NASA, Europeans plan new missions to Jupiter, Saturn

Washington: The US space agency NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) would conduct missions to Jupiter, Saturn and many moons that circle the planets, the agencies announced.

The missions include sending multiple spacecraft to the Jupiter and Saturn systems to explore the planets and their unique satellites, such as Jupiter's ice-covered Europa and Saturn's shrouded moon Titan.

The first mission to fly would be aimed at Jupiter. Dubbed the Europa Jupiter System Mission, it would send two orbiting spacecraft to study the planet and its large moons Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto in unprecedented detail, NASA officials said Wednesday.

NASA would build one orbiter, the Jupiter Europa, while ESA would provide the other, Jupiter Ganymede. The spacecraft would launch in 2020 from different spaceports with the goal of reaching Jupiter by 2026 and spending three years studying the planet and its moons, NASA said.

"The decision means a win-win situation for all parties involved," said Ed Weiler, NASA's associate administrator for science missions at the agency's headquarters in Washington.

"Although the Jupiter system mission has been chosen to proceed to an earlier flight opportunity, a Saturn system mission clearly remains a high priority for the science community."

Like the proposed Jupiter mission, the Saturn expedition would consist of both NASA and European spacecraft.

Dubbed the Titan Saturn System mission, the flagship flight would include a NASA-built orbiter to study Saturn and its moons, as well as European lander and research balloon to continue the exploration of the planet's cloud-covered moon Titan. Saturn's moon

Enceladus, which harbours ice-spewing geysers, is also a major target for that mission.

Several technical hurdles must be overcome before the Saturn expedition can launch, and will require more study and technology development before the mission can move forward, NASA said.

Meanwhile, the Cassini orbiter managed by NASA, ESA and the Italian Space Agency is currently in orbit around Saturn, where it has been studying the planet and its many moons since it arrived in June 2004. The orbiter's European-built Huygens lander successfully touched down on Titan's surface in January 2005.

Mission managers are pushing to extend Cassini's flight by seven years to 2017. IANS

Source:http://indiaedunews.net/Science/NASA,_Europeans_plan_new_missions_to_Jupiter,_Saturn_7501/

NASA, Europeans plan new missions to Jupiter, Saturn

Washington: The US space agency NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) would conduct missions to Jupiter, Saturn and many moons that circle the planets, the agencies announced.

The missions include sending multiple spacecraft to the Jupiter and Saturn systems to explore the planets and their unique satellites, such as Jupiter's ice-covered Europa and Saturn's shrouded moon Titan.

The first mission to fly would be aimed at Jupiter. Dubbed the Europa Jupiter System Mission, it would send two orbiting spacecraft to study the planet and its large moons Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto in unprecedented detail, NASA officials said Wednesday.

NASA would build one orbiter, the Jupiter Europa, while ESA would provide the other, Jupiter Ganymede. The spacecraft would launch in 2020 from different spaceports with the goal of reaching Jupiter by 2026 and spending three years studying the planet and its moons, NASA said.

"The decision means a win-win situation for all parties involved," said Ed Weiler, NASA's associate administrator for science missions at the agency's headquarters in Washington.

"Although the Jupiter system mission has been chosen to proceed to an earlier flight opportunity, a Saturn system mission clearly remains a high priority for the science community."

Like the proposed Jupiter mission, the Saturn expedition would consist of both NASA and European spacecraft.

Dubbed the Titan Saturn System mission, the flagship flight would include a NASA-built orbiter to study Saturn and its moons, as well as European lander and research balloon to continue the exploration of the planet's cloud-covered moon Titan. Saturn's moon

Enceladus, which harbours ice-spewing geysers, is also a major target for that mission.

Several technical hurdles must be overcome before the Saturn expedition can launch, and will require more study and technology development before the mission can move forward, NASA said.

Meanwhile, the Cassini orbiter managed by NASA, ESA and the Italian Space Agency is currently in orbit around Saturn, where it has been studying the planet and its many moons since it arrived in June 2004. The orbiter's European-built Huygens lander successfully touched down on Titan's surface in January 2005.

Mission managers are pushing to extend Cassini's flight by seven years to 2017. IANS

Source:http://indiaedunews.net/Science/NASA,_Europeans_plan_new_missions_to_Jupiter,_Saturn_7501/

NASA, Google launch virtual exploration of Mars

Washington: NASA and Google announced on Monday the release of a new Mars mode in Google Earth that brings to everyone's desktop a high-resolution, three-dimensional view of the red planet.

