Alan Stern, principle investigator for the New Horizons mission to Pluto and head of Uwingu, spoke on The Space Show last weekend: Dr. Alan Stern, Sunday, 8-24-14 | Thespaceshow’s Blog.
Listen to the audio:
He discussed the status of the New Horizons spacecraft, which just passed by Neptune, and its fly-by of Pluto next summer. He also talked about Uwingu’s public participation programs including the new Beam Me To Mars activity.
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The guests and topics on The Space Show this week:
1. Monday, August 25, 2014: 2-3:30 PM PDT (5-6:30 PM EDT, 4-5:30 PM CDT): We welcome back MICHAEL LISTNER, space atty.
2. Tuesday, August 26, 2014:,7-8:30 PM PDT (10-11:30 PM EDT, 9-10:30 PM CDT): We welcome back BOB ZIMMERMAN for space news updates.
3. Friday, August 29, 2014, 9:30 -11 AM PDT (12;30-2 PM EDT; 11:30-1 PM CDT): TBD as I have a conflict with medical follow up appointments. Check the website newsletter for the latest regarding the program for this date as I am working to reschedule the conflicting appointments. I will update the website newsletter as to the status of a program this date no later than Thursday evening. .
4. Sunday, August 31, 2014, 12-1:30 PM PDT (3-4:30 PM EDT, 2-3:30 PM CDT). We welcome back DR. WILLIAM (BILL) ROWE for his new information. We should have our earlier phone line issues resolved and we are looking forward to this program. Find out more about Dr. Rowe’s work at his website, www.femsinspace.com.
See also:
/– The Space Show on Vimeo – webinar videos
/– The Space Show’s Blog – summaries of interviews.
/– The Space Show Classroom Blog – tutorial programs
The Space Show is a project of the One Giant Leap Foundation.
There will be two live programs today on NASA TV dealing with the New Horizons mission to Pluto:
NASA TV to Air Events That Highlight Pluto-Bound Spacecraft
Media and the public are invited to attend two events Monday, Aug. 25 from 1-3 p.m. EDT to learn more about the agency’s New Horizons mission to Pluto and its historic connection to the Voyager spacecraft’s visit to Neptune in 1989.
The events, which will air live on NASA Television and the agency’s website, will take place in the Webb Auditorium at NASA Headquarters, 300 E Street SW in Washington.
New Horizons will conduct a six -month-long study of Pluto and its five moons, including a close approach in July 2015.
• The 1-2 p.m. event will feature a panel discussion with:
o Jim Green, director, NASA’s Planetary Division, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters, Washington
o Ed Stone, Voyager project scientist, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
o Alan Stern, New Horizons principal investigator, Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, Colorado
• The 2-3 p.m. event will include several New Horizons science team members giving personal accounts of their work during the Voyager Neptune encounter and their new assignments on the Pluto mission. Panel participants include:
o Moderator: David Grinspoon, Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, Arizona
o Fran Bagenal, University of Colorado, Boulder
o Bonnie Buratti, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California
o Jeffrey Moore, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California
o John Spencer, Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, Colorado
Media and the public can also ask questions via social media using #askNASA.
For NASA TV streaming video, schedules and downlink information, visit: www.nasa.gov/nasatv
For more information on New Horizons on the Internet, visit: www.nasa.gov/newhorizons
[ Update: Panel videos can be seen here.]
I mentioned earlier the UK’s Register newspaper’s LOHAN (Low Orbit Helium Assisted Navigator) project. They have now opened the crowd-funding campaign to pay for their launch at Spaceport America in New Mexico: Balloon launch of the Vulture 2 rocket-powered spaceplane by Special Projects Bureau — Kickstarter.
The world’s first 3D-printed, rocket-powered aircraft will lift off from Spaceport America, New Mexico, in Autumn 2014
Here’s their Kickstarter video: