Video: Touring the Atlantis Chaos region of Mars

August 4, 2015 TopSpacer

Take a ride over the surface of the Atlantic Chaos region of Mars via images taken from orbit by the European Space Agency’s Mars Express spacecraft : Fly Over Mars In This Breathtaking New Animation – Popular Science –

From the ESA video caption:

Explore the Atlantis Chaos region of Mars, in the Red Planet’s southern hemisphere. The video showcases a myriad of features that reflect a rich geological history. The tour takes in rugged cliffs and impact craters, alongside parts of ancient shallow, eroded basins. See smooth plains scarred with wrinkled ridges, scarps and fracture lines that point to influence from tectonic activity. Marvel at ‘chaotic’ terrain – hundreds of small peaks and flat-topped hills that are thought to result from the slow erosion of a once-continuous solid plateau. This entire region may once have played host to vast volumes of water – look out for the evidence in the form of channels carved into steep-sided walls.

Read more about this region here: [Space in Images – 2015 – 07 – Ancient Atlantis]

Activism, Near Space, Space Systems

JP Aerospace flights Ascender 26 airship again

August 4, 2015 TopSpacer

JP Aerospace flews its V shaped Ascender air ship again last Sunday: Ascender 26 Flies Again! – JP Aerospace.

Sunday August 2nd JP Aerospace conducted the second flight of Ascender 26. There was a series of goal for this flight including a faster climb rate, steeper pitch angle and buoyancy controlled maneuvering. The flight was a compete success. We even flew a little bit higher, 6,850 feet (2,850 above our 4000 foot launch site).

The vehicle landed undamaged four miles down range.

More photos from JP Aerospace Blog:

Mars, Space Science, Space Systems

Video: Curiosity Rover Report – Three Years on Mars

August 4, 2015 TopSpacer

Here’s a report on the latest from the Curiosity Rover, which has now been on Mars for three years:

Check out also this recent science finding by Curiosity: NASA’s Curiosity Rover Inspects Unusual Bedrock – NASA JPL.

Activism, Space Models

Michael Mackowski: “Adventures in Space Advocacy” + “The New Scale Spacecraft Primer”

August 3, 2015 TopSpacer

Michael Mackowski was recently on The Space Show to talk about his space activism efforts, which he recounted in the new book Adventures in Space Advocacy: A Personal Story of Space Activism : Michael Mackowski, Tuesday, 7-28-15 | Thespaceshow’s Blog

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Michael is also very active in spacecraft modeling and has a new book out on this topic as well:

“The New Scale Spacecraft Primer” Modeling Reference Book is Published

The Space In Miniature series of books on scale modeling of historical spacecraft has been around since 1990. The first book, SIM #1 – A Scale Spacecraft Primer, has been woefully out of date for a while.

So I am pleased to announce that a new version of SIM #1 is now available: SIM #1.1 – The New Scale Spacecraft Primer. Most of the book is brand new material, with about 14 pages retained from the original edition. Some articles that are still useful were retained (Ariane, Space Operations Center review, Viking Mars Lander, etc.) but the rest are all new or recycled from my old IPMS Journal (the magazine of the International Plastic Modelers Society) columns. With the 25th anniversary of SIM and the 50th anniversary of IPMS/USA, several retrospective articles are included, including commentary from Kevin Atkins, Sven Knudson, and Mat Irvine. There is new content on my Curiosity Mars rover, the DC-X, the Revell Astronaut with MMU, and several other examples of scratchbuilding real space models. Real Space modelers should enjoy the commentaries as well as the new reference material.

SIM #1.1 – The New Scale Spacecraft Primer is available in both hard copy ($12 plus shipping for a 38-page soft-bound book printed in black and white on coated paper) and a digital version ($10 for a pdf with full color).

There are forms on the SIM website (http://spaceinminiature.com) to order either version (or both!). Customers can also send a check for $14.00 (which includes first class postage to U.S. addresses), payable to Michael Mackowski, to 1022 W. Juanita Ave., Gilbert, AZ 85233. The other titles in the SIM series are still available in various formats.

For additional details, contact the publisher at 480-282-1343 or by email at mike@spaceinminiature.com.