This image captures a close-up view of a storm with bright cloud tops in the northern hemisphere of Jupiter.
NASA’s Juno spacecraft took this color-enhanced image on Feb. 7 at 5:38 a.m. PST (8:38 a.m. EST) during its 11th close flyby of the gas giant planet. At the time, the spacecraft was 7,578 miles (12,195 kilometers) from the tops of Jupiter’s clouds at 49.2 degrees north latitude.
Citizen scientist Matt Brealey processed the image using data from the JunoCam imager. Citizen scientist Gustavo B C then adjusted colors and embossed Matt Brealey’s processing of this storm.
JunoCam’s raw images are available for the public to peruse and process into image products at: www.missionjuno.swri.edu/junocam
Dr. Robert Zubrin, founder of the Mars Society, talks about “Paradigm shift with Falcon Heavy & SpaceX, a new way to go to the Moon, policy, SETI, ISRU, Moon, Mars, Drake Equation, scarcity economics, human expansion to space & more”.
Noted space activist and lobbyist James A. M. Muncy talked about “space policy, returning to the Moon, launchers, lunar lander 2018 state of the industry, FH, regulatory issues, and more”.
Engineering space to be useful to humans is hard work. Today on SPEXcast we sit down to discuss two space satellite networks, GOES and StarLink, and how they help humanity during our day to day lives. But we’re also covering two examples of the challenges of space engineering, the VA241 anomaly on Ariane V and new delays and cost overruns for JWST.
Could life on Earth be wiped out by a killer asteroid? The short answer is yes. This month the Space Boffins hear about a new European telescope to spot the threat before it’s too late. Richard Hollingham and Sue Nelson are joined at the Royal Astronomical Society in London by Robert Massey and Helen Klus to discuss how astronomy could save the world. Richard also chats to NASA astronaut Steve Bowen who reveals what it will be like to live in the ‘cramped’ new Orion spacecraft and the perils of returning to Earth after a mission to the Moon or Mars…
On this episode of Talking Space, we begin with our launch round-up including GOES-S, the 50th Falcon 9 launch, and the return of three crewmembers from the ISS and the preparations for the next launch later this month. Then it’s onto a creepy talking head that’ll be soon heading to the ISS, as well as another space station, Tiangong-1, that could fall pretty much anywhere as professionals track it and amateurs buy umbrellas. Next it’s the dreaded NASA budget review, including a meeting with NASA Acting Administrator Robert Lightfoot and congressional budget officials. In this is the discussion of potentially privatizing the ISS, getting NASA out of low earth orbit, and dealing with NASA’s “leaning tower of KSC“.
We finish up with the Areceibo Radio Telescope getting new owners, a chance to get your name on the Parker Solar Probe, and a much-needed clarification segment. In this segment, we discuss and clarify all of our points regarding Falcon Heavy after some heated feedback on our last episode. Also be sure to stay past the outro music for a fun surprise.
NASA Acting Administrator Robert Lightfoot appeared in front of the space subcommittee of the House Science Committee to discuss the 2019 NASA budget request, and I’ve got some thoughts on their decisions regarding the SLS Mobile Launcher and how it affects SLS’ flight rate. And then I get off onto a train of thought regarding the stagnation of and opportunity within the policy gridlock we’re stuck in today.
Behind every successful space mission is a talented team of support staff back on Earth, guiding the astronauts along the way. When we go to Mars, it will be much the same. But how can we practice these valuable skills? Mars analogues are a great way, and recently, the Austrian Space Forum completed a three week simulation called AMADEE 18. Project Manager Sophie Gruber and Flight Director Reinhard Tlustos join Jake to talk about the mission to the Oman Desert, and what it takes to get the astronauts to succeed.
Footage of the Falcon Heavy center booster, a discussion of the Hispasat booster, Stratolaunch as a spaceplane booster and Swarm Tech shouldn’t have been on a booster.
Aerial footage of the Stratolaunch aircraft completing its first taxi test.
Farmer Derek Klingenberg, with the help of his account at Farmers Edge agriculture services, successfully got a satellite image of his cows spelling Hi to Starman:
See Satellite Imagery at Farmers Edge for info on how space imagery is now routinely used by farmers to assess crop health, predict yields, plan harvests, etc..
