European astronomer have published the news of their finding a complex extra-solar planetary system that apparently is the second known one with great potential for Earth-like planets in the habitable zone. Link >>>
The Milky Way grows more and more hospitable for each year as astronomers make new discoveries with space-based telescopes. When I was young, the common attitude among scientists was rather that planetary systems ought to be extremely rare.
China pursues an ambitious space program, trying to catch up with the big two by carrying out a limited number of missions where each comprises a big step forward. Now it is time for her first lunar rover, named Yutu (“Jade Rabbit”, which is an apt name because the rabbit is associated with the moon in Chinese folklore). Read more here — link >>>
The Soviet Union dispatched a few Lunokhod rovers to the moon in the 1970s, a subject that I earlier mentioned here. It seems likely that the Chinese mission will have little ability to add significantly to the scientific understanding of the lunar surface, so instead it is probably more about learning the art of executing complex interplanetary missions than about exploring the moon as such.
The Chinese Yatu moon rover
NASA is planning to establish remote-controlled plant habitats (i.e. mininiature “hothouses”) on the Moon in 2015 to investigate how to grow plats in that alien environment: the Lunar Plant Growth Habitat project — link >>>
The delivery to the Lunar surface is to be handled by private space ventures competing for the Google Lunar X Prize. This arrangement ties neatly to the on-going entry of new actors in the space research field, a subject that was covered in the previous blog post.
An experimental Lunar Plant Growth Habitat.
For many decades, space research was handled by government agencies. But during the past ten years, many other actors have entered this hi-tech field. Here is a long article by Washington Post on the subject: “Which way to space?” — link >>>
Venture capitalist sir Richard Branson wants his Virgin conglomerate to reach space.
If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how would men believe and adore, and preserve for many generations the remembrance of the city of God!
Ralph Waldo Emerson
This is what the night sky would be like in mankind’s cities after the fall of our civilization — link >>>
A black-outed San Francisco at night
It is hard to imagine a more beautiful bike, a 1930 Henderson Custom, painstakingly restored to road condition in the last decade.
Read more about it here >>>
