------------
The London Satellite Exchange
- Buy or sell satellite capacity -
Capacity on NewSat-I is available soon, and will provide
attractive pricing combined with excellent coverage. The
satellite is the former Palapa B2R, now in inclined orbit
at 42.5 degrees East.
Contact the traders +44 207 680 7268
-------------------- www.e-sax.com -------------------

--------
SPACEWAR

- Test Facility Hones In On Impact Of Nuclear Explosions In Space
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/radiation-01c.html

Arnold AFB (AFNS) April 25, 2001 - Determining how nuclear explosions in space affect U.S. defense systems is what an Arnold Engineering Development Center team hope to determine using its new plasma radiation source "cold" X-ray test capability.

- Bush will push missile defense next week
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010427213455.fzwqikr0.html

------------
SPACE TRAVEL

- Tito prepares for rendezvous with International Space Station
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010429194504.aiokamzj.html

Baikonur (AFP) Apr 29, 2001 - Space's first-ever tourist, US millionaire businessman Dennis Tito, spent Sunday aboard a Russian capsule that was hurtling toward a Monday rendezvous with the International Space Station.

- College Students Take Once-In-A-Lifetime Ride On Vomit Comet
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/tourism-01r.html

St. Louis - April 25, 2001 - America's future scientists recently competed for a coveted prize in a NASA-sponsored contest. Vying not for fame or fortune, these bright students hoped for a trip aboard NASA's KC-135A, otherwise known as the Vomit Comet.

- Endeavour says farewell to International Space Station: NASA
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010429191705.tu9js6ne.html

- US tourist Tito spends first 24 hours in space
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010429101912.azfav7qr.html

- Two ISS computers back online, Soyuz may dock Monday: NASA
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010429001613.u5zfoov9.html

- Second space tourist in talks for ISS flight: Russia
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010428161841.7gvr255h.html

- US businessman lifts off to become first-ever space tourist
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010428155417.umibp11s.html

- US spaceman's family, friends also take the strain
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010428114444.m33xntmy.html

- Business as usual for cosmonauts as Tito lives his dream
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010428111400.0x9o3no7.html

- Tito achieves dream through determination -- and money
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010428105731.4jgfry5n.html

- Reach for the sky: Tito blazes trail for space tourism
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010428102227.pla50hor.html

- Russia and US make peace over "space tourist" launch
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010428042157.odfj0rgq.html

---------------- Space Transportation Summit ---------------
The 2001 World Summit on the Space Transportation Business
brings together the key players of the space launch industry
to focus on the principal strategic issues of the business.
-- http://www.euroconsult-ec.com/web/space/space_h_ws.htm --
Hotel Inter-Continental
Thursday 17 & Friday 18 May 2001 Paris
------------------------------------------------------------

-------------- Micro Satellite Tender ---------------
COSMIC is a joint U.S.-Taiwan scientific project that
will use a constellation of six microsatellites to
collect atmospheric sounding measurements. Industry
partners to build and deliver six GPS receivers, six
solid-state recorders plus payload computers are now
being sought by the University Corporation.
----------- http://www.cosmic.ucar.edu/ -----------

---------
AD MARKET

- Advertise here for only $375 a week.
http://www.spacedaily.com/ad-deals-to-go.html
email: advertise@spacer.com

-----------------------------
SPACEDAILY EXPRESS LIST NOTES

--------------------------------------------
SpaceDaily Express is issued daily and lists
all new postings to www.SpaceDaily.com
Subscription is free: subscribe@spacer.com 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 439 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, May  2, 2001 (11:59) * 16 lines
The Crumbling Comet LINEAR A

Space Weather News for May 2, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

Yesterday astronomers reported that the nucleus of comet C/2001 A2
(LINEAR) has apparently split in two. This icy visitor from the outer
solar system is growing in brightness as it approaches the Sun and could
soon become a faint naked-eye object. Sky watchers with modest telescopes
or binoculars can spot the fuzzy fragmenting comet near the feet of Orion
after sunset. The comet is rapidly gliding toward southern skies, so
southern hemisphere observers will enjoy the best views in the days and
weeks ahead.

For more information please visit http://www.spaceweather.com 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 440 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Thu, May  3, 2001 (23:55) * 3 lines
Any discussion of Dennis, the $10 million dollar spaceman?

They had a funny parody on him on NPR this morning, his fake voice "they're sening me home on this new re-entry vehcile, it's called "tinfoil" they say it's safe because it's over water, they tell me I should reach a pretty good speed." NASA definitely has been stodgy on space tourism, maybe this will loosen them up a bit.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 441 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, May  4, 2001 (14:00) * 15 lines
The eta Aquarid meteor shower peaks this weekend

Space Weather News for May 4, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

This weekend our planet will pass through a trail of dusty debris from
distant Comet Halley, triggering the annual eta Aquarid meteor shower. The
nearly-full Moon will reduce the visibility of this year's eta Aquarid
shower. Nevertheless, southern observers could spot as many as 10 meteors
per hour before local dawn on Saturday and Sunday. Meteor enthusiasts can
also try listening to the shower by tuning in to NASA's online meteor
radar.

For more information please visit http://SpaceWeather.com 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 442 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, May  4, 2001 (14:06) * 6 lines
Funny you should ask, Terry:

- US space tourist Tito denies causing problems on ISS
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010504112923.2pgei1tt.html

I have avoided posting much about him. Not that I am not envious - he just annoys me. I watched his interview with Larry King. Eech!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 443 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, May  4, 2001 (14:55) * 10 lines
Seven Billion Miles and Counting

Last week NASA received a weak signal from Pioneer 10, twice as far
from the Sun as Pluto and speeding toward the constellation Taurus. The
well-traveled spacecraft is currently exploring the outer heliosphere, but
soon it will take on a new job: ambassador to the stars.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast03may_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 444 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, May  4, 2001 (14:57) * 9 lines
Space Weather on Mars

Future human explorers of Mars can leave their umbrellas back on Earth,
but perhaps they shouldn't forget their Geiger counters! A NASA experiment
en route to the Red Planet aims to find out.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast01may_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 445 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, May  4, 2001 (14:58) * 10 lines
The Phantom Torso

An unusual space traveler named Fred is orbiting Earth on board the
International Space Station. His job? To keep astronauts safe from space
radiation.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast04may_1.htm?list89800 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 446 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, May  4, 2001 (15:00) * 34 lines
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

COMMERCIAL EXPERIMENTS UNDERWAY ABOARD STATION
----------------------------------------------
Three new commercial experiments are getting started on the international space station, marking a major milestone for NASA's Commercial Space Centers -- 17 centers across the United States that help industry conduct space experiments.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/04isscomm/

NASA ISSUES ENDEAVOUR DAMAGE REPORT
-----------------------------------
Inspections have revealed space shuttle Endeavour suffered the expected number of debris hits during its just-completed voyage into orbit, NASA said Thursday. The shuttle is undergoing work to prepare for next week's cross-country trek from Edwards Air Force Base in California back to Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

ODDS OF PLANET FORMATION IN ORION NEBULA REDUCED
------------------------------------------------
In 1993, when the Hubble Space Telescope surveyed the Orion nebula for the first time, its images provided a substantial boost for the argument that stars with planetary systems are commonplace in the galaxy. Now, however, the most recent analyses of one the youngest, closest and brightest nebulae suggest that planets may be far rarer than thought.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/03orion/

FUTURE AIRCRAFT MIGHT MORPH ITS FEATURES IN FLIGHT
--------------------------------------------------
A future aircraft might morph its wings, use smart sensors and actuators and more accurately mimic nature's methods of flight. NASA Administrator Dan Goldin described the aircraft as one of the linchpins of the Agency's aerospace research for the next 20 years.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/03morph/

COLLIDING GALAXIES PROVIDE CLUES TO STAR FORMATION
--------------------------------------------------
By comparing computer simulations of a galaxy collision with actual observations, astronomers at the University of Illinois have found discrete star-formation episodes that may help explain the prodigious star-formation rates that occurred in the early universe.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/03colliding/

NEW JPL DIRECTOR ANNOUNCES LAB REORGANIZATION
---------------------------------------------
A reorganization designed to position the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for a new generation of challenges in space exploration has been announced by incoming Director Dr. Charles Elachi.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/03jpl/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 447 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, May  5, 2001 (14:59) * 10 lines
Space Tourist Tito Heads Home After Historic Trip
Reuters
May 5 2001 10:48PM

ASTANA, Kazakhstan (Reuters) - Dennis Tito, the world's first paying
space tourist, is due back on Earth on Sunday after fulfilling a lifelong
ambition but also sparking a cosmic quarrel between erstwhile
spacemates Russia and the United States.

more... http://my.aol.com/news/news_story.psp?type=1&cat=0600&id=0105052248398232

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 448 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Sun, May  6, 2001 (12:37) * 1 lines
Lighten up, NASA!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 449 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, May  7, 2001 (13:29) * 1 lines
So much for Private enterprise. We should have taken his $20 million. Oh well!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 450 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, May  7, 2001 (13:36) * 1 lines
Terry, get William to fix confifty please. I am lost!!!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 451 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Mon, May  7, 2001 (22:39) * 1 lines
Why don't you email Kaylene about the specific problem with confifty and copy me on it, I think that KarenR is having a similar problem with the last six responses item on the drool page. OK?

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 452 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, May  8, 2001 (08:38) * 27 lines
Will do, but miss William nonetheless...

NEWSALERT: Tuesday, May 8, 2001 @ 1542 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

HEART OF BOEING'S DELTA 4 ROCKET PUT TO THE TEST
------------------------------------------------
The new rocket stage and liquid-fueled main engine that are the essence of Boeing's next-generation Delta 4 commercial launcher have, in all likelihood, completed a round of crucial firings at the same complex where NASA tested its Saturn 5 rocketships that carried men to the moon more than 30 years ago.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/08delta4/

SEA LAUNCH TO LOFT XM RADIO SATELLITE TODAY
-------------------------------------------
A Ukrainian/Russian Sea Launch Zenit 3SL rocket is slated to haul the second XM Satellite Radio spacecraft into orbit today from a floating platform in the Pacific Ocean. Liftoff is scheduled for 2210 GMT (6:10 p.m. EDT) and we will have live coverage.
http://spaceflightnow.com/sealaunch/xm1/status.html

U.S. WEATHER SATELLITE BOOSTED TO GRAVEYARD ORBIT
-------------------------------------------------
The American GOES-2 weather satellite was officially retired Saturday after controllers guided the 24-year old spacecraft out of its geostationary orbit.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/08goes2/

EDGE OF ACCRETION DISK FOUND AROUND BLACK HOLE
----------------------------------------------
Using four NASA space observatories, astronomers have shown that a flaring black hole source has an accretion disk that stops much farther out than some theories predict. This provides a better understanding of how energy is released when matter spirals into a black hole.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/08chandra/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 453 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, May  8, 2001 (08:47) * 1 lines
Wolfie says "Hi" to everyone (you know who you are!) She asked me to do so for her since she is working 12 hour shifts. Our tax dollars definitely at work!!!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 454 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, May  8, 2001 (10:06) * 10 lines
NASA Science News for May 8, 2001

What makes the Red Planet red? Right now the answer is iron oxide, but one
day it could be roses say NASA scientists debating the prospects for plant
life on Mars.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast08may_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 455 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, May  9, 2001 (04:39) * 28 lines
NEWSALERT: Wednesday, May 9, 2001 @ 1412 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

SEA LAUNCH ROCKET LOFTS SECOND XM RADIO SATELLITE
-------------------------------------------------
"Long live Rock and Roll!" A jubilant launch team member made that exclamation on Tuesday after a Zenit 3SL rocket successfully carried XM Satellite Radio's second powerhouse broadcasting spacecraft into orbit from a floating platform in the Pacific Ocean.
http://spaceflightnow.com/sealaunch/xm1/

Read our call of the countdown and launch:
http://spaceflightnow.com/sealaunch/xm1/status.html

PENTAGON ANNOUNCES MILITARY SPACE REFORMS
-----------------------------------------
U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld announced Tuesday a series of reforms first suggested by a panel he once chaired that will increase the importance of space within the American military.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/09milspace/

SHUTTLE ENDEAVOUR DUE HOME TODAY
--------------------------------
Riding piggyback atop a modified Boeing 747 jet, space shuttle Endeavour left Edwards Air Force Base in California on Tuesday for its cross-country ferry flight back to Florida. Arrival at Kennedy Space Center is expected today, weather permitting. Check our status center for updates:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

X-40A PERFORMS COMPLEX MANEUVERS DURING FIFTH FLIGHT
----------------------------------------------------
The X-40A vehicle successfully performed a fifth free flight test on Tuesday. The craft was carried aloft by an Army Chinook helicopter and dropped to test its flight computer's ability to maneuver the vehicle to a straight approach to the landing site.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/09x40a/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 456 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, May  9, 2001 (09:53) * 60 lines
SPACEDAILY EXPRESS - May 9, 2001
- sponsored by -
The London Satellite Exchange
http://www.e-sax.com
---------------------------------------------

---------------- Space Transportation Summit ---------------
The 2001 World Summit on the Space Transportation Business
brings together the key players of the space launch industry
to focus on the principal strategic issues of the business
-- http://www.euroconsult-ec.com/web/space/space_h_ws.htm --
Hotel Inter-Continental
Thursday 17 & Friday 18 May 2001 Paris
------------------------------------------------------------

-----------
QUICK SPACE

- Humans could set foot on Mars by 2020: NASA chief
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010509063324.phx7xydz.html

- Genetically Modified Earth Plants Will Glow From Mars
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/food-01c.html

- A Rusty Old Rose
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-terraform-01b.html

- No More Space Tourism For At Least Two Years: Russia
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/tourism-01w.html

- US Space Tourist Tito Hopes To Blaze Trail For Other Cosmic Trippers
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/tourism-01v.html

- X-40A Free Flight Successful
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/rlv-01e.html

- Nature's Atmospheric Cleanser Needs Closer Look
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/greenhouse-01o.html

- US can produce more energy and protect the environment: Bush
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010509012853.m29th2on.html

- XM Radio Bird Rolls Into Orbit
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/xm-radio-01d.html

- Rumsfeld To Reorganize Military Space Programs
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/milspace-01o.html

- Rumsfeld Announces Space Management Shakeup
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/milspace-01p.html

- US air force to coordinate military operations in space
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010508215247.hxq48pis.html

- US launches worldwide missile defense road show
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010508161442.whd5jj4n.html

- US-Russia missile talks in Moscow Friday
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010508115005.ipj541ef.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 457 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, May 10, 2001 (12:52) * 11 lines
Teaming Up on Space Plants

NASA Science News for May 10, 2001

This week students, scientists, and astronauts will join forces to learn
more about how plants grow on the International Space Station.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast10may_1.htm?list89800 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 458 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, May 10, 2001 (15:27) * 40 lines
NEWSALERT: Friday, May 11, 2001 @ 0335 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

NEW RADIO TELESCOPE MAKES FIRST SCIENTIFIC OBSERVATIONS
-------------------------------------------------------
The world's two largest radio telescopes have combined to make detailed radar images of the cloud-shrouded surface of Venus and of a tiny asteroid that passed near the Earth.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/11nrao/

THE HARSH DESTINY OF A PLANET?
------------------------------
Did the star HD 82943 swallow one of its planets? What may at a first glance look like the recipe for a dramatic science-fiction story is in fact the well-considered conclusion of a serious scientific study, to be published by a group of astronomers in Switzerland and Spain.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/10destiny/

ENDEAVOUR IS HOME
-----------------
Riding piggyback atop a modified Boeing 747 jet, space shuttle Endeavour arrived at Kennedy Space Center Wednesday after a two-day cross-country ferry flight from Edwards Air Force Base in California.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

NASA SATELLITE TECHNOLOGY GOES DOWN ON THE FARM
-----------------------------------------------
Some of the people closest to the land will be the first to benefit from a new global positioning technology developed to make NASA satellites more efficient and cost-effective.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/11farm/

MARS-BOUND ODYSSEY TESTS THE HIGH-GAIN ANTENNA
----------------------------------------------
NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey space probe tested its high-gain communications antenna on Wednesday, sending and receiving commands. Since launch, the spacecraft has been receiving commands over its low-gain antenna and transmitting signals via its medium-gain antenna.
http://spaceflightnow.com/mars/odyssey/status.html

DEEP SPACE NETWORK UPGRADING FOR 'CRUNCH TIME'
----------------------------------------------
Preparing for the communication needs of an expected population boom in interplanetary spacecraft, NASA has selected a builder to add an advanced dish antenna, 112 feet in diameter, near Madrid, Spain, one of the three sites of the agency's Deep Space Network.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/10dsn/

INDIA AND FRANCE TO CONDUCT ATMOSPHERIC MISSION
-----------------------------------------------
The Indian Space Research Organization and the French Space Agency have entered into a deal to design of a joint satellite mission, called Megha Tropiques, for atmospheric research.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/10isrocnes/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 459 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Thu, May 10, 2001 (23:36) * 1 lines
Do you have a gps, Marci?

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 460 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, May 11, 2001 (09:02) * 1 lines
My son has and now with software and a laptop you can get them for uner $100. Which I intend to do. The one David has is the size of a TV remote control and about twice as thick. Quite amazing actually! Are you considering purchasing one? http://www.thegpsstore.com/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/site/productcatalog.htm?L+thegpsstore+ogow3540+970797630

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 461 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Fri, May 11, 2001 (14:41) * 1 lines
One of these days, next time I take a long trip. I don't really need it around Austin, I know the place so well.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 462 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, May 12, 2001 (05:53) * 27 lines
I was planning a trip back east and thought my laptop and the $99 GPS would do me just fine. Going into the woods with wildlife and archaeology guys can get me lost and I want to be able to remember the trip!

GeoStorm Warning, plus a crumbling comet and a durable sunspot

Space Weather News for May 12, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

GEOMAGNETIC STORM WARNING: Our planet entered a high speed solar wind
stream on Saturday, May 12th, which triggered a moderate geomagnetic
storm. Sky watchers, especially those at high latitudes, should be alert
for glowing auroras tonight near local midnight.

THE SUNSPOT THE WOULDN'T DIE: Holographic images of the far side of the
Sun reveal an old friend: active region 9393, the largest sunspot of the
current solar cycle and the source of the most powerful x-ray solar flare
ever recorded. The giant spot, which is probably now just a shadow of its
former self, has already transited the Earth-facing side of the Sun twice.
If AR9393 persists for another week it will emerge into direct view for a
rare third transit.

BRIGHTENING COMET: Southern hemisphere observers report that comet C/2001
A2 (LINEAR), which split into two pieces last month, has surged in
brightness again.

For more information and updates, please visit http://www.spaceweather.com 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 463 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Mon, May 14, 2001 (09:33) * 1 lines
"holographic images of the far side of the sun"; wonder how they do this?

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 464 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, May 14, 2001 (14:58) * 35 lines
NEWSALERT: Monday, May 14, 2001 @ 0414 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

COMMERCIAL PROTON ROCKET PREPARED FOR LAUNCH
--------------------------------------------
The 20th Proton rocket to be flown under the joint Russian-American International Launch Services banner is poised for blastoff carrying a PanAmSat telecommunications satellite destined to serve three continents in a 30-million square mile footprint. Launch is set for 9:11 p.m. EDT tonight (0111 GMT Tuesday) and we will have live coverage.
http://spaceflightnow.com/proton/pas10/status.html

ASTRONOMERS FIND KEY TO X-RAY MYSTERY OF BLACK HOLES
----------------------------------------------------
Astronomers at the University of Southampton have made a discovery that promises to explain why X-ray binary stars are so variable -- a phenomenon that has been a long-standing mystery in X-ray astronomy.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/13blackhole/

RUSSIANS ASK WHETHER EARTH WILL SHARE THE FATE OF SATURN
--------------------------------------------------------
Is it possible that space exploration will result in the formation of a ring around the Earth similar to the Saturn ring? All these satellites and debris can severely impede space flights in future, as plenty of objects brought out into space would stay in the near-earth orbit for hundreds and even thousands of years.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/12earthring/

PEROXIDE ENGINE BEING DEVELOPED FOR SPACEPLANE
----------------------------------------------
Aerojet has received a contract from the Air Force to develop the propulsion engine for the Air Force's Space Maneuvering Vehicle, a small reusable craft that could perform a variety of missions for the Department of Defense.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/14smv/

COLLAPSE OF SIMPLE LIFE FORMS LINKED TO MASS EXTINCTION
-------------------------------------------------------
A mass extinction about 200 million years ago, which destroyed at least half of the species on Earth, happened very quickly and is demonstrated in the fossil record by the collapse of one-celled organisms called protists, according to new research led by a University of Washington paleontologist.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/13extinct/

STATUS CHECK ON SPACE STATION SCIENCE WORK
------------------------------------------
The Expedition Two crew and ground controllers activated five more experiments during the past week and continue troubleshooting work with two others. The Advanced Astroculture experiment activated Thursday, one of the three commercial experiments onboard, seeks to grow plants through an entire life cycle.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 465 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, May 14, 2001 (15:15) * 1 lines
Terry, I wonder that as well, but considering that the sun rotates before our very eyes, a series of photographs taken in one revolution could be merged into one image holographically. The moon is a whole different problem. It does not rotate and remains with the same hemisphere always pointing toward Earth.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 466 of 866: Neil Hodgins  (ThinkingManNeil) * Fri, May 18, 2001 (15:55) * 7 lines
NASA's Ames Research Centre Sponsors New Interactive Research Project

NASA's Ames Research Centre is sponsoring a new interactive research project to help identify, map, and classify impact craters on the surface of the planet Mars; the project is modelled on the popular SETI@Home project which employs personal computers to scan for possible intelligent radio signals from extraterrestrial civilisations. In the Ames project, participants are taught how to identify and mark impact craters in photographs obtained from the Viking 1 & 2 Orbiters, as well as from the Mars Global Surveyor Spacecraft currently in orbit around the Red Planet. Using their computer's mouse, the "ClickWorkers" as they're called, select four points around the crater's rim, which the computer uses to draw a circle based on the points selected. With this, the computer logs the size of the crater as well as it's longitude and latitude.

The purpose behind this exercise is to catalogue the huge volumes of data that have be gathered over the years by the various probes to Mars, but NASA is suffering from an embarassment of riches that would easily swamp individual researchers; so by employing the computer power spread around the world amongst private citizens, NASA can use many people to tackle the problem in parallel. The project's current status is experimental, but if it's successful, it's scope maybe expanded to include other martian surface features, and may even go on to include other solar system bodies, including Io and Europa.

The project can be found at http://clickworkers.arc.nasa.gov but there are two proviso's in accessing it; first, it requires Netscape 6 to run, and secondly, the site is extremely popular amongst people who want to make a real contribution to planetary science, so it can be very difficult to access at times. But if you're interested in helping build up our knowledge on Mars, and maybe familiarizing yourself a little more with it, check it out!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 467 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sun, May 20, 2001 (22:56) * 1 lines
Looks like I'd better reinstall my Seti@home and get crunching data once again. However, until Netscape gets the bugs out of Netcape 6.0 I am going to ope out of it. Anyone have reports of how well things are going? Thanks, Neil *HUGS*

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 468 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sun, May 20, 2001 (22:58) * 12 lines
The Great Mars Rush

NASA Science News for May 15, 2001

Hurtling toward Mars at 22,000 mph, Earth is heading for its closest
encounter with the Red Planet in a dozen years. Mars is already a
brilliant morning star and it will soon become a dazzling all-night
spectacle.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast15may_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 469 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sun, May 20, 2001 (22:59) * 29 lines
QUICK SPACE

- Gilat To Plug 100,000 Europeans Into Satellite Backbone
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/vsat-01f.html

- DirecTV Files Federal Suit Against Satellite Piracy Ring
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/satellite-biz-01h.html

- Two Billion To One And The Primordial Odds Get Heavy
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/cosmology-01b.html

- ATK Completes Static Tests of Nozzle For RS-68 Engine
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/delta4-01h.html

- TRW-Built NRO GeoLITE Satellite Slated for Launch on May 17y
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/geolite-01a.html

- Olof Lundberg Named Chairman And CEO of Globalstar
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/globalstar-01c.html

- Germany Commits Billions To Galileo Navigation Project
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/gps-euro-01e.html

- Australia says Kyoto Protocol "all over"
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010517035823.fwtpumsj.html

- Top Polish general sees "no obstacles" to missile shield bases
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010516175047.2oj3pazz.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 470 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sun, May 20, 2001 (23:03) * 12 lines
The Pacific Dust Express

NASA Science News for May 17, 2001

North America has been sprinkled with a dash of Asia! A dust cloud from
China crossed the Pacific Ocean recently and rained Asian dust from Alaska
to Florida. Scientists say that air pollution often travels this same
Pacific Express.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast17may_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 471 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sun, May 20, 2001 (23:04) * 12 lines
A Taste for Comet Water

NASA Science News for May 18, 2001

When Comet LINEAR broke apart last year it revealed what many scientists
thought all along: Water in Earth's oceans could have come from outer
space.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast18may_1.htm?list89800 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 472 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, May 23, 2001 (23:34) * 26 lines
QUICK SPACE

- Australia Signs Space Launch Agreement With Russia
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/aust-01a.html

- APT Satellite sees lower transponder rentals due to competition
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010522102006.0agymzy2.html

- MirCorp Claims To Soyuz Flight Disputed By Russia
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/tourism-01x.html

- Global Hawk Clocks Up 1,000 Hours
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/uav-01f.html

- High-Tech Helium Tricks May Benefit Earth And Space
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/superfluids-01a.html

- New Shuttle Booster Engines Ready For Full Duration Test
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/shuttle-01i.html

- Russian supply vessel docks with international space station
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010523004805.qiyeu8hn.html

- Bush hopes to unveil Kyoto alternative by June
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010522164330.0tgyl1fm.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 473 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, May 23, 2001 (23:35) * 10 lines
Water-Witching From Space

NASA Science News for May 23, 2001 9:00:00 AM

Farmers will soon have a new tool for getting the most out of their
fields. NASA's Aqua satellite will provide crucial information about the
water in the ground and the weather on the horizon.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast23may_1.htm?list89800

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 474 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, May 23, 2001 (23:38) * 11 lines
Dust Begets Dust

NASA Science News for May 22, 2001

Everyone knows that dry weather leads to dusty soils, but new research
suggests that dust might in turn lead to dry weather.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast22may_1.htm?list89800 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 475 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, May 23, 2001 (23:41) * 35 lines
QUICK SPACE

- Magellan Brings Three Meter Accuracy To Handheld GPS
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/gps-01e.html

- ESA's Artemis Telecommunications Satellite To Be Launched In July
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/artemis-01a.html

- Changes In Sun's Intensity Tied To Recurrent Droughts In Maya Region
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/climate-01f.html

- Saddam Drains Ancient Culture Away In A Decade
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/earth-01e.html

- Lockheed Martin Goes Live With Real-Time EO Datastream
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/eo-01d.html

- Getting In A Twist Over Time
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/timetravel-01a.html

- Cluster Quartet Move In Step
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/cluster2-01a.html

- ESA Books A Russian Taxi To ISS
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/launcher-russia-01i.html

- Artificial Enzyme Able to Synthesize RNA
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/life-01n.html

- Blair Election Rival Jailed For Anti-Missile Protest
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010521172453.kf3kr12u.html

- Top Russian General Rejects US Missile Defence Plan
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010521164127.5anrxuxa.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 476 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, May 25, 2001 (13:10) * 14 lines
Binary asteroid to fly by Earth this weekend

Space Weather News for May 24, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

Late Friday, May 25th, the near-Earth asteroid 1999 KW4 will fly by Earth
13 times farther from our planet than the Moon. The space rock will be
brighter than 11th magnitude for much of the time between now and May
28th, making it an easy target for amateur astronomers with mid-sized
telescopes and CCD cameras. Yesterday, radar astronomers using NASA's
Goldstone Planetary Radar to monitor the approaching asteroid announced
that 1999 KW4 is a binary system. Visit spaceweather.com for more
information and (possibly) images of the asteroid as it passes our planet. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 477 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, May 28, 2001 (23:28) * 34 lines
NEWSALERT: Tuesday, May 29, 2001 @ 0206 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

THE NEWSALERT IS BACK!
----------------------
After a two-week hiatus caused by a technical problem beyond our control, the NewsAlert returns today to provide you with a snapshot of the day's spaceflight and astronomy news. See our Breaking News page for a listing of all the stories from the past couple of weeks:
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/

PROBE SPOTS NEWLY FORMED STREAKS ON MARTIAN SLOPES
--------------------------------------------------
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor is currently searching for changes that have occurred in the past martian year on the Red Planet. In a rugged, ridged terrain north of the Olympus Mons volcano one such change is avalanching of dust as seen here.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/29marsstreak/

MARS GLOBAL SURVEYOR SPOTS A MID-SUMMER'S DUST DEVIL
----------------------------------------------------
One objective for the Mars Global Surveyor's extended mission is to continue looking for changes and dynamic events taking place on the Red Planet. The feature shown here -- a dust devil -- elicited gasps of excitement among the camera operations staff when it was received.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/28dustdevil/

NASA APPROVES ROBOTIC MISSION TO BLAST A COMET
----------------------------------------------
Imagine intercepting a comet in deep space and using a heavy projectile to blow a hole in the celestial body, some seven stories deep and about the size of a football field. In a space exploration first, NASA's Deep Impact Mission will attempt to use a probe to collide with a comet in an attempt to peer beneath its surface.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/28deepimpact/

EVIDENCE FOUND FOR ACOUSTIC OSCILLATIONS IN EARLY UNIVERSE
----------------------------------------------------------
Astrophysicists say they have confirmed the existence of acoustic oscillations generated shortly after the explosive birth of the universe. Their evidence links the existence of acoustic oscillations, or wiggles, in the distribution of both the cosmic microwave background radiation and the distribution of matter throughout the universe.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/29oscillations/

SOLAR WIND FIND MAY HELP SPACE WEATHER FORECASTING
--------------------------------------------------
Scientists have confirmed the existence of and imaged "free spirit" atoms in the solar wind for the first time. They hope to use the observations to better estimate the arrival time of solar storms and to estimate the amount of dust left over from the solar system's birth.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/28solarwind/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 478 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Tue, May 29, 2001 (08:22) * 1 lines
That comet blasting mission sounds like it could use Bruce Willis and the crew of Armageddon. That's pretty wild stuff.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 479 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, May 29, 2001 (16:41) * 37 lines
It IS amazing! Hollywood will find a use for it. Count on that!

QUICK SPACE

- US Senate Switch Could Get Bush Off The Hook On Missiles
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/bmdo-01zi.html

- Course Trains 'Space Cowboys'
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/milspace-01s.html

- Galileo Comes Alive On Callisto Final Approach
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/galileo-01h.html

- IBM's 'Pixie Dust' Breakthrough to Quadruple Disk Drive Density
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/materials-01m.html

- Rocks From Mars
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/lunarplanet-2001-01a8.html

- Fengyun 1-C Stars In Environmental Monitoring As Sandstorms Rage
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/china-01zf.html

- Satellite Broadband Could Solve Digital Divide
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/internet-01i.html

- US to make Moscow offer to abandon ABM treaty: report
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010528082526.hrcyeqe4.html

- Senate Democrat promises review of Bush's anti-missile program
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010525173631.atl9vrma.html

- Atlantis launch scheduled for June 20
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010525151354.fxvtoili.html

- NASA high-resolution photograph dispels "Face on Mars" myth
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010525104821.bn6teg09.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 480 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Tue, May 29, 2001 (18:54) * 1 lines
Wow, the face on Mars has been dispelled, there goes another Art Bell late night topic..

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 481 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, May 29, 2001 (20:03) * 1 lines
Even Art Bell argued with Richard Hoagland the other night. Art can no longer see the face at all and is highly skeptical. Looks like another of his topics did indeed bite the dust.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 482 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, May 29, 2001 (20:07) * 11 lines
Brainy 'Bots

NASA Science News for May 29, 2001

NASA's own 'Bionic Woman' is applying artificial intelligence to teach
robots how to behave a little more like human explorers.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast29may_1.htm?list89800 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 483 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, May 29, 2001 (21:23) * 32 lines
QUICK SPACE

- Cassini's Tour de Saturn
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/cassini-01f1.html

- Weather Directorate Strengthens International Relations
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/dmsp-01b.html

- Russia successfully launches Soyuz rocket with military satellite
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010529194547.398ukgc5.html

- US to make Moscow offer to abandon ABM treaty: report
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010528181752.s1cysn6b.html

- Martian Cook Up Closer Than Ever
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-life-01e.html

- Orbital Offloads Navigation Business To Thales
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/gps-01f.html

- Prepare Now For Martian Samples Warns Scientists
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-life-01f.html

- Send In The Robots
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/robot-01b.html

- Artificial Intelligence Software to Command Mission
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/software-01a.html

- Industrialized states postpone climate consultations
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010529115252.zw9x1cog.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 484 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, May 30, 2001 (14:24) * 30 lines
NEWSALERT: Wednesday, May 30, 2001 @ 0442 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

SHUTTLE LAUNCHES MIGHT BE SHUFFLED TO FIX STATION ARM
-----------------------------------------------------
Shuttle Atlantis rolled out of its hangar and into the cavernous Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday, but when the ship will be allowed to launch an airlock to the international space station hinges on work to fix the outpost's new robotic arm.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage7a/010529arm/

BOEING'S DELTA 4 TESTING ROCKET ARRIVES IN FLORIDA
--------------------------------------------------
Fresh off its series of critical test firings, Boeing's Delta 4 pathfinder rocket has arrived at Cape Canaveral to ensure the state-of-the-art launch facilities being built at Complex 37 are ready to handle the maiden flight of the next-generation launcher in March.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/29delta4/

REPORT RECOMMENDS QUARANTINE OF MARS SAMPLES
--------------------------------------------
A report released Tuesday urges NASA to begin planning a system to quarantine Martian samples even through missions to return such samples are at least a decade in the future.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/30marsclean/

RUSSIAN SOYUZ ROCKET LOFTS MILITARY SATELLITE
---------------------------------------------
Russia launched an unmanned Soyuz U rocket from Plesetsk Cosmodrome on Tuesday carrying a classified military spacecraft believed to be an imaging spy satellite.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/29soyuz/

ALL QUIET ON THE GALILEO FRONT
------------------------------
The excitement of the encounter week has settled down now, and activity levels drop to the quiet murmur which is usual for the cruise portion of an orbit.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/30galileothisweek/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 485 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, May 31, 2001 (01:04) * 14 lines
What Space Needs: The Human Touch

NASA Science News for May 30, 2001

NASA's Human Exploration and Development of Space (HEDS) enterprise
tackles one of the toughest and most redeeming problems of all: sending
humans into space. This feature story also includes lessons and activities
for educators.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast30may_1.htm?list89800 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 486 of 866: Cheryl  (CherylB) * Fri, Jun  1, 2001 (16:06) * 1 lines
The Face on Mars has been discredited. Does this mean the internet will cease to have those insisting that it is a portrait of Elvis cluttering up cyberspace.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 487 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jun  1, 2001 (19:11) * 12 lines
I thought all the Elvissses in the Universe were in Las Vegas! Do you mean there are some who suggested that? Lolol - worse than Art Bell!

Jellyplants on Mars

NASA Science News for June 1, 2001

Scientists are creating a new breed of glowing plants --part mustard and
part jellyfish-- to help humans explore the Red Planet.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast01jun_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 488 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jun  1, 2001 (19:29) * 38 lines
QUICK SPACE

- JPL Radar Scans Asteroid Moon During Earth Flyby
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/asteroid-01f.html

- Galileo Gets One Last Frequent-Flyer Upgrade
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/galileo-01i.html

- X-43A Nears First Hypersonic Flight
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/rlv-01l.html

- TIMED Satellite Transported to Vandenberg for Upcoming Launch
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/eo-timed-01a.html

- Cellular Grab For 2Ghz Harms Rural Satellite Consumers: SIA Report
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/internet-01j.html

- Iranians View Russian Telecommunications Satellite Plant
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010530142208.ffpgd06e.html

- The Quarantine And Certification Of Martian Samples
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-life-01g.html

- Tropical Glaciers Formed While Earth Was Giant Snowball
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/iceage-01c.html

- US Space Shuttle Atlantis Launch Delayed
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010530230011.uqmguivt.html

- Russia Considering Applications From Would-Be Space Tourists
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010530115951.dq3xuc2j.html

- Moscow Wants Dialogue With US, China, India on Missile Defence
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010531101942.gk8jrtyo.html

- Iran Test Fires New Missile
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010531104225.85scojfo.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 489 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jun  1, 2001 (19:33) * 35 lines
NEWSALERT: Thursday, May 31, 2001 @ 0541 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

ATLANTIS DELAYED TO JULY IN WAKE OF STATION ARM TROUBLE
-------------------------------------------------------
Problems with the international space station's new robotic arm has forced NASA to delay the next space shuttle flight, and the possibility is growing that a daring repair mission to replace one of the crane's joints might be needed before construction of the outpost can continue.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage7a/010529arm/

NEAR-EARTH ASTEROID FOUND TO BE TWO CHUNKS IN ONE
-------------------------------------------------
The clearest radar pictures of a near-Earth double asteroid system were taken by astronomers last week using NASA's Goldstone radar telescope, revealing clues to the system's current structure but raising questions about its origin and future.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/31chuncks/

WHY DOESN'T EROS HAVE A MAGNETIC FIELD?
---------------------------------------
Scientists said this week that they may know the reason why the asteroid Eros appears to lack a measurable magnetic field. Eros was the subject of detailed study for over a year by the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) spacecraft.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/31eros/

QUASAR'S IDENTITY MAY SIMPLY BE IN EYE OF BEHOLDER
--------------------------------------------------
Using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, astronomers have made the first detailed study of a peculiar type of quasar that is shrouded in clouds of gas and dust flowing outward at millions of miles per hour.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/31chandraeye/

MARS GLOBAL SURVEYOR CAPTURES DUST STORMS
-----------------------------------------
Daily global maps, created with images from NASA's Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft, provide a moving picture of Martian weather during 1999-2000 similar to the familiar satellite weather maps we see of Earth.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/31mgsdust/

AEROJET STUDIES NEW NOZZLE DESIGN FOR SHUTTLE MAIN ENGINE
---------------------------------------------------------
Aerojet has won an eight-month, $5 million contract from NASA to study the feasibility of developing a channel wall nozzle to replace the tube nozzle in the Space Shuttle Main Engine.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/31ssmenozzle/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 490 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Jun  2, 2001 (11:48) * 35 lines

NEWSALERT: Saturday, June 2, 2001 @ 0324 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

X-43A CRAFT TO MAKE FIRST HYPERSONIC FLIGHT TODAY
-------------------------------------------------
Imagine an aircraft that can fly at rocket speeds, seven times the speed of sound. Engineers are preparing for the first test flight of NASA's scramjet-propelled aircraft atop a Pegasus rocket on Saturday over the Pacific Ocean.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/02x43a/

HUBBLE TELESCOPE UNVEILS A GALAXY IN LIVING COLOR
-------------------------------------------------
In this incredible view of the center of the magnificent barred spiral galaxy NGC 1512, the Hubble Space Telescope's broad spectral vision reveals the galaxy at all wavelengths from ultraviolet to infrared. The colors map where newly born star clusters exist in both "dusty" and "clean" regions of the galaxy.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/31hstcolor/

SPECTACULAR PHOTO CATCHES HUNGRY QUASAR IN THE ACT
--------------------------------------------------
A new image of a distant quasar -- the luminous core of an "active" galaxy -- shows that it is engaged in a gravitational battle with its neighboring galaxies. It also provides information on how supermassive black holes present in the center of quasars are fed.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/01hungry/

ESCAPE ROUTE FOUND FOR JUPITER'S PARTICLES
------------------------------------------
Jupiter's magnetosphere, an ionized-gas bubble encasing the planet, is lopsided and leaky, with an unexpected abundance of high-energy particles bleeding out of one side, according to recent measurements by NASA's Cassini spacecraft.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/01cassjup/

SATELLITE MAPS PROVIDE BETTER URBAN SPRAWL INSIGHT
--------------------------------------------------
A major advance in satellite-based land surface mapping has led to the creation of more accurate and detailed maps of our cities. These maps provide urban planners with a better understanding of city growth and how rainfall runoff over paved surfaces impact regional water quality.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/02landsat/

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO COMMAND SATELLITE MISSION
----------------------------------------------------
NASA software that thinks for itself and makes decisions without help from ground controllers will fly as the brains of triplet satellites in 2002. The spacecraft will be launched from the space shuttle in a stack configuration and fly in formation as part of the Three Corner Sat mission.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/01threecornersat/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 491 of 866: Cheryl  (CherylB) * Sat, Jun  2, 2001 (15:32) * 3 lines
I think that the suggestion that the Face on Mars was a portrait of Elvis was supposed to be a joke. Yes, someone did suggest that, but I think he was making fun of those who thought that a giant face had been carved on Mars. However, there are those who think that Elvis was a Venusian. Okay, these people think that they're from Venus too. 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 492 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Jun  2, 2001 (20:38) * 1 lines
Nah, women are from Venus. He has to be from Mars!!!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 493 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Jun  2, 2001 (23:40) * 5 lines
Blame Canadarm: Space Station Crew Waits for Fix

The International Space Station's current crew will probably stay aloft longer than planned as ground controllers work to fix the billion outpost's robotic arm, crew members said on Friday.
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010601/sc/space_station_dc_1.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 494 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sun, Jun  3, 2001 (18:32) * 25 lines

- Test flight of hypersonic plane fails
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010603011442.pnzc6jhd.html

- US demands back space debris that landed on S. African farm
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010603131813.g3a3h4dg.html

- Russian military space force becomes operational
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010601150408.sqk5l00o.html

- India approves development of nuclear-capable missile: report
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010531140524.e6i83sxb.html

- Japan FM says Bush missile plan influenced by oil money: reports
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010602095847.epo5e233.html

- Japanese foreign minister denies anti-US missile reports
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010603044056.ekmcyjff.html

- No sex please, we're cosmonauts
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010601113838.sl06p9cz.html

- French Arianespace hopes to ink satellite deal with Indonesia
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010601040941.rw06gkks.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 495 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Jun  4, 2001 (00:01) * 35 lines
NEWSALERT: Monday, June 4, 2001 @ 0348 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

NASA'S X-43A CRAFT DESTROYED IN LAUNCH FAILURE
----------------------------------------------
NASA's bid to test a revolutionary scramjet aircraft on Saturday failed even before it began when the Orbital Sciences-built Pegasus rocket launching the X-43A vehicle veered off course and exploded only moments into flight.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/02x43failure/

BRITISH CRAFT ENDS MISSION AFTER MISSED RENDEZVOUS
--------------------------------------------------
The United Kingdom's first nanosatellite has failed in its daring rendezvous attempt with a Chinese craft, but scientists say the mission's other tests and demonstrations of nanotechnology were successfully completed.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/04snap1/

SPACE TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS KEEP SATELLITES SAFE
----------------------------------------------
A bullet fired on Earth travels 2,700 miles per hour and can do damage for up to 1,000 yards before it stops. A loose bolt in space hits at 17,000 miles per hour, goes through a spacecraft and keeps going. It's one office's job to make sure such a catastrophe doesn't happen.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/03spacecontrol/

SATELLITE FORMATION FLYING CONCEPT BECOMING A REALITY
-----------------------------------------------------
The intensive planning activities and calculations that are currently done in control rooms on Earth in preparation to maneuver Earth-orbiting research satellites are about to become a thing of the past. NASA's first-ever autonomous formation flying mission is now under way as part of the EO-1 satellite program.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/04formation/

DUO UNTANGLE MYSTERIES OF JUPITER'S MAGNETIC FIELD
--------------------------------------------------
In a series of presentations this week at the American Geophysical Union spring meeting in Boston, space scientists have shown how data from the two spacecraft have revealed new features and explained old mysteries about Jupiter's magnetic field.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/03jup/

GIFT OF GALAXIES WILL FUEL NEW FINDINGS
---------------------------------------
Redshift data and spectra from the first 100,000 galaxies measured by the 2dF (Two-degree Field) Galaxy Redshift Survey will be released to the world astronomical community on June 30.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/04galaxygift/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 496 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jun  5, 2001 (14:01) * 14 lines
The Arietid Meteor Shower Peaks This Week

Space Weather News for June 5, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

The annual Arietid meteor shower peaks this week on Thursday, June 7th.
The Arietids are unusual because they are daytime meteors -- most of them
streak through the sky unnoticed while the bright Sun is overhead.
Nevertheless, early risers on Thursday could spot some beautiful
"Earthgrazing" Arietids during the dark hours before dawn. Later in the
day, after the Sun rises, you can listen to the shower by tuning in to
NASA's online meteor radar.

For details and updates visit http://www.SpaceWeather.com

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 497 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jun  5, 2001 (14:03) * 32 lines
SPACEDAILY EXPRESS - June 5, 2001
- sponsored by -
APSC - Satellite Launching, Simplified
http://www.apsc2orbit.com
---------------------------------------------
-----------
QUICK SPACE

- Touch the Universe
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/braille-01a.html

- Did Hades Freeze Over?
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/early-earth-01d.html

- Asteroids Belt Around Nearby Star Zeta Lep Spotted
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/extrasolar-01d.html

- Mars Invades Earth
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/life-01p1.html

- Active Volcanism On Mars And The Search For Water
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-volcano-01a1.html

- Dust Devils At Arizona Targeted For Mars Experiment This Week
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-atmosphere-01a.html

- Atlantis Shuttle Launch Delayed Until July 2
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010605041953.jkxw47gh.html

- Ambassador Says Canada's Hand Influential In Missile Debate
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010604203340.rziishg4.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 498 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jun  5, 2001 (14:05) * 28 lines
NEWSALERT: Tuesday, June 5, 2001 @ 0411 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

SEARCH BEGINS FOR CAUSE OF X-43A LAUNCH MALFUNCTION
---------------------------------------------------
Video shot during Saturday's doomed launch of a Pegasus booster with NASA's X-43A experimental aircraft shows what might be one of the rocket's aerosurfaces breaking off moments before the vehicle goes into an uncontrolled tumble through the sky.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/04x43/

Watch video of launch failure:
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/04x43/010604x43video_qt.html

NEXT PEGASUS ROCKET LAUNCH DELAYED IN X-43A AFTERMATH
-----------------------------------------------------
NASA has postponed this week's planned flight of the Pegasus rocket carrying a Sun-studying probe while investigators determine what went wrong during Saturday's X-43A launch that used a similar booster.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/04hessidelay/

ASTRONOMERS DISCOVER EXTRASOLAR ASTEROID BELT
---------------------------------------------
Astronomers announced Monday that they had found evidence for what could be a belt of asteroids forming around another star, a discovery that may help them better understand how solar systems like our own form.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/05exoasteroids/

QUIET TIMES ON GALILEO PROBE
----------------------------
Galileo, the spacecraft, is now settling into a three-week period of extreme rest, even while Galileo, the flight team, is gearing up in planning for the next flyby in early August.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/05galileothisweek/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 499 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jun  6, 2001 (15:19) * 12 lines
Bracing for an Interplanetary Traffic Jam

NASA Science News for June 6, 2001

NASA's is improving its already-extraordinary traffic control system for
interplanetary spacecraft, the Deep Space Network, in preparation for a
flurry of activity in deep space.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast06jun_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 500 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jun  6, 2001 (15:20) * 25 lines

NEWSALERT: Wednesday, June 6, 2001 @ 0311 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

RESEARCHERS SEEK OCEAN ON EUROPA THROUGH ITS SOUNDS
---------------------------------------------------
Acoustic techniques used by Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers to explore the Arctic Ocean may help determine whether there is a vast liquid ocean under the ice blanketing Jupiter's moon, Europa.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/06europasound/

WEALTH OF BLACK HOLES FOUND IN STAR-FORMING GALAXIES
----------------------------------------------------
NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory has found new populations of suspected mid-mass black holes in several starburst galaxies, where stars form and explode at an unusually high rate. Although a few of these objects had been found previously, this is the first time they have been detected in such large numbers.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/06chandra/

METHOD TO MADNESS OF BLACK HOLE, NEUTRON STAR ERUPTIONS
-------------------------------------------------------
In the fiery machinery of the night sky, where neutron stars and black holes wrapped in binary systems can flare and burst randomly, astronomers have uncovered a predictable mathematical pattern in the X-ray light emitted over time.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/06madness/

ARIANESPACE CLEARS ARIANE 4 ROCKET FOR FRIDAY LAUNCH
----------------------------------------------------
After a three-month lull in flights, Arianespace has entered the final stretch of preparations for Friday's predawn launch of an Ariane 4 rocket carrying the Intelsat 901 telecommunications satellite.
http://spaceflightnow.com/ariane/v141/status.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 501 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Wed, Jun  6, 2001 (18:30) * 1 lines
I heard something about the government building some kind of decontamination chamber for stuff coming from Mars missions ... heard anything about this?

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 502 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jun  6, 2001 (20:52) * 1 lines
Not yet. If it deals with space it goes from all over the world (Cannada, UK and USA) to my email to you..... will check and let you know ASAP. Interesting!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 503 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jun  7, 2001 (20:37) * 16 lines
Where No Telescope Has Gone Before

NASA Science News for June 7, 2001

Whenever astronomers see the sky for the first time in a new part of the
electromagnetic spectrum, they inevitably spot something they didn't
expect -- from black holes to pulsars to planet-forming disks, there's
always a surprise. Now NASA astronomers have captured the first focused
images of any astronomical object at hard x-ray wavelengths. The
eye-opening advance will finally reveal what the hard x-ray sky looks like
in crisp detail -- and perhaps uncover a new batch of astronomical
wonders.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast07jun_1.htm?list89800

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 504 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jun  7, 2001 (22:40) * 33 lines
-----------
QUICK SPACE

- NASA Selects Two Pups For Pluto-Kuiper Tryouts
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/outerplanets-01a.html

- Boeing Outlines New Concepts For Air Traffic Management
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/gps-01g.html

- HESSI Solar Explorer Delayed In Wake Of Pegasus Failure
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/hessi-01a.html

- Iridium Launches Global Satellite Data and Internet Services
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/iridium-01c.html

- Congress Asked To Boost Funds For Anti-Missile Laser
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010607054732.1qlx2abn.html

- MIT Researchers Seek Ocean On Jupiter's Moon Through Its Sounds
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/jupiter-europa-01a.html

- New Study Indicates Planet Formation May Be Rare In Universe
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/extrasolar-01e.html

- White House-Appointed Panel Confirms Global Warming
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010607063146.r83fb4ns.html

- Korea High On Agenda For EU-US Summit In Sweden
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010605122041.40xub8ng.html

- Space-Age Russian Pop Group Hopes To Rocket Up The Charts
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010605231901.r3bu5h5q.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 505 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jun  7, 2001 (22:42) * 35 lines
NEWSALERT: Thursday, June 7, 2001 @ 1302 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

NASA SELECTS TWO PLUTO MISSION PROPOSALS
----------------------------------------
NASA announced Wednesday that it had chosen two proposals for a mission to Pluto for additional study despite the fact that no funds for such a mission exist in the agency's budget for next year.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/07pluto/

INVESTIGATORS NAMED TO PROBE X-43A LAUNCH FAILURE
-------------------------------------------------
NASA has announced the five-person accident investigation panel that will determine what caused the Orbital Sciences Pegasus booster with the agency's X-43A aircraft to malfunction during a botched launch Saturday.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/06x43board/

SENATE REPORT SLAMS NASA MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
---------------------------------------------
A Senate committee report released this week -- entitled "Government at the Brink" -- sharply criticized NASA's handling of key programs, calling it one of the worst examples of mismanagement in the entire federal government.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/07senate/

IRIDIUM LAUNCHES GLOBAL DATA, INTERNET SERVICES
-----------------------------------------------
Iridium Satellite LLC announced Wednesday the commercial availability of its mobile satellite data services, including dial-up connectivity and direct-Internet connections.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/07iridium/

STAR FACTORY NEAR GALACTIC CENTER BATHED IN X-RAYS
--------------------------------------------------
Near the crowded core of the Milky Way galaxy, where stars shine so brightly and plentifully that planets there would never experience nighttime, astronomers have found a new phenomenon: a cauldron of 60-million-degree gas enveloping a cluster of young stars.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/07chandra/

PIONEER 10 STATUS CHECK
-----------------------
New data from the Geiger Tube Telescope instrument aboard NASA's Pioneer 10 space probe has been analyzed. The report is cosmic ray intensity has continued to decrease. The craft is currently 7.34 billion miles from Earth.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/07pioneer10/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 506 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jun  8, 2001 (19:24) * 30 lines
NEWSALERT: Friday, June 8, 2001 @ 1612 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

SPACEWALK OCCURS INSIDE SPACE STATION ALPHA
-------------------------------------------
The first spacewalk staged from the international space station was successfully performed today as Russian cosmonaut Yuri Usachev and American astronaut Jim Voss manually repositioned a 150-pound, three-foot diameter docking mechanism.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

ARIANE 4 LAUNCH DELAYED
-----------------------
Arianespace scrubbed this morning's scheduled liftoff of an Ariane 4 rocket carrying the Intelsat 901 telecommunications satellite due to unfavorable high-altitude winds above the South American launch base.
http://spaceflightnow.com/ariane/v141/status.html

SHUTTLE LAUNCH DELAYED AMID STATION ARM MYSTERY
-----------------------------------------------
NASA officials have again postponed the launch of space shuttle Atlantis on the next international space station construction mission while engineers struggle to understand problems with the outpost's new robotic arm.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage7a/010607newdelay/

SATURN'S CHANGING SEASONS
-------------------------
Looming like a giant flying saucer in our outer solar system, Saturn puts on a show as the planet and its magnificent ring system nod majestically over the course of its 29-year journey around the Sun. These Hubble images, captured from 1996 to 2000, show Saturn's rings open up from just past edge-on to nearly fully open as it moves from autumn towards winter in its Northern Hemisphere.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/08saturn/

NASA GIVES OFFICIAL NOD TO ROBOTIC MISSION TO MERCURY
-----------------------------------------------------
NASA has given the first Mercury orbiter mission the go-ahead to move into full-scale spacecraft development -- setting up the first trip to the Sun's closest neighbor in more than a generation. Launch of the MESSENGER probe is set for March 2004.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/08messenger/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 507 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Jun  9, 2001 (18:07) * 23 lines
NEWSALERT: Saturday, June 9, 2001 @ 1657 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

ARIANE 4 ROCKET LAUNCHES NEW ERA FOR INTELSAT
---------------------------------------------
A predawn launch of a European Ariane 4 rocket today delivered into space the first in a new series of communications satellites to beef up Intelsat's orbiting fleet with more powerful and higher capacity craft.
http://spaceflightnow.com/ariane/v141/

Read our call of the countdown and launch:
http://spaceflightnow.com/ariane/v141/status.html

NEXT PEGASUS ROCKET LAUNCH REMAINS GROUNDED
-------------------------------------------
It will be June 20 at the earliest before NASA's HESSI solar imaging satellite is hauled into space by an Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket as the investigation continues into last Saturday's X-43A launch failure, officials said Friday.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/08hessi/

NEW X-RAY WINDOW TO THE UNIVERSE IS OPENED
------------------------------------------
Using a telescope containing unique X-ray mirrors, a team from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., has obtained the world's first focused high-energy X-ray images of any astronomical object.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/09hardxrays/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 508 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Jun 11, 2001 (15:26) * 43 lines
SPACEDAILY EXPRESS - June 11, 2001

- sponsored by -
APSC - Satellite Launching, Simplified
http://www.apsc2orbit.com
---------------------------------------------

-----------
QUICK SPACE

- China Moves Towards New Generation Metsats
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/china-01zg.html

- Recipe For Deep Space - 'Microwave At 1,100 Degree C For X years'
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/fuel-01e.html

- Protecting Biospheres Beyond Earth
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/life-01q1.html

- Mars Express Will Put Phobos In The Spotlight
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/marsexpress-01b.html

- Forget The Barbed Wire This Is Concrete
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/materials-01o.html

- US-EU summit a chance for Bush to estabish global credentials
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010611013211.3pr88hck.html

- Bush Urges "Rouge" Rather Than "Cold War Mentality"
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010608195638.66xf2f2j.html

- US plans "science-based solution" to global warming: official
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010610233111.dynnvnno.html

- ISS set to receive new Russian module at year end
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010609135111.y1emrcwu.html

- ISS crew to install docking system for new Russian module
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010608150014.uhgkz71u.html

- Atlantis launch pushed back again
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010608140634.2vophp4a.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 509 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Jun 11, 2001 (15:28) * 40 lines
NEWSALERT: Monday, June 11, 2001 @ 0254 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

EUROPE'S MARS EXPRESS WILL INVESTIGATE PHOBOS
---------------------------------------------
Phobos, the tiny innermost moon of Mars, is to come under unprecedented scrutiny after Europe's mission to Mars goes into orbit around the Red Planet late in 2003.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/10phobos/

GOLDIN TELLS GRADUATES HUMANS ON MARS IN 20 YEARS
-------------------------------------------------
NASA administrator Dan Goldin told graduates of one of the nation's leading universities Friday that humans would walk on Mars within the next 20 years. Goldin described the unofficial but widely-accepted long-term goal of the agency's human spaceflight program.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/10goldinmit/

X-RAY NOVA, PULSATING WHITE DWARF FOUND IN ANDROMEDA
----------------------------------------------------
In its first look at the Andromeda Galaxy, Europe's XMM satellite has revealed several unusual X-ray sources, including a bright spot created by an enormous X-ray nova outburst and one of the "coolest" sources of the central region that appears to be a luminous white dwarf.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/11whitedwarf/

WIND BUBBLE FOUND AROUND YOUNG SUPER STAR CLUSTER
-------------------------------------------------
An international team of astronomers has detected a wind bubble associated with a super star cluster in a nearby galaxy -- a key indicator that helps explain how this extremely young cluster is evolving.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/11bubble/

ENGINEER BRINGS COST OF EXPERIMENTS DOWN TO EARTH
-------------------------------------------------
A Purdue University engineer is saving NASA millions of dollars by devising a method to test a new type of solar-power system on Earth instead of in the ultra-expensive environment of space.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/11solarexperi/

GAMMA-RAY BURST REVEALS SECRETS OF HOST GALAXY
----------------------------------------------
Five years ago, astronomers knew almost nothing about gamma ray bursts. Now, a team of observers has used a gamma-ray burst as a powerful tool to unveil the nature of the galaxy in which it occurred, more than 7 billion light-years away.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/10hostgalaxy/

BRIGHTEST QUASARS INHABIT GALAXIES WITH STAR-FORMING GAS CLOUDS
---------------------------------------------------------------
A team of scientists at the California Institute of Technology and the State University of New York at Stony Brook has found strong evidence that high-luminosity quasar activity in galaxy nuclei is linked to the presence of abundant interstellar gas and high rates of star formation.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/10brightquasars/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 510 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Tue, Jun 12, 2001 (08:38) * 37 lines
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Scientists Claim to Revive Alien Bacteria

By Rossella Lorenzi, Discovery News

May 10 — Italian researchers claim to have found conclusive evidence
that life on Earth arrived from outer space.



