Space Exploration news

Cassini Captures Ghostly Dance of Saturn's Northern Lights (w/ Video)

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

5 hours ago | 5 / 5 (3) | 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- In the first video showing the auroras above the northern latitudes of Saturn, Cassini has spotted the tallest known "northern lights" in the solar system, flickering in shape and brightness ...

ET: Check your voicemail

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

5 hours ago | 3.4 / 5 (5) | 3

(PhysOrg.com) -- Alien beings on faraway planets may not have noticed, but it’s been 35 years since human beings made the first deliberate effort to send them a message.

U.S. losing its lead in space, experts warn Congress

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

2 hours ago | 1 / 5 (1) | 1

America's once clear dominance in space is eroding as other nations, including China, Iran and North Korea, step up their activities, a panel of experts told the House subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics Thursday.

Free Spirit: Third Extrication Drive Ends With Wheel Stall

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

Nov 23, 2009 | 4 / 5 (2) | 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- Spirit experienced a wheel stall with the right-rear wheel during the second step of a two-step drive on Sol 2092 (Saturday, Nov. 21). This is not the same wheel that stalled on Sol 1899 (May ...

Cassini Sends Back Images of Enceladus as Winter Nears

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

Nov 23, 2009 | 4.4 / 5 (7) | 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA's Cassini spacecraft has sailed seamlessly through the Nov. 21 flyby of Saturn's moon Enceladus and started transmitting uncalibrated temperature data and images of the rippling terrain. ...

Astronauts take spacewalk No. 3 after suit snag

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

Nov 23, 2009 | 5 / 5 (1) | 0

(AP) -- A pair of astronauts stepped out on the third and final spacewalk of their shuttle mission Monday, helping to install an enormous oxygen tank at the International Space Station.

Astronaut's baby daughter born as he circles Earth

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

Nov 22, 2009 | 5 / 5 (1) | 0

(AP) -- Astronaut Randolph Bresnik jubilantly welcomed his new daughter into the world Sunday as he floated 220 miles above it.

Baby can wait as expectant dad finishes spacewalk

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

Nov 21, 2009 | 3.7 / 5 (3) | 0

(AP) -- A spacewalking astronaut put aside the impending birth of his daughter and blazed through his first-ever venture outside the International Space Station on Saturday.

Cassini's Big Sky: The View from the Center of Our Solar System

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

Nov 20, 2009 | 4.8 / 5 (15) | 1

(PhysOrg.com) -- When NASA's Cassini spacecraft began orbiting Saturn five years ago, a dozen highly-tuned science instruments set to work surveying, sniffing, analyzing and scrutinizing the Saturnian system.

Astronauts await word of baby girl on Earth

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

Nov 20, 2009 | 5 / 5 (1) | 0

(AP) -- Atlantis' astronauts anxiously awaited word on the birth of one crewman's daughter Friday, as they moved more supplies into the International Space Station and geared up for another spacewalk.

Before Darkness Falls: Cassini to Scan Enceladus on Winter's Cusp

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

Nov 20, 2009 | 4.5 / 5 (2) | 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA's Cassini spacecraft will fly by Saturn's moon Enceladus this weekend for a last peek at the intriguing "tiger stripes" before winter darkness blankets the area for several years.

Astronauts get extra moving time at space station

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

Nov 20, 2009 | 4 / 5 (1) | 0

(AP) -- The astronauts aboard the shuttle-station complex are getting some extra moving time.

Planet 51 Star Brings NASA's Message of Exploration Down to Earth

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

Nov 20, 2009 | 4 / 5 (2) | 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- Actor Dwayne Johnson, usually known for his action and comedic film roles, takes to the stars as an astronaut in a new animated feature that brings important messages about the importance of space exploration ...

Astronauts get extra work done in 1st spacewalk (Update)

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

Nov 19, 2009 | not rated yet | 2

(AP) -- A pair of spacewalking astronauts, one of them a surgeon, hustled through antenna and cable work outside the International Space Station on Thursday and even whipped off an extra chore.

SOFIA Seeks Secrets of Planetary Birth

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

Nov 19, 2009 | not rated yet | 1

You don't always have to have a rocket to do rocket science. Sometimes a mere airplane will do - that is, a mere Boeing 747 toting a 17-ton, 9-foot wide telescope named SOFIA.

Second Planned Extrication Drive is Straight Ahead Again

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

Nov 19, 2009 | 3.8 / 5 (4) | 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- Because the first extrication drive for Spirit, on Sol 2088 (Nov. 17), stopped as soon as it began due to an exceeded tilt limit, the plan for an extrication drive on Sol 2090 (Nov. 19) wil ...

SMOS satellite instrument comes alive (w/ Video)

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

Nov 19, 2009 | not rated yet | 0

The MIRAS instrument on ESA's SMOS satellite, launched earlier this month, has been switched on and is operating normally. MIRAS will map soil moisture and ocean salinity to improve our understanding of the ...

NASA Supercomputer Ranks Among World's Fastest

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

Nov 19, 2009 | 4 / 5 (4) | 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA's premiere supercomputer located at Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., has garnered the sixth spot on the Top500 list of the world's most powerful computers.