Space Scan

NASA to air ISS spacewalks

admin — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 10:32:30 +0000

NASA is again planning to hold a large-scale media conference relating to the well-asserted preview on the International Space Station spacewalks at 1 p.m. CDT Wednesday, May 23. The meeting is scheduled to take place at the Johnson Space Center, Houston, and would be shown live on air through NASA Television. The NASA personnel will be answering to queries that account for global upliftment of the US Space agency and relating to the ISS. The space walks are destined to take place on May 30th and June 6th. The expedition 15 commander, Fyodor Yurchikhin, and Flight Engineer, Oleg Kotov, would be wearing their respective Russian Orlan spacesuits. The job that they will handle would be an installation of protection panels for the safety of the Space shuttle, Zvezda Service Module, from orbital debris. Flight Engineer, Sunita Williams, would be carrying out the in house job while remaining inside the shuttle monitoring every single move of the crew outside. She would be analyzing the configurations and geo satellite positions of their shuttle too. The names of the crewmembers for this expedition are as follows – Kirk Shireman, deputy International Space Station program manager Bob Dempsey, Expedition 15 lead flight director Heather Rarick, International Space Station spacewalk flight director Daryl Schuck, Expedition 15 lead spacewalk officer Via: Spaceref

Extrasolar planet GJ 436b covered with hot, solid water: Astronomers

admin — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 10:37:36 +0000

European astronomers have discovered an extrasolar planet about the size of Neptune that they say is covered with hot, solid water. The planet called GJ 436b is orbiting a cool, red star that is 30 light-years away. According to the astronomers the planet is not a very welcoming one, it is hot since it is very close to its parent star and is also under tremendous pressure because of its weight. The most startling discovery is that the planet is covered with hot but frozen water. The reason for this is that the close proximity of the parent star heats up the water and the enormous pressure freezes it. Astronomers also stated that the conditions there are hostile and there is little possibility that life can thrive in such circumstances, adding to the woes the planet is also covered with a blanket of hydrogen. Still life thrives in the most hostile places on Earth where it gets water, so the presence of water can host some form of life on the planet. The planet was first discovered in 2004 by a team of researchers who observed it indirectly, at that time not much information was available but now researchers are in a position to figure out more details of the planet. Using a Swiss-based telescope the Geneva team determined the size of the planet by watching it pass in front of its star. While other extrasolar planets may seem gas giants like Jupiter, this one appears to be smaller, but not small enough to have a rocky center like Earth. The mass and radius of the planet suggests that it is mainly made of water ice. The planet is orbiting the M-dwarf star GJ 436. This star is 100 times dimmer than our Sun having half the Sun’s mass. Via: MSNBC

Phobos-Grunt: China and Russia’s joint venture for Mars

admin — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 11:17:19 +0000

China and Russia will launch their Mars explorations as a joint mission in 2009 according to the Shanghai Space Administration. The mission is named Phobos-Grunt and will examine Mars environment, atmosphere, dust storms, plasma, radiation and also bring samples of Phobos (Mars’ moon) on its return. The home-developed Chinese probe would be completed by 2009. It is 75 centimeters long, 75 centimeters wide and 60 centimeters high. Weighing 110 kilograms it will be able to sustain 2 years on the mission. At present its model can be viewed at the space technology exhibition. For China this will be the first mission on Mars. Chen Changya, a researcher with the Shanghai Institute of Satellite Engineering said: Researchers are pressing ahead with the project for a synchronized launching with a Russian probe. Chen also believes that a Russian carrier rocket will be used for the launch of Chinese Probe and Russia’s Phobos-Grunt. It is hoped that the two will land on Mars in 2010 after 10 month’s flight. Image Source:english

Astronomers solve 45-year-old mystery of spiral arms

admin — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 11:08:18 +0000

For the first time astronomers have been successful in detecting water in the atmosphere of an extrasolar planet. This finding confirms previous theories that say that water vapor is present in the atmosphere of almost all known extrasolar planets. The planet in the scenario is named HD209458b and is well known among planet hunters. The planet was the first planet to be directly observed outside the solar system. It was also the first exoplanet confirmed to have oxygen and carbon in its atmosphere. The planet orbits at a distance of only about 4 million miles from its parent star. This small orbit is making this planet so hot that astronomers also believe that it is losing about 10,000 tons of material every second as vented gas. Researchers have also stated that water can remain in the planet due to its capability to survive a wide temperature range. It would have to be even hotter to break the molecules apart. Via: usatoday

