Virgin Galactic has licensed a set of “Limited Edition” models of the WhiteKnightTwo and SpaceShipTwo combo. They are available in 1/400 and 1/200 scale die-cast models at B4 YOUR FLIGHT.
Don’t see any SpaceShipTwo models at Amazon yet but there are several SpaceShipOne models, e.g.
Curiosity has been getting ready to do its first serious drilling into Mars rocks.
This image shows the results of one test:
The bit in the rotary-percussion drill of NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity left its mark in a target patch of rock called “John Klein” during a test on the rover’s 176th Martian day, or sol (Feb. 2, 2013), in preparation for the first drilling of a rock by the rover.
Emily Lakdawalla describes the drilling preps and also a new picture the rover took of itself : A new rover self-portrait and a new color image of Curiosity from orbit – The Planetary Society
And an amazing shot of Curiosity from space by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter: Color view Curiosity on Mars from HiRISE, sol 157 – The Planetary Society.
Planetary science at NASA could take a major hit if the sequestration budgeting happens and the big projects like the SLS are protected from cuts:
Update: Jeff Foust reports on the sequestration impact on NASA funding: Worrying about sequestration again – Space Politics.
Alan Boyle reports that Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield is taking marvelous pictures of earth from the ISS and posting them online : Astronaut’s artistry hits warp speed – PhotoBlog
See the Col. Chris Hadfield Facebook page and Chris Hadfield (Cmdr_Hadfield) on Twitter for his latest shots. For example, Twitter / Cmdr_Hadfield:
Where the Mississippi enters the Gulf of Mexico. The soil of America’s heartland forming a vast, deep delta. pic.twitter.com/Dctu8ipH
And Hadfield is also a musician who will soon premier a new song in space with collaborator Ed Robertson: ‘Is Somebody Singing’: Ed Robertson on why he wanted to work with Chris Hadfield – CBC Music
On Feb. 8, astronaut Chris Hadfield and Barenaked Ladies singer Ed Robertson will premiere “I.S.S. (Is Somebody Singing).” It’s a unique collaboration for a number of reasons, but first and foremost because Hadfield will be floating somewhere in outer space aboard the International Space Station, while Robertson will be joined by a youth choir in the CBC Toronto studios. It’s an out-of-this-world collaboration, to say the least.
For the weeks leading up to the premiere, Robertson will be updating us with interesting aspects about the project, something he says has been in the works for a long time.
The New York Times hosts discussion on the question of how the U.S., Europe and Russia should respond to space development in Iran, North Korea and China: A New Space Race, or Chances to Collaborate? – Room for Debate – NYTimes.com.
There are several posts including ones from Bill Nye, Anousheh Ansari, and James Oberg.
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Res Communis post the latest collection of space and aviation law, regulation and policy links: Library: A Round-up of Reading.