New search for Dark Energy goes back in time

Baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) sounds like it could be technobabble from a Star Trek episode. BAO is real, but astronomers are searching for these particle fluctuations to do what seems like science fiction: look back in time to find clues about dark energy. The Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey(BOSS), a part of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey III (SDSS-III), took its "first light" of astronomical data last month, and will map the expansion history of the Universe.

Read the rest of New Search for Dark Energy Goes Back in Time

© nancy for Universe Today, 2009

The MESSENGER Mission to Mercury book by Deborah Dominique

NASA's MESSENGER mission, launched on 3 August, 2004 is the seventh mission in the Discovery series. MESSENGER encounters the planet Mercury four times, culminating with an insertion into orbit on 18 March 2011. It carries a comprehensive package of geophysical, geological, geochemical, and space environment experiments to complete the complex investigations of this solar-system end member, which begun with Mariner 10.
The articles in this book, written by the experts in each area of the MESSENGER mission, describe the mission, spacecraft, scientific objectives, and payload. The book is of interest to all potential users of the data returned by the MESSENGER mission, to those studying the nature of the planet Mercury, and by all those interested in the design and implementation of planetary exploration missions.

http://bit.ly/xcHtX

For purchasing from Amazon UK go to this page: http://astore.amazon.co.uk/waybis-21/detail/0387772111

Report Calls Arecibo 'Uniquely Powerful' for Detecting NEOs

The Arecibo Observatory provides "unmatched precision and accuracy" in detecting asteroids or comets that could hit the Earth, says a report by the National Academy of Sciences. That statement could help secure the observatory's future. http://bit.ly/AS9zw

Odd Russian Space Rituals

Before a Russian rocket blasts into space, cosmonauts have some what may be considered to be "strange" rituals. Personally, I think that it's quite warming to know that age-old traditions still persist in the modern world of space travel... http://bit.ly/QC27q

Acrobat Space Tourist Rockets Into Orbit

A Canadian space tourist and new space station crew launched toward the International Space Station Wednesday. http://bit.ly/43vGzN

Microbe-ferrying Russian probe reportedly won't head for Mars orbit until 2011

Russia's Phobos-Grunt probe, which had been slated to head off this year on a sample-return mission to Phobos, the larger of Mars's two moons, will not launch until at least 2011, according to the Russian Interfax news agency . [More]


http://bit.ly/3WocXL

MESSENGER re-acquired following Mercury 141 mile high flyby, 1st images expected to be released tomorrow

Shortly before 5:55 p.m. EDT, MESSENGER skimmed 228 kilometers (141 miles) above the surface of Mercury in its third and final flyby of the planet. Radio signals received after the spacecraft emerged from behind the planet indicate that the spacecraft is operating nominally. Its instruments are now collecting images and other scientific measurements from the planet as it departs Mercury. http://bit.ly/YKdSA

JAXA's HTV-1 Approaches the ISS

On Sept. 17, Ralf Vandebergh captured a historic event through his telescope. He spotted the first ever Japanese cargo vehicle docking with the space station... from 300km below in his back yard in the Netherlands. Great skills! http://bit.ly/jTNSM

LHC gets warning system upgrade

An early warning system being installed at the Large Hadron Collider could prevent incidents of the kind which shut it last year. http://bit.ly/2mvc1D

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter LRO Press Briefing 17th Sept 2009

Craig Tooley, LRO Project Manager, Michael Wargo, Chief Lunar Scientist, Richard Vondrak, LRO Project Scientist and David Smith, LOLA Principal Investigator discuss the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter mission mapping the Lunar South Pole.

LCROSS fate has been decided, NASA AMES pinpoints lunar crater for impact

The Moon crater Cabeus A has been named as the impact site for the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) on the 9th October 2009. The site has been picked because it is optimal for volume and predictability of ejected material, concentration of Neutron emissions (which is an indicator for Hydrogen which increases the likelihood of water molecules) and permanent shading from the Sun.

STS-128 mission highlights round-up for the Space Shuttle Discovery and its crew

All the best moments from NASA's mission to the International Space Station to expand its scientific capability and deliver the C.O.L.B.E.R.T. exercise treadmill. The Space Shuttle Discovery returned returned on Friday 11th September 2009 following a very successful 15 day flight.

The first human colonisation of a another planet or a one way suicide mission, neither makes sense

I'm not sure how this debate is going to get us to Mars sooner, what seems to be overlooked is the cost of sustaining life for an indefinite period on the Martian surface as opposed to conducting short sorties and bringing the crew back.

If the other one way plan is to maroon the crew on the Martian surface without the technology and resources to survive it will never get funded due to public and political outcry. 

So why muddy the Martian waters with proposed missions which are likely to take longer on a larger budget or never get approved politically? 

We already have a perfectly good plan to get us to Mars in the Constellation program, it just needs the funding that was promised to it, to make it happen.

Which part of the world is the International Space Station flying over right now?

Track the current position of the International Space Station (ISS) as it orbits the Earth every 91 minutes at an altitude of ~200 miles

ARES all fired up and no place to go in possibly more ways than one

After the successful firing of the Ares Development Motor 1 solid fuel rocket, the Ares rocket program will now be competing with the Shuttle Derived and Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) options that will be presented to the White House as part of the Augustine Commission review of Human Spaceflight.

If you missed the Japanese JAXA H-II Transfer Vehicle HTV launch you can watch the replay here

The Japanese H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) launched at 1:01 p.m. EDT from the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan. The HTV will carry about 3.5 tons of supplies to the International Space Station and is scheduled to be attached Thursday, Sept. 17, using the stations robotic arm. Additionally, this was the first flight of the H-IIb rocket, which is a new variant of Japans H-IIa vehicle.

How the Russian MIR space Station was almost handed over to commercial enterprise

Spacevidcast interviews Michael Potter who produced the documentary film Orphans of Apollo which tells the true story of how a group of business men formed a company called MirCorp and came very close to taking over operation of the Russian MIR space station.

Concern raised over lack of dedicated funding for Near Earth Object monitoring on Astrocast TV for Sept 09

NASA JPL Solar System Ambassador Greg Redfern explains the difficulties imposed on NASA to fund continued monitoring of Near Earth Objects (NEO) for the purpose of predicting collisions with the Earth.

It is feared that without this capability there would not be sufficient time to prevent or prepare for a disastrous impact that would affect the environment over a widespread area or worst case, an extinction level event such as the one attributed to the demise of the dinosaurs.

Launch day highlights for STS128 Space Shuttle Discovery

Relax with a flight over Neptune's Moon Triton

This simulated voyage over the surface of Neptune's large moon Triton was produced using topographic maps derived from images acquired by NASA's Voyager spacecraft during its August 1989 flyby.

Mike Moses and Pete Nickolenko explain technical reason for 2nd launch scrub of STS128 Space Shuttle

Bush plan to discover oil in Heaven, tubby Astronauts and COLBERT send off message

Stephen Colbert's greeting message to NASA prior to the launch of arguably the most important payload yet delivered to the International Space Station. The C.O.L.B.E.R.T. exercise treadmill will be delivered to the ISS by Space Shuttle Discovery during the STS-128 NASA mission.

COLBERT treadmill will power International Space Station

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Space Module: Colbert - Sunita Williams
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Protests

Astronaut Sunita Williams on the Colbert Report earlier this year announces the chosen name of Tranquility for International Space Station's Node 3 module, despite Colbert winning the popular vote. In consolation an exercise treadmill will be named after Colbert called the Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill or C.O.L.B.E.R.T for short??? and will be installed inside the Node 3 module during the STS128 flight to the space station.

Augustine Human Spaceflight decision options for launch vehicles and missions

Integrated Options - Part 1

Integrated options - Part 2

Ed Crawley, Augustine Committee member presents at the Washington DC Public Meeting on 12th Aug 09 the various decision scenarios for developing launch vehicles including shuttle derived side and top mounted, heavy evolved expendable launch vehicle, Ares 1, Ares V and Ares V lite. This presentation also covers the types of possible missions including Moon base, Moon global, deep space or Mars direct.

The story of how the UK launched its first and only satellite with a British rocket

In 1971 a British made Black Arrow rocket launched the Prospero satellite into orbit from the Woomera launch facility in Southern Australia. This documentary recounts the events leading up to the launch of Prospero and includes interviews with the engineers involved in the development and launch of the Black Arrow rocket.

Rocket Science related products USA, UK

Mars Society Robert Zubrin presents his shortcut to Mars before the Augustine Human Spaceflight Review Committee

Mars Society President Robert Zubrin delivers an enthusiastic presentation at the 5th August public meeting in Washington DC, making the case for a low cost human mission to land on Mars within 10 years. It is argued that much of the training for adapting humans to the Martian environment can be conducted for a fraction of the cost in the Arctic region.

ESA Herschel infrared telescope will investigate the birth and life cycle of Stars and Galaxies

Herschel which is a European Space Agency space observatory, will be the most powerful infrared telescope flown in space so far. Herschel's mission is to study the origin and evolution of stars and galaxies to help us understand how the Universe came to be what it is today.

ESA Planck overview of its mission to study Cosmic Microwave radiation leftover from the Big Bang

ESA's Planck mission is the first European space mission to study the Cosmic Microwave background which is the relic radiation from the Big Bang. Planck will provide the sharpest picture ever obtained of the young Universe and will help to describe its birth and evolution.

Charlie Bolden, planetary systems and eclipsing binary Epsilon Aurigae on Astrocast TV for August 09

In the August 2009 edition of Astrocast TV: Charlie Bolden becomes NASA's new administrator and faces the planned ending of Space Shuttle program and technical problems and delays with the Constellation program.

Current understanding of how planetary systems following Star formation is explained and compared to the formation of our own Solar System, plus amateur astronomers are being invited to take part in observing the upcoming eclipsing Binary Epsilon Aurigue.

Astronaut office chief Steven Lindsey presents Astronaut opinions on the future of human spaceflight

Appearing at the Augustine Committee public meeting in Houston on 28th July 2009, Steven Lindsey comments and answers questions on the future of human space exploration.

Astronauts would like to see a doubling in the safety factor for ascent and descent to be incorporated into new spacecraft and launch vehicles. The Space Shuttle is a 1 in 77 vehicle (1 in 64 based on number of missions flown so far) which compares to the risk in climbing Mount Everest (1 in 62) and a D Day landing soldier (1 in 62), considering this Steven Lindsey did not consider NASA to be a risk adverse organization. However if there was to be another Shuttle failure and subsequent loss of crew, it would probably mark the end of the Space Shuttle program altogether.

Currently there are concerns about not only the up mass capability to ISS beyond Shuttle but also the down mass capability, despite support from the smaller cargo spacecraft Russian Progress, ESA's Automatic Transfer Vehicle (ATV) and Commercial Orbital Transportation Systems (COTS).

In order to concentrate the NASA budget on missions beyond low earth orbit (LEO), Steven Lindsey would like to see the COTS program takeover responsibility for LEO missions.

Not enough is known about manned planetary missions and long duration missions to ISS and Moon are considered essential steps for understanding and learning how to conduct a successful long duration mission to Mars.