The launch of China’s first Mars probe “Yinghuo-1”, originally scheduled for October 2009 on a Russian carrier rocket, has been postponed until 2011 due to Russia’s “technical reasons”, a Chinese space exploration official said here Wednesday. Ye Peijian, chief designer of Chang’e-1, the country’s first moon probe, told Xinhua about the delay on the sidelines of the ongoing annual session of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, China’s top political advisory body.
“Actually, China is now completely capable of exploring Mars independently,” said Ye, also a member of the CPPCC National Committee. “With the improvement of our technologies, there is no problem for China to launch its Mars probe with its own observation and control system.”
Ye said the most suitable time to launch the Mars probe would be in the years 2011, 2013 and 2016 when the distances between Mars and the Earth are the shortest.
Russian Launch Issues Delaying China’s First Mars Probe
War Of The Worlds Mock Documentary Is Coming
A new live-action movie based on H.G. Wells’ seminal science fiction alien invasion novel, The War of the Worlds, is in post production, it was announced by Pendragon Pictures. The new movie, titled War of the Worlds – The True Story, has a planned release date of October 2010.
Pendragon Pictures is an independent motion picture company that released a previous movie version of War of the Worlds in 2005. Their earlier production grossed $7 million dollars and sold 650,000 copies on DVD, though its critical reception was tepid.
Pendragon producer Susan Goforth states, “This is a complete remake, not a re-working of our previous production.”
Russia Invites China’s 1st Spaceman To Moon Flight
The Russian Federal Space Agency (Roskosmos) on Friday invited China’s first spaceman, Yang Liwei, to make a space flight to the moon aboard the promising Russian Kliper shuttle, the Itar-Tass news agency reported. The invitation was offered by the head of Roskosmos, Anatoly Perminov, at a meeting in the day with the Chinese taikonaut. Taikonaut was coined to refer to Chinese astronauts, who are called cosmonauts in Russia.
Designer Plants On Mars
Take the cold tolerance of bacteria that thrive in arctic ice, add the ultraviolet resistance of tomato plants growing high in the Andes mountains, and combine with an ordinary plant. What do you get? A tough plant “pioneer” that can grow in Martian soil. Like customizing a car, NASA-funded scientists are designing plants that can survive the harsh conditions on Mars. These plants could provide oxygen, fresh food, and even medicine to astronauts while living off their waste. They would also improve morale as a lush, green connection to Earth in a barren and alien world.
LiftPort Group To Open Its First Carbon Nanotube Manufacturing Facility
LiftPort Group, the space elevator companies, announced Monday plans for a carbon nanotube manufacturing plant, the company’s first formal facility for production of the material on a commercial scale. Called LiftPort Nanotech, the new facility will also serve as the regional headquarters for the company, and represents the fruition of the company’s three years of research and development efforts into carbon nanotubes, including partnering work with a variety of leading research institutions in the business and academic communities. Set to open in June of this year, LiftPort Nanotech will be located in Millville, New Jersey, a community with a history in glass and plastics production.
An Earth-Mars Laser Link
Researchers will announce some of the latest breakthroughs and innovations in optics-based communications at OFC/NFOEC 2005-a joining together of two leading meetings in the optical communications community. OFC/NFOEC (Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exposition/National Fiber Optic Engineers Conference) will take place at the Anaheim Convention Center between March 6 and 11, 2005.
Space Race 2: Half-Price Rockets
The hubbub over a $10 million prize for a pair of private manned spaceflights is over, with a quiet electronic transfer of funds into the bank account of Mojave Aerospace Adventures, a check-and-trophy presentation ceremony last weekend in St. Louis, and a glitzy gala marking the official and successful end of the X Prize. Now, the real work begins.
NASA Selects Contractors For Exploration Studies
NASA today awarded the first contracts to conduct preliminary concept studies for human lunar exploration and the development of the crew exploration vehicle. Eleven companies were selected. The contracts, which total approximately $27 million, with a possible option worth an additional $27 million, are a result of the Concept Exploration and Refinement Broad Agency Announcement issued in May 2004.
Vast New Energy Source Almost Here
Australian scientists predict that a revolutionary new way to harness the power of the sun to extract clean and almost unlimited energy supplies from water will be a reality within seven years. Using special titanium oxide ceramics that harvest sunlight and split water to produce hydrogen fuel, the researchers say it will then be a simple engineering exercise to make an energy-harvesting device with no moving parts and emitting no greenhouse gases or pollutants.
NASA Signs Agreement With Department Of Energy
NASA and the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration – Naval Reactors (NR) Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will lead to the development, design, delivery, and operational support of civilian space nuclear reactors within NASA’s Project Prometheus.