Kentucky Space

118th Carnival of Space

The 118th Carnival of Space has been posted at Cumbrian Sky.

Wayne

Why New Horizons won't stop to visit Pluto

Poor Pluto. At the Planetary Society, Emily Lakdawalla describes why New Horizons won't orbit Pluto on its historic mission to the outer reaches of the solar system.

Wayne

Credit: Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute (JHUAPL/SwRI)

When the Moon was volcanically active

Though the Apollo landing sites have garnered the most attention, there are plenty of other images coming from LRO of interest as well. At the Planetary Society, Emily Lakdawalla describes the image on the left, an unusual feature not typically associated with the Moon.

Wayne

image credit: NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University

"SOCEM" suborbital slated for October 30

October 30 has been set as the launch date for the suborbital SOCEM mission from Wallops. More about what "SOCEM" stands for and what Kentucky Space will be testing may be found here and here.

Wayne

Vint Cerf on the Interplanetary Internet

It's not a bad gig being known as the father of the Internet, but Vint Cerf is not ready to settle for an ubiquitous terrestrial network, raising, as well, the issue of an interplanetary internet in this video. Part two may be viewed here.

The video, by the way, is from Sputnik Observatory, an intriguing new site documenting contemporary thought on a wide variety of scientific issues.

Wayne

Kentucky Space, Vint Cerf

Human spaceflight, commercial space

In a generally dour piece on the future of the U.S. human spaceflight program, there is one bright note: considering the options for funding a return to the moon - or for just going beyond Earth orbit - that is long on vision but short on money just might be the "kick-start" an emerging commercial space industry needs.

Wayne

Kentucky Space

117th Carnival of Space posted

The 117th Carnival of Space has been posted at Simostronomy.

Wayne

Kentucky Space

Mercury and other Friday links

This image, captured by MESSENGER last October, has provided scientists with new mystery. Why are some craters on Mercury surrounded by dark material, while others have bright ejecta? Here are some other space-related links for your Friday:

• Via Jeff Foust: What happens when Richard Branson asks if you "fancy going into space"? Listen here. Foust also reports that virtually all the remaining options being considered for the future of human space flight by the Augustine committee include significant commercial elements.   
• Oregon Space Grant Consortium: NASA sponsoring competition to design robotic lunar excavator.
• According to NATURE, one hunt for gravitational waves has been successful in ruling out some theoretical models of the early universe.
• Check out this Uranian crescent.
• Exoplanetology points out the exoplanets in the Big Dipper.
• Are we approaching "a Netscape Moment for the Commercial Space Industry"? Finally,
• Kentucky Space is working on some VERY exciting projects that I hope to blog about soon!

Wayne

Image Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Cometary debris contained building blocks of life

Evidence collected from the comet Wild2 in 2004 backs the "life is common' school of thought, according to Centauri Dreams.

Wayne

Kentucky Space, Space

Two views of Victoria Crater

Here's a beautiful overhead view of Victoria Crater from HiRISE, the imaging team for the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. For a ground level view of the crater from Opportunity's vantage, check out this incredible and historic image.

Wayne

Credit: Credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona