Great Images: Dione and Rhea

You might think you are watching daughter cells, as as one planet splits into two.  But what you really see are two of Saturn's moon, Dione and Rhea, passing your sight of vision in their orbits while still very far apart.  Here is the explanation from Discover Magazine:

...the top moon there is Dione, and the bottom one is Rhea. As Cassini flew by them, Dione was closer (a little more than 1.1 million km or about 690,000 miles), and Rhea farther away (1.6 million km or 1 million miles). The angle of Cassini’s trajectory was just right such that Dione passed right in front of Rhea, and it snapped this image just as it happened.

"Think of Neil Armstrong and Give Him a Wink"

Earlier today astronaut Neil Armstrong passed away at the age of 82.  His first walk on the moon's surface, an amazing feat regardless of nationality or politics, set America on the path of great achievements in space. 

NASA released this statement from his family:

We are heartbroken to share the news that Neil Armstrong has passed away following complications resulting from cardiovascular procedures.

Neil was our loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend.

Neil Armstrong was also a reluctant American hero who always believed he was just doing his job. He served his Nation proudly, as a navy fighter pilot, test pilot, and astronaut. He also found success back home in his native Ohio in business and academia, and became a community leader in Cincinnati.

He remained an advocate of aviation and exploration throughout his life and never lost his boyhood wonder of these pursuits.

As much as Neil cherished his privacy, he always appreciated the expressions of good will from people around the world and from all walks of life.

While we mourn the loss of a very good man, we also celebrate his remarkable life and hope that it serves as an example to young people around the world to work hard to make their dreams come true, to be willing to explore and push the limits, and to selflessly serve a cause greater than themselves.

For those who may ask what they can do to honor Neil, we have a simple request. Honor his example of service, accomplishment and modesty, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink.

A Fitting Tribute to Ray Bradbury

NASA has decided to name the Curiosity landing site after Ray Bradbury, making the announcement on August 22nd, the day that would have been the author's 92nd birthday.  Called "Bradbury Landing," the author now has a permanent spot on the Red Planet many years after penning The Martian Chronicles. 

In the NASA press release, Michael Meyer, NASA program scientist for Curiosity, stated,

This was not a difficult choice for the science team...Many of us and millions of other readers were inspired in our lives by stories Ray Bradbury wrote to dream of the possibility of life on Mars.

I think this quote from Mr. Bradbury applies to many things, but certainly our latest adventure with curiosity:

Americans are far more remarkable than we give ourselves credit for. We've been so busy damning ourselves for years. We've done it all, and yet we don't take credit for it.

Curiosity Panorama from Mars

Take a look at this panoramic shot of the Martian surface put together by Andrew Bodrov.  It works best on an iPad or similar device.  I was wondering how Mr. Bodrov was able to do this until I read an explanation from NPR:

Earlier today, we published a panorama that purported to be stitched together from images taken by the NASA Mars rover Curiosity. Since that time, we have learned that the author of the panorama has said he used Adobe Photoshop to add a sun to the sky. According to Talking Points Memo, Andrew Bodrov used images from a 2005 Mars rover to approximate the size and appearance of the sun.

Mr. Bodrov's creativity, and contribution, is impressive.

Sally Ride's Stories

If you are interested in Sally Ride's career and some of her writings, you can find plenty of published material.  Many are geared for younger readers to engender their interest in space.  For instance, Ms. Ride's Space Shuttle adventures and more are recounted in her 1989 book for younger readers To Space & Back.  Ms. Ride also co-authored many other books with Tam O'Shaughnessy related to various aspects of the space program designed for younger readers, including:

-- Voyager: An Adventure to the Edge of the Solar System.  Published in 2005, Kirkus Reviews opined:

Astronaut/scientist Ride teams up with a science teacher for a book about the Voyager spacecrafts' epic journeys. During them, they passed close enough to Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune to take detailed pictures and measurements; the result is a wealth of new information (especially about the planets' rings and moons), gorgeous color photos, and some scientific puzzles.

-- Exploring Our Solar System.  Published in 2003.  Booklist opined:

In this copiously illustrated volume, astronaut Ride and educator O'Shaughnessy offer a thrilling introduction to our solar system. Although our neighboring planets were "formed at about the same time and from about the same stuff," the authors write, "they are nine very different worlds." Each chapter takes readers on a planetary tour. The section on Earth includes a time line and theories of the evolution of life on our planet. The authors explain facts in simple, straightforward language that doesn't condescend to a young audience, and the visuals include exciting images from space, charts that contrast the planets' properties, and artists' renderings of unattainable space views and imagined explorations. Throughout, the authors successfully put the planets in wider context, as in the section "Venus, Earth and Mars--Why They Are So Different." Useful appended charts, including a full listing of all space flights, add to the appeal.

