Nasa lets web users explore Mars for themselves Nov 18, 2009
How to explore Mars and have fun ... The US space agency needs your help to explore Mars ... Another game gets users to count impact craters to help scientists understand better the relative age of rocks on Mars' surface. (BBC News -- Science)
Stuck Mars rover hits snag in escape attempt Nov 18, 2009
NASA / JPL-Caltech/CornellThis full-circle view from the panoramic camera on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit shows the terrain surrounding the location called "Troy," where Spirit became embedded in soft soil during the spring of 2009 ... NASA's Mars-exploring Spirit rover received its commands Tuesday to attempt an escape from a sand trap, but it made little progress because of a precarious tilt, mission managers reported ... Mission managers warn that the process to free Spirit, which has... (MSNBC -- Technology)
Counterpoint: The case for 'telepresence' in space Nov 18, 2009
Telepresence could be developed to enable a human on Earth to function in, and experience, a distant space environment such as Mars as effectively, for all practical purposes, as actually going there but without going there. A telepresence mission for the human exploration and development of Mars would then be a valid, and much less expensive, substitute for a manned mission ... Mars is the planet most like the Earth. (EETimes)
NASA, Microsoft launch Web site on Mars Nov 18, 2009
By surfing the "Be a Martian" Web site, internet users can have fun while advancing their knowledge of Mars, the JPL said in a press release. The public will be able to participate as citizen scientists to improve Martian maps, take part in research tasks, and assist Mars science teams studying data about the Red Planet ... The Web site will also enable the public to explore details of the solar system's grandest canyon, which resides on Mars, call up images in the Valles Marineris canyon before... (Xinhuanet, China)
FULL STORY (includes animations) Nov 18, 2009
Astronomy Now is pleased to announce the publication of Exploring Mars. The very best images of Mars taken by orbiting spacecraft and NASA's Spirit and Opportunity rovers fill up the 98 glossy pages of this special edition ... This new poster features some of the best pictures from NASA's amazing Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity. (Astronomy Now Online)
NASA, Microsoft take Web surfers to Mars Nov 18, 2009
NASA handout image from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows twisting dark trails criss-crossing light-colored terrain on the Martian surface. NASA and Microsoft launched an interactive website that allows Web surfers to become Mars explorers ... WASHINGTON (AFP) - NASA and Microsoft launched an interactive website that allows Web surfers to become Mars explorers. (Yahoo! Asia News)
NASA launches space shuttle Atlantis Nov 17, 2009
NASA has ambitious plans to put US astronauts back on the moon by 2020 to establish manned lunar bases for further exploration to Mars under a project called Constellation. But NASA's budget is currently too small to pay for Constellation's Orion capsule, a more advanced and spacious version of the Apollo lunar module, as well as the Ares I and Ares V launchers needed to put the craft in orbit. (India Times, India)
From the space race to human race Nov 17, 2009
At Mars, the real estate is vast, and so far unsurveyed. Little beyond Mars, the asteroid belt is half a million floating mountains made of nickel and iron and ices ... We should begin with surveying Mars and parsing it into 100 km blocks that we can sell to invester guvs or unions or corporations who help at the ground floor, 'early days. (BBC News -- Science)
Titusville artist designs NASA's shuttle mission patches Nov 17, 2009
TITUSVILLE Make Mars smaller and move it to the left ... The moon and Mars are featured predominately on the patch to represent future exploration and how current shuttle missions are laying the groundwork for future endeavors. (Florida Today)
'Flawless launch' Nov 17, 2009
President Bush had proposed soon after the Columbia accident that NASA look toward returning to the moon, as the first step in more ambitious goals, such as a mission to Mars ... Mars is some 34 million miles away at its closest point. (The Palm Beach Post)
NASA to begin escape attempt for Mars rover Nov 17, 2009
