Monthly Archives: February 2014

Space Policy

Space policy roundup – Feb.12.14 [Updated]

Today’s set of space policy/politics related links:

Update:

Update 2:

Mars, Space Science

Curiosity: Crossing the sands of Mars + A panorama + Mapping the rover’s trek from orbit

The Mars Curiosity rover looks back over ira trek across a sand dune : NASA’s Curiosity Drives On After Crossing Martian Dune – NASA JPL –

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NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover is continuing its traverse toward enticing science destinations after climbing over a dune spanning a gap in a ridge.

The rover covered 135 feet (41.1 meters) on Feb. 9, in its first drive since the 23-foot (7-meter) crossing of the dune on Feb. 6. That put Curiosity’s total odometry since its August 2012 landing at 3.09 miles (4.97 kilometers).

An animated sequence of images from the low-slung Hazard-Avoidance Camera on the rear of the vehicle documents the up-then-down crossing of the dune.

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Check out also the cool interactive panorama created from Curiosity’s images near the sand dune: Curiosity Rover’s Epic New Panorama of the Sands of Mars – Wired Science

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Emily Lakdawalla describes the HiRISE high-resolution camera on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter  and then shows some interesting images made with it of the area where Curiosity has been exploring and the path that it has taken: HiRISE image coverage of the Curiosity field site on Mars – The Planetary Society.

Living in Space, Mars, Space books

“The Martian” – Andy Weir’s debut novel becomes a best seller

Andy Weir‘s book, The Martian: A Novel, has become an unexpected hit and there is already a movie in the works: A Survival Guide to Mars: A Computer-Scientist-Turned-Novelist Explores Life on Mars in Debut Thriller – WSJ.com

What if you were the last person on Mars?

That is the dizzying premise of Andy Weir’s meticulously researched debut novel, “The Martian.” The novel, which began as a self-published science-fiction serial, is shaping up to be an international hit, with publication rights sold in 21 countries and a movie in the works.

The story opens as astronaut Mark Watney, the lowest-ranking crew member of NASA’s third manned mission to Mars, wakes, aching and fuzzy headed, from an unconscious stupor in his space suit. He is stranded on Mars, after his crew got hit with an unexpectedly powerful sand storm six days into their monthlong mission. He was presumed dead and left behind when the crew evacuated. Satellite radio communications with NASA blew out. The next scheduled Mars mission is four years away, and Watney only has enough food to last 300 days.

 

Activism, Astronomy, Education

Video: Astronomy intro – class 1 – A tour of the Solar System

Bruce Betts, of the Planetary Society and California State University Dominguez Hills, opens his new 13 week  astronomy course  with the following video: Intro Astronomy Class 1: Tour of the Solar System – The Planetary Society

Subscribe at csuDHTV – YouTube to get notices when new course videos are posted.

DIY space, Living in Space, Space Systems

Copenhagen Suborbitals: Cameron Smith’s year of making space suits

Dr. Cameron M. Smith, an anthropologist at Portland State University and a DIY space suit maker, gives an overview of what the past year of working with Copenhagen Suborbitals has been like and what lessons he learned: A Year With Copenhagen Suborbitals: Lessons Learned – Wired Science.

One development in particular was the founding of the organization: Pacific Spaceflight – Pressure garments for space tourism and exploration

suit“Dr. Smith in the pressure suit and coverall, taking a break between pressure tests
in Copenhagen, August 2013.” Credits: Jev Olsen, Copenhagen Suborbitals.