April 24th, 2014
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While busy at work on surveying Mars, the NASA Curiosity rover has done some astronomical viewing too – snagging a first asteroid image from the surface of the Red Planet. According to Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), the Mast Camera (Mastcam) on the machine has captured a night-sky image that includes two asteroids: Ceres and Vesta, […]
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A “Dear Friend of the Moon” letter is now circulating, aimed at all U.S. and U.S.-based scientists interested in lunar exploration and discovery. The letter has been issued, in part, in light of comments by NASA at the recently held International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG) meeting in Maryland. At that meeting, held April 10-11at […]
A new story from me up on SPACE.com regarding spacecraft that impact the Moon’s Far Side: ‘Graveyard’ on the Moon’s Far Side Welcomes NASA Spacecraft http://www.space.com/25613-moon-far-side-nasa-spacecraft-crash.html
Prominent astronauts are taking part in a B612 Foundation event today at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Wash. They are spotlighting data showing the surprising frequency at which the Earth is hit by asteroids. The findings are based on newly released information from the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization, which operates a network of […]
A new story from me posted at SPACE.com: US Air Force’s Secretive X-37B Space Plane Nears Day 500 in OrbitBy Leonard David, Space.com’s Space Insider Columnist April 21, 2014 01:21pm ET http://www.space.com/25573-secretive-x37b-military-space-plane-500days.html
China’s “Yutu” moon rover remains in critical condition, according to a recent report in South China Morning Post. According to the news outlet, there are “last-ditch efforts” to rescue the ailing lunar rover. Chinese engineers now say a blockage in the rover’s power circuitry is at fault for issues encountered and specialists are looking to […]
The hunt for the impact site of NASA’s LADEE mooncraft will be fortified by the high-powered camera system onboard the space agency’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. There is a speculated locale for the spacecraft’s smashing finale – crater Sundman V. The good news – if indeed LADEE’s final resting spot is in that area – pre-impact […]
A new NEO story from me – posted today on SPACE.com. Red Tape Hinders Study of Asteroid Impacts on EarthBy Leonard David, Space.com’s Space Insider ColumnistApril 20, 2014 08:00am ET http://www.space.com/25559-asteroid-monitoring-nasa-military-red-tape.html
NASA’s Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) moon orbiter may have indeed struck the rim of the far side crater, Sundmam V. That’s the preliminary word from NASA Ames Research Center scientists that developed and operated LADEE. However, the final resting spot for LADEE remains speculative. Specialists in orbit determination are now busy sifting […]
The American public expects that the coming half-century will be a period of weighty scientific change, as inventions that were once confined to the realm of science fiction come into common usage. The survey was conducted by the Pew Research Center in partnership with Smithsonian magazine, asking Americans about a wide range of potential scientific […]