-- The Mystery of Mars.  Published in 1999.  School Library Journal opined:

Actually a physical portrait of two planets, this survey draws illuminating parallels and contrasts between the history, structure, and current state of both Earth and Mars. Imparting a vivid sense of how inhospitable the red planet is, at least to life as we know it, Ride and O'Shaughnessy supply a lively mix of sweeping claims ("Mars has the largest volcanoes and the longest, deepest canyons in the entire solar system"), specific observations, and logical extrapolations. The authors' comments are enhanced by a generous array of computer graphics, precisely detailed paintings, and recent photographs from both space and ground level. The material includes information gathered from the 1997 Pathfinder mission and a mention of the Mars Climate Orbiter, though not of the latter's failure. 

More Mars News: India

With all of the attention on NASA's Curiosity, many may have missed India's announcement that it would like to send a spacecraft to Mars next year.  The $82 million mission will orbit the planet and collect data.  India has already proved it space prowess back in 2008 when it sent a probe to the moon (Chandralayaan-1), so the idea is not all that far fetched. 

"This spaceship to Mars will be a huge step for us in the area of science and technology," said Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

India follows the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan and China, who have already sent missions to Mars.

Of course, with India still recovering from a massive electricity blackout, the announcement could not have come at a worst time. Critics of the announcement worry that India has bigger problems at home and planetary missions are a luxury the Indian people cannot afford.  Of course, the United States had a few problems at home itself as it was planning some of its space missions.  For instance, the moon mission was being implemented while the country was facing the Vietnam War abroad and race riots at home.  Competition with Russia was still paramount during this period, as was national pride.  India is no different, though its competition is with neighboring China.
 
The announcement may have unintended consequences.  The United Kingdom is already reconsidering the economic assistance it provides to India.  The Economic Times reported Conservative MP Philip Davies stated, "If they can afford to have some high-tech mission to Mars they can afford to look after their own people without British taxpayers having to put their hands in their pockets for money they haven't got."

NASA Adminstrator's Jobs Report

Just as President Obama used the successful landing of Curiosity to sell the merits of a private sector space program, which really had nothing to do with the mission at hand, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden made sure to use his second paragraph to sell the jobs created by NASA, stated to be about 7,000 positions in 31 states.  This is also how we push Department of Defense programs that we do not really need but keep certain legislators in their own jobs.

Luckily, the statements contained a little bit of vision as well for those who want a space program for learning about space itself.  First, the United States intends to send humans to Mars in 2030, of course a date so comfortably in the distance that we do not really need to fund it under this administration.  A more near term goal is next year's mission involving the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) orbiter (pictured below).  According to NASA,

Scientists will use MAVEN data to determine the role that loss of volatile compounds—such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and water—from the Mars atmosphere to space has played through time, giving insight into the history of Mars' atmosphere and climate, liquid water, and planetary habitability.

This week's successful Mars mission makes future missions to the Red Planet more likely as it proves American know-how and garners more interest in all things Martian.  Let's cheer this week and push for even more starting next week. Mars awaits!

Here is the full statement by the Administrator: 

NASA is back on Mars – and getting ready for the next mission to the Red Planet! After an astounding 352 million mile journey and a harrowing landing that demonstrated cutting-edge technology, Curiosity, the largest rover ever sent to another planet, is in place and ready to work. This robotic laboratory will seek answers to one of humanity’s oldest questions as it investigates whether conditions have favored development of microbial life on the Red Planet. The mission is a critical planetary science mission -- and a precursor to sending humans to the Red Planet in the 2030’s, a goal set forth by President Obama. 

It’s another great leadership moment for our nation and a sign of the continued strength of NASA’s many programs in science, aeronautics and human spaceflight. It’s also important to remember that the $2.5 billion investment made in this project was not spent on Mars, but right here on Earth, supporting more than 7,000 jobs in at least 31 states.

With the retirement of the Shuttle program after its final flight in July 2011, some have suggested that NASA’s leadership in the exploration of space, including our extraordinary successes on Mars, was coming to an end. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Curiosity mission is only the latest in a long list of extraordinary NASA missions that established the United States as the undisputed world leader, and it will help guarantee that remains the case for many years to come.
When our Orion deep space crew vehicle takes its first test flight in 2014, it will travel farther into space than any spacecraft designed for humans has flown in the 40 years since our astronauts returned from the moon. 

In 2017, NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS), a heavy-lift rocket that will provide an entirely new capability for human exploration beyond low Earth orbit, will launch Orion. 

