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Cool Science in a Warm Place

Embry-Riddle to Host Antarctic Space Sciences Workshop

Daytona Beach, Fla., Sept. 14, 2007 � The Space Physics Research Laboratory at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University will host an Antarctic Space Sciences Workshop Sept. 27 and 28 at the university�s Daytona Beach, Fla., campus. The meeting is sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

The workshop will bring together nationally renowned scientists who conduct space science research at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station and other sites in Antarctica. Scientists will review the status of their research, identify scientific criteria for future investigations, and talk about how to increase visibility for space sciences research in Antarctica.

Participating in the workshop will be researchers from Augsburg College, Colorado Research Associates, Dartmouth College, Embry-Riddle, National Science Foundation, Oberlin College, Raytheon Polar Services Co., Siena College, and SRI International. Scientists also will attend from Stanford University, University of California Los Angeles, University of Colorado, University of New Hampshire, University of Saskatchewan, Utah State University, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute.

Embry-Riddle�s Space Physics Research Laboratory designs and operates passive electro-optical instruments to remotely sense the near-Earth space environment for research directed by professors Abas Sivjee and Irfan Azeem. Instruments developed by the lab operate at many locations in the Arctic and Antarctic regions, gathering data on auroras, atmospheric airglow, and space climate. Research is supported by NASA and NSF, and assisted by graduate and undergraduate students.

For more about the Antarctic Space Sciences Workshop or space science research at Embry-Riddle, contact Dr. Azeem, associate professor of physical sciences, at azeem71d@erau.edu.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the world�s largest, fully accredited university specializing in aviation and aerospace, offers more than 30 degree programs in its colleges of Arts and Sciences, Aviation, Business, and Engineering. The university educates more than 34,000 students annually in undergraduate and graduate programs at residential campuses in Prescott, Ariz., and Daytona Beach, Fla., through its Worldwide Campus at more than 130 centers in the United States, Canada, Europe, and the Middle East, and through online learning.

For more information, visit http://www.erau.edu.

Posted by: Admin on Monday, September 17, 2007 - 07:46 AM

USA AND CANADA SIGN SPACE AGREEMENT

At a ceremony held Monday at NASA Headquarters in
Washington, NASA Deputy Administrator Shana Dale and Canadian Space
Agency (CSA) President and Chief Executive Officer Laurier J.
Boisvert signed the official agreement that defines the terms of the
agencies' cooperation on the James Webb Space Telescope.

According to the agreement, NASA will be responsible for the overall
management and operations of the mission and will build the
spacecraft, the telescope, and the platform that will host the
instruments.

"We're delighted to have the Canadian Space Agency's participation on
the James Webb Telescope," said Dale. "This unique telescope is a
wonderful example of international cooperation, and Canada is a key
partner in this next major step to discover more about the origins of
the cosmos."

The Canadian Space Agency plans to provide the fine guidance sensor
instrument, used for locating and maintaining a fixed pointing on a
guide star. This instrument will provide the observatory with the
stability necessary for taking sharp images with the telescope. The
agency will assist in the operation of the James Webb Space Telescope
and related facilities and arrange for participation of astronomers
from the Canadian science team in the observation program.

"Canada's collaboration on the James Webb Space Telescope," Boisvert
said, "strengthens our outstanding and longstanding partnership with
NASA and positions Canadian science and technology in the forefront
of space exploration."

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Posted by: Admin on Friday, July 20, 2007 - 09:36 PM

Ariane 5 takes shape at the Spaceport

The pace of mission activity at Europe's Spaceport is accelerating as another Ariane 5 takes shape to support Arianespace's sustained launch schedule during the second half of 2007.

This new vehicle is a heavy-lift Ariane 5 ECA, which is to be used for the upcoming dual-payload mission with the SPACEWAY 3 and BSAT-3a satellites. Its processing began with erection and positioning of Ariane 5's cryogenic core stage over the mobile launch table in the Spaceport's Launcher Integration Building.

As this Ariane 5 ECA takes form, a nearly-complete Ariane 5 GS launcher is awaiting its turn in the Spaceport's Final Assembly Building. The Ariane 5 GS underwent its build-up during May/June, and is scheduled to orbit the Intelsat-11 and Horizons-2 satellites on an Arianespace mission in mid September.

