Archive for the 'Space' Category

This Shuttle Will Self-destruct in 5 Seconds

Tuesday, May 13th, 2008

SpaceThe US space shuttles have self-destruct systems that can be activated from the ground during the first two minutes of flight. I guess this makes sense—if the shuttle were to unexpectedly divert its course and crash in a heavily populated area, mass death and destruction would ensue. Better to destroy the shuttle and its crew. The linked article has a picture of the actual self-destruct console.

Link: http://www.popularmechanics.com/…
(via digg)

Boomerang in Zero Gravity [Video]

Tuesday, May 6th, 2008

SpaceIn an update to this Chad’s News post, here is the video of the astronaut throwing the boomerang while inside the international space station.

Link: http://www.youtube.com/…
(via digg)

The Answer to: Will a Boomerang Work In Zero Gravity?

Sunday, March 23rd, 2008

SpaceIn an update to this Chad’s News article, it turns out that, yes, a boomerang does work in zero gravity. Although the boomerang he used is not your standard bent piece of wood.

Link #1: http://www.news.com.au/…

Link #2: http://www.newscientist.com/…

Look to the Skies This Week

Tuesday, February 19th, 2008

SpaceThis is an interesting week for space events. On Wednesday night there will be a total Lunar eclipse. And the US military is planning to shoot down a defective spy satellite, possibly as early as Wednesday.

Update: The missile strike was successful.

Will a Boomerang Work in Zero Gravity?

Wednesday, January 23rd, 2008

SpaceThis March an astronaut will test a boomerang inside the international space station, to see if it will work in zero gravity. What an interesting experiment—it’s almost as good as the hammer and feather drop on the moon.

Link: http://www.abc.net.au/…

Astronomy Pictures of the Year, 2007

Tuesday, December 18th, 2007

SpaceThe folks at Astronomy Picture of the Day have selected their top 10 pictures for the year of 2007.

Link: http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/…
(via Neatorama)

China Going To The Moon

Sunday, March 25th, 2007

SpaceChina has announced they will launch a moon probe later this year. In addition, they plan to send a manned mission to the moon within the next 15 years. I’m glad the rest of the world is taking an interest in space.

Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/…

How Hard Vacuum Affects Humans

Wednesday, November 29th, 2006

GalaxyI’ve always wondered just how accurate Hollywood is in its depiction of people exposed to the vacuum of space. The short answer is that you have about 10 seconds of lucid thought/action, and you can survive if pressurized oxygen is restored within about two minutes. And, no, you don’t explode.

Link: http://www.damninteresting.com/…

A Cosmic Golf Shot

Sunday, November 26th, 2006

Golf BallRussian Cosmonaut Mikhail Tyurin hit a golf ball from the International Space Station. The whole spacewalk was plagued with problems, including his shot, which sliced to the right.

Link: http://www.physorg.com/…

Water Waves In Outer Space [Video]

Friday, November 24th, 2006

ScientistThis video shows astronauts experimenting with a sphere of freestanding water.

Link: http://www.youtube.com/…
(via digg)

We Now Have 8 Planets, Or Is It 12?

Tuesday, August 29th, 2006

Planets

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has formally defined what is and what is not a planet, and Pluto lost out. We now have 8 planets and 4 “dwarf planets” (of which Pluto is one). But only a small number of the IAU’s members actually voted, and there is a backlash in the works.

http://arstechnica.com/…

A Sense of Proportion

Tuesday, May 16th, 2006

Planets

Scale models showing the relative sizes of the planets and the sun. It’s eye-opening when seen this way.

http://www.comagz.com/…