The centrifuge used for training cosmonauts at the Star City space center outside Moscow, on February 21, 2011. (Reuters/Sergei Remezov) (via Star City and the Baikonur Cosmodrome - In Focus - The Atlantic)
Source: The Atlantic
Nova Sagittarii 2012 as seen from the US NRL’s SECCHI HI-1 instrument on the NASA STEREO-B spacecraft. The movie runs from April 20 - 24, 2012, with approximately one frame per hour.
Nova Sagittarii 2012 (by SungrazerComets)
Source: youtube.com
Distance of Voyager 2 by time of year, relative to Earth, and relative to the Sun.
Source: ow.ly
Geostationary satellites in the Swiss Alps (by Michael Kunze)
Explanation: Why don’t those stars move? Stars in the sky will typically appear to rise and set as the Earth turns. Those far to the north or south will appear to circle the pole. If you look closely at the above time-lapse movie, however, there are points of light that appear stationary. These objects are not stars but human-launched robotic spacecraft that remain fixed high above the Earth’s equator. Called geostationary satellites, they don’t fall down because they do orbit the Earth — they just orbit at exactly the same speed that the Earth rotates. The orbital distance where this is possible is much farther than the International Space Station but much closer than the Moon. The video was taken from one of the highest revolving restaurants in the world located on the Mittelallalin in the Swiss Alps. In the foreground is a mountain known as the Allalinhorn. An even closer inspection will show that thegeostationary satellites flash with glints of reflected sunlight. The satellites also all appear on a single line — actually the projection of the Earth’s equator onto the sky.
Source: vimeo.com
The military won’t say what it has been doing with its experimental miniature space shuttle, but the pilotless spaceship, known as the X-37B, has been in orbit for a year now. The 29-foot robotic spacecraft, also known as the Orbital Test Vehicle, or OTV, was launched on March 5, 2011, on a follow-up flight to extend capabilities demonstrated by a sistership during a 244-day debut mission in 2010. (via Secret Military Mini-Shuttle Marks One Year in Orbit : Discovery News)
Source: news.discovery.com
Vladimir Komarov’s spaceflight on Soyuz 1 made him the first cosmonaut to fly into outer space more than once. However, he also became the first human to die during a spaceflight when the Soyuz 1 space capsule tragically crashed after re-entry on April 24, 1967. The above photograph shows the charred remains of Komarov being looked over by Soviet officials during his open casket funeral. (via Legendary Soviet Cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov’s Funeral | All That Is Interesting)
Source: all-that-is-interesting.com
The photo above showing the Milky Way stretching across the desert sky and a distant monsoon thunderstorm on the horizon was captured just outside of Dead Horse Point State Park in Utah. (via Galactic Storm - Earth Science Picture of the Day)
Source: epod.usra.edu
Construction firm aims at space elevator in 2050
It may be possible to travel to space in an elevator as early as 2050, a major construction company has announced. Obayashi Corp., headquartered in Tokyo, on Monday unveiled a project to build a gigantic elevator that would transport passengers to a station 36,000 kilometers above the Earth. For the envisaged project, the company would utilize carbon nanotubes, which are 20 times stronger than steel, to produce cables for the space elevator. The idea of space elevators has been described in several science-fiction novels. Obayashi, however, believes it is possible to construct one in the real world thanks to carbon nanotubes, which were invented in the 1990s, the company said. Some other organizations have also been studying the development of space elevators, such as the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. In Obayashi’s project, a cable would be stretched up to 96,000 kilometers, or about one-fourth of the distance between the Earth and the moon. One end of the cable would be anchored at a spaceport on the ground, while the other would be fitted with a counterweight. The terminal station would house laboratories and living space. The car could carry up to 30 people to the station at 200 kilometers per hour, which would mean a 7-1/2 day trip to reach the station. Magnetic linear motors are one possible means of propulsion for the car, according to Obayashi. Solar power generation facilities would also be set up around the terminal station to transmit power to the ground, the company added. Whether carbon nanotubes can be mass-produced economically enough and whether various organizations from around the world can work together are two key issues facing the development of the space elevator, according to the company. “At this moment, we cannot estimate the cost for the project,” an Obayashi official said. “However, we’ll try to make steady progress so that it won’t end just up as simply a dream.” (via Construction firm aims at space elevator in 2050 : National : DAILY YOMIURI ONLINE (The Daily Yomiuri))
Source: yomiuri.co.jp
The components of DNA have now been confirmed to exist in extraterrestrial meteorites, researchers announced. A different team of scientists also discovered a number of molecules linked with a vital ancient biological process, adding weight to the idea that the earliest forms of life on Earth may have been made up in part from materials delivered to Earth the planet by from space. (via Building Blocks of DNA Found in Meteorites From Space | Biological Molecules on Meteorites | Life’s Building Blocks | Space.com)
Source: space.com