NASA / JPL-Caltech/CornellThis full-circle view from the panoramic camera on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit shows the terrain surrounding the location called "Troy," where Spirit became embedded in soft soil during the spring of 2009 ... The effort to free NASA's Spirit rover, currently mired in sand on Mars, will begin in earnest overnight when engineers send the first escape commands to the stuck robot to try to move out of its trap ... "This is by far the most complicated and complex"... (MSNBC -- Technology)
U.S. JPL prepares commands to free Mars rover Spirit Nov 17, 2009
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) started Monday to prepare driving commands for the Mars rover Spirit to exit a sand trap on the Red Planet, NASA announced ... It is the first attempt JPL is making to save the rover since it was trapped on Mars about six months ago ... Spirit, which landed on Mars in January 2004, has been stuck on Mars at a site scientists call "Troy" since April 23 this year. (Xinhuanet, China)
Rosetta swingby may help solve cosmic mystery Nov 17, 2009
" Rosetta, comprising an orbiter and a lander, will be the first spacecraft to undertake long-term exploration of a comet. Launched in 2004, it will reach comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in 2014, studying it for around two years as it careers towards the Sun. 2010 Yearbook Our latest 132-page Astronomy Now special edition is an extravaganza of astronomy for the year ahead, with a complete 30-page guide to observing the planets, moon, meteor showers, two solar eclipses, and the deep sky in 2010.... (Astronomy Now Online)
NASA's moon crash shows water is there, fueling talk of an outpost Nov 15, 2009
The panel wants NASA to look at other potential destinations like asteroids and Mars ... Former President George W. Bush had proposed a more than $100 billion plan to return astronauts to the moon, then go on to Mars; a test flight of an early version of a new rocket was a success last month ... The panel wants NASA to look at other potential destinations like asteroids and Mars. (Honolulu Star-Bulletin)
Canada: Alberta's Hidden Valleys Offer Both Resources and Danger Nov 15, 2009
14, 2007) About a decade ago, Johns Hopkins University geologist Bruce Marsh challenged the century-old concept that the Earth's outer layer formed when crystal-free molten rock called magma oozed to the ... 11, 2007) Scientists have gathered more evidence that suggests flowing water on Mars -- by comparing images of the red planet to an otherworldly landscape on Earth. (Science Daily)
Health Inspections Nov 15, 2009
Ferrando s Italian Pizzeria (1260 Mars Hill Road) 88. IHOP Restaurant (1061 Parkway Place) 80. (Athens Banner-Herald)
PIAA Soccer: Norwin tops Seneca Valley Nov 15, 2009
Palmyra 2, Mars 1: The WPIAL champion Planets (22-2) allowed the go-ahead goal with seven minutes remaining in a quarterfinal loss to Palmyra (25-1). The loss ended Mars' 19-game winning streak. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA -- Sports)
Water on the Moon Confirmed by NASA Crashes Nov 15, 2009
If the probe confirms reservoirs of ice on the moon, those water sources could support bases that might eventually propel humans to Mars and beyond ... NASA's Mars-bound spacecraft are meticulously sterilized, and plans are already being developed for the medical-grade quarantine that will await any Martian samples that could one day return to Earth. (National Geographic)
The 50 Best Inventions of 2009 Nov 14, 2009
In 2004, however, the U.S. committed itself to sending astronauts back to the moon and later to Mars, and for that, you need something new and nifty for them to fly ... Under the new thinking, astronauts could barnstorm or circle the moon, Mars and Mars' twin moons, deploying probes to do their rock-collecting and experiments for them. (Time.com)
Did comets from space help bring life to earth? Nov 14, 2009
Launched in 2004, Rosetta has already flown by Earth twice and Mars once ... Man drives $1m Bugatti into marsh. (BBC News -- Europe)
Rosetta Bound For Outer Solar System After Final Earth Swingby Nov 14, 2009
16, 2007) ESA mission controllers have confirmed Rosetta is on track for a critical 250-km Mars swingby on 25 February. Engineers have started final preparations for the delicate operation, which includes an. (Science Daily)
Professor To Predict Weather On Mars Nov 14, 2009