We also reached a critically important milestone in May when SpaceX became the first private company to send a spacecraft -- the Dragon cargo capsule -- to the International Space Station and return it with cargo intact. This successful mission ushered in a new era in spaceflight -- and signaled a new way of doing business for NASA. And just a few days ago, we announced the next step in the Obama Administration’s aggressive plan to once again launch our astronauts from U.S. soil on spacecraft built by American companies. 

As part of our commitment to maintain American leadership in the exploration of Mars beyond the Curiosity mission, NASA will launch the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) orbiter next year. Earlier this year, I directed NASA’s science mission director, along with the head of human exploration, Chief Technologist, and Chief Scientist to develop a more integrated strategy to ensure that the next steps for Mars exploration will support the nation’s planetary science objectives as well as our human exploration goals. They are looking at many options, including another robotic mission to land on Mars in this decade. 

I am so proud of the NASA team that has made tonight’s challenging milestone possible. However, tomorrow we begin to plan for the next great challenge -- and start compiling incredible scientific data from Curiosity. For the past 50 years, NASA has specialized in doing the hard things. Thanks to the ingenuity of our teams across America and the world, we are poised for even greater success.

More Curosity Photos From Mars

NASA's Curiosity continues to send fascinating photos of the journey ahead.  Below is a shot of the distant rim of Gale Crater. 

 And below is a photo of the landing site with the various mission pieces scattered throughout the area.

 Here is NASA's description of the scene above:

The four main pieces of hardware that arrived on Mars with NASA's Curiosity rover were spotted by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). The High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera captured this image about 24 hours after landing. The large, reduced-scale image points out the strewn hardware: the heat shield was the first piece to hit the ground, followed by the back shell attached to the parachute, then the rover itself touched down, and finally, after cables were cut, the sky crane flew away to the northwest and crashed. Relatively dark areas in all four spots are from disturbances of the bright dust on Mars, revealing the darker material below the surface dust.

Success: Curiosity Lands on Mars

We can all breath easy now.  Curiosity is safe and sound on the surface of Mars, landing earlier this morning.  To the right you can see Curiosity's first photo from the Red Planet.  NASA states, 

[The photo] was taken through a "fisheye" wide-angle lens on the left "eye" of a stereo pair of Hazard-Avoidance cameras on the left-rear side of the rover. The image is one-half of full resolution. The clear dust cover that protected the camera during landing has been sprung open. Part of the spring that released the dust cover can be seen at the bottom right, near the rover's wheel. 

Here is the statement by President Obama on the landing:

Tonight, on the planet Mars, the United States of America made history. 

The successful landing of Curiosity – the most sophisticated roving laboratory ever to land on another planet – marks an unprecedented feat of technology that will stand as a point of national pride far into the future. It proves that even the longest of odds are no match for our unique blend of ingenuity and determination.

Tonight’s success, delivered by NASA, parallels our major steps forward towards a vision for a new partnership with American companies to send American astronauts into space on American spacecraft. That partnership will save taxpayer dollars while allowing NASA to do what it has always done best – push the very boundaries of human knowledge. And tonight’s success reminds us that our preeminence – not just in space, but here on Earth – depends on continuing to invest wisely in the innovation, technology, and basic research that has always made our economy the envy of the world.

I congratulate and thank all the men and women of NASA who made this remarkable accomplishment a reality – and I eagerly await what Curiosity has yet to discover. 

This is a proud day for NASA.  I am not sure why the President felt it was necessary to align the success with his private sector vision.  Let's keep it simple.  Great job, NASA!

Another Space Program with Spare Parts for NASA

Earlier I noted how the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) already has its own space shuttle program and maybe more sharing of resources could assist NASA.  Well, I forgot that DoD is just one of a number of federal agencies with its own space program.  For instance, the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), one of our spy agencies, runs its own satellite and telescope missions as well, though these telescopes peer back onto Earth.  And now it appears that some inter-agency sharing is underway.

The Washington Post reported that two left-over NRO telescopes sitting in Rochester, NY, will go to NASA.  Both telescopes are as large as the Hubble space telescope though they have a much wider field of view.  In fact, the telescopes may be better than the current Hubble telescope, and potentially meet the needs of the now stalled Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST). WFIRST's goals are exoplanet exploration, dark energy research, and galactic and extragalactic surveys.

The problem is that NASA will have to make a number of modifications to make them useful, and the funding problems at the Agency will make such modifications difficult.  NASA astrophysics director Paul Hertz said the new telescopes are unlikely to be launched before 2024, noting “Any dates earlier, like 2019 or 2020, is if money is no object,” Hertz said. 

While Congress continues to starve our space programs, it is nice to learn federal agencies are communicating.  This is not the same as having one national space program, but it is better than nothing.