Bruno D'Argenio, a geologist working for the Italian National Research
Council, and Giuseppe Geraci, professor of molecular biology at Naples
University, identified and brought back to life extraterrestrial
microorganisms lodged inside 4.5 billion-year-old meteorites kept at
Naples' mineralogical museum.

"When in contact with a physiological solution, they became visible
and began to move," D'Argenio said while presenting the finding at the
Italian Space Agency yesterday.

The bacteria, called "cryms" (for crystal microbes) by the
researchers, remained dormant for billions of years and survived
extreme ambient conditions — a clear indication, according to the
researchers, that "life can exist everywhere in the solar system,
though in a quiescent state."

Once brought back to life, the cryms were cloned by the researchers
and their DNA analyzed.

cointinued @



I can the National Inquirer Headline

Aliens Cloned in Italian Lab!!!!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 511 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jun 12, 2001 (13:19) * 16 lines
Yup, it HAS to Happen. At your grocer's check-out stand now!!!

The Biggest Explosions in the Solar System

NASA Science News for June 12, 2001

Solar flares have vexed astronomers since they were discovered nearly a
century and a half ago. The powerful explosions do things we simply don't
understand. NASA's upcoming HESSI mission might finally solve the riddle
of flares by making x-ray and gamma-ray pictures of the eruptions. What
we learn could have down-to-Earth benefits and shed light on mysterious
happenings far outside the solar system.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast12jun_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 512 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jun 12, 2001 (14:29) * 26 lines
SPACEDAILY EXPRESS - June 12, 2001
- sponsored by -
APSC - Satellite Launching, Simplified
http://www.apsc2orbit.com
---------------------------------------------
----------
QUICK SPACE

- Space Insurance Goes Online
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/internet-01k.html

- Life's Rocky Road Between Worlds
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/life-01r.html

- Chinese Metsat Program Long March To Success
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/china-01zh.html

- Engineer Brings Cost Of Experiments Down To Earth
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/solarcell-01d.html

- Japan stands by Kyoto Protocol in face of new US proposal
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010612065530.ci804ki3.html

- Bush arrives in Europe to bridge growing differences
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010612083621.wae4czsg.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 513 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jun 13, 2001 (13:37) * 15 lines
-----------
QUICK SPACE

- Japan delays launch of two spy satellites
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010613070624.jpdugptm.html

- S.African millionaire bidding to become second space tourist: report
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010612190719.qyesusbc.html

- Newly-found meteorite may point to water under Martian surface
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010612160555.cs3jd2m3.html

- Russia's military satellites no longer reliable: space chief
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010613121247.ycdlmfyu.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 514 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jun 14, 2001 (14:09) * 49 lines
NEWSALERT: Thursday, June 14, 2001 @ 0553 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

EVIDENCE FOUND FOR RECENT SHALLOW GROUND ICE ON MARS
----------------------------------------------------
New high-resolution images from Mars Global Surveyor show evidence of ground ice on Mars as recently as 10 million years ago. More striking is that the signs of geologically recent ground ice deposits are near the equator, where ice was probably no deeper than 15 feet.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/14marsice/

INVESTIGATORS PREPARE TO OK NEXT PEGASUS ROCKET LAUNCH
------------------------------------------------------
NASA's $85 million HESSI mission designed to study solar flares could be launched next Thursday if engineers can finish their investigation to prove the satellite's ride to space -- an Orbital Sciences Pegasus rocket -- is fit to fly.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/14hessi/

NASA SELECTS FIRST MARS SCOUT CONCEPTS FOR STUDY
------------------------------------------------
The ten most promising mission concepts of the 43 proposed to NASA for possible launch to Mars in 2007 were selected Wednesday for continued studies. The missions include networks of small landers, orbiting constellations of small craft and a rover that would attempt to establish absolute surface ages of rocks and soils.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/14marsscout/

BRIGHTER, REDDER MARS TO ILLUMINATE SUMMER NIGHTS
-------------------------------------------------
Hold on to your hats and keep a pair of binoculars handy: After a 26-month sprint around the track of the solar system, we are about to lap Mars again. The red planet is in "opposition," an event that puts Earth between Mars and the Sun. And next week, Mars will be at its closest distance from Earth since 1988.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/14marsopp/

REPAIRED SOLAR SAIL NOW READY FOR TEST LAUNCH
---------------------------------------------
A suborbital demonstration flight of a solar sail is back on track for launch after a botched test damaged the craft. With repairs completed, the mission is expected to occur this summer aboard a Russian Volna rocket launched from a submarine in the Barents Sea.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/13solarsail/

JUPITER'S AURORAE, VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS ON IO REVEALED
----------------------------------------------------
Impressive thermal-infrared images have been obtained of the giant planet Jupiter during tests at the Paranal Observatory in Chile. They show the full extent of the northern auroral ring and part of the southern aurora. A volcanic eruption was also imaged on Io, the very active inner Jovian moon.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/12irjup/

NEW STUDY STIRS OLD DEBATE ABOUT GALAXIES
-----------------------------------------
Using a technique that peeks over obscuring rings of dust and gas and into the hearts of distant galaxies, a researcher has found evidence suggesting that as many as half of the bright, active galaxies known as Seyfert 2 galaxies may have significantly less active central black holes.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/13debate/

OTHER HEADLINES
---------------
NEW FACILITY TO IMPROVE AIRBORNE TELESCOPE'S CLARITY
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/13sofia/
OBSERVATIONS SHOW BROWN DWARFS FORM LIKE STARS
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/12browndwarf/
THE 'INS AND OUTS' OF A CELESTIAL DANCE BY CLUSTER 2
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/12clusterdance/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 515 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Fri, Jun 15, 2001 (09:04) * 1 lines
Wow, ice on Mars!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 516 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jun 15, 2001 (13:53) * 1 lines
They've been seeing it for ages. Of its composition they were never certain. And, at the Martian equator, never! 15 feet (4 1/2 meters) thick, no less! I am most eager to know what they discover. Some planets in the solar system have methane ice. Not the sort you want in your summer cooler!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 517 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Fri, Jun 15, 2001 (15:40) * 1 lines
No I'll take regular ice in my iced tea, please.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 518 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jun 15, 2001 (18:03) * 32 lines
I think I will join you in that! A sprig of fresh mint, too!

NEWSALERT: Friday, June 15, 2001 @ 0554 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

ROBOT ARM BUMPS INTO STATION, BUT PASSES KEY TEST
-------------------------------------------------
American astronauts aboard the international space station gave the outpost's new robotic arm a thorough workout on Thursday by successfully rehearsing the job of installing a 12-ton airlock during the next planned shuttle visit. But the test started off with the arm's free end striking the station.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage7a/010614dryrun/

PROTON ROCKET NEARS LIFTOFF
---------------------------
A new spacecraft for Europe's ASTRA direct-to-home TV and radio satellite system is ready to rocket into orbit aboard a commercial Russian Proton booster. Launch is planned for 0149 GMT Saturday (9:49 p.m. EDT Friday).
http://spaceflightnow.com/proton/astra2c/status.html

HIDDEN OCEANS ON EUROPA COULD STILL SUPPORT LIFE
------------------------------------------------
Could life thrive where the Sun never shines? The answer to this unorthodox question bears directly on the tantalizing possibility that life exists in the hidden, perpetually dark oceans that are thought to shroud some of Jupiter's moons, most prominently Europa.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/15europa/

PROBE TO TAKE 'FINGERPRINT' OF COMET NUCLEUS
--------------------------------------------
Instruments aboard a spacecraft that will be launched next year to explore two, and perhaps three or more, comets in the solar system will for the first time provide a "fingerprint" of the surface of cometary nuclei, giving the first firm evidence of the composition of the icy, rocky objects.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/15contour/

EVIDENCE SUGGESTS ALL RADIO-LOUD QUASARS MAY BE BLAZARS
-------------------------------------------------------
Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have found new evidence to suggest that all radio-loud quasars may be blazars -- and the differences between them may be related to the angle from which they are viewed. Quasars are quasi-stellar objects found in distant reaches of the universe and blazars are much brighter types of quasars.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/15blazars/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 519 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Fri, Jun 15, 2001 (18:36) * 4 lines
Wow, that proton rocket may mean that we can start getting satellite
radios in our cars. I'm pretty happy with local stuff, local weather and
talk shows, etc. but maybe they will develop more compleling contenet
with the advent of csatellite radio.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 520 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jun 15, 2001 (19:03) * 1 lines
I am simply delighted to listen to NPR finally. But access to any radio station on the internet would be awesome. Of course you have heard John Burnett on the Hilo radio station over the net. Imagine summoning wherever you wanted no matter where in the world you were! I like it! 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 521 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sun, Jun 17, 2001 (18:35) * 51 lines
NEWSALERT: Thursday, June 14, 2001 @ 0553 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

EVIDENCE FOUND FOR RECENT SHALLOW GROUND ICE ON MARS
----------------------------------------------------
New high-resolution images from Mars Global Surveyor show evidence of ground ice on Mars as recently as 10 million years ago. More striking is that the signs of geologically recent ground ice deposits are near the equator, where ice was probably no deeper than 15 feet.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/14marsice/

INVESTIGATORS PREPARE TO OK NEXT PEGASUS ROCKET LAUNCH
------------------------------------------------------
NASA's $85 million HESSI mission designed to study solar flares could be launched next Thursday if engineers can finish their investigation to prove the satellite's ride to space -- an Orbital Sciences Pegasus rocket -- is fit to fly.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/14hessi/

NASA SELECTS FIRST MARS SCOUT CONCEPTS FOR STUDY
------------------------------------------------
The ten most promising mission concepts of the 43 proposed to NASA for possible launch to Mars in 2007 were selected Wednesday for continued studies. The missions include networks of small landers, orbiting constellations of small craft and a rover that would attempt to establish absolute surface ages of rocks and soils.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/14marsscout/

BRIGHTER, REDDER MARS TO ILLUMINATE SUMMER NIGHTS
-------------------------------------------------
Hold on to your hats and keep a pair of binoculars handy: After a 26-month sprint around the track of the solar system, we are about to lap Mars again. The red planet is in "opposition," an event that puts Earth between Mars and the Sun. And next week, Mars will be at its closest distance from Earth since 1988.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/14marsopp/

REPAIRED SOLAR SAIL NOW READY FOR TEST LAUNCH
---------------------------------------------
A suborbital demonstration flight of a solar sail is back on track for launch after a botched test damaged the craft. With repairs completed, the mission is expected to occur this summer aboard a Russian Volna rocket launched from a submarine in the Barents Sea.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/13solarsail/

JUPITER'S AURORAE, VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS ON IO REVEALED
----------------------------------------------------
Impressive thermal-infrared images have been obtained of the giant planet Jupiter during tests at the Paranal Observatory in Chile. They show the full extent of the northern auroral ring and part of the southern aurora. A volcanic eruption was also imaged on Io, the very active inner Jovian moon.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/12irjup/

NEW STUDY STIRS OLD DEBATE ABOUT GALAXIES
-----------------------------------------
Using a technique that peeks over obscuring rings of dust and gas and into the hearts of distant galaxies, a researcher has found evidence suggesting that as many as half of the bright, active galaxies known as Seyfert 2 galaxies may have significantly less active central black holes.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/13debate/

OTHER HEADLINES
---------------
NEW FACILITY TO IMPROVE AIRBORNE TELESCOPE'S CLARITY
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/13sofia/

OBSERVATIONS SHOW BROWN DWARFS FORM LIKE STARS
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/12browndwarf/

THE 'INS AND OUTS' OF A CELESTIAL DANCE BY CLUSTER 2
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/12clusterdance/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 522 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Jun 18, 2001 (14:12) * 32 lines
NEWSALERT: Monday, June 18, 2001 @ 0456 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now
ATLAS ROCKET TO PUT FIRST ICO SATELLITE INTO SPACE TONIGHT
----------------------------------------------------------
The foundation upon which the ICO global telephone and data relay satellite system will be built is awaiting a late-night liftoff atop a Lockheed Martin Atlas 2AS rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/ac156/status.html
PROTON ADDS NEW CRAFT TO ASTRA SATELLITE SYSTEM
-----------------------------------------------
A new broadcasting spacecraft was propelled into Earth orbit on Saturday to join the ASTRA direct-to-home TV satellite system serving over 87 million homes across Europe.
http://spaceflightnow.com/proton/astra2c/status.html
XMM-NEWTON OBSERVATORY PEERS INTO A STELLAR COFFIN
--------------------------------------------------
Astronomy is a painstaking discipline, requiring time and patience. Yet once in while, a string of discoveries using different telescopes occur in the same domain, each following hot on the heels of one another. Now, XMM-Newton adds the latest chapter to the story of IC443, one of the most studied supernova remnants.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/17xmm/
VETERAN SPACE SHUTTLE COMMANDER RETIRES
---------------------------------------
Four-time space shuttle flier Brian Duffy (Col., USAF) has retired from the astronaut corps to accept a senior management position at Lockheed Martin. Duffy also will retire from the U.S. Air Force at the end of June.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/16duffy/
TAURUS XL ROCKET WINS COMMERCIAL LAUNCH ORDER
---------------------------------------------
Orbital Sciences has sold its first Taurus XL rocket, a more powerful version of the company's ground-launched vehicle. The mission will carry a Taiwanese remote sensing satellite into orbit in 2003 from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/18rocsat2/
SPROUT WINGS AND FLY
--------------------
Engineers at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center have been flying a deployable, inflatable wing technology demonstrator experiment using a radio controlled airplane. The project's number one flight research question: "will it fly as the wings deploy in flight?"
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/17inflate/
SPACE TECHNOLOGY IMPROVES VIEW OF GIANT TELESCOPE
-------------------------------------------------
NASA engineers in Alabama have been climbing a Texas mountain for the past year to help astronomers reach deeper into space with the world's third-largest telescope at the McDonald Observatory on Mount Fowlkes.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/16msfcscope/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 523 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jun 19, 2001 (13:08) * 36 lines
QUICK SPACE

- UAV Stealth Plane Gets X Rating
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/plane-x47a-01a.html

- Global Hawk Production Ramps Up Begins
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/uav-01g.html

- The Aerover Blimp: The Ultimate All-terrain Vehicle
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/ballon-01b.html

- Tecstar Reclaims Technology Lead For Solar Cells
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/solarcell-01e.html

- Boeing-Built ICO Satellite Scheduled to Launch
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/ico-01a.html

- Thuraya Satellite Begins Commercial Mobile Phone Service
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/thuraya-01b.html

- Loral Skynet Offers Antenna-Seeding Program For Growing Cable Zone
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/satellite-biz-01i.html

- Hidden Oceans On Jupiter's Moons Could Support Life
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/jupiter-europa-01b.html

- Swiss geologists find Mars meteorite in the Sultanate of Oman
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-meteorite-01b.html

- Xybernaut's Wearable Computers To Be Trialed For Mars Explorers
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-manned-01e.html

- X-43A Mishap Investigation Update
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/rlv-01o.html 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 524 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jun 19, 2001 (13:48) * 19 lines
Interplanetary shock wave triggers Northern Lights

Space Weather News for June 19, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

AURORA YESTERDAY: A dense interplanetary shock wave buffeted Earth's
magnetic field on Monday and lit up the midnight skies of North America
with aurora borealis. Sky watchers saw the show despite the lengthening
twilight of northern summer, which begins officially this Thursday. Visit
spaceweather.com for images of the display.

AURORA TODAY? Another solar wind disturbance swept past our planet on
Tuesday; the impact might trigger renewed geomagnetic activity. Mid- and
high-latitude sky watchers should be alert for (the slim chance of)
auroras around local midnight.

Visit http://SpaceWeather.com for more information and updates. 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 525 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jun 19, 2001 (18:50) * 13 lines
Eclipse Safari

NASA Science News for June 19, 2001

On Thursday, June 21st, the Moon's shadow will race across southern Africa
for the only total solar eclipse of 2001. Read this story to learn why
eclipses happen, what animals do when the Moon's shadow sweeps by, and
what astronomers hope to learn by observing the event.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast19jun_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 526 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jun 20, 2001 (16:33) * 37 lines
NEWSALERT: Wednesday, June 20, 2001 @ 1707 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

PEGASUS LAUNCH OF HESSI POSTPONED INDEFINITELY
----------------------------------------------
NASA has halted plans to fly its HESSI solar probe aboard an Orbital Sciences Pegasus rocket until investigators determine what likely caused the botched X-43A launch earlier this month. When HESSI will be launched is unknown.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/19hessi/

ATLAS LAUNCHES FOUNDATION OF ICO SATELLITE SYSTEM
-------------------------------------------------
The orbital assembly of a new wireless telephone and data relay satellite network began Tuesday when a Lockheed Martin Atlas 2AS rocket successfully launched the cornerstone spacecraft for the ICO system.
http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/ac156/

Read our call of the countdown and launch:
http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/ac156/status.html

XMM SNAPS STRIKING IMAGE OF STELLAR ACTIVITY, BLACK HOLE
--------------------------------------------------------
Europe's orbiting XMM-Newton telescope has obtained one of the most striking ultraviolet pictures ever taken of the galaxy M81. Strong ultraviolet emission is a feature of star formation, supernova explosions and the accretion of matter by a supermassive black hole.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/20m81/

DEFROSTING MARTIAN SAND DUNES LOOK LIKE VEGETATION
--------------------------------------------------
As winter gives way to spring in the Martian southern hemisphere, NASA's Mars Global Surveyor is observing the retreat of the south polar frost cap. One of the most aesthetically-pleasing aspects of the spring defrosting process is the pattern that is created on the sand dune fields.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/19dunes/

SOLAR NEUTRINO PROBLEM SOLVED
-----------------------------
Data from an unusual underground observatory have helped scientists solve a key mystery about the Sun, but have in turn raised new questions about fundamental particle physics, scientists announced Monday.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/20sno/

THURAYA BEGINS COMMERCIAL SATELLITE PHONE SERVICE
-------------------------------------------------
Thuraya -- the satellite-based regional mobile communications system -- has started rolling out its service with the ultimate goal of covering a region encompassing approximately 2.5 billion people in 100 countries across the Middle East, North and Central Africa, Europe, the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/19thuraya/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 527 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jun 20, 2001 (17:04) * 23 lines
QUICK SPACE

- Atlas Launches ICO Into Medium Earth Orbit
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/ico-01b.html

- Russia Plans Flyback Booster
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/launcher-russia-01j.html

- NSA certifies Iridium Security Module
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/iridium-01d.html

- Logicon To Supply Software For Missile Shield
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/bmdo-01zj.html

- Air Force Begins Independent Test Of SBIRS Ground Station
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/sbirs-01d.html

- NASA To 'Map' Big Bang Remnant To Study Early Universe
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/map-01b.html

- Planetary Hit-and-Run Among Creative Ideas Nudged by NASA
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-scouts-01a.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 528 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Jun 25, 2001 (01:03) * 29 lines
QUICK SPACE

- Australian Government To Fund New Indian Ocean Launch Center
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/aust-01b.html

- Vegetation Key to Accurate Climate Modeling
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/climate-01h.html

- Putin Warns Of Arms Buildup If US Drops Abm Treaty
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010623151328.a3wxqofv.html

- AFA Conference Brings Space Stars Together
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/milspace-01t.html

- Future Army Could Run On Alternative Fuels
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/future-01g.html

- Boeing Delta-4 To Launch DSCS-3 A3 Satellite For US Air Force
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/milspace-comms-01e.html

- AeroAstro Reviews Malaysian SPORT
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/nanosat-01c.html

- Radiation-Resistant Chips for Sturdier Satellites
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/radiation-01h.html

- What's Real, What's Science Fiction?
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/robot-01c.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 529 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Jun 25, 2001 (01:11) * 57 lines

NEWSALERT: Monday, June 25, 2001 @ 0130 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

TEMPERATURE MAP OF IO PRESENTS A PUZZLE
---------------------------------------
Earth's tropics are hotter than the polar regions for a good reason, so scientists are puzzled that the same pattern doesn't show on Jupiter's moon Io. Powerful volcanoes and the previous day's sunshine warm the nighttime surface of Jupiter's moon Io, as seen in this image from NASA's Galileo spacecraft.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/24iomap/

EUROPA'S FROZEN SURFACE
-----------------------
Europa, a moon of Jupiter, appears as a thick crescent in this enhanced-color image from NASA's Galileo spacecraft. Reddish linear features are some of the cracks and ridges, thousands of kilometers long, which are caused by the tides raised by the gravitational pull of Jupiter. Also visible are a few circular features, which are small impact craters.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/24europa/

COMPANIES USE AIR SHOW TO ANNOUNCE LAUNCH DEALS
-----------------------------------------------
Arianespace, Boeing and International Launch Services announced a batch of new contracts last week at the Paris Air Show. Here are the three respective corporate releases describing the deals.

ARIANE SIGNS 8 NEW LAUNCH CONTRACTS:
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/25ariane/
BOEING/MELCO DEAL WORTH UP TO 6 DELTA 4s:
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/25boeing/
ILS ATLAS 5 APPROVED BY INMARSAT VENTURES:
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/25ils/

ROSETTA - A SPACECRAFT IN SEARCH OF PRISTINE MATTER
---------------------------------------------------
In January 2003 the European spacecraft Rosetta is to launch on atop an Ariane 5 to comet "Wirtanen" in search of pristine matter. For a year, it will orbit this tailed star at a distance of one kilometer and explore it in detail. At the same time, a probe will land on the comet's surface for surface-science investigations and analysis.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/23rosetta/

UNIQUE LINK FOUND BETWEEN STELLAR DEATH AND BIRTH
-------------------------------------------------
Astronomers from the University of Colorado at Boulder and the University of California at Berkeley have discovered a key building block for new stars in the rapidly expanding remains of an ancient stellar explosion.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/23fuse/

ADOLESCENT INTERSTELLAR CLOUD SET FOR STAR FORMING
--------------------------------------------------
Astronomers have discovered a highly unusual, massive interstellar cloud that appears poised to begin a burst of star formation. The cloud may be the first ever to be detected in the transition between atomic and molecular states.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/25cloud/

X-RAY VIEW OF A YOUNG PLANETARY NEBULA
--------------------------------------
Chandra's image of NGC 7027 represents the first detection of X-rays from this young planetary nebula that is about 3,000 light years from Earth. A bubble of 3 million degree Celsius gas with a length about a hundred times that of our solar system is shown in the image.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/25chandra/

CELLULAR, MACROMOLECULAR BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH PROPOSALS PICKED
----------------------------------------------------------------
NASA has selected 43 researchers to receive grants totaling approximately $27 million over four years to conduct biotechnology research on Earth and in space. This research will create knowledge in important areas of biotechnology such as tissue engineering, gene expression and biosensor technology.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/24biotech/

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: IT'S MORE THAN A MOVIE
-----------------------------------------------
Engineers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory will talk about the real artificial intelligence work that takes place at NASA in a live webcast, scheduled for June 29, at 11 a.m. Pacific Time.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/23artintell/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 530 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jun 26, 2001 (15:46) * 22 lines
A Meteor Shower This Week?

Space Weather News for June 25, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

METEOR SHOWER: On June 26th and 27th Earth will pass through the dusty
debris trail of comet 7P/Pons-Winnecke, triggering the annual "June
Bootid" meteor shower. Most years the June Bootids are meek: a typical
shower consists of only a few visible meteors each hour -- but not always.
In 1998 sky watchers enjoyed an intense Bootid outburst. What will happen
this year? No one knows, but meteor enthusiasts will be watching the
heavens for a possible flurry of shooting stars. Tune in to
SpaceWeather.com for observing tips and more information about the shower.
And don't forget to try listening to the June Bootids using our online
meteor radar.

SOLAR ECLIPSE: SpaceWeather.com's growing gallery of images from last
week's solar eclipse now includes sounds as well. Listen to audio clips
that reveal the excited reactions of onlookers before and during totality.

Visit http://SpaceWeather.com 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 531 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Tue, Jun 26, 2001 (18:02) * 1 lines
What's up with the decimated ham radio satellite? Any more news on this? The guys on the 442.475 repeater were bemoaning the fact that some super cold liquid may have leaked and jammed up most of the communications gear.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 532 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jun 26, 2001 (19:13) * 13 lines
This is the last I heard from them:

seeks 80-meter bulletin reports

A change has been made to the 80-meter bulletin antenna system.
W1AW is requesting from amateurs who listen to the 80-meter
transmissions send in signal reports. Please note QTH, time of
reception, mode, signal strength and quality. Use of the standard
RST system is acceptable. Mail your report on a postcard to W1AW
80-meter reports, 225 Main Street, Newington, Connecticut, 06111.
Email reports may be sent to w1aw@arrl.org. The complete W1AW
Operating Schedule appears in July QST, page 105, or on the web at
http://www.arrl.org/w1aw.html .

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 533 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jun 26, 2001 (22:34) * 16 lines
All the World's a Stage ... for Dust

NASA Science News for June 26, 2001

Tune in to a NASA website and watch giant dust clouds as they ride global
rivers of air, cross-pollinating continents with topsoil and microbes.
This story includes movies of an African dust cloud blowing westward to
North America in June. It also addresses questions like: Where does
topsoil for Caribbean islands come from? And, are sneezes in Florida
triggered by allergens from other continents? The answers may surprise
you!

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast26jun_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 534 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jun 26, 2001 (22:48) * 33 lines
-----------
QUICK SPACE

- Ringing Out The Bugs On Route To Saturn And Titan
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/cassini-01g1.html

- US May Still Decide Against Missile Defense: Russian Minister
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010625140642.et8cy2ut.html

- Taiwan Secretly Developing Cruise Missile: Report
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010626063827.gjvjk3z4.html

- Georgia Supports US Missile Defence Shunning Russian Concerns
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010625150543.m1yzqpsh.html

- Chinese Scientists Gravitate Towards African Solar Eclipse
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/china-01zi.html

- Cluster's Whispers Probe The Electrifying Plasmasphere
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/cluster2-01b.html

- Rime of the ancient Mariner: NASA looks back to Mercury
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010625113444.hjxemcxr.html

- Refining Estimates For The North American Carbon Sink
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/greenhouse-01p.html

- German Government, Energy Bosses Agree To C02 Emission Cut
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010625160336.rcbrap9j.html

- Telesat Increases Equity Stake In Wildblue
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/internet-01m.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 535 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jun 27, 2001 (20:19) * 40 lines
Spacedaily Express - June 27, 2001

QUICK SPACE

- NASA-Tito Discord Over Space Tourism Remains
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010627013535.rme0do06.html

- SEAKR Offers Compact Flash Memory Pak For Space Applications
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/space-electronics-01g.html

- Space Probe To Glimpse Infancy Of The Universe
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/map-01c.html

- New Solar-Powered Hyperion Robot Stays In Sync With The Sun
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/robot-01d.html

- China Kicks Off World Space Week 2001 Promo Campaign
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/china-01zj.html

- Russia Under Greater Threat From Missile Attack Than US:
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010626131926.pf3wy6bv.html

- Nuke Sub Missiles Notch Up Three More Successful Tests
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/icbm-01h.html

- Taiwan Secretly Developing Cruise Missile
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010626063827.gjvjk3z4.html

- El Nino Link To Southern Ocean Currents
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/pacific-01b.html

- Japan, US To Develop Technology To Cut CO2 Emissions
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010627043220.x5odpsdz.html

- G8 leaders to be unwitting participants in WWF campaign
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010626190948.el2o0x1c.html

- Kyoto rescue effort runs into money problems
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010626162759.e3m4nq2q.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 536 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jun 27, 2001 (20:21) * 41 lines
Satellite snaps 'before' and 'after' photos of tornado path

NEWSALERT: Wednesday, June 27, 2001 @ 0455 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

SATELLITE IMAGES TELL TALE OF WISCONSIN TORNADO
-----------------------------------------------
The morning after the northwestern Wisconsin town of Siren was leveled by a devastating tornado, the federal Landsat-7 satellite captured its destructive path from space.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/27tornado/

'GRACE TWINS' TO INVESTIGATE THE EARTH SYSTEM
---------------------------------------------
The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment satellite duo is being prepared for launch to carry out gravimetric measurements of the Earth with an unprecedented accuracy, allowing for detection of minor changes in the gravity field caused by the circulating magma in the planet's interior, melting glaciers or changing ocean currents.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/27grace/

CLUSTER'S WHISPERS PROBE ELECTRIFYING PLASMASPHERE
--------------------------------------------------
An astronaut who exits a spacecraft without a spacesuit will die very quickly because there is no air to breathe. However, although space is often regarded as an airless vacuum, it is by no means empty. Spacecraft such as Cluster are built to detect and study the sparse 'soup' of electrified plasma that populates near-Earth space.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/27cluster2/

INTERSPUTNIK REPORTS FAILURE OF EXPRESS-2 SATELLITE
---------------------------------------------------
The Intersputnik International Organization of Space Communications announced Monday that the Express-2 satellite had undergone an emergency de-activation as a result of technical problems with its Earth-orientation system.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/26express2/

SOLAR CONJUNCTION COMING TO END FOR GALILEO
-------------------------------------------
This week the Galileo spacecraft peeks back out from behind the Sun. For about the last three weeks, Jupiter, with Galileo in orbit around it, has been blocked from view by the Sun. During this period of solar conjunction, the radio signal from the spacecraft must pass through the turbulent atmosphere of the Sun.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/26galileothisweek/

ESA AWARDS GIANT CONTRACT FOR NEW ASTRONOMY SATELLITES
------------------------------------------------------
The largest contract ever in the history of European space astronomy has been awarded by ESA to an industrial consortium led by Alcatel Space Industries for the manufacture of two astronomy satellites, the Herschel Space Observatory and Planck.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/26esaaward/

BOEING DELTA 4 TO LAUNCH DSCS-3 A3 FOR USAF
-------------------------------------------
Boeing officials have announced that the U.S. Air Force has assigned a second launch of a Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS) satellite aboard a Boeing Delta 4 rocket.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/26dscs3a3/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 537 of 866: Curious Wolfie  (wolf) * Wed, Jun 27, 2001 (20:43) * 1 lines
don't forget the meteor shower, look out west and don't forget mars in the southern sky. the meteor shower is supposed to last a week (through Jul 2). get comfy and watch the sky!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 538 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jun 28, 2001 (18:29) * 1 lines
Yup, I posted it on 24 ..... thanks for the reminder. Go out, look and enjoy then come back to report your sightings!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 539 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jun 28, 2001 (18:45) * 32 lines
QUICK SPACE

- .COM for Satellite Control Center Automation?
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/industry-01a.html

- DirecTV Shuts Down Satellite Pirates
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/satellite-biz-01j.html

- Boeing Rocketdyne RS-68 First Flight Engine Go for Launch
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/delta4-01j.html

- The Goldilocks Effect: How Other Earths Form Just Right
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/early-earth-01e.html

- Where There's Soup, There's Life
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/life-01w.html

- Rare Orbital Anomaly May Have Caused Global Cooling
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/greenhouse-01q.html

- Subglacial Volcanoes On Mars
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-volcano-01b.html

- Russia To Bring Space Shuttle Back From The Grave
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/russia-space-general-01m.html

- My Way or the SKYway
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/tourism-01y.html

- Russia Test Launches RS-18 ICBM
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/icbm-01i.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 540 of 866: Curious Wolfie  (wolf) * Thu, Jun 28, 2001 (20:45) * 1 lines
i was too sleepy to catch them last night plus we were rather overcast. sooooo....am gonna try again tonight. will let you know what i see. 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 541 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jun 28, 2001 (21:31) * 1 lines
Look for the comet, as well!!!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 542 of 866: Curious Wolfie  (wolf) * Fri, Jun 29, 2001 (09:19) * 1 lines
comet? it was overcast again last night *frown* but i think i accidentally saw mars! is it slightly orange? (no, it's not the sun!!)

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 543 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jun 29, 2001 (12:53) * 28 lines
Mars is very orane compared with other things in the nigth sky. I am hoping tonight will be my turn to see it. Yup, Comet Linear. Go take a look at the Sky and Telescope page I posted yesterday - or see below!

COMET LINEAR HEADING INTO NORTHERN SKIES

Northern Hemisphere observers should finally get a peek at Comet
LINEAR (C/2001 A2) later this week as it quickly moves through Cetus.
The comet was closest to the Sun on May 24th, but will be closest to
the Earth on June 30th (37 million kilometers). Observers at
midnorthern latitudes will see the comet climb higher above the
east-southeast horizon each morning. By the end of the week, Comet
LINEAR should be 10 to 25 deg. high (depending on your latitude) by
the first hints of dawn. LINEAR has faded a little since reaching 3rd
magnitude last week, but it remains a naked-eye object. In a week's
time, however, the comet could fade even more or have yet another
outburst. The comet remains high in the morning sky for Southern
Hemisphere observers, where it will be more than halfway to the zenith
in the eastern sky before dawn. Here are coordinates for Comet LINEAR
for 0 hours Universal Time (in 2000.0 coordinates) for the coming
week:

R.A. Dec.

Jun 23 2h 12m -17.8 deg.
25 1 50 -15.0
27 1 27 -11.9
29 1 04 - 8.5 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 544 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jun 29, 2001 (13:27) * 16 lines
Wandering Mystery Planets

NASA Science News for June 29, 2001

The word 'planet' comes from the Greek word 'wanderer,' but the planets in
our solar system aren't true nomads. They stay close to home, always
circling the Sun. This week scientists using the Hubble Space Telescope
may have discovered a class of genuine planetary wanderers. It seems that
mysterious objects smaller than Jupiter are running loose in globular
cluster M22! Are they planets? No one knows, but astronomers are
planning to find out.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast29jun_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 545 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jun 29, 2001 (14:22) * 42 lines
-----------
QUICK SPACE

- Europe Steps Up Satellite Piracy Crackdown
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/satellite-biz-01k.html

- XM Radio Birds Operating Perfectly
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/life-01t.html

- AsiaSat and Telstra link to stream broadband services to Australia
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010628055513.oso6ra9u.html

- Venus Holds Clues To Finding Earth's Platinum And Diamonds
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/venus-01b.html

- Russia, US to discuss missile defense row in coming days
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010628220024.dapgh4fe.html

- Common Ground Sought for Nuclear Security in 21st Century
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/icbm-01j.html

- Iridium Beefs Asia Pacific Push
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/iridium-01e.html

- Mass Extinction At The Triassic-Jurassic Boundary
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/life-01t.html

- Did A Disturbance In The "Force" Caused The K-T Impact?
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/life-01u.html

- How Trees Changed The World
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/life-01v.html

- Unlocking The Mystery Of Recurring Sea Ice Holes
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/antarctic-01d.html

- UN climate talks show big gaps, storm over US, Japan
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010628203836.vsajplp4.html

- Britain's BNFL eagerly anticipates nuclear power "renaissance"
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010628115256.m4lnqbjs.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 546 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jun 29, 2001 (14:23) * 45 lines
NEWSALERT: Friday, June 29, 2001 @ 0637 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

NASA NAMES THE LAUNCH DAY FOR SHUTTLE ATLANTIS
----------------------------------------------
NASA officials gathered on Thursday for the traditional Flight Readiness Review and affirmed July 12 as the launch date for Atlantis' 11-day mission to deliver the Joint Airlock to the international space station. Liftoff is planned for 5:04 a.m. EDT (0904 GMT).
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage7a/010628frr/

HINTS OF PLANET-SIZED DRIFTERS BEWILDER SCIENTISTS
--------------------------------------------------
Piercing the heart of a globular star cluster with its needle-sharp vision, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has uncovered tantalizing clues to what could potentially be a strange and unexpected population of wandering, planet-sized objects.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/27hubble/

NASA'S MAP PROBE SET FOR WEEKEND LAUNCH
---------------------------------------
Boeing's Delta 2 rocket is slated for launch Saturday to propel a NASA spacecraft on a journey to detect the afterglow of the Big Bang, which scientists hope will shed light on age-old questions about the content, shape, history and the ultimate fate of the universe.
http://spaceflightnow.com/delta/d286/status.html

SPACE TOURISM HEARING TURNS INTO STATION DEBATE
-----------------------------------------------
A Congressional hearing on the nascent space tourism industry Tuesday turned into a debate between Dennis Tito and a NASA official regarding how many people the International Space Station can accommodate.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/27tourism/

CANADA BUYS LOCKHEED MARTIN SATELLITE AND LAUNCH
------------------------------------------------
Telesat Canada has bought a new direct-to-home TV broadcasting satellite and a rocket to launch the craft from Lockheed Martin. The Nimiq 2 spacecraft is due for liftoff from Cape Canaveral atop an Atlas 5 booster in the fourth quarter of 2002.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/29nimiq/

ESA SOLAR MISSION ATTRACTS FOLLOWERS TO TENERIFE
------------------------------------------------
The launch date of Solar Orbiter, ESA's next mission to study the Sun, should be no later than 2010. This was one of the key messages to emerge from the first Solar Orbiter workshop which was held in Tenerife last month.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/29solarorbiter/

FIRST BOEING DELTA 4 ROCKET FLIGHT ENGINE 'GO FOR LAUNCH'
---------------------------------------------------------
The liquid-fueled main engine that will power the first Boeing Delta 4 rocket off the launch pad next spring has completed acceptance testing, clearing the way for the powerplant's attachment to the vehicle in the factory.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/28rs68/

PIONEER OF U.S. HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT DIES
---------------------------------------
John F. Yardley, a leading figure in the early days of human space flight and the Space Shuttle program, died early Tuesday. He was 76.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/28yardley/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 547 of 866: Curious Wolfie  (wolf) * Fri, Jun 29, 2001 (19:06) * 1 lines
am hoping to catch the meteor shower tonight--well, maybe not, i just looked outside to remind myself what the sky was doing and it's overcast again. we need the rain and the nice low humidity but I WANNA SEE THE METEORS! *grin*

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 548 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jun 29, 2001 (23:25) * 1 lines
I also WANNA SEE THE COMET!!! but I gotta go out before dawn to see it. *sigh*

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 549 of 866: Curious Wolfie  (wolf) * Sat, Jun 30, 2001 (11:12) * 1 lines
k i went out for a bit last night and saw nothing but satellites and high aircraft. the dogs wanted out at 4, so bleary-eyed i looked at the stars and saw nothing again! *frown* but i shall not give up, this thing is supposed to last through Monday!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 550 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Jun 30, 2001 (15:39) * 1 lines
Wolfie, at 4am you should have seen the COMET!!! I was awake and I am sure the view from the summit of Mauna Kea was spectacular, but... It is so depressing looking at the underside of clouds when there are such great things going on on the other side! Satellites??? You did not do so bad. This is not one of the better meteor showers. I got my brand new husband out of bed to watch the Geminids which will occur again next month. Wait for them. They are usually spectacular!!!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 551 of 866: Curious Wolfie  (wolf) * Sat, Jun 30, 2001 (15:57) * 1 lines
you got your WHO out of bed?

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 552 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Jun 30, 2001 (16:20) * 1 lines
A bunch of years ago - I was on my honeymoon. My ex was just as curious as I was and we saw nothing but Maine fog! Sorry, I did not make it clear about the time-frame involved. I am not married!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 553 of 866: Curious Wolfie  (wolf) * Sat, Jun 30, 2001 (20:14) * 1 lines
*laugh* think i'm gonna have trouble seeing anything tonight too as the sky has been cloudy all day threatening rain!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 554 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Sun, Jul  1, 2001 (10:29) * 1 lines
Same here, pretty cloudy. 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 555 of 866: Curious Wolfie  (wolf) * Sun, Jul  1, 2001 (13:26) * 1 lines
well, the clouds were starting to break up last night but it is overcast again today. did catch a glimpse of mars again (isn't it in the southern sky?)...did have fantastic dreams about the meteors though! *laugh* will check out the night sky again and let you know!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 556 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sun, Jul  1, 2001 (13:38) * 2 lines
I looked for Mars again last evening. I managed to see the moon though the partial cloudiness, but nothing else. Cloudy this morning so no comet-hunting.
( Mars is the biggest brightest orange thing up there. ) 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 557 of 866: Curious Wolfie  (wolf) * Sun, Jul  1, 2001 (13:53) * 1 lines
this is the only orange orb in my sky anyway and it is sort of high on the horizon and is south to southeast.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 558 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sun, Jul  1, 2001 (17:00) * 1 lines
Yup that's it! Please, no beaming up or letting little green men (otherwise know as BEMs) come get you! Unless, of course, they are your relatives =)

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 559 of 866: Curious Wolfie  (wolf) * Sun, Jul  1, 2001 (18:04) * 1 lines
*laugh* only if they let me bring you with!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 560 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sun, Jul  1, 2001 (21:05) * 41 lines
NEWSALERT: Monday, July 2, 2001 @ 0019 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

CRAFT LAUNCHED TO UNLOCK SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE
------------------------------------------------
A NASA space probe designed to map the afterglow of the Big Bang -- the fossil light from the creation of the universe 14 billion years ago -- was launched into space on Saturday atop a Boeing Delta 2 rocket.
http://spaceflightnow.com/delta/d286/
Read our call of the countdown and launch:
http://spaceflightnow.com/delta/d286/status.html

ESA AND NASA SET NEW CASSINI-HUYGENS PLAN
-----------------------------------------
Managers for an international mission to Saturn have announced a revised plan to work around a telecommunications problem and avoid loss of scientific data after the Cassini spacecraft releases the Huygens probe to descend to the surface of Titan, Saturn's biggest moon, in 2005.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/30huygensfix/

GLITCH HALTS FREE FLIGHT TEST OF NASA'S X-38
--------------------------------------------
NASA X-38 program engineers decided to postpone the seventh free flight of an X-38 vehicle on Friday. The halt came after the X-38, still secured to a wing pylon on NASA's B-52B mother ship, was already airborne.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/30x38delay/

ORBITAL ANOMALY MAY HAVE CAUSED GLOBAL EARTH COOLING
----------------------------------------------------
A rare coincidence of orbital cycles may have caused sudden global cooling 23 million years ago, according to scientists, who used high resolution records and new techniques that allow astronomical calibration to be extended much further back in time.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/02anomaly/

GIANT 'EYEBALL' FURTHERS MEGA-TELESCOPE CONCEPT
-----------------------------------------------
A satellite receiver that works like a giant eyeball has arrived in Sydney for testing, bringing a step closer one idea for the world's next 'mega-telescope' -- an army of giant spheres to collect radio waves from the cosmos, dotted in patches across the landscape.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/02eyeball/

SPACE STATION SENDS BACK FIRST RADIATION DATA
---------------------------------------------
The first series of radiation data collected inside the International Space Station has been transmitted from space to scientists on Earth eager to assess its potential biomedical impacts and implications for future research.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/01issrad/

EXPEDITION TWO SCIENCE OPERATIONS STATUS REPORT
-----------------------------------------------
An experiment that could make the Space Station an even better place to conduct microgravity experiments was undergoing tests this week in the orbiting laboratory. The Active Rack Isolation System is designed to act like a powered shock absorber to dampen vibrations from powered equipment and crew activities.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/30isssci/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 561 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sun, Jul  1, 2001 (21:07) * 1 lines
I'm packing, Wolfie. They want your new ring (now posted on Geo 8)

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 562 of 866: Curious Wolfie  (wolf) * Sun, Jul  1, 2001 (21:37) * 3 lines
*laugh* they wanna see if it's a fake or not!

saw in the paper about a probe thing launched this weekend--yeah, that's the one you mentioned in 560--it's a Microwave Anisotropy Probe....hmmm...wonder if it'll work better than the hubble (wasn't that sent to do the same thing?).

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 563 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sun, Jul  1, 2001 (23:38) * 1 lines
We'll ask Cosmological Mike to take a bearing on it and download the goodies for us. It was a beautiful launch from what I saw on CNN. It covers much different range of the spectrum from what I understand. Fall out and stand by - will check it in the morning when y'all are wider awake!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 564 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Tue, Jul  3, 2001 (09:28) * 24 lines
Wednesday, 27 June, 2001, 08:23 GMT 09:23 UK

Strange glows on Jupiter moon

The white dots seen near the equator are volcanoes

By BBC News Online science editor Dr David Whitehouse

Strange glows have been seen dancing over Jupiter's moon Io. They were
recorded during an eclipse of Io in January, witnessed by the Cassini
spacecraft that was on its way to Saturn.

Cassini's camera captured images of the eclipsed Io in several
colours, ranging from the near-ultraviolet to the near-infrared.

The colour of the diffuse glows tells scientists what elements are
responsible; oxygen and sulphur are the best candidates.

Some of the glows are associated with volcanic eruptions; others are
auroral in nature being caused by Jupiter's titanic magnetic field
wafting over the tiny moon.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_1409000/1409117.stm
,.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 565 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Tue, Jul  3, 2001 (09:30) * 23 lines
Monday July 2 10:20 PM ET

Astronomers Find Solar System Body

By ANDREW BRIDGES, AP Science Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Astronomers announced Monday they have discovered
an icy body that rivals Pluto's moon in size and hints that other
planets may lurk within the far reaches of our solar system.

The object, 2001 KX76, appears to be between 595 and 788 miles across,
making it larger than any known asteroid and, perhaps, even Pluto's
moon Charon. Charon is estimated to be 744 miles in diameter.

A team of astronomers used the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory
in Chile to find the object in images taken on May 22. It orbits the
sun at a distance of about 4 billion miles in the Kuiper Belt of
objects beyond Neptune.

The new object apparently trumps in size all other known objects
beyond the orbit of Neptune, except Pluto itself.



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 566 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Tue, Jul  3, 2001 (09:30) * 22 lines

Varuna points way to 10th solar planet

PARIS: A large asteroid, named Varuna after the lord of the cosmos in
Hindu mythology, has been spotted in the outer fringes of the Solar
System, a discovery which suggests the Sun may have more than nine
planets, astronomers say.

Varuna was detected last November by Arizona-based astronomers in the
Spacewatch Project, a scheme aimed at scouring the asteroid belts to
look, in part, for rogue rocks that could be a potential threat to
Earth.

The spherical object is 900 km in diameter, which makes it only a tad
smaller than Charon, the tiny moon that orbits Pluto, the most distant
of the Sun's nine known planets.

The discovery, by a team led by David Jewitt of the Institute of
Astronomy in Honolulu, is reported last week in Nature, the British
science weekly.

http://www.timesofindia.com/280501/28hlth3.htm

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 567 of 866: Cheryl  (CherylB) * Tue, Jul  3, 2001 (15:05) * 1 lines
Is Pluto still considered a planet? Wasn't there some theory which denied that Pluto was actually a planet, due to its unusual orbit, or something?

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 568 of 866: Curious Wolfie  (wolf) * Tue, Jul  3, 2001 (21:28) * 3 lines
interesting question, cheryl--i think i heard the same thing but never found out the outcome either.

marcia, can you post the dates for the geminoid meteor shower again? (thanks!)

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 569 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jul  4, 2001 (20:32) * 29 lines
QUICK SPACE

- Telesat Buys LockMart Bird And Launch Package
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/telesat-01a.html

- Putin Warns "Fate Of Mankind" Rests On Missile Talks
http://spacedaily.com/news/010702152308.ernkhxkb.html

- DS1 Closing In For Final Act
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/deep1-01e.html

- NASA Opens The Door Atlantis July 12
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/iss-01t.html

- Kuiper Belt Object found possibly as large as Pluto's moon
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/kuiper-01f.html

- Space Station Sends Back First Radiation Data
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/radiation-01i.html

- NASA Taps Hopkins' Applied Physics Lab To Develop Solar Missions
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/solar-program-01a.html

- Giant Eyeball Will Focus MegaScope
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/telescopes-01a.html

- Inter-Governmental Conference on Space Applications Opens in Vietnam
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/unspace-01a.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 570 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jul  4, 2001 (21:24) * 7 lines
Pluto is a moon that went off course. Habit keeps it in the planet category.
Good point.

Terry, interesting articles. I noted them as well but was sidetracked by Wolfie and the rc files for Geo. I did get my little earth logo back, though. Thanks, Wolfie - you reminded me not all commands were in the rc file. *Hugs*

Metoer shower list next 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 571 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jul  4, 2001 (21:36) * 8 lines
As Promised all meteor showers (and there are dozens of them ) are listed with the radiants position illustrated for each one for 2001 along with moon phase:
http://www.imo.net/calendar/cal01.html

Some of
the better-known meteor showers and their approximate dates are: Lyrids, Apr. 21; Perseids, Aug.
12; Orionids, Oct. 20; Taurids, Nov. 4; Leonids, Nov. 16; Geminids, Dec. 13. 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 572 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jul  4, 2001 (21:37) * 1 lines
Remember, those dates are for midnight, so to watch the Perseids in August you might start looking late the evening of the 11th, and so on. 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 573 of 866: _cosmo_  (aa9il) * Wed, Jul  4, 2001 (22:45) * 27 lines
Howdy all

One of the cool things about meteor showers is that it provides
yet another propagation mode for VHF and up (somewhat). This
is in the form of meteor scatter where you bounce signals off
the ionized particles in the upper atmosphere - the trick here
is that you only have a small window of time to send a signal
since the 'mirror' does not last that long. Most if not all
meteor contacts use time slots for stations to transmit and
receive and it might take several slots to make a contact.
Another, even more exotic mode, is high speed meteor scatter
where you send a burst of data off the ionized air. The
basic contact calls for high speed cw (possibly voice?)
and the burst mode is a cw message speed up superfast and
sent via computer. Ive only tried a meteor contact once on
voice since my cw is not quite what it used to be. I did
hear a brief voice burst from the station I was trying to contact
1200 miles away. Neat stuff but Im busy with enuf distractions
right not to take up another facet of the hobby.

73 de AA9IL
Mike
radio cosmo international

p.s. just got my satellite tracking software loaded up and the
latest keps so now I can start doing some sat contacts again! 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 574 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jul  4, 2001 (23:14) * 3 lines
Cosmic One, you need not tell me. My father (W2CWR) had me climbing trees with antennas and doing sightings out the window with a makeshift telephone rig he had hooked up to synchronize the meteors and his reception of the sound. We did it with Aurorae too...

Fantastic about the satellite stuff being up and running again. Meteors are a lot smaller things to aim at than EME transmissions, but are they basically the same? It's all in the timing! And precision aiming of the antennas....and so on and so forth. This is not easy stuff gang!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 575 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jul  4, 2001 (23:15) * 12 lines
Aphelion Away! Earth is far from the Sun on the 4th of July

On the 4th of July, Earth will lie at its greatest distance from the Sun
-- an annual event astronomers call 'aphelion.' But don't expect any
sudden relief from the heat. Indeed, say researchers, our planet is
actually warmer when we're farther from the Sun than at any other time of
year -- an earth science curiosity that this story explains.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast03jul_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 576 of 866: Curious Wolfie  (wolf) * Thu, Jul  5, 2001 (10:14) * 1 lines
along with cosmo's VHF stuff, meteor showers are also a good way to have some perspective on the fact that Earth is indeed a planet and we are floating around in space! sometimes folks think that space is "out there" like a trip to see long lost relatives or going across the ocean, when indeed, we are in the middle of it.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 577 of 866: Curious Wolfie  (wolf) * Thu, Jul  5, 2001 (10:14) * 1 lines
(thanks for the meteor dates, marcia!)

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 578 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jul  5, 2001 (13:28) * 32 lines
NEWSALERT:
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

ASTRONOMERS DISCOVER GIANT KUIPER BELT OBJECT
---------------------------------------------
Astronomers announced Monday that they have discovered an object in the distant Kuiper Belt that could rival Pluto's moon in size. The discovery of is more ammunition in the debate regarding the classification of Pluto, the smallest and most distant planet.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/03kbo/
Read news release announcing discovery
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/03kbo/index2.html

SHUTTLE LAUNCH PADS FILLED FOR SUMMER STATION MISSIONS
------------------------------------------------------
For the first time in 18 months both space shuttle launch pads at Kennedy Space Center are occupied following Monday's rollout of Discovery in preparation for blastoff in August on a mission to exchange the resident crew aboard the international space station. Discovery joins sistership Atlantis, which was rolled out June 21.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage7a1/010702rollout/

MARS-BOUND PROBE ADJUSTS ITS TRAJECTORY
---------------------------------------
NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft fine-tuned its flight path on Monday for arrival at Mars in October as it performed its second trajectory correction maneuver, changing its velocity by about two miles per hour.
http://spaceflightnow.com/mars/odyssey/status.html

BROWN DWARFS ARE STELLAR EMBRYOS EVICTED BY SIBLINGS
----------------------------------------------------
Brown dwarfs, essentially stunted stars, were most likely ejected from newborn, multiple-star systems before they had a chance to accumulate enough mass to ignite the hydrogen in their interiors and flower, according to a new study.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/03evicted/

GALILEO IN QUIET CRUISE MODE
----------------------------
This holiday week sees the Galileo spacecraft continue its normal cruise activities. On Thursday, a standard test of the on-board gyroscopes is performed. Due to repeated dosages of the intense radiation near Jupiter, some of the electronic components used to report data from the gyros have degraded. These periodic tests check the current health of the electronics, and also determine if updates are needed to software parameters.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/03galileothisweek/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 579 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jul  6, 2001 (18:06) * 15 lines
Even Homes in Space Need a Door

The International Space Station may be the most technologically advanced
house ever built, but at the moment it lacks something found in every home
on Earth -- a front door! But not for long. Later this month the space
shuttle is slated to deliver a 6-ton airlock to the ISS. US-suited
astronauts will finally be able to cross the threshold of their own
doorway to space for critical assembly and maintenance tasks -- and for
the most thrilling experience of all: spacewalks. This story includes
animated tours of the new airlock and a movie showing how the station's
robotic arm will install the new chamber.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast06jul_1.htm?list89800

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 580 of 866: Curious Wolfie  (wolf) * Fri, Jul  6, 2001 (20:14) * 1 lines
will it have a welcome mat too? oh yeah, and a seasonal wreath?

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 581 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Jul  7, 2001 (13:19) * 25 lines
A Big Wreath with Twinkling lights and maybe those infernal chip-controlled Christmas tunes which can be so irritating. Stand by for the manger scene!

This weekend on SPACE.com:

STS-104 Coverage Kick-off
-------------------------------------
Come back Sunday for a preview of the upcoming Space Shuttle Atlantis mission. Check out our mission preview, crew bios, countdown clock and more!

Images from Space
-------------------------------------
* New Image Gallery: Chandra's First Two Years
http://www.space.com/php/multimedia/imagegallery/
The Chandra X-Ray Observatory stunned scientists in its first two years of exploring deep space, revealing sights and cosmological insights few had even dared to anticipate.

* New! Thirty satellite views from Space just added!
http://www.space.com/php/multimedia/imagepump/
Check out thirty stunning new satellite images courtesy of Space Imaging. We've added wonderful views of Washington State, incredible images of Italy, and more! Zoom in today!

SPACE.com TV
-------------------------------------
* Rockets Red Glare
http://www.space.com/spacetv/
Still can't get enough of the July 4th celebration? Join us this weekend for at retro-rockets! 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 582 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Jul  7, 2001 (13:47) * 56 lines
NEWSALERT: Saturday, July 7, 2001 @ 1430 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

HUBBLE CAPTURES BEST VIEW OF MARS OBTAINED FROM EARTH
-----------------------------------------------------
Frosty white water ice clouds and swirling orange dust storms above a vivid rusty landscape reveal Mars as a dynamic planet in this sharpest view ever obtained by an Earth-based telescope.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/05hstmars/

OUR GALAXY'S SISTER IS A CANNIBAL, ASTRONOMERS SAY
--------------------------------------------------
The large spiral galaxy called Andromeda is devouring a couple of small neighboring dwarf galaxies, astronomers report. The evidence of galactic dismemberment is a stream of stars on the outskirts of Andromeda that appears to have been stripped from two dwarf galaxies by their larger companion.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/06cannibal/

FIRST SPACE STATION PLANTS, SEEDS HEADED TO EARTH
-------------------------------------------------
The Expedition Two crew continued to prepare the first plants and seeds produced on the International Space Station for their return trip on shuttle Atlantis set to visit the orbiting laboratory next week. The plants are the first to successfully go through germination, growth and seed development aboard the station.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/06isssci/

SOUNDS OF A STAR
----------------
Sound waves running through a star can help astronomers reveal its inner properties. In the case of our Sun, such waves have greatly improved our knowledge about what is going on inside. However, because they are much fainter, it has turned out to be very difficult to detect similar waves in other stars. But now waves have been detected in a solar-twin star.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/06astroseismology/

HOW FAST DOES THE WORLD TURN?
-----------------------------
A discovery that may someday help measure how clouds and earthquakes change Earth's rotation has come from an experiment that made friction-free helium whistle.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/06worldturn/

RAPID HEARTBEAT IN ANDROMEDA YIELDS DISCOVERY
---------------------------------------------
There are many kinds of celestial objects in the Universe but we are far from knowing them all. XMM-Newton may have discovered a new one: a very luminous soft X-ray source that is pulsating extremely rapidly in the central region of the Andromeda galaxy. This unusual object could be a new kind of accreting white dwarf.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/05andromeda/

'STAR WARS' CRYO TANK GETS NEW LIFE WITH NASA
---------------------------------------------
A multi-million-dollar cryogenic chamber, erected as part of Air Force research for President Reagan's 1980s Strategic Defense Initiative, will soon be helping NASA develop space science capabilities for the 21st century.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/05cryotank/

EATING RIGHT FOR LONG-DURATION SPACE MISSIONS
---------------------------------------------
A study released of astronauts who lived aboard the Russian space station Mir, and counterparts living in seclusion on Earth, has validated a tool for measuring astronauts' dietary intake during long space flights.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/04spaceeat/

NASA NAMES CREW TO STS-111 SPACE STATION MISSION
------------------------------------------------
NASA has named three astronauts to the crew of space shuttle mission STS-111, scheduled to launch in 2002 to deliver a new International Space Station resident crew and a Canadian-built mobile base for the orbiting outpost's robotic arm. STS-111 is also the second space shuttle mission dedicated to delivering research equipment to the space platform.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/04sts111/

EUTELSAT SETS NEW COURSE AS A PRIVATE COMPANY
---------------------------------------------
The assets and activities of the European Telecommunications Satellite intergovernmental organization were transferred on July 2 into Eutelsat S.A., a limited liability company headquartered in Paris. This establishes Eutelsat on a level playing field for furthering its expansion in the global telecommunications market.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/04eutelsat/ 




 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 583 of 866: Cheryl  (CherylB) * Sat, Jul  7, 2001 (15:31) * 1 lines
Marcia, on the subject of "those infernal chip-controlled Christmas tunes which can be so irritating"; since space is a vacuum and sound isn't supposed to travel in a vacuum. Well, they could always hang the wreath with the offending seasonal music on the inside of the "front door".

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 584 of 866: Curious Wolfie  (wolf) * Sat, Jul  7, 2001 (16:17) * 1 lines
off the subject but--is anyone else having trouble seeing the new posts when they open up a conference? i found this one answering another topic, same conference, by scrolling all the way down to see the last 5 posts.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 585 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sun, Jul  8, 2001 (00:33) * 3 lines
Yes, Cheryl! But, since Space abhors a vacuum, the sound will again fill the void. We are doomed to chiped Christmas tunes unless we remove the chips (have done that more than a few times!)

Wolfie, not so far and you are sound asleep now. Perhaps Spring misses The Master?!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 586 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Jul  9, 2001 (13:45) * 42 lines
SPACEDAILY EXPRESS - July 9, 2001

- sponsored by -
APSC - Satellite Launching, Simplified
http://www.apsc2orbit.com
---------------------------------------------

-----------
QUICK SPACE

- Artemis On Course For Launch Thursday
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/artemis-01b.html

- Japan to launch H-2A rocket on August 25
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010704102207.11nsyx4i.html

- NASA plans test flight for solar-powered wing
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010705231718.9gvhiglf.html

- Hubble Captures Best View Of Mars Ever Obtained From Earth
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-general-01f.html

- Ancient Volcanoes Were A Wipe Out
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/early-earth-01f.html

- System Would Harness GPS Signals To Study Environment
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/gps-01i.html

- Nigeria Establishes Space Office
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/nigeria-01a.html

- Japanese Tourist Operator Opens Space Division
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/tourism-01z.html

- Iraq tests modified anti-aircraft missile: Kuwaiti paper
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010708085346.y4cckgwo.html

- Pentagon to conduct missile-interception test on July 14
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010707003815.9rsgo4wu.html

- Schweizer Ships UAV Prototype To Northrop Grumman
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/uav-01h.html

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 587 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Jul  9, 2001 (13:46) * 83 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Images Stir Life on Mars Debate
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/clarke_mars_banyon_010709-1.html

Mars has turned into a red planet Rorschach test. Depending on who is doing the looking, pictures snapped by the orbiting Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) clearly show a world of big time biota, from fields of vegetation and towering Banyan trees, to blotches of bacteria and even a giant circuit board.

* Hubble Views Mars at its Closest to Earth
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/mars_hubble_010705.html

The powerful Hubble Space Telescope has snapped the best images of Mars ever taken from Earth. Sharp-eyed optics on the orbiting facility resolved features on the red planet as small as 10 miles (15 kilometers) across.

* New Image Gallery: Chandra's First Two Years
http://www.space.com/php/multimedia/imagegallery/

The Chandra X-Ray Observatory stunned scientists in its first two years of exploring deep space, revealing sights and cosmological insights few had even dared to anticipate.

-----------------------------------

Today in Missions/Launches:

* Complete Coverage: STS-104 Atlantis Mission to Station Alpha
http://www.space.com/shuttlemissions/

Shuttle Atlantis and five astronauts are poised to blast off this week on a mission to deliver an airlock to the International Space Station, capping the first full phase of a $60 billion orbital construction project.

Check out our mission preview, live video, countdown clock and more!

* Apparent Illegal Aliens Captured Near Shuttle Launch Pads
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/launches/ksc_security_010706.html

More than a dozen young Asian men and women that appeared to be illegal aliens were apprehended Friday within scant miles of NASA space shuttle launch pads at Kennedy Space Center, security officials said.

------------------------------------

Today in Business/Industry:

* NASA Reviews Proposal Expanding X-37 Project
http://www.space.com/spacenews/americas/x37_070601.html

As the U.S. Air Force considers taking a larger role in the X-37 experimental space vehicle effort, NASA is weighing a Boeing proposal that would expand the program to include a second flight unit. One of the vehicles under Boeing's proposal would be used for atmospheric testing only, program officials said.

------------------------------------

* SpaceTV:
http://www.space.com/spacetv/index.php3

* Space Age Gear:
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/space_gear-1.html

* SpaceWatch:
http://www.space.com/spacewatch/index.html

* Uplink: Share your opinion!
http://uplink.space.com/index.html

-------------------------------------

SOLAR and SPACE WEATHER (July 9, 2001)

3-Day Solar Forecast
Solar activity is expected to be low. But Sunspot Region 9531, which was numbered over the weekend and has been growing rapidly, is a likely source of additional low-level (C-class) solar flares.

3-Day Aurora Forecast
Earth's geomagnetic field is expected to be mainly quiet to unsettled for the next three days. Isolated active periods may also occur as the speed of the solar wind fluctuates.

Solar Data
The current sunspot number is 101, and the solar wind speed recently clocked in at 416 kilometers per second (930,563 mph). The solar wind density was 5.3 protons per cubic centimeter. (Speed and density values are snapshots in time and change during the day.)
http://www.space.com/spacewatch/space_weather.html

-------------------------------------
Sign up to become part of the greatest search in history! Join TeamSETI:
http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_science_page.html

Subscribe to SPACE Illustrated magazine and save 46% off the cover price!
http://www.space.com/subscribe/index.php3

Be a desktop astronomer! Starry Night is the world's leading astronomy software -- choose between Beginner, Backyard, or Pro!
http://www.starrynight.com/index.html
------------------------------------- 




 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 588 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Jul  9, 2001 (13:48) * 39 lines
NEWSALERT: Monday, July 9, 2001 @ 1616 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

COUNTDOWN TICKING ALONG FOR THURSDAY'S SHUTTLE LAUNCH
-----------------------------------------------------
NASA started up its countdown clock today for Thursday's planned launch of space shuttle Atlantis on a mission that aims to complete the first phase of international space station assembly, but stormy weather in Florida could be an obstacle in getting the ship airborne before an imposed deadline next Tuesday.

http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage7a/010709lminus3/

Astronauts arrive for launch:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

STS-104 MISSION THEATER IS NOW OPEN
-----------------------------------
Sign up today for Spaceflight Now's Mission Theater Package, your front row seat for video coverage of shuttle Atlantis' mission to deliver the Joint Airlock "Quest" to the International Space Station. You will gain access to online video clips, plus receive an embroidered mission patch like those worn by the astronauts and a VHS tape featuring the daily mission highlights and additional launch and landing footage.
http://spaceflightnow.com/theater/

NASA, BOEING DISPUTE MAJOR TDRS PROBLEM
---------------------------------------
NASA's new $200-million Boeing Satellite Systems TDRS-H tracking and data relay satellite has malfunctioned in geosynchronous orbit. As a result, upgrades to the critical TDRS relay constellation are being delayed and, to date, NASA has refused to take ownership of the platform from the contractor.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/08tdrs/

ILS BEATS ARIANE, BOEING ON FIRST EELV
--------------------------------------
International Launch Services and Eutelsat are completing arrangements for the launch of a European Eutelsat spacecraft on the first flight of the Lockheed Martin Atlas V in May 2002.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/08atlas5/

CHANDRA VIEWS VELA PULSAR
-------------------------
In this wide-angle view, the Vela pulsar and its pulsar wind nebula are seen against a background of clouds, or filaments, of multi-million degree Celsius gas. These clouds are part of a huge sphere of hot expanding gas produced by the supernova explosion associated with the creation of the Vela pulsar about 10,000 years ago.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/07chandra/

SYSTEM WOULD HARNESS GPS TO STUDY ENVIRONMENT
---------------------------------------------
Engineers at Purdue University and NASA have developed a new technique for monitoring the environment by using routine signals that already are being beamed to Earth by global positioning systems.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/07gps/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 589 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jul 10, 2001 (18:21) * 11 lines
Morning Coffee and Planets

NASA Science News for July 10, 2001

Beginning Friday the 13th -- a lucky day for stargazers -- four planets,
the Moon, and a giant red star will put on a dazzling show for
early-rising sky watchers.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast10jul_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 590 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jul 10, 2001 (18:23) * 38 lines
QUICK SPACE

- Marshall Paints Possibility For New Earthly Materials On ISS
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/materials-01q.html

- U.Hawai'i Researchers Propose New Geological Formation Theory
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/tectonics-01e.html

- Superconductivity Taken To The Nanoth Degree
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/carbon-01b.html

- Inflatable Spacecraft Technology Detailed In New Book
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/future-01h.html

- Inflatable Wings Given A Flutter
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/plane-inflatable-wing-01a.html

- Vladimir's Postcards From Proto-Mars
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-base-01a.html

- East Meets West With Double Star
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/china-01zk.html

- 16 illegal immigrants arrested near space shuttle launch site
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010709223052.muhkh5s7.html

- US Defense Secretary plays down next missile defense test
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010710031221.1a2r3cbn.html

- Pacific provides target practice for US ballistic missile test
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010710011949.rlxrhl55.html

- Mixed results in Patriot missile defense test: army
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010709221658.jvybups4.html

- Japan pumping out growing levels of greenhouse gases
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010710073557.vazc55k7.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 591 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jul 10, 2001 (18:24) * 74 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* The Origin of Sex: Cosmic Solution to Ancient Mystery
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/origin_sex_010710.html

Comets and asteroids have been blamed for a lot of things before. Shaping Earth. Jumpstarting life. Wiping out dinosaurs. Even possibly altering human evolution.

* Hubble Unveils Unique Stars in Nearby Galaxy
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/hubble_cluster_010710.html

The simple, four-star constellation in the southern sky known as Dorado, or Goldfish, was named by the German astronomer Johann Bayer because it looked to him like a Piscean backbone. But like all things in the Universe, the Dorado constellation is not as simple as it seems.

* Distant Swollen Stars Spotted by Hubble Telescope
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/single_stars_010709.html

Red giants are ancient objects that have exhausted their primary fuel and have little time left in their stellar lives. They are huge and bloated, like a man once fit but now sapped of energy, flopping on the couch and expanding during the second half of his life.

-----------------------------------

Today in Missions/Launches:

* Complete Coverage: STS-104 Atlantis Mission to Station Alpha
http://www.space.com/shuttlemissions/

Shuttle Atlantis and five astronauts are poised to blast off this week on a mission to deliver an airlock to the International Space Station, capping the first full phase of a $60 billion orbital construction project.

Check out our mission preview, live video, countdown clock and more!

* Atlantis Crew to Test Fly New, Safer Shuttle Main Engine
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/missions/sts104_pump_010710-1.html

Five astronauts can expect the safest ride to orbit in the history of piloted spaceflight this week, thanks to an improved main engine that will be tested in flight for the first time when shuttle Atlantis lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center.

------------------------------------

Today in Business/Industry:

* U.S. Senators Urge Bush to Block Satellite Exports to China
http://www.space.com/spacenews/spacepolicy/china_070901.html

The White House is under mounting pressure from several key senators to block the export of communications satellites being built for China, a move that could set the tone for U.S.-China trade relations, according to sources and documents.

------------------------------------

* SpaceTV:
http://www.space.com/spacetv/index.php3

* Space Age Gear:
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/space_gear-1.html

* SpaceWatch:
http://www.space.com/spacewatch/index.html

* Uplink: Share your opinion!
http://uplink.space.com/index.html

-------------------------------------

SOLAR and SPACE WEATHER (July 10, 2001)

3-Day Solar Forecast
Solar activity is expected to be predominantly low. Sunspot Region 9531 and returning regions expected on the east limb of the Sun may be potential sources of isolated moderate activity within the next three days.

3-Day Aurora Forecast
Earth's geomagnetic field is expected to be predominantly quiet to unsettled for the next three days.

Solar Data
The current sunspot number is 109, and the solar wind speed recently clocked in at 391 kilometers per second (874,640 mph).

The solar wind density was 6.6 protons per cubic centimeter. (Speed and density values are snapshots in time and change during the day.)
http://www.space.com/spacewatch/space_weather.html

------------------------------------- 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 592 of 866: Curious Wolfie  (wolf) * Tue, Jul 10, 2001 (21:33) * 1 lines
i can still see mars. what's the giant red star? i see several that twinkle from blue to green to red to white.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 593 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jul 10, 2001 (21:40) * 1 lines
Antares (which means "rival of Mars")is the other star of the same hue in the southern sky. Antares is midway down Scorpio's body (the scorpion).

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 594 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jul 10, 2001 (23:21) * 45 lines
NEWSALERT: Wednesday, July 10, 2001 @ 0234 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

SECURITY BREACH FORCES TIGHTER SHUTTLE PROTECTION
-------------------------------------------------
Security forces are sharply increasing the surveillance and overall level of anti-terrorist protection around the space shuttle launch pads this week ahead of the scheduled launch of the orbiter Atlantis and its five-member crew early Thursday.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/09capesecurity/

TROUBLE-FREE COUNTDOWN CONTINUES FOR ATLANTIS
---------------------------------------------
Technicians have loaded Atlantis' electricity-producing fuel cells Tuesday as the countdown continues smoothly for Thursday's predawn liftoff of the 105th space shuttle flight. NASA says the weather is currently the only concern for an on-time launch.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

STS-104 MISSION THEATER IS NOW OPEN
-----------------------------------
Sign up today for Spaceflight Now's Mission Theater Package, your front row seat for video coverage of shuttle Atlantis' mission to deliver the Joint Airlock "Quest" to the International Space Station. You will gain access to online video clips, plus receive an embroidered mission patch like those worn by the astronauts and a VHS tape featuring the daily mission highlights and additional launch and landing footage.
http://spaceflightnow.com/theater/

X-38 FLIGHT PROVES NEW SPACE RESCUE TECHNOLOGIES
------------------------------------------------
An advanced X-38 prototype International Space Station "lifeboat" floated to a successful touchdown at 2:00 p.m. EDT today under the world's largest parafoil at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards, Calif. This is the seventh free flight test for the X-38 project, ultimately intended to produce a vehicle capable of evacuating a seven-person crew from the station in an emergency.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/10x38/

ATLAS LAUNCH OF WEATHER SATELLITE DELAYED TO JULY 22
----------------------------------------------------
Sunday's launch of the next U.S. weather satellite is being postponed one week so technicians can make repairs to part of the Lockheed Martin Atlas rocket's guidance system.
http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/ac142/010710delay.html

HUBBLE TELESCOPE IMAGES REMARKABLE DOUBLE CLUSTER
-------------------------------------------------
The Double Cluster NGC 1850, found in one of our neighboring galaxies, the Large Magellanic Cloud, is an eye-catching object. It is a young globular-like star cluster - a type of object unknown in our own Milky Way galaxy. Moreover, NGC 1850 is surrounded by a pattern of filamentary nebulosity thought to have been created during supernova blasts.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/10hubble/

EAST MEETS WEST ON 'DOUBLE STAR' SCIENTIFIC MISSION
---------------------------------------------------
A new phase in ESA-China scientific collaboration was officially given the green light today at ESA Headquarters in Paris with an historic agreement between ESA and the Chinese National Space Administration to develop a joint project known as 'Double Star'.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/10doublestar/

GALILEO TO PERFORM ORBITAL MANEUVER THIS WEEK
---------------------------------------------
Cruise activities continue for the Galileo spacecraft this week. On Friday, the craft performs an Orbit Trim Maneuver to adjust its path to accurately reach the next close flyby of Io in early August.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/10galileothisweek/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 595 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jul 11, 2001 (23:52) * 15 lines
Sizzling Comets Circle a Dying Star

NASA Science News for July 11, 2001

Astronomers have detected a massive cloud of water vapor around an aging
star. It could be the telltale sign of innumerable dying comets -- and a
glimpse of things to come in our own solar system. This story includes an
animation of the Sun billions of years from now swelling to engulf the
inner planets.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast11jul_1.htm?list89800 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 596 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jul 12, 2001 (21:11) * 34 lines
SPACEDAILY EXPRESS - July 12, 2001

- sponsored by -
APSC - Satellite Launching, Simplified
http://www.apsc2orbit.com
---------------------------------------------

-----------
QUICK SPACE

- Dawn Window Opens For Space Shuttle Atlantis
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010710190743.fh9jzq6h.html

- The Moon And Plate Tectonics: Why We Are Alone
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/life-01x1.html

- WildBlue Hopes Mentat Gateways Will Solve Satellite IP Limits
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/internet-01n.html

- Underwater Alchemists Watch The Gold Mount Up
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/materials-01p.html

- Twelve more moons for Saturn
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010711180158.dpjhx68o.html

- US Defense Secretary plays down next missile defense test
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010710031221.1a2r3cbn.html

- Alaskan test sites could serve as rudimentary missile defense
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010712020835.ekndwe70.html

- Understanding The Impact Of More C02 On Crop Growing
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/food-01e.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 597 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jul 12, 2001 (21:21) * 73 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Water Vapor, Possible Comets, Found Orbiting Star
http://www.space.com/searchforlife/swas_water_010711.html

A lesser-known NASA probe has found vast quantities of water vapor circling an aging, massive star, a cloud that likely comes from a melting belt of icy comets that could be remnants of a distant planetary system there.

* Saturn Crowned Queen of Adornment
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/saturn_moons_010711.html

Saturn is now on top as the planet with the most moons in its gravitational grasp.

* Download New Hubble Wallpaper Images for your Desktop
http://www.space.com/php/multimedia/downloads/wallpapers/

Back by popular demand, check out our new Hubble wallpaper images!

-----------------------------------

Today in Missions/Launches:

* Shuttle Atlantis on its Way to Space Station Alpha
http://www.space.com/shuttlemissions/

Shuttle Atlantis and an all-American astronaut crew blasted off from Kennedy Space Center Thursday, setting out on what will amount to a high-stakes game of "Beat The Clock" at the International Space Station.

* New Image Gallery: STS-104 Launch Day in Pictures
http://www.space.com/php/multimedia/imagegallery/

A selection of images -- some classic, some unique -- that tell the launch day story of Atlantis' STS-104 mission to carry the Quest airlock to the International Space Station on July 12, 2001.

* Amelia Earhart Plane Possibly Spotted By Satellite
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/missions/amelia_plane_010711.html

The wreckage of Amelia Earhart's ditched-at-sea aircraft may have been found. High-resolution satellite imagery of Nikumaroro Island in the southwest Pacific has detected what may be remains of the plane resting in water within a coral atoll.

------------------------------------

Today in Business/Industry:

* X-33 Engines Slated For Thursday Hot Fire
http://www.space.com/spacenews/americas/x33_x33_7012.html

The engines built for the NASA-Lockheed Martin X-33 are expected to rumble to life Thursday, July 12 as NASA resumes testing of the engines despite the overall program’s cancellation earlier this year.

------------------------------------

* SpaceTV:
http://www.space.com/spacetv/index.php3

* Space Age Gear:
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/space_gear-1.html

* SpaceWatch:
http://www.space.com/spacewatch/index.html

* Uplink: Share your opinion!
http://uplink.space.com/index.html

-------------------------------------

SOLAR and SPACE WEATHER (July 12, 2001)

3-Day Solar Forecast
Solar activity is expected to be at very low to low levels. Three new regions were numbered Wednesday: 9536 (N11E40), 9537 (S07E39), and 9538 (N17E86).

3-Day Aurora Forecast
Earth's geomagnetic field activity is expected to continue at mostly quiet to unsettled levels for the next three days.

Solar Data
The current sunspot number is 115, and the solar wind speed recently clocked in at 366 kilometers per second (818,716 mph). The solar wind density was 4.9 protons per cubic centimeter. (Speed and density values are snapshots in time and change during the day.)
http://www.space.com/spacewatch/space_weather.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 598 of 866: Curious Wolfie  (wolf) * Thu, Jul 12, 2001 (21:46) * 1 lines
antares--is it in scorpio's tale? i just came back in from outside and saw scorpio--mars was off to the left almost straight across from this other bright orange star that flickers a bit in the middle of scorpio's tale.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 599 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jul 12, 2001 (22:58) * 1 lines
That's it - as we have ascertained. Just wait till Fall gets here and Betelgeuse in Orion shows up! If you prefer blue stars, Rigel is nice. If you like diamond-sparkles, Sirius is unbeatable! Soon! Right now you can see outer space with the naked eye - the Andromeda Galaxy!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 600 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jul 13, 2001 (14:32) * 50 lines
NEWSALERT: Friday, July 13, 2001 @ 0500 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

ARIANE 5 FALLS SHORT
--------------------
Europe's Ariane 5 commercial rocket suffered a major setback Thursday when it failed to deliver a pricey experimental communications technology satellite and a TV broadcasting spacecraft into the correct orbit, possibly resulting in a $1 billion loss.
http://spaceflightnow.com/ariane/v142/
Read our countdown and launch status center:
http://spaceflightnow.com/ariane/v142/status.html

ATLANTIS LAUNCHES DOORWAY FOR SPACE STATION ALPHA
-------------------------------------------------
The space shuttle Atlantis, carrying a $164 million airlock module for the international space station, streaked into orbit early Thursday after a flawless countdown, putting on a spectacular sky show as it climbed aloft and rocketed away up the east coast.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage7a/010712launch/

Follow tonight's docking in our live status center:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

STS-104 MISSION THEATER IS NOW OPEN
-----------------------------------
Sign up today for Spaceflight Now's Mission Theater Package, your front row seat for video coverage of shuttle Atlantis' mission to deliver the Joint Airlock "Quest" to the International Space Station. You will gain access to online video clips, plus receive an embroidered mission patch like those worn by the astronauts and a VHS tape featuring the daily mission highlights and additional launch and landing footage.
http://spaceflightnow.com/theater/

SCIENTISTS: WATER-BEARING WORLDS BEYOND SOLAR SYSTEM
----------------------------------------------------
As an alien sun blazes through its death throes, it is apparently vaporizing a surrounding swarm of comets, releasing a huge cloud of water vapor. The discovery from NASA's SWAS satellite provides the first evidence that extra-solar planetary systems contain water, a molecule that is an essential ingredient for known forms of life.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/11swas/

ELECTROMAGNETIC BLACK HOLES CAUSE GAMMA-RAY BURSTS?
---------------------------------------------------
A team of scientists, using data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory on the X-ray afterglow from a gamma-ray burst, has proposed that these mysterious explosions represent the formation of an electromagnetic black hole. This could be the first evidence of the explosive extraction of energy from an electromagnetic black hole.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/13grb/

HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE INCREASES NASA BUDGET
----------------------------------------
An appropriations subcommittee of the US House of Representatives added more than $400 million dollars to NASA's proposed budget Tuesday, including restoring funds for a crew return vehicle for the space station.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/11housebudget/

GREATER SOLAR ACTIVITY MAY BRING U.S. MORE GRAY DAYS
----------------------------------------------------
NASA-funded Earth Science researchers have discovered that during periods of increased solar activity much of the United States becomes cloudier, possibly because the jet stream in the troposphere moves northward causing changes to regional climate patterns.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/13graydays/

NASA SCIENTIST FINDS CLUE TO POSSIBLE EVOLUTIONARY SHIFT
--------------------------------------------------------
A team of researchers, including a NASA scientist, reports that an early-life nitrogen crisis may have triggered a critical evolutionary leap about 2 billion years ago.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/13evolutionary/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 601 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jul 13, 2001 (14:41) * 26 lines
SPACEDAILY EXPRESS - July 13, 2001
- sponsored by -
APSC - Satellite Launching, Simplified
http://www.apsc2orbit.com
---------------------------------------------
-----------
QUICK SPACE

- Ariane 5 Upper Stage Fails To Deliver Twin Birds To GEO
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/ariane-01e.html

- Shenzhou-2 Mission Achieves Technology Breakthroughs
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/china-01zl.html

- Russia slams US accelaration of missile program
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010713090126.iz2cjbzb.html

- US defense secretary: time to "move beyond" ABM treaty
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010712181318.d3l8ba61.html

- US tells allies and Russia it intends to break missile treaty
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010712143118.60ai8bw2.html

- Dawn Window Opens For Space Shuttle Atlantis
http://www.spacedaily.com/ for latest updates 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 602 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jul 13, 2001 (14:59) * 59 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Glowing Rings Found Common To All Magnetic Stars
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/star_magnetic_010713.html
Wouldn't it be nice if every one of us were all young and hot, with plenty in common? This kind of homogeneity just doesn't exist on Earth, but in space, scientists have found that between magnetic stars, this is the case.

* Strong Bursts Linked to Electrically Charged Black Holes
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/planetearth/magnetic_gamma_010713.html
The source of short but intense bursts of energy known as gamma-ray bursts, which in recent years have been spotted coming from all regions of the universe, have puzzled scientists for three decades. Now a survey of existing data from three telescopes provides one possible explanation.

* Water Vapor, Possible Comets, Found Orbiting Star
http://www.space.com/searchforlife/swas_water_010711.html
A lesser-known NASA probe has found vast quantities of water vapor circling an aging, massive star, a cloud that likely comes from a melting belt of icy comets that could be remnants of a distant planetary system there.

-----------------------------------

Today in Missions/Launches:

* LIVE Docking Coverage Tonight: Shuttle Closes In On Station Alpha
http://www.space.com/shuttlemissions/
Shuttle Atlantis and its five orbital assembly workers cruised along in hot pursuit of the International Space Station Friday as the crew onboard the outpost prepared to resume construction at the frontier complex.

* New Image Gallery: STS-104 Launch Day in Pictures
http://www.space.com/php/multimedia/imagegallery/
A selection of images -- some classic, some unique -- that tell the launch day story of Atlantis' STS-104 mission to carry the Quest airlock to the International Space Station on July 12, 2001.

* NASA Considers Mothballing Shuttle Columbia
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/launches/ov102_010712.html
NASA's oldest shuttle orbiter might be mothballed as part of an agency bid to deal with a projected budget shortfall of about $800 million over the next six years, officials said Thursday.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:
* Ariane 5 Leaves Two Satellites in Wrong Orbit
http://www.space.com/spacenews/launchindustry/satellites_071201.html
The July 12 launch of an Ariane 5 rocket put two satellites into too low an orbit, raising questions about whether either could be placed into operation.

------------------------------------
* SpaceTV:
http://www.space.com/spacetv/index.php3
* Space Age Gear:
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/space_gear-1.html
* SpaceWatch:
http://www.space.com/spacewatch/index.html
* Uplink: Share your opinion!
http://uplink.space.com/index.html
-------------------------------------

SOLAR and SPACE WEATHER (July 13, 2001)

3-Day Solar Forecast
Solar activity is expected to be at very low to low levels through Sunday.

3-Day Aurora Forecast
Earth's geomagnetic field activity is expected to continue at mostly quiet to unsettled levels through Sunday.

Solar Data
The current sunspot number is 119, and the solar wind speed recently clocked in at 360 kilometers per second (805,295 mph). The solar wind density was 3.9 protons per cubic centimeter. (Speed and density values are snapshots in time and change during the day.)
http://www.space.com/spacewatch/space_weather.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 603 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Jul 16, 2001 (15:42) * 14 lines
Planet Gobbling Dust Storms

NASA Science News for July 16, 2001

A massive dust storm --the largest in 25 years and still growing-- has
erupted on Mars. It's so big that amateur astronomers using modest
telescopes can see it from Earth. And the cloud has raised the temperature
of the frigid Martian atmosphere by a stunning 30 degrees Celsius. This
story includes movies of the ongoing storm and explains how Martian dust
storms can grow so large.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast16jul_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 604 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Jul 16, 2001 (18:28) * 61 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Zooming In On Mars: The Road to Human Missions
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/mro_spysat_010716-1.html
Putting a zoom lens on the Red Planet is the camera-toting task for NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO).

* Glowing Rings Found Common To All Magnetic Stars
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/star_magnetic_010713.html
Wouldn't it be nice if every one of us were all young and hot, with plenty in common? This kind of homogeneity just doesn't exist on Earth, but in space, scientists have found that between magnetic stars, this is the case.

* Water Vapor, Possible Comets, Found Orbiting Star
http://www.space.com/searchforlife/swas_water_010711.html
A lesser-known NASA probe has found vast quantities of water vapor circling an aging, massive star, a cloud that likely comes from a melting belt of icy comets that could be remnants of a distant planetary system there.

-----------------------------------

Today in Missions/Launches:
* Astronauts Start Outfitting Station Airlock for Orbital Debut
http://www.space.com/shuttlemissions/
Shuttle Atlantis hauled the International Space Station into a higher orbit late Sunday as astronauts aboard the linked ships started outfitting the outpost's new airlock for its debut during a spacewalk later this week.

* U.S. Ballistic Missile-Shield Program Passes Test; Mock Warhead Destroyed
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/missile_test_update_010715.html
The Defense Department shot down a mock warhead over the Pacific Ocean late on Saturday in a successful test of a controversial anti-ballistic missile defense.

* New Image Gallery: George Shelton's Work as Art
http://www.space.com/php/multimedia/imagegallery/
For more than a decade, George Shelton's job has been to photograph the activity at the Cape. His task: help NASA tell its story by creating official images for release to the news media. Here are some his favorites, with his explanation of what makes the image special to him.

------------------------------------

Today in Business/Industry:

* Board to Study Possible Causes of July 12 Ariane 5 Failure
http://www.space.com/spacenews/launchindustry/newariane_071301.html
An independent board of inquiry will be created by July 16 to examine the causes of the Ariane 5 rocket failure that left two telecommunications satellites in the wrong orbit July 12, Arianespace officials announced here July 13.

------------------------------------

* SpaceTV:
http://www.space.com/spacetv/index.php3
* Space Age Gear:
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/space_gear-1.html
* SpaceWatch:
http://www.space.com/spacewatch/index.html
* Uplink: Share your opinion!
http://uplink.space.com/index.html

-------------------------------------

SOLAR and SPACE WEATHER (July 16, 2001)
3-Day Solar Forecast
Solar activity is expected to be at mostly low levels with a chance for isolated moderate (M-class) solar flares.

3-Day Aurora Forecast
Earth's geomagnetic field is expected to be at quiet to active levels during the first two days of the forecast period, due to possible coronal hole effects. Conditions should subside to quiet to unsettled levels on Wednesday.

Solar Data
The current sunspot number is 142, and the solar wind speed recently clocked in at 430 kilometers per second (961,880 mph). The solar wind density was 7.0 protons per cubic centimeter. (Speed and density values are snapshots in time and change during the day.)
http://www.space.com/spacewatch/space_weather.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 605 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jul 17, 2001 (18:41) * 32 lines
NEWSALERT: Tuesday, July 17, 2001 @ 1549 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

NASA MANAGERS EXTEND SHUTTLE FLIGHT BY ONE DAY
----------------------------------------------
Space agency officials have decided to add an extra day to the Atlantis mission to relax the workload for the crews in preparation for the first spacewalk from the new airlock. Work is running about a half-day behind schedule due to an earlier problem with the cooling system and a leaky ventilation valve.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html
See our comprehensive video coverage:
http://spaceflightnow.com/theater/

INQUIRY BOARD NAMED TO PROBE ARIANE 5 FAILURE
---------------------------------------------
The outside investigative panel charged with determining why the Ariane 5 rocket malfunctioned last week and how to fix the problem has been appointed by Arianespace, the European Space Agency and the French space agency CNES.
http://spaceflightnow.com/ariane/v142/010716board.html

ODYSSEY CRAFT PASSES HALF-WAY MARK TO MARS
------------------------------------------
NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft has passed the half-way mile marker on its voyage to the Red Planet. It has been 100 days since Odyssey's launch atop a Boeing Delta 2 rocket from Cape Canaveral and 100 days remain until it arrives at Mars.
http://spaceflightnow.com/mars/odyssey/status.html

FORMER X-33 AEROSPIKE ENGINE CONTINUES FIRING
---------------------------------------------
NASA's Stennis Space Center has successfully completed a critical initial test for the Space Launch Initiative of technology used on the former X-33 program's Linear Aerospike XRS-2200 engine. The engine was fired for about five seconds last week.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/17aerospike/

NASA'S GALILEO CONTINUES INTERPLANETARY GAS STUDIES
---------------------------------------------------
Standard cruise activities continue for the Galileo spacecraft this relatively quiet week. In the realm of real-time science data collection, the Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer (EUV) continues its two-month-long study of interplanetary hydrogen gas.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/17galileothisweek/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 606 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jul 17, 2001 (18:43) * 36 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Telescope Array to Unlock Secrets from Duplicitous Stars
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/chara_array_010717-1.html
A steep and narrow road shouldered by precipitous drops into rocky canyons winds from the bright lights of the Los Angeles Basin to the top of Mount Wilson. It's an hour's drive that soars up through the smog, past sturdy pine trees and, surprisingly, into some of the best telescopic "seeing" conditions in the world.

* Nitrates, Lightning Key to Life at Early Earth
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/planetearth/earth_archaean_010716.html
Life on Earth two billion years ago was literally pond scum, but from low-lifes like this, all other life forms we know have evolved. In fact, it is known that these simple, single celled proto-plants were forced to develop from opportunistic nitrogen-eaters to diligent nitrogen-makers during the Archaean age.

* Zooming In On Mars: The Road to Human Missions
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/mro_spysat_010716-1.html
Putting a zoom lens on the Red Planet is the camera-toting task for NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO).

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:
* Watch LIVE Coverage of Spacewalk No. 2 Tonight at 9:30 p.m. EDT
http://www.space.com/shuttlemissions/
Spacewalking astronauts will inaugurate the International Space Station's $164 million airlock this week despite the failure to fix a leaky ventilation valve leading into the outpost's newly installed doorway to orbit, officials said early Tuesday.

* Shuttle Skipper Makes Pitch for Station in Interview with SPACE.com
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/missions/sts104_chaikin_010717.html
NASA might be scrambling to absorb an anticipated $4 billion International Space Station cost overrun, but an astronaut visiting the outpost said Tuesday that it's important to complete the complex as originally envisioned.

* Mars Odyssey is Halfway There, All Systems Go
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/missions/mars_odyssey_updates-1.html
It has been 100 days since Odyssey's launch and 100 days remain until it arrives at the red planet.
------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:
* LMGT to Sell Satellite Terminal Manufacturing Unit to ViaSat
http://www.space.com/spacenews/marketmonitor/lmgt_071601.html
Lockheed Martin Global Telecommunications (LMGT) has agreed to sell its satellite terminal manufacturing unit to ViaSat Inc. The move is a continuation of LMGT’s drive to sell satellite-specific assets. It also bolsters ViaSat’s effort to become a key hardware supplier to providers of broadband satellite services. 





 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 607 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jul 18, 2001 (16:49) * 30 lines
NEWSALERT: Wednesday, July 18, 2001 @ 1329 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

SPACEWALKERS MOUNT GAS TANKS TO SPACE STATION
---------------------------------------------
After a computer scare reminiscent of problems that crippled the international space station in April, two spacewalkers successfully attached three high-pressure gas tanks to the lab's new airlock today, manually wrestling the 1,200-pound canisters into place.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage7a/010718eva2/

DON'T MISS OUT ON OUR SHUTTLE MISSION THEATER
---------------------------------------------
It's not too late to sign up for Spaceflight Now's Mission Theater Package, your front row seat for video coverage of shuttle Atlantis' mission to deliver the Joint Airlock "Quest" to the International Space Station. You will gain access to online video clips, plus receive an embroidered mission patch like those worn by the astronauts and a VHS tape featuring the daily mission highlights and additional launch and landing footage.
http://spaceflightnow.com/theater/

WATCH GLOBAL WARMING HAPPEN IN REAL TIME...ON MARS
--------------------------------------------------
Global climate change does occur, and sometimes so quickly that you can watch it happening. Just look at our neighbor, Mars: within the last month, the global atmospheric temperature of Mars has increased by approximately 50 degrees F, according to data from NASA's Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/18marswarm/

ERS-1 SATELLITE MARKS A DECADE OF WATCHING EARTH
------------------------------------------------
When ERS-1 was lofted into orbit on July 17, 1991, it carried the hopes of Europe's scientific community. For nerve-wracking minutes, those hopes looked as though they might be dashed when contact was temporarily lost with the craft as it rose into space. Since then, the satellite has provided a stream of data which has changed our view of the world on which we live.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/18ersat10/

SURFING AND DIVING IN THE EARTH'S MAGNETOSPHERE
-----------------------------------------------
Space scientists around the world are celebrating the first anniversary of the European Space Agency's revolutionary Cluster mission to explore near-Earth space and study the interaction between the Sun and Earth.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/18cluster2/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 608 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jul 18, 2001 (16:52) * 35 lines
-------------------------------------
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* The ESA's Cluster Satellite Mission Celebrates its First Year in Orbit
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/cluster_annivesary_010717.html
Space scientists around the world are today celebrating the first anniversary of the European Space Agency's revolutionary Cluster mission to explore near-Earth space and study the interaction between the Sun and Earth.

* Telescope Array to Unlock Secrets from Duplicitous Stars
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/chara_array_010717-1.html
A steep and narrow road shouldered by precipitous drops into rocky canyons winds from the bright lights of the Los Angeles Basin to the top of Mount Wilson. It's an hour's drive that soars up through the smog, past sturdy pine trees and, surprisingly, into some of the best telescopic "seeing" conditions in the world.

* NASA Images Show Persistent Jovian Polar Storms
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/missions/cassini_jupiter_010717.html
A movie taken by NASA's Cassini spacecraft reveals persistent storms near the poles of Jupiter, deepening the mystery of why the giant planet's weather systems are so stable, scientists said on Monday.
-----------------------------------

Today in Missions/Launches:
* Atlantis Mission Extended as Quest Airlock Outfitting Continues
http://www.space.com/shuttlemissions/
A cadre of orbital construction workers breezed through a daunting and potentially dangerous assembly job at the International Space Station Wednesday, mounting a trio of high-pressure gas tanks on the outpost's new $164 million airlock.

* Solar-Sailing Craft Set for Launch Test Re-Try
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/solar_sail_010717.html
A privately funded spacecraft designed to sail on the pressure of the Sun's rays is set to try for another suborbital test launch on Thursday aboard a converted intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) lifting off from a Russian submarine in the Barents Sea.

* Mars Odyssey is Halfway There, All Systems Go
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/missions/mars_odyssey_updates-1.html
It has been 100 days since Odyssey's launch and 100 days remain until it arrives at the red planet.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:
* Pentagon Eyes Space-based Missile Defense Test Around 2005
http://www.space.com/spacenews/spacepolicy/pentagon_071701.html
The Pentagon is planning a test around the middle of the decade in which a spacecraft will be used in an attempt to engage and knock down a missile, a senior military official here said.
------------------------------------

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 609 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jul 19, 2001 (14:33) * 24 lines
Liam's Secret Sources forwarded the following:

ESA starts recovery of Artemis

ESA's Artemis telecommunications satellite is fully under the control of the Altel (Alenia Spazio-Telespazio) operations team and system engineers in Fucino, Italy, supported by a team of ESA specialists, after a successful first orbit-raising manoeuvre last night.
The satellite was launched by an Ariane 5 on Thursday 12 July from Kourou but was left in a degraded orbit due to a malfunction in the launcher's upper stage. Artemis was injected into an orbit with a perigee of 590 km, an apogee 17 487 km and inclination of 2.94°, compared to expected values of 858 perigee, 35 853 apogee, and 2° inclination. Since injection into orbit the spacecraft's behaviour has been nominal. The solar arrays were partially deployed, according to plan, some two hours after launch and started delivering the power required for operation. Several calibrations and simulated apogee firings have been performed in the last few days to prepare for the orbit manoeuvres described below.

The recovery strategy adopted aims to bring the satellite to the nominal geostationary position and to maintain chemical propellant and xenon (the gas used for the electrical ion-propulsion system) to maximise the lifetime of the spacecraft, originally planned to last 10 years.
The combined ESA/Alenia Spazio-Telespazio team has jointly selected a four-step strategy for bringing Artemis from the current non-nominal orbit to the geostationary orbit, as follows:

Step 1: The apogee boost motor (using chemical propulsion) is operated during several perigee passes (at the shortest distance from Earth) to increase the apogee (the maximum distance from Earth) to about 31 000 km. The perigee will not be raised by very much. Ground stations at Fucino (Italy), Malindi (Kenya), Perth (Australia), Goldstone (USA) and Kourou (French Guiana) will monitor the satellite.

Step 2: The elliptical orbit is then circularised by a number of apogee and perigee manoeuvres resulting in a quasi-circular parking orbit with the satellite at 31 000 km above the Earth and an orbit duration of about 18 hours. On completion of this step, the solar arrays will be fully deployed, as will the antenna reflectors. The satellite will then be in nominal mode, while not yet in geostationary orbit.

Step 3: With the satellite in the parking orbit, nominal spacecraft commissioning (activation and checking that all satellite elements are operating correctly) will be carried out, as far as is possible, in this sub-geostationary orbit.

Step 4: The satellite will then be "spiralled" from the parking orbit to the nominal geostationary orbit using the satellite's electrical ion-propulsion system.

The first apogee boost motor burn at perigee was successfully accomplished yesterday evening (18 July) between 17:19 and 17:39 CEST. Ground controllers reported that all went well and that the satellite has now been raised to an apogee altitude of 19 164 km (the perigee moving to 609 km, with no change in the inclination of 2.9°).
The end of step 2, i.e. arrival at the parking orbit, is planned for the next few days. Step 3 will last about 2 months, during which the commissioning tests will be performed and preparations will be made for raising the orbit. Step 4 is expected to start at end of September and will last several months.

This recovery scenario is the one which offers the best chances of bringing the satellite from the degraded injection orbit to the nominal geostationary position and saving enough chemical fuel and xenon to support some years of nominal operation. The amount of fuel and the resulting remaining lifetime can be predicted only after completion of step 2, albeit with some uncertainty.
The recovery activities involve a number of unusual operations which could not be planned for in advance. A particular case in point is the use of the electrical ion-propulsion system, for which a new mode of operation has to be defined. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 610 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jul 19, 2001 (14:50) * 12 lines
A Propitious Alignment of Planets

NASA Science News for July 19, 2001

In ancient times many people thought heavenly alignments influenced daily
life on Earth. Nowadays we know that astrology has no predictive power.
But scientists do study planetary alignments for another reason: to set
the schedule for space exploration.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast19jul_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 611 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jul 20, 2001 (00:02) * 29 lines
QUICK SPACE

- New Record Set For Satellite DSP
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/space-electronics-01i.html

- SEAKR Offers Compact Flash Memory Pak For Space Applications
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/space-electronics-01g.html

- Canada's Radarsat-1 Produces the Mosaic of Australia
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/aust-01d.html

- World Land Database Charts Troubling Course
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/earth-01g.html

- NASA Scientist Finds Clue To Possible Evolutionary Shift
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/life-01y.html

- The Rocket Range on Wheels - NASA Wallops Answers the Call
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/kodiak-01a.html

- Astronauts work on installing space station airlock
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010718181944.xizyy2j6.html

- Space laser experiment to cost Pentagon nearly four billion dollars
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010719021217.emp6tqq9.html

- Australia says no to Polynesian environmental refugees
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010719031556.kiyjcm4e.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 612 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jul 20, 2001 (00:04) * 47 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Detecting Other Worlds: The Pulse Method
http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_doyle_worlds_010719.html

Astronomers who study pulsars use giant radio telescopes. Pulsars are the remnants of huge supernova explosions—the results of a giant star running out of nuclear fuel to support it.

* Hubble Spies Universal Collision
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/hubble_stephans_010719.html

French astronomer Edouard Stephan discovered a group of enchanting galaxies in 1877 by using the first telescope to have a silver-backed glass mirror. In what is now known as Stephan's Quintet sit five galaxies within a Milky Way's length from one another, stretching out heavy arms of star clusters.

-----------------------------------

Today in Missions/Launches:

* Astronauts Gear Up For Airlock Inauguration
http://www.space.com/shuttlemissions/

Eight astronauts took on some earthly work at the International Space Station Thursday, acting as plumbers, movers and computer technicians while they geared up for the orbital debut of the outpost's new $164 million airlock.

Stay with SPACE.com for continuous updates throughout the day!

* A Four-Star Hotel That's Out of this World
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/lunar_hotel_010719-1.html

A Dutch architect has put his Earth-bound energy into designing a lunar lodging for future travelers who will have truly traveled far off the beaten path.

* Get an Astronaut's View of Earth with EarthRISE!
http://earthrise.space.com/

Check out over 100,000 photos taken by astronauts out the windows of the Space Shuttle and other space vehicles. EarthRISE contains photos from the past 35 years and is a great resource for students, educators, and the general public interested in our planet.

------------------------------------

Today in Business/Industry:

* Lawmakers Continue to Push For Satellite Export Licensing Change
http://www.space.com/spacenews/spacepolicy/berman_071801.html

Sponsors of legislation that would return jurisdiction for commercial satellite exports to the U.S. Department of Commerce are still trying to get a committee hearing for their bill.

* Orbital Completes MacDonald Dettwiler Sale
http://www.space.com/spacenews/marketmonitor/orbital_071801.html

Orbital Sciences Corp., Dulles, Va., completed the sale of its interest in MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. of Canada on July 18, the U.S. company reported. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 613 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Jul 28, 2001 (21:04) * 36 lines
NEWSALERT: Saturday, July 28, 2001 @ 0455 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

EXTENDED DELAY FOR TITAN 4
--------------------------
The launch of a U.S. Air Force Titan 4 rocket is now on indefinite hold following the discovery of a problem with the second stage guidance and navigation system. America's most powerful unmanned rocket had been scheduled to launch Friday morning from Cape Canaveral carrying a missile-warning satellite.
http://spaceflightnow.com/titan/b31/status.html

LAUNCH OF GENESIS PROBE PLANNED FOR MONDAY
------------------------------------------
A NASA space probe that will collect samples of the solar wind for return to Earth begins its journey on Monday with launch atop a Boeing Delta 2 rocket from Cape Canaveral.
http://spaceflightnow.com/delta/d287/status.html

HUBBLE'S PANORAMIC PORTRAIT OF VAST STAR-FORMING REGION
-------------------------------------------------------
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has snapped a panoramic portrait of a vast, sculpted landscape of gas and dust where thousands of stars are being born. This fertile star-forming region, called the 30 Doradus Nebula, has a sparkling stellar centerpiece: the most spectacular cluster of massive stars in our cosmic neighborhood of about 25 galaxies.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/27doradus/

SPACE STATION EXPERIMENTS RETURN TO EARTH LABS FOR STUDY
--------------------------------------------------------
Payload ground support teams were at Kennedy Space Center to greet Space Shuttle Atlantis when it landed late Tuesday and retrieve their experiments that have been onboard the International Space Station for more than three months.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/28isssci/

COMPANIES STUDYING VEHICLE TO LAUNCH FROM MARS
----------------------------------------------
NASA's Mars Technology Program at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., has awarded three industry contracts for the development of concepts for a small rocket that will lift science samples gathered by NASA's Mars Sample Return mission from the Martian surface and support their return to Earth.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/27marsascent/

LOCKHEED MARTIN REALIGNS BUSINESS STRUCTURE
-------------------------------------------
Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems (LMCSS) on Thursday announced plans to realign its business structure to reduce overall costs and improve its competitive position in the commercial satellite manufacturing marketplace.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/27lmcss/ 




 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 614 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Jul 30, 2001 (23:08) * 28 lines
QUICK SPACE

- ESA And The Search For Science
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/esa-general-01c1.html

- Inmarsat Buys Atlas 5 Launch
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/atlas5-01c.html

- ESA To Help China Join ISS
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/china-01zr.html

- Air Force Orbital Technology Lab Completes First Year
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mightysat2-01a.html

- Powell moves "ball forward" with China on missiles
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010728135515.od800q9i.html

- British military chief casts doubt on US missile shield
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010728011819.vx3boyq0.html

- LockMart Streamlines Commercial Space Operations
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/satellite-biz-01m.html

- Time Travel in Einstein's Universe
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/time-01b.html

- US will move towards climate agreement: Pronk
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010727225928.7p2vcdit.html

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 615 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jul 31, 2001 (17:06) * 17 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Shooting Stars! Viewer's Guide to the Perseid Meteor Shower
http://www.space.com/spacewatch/perseids_2001_010731-1.html

Cosmic dust, some of which has been wafting through space since the American Civil War, is renewing a summer ritual by slamming into Earth's atmosphere, lighting up the night sky with shooting stars whose numbers are building to a peak on Aug. 12.

* Tapestry of Birth and Death, By Hubble
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/hubble_doradus_010727.html

The Hubble Space Telescope finds no end to the wonders it can explore. And if something has already been seen, Hubble offers a simple idea: Look again, and look more closely.

* Scientists Say Mars Viking Mission Found Life
http://www.space.com/news/spacehistory/viking_life_010728-1.html

There is new life in old data... and it's likely Martian life. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 616 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jul 31, 2001 (21:55) * 29 lines
QUICK SPACE

- Shenzhou Third Flight Approaches As Tracking Fleet Sets Sail
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/china-01zq.html

- Genesis Launch Postponed Due To Technical Glitch
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/genesis-01b.html

- Stennis Keeps The Engine Running Despite X33 Cancellation
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/rlv-01q.html

- Rocket Plane Begins Manned Tests
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/rlv-01r.html

- B-52 Delivered To Dryden Ahead Of Supporting Air Drop Tests
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/plane-b52-01a.html

- China Objections Won't Halt US Missile Defense
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/bmdo-01zv.html

- Russians Tested New Type Of Ballistic Missile: Report
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/icbm-01k.html

- Code Red Attack Signals New Phase In Globalisation Debate
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/cyberwar-01b.html

- Learn To Waste Not, Want Not On The Road To Mars
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-base-01b.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 617 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Aug  1, 2001 (14:04) * 57 lines
The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (07/31/2001)
-----------------------------------------------------------------

In the News:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/

* Latest Images:
Typhoon Toraji
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5040

Greenwich, Where East Meets West
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5039

Prospecting from Space
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5038

Colored Height and Shaded Relief: Corral de Piedra, Argentina
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5037

Anchorage and Cook Inlet, Alaska
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5036

Stereo View of the Eruption of Mt. Etna
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5035

Large Outbreak of Fires near Yakutsk, Russia
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5034

* NASA News
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/
- Space View Shows Two Plumes from Mt. Etna Eruption
- CLAMS Studies Ocean and Atmosphere for NASA

* Media Alerts
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/
- Coral Reefs Damaged by Global Warming Will Take a Century to Recover, Says New Research

* Headlines from the press, radio, and television:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/
- Global Warming Means Mosquitoes Move North

--------------------

New Data:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/

* Updated Data:
TOMS Aerosol Index data for May - June 2001
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/aerosol.toms.html

Ozone data for June 2001
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/ozone.toms.html

UV Radiation Exposure data for June 2001
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/uv.toms.html 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 618 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Aug  2, 2001 (00:08) * 45 lines
NEWSALERT: Wednesday, August 1, 2001 @ 1044 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

GENESIS IS 'GO' FOR LAUNCH
--------------------------
NASA's Genesis probe has been cleared for blastoff today to begin a three-year mission to capture bits of the solar wind for return to Earth. Liftoff aboard the Boeing Delta 2 rocket is slated to occur at 12:31:38 p.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
http://spaceflightnow.com/delta/d287/status.html

NASA'S MAP SATELLITE SETS SAIL AFTER LUNAR FLYBY
------------------------------------------------
Thanks to a sling-shot past the moon NASA's MAP spacecraft departed Earth orbit this week bound for a quiet spot a million miles away where it will observe the fossil light from the creation of the universe 14 billion years ago.
http://spaceflightnow.com/delta/d286/010731flyby.html

X-RAY EMISSION MEASURED FROM JETS OF INFANT STARS
-------------------------------------------------
Studying distant stars and their planets in different states of evolution is of great interest to astronomers and of immense importance for astronomy. XMM-Newton has added its contribution with an observation of a stellar system, L1551 IRS5. It has enabled ESA's X-ray observatory to detect -- for the first time -- the X-ray emission from its spectacular jets.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/31xmm/

TITAN 4 LAUNCH RESET
--------------------
The U.S. Air Force has rescheduled the launch of the Titan 4B rocket with the Defense Support Program missile-warning satellite for Monday, August 6. The launch was delayed last week due to a problem with the rocket's second stage guidance system.
http://spaceflightnow.com/titan/b31/status.html

NASA ANNOUNCES TEAM TO REVIEW STATION PROGRAM
---------------------------------------------
A diverse team of world-renowned experts, including two Nobel laureates and the world's most famous heart surgeon, make up an independent task force created by NASA Administrator Daniel S. Goldin to take a focused look at the budget and management challenges facing the International Space Station program.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0108/01issimce/

BOEING ANNOUNCES MAJOR HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT TRANSITION
----------------------------------------------------
Boeing officials announced on Tuesday a major transition of work in its Human Space Flight & Exploration business to better support its customers, United Space Alliance and NASA. Approximately 1,100 jobs will be redistributed with a significant portion being relocated from Southern California to Florida and Texas.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0108/01boeingjobs/

SCIENTISTS' INNOVATION LEADS TO PATENT AWARD FOR BOEING
-------------------------------------------------------
A deceptively simple innovation has led to a U.S. patent award as well as significant business benefits for Boeing Satellite Systems, the world's largest satellite manufacturer. The invention - a new method of positioning optical star trackers on satellites - enables BSS to achieve extremely precise determination of spacecraft attitude.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/31bsspatent/

GALILEO SPACECRAFT READIES FOR ENCOUNTER WITH IO
------------------------------------------------
This is the last week before the August 4 start of Galileo's next encounter with the volcanic satellite Io. As playback of data from the May flyby of Callisto winds down, the final observations include Jupiter atmospheric observations and global color pictures of Ganymede, Jupiter's largest satellite.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0107/31galileothisweek/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 619 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Aug  2, 2001 (00:10) * 36 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Tomorrow's Telescope: Wish Upon a Fake Star
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/jpl_blackwood_010801-1.html
The scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) desperately want to go down in history as the folks who photographed the first pale blue dot around another star. The first extraterrestrial orb that might harbor intelligent life. The second Earth.

* Asteroid May Have Created Hawaii
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/volcano_asteroid_010731.html
It's bad enough when, every few million years, an asteroid rocks our planet. It's worse if the impact triggers regional or global volcanic activity, which is not only hazardous to nearby plants and animals but can choke Earth's atmosphere with deadly gases for months or years.

* Scientists Claim Evidence of Life in Outer Space
http://www.space.com/searchforlife/bacteria_space_010731.html
A team of international researchers said on Tuesday they have found what could be the first proof of life beyond our planet -- clumps of extraterrestrial bacteria in the Earth's upper atmosphere.

----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* Lessons to Learn: JPL and The Competition
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/jpl_works_010801-1.html
The legacies of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, its pioneering rocket science, bold journeys to space and high-tech robotics, are the result of a firm desire to draw, color and paste.

* U.S. House Approves $113 Billion Bill, Backs Space Station
http://www.space.com/news/spacestation/iss_congress_010731.html
The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday approved $113 billion for veterans, housing, science and environmental programs after squashing an effort to curb funds for the troubled international space station.

* Russia Launches Satellite for Studying the Sun
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/koronas_launch_010731.html
A Koronas-F satellite was launched from Russia's northern cosmodrome of Plesetsk in the Arkhangelsk region on Tuesday.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* Boeing to Move 1,100 Human Space Flight Jobs Out of California
http://www.space.com/spacenews/marketmonitor/Boeing2_073101.html
Boeing Co.’s Human Space Flight & Exploration division will relocate 1,100 jobs from California to Florida and Texas in order to be closer to its two biggest customers, NASA and United Space Alliance. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 620 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Aug  2, 2001 (17:42) * 11 lines
Gravity Hurts (So Good)

NASA Science News for August 2, 2001

Strange things happen to the body when humans venture into space and the
familiar pull of gravity vanishes. Scientists say exercise is the key to
adapting to life in orbit -- and returning to Earth. This story describes
some of the reactions of the human body to weightlessness and the unusual
contraptions astronauts use to workout in space.
FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast02aug_1.htm?list89800

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 621 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Aug  2, 2001 (19:46) * 36 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Satellite Surveys Retrace the Lewis & Clark Expedition
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/planetearth/lewis_clark_satellite_010802-1.html
Satellites are taking sharp-eyed snapshots of a trail traveled nearly 200 years ago that opened up vast expanses of the unexplored American frontier to the fledging United States.

* Warped Galaxy Devours Neighbor, Spawns New Stars
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/warped_galaxy_010802.html
What could cause an entire galaxy to twist like a piece of taffy? Astronomers working with the Hubble Space Telescope believe that the dramatic warp in galaxy ESO 510-G13 is due to it colliding with another galaxy. As the two galaxies merge, gravity stretches ESO 510-G13's spiral arms out of alignment.

* Stellar Corona Observed in Visible Light for First Time
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/stellar_corona_010801.html
The total solar eclipse in June this year provoked a 3,000-person rave in Africa and for solar scientists it provided a chance to observe the Sun's usually invisible corona. The million-degree X-ray-emitting envelope is outshone by the cooler, brighter solar surface until the Moon slides in front of the yellow disc allowing the coronal ring to appear around the lunar edge.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* Weather Scrubs Genesis Launch from Cape Canaveral
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/launches/next_launch.html
Bad weather of every kind is expected over the Cape today, prompting mission managers to delay the Genesis launch another 24 hours.

* The Genesis Project: Catching the Solar Wind
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/missions/genesis_solar_010727-1.html
A robotic NASA explorer is poised to set sail Monday, July 30 on a mission to catch the solar wind and then return to Earth with a representative sampling of the primordial stuff that seeded the solar system.

* Lessons to Learn: JPL and The Competition
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/jpl_works_010801-1.html
The legacies of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, its pioneering rocket science, bold journeys to space and high-tech robotics, are the result of a firm desire to draw, color and paste.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* Asset Sales Drive Profitable Quarter at Orbital Sciences
http://www.space.com/spacenews/marketmonitor/orbital_080101.html
The sale of non-core businesses produced a profitable second quarter of 2001 for Orbital Sciences Corp., the company’s top executive said. This follows several consecutive quarters in which the company posted losses. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 622 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Aug  3, 2001 (22:41) * 32 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Newly Found Channels on Mars Billed as Largest Ever
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/mars_flood_010802.html
A system of gigantic ancient valleys -- some as much as 125 miles (200 kilometers) wide -- has been spotted partly buried under eons of volcanic lava, ash and wind-blown dust on Mars.

* Summer Meteor Spotlights Hunt for Killer Asteroids
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/asteroid_threat_010802.html
The scene of a fiery meteor streaking across the daytime skies of the northeastern United States this summer gave a once-in-a-lifetime thrill to those lucky enough to witness it.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* How Hyper-X and X-38 Will Shape the Future of Flight
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/hyperx_x38_future_010803.html
Test a little learn a lot. That premise is on full-throttle here as vehicles slice through desert skies, emblazoned with the moniker that says it all: "X" for experimental.

* New Image Gallery: The X-Planes
http://www.space.com/php/multimedia/imagegallery/
Experimental aircraft have gone by many letters and names, but none have captured the public's imagination through the decades like the "X" planes. And many "X" planes have either been a part of, or made significant contributions to, the space program. Here we begin a roll call of the historic vehicles.

* Zoom in on Satellite Images from Space -- Now you can buy these images!
http://www.space.com/php/multimedia/imagepump/index.php
Now you can buy your favorite Satellite view from Space! Get a great digital download or a print version. Check it out today!

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* House Panel Approves Satellite Export Jurisdiction Transfer
http://www.space.com/spacenews/spacepolicy/panel_080201.html
The House International Relations Committee has approved an amendment to the proposed Export Administration Act (EAA) that would move export licensing authority for commercial communications satellites to the U.S. Department of Commerce. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 623 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Aug  4, 2001 (01:03) * 26 lines
NASA STUDIES SHUTTLE SOLID ROCKET BOOSTER PROBLEM
-------------------------------------------------
Space shuttle engineers are investigating cracks found inside a solid rocket booster hydraulic steering unit that could force NASA to delay next week's planned blastoff of Discovery.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage7a1/010803hpu/

BAD WEATHER GROUNDS NASA'S GENESIS MISSION
------------------------------------------
Rain and thick clouds forced Friday's attempt to launch the Boeing Delta 2 rocket with the Genesis space probe to be scrubbed. Officials have tentatively rescheduled the mission for August 12 -- after next week's planned U.S. Air Force Titan 4B rocket and space shuttle Discovery launches.
http://spaceflightnow.com/delta/d287/status.html

TITAN 4 TO LAUNCH MONDAY
------------------------
Crews are gearing up for Monday's predawn attempt to launch a Lockheed Martin-built Titan 4B rocket with a Defense Support Program missile-warning satellite. The flight has been delayed due to concerns with the second stage guidance control unit that turned out to be no problem at all.
http://spaceflightnow.com/titan/b31/status.html

SCIENTISTS FIND LARGEST FLOOD CHANNELS IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM
----------------------------------------------------------
Scientists may have discovered the largest flood channels in the solar system on Mars, currently a cold desert planet. A system of gigantic ancient valleys -- some as much as 200 kilometers wide -- lies partly buried under a veneer of volcanic lava flows, ash fall and wind-blown dust in Mars' western hemisphere.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0108/03channels/

GALILEO TO FLY OVER SOURCE OF RECENT POLAR ERUPTION ON IO
---------------------------------------------------------
NASA's Galileo spacecraft will buzz the north pole of Jupiter's moon Io early next week to get unprecedented magnetic measurements and examine the site of a dramatic recent volcanic eruption. The durable robot will skim about 124 miles above Io's surface.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0108/03ioflyby/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 624 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Mon, Aug  6, 2001 (20:33) * 25 lines
Tuesday July 24 6:37 PM ET

Astronomers Search for Alien Laser 'Beacons'

By Andrew Quinn

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Opening a new front in the search for
possible alien life, a team of California astronomers is scanning the
skies for laser ``beacon'' signals sent by extraterrestrial
civilizations.

The project, conducted jointly by researchers from the University of
California's Lick Observatory, U.C. Berkeley, U.C. Santa Cruz and the
SETI Institute, hopes to identify powerful light pulses that could be
coded communication from worlds hundreds of light years away,
researchers said on Tuesday.

``We are looking for very brief but powerful pulses of laser light
from other planetary systems, rather than the steady whine of a radio
transmitter,'' said Frank Drake, principal investigator in the project.

more @

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010724/sc/space_seti_dc_1.html


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 625 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Sun, Aug 12, 2001 (13:09) * 2 lines
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/monitoring/media_reports/newsid_1484000/1484741.stm


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 626 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Aug 13, 2001 (16:15) * 37 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy: August 13, 2001

* Helios Robot Aircraft to Attempt Flight Today
http://www.space.com/news/helios_flight_010812.html
The Helios Flight team is currently preparing for a maximum altitude flight on August 13th as cloudy weather once again postponed the vehicle's test flight on Sunday.

* Artist Wants to Paint Moon, But Physics May Foil Plan
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/generalscience/laser_moon_010810-1.html
An artist hoping to recruit millions of laser-pointer owners to "paint the Moon" may instead be disappointed by physics.

* Study Doubles Number of Potential Earth-Like Planets
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/planet_formation_010810-1.html
The standard model for the formation of rocky planets like Earth appears to be on solid ground even when applied to systems in which two stars orbit each other, according to a new study.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* Moving Van Mounted to Station, Change of Command Underway
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/sts105_am_010813.html
An orbital moving crew started work at the International Space Station Monday as a change of command began to unfold at the frontier outpost.

* Shuttle and ISS Crew Interviews Now Available
http://www.space.com/shuttlemissions/
Find out what each of the ten astronauts and cosmonauts has to say about the
STS-105 mission and life aboard the International Space Station.

* Genesis On its Way to Pick Up a Piece of the Sun
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/delta_genesis_launch_010808.html
An ambitious three-year mission to catch a piece of the sun and safely return that sample to Earth was successfully hurled on its way into deep space Wednesday atop a Delta 2 rocket launched from Cape Canaveral.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* FCC Considers Plan to Add Flexibility to Mobile Satellite Industry
http://www.space.com/spacenews/fcc_080901.html
U.S. telecommunications regulators are considering allowing radio spectrum designated for mobile satellite services to be used with ground-based transmitters as part of a broad effort to improve the level of communications services available in rural parts of the United States. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 627 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Mon, Aug 13, 2001 (16:20) * 1 lines
Thanks for hangin in there during our reconfiguration, Marci!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 628 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Aug 15, 2001 (13:38) * 19 lines
Space Weather News for August 14, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

PERSEID METEORS: The 2001 Perseid meteor shower peaked on Sunday, August
12th. In case you missed the show, visit our Perseid meteor gallery,
which includes a unique movie of a Perseid meteor streaking over the
Marshall Space Flight Center. The movie's sound track is the meteor's
eerie-sounding radar echo.

ROCKET DECAY: One of the most dazzling sites of the 2001 Perseid meteor
shower wasn't a Perseid at all. A piece of a Russian rocket fell to Earth
over the Atlantic ocean on August 12th, passing first over Maine and
eastern Canada. The disintegrating rocket shell created a dazzling
fireball. See the pictures on SpaceWeather.com!

MORNING PLANETS: Venus, Jupiter and the crescent Moon are putting on
another pre-dawn planet show this week. Visit Spaceweather.com for finder
charts and details. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 629 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Aug 15, 2001 (13:39) * 1 lines
Thanks for getting it done, Terry. You have enough to do without my calling you each time I find a cyber glitch! *Hugs* 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 630 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Aug 15, 2001 (13:44) * 35 lines
INTRODUCING SPACEFLIGHT NOW +PLUS!
----------------------------------
We are pleased to announce the debut of Spaceflight Now +Plus! This new service will enhance our extensive coverage of the space program with additional video, audio, image and virtual reality for a low-cost monthly or annual subscription fee. Our movie clips are now available in both QuickTime and RealPlayer. See our current video selection, which continues to grow:
http://spaceflightnow.com/plus/

EXPEDITION THREE ASTRONAUTS, CARGO MOVES INTO ALPHA
---------------------------------------------------
Astronauts on Tuesday finished unloading all the equipment, experiments, food and supplies from the Italian-built Leonardo cargo module docked to the international space station. Meanwhile, the Expedition Three crew members have moved into the station for their four-month stay. Keep up with progress of the space flight in our status center:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

GALAXY CLUSTER FOUND TO TEST ACCELERATING UNIVERSE IDEA
-------------------------------------------------------
Astronomers have used the distorting effects of a weak gravitational lens to discover and locate a dim cluster of at least 15 galaxies at a significant distance from Earth, using only the mass properties of the cluster, not its visible light.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0108/15distorting/

DANCING AROUND BLACK HOLES
--------------------------
Supermassive black holes are present at the centers of many galaxies, some weighing hundreds of millions times more than the Sun. These extremely dense objects cannot be observed directly, but violently moving gas clouds and stars in their strong gravitational fields are responsible for the emission of energetic radiation from such "active galaxy nuclei".
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0108/15dancing/

PROTOTYPE OF MARS AIRPLANE SUCCESSFULLY PASSES TEST
---------------------------------------------------
Soaring gracefully down to Earth from a balloon floating 101,000 feet high above Oregon, a NASA prototype of an airplane that someday may fly over Mars successfully completed a high-altitude flight test this week.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0108/14marsplane/

ESA CONSIDERS NEW PROBES BASED ON MARS DESIGN
---------------------------------------------
Space mission planners have devised several proposals to re-use the satellite design created for the European Space Agency's Mars Express spacecraft. The reasoning behind the decision to pursue a mission that would re-use the Mars Express platform design lies purely in efficiency and cost savings.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0108/14expressbus/

SCIENTISTS WORK TO RETRIEVE GALILEO'S IO FLYBY DATA
---------------------------------------------------
With the hectic activity of the Io encounter now behind it, Galileo settles into the more peaceful pace of orbital cruise this week. Playback of the science data from last weekend's flyby continues. Due to the effects of the accumulated radiation the spacecraft has received in its nearly six years in orbit around Jupiter, measurements from several instruments have been affected.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0108/14galileo/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 631 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Aug 15, 2001 (15:43) * 29 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* UFOs and Classified Aircraft: Shedding New Light on Dark Secrets
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/classified_aircraft_010815-1.html
For years, people have reported black triangle-shaped craft floating through nighttime skies. These vehicles are claimed by some as proof that Earth is a tourist off-ramp for visitors from afar. But a more terrestrial, less cosmic, modus operandi may be at work.

* Highway of Stars Feeds Black Hole
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/blackhole_spigot_010814.html
New research from a team of European scientists shows how a highway of stars might feed black holes that dominate the centers of many galaxies.

* Speed of Light, Other Constants May Change
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/generalscience/constant_changing_010815.html
The speed of light and other constants that scientists have relied on to explain the universe and its formation may not be so constant, according to a new study conducted by an international team of researchers.

* First-Ever Light-Free Detection of Galactic Cluster
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/galactic_cluster_010815.html
For the first time, a team of astronomers has used only the gravitational tug of a huge mass on a more distant path of light to detect a large celestial object -- in this case, a dim and distant cluster of at least 15 galaxies.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* New Skipper Calls Station Big Step on 'Stairway To The Stars'
http://www.space.com/shuttlemissions/
A third full-time crew settled into the International Space Station Tuesday, and it didn't take long for the outpost's new skipper to wax poetic about the 16-nation frontier construction project and where it might lead the human race.

* Flying Wing Surpasses Altitude Records for Non-Rocket Airplane
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/helios_launch_010814.html
NASA's solar-powered Helios experimental aircraft lifted off from a U.S. Navy base on the Hawaiian island of Kauai on Monday, reaching a height of 96,500 feet. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 632 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Aug 15, 2001 (16:14) * 40 lines
QUICK SPACE

- NASA beats altitude record with solar-powered aircraft
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010814211330.zjlmk462.html

- US And Russia Reach Deal Over Space Tourist Flights To ISS
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/tourism-01za.html

- Russian media sees US ultimatum, Russian concession in Rumsfeld talks
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010814085743.7egwselx.html

- Forecasting Cyber Attacks Against DoD Computers
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/cyberwar-01c.html

- Taiwan "Borrows" Israeli Satellite During Overpasses
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/taiwan-01b.html

- Monitoring Bone Loss In Astronauts
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/spacemedicine-01a.html

- Marshall Helps Build Big Monitor Screens
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/screens-01a.html

- Quantum Interference Demonstrated For First Time In Liquids
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/superfluids-01b.html

- Physicists Find New Difference Between Matter And Antimatter
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/antimatter-01a.html

- Clues To Early History Of Solar System's Oldest Diamonds
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/carbon-01d.html

- New Electron Microprobe Can Determine the Ages of Rocks
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/early-earth-01h.html

- Aerosols Cool The Earth But Warm The Atmosphere
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/greenhouse-01s.html

- Just How Old Is The Tibetan Plateau
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/earth-01h.html

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 633 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Wed, Aug 15, 2001 (22:15) * 6 lines

The NY Times reports

a nearby star in the Big Dipper ... 5.1LY from Earth ... has TWO
Jupiter-sized planets in circular orbits : in our terms, between
Mars and Jupiter.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 634 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Wed, Aug 15, 2001 (22:22) * 4 lines

Good description of the history of the universe

http://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/14/science/14COSM.html

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 635 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Aug 15, 2001 (23:17) * 3 lines
Tonight is to be a splendid night to see Jupiter near the moon. Of course it is being a rain forest outside for me. Alas...!

Thanks for the items, Terry. Hmmm did that history cover Mike's questioned 6 seconds before the Big Bang? I spent a lot of time reading things I could not comprehend last evening answering that one.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 636 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Aug 15, 2001 (23:43) * 45 lines
* A Violent Sun Affects the Earth's Ozone
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/ProtonOzone/
A new study confirms a long-held theory that large solar storms rain electrically charged particles down on Earth's atmosphere and deplete the upper-level ozone for weeks to months thereafter. New evidence from NASA and NOAA satellites is helping scientists better understand how man and nature both play a role in ozone loss.

--------------------

In the News:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/

* Latest Images:
Tropical Storm Barry Strikes the Gulf Coast
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5047

Cucharas Canyon & Spanish Peaks, Colorado
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5046

Ash Plume Streams from Mt. Etna, Sicily
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5045

Solar Storm
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5044

Lava Flows on Mt. Etna
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5043

Coal Mines in Germany
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5042

Smoke Over Jackson Hole, Wyoming
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5041
* NASA News
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/
- New NASA Field Campaign Sees the Forest for the Satellite
- Solar Storms Destroy Ozone, Study Reconfirms
- NASA Watches Wyoming Wildfire
* Media Alerts
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/
- Extreme Precipitation Linked to Waterborne Disease Outbreaks
* Headlines from the press, radio, and television:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/
- Solar Storms Deplete Ozone
- Satellites Trace Lewis and Clark Trail
* New Research Highlights
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Research/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 637 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Aug 16, 2001 (17:53) * 34 lines
NEWSALERT: Thursday, August 16, 2001 @ 1551 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

SPACEWALK IS UNDERWAY AT SPACE STATION ALPHA
--------------------------------------------
Two Discovery astronauts -- Dan Barry and Pat Forrester -- have stepped outside the shuttle today for a 6.5-hour spacewalk to mount an ammonia servicing unit and two suitcase-shaped experiments to the exterior of the international space station. Follow the spacewalk's progress with continuous live updates in our status center:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

EXTRASOLAR PLANET DISCOVERED IN THE BIG DIPPER
----------------------------------------------
The discovery of a Jupiter-like planet around one star and a cloud of comets around another are the latest clues in the puzzle regarding how solar systems form and how many extrasolar systems may be like our own.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0108/16planets/

Read Berkeley news release:
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0108/16planets/berkeley.html

Read National Science Foundation release:
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0108/16planets/nsf.html

SWARM OF COMETS FOUND
---------------------
Another team of scientists announced Wednesday that they had found evidence for a cloud of millions of comets that they believe has formed around the young star Beta Pictoris. The results are from new observations using NASA's Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) spacecraft.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0108/16fuse/

Read NASA news release:
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0108/16fuse/release.html

SCIENTISTS GIVE BOOST TO THEORY OF MOON FORMATION
-------------------------------------------------
The "giant impact" theory, first proposed in the mid-1970s to explain how the Moon formed, has received a major boost as new results demonstrate for the first time that a single impact could yield the current Earth-Moon system.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0108/15mooncreate/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 638 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Aug 16, 2001 (17:55) * 40 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* How Far is ET?
http://www.space.com/searchforlife/shostak_seti_et_010816.html
How many light-years is it to the nearest alien civilization?

* Blowing Bubble Seen By Hubble
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/starbirth_bubble_010816.html
Winds created by a flurry of star birth blow a bubble of hot gas outward from the center of a relatively nearby galaxy, as seen in new images from the Hubble Space Telescope.

* Newly Found Planet Hints at Solar System Like Ours in Big Dipper
http://www.space.com/searchforlife/new_jupplanet_010815.html
An extrasolar planet that might be smaller than Jupiter has been found orbiting a star similar to our Sun, carving a circular orbit that is farther away from the star than Mars is from our Sun.

* Signs of Comets Spotted Around Another Star
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/fuse_comets_010816.html
Researchers think they have spotted evidence for the recent birth of millions of comets around a relatively nearby star. If true, it would be one of only a handful of observations that hint at possible solar system formation similar to our own.

* 24 Hours of Chaos: The Day The Moon Was Made
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/moon_making_010815-1.html
For 25 years, scientists have pondered a theory that the Moon was created when an object the size of Mars crashed into Earth less than 100 million years after the Sun was born, some 4.6 billion years ago. The general idea has been run through the paces and massaged into shape and is now the favored explanation.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* Complete Coverage: ISS Expedition Two Crew Prepares to Come Home
http://www.space.com/shuttlemissions/
Two Americans and a Russian will return to Earth next week after almost a half-year on the International Space Station, but one of the home-bound astronauts is in no big hurry to leave her orbital abode.

* 'Marsplane' Completes Successful Test Flight
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/marsplane_flight_010814.html
Soaring gracefully down to Earth from a balloon floating 101,000 feet high above Oregon, a NASA prototype of an airplane that someday may fly over Mars successfully completed a high-altitude flight test this week.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* Canceled Mars Lander Could Be Resurrected for 2007 Launch
http://www.space.com/spacenews/Globalstar_081401.html
Hardware left over from NASA’s canceled Mars 2001 lander mission may yet find its way to the surface of the red planet under the agency’s Mars Scouts program, a series of missions proposed for launch starting in 2007. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 639 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Aug 17, 2001 (16:32) * 8 lines
Space Weather News for August 17, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

An interplanetary shock wave hit Earth's magnetosphere on August 17 at
approximately 10:30 UT (3:30 a.m. PDT) and triggered an ongoing
geomagnetic storm. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras
Friday night and Saturday morning. Visit SpaceWeather.com for details. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 640 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Aug 17, 2001 (17:32) * 16 lines
SFI:145 up from 143 | A:23 up from 5 | K:5 at 2100 on 17 August.
SAF: low, GMF: at minor to major storm levels

A satellite proton event began at 0105 UTC on 16 Aug. A polar cap absorption event began at 0210 UTC on 16 Aug.
A proton event is expected to continue.

Magnetic K-Index of 5 Warning valid from 17 Aug 2001 1125 to 1500 UT

The following Warning was EXTENDED and is now valid through 2359 UT on
17 Aug 2001.
Magnetic K-Index of 5 Warning valid from 17 Aug 2001 1125 to 1500 UT
Magnetic K-Index >= 6 Warning valid from 17 Aug 2001 1715 to 2359 UT
Magnetic A-Index >=20 Watch for 18 Aug 2001 UT
Aurora Level: 10
Solar Wind: 492.9 km/s at 27.9 protons/cm3 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 641 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Aug 17, 2001 (18:04) * 25 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* NASA's Dilemma: Hubble Telescope Lives or Dies
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/hubble_ngst_010817-1.html
The venerable Hubble Space Telescope has returned images that have changed our perception of the universe, but the 10-year-old mission's fate has hung lately in the balance.

* Blowing Bubble Seen By Hubble
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/starbirth_bubble_010816.html
Winds created by a flurry of star birth blow a bubble of hot gas outward from the center of a relatively nearby galaxy, as seen in new images from the Hubble Space Telescope.

* Signs of Comets Spotted Around Another Star
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/fuse_comets_010816.html
Researchers think they have spotted evidence for the recent birth of millions of comets around a relatively nearby star. If true, it would be one of only a handful of observations that hint at possible solar system formation similar to our own.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* Mission Discovery: LIVE Continuous Coverage
http://www.space.com/shuttlemissions/
Two American astronauts marched through a methodical spacewalk at the International Space Station Thursday, seemingly oblivious to the stunning panorama of snow-capped mountains, meandering rivers and pearl blue oceans below.

* 'Marsplane' Completes Successful Test Flight
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/marsplane_flight_010814.html
Soaring gracefully down to Earth from a balloon floating 101,000 feet high above Oregon, a NASA prototype of an airplane that someday may fly over Mars successfully completed a high-altitude flight test this week. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 642 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Aug 18, 2001 (21:39) * 179 lines
A PLANETARY SYSTEM LIKE HOME
Most known extrasolar planets live close to their stars. This is
because it's easiest to find planets in short-period orbits. The
closer in they are, the shorter-period a wobble they induce upon the
stars they circle. But now astronomers have been at the planet-hunting
game long enough to find longer-period wobbles in stars, and to no
one's big surprise, they are beginning to detect giant worlds orbiting
farther out.
One such discovery was announced this week by Debra Fischer
(University of California, Berkeley) and her colleagues Geoffrey Marcy
and R. Paul Butler. The planet is the second found orbiting the
Sunlike star 47 Ursae Majoris near the Big Dipper, and it makes this
system look hauntingly familiar. Unlike most extrasolar planets, these
two have fairly circular orbits in an arrangement reminiscent of
Jupiter and Saturn.
The 47 UMa system, however, is scaled differently. The two planets
have the same mass ratio as Jupiter and Saturn do, but they are each
2.5 times heavier. They have the same ratios of orbital periods but
complete their orbits four times faster, revolving around the star
every 3.0 and 7.1 years. They have the same ratio of distances from
their sun as Jupiter and Saturn do, but they circle 2.5 times closer
in, at 2.1 and 3.7 astronomical units.
Says Fischer, "As our sensitivity improves we are finally seeing
planets with longer orbital periods, planetary systems that look more
like our solar system."

GALILEO SPACECRAFT SKIMS IO
On August 5th, NASA's Galileo spacecraft made its closest ever
approach to the Jovian satellite Io, skirting a mere 200 kilometers
above the moon's volcano-infested surface. The spacecraft's trajectory
carried it over the active volcano Tvashtar, and mission scientists
had hoped to monitor Tvashtar's recent outbursts and evolution with
unprecedented detail. However, during the flyby, at least nine of the
camera's 16 planned observations were lost due to an intermittent
electrical problem.
It wasn't really the camera's fault. Each visit to Io (there have been
five thus far) brings the spacecraft deep within Jupiter's
magnetosphere. Galileo has already received three times the dose of
charged particles it was designed to withstand, and the spacecraft has
begun to show ill effects -- like the camera glitch. This problem has
plagued the instrument for the past year. While August's flyby was far
from a complete loss (magnetometer measurements now under analysis
will soon reveal if Io has an intrinsic magnetic field), a sporadic
camera does pose problems for funding upcoming encounters.
Galileo will once again fly near Io, over the south pole instead of
the north, on October 16th. But mission scientists are already looking
beyond that event to February, when the spacecraft will view the
Jupiter-facing side of Io. That hemisphere has remained largely
unobserved since the Voyager encounters of 1979 -- and it has never
been seen with much detail. However, NASA managers have not yet funded
this opportunity because they hope to wind down the mission by year's
end, much to the dismay of team scientists and Iophiles alike.
One fan has taken matters into his own hands. Jason Perry, a
high-school senior, created an online petition called "Pennies for
Pele" that has garnered 700 signatures in four months. While Perry
understands his efforts are a longshot at best, he is not without key
supporters. Eilene Theilig, project manager for Galileo, is doing what
she can internally to fund science activities during the February
flyby. And even without a working camera, Galileo's other instruments
are still in top shape. "We're not giving up," says Theilig.

NEW QUESTAR OWNER LOOKS TO FUTURE
Officials of Questar Corp. of New Hope, Pennsylvania, recently
announced the company's sale to the National Engineering and
Manufacturing Co. (NEMCO), an aerospace firm also located in the
Keystone State. NEMCO owner Donald J. Bandurick will become Questar's
new chairman and CEO, while former Questar president Douglas M. Knight
Sr. becomes senior consultant for research and development.
In the minds of amateur astronomers, the Questar name is synonymous
with high-quality Maksutov telescopes, most notably the ultraportable
3.5-inch Questar Standard, which has been on the market continuously
for 50 years. What is less well known is that Questar also makes
"ruggedized" versions of its instruments for military and industrial
applications.
Does the sale to NEMCO signal the end of this classic astronomical
telescope? Quite the opposite: "There is no chance that Questar will
ever leave the astronomical telescope business," says Bandurick. "The
acquisition will actually expand the astronomical product line. We
will reintroduce improved versions of some of our older models, like
the 12 inch, and improve and update the 3.5- and 7-inch models."
Bandurick adds that the company plans to develop and introduce new
products, including a solar spectrometer and photographic equipment.

THIS WEEK'S "SKY AT A GLANCE"
Some daily events in the changing sky, by the editors of Sky &
Telescope.

AUG. 19 -- SUNDAY
* Look almost straight up after dark this week. The bright star
shining there is Vega (if you live at a mid-northern latitude).
* Algol, the naked-eye eclipsing variable star, should be in one of
its periodic dimmings, magnitude 3.4 instead of its usual 2.1, for a
couple hours centered on 1:24 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time Monday
morning. Algol takes several additional hours to fade and to brighten.
For a timetable of all its predicted minima see
http://www.skypub.com/sights/variables/algol.html .

AUG. 20 -- MONDAY
* Find the thin crescent Moon low in the west as soon after sunset
as you possibly can. Look to its lower right, by a bit more than the
width of your fist held at arm's length, to spot Mercury. Try
binoculars.

AUG. 21 -- TUESDAY
* Telescope users along a narrow path from Maine to Texas may see
the faint asteroid 713 Luscinia occult (cover) an 11th-magnitude star
just south of the Great Square of Pegasus. The star will disappear for
up to 15 seconds sometime within a 10-minute interval centered on 2:25
a.m. EDT Wednesday morning (1:25 a.m. CDT). See the finder chart in
the August Sky & Telescope, page 113, or at
http://www.skypub.com/sights/skyevents/0108skyevents.shtml .

AUG. 22 -- WEDNESDAY
* The star below the Moon this evening is Spica.
* Algol is at minimum light for a couple hours centered on 10:13
p.m. EDT.
* A small telescope will show Saturn's largest moon, 9th-magnitude
Titan, four ring-lengths west of the planet this morning and Thursday
morning.

AUG. 23 -- THURSDAY
* The Moon appears about equally distant from bright Arcturus, far
to its upper right, and orange Antares, far off to the Moon's left.

AUG. 24 -- FRIDAY
* The Moon, Delta Scorpii, Antares, and Mars form a curving line in
the southwest to south this evening, from right to left.
* Have you been keeping an eye on Delta Scorpii? It's the middle
star in the nearly vertical row of three (the "head of Scorpius") to
the right of Antares. Delta, a hot blue star, has been having an
unusual outburst for the last year. Compare it to Beta Scorpii just
above it, magnitude 2.6, and Antares, magnitude 1.1. Delta is
currently about magnitude 1.8 instead of its usual 2.3.

AUG. 25 -- SATURDAY
* First-quarter Moon (exact at 3:55 p.m. EDT).
* The orange star to the Moon's lower left in early evening is
Antares. Farther left is brighter orange Mars.
* Mars is at its southernmost declination of the year (-27 degrees).
* During early dawn Sunday morning, Venus makes a straight line with
Pollux and Castor.

============================
THIS WEEK'S PLANET ROUNDUP
============================
MERCURY is deep in the glow of sunset; look for it due west near the
horizon 20 or 30 minutes after sundown. The farther south you live the
better. Binoculars will help.
VENUS (magnitude -4.0) is the brightest "Morning Star" shining in the
east at dawn. The bright object well to its upper right is Jupiter.
MARS is the brightest point in the southern sky after dark, shining
orange at magnitude -1.0. Fainter orange Antares twinkles far to its
right or lower right. For telescope users Mars appears 14 arcseconds
in diameter, but global dust-storm activity may still be obscuring
many of the planet's dark markings. A Mars observing guide and maps
are in the May Sky & Telescope, page 102.
JUPITER (magnitude -2.1) shines to the upper right of brighter Venus
in the east before and during dawn. They're pulling farther apart each
week.
SATURN (magnitude -0.3) rises after midnight and glows yellow high to
Jupiter's upper right before and during dawn. Much closer to Saturn's
right is fainter orange Aldebaran. Above them are the Pleiades.
URANUS and NEPTUNE (6th and 8th magnitude, respectively) are in
Capricornus in the southeast during evening.
PLUTO (magnitude 14) is in Ophiuchus in the southwest in early
evening, to the upper right of Mars. Finder charts for Uranus,
Neptune, and Pluto are in the April Sky & Telescope, page 104, and at
lower resolution at
http://www.skypub.com/sights/moonplanets/outerplanets01.html .
(All descriptions that relate to the horizon or zenith -- including
the words up, down, right, and left -- are written for the world's
midnorthern latitudes. Descriptions that also depend on longitude are
for North America. Eastern Daylight Time, EDT, equals Universal Time
[GMT] minus 4 hours.)
More celestial events, sky maps, observing projects, and news of the
world's astronomy research appear each month in SKY & TELESCOPE, the
essential magazine of astronomy. See our enormous Web site and
astronomy bookstore at http://www.skypub.com/ . Clear skies! 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 643 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Aug 20, 2001 (20:45) * 42 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Rallying for a Return to the Moon
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/lunar_future_010820-1.html

The desolate and cratered shores of nearby Luna beckon, not only as landscape ripe for science and exploration but prime "unreal estate" for hotels, business parks and mining camps.

* The ESA's Cluster Tunes in to the Dawn Chorus
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/planetearth/cluster_annivesary_010820.html

The vacuum of space is hardly a suitable habitat for birds, but someone tuning in to the signals detected by the Wide Band Data (WBD) experiment on ESA's Cluster spacecraft might be forgiven for thinking that this was not the case.

* Galileo, Camera Working Again, Sends Data from Io
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/galileo_update_010817.html

Jupiter's moon Io appears to have a weak or nonexistent internal magnetic field, according to new data sent back by NASA's Galileo spacecraft. Engineers said the craft's camera appears to be working again after another in a series of glitches.

-----------------------------------

Today in Missions/Launches:

* Homebound Station Crew Bids Adieu to Orbital Abode
http://www.space.com/shuttlemissions/

The new crew of the International Space Station bid bon voyage to their homebound predecessors Monday as a Russian cosmonaut and two American astronauts took leave of their orbital abode after 165 days in space.

* NASA's Dilemma: Hubble Telescope Lives or Dies
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/hubble_ngst_010817-1.html

The venerable Hubble Space Telescope has returned images that have changed our perception of the universe, but the 10-year-old mission's fate has hung lately in the balance.

------------------------------------

Today in Business/Industry:

* Pentagon Plans to Double Value of SBIRS Low Contracts
http://www.space.com/spacenews/spacepolicy/sbirs_081601.html

The Pentagon intends to nearly double the value of the $275 million study contracts it awarded two years ago to TRW and Spectrum Astro for early work on a proposed constellation of missile tracking satellites, according to industry sources.

------------------------------------ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 644 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Aug 21, 2001 (20:53) * 14 lines
Smoke Sentry in Space

NASA Science News for August 21, 2001

In the past firefighters looked toward the sky for relief from relentless
wildfires, wishing for rain or perhaps a cool breeze. Now there's a
different kind of aid beaming down from the heavens -- rapid-response fire
maps that can help troops on the ground decide how best to combat the
inferno.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast21aug_1.htm?list89800 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 645 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Aug 21, 2001 (21:34) * 36 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Saturn Return: 20 Years After Voyager, The Planet's Mysteries Still Beckon
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/saturn_anniversary_010821-1.html
NASA's Voyager 2 probe approached Saturn 20 years ago and spent the next eight months beaming back images of a planetary system far more complicated and beautiful than anyone had imagined.

* Mars Probe Experiment Shut Down, Spacecraft OK
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/mars_odyssey_updates-1.html
NASA engineers have turned off a radiation experiment aboard the agency's latest probe en route to Mars, after the instrument failed to respond during a data transfer session.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* Fresh Supplies on their Way to ISS Alpha
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/soyuz_launch_010821.html
A Russian Progress freighter filled with nearly three tons of food, supplies and equipment destined for the International Space Station was launched from Kazakhstan today.

* Longtime Station Crew Headed Home After Shuttle Departure from Outpost
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/sts105_pm_010820.html
Shuttle Discovery's astronauts taxied the second full-time crew of the International Space Station crew back toward planet Earth Monday, leaving an American and two Russians to fend for themselves on the frontier outpost.

* Agile Martian Rover Tumbles Toward Success
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/bouncing_rover_010820-1.html
Researchers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) have hit upon an idea for exploring the Red Planet that seems to be equal parts fun and serious science: it's a lightweight, two-story tall beach ball called the tumbleweed rover.

* Space Tourism Event Canceled After NASA Pulls Out
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/tourism_cancel_010820.html
A Space Tourism Expo slated for Labor Day weekend at the Pasadena Conference Center was canceled because NASA pulled some of its exhibits and funding didn't come through, organizers said.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* Pentagon Plans to Double Value of SBIRS Low Contracts
http://www.space.com/spacenews/spacepolicy/sbirs_081601.html
The Pentagon intends to nearly double the value of the $275 million study contracts it awarded two years ago to TRW and Spectrum Astro for early work on a proposed constellation of missile tracking satellites, according to industry sources. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 646 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Aug 22, 2001 (17:52) * 29 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Cast Away? Get Help From Above
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/sos_satellites_010822-1.html
When Tom Hanks carved "HELP" into the sand after his FedEx plane crashed and left him alone on an island in the movie "Cast Away," we all knew it was a failed scheme.

* Satellite Surveillance Helps U.S. and Canadian Firefighters
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/planetearth/satellite_firefighters_010821-1.html
U.S. and Canadian firefighters and land managers are using satellite data from both NASA and the European Space Agency to combat wildfires raging in the North American continent's Northwest region.

* Saturn Return: 20 Years After Voyager, The Planet's Mysteries Still Beckon
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/saturn_anniversary_010821-1.html
NASA's Voyager 2 probe approached Saturn 20 years ago and spent the next eight months beaming back images of a planetary system far more complicated and beautiful than anyone had imagined.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* Live Coverage! Watch Space Shuttle Discovery's Return to Earth
http://www.space.com/shuttlemissions/
Stay with SPACE.com for today's landing of Space Shuttle Discovery. Get live updates and video of today's return home!

* Discovery to Fly Over Tropical Storm Chantal During Return to Earth Wednesday
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/sts105_pm_010821.html
Shuttle Discovery's astronauts and a homebound International Space Station crew are scheduled to make a supersonic dive back to Earth Wednesday, soaring directly over Tropical Storm Chantal on their way to NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

* Simple Pleasures Sought by Returning Station Crew
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/sts105_am_010821.html
Yuri Usachev is in the mood for real cheese, real coffee, and after five months of thermo-stabilized BBQ beef brisket, Jim Voss is looking forward to a good old-fashioned hamburger and maybe some ice cream for dessert. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 647 of 866: Curious Wolfie  (wolf) * Wed, Aug 22, 2001 (19:35) * 3 lines
went outside last night and saw the space station and the shuttle go whizzing by! yeaaaah, the sky was clear and i got to see something from outer space *woohoo*

(having some troubles logging on to the net)

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 648 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Aug 22, 2001 (20:11) * 1 lines
Isn't that the neatest thing?! There are little people in that "star" gliding silently across the sky! I am delighted you got to see it! I was just about ready to jump up and down with excitement when it appeared over Mauna Kea the first time I saw it. Then I remembered I as an adult...*sigh*

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 649 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Aug 23, 2001 (15:40) * 12 lines
The Strange Spires of Callisto

NASA Science News for August 22, 2001

NASA's Galileo spacecraft has spotted curious icy spires jutting from the
surface of Jupiter's moon Callisto. The bizarre-looking natural features
have researchers scratching their heads and wondering if the surface of
the frigid moon might be a more dynamic place than they once thought.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast22aug_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 650 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Aug 25, 2001 (00:35) * 21 lines
QUICK SPACE

- H2A Facing Extended Delays
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/japan-h2a-01c.html

- Australia Govt Approves Singtel Takeover of C&W Optus
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/optus-01b.html

- ESA Opens Up Online Procurement System To Industry
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/industry-01b.html

- The Mechanics Of The Space Age
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/astro-navigation-01b.html

- US not satisfied with China over missile proliferation
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010823214735.6ejzys45.html

- Bush vows to drop ABM treaty 'on our timetable'
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010823185419.klkxhuhr.html 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 651 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Aug 25, 2001 (01:26) * 9 lines
Without comment (very difficult in this case!)

White House Tapes Shed Light on JFK Space Race Legend
http://www.space.com/news/kennedy_tapes_010822.html

Contrary to the popular view of John Kennedy as a space visionary, the president had little interest in space and strove to put humans on the moon only for its political importance. "I'm not that interested in space," he told NASA chief James Webb late in 1962.

Listen to audio of the tapes now at SPACE.com! 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 652 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Sat, Aug 25, 2001 (13:12) * 1 lines
Politics made it happen. JFK realized that politics is what made stuff work, not idealism. He had some great speechwriters though.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 653 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Aug 25, 2001 (13:34) * 1 lines
Speechwriters are perhaps the greatest unsung heroes of all time. The work in anonymity and stand by while others go down in history for having spoken the words they have written. It takes an very unusual cerative mind to do just that. You're right, JFK did have great speech writers!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 654 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Aug 25, 2001 (14:20) * 25 lines
HUBBLE FINDS THE ROTTEN EGG NEBULA IN SHOCK
-------------------------------------------
A new, detailed Hubble image of a planetary nebula in the making shows for the first time the complex gas structures predicted by theory. Astronomers are thrilled by observations showing the violent gas collisions that give rise to supersonic shock fronts.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0108/25hubble/

PROTON ROCKET LAUNCHED
----------------------
A Russian Proton rocket lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome Friday on a classified military mission. The rocket's secret cargo was successfully placed into orbit according to news agency reports. A launch attempt on Thursday was scrubbed due to an unspecified reason.

DELTA 2 PICKED TO LAUNCH ESSP 3/CLOUDSAT CRAFT
----------------------------------------------
NASA has announced that it is exercising a contract option with Boeing for a Delta 2 vehicle to launch the ESSP 3/CloudSat mission. The spacecraft are planned for launch in 2004 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0108/25cloudsat/

NEW OBJECT DETHRONES CERES AS LARGEST MINOR PLANET
--------------------------------------------------
European astronomers have confirmed that an object in the outer solar system discovered earlier this year is the largest minor planet in the solar system, bigger than both the asteroid Ceres and Pluto's moon Charon.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0108/24kbo/

LOOKING TO THE MOON FOR BETTER SATELLITE IMAGES
-----------------------------------------------
For the first time, Australian U.S. scientists are using the moon to check and calibrate sensors on board weather satellites. The 'moon tuned' sensors are expected to provide a wealth of improved information about climate change and air pollution.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0108/24moontuned/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 655 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Sun, Aug 26, 2001 (16:04) * 4 lines
http://store.skypub.com/skypub/product.asp?mscssid=JW7QLETFX0SR2MJ100J74Q3KP2V6FFPC&IDSKU=46743&cat=Maps+%26+Globes&catnum=1500&searchval=&sDate=7%2F25%2F01+4%3A28%3A10+PM&Startsale=&category=1500

Color topo map of Mars.


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 656 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sun, Aug 26, 2001 (16:12) * 1 lines
Thanks Terry. I have posted that many times along with the weekly S&T updates but never checked it out. How like earth it looks done that way, but somehow very different, too. It is like we went to sleep on the familiar Earth but awoke on an Earth silimar but entirely different. It is a curious feeling. It would make a very interesting conversation piece!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 657 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Aug 27, 2001 (18:16) * 84 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* SETI@home: Signal Crunching Yields Little So Far
http://www.space.com/searchforlife/setihome_numbers_010827-1.html

More than a dozen candidate signals have been snagged by a global network of volunteers in a search for extraterrestrial intelligence called SETI@home. But one by one, the prospective SETI hits have been downgraded to misses and tagged as radio interference.

* Hubble Image Shows Rotten Egg Nebula
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/hubble_calabash_010824.html

A new, detailed Hubble image of a planetary nebula in the making shows for the first time the complex gas structures predicted by theory. Astronomers are thrilled by observations showing the violent gas collisions that give rise to supersonic shock fronts.

* Canadian Amateur Astronomer Finds First New Comet of 2001
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/petriew_comet_010827-1.html

In centuries past astronomers discovered new comets the old-fashioned way: they peered through telescopes or simply looked toward the sky, hunting for faint smudges that no one had seen before. It was hard work, but lots of people did it. Comets are named after their discoverers, after all, and finding a new one can mean instant fame. Hale-Bopp, Hayakutake and Shoemaker-Levy are just a few of the names we know ... because of comets.

-----------------------------------

Today in Missions/Launches:

* Countdown in Progress for Japan's H-2A Rocket Launch Wednesday
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/h2a_update_010827.html

A countdown began Sunday for the scheduled launch Wednesday of an H-2A rocket after a previously scheduled launch was postponed due to an engine valve malfunction, the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) said.

* Russian Proton Rocket Sends Secret Satellite into Space
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/launches/proton_launch_010825.html

A classified Russian military satellite was successfully launched into Earth orbit on Friday, the Interfax news service is reporting.

* NASA to Shut Down Ozone-Watching Probe
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/satellite_shutdown_010824.html

A space probe that has kept track of the hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica will cease operations at the end of next month, it was reported Friday.

------------------------------------

Today in Business/Industry:

* Sources Say Teets May Be Next Air Force Undersecretary
http://www.space.com/spacenews/spacepolicy/teets_082401.html

Former Lockheed Martin executive Peter Teets has emerged as the top candidate to be the next undersecretary of the U.S Air Force, according to several sources.

------------------------------------

* SpaceTV:
http://www.space.com/spacetv/index.php3

* Space Age Gear:
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/space_gear-1.html

* SpaceWatch:
http://www.space.com/spacewatch/index.html

* Uplink: Share your opinion!
http://uplink.space.com/index.html

-------------------------------------

SOLAR and SPACE WEATHER (August 27, 2001)

3-Day Solar Forecast
Solar activity is expected to be moderate. Region 9591 is capable of M-class events with potential to produce a major flare.

3-Day Aurora Forecast
The geomagnetic field is expected to be active to minor storm conditions on 27 and 28 August as a result of the X5 event from 25 August. Major storm conditions are possible at high latitudes. Unsettled to active conditions are expected on 29 August.

Solar Data
The current sunspot number is 139, and the solar wind speed recently clocked in at 430 kilometers per second (959,760 mph). The solar wind density was 3.7 protons per cubic centimeter. (Speed and density values are snapshots in time and change during the day.)
http://www.space.com/spacewatch/space_weather.html

-------------------------------------

Sign up to become part of the greatest search in history! Join TeamSETI:
http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_science_page.html

Be a desktop astronomer! Starry Night is the world's leading astronomy software -- choose between Beginner, Backyard, or Pro!
http://www.starrynight.com/index.html

NEW! Join the SPACE.com affiliate program. Click now for details!
http://www.space.com/affiliate/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 658 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Aug 27, 2001 (18:17) * 32 lines
QUICK SPACE

- Crunch Time For Space Science
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/news/nasa-01d1.html

- Shenzhou-2 Orbital Module Safely Deorbited
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/china-01zu.html

- Icarus Will Finally Fly As Hellas Sat
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/hellas-sat-01a.html

- Pluto Gets More Competition
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/kuiper-01g.html

- Looking To The Moon For Better Satellite Images
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/eo-01f.html

- Advancing Our Understanding of Life
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/life-01zd.html

- Keeping Cool in Space
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/planck-01a.html

- Robot Explorers Will Need Bionics For Brains
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/robot-01f.html

- High-tech military gadgetry aplenty at US missile conference
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010826123114.ny3iw7wx.html

- Sino-US missile control talks hit deadlock
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010824113346.x0l0ykc1.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 659 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Aug 28, 2001 (19:11) * 18 lines
- Make Or Break Time For Japan's Rocket Launch Program
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/japan-h2a-01d.html

- India Facing Inevitable Prospect Of Multiple Major Earthquakes
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/earthquake-01d.html

- Scripps Has The Ear Out For Nukes And Asteroids Alike
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/eo-01h.html

- Quantum Weirdness May Improve GPS Accuracy
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/gps-01j.html

- Europe Hopes For Express Answer In Search For Water On Mars
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/marsexpress-01d.html

- Asteroid Collector Test Will Pave Way For Sample Return Missions
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/asteroid-01h.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 660 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Aug 28, 2001 (21:36) * 34 lines
* Solar Max is Over, Earth's Future Looks Brighter
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/sun_weather_010828-1.html
A menacing peak in cyclical solar activity officially has passed, a NASA scientist says, but its impact on Earth's weather is far from over. In fact, the outlook is sunny in many ways.

* Mars Explorers Call for Opening the 'New World'
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/mars_stanford_010824.html
The way to kick-start a humans-to-Mars program is to take a do-it-yourself approach and focus on research needed to open the Red Planet to explorers and eventually settlers, a guru for Mars exploration says.

* Alien Eyes: Creature Covered in High-Tech Lenses
http://www.space.com/searchforlife/alien_eyes_010823.html
Gordon Hendler is into echinoderms -- starfish and their cousins -- and he's always thought they seemed a little alien. Not because they look like stars. And not just because their skeletons are on the outside.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* Space Station Costs Come Under Fire
http://www.space.com/news/iss_panel_010824-1.html
The NASA-led mega-project that is the International Space Station (ISS) has become an out-of-control effort, one that needs an immediate managerial overhaul to assure its productivity and retain its promise of being a world-class orbiting laboratory.

* Russian Proton Rocket Sends Secret Satellite into Space
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/launches/proton_launch_010825.html
A classified Russian military satellite was successfully launched into Earth orbit on Friday, the Interfax news service is reporting.

* NASA to Shut Down Ozone-Watching Probe
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/satellite_shutdown_010824.html
A space probe that has kept track of the hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica will cease operations at the end of next month, it was reported Friday.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* ESA Says Faulty Gyroscope Caused Maxus 4 Loss
http://www.space.com/spacenews/europe/maxus_082801.html
A faulty gyroscope in a navigation sensor led to the loss of a Maxus 4 sounding rocket and its experimental payload in April, according to a report released by the European Space Agency, on Aug. 24. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 661 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Aug 28, 2001 (21:44) * 15 lines
Fighting Wildfires Before They Start

NASA Science News for August 28, 202001

Wildfires break out in unexpected places, then they do things that
surprise firefighters. But maybe such fires won't always be so
unpredictable. Trailblazing scientists are combining satellite data with
sophisticated computer programs to learn more about capricious wildfires
-- including where they're likely to start and what we can do to prevent
them.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast28aug_1.htm?list89800 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 662 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Aug 29, 2001 (16:09) * 42 lines
Earth Observatory: What's New Week of 08/28/2001
In the News:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/
* Latest Images:
New Fires in Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5111
Summer in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5110
Elephant damage to vegetation in Botswana
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5109
"Rebirth" Island Joins the Mainland
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5108
Deforestation and fires in Para, Brazil
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5107
Typhoon Pabuk
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5106
Cloud Height and Wind Speed
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5105
* NASA News
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/
- TRMM Spacecraft Getting a Boost
- NASA Awards Contracts for New Remote Sensing Technology
* Media Alerts
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/
- Researchers Find Mercury Pollution in Wildfires
* New Research Highlights
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Research/

--------------------
New Data:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/

* Updated Data:
TOMS Aerosol Index data for July 2001
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/aerosol.toms.html
Ozone data for July 2001
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/ozone.toms.html
UV Radiation Exposure data for July 2001
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/uv.toms.html
-
Earth Observatory Announcements
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 663 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Aug 29, 2001 (16:12) * 33 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Safety on Mars: Spacesuits of the Future
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/spacesuit_sensors_010827-1.html
New miniature sensors designed to warn of chemical dangers here on Earth might one day be worn like badges on space suits to alert astronauts or Martian colonists to dangerous chemicals or elevated radiation levels.

* Supernova Nearly Split Binary Star System
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/xray_binary_010828.html
Astronomers have discovered a double star system, known as a massive X-ray binary, with an orbit so elongated that the twosome appears to have barely survived the disruptive effects of the supernova that transformed them into a fountain of X-ray energy.

* Astronomers Discover Six-Image Gravitational Lens
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/lens_image_010827.html
A team of astronomers has discovered a bizarre image resembling a six-times exposure of a distant galaxy, the light from which has been split and bent by an intervening cluster of three galaxies.
-----------------------------------

Today in Missions/Launches:
* Japan Scores Success with Inaugural H-2A Rocket Launch
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/h2a_launch_010829.html
Japan successfully launched its first next generation H-2A rocket on Wednesday by throwing a test satellite into orbit, the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) said.

* Comet-Bound Spacecraft Saved Again
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/ds1_fix_010828-1.html
NASA engineers have fixed a navigational glitch on the agency's Deep Space 1 (DS1) probe after it was buffeted by solar weather, and the spacecraft remains on track for an attempted flyby of a comet next month.

* Galileo to Reach Mission Milestone This Weekend
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/galileo_cruise_010828.html
Galileo spacecraft will reach a milestone Saturday as it performs its 100th scheduled engine burn to fine tune its path around Jupiter.
------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:
* Arianespace Replaces Executive Who Opposed Soyuz Launches From Kourou
http://www.space.com/spacenews/europe/ariane_082801.html
The Arianespace launch consortium announced Aug. 28 that Chief Operating Officer Jacques Rossignol is being replaced by Jean-Yves Le Gall, the president of a French-Russian joint-venture company that sells launches aboard Russian Soyuz rockets. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 664 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Aug 29, 2001 (16:32) * 16 lines
Space re-entry prognostication for over New Zealand and other parts of the Commonwealth:

Object 26406 - BIRD-RUBIN/SL-8 R/B
Forecasted by USSPACECOM to decay 30-Aug 02:28.

Using special perturbation scheme (similar to Harro's), my forecast
is 30-Aug-01:38 UT at the 115 km altitude pt.
What is interesting is groundtrack of last predicted orbit......
Object north-going passes just to the East of London UK at
01:02:30 UT
(potential sighting if early demise!!!) (48 deg
elev at 37 deg az)

If object lives another 1/2 orbit, it passes south-going
directly over South Island NZ at 01:44 UT 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 665 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Aug 30, 2001 (19:47) * 36 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Weather On Distant Worlds Could Lead Telescopes to Alien Life
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/extrasolar_weather_010829.html
The weather and surface conditions of planets outside our Solar System could be detected by constellations of telescopes sent to space, and then used to predict which are most Earthly and likely to harbor life, according to new research.

* Asteroid Caused Earth's Largest Mass Extinction
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/permian_impact_010829.html
Scientists working in southern China have added to previous research that supports the idea that an asteroid or comet smacked the Earth 251 million years ago, causing the planet's worst ever mass extinction.

* Supernova Nearly Split Binary Star System
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/xray_binary_010828.html
Astronomers have discovered a double star system, known as a massive X-ray binary, with an orbit so elongated that the twosome appears to have barely survived the disruptive effects of the supernova that transformed them into a fountain of X-ray energy.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* Second Station Crew Readapting to Life on Earth
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/exp2_update_010830.html
Susan Helms is ready to move into a new apartment. Jim Voss is sleeping soundly back in his Houston home, and Yuri Usachev soon will be making a transoceanic flight back to his native Russia.

* Arianespace Enjoys News of Successful Launch
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/ariane4_launch_010830.html
An Ariane 4 rocket successfully carried an international communications satellite into Earth orbit early Thursday and helped ease the stinging disappointment Arianespace officials felt in July after a botched launch by a sister Ariane 5 rocket.

* U.S Air Force and NASA Work Closer on Strategic Space Control
http://www.space.com/news/military_space_010829-1.html
The United States Air Force and NASA are beefing up their cooperative efforts to develop reusable launch vehicle technologies in an effort to assure the American military's dominance and control of space for national security purposes.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* U.S. Government Indecision on Waiver Sinks Satellite Deal
http://www.space.com/spacenews/index.html
U.S. government foot-dragging on a request to launch a European-built satellite containing American hardware aboard a Chinese rocket has scuttled the entire project, according to industry officials.
------------------------------------

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 666 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Aug 31, 2001 (20:08) * 35 lines
NEWSALERT: Friday, August 31, 2001 @ 0343 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

FIRST CELLS BEING GROWN IN SPACE STATION EXPERIMENT
---------------------------------------------------
The first cell culture experiments aboard the International Space Station are on the way to being completed by early next week. The crew has been working with the 32 cell cultures that are growing kidney, ovarian and colon cells. This research is the first opportunity for scientists to begin growth of cell cultures that have never been exposed to Earth's gravity.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0108/31isssci/

SPACEFLIGHT NOW PLUS PRESENT HISTORY FLASHBACK
----------------------------------------------
NASA's Mars Observer space probe was launched in September 1992 on a voyage envisioned to be America's return to the Red Planet. But the craft disappeared just before entering Martian orbit 11 months later. Today, we present the first installment of History Flashback for our Spaceflight Now Plus subscribers with a look at the Mars Observer launch aboard a Martin Marietta Titan 3C rocket. Click here
http://spaceflightnow.com/plus/

SIMBA HUNTS SOUTHERN SKIES
--------------------------
A new instrument, called SIMBA, has been installed at the ESO La Silla Observatory. It is the first imaging millimeter instrument in the southern hemisphere, and opens exciting prospects for in-depth studies of the "hidden" sites of star formation, deep inside dense interstellar nebulae.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0108/31simba/

ARIANE 4 SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHES INTELSAT CRAFT
---------------------------------------------
An Arianespace Ariane 4 rocket was launched from South America on Thursday carrying the Intelsat 902 telecommunications satellite. It took about 21 minutes to inject the payload into geosynchronous transfer orbit around Earth, marking the 63rd consecutive successful launch of the workhorse Ariane 4.
http://spaceflightnow.com/ariane/v143/status.html

RADIATION-DRIVEN REACTIONS ON JUPITER'S MOONS
---------------------------------------------
By his own admission, Thomas Orlando deals with "weird chemistry." In fact, the Georgia Institute of Technology researcher studies chemical processes that are literally out of this world -- reactions occurring on the moons of Jupiter, driven by extreme radiation at ultra-cold temperatures.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0108/30jupchem/

HEAVY METAL STARS
-----------------
Very high abundances of the heavy element Lead have been discovered in three distant stars in the Milky Way Galaxy. This finding strongly supports the long-held view that roughly half of the stable elements heavier than Iron are produced in common stars during a phase towards the end of their life when they burn their Helium.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0108/30heavy/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 667 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Aug 31, 2001 (20:09) * 58 lines
QUICK SPACE

- Europe back in space after Ariane-5 failure
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010830065519.54kcl3sw.html

- Brazilian commission protests Brazil-US satellite-launching deal
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010829163356.l5u93m9i.html

- Russia to launch new ISS module, Soyuz spaceship
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010829143402.54mwgnlx.html

- Japan's new rocket declared a success
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010829111759.q93ygbtc.html

- US space agency offers wine producers eye in the sky
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010831045452.sbenklyq.html

- Bucky Balls Get Superconductive
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/carbon-01e.html

- Radiation Drives Weird Chemistry Out Jupiter Way
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/jupiter-chemistry-01a.html

- China Would Make "Great Mistake" If Uses Force Against Taiwan
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/taiwan-01c.html

- Shield of dreams: Missiles intercepted by US could land on allies
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010829180024.z3fwnpkf.html

- China attacks US missile defence plans at UN conference
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010830133106.5wqq1dyb.html

- Russia "calm" about US ABM decision: Ivanov
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010830121830.h6rngy5n.html

- Spaceguard - A Bargain Insurance Policy Against Killer Asteroids
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/deepimpact-01f.html

- Permian Impact Caused Largest Mass Extinction on Earth
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/life-01ze.html

- Composite Tank Can Keep Its Cool
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/booster-01d.html

- TRMM Gets A Boost To Extend Its Watch
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/eo-01g.html

- Australian firm planning TV contest to choose space tourist
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010830145042.01ai179e.html

- Tecstar Returns to Mars
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/solarcell-01g.html

------------------------------------------------
Launchspace Professional Space Training Programs
We support your mission-critical requirements!
--------- http://www.launchspace.com ----------- 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 668 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Sep  1, 2001 (14:16) * 36 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Bright, Booming Meteor Vanishes in Colorado Mountains
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/meteorite_search_010830.html
Brighter than the full Moon, as loud as a sonic boom, and weighing as much as a ton when it arrived, a fireball that fell on Colorado on Aug. 17 has proven difficult to find.

