NASA held a media event yesterday to introduce the latest astronaut class to the world:
A 4-leaf clover, golf balls, a falcon feather and other items on the Moon
Here’s a list of unusual artifacts on the Moon (and a map of their locations) : There’s a four-leaf clover on the Moon! – Moon Zoo
Video: Sci-fi short film, “Beyond”
The plot is rather opaque but the scenery is terrific in this sci-fi short:
- BEYOND, sci fi short film on Vimeo
- Space exploration goes awry in the beautiful scifi short “Beyond”
BEYOND, sci fi short film from Raphael Rogers on Vimeo.
Space policy roundup – Aug.21.13 [Update]
The latest selection of space policy items:
- Time to Move Beyond “New Space”? – Moonandback
- World space agencies publish roadmap for future space exploration – BIS
- New class of astronauts signals optimism – Charles Bolden/Houston Chronicle
- NASA’s Global Plan for Space Exploration Gets an Upgrade – Space.com
- The promise of the International Space Station (Guest Blog) – Marion Blakey/Washington Business Journal
- Starship Congress: A Very Human Interstellar Journey – Discovery News
Update:
- The White Elephant in NASA’s Living Room – PJ Media – Rand Simberg
- Revised exploration roadmap sees asteroids and Moon as temporary stepping stones to Mars – Space Politics
- [NASA] sells shuttle launch platforms – theguardian.com
- Editorial: Thumbs up, thumbs down – Florida Today
Update 2: A conceptual lunar mission designed by a NASA team uses two SLS launches separated by 6 months and a large lander. It would allow a crew of four to stay a week on the Moon. The high cost of two SLS launches plus a multi-billion dollar lander, however, means such a mission falls far outside expected NASA funding levels: Dual SLS launch campaign required for NASA’s Lunar return – NASASpaceFlight.com.
Update 3: Bob Zimmerman comments on the Global Exploration Roadmap (GER) released yesterday by NASA and other space agencies: Space agencies of the world unite! – Behind The Black
Video: A rocket engine intro
Benjamin Higginbotham at Spacevidcast gives a brief tutorial titled, “How do rocket engines work”
http://youtu.be/fE9oLkMCK9I
For more detailed tutorials, see: