Polar caps wane as Mars tries global warming

Polar caps wane as Mars tries global warming

Global warming and melting polar ice caps are not just problems here on Earth. Mars is facing similar global changes, researchers say, with temperatures across the red planet rising by around 0.65 degrees over the last few decades.

How Safe Is the Race

How Safe Is the Race
To Send Tourists into Space?


The Wall Street Journal Online invited Patricia Smith, who heads the Federal Aviation Administration office responsible for overseeing the nascent industry, to discuss the topic with space entrepreneur Peter Diamandis, a co-founder of Space Adventures and chairman of the X Prize Foundation, which awarded a $10 million prize to Burt Rutan's SpaceShipOne in 2004.

Fond farewell to Mars Global Surveyor

Fond farewell to Mars Global Surveyor



It operated for 4 times longer than expected and returned a stunning array of data, but on November 2nd 2006, the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft made its last call home to Earth. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, has now released the preliminary conclusions of a report by an internal review board, and it appears the reason for the failure may have its origins in a computer mistake made 5 months previously. A routine update in September 2005 sent to onboard computers caused inconsistencies in the spacecraft's memory. When engineers tried to fix the problem they compounded the error by sending further incorrect software commands, and then did not catch these new mistakes because the existing procedures to do so were inadequate.

Mars the red planet

Mars the red planet


Because of the planet's cold temperature and thin atmosphere, liquid water is not stable on the Martian surface. Any water would either evaporate into the atmosphere or freeze and be absorbed into the soil.
However, there's quite a bit of evidence suggesting that water once flowed across the Red Planet. The most recent and exciting development came in December of 2006, when a new study of photographs taken from orbit suggested water flowed on Mars as recently as a few years ago.

Mars Science Laboratory Shakedown in the High Arctic

Mars Science Laboratory Shakedown in the High Arctic


Spitsbergen is the largest island in the Norwegian Svalbard archipelago, which lies between the northern tip of Norway and the northern polar ice cap. It is an inviting destination for astrobiology researchers because it contains several Mars analog sites: geologic formations that resemble, in various ways, ones on Mars.

The Changing Face of Mars

The Changing Face of Mars

Here are two new bits of news that show the changing face of Mars. In the first, Brown University Professor James Head talks about signs that Mars has enough of a climate shift to allow ice to leave the polar cap areas and accumulate at lower latitudes. In the second, evidence has been discovered that suggests that Mars once underwent plate tectonics, a process that, up to very recently, it was assumed that Mars did not do!

Software 'fix' responsible for loss of Mars probe

Software 'fix' responsible for loss of Mars probe


Mars Global Surveyor had been in space for nearly 10 years – the longest any spacecraft has ever spent studying the Red Planet – when NASA lost contact with it on 2 November 2006 (see NASA struggles to contact lost Mars probe). Despite attempts by other probes to come to its aid, the spacecraft never made contact again

Earth's magnetic field grew strong at a young age

Earth's magnetic field grew strong at a young age



The history of Earth’s geomagnetic field plays a key role in scientists’ understanding of the development of our planet’s deep interior, its atmosphere, and even the early evolution of terrestrial life. But scientists have had a hard time pinning down how long ago the magnetosphere first formed.

Mars Spectacular

Mars Spectacular

Some things never go out of style, and this one is the same “Mars Spectacular.” It is yet another example of a widely-circulated e-mail containing information that was once true but which continues to be forwarded around year after year, long after the information it contains has become outdated.

Study: Red planet heating up

Study: Red planet heating up

Earth's dusty neighbor Mars is grappling with its own form of climate change as fluctuating solar radiation is kicking up dust and winds that may be melting the planet's southern polar ice cap, scientists said!!! Will we find water on there--who knows!

The SANs of Mars

The SANs of Mars


Advancements in photographic telescopes and aerial cameras, digital images of Mars are ably to capture remarkable photos of Mars. These business that have developed the cameras that cover areas of 6km by 12km will send back photos that give us information about the area's topography; the photos will have 1.2 gigapixel and 240 megapixes…this is much more than most camera developers would have ever thought possible.

Google and NASA pair up for virtual space exploration

Google and NASA pair up for virtual space exploration


As a little kid everyone dreams of being an astronaut and going and walking on the Moon, but in reality the likelihood of that occurring is about .000001%. So, Google and NASA have teamed up to produce an interactive map of Mars and the Moon to allow not only children achieve a space walk, but also adults who are still wanting to get that walk on the Moon. This has not been created yet, but they are hoping to have this 3D program up and running soon!

IPS Medal

IPS MEDAL


Beagle 2 which is a Mars lander, received lots of support on this mission from outside people due to the knowledge that was shared to the outside world. I believe that there are many people who do not fully understand space exploration so they do not give it a chance…with an increase in education on this issue could help increase support and perhaps more funding!

35 Years After Apollo, Return to Moon Will Take New Direction

35 Years After Apollo, Return to Moon Will Take New Direction


With NASA constraints –unlike the blank check they were given for Apollo—they are trying to make due with what they are given and make it to Mars. Getting to the Moon in 1972 seemed unreachable, but now getting to the moon is just a jumping off point for Mars exploration. Now, NASA is considering lift off taking place from the Moon to Mars in hopes that a lunar launch will cut costs and increase the probability of success of hitting Mars at the right time (as we have seen with the simulation it can be tough!).

Destination Is the Space Station, But Many Experts Ask What For

Destination Is the Space Station, But Many Experts Ask What For


So the United States is having a hard time forking over the money to pay for the space station that was put into action in 2004 with sixteen other nations and costs $40 billion dollars, but they are wondering about using their money to make a international base camp on the Moon by 2024. This seems really silly that they will stop funding for something that sixteen nations have agreed upon and go start something new on the Moon. Also, with the cuts in NASA’s budget I really do not see how they will fund this exploration/establishment on their own—why not finish what they have started and then try to get more people to help with the base camp.

With this new base camp they are also really worried about the astronauts because they will lose a lot of their muscles. They are planning on using the moon as a launch pad for astronauts to go to Mars.

Comet-bound probe to pass by Mars

Comet-bound probe to pass by Mars

More pictures to come…
A European Space Agency probe will pass within 250 kilometers of Mars on it was to see a distance comet which it hopes to get there by 2014. This pass by will allow for instruments to be tested, photos to be taken which will increase our knowledge of the red planet and Europe will make some money on selling the photos to other space agencies.

The Grocer

The Grocer


Since we are not traveling to Mars right this second then that least the Mars candy bar should be making some money. Mars is coming out with a new way to serve their customers Mars candy: in BALLS. The candy will contain three balls in Carmel, nougat and crispy chocolate flavors--tapping into this bite sized market is a great business opportunity and will help to increase their 6% increase on sales last year.

Returning NASA to Earth

Returning NASA to Earth


So, after having Bush cut the NASA budget $3.1 billion over the next five years the manned mission to Mars seems quite unfeasible. So, NASA has allocated their budget to cut half of their Earth-observing instruments in half which is causing quite a ruckus; it does not end their, they will be cutting grad student research as well which will in turn decrease the US leadership in science and engineering. So--has Bush made yet another fatal mistake--I guess we will see.