Dirty Martians

1893 ad from a Chicago newspaper for "Kirk's Soap". The ad plays on the opening that year of the Yerkes Observatory's1-meter (40-inch) refracting telescope (the largest of its type in the world), and the idea that Mars was populated with intelligent life. It only makes sense that they would need soap...those dirty martians!

Scientists Find New Unfamiliar Terrain on Mars

Using the HiRISE camera scientists obsereved terrains on Mars that don't appear like anything on Earth. One scientist went on to say "A lot of Mars looks like Utah, but this is an area tht looks nothing like Planet Earth." The American Geophysical Union held its fall meeting and many presentations were done by planetary scientists tryin to explain the findings.

Mars Clouds Drier Than Thought

Recent studies suggest that Mars clouds contain less water than previously estimated. In analyzing in further detail, scientists determine that these clouds are somewhat similar to earth's clouds. "The clouds under study are made of water ice, like some clouds on Earth. However, they are forming at very cold temperatures, often below minus 100 degrees Celsius (minus 148 degrees Fahrenheit," said Tony Colaprete of NASA's Ames Research Center. This analysis is important to scientists because in planning for a man to visit the moon, we must understand Mars and its climate. We must understand all the aspects of it in order to make preparations for it.

Galileo Funding Solution Remains Elusive

European government and industry officials have begun to doubt whether a political consensus exists in Europe to complete the Galileo satellite navigation system. In public and private comments here Sept. 11, officials said the main government backers - Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain - appear far apart on how best to finance the 30 satelite constellation and the remaining portion of the associated ground network.
Decisions at the European Union's executive commission and among EU governments in the coming weeks will determine whether any kind of Galileo network - with or without the special features that had set it apart from GPS - will be built.
Attending a meeting here organized by the French IFRI foreign-affairs institute, officials noted that Galileo's expected in-service date has been pushed back by one year every year since the program was approved in 2001. Originally foreseen as operational in 2008, Galileo will not be completed until 2013 at the earliest, officials said - and only then if decisions on its financing are made in the coming months.

Star Of Eve is Mars

On Dec. 24, Mars reaches opposition. This means that it will appear as a bright orange star in the east soon after sunset. The Planet Watch feature on the daily Seattle Times Weather Page can help you determine its location.

The Geminid meteor shower peaks this Thursday-Friday, so if we have clear skies and you can get away from the city lights you should be treated to one of the best meteor displays of the year. Bundle up, get comfortable and face east as soon as the moon sets. Our other December target is the open cluster of stars called the Pleiades. They are among the most noted stars of history, poetry and mythology. Native American legend described them as seven lost children/

Christmas Eve Star will be Mars

On Dec. 24, Mars reaches opposition. This means that it will appear as a bright orange star in the east soon after sunset. The Planet Watch feature on the daily Seattle Times Weather Page can help you determine its location.

The Geminid meteor shower peaks this Thursday-Friday, so if we have clear skies and you can get away from the city lights you should be treated to one of the best meteor displays of the year. Bundle up, get comfortable and face east as soon as the moon sets.

Our other December target is the open cluster of stars called the Pleiades. They are among the most noted stars of history, poetry and mythology. Native American legend described them as seven lost children. They are mentioned in the Bible, and included in ancient cave paintings in France. As soon as the sun sets, find them high in the eastern sky. By about midnight they will be high in the southern sky. To the naked eye they appear to be five to seven tightly packed blue stars. The group is made up of more than 1,000 individual stars that were born about 100 million years ago and are drifting through space. The bright blue stars are young hot stars that will burn out over the next few million years.

Practice-run Suggested

A former space agency scientist said on Friday that NASA may need to perform a dry-run by sending astronauts on a shorter voyage to orbit a near-Earth asteroid. Dr. Wes Huntress, a former NASA associate administrator for science, said that a practice landing on a near-Earth asteroid would enable NASA to check out and fine tune the launch systems and crew vehicles, as well as set procedures. He also noted that it would be a six month to year long mission, but that it is quick compared the the much longer Mars mission. To sum things up he said, "In the end it would give NASA confidence to go to another planet."


http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/news/1197108906298870.xml&coll=1#continue

Opportunity investigates Smith2

Opportunity continues to investigate the rock exposure known as "Smith2" in the second of three bathtub ring-like layers of rock inside "Victoria Crater" as well as test communications for Phoenix, NASA's next mission to Mars. The rover is healthy and all subsystems are normal.

Opportunity performed diagnostic tests of the shoulder joint that controls side-to-side movement of the robotic arm, known as Joint 1. The joint had stalled on Nov 22, 2007, while the rover waas taking measurements with the microscopic imager.

