Ever since 1996, when NASA scientists claimed that a potato-sized bit of Mars that had dropped on Antarctica possibly contained traces of life, the market for meteorites has exploded.
January 18th, 2000
High School Students To Plan Community On Mars
While living at Johnson Space Center the weekend of February 11, Houston area high school students will use their imagination and knowledge to design complete details of a human settlement on Mars in the year 2050. Interested Houston area high school students are encouraged to ask their math and science teachers or school principals for more information about this project. The target deadline for registration is Friday, January 28.
January 10th, 2000
The Moon and Mars Are All Right Tonight
The young crescent moon sidles up next to the Red Planet in tonight’s evening sky. Look toward the southwest around 6:45 p.m. for the obvious pairing of the two. That’s Fomalhaut, brightest star in Piscis Austrinus shining below and to the left of the moon. And well up above and to the left of the pair (i.e., northeast) is Jupiter, with Saturn just a little further east.
January 3rd, 2000
Ex-Astronaut To Explore South Pole Yahoo! News
Former astronaut James Lovell isn’t done exploring. The man who flew aboard Apollo 8 and Apollo 13 is heading to the South Pole as a member of a privately funded expedition.
January 1st, 2000
Parade Fans Can Join the Fun This Weekend Edison International
Ever consider the prospect of life on other planets? Did you know that America’s space program is pursuing this possibility? Beginning today, internet enthusiasts around the world can explore these topics by logging onto www.edisonfloat.com, a special Web site hosted by Edison International (EI) in honor of its 2000 Tournament of Roses Parade float.
December 21st, 1999
NASA’s Mars Losses Spark Anger and Opportunity
The failure of two NASA Mars missions has set off a chain reaction of both criticism and reappraisal of econo-class space projects. A re-blueprinting of plans to study the red planet by robotic means is now underway, actions that are likely to see greater involvement by commercial space companies in 21st century Mars exploration.
December 20th, 1999
Mars Delayed, Not Lost
In the previous two installments of this series, I discussed the possible causes of the Mars Polar Lander failure, and whether in combination with the MCO failure and others, it indicated that NASA should consider ditching its philosophy of “better faster cheaper”. My answer to that last question was that it depends on which part of the “BFC” philosophy you’re talking about. In the field of unmanned space exploration, chopping missions into smaller, less ambitious individual pieces is usually better — however other kinds of cost-cutting measures may not be.
December 18th, 1999
NASA goes boldly into the 21st Century Design News
In November, Dan Goldin became the longest continuously serving NASA Administrator, having been appointed by President Bush in early 1992. Since then, Goldin
December 17th, 1999
Young to Lead Mars Program Assessment Team
A. Thomas Young has been named by NASA Administrator Daniel S. Goldin to chair the Mars Program Independent Assessment Team which will review the agency’s approach to robotic exploration of Mars in the wake of the recent loss of the Mars Polar Lander mission.
December 13th, 1999
Laser Will Have The Scan On Mars
Analyses performed on a sliver of terrestrial rock by the Department of Energy’s Los Alamos National Laboratory may one day help researchers better understand the makeup of large extraterrestrial bodies such as Mars, comets and asteroids.