I can’t look at a picture of Voyager 1 without recalling V ger of the Star Trek episode which made a less than satisfying movie. V ger or Voyager, the farthest traveling human-made object in the cosmos (as far as we know), is still sending news as it traverses the outer edge of the gas bubble we live in, about 10 billion miles away. Some people can’t get excited about this stuff. They don’t realize they’re living in a bubble of gas.
The Atlantis crew is going to inspect the wings for a third time to be sure those mystery objects flying wingman aren’t something important. One of them proved to be only a plastic bag. From an astronaut snack?
"The six astronauts aboard the space shuttle Atlantis will conduct an unprecedented third inspection of their orbiter’s heat shield before landing this week to ensure its integrity after an unidentified object appeared to shake free of the spacecraft this morning, NASA’s shuttle chief said late Tuesday."
They’ll know by Wednesday night if it’s serious. If so, they can go back to the space station and hang out until they’re rescued. But what would they do with Atlantis?
UPDATE Shuttle cleared for landing. That was quick.
The “bullet cluster,” a mere 3.4 billion light-years away./NASA
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Posted in Science/Engineering, Space, Weather/Climate
Tagged NASA, plasma, space weather, thunderstorms
Space Shuttle Atlantis lifts off from pad 39B at 11:15 a.m. Credit: Ben Cooper/Spaceflight Now
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Posted in Space
Tagged Atlantis, Ben Cooper, Pad 39B, Space Shuttle, Spaceflight Now
After the recent resuscitation of the "closer Mars" hoax, are you ready to fall for another space claim? Even if it is true?
"Tonight’s full Moon is the biggest and brightest of 2006."
Plus, for those in Australia, Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe, the moon will be partially eclipsed.
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Posted in Space
Tagged bigger, brightest 2006, closer, Mars, Moon, spaceweather.com
The moon from the International Space Station/NASA
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