13, 2009) Is there such a thing as "weather" on Mars ... Mars, however, definitely has clouds, drastically low temperatures and out-of-this-world dust storms ... Mars is the most Earth-like planet we know, but it is still quite different. (Science Daily)
The Water From Another Planet Nov 14, 2009
A few years ago, signs of flowing water were discovered on the surface of Mars ... The fact that there's any liquid water at all on the surface of Mars should be a warning sign. (Slate)
Click to read:NASA: Spacecraft Confirms Water on Moon Nov 14, 2009
We need a fleet of small commuter rockets is all to get to the ISS. There we assemble a spaceship that uses ion-propulsion so that we can go to Mars with a lander ... Mars can be terraformed ... You could eventually establish a self-sustaining human colony on Mars. (CBS News)
Students Create Robot To Explore Mars Nov 14, 2009
The University of North Florida mechanical engineering students have created a robot that could provide inspiration for NASA scientists as they explore Mars ... This year it was Mars Exploration due to the success of the Phoenix Mars Lander, the first robot to troll Mars ... "The Phoenix Mars Lander was a completely autonomous robot that they just sent up there, had no control over it," Varela said. (News4Jax.com, FL)
Mars rover stuck in sand to receive aid from NASA Nov 13, 2009
NASA's Mars rover became mired in sand near the planet's equator in April ... "This could end up being where Spirit remains," said Doug McCuistion, director of NASA's Mars Exploration Program ... Since landing on Mars in early 2004, the rovers have made groundbreaking discoveries, including proving that water once flowed on the desolate planet. (AZCentral -- News)
NASA Readies for Rescue of Mars Rover Nov 13, 2009
NASA to Begin Attempts to Free Sand-Trapped Mars Rover ... Nov. 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- -- NASA will begin transmitting commands to its Mars exploration rover, Spirit, on Monday as part of an escape plan to free the venerable robot from its Martian sand trap ... "This is going to be a lengthy process, and there's a high probability attempts to free Spirit will not be successful," said Doug McCuistion, director of the Mars Exploration Program at NASA Headquarters in Washington. (SkyAndTelescope.com)
Stuck Mars rover gets set to attempt great escape Nov 13, 2009
Stuck Mars rover to begin moving - Mars- msnbc ... Stuck Mars rover to begin moving ... More resources, including latest Mars images. (MSNBC -- Technology)
Full Story » Nov 13, 2009
NASA to try to free stuck Mars rover Spirit - Yahoo ... NASA to try to free stuck Mars rover Spirit. (Yahoo News -- Technology)
NASA unveils plan to free sand-trapped Mars rover Nov 13, 2009
Spirit and its twin, Opportunity, arrived on Mars in 2004 ... Sand spun up from the crater has the highest sulphur content seen on Mars, says mission scientist Ray Arvidson of Washington University in St. Louis ... If the escape plan fails for Spirit, say the scientists, it will remain at an interesting site, exploring the crater for signs of past hot springs on Mars. (USA Today -- Tech)
All About Mars Nov 13, 2009
Mars remains a great subject of study among many astronomers ... The planet Mars is one of the most studied Solar System objects by researchers and astronomers ... Mars was named after the Roman god of war, while the Greeks called it Ares, after their own war god. (Suite101.com)
NASA to try to free stuck Mars rover Spirit Nov 13, 2009
LOS ANGELES - For NASA's stuck Mars rover, the Spirit may be willing, but the wheels could prove too weak ... "If it cannot make the great escape from this sand trap, it's likely that this lonely spot straddling the edge of this crater might be where Spirit ends its adventures on Mars," said Doug McCuistion, who heads the Mars exploration program at NASA headquarters ... After rehearsing various escape tries on Earth using prototype rovers, NASA said it was finally ready to provide some roadside... (MSNBC -- Technology)
NASA to free Mars exploration rover Spirit from sand trap Nov 13, 2009
This undated handout is a NASA illustration of one of its two six-wheeled rovers operating on the surface of Mars, Opportunity and Spirit, searching for geological evidence about water in the bygone Martial environment ... LOS ANGELES, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) -- NASA will start its plan to free its Mars exploration rover Spirit from its Martian sand trap, it was announced here Thursday ... Spirit has been lodged on Mars at a site scientists call "Troy" since April 23 this year. (Xinhuanet, China)