Arianespace is targeting the launch of six Ariane 5s in 2007 - with two of these flights already performed so far this year.

The company is accelerating its Ariane 5 launch rate to meet customer demand, reaching a stabilized pace of eight missions annually by 2009.

Following Arianespace�s 2007 launches with our Mission Updates at:
http://www.arianespace.com

Posted by: Admin on Monday, July 16, 2007 - 10:00 PM

Earth from Space: Caspian Sea

This Envisat image shows the southern part of the Caspian Sea, the world�s largest inland body of water with a total surface area of 371 000 square kilometres. More at: http://www.esa.int/esaEO/SEMXNH9OY2F_index_0.html
Posted by: Admin on Monday, July 16, 2007 - 08:00 PM

Stellar fireworks through Hubbles eyes

Nearly 12.5 million light-years away, in the dwarf galaxy NGC 4449, stellar fireworks on display have been captured by the Hubble Space Telescope. More at: http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMD5ZI2O3F_index_0.html
Posted by: Admin on Monday, July 16, 2007 - 06:00 PM

Students Select ISS PlayList

Two months ago, ESA asked young people from all over Europe to suggest the most suitable playlist for the astronauts living on the International Space Station. After sifting through over 1000 entries from 10 Member States, the judges have announced their final decision. More at: http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/ATV/SEMFBWJZM3F_0.html
Posted by: Admin on Monday, July 16, 2007 - 03:00 PM

SUCCESSFUL SPACECRAFT GET NEW ASSIGNMENTS

Two NASA spacecraft now have new assignments after
successfully completing their missions. The duo will make new
observations of comets and characterize extrasolar planets. Stardust
and Deep Impact will use their flight-proven hardware to perform new,
previously unplanned, investigations.

"These mission extensions are as exciting as it gets. They will allow
us to revisit a comet for the first time, add another to the list of
comets explored and make a search for small planets around stars with
known large planets. And by using existing spacecraft in flight, we
can accomplish all of this for only about 15 percent of the cost of
starting a new mission from scratch," said Alan Stern, associate
administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Headquarters,
Washington. "These new mission assignments for veteran spacecraft
represent not only creative thinking and planning, but are also a
prime example of getting more from the budget we have."

The EPOXI mission melds two compelling science investigations -- the
Deep Impact Extended Investigation (DIXI) and the Extrasolar Planet
Observation and Characterization (EPOCh). Both investigations will be
performed using the Deep Impact spacecraft, which finished its prime
mission in 2005.

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Posted by: Admin on Monday, July 16, 2007 - 12:00 PM

NASA READIES MARS LANDER FOR AUGUST LAUNCH

NASA's next Mars mission will look beneath a frigid arctic landscape for conditions favorable to past or present life.

Instead of roving to hills or craters, NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander will
claw down into the icy soil of the Red Planet's northern plains. The
robot will investigate whether frozen water near the Martian surface
might periodically melt enough to sustain a livable environment for
microbes. To accomplish that and other key goals, Phoenix will carry
a set of advanced research tools never before used on Mars.

First, however, it must launch from Florida during a three-week period
beginning Aug. 3, then survive a risky descent and landing on Mars
next spring.

"Our 'follow the water' strategy for exploring Mars has yielded a
string of dramatic discoveries in recent years about the history of
water on a planet where similarities with Earth were much greater in
the past than they are today," said Doug McCuistion, director of the
Mars Exploration Program at NASA Headquarters, Washington. "Phoenix
will complement our strategic exploration of Mars by being our first
attempt to actually touch and analyze Martian water -- water in the
form of buried ice."

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Posted by: Admin on Sunday, July 15, 2007 - 10:14 PM

Ariane 5 Launch Success and Record Performance

Ariane 5 delivered a record performance during Arianespace's second heavy-lift flight of 2007, deploying two large telecommunications satellites into highly accurate geostationary transfer orbit today (May 4).

