NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope finally deploys, with some stark lessons in the importance of oversight. Read More
Tag: NASA
Report finds that US accounts for more than half of global space spending
Enlarge / Change in government space budgets over time. (credit: Euroconsult) Nations around the world spent a total of $92 billion on the “space sector” in 2021, the market intelligence firm Euroconsult reports. This represents an 8 percent increase in spending from the year 2020. In the latest edition of the report “Government Space Programs,” […]
The launch of NASA’s titanic SLS rocket slips toward summer 2022
Enlarge / The launch-vehicle stage adapter for NASA’s Space Launch System rocket is integrated with the core stage in June 2021. (credit: NASA) NASA said Wednesday that it is now targeting “mid-February” for an initial rollout of the Space Launch System rocket to the launch pad. The space agency set the new date after engineers […]
Webb continues to unfold; has enough fuel for over a decade
Enlarge / The multi-layer sun shield is in the process of unfolding this week. Right now the portion extending forward from the telescope body is extended; the sides will come later this week. (credit: NASA ) When fully operational, the James Webb Space Telescope will be enormous, with a sun shield measuring 12 x 22 […]
Webb Telescope away with two major hurdles cleared after flawless launch
Enlarge / Away it goes. Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD — Today, the James Webb Space Telescope started its journey to a location over a million kilometers from Earth, where it will start its science mission in roughly six months. “This is a day for the ages, ” said Ken Sembach, director of the […]
Tune in as NASA and the ESA try launch the next great space telescope
Enlarge / Most of what you see here will be unfolded in the weeks to months after launch. (credit: Northrop Grumman ) There have been years of delays in construction and a few late slips in the launch schedule , with the particular latest being a short delay due to bad weather at the South […]
Real-Life Child Who Inspired The Exorcist Unmasked After His Death
The boy whose case inspired Linda Blair’s petrifying portrayal of a possessed child in the landmark horror film The Exorcist has been identified — and it turns out he lived quite the life afterward! As fans know, the horror classic was based on a novel of the same name by William Peter Blatty. It shocked […]
NASA has 10 new astronauts, and they could not have joined at a better time
Enlarge / Meet the new astronaut-candidates: US Air Force Maj. Nichole Ayers, Christopher Williams, US Marine Corps Maj. (retired) Luke Delaney, US Navy Lt. Cmdr. Jessica Wittner, US Usaf Lt. Col. Anil Menon, US Air Force Maj. Marcos Berríos, US Navy Cmdr. Jack Hathaway, Christina Birch, US Navy Lt. Deniz Burnham, and Andre Douglas. (credit: […]
ESA head says Europe needs to stop facilitating Elon Musk’s ambitions in space
Enlarge (credit: Trevor Mahlmann) The head of the European Space Agency has urged the continent’s leaders to stop facilitating Elon Musk’s ambition to dominate the new space economy, warning that the lack of co-ordinated action meant the US billionaire was “making the rules” himself. Josef Aschbacher, the new director-general of ESA, said that Europe’s readiness […]
With tonight’s launch, NASA starts getting serious about planetary defense
Enlarge / The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Double Asteroid Redirection Test, or DART, spacecraft aboard. (credit: NASA) Weather permitting, a Falcon 9 rocket will launch a key asteroid-deflection mission for NASA on Tuesday night from California. The Double Asteroid Redirection Test, or DART mission, will seek to demonstrate the capability to change an […]