Working with NASA's Reconnaissance Orbiter, Opportunity successfully tested UHF radio transmissions in support of entry, descent, landing, and surface operations of the Phoenix mission, now en route to the red planet.

Mineral discovery explains Mars' landscape

A Queen's University researcher has discovered a mineral that could explain the mountainous landscape of Mars, and have implications for NASA's next mission to the planet. "Satellites orbiting Mars show us images of canyons and gullies that appear to have been created by a flood or rapid out-washing," says Ron Peterson, Queen's geologist. "Exploration rovers, currently moving about on the planet's surface, also show us that there is no visible water on the surface of Mars, but that there was in the past." Martian terrain may have been created in a similar fashion. Dr. Peterson suggests that many years ago, water interacted with rocks on the surface of the planet to create an acidic cocktail, which created layers of material. When the surface layer melted, it created the topography that exploration rovers show us today.

Twin rovers defy death to continue exploring Mars

Trapped in sand in an area of Mars named Tartarus after an underworld dungeon in Greek mythology, the golf-cart-size NASA exploratory rover was dangerously low on power and crippled by a dragging, useless wheel.
With the brutal Martian winter quickly approaching, Spirit faced almost certain doom if it couldn't get free and find a safe haven.

At NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory near Pasadena, mission manager John Callas was noticeably worried.

"For Spirit, this could very well be the worst situation she has ever experienced," he said with the tone of a worried father.

Then, after several days of erratically moving mere inches, the rover broke free of Tartarus on Nov. 28 and started rolling feebly toward a protective rocky area known as Winter Haven 3

Campaigns Should Support Space Exploration

Presidential campaigns should publicly express their support of NASA's Constellation Program to ensure America's leadership in space exploration as well as boost education. The exploration program will return astronauts to the moon and explore Mars and beyond. The program will also have a powerful effect in attracting students to science, technology, engineering and mathematics studies, disciplines in which the nation is lacking.
"Space exploration brings enormous national security, economic and scientific benefits to our nation and should be a win-win issue for all the candidates to endorse," Aerospace Industries Association President and CEO Marion Blakey said.
Over the last two weeks Constellation has emerged as a campaign issue after suggestions by candidates from both parties that the program could be delayed. Other candidates immediately countered with their strong support of the program.

http://www.spacemart.com/reports/Campaigns_Should_Support_Space_Exploration_999.html

Clothing Technology Advances

While its funding is coming from the Defence Capability and Technology Demonstrator, the new lines of advanced clothing may one day also be adapted for use in space. CSIRO’s Flexible Integrated Energy Device (FIED) just received $4.4 million to research and develop their idea to have battery operated clothing. The clothing would include three components, "advanced, conductive fabrics as part of the battery, vibration energy harvesting device and a rectifier/power management system to power soldiers’ electronic equipment." Right now the concept is being adapted for use by soldiers to help to eliminate carrying large batteries around, but who knows what the future could hold for this type of technology.

http://www.csiro.au/news/CleverClothing.html

NASA Study Reveals Less H20 in Clouds

Martian clouds may contain less water than previously thought, according to a new NASA study.

New NASA laboratory measurements of simulated martian clouds reveal that scientists may have been overestimating the amount of water in the planet's atmosphere. "The martian clouds we are studying are composed of water ice, like some clouds on Earth. However, they are forming at very cold temperatures, often below minus 100 degrees Celsius (minus 212 degrees Fahrenheit)," said Tony Colaprete, a planetary scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif. "What we have found in our laboratory studies is that it is much harder to initiate cloud formation at these cloud temperatures than what we thought," he explained.

http://www.marstoday.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=24203

NASA Study Reveals Less H20 in Clouds

NASA Delaying Space Shuttle Launch Until at least Saturday

The space agency announced this morning that it has decided to delay Atlantis' launch until at least Saturday because "of a problem with a fuel cutoff sensor system inside the shuttle's external fuel tank," according to a NASA press release.The shuttle program managers expect to have a meeting Friday afternoon at Kennedy Space Center to decide what they need to do to get liftoff tomorrow.

According to the release, "two of the four engine cutoff...sensors inside the liquid hydrogen section of the tank failed a routine prelaunch check." In addition, other sensors also gave false readings, "indicating that the (fuel) tank was 'wet' when it was dry."
As of now, NASA said it is aiming for a launch that could happen as early as 12:43 p.m. EST Saturday. But given the importance of safety and of ensuring that the shuttle launch without problems, don't be surprised if there are additional delays.

NASA study says clouds on Mars contain less water

Martian clouds may contain less water than previously thought, according to a new NASA study.
New NASA laboratory measurements of simulated martian clouds reveal that scientists may have been overestimating the amount of water in the planet's atmosphere.

