Paul Maley provides an interesting and extensive page with lots of info about, and many pictures of, space junk that has reached the ground over the years: SPACE DEBRIS – Eclipse Tours.
Category Archives: Space Collecting
Space & Aviation Auction at RR Auction this month
RR Auction in Amherst, NH is holding a Space & Aviation Auction during May 16-25. See, for example, these Apollo 14 artifacts.
http://youtu.be/e9XtuUqsyqQ
Moroccan meteorite might have come from Mercury but more study needed
An achondrite meteorite found in southern Morocco has some features that hint at a Mercury origin but has other features that argue against it. So it’s origin remains uncertain: A meteorite mystery: Could this stone be the first meteorite from Mercury ever found? WUSTL’s meteorite expert sifts the evidence – Washington University in St. Louis
Most meteorites are stony, he explains, and of the stony meteorites, almost all (90 percent) are what are called ordinary chondrites. These are pieces of small, unmelted asteroids that are uniform in composition throughout.
The achondrites, on the other hand are pieces of large asteroids or planets, ones at least 200 kilometers in diameter. These produced enough internal heat early in their history to partially melt and segregate into a metal core surrounded by a rocky exterior. Achondrites, which come from the crust or mantle of these differentiated bodies make up only 5 percent of the stony meteorites that have been found.
First annual Astronauts4Hire on line silent auction
Astronauts4Hire is holding their First Annual Online A4H Silent Auction
The funds raised from this year’s auction, which runs from Sunday, April 7th until Friday, April 12th, will be used to support A4H’s educational outreach program, furthering the A4H mission: “To increase the competitiveness of commercial astronaut candidates by providing skills training, facilitating forums for candidate communication, engaging the space research community, and inspiring the next generation.”
The auction is “held in conjunction with Yuri’s Night events across the globe”: 2013 A4H Silent Auction – Astronauts4Hire.
The items up for auction were generously donated by A4H friends, members, and partners, and range from collectible NASA spaceflight memorabilia, autographed books, and unique patches, to lifetime Associate memberships in Astronauts4Hire. We would like to thank everyone who donated an item for this year’s auction, for without you and our supporters, we would not be able to carry out the A4H mission.
NASA offers space program artifacts to schools and museums
An announcement from NASA about historical space items available for schools and museums:
NASA Announces 17th Screening of Space Program Artifacts
WASHINGTON — NASA is inviting eligible educational institutions, museums and other organizations to screen and request historical space artifacts.
The artifacts represent significant human spaceflight technologies, processes and the accomplishments of NASA’s many programs. NASA and the General Services Administration worked together to ensure broad access to space artifacts and to provide a web-based electronic artifacts viewing capability. This is the 17th time since 2009 NASA has made this opportunity available.
The web-based artifacts module is located at: http://gsaxcess.gov/NASAWel.htm
Eligible participants may view the artifacts and request specific items at the website through May 6. Only schools and museums are eligible to receive artifacts. They must register online using an assigned Department of Education number or through the state agency responsible for surplus property.
The artifacts are free of charge. Eligible organizations must cover shipping costs and any special handling fees. Shipping fees on smaller items will be relatively inexpensive, while larger items may involve extensive disassembly, preparation, shipping and reassembly costs. NASA will work closely with eligible organizations, on a case-by-case basis, to address any unique special handling costs.
Special items, such as space shuttle thermal protective tiles and packages of three packets of astronaut food, also are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Instructions for requesting artifacts and special items are linked on the website home page.
To date, more than 7,700 artifacts from programs, including the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, space shuttle and the Hubble Space Telescope, have been given to eligible museums, schools, universities, libraries and planetariums in all 50 U.S. states. Artifacts are on display for 42 days. NASA organizations must register their requests within the first 21 days. All other eligible organizations may register their requests after the first 21 days. After the viewing period ends, organizations will be notified about the status of their requests.
For more about NASA and agency programs, visit http://www.nasa.gov