Besides providing a rich, immersive three dimensional view of Mars that will aid public understanding of Mars science, the new mode, Google Mars 3D, also gives researchers a platform for sharing data similar to what Google Earth provides for Earth scientists.

The mode enables users to fly virtually through enormous canyons and scale huge mountains on Mars that are much larger than any found on Earth. Users also can explore the planet through the eyes of the Mars rovers and other Mars missions, providing a unique perspective of the entire planet.

Users can see some of the latest satellite imagery from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and other probes orbiting the planet. Viewers can learn about new discoveries and explore indexes of available Mars imagery. The new Mars mode also allows users to add their own 3D content to the Mars map to share with the world.

Monday's announcement is the latest benefit from a Space Act Agreement that NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California, signed with Google in November 2006. Under its terms, NASA and Google agreed to collaborate to make NASA's data sets available to the world. IANS

Source: http://indiaedunews.net/Science/NASA,_Google_launch_virtual_exploration_of_Mars_7342/

NASA, Google launch virtual exploration of Mars

Washington: NASA and Google announced on Monday the release of a new Mars mode in Google Earth that brings to everyone's desktop a high-resolution, three-dimensional view of the red planet.

Besides providing a rich, immersive three dimensional view of Mars that will aid public understanding of Mars science, the new mode, Google Mars 3D, also gives researchers a platform for sharing data similar to what Google Earth provides for Earth scientists.

The mode enables users to fly virtually through enormous canyons and scale huge mountains on Mars that are much larger than any found on Earth. Users also can explore the planet through the eyes of the Mars rovers and other Mars missions, providing a unique perspective of the entire planet.

Users can see some of the latest satellite imagery from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and other probes orbiting the planet. Viewers can learn about new discoveries and explore indexes of available Mars imagery. The new Mars mode also allows users to add their own 3D content to the Mars map to share with the world.

Monday's announcement is the latest benefit from a Space Act Agreement that NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California, signed with Google in November 2006. Under its terms, NASA and Google agreed to collaborate to make NASA's data sets available to the world. IANS

Source: http://indiaedunews.net/Science/NASA,_Google_launch_virtual_exploration_of_Mars_7342/

NASA delays unmanned Mars mission for two years

Washington: The head of US space agency NASA has said the Mars Science Laboratory's (MSL) unmanned mission to the red planet will be delayed for two years until the fall of 2011 due to technical difficulties.

The launch of the Rover had been scheduled for October 2009, but NASA said on its website that "testing and hardware challenges must be addressed to ensure mission success," and that the next launch opportunity after 2009 would be in 2011.

"Trying for 2009 would require us to assume too much risk, more than I think is appropriate for a flagship mission," Michael Griffin told journalists.

The delay, the second in two years, is expected to see an increase in the Mars Science Laboratory's costs of $400 million to a total of $2.3 billion.

Doug McCuistion, director of the Mars Exploration Program at NASA headquarters in Washington, said: "We will not lessen our standards for testing the mission's complex flight systems, so we are choosing the more responsible option of changing the launch date."

The MSL is due to attempt a precision landing on Mars for the first time. IANS

Soeruce: http://indiaedunews.net/Science/NASA_delays_unmanned_Mars_mission_for_two_years_6724/

NASA delays unmanned Mars mission for two years

Washington: The head of US space agency NASA has said the Mars Science Laboratory's (MSL) unmanned mission to the red planet will be delayed for two years until the fall of 2011 due to technical difficulties.

The launch of the Rover had been scheduled for October 2009, but NASA said on its website that "testing and hardware challenges must be addressed to ensure mission success," and that the next launch opportunity after 2009 would be in 2011.

"Trying for 2009 would require us to assume too much risk, more than I think is appropriate for a flagship mission," Michael Griffin told journalists.

The delay, the second in two years, is expected to see an increase in the Mars Science Laboratory's costs of $400 million to a total of $2.3 billion.

Doug McCuistion, director of the Mars Exploration Program at NASA headquarters in Washington, said: "We will not lessen our standards for testing the mission's complex flight systems, so we are choosing the more responsible option of changing the launch date."

The MSL is due to attempt a precision landing on Mars for the first time. IANS

Soeruce: http://indiaedunews.net/Science/NASA_delays_unmanned_Mars_mission_for_two_years_6724/

NASA successfully tests first deep space Internet

Washington: US space agency NASA said it has successfully tested the first deep space communications network modelled on the Internet.

NASA engineers used a special software called Disruption-Tolerant Networking or DTN to transmit dozens of images to and from a NASA science spacecraft located about 30 million km from the Earth.