France discloses top secret UFO archives

admin — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 12:30:51 +0000

France has become the first country of the world to open files on UFOs. The findings were released Thursday, when the French Space Agency released a website documenting more than 1,600 strange sightings spanning over five decades. The online archives, which will be updated as new cases are reported, catalogues in minute detail cases ranging from the easily dismissed to a handful that continue to bewilder even the greatest researchers. OVNIs as known in France, UFOs have always generated intense interest along with countless conspiracy theories about the secretive government cover-ups of findings deemed too sensitive or alarming for public consumption. People also have remained perplexed about the existence of life anywhere in this vast universe. We have not been able to check out a major part of this never-ending universe and mostly all the astronomers are of the belief that there should be life elsewhere in this Universe. Many people have also reported strange sightings, some can be termed as fake but some have not been answered till date. UFOs are not only sighted by common man but some high profile people have also reported and confirmed that they also have witnessed some strange beings and crafts flying in the atmosphere. Of the 1,600 cases registered since 1954 nearly 25% are classified as ‘Type D’. This rating means that despite good or even very good data and credible witnesses, researchers are confronted with something that they are not able to explain. One of the strangest encounter dates back to January 8, 1981. On this date a man working in a field reported hearing some strange whistling sound and seeing a saucer-like object about 2.5 meters in diameter land in his field about 50 meters away. The saucer then took off and the case was immediately reported to the Police. Cops took the pictures of the spot and also collected and analyzed samples of strange burn marks on the field from where the saucer like object took off. But till date no satisfactory explanation has been provided for the incident. Government agencies are still holding back the topic stating that there is not much proof that aliens exist and also little proof that they do not exist. Surely moves like this one can turn the tables and may be one day we get to meet out alien brothers if they actually exist. Still one question remains that if the alien civilization is so advanced that they can come to the Earth, then why don’t they try and contact us…? To visit the website: www.cnes-geipan.fr. Via: rawstory

Erupting geysers on Enceladus mask the length of Saturn’s day

admin — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 12:29:15 +0000

Scientists were till date not able to find the exact time of the day of Saturn. Now the reason has finally arrived. Astronomers have stated that erupting geysers on Saturn’s moon Enceladus are making the force field around Saturn rotate more slowly than the planet itself. The result of this magnetic field is that measuring the length of the day on Saturn is nearly impossible using normal radio techniques. The problem was discovered using new data from NASA’s Cassini spacecraft which is in orbit around the giant planet. Astronomers only knew that the planet spins remarkably quickly, in less than 11 hours but the problem was in finding the exact figure. Cassini has showed that Saturn’s magnetic field lines are being forced to slip by the weight of electrically charged particles from geysers spewing steam and ice on Enceladus. This spew interferes with a standard method of checking the planet’s pulse by observing the rhythm of radio waves that Saturn beams out naturally. Researchers have stated that no one could have predicted that the little moon can have such an influence on the radio technique that has been used for years to determine the length of the Saturn’s day. Researchers have also stated that the length of the day on Saturn seems to be slowly changing with the passage of time. The day measured by Cassini is six minutes longer than the day recorded by NASA’s Voyager spacecraft in the early 1980s. Now researchers are determining a relation between the day at Saturn and the increase in activity of geysers on Enceladus. Via: skymaina