Stuck Mars rover to begin moving Nov 12, 2009
LOS ANGELES The Mars rover Spirit will soon try to drive itself out of a sand trap where it has been stuck for the past six months ... Spirit and its twin Opportunity landed on Mars in 2004 and have outlasted their primary three-month mission. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- World)
Phoenix Amid the Winter Snow Nov 12, 2009
NASA / JPL / Univ. of Arizona Last July and again in August, the HiRISE camera aboard Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter returned its gaze to the bleak plain called Scandia Colles, at a latitude of 68 north, where on May 25, 2008 ... Here it is as seen by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's HiRISE camera in June 2008, a few weeks after landing safely in the Martian north-polar region ... Ground stations will send a wake-up call to the spacecraft as the Mars Odyssey orbiter is overhead and listening for... (SkyAndTelescope.com)
Media Call: NASA's Stuck Martian Rover Spirit Nov 12, 2009
WASHINGTON -- NASA will host a media teleconference at 1 p.m. EST on Thursday, Nov. 12, to discuss attempts to free the Mars rover Spirit from sandy soil where the venerable robot has been stuck for the past six months ... - Doug McCuistion, director of the Mars Exploration Program, NASA Headquarters in Washington ... - John Callas, project manager, Mars Exploration Rovers, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. (NASA Watch)
Not your ordinary vacation Nov 12, 2009
After visiting four times, Altaffer crowns Pyongyang the most bizarre place he has ever been: "It's like Mars, with people.". Don't miss these Travel stories from msnbc. (MSNBC -- Travel)
Are Earth's Oceans Made Of Extraterrestrial Material? Nov 12, 2009
In comparison, the Moon and Mercury are dry, mortally cold deserts, Mars dried up very quickly and the surface of Venus is a burning inferno ... The same is true on Earth's sister planets, Venus and Mars ... It is widely accepted that terrestrial planets are formed over several million years by the agglomeration of asteroids (of kilometric size) then protoplanets (of the size of Mars). (Science Daily)
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Sees Channels From Hale Crater Nov 11, 2009
10, 2009) A new image from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows channels to the southeast of Hale crater on southern Mars ... As more of Mars is photographed with high-resolution imagery, more craters surrounded by channel systems are being discovered ... The channels in this HiRISE image are from Hale crater, an exceptionally well-preserved, 125-by-150-kilometer (78-by-93-mile) impact crater located on the northern rim of Mars' Argyre basin. (Science Daily)
PIAA Soccer: Center beats Villa Maria, 3-2 Nov 11, 2009
Mars 2, Harbor Creek 1 (2OT): Yulian Lustiv had the winner five minutes into the second overtime for the Planets (22-1) at West Allegheny. Hampton 2, Clearfield 0: The Talbots (17-4) got two second-half goals at Du Bois. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA -- Sports)
Some IT projects may have $2 billion in overruns, GAO says Nov 10, 2009
DHS Automated Commercial Environment is about $741 million over its original budget, while NASAs Mars Science Lab is about $652 million over budget and Commerces Decennial Response Integration System has overspent by $372 million, GAO said in a report Nov. 6. The report said agencies would develop better management of cost and schedule estimates by using earned value management (EVM) techniques. (FCW.com)
Planetary Society plans new 'solar sail' Nov 10, 2009
Russia hopes nuclear ship will fly humans to Mars. Russia should build a new nuclear-powered spaceship for prospective manned missions to Mars and other planets, the nation's space chief said Thursday ... In remarks posted Thursday on his agency's Web site, Perminov said the nuclear spaceship should be used for human flights to Mars and other planets. (Fresno Bee -- State)
BioMEMS target medical, space applications Nov 10, 2009
(11/09/2009 5:23 PM EST). Widely considered the father of bioMEMS, Professor Mauro Ferrari has founded a company to commercialize MEMS-based medical solutions and possible space applications. (EETimes)
Probe Sees More Hidden Territory On Mercury Nov 9, 2009