Launched from the ELA-3 complex at Europe's Spaceport, the Ariane 5 orbited ASTRA 1L for SES ASTRA and Galaxy 17 for Intelsat � marking the 18th consecutive success for Arianespace's workhorse launch vehicle.

"This comes less than two months after our previous success, which clearly demonstrates our consistent launch tempo," said Arianespace Chairman & CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall. "We have launched six Ariane 5s and two Soyuz in less than twelve months, establishing Arianespace as the world reference for the launch services industry."

The customers for today's mission are key international satellite communications companies, and both are long-time users of Arianespace launch services. ASTRA 1L was the ninth satellite that Arianespace has launched for SES ASTRA and the 26th for the SES family, while Galaxy 17 was the 45th Intelsat satellite to use an Ariane launcher since 1983.

Today's flight carried a total mass estimated at just over 9,400 kg. a� record for a mission to standard geostationary transfer orbit.

For full details on this latest dual-payload success, see Arianespace�s Website for the in-depth mission update, the official press release, and a photo �walk-around� of the Ariane 5 launch vehicle.
http://www.arianespace.com

Posted by: Admin on Friday, May 04, 2007 - 11:39 PM

HAM RADIO FROM SPACE

After less than a day in space, civilian space traveler Charles Simonyi,
KE7KDP/HA5SIK, was already making contacts with the earthbound ham radio
community from NA1SS. The billionaire software pioneer and aviator arrived
April 10 at the International Space Station with the Expedition 15 crew of
Russian cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin, RN3FI, and Dr Oleg Kotov. The trio
launched two days earlier in a Soyuz spacecraft from Baikonur Cosmodrome in
Kazakhstan. Ron Hashiro, AH6RH, in Honolulu was among the lucky ones. He
tells ARRL that after putting out a blind call, he spoke not only with
Simonyi but with Expedition 14/15 Flight Engineer Suni Williams, KD5PLB.

"I mentioned to her that I had listened to her earlier contact with the
school in India and it was a thrill to speak with her directly," Hashiro
recounted. "She said that Hawaii was her favorite place and had some
relatives in Hawaii." Then, Hashiro says, Williams told him someone else was
interested in talking with him, and Simonyi came on a few minutes later.

"I welcomed Charles to ham radio and asked him if he was the author of the
"Hungarian notation" of Windows programming, which he acknowledged," said
Hashiro. He told Simonyi that he was involved in Windows programming more
than 20 years ago, and was glad to meet its creator. Hashiro deemed the
occasion "a fabulous and eventful evening."

Flying under contract with the Russian Federal Space Agency, Simonyi also
has been running through a list of four scheduled Amateur Radio on the
International Space Station (ARISS) school contacts, including one with a
school in his native Hungary.

On April 12, Simonyi responded via Amateur Radio to upward of 30 questions
posed by students at Fairborn High School in Ohio, telling them he's
enjoying microgravity now that he's become used to it. Simonyi also talked
about why he wanted to go into space.

"I wanted to make a contribution to civilian space flight and assist in
space station research, and also to have a fantastic experience," he said.
As to why he flew with Russian cosmonauts and not with NASA, Simonyi said,
"NASA doesn't fly space tourists yet, so the Russians are the only game in
town." Simonyi paid a reported $25 million for his space adventure.

While in space, Simonyi will do some maintenance on the ham radio gear
aboard the ISS as well as testing to isolate an antenna problem, and he'll
reprogram the Phase 2 NA1SS transceiver to correct a configuration problem.
He'll also conduct some research before returning home April 20 with the
Expedition 14 crew of Michael Lopez-Alegria, KE5GTK, and Mikhail Tyurin,
RZ3FT, who have been in space since last September. Williams is scheduled to
return home this summer on the shuttle Endeavour.

Frequencies in use for ARISS general QSOs: Voice and packet downlink: 145.80
MHz (worldwide); Voice uplink: 144.49 MHz for Regions 2 and 3 (the Americas,
and the Pacific) and 145.20 MHz for Region 1 (Europe, Central Asia and
Africa). All frequencies are subject to Doppler shift.

Posted by: Admin on Tuesday, April 17, 2007 - 11:21 PM


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