Earth had some hot spots even in ‘Snowball’ era

admin — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 12:27:56 +0000

Some planetary geologists are of the belief that our planet was once completely frozen and the water in the oceans once froze and covered the entire planet in an era known as ‘Snowball Earth’. According to these researchers during those periods the temperature of the planet went so low that the entire planet was covered in ice. Ice reflected most of the sunlight back to space and this phenomenon perpetuated the icy period. But a new research goes against this theory. By analyzing glacial sedimentary rocks in Oman, researchers have discovered evidence of hot and cold cycles roughly 850-544 million years ago. According to the previous theory, this was the time when Earth was supposed to be covered in a blanket of ice. This new research has shown that instead of being completely frozen with solid oceans, our planet had some warm spots where water was frozen and some geological processes could continue. These researchers have also stated that a global freeze would have been devastating for life. Since without oceans there would not have been any evaporation and no weather system. Moreover icy surfaces would have reflected all the light from the sun and the planet could not have recovered from that ice age. They have stated that the Northern and the Southern ice caps nearly reached each other, but still there were some areas on the planet that were warm and because of these warm areas the planet was able to prevent a disaster. Via: universetoday

NASA hoping to make spacesuits lighter and high-tech

admin — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 12:26:51 +0000

The only barrier between life and death of an astronaut is his spacesuit. These special suits are designed to withstand extreme changes in temperature and also provide an effective shield against radiation. In an effort to achieve the above designers make suits that are less mobile and astronauts have to hop like robots when in them. NASA is now considering building a lunar base by 2020. Their engineers are also concentrated on making spacesuits that are both low-maintenance and high-tech. Astronaut apparel has evolved over the decades from aluminum foil-looking outfits to bulky, 275-pound white spacesuits that we all must have seen in TV shows. The agency has not finalized the look of the suits but the effort is to keep them light and more mobile. If we compare the spacesuits of U.S. astronauts and Russian astronauts then we will find that U.S. suits are easier to work in but are so complex that they require more maintenance on the other hand Russians have a one-size-fits-all suits that are used a few times and thrown away. These suits are not as easy to work in as the American suits. Designers can now make use of high-tech computer designing to test and develop the suits before the hardware gets in. This has made it easier to develop these suits as such technology was not available in the Apollo era. Designers are also considering ways to reduce the weight of the backpack life support system which weighs around 200-pounds. Designers will now make use of smaller electronics that can reduce the weight of these backpack systems. NASA plans to award a contract in a year or so to produce the first prototypes by 2010 and certify the suit by 2012 in time for the new spaceship Orion’s maiden voyage by 2014. Via: MSNBC

Astronomers simulate Supernova Explosion of a White Dwarf

admin — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 12:25:52 +0000

Astronomers have tried to explode a virtual Earth-sized star in a 3-D simulation model. Finally these researchers have succeeded in developing a 3D simulation that has revealed the step-by-step process that fuels such an explosion. Such stars are known as white dwarfs and are about the size of Earth and weigh as much as the Sun. When they are ending their lives, they do it in a spectacular show. When the core of these white dwarfs begins to burn out they explode and the explosion is called Type1a Supernova. This supernova is responsible for most of the iron in the Universe. In prior models astronomers had to manually tell the computer model to detonate the star, which meant that the model was not that right. Some University of Chicago scientists generated neutral detonations but the model was 2D. Some researchers had also stated that the model cannot work in a 3D environment. The simulation has confirmed what all astronomers believed. The stars detonate in a supersonic process resembling the combustion in a diesel engine. In a petrol engine a spark is required to ignite the fuel, whereas in a diesel engine the fuel starts to burn due to compression. The simulation took 58,000 hours to develop and used the power of more than 700 computer processors, but the actual process from start to finish played out in three seconds. Click on the image above to check out the video. The video showed a complex set of events that concluded with a bang. Via: MSNBC

Expedition 14 crew members to install network cables

admin — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 12:23:39 +0000

The crew members have nothing more to do aboard the ISS than continue doing experiments and research work. They are currently working on several experiments that include monitoring sleep/wake patterns and light exposure and collecting blood and urine samples for later evaluation. They will also monitor and study cosmic radiations and their effect on an astronaut’s central nervous system. Monitoring the effect of cosmic radiation on humans will be helpful in designing the most effective gear for astronauts who will be on NASA’s proposed lunar base which the space agency expects to build by 2020. The members of the crew are also making preparations for the installation of network cables which will be installed during this week. Other work aboard the ISS includes clearing out stowage gear to provide the necessary access and also dump the discarded equipment in the ISS Progress 23 cargo ship which is scheduled to undock from the space station on March 27. Via: spaceref