NASA

U.S. Space Science Confronts New Economic Reality : The Hubble space telescope floats above the Earth. Astronomers are worried. It’s not some new unexplained mystery of the universe or the upcoming launch of a space telescope that is unnerving them, though. The problems they currently face are much more down-to-Earth — and the future of space exploration hangs in the balance. The anxiety stems from the fact that astronomy, especially space-based astronomy, is just plain expensive. And with...Read Full Story

NASA is looking for at least two American companies to design and build a new “space taxi” to transport astronauts to and from the International Space Station , the space agency announced yesterday. The effort is part of NASA’s new Integrated Design Project (IDC). The space agency plans to invest $300 million to $500 million into each of the companies chosen under new 21-month partnership agreements, said Ed Mango, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew program, at an industry briefing at the...Read Full Story

Moon explorations have been carried out not only by the U.S. and Russia but also countries from Asia including Japan, China and India. Even the European Space Agency has also sent robotic spacecraft to the moon. Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) of NASA is most likely the most productive among all moon explorations as it already gathered almost a million pictures on the surface of the moon that are so vivid, even a coffee table can be seen in the midst of boulders. Citizen science program...Read Full Story

It is easy to view and see the International Space Station (ISS), you only need to know where to look and what to look for. The near space around us is constantly active. Dozens of satellites circle the earth in different orbits. Many satellites can be viewed from Earth shortly after sunset or sunrise. Satellites do not shine their own light, but can be seen as they reflect the bright sun light. Despite the difference between a satellite and an airplane, it is possible to confuse between...Read Full Story

A big step for Boeing Satellites : It may seem a stretch to look for similarities between a C-17 or 737 assembly line and a satellite factory. The atmosphere in the two places is so different—literally. Airplane hangar doors are opened when it gets hot and machinists wear T-shirts and jeans. A satellite factory’s temperatures are carefully controlled and particulate contamination is a big deal, so assemblers wear hair nets and “bunny suits” over their street clothes. Nonetheless, Boeing ’s...Read Full Story