"Now that MESSENGER's cameras have imaged more than 80 percent of Mercury, it is clear that, unlike the moon and Mars, Mercury's surface is more homogeneously ancient and heavily cratered, with large extents of younger volcanic plains lying within and between giant impact basins," said co-investigator Mark Robinson of Arizona State University in Tempe. The project is the seventh in NASA's Discovery Program of lower-cost, scientifically focused missions. (Science Daily)
Nasa and Esa sign Mars agreement Nov 9, 2009
Europe's 2018 rover would focus on trying to find life on Mars. The US and European space agencies have signed the "letter of intent" that ties together their Mars programmes ... The ultimate aim is a mission to return Mars rock and soils to Earth labs. (BBC News)
Nelson offers insight on space Nov 9, 2009
On where NASA's ultimate target should be, Nelson said Mars should be the goal. But he said aiming human flights toward the Martian system would not preclude incremental missions to other targets, such as asteroids. (Florida Today)
Space Tourism a Reality by 2012 Nov 7, 2009
It will transport crews to and from the International Space Station, the moon and Mars and is being developed by Lockheed-Martin and Orbital Sciences Corp.. Some technologies, still in the concept stage, are even more mind-blowing, including spacecraft powered by "solar sails," which harness solar winds to travel between galaxies a thousand light-years apart. (Fox News)
Frontiers of the future: Is there anybody out there? Nov 7, 2009
Apart from a revival of interest in the Moon, Mars has received several landings, and various moons of other planets have been closely photographed recently. The most exciting activity in the Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI) is the Allen Telescope Array (ATA). (India Times, India -- Health/Science)
> read more Nov 7, 2009
By Saturday the 8th it's down next to Mars ... Once the waning Moon rises in the east around 11 or midnight tonight, look for Mars shining fire-like at its upper left ... Although they look close together, Mars is 450 times farther away and about twice as large in diameter. (SkyAndTelescope.com)
Click to read:Team wins $900K in Space Elevator Games Nov 7, 2009
Nugent said he personally doesn't believe a space elevator would work on Earth but may be practical for the moon or Mars. "It took a lot of years of hard work by just a great team of people who have understanding families," he said. (CBS News)
WPIAL Class AAA Roundup: Bly's TDs help Hampton upset Chartiers Valley Nov 7, 2009
Mars accumulated 312 yards in total offense, including 266 on the ground. Kevin Randolph led the Planets with 84 yards on 12 carries. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA -- Sports)
Critics call NASA tests on monkeys 'nonsense' Nov 6, 2009
Radiation study for Mars mission ... NASA plans to zap squirrel monkeys with radiation to see how cosmic rays might affect humans on a three-year trip to Mars ... But a future Mars craft would weigh too much and cost too much if engineers over-design it. (Florida Today)
Looking to the Future on the 75th Anniversary of the Birth of Carl Sagan Nov 6, 2009
Thomas O. Paine Award for the Advancement of Human Exploration of Mars. The Planetary Society presents the Thomas O. Paine Award to the group or individual who has done the most to advance the long-range human exploration of Mars ... Paine was the NASA Administrator during the Apollo 11 moon landing and was a passionate and long time advocate for Mars exploration, writing, "driving forces will motivate humans to settle Mars...and will provide a unifying force that reaches out to all people on... (NASA Watch)
NASA Ames celebrating 70 years Nov 6, 2009
Businesses along Castro, California and Villa streets will all have NASA Ames history exhibits on display, including historical photos of Moffett Field, a six-foot centrifuge, a three-dimensional panorama of Mars and information about how humans can live and work in space. The celebration Monday was hosted by Meyer Appliance on Castro Street. (Palo Alto Online, CA)
Diaz, Marsden, Kelly's 'Box' is empty Nov 5, 2009
Cameron Diaz and James Marsden have a terrible moral dilemma in Richard Kelly's "The Box": Press a button on a mysterious container, they'll get 1 million, and someone they don't know will die ... Diaz and Marsden play Norma and Arthur Lewis, a Virginia couple living a decent life with their young son in 1976 ... Arthur is a NASA engineer who worked on the Mars Viking landing, while Norma is a private-school teacher with a bad Southern accent that comes and goes and a gimpy foot resulting from... (Jefferson City News Tribune, MO)
BEN THERE, DONE THAT: Haven't we already done this? Nov 5, 2009
- Marshfield, MA - Scituate Mariner ... What happened to Mars ... If Kennedy put us on track to the moon in less than 10 years with 1960s technology, Obama should be able to put us on the surface of Mars before next Christmas. (Allston Brighton TAB, MA)
Camera spots Phoenix Mars Lander Nov 5, 2009
A high-powered camera orbiting Mars has spotted the Phoenix Mars Lander spacecraft peeking out from beneath a sheet of frost ... Scientific instruments aboard the craft confirmed that water, in the form of ice, exists on Mars ... A high-powered camera orbiting Mars has photographed the Phoenix Mars Lander, shown in the red circle, surrounded by frost. (AZCentral -- News)
The Box comes up completely empty Nov 5, 2009
A small wooden box arrives on a couple's (Cameron Diaz, James Marsden) doorstep and makes them instantly rich, but it also kills someone they don't know ... Cameron Diaz and James Marsden have a terrible moral dilemma in Richard Kellys The Box: Press a button on a mysterious container, theyll get $1 million, and someone they dont know will die ... Starring: Cameron Diaz, James Marsden, Frank LangellaDirector: Richard KellyRun time: 1 hour, 55 minutesMPAA rating: PG-13. (MSNBC -- Movies)
Device like Star Trek replicator is in the works Nov 5, 2009
But NASA has developed a technology that could enable lunar colonists to carry out on-site manufacturing on the moon, or allow future astronauts to create critical spare parts during the long trip to Mars ... Spare parts for Mars Beyond low-Earth orbit, such new manufacturing technology could enable space colonists to use local metal resources , Mars or in the asteroid belt ... Past simulations have also shown that spaceships would require many spare parts for the long journey to Mars, because... (MSNBC -- Technology)
Indias space ambitions take off Nov 5, 2009
They even talk of a mission to Mars ... "The scientists at ISRO and NASA have always had deep respect for each other. But it was politics and bureaucracy that stood in the way of great science," said Pallava Bagla, co-author of "Destination Moon: India's Quest for the Moon, Mars and Beyond.". (MSNBC -- International)
Teams Battle For $2 Million At Space Elevator Games Nov 5, 2009
"The challenge is put on by Spaceward, but the prize money comes direct from NASA.And while $2 million is a lot of money, NASA said it will be money well spent.The same technology the teams are using for the challenge could be used in the future by NASA here on earth and even beyond.Andrew Petro with NASA's Centennial Challenge Program said, "We might be able to power instruments on the surface of the moon or on the surface of Mars from orbit, and beyond that, we see a real application of this... (KERO 23, CA)
Shuttle launch dress rehearsal wraps up amid uncertainty Nov 4, 2009
This new architecture will have the ability to go wherever we want-low Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars, near-Earth objects, Lagrange points, you name it. There's also going to be a renewed emphasis on research and development. (Florida Today)
WPIAL Class AA Boys' Soccer: Mars beats Chartiers Valley, 2-0 Nov 4, 2009
Mars didn't waste much time in producing all the offense it needed to get a chance to defend its WPIAL Class AA boys' soccer championship. Try 48 seconds. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA -- Sports)
EXCLUSIVE: Secrets of Google's 3-D Mars, Moon Nov 4, 2009
Michael Weiss-Malik, Product Manager, Mars in Google Earth So, Moon and Mars in Google Earth are a lot like a video game ... And in Mars and Moon it's just like that except that you can actually explore another planet and they're based on real data, so instead of exploring you know, a fake world and shooting aliens you can actually explore a real alien world, and dive in and see craters and explore and, and also read some of the human stories on those planetary bodies where you can find out how... (National Geographic)
Discovery offers clearer picture of Mercury Nov 4, 2009
Scientists are interested in Mercury because it's one of four planets - including Earth, Venus and Mars - that resemble each other in composition. All have a metallic core, covered by a rocky mantle and topped with a thin crust. (AZCentral -- News)