The martian clouds we are studying are composed of water ice, like some clouds on Earth. However, they are forming at very cold temperatures, often below minus 100 degrees Celsius (minus 212 degrees Fahrenheit)," said Tony Colaprete, a planetary scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif. "What we have found in our laboratory studies is that it is much harder to initiate cloud formation at these cloud temperatures than what we thought," he explained

"This difficulty results in larger cloud particles, which fall out of the atmosphere more quickly and, thus, result in less cloud mass and a drier atmosphere," Colaprete explained

A$4.4 million for clever clothing

CSIRO has just received funding of A$4.4 million to help bring this possibility a step closer.

CSIRO’s Flexible Integrated Energy Device (FIED) was one of eight proposals selected as part of the latest round of Defence Capability and Technology Demonstrator (CTD) Program funding announced last night.

Principal Research Scientist with CSIRO’s Energy Technology Division, Dr Adam Best, said it was envisaged that the technology would be incorporated into a piece of clothing and would comprise three components: advanced, conductive fabrics as part of the battery, vibration energy harvesting device and a rectifier/power management system to power soldiers’ electronic equipment.

http://www.csiro.au/news/CleverClothing.html

Galactic Germs

Experiments show that a germ causing food poisoning and other illnesses can be three times more dangerous in space than on the ground. This only adds to the endless list of risks that astronauts need to be aware with when possibly going on a manned mission to mars or even the moon. The study also shows that the immune system weakens during longs trips in space. That means your bodies immune system would definitely be susceptible on a mission to Mars. So the lesson to be learned here: our future astronauts to Mars better have strong immune systems otherwise who knows how ill they could become

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/070924_space_germs.html

$4.4 Million for Clothing That Thinks.

Can you use electronic devices by simply plugging them in to your clothing? Probably not but pretty soon you will. CSIRO has just received funding of A$4.4 million to help bring this possibility a step closer. CSIRO’s Flexible Integrated Energy Device was one of eight proposals selected as part of the latest round of Defence Capability and Technology Demonstrator Program funding. The clothing consists of three components: advanced, conductive fabrics as part of the battery, vibration energy harvesting device and a rectifier/power management system to power soldiers’ electronic equipment. The clothing is supposed to look like an ordinary garment but different capabilities. As the person wearing the garment moves, the vibrations they create can be harvested and channelled into recharging the battery or powering plug-in electronic device or devices. This will be useful for trips to Mars and on Mars where energy is needed.

Mars Exploration Rover Mission

ASA is extending, for a fifth time, the activities of the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. The decision keeps the trailblazing mobile robotic pioneers active on opposite sides of Mars, possibly through 2009. This extended mission and the associated science are dependent upon the continued productivity and operability of the rovers.

"We are extremely happy to be able to further the exploration of Mars. The rovers are amazing machines, and they continue to produce amazing scientific results operating far beyond their design life," said Alan Stern, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington.

see full article

China To Launch Mars Probe

China, which sent its first lunar orbiter to probe the moon's surface recently, will launch its maiden Mars probe onboard a Russian rocket in October 2009, state media reported. Yinghuo-1 would reach the pre-set circling orbit and beam the first images of the red planet in September 2010, the state-run China Daily said, quoting a senior scientist.

The prototype of the probe was now being subjected to a series of experiments and its compatibility with the Russian spacecraft would be tested in May next, Chen Changya, a researcher with the Shanghai Institute of Satellite Engineering, said.

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/China_To_Launch_Mars_Probe_In_2009_999.html

NASA Takes Swift Action after Report of Astronaut Drinking

"Alcohol is freely used in crew quarters," the report said. "Two specific instances were described where astronauts had been so intoxicated prior to flight that flight surgeons and/or fellow astronauts raised concerns to local on-scene leadership regarding flight safety. However, the individuals were still permitted to fly."

The panel said certification of astronauts for flight duty has no method to detect drinking episodes.
It also recommended NASA develop a code of conduct for astronauts.

"In general, astronauts are highly motivated to fly," the report stated. "Opportunities to fly in space are scarce and decreasing. The criteria for flight selection and how they are applied are unknown to the astronauts. Medical and behavioral health issues are perceived as having high potential for use to eliminate astronauts from mission assignment."

China to launch Mars probe in 2009

China, which sent its first lunar orbiter to probe the moon's surface recently, will launch its maiden Mars probe onboard a Russian rocket in October 2009, state media reported.

Yinghuo-1 would reach the pre-set circling orbit and beam the first images of the red planet in September 2010, the state-run China Daily said, quoting a senior scientist.

The prototype of the probe was now being subjected to a series of experiments and its compatibility with the Russian spacecraft would be tested in May next, Chen Changya, a researcher with the Shanghai Institute of Satellite Engineering, said.