* Weather On Distant Worlds Could Lead Telescopes to Alien Life
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/extrasolar_weather_010829.html
The weather and surface conditions of planets outside our Solar System could be detected by constellations of telescopes sent to space, and then used to predict which are most Earthly and likely to harbor life, according to new research.

* Asteroid Caused Earth's Largest Mass Extinction
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/permian_impact_010829.html
Scientists working in southern China have added to previous research that supports the idea that an asteroid or comet smacked the Earth 251 million years ago, causing the planet's worst ever mass extinction.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* International Space Station Approaches Key Turning Point
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/iss_update_010831.html
A year of daunting construction work behind them, NASA and its 15 International Space Station partners are gearing up for a new round of expansion amid a U.S. cash crunch that could quash plans to complete the outpost as envisioned.

* NASA Okays New Hires in Florida for Shuttle Work Normally Done in California
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/ov103_omdp_010830.html
NASA gave its prime contractor at Kennedy Space Center the go-ahead Thursday to hire hundreds of new workers so they can be trained to perform a multi-million dollar overhaul on shuttle Discovery.

* Aspiring Space Tourist Passes Medical Exam for Soyuz Flight
http://www.space.com/news/shuttleworth_medical_010830.html
Three aspiring space travelers training with the Russians have passed their medical exams required for commercial trips aboard Soyuz capsules to the International Space Station, it was reported Thursday.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* U.S. Government Indecision on Waiver Sinks Satellite Deal
http://www.space.com/spacenews/statedept_082901.html
U.S. government foot-dragging on a request to launch a European-built satellite containing American hardware aboard a Chinese rocket has scuttled the entire project, according to industry officials. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 669 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Sep  3, 2001 (17:14) * 31 lines
ULYSSES PROBE PREDICTS WEATHER AT SUN'S NORTH POLE
--------------------------------------------------
Space physicists predict gusty winds for the next few months at the Sun's north pole, an area that will be observed as the
Ulysses spacecraft passes over it starting this weekend. This pass over the pole occurs at a time of solar maximum, when the
Sun is more active.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/02ulysses/


EARTH'S LIGHT SHOW IS CLUE TO FINDING HABITABLE NEIGHBORS
---------------------------------------------------------
Viewed from a star in some other corner of the galaxy, Earth would be a speck, a faint blue dot hidden in the blazing light of
our sun. Would there be any hint of that speck's amazing diversity of life? According to new research, a savvy alien would find
at least one important clue: an interesting flicker in the pale blue light.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/01exoweather/


SATELLITE VIEWS CAPTURE RECORD NILE RIVER FLOODING
--------------------------------------------------
Thousands of people in the Sudan lost their homes this year to the swollen waters of the Nile, which reached their highest
levels in more than two decades. Four images from NASA's Terra satellite show the Nile and its main tributaries near
Khartoum, before and after the rainy seasons in 2000 and 2001.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/02nile/


CLUSTER 2 SPACECRAFT SURF THE PLASMA WAVES
------------------------------------------
ESA's four Cluster spacecraft continue to provide ground-breaking new information about the interaction between our nearest
star - the Sun - and planet Earth. As they sail through the sea of plasma that fills near-Earth space, the identical instruments on
the Cluster quartet are helping scientists to create the first three-dimensional views of this turbulent region.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/01cluster/ 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 670 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Sep  4, 2001 (17:42) * 36 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Human Habitats at Mars: Defending Against Contamination
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/mars_terraform_010904-1.html
With the prospects for finding life at Mars looking up, proponents of elaborate human settlements there are ready to defend themselves against charges of contaminating what's possibly already thriving there.

* NASA Helps California Winegrowers
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/planetearth/satellite_wine_010831.html
Wine growers in California are getting a leg up from NASA in their efforts to match the experience of European vintners.

* The Zero G Battle: How Astronauts and Cosmonauts Cope
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/generalscience/gravity_adapt_010831-1.html
Gravity hurts: you can feel it hoisting a loaded backpack or pushing a bike up a hill. But lack of gravity hurts, too: when astronauts return from long-term stints in space, they sometimes need to be carried away in stretchers.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* First Commercial Space Station Agreed to by MirCorp and Russians
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/mini_station_010904.html
The mega-sized International Space Station (ISS) could soon have to make room in Earth orbit for a little commercial competitor.

* International Space Station Approaches Key Turning Point
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/iss_update_010831.html
A year of daunting construction work behind them, NASA and its 15 International Space Station partners are gearing up for a new round of expansion amid a U.S. cash crunch that could quash plans to complete the outpost as envisioned.

* Second Station Crew Readapting to Life on Earth
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/exp2_update_010830.html
Susan Helms is ready to move into a new apartment. Jim Voss is sleeping soundly back in his Houston home, and Yuri Usachev soon will be making a transoceanic flight back to his native Russia.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* Arianespace Replaces Executive Who Opposed Soyuz Launches From Kourou
http://www.space.com/spacenews/europe/ariane_082801.html
The Arianespace launch consortium announced Aug. 28 that Chief Operating Officer Jacques Rossignol is being replaced by Jean-Yves Le Gall, the president of a French-Russian joint-venture company that sells launches aboard Russian Soyuz rockets. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 671 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Sep  4, 2001 (17:59) * 13 lines
Wide Awake in Outer Space

Astronauts sleep poorly in space, and it's no wonder. Just consider: the
excitement of blasting off on a powerful rocket, the strange sensations of
free-fall, the novelty of mornings that return every 90 minutes... Who
could sleep through all that? Nevertheless, astronauts must get their
rest, and medical researchers are trying to help. New research is
pointing the way to a better night's sleep on the ISS ... and beyond.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast04sep_1.htm?list89800 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 672 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Sep  5, 2001 (00:00) * 37 lines
NEWSALERT: Wednesday, September 5, 2001 @ 0414 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

MIRCORP ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR PRIVATE SPACE STATION
-------------------------------------------------
The company that tried to operate the Mir space station commercially announced plans Tuesday to launch its own private space station. MirCorp said it had signed an agreement with Rosaviakosmos and RSC Energia to develop, launch, and operate "Mini Station 1", an orbiting facility capable of supporting a wide range of commercial activities.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/05ministation1/
Read MirCorp statement:
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/05ministation1/release.html

EARTH IS BECOMING A GREENER GREENHOUSE
--------------------------------------
NASA satellite data suggest that for more than two decades there's been a gradual greening of the northern latitudes of Earth. Researchers confirm that plant life seen above 40 degrees north latitude has been growing more vigorously since 1981. One suspected cause is rising temperatures possibly linked to the buildup of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/05greenhouse/

BOEING, SEA LAUNCH PICKED FOR PANAMSAT/JSAT SATELLITE
-----------------------------------------------------
PanAmSat and Japan's JSAT Corp. have selected Boeing to build a new spacecraft in support of the two companies' recent joint venture, Horizons, as well as PanAmSat's domestic U.S. cable program distribution offerings. Sea Launch's Zenit 3SL rocket was selected to loft the craft in the 4th Quarter of 2002.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/05galaxy13/

GALILEO BEAMING BACK IO AND JUPITER ENCOUNTER DATA
--------------------------------------------------
This week the focus for the Galileo spacecraft is playback of the recorded data that was acquired during the August 5 flyby of Io and Jupiter. There are two observations scheduled to be returned this week, both from the Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer instrument, and both of regions on Io.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/05galileothisweek/

BREAKING THE PROTEIN CODE WITH THE SPACE STATION
------------------------------------------------
When a Russian Progress craft docked with the ISS in late August, it brought Europe's second scientific experiment to the space station. The Granada Crystal Box Experiment does not look very impressive from the outside. But it may help European scientists to make a few strides forward in molecular biology and drug design.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/04protein/

PATHFINDER COMPOSITE LIQUID OXYGEN TANK PROOF TESTS
---------------------------------------------------
A joint effort between NASA and Lockheed Martin has resulted in the development and successful initial testing of the first sub-scale cryogenic tank built of a composite material that is compatible with liquid oxygen. Lockheed Martin designed and built the composite tank, and NASA is testing it at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/04loxtank/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 673 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Sep  5, 2001 (19:35) * 9 lines
Black Hole Snacks

NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory has spotted a curious outburst from our
galaxy's core -- a sign that the Milky Way's central black hole may be
snacking on its neighbors.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast05sep_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 674 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Sep  5, 2001 (19:36) * 36 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Space-Age Goop Morphs Between Liquid and Solid
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/mr_materials_010905-1.html
A material that might pass as Play-Doh for Magneto, the mutant master of magnetism in the Marvel Comics universe, may be critical to the success of future space missions in ways both mundane and exotic.

* Stellar Wind X-Rays May Play Significant Role in Galactic Origins
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/x-rays_galaxy_010905.html
Colorful star-forming regions that have captivated stargazers since the advent of the telescope 400 years ago contain gas thousands of times more energetic than previously recognized, powered by colliding stellar winds. This multimillion-degree gas radiated as X rays is one of the long-sought sources of energy and elements in the Milky Way galaxy's interstellar medium.

* Satellites See a Greener Northern Hemisphere
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/planetearth/greener_earth_010904.html
Earth's northern hemisphere is a greener place than it was 20 years ago, with denser vegetation and a longer growing season in some places, scientists reported on Tuesday.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* Christmas Island Launch Center Gains Momentum
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/launches/aussie_spaceport_010905.html
Investors are gaining confidence in the Asia Pacific Space Center (APSC) on Australia's Christmas Island, despite their wariness in backing new space enterprises, project officials said on Tuesday.

* Probe Encounters Finale in Solar Activity
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/ulysses_forecast_010904.html
Space physicists predict occasional blasts of charged particles for the next few months at the Sun's north pole, an area that the Ulysses spacecraft recently passed over and started observing.

* First Commercial Space Station Agreed to by MirCorp and Russians
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/mini_station_010904.html
The mega-sized International Space Station (ISS) could soon have to make room in Earth orbit for a little commercial competitor.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* Boeing To Supply Horizons Satellite
http://www.space.com/spacenews/satellitecomm/boeing_090501.html
PanAmSat Corp. and JSAT Corp. have named Boeing Satellite Systems as the supplier of a new communications satellite for Horizons, a joint venture between the two satellite operators. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 675 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Sep  6, 2001 (17:27) * 57 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Devon Island Experiment Unlocks Secrets of Living on Mars
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/mars_next_step_010905-1.html
A human journey to the Martian wilderness is moving toward reality thanks to simulated practice runs at Mars analog sites here on Earth. A shakeout of tools, equipment and people skills needed to live and work on the Red Planet is under way at Devon Island in Northern Canada -- all ingredients that could spur the building of hardware and an esprit-de-corps for colonizing the Red Planet.

* Study Pins Down Quantity of Dark Matter in Universe
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/dark_matter__010906.html
By creating the most accurate tally of observable matter in five distant clusters of galaxies, researchers announced Thursday they had moved closer to pinpointing how much mysterious "dark matter" must exist in the universe.

* Hubble Counts the Age of Starburst Galaxy
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/Hubble_Starburst_010906.html
The arms of galaxy NGC 3310 are thick with stellar bounty. The small spiral galaxy, a third the size of the Milky Way, produces five-solar-masses-worth of stars every year. That's about 12-times more glitter than other galaxies its size. The star-making moxie of NGC 3310 earns it the classification of "star burst galaxy," but scientists are just beginning to understand how it can make so much sparkle.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* Chandra Observatory's Mission Extended to 10 Years
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/chandra_extension_010905.html
The Chandra X-ray Observatory mission has been extended by NASA from five years to 10, a move that was expected by mission planners but greeted with excitement nonetheless.

* Christmas Island Launch Center Gains Momentum
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/launches/aussie_spaceport_010905.html
Investors are gaining confidence in the Asia Pacific Space Center (APSC) on Australia's Christmas Island, despite their wariness in backing new space enterprises, project officials said on Tuesday.

* Probe Encounters Finale in Solar Activity
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/ulysses_forecast_010904.html
Space physicists predict occasional blasts of charged particles for the next few months at the Sun's north pole, an area that the Ulysses spacecraft recently passed over and started observing.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:
* U.S. Air Force Will Not Fund X-33, X-34 Vehicles
http://www.space.com/spacenews/spacepolicy/xnews_090501.html
The U.S. Air Force has decided not to adopt NASA’s orphaned X-33 and X-34 experimental rockets or take on a greater role in the agency’s X-37 space vehicle program, according to industry and government sources.
------------------------------------
* SpaceTV:
http://www.space.com/spacetv/index.php3
* Space Age Gear:
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/space_gear-1.html
* SpaceWatch:
http://www.space.com/spacewatch/index.html
* Uplink: Share your opinion!
http://uplink.space.com/index.html

-------------------------------------
SOLAR and SPACE WEATHER (September 6, 2001)

3-Day Solar Forecast
Solar activity is expected to continue at moderate to high levels. Regions 9601 and 9608 will likely produce C and M class flares. An isolated major flare is possible from either region.

3-Day Aurora Forecast
The geomagnetic field is expected to remain at quiet to unsettled levels.

Solar Data
The current sunspot number is 175, and the solar wind speed recently clocked in at 368 kilometers per second (821,376 mph). The solar wind density was 2.9 protons per cubic centimeter. (Speed and density values are snapshots in time and change during the day.)
http://www.space.com/spacewatch/space_weather.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 676 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Sep  7, 2001 (16:37) * 11 lines
Bizarre Boiling

NASA Science News for September 7, 202001 2:00:00 PM

Watching liquids boil in low gravity is an out-of-this-world experience
(in this story you can see for yourself). The strangely turbulent liquids
have plenty of entertainment value, and they're teaching scientists some
important physics lessons, too.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast07sep_2.htm?list89800

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 677 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Sep  7, 2001 (16:41) * 9 lines
A Greener Planetary Greenhouse

In recent years Earth-orbiting satellites have seen plants growing more
vigorously than usual over northern parts of our planet. The extra
vegetation could be a result of and a feedback mechanism for climate
change.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast07sep_1.htm?list89800

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 678 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Sep  7, 2001 (17:28) * 36 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* The Moon: What Lies Beneath
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/moon_composition_010907.html
What is the best way to explore remote lands? Is it better to collect a litter of rocks and dust to bring back and study, or is it more valuable to fly super-sharp-eyed cameras above the surface to catalogue every visible and chemical variation?

* Edge of Darkness: Milky Way's Black Hole 'Seen' in X-rays
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/mw_blackhole_010905.html
Scientists announced today some of the most compelling evidence to date for the existence of a colossal black hole at the center of the Milky Way Galaxy, also determining a new and much smaller upper limit to the diameter of the mysterious object.

* NASA Wants You to Name This Observatory!
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/nasa_acronym_010906.html
Are you tired of those impossible-to-pronounce acronyms that NASA uses to identify space missions? Did the SRTM or Shuttle Radar Topography Mission leave you without a map? When someone says GLONASS* do you do a double take to make sure that you're not in mixed company and that minors are not present? When you hear EUE** do you respond E-I-E-I-O?

-----------------------------------

Today in Missions/Launches:

* Station Crew Prepares to Resume Outpost Assembly Amid Research Work
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/iss_update_010906.html
NASA and its 15 global partners will resume construction of the International Space Station next week with the launch of a Russian docking port that will double as an airlock at the frontier outpost.

* Trio of NRO Spy Satellites to be Launched During Next Two Months
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/nro_preview_010906.html
All systems are go for Saturday's planned launch of a clandestine satellite from California, the first of a trio of super secret spacecraft still on the books to fly by the end of this calendar year.

* Eastern Range Upgrades Should Help Commercial Launch Industry
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/fl_eastern_range_010906.html
The Air Force is plugging its main launch area along Florida's Space Coast into the digital age this month.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* Lockheed Martin Sells Three Satellites To GE Americom
http://www.space.com/spacenews/satellitecomm/lockheed_090501.html
Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems of Newtown, Pa., has landed an order for three A2100 geostationary communications satellites from GE American Communications Inc. (GE Americom), according to an industry source.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 679 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sun, Sep  9, 2001 (23:11) * 50 lines
NEWSALERT: Monday, September 10, 2001 @ 0228 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now


CLANDESTINE CARGO CARRIED INTO SPACE BY ATLAS ROCKET
----------------------------------------------------
A Lockheed Martin Atlas 2AS rocket lumbered off its foggy launch pad Saturday morning carrying its heaviest cargo ever, a hush-hush spy satellite payload that observers suspect will eavesdrop on enemy ships sailing across the vast oceans of planet Earth.
http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/ac160/
Read our call of the countdown and launch:
http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/ac160/status.html
Full video coverage:
http://spaceflightnow.com/plus/

WORLD'S LARGEST MONOLITHIC SOLID ROCKET MOTOR TEST FIRED
--------------------------------------------------------
Aerojet has successfully test fired a full-scale, 67-foot demonstration solid rocket motor. The motor burned nominally in this assessment of the performance, quality and processing of the solid propellant. The booster will be used by the new Lockheed Martin Atlas 5 launch vehicle.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/10atlas5srm/

1ST CELL CULTURE EXPERIMENTS COMPLETED ON STATION
-------------------------------------------------
The first cell culture experiments aboard the International Space Station have been successfully completed, and the crew is preparing for the first in-depth study of lung function in space.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/10isssci/

CHANDRA FINDS ERUPTION, PULSATION IN NOVA OUTBURST
--------------------------------------------------
Astronomers using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory have discovered a burst of X-rays and never-before observed short-term cyclical pulsing from a white dwarf star that has just undergone a thermonuclear explosion. These observations are helping scientists to better understand explosions that occur on the surfaces of white dwarfs in a special kind of binary star system.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/10chandranova/

AIR FORCE SAYS NO TO NASA'S 'X' DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS
------------------------------------------------------
The Air Force announced Friday it will not assume program management and funding responsibility for the NASA X-33 or continue funding beyond September 2002 for the NASA X-37 experimental demonstration programs.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/08usafxplanes/

LOCKHEED MARTIN TO BUILD FOR 3 GE AMERICOM SATELLITES
-----------------------------------------------------
Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems has announced the award of a contract to build three geosynchronous satellites for GE American Communications, Inc. The next generation cable television satellites, designated GE-10, GE-11, and GE-18, will provide distribution of premium cable programming across North America.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/09georder/

SS/L TO BUILD SPOT BEAM SATELLITE FOR DIRECTV
---------------------------------------------
Space Systems/Loral (SS/L), a subsidiary of Loral Space & Communications, has announced it will build a new high-power spot beam satellite that will enable DIRECTV to serve additional markets with local channels and add new services.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/09direct7s/

STAR IN DEEP FREEZE CHILLS THEORY, MIT RESEARCHERS SAY
------------------------------------------------------
Like a frozen turkey that just won't thaw, a strange star near the center of the Milky Way is surprising MIT experts and colleagues with its remarkably low temperature. The odd behavior is chilling current theories of stellar physics.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/08coolneutron/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 680 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Sep 10, 2001 (18:15) * 33 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Going Nova: New Surprises From an Ancient Star
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/nova_burst_010910.html
For about a month back in late 1999, there was an extra star in the night sky. Anyone who knew where to look could have spotted Nova Aquila, an aged stellar corpse that had just exploded -- or "gone nova," as scientists say.

* Hungarian Scientists Claim to Have Found Traces of Life on Mars
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/mars_organisms_010907.html
Hungarian scientists claimed on Friday to have found evidence of living organisms on Mars after analyzing 60,000 photographs taken by the Mars Global Surveyor probe.

* The Moon: What Lies Beneath
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/moon_composition_010907.html
What is the best way to explore remote lands? Is it better to collect a litter of rocks and dust to bring back and study, or is it more valuable to fly super-sharp-eyed cameras above the surface to catalogue every visible and chemical variation?

* New Image Gallery: X-Planes Part Two: No. 16 through 29
http://www.space.com/php/multimedia/imagegallery/
These 15 vehicles advanced both aviation and spaceflight technology and included some of the most unusual looking designs in the X planes series.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* New Spy Satellite Arrives in Orbit Riding Atlas
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/atlas_launch_010908.html
A brand new spy satellite for the United States is circling the planet following an apparently flawless launch atop an Atlas 2AS rocket Saturday.

* Russia-China Deal Makes NASA Uneasy
http://www.space.com/news/russia_china_010910.html
An emerging relationship between Russian and Chinese space agencies has a cash-strapped NASA looking on with concern.

* Senators Challenge Shuttle Safety Spending
http://www.space.com/news/shuttle_budget_010907.html
Raising the specter of another shuttle tragedy, senators and others warned Thursday that NASA's growing budget woes are putting astronauts' lives at risk. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 681 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Tue, Sep 11, 2001 (07:15) * 28 lines
September 11, 2001

Physicists Strive to Build a Black Hole

By GEORGE JOHNSON

Black Holes on Demand


To see black holes, those gravitational whirlpools that suck in matter
and even light, you need not just a powerful telescope but a bit of
imagination. You can't observe the holes themselves, just the bad
effects they have on their neighborhoods: gobs of stellar matter
screaming out radiation as they are pulled toward what appears to be an
omnivorous, bottomless pit.

It is comforting to think that something so voracious is so far away.
But there are times when physicists wish that they could take a closer
look. Some of the newest ideas in high-energy physics suggest that this
may soon be possible. The next generation of particle accelerators,
like the Large Hadron Collider, which is under construction at CERN,
the European physics center near Geneva, may be able to produce
miniature black holes on demand. Some particle physicists say they may
be in a better position than the cosmologists to establish, once and
for all, that black holes are real.




 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 682 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Sep 11, 2001 (16:48) * 9 lines
Today on SPACE.com -- Tuesday, September 11, 2001 -- http://www.space.com/

In today's issue:
-------------------------------------/
Space Station Alpha Crew Sees Terrorist Carnage from Orbit
http://www.space.com/news/iss_attack_010911.html

NASA Shuts Down Agency Centers Around Nation In Response To Terrorist Attacks
http://www.space.com/news/attack_nasa_010911.html 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 683 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Sep 11, 2001 (17:20) * 34 lines
NEWSALERT: Tuesday, September 11, 2001 @ 0303 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

ICY VEIL AROUND THE EAGLE'S FIERY HEART IS UNMASKED
---------------------------------------------------
This is such an unusual view of the impressive M16 nebula, also known as 'The Eagle', that even the most devoted sky-lovers will be surprised. It shows exactly what in the best known pictures of this famous nebula remains invisible: huge amounts of the cold dust that enshrouds newborn stars.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/11isoeagle/

MYSTERIOUS 'TWOFACED' STAR EXPLAINED, SCIENTISTS SAY
----------------------------------------------------
There's a simple reason why a curious neutron star in the M15 globular star cluster has shown two faces over the years, beaming an X-ray portrait as perplexing as Mona Lisa's smile. The reason: That's not one star system, but two.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/11twofaced/

VIDEO VAULT: MARTIAN ROVERS BLOWING IN THE WIND
-----------------------------------------------
Researchers at NASA are exploring different methods of delivering scientific instruments to the surface of Mars. One idea is a giant, lightweight, two-story tall beach ball. Spaceflight Now Plus subscribers can watch animation of the rover and an interview with a JPL official here:
http://spaceflightnow.com/plus/
Subscribe via U.S. Store:
http://spaceflightnow.com/store/sfnplus/
Subscribe via Worldwide Store:
http://astronomynowstore.com/

LOCKHEED MARTIN TEAM PASSES SBIRS HIGH REVIEW
---------------------------------------------
The Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) High team led by prime contractor Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company successfully completed the system critical design review with its customer, the U.S. Air Force, recently. The review demonstrated that SBIRS High would meet the customer's requirements and establish the foundation for the next generation space-based surveillance systems.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/11sbirshighcdr/

GALILEO STILL BEAMING BACK IO AND JUPITER ENCOUNTER DATA
--------------------------------------------------------
This week's focus for the Galileo spacecraft is again playback of the recorded data that was acquired during the August 5 flyby of Io and Jupiter. A variety of observations are planned for return this week, from the Photopolarimeter Radiometer, the Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer and the Solid State Imaging camera.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/11galileothisweek/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 684 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Sep 13, 2001 (14:53) * 35 lines
NEWSALERT: Thursday, September 13, 2001 @ 0149 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

IKONOS VIEW OF MANHATTAN
------------------------
This one-meter resolution satellite image of Manhattan, New York was collected by Space Imaging's IKONOS satellite. The image shows an area of white and gray-colored dust and smoke at the location where the World Trade Center once stood.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/12ikonoswtc/

ATHENA LAUNCH DELAYED
---------------------
Next week's planned blastoff of a Lockheed Martin Athena rocket from Alaska has been postponed by two days because America's grounded commercial air fleet has made travel to the launch site impossible.
http://spaceflightnow.com/athena/kodiakstar/010912delay.html

SPOT SATELLITE IMAGES WORLD TRADE CENTER FIRES
----------------------------------------------
This SPOT satellite image of Manhattan was acquired three hours after two planes crashed into the World Trade Center. The colors result from the use of infrared bands to identify the actual fire hot spots.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/12spotwtc/

TERRORIST ATTACK SEEN FROM ALPHA, NASA CENTERS CLOSED
-----------------------------------------------------
Astronauts aboard the orbiting international space station reported they saw rising smoke and dust clouds from the devastated World Trade Center towers Tuesday as they passed overhead. With American targets under attack, NASA centers were closed and Air Force bases at Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg were put on high alert.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/11attacks/

TERRA SEES SMOKE PLUME FROM WORLD TRADE CENTER
----------------------------------------------
Images from NASA's orbiting Terra spacecraft show the fire plume from Manhattan on Tuesday after the terrorist attack on the twin towers of the World Trade Center.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/12terraattack/

XM SATELLITE RADIO DELAYS COMMERCIAL SERVICE LAUNCH
---------------------------------------------------
Due to Tuesday's national tragedy, XM Satellite Radio has postponed the launch of its commercial service in San Diego and Dallas scheduled for Wednesday.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/11xmdelay/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 685 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Sep 13, 2001 (18:46) * 8 lines
NASA Science News for September 13, 202001

It's just a matter of time, say researchers, before astronomers find
something as big as Pluto in the chilly outer reaches of the solar system.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast13sep_1.htm?list89800

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 686 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Sep 14, 2001 (15:40) * 70 lines
The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (09/13/2001)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
New Features:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/
* Measure for Measure (DAAC Study)
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/SeaLevel
Governments and policy makers turn to science to better understand the impacts of global sea level rise on coastal cities.

--------------------
New Reference:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/
* Ultraviolet Radiation: How It Affects Life on Earth
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/UVB
Stratospheric ozone depletion due to human activities has resulted in an increase of ultraviolet radiation on the Earth's surface. The article describes some effects on human health, aquatic ecosystems, agricultural plants and other living things, and explains how much ultraviolet radiation we are currently getting and how we measure it.

--------------------
In the News:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/

* Latest Images:
Aftermath of World Trade Center Attack
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5155

Tragedy in New York City
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5154

Hurricane Erin
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5153

Deadly Fire in Kruger National Park, South Africa
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5152

African Dust Blows over the Caribbean
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5151

Drought in the Klamath River Basin
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5150

A Panoramic View of the Emigrant Gap Fire, California
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5149

Flooding Along the Nile River
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5148

* NASA News
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/
- Remotely Piloted Aircraft to Provide Images on Internet for Firefighters

* Headlines from the press, radio, and television:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/
- It's Back and Big
- Rapid Antarctic Warming Puzzle
- World Coral Reefs to Die by 2050, Scientist Warns
- Warming Effect on UK Wildlife
- Northern Hemisphere Getting Greener
- Lake Beds Yield Climate Change Secrets
- Global Climate Change Could Disturb Ocean's Ecosystem
- Saharan Dust Tied to Florida Algae
* New Research Highlights
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Research/

--------------------
New Data:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/
* Updated Data:
4km TRMM Fires data for July 2001
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/fires.trmm.html 




 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 687 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Sep 15, 2001 (23:17) * 64 lines
NEWSALERT: Sunday, September 16, 2001 @ 0225 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

IKONOS SEES AFTERMATH OF WORLD TRADE CENTER COLLAPSE
----------------------------------------------------
Space Imaging's IKONOS satellite took a new picture of Manhattan on Saturday, showing the remains of the World Trade Center towers and the debris and dust that has settled throughout the area. Also visible are the many emergency and rescue vehicles in the surrounding streets.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/16ikonoswtc/

IKONOS VIEW OF PENTAGON
-----------------------
This one-meter resolution satellite image of the Pentagon taken by the orbiting IKONOS spacecraft shows extensive damage to the western side and interior rings of the multi-ringed building.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/12ikonospentagon/

SNEAK PEEK AT IMAX MOVIE "SPACE STATION"
----------------------------------------
Next year a new IMAX movie called "Space Station" will be released. Over the coming week we'll present some sneak previews of this previously unseen footage for our Spaceflight Now+Plus subscribers. See the first two clips:
http://spaceflightnow.com/plus/

Subscribe via U.S. Store:
http://spaceflightnow.com/store/sfnplus/

Subscribe via Worldwide Store:
http://astronomynowstore.com/

RUSSIA LAUNCHES NEW DOCKING MODULE FOR ALPHA
--------------------------------------------
The next step in assembling the international space station is underway with the launch of Russia's Docking Compartment-1 module atop a Soyuz rocket from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. Liftoff occurred at 2335 GMT (7:35 p.m. EDT) Friday. Linkup with Alpha is set for 9:05 p.m. EDT Sunday -- watch our home page for live updates.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/15pirslaunch/

See our detailed launch-to-docking timeline:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage7a1/010914dc1launch/launchtodock.html

STELLAR WINDS' X-RAYS MAY PLAY ROLE IN GALACTIC EVOLUTION
---------------------------------------------------------
Colorful star-forming regions that have captivated stargazers since the advent of the telescope 400 years ago contain gas thousands of times more energetic than previously recognized, powered by colliding stellar winds. This gas radiated as X-rays is one of the long-sought sources of energy and elements in the Milky Way galaxy's interstellar medium.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/16chandrawind/

SISTER STAR WORLD 2.5 MILLION LIGHT YEARS AWAY
----------------------------------------------
Presented here is a new color image of the southwest region of the Andromeda Galaxy taken with Subaru's prime focus camera "Suprime-Cam". We see the stars of the Andromeda Galaxy as a great many small white dots. Many of the stars, star clusters, and nebulae in the image are seen clearly resolved for the first time.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/15andromeda/

ATHENA DELAYED AGAIN
--------------------
The continued difficulty getting personnel to the Alaska launch site given the grounding of America's commercial air fleet has forced officials to again postpone the blastoff of a Lockheed Martin Athena rocket. Liftoff has slipped two more days to Friday, Sept. 21.
http://spaceflightnow.com/athena/kodiakstar/010914delay.html

CHANDRA EXAMINES A QUADRILLION-VOLT PULSAR
------------------------------------------
The high-voltage environment of one of the most energetic and strongly magnetized pulsars known has been surveyed by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. A team of astronomers found a powerful jet of high-energy particles extending over a distance of 20 light years and bright arcs believed to be due to particles of matter and anti-matter generated by the pulsar.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/15chandravolt/

GREATER HUBBLE ACCURACY DEEPENS UNDERSTANDING
---------------------------------------------
The dedicated team effort to understand and correct systematic effects in observations from Hubble's Faint Object Spectrograph has now been concluded. In future astronomers who use the observations from this instrument will be able to measure the exact velocity of interstellar clouds, as well as the motions of individual parts of nebulae and galaxies.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/14hstfos/

UNIQUE TASKS FOR SMART-1 IN EXPLORING THE MOON
----------------------------------------------
Space scientists meeting in Berlin next week will compare their hopes for the European Space Agency's first lunar project, SMART-1, with other forthcoming missions to the Moon.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/14smart1/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 688 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Sep 17, 2001 (19:14) * 10 lines
Dawn of a New Ozone Hole

NASA Science News for September 17, 202001

Our planet's Antarctic ozone hole is opening once again as Spring
approaches in the southern hemisphere -- and scientists say it's a big one.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast17sep_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 689 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Sep 17, 2001 (19:15) * 36 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* 'Aged and Wounded' Probe Plans Daring Flyby Saturday
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/ds1_rendezvous_010916.html
NASA's Deep Space 1 robotic probe, which has already completed all of its mission goals by proving a dozen futuristic technologies, will attempt to tackle one last task later this week in a dramatic pass through a cloud of dust and gas surrounding a comet.

* Astronomers Compete to Find the Farthest Galaxies
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/xray_race_010911-1.html
The most distant objects in the universe will likely be spotted soon or may already have been detected by one of several telescopes and could be waiting merely for astronomers to mine the existing data.

* New Satellite Images Give Detailed View of NYC, Pentagon Disasters
http://www.space.com/news/ikonos_wtc_010912.html
A remote-sensing spacecraft has focusing its powerful sensors on the toppled towers of the World Trade Center and the blackened rim of the Pentagon, both hit Tuesday by terrorist attacks.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* Pirs Module Docks with International Space Station
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/iss_pirs_010916.html
A barrel-shaped Russian docking compartment that will double as an airlock successfully attached itself to the International Space Station on Sunday.

* Station Crew Prepares to Resume Outpost Assembly Amid Research Work
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/iss_update_010906.html
NASA and its 15 global partners will resume construction of the International Space Station next week with the launch of a Russian docking port that will double as an airlock at the frontier outpost.

* New Spy Satellite Arrives in Orbit Riding Atlas
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/atlas_launch_010908.html
A brand new spy satellite for the United States is circling the planet following an apparently flawless launch atop an Atlas 2AS rocket Saturday.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* Boeing, Raytheon Grieve for Employees Lost in Attacks
http://www.space.com/spacenews/boeing_raytheon_010913.html
Two large U.S. aerospace firms are mourning the loss of employees on the flights that crashed into the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon during the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 690 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Sep 17, 2001 (23:45) * 20 lines
NEWSALERT: Monday, September 17, 2001 @ 0557 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

SPACE STATION ALPHA EXPANDS WITH NEW MODULE
-------------------------------------------
Russia's Docking Compartment-1 module successfully linked up with the international space station tonight at 9:05 p.m. EDT (0105 GMT). Called Pirs, the module will serve as an additional docking port and Russian airlock for the orbiting outpost.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

ATHENA ROCKET TO LAUNCH FRIDAY FROM ALASKA
------------------------------------------
A Lockheed Martin Athena rocket on the Kodiak Star mission has been given the green light for blastoff Friday now that the launch team has reached Alaska following the resumption of commercial air travel in the U.S.
http://spaceflightnow.com/athena/kodiakstar/status.html

YOUNG PULSAR REVEALS CLUES TO SUPERNOVA
---------------------------------------
Astronomers have discovered one of the youngest known pulsars. The properties of this pulsar will enable scientists to better understand how neutron stars are formed in the seconds just before a supernova explosion, and how they pump energy into the space around them for thousands of years after the explosion.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/17chandrapulsar/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 691 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Sep 18, 2001 (19:08) * 36 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Shrouded in Mystery: Why Astronomers Want to Bag a Comet on Saturday
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/comet_mystery_010918-1.html
Enveloped in a billowing cloud of gas and dust known as a coma, Comet Borrelly is steaming past Earth and the Sun, harboring vital clues to the early solar system and possibly even the origin of life.

* SPECIAL REPORT: Wounded Probe Plans Daring Comet Flyby Saturday
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/ds1_rendezvous_010916.html
NASA's Deep Space 1 robotic probe, which has already completed all of its mission goals by proving a dozen futuristic technologies, will attempt to tackle one last task later this week in a dramatic pass through a cloud of dust and gas surrounding a comet.

* Wayward Black Hole Staggers Through Galaxy, Passes Nearby
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/blackhole_010913.html
Conducting a bit of astronomical archaeology, researchers have dug up 43-year-old photographic evidence of an ancient black hole and used the information to learn that the object has been wandering at high speed on an odd, looping path through the Milky Way Galaxy for 7 billion years.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* Problem With Mars Odyssey's Star-Tracker Solved
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/mars_odyssey_updates-1.html
NASA mission controllers appear to have overcome a problem with the star-tracker that guides the Mars Odyssey spacecraft toward its October 24 rendezvous with the Red Planet.

* KSC Considers Privatizing Base
http://www.space.com/news/ksc_private_010918.html
Kennedy Space Center's director has called for a series of studies that could fundamentally change how the base operates and who controls it.

* Space Station Science Will Suffer, Report Says
http://www.space.com/news/microgravity_report_010917.html
The promise of microgravity science carried out on the International Space Station (ISS) anytime soon is highly doubtful given program cost overruns and subsequent budget cuts, according to a new report.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* XM Satellite Radio To Start Commercial Service Sept. 25
http://www.space.com/spacenews/xm_satellite_radio_010917.html
XM Satellite Radio Inc. plans to begin commercial service in two U.S. cities Sept. 25, nearly two weeks after the company had planned to start its long-awaited service, according to an XM statement. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 692 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Sep 19, 2001 (19:20) * 44 lines
NEWSALERT: Wednesday, September 19, 2001 @ 0432 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

DEEP SPACE 1 ATTEMPTS TO EARN EXTRA CREDIT AT COMET
---------------------------------------------------
Like a slugger trying to pile up extra home runs after breaking the world record, a venerable NASA spacecraft already famed for bringing science fiction's ion-engine technology to life is preparing to fly daringly close to a comet on Saturday.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/19ds1borrelly/

MARS ODYSSEY TWEAKS TREK; STAR CAMERA GLITCH EXAMINED
-----------------------------------------------------
NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft performed its third trajectory correction maneuver Monday morning to fine-tune its flight path for arrival at Mars next month. During the past several weeks, the flight team has been troubleshooting occasional problems with its star camera.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/19odysseystatus/

SNEAK PEEK AT IMAX MOVIE "SPACE STATION"
----------------------------------------
Next year a new IMAX movie called "Space Station" will be released. Over the coming week we'll present some sneak previews of this previously unseen footage for our Spaceflight Now+Plus subscribers. The latest clip is from an IMAX camera mounted in the rear of shuttle Discovery's payload bay showing an extraordinarily spectacular view of undocking from the international space station:
http://spaceflightnow.com/plus/
Subscribe via U.S. Store:
http://spaceflightnow.com/store/sfnplus/
Subscribe via Worldwide Store:
http://astronomynowstore.com/

ANCIENT BLACK HOLE SPEEDS THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD
--------------------------------------------------
Astronomers have found an ancient black hole speeding through the Sun's Galactic neighborhood, devouring a small companion star as the pair travels in an eccentric orbit looping to the outer reaches of our Milky Way Galaxy.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/18speeding/

CLUSTER SATELLITE QUARTET TAKES A TRIP DOWN EARTH'S TAIL
-------------------------------------------------------
Everyone is familiar with animals' tails, but less well known is the fact that most planets have tails too -- huge, magnetic tails filled with electrified gas. ESA's Cluster spacecraft have been flying along the middle of the Earth's magnetotail, carrying out the most in-depth exploration of this region ever undertaken.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/18cluster/

SPACE ANALYSIS CENTER: THINK-TANK OF THE STARS
----------------------------------------------
Nineteen years after the idea was first put forth, the Air Force Space Command's Space Analysis Center has finally been born at a downtown Colorado Springs office building. The center is the think tank for the command's modeling, simulation and analysis of space capabilities.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/18thinktank/

NASA CONFIRMS NORTH POLE OZONE HOLE TRIGGER
-------------------------------------------
NASA researchers using 22 years of satellite-derived data have confirmed a theory that the strength of "long waves," bands of atmospheric energy that circle the earth, regulate the temperatures in the upper atmosphere of the Arctic, and play a role in controlling ozone losses in the stratosphere.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/19ozonetrigger/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 693 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Sep 19, 2001 (19:22) * 36 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Tool Time In Space: Drilling With Lasers and Ultrasound
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/drills_part2_010919-1.html
NASA and its counterparts in Europe and Japan want to go beyond photographing other worlds, or even landing on them to sweep up dust for analysis. Scientists are now eager to drill deep into moons, asteroids, comets, and other planets in hopes of finding signs of life and clues to our solar system’s evolution. Robots designed for such missions may wield unusual drill bits: lasers and ultrasonic vibrations.

* Gravity Helped Terrorists Destroy Twin Towers
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/generalscience/wtc_science_010919.html
Though terrorists triggered the collapse of the World Trade Center's Twin Towers, much of the energy -- calculated by a physicist to have been at least 2 percent that of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima -- was supplied by Nature's most ubiquitous force: gravity.

* SPECIAL REPORT: Wounded Probe Plans Daring Comet Flyby Saturday
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/ds1_rendezvous_010916.html
NASA's Deep Space 1 robotic probe, which has already completed all of its mission goals by proving a dozen futuristic technologies, will attempt to tackle one last task later this week in a dramatic pass through a cloud of dust and gas surrounding a comet.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* Pirs Module Docks with International Space Station
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/iss_pirs_010916.html
A barrel-shaped Russian docking compartment that will double as an airlock successfully attached itself to the International Space Station on Sunday.

* Problem With Mars Odyssey's Star-Tracker Solved
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/mars_odyssey_updates-1.html
NASA mission controllers appear to have overcome a problem with the star-tracker that guides the Mars Odyssey spacecraft toward its October 24 rendezvous with the Red Planet.

* KSC Considers Privatizing Base
http://www.space.com/news/ksc_private_010918.html
Kennedy Space Center's director has called for a series of studies that could fundamentally change how the base operates and who controls it.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* XM Satellite Radio To Start Commercial Service Sept. 25
http://www.space.com/spacenews/xm_satellite_radio_010917.html
XM Satellite Radio Inc. plans to begin commercial service in two U.S. cities Sept. 25, nearly two weeks after the company had planned to start its long-awaited service, according to an XM statement. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 694 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Sep 19, 2001 (19:23) * 13 lines
The Continuing Adventures of Deep Space 1

NASA Deep Space 1 (DS1) is no ordinary spacecraft. It's bristling with
exotic technology and is a veteran of more than one nail-biting space
adventure. But DS1's previous exploits may be no match for what it is
about to do this weekend: plunge into the unknown maelstrom of a comet.
Can DS1 find the comet's elusive core? Will the craft survive at all?
Read this story and stay tuned to Science@NASA for the answers.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast19sep_1.htm?list89800 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 695 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Sep 21, 2001 (18:51) * 28 lines
NEWSALERT: Friday, September 21, 2001 @ 0501 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

TAURUS TO LAUNCH TWO EARTH-WATCHING SATELLITES TODAY
----------------------------------------------------
An Orbital Sciences Taurus rocket is set for blastoff today carrying a commercial Earth-imaging satellite and a NASA ozone monitoring probe from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. We'll have complete live coverage:
http://spaceflightnow.com/taurus/t6/status.html
Detailed launch timeline:
http://spaceflightnow.com/taurus/t6/010919launchtimeline.html

DISMAL WEATHER THREATENS TODAY'S ATHENA LAUNCH
----------------------------------------------
The first attempt to launch satellites into Earth orbit from Alaska is planned for Friday but there is only a glimmer of hope the weather will permit Lockheed Martin's Athena rocket to soar as scheduled. We'll have complete live coverage:
http://spaceflightnow.com/athena/kodiakstar/status.html
Kodiak Star mission preview:
http://spaceflightnow.com/athena/kodiakstar/010919kodiakstar.html

MODULE ADDITION KEEPS ALPHA ASTRONAUTS BUSY
-------------------------------------------
The International Space Station's Expedition Three crew have spent this week outfitting and activating the station's latest addition, a four-ton Russian airlock and docking port named Pirs that arrived at the orbiting complex Sunday.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

SPACE STATION EXPERIMENT 'SHAKES' FOR SCIENCE
---------------------------------------------
During the first two weeks of September, the space station crew assisted with the "shaker" tests of an experimental device to protect delicate microgravity research from vibrations.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/20isssci/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 696 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Sep 22, 2001 (16:14) * 15 lines
Suds in Space

NASA Science News for September 21, 202001

Faraway astronauts must yearn sometimes for the simple comforts of Earth
-- like a refreshing soda or a beer after work. But one wonders: Would the
cheerful bubbles of a space-soda rise to the top and tickle one's nose?
And could a frosty space-beer form a proper head? These questions sound
tongue-in-cheek, but researchers are serious about finding the answers.
Recent experiments with orbiting beers and sodas promise a more normal
day-to-day life for space settlers and offer revealing lessons about
physics and biology in microgravity.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast21sep_1.htm?list89800

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 697 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Sep 25, 2001 (13:15) * 37 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Comet Fly-By Success: Something to Cheer About in Dark Times
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/ds1_morale_010925.html
When a one-eyed NASA probe with a makeshift navigation system and little fuel sent back the first picture of comet Borrelly Saturday evening, more than just a wild cheer went up in the control room at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

* Fly-By Images Will Remake Comet Science, Help 'Deep Impact' Mission
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/ds1_scipreview_010924.html
Images of a comet taken by the Deep Space 1 spacecraft, along with other data NASA will release Tuesday, will remake what scientists know about the Sun-orbiting ice balls and help planners for an upcoming comet-smashing mission.

* Satellites Face Worst Threat Since 1966 With November Meteors
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/leonids_satthreat_010924.html
A severe meteor storm expected to peak in November will challenge the world's satellites with an unusually dense flurry of space dust, creating the greatest threat of a meteor impact since 1966, NASA scientists said Monday.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* Boeing Merges Its Delta, Sea Launch Sales Staffs
http://www.space.com/spacenews/boeing_sealaunch_010924.html
Boeing Co. is consolidating the sales and marketing staffs for commercial launches aboard Delta and Sea Launch rockets under a new organization, the company announced.

* New ISS Duty: A Military Outpost?
http://www.space.com/news/iss_military_010924-1.html
Satellite surveillance has long been a central pillar of espionage and military intelligence.

* Alaska Set to Host its First Orbital Launch This Weekend
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/athena_preview_010921.html
After a decade of planning and three years of construction, a northern gateway to space could see its inaugural use on Friday as the Last Frontier State prepares to host its first-ever rocket launch into Earth orbit.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* International Astronautical Congress To Meet As Planned
http://www.space.com/spacenews/meeting_925.html
Organizers of the 52nd International Astronautical Congress will hold their congress and exhibition Oct. 1-5 in Toulouse, France, as planned, despite the Sept. 21 fertilizer-plant explosion there that killed 29 people, wounded dozens of others and crippled some city services. 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 698 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Sep 25, 2001 (19:02) * 11 lines
Comet Borrelly Revealed

NASA Science News for September 25, 202001

Against all odds, NASA's Deep Space 1 not only survived its daring
encounter with Comet Borrelly but also returned stunning pictures of the
comet's hidden nucleus.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast25sep_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 699 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Oct  2, 2001 (00:25) * 10 lines
CAMEX Top Guns -- Flying into the Heart of a Hurricane!

Flying into the largest storms on Earth is all in a day's work for pilots
on a NASA mission to explore hurricanes. In this story the daring
aviators tell us what it's like to have a close encounter with one of the
mighty storms.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast27sep_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 700 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Oct  2, 2001 (00:26) * 31 lines
ASTEROID'S ROCKY SURFACE THE RESULT OF ONE IMPACT
-------------------------------------------------
The boulder-strewn surface of the asteroid Eros was likely shaped by a single collision a billion years ago, scientists studying data from a recent NASA mission reported Thursday.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/28eros/

ATHENA TO TRY AGAIN ON SATURDAY
-------------------------------
The Lockheed Martin Athena rocket is going to make another launch attempt on Saturday evening despite an iffy chance that the space weather conditions will cooperate. Officials believe it will be the last best shot at liftoff for the near future from Kodiak Island in Alaska.
http://spaceflightnow.com/athena/kodiakstar/status.html

XM RADIO SERVICE UNAFFECTED BY SATELLITE ANOMALY
------------------------------------------------
A solar array output power issue has arisen with the orbiting Boeing 702-model spacecraft. XM Satellite Radio has two such craft but says it anticipates the situation "will have no material impact on its quality of service, conduct of business or cost of oput levels and service quality."
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/28xm702issue/

CHANDRA EXPOSES THE KNOTTY PROBLEM OF M87 JET
---------------------------------------------
NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory has given astronomers their most detailed look to date at the X-ray jet blasting out of the nucleus of M87, a giant elliptical galaxy 50 million light years away. The image of the jet reveals an irregular, knotty structure.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/27chandra/

RUSSIAN DOCKING MODULE SHEDS PROPULSION PACKAGE
-----------------------------------------------
The propulsion section of the international space station's new Russian Pirs docking module was jettisoned from the outpost by pyrotechnic devices on Wednesday. The stage is now set for the first spacewalk from Pirs.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

THE SPOT 5 SATELLITE: DELIVERING THE WORLD IN 3D
------------------------------------------------
The SPOT 5 "imaging" satellite, to be launched in April 2002, will provide digital elevation models of any location on Earth, allowing customers to create realistic 3D perspectives for simulations, defense planning and even video games.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0109/27spot5/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 701 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Oct  2, 2001 (00:27) * 39 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* NASA Urged to Join Fight Against Terrorism
http://www.space.com/news/nasa_military_010927.html
NASA should put its research muscle behind the effort to counter terrorism, a leading aerospace industry support group advocates. But some experts caution that expanding military budgets may usurp and derail the civilian space agency’s own agenda.

* Borrelly: This Comet's A Star
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/comet_star_010926.html
Some comets become famous by gracing the night skies for all to see, smudges of light with glorious tails streaming out behind them. Halley. Hyakutake. Hale-Bopp.

* Atom Experiment Brings Teleportation a Step Closer
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/quantum_teleportation_010926.html
Physicists in Denmark have made two samples of trillions of atoms interact at a distance in an experiment which may bring Star Trek-style teleportation and rapid quantum computing closer to reality.

* Black Hole's Knotty Jet Examined by Chandra
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/chandra_m87_010926.html
A jet of material blasting from a nearby galaxy has been observed in X-rays by the Chandra Observatory, providing what researchers say is the most detailed look at the object to date.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* Public Information Beamed Down by U.S. Satellites Might Be Used by Potential Adversaries
http://www.space.com/news/space_protection_010927.html
With the hundreds of satellites orbiting Earth, the terrorists responsible for the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon could have used data from American satellites in planning their moves.

* Eutelsat Celebrates Launch of Atlantic Bird 2 on Ariane 4
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/ariane_launch_010925.html
Communications between the Americas and Europe will soon flow across a new electronic bridge spanning the Atlantic Ocean courtesy of a satellite lofted into orbit Tuesday from French Guiana.

* NASA Spells Out its Space Commerce Agenda
http://www.space.com/news/nasa_commerce_010925.html
NASA means business. That’s the gist of a sweeping new document floating around the halls of the space agency. The document, still in draft form, is tagged Enhanced Strategy for the Development of Space Commerce.
------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* Orbimage Pushes Ahead Despite Planned Bankruptcy Filing
http://www.space.com/spacenews/marketmonitor/orbimage_092601.html
Orbital Imaging Corp. (Orbimage) will use a combination of new financing and insurance from the loss of its OrbView-4 high-resolution imaging satellite to stay alive while it prepares to launch a replacement satellite by the end of June, said Armand Mancini, the company’s chief financial officer. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 702 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Oct  3, 2001 (21:48) * 50 lines
The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (10/2/2001)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
New Reference:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/

* The Carbon Cycle
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/CarbonCycle/
Carbon (C), the fourth most abundant element in the Universe, after hydrogen (H), helium (He), and oxygen (O), is the building block of life. On Earth, carbon cycles through the land, ocean, atmosphere, and the Earth's interior in a major biogeochemical cycle.
--------------------
In the News:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/

* Latest Images:
Center-Pivot Irrigation in Railroad Valley, NV
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5174

Northern Greening
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5173

"Boilers" along the southeast coast of Bermuda
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5172

Princess Astrid Coast, Antarctica
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5171

Where on Earth...? MISR Mystery Image Quiz #3
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5170

Typhoon Lekima Approaching Taiwan
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5169

* NASA News
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/
- Icelandic Weather System Deciphers Changes in Arctic Ice Puzzle

* Media Alerts
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/
- Scientists Chart Iron Cycle in Ocean
- Atmosphere, Not Oceans, Carries Most Heat to the Poles from the Equator
* Headlines from the press, radio, and television:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/
- The Microbes That "Rule the World"
- Hurricane Juliette Lashes Mexico
- Climate Change a Challenge for Fisheries
- Arid Arizona is Likely to Cook as Climate Changes
- Dust Forecasts Could Help Breathing, Fishing
* New Research Highlights
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Research/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 703 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Oct  4, 2001 (21:52) * 8 lines
A Day in the Life of a Space Walker

Astronaut and explorer Jim Reilly tells what it's like to do construction
work in the far-out environment of space.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast04oct_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 704 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Oct  6, 2001 (15:23) * 12 lines
Space Bones

NASA Science News for October 1, 202001

Weightlessness sure looks like a lot of fun, but prolonged exposure of
astronauts to zero-G can have some negative side effects -- like the
weakening of human bones. Find out what space doctors are learning about
this puzzling problem and how their research might relieve suffering right
here on Earth.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast01oct_1.htm?list89800

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 705 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Oct  9, 2001 (17:11) * 73 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* The Top 3 Reasons to Colonize Space
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/colonize_why_011008-1.html

Legendary physicist and ET speculator Freeman Dyson thinks dead planets need a human touch. Author and astrophysicist J. Richard Gott, III calls it a simple matter of survival. And author Sid Goldstein figures settling other worlds is all about economics and environmentalism.

* The Roots of the Perseid Meteor Shower
http://www.space.com/SpaceReportersNetworkAstronomyDiscoveries/StLaurence_Sessions_011005.html

When Catholic saint Laurence was executed, scores of bright meteors fell from he sky and the shower, now known as the Perseids, came to be known as "Saint Laurence's Tears."

* Faint But Distant Galaxies Spotted Using Space Lens Trick
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/hubble_lensing_011005.html

A team of international astronomers announced Friday that they had spotted some of the most distant small and relatively low-luminosity galaxies ever seen.

-----------------------------------

Today in Missions/Launches:

* Station Spacewalk to Kick Off Busy Month at Orbital Outpost
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/exp3_evapreviews_011005.html

Two cosmonauts will inaugurate a new Russian airlock at the International Space Station Monday, setting out on what will be the first spacewalk to be conducted outside the outpost without a visiting shuttle crew present.

* Russia Launches Military Satellite
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/proton_launch_011006.html

A Proton-K rocket that will orbit the Raduga-1 satellite blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 12:45 p.m. EDT (1645 GMT), the press service of the Russian Space Forces told Interfax.

* Titan 4 Delivers New Spy Satellite to Earth Orbit
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/titan4_launch_011005.html

America's ability to "smoke out" its enemies was likely enhanced Friday with the successful launch from California of a Titan 4 rocket lofting a clandestine spy satellite into Earth orbit for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).

------------------------------------

Today in Business/Industry:

* Alcatel Awarded Star One Satellite Contract
http://www.space.com/spacenews/index.html

Brazilian satellite operator Star One has chosen Alcatel Space of Paris to build Star One’s first Ku-band satellite, which will be delivered in 27 months to provide coverage of the Andean region and parts of the United States.

------------------------------------

* SpaceTV:
http://www.space.com/spacetv/index.php3

* Space Age Gear:
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/space_gear-1.html

* SpaceWatch:
http://www.space.com/spacewatch/index.html

* Uplink: Share your opinion!
http://uplink.space.com/index.html

-------------------------------------

SOLAR and SPACE WEATHER (October 8, 2001)

3-Day Solar Forecast
Earth's geomagnetic field is expected to be mostly quiet to unsettled. Active conditions are possible Tuesday due to a small recurrent coronal hole and its associated high-speed stream.

3-Day Aurora Forecast
Earth's geomagnetic field is expected to be mostly quiet to unsettled. Active conditions are possible Tuesday due to a small recurrent coronal hole and its associated high-speed stream.

Solar Data
The current sunspot number is 154, and the solar wind speed recently clocked in at 389 kilometers per second (870,166 mph). The solar wind density was 5.9 protons per cubic centimeter. (Speed and density values are snapshots in time and change during the day.)
http://www.space.com/spacewatch/space_weather.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 706 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Oct  9, 2001 (17:53) * 14 lines
A Disco Ball in Space

NASA Science News for October 9, 2001

Normally when a spacecraft blasts off for Earth orbit, ground controllers
hope it will stay up for a long time. But last month NASA launched
something a little different: a satellite whose mission is to fall from
the sky. Thousands of students around the world are preparing to monitor
the strange satellite, which looks like a disco ball and goes by the name
"Starshine 3."

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast09oct_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 707 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Oct 10, 2001 (00:09) * 14 lines
Here Comes the Sun -- watch out for auroras later this week

Space Weather News for October 10, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

A solar explosion on Tuesday (Oct. 9th at 1110 UT) hurled a full-halo
coronal mass ejection toward Earth. The expanding cloud, which sped away
from the Sun traveling approximately 1000 km/s, could strike our planet's
magnetosphere as soon as Thursday, Oct. 11th. Sky watchers, especially
those living above geomagnetic latitude 50 degrees, should remain alert
for Northern Lights during the nights ahead. The best time to spot auroras
is usually around local midnight. Visit SpaceWeather.com for details and
updates. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 708 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Oct 10, 2001 (13:36) * 60 lines
The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (10/9/2001)
-----------------------------------------------------------------

New Features:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/

* Power to the People
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/RenewableEnergy/
Thanks to a team at NASA's Langley Research Center (LaRC), engineers and amateur inventors worldwide now have free access to global-scale data on natural renewable energy resources. Private companies are using these data to design, build, and market new technologies for harnessing this energy. The best part is many of these new systems will be marketed at affordable prices in underdeveloped countries for those who need them most.

--------------------
In the News:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/

* Latest Images:
Global Wind Speed
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5181

Nelson River and Hudson Bay
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5180

St. Vincent Island, Apalachicola River Delta, Florida
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5179

Cotopaxi Volcano, Ecuador
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5178

Phytoplankton off the Coast of Washington State
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5177

Cloud Height: Hurricane Juliette
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5176

Changes in Arctic Ice
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5175

* NASA News
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/
- NASA Radar Gives Fresh Look At Alaska's Unique Terrain
- NASA Announces Earth Science Applications Projects
- NASA Technology Eyes Better Hurricane Forecasts

* Media Alerts
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/
- Common Native Plant of Great Plains Threatened by Climate Change

* Headlines from the press, radio, and television:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/
- Geologists Surprised to Find Glaciers
- A New Understanding of Ocean-Heat Transfer
- U.S. Plants Could Be Harmed By Warmer Climate
- Icelandic Weather System May Explain Melting Arctic Ice
- Scientists to Study Antarctica's Ice for Warming
- Rain of Foreign Dust Fuels Red Tides
- Ozone Lost in Waves

* New Research Highlights
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Research/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 709 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Oct 10, 2001 (13:39) * 36 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Satellites Play Crucial Roles in Air and Ground Battles
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/space_sentinels_011010-1.html
The war on terrorism will by fought from the air and on the ground and even with remote-control missiles, but all these efforts have one thing in common: They rely on satellites to find the enemy and provide secure lines of communication.

