Space News and Ramblings

Something very interesting and yes, cool is going on in space right now. What you ask?
After gently cruising through interplanetary space for over four years, Dawn, NASA’s asteroid probe, will enter orbit around asteroid 4 Vesta at 1 a.m. EDT on July 16th. The arrival marks the beginning of a yearlong study of the second-largest object in the belt of rocky bodies between Mars and Jupiter.

NASA's Dawn spacecraft obtained this image of the giant asteroid Vesta with its framing camera on July 9, 2011. It was taken from a distance of about 26,000 miles (41,000 km). Vesta has an average diameter of 329 miles (530 km), and the image resolves details roughly 2½ miles (4 km) in size.

NASA / JPL / UCLA / MPS / DLR / IDA

Yesterday NASA released an image of Vesta taken on July 9th, when Dawn was only 26,000 miles (42,000 km) from the asteroid. As chief engineer Marc Rayman noted earlier this month, the spacecraft's destination looks, "wrinkled, ancient, wizened, with a tremendous amount of character that bears witness to some fascinating episodes in the solar system's history."

Launched on September 27, 2007, Dawn carries high-resolution cameras, spectrometers, and other instruments to investigate the true nature of two alien worlds: Vesta and 1 Ceres. After exploring Vesta for a year, Dawn will set sail for Ceres in late 2012. Scientists believe that these two objects, which formed early in the life of the solar system, carry important clues to the formation of the terrestrial planets.
Ok, I copied that part. But I wanted to get it right, and it is the first time we have had an orbiter this far out in our very own solar system.
What else you ask? Neptune has made the first complete orbit around the sun since 1846. Long time huh. I think its fascinating that it takes this planet so long to make one complete orbit. Strange stuff?
But, this is what I think makes space in general such a wonderful thing to contemplate. When you watch programs on tv or read articles, you get "facts" the only problem with these facts is the fact that without actual visual up close encounters everything is an educated guess. Fine and well, just remember that there are lots of surprises and we DO NOT know everything yet. So to put a fine point on it we still need children, and people to be inspired, educated, and entertained enough to want to find out these things. You cannot Google everything. And that's why I have such a passion for a facility dedicated to these objectives. Stay in touch and keep looking up!

And try to stay cool.
Larry

The End Of An Era

I guess I am just getting old. Well everyone knows that. I just cannot believe the last Shuttle will be going up Friday, barring weather problems which right now look very likely. NASA has plans to transition to a new system (supposedly) which could be very similar, but it just wont be the same. Of course, it is very hard to comprehend. One, I have always had the opinion that NASA was the be all end all for actual rocket science. Until a new system is developed we will be sending OUR astronauts to the ISS aboard a Soyuz Russian capsule. I was in Houston last year, and trust me if I had to ride in that, compared to the shuttle I would stay on the ground. Looks a lot like our old capsules, only not as pretty. Remember when we used to pick them up in the ocean? Well, that's how the Russians roll. And they have already raised the fares. With China graduating 42% of their college graduates in Stem disciplines and the US graduating 5% where do you think the rocket scientists and technology we are so proud of is going to come from? NASA has become so scared of harming someone it basically is afraid to do the kind of projects that took us to the moon. To say nothing about an out of control bureaucracy. It is just disappointing to me. I guess I will just have to watch old John Wayne movies. Ok, I will get off my soapbox.
We are going to be announcing some news soon for the planetarium project, so stay tuned. And get in front of a tv and watch the takeoff and landing of a truly magnificent and inspiring spacecraft. At least let your kids understand that this is something important.
And as always remember to Keep Looking Up.
If you follow my twitter feeds swmoplanetarium I post anytime the ISS is coming over our skies. Summer is a good time to get the kiddies outside and let them know there are still adventurers among us, and over us.
Godspeed STS 135 the last.