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/008200712041321.htm

Mars Scout Selection Update

NASA identified an organizational conflict of interest during preparation for the evaluation of Mars Scout Concept Study Reports for the final selection, and determined that action had to be taken to resolve the conflict in order to maintain a fair competition. THe most significant action to address the confict is that NASA will reconstitute the evaluation team with new members to eliminate the organizational conflict of interest. In order to minimize the impact to the teams’ proposed mission schedules, NASA will expedite the reconstitution and evaluation processes. Unfortunately, this action will delay the evaluation and announcement of the selection of the next Mars Scout mission by a few months.

http://www.marstoday.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=26224

Spirit still has a chance

In typical unflagging fashion, Spirit has managed to break free of piles of soil built up around the wheels in a low, sandy area that the rover's handlers have nicknamed "Tartarus," after a deep, underworld dungeon in Greek mythology. Team members are pulling out all the stops to get Spirit to a winter location where, based on solar power projections, the rover has a chance at survival.

As the crow flies, that spot is 240.5 meters (130.8 feet) away. During the next few weeks, Spirit's journey to "Winter Haven 3" is expected to be no less difficult, requiring the rover to maneuver across a sandy, rocky valley along the western edge of "Home Plate."

During Spirit's 14 Martian days in Tartarus, the rover's trials were reminiscent of those of the previous Martian winter, when Spirit spent 12 sols churning up white material in a sandy area while trying to reach the slopes of "McCool Hill."

A$4.4 million for clever clothing

CSIRO has just received funding of A$4.4 million to help bring this possibility a step closer. CSIRO’s Flexible Integrated Energy Device (FIED) was one of eight proposals selected as part of the latest round of Defence Capability and Technology Demonstrator (CTD) Program funding announced last night. Principal Research Scientist with CSIRO’s Energy Technology Division, Dr Adam Best, said it was envisaged that the technology would be incorporated into a piece of clothing and would comprise three components: advanced, conductive fabrics as part of the battery, vibration energy harvesting device and a rectifier/power management system to power soldiers’ electronic equipment. The device will be used to store and provide energy over a continuous period of time and can be charged by plugging into an electrical power point or through vibration energy harvesting. This could eventually be used in outer space. I thinks it’s a great idea that could really help out astronauts.

China's First Mars Probe to Blast Off in 2009

Chen Changya, a researcher in charge of the China Mars Rover project, said on Sunday that China's first Mars probe is scheduled to be launched atop a Russian rocket in October 2009. The probe is expected to reach Mars in September of 2010 and will then take and send China's first picture of Mars. He also said that the probe is currently undergoing a series of tests and will be ready to attach to the rocket by May. The probe, called Yinghuo I, will be equipped with seven scientific devices including cameras and equipment to analyze magnetic levels as well as to explore the disappearance of water on the planet.

http://www.china.org.cn/english/China/234197.htm

LEGOS!

Manned missions to mars are not yet feasible...for humans. But for lego-men it's all systems go! Lego has recently introduced its new Mars Mission series which includes a command base with air powered rockets, mining rigs that can fight off alien attacks, alien motherships and aerial strikers, all-terrain ground transport vehicles and more! Now you don't have to wait to go to mars, you can bring it home to you. And the greatest part is that it is legos, and everyone loves legos!

Comet's 'dust bunnies' to shower Earth

Of the dozen or so annual meteor showers, the Geminids is one of the most spectacular. It will take place in the wee hours of December 14. NASA: Meteor schedule

"The Geminids is really a hot meteor shower," Pitts said. The meteors fall at medium speed, so they're easy to locate, he added.

The Geminids can be seen from anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere, though you'll want to get away from city lights if possible. In truly dark skies, you may be able to see 60 to 120 meteors per hour.

Meteor showers come from comets, concoctions of carbon dioxide, rocks and dirt. A comet eventually warms up in its orbit around the sun and then discards its "dust bunnies," as Pitts called them. Earth cuts through that path and, as the comet dust falls into the heavier atmosphere nearer Earth, the meteors begin to glow.

Game Industry Hopes to Flourish from Mars

Avatar Reality, a gaming company in Hawaii is hoping to make it big off of a virtual reality game, Blue Mars, that is based on Mars in the year 2177. The game displays Mars as a terraformed paradise. People involved in the game are allowed to enter the game for free but then have to purchase things like apartments (per month) and different hair styles. Professional city developers constructed the layout for the Martian cities in the game and the game creators hope that the game will let people have a tie in with real-world economy as well. People involved in the game can also make virtual money by doing things like serving as tour guides for newcomers in the program. Blue Mars is set to come out in the middle of 2008 and the developers are hoping to have over 10million users by 2013. The picture below is the image of a spaceport in the game.

http://starbulletin.com/2007/11/23/business/story01.html