* The Making of Jupiter's Moons: A Slow Process
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/jupiter_moons_011009.html
When Galileo first spied four points of light that appeared to be circling Jupiter, he really tightened the thumbscrews on those who believed that all bodies in the universe revolved around the Earth. Even today, almost 400 years later, this quartet is still upsetting expectations.

* Super Space Observatory Proposals Unveiled
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/concept_ngst_011010.html
That's the promise of NASA's Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST), targeted for launch in 2009. The high-tech space observatory -- geared to observe the first stars and galaxies formed in the Universe -- has moved one step closer to reality.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* Atlas Set for Launch with NRO Satellite Tonight
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/fl_atlas_preview_011010.html
The National Reconnaissance Office is about to improve America's ability to spy on its adversaries.

* Cosmonauts Complete Historic 100th Russian Spacewalk
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/exp3_eva1_011008.html
Two cosmonauts marched through a historic 100th Russian spacewalk Monday, mounting a new construction crane and a mishmash of other gear outside the International Space Station.

* Russia Launches Military Satellite
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/proton_launch_011006.html
A Proton-K rocket that will orbit the Raduga-1 satellite blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 12:45 p.m. EDT (1645 GMT), the press service of the Russian Space Forces told Interfax.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* Boehlert Urges Swift Confirmation of Bush Science Advisor
http://www.space.com/spacenews/spacepolicy/science_100901.html
The chairman of the House Science Committee urged swift confirmation of the physicist President George W. Bush has nominated to serve as his science advisor. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 710 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Oct 11, 2001 (13:12) * 11 lines
Planetary Waves Break Ozone Holes

NASA Science News for October 11, 2001

Most of the world's ozone-destroying pollutants have come from the
northern half of our planet. Yet Earth's yawning ozone hole straddles the
south pole -- not the north. Why? Read this and find out!

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast11oct_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 711 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Oct 11, 2001 (14:04) * 36 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Hobbled Odyssey Nears Mars
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/odyssey_update_011010.html
The Mars Odyssey Orbiter is less than two weeks away from its destination, zooming toward the Red Planet with two wounded instruments and the hope of an entire space agency driving it onward.

* Timing Eclipsing Binary Stars or The 'Do-Si-Do' Method
http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_doyle_worlds_011011.html
The most successful way of finding planets to date—the radial velocity or "wobble" method—requires single stars since it detects the very slight offset motion of the star caused by the giant planet orbiting it.

* Smithsonian Solar Exhibit Hits National Mall
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/smithsonian_system_011010.html
Picture the sun as the size of a grapefruit. That would make tiny Pluto smaller than a poppy seed in the Smithsonian Institution's new scale model of the solar system.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* NRO Welcomes Yet Another Spy Satellite to Earth Orbit
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/atlas_launch_011010.html
The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) is three for three with the successful launch Wednesday of its third satellite in two months, an ambitious schedule planned long before the Sept. 11 attacks that will nevertheless help the United States as it continues its war against terrorism.

* First Delta 4, Atlas 5 Rockets to Carry Eutelsat Satellites
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/fl_eelv_update_011010.html
Both the new Delta 4 and Atlas 5 rockets will launch satellites for Eutelsat, a satellite telecommunications company, officials said Tuesday.

* Vasili Mishin, Who Led Soviet-Era Moon Race, Dead at 84
http://www.space.com/news/spacehistory/mishin_obit_011010.html
Vasili Pavlovich Mishin, one of the pioneers of Russian rocketry and a key leader of the Soviet Union's ill-fated effort to beat the United States to the Moon, died in Moscow on October 10. He was 84.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* Boehlert Urges Swift Confirmation of Bush Science Advisor
http://www.space.com/spacenews/spacepolicy/science_100901.html
The chairman of the House Science Committee urged swift confirmation of the physicist President George W. Bush has nominated to serve as his science advisor. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 712 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Oct 11, 2001 (14:40) * 14 lines
Interplanetary Shock Wave Sweeps Past Earth

Space Weather News for October 11, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

A solar wind shock wave, spawned by a coronal mass ejection (CME) that
left the Sun on October 9th, swept past Earth today between 1630 and 1700
UT (12:30 and 1:00 pm EDT). Sky watchers, especially those living above
geomagnetic latitude 50 degrees, should watch for Northern Lights after
sunset. (The best time to spot auroras is usually around local midnight.)
The interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) near Earth turned sharply south as
the CME disturbance passed our planet. South-pointing IMFs often
intensify geomagnetic activity, which makes this event a promising one to
watch. Visit spaceweather.com for details and updates.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 713 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Oct 11, 2001 (20:58) * 12 lines
The Perfect Dust Storm Strikes Mars

NASA Science News for October 11, 2001 10:00:00 AM

Two NASA spacecraft are giving scientists a ringside seat for the biggest
global dust storm seen on Mars in several decades. The extraordinary
storm, which first enveloped the Red Planet three months ago, is finally
subsiding -- but researchers say it could flare up again at any time.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast11oct_2.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 714 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Oct 13, 2001 (16:47) * 28 lines
ANDROMEDA'S BLACK HOLE NOT AS COOL AS BELIEVED
----------------------------------------------
Last year scientists using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory announced the discovery of an unusual source very near the nucleus of the Andromeda Galaxy, which astronomers associated with the supermassive black hole located at the center of M31. But a closer look has caused the story to change.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0110/13chandra/

ODYSSEY NEARS MARS
------------------
Following Friday's final planned course correction, a three-second thruster firing, NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft is now on target to enter Martian orbit later on the evening of October 23.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0110/13odyssey/

ULYSSES REACHES THE SUN'S NORTH POLE TODAY
------------------------------------------
For the second time in its 11-year lifetime, ESA's Ulysses spacecraft is about to fly over the Sun's north pole. Today, it will reach its highest north solar latitude (80 degrees north).
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0110/13ulysses/

ANCIENT DRAINAGE BASIN BECAME AQUIFER ON MARS
---------------------------------------------
An enormous ancient drainage basin and aquifer system lies hidden and deformed in one of the most geologically dynamic landscapes on Mars, scientists conclude from a comprehensive, more than 10-year study.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0110/12aquifer/

NASA LAUNCHES 'FLAGS FOR HEROES AND FAMILIES'
---------------------------------------------
In a unique extension of a tradition that dates back to the beginning of human space flight, NASA Administrator Daniel S. Goldin announced Thursday that the next mission of Space Shuttle Endeavour will honor the victims of last
month's terrorist attacks in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0110/12sts108flags/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 715 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Oct 15, 2001 (15:59) * 39 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Study of Lunar Soil Confirms Moon's Origins
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/moon_oxygen_011015.html
A team of scientists from Zurich and the United States have reanalyzed moon samples from the Apollo missions and found that the Moon and Earth are even more similar in composition than thought.

* Odyssey Managers Plan Aerobraking by Halloween
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/odyssey_aerobrake_update_011012.html
Odyssey's aerobraking around Mars could be a trick or treat event.

* Poisonous Interstellar Compound Signals Starbirth
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/comet_poison_011012.html
Centuries ago it was commonly believed that comets carried disease in their tails. Nowadays we know the only 'disease' you can get from a comet is a cold - if you stay out too long at night watching it! But these old beliefs were not completely wrong: comet tails do contain an extremely poisonous chemical compound - hydrogen cyanide. Now a team of Dutch and German astronomers using the European Space Agency's Infrared Space Observatory and the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope on Hawaii have discovered that this poison can help them to understand the birth of massive stars. Its presence is a sign that a massive baby star has begun to warm up.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* Station Spacewalk Monday Might Include Kodak Moment
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/exp3_eva2_preview_011012-1.html
Spacewalking cosmonauts will help kick off a new era of Japanese research at the International Space Station Monday amid what could turn out to be a Kodak moment high above Earth.

* Galileo to Swing Even Closer to Io
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/galileo_update_011012.html
NASA's durable Galileo spacecraft will skim close to the south pole of Jupiter's moon Io next week in search of new insight about that moon's volcanic surface and molten interior.

* Russia Says Question of Shuttleworth's Flight to ISS Remains Open
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/shuttleworth_update_011012.html
The question of the flight of South African tycoon Mark Shuttleworth to the International Space Station (ISS) as a space tourist remains open, spokesman for the head of the Russian Aerospace Agency Sergei Gorbunov told Interfax on Friday.

* Flags Flown over Pentagon, World Trade Center on Sept. 11 to be Launched on Endeavour
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/sts108_flags_011012.html
An American flag that was flying over the Pentagon when a hijacked airliner crashed into it on Sept. 11 will be launched into space during NASA's next shuttle mission to the International Space Station.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:
* Three Technologies Selected for Space Technology 6
http://www.space.com/spacenews/
Greater autonomy for spacecraft control, navigation and on-orbit rendezvous are the potential applications of three advanced technologies NASA hopes to demonstrate in 2004 as part of its Space Technology 6 project. Unlike past NASA New Millennium projects, such as the flagship Deep Space 1 experimental craft that completed a comet rendezvous last month, Space Technology 6 will fly its experiments on separate spacecraft. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 716 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Oct 15, 2001 (20:07) * 15 lines
Dashing through the Snows of Io

NASA Science News for October 15, 2001 6:00:00 PM

The last time NASA's durable Galileo spacecraft visited Jupiter's moon Io,
it sailed through a cloud of sulfurous snow erupting from a
previously-unknown volcano. Scientists were surprised ... and delighted
to sample fresh material from an alien volcano for the first time. Now
Galileo is heading back for its closest-ever encounter with Io on a
mission to measure the moon's elusive magnetic field.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast16oct_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 717 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Oct 16, 2001 (14:36) * 35 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Birth of Uranus' Provacative Moon Still Puzzles Scientists
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/miranda_creation_011016-1.html
Some of the most bizarre sights in the solar system have been seen -- by robotic eyes -- on the moons of the giant outer planets. Eruptions of liquid sulfur on Jupiter's moon, Io. A global shell of ice, laced with cracks and ridges, on nearby Europa. Ice volcanoes on Neptune's satellite, Triton. And an opaque layer of orange smog hiding Saturn's moon, Titan. But nothing stranger than the tortured, jumbled surface of a tiny satellite of Uranus called Miranda.

* Darwinian Selection of Satellite Orbits for Military Use
http://www.space.com/news/darwin_satellites_011016.html
Charles Darwin could not have known he might one day improve cell phone communications and help win wars. But a new computer-based "genetic algorithm" based on Darwin's ideas about how the fit survive may do just that.

* Poll Shows Space Flights Would Be Hot Ticket
http://www.space.com/news/tourism_poll_011016-1.html
A new survey shows a public hungry to buy tickets for sub-orbital jaunts above Earth. High-flying passengers would earn their astronaut wings while eyeing the planet during their free fall flight.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* Hungry Cosmonauts Complete Another Station Spacewalk
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/cosmonaut_spacewalk_011015.html
Two cosmonauts huffed and puffed their way through a six-hour spacewalk at the International Space Station Monday, working up a healthy appetite as they set up science experiments outside the outpost.

* Galileo to Swing Even Closer to Io
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/galileo_update_011012.html
NASA's durable Galileo spacecraft will skim close to the south pole of Jupiter's moon Io next week in search of new insight about that moon's volcanic surface and molten interior.

* Russia Says Question of Shuttleworth's Flight to ISS Remains Open
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/shuttleworth_update_011012.html
The question of the flight of South African tycoon Mark Shuttleworth to the International Space Station (ISS) as a space tourist remains open, spokesman for the head of the Russian Aerospace Agency Sergei Gorbunov told Interfax on Friday.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* Powdery Substance Mailed To Arianespace Undergoing Tests
http://www.space.com/spacenews/
The headquarters of the Arianespace launch consortium and the launcher directorate of the French space agency, CNES, were evacuated Oct. 15 after a letter containing an unidentified white powder was received by Arianespace.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 718 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Oct 16, 2001 (14:37) * 34 lines
Astronomers announced Monday that they have discovered eight more extrasolar planets, including three that scientists called "cousins" of planets in our own solar system. This brings the total number of extrasolar planets, or exoplanets, to nearly 80.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0110/16solarsystems/

SPACEWALKERS MOUNT EXPERIMENTS OUTSIDE ALPHA
--------------------------------------------
Russian cosmonauts Vladimir Dezhurov and Mikhail Tyurin on Monday conducted their second spacewalk in a week outside the international space station. The excursion mounted scientific experiments on the station's Zvezda service module.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

SPACE RESEARCH TESTS ROLE OF GRAVITY IN FERTILIZATION
-----------------------------------------------------
NASA researchers have uncovered evidence that gravity, or the lack thereof, may play an important role in the development and evolution of life. The study suggests fertilization is gravity-sensitive and works differently in the near-weightless environment of space than it does here on Earth.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0110/15fertilization/

LUNAR SOIL YIELDS EVIDENCE OF SUN'S DYNAMIC WORKINGS
----------------------------------------------------
Soil collected on the moon nearly 30 years ago has helped researchers uncover new details about the workings of the sun. Physicists analyzed lunar soil samples for the presence of an element deposited on the moon's surface by the solar winds, a stream of particles constantly being ejected from the sun.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0110/14lunarsoil/

SOLAR WIND DISCOVERIES AT SOLAR MAXIMUM
---------------------------------------
The newest observations from the Ulysses spacecraft suggest the heliospheric chaos of solar maximum occupies a unique and rather short-lived portion of the solar cycle; the majority of the cycle is dominated by large polar coronal holes and a relatively simple solar wind structure.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0110/16solarwind/

NASA PICKS ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES FOR TEST FLIGHT
------------------------------------------------
In a step towards developing smarter spacecraft, NASA has selected three advanced technologies and providers for its next New Millennium Program test flight project. The technologies will fly on three different spacecraft in 2004, making up the Space Technology 6 project.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0110/15st6/

JPL TO BUILD NEW INSTRUMENT FOR GALAXY STUDIES
----------------------------------------------
NASA has chosen the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to provide the Mid-Infrared Instrument on the Next Generation Space Telescope, which will look back in time more than 90 percent of the history of the universe.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0110/15ngstmidir/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 719 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Oct 17, 2001 (13:00) * 31 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Bright Future for Solar Power Satellites
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/solar_power_sats_011017-1.html
Two new studies looking at the feasibility of space-based solar power - orbiting satellites that would serve as high-tech space dams - suggest the concept shouldn't be readily dismissed and could generate both Earth-bound and space-based benefits.
* Ozone Hole Size Remains Constant with Last Year's Report
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/planetearth/ozone_hole_011017.html
Good news: The Antarctic ozone hole didn't get any bigger this year.
* Animation Shows Two Distant Stars Orbiting Each Other
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/binary_animation_011017.html
Roughly half of all the points of light in the night sky are actually binary star systems, in which two stars orbit around a common gravitational midpoint. This is a handy feature of the universe for astronomers, because while the properties of a lone star cannot easily be discerned, stars doing the do-si-do can, with recent advances in technology, be weighed and measured to some extent.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:
* Station Commander Knew Pilot of Hijacked Plane
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/culbertson_flight77_011017-1.html
Beamed up during a radio conversation with a NASA flight surgeon, the news on Sept. 11 struck the skipper of the International Space Station much the way it did hundreds of millions on Earth.
* Galileo Successfully Swings by Io
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/galileo_update_011016.html
NASA's Galileo spacecraft successfully completed a close flyby to study Jupiter's moon Io at 0123 Universal Time Monday (6:23 p.m. Oct. 15, Pacific Daylight Time), during the long-lived spacecraft's 32nd orbit around Jupiter.
* Hungry Cosmonauts Complete Another Station Spacewalk
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/cosmonaut_spacewalk_011015.html
Two cosmonauts huffed and puffed their way through a six-hour spacewalk at the International Space Station Monday, working up a healthy appetite as they set up science experiments outside the outpost.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* NASA TDRS Launch Delayed Indefinitely
http://www.space.com/spacenews/
The planned Nov. 26 launch of a NASA Tracking Data and Relay Satellite (TDRS) from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., has been delayed indefinitely according to U.S. Air Force spokesman Major Patrick Rein. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 720 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Oct 17, 2001 (13:16) * 74 lines
The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (10/16/2001)
-----------------------------------------------------------------

New Features:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/

* Clouds in the Balance
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/CloudsInBalance
In 1998, atmospheric scientists discovered a significant change in cloud vertical structure triggered by the strongest El Niño on record.

--------------------

In the News:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/

* Latest Images:
Aerosols over Eastern Asia
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5188

Space Station view of the Pyramids at Giza
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5187

New Tools to Explore Troy
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5186

Dust Streams from Tunisia
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5185

NASA Radar Gives Fresh Look at Alaska’s Unique Terrain
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5184

The Land of Ice and Fire
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5183

Hurricane Iris Hits Belize
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5182

* NASA News
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/
- 2001 Ozone Hole About the Same Size as Past Three Years

* Media Alerts
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/
- Study Shows Waves in Southern California, North Pacific More Powerful Over Last 50 Years
- Accumulated Change Courts Ecosystem Catastrophe

* Headlines from the press, radio, and television:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/
- Brilliant Fall Trees Are Under Stress
- Mushrooms May Slow Global Warming
- NASA Experiment Sheds Light on Hurricanes

--------------------
New Data:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/

* Updated Data:
TOMS Aerosol Index data for August - September 2001
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/aerosol.toms.html

4km TRMM Fires data for August - September 2001
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/fires.trmm.html

Ozone data for September 2001
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/ozone.toms.html

Precipitation data for June 2001
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/rainfall.gpcp.html

UV Radiation Exposure data for September 2001
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/uv.toms.html
-
Earth Observatory Announcements
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 721 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Oct 17, 2001 (20:34) * 14 lines
Halley's Comet Returns ... in Bits and Pieces

NASA Science News for October 17, 2001

The annual Orionid meteor shower peaks this weekend on October 21st. Sky
watchers will see as many as 20 fast shooting stars each hour -- each one
a tiny piece of Halley's Comet. NASA scientists plan to observe the
Orionids as a test of equipment they will use to record next month's
much-anticipated Leonid meteor storm.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast17oct_1.htm?list89800 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 722 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Thu, Oct 18, 2001 (09:24) * 3 lines
US space-based reconnaissance reinforced
The launch of a Titan 4B rocket from Vandenburg Air Force Base on 5 October with a giant satellite identified as USA 161 indicates that a fourth or maybe fifth Advanced KH-11 (Improved Crystal) photo-reconnaissance satellite has been placed in orbit to assist with target location and damage assessment for Operation ‘Enduring Freedom’.
17/10/01 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 723 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Oct 18, 2001 (13:35) * 3 lines
I noted on the news this morning that all the commercial satellite imaging time has been bought up by the US government. 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 724 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Oct 18, 2001 (16:28) * 32 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Studying Life's Origins by Recreating the Early Solar System
http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_compounds_011018.html
When we study life in the universe, we have a handy example of where we know life occurs: the Earth, our home. Understanding how life began here on Earth can help us understand how life might occur on other worlds. This is the domain of scientists at SETI Institute's Center for the Study of Life in the Universe as well as the NASA Astrobiology Institute.
* Afghanistan's Ill-Fated Astronomer-Prince
http://www.space.com/SpaceReportersNetworkAstronomyDiscoveries/hobden_afghanistan_011017.html
A brief history of Ulughbek, a 15th-century Afghan astronomer-prince whose quest for knowledge led to his overthrow by religious extremists.
* Ozone Hole Size Remains Constant with Last Year's Report
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/planetearth/ozone_hole_011017.html
Good news: The Antarctic ozone hole didn't get any bigger this year.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:
* Daniel Goldin Proud of NASA Tenure
http://www.space.com/news/goldin_resignation_011017.html
NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin said today he will depart Nov. 17 satisfied and proud that the U.S. space agency launched so many spacecraft during his tenure.

* Delayed SAGE III Looks to Make it to Moscow ... Finally!
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/russia_sage_011017.html
Following another delay due to the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States, the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment or SAGE III instrument is scheduled to fly to Moscow on Monday.

* Station Commander Knew Pilot of Hijacked Plane
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/culbertson_flight77_011017-1.html
Beamed up during a radio conversation with a NASA flight surgeon, the news on Sept. 11 struck the skipper of the International Space Station much the way it did hundreds of millions on Earth.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:
* Spacehab loss jumps to $12.8 million in 2001
http://www.space.com/spacenews/
NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin said today he will depart Nov. 17 satisfied and proud that the U.S. space agency launched so many spacecraft during his tenure. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 725 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Oct 18, 2001 (19:08) * 12 lines
Mars, Ho! -- 2001 Mars Odyssey Poised to Enter Orbit

NASA Science News for October 18, 2001

NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey probe is poised to enter orbit around the Red
Planet. The spacecraft is on a mission to seek out evidence of Martian
water and to explore the planet's radiation environment -- vital
information for future human explorers.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast18oct_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 726 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Thu, Oct 18, 2001 (20:39) * 2 lines
Exciting news! Keep posting more!


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 727 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Oct 18, 2001 (21:23) * 1 lines
Will do!! Wish the national media would change subjects to things like thiso ccasionally! I find it both exciting and fascinating. Glad you agree. Count on Mike listeing in!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 728 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Oct 19, 2001 (14:11) * 12 lines
This Weekend: Northern Lights and Meteors

Space Weather News for October 19, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

Twisted magnetic fields above sunspot 9661 erupted this morning,
unleashing an X-class solar flare and hurling a coronal mass ejection
toward Earth. The expanding cloud will likely strike our planet's
magnetosphere on October 21st during the peak of the Orionid meteor
shower. Sky watchers, especially those living at higher latitudes, could
spot both meteors and auroras this weekend. Stay tuned to
SpaceWeather.com for details and updates.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 729 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Oct 19, 2001 (16:47) * 28 lines
Station astronauts take a trip / Delta launches QuickBird

ALPHA CREW RETURNS TO SPACE STATION AFTER QUICK TRIP
----------------------------------------------------
Expedition Three astronauts boarded their Soyuz return capsule at the International Space Station today and moved it from the Earth-facing port of the Zarya module to the first-ever linkup to the new Pirs Docking Compartment. (Includes video clips).
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

COMMERCIAL EARTH-IMAGER ROCKETS INTO SPACE ATOP DELTA 2
-------------------------------------------------------
It's name is QuickBird and it will take pictures of Earth's surface with unprecedented clarity for a commercial eye-in-the-sky imaging satellite. The spacecraft was successfully launched into orbit Thursday by the workhorse Boeing Delta 2 rocket. (Includes video clips).
http://spaceflightnow.com/delta/d288/

PAINTING WITH OXYGEN AND HYDROGEN
---------------------------------
A new image from the Hubble Space Telescope is an example of 'painting with light'. Astronomers use the separated colors produced by oxygen and hydrogen to investigate star-forming processes in the nebula NGC 2080. The colors explain much about the nature of such nebulae.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0110/19hubble/

STRANGE TRAIL SUGGESTS POSSIBLE GALACTIC INTERLOPER
---------------------------------------------------
Scientists have discovered what looks like a jet contrail, possibly left behind by a dwarf star traveling through interstellar space. Scientists found a straight and narrow filament of ionized gas stretching 2.5 degrees across the sky near the Big Dipper in the constellation Ursa Major.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0110/18dwarf/

SELECTING BETTER ORBITS FOR SATELLITE CONSTELLATIONS
----------------------------------------------------
Some Earth-orbiting satellites will be able to keep in touch longer with controllers on the planet's surface thanks to computer programs that mimic Darwin's evolutionary model of survival-of-the-fittest.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0110/18orbits/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 730 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Oct 23, 2001 (14:37) * 13 lines
Here Comes the Sun (Again!)

Space Weather News for October 23, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

A strong geomagnetic storm that spawned a vivid display of Northern Lights
on Oct. 21st and 22nd is subsiding -- but another storm could begin soon.
A pair of solar explosions on Oct. 22nd hurled coronal mass ejections
toward Earth. The expanding clouds will likely sweep past our planet on
Oct. 24th or 25th and trigger a new round of geomagnetic activity. Visit
spaceweather.com for details and to view pictures from a growing gallery
of this week's sky show. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 731 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Oct 23, 2001 (16:01) * 33 lines
NEWSALERT: Tuesday, October 23, 2001 @ 1745 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

ODYSSEY PROBE POISED TO ENTER MARTIAN ORBIT
-------------------------------------------
NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft completes its six-month, 285-million mile cruise to the Red Planet on Tuesday evening with a make-or-break 20-minute engine firing to slip into orbit around Mars.
http://spaceflightnow.com/mars/odyssey/status.html

REPLACEMENT SOYUZ CAPSULE DOCKS TO SPACE STATION
------------------------------------------------
A fresh Soyuz lifeboat capsule has been delivered to the international space station today with a docking at 6:44 a.m. EDT (1044 GMT). Two Russian cosmonauts and a French researcher aboard the Soyuz will spend a week at the outpost before riding the old Alpha capsule back to Earth.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

Spaceflight Now Plus subscribers can watch spectacular video of the docking.
http://spaceflightnow.com/store/sfnplus/

NEW ENERGY SOURCE 'WRINGS' POWER FROM BLACK HOLE SPIN
-----------------------------------------------------
Scientists for the first time have seen energy being extracted from a black hole. Like an electric dynamo, this black hole spins and pumps energy out through cable-like magnetic field lines into the chaotic gas whipping around it, making the gas -- already infernally hot from the sheer force of crushing gravity -- even hotter.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0110/23slowinghole/

INDIA LAUNCHES SATELLITE TRIO ABOARD ONE PSLV ROCKET
----------------------------------------------------
India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle bolted from its launch pad Monday, successfully hauling three technology demonstration payloads into space. The PSLV rocket launched from India's Sriharikota complex, located on the east coast of the nation near the Bay of Bengal.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0110/22pslv/

NASA PICKS PROPOSALS IN ADVANCED HUMAN SUPPORT TECHNOLOGIES
-----------------------------------------------------------
NASA has selected 10 researchers to receive grants to develop advanced technologies needed to produce food, recycle water and air, and monitor spacecraft environments required for long-term human space exploration.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0110/23techprops/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 732 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Oct 23, 2001 (16:03) * 32 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Stunning X-ray Image Shows Pulsar at Center of Supernova
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/pulsar_supernova_011023.html
A team of astronomers using the Chandra X-ray Observatory has found what appears to be a pulsar at the center of the exploded remains of a 1,600-year-old supernova.
* New Study Shows Black Hole Belching Energy
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/blackhole_energy_011022.html
Scientists for the first time have seen energy being extracted from a black hole. Like an electric dynamo, this black hole spins and pumps energy out through cable-like magnetic field lines into the chaotic gas whipping around it, making the gas -- already infernally hot from the sheer force of crushing gravity -- even hotter.
* Mars Odyssey: Why Failure Is Not an Option
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/odyssey_option_011022.html
Mars Odyssey’s moment of truth has arrived. For NASA and industry teams, fingers are crossed for good luck as they prepare for the October 23 rendezvous with the red planet of the $297 million spacecraft.

-----------------------------------

Today in Missions/Launches:
* SPECIAL REPORT: 2001 Odyssey Mission to Mars
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/missions/mars_odyssey_sr.html
"Obviously, nobody wants to fail. But to tell you the truth, you can’t guarantee that we’ll be totally successful," said Bob Berry, Lockheed Martin’s Odyssey Program Manager who, nonetheless, is optimistic the orbit insertion will succeed.
* New Lifeboat Delivered to Station by Russian-French Crew
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/tm33_dock_011023.html
Two Russian cosmonauts and a French astronaut delivered a new emergency lifeboat to the International Space Station Tuesday, temporarily doubling the population aboard the outpost in the process.
* Soyuz Boosters Expected to Launch from French Guiana
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/soyuz_guiana_011023.html
The European Space Agency is expected to make a positive decision on November 15 that would allow satellites to be launched by Russian Soyuz rockets from the Kourou Space Center in French Guiana, Russian deputy premier Ilya Klebanov said in reply to a question from Interfax.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* Northrop Grumman Creates Space System Division Following Acquisition of Aerojet Unit
http://www.space.com/spacenews/
Northrop Grumman Corp., Los Angeles, has created a Space Systems Division following its acquisition of the Electronics and Information Systems Group of Aerojet-General Corp., Northrop Grumman reported Oct. 22. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 733 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Oct 23, 2001 (16:40) * 29 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:
* Mars Odyssey: Why Failure Is Not an Option
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/odyssey_option_011022.html
Mars Odyssey’s moment of truth has arrived. For NASA and industry teams, fingers are crossed for good luck as they prepare for the October 23 rendezvous with the red planet of the $297 million spacecraft.
* Landing Sites for 2003 Mars Exploration Rovers Mission Identified
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/missions/mars_2003_landings_011019.html
Scientists have produced a short list of "sweet spots" on Mars.
* Painting With Light: New Hubble Image
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/hubble_esa_paint_011019.html
Astronomy may be considered the ultimate art form, especially considering the images sometimes produced by the Hubble Space Telescope.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:
* Russian-French Crew En Route to Space Station
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/soyuz_launch_011021.html
A Russian-French crew blasted off Sunday for the International Space Station, the rocket lighting up the cloudy sky as it soared over the Kazak steppe.
* Dennis Tito: NASA Must Embrace Commercialization for Space Tourism to Succeed
http://www.space.com/news/tito_tourism_011021.html
Millionaire Dennis Tito who earlier this year flew to the International Space Station (ISS) courtesy of a Russian booster, remains head over heels about his trek, but says it’s going to be a while before the public-at-large can get the same experience.
* Japan's ISS Unit, Kibo, to Begin Final Testing Next Month
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/japan_kibo_011020.html
Japan unveiled its contribution to the international space station Saturday, a three-part research module that goes into its final testing phase next month.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:
* Questions About European Satellite System Persist
http://www.space.com/spacenews/
European governments appear ready to invest in a global system for environmental monitoring and security tracking even though it is not clear exactly what the system will do specifically or which satellites will be used. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 734 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Oct 23, 2001 (18:52) * 11 lines
Energy from a Black Hole

NASA Science News for October 23, 2001

There are plenty of black holes that gobble energy. Now astronomers have
spotted one in a distant galaxy that's giving some of its energy back.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast23oct_1.htm?list89800 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 735 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Oct 24, 2001 (15:57) * 148 lines
A s t r o A l e r t
Sun-Earth Alert

Solar Terrestrial Dispatch
http://www.spacew.com

23 October 2001


* MAJOR AURORAL STORM OF 21-22 OCTOBER *
* ANOTHER MAJOR X-CLASS SOLAR FLARE & FULL HALO CME *
* MIDDLE LATITUDE AURORAL ACTIVITY WATCH FOR 24-26 OCTOBER *


MAJOR AURORAL STORM OF 21-22 OCTOBER:

A major auroral storm developed following the arrival of a pair of
coronal mass ejection disturbances that were launched from the Sun on 19
October. The disturbance impacted the Earth at 16:45 UTC on 21 October and
immediately began intensifying levels of auroral activity. By the end of the
UTC day, many European regions were bathed in the fire-red glow of an intense
auroral display. Observations were possible well into Italy and similar lower
latitude European regions.

As the sun set and twilight faded over eastern North America, auroral
activity became visible across many middle latitude regions of North America
and into the north and east-central U.S. states. Common apparitions of
activity included red glows, beams of moving rays, occasional intense
curtains of white and green intermixed with color variations and flaming
pulsations. Overall, an impressive sight for those who looked up.

A record of all of the reported sightings submitted to the Global
Auroral Activity Observation Network and their comments can be found at:
http://www.spacew.com/www/auroras.html. If you observed activity on these
nights, please submit a report to: http://www.spacew.com/www/subaurora.html
so a record of the activity can be permanently archived for possible future
research.

For those who missed this activity, read on... You may get another
chance on 24 and 25 October to observe an auroral storm.


ANOTHER MAJOR X-CLASS SOLAR FLARE & HALO CME:

Sunspot complex number 9672 unleashed a pair of powerful solar flares as
it began transiting the central solar meridian. A long-duration major class
M6.7 x-ray solar flare was observed at 15:08 UTC (11:08 am EDT). This event
was spatially large, covering more than 12 square degrees of the solar
surface. It was quickly followed less than 3 hours later by another powerful
class X1.2 solar flare at 17:59 UTC (1:59 pm EDT).

Either or both of these events may have been associated with an
Earthward-directed coronal mass ejection (CME). We know for certain that at
least one of these events resulted in a full halo (Earthward-directed)
coronal mass ejection. But due to loss of coverage by the SOHO spacecraft,
there is some uncertainty as to which energetic solar event the observed CME
belongs to, or if the observed CME is really two CMEs with one imbedded
inside the other. Conclusively determining this will require additional
imagery from the SOHO spacecraft.

There is fair certainty that the observed coronal mass ejection will
impact the Earth's magnetosphere sometime either late on 24 October or
sometime early on 25 October (UTC time, which translates to the afternoon or
evening hours EDT of 24 October for North America). The arrival of this
disturbance may regenerate periods of auroral storm activity over many high
and middle latitude regions. Observers interested in the northern lights
would therefore do well to keep an eye on conditions and the sky during the
evening and early morning hours of 24 and 25 October.


MIDDLE LATITUDE AURORAL ACTIVITY WATCH FOR 24-26 OCTOBER:

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

MIDDLE LATITUDE AURORAL ACTIVITY WATCH

ISSUED: 09:00 UTC, 23 OCTOBER 2001

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

** NOTE: A NEW VERSION OF THE STD AURORA MONITOR HAS BEEN RELEASED **
Details at: http://www.spacew.com/aurora



VALID BEGINNING AT: 17:00 UTC (1 pm EDT) ON 24 OCTOBER
VALID UNTIL: 19:00 UTC (3 pm EDT) ON 26 OCTOBER

HIGH RISK PERIOD: 24 OCT - 25 OCTOBER (UTC DAYS)
MODERATE RISK PERIOD: 24 OCT - 26 OCTOBER

PREDICTED ACTIVITY INDICES: 14, 20, 40, 12 (23 OCT - 26 OCT)

POTENTIAL MAGNITUDE OF MIDDLE LATITUDE AURORAL ACTIVITY: MODERATE

POTENTIAL DURATION OF THIS ACTIVITY: MAIN BELT = 18 TO 24 HOURS
MINOR BELT = 24 TO 36 HOURS

ESTIMATED OPTIMUM OBSERVING CONDITIONS: NEAR & AFTER LOCAL MIDNIGHT

EXPECTED LUNAR INTERFERENCE: LOW TO MODERATE

OVERALL OPPORTUNITY FOR OBSERVATIONS FROM MIDDLE LATITUDES: FAIR TO GOOD

AURORAL ACTIVITY *MAY* BE OBSERVED APPROXIMATELY NORTH OF A LINE FROM...

OREGON TO NORTHERN UTAH TO NEBRASKA TO NORTHERN MISSOURI TO ILLINOIS TO
INDIANA TO NORTHERN KENTUCKY TO SOUTHERN OHIO TO WEST VIRGINIA TO
VIRGINIA.

ACTIVITY *MAY* ALSO BE OBSERVED APPROXIMATELY NORTH OF A LINE FROM...

UNITED KINGDOM TO EXTREME NORTHERN NETHERLANDS TO NORTHERN GERMANY TO
NORTHERN POLAND TO LITHUANIA TO LATVIA AND ESTONIA TO NORTHERN RUSSIA.
SOUTHERN REGIONS OF NEW ZEALAND MAY ALSO BE ABLE TO SPOT PERIODS OF
ACTIVITY.

SYNOPSIS...

Two additional major solar flares occurred on 22 October that may have
been associated with Earthward directed coronal mass ejections. Coverage of
these events by the SOHO spacecraft was spotty at best, but sufficient data
is now available to confirm that at least one large coronal mass ejection
(possibly with a second imbedded one) is headed Earthward. Impact of this
disturbance with the Earth's magnetosphere is expected either late in the UTC
day of 24 October (afternoon hours EDT) or early in the UTC day of 25 October
(evening EDT hours of 24 October).

This watch will remain in effect until 19:00 UTC (3 pm EDT) on 26
October. It will then be updated or allowed to expire. For updated
information, visit: http://www.spacew.com/aurora/forum.html

PLEASE REPORT OBSERVATIONS OF AURORAL ACTIVITY TO:
http://solar.spacew.com/www/auroras.html

* OR *

*NEW* Version 3.0 of the popular STD AURORA MONITOR Software
to monitor conditions, report sightings, etc., is now available at:
http://www.spacew.com/aurora
(We now support secure on-line ordering of this software)

or from Sky & Telescope:
http://store.skypub.com
(search for Aurora)

For Real-Time News and Discussions with Experienced Aurora Enthusiasts:
http://www.spacew.com/irc
and join the #aurora channel (type /join #aurora) 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 736 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Oct 24, 2001 (16:32) * 10 lines
The USA Returns to Mars

NASA Science News for October 24, 2001

NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft reached Mars last night and was
captured into orbit after a successful main engine burn.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast24oct_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 737 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Wed, Oct 24, 2001 (20:17) * 1 lines
Great news. After two strikes, a big hit.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 738 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Oct 24, 2001 (22:29) * 38 lines
Yes!!! It is nice to have happy news again! High-fives all around (See me if you have not yet jumped into the air and slapped hands with another celebrant. I'll teach you how!)

Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Mars Odyssey Swings Around the Red Planet
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/odyssey_mars_011023.html
The Mars Odyssey spacecraft succeeded Tuesday night in one of the most tricky and critical parts of its mission by slipping into orbit around the Red Planet.

* Project RAMOS: U.S. - Russia Working on Satellite Missile Watching System
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/us_russia_satellite_011024-1.html
Since 1992, American and Russian scientists have been quietly sketching out a space-based missile watching satellite system. This cooperative project may take on more urgency given U.S. terrorist attacks and the White House stay-the-course attitude in working on anti-ballistic missile defensive measures.

* Asteroids to be Named for Student Scientists
http://www.space.com/news/asteroids_students_011023.html
Students competing in Washington, D.C. this week for the title, "America's Top Young Scientist of the Year," will also receive title to some extraterrestrial real estate.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* India Developing Launch Engine
http://www.space.com/news/india_launch_engine_011023.html
India is on the verge of developing an engine that would enable it to launch high-altitude communications satellites, a top space research official said. The technology could also be used to build intercontinental ballistic missiles.

* New Lifeboat Delivered to Station by Russian-French Crew
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/tm33_dock_011023.html
Two Russian cosmonauts and a French astronaut delivered a new emergency lifeboat to the International Space Station Tuesday, temporarily doubling the population aboard the outpost in the process.

* Soyuz Boosters Expected to Launch from French Guiana
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/soyuz_guiana_011023.html
The European Space Agency is expected to make a positive decision on November 15 that would allow satellites to be launched by Russian Soyuz rockets from the Kourou Space Center in French Guiana, Russian deputy premier Ilya Klebanov said in reply to a question from Interfax.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* Moorman Declines NASA Job
http://www.space.com/spacenews/
Retired U.S. Air Force General Thomas Moorman was offered the top job at NASA but has no plans to leave his current job at the consulting firm Booz-Allen Hamilton in McLean, Va., according to a source close to the former vice chief and commander of Air Force Space Command. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 739 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Thu, Oct 25, 2001 (08:42) * 1 lines
India! Talk about a double edged sword.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 740 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Oct 25, 2001 (16:37) * 38 lines
Yes, India! They also have nuclear capabilities as does Pakistan. It does not make me feel any more secure!

Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Our Galaxy Should Be Teeming With Civilizations, But Where Are They?
http://www.space.com/searchforlife/shostak_paradox_011024.html
Is there obvious proof that we could be alone in the Galaxy? Enrico Fermi thought so -- and he was a pretty smart guy. Might he have been right?

* Bright Comet Spotted Streaking Toward Sun
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/soho_comet_011024.html
A bright comet was spotted speeding toward the Sun on Monday, Oct. 22. Images of the comet, produced by the SOHO spacecraft, were released Wednesday.

* Mars Odyssey Swings Around the Red Planet
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/odyssey_mars_011023.html
The Mars Odyssey spacecraft succeeded Tuesday night in one of the most tricky and critical parts of its mission by slipping into orbit around the Red Planet.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* Russia Launches Molniya Military Satellite
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/milsat_launch_011025.html
The Russian Space Forces launched a military communications satellite today from the Northern Cosmodrome in Plesetsk, Russia. A four-stage Molniya-M rocket blasted off from the Launch Pad 3 at Site 43 of the space center at 15:34 Moscow Time (7:34 a.m. EDT) and ten minutes later successfully delivered the Molniya (Lightning) spacecraft into the initial orbit, Nikolai Dovedenko, spokesman for the Russian Space Forces told SPACE.com.

* Goldin: Pioneering Station Crews Paving For Human Trips To Mars
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/goldin_station_011024.html
Buoyed by Mars Odyssey’s successful dive into Martian orbit, NASA chief Dan Goldin told crews aboard the International Space Station Wednesday that they are paving the way for a human expedition to the Red Planet.

* New Lifeboat Delivered to Station by Russian-French Crew
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/tm33_dock_011023.html
Two Russian cosmonauts and a French astronaut delivered a new emergency lifeboat to the International Space Station Tuesday, temporarily doubling the population aboard the outpost in the process.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* Moorman Declines NASA Job
http://www.space.com/spacenews/
Retired U.S. Air Force General Thomas Moorman was offered the top job at NASA but has no plans to leave his current job at the consulting firm Booz-Allen Hamilton in McLean, Va., according to a source close to the former vice chief and commander of Air Force Space Command. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 741 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Oct 25, 2001 (18:51) * 49 lines
The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (10/23/2001)
-----------------------------------------------------------------

New Features:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/

* Hurricane Field Studies (DAAC Study)
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/HurricaneFieldStudy/
The Third Convection and Moisture Experiment (CAMEX-3) has provided forecasters with a more realistic storm picture.

--------------------

In the News:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/

* Latest Images:
Lost Hills, California Interferogram
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5195

Global Enhanced Vegetation Index
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5194

Jungfrau and Interlaken, Switzerland
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5193

Typhoon Haiyan
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5192

Abstract Art or Arbiters of Energy?
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5191

Deforestation near Rio Branco, Brazil
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5190

Antarctic Ozone Hole on September 17, 2001
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5189

* NASA News
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/
- Weather Forecasters May Look Sky-high For Answers
- Radar Helps Monitor Oil Fields
- NASA Unveils Spectacular Suite of New Global Data Products from MODIS

* Media Alerts
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/
- Earth's Orbital Oscillations May Have Controlled Ice Ages 




 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 742 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Oct 26, 2001 (14:24) * 12 lines
'tis the Season for Auroras

NASA Science News for October 26, 2001

Lately, sky watchers have been enjoying plenty of Northern Lights. Indeed,
say researchers, autumn is a good time to spot auroras. But why? Read
this story and find out.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast26oct_1.htm?list89800 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 743 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Oct 26, 2001 (14:25) * 12 lines
NASA Science News for October 26, 2001

Space Weather News for Oct. 26, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

A powerful solar explosion on Thursday, Oct 25th, sent a coronal mass
ejection (CME) billowing toward Earth. The expanding cloud could trigger
auroras when it reaches our planet on Oct 27th or 28th. If so, the coming
weekend would be the second in a row that high-latitude sky watchers have
enjoyed Northern Lights. Visit spaceweather.com for more information
about the solar blast and the approaching CME. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 744 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Oct 26, 2001 (15:45) * 30 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Odyssey's Triumph Puts NASA Back on Track. But Where To?
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/road_ahead_011026.html
"Mars: We're back."
When NASA scientist Stephen Saunders uttered these three words Wednesday, less than 24 hours after the Mars Odyssey spacecraft had become the Red Planet's newest satellite, there were no lines to read between. The meaning was clear: NASA is back on track.

* Nest of Elusive Brown Dwarfs Seen in Stellar Nursery
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/brown_dwarfs_011025.html
Amid space clouds stuffed with baby stars, astronomers have detected 30 difficult-to-spot brown dwarfs, failed stars that emit very little radiation.

* Our Galaxy Should Be Teeming With Civilizations, But Where Are They?
http://www.space.com/searchforlife/shostak_paradox_011024.html
Is there obvious proof that we could be alone in the Galaxy? Enrico Fermi thought so -- and he was a pretty smart guy. Might he have been right?

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* Protecting KSC at the Height of the Cold War
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/guenter_wendt_011026.html
America's earliest astronauts blasted off into space from a launch pad that one man ruled with such an iron fist, no terrorist or Soviet spy would dare cross his path.

* Russia Launches Molniya Military Satellite
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/milsat_launch_011025.html
The Russian Space Forces launched a military communications satellite today from the Northern Cosmodrome in Plesetsk, Russia. A four-stage Molniya-M rocket blasted off from the Launch Pad 3 at Site 43 of the space center at 15:34 Moscow Time (7:34 a.m. EDT) and ten minutes later successfully delivered the Molniya (Lightning) spacecraft into the initial orbit, Nikolai Dovedenko, spokesman for the Russian Space Forces told SPACE.com.

* New Lifeboat Delivered to Station by Russian-French Crew
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/tm33_dock_011023.html
Two Russian cosmonauts and a French astronaut delivered a new emergency lifeboat to the International Space Station Tuesday, temporarily doubling the population aboard the outpost in the process. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 745 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Oct 29, 2001 (13:00) * 52 lines

NEWSALERT: Monday, October 29, 2001 @ 0212 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now
http://astronomynowstore.com

MARTIAN 'CEMENTED' SURFACE
--------------------------
Two newly released images of Mars from the Global Surveyor spacecraft show the fractures and pits in the "cemented" crust of the Northern Plains and the "cemented" dunes in Herschel Crater.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0110/29marscemented/

ISO FINDS 30 'FAILED STARS' IN NEARBY STELLAR NURSERY
-----------------------------------------------------
The impressive cloud in the region of the star rho Ophiuchi is one of the heavenly meeting points for astronomers in search of young stars. Located 540 light-years away, the dusty clouds are the nest of more than one hundred newborn stars. But ESA's Infrared Space Observatory has also found a surprise hidden in the dust.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0110/26iso/

LEAKY ENGINE SEALS DELAY WEATHER SATELLITE LAUNCH
-------------------------------------------------
Originally planned to be the first U.S. launch of 2001, technical gremlins have kept an Air Force Titan 2 rocket and its military weather satellite grounded all year and the latest glitch could very well delay blastoff until late December.
http://spaceflightnow.com/titan/g9/011025seals.html

ORBITING SATELLITES MAP THE BRITAIN 'BOUNCE'
--------------------------------------------
Britain really does have its ups and downs. Parts of Cornwall, for example, rise and fall by about 10 cm every day. Now, scientists are using satellite technology to produce the first accurate map of Britain's 'bounce' to help civil engineers make ends meet when they build bridges, dams and tunnels.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0110/28bounce/

TESTING SPACECRAFT'S GAMMA RAY VISION DOWN ON EARTH
---------------------------------------------------
Once in orbit, space telescopes can produce heavenly pictures. ESA's new gamma-ray observatory INTEGRAL - to launch next year - will be focusing on some of the highest energy celestial sources. Before seeing the stars, one of INTEGRAL's four instruments has been taking some down-to-Earth but surprising pictures - a famous discus thrower and a bottle of champagne.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0110/29integralearth/

JSC TO DEVELOP TECHNOLOGIES FOR FUTURE SPACE FLIGHT
---------------------------------------------------
Sharpening its focus on the next generation of human space flight, a new office at the Johnson Space Center will develop technologies to lead to the next reusable human spacecraft, work that could mean hundreds of millions of dollars of research efforts managed from Houston over the next few years.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0110/27jscsli/

ALPHA ASTRONAUTS VISIT THEIR LAUNCH AND LANDING SITE
----------------------------------------------------
Back on Earth after their five months living aboard the International Space Station, Expedition Two astronauts Susan Helms and Jim Voss recently visited the Kennedy Space Center where they planted a commemorative cherry laurel tree. Here is a photo report of the astronauts' KSC visit.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0110/27exp2tree/

STATION EXPERIMENT VIBRATION DAMPENER READIED
---------------------------------------------
An experimental "powered shock absorber" to reduce vibrations aboard the International Space Station continued another week of intensive testing to get ready for its operational debut next year.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0110/27isssci/

EUTELSAT PUTS ATLANTIC BIRD 2 INTO COMMERCIAL SERVICE
-----------------------------------------------------
Eutelsat says its new satellite, Atlantic Bird 2, has been brought into full commercial service. The spacecraft is significantly reinforcing Eutelsat capacity for satellite newsgathering, TV broadcasting and secure corporate networks in North and South America, Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0110/26atlanticbird/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 746 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Oct 29, 2001 (17:15) * 26 lines
* First Photo from Mars Odyssey Now Expected Tuesday
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/mo_011029.html
NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft has delayed its first photo shoot of the Red Planet until at least Tuesday after scientists decided to slow the spacecraft's entry into the atmosphere, a mission official said Sunday.

* Meteorite Hunters Scour America's Southwest
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/meteorite_hunters_011028.html
The sunshine sparkling on his meteorite-encrusted wedding ring and Van Halen blaring from his car stereo, Bob Haag rolled into Portales, N.M., looking for space rocks.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* Crippen, Engle, Hauck, Truly to be Inducted in U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/hall_fame_011029.html
Bob Crippen assumed in 1969 his first spacecraft would be an experimental Air Force space station attached to a modified Gemini space capsule.

* American Astronaut Gene Cernan Escapes Helicopter Crash Without Injuries
http://www.space.com/news/cernan_helicopter_011028.html
American astronaut Eugene Cernan escaped a helicopter crash in the southern parts of the Czech Republic without injuries, an official said Sunday.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* House Appropriators Call For SBIRS Low Restructuring
http://www.space.com/spacenews/
A key congressional funding panel has recommended drastically scaling back a Pentagon effort to develop a large constellation of satellites for missile tracking. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 747 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Oct 30, 2001 (14:43) * 17 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Survival of the Elitist: Bioterrorism May Spur Space Colonies
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/generalscience/colonize_now_011030-1.html
Plans to save civilization from doom by sending people and important documents into space in a 21st Century Noah's Ark may get a boost from heightened fears of bioterrorism.

* Leonid Meteor Shower: Prediction Revised for November Event
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/leonids_2001.html
The leading prediction for the 2001 Leonids has been updated. Check out the new forecast for expected rates.

* New NASA Movie Shows Simultaneous North and South Pole Auroras
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/generalscience/aurora_animation_011030.html
Scientists using NASA’s Polar spacecraft have recorded the first images of auroras simultaneously brightening the skies over the Earth’s North and South poles.

* Report: Japan Developing Satellite That Would Beam Back Solar Power
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/nasda_solar_sats_011029.html
Japan plans to develop a satellite fitted with solar panels that would send energy back to the earth, a newspaper reported Tuesday.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 748 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Oct 31, 2001 (13:08) * 40 lines
OLD SOYUZ CRAFT UNDOCKS FROM ALPHA, LANDS ON EARTH
--------------------------------------------------
The Russian-French Soyuz "taxi crew" completed its mission Tuesday night by riding the international space station's aging lifeboat capsule back to Earth, one week after delivering a fresh craft to the orbiting outpost. (Includes video)
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

CRONKITE CHATS WITH CREW
------------------------
Famed newsman Walter Cronkite interviewed the Expedition Three astronauts living aboard the international space station on Tuesday. The wide-ranging talk included the September 11 attacks, the approaching one-year anniversary of the station's occupation and the end of Mir. Spaceflight Now+Plus subscribers can watch the interview in its entirety!
http://spaceflightnow.com/plus/

STATION RESIDENTS REFLECT ON THE SEPT. 11 TERROR ATTACKS
--------------------------------------------------------
The three-man Expedition Three astronauts took a bit of time Tuesday to talk with ABC's "Good Morning America" TV show about the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. Spaceflight Now+Plus subscribers can watch the interview in its entirety!
http://spaceflightnow.com/plus/

GOLDIN CHALLENGES NASA, AEROSPACE INDUSTRY
------------------------------------------
Outgoing NASA administrator Dan Goldin called on the aerospace industry and NASA Tuesday to embrace privatization and advanced technology or else risk obsolescence at the hands of rapidly advancing terrestrial industries.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0110/31goldin/

BULLDOZER ROVERS COULD GET THE SCOOP ON MARS
--------------------------------------------
Tiny bulldozer rovers may some day dish up the dirt and pack it in on Mars. The scoop-and-dump design of a prototype bulldozer rover being developed by NASA engineers mimics that of a bulldozer and dump truck.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0110/30bulldozer/

ILS TO LAUNCH SUPERBIRD-6 ON ATLAS IN 2002
------------------------------------------
International Launch Services and Space Communications Corp. of Tokyo have signed a contract for launch of the SUPERBIRD-6 satellite in October 2003 aboard an Atlas 2AS rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0110/31atlassbird6/

28-YEAR-OLD NASA PROBE REACHES END OF MARATHON
----------------------------------------------
The Interplanetary Monitoring Platform (IMP 8) spacecraft has retired after 28 years on duty being buffeted by the solar wind and zapped by cosmic rays. Launched in 1973, IMP 8 provided important space physics data as part of NASA's Sun-Earth Connection research program. Last commands were sent to the spacecraft on Sunday.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0110/31imp8/

FUNDING LAUNCHES NATIONAL VIRTUAL OBSERVATORY
---------------------------------------------
"... I think this is likely to change astronomy as we know it." The Internet brings its users the world online. Astronomers from 17 research institutions have announced that they're starting an ambitious new project to put the universe online.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0110/30nvo/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 749 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Nov  1, 2001 (20:10) * 10 lines
NASA Science News for Oct. 30, 2001

A pair of satellites named "GRACE" will soon begin mapping tiny variations
in Earth's gravity, allowing scientists to track the motions of mass
around and beneath the globe for the first time.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast30oct_1.htm 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 750 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Nov  1, 2001 (20:10) * 10 lines
The Fading Milky Way
NASA Science News for November 1, 2001

Light pollution is a growing environmental problem that threatens to erase
the night sky before its time.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast01nov_1.htm?list89800 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 751 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Nov  2, 2001 (13:02) * 26 lines
NEWSALERT: Thursday, November 1, 2001 @ 1537 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

MARS ODYSSEY SNAPS FIRST PICTURE OF THE RED PLANET
--------------------------------------------------
NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey gave mission managers a real treat this Halloween with its first look at the Red Planet. It's a thermal infrared image of the Martian southern hemisphere that captures the polar carbon dioxide ice cap at a temperature of about minus 120 C (minus 184 F).
http://spaceflightnow.com/mars/odyssey/011031mofirstpic.html

ENDEAVOUR ROLLED TO PAD UNDER CLOAK OF SECRECY
----------------------------------------------
With a pair of F-15 fighter jets seen flying overhead, space shuttle Endeavour made the slow crawl to the launch pad Wednesday at Kennedy Space Center amid extraordinary secrecy never before experienced for such a routine event. Endeavour is slated for launch Nov. 29 to ferry a new resident crew to space station Alpha.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage8a/011031rollout/
Spaceflight Now Plus Subscribers can see video clips of Endeavour's rollout to launch pad 39B and its earlier move to the Vehicle Assembly Building:
http://spaceflightnow.com/plus/

CURIOSITIES ON THE SURFACE OF ASTEROID CERES ARE REVEALED
---------------------------------------------------------
An international team has discovered some curious properties of the largest asteroid, Ceres. By observing Ceres with the Hubble Space Telescope using a resolution higher than previously attained, the resulting images are the first o show detail on the asteroid's surface.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/01ceres/

GOLDIN RECEIVES FRENCH LEGION OF HONOR AWARD
--------------------------------------------
In ceremonies Tuesday night in Washington, NASA Administrator Daniel S. Goldin was awarded one of France's highest and most distinguished honors, the "Officer of the Legion of Honor."
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/01goldinaward/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 752 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Nov  2, 2001 (13:04) * 56 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Changing Phases: Detecting Other Worlds With The Fade-In/Fade-Out Method
http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_fade_011101.html
One night at the observatory I was preparing to view an eclipsing binary star that was going to be close to the full moon. I was worried that it might be too close, which would ruin the brightness measurements I needed to determine exactly when the two stars orbited in front of each other (see "the do-si-do" method of detecting extrasolar planets). Suddenly it hit me! Why, planets around other stars must also go through this change of phase from full to new, just like the Moon!

* Tunguska Mystery May Be Solved
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/planetearth/tunguska_mystery_011031.html
Nearly a century ago, something exploded in the skies over Siberia with a force rivaling an atomic explosion. It left in its wake a scarred landscape littered with tens of thousands of felled trees, and a mystery that has plagued scientists for decades, defying explanation.

* Tricks of Light: Hubble Gets New View of a Galaxy
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/hubble_ring_011101.html
In astronomy, what you get is what you see, or more specifically what you look for.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* Endeavour Moved from Hangar to Launch Pad Amid High Security, Secrecy
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/endeavour_roll-out_011031.html
NASA moved space shuttle Endeavour to its launch pad on Wednesday amid high security and unprecedented secrecy.

* Goldin Cautions U.S. Gov't Not to Divert NASA Funding
http://www.space.com/news/iss_goldin_coverage_011030.html
In what was likely to be one of his last public appearances as NASA's chief administrator, Daniel Goldin addressed the International Space Symposium Tuesday raising a number of warning flags regarding future space transportation.

* Taxi Crew Returns to Earth as Station Program Marks Launch Anniversary
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/tm32_undock_011031.html
Two Russian cosmonauts and a French astronaut returned to Earth late Tuesday after a week-long visit to the International Space Station in which the crew taxied a new Soyuz rescue ship up to the frontier outpost and then came home in an older Soyuz that had been docked there since May.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* TRW Halts Work on Astrolink
http://www.space.com/spacenews/
TRW Inc. has suspended its work on the Astrolink broadband satellite program following TRW and Lockheed Martin Corp. management decisions not to invest further in the venture, according to industry officials.

------------------------------------
* SpaceTV:
http://www.space.com/spacetv/index.php3
* Space Age Gear:
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/space_gear-1.html
* SpaceWatch:
http://www.space.com/spacewatch/index.html
* Uplink: Share your opinion!
http://uplink.space.com/index.html
-------------------------------------

SOLAR and SPACE WEATHER (November 1, 2001)
3-Day Solar Forecast
Solar activity is expected to be low to moderate. There is a continued possibility for a major flare from sunspot Region 9682.
3-Day Aurora Forecast
Earth's geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet to unsettled. Isolated active conditions are possible Thursday resulting from a coronal mass ejection observed on the Sun Oct. 29.
Solar Data
The current sunspot number is 212, and the solar wind speed recently clocked in at 328 kilometers per second (733,713 mph). The solar wind density was 9.5 protons per cubic centimeter. (Speed and density values are snapshots in time and change during the day.)
http://www.space.com/spacewatch/space_weather.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 753 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Nov  2, 2001 (14:42) * 35 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* EXCLUSIVE: Leonid Meteor Shower Predictions for 30 U.S. Cities
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/leonids_citytimes.html
Meteor shower forecasts are a lot like weather forecasts, says NASA's Bill Cooke. "They often are not reliable."

* Genesis Probe's Battery May Run Too Hot
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/battery_genesis_011102.html
A recently launched spacecraft might have a "mission-ending" problem.

* Changing Phases: Detecting Other Worlds With The Fade-In/Fade-Out Method
http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_fade_011101.html
One night at the observatory I was preparing to view an eclipsing binary star that was going to be close to the full moon. I was worried that it might be too close, which would ruin the brightness measurements I needed to determine exactly when the two stars orbited in front of each other (see "the do-si-do" method of detecting extrasolar planets). Suddenly it hit me! Why, planets around other stars must also go through this change of phase from full to new, just like the Moon!

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* Space Station Future Murky as Partners Mark First Anniversary
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/iss_one_year_011102.html
A year after the first full-time crew settled into the International Space Station, NASA's cornerstone project for the 21st century is at a crossroads.

* Fighter Jets Escorted Shuttle During Rollout
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/shuttle_fighters_011101.html
A pair of F-15s fighter jets roared over Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday morning as shuttle Endeavour inched toward its launch pad.

* Goldin Cautions U.S. Gov't Not to Divert NASA Funding
http://www.space.com/news/iss_goldin_coverage_011030.html
In what was likely to be one of his last public appearances as NASA's chief administrator, Daniel Goldin addressed the International Space Symposium Tuesday raising a number of warning flags regarding future space transportation.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* TRW Halts Work on Astrolink
http://www.space.com/spacenews/
TRW Inc. has suspended its work on the Astrolink broadband satellite program following TRW and Lockheed Martin Corp. management decisions not to invest further in the venture, according to industry officials.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 754 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Nov  2, 2001 (18:18) * 11 lines
Vibrating Space Bones

NASA Science News for November 2, 2001

A new and unorthodox treatment under study by NASA-funded doctors could
reverse bone loss experienced by astronauts in space -- and relieve
osteoporosis sufferers here on Earth.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast02nov_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 755 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Nov  5, 2001 (14:28) * 13 lines
Geomagnetic Storm Warning

Space Weather News for November 5, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

A powerful solar explosion on Nov. 4th sparked an X-class solar flare and
hurled a bright coronal mass ejection toward Earth. The expanding cloud
will probably trigger strong geomagnetic activity when it sweeps past our
planet on Nov. 6th or 7th. Sky watchers, even those living at middle
latitudes, should be alert for auroras during the nights ahead.

Visit SpaceWeather.com for more information and updates. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 756 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Nov  5, 2001 (14:30) * 29 lines
NEWSALERT: Monday, November 5, 2001 @ 0318 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

MARS ORBITER SEES LANDSLIDE
---------------------------
Ganges Chasma is a several kilometers-deep side canyon at the east end of the vast Valles Marineris trough system on Mars. In several places, portions of the steep walls of Ganges Chasma have collapsed down into the chasm, creating large landslide deposits.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/05marslandslide/

GETTING CLOSER TO PROBING THE ORIGIN OF COMETS
----------------------------------------------
Observations made with the Subaru Telescope have, for the first time, allowed astronomers to measure the formation temperature of ammonia ice in a comet, providing not only direct evidence of the environment in which the comet was born, but also establish brand new methods for probing the origin of comets.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/04cometorigin/

XMM-NEWTON'S NEW VISION OF A CLASSIC "DEEP FIELD"
-------------------------------------------------
In January 1996, the Hubble Space Telescope released a picture of part of the sky in the Ursa Major constellation. Known as the Hubble Deep Field, it offered mankind's deepest and most detailed optical view of the Universe. Since then the image has become a reference for astronomers with numerous follow-up observations. Today, XMM-Newton contributes its own X-ray vision of this region.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/04xmmdeepfield/

FOUR NASA ASTRONAUTS END SPACEFLIGHT CAREERS
--------------------------------------------
Several astronauts are concluding their successful spaceflight careers for new pursuits on Earth. The group of space travelers takes a wealth of space station and shuttle experience into new fields of pursuit.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/04astroretire/

EARTHQUAKE STUDIES: FAULT MOVING FASTER THAN BELIEVED
-----------------------------------------------------
Scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., and the University of California, Los Angeles, have concluded that earthquake fault zones in California's eastern Mojave Desert are moving in different ways than they expected.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/05cafaults/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 757 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Nov  6, 2001 (14:17) * 57 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Leonid Meteor Storm! When, Where and How to Watch
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/leonid_watching_011106-1.html
The Leonid meteor shower will flicker and flash above North America late on Saturday, Nov. 17 through early Nov. 18. All you need to see it are your eyes, a dark location, and a little weather luck. This and a few other simple tips will assure a good view of the event, which experts say should be spectacular this year.

* Comet Formed Puzzlingly Close to Earth, Study Suggests
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/comet_fingerprint_011106.html
Astronomers were delighted in July 2000 to see a cryptically named comet C/1999S4 (LINEAR) break apart as it hurtled within 35,000,000 miles (56,000,000 km) of Earth. The icy undoing, caused by the Sun's energy melting the comet, provided a unique and ongoing glimpse into our solar system's early beginnings.

* Black Holes and Stars Feed from Same Trough
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/galaxy_bulge_blackholes_011105.html
Massive black holes and new stars forming at the center of many large galaxies may feed from the same trough of gaseous material as they grow, according to a new study.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* NASA-run Shuttle May Go Private
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/privatize_shuttle_011106.html
NASA is considering a fundamental overhaul for its shuttle program by turning it over to a private company, according to a preliminary report now being discussed inside the agency.

* Tom Cruise to Narrate IMAX 3-D Space Station Movie
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/missions/imax_cruise_011105.html
The IMAX Corporation announced Monday that Tom Cruise will narrate the first-ever IMAX® 3D space film, SPACE STATION.

* Astronauts Learn Togetherness Skills on Mountain Trails
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/astronaut_training_011104.html
NASA astronauts are trained to cope with the isolation of a cramped space shuttle, the anxiety of takeoff and the stress of tinkering with equipment while hurtling through space.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* Australia's Hypersonic Jet May Fly Again in December
http://www.space.com/spacenews/spacenews_businessmonday_011105.html
Australian researchers could make a second attempt to fly a supersonic combustion ramjet engine in December, authorities here said. An initial attempt ended in failure Oct. 30 due to problems with the booster that carried the experimental engine aloft for the planned high-speed test.

------------------------------------
* SpaceTV:
http://www.space.com/spacetv/index.php3
* Space Age Gear:
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/space_gear-1.html
* SpaceWatch:
http://www.space.com/spacewatch/index.html
* Uplink: Share your opinion!
http://uplink.space.com/index.html

-------------------------------------

SOLAR and SPACE WEATHER (November 6, 2001)
3-Day Solar Forecast
Solar activity is expected to remain at moderate to high. Region 9684 remains capable of producing another major flare. Regions 9687 and 9690 are also capable of producing M-class events and have a slight chance of producing isolated major flare activity.
3-Day Aurora Forecast
Earth's geomagnetic field is expected to be at active to major storm levels early Tuesday. A coronal mass ejection from a Nov. 4 solar flare is expected to impact the geomagnetic field early Monday. Major storming is expected with isolated severe storming possible at higher latitudes. Conditions are expected to decrease to unsettled to minor storming on Wednesday and quiet to active on Thursday.
Solar Data
The current sunspot number is 159, and the solar wind speed recently clocked in at 280 kilometers per second (626,340 mph). The solar wind density was 3.4 protons per cubic centimeter. (Speed and density values are snapshots in time and change during the day.)
http://www.space.com/spacewatch/space_weather.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 758 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Nov  6, 2001 (18:57) * 25 lines
Looking inside sunspots

SOHO REVEALS HOW SUNSPOTS TAKE STRANGLEHOLD ON THE SUN
------------------------------------------------------
Scientists now have the first clear picture of what lies beneath sunspots, enigmatic planet-sized dark areas on the Sun's surface, and have peered inside the Sun to see swirling flows of electrified gas or plasma that create a self-reinforcing cycle, which holds a sunspot together.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/06sunspots/

OBSERVATION DEEPENS MYSTERY OF LOCAL GALAXY
-------------------------------------------
In the deepest ground-based mid-infrared image ever, the Gemini North Telescope reveals that the mysterious environment around one of the most massive black holes in the Universe is missing a key feature predicted by astronomical theory.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/06geminim87/

TOM CRUISE TO NARRATE IMAX MOVIE ABOUT SPACE STATION
----------------------------------------------------
Multi Academy Award nominee Tom Cruise will narrate the first-ever IMAX 3D space film, "Space Station", it was announced Monday. The giant-screen film documents one of the most challenging engineering feats by NASA: the construction of the International Space Station. The film is set for release next spring. (Sneak peak video clips included!)
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/06cruiseimax/

GALILEO STATUS UPDATE
---------------------
Another uneventful week on the engineering front leaves the Galileo spacecraft time to focus its attentions on playback of the recorded data from the October 15 flyby of Io.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/06galileothisweek/ 





 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 759 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Nov  7, 2001 (21:03) * 10 lines
What Lies Beneath a Sunspot

NASA Science News for November 7, 2001 9:00:00 AM

Awesome plasma hurricanes were one of the surprises revealed when
scientists recently peered beneath the stormy surface of our star.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast07nov_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 760 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Nov  8, 2001 (00:18) * 18 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Earth Orbiting Satellites Brace for Leonid Meteor Shower
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/leonids_satellites_011107-1.html
Satellite operators will keep a close eye on their Earth-orbiting spacecraft during the upcoming Leonid meteor shower, and though the risk of damage from a stray speck of dust is greater than normal, officials are confident there will be no natural disasters in space.

* New Mars Photos Show Lively Landscape
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/mgs_oct_pics_011107.html
Recently released images taken by the Mars Global Surveyor show the dynamic Martian terrain is anything but dull.

* Inside Sunspots: New View Solves Old Puzzle
http://www.space.com/news/sunspot_inside_011106.html
The first detailed look deep inside sunspots has uncovered planet-sized whirlpools of intense energy that explain why sunspots are dark and how each one holds itself together in the face of energy that ought to blow it apart.

* Leonid Meteor Storm! When, Where and How to Watch
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/leonid_watching_011106-1.html
The Leonid meteor shower will flicker and flash above North America late on Saturday, Nov. 17 through early Nov. 18. All you need to see it are your eyes, a dark location, and a little weather luck. This and a few other simple tips will assure a good view of the event, which experts say should be spectacular this year. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 761 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Thu, Nov  8, 2001 (05:24) * 1 lines
Great!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 762 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Nov  8, 2001 (17:44) * 14 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Fermi's Paradox II: What's Blocking Galactic Civilization? Or Are We Just Blind To It?
http://www.space.com/searchforlife/shostak_fermi2_011108.html
Could galactic empires exist? In a previous article, we noted that there has been plenty of time for aliens keen on colonizing the Milky Way to pull it off. However, we see no signs of galactic federation ("Star Trek" aside). Why does the cosmos look so untouched and unconquered? What is keeping advanced extraterrestrials from claiming every star system in sight?

* Fewer Asteroids in Main Belt, Survey Shows
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/asteroid_risk_011108.html
There may be fewer large asteroids in the solar system than previously believed according to a new survey released Wednesday.

* SPECIAL REPORT: 2001 Leonid Meteor Shower
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/leonids_2001.html
The 2001 Leonid meteor shower peaks early Sunday, Nov. 18 and promises to be the best shooting star show in 35 years. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 763 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Nov  8, 2001 (17:48) * 31 lines
INVESTIGATORS FIND PROBLEM THAT DOOMED TAURUS LAUNCH
----------------------------------------------------
A stuck steering mechanism on the Orbital Sciences Taurus rocket is being blamed for the September launch failure that resulted in the loss of two satellite cargoes, the company's president said Wednesday.
http://spaceflightnow.com/taurus/t6/011107update.html

NASA'S HETE SPOTS RARE GAMMA-RAY BURST AFTERGLOW
------------------------------------------------
A rare optical afterglow of a gamma-ray burst, the most powerful type of explosion in the universe, was recently discovered by NASA's High Energy Transient Explorer (HETE), the first satellite dedicated to spotting these frequent yet random explosions that last only for a few seconds.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/08hete/

INSURANCE WOES MAY HURT SPACE INDUSTRY
--------------------------------------
A string of recent communication satellite problems and recent world events has put a strain on space insurance firms which could make it more difficult for companies to launch new spacecraft, industry experts said at a conference.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/07insurance/

DIRECTV SATELLITE SHIPPED FOR LATE NOVEMBER LAUNCH
--------------------------------------------------
DIRECTV-4S, a new high-power spot beam satellite, has been shipped to the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana for launch later this month. Built by Boeing, this spacecraft will use highly focused spot beam technology that will provide DIRECTV with the capacity to deliver more than 300 additional local channels to its 41 local channel markets.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/08directv4s/

ICO GLOBAL AND ICO REACH FINAL AGREEMENT ON MERGER
--------------------------------------------------
ICO Global Limited, the satellite holding company formed by telecommunications entrepreneur Craig McCaw, announced that it has reached final agreement on its merger with New ICO Global Communications (Holdings) Limited. ICO Global also has agreed with Teledesic Corporation to end their proposed merger.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/07ico/

EUROCKOT PICKED TO LAUNCH JAPANESE SATELLITE
--------------------------------------------
The launch of the Japanese SERVIS-1 spacecraft will be performed with the Rockot launch vehicle, Eurockot Launch Services of Bremen, Germany has announced. Liftoff is planned for 2003 and will take place from Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/07eurockot/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 764 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Nov  8, 2001 (17:51) * 1 lines
Terry and other Leonid devotees, there is lots more information on Geo 24.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 765 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Thu, Nov  8, 2001 (18:37) * 1 lines
I'm pumped.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 766 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Nov  8, 2001 (21:27) * 3 lines
I'm praying for clear skies and reciting the 700th verse of "Rain, rain go away"

I hope someone is planning to have an internet live site using a Rich Field telescope. I'll look around to see if I can find at least one.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 767 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Nov  9, 2001 (20:57) * 0 lines 
 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 768 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Nov  9, 2001 (20:58) * 3 lines
For all things Leonid Meteor Shower, see the links on this most complete site:

http://see.msfc.nasa.gov/see/Leonid_Forecast_2001x.html

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 769 of 866: Curious Wolfie  (wolf) * Sat, Nov 10, 2001 (10:56) * 1 lines
i read an article on those just yesterday and we're supposed to be able to see them on the 17th and 18th (i might be a day off)....we get fog every morning so i doubt we'll be able to see anything!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 770 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Nov 10, 2001 (17:10) * 1 lines
Happily the greatest intensity is due to occur as the earth rotates to the West Coast and Pacific and East Asia. Unhappily we will most likely have rain or overcast skies. I am hoping for clear skies near dawn. It is our best chance.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 771 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sun, Nov 11, 2001 (18:43) * 25 lines
Does anyone recognize this source and know of their reliability. Violent hardly sounds scientific... http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_446594.html?menu=

Violent meteor storm heads for Earth

A violent meteor storm is edging closer to Earth.
Space Shuttle flights are being cancelled and astronauts in
the International Space Station are bracing themselves.
It's set to be the most powerful meteor storm to hit in
decades.
Some of the 600 communications satellites orbiting Earth
are also at risk.
The meteor is travelling at 160,000mph and will pass close
to Earth later this week.
Nasa has already taken steps to protect the orbiting Hubble
Space Telescope.
And the three astronauts in the space station are set to
make their final space walk until the storm has passed.
The cosmic fireworks will begin as the Earth begins to cut
across the orbit of Comet Temple-Tuttle, and into the
blizzard of meteors.
The shower known as the Leonids, is an annual event but
this year Earth will cut across an especially dense part of it.
Some parts of the world will be able to see the spectacular
light show in the sky. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 772 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sun, Nov 11, 2001 (22:45) * 14 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Spacewalk Monday: Crew To Finish New Airlock; Commander's First Time Out
http://www.space.com/news/spacestation/spacewalk_monday_011109.html
A rookie American spacewalker and a veteran Russian cosmonaut will venture outside the International Space Station Monday, aiming to wrap up construction work on a new outpost airlock that doubles as a docking port.

* Fermi's Paradox II: What's Blocking Galactic Civilization? Or Are We Just Blind To It?
http://www.space.com/searchforlife/shostak_fermi2_011108.html
Could galactic empires exist? In a previous article, we noted that there has been plenty of time for aliens keen on colonizing the Milky Way to pull it off. However, we see no signs of galactic federation ("Star Trek" aside). Why does the cosmos look so untouched and unconquered? What is keeping advanced extraterrestrials from claiming every star system in sight?

* Strange Sight: Inexplicable Light from a Black Hole
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/emission_impossible_011107.html
Scientists are puzzling over the source and behavior of visible light coming from very near a black hole, and suggesting that the light may be generated by a process similar to one used in laboratories to create computer chips. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 773 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sun, Nov 11, 2001 (22:46) * 15 lines
IMPACT CRATERS GIVE CLUES ABOUT EUROPA'S ICE CRUST
--------------------------------------------------
Impact craters on Europa -- the jovian satellite that scientists say may hide a subsurface liquid ocean - show that the moon's brittle ice shell crust is more than 3 to 4 kilometers (1.8 to 2.4 miles) thick, two University of Arizona planetary scientists report. The thickness of Europa's hard ice shell is a hot scientific debate.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/09europa/

SHUTTLE CREW PRACTICES LAUNCH PAD PROCEDURES
--------------------------------------------
The seven Endeavour astronauts will suit up and board their spaceship at Kennedy Space Center's launch pad 39B today for a practice countdown that culminates with a simulated engine shutdown as clocks reach zero.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage8a/011108tcdt/

U.S. CONGRESS APPROVES NASA'S 2002 BUDGET
-----------------------------------------
The U.S. House of Representatives and Senate passed a compromise version of the 2002 budget for NASA on Thursday, approving funding for a Pluto mission but deleting money intended for a crew return vehicle for the International Space Station.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/09nasabudget/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 774 of 866: Curious Wolfie  (wolf) * Mon, Nov 12, 2001 (11:30) * 1 lines
i haven't heard about the violent storms heading our way. it sounds like an urban legend. the last news i read (i think on discovery) was that the "big" asteroid had been either veered off or broken up...of course, i could've read that anywhere but i think it was while checking out discovery's article on the leonids.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 775 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Nov 12, 2001 (18:59) * 1 lines
I suspect the source of the violent storms news is highly suspect. The internet equivalent of tabloid press, perhaps. I posted it hoping no one took it seriously. Remember what they said about Haley's Comet??!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 776 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Nov 13, 2001 (17:41) * 12 lines
Power to the ISS!

NASA Science News for November 13, 2001

Have you ever wondered what happens when the solar-powered International
Space Station glides through Earth's shadow? And if astronauts took their
favorite CD player or an electric razor from Earth onboard, could they
plug it in? And would it work? This story answers such questions and more.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast13nov_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 777 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Nov 13, 2001 (17:45) * 51 lines
HAPPY VETERANS DAY - AMERICA

I did not intend to battle a virus on my computer all day yesterday. I won but it took me until late in my 12 hours at the computer. My gratitude remains undeminished for your contribution to American liberty.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VETERANS DAY AND MEMORIAL DAY?
Memorial Day is a day for remembering and honoring military
personnel who died in the service of their country, particu-
larly those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sus-
tained in battle. While those who died are also remembered on
Veterans Day, Veterans Day is the day set aside to thank and
honor ALL those who served honorably in the military--in war-
time or peacetime. In fact, Veterans Day is largely intended
to thank LIVING veterans for their service, to acknowledge
that their contributions to our national security are appre-
ciated, and to underscore the fact that all those who served
or are serving--not only those who died--have sacrificed and
done their duty.

HOW WAS IT DETERMINED THAT 5,280 FEET WOULD BE EQUIVALENT TO ONE MILE?
The statute mile of 5,280 feet originated in the Roman mille
passus, or "thousand paces," which measured 5,000 Roman feet.
A Roman pace equaled 5 Roman feet, measured from the point at
which the heel of one foot was raised to the point at which it
was set down again after an intervening step by the other foot.
Around the year 1500, the mile was divided into 8 furlongs,
with each furlong measuring 625 feet. Later, under Queen
Elizabeth I, the Statute of 1593 confirmed the use of a short-
er foot, which made the length of a furlong 660 feet, adding
another 280 feet to the mile.

WHAT WAS THE FIRST VIDEO GAME AND WHO WROTE IT?
Spacewar is generally considered to be the first video game.
Programmed in 1962 by MIT student Steve Russell, Spacewar was
a simple game with ASCII graphics where two players would
blast lasers at each other. At the time, the game only ran on
massive, million-dollar mainframes the size of a small house.
Spacewar was circulated to other computer labs across the
country, but only nerdy college students with access to main-
frames could play it.

WHY ARE POPPIES WORN ON VETERAN'S DAY?
The poppy became a symbol of remembrance after the horrific
WWI battle in Flanders Field in Belgium. The field, littered
with the bodies of young soldiers, was also filled with pop-
pies. After John McCrae's poem "In Flanders Fields" was first
published in 1915, the poppy became a popular symbol for sold-
iers who died in battle. In 1918, Moira Michael wrote a poem
in reply, 'We shall keep the faith', in which she promised to
wear a poppy ‘in honour of our dead’. This began the tradition
of wearing a poppy in remembrance. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 778 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Nov 15, 2001 (17:15) * 17 lines
Why is that up there and not in Geo 1?? Must have been a bad day for me!

Leonids Around the Clock
NASA Science News for November 15, 2001

Experts agree: a meteor storm will erupt somewhere on Earth this weekend.
But where? when? and how big will it be? Forecasts differ on these basic
points. To discover which predictions are correct, a NASA-led team of
astronomers will spread around the globe to monitor the 2001 Leonid
meteor
shower. Catch their reports live on the web!

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast15nov_1.htm?list89800 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 779 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Nov 17, 2001 (17:13) * 9 lines
The editor's of SPACE.com encourage you to set your alarm early Sunday morning so you won't miss the Leonid Meteor Shower. Astronomers expect this year's version to be a once-in-a-lifetime event, with several shooting stars per minute streaking across the sky over North America, weather permitting. No equipment is required -- just go out and look up early Sunday morning.

For times in your area, plus viewing and photo tips, see our complete Viewer's Guide.

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/leonids_2001.html

And while your outside, look for Jupiter. It's the brightest "star" in the sky. Jupiter is in the east in the late evening and moves to the southwest by dawn. And just before sunrise, you'll see Venus shining very brightly and very low in the east.
Enjoy the show! 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 780 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Nov 17, 2001 (17:19) * 26 lines
GENESIS SPACECRAFT PERFORMS CRUCIAL MANEUVER
--------------------------------------------
The NASA probe in search of our origins fired its thrusters Friday to settle into orbit a million miles away where it can collect bits of the solar wind for return to Earth.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/16genesisloi/

SHUTTLE ENDEAVOUR SLATED FOR BLASTOFF NOVEMBER 29
-------------------------------------------------
Senior NASA officials met Thursday and affirmed plans to launch space shuttle Endeavour on November 29 to ferry a new resident crew and supplies to the international space station.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage8a/011115frr/

ALPHA EXPERIMENTS EXCEED 50,000 HOURS OF OPERATIONS
---------------------------------------------------
Space Station experiments ranging from biology and human physiology to materials processing and education were on track to pass the 50,000-hour operating mark during the past week as Expedition Three nears its end later this month.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/17isssci/

HUYGENS PROBE READY FOR DRESS REHEARSAL
---------------------------------------
Just over three years from now, ESA's Huygens probe will separate from the NASA Cassini spacecraft and plunge into the atmosphere of Titan, the largest of Saturn's 30 moons. Far from the tender care of controllers on the Earth, every precaution must be taken to ensure that the risks of failure are minimized.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/16huygens/

NEW DEPUTY DIRECTOR NAMED AT JOHNSON SPACE CENTER
-------------------------------------------------
Randy Stone, a 34-year veteran of Mission Control and the Johnson Space Center, has been named Deputy Director of the Johnson Space Center by JSC Acting Director Roy Estess.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/17jscstone/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 781 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Nov 21, 2001 (23:07) * 11 lines
Floating Fertility

NASA Science News for November 21, 2001

Researchers have found that gravity -- either too much or too little of it
-- affects the behavior of sperm in puzzling ways.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast21nov_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 782 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Nov 21, 2001 (23:19) * 18 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Project Echelon: Orbiting Big Brother?
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/echelon_011121-1.html
Earth-orbiting listening posts are on active duty in the United States-led war on terrorism. Signal-seeking spacecraft not only play a critical role in eavesdropping on nations from on high, but also within the borders of the U.S itself.

* Mars Global Surveyor Snaps Record 100,000th Picture of Red Planet
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/mgs_record_011121.html
A NASA spacecraft has taken its 100,000th picture of Mars, far eclipsing the photographic bounty returned by any other mission to the Red Planet.

* Now Anyone Can Make a Discovery
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/virtual_astronomy_011120-1.html
Astronomy's next great discovery may be found not by telescope, but instead with little more than a laptop computer, an Internet connection and a learned and persistent amateur. In fact, astronomers are already pulling new findings from old data, the start of what some say is a looming change in how science gets done.

* New Image Gallery: Leonid Meteor Shower, Part II
http://www.space.com/php/multimedia/imagegallery/
More images of the weekend Leonid Meteor Shower. All images are submitted by SPACE.com visitors! 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 783 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Nov 22, 2001 (16:15) * 35 lines
EVIDENCE OF MARTIAN LIFE DEALT CRITICAL BLOW
--------------------------------------------
When, in 1996, a group of NASA researchers presented several lines of evidence for fossil bacteria in a Martian meteorite, a wave of excitement passed through the public and the scientific community alike. That wave was followed by a storm of controversy. Now, new data and criticisms are coming from an Arizona State University research team.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/20marslife/

NEW AUSTRALIAN TELESCOPE 'EYES' LOOK AT EXPLODED STAR
-----------------------------------------------------
Astronomers say that they have used a new receiving system on CSIRO's Australia Telescope to make the first image at short wavelengths of Supernova 1987A, the remains of an exploded star in a nearby galaxy. The picture marks another step in the telescope's progress to sharper eyesight.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/19exploded/

ARIANE 5 BOOSTER TEST FIRING AT THE GUIANA SPACE CENTER
-------------------------------------------------------
A test firing of an Ariane 5 solid rocket motor is to occur Tuesday on the booster test-stand at the Guiana Space Center, Europe's spaceport in Kourou, under the Ariane 5 Research and Technology Accompaniment program.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/20a5srbtest/

ESA APPROVES GALILEO AND ARIANE UPGRADE FUNDING
-----------------------------------------------
The ministers responsible for space affairs in the countries that make up the European Space Agency held a two-day meeting this past week of the ruling Council by endorsing the next stages in a series of ongoing programs and committing to new initiatives.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/18esameeting/

5TH MILSTAR MILITARY SATELLITE SHIPPED TO LAUNCH SITE
-----------------------------------------------------
Trumpeted as the U.S. military's most technologically advanced telecommunications satellite, the fifth Milstar spacecraft has arrived at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station to be readied for launch aboard a Titan 4B rocket.
http://spaceflightnow.com/titan/b38/011119ship.html

LOCKMART, TRW DEVELOPING KEY MILITARY SATELLITE
-----------------------------------------------
The U.S. Air Force has awarded Lockheed Martin and TRW a contract for up to $2.7 billion for the next phase of the Advanced EHF satellite program, which is the next generation of global, highly secure, survivable communications system for the military.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/20aehf/

BOEING PICKED TO OPERATE SPACEWAY SATELLITE SYSTEM
--------------------------------------------------
Hughes Network Systems announces that it has entered into an agreement with Boeing Satellite Systems for the operation and control of its Spaceway satellites. The Spaceway Ka-band satellite platform will be used in a unique new broadband satellite network to provide high-bandwidth and high-speed communications for broadband and multimedia applications.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/18bssspaceway/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 784 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Nov 23, 2001 (13:15) * 26 lines
SUNLIGHT MAY NUDGE ASTEROIDS TOWARD EARTH
-----------------------------------------
Earth has long resided among swarms of asteroids. Many of these objects are large enough that an impact with Earth could present a significant hazard to life. Researchers believe that the starting location for these bodies is the main asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. An on-going puzzle, however, is how these giant rocks escape the asteroid belt to reach orbits bound for Earth.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/23sunlight/

SOHO SOLAR PROBE REVEALS SURPRISING GAS NEAR THE SUN
----------------------------------------------------
The SOHO spacecraft has spotted mysterious clouds of gas falling towards the Sun that go against the fast-moving streams of gas that pour out continuously into space. The discovery promises a better understanding of the sources of the solar magnetism that envelops the Earth, quarrels with our own planet's field, and to some extent protects us from cosmic rays coming from the stars.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/21sohogas/

CASSINI SPACECRAFT TO HUNT FOR ELUSIVE GRAVITY RIPPLES
------------------------------------------------------
Barely perceptible fluctuations in the speed of a distant NASA spacecraft coasting away from Earth could provide science's first direct detection of gravitational waves, a basic feature of how the universe behaves.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/21cassiniwaves/

MARS GLOBAL SURVEYOR SNAPS ITS 100,000th IMAGE
----------------------------------------------
Mars Global Surveyor was launched from Earth just over five years ago and entered orbit around the Red Planet a year later. After slightly more than four years in orbit, we have now received our 100,000th image from the craft's Mars Orbiter Camera.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/22mgsmilestone/

UPGRADED ARIANE 5 SOLID ROCKET BOOSTER TEST FIRED
-------------------------------------------------
A test firing of a full-sized Ariane 5 solid rocket booster was performed Tuesday, marking an important step in Europe's plans to increase the rocket's payload capacity and to lower production expenses.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/22a5srbtest/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 785 of 866: Curious Wolfie  (wolf) * Sat, Nov 24, 2001 (09:29) * 1 lines
not another killer asteroid story!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 786 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Nov 24, 2001 (21:11) * 1 lines
One for each day of the week, and two for Sundays. Don't hold your breath!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 787 of 866: Curious Wolfie  (wolf) * Sat, Nov 24, 2001 (22:14) * 1 lines
*wolfie slumps on the floor from holding breath too long--grin*

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 788 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Sun, Nov 25, 2001 (18:32) * 1 lines
Is there a Friday night special?

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 789 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sun, Nov 25, 2001 (19:04) * 5 lines
*Doing CPR on Wolfie while looking for entertainment for Terry* I thought you guys had better things to do these days. I'm putting in an order for a killer asteroid for Wolfie and every possible cosmic event for Terry next Friday night.

Mr W, have you not enough to entertain you lately? Do I need to take you aside and talk to you, again? Thought your dad would have covered that... or your son!

*Hugs* Both!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 790 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Sun, Nov 25, 2001 (19:38) * 1 lines
Entertaining to say the least.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 791 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Nov 26, 2001 (13:22) * 38 lines
ASTRONAUTS ARRIVE AT CAPE FOR THURSDAY'S SHUTTLE LIFTOFF
--------------------------------------------------------
The next crew to take up residence aboard the international space station and their four shuttle crewmates who will share the ride into orbit arrived at Kennedy Space Center on Sunday afternoon in preparation for Thursday evening's blastoff.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage8a/011125arrival/

COMPREHENSIVE VIDEO PREVIEW OF NEXT SHUTTLE MISSION
---------------------------------------------------
Space shuttle Endeavour is poised for launch Thursday to ferry the Expedition Four resident crew to the International Space Station. Today we present 20 video clips for Spaceflight Now+Plus subscribers that preview the shuttle flight, the five-month Expedition mission and introduce the astronauts.
http://spaceflightnow.com/plus/

Not a subscriber yet? Follow this link:
http://spaceflightnow.com/store/sfnplus/

ARIANE 4 ROCKET SLATED FOR BLASTOFF MONDAY
------------------------------------------
Arianespace's eighth and final launch of 2001 is scheduled for liftoff Monday evening on a mission to carry the American DirecTV 4S direct-to-home television broadcast satellite into space. The launch window opens at 7:35 p.m. EST. We will have complete live coverage.
http://spaceflightnow.com/ariane/v146/status.html

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF OUR SUN HAD A TWIN?
----------------------------------------
How would our Sun behave differently if it had a closely orbiting twin? While astronomers don't know the exact answer, NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory has observed an intriguing star system that is beginning to provide important clues.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/25suntwin/

TOOL FOR FIRST COMET ORBITER WILL EXAMINE ESCAPING GASES
--------------------------------------------------------
A lightweight NASA instrument from California has arrived in the Netherlands, one step closer in its journey to examine how gases escape from the nucleus of a comet. The Instrument will fly aboard the European Space Agency's major mission to a comet, called Rosetta.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/25rosettamiro/

TWO SATELLITES TRANSMIT DATA USING LASER LIGHT
----------------------------------------------
This week, for the first time, a data link between satellites was established using a laser beam as signal carrier. On board Europe's Artemis satellite is the SILEX system, which provides an optical data transmission link with the French Earth observation satellite SPOT 4.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/24laserlink/

NEW PRESIDENT NAMED TO LEAD SPACE SYSTEMS/LORAL
-----------------------------------------------
C. Patrick DeWitt has been named president of Space Systems/Loral and vice president of Loral Space & Communications, succeeding John M. Klineberg who is retiring from the company.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/24loralpres/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 792 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Nov 26, 2001 (13:23) * 36 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Violent Creation of Asteroid Families
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/asteroid_birth_011123.html
In this week's journal Science, three new studies explain the violent family history of asteroids, give a new estimate for how many space rocks exist in potentially dangerous orbits near Earth, and paint a more precise picture of where these asteroids roam.

* Researchers Say Sleep in Space Less than Restful
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/generalscience/sleep_space_011122.html
After three months in space, astronauts lose sleep and sleep less soundly because the lack of gravity and the absence of day-and-night cues throw off their internal clocks, according to the first long-term study of the topic.

* Project Echelon: Orbiting Big Brother?
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/echelon_011121-1.html
Earth-orbiting listening posts are on active duty in the United States-led war on terrorism. Signal-seeking spacecraft not only play a critical role in eavesdropping on nations from on high, but also within the borders of the U.S itself.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* Shuttle Launch to Take Place Amid Unprecedented Security
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/sts108_preview_011126.html
Spaceship Endeavour stands poised to blast off this week on NASA's first post-Sept. 11 shuttle flight, and security at Kennedy Space Center never has been tighter.

* Crew Arrives in Florida
http://www.space.com/shuttlemissions/
The six astronauts and one cosmonaut scheduled to launch aboard shuttle Endeavour on Thursday have safely arrived at the Kennedy Space Center, flying here in their T-38 training jets from Houston.

* China Announces 2005 Space Plans
http://www.space.com/news/moon_china_011123.html
Citing military concerns and saying space exploration will become ``as essential as electricity,'' China announced plans to send a man into space by 2005 and, eventually, head for the moon.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* Opinion: Reducing the Risk of Human Errors
http://www.space.com/spacenews/spacenews_businessmonday_011126.html
Innovation, as Thomas Edison discovered years ago, is many times taking ideas from one area and applying them in others. Commercial satellite operators would do well to consider looking at how the airline industry has dealt with human error and reduced risk in a high-stakes game. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 793 of 866: Curious Wolfie  (wolf) * Mon, Nov 26, 2001 (19:24) * 3 lines
thanks for the CPR, marcia!! bet you guys didn't know it was possible to do CPR on canines! *grin*

no, i've got enough excitement here that i don't need an asteroid on top of it (hee hee, get it?)

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 794 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Mon, Nov 26, 2001 (19:45) * 1 lines
marci's stroid watch!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 795 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Nov 26, 2001 (21:04) * 5 lines
The word asteroid is fraught with double meanings. I think I will restrain my impulses... Wolfie, I have these strange fang marks from giving CPR to you. Talk about gnashing of teeth! You're kinda furry, too. Tickles!!

Stay tuned for the latest on the asteriod soon to appear in your neighborhood. News at 6, as we say, and pictures at 11. I wish it were that easy!

Get your asteroid off that fault...! (Yes, I got it! Naughty Wolfie!)

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 796 of 866: Curious Wolfie  (wolf) * Mon, Nov 26, 2001 (22:14) * 1 lines
*giggle*

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 797 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Nov 28, 2001 (13:41) * 13 lines
Alien Atmospheres

NASA Science News for November 27, 2001

Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have detected the atmosphere
of a planet circling a Sun-like star 150 light years away. Their
ground-breaking discovery shows it is possible to measure the chemical
makeup of distant planets -- and to search for chemical markers of life
far beyond Earth.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast27nov_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 798 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Nov 28, 2001 (13:42) * 40 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Mysterious Mars: Water or No Water? Odyssey May Find Out
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/odyssey_why_011127-1.html
Now that the Mars Odyssey spacecraft has returned its first pictures, showing that its cameras work, it officially joins a long list of spacecraft that have studied whether or not water does or ever did exist at or near the surface of the Red Planet.

* Mars Odyssey Encounters Polar Vortex
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/odyssey_vortex_011126.html
NASA's Mars Odyssey has encountered a strange, unexpected phenomenon as it slips over the red planet's north polar region. An intense polar vortex has been detected, causing Mars' atmosphere to be less dense than predicted for that area.

* New Image Gallery: Leonid Meteor Shower, Part III
http://www.space.com/php/multimedia/imagegallery/
The third in our four part series on the recent Leonid Meteor Showers. All images submitted by SPACE.com visitors!

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* Wartime Struggles of Interned Japanese-Americans Paved Way for NASA Astronaut
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/sts108_preview_011127.html
Rookie NASA astronaut Dan Tani is to strap into shuttle Endeavour Thursday, aiming to set sail on a round trip to the International Space Station.

* New DIRECTV Satellite Soars into Orbit from South America
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/ariane4_launch_011126.html
Local television stations broadcast via DIRECTV satellites soon will become increasingly available nationwide thanks to the successful launch of an Ariane 4 rocket Monday night from South America.

* Progress Freighter on its Way to International Space Station
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/soyuz_launch_011126.html
A Russian supply ship that took off on Monday will bring 5,440 pounds (2,468 kilograms) of cargo to the International Space Station, the mission control center said.

* X-43A Failure Investigation Still Looking for Cause
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/x43a_update_011126.html
Investigators remain hard at work trying to decipher why the X-43A research craft and its launch booster careened out of control June 2. The X-43A was the flagship vehicle in NASA's multi-pronged Hyper-X effort to explore scramjet-powered flight.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* Laser Link Experiment Shows Promise of Future Video Data Use
http://www.space.com/spacenews/index.html
An experimental high-speed laser link has been used to send data from one European satellite to another located 30,000 kilometers away, demonstrating the commercial promise of using lasers to speed video data around the world, program managers said. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 799 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Nov 29, 2001 (18:44) * 11 lines
The Moon Hides Saturn

Space Weather News for Nov. 29, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

Friday night, Nov. 30th, the Full Moon and Saturn will have a lovely close
encounter in the sky. In fact, for many North Americans and Europeans the
Moon will actually seem to pass in front of the ringed planet.

Visit SpaceWeather.com for details. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 800 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Nov 29, 2001 (20:43) * 55 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Fermi's Paradox III: Zookeepers, Alien Visitors, Or Simple Life; How Can We Explain Our Isolation?
http://www.space.com/searchforlife/shostak_fermi3_011129.html
We seem to have the Galaxy to ourselves. At least, that’s the obvious conclusion from the apparent lack of aliens in the neighborhood.

* Exploding Miniature Black Holes: Galaxy May Be Stuffed With Them
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/black_hole_exploding_011128.html
Tiny black holes may be detonating like time bombs all over our cosmic backyard, according to a story in New Scientist magazine.

* Stellar Black Hole is Most Massive Known in Milky Way
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/black_hole_011128.html
The largest stellar black hole ever detected in the Milky Way Galaxy has been examined by an international team of researchers using the European Southern Observatory's Paranal telescope in Chile.
-----------------------------------

Today in Missions/Launches:
* NASA Delays Shuttle Launch to Friday
http://www.space.com/shuttlemissions/
NASA has called off today's launch attempt in the wake of ongoing problems with a Progress freighter that apparently did not completely dock with the International Space Station on Wednesday.
* STS-108 Video Interviews Now Available
http://www.space.com/shuttlemissions/
SPACE.com TV gives you the inside scoop on how each of the seven members of the STS-108 crew are preparing for their upcoming mission. Just look for the pictures of each member and click!
* New Crew Ready for Record Stay at International Space Station
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/sts108_preview_011128.html
A Russian cosmonaut and two American astronauts are set to taxi up to the International Space Station this week, venturing off on what promises to be the longest tour yet aboard the orbiting outpost.
------------------------------------

Today in Business/Industry:
* PanAmSat Purchases Two Satellites From Orbital
http://www.space.com/spacenews/index.html
PanAmSat Corp. exercised an option to buy two more small geostationary communication satellites from Orbital Sciences Corp., Orbital announced Nov. 28.
------------------------------------

* SpaceTV:
http://www.space.com/php/multimedia/spacetv/
* Space Age Gear:
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/space_gear-1.html
* SpaceWatch:
http://www.space.com/spacewatch/
* Space Age Jobs
http://www.space.com/php/careers/
* Uplink: Share your opinion!
http://uplink.space.com/
-------------------------------------
SOLAR and SPACE WEATHER (November 29, 2001)
3-Day Solar Forecast
Solar activity is expected to be at moderate to high levels.
3-Day Aurora Forecast
Earth's geomagnetic field is expected to be at quiet to unsettled. Minor storming at high latitudes may occur Saturday.
Solar Data
The current sunspot number is 180, and the solar wind speed recently clocked in at 422 kilometers per second.
The solar wind density was 3.8 protons per cubic centimeter.
(Speed and density values are snapshots in time and change during the day. About these numbers.)
http://www.space.com/spacewatch/space_weather.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 801 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Dec  1, 2001 (20:58) * 12 lines
Explosions on the Moon

NASA Science News for November 30, 2001

During the 2001 Leonid meteor storm, astronomers observed a curious flash
on the Moon -- a telltale sign of meteoroids hitting the lunar surface and
exploding. In this story, experts describe the physics of lunar Leonid
explosions ... and speculate about meteor showers for observers living on
the Moon.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast30nov_1.htm?list89800

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 802 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sun, Dec  2, 2001 (15:08) * 35 lines
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

POTENTIAL MAJOR SOLAR FLARE WARNING

ISSUED: 05:30 UTC, 02 DECEMBER 2001

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

SYNOPSIS:

There are two primary areas of concern with respect to major flare
potential. These areas are discussed below.

Region 9714 is departing the west limb and may contain sufficient
magnetic complexity to release a major flare before x-ray occultation occurs
in several days. A quantitative analysis of the complexity of this region is
not possible due to limb proximity.

An active spot group currently just behind the southeast solar limb has
demonstrated an ability to produce near major-level x-ray bursts. A class
M4.79 long-duration x-ray event was observed at 15:56 UTC on 01 December from
this area. Significant flare loops were observed in EIT imagery behind the
southeast limb. A post-event loop prominence system was also observed in
H-alpha imagery. The source of this activity is suspected to be old active
Region 9690, which has demonstrated an ability to be a fairly prolific flare
producer in the past. Major flaring will be possible over the next two weeks
from this active region. It should rotate into view within the next few days.

Of slightly lesser concern is Region 9715, which *may* also be capable
of producing an isolated major flare. Magnetic complexity in this spot group
has diminished since 29 November. Nevertheless, the dynamics may still
support the production of a major flare.


/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 803 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Dec  3, 2001 (20:55) * 36 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Space Telescope Finds Piece of Martian Atmosphere Puzzle
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/mars_water_011129.html
A new study of the Martian atmosphere has added strength to a popular theory of why there is so much carbon dioxide in the red planet's air. Researchers have detected hydrogen molecules in the atmosphere, which had been predicted but not found for decades.

* Slippery Surface of Europa Slides, Migrates around Moon
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/europa_icecrust_011130.html
Structures on Jupiter's moon Europa that resemble California's earthquake faults have provided clues indicating that the moon's frozen crust slides over its liquid innards, according to a new study.

* Pluto Mission Design Chosen; Must Be Ready For 2006 Launch
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/pluto_update_011129.html
The hard fought battle to send a probe to distant Pluto took a major step forward today. NASA has given a go-ahead for one team to proceed with a preliminary design study for a Pluto-Kuiper Belt (PKB) mission, a spacecraft that could be launched in 2006.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* Station Spacewalk Set Today While Endeavour Waits in the Wings
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/sts108_exp3_011203.html
Spacewalking cosmonauts will try to fix a loosely docked Russian supply ship at the International Space Station today, aiming to clear the way for the planned launch Tuesday of NASA's shuttle Endeavour.

* Shuttle Launch Slips to Tuesday: Spacewalking Repairs on Tap at Station Monday
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/sts108_scrub2a_011130.html
Shuttle Endeavour's launch to the International Space Station is being delayed until Tuesday so that two spacewalking cosmonauts can attempt to fix a Russian supply ship that failed to dock firmly at the outpost earlier this week.

* Russia Launches Proton Rocket with Military Navigation Satellites Aboard
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/proton_launch_011201.html
Russia launched a trio of navigation satellites Saturday, aiming to replenish and improve the nation's global positioning constellation.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* Digital Films Sent By Satellite Slow to Catch On
http://www.space.com/spacenews/spacenews_businessmonday_011203.html
One year after representatives of the Hollywood film studios, theater owners and the satellite industry gathered in New York's Times Square to watch a film sent digitally through space from Los Angeles, the technology has yet to catch on, industry representatives said. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 804 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Dec  4, 2001 (18:54) * 58 lines
ENDEAVOUR SET TO LAUNCH
-----------------------
Space shuttle Endeavour has been cleared for launch at 5:45 p.m. EST (2245 GMT) Tuesday from Kennedy Space Center. The shuttle's 11-day mission will ferry the next resident crew to the International Space Station and return the current occupants back to Earth. We will have live countdown updates throughout the day:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html
Launch events timeline:
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage8a/fdf/108ascenttimeline.html

SPACEWALKERS CLEAR DEBRIS, CARGO SHIP LATCHED TO STATION
--------------------------------------------------------
The two Russian cosmonauts living aboard the International Space Station ventured outside their orbiting home Monday and successfully cut away a rubbery O-ring seal that was preventing an unmanned cargo freighter from properly docking to the complex. The seal is believed to have been left by the last supply ship.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage8a/011203eva/

MARS WAS ONCE ALL WET
---------------------
Although covered by frozen deserts today, Mars could have been born with more water in proportion to its mass than the Earth, according to new observations from NASA's Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) spacecraft.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0112/03wetmars/

MARS' LUMPY MAGNETIC FIELD
--------------------------
New research reveals that areas of the surface of Mars may be protected from the full force of solar radiation by areas of intensely magnetized crust. The startling vision of Mars' magnetosphere is being explored by using magnetometer data from NASA's Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0112/04marslumpy/

WANDERING POLES SAID FOUND ON JUPITER'S MOON EUROPA
---------------------------------------------------
San Andreas-like faults in the crust of Jupiter's icy moon Europa provide evidence that the crust, floating on a liquid water ocean, has slipped over the globe, so that the poles recently have wandered hundreds of miles, a University of Arizona undergraduate student reported.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0112/02europapoles/

ORBITAL MYSTERY OF JUPITER'S TINY MOONS UNCOVERED
-------------------------------------------------
Planetary scientists have used one of the world's most powerful computing clusters to simulate motions of the small moons of Jupiter over a one billion-year epoch. From this, the researchers have learned how the tugs and pulls of the sun and planets -- even from hundreds of millions of miles away -- shake out the permanent moons of the giant planets from those that get tossed away.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0112/01jupmystery/

GENESIS BEGINS MISSION TO COLLECT SAMPLES OF THE SUN
----------------------------------------------------
NASA's Genesis mission officially opened for business Monday, as it extends its special collector arrays to catch atoms from the solar wind. The atoms it collects, believed to have been part of the solar nebula "cloud" from which our solar system developed, will help scientists gain a better understanding of the conditions in the distant past before the Earth and other planets formed.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0112/04genesis/

RUSSIAN PROTON ROCKET LAUNCHES SATELLITE TRIO
---------------------------------------------
A powerful Proton-K rocket was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome Saturday carrying three replacement spacecraft for Russia's Global Navigation Satellite System.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0112/01proton/

ESA ASTRONAUT TO FLY SOYUZ TO SPACE STATION ALPHA
-------------------------------------------------
Frank De Winne, a Belgian member of the European Astronaut Corps, has been assigned to fly to the International Space Station in November 2002 on a Russian Soyuz launcher. He will be flight engineer on a "taxi flight", a 10-day mission with the main purpose of exchanging the Soyuz rescue vehicle.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0112/01dewinne/

ORBITAL'S GEO SATELLITE BIZ GETS BOOST FROM PANAMSAT
----------------------------------------------------
Orbital Sciences received another major industry endorsement for its smaller-sized geostationary satellite systems this past week when PanAmSat exercised a contract option to purchase two additional company-built C-band spacecraft.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0112/03pasosc/

NASA TO EVALUATE AIRBUS JETLINER TAIL ASSEMBLY
----------------------------------------------
The National Transportation Safety Board has asked NASA's Langley Research Center to assist in the ongoing investigation into the Nov. 12 crash of American Airlines Flight 587 in Belle Harbor, N.Y. Components from the tail section of the Airbus A300 will be shipped to Langley for extensive evaluation.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0112/02nasaairbus/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 805 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Dec  4, 2001 (20:48) * 1 lines
Shuttle launch scrubbed due to weather. 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 806 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Dec  5, 2001 (20:53) * 8 lines
Space shuttle Endeavor is up - Watch NASA TV live and direct.

http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/countdown/video/video45m.html


Now would also be a good time to check for sightings of the ISS and Shuttle joined in your sky.

http://www.heavens-above.com/

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 807 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Wed, Dec  5, 2001 (22:58) * 1 lines
We got the big dish zoomed in on the NASA channel.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 808 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Dec  5, 2001 (23:15) * 1 lines
OK!!! It will be excellent viewing for the next week or so! Docking is amazing!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 809 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Dec  6, 2001 (18:34) * 12 lines
Where Lightning Strikes

NASA Science News for December 5, 2001

New maps from space-based sensors that can detect flashes of lightning
even during the daytime reveal where on Earth the powerful bolts will most
likely strike.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast05dec_1.htm?list89800 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 810 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Dec  6, 2001 (18:54) * 29 lines
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

DAILY SUMMARY OF AURORAL ACTIVITY

05 DECEMBER 2001

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\


SYNOPTICAL INFORMATION
----------------------

Auroral activity is now summarized by the presence (or absense) of
ground-based sighting reports. Forecast conditions can be inferred through
the geomagnetic activity forecast section of the daily summary report of
solar and geophysical activity. Near real-time conditions can be determined
at: http://www.spacew.com/aurora/forumnotes.html. Current information
on CME impact predictions can be found at: http://www.spacew.com/cme.


SUMMARY OF GROUND-BASED AURORAL ACTIVITY SIGHTINGS
--------------------------------------------------

(Sightings are preliminary and may be unverified)

0030 UTC - (N67.20 E014.40) - Bodø, Norway


** End of Aurora Report ** 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 811 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Dec  6, 2001 (18:56) * 35 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Astronomers Image Red Dwarf Star, One Type of Dark Matter
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/dark_matter_011205.html
Astronomers have for the first time photographed and weighed a star thought to represent a class of long-sought, mysterious objects that make up part of the "dark matter" in our galaxy.

* NASA Report: Space Travel 'Inherently Hazardous' to Human Health
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/generalscience/space_health_011205-1.html
According to a new study created for NASA the medical risks -- both physical and psychological -- of long treks beyond Earth orbit remain daunting and a far greater challenge than the public has been led to believe.

* Does Life Color Europa? Get Paid to Find Asteroids, More
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/science_briefs-1.html

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* Shuttle Endeavour Lifts Off Amid Tight Security
http://www.space.com/shuttlemissions/
Soundly defended shuttle Endeavour took off for the International Space Station Wednesday with a new outpost crew and a soaring tribute to thousands killed in the recent attacks on America.

* Military Intercepts Private Helicopter in Shuttle No-Fly Zone
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/sts108_security_011204.html
A private helicopter was intercepted by a military jet in a "no-fly zone" around NASA's Kennedy Space Center Tuesday as a fully fueled shuttle Endeavour was being readied for a planned launch to the International Space Station.

* South African Internet Tycoon Set To Become Second 'Tourist' To Fly To ISS
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/shuttleworth_update_011204.html
A South African millionaire is on the verge of signing a contract that would pave the way for him to become the second fare-paying tourist to visit the International Space Station.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* ImageWorld Aims For Out of this World Gameshow
http://www.space.com/spacenews/index.html
If Danny McGill has his way, millions of people will be glued to their televisions for 12 weeks in 2003 as 25 would-be astronauts compete for a once in a lifetime trip into space. From his base of operations in Singapore, McGill, chief executive officer of ImageWorld Media Inc., is planning what promises to be the first television game show to send its winner into space. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 812 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Dec  6, 2001 (18:58) * 14 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Wings Over Mars: Flapping Robotic Insects Could Extend Range of Rover Missions
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/mars_flapper_011205-1.html
They are tiny but talented - and not the bug-eyed Martians of sci-fi fare.

* European Southern Observatory Now Takes Pictures as Clear As Hubble Space Telescope
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/eso_paranal_011204.html
A team of astronomers and engineers from French and German research institutes and the European Southern Observatory at the Paranal Observatory in Chile is celebrating the successful accomplishment of "First Light" for the NAOS-CONICA Adaptive Optics facility. With this event, another important milestone for the Very Large Telescope (VLT) project has been passed. The telescope can now produce images as good as those captured in space by the Hubble Space Telescope.

* Mars Rendered in 3-D Using Spacecraft Data
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/mars_renderings_011204-1.html
Few features on any planet loom as large -- in telescopes or in the minds of scientists -- as the huge scar on Mars known as Valles Marineris. To call the apparent drainage system a series of valleys is like calling the Grand Canyon a gully. And to claim you know just how it came to exist is a recipe for much scientific wrangling. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 813 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Dec 11, 2001 (14:36) * 26 lines
SPACEWALKERS ADD THERMAL BLANKETS TO SPACE STATION
--------------------------------------------------
Astronauts Daniel Tani and Linda Godwin successfully wrapped insulation blankets around two critical solar array drive motors Monday to accomplish the primary objective of a four-hour spacewalk. But they were unable to tighten up a solar array support truss that failed to lock fully in place when the arrays were deployed last year.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage8a/011210eva/

IO GENERATES POWER AND NOISE, BUT NO MAGNETIC FIELD
---------------------------------------------------
A great roar of acoustic waves near the north and south poles of Jupiter's moon Io shouts about the power of the volcanic moon. The wave data, new pictures and other information collected recently by NASA's Galileo spacecraft provide insight into what happens above Io's surface, at its colorful volcanoes and inside its hot belly.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0112/10io/

ASTRONOMERS FIND A FESTIVE STAR THAT DOES THE TWIST
---------------------------------------------------
Discovered by astronomers during Christmas observations in Australia, a star was found with a new phenomenon of twisting. The behavior demonstrates a slow change in the way the star spins on its axis. This twisting has been predicted by some theories of the way in which stars generate their magnetic fields, but until now it has never been observed directly.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0112/10twist/

ZENIT 2 ROCKET LAUNCHES FIVE SATELLITE PAYLOADS INTO SPACE
----------------------------------------------------------
A Ukrainian Zenit 2 rocket on Monday launched the Russian Meteor 3M-N1 Earth observation spacecraft that features NASA's Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment-3 atmospheric research instrument.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0112/10zenit2/

FORMER ASTRONAUT TO HEAD NASA'S OFFICE OF SPACE FLIGHT
------------------------------------------------------
NASA Associate Administrator Frederick D. Gregory, an astronaut and the senior executive currently responsible for the safety and reliability of all agency programs, has been named Acting Associate Administrator for the Office of Space Flight.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0112/11gregory/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 814 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Dec 11, 2001 (17:07) * 13 lines
SFI:221 up from 219 | A:4 up from 3 | K:2 at 2100 on 11 December.
SAF: moderate to high, GMF: quiet to unsettled

A major flare occurred at 0808 on 11 Dec

Flare:
Class X2.8/2b/N16E41 BEG 11 Dec 2001 0758 MAX 11 Dec 2001 0808
END 11 Dec 2001 0814 UT
Comments: None
Aurora Level: 5
Solar Wind: 306.9 km/s at 2.6 protons/cm3

More Info http://hfradio.org/propagation.html 

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 815 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Dec 11, 2001 (17:09) * 203 lines
The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (12/10/2001)
-----------------------------------------------------------------

New Reference:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/

* Research Satellites for Atmospheric Science, 1978-Present
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/RemoteSensingAtmosphere/remote_sensing.html
NASA and its affiliated agencies and research institutions developed a series of research satellites that have enabled scientists to test new remote sensing technologies that have advanced scientific understanding of both chemical and physical changes in the atmosphere.

--------------------

In the News:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/

* Latest Images:
Where Lightning Strikes
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=6254

Caspian Sea
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=6253

Brüggen Glacier, Chile
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=6252

Manicouagan Impact Structure, Quebec
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5755

Red Aurora as Seen from the Space Station
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5754

Comparing Two Satellite Sensors
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5753

High Resolution View of Pine Island Glacier
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5752

Birth of a Large Iceberg in Pine Island Bay, Antarctica
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5751

Honolulu and Waikiki
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5272

Snowstorm Blankets Midwestern U.S.
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5271

Convergence Zone over the Patagonian Shelf
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5270

Hurricane Olga
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5269

Ship Tracks in a Stratiform Cloud Layer
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5268

Wetlands of the Gulf Coast
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5267

East Asian Haze
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5266

Appalachian Fires
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5265

The Verkhoyansk Mountains
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5264

Fires in Tanzania and Mozambique
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5263

Wildfires in Eastern U.S.
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5262

Alaska
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5261

Southern Europe
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5260

The Sahara's Diverse Landscape
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5259

Valley of the Brahmaputra, India
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5258

Pollution Over Yellow River Valley, China
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5257

Victoria Land and Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5256

Fires in Mali and Senegal
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5255

Taklimakan Desert
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5254

Sediment from the Tigris and Euphrates
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5216

Green Aurora Seen from the Space Station
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5215

Predicted Dust Movement Matches Satellite Images
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5214

3-D Perspective View of Mt. Pinatubo, Phillipines
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5213

Pacific Decadal Oscillation, October 2001
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5212

Extratropical Cyclone in the Southern Ocean
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5211

Temperature Data Shows Warming in 2001
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5210

* NASA News
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/
- Cotton Doesn't Shrink From Climate Change
- SAFARI 2000 Captures Pollution and Climate Interactions
- Red Alert! "Recycled" Ozone Adds to Health Hazards in Zambia
- Methane Explosion Warmed the Prehistoric Earth, Possible Again
- Large Volcanic Eruptions Help Plants Absorb More Carbon Dioxide From the Atmosphere
- Study of Cirrus Clouds May Improve Climate Change Forecasts
- 'Restless Earth' May Give Advance Notice of Large Earthquakes
- Ames Earth Scientists Present at AGU Meeting in San Francisco
- Jason Sets Sail; Satellite to Spot Sea's Solar/Atmospheric Seesaw
- The Sun's Chilly Impact on Earth
- Global Positioning System May Help Measure Sea Height
- Satellites Help Scientists Understand Dining Habits of Sea Lions, Seals
- Possible Sharpshooter Insect Pest Habitats Mapped from Air & Space
- TRMM Continues to Provide Diverse Insights into Climate Processes on Its Fourth Anniversary
- NASA/French Ocean-Observing Satellite Set to Soar
- Ocean Circulation Shut Down by Melting Glaciers After Last Ice Age
- Pine Island Glacier Creates a Splash
- 1,024 Supercomputer Makes More Accurate Climate Assessments
- NASDA and NASA Collaboration: OCTS Global Data Set Available
- Pacific Recycles Last Year's Winter
- Satellites Shed Light on a Warmer World

* Media Alerts
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/
- Tiny Particles of Pollution May Carry Large Consequences for Earth's Water Supply
- Floods Ain't What They Used To Be
- Shipboard Aerosol Measurements Enhance Climate Models
- Paradox of Groundwater Age Has Implications for Hydrology
- Beware of Leap Year When Predicting Climate Change, Warns Researcher
- Stratospheric Polar Vortex Influences Winter Cold, Researchers Say
- Scholar: Hurricanes Helped Shape Cuban Culture, History
- Studying Plant Adaptation to Arctic Helps Understand the 'Steps Of Wisdom Of Life'
- Researchers Discover that Volcanic Eruptions Masked Global Warming During the Past 20 Years
- Forest Management May Mitigate Global Warming
- Global Warming More Common Than Thought, Deep-Sea Drilling Off Japan Now Demonstrates
- Tracking Climate Change on the Tundra: Team Devising New Tools
- Bangladesh Flood and Drought Forecasting Project Could Bring Farmers, Cholera Victims Relief
- Ecosystems Slowed 1990s Greenhouse Gas Buildup
- Small, Mountain Rivers Play Big Role in Ocean Sediment
- Land Won't Soak Up Carbon Indefinitely Say Top Scientists
- Geologists Use Lichens to Track Recent Climate Changes in New Zealand
- Scallop Shells Hold Clues to Changes in Antarctic Climate
- New Evidence for Sea-Level Rise along the Coasts of Maine and Nova Scotia

* Headlines from the press, radio, and television:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/
- Scientific Cruise Yields Wealth of Information About Arctic Seafloor
- Studying Climate Changes in Alaska
- Global Warming Seen Moderating
- Hobart Conference Explores Impact of Global Warming
- Melting Glaciers Slowed Down Gulf Stream in Past
- Forest Management Could Combat Global warming
- Global Warming Occurred Millions of Years Ago
- Something Missing in Fragile Cloud Forest: The Clouds
- Global Warming May Hit Skiing
- Ocean Temps, Solar Cycles Linked
- Satellite Data Confirms Warming of Earth's Climate
- Sea Level May Reflect Global Warming
- Weather Looms Large at Climate Change Talks in Morocco
- Global Warming to Hit Key Food Crops
- City Light Help Pinpoint Urban Heat Islands
- Scallop Shells Hold Clues to Antarctic Climate
- Landsat 7 Allows Reef Watchers to Document Degradation
- Global Warming "Altering Genes"
- Warming Could Affect Winter Birds

* New Research Highlights
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Research/

--------------------

New Data:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/

* Updated Data:
4km TRMM Fires data for October 2001
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/fires.trmm.html

Precipitation data for July 2001
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/rainfall.gpcp.html 




 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 816 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Dec 11, 2001 (17:40) * 12 lines
Conjuring Crystals

NASA Science News for December 11, 2001

Discovered in space, an amazing method for growing well-ordered crystals
is working here on Earth, too. NASA scientists are figuring out the
physics behind the procedure, which researchers call "detached Bridgman
growth."

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast11dec_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 817 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Dec 11, 2001 (20:28) * 38 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Partial Solar Eclipse: Viewer's Guide to Dec. 14 Event
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/solar_eclipse_011211.html
In the daytime skies across much of North America on Friday, Dec. 14, the New Moon will appear to cross in front of the Sun to produce a partial solar eclipse.

* New Image Gallery: Leonid Meteor Shower, Part IV
http://www.space.com/php/multimedia/imagegallery/
The last in our four-part series on the Leonids Meteor Shower. All images submitted by SPACE.com users!

* SETI Social Science: What Makes a Good Online Survey?
http://www.space.com/searchforlife/setisurvey_follow_011210.html
There’s a reason that Internet polls often bear disclaimers, noting that they are not to be taken as scientific studies. In this article, I’ll explain some of the reasons for such cautionary labeling, using our recent SETI Institute/SPACE.com survey on attitudes toward extraterrestrial life to illustrate the points.

* Natural Electron Beam Carves Hole in Ionosphere, Leaves Clues of Aurora
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/planetearth/aurora_agu_011210.html
Robots named Tango, Salsa, Samba and Rumba have together stumbled on the ultimate electron beam, a spike of energy that shot into space high above Earth and left a hole in the sky.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* Endeavour Spacewalkers Step Through Station Repair Work
http://www.space.com/shuttlemissions/
Two spacewalking astronauts scaled to the top of a U.S. power tower at the International Space Station Monday, methodically stepping through crucial repairs to the outpost's massive American solar wings.

* Russia Launches Weather Satellite; U.S. Navy Tests Nuclear Missiles
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/zenit_launch_011210.html
A Russian weather satellite and four secondary payloads were carried into Earth orbit Monday riding atop a Ukranian-built rocket launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, while the U.S. Navy on Sunday test fired a quartet of Trident missiles off the Florida coast.

* Oklahoma Steps Up To Space
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/ok_spaceport_011210.html
You can almost hear the music. Oklahoma! Where the rocket goes streaking off the plain!

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:
* Gulf States Consider Buying Spy Satellite
http://www.space.com/spacenews/index.html 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 818 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Dec 11, 2001 (20:37) * 13 lines
Something only John will understand. Certainly, I won't...

A new twist for stellar magnetism
http://physicsweb.org/article/news/5/12/4
A star that rotates with a twist has been observed for the first time,
confirming a long-predicted magnetic phenomenon known as the Applegate
effect. Andrew Collier Cameron and Jean-Francois Donati used the
Anglo-Australian Telescope in New South Wales to track ‘star-spots’ on
the surface of a sun-like star for eight years. The observations could
explain why the stars in some binary systems have erratic orbits (A
Collier Cameron and J-F Donati et al 2001 Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 329
L21). 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 819 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Dec 12, 2001 (17:01) * 43 lines
A s t r o A l e r t
Sun-Earth Alert

Solar Terrestrial Dispatch
http://www.spacew.com

12 December 2001


MAJOR CLASS X2.8 SOLAR FLARE ALERT

A major class X2.8 solar x-ray flare was observed from active sunspot
region identified as NOAA number 9733. This sunspot complex is gradually
growing. It is developing an increasingly complex magnetic structure and
holds concern as a possible source of additional powerful solar flares.

The X-class flare was associated with a partial halo coronal mass
ejection (CME). A partial halo CME occurs when mass from the Sun is ejected
into space having a trajectory that is suspected to be at least partially
directed Earthward.

Although the solar flare itself was intense in x-rays, it was
short-lived (lasting only approximately 13 minutes) and impulsive in nature.
Such events typically prove less capable of producing strong disturbances at
the Earth than longer-duration solar energetic events.

Despite this, the Earth has begun observing enhancements in energetic
proton populations in the near-Earth space environment over the last few
hours. It is possible this enhancement of activity might be related to the
X-class flare or perhaps to the shock front of the coronal mass ejection.

This disturbance is expected to have a relatively minor impact on the
Earth on 14 December. A minor enhancement in auroral activity may accompany
this activity, although this particular disturbance does not appear to have a
great deal of potential for producing significant auroral storming.

A more detailed prediction concerning this event is available at:
http://www.spacew.com/cme.

Additional major solar flares (and possibly influential coronal mass
ejections) from this active sunspot complex will be possible over the next
week.

** End of the AstroAlert Bulletin **

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 820 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Dec 13, 2001 (18:00) * 23 lines
Space Weather News for Dec. 13, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

The days ahead are good ones for sky watchers.

First, the annual Geminid meteor shower -- one of the year's best -- peaks
Thursday night and Friday morning (Dec. 13th and 14th). If predictions are
correct, as many as 100 shooting stars each hour will stream out of the
constellation Gemini.

Then, on Friday, Dec. 14th, the Moon will glide in front of the Sun for a
solar eclipse visible from Hawaii and much of the Americas.

After sunset on Friday and again on Saturday, Dec. 15th, high-latitude sky
watchers should be alert for possible Northern Lights triggered by recent
solar eruptions.

And finally, on Dec. 15th and Sunday, Dec. 16th, an unusually big and
bright near-Earth asteroid named 1998 WT24 will race across northern
skies. Amateur astronomers can see the approximately 9th-magnitude object
using modest backyard telescopes.

Visit SpaceWeather.com for observing tips and more information.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 821 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Dec 14, 2001 (16:17) * 31 lines
ASTROPHYSICIST: END OF THE UNIVERSE FROZEN IN TIME
--------------------------------------------------
Astronomers often investigate the beginning of the Universe, starting with the Big Bang. New data is shedding light on the opposite end of the arrow of time - how the Universe might end.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0112/13enduniverse/

ASTRONAUTS KEEP BUSY
--------------------
The shuttle and space station astronauts continued to work together on Wednesday, transferring supplies and performing maintenance work aboard the orbiting outpost, including an overhaul of Alpha's treadmill.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

DEPARTING STATION CREW EAGER FOR HOME, 'COLD BEER'
--------------------------------------------------
The departing crew of the international space station said Tuesday they're looking forward to hot showers and reunions with friends and family members after four long months in orbit. American commander Frank Culbertson said he's looking forward to a bowl of ice cream. For Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Tyurin, "a big glass of cold beer would be fine."
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage8a/011211crewconf/

ASTRONOMERS PIN DOWN DARK MATTER DISTRIBUTION
---------------------------------------------
The Universe's mysterious invisible Dark Matter is distributed on large scales in exactly the same way the galaxies are, according to scientists analyzing data from the giant 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey done with the 3.9-m Anglo-Australian Telescope in eastern Australia. The finding means the Universe is surprisingly simple.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0112/12darkmatter/

'RESTLESS EARTH' MAY GIVE ADVANCE NOTICE OF QUAKES
--------------------------------------------------
Signals that come from deep within the Earth eventually may give us a few days' warning before some large earthquakes, according to a scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center. The source of these signals lies deep in the Earth's crust, where forces squeeze rocks to the limit before they rupture catastrophically, shaking the ground with destructive force.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0112/13earthquake/

CLUSTER QUARTET PROBES THE SECRETS OF THE BLACK AURORA
------------------------------------------------------
Anyone living near the Arctic Circle will be familiar with aurorae, the legendary red and green curtains that illuminate the long winter nights. Much less familiar is the mysterious 'black aurora', a strange electrical phenomenon that produces dark, empty regions within the visible Northern and Southern Lights.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0112/12blackaurora/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 822 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Dec 14, 2001 (17:38) * 15 lines
Major X6 Class flare

At 1420 UTC this morning [0920 ET] a short duration major
flare began. The flare has been rated as an X6.2 by the SEC
and continued until 1435 UTC.

The impressive spotted region likely responsible continues
to rotate into a more geoeffective position. CME activity
almost certainly occurred coincidental to the major flare.

Magnetic storm watches may be issued later today by the SEC,
if indeed any observed CME activity was earth-directed.

Additional major flares are likely from this region. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 823 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Dec 21, 2001 (13:50) * 32 lines
HUBBLE SENDS SEASON'S GREETINGS FROM THE COSMOS
-----------------------------------------------
Looking like a colorful holiday card, this image from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope reveals a vibrant green and red nebula far from Earth, where nature seems to have put on the traditional colors of the season. These colors, produced by the light emitted by oxygen and hydrogen, help astronomers investigate the star-forming processes in nebulas such as NGC 2080.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0112/20hubble/

NEXT TWO SPACE SHUTTLE FLIGHTS DELAYED
--------------------------------------
NASA announced Wednesday that the launch of Columbia to service the Hubble telescope will be delayed a week to Feb. 21 so the replacement of a pointing device can be added to the mission. Also, the launch of Atlantis carrying the first piece of the space station's backbone is slipping two weeks to April 4 so one of the shuttle's maneuvering engine pods can be removed for inspections. See our launch schedule page for a forecast of 2002:
http://spaceflightnow.com/tracking/

THE HUNT FOR SOURCE OF GAMMA-RAY BURSTS
---------------------------------------
After a lonely nine months, Ulysses has a new partner in gamma-ray burst detection. On 21 November, the ESA/NASA spacecraft in orbit high above the Sun's poles, and Mars Odyssey, NASA's spacecraft recently arrived at the Red Planet, detected their first gamma-ray burst together.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0112/19ulysseygrb/

LOCKHEED MARTIN PROPOSES NEXT LANDSAT MISSION
---------------------------------------------
A team headed by Lockheed Martin has delivered a proposal to formulate and implement the Landsat Data Continuity Mission to NASA. The mission would be based upon the satellite design employed on the IKONOS Earth-imaging spacecraft.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0112/20ldcm/

FORMER STATION RESIDENTS GLAD TO BE HOME FOR HOLIDAYS
-----------------------------------------------------
Fresh off his four-month voyage in space, Expedition Three commander Frank Culbertson said Tuesday he and his two Russian crewmates were happy to be back on Earth and reunited with their families in time for the holidays.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage8a/011218exp3/

ENDEAVOUR SHUTTLES STATION CREW BACK TO EARTH
---------------------------------------------
The shuttle Endeavour glided back to Earth Monday, bringing three space station astronauts back to a starkly different post Sept. 11 world and leaving a fresh crew behind in orbit for a nearly six-month tour of duty. Touchdown occurred on Runway 15 at the Kennedy Space Center at 12:55:10 p.m. EST. (Includes video!)
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage8a/011217landing/ 




 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 824 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Dec 21, 2001 (13:52) * 9 lines
Sweet Meteorites

A NASA scientist has discovered sugar and several related organic
compounds in two meteorites -- providing new evidence that the chemical
building blocks of life on Earth might have come from outer space.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast20dec_1.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 825 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Dec 21, 2001 (13:53) * 35 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* The Hand of God: Thoughts and Images Reflecting the Spirit of the Universe
http://www.space.com/spacelibrary/books/library_reagan_011221.html
Is there a God?

* Coolest Space Science Images of 2001
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/coolest_2001_011221.html
The collective upward human gaze yields numerous special images of space every year. Being a curious lot with a certain mastery of technology, we keep looking deeper and with greater resolution at the most remarkable features of the universe, near and far.

* Unique Lunar Eclipse at This Year's End
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/penumbral_eclipse_011221.html
The Moon's dance around the Earth and Sun paints a different face every night. In the early morning of Sunday Dec. 30, one usually invisible transformation will reveal itself, when the Moon dips its southern edge into the Earth's shadow. This will make a dramatic penumbral eclipse; a subtle intersection of the Earth and Moon, seen in the Americas, across the Pacific to Eastern Asia.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* NASA Panel Endorses Scaling Back the ISS
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/missions/iss_panel_011220.html
The NASA Advisory Council is endorsing the idea of scaling back the international space station program, saying the huge cost overruns "cannot be excused and must not be ignored."

* Mid-February Hubble Servicing Mission Faces Two-Week Delay
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/missions/sts109_update_011218.html
A mid-February mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope might be delayed to give engineers time to put in place a plan to replace a balky pointing device aboard NASA's flagship observatory.

* Russia Signs Contract For Satellite Launches From Australia's Christmas Island
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/launches/aussie_spaceport_011218.html
Seeking to expand its share of the global satellite market, Russia has signed an agreement on space launches from Australia's Christmas Island, but a similar deal with the European Union is still in doubt, Russia's space chief said Tuesday.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* ComDev To Sell Satellite Ground Station to Mitec
http://www.space.com/spacenews/index.html
ComDev International, Cambridge, Ontario, will sell the satellite ground station part of its Wireless Division to Mitec Telecom Inc., of Montreal, for about $23 million, ComDev reported Dec. 19.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 826 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Dec 22, 2001 (21:08) * 50 lines
The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (12/19/2001)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
New Reference:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/

* Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE) Fact Sheet
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/SORCE/
Earth scientists will move a step closer to a full understanding of the Sun's energy output with the launch of the Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE) satellite. SORCE will be equipped with four instruments now being built at the University of Colorado that will measure variations in solar radiation much more accurately than anything now in use and observe some of the spectral properties of solar radiation for the first time. With data from NASA's SORCE mission, researchers should be able to follow how the Sun affects our climate now and in the future.

--------------------
In the News:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/

* Latest Images:
Twin Views of Anchorage, Alaska
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=6753

Winter Storm Sweeps Across Europe
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=6262

Corsica and Sardinia
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=6261

Tibetan Braid
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=6260

3-D Perspective View, Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=6259

Where on Earth...? MISR Mystery Image Quiz #5
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=6258

Both Jason-1 and SAGE III Launch Successfully
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=6257

Thick Haze Over Northern India
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=6256

Southeast Asia
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=6255

* NASA News
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/
- New NASA/SGI Supercomputer Brings "Early Spring" to Climate Models
- Observations of 1998 El Niño Provide Powerful Climate Test
- Satellite Data Help Researchers Track Carbon in Northern Hemisphere Forests
-
Earth Observatory Announcements
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 827 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Dec 26, 2001 (12:32) * 8 lines
A major flare occurred at 0514 UTC on 26 Dec. A satellite proton event began at 0613 UTC on 26 Dec. Stratwarm Alert exists wednesday.
A proton event is expected to continue.

Flare:
Class M7/1B/N08W54 BEG 26 Dec 2001 0432 MAX 26 Dec 2001 0548 END
26 Dec 2001 0645 UT

Check your skies for aurora ( and the maps whicch indicate where they will be seen.)

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 828 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Dec 26, 2001 (13:04) * 29 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Kevlar vs. Comets: Bullet-Proof Craft to Get Closest Comet Views Ever
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/contour_mission_011226-1.html
The bright glowing heads and long streaking tails of comets have always excited curiosity among scientists and backyard stargazers, but a dangerous aspect of these features stalls deep scientific understanding of the icy time capsules from our solar system's earliest days.

Coolest Space Science Images of 2001
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/coolest_2001_011221.html
The collective upward human gaze yields numerous special images of space every year. Being a curious lot with a certain mastery of technology, we keep looking deeper and with greater resolution at the most remarkable features of the universe, near and far.

* Unique Lunar Eclipse at This Year's End
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/penumbral_eclipse_011221.html
The Moon's dance around the Earth and Sun paints a different face every night. In the early morning of Sunday Dec. 30, one usually invisible transformation will reveal itself, when the Moon dips its southern edge into the Earth's shadow. This will make a dramatic penumbral eclipse; a subtle intersection of the Earth and Moon, seen in the Americas, across the Pacific to Eastern Asia.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* Santa Claus Visit to KSC Expected, Sleigh to be Equipped with X-MAS Robot Arm
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/kscxmas_011224.html
KSC officials have learned that Santa Claus is planning a late-night landing at the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) during Christmas Eve to install a new robotic toy distribution aid on his sleigh.

* Senate Confirms O'Keefe as NASA Administrator
http://www.space.com/news/ap_okeefe_011222.html
The U.S. Senate confirmed the new leader of America's space program.

* Kepler Mission to Find Earth-Like Planets Gets Green Light
http://www.space.com/news/kepler_go.html
The search for other potentially habitable planets is about to get serious. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 829 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Dec 26, 2001 (13:04) * 4 lines
Regional Location: AZORES ISLANDS REGION
Magnitude: 5.1M
Greenwich Mean Date: 2001/12/26
Greenwich Mean Time: 01:22:25

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 830 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Dec 27, 2001 (16:36) * 36 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* The Ultimate Long Distance Call
http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_long_distance_011227.html
It's one thing to search for intelligent aliens, but it's another to actually talk to those we might find. This isn't just a matter of what language (if any!) to use, or even how to encode the information. Encoding for mutual understanding is merely a daunting technical challenge. For example, should we broadcast messages using pulse code modulation, AM radio, spread-spectrum techniques, or something we don't have a name for yet? Until we pick up a signal, we really haven't a clue.

* Simple Skywatching: Doorstep Astronomy for Late December
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/simple_skywatching_011226.html
Maybe you just got a telescope for Christmas and need a target at which to point it. Or perhaps you just want something to do on a crisp, clear winter night. How about a little doorstep astronomy? No equipment required.

* Kevlar vs. Comets: Bullet-Proof Craft to Get Closest Comet Views Ever
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/contour_mission_011226-1.html
The bright glowing heads and long streaking tails of comets have always excited curiosity among scientists and backyard stargazers, but a dangerous aspect of these features stalls deep scientific understanding of the icy time capsules from our solar system's earliest days.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* Senate Confirms O'Keefe as NASA Administrator
http://www.space.com/news/ap_okeefe_011222.html
The U.S. Senate confirmed the new leader of America's space program.

* Kepler Mission to Find Earth-Like Planets Gets Green Light
http://www.space.com/news/kepler_go.html
The search for other potentially habitable planets is about to get serious.

* Next Shuttle Trip To ISS Delayed Until April
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/shuttle_delay_011221.html
NASA's next trip to the International Space Station is being pushed back two weeks so that engineers can examine suspect rocket pods on shuttle Atlantis.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* Honeywell Wins Pentagon's Space Control Network Contract
http://www.space.com/spacenews/index.html
A team led by Honeywell Technology Inc., Columbia, Md., nabbed a multiyear contract to upgrade and maintain the U.S. Air Force Satellite Control Network (AFSCN). Dubbed the Satellite Control Network Contract, the deal contains a base period of six years and three three-year options and has a potential value of $1.22 billion. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 831 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jan  2, 2002 (18:08) * 31 lines
Mystery meteors from an extinct constellation The Quadrantid Meteor Shower
Space Weather News for January 2, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

MYSTERY METEORS: Earth is about to enter a stream of dusty space debris
that gives rise each year to the Quadrantid meteor shower. In 2002 the
Quadrantids will peak during a few-hour period around 1800 UT (10 a.m.
PST) on Thursday, January 3rd. The shower peaks during daylight hours over
the Americas. Pre-dawn observers in Japan and other Asian countries around
the Pacific Rim will have the best view of the outburst. Early-evening sky
watchers in Europe might see it, too. This year's display will be
diminished by glare from the Moon. Nevertheless, well-placed spotters will
likely count a dozen or so bright meteors each hour during the shower's
maximum.

The Quadrantids are named after Quadrans Muralis, a 19th century
constellation no longer found in star atlases. The shower's radiant is in
the modern constellation Bootes. Like the extinct constellation Quadrans
Muralis, the cometary parent of the Quadrantid shower might also be
long-dead. Astronomers have searched for a comet that shares the orbit of
the Quadrantid debris stream, but found nothing. Perhaps it completely
disintegrated long ago or remains undiscovered.

NEAR-EARTH ASTEROID: A newly discovered near-Earth asteroid named 2001
YB5 will glide by our planet on January 7th, twice as far from Earth as
the Moon. The 300-meter wide space rock will brighten to 12th magnitude
this weekend, making it a promising target for backyard telescopes
equipped with CCD cameras.

Visit spaceweather.com for more information. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 832 of 866: Curious Wolfie  (wolf) * Thu, Jan  3, 2002 (23:48) * 9 lines
msnbc reports that the hubble has spotted strange globules:

The image showing the globules in region IC2944 can be viewed online at
http://heritage.stsci.edu or
http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/pr/2002/01 or
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/images/wfpc. 




 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 833 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jan  4, 2002 (17:41) * 38 lines
How neat! Thanks, Wolfie! *HUGS* I did not know!

Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Our Cosmic Habitat
http://www.space.com/spacelibrary/books/library_rees_020104.html
In his new book Our Cosmic Habitat, Rees, a Royal Society Research Professor at Cambridge, take a closer look at the idea that our universe is just part of a greater collective; part of a 'multiverse' in which most of the other universes are empty.

* Ancient Mars: Renderings Show Raging Floods, Vast Oceans
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/ancient_mars_020104.html
With a host of spacecraft at Mars or being readied to go there over the next two years, scientists are poised to uncover the planet's liquid secrets. The big question: Was Mars once warm and wet?

* Signs of Life: On the Lookout for Extraterrestrial Sweet Spots
http://www.space.com/searchforlife/lifesigns_spots_020103.html
Looking for life elsewhere is a tough task for human or robot. The good news is that the scientific skill and tools to search for, detect and inspect extraterrestrial life are advancing rapidly.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* Coolest Spaceflight Images of 2001
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/2001bestspaceflight.html
Whenever the countdown hits zero, the booster engines light up and fire fills the flame trench, you're seconds from witnessing a spectacle of human inspiration and engineering genius climb into the sky and burn into your soul a memory you'll carry for years to come.

* Russia Launches Final Mission of 2001, Seven Satellites Orbited During Past Week
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/tsiklon_launch_011228.html
A three-stage Tsiklon booster carried six satellites into Earth orbit late Thursday in what was the final launch of 2001, according to the Interfax news service.

* It's A Snap: First Satellite Images of Earth From QuickBird
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/quickbird_pics_011228.html
The highest-resolution, commercially available imagery of Earth is streaming out of space courtesy of DigitalGlobe's QuickBird satellite.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* Arianespace May Report Net Loss of 50 Million Euros
http://www.space.com/spacenews/index.html
Europe's Arianespace commercial launch consortium is expected to report a net loss of about 50 million euros ($44.3 million) for 2001, its second consecutive year in the red, according to industry officials. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 834 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jan  4, 2002 (17:44) * 11 lines
ELEMENT REVEALS ABUNDANCE OF MATTER IN EARLY UNIVERSE
-----------------------------------------------------
Astronomers using the National Science Foundation's 140 Foot Radio Telescope were able to infer the amount of matter created by the Big Bang, and confirmed that it accounts for only a small portion of the effects of gravity observed in the Universe.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0201/03water/

NASA SATELLITE OBSERVES FIRES RAGING AROUND SYDNEY
--------------------------------------------------
Bush fires surrounding Sydney continue to burn feverishly, and vast smoke plumes ascend from the southeastern coastline of Australia and extend out over the Tasman Sea. This true-color image from NASA's Terra spacecraft was made from data collected on Tuesday.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0201/03sydney/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 835 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jan  4, 2002 (17:48) * 11 lines
Bionic Eyes

NASA Science News for January 3, 2002

Using space technology, scientists have developed extraordinary ceramic
photocells that could repair malfunctioning human eyes.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2002/03jan_bioniceyes.htm?list89800 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 836 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jan  4, 2002 (19:15) * 21 lines
[1]ASTRONOMY

* Sweet Meteorites
* VLT ISAAC Looks for Young Stars in the Famous "Pillars of
Creation"
* Journey Through the Universe
* Coolest Space Science Images of 2001
* Seeking Contact: Carl Sagan Center to Focus on Life in the
Universe
* Dark Worlds "Discovery" Retracted
* Fantastic Voyage Inside the Sun Reveals Hidden World of Surprising
Complexity
* The Gas Between the Stars
* Moon Base Would Scan the Sky, and Deflect Threats to Earth
* Ice Melter Could Find Europa's Warm Heart
* Weird Geminids
* Hubble Sends Season's Greetings from the Cosmos to Earth

References
1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-astron 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 837 of 866: Kilauea83  (MarciaH) * Sat, Jan  5, 2002 (16:11) * 14 lines
Sun unleashes monster eruption

(CNN) -- The sun discharged a powerful burst of energy on Friday, igniting the most complex coronal mass ejection since an international solar observatory launched six years ago, according to astronomers.
The eruption, a twisting assemblage of bright patches that resembles a fantastical dragon, unleashed billions of tons of particles at speeds of about 2.2 million mph (3.5 million km/h).

The sun's magnetic field lines were responsible for the intricate design, according to Paal Brekke, a scientist with the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), a joint project of NASA and the European Space Agency
"The complexity and structure ... amazed even experienced solar physicists at the SOHO operations center," Brekke said. "It shows lots of structures, lots of filaments. They get twisted up like rubber bands and sometimes they can just snap."

With some instruments SOHO must block out the direct solar rays with a protective filter, seen in some pictures as a darkened disk. The white circle depicts the sun.
Packed with charged molecules and magnetic forces, solar storms headed in our direction can smash into the upper atmosphere, producing colorful aurora displays and making electrical systems go haywire on everything from satellites to power grids.

In 1989, one such geomagnetic storm knocked out the main electrical utility in Quebec, Canada, plunging millions into darkness for hours and costing billions of dollars to fix.
Fortunately, humans can breath easy after this particular salvo. "This one went out of the side of the sun and is not heading toward Earth," Brekke said. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 838 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Jan  7, 2002 (18:18) * 22 lines
Watch a comet swing by the Sun

Space Weather News for January 7, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

Periodic comet 96P/Machholz is heating up. Every 5.24 years the comet
swings remarkably close to the Sun, and this week is one of those times.
The comet is growing a long bright tail as it plunges toward our star.

Unfortunately, humans can't see the comet so close to the glaring Sun, but
coronagraphs on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) will
be able to observe the unfolding encounter. The comet appeared yesterday
within SOHO's field of view and will remain so for the next few days.

Unlike many Sun-approaching comets, notably the "Kreutz sungrazers,"
96P/Machholz is expected to survive its fiery encounter. Perihelion
(closest approach to the Sun) will take place on January 8th at a distance
of 0.12 AU.

Visit SpaceWeather.com for movies of the present encounter (and one that
happened 5 years ago) as well as links to more information. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 839 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Jan  7, 2002 (19:06) * 36 lines
SHUTTLE ASTRONAUTS TO GIVE HUBBLE TELESCOPE A MAKEOVER
------------------------------------------------------
Taking a break from space station assembly work, NASA is gearing up for the next Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission, a high-stakes five-spacewalk flight in February to install new solar arrays, a critical power switching unit and a new camera to extend the observatory's scientific reach. See our detailed mission preview:
http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts109/020107preview/

HUBBLE SNAPS STUNNING VIEW OF GLOBULES IN SPACE
-----------------------------------------------
Strangely glowing dark clouds float serenely in this remarkable and beautiful image taken with NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. These dense, opaque dust clouds - known as "globules" - are silhouetted against nearby bright stars in the busy star-forming region, IC 2944.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0201/04hubble/

'SPACE HAIRS' COULD HELP CRAFT DOCK TO MOTHER SHIP
--------------------------------------------------
Beds of thousands of tiny pulsating artificial "hairs" can provide a precise method for steering small satellites to docking stations on larger vessels, according to a study led by researchers at the University of Washington.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0201/04spacehairs/

SUN ERUPTS WITH AN EXTRAORDINARY MASS EJECTION
----------------------------------------------
The Sun unlashed a powerful eruption Friday and the SOHO instruments recorded maybe the most complex coronal mass ejection seen since the launch of the observatory six years ago. The event was initiated by an eruptive prominence on the northeast solar limb and is therefore not heading towards the Earth.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0201/05soho/

LOWELL ASTRONOMERS TO HELP LEAD PLUTO-KUIPER MISSION
----------------------------------------------------
Two Lowell Observatory astronomers are members of the New Horizons science team selected by NASA to lead the Pluto-Kuiper Belt mission, intended to explore our solar system's most distant planet and beyond.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0201/06plutosci/

SPACE STATION CREW WRAPS UP CELL RESEARCH EXPERIMENT
----------------------------------------------------
Operations with two long-running experiments have resumed onboard the International Space Station following a holiday break, and the three-man station crew has completed a labor-intensive cell science experiment.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0201/06isssci/

WORLD'S LARGEST TELESCOPE CREATES A VIRTUAL STAR
------------------------------------------------
The W. M. Keck Observatory and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have created a "virtual" guide star that will greatly increase the ability of the Keck II telescope using adaptive optics to resolve fine details of astronomical objects.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0201/05keck/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 840 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Jan  7, 2002 (19:16) * 36 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* New European Centers to Monitor Asteroid Threat
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/planetearth/neo_center_020107-1.html
To improve knowledge and raise public awareness about the threat of an asteroid smacking planet Earth, two separate facilities were announced recently in the UK.

* New 'Star' in Night Sky to Change View of Cosmos
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/virtual_star_020104.html
There's a new star in the sky, one made by humans to help them study other stars.

* New Picture: Solar Eruption Among Most Complex Ever Recorded
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/solar_flare_020104.html
The SOHO spacecraft has been watching the Sun for six years. Never has it seen anything like this.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* STS-108 Endeavour Photo Album
http://www.space.com/php/multimedia/imagegallery/
Shuttle Endeavour's voyage to the International Space Station during December 2001 is remembered in this photo album of pictures taken by NASA photographers and the astronauts themselves.

* Air Force, NASA Reduce Security at Cape Canaveral Spaceport
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/fl_ksc_020105.html
NASA and the Air Force reduced security restrictions at three Space Coast bases Friday for the first time in almost four months.

* Station Crew Gears Up for Two January Spacewalks
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/exp4_update_020104.html
The U.S.-Russian crew aboard the International Space Station will step up work outside the orbital outpost this month, setting out on two spacewalks aimed at carrying out key assembly jobs at the 17-story complex.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* Five Companies Share $94.6 Million SLI Funds
http://www.space.com/spacenews/spacenews_businessmonday_020107.html
Five companies will share in an additional $94.6 million in Space Launch Initiative (SLI) funds NASA awarded in December.
------------------------------------

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 841 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jan  8, 2002 (14:26) * 10 lines
The Edge of Sunshine

NASA Science News for January 8, 2002

Solar energy is an abundant source of power for spacecraft navigating the
inner solar system. But how far away from our star can photovoltaics work?

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2002/08jan_sunshine.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 842 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jan  8, 2002 (18:04) * 36 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* Dark Matter: Hidden Mass Confounds Science, Inspires Revolutionary Theories
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/cosmic_darkmatt_020108-1.html
Once upon a time -- a bit more than 100 years ago -- many scientists believed that seemingly empty space wasn't empty at all, but was filled with a substance called luminous ether. This mysterious stuff, never seen in any laboratory on Earth, was thought to explain how gravity from one celestial body could affect another.

* Star Wars: What Happens When Stellar Winds Collide
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/colliding_winds_020108.html
A pair of stars some 4,500 light-years from Earth engage in a titan battle every few years, when their odd orbits bring them so close they can practically smell each others' breath.

* Planet Found Around Giant Star Gives Clues to Earth's Fate
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/planet_found_020108.html
Astronomers have found evidence for the first known planet orbiting a giant star that is aged and swollen the way our Sun will one day be, hinting that planets can survive the latter stages of a star's life.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* U.S. Establishes Missile Defense Agency
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/missile_defense_020107.html
U.S. President Bush's push to create a multi-layered defense system -- including use of spaceborne hardware -- took a step forward last week when Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld announced the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) was redesignated the Missile Defense Agency (MDA).

* Space Junk and ISS: A Threatening Problem
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/junk_iss_020107.html
Space is hazardous on its own. Nature provides generous doses of vacuum, radiation, micrometeoroids, and extreme conditions of heat and cold.

* STS-108 Endeavour Photo Album
http://www.space.com/php/multimedia/imagegallery/
Shuttle Endeavour's voyage to the International Space Station during December 2001 is remembered in this photo album of pictures taken by NASA photographers and the astronauts themselves.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* XM Signs 30,000 Subscribers in First Eight Weeks of Service
http://www.space.com/spacenews/index.html
XM Satellite Radio Inc. signed up about 28,000 paying subscribers during its first eight weeks of service throughout the continental United States, according to a Jan. 7 statement from the satellite radio broadcaster. 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 843 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jan  8, 2002 (18:05) * 27 lines
DISCOVERIES RAISE HOPES FOR EXOPLANET SEARCHES
----------------------------------------------
The discoveries of a brown dwarf and a circumstellar disk make it increasing likely that telescopes will soon be able to directly observe Jupiter-sized planets orbiting other stars, astronomers said Monday.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0201/08browndwarf/

ASTRONOMERS SNAP IMAGE OF UNIVERSE'S FIERY YOUTH
------------------------------------------------
Like a hyperactive child, the Universe had an energetic youth, according to a new result using data from the Two-Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS). Light emitted by the young Universe has been detected with the survey. The intensity of this light, called the Cosmic Infrared Background radiation, is two to three times what is expected based on observed galaxies.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0201/08fieryyouth/

LAUNCH OF HUBBLE SERVICING MISSION RESCHEDULED
----------------------------------------------
As expected, NASA officials are delaying by another week the planned launch of shuttle Columbia on the 11-day mission to service and upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope, sources said Monday. Liftoff is now set for February 28 at 6:53 a.m. EST. The mission has been pushed back two weeks so the replacement of a suspect pointing device inside Hubble could be added to the flight.
http://spaceflightnow.com/tracking/

CHANDRA PUTS FURTHER LIMITS ON NATURE OF DARK MATTER
----------------------------------------------------
NASA scientists using the Chandra X-ray Observatory have measured the distribution of dark matter in an elliptical galaxy on the smallest scale yet and found that this mysterious substance exists in high concentrations throughout most of galaxy.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0201/08darkmatter/


'BIG GLITCHER' PULSAR REVEALS LONG-HIDDEN, EXOTIC INTERIOR
----------------------------------------------------------
Scientists see a few glitches in an otherwise flawless spin of a pulsar, and this is a good thing. These glitches, a term given to the sudden change in pulsar spin frequency, are revealing the strange physics of the high-pressure interior of the pulsar, a long-standing mystery. A pulsar named PSR J0537-6910 appears to have the highest rate of glitches of any known pulsar.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0201/08pulsar/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 844 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jan 10, 2002 (15:28) * 11 lines
In Search of E.T.'s Breath

NASA Science News for January 10, 2002

Astronomers are discovering new worlds outside our solar system at a
dizzying pace. Do any of them harbor alien life? No one knows, yet...
But advanced telescopes might soon reveal the telltale signs of E.T.'s
breath.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2002/10jan_exo-atmospheres.htm?list89800

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 845 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Thu, Jan 10, 2002 (18:12) * 3 lines
Terrestial or orbiting telescopes?

I can't imagine why they would continue investing in terrestial telescopes.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 846 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Thu, Jan 10, 2002 (18:36) * 1 lines
Mauna Kea is in constant state of upgrading and construction on the summit. There are things terrestrial-based telescopes can do easier and more economically that orbiting ones can. Where these telescopes are located, they are above 90% of the Earth's atmosphere. The stars hardly scintillate looking in most directions. As, when something needs to be fixed, it is just a hour or so from Hilo in your car. This Hubble fix is going to be a huge investment in capital and in manpower of the most sophisticated sort. Many nations who cannot afford time on the Hubble find time on Mauna Kea. That is a huge universe out there. We are just beginning to see it.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 847 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sat, Jan 12, 2002 (23:59) * 16 lines
For years, scientists have assumed that the sun is an enormous mass of hydrogen. But in a paper to be presented today at the American Astronomical Society's meeting, Dr. Oliver Manuel says iron, not hydrogen, is the sun's most abundant element.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0201/10ironsun/


CHANDRA TAKES IN BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY OF MILKY WAY
-----------------------------------------------------
NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory has made a stunning, high-energy panorama of the central regions of our Milky Way galaxy. The findings are an important step toward understanding the most active area of the Milky Way as well as other galaxies throughout the universe.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0201/10brightlights/


SOHO'S PRIVATE VIEW OF A SUNBATHING COMET
-----------------------------------------
You could see it easily with your unaided eye if only Comet Machholz 1 were not so very close to the Sun. This unusual comet, reputed to flare up a lot, is today sweltering only 18 million kilometers from the Sun. This is its closest approach on an orbit that brings it back to the solar vicinity every 63 months. The best and perhaps the only view of it at this time comes from the sun-watching spacecraft SOHO.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0201/10sohocomet/ 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 848 of 866: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Sun, Jan 13, 2002 (05:04) * 1 lines
Wow, the iron sun. That's a concept shift!

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 849 of 866: Moon Dreams  (Moon) * Sun, Jan 13, 2002 (11:13) * 32 lines
From Today's Miami Herald:

For the stars, it's natural being green
BY ROBERT S. BOYD
Herald Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON -- Looking up at the night sky, you'd never guess that the universe is really a pale shade of green.

At least that's what some astronomers say you would see if you could observe all the light from all the trillions of stars and galaxies in the cosmos collected together.

Some starlight comes from hot, young, blue stars, some from middle-age, yellow stars such as our sun and some from cool, old, red stars.

If you mix their light, the average color comes out ``quite close to the standard shade of pale turquoise, although it's a few percent greener,'' said Karl Glazebrook, an astronomy professor at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

``Every star is different,'' said Ivan Baldry, Glazebrook's assistant, ``but they all have some green light in them.''

You can't actually see a green universe; it's a physical abstraction calculated from the wavelengths of the light radiated from stars and galaxies. The night sky looks black to the naked eye because the light from distant stars and galaxies is too faint to show their true colors, except through a telescope.

Glazebrook and Baldry presented their findings last week at the annual meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Washington.

Baldry conceded that the notion of a green universe is ``a bit of whimsy.'' He joked about ``color-of-the-universe T-shirts and coffee mugs.''

The color data came from a serious study by the Johns Hopkins astronomers of the light that stars emitted in 200,000 galaxies from two billion to three billion light-years from earth. (A light-year is approximately six trillion miles.)

``We believe that the survey is large enough to make this a truly representative sample,'' Baldry said.

According to Baldry, the universe had a ``blue period'' when stars were young and hot. It is now in a middle ``green period,'' and in time will enter a final ``red period,'' when old stars will dominate.

Already, Baldry said, the number of newborn stars is far less than it was 10 to 14 billion years ago.

To see the color of the Universe, go to: http://www.pha.jhu.edu/~kgb/cosspec/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 850 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sun, Jan 13, 2002 (14:21) * 3 lines
Iron sun is definitly different. Not nearly as glamorous as first imagined, either!

Moon!!! Thanks for the fascinating article. I'd rather it be pale turquoise. That cosmic green is not the prettiest color of the batch. Oh well... No one consulted me on decorating the Cosmos.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 851 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Sun, Jan 13, 2002 (15:10) * 25 lines
YOUNG STAR BLASTS ITS WAY OUT OF STELLAR NURSERY
------------------------------------------------
A young star is apparently blasting high-speed gas jets from its poles, carving a void through the dense molecular cloud that was its birthplace, according to an international team of astronomers. The observation indicates that the jets are more common and last longer than supposed.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0201/13youngstar/

RADIOACTIVE DECAY OF ELEMENTS GIVES AGE OF STARS
------------------------------------------------
Gold, silver, platinum and other exotic heavy elements forged in the explosions of massive stars are leading the way to understanding the birth of elements in our Milky Way galaxy.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0201/13decay/

MARS ODYSSEY SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETES AEROBRAKING
-----------------------------------------------
NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft fired its small thrusters early Friday, raising the probe up out of the atmosphere to conclude the aerobraking portion of the mission. Aerobraking is considered the most complex phase of the entire Odyssey voyage.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0201/12odyssey/

A NEW WAY TO FIND DISTANCE OF GAMMA-RAY BURSTS
----------------------------------------------
Astronomers at Rice University in Houston have discovered that the rate at which a gamma-ray burst cools might be used to calculate the distance of that burst. The researchers believe that this additional technique will enable scientists to learn more about the evolution of the early universe.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0201/12grb/

ASTRONOMERS SET NEW LIMITS ON GRAVITATIONAL WAVE BACKGROUND
-----------------------------------------------------------
An unsuccessful search for anomalies in the flashing of a millisecond pulsar over the past 17 years puts a new limit on the amount of gravitational radiation in the universe and brings astronomers closer to detecting signals from gravitational waves.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0201/12gravwave/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 852 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Jan 14, 2002 (14:47) * 19 lines
NEWSALERT: Monday, January 14, 2002 @ 1419 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Astronomy Now and Spaceflight Now

SPACEWALK SCHEDULED FOR STATION CREW TODAY
------------------------------------------
The first spacewalk by the current crew of the International Space Station will be staged today as a Russian cosmonaut and an American astronaut conduct a six-hour excursion to move a cargo crane and install an amateur radio antenna.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/status.html

TITAN 4 ROCKET TO LAUNCH FIFTH MILSTAR TUESDAY
----------------------------------------------
Pre-launch preparations continue for the Titan 4B rocket in advance of Tuesday's planned liftoff carrying the Milstar 5 spacecraft from Cape Canaveral. The final readiness reviews are scheduled for today to clear the rocket for flight.
http://spaceflightnow.com/titan/b38/status.html

NEW OCEANOGRAPHY SATELLITE ACHIEVES PROPER ORBIT
------------------------------------------------
The joint NASA/French Space Agency oceanography satellite Jason 1 has reached its operational orbit and begun six months of instrument calibrations with its sister spacecraft, Topex/Poseidon.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0201/14jason1/ 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 853 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jan 15, 2002 (16:46) * 10 lines
Voyage of the Nano-Surgeons

NASA Science News for January 15, 2002

NASA-funded scientists are crafting microscopic vessels that can venture
into the human body and repair problems, one cell at a time.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2002/15jan_nano.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 854 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jan 18, 2002 (16:11) * 48 lines
The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (01/16/2002)

In the News:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/

* Latest Images:
Invisible Cirrus Clouds
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7259

Opaque Skies in the Far East
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7258

Fires in Thailand and Cambodia
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7257

ISS Astronauts View the Moon
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7255

High-Resolution View of Fires and Smoke near Sydney, Australia
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7254

Ice Breakup in the Ross Sea
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=6779

Smoke Blankets New South Wales, Australia
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=6778

* NASA News
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/
- NASA Unveils New 'Natural Hazards' Web Site
- New Method Greatly Improves U.S. Seasonal Forecasts
- SeaWinds Casts a Closer Eye on Tropical Cyclones
- Greenhouse Emissions Growth Slowed Over Past Decade
- Space Survey Yields New Info on California's Landscape, Quakes

* Media Alerts
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/
- Congo River Basin: Geology and Soil Type Influence Drought Impact
- There's More to Ice Ages than Main Theory Explains
* Headlines from the press, radio, and television:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/
- Experts Say El Niño is Returning
- Global Warming to Boost Cotton Yields
* New Research Highlights
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Research/
-
Earth Observatory Announcements
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 855 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Fri, Jan 18, 2002 (16:13) * 9 lines
The Resurgent Sun

Evidence is mounting that some solar cycles are doubled-peaked. The
ongoing solar maximum may itself be a double -- and the second peak has
arrived.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2002/18jan_solarback.htm?list89800 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 856 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jan 23, 2002 (23:19) * 35 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* How New Technologies Could Revolutionize Big Telescope Designs
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/beyond_dish_020123-1.html
Galileo Galilei observed Saturn's rings and Jupiter's largest moons with something very much like a sailor's spyglass ­ a straight line of refracting lenses. For the average person, that's still the image of a telescope. But Isaac Newton had the idea to gather light in a parabolic mirror at the base of the telescope.

* New Era Dawns in Search for Other Worlds
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/dusty_worlds_020123-1.html
At a meeting of the American Astronomical Society earlier this month, the Hilton and Towers hotel was loaded with more dust than a second-hand bookstore owner sees in a lifetime.

* Alaska Awaits Its Annual 1-Hour Day
http://www.space.com/SpaceReportersNetworkAmateurAstronomy/Finkler_Sunreturns_012102.html
The 5,000 residents of the northernmost city in the United States have not seen the sun since it went below the horizon last November 18, or over two months ago.

-----------------------------------
Today in Missions/Launches:

* Russian President: Space Exploration Only Way to Ensure National Security
http://www.space.com/news/russia_space_020122.html
Russian President Vladimir Putin urged more attention to space exploration and the country's space industry, saying that is the only way to ensure national security

* NASA Balloon Makes Record-Breaking Flight
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/nasa_balloon_020122.html
Larger than a football field and flying near the edge of space, a NASA scientific balloon has set a new flight record of almost 32 days after completing two orbits around the South Pole.

* Mars Odyssey Ready to Tackle Science Agenda
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/odyssey_update_020121.html
NASA's Mars Odyssey is ready to start science duties as it circles the Red Planet.

------------------------------------
Today in Business/Industry:

* Boeing Capital Secures Loans For Six Space Transactions
http://www.space.com/spacenews/
Boeing Co.'s financing arm secured a total of $300 million in loans for six commercial space transactions in its first year of supporting such projects, according to Robert W. Gordon, vice president of space and defense at Boeing Capital Corp., Long Beach, Calif.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 857 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jan 23, 2002 (23:21) * 46 lines
The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (01/22/2002)
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Natural Hazards:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/

* Latest Images:
Tropical Cyclone 10s (Dina)
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3? http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_ id=1609

Nyirangongo Volcano Erupts in the Congo
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3? http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_ id=1608

In the News:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/

* Latest Images:
Harsh Winter in Turkey
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7265

Tucson, Arizona, and its Surroundings
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7264

Spanish Peaks, Sangre de Cristo Range, Colorado
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7263

Snow Clouds Stream off Lake Michigan
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7262

Nyiragongo Volcano Erupts in the Congo
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7261

Snow-Covered Peaks of the Wasatch and Uinta Mountains
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7260

* NASA News
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/
- Study Links El Niño To Deadly South American Disease
- Climate Change May Bring More Winter Floods, and a Drier Growing Season in California
- NASA Satellite Instrument Warms Up Global Cooling Theory

* Media Alerts
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/
- Scientists Describe Century of Human Impact on Global Surface Temperature 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 858 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Wed, Jan 23, 2002 (23:22) * 35 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* How New Technologies Could Revolutionize Big Telescope Designs
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/beyond_dish_020123-1.html
Galileo Galilei observed Saturn's rings and Jupiter's largest moons with something very much like a sailor's spyglass ­ a straight line of refracting lenses. For the average person, that's still the image of a telescope. But Isaac Newton had the idea to gather light in a parabolic mirror at the base of the telescope.

* New Era Dawns in Search for Other Worlds
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/dusty_worlds_020123-1.html
At a meeting of the American Astronomical Society earlier this month, the Hilton and Towers hotel was loaded with more dust than a second-hand bookstore owner sees in a lifetime.

* Alaska Awaits Its Annual 1-Hour Day
http://www.space.com/SpaceReportersNetworkAmateurAstronomy/Finkler_Sunreturns_012102.html
The 5,000 residents of the northernmost city in the United States have not seen the sun since it went below the horizon last November 18, or over two months ago.

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Today in Missions/Launches:

* Russian President: Space Exploration Only Way to Ensure National Security
http://www.space.com/news/russia_space_020122.html
Russian President Vladimir Putin urged more attention to space exploration and the country's space industry, saying that is the only way to ensure national security

* NASA Balloon Makes Record-Breaking Flight
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/nasa_balloon_020122.html
Larger than a football field and flying near the edge of space, a NASA scientific balloon has set a new flight record of almost 32 days after completing two orbits around the South Pole.

* Mars Odyssey Ready to Tackle Science Agenda
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/odyssey_update_020121.html
NASA's Mars Odyssey is ready to start science duties as it circles the Red Planet.

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Today in Business/Industry:

* Boeing Capital Secures Loans For Six Space Transactions
http://www.space.com/spacenews/
Boeing Co.'s financing arm secured a total of $300 million in loans for six commercial space transactions in its first year of supporting such projects, according to Robert W. Gordon, vice president of space and defense at Boeing Capital Corp., Long Beach, Calif.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 859 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Mon, Jan 28, 2002 (13:31) * 13 lines
The Great Dying

NASA Science News for January 28, 2002

Two hundred and fifty million years ago something unknown wiped out most
life on our planet. Now scientists are finding buried clues to the mystery
inside tiny capsules of cosmic gas.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2002/28jan_extinction.htm?list89800 



 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 860 of 866: Eugenia  (vze) * Tue, Jan 29, 2002 (11:19) * 1 lines
I don't know if this has been reported here or not. NASA is currently pooling the scientific community to help its decision making process regarding space missions. There is a rare opportunity for the public in general to participate in this pool through the Planetary Organization. The deadline for the survey is January 31, 2002, so, if you wish to be heard, do not delay. The survey is available on line at htpps://planetary.org/survey

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 861 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jan 29, 2002 (14:55) * 1 lines
I did post a little headline about it - thanks for making it more prominent - and Welcome to Geo! The Planetary Organization is a most realiable group, and it is not a useless undertaking they are pursuing. I plan to participate later in the day and will send it on to the others who are on my email but sometimes do not read Geo. Again, Welcome and many thanks for pointing out this important undertaking. https://planetary.org/survey/

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 862 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jan 29, 2002 (14:57) * 2 lines
Somehow that link for the planetary society survey does not resolve into a link. I will let you get there this way. Remember, you must take this survey by January 31st of this year!
http://www.planetary.org/

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 863 of 866: Marcia  (MarciaH) * Tue, Jan 29, 2002 (15:04) * 35 lines
Today in Science/Astronomy:

* 5 Great Cosmic Mysteries: Is There Life Beyond Earth?
http://www.space.com/news/cosmic_life_020129-1.html
It's an amazing, electrifying, even terrifying feeling: Stare into a starry night sky and ask yourself if someone, or something, might be staring back. Just the thought is enough to make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. But even now, after centuries of wondering, and decades of actively looking, humans still don't know the answer.

* 30 Billion Earths? New Estimate of Exoplanets in Our Galaxy
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/jupiter_typical_020128.html
Chances are you haven't spent a whole lot of time wondering how many Jupiter-like planets exist in our galaxy. But Charley Lineweaver has, because it bears on a more important question: How many potentially habitable planets are there?

* Horsehead Nebula Captured In Stunning New Detail
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/horsehead_eso_020128.html
The famous Horsehead Nebula has been captured in unprecedented detail in new images from the European Southern Observatory (ESO)'s Very Large Telescope (VLT).

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Today in Missions/Launches:

* Columbia Rolls Out As NASA Marks Challenger Anniversary
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/sts109_update_020128.html
Shuttle Columbia rolled out to a Kennedy Space Center launch pad amid tight security Monday as NASA paused to mark the 16th anniversary of the 1986 Challenger explosion, which killed seven astronauts.

* Reaching For Pluto - A Rendezvous Between Planetary Science and Politics
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/pluto_options_020128-1.html
The White House, Congress, and NASA will soon seal the fate of a mission to the most distant planet known within our family of worlds: Pluto and its moon, Charon, the only planet-satellite system in our solar system that has not been visited by an interplanetary probe.

* New Orbital Maps Show Where Most Powerful Lightning Strikes
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/planetearth/nasa_lightning_020128.html
Lightning. It avoids the ocean, but likes Florida. It's likely to strike in the Himalayas and even more so in central Africa. And lightning almost never strikes the North or South Poles.

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Today in Business/Industry:

* Spot Inks Deal With DigitalGlobe
http://www.space.com/spacenews/
Spot Image's new partnership with DigitalGlobe Inc. signals a directional shift in which the French firm will enlist agents to sell its satellite imagery in mature markets around the world while its own staff concentrates on undeveloped and emerging ones, company officials said.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 864 of 866: John Tsatsaragos  (tsatsvol) * Wed, Jan 30, 2002 (06:45) * 8 lines
Welcome Eugenia,
Thank you for this important information.
Your name sounds as Greek. I wonder because I am Greek and I live near Volos city. Welcome again.

Regards

John 


 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 865 of 866: Eugenia  (vze) * Wed, Jan 30, 2002 (16:59) * 2 lines
I'm not Greek, John. Eugenia is my second name; my first name (which derives from the Roman God of War, Mars) is already in use here, so I used the second...
Thanks.

 Topic 36 of 108 [news]: Space Science News
 Response 866 of 866: Curious Wolfie  (wolf) * Wed, Jan 30, 2002 (19:34) * 3 lines
oh! marcia #2 then, huh?

we're glad to have you aboard!
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