"This is the first step in creating a totally new space communications capability, an interplanetary Internet," said Adrian Hooke, team leader and manager of space-networking architecture, technology and standards at NASA headquarters in Washington.

The DTN sends information using a method that differs from the Internet's Transmission-Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, or TCP/IP, communications suite used on the Earth.

The Interplanetary Internet must be robust to withstand delays, disruptions and disconnections in space. Glitches can occur when a spacecraft moves behind a planet, or when solar storms and long communications delays happen.

Unlike TCP/IP, DTN does not assume a continuous end-to-end connection. In its design, if a destination path cannot be found, the data packets are not discarded.

Instead, each network node keeps the information as long as necessary until it can communicate safely with another node. This store-and-forward method means information does not get lost when no immediate path to the destination exists. Eventually, the information is delivered to the end user.

"In space today, an operations team must manually schedule each link and generate all the commands to specify which data to send, when to send it, and where to send it," said Leigh Torgerson, manager of NASA's DTN Experiment Operations Center. "With standardized DTN, this can all be done automatically."

This is the first in a series of planned demonstrations to qualify the technology for use on a variety of upcoming space missions.

A demonstration using new DTN software loaded aboard the International Space Station is scheduled to begin next summer in the next round of testing.

NASA expects that in the next few years, the Interplanetary Internet could enable many new types of space missions. IANS

Soruce: http://indiaedunews.net/Science/NASA_successfully_tests_first_deep_space_Internet_6618/

NASA successfully tests first deep space Internet

Washington: US space agency NASA said it has successfully tested the first deep space communications network modelled on the Internet.

NASA engineers used a special software called Disruption-Tolerant Networking or DTN to transmit dozens of images to and from a NASA science spacecraft located about 30 million km from the Earth.

"This is the first step in creating a totally new space communications capability, an interplanetary Internet," said Adrian Hooke, team leader and manager of space-networking architecture, technology and standards at NASA headquarters in Washington.

The DTN sends information using a method that differs from the Internet's Transmission-Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, or TCP/IP, communications suite used on the Earth.

The Interplanetary Internet must be robust to withstand delays, disruptions and disconnections in space. Glitches can occur when a spacecraft moves behind a planet, or when solar storms and long communications delays happen.

Unlike TCP/IP, DTN does not assume a continuous end-to-end connection. In its design, if a destination path cannot be found, the data packets are not discarded.

Instead, each network node keeps the information as long as necessary until it can communicate safely with another node. This store-and-forward method means information does not get lost when no immediate path to the destination exists. Eventually, the information is delivered to the end user.

"In space today, an operations team must manually schedule each link and generate all the commands to specify which data to send, when to send it, and where to send it," said Leigh Torgerson, manager of NASA's DTN Experiment Operations Center. "With standardized DTN, this can all be done automatically."

This is the first in a series of planned demonstrations to qualify the technology for use on a variety of upcoming space missions.

A demonstration using new DTN software loaded aboard the International Space Station is scheduled to begin next summer in the next round of testing.

NASA expects that in the next few years, the Interplanetary Internet could enable many new types of space missions. IANS

Soruce: http://indiaedunews.net/Science/NASA_successfully_tests_first_deep_space_Internet_6618/

NASA commissions study to develop future aircraft

Washington: US space agency NASA on Monday said that it has awarded seperate contracts worth $12.4 million to six aviation companies to study advanced technologies for developing future transport aircraft.The Boeing Company, GE Aviation, Lockheed Martin Corp., Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Northrop Grumman received separate 18-month long study contracts valued at approximately $2 million each. The focus of the studies is on commercial transport planes that can overcome performance and environmental challenges for the benefit of the general public, NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, said. The work will identify key technology development needs such as advanced airframes and propulsion systems, as well as breakthroughs that will enable such vehicles to enter service in 2030-2035. The planes represent a research and development programme known as "N+3", indicating three generations beyond the current commercial transport fleet, NASA said."The future of air transportation is all about protecting the environment and responding to increasing energy costs in a balanced way," said Juan Alonso, director of NASA's Fundamental Aeronautics Programme here."We will need airplanes that are quieter and more fuel efficient, and cleaner-burning fuels to power them. We are challenging industry to introduce these new technologies without impairing the convenience, safety and security of commercial air transportation," Alonso said. IANS

Source: http://indiaedunews.net/Science/NASA_commissions_study_to_develop_future_aircraft_6249/

NASA commissions study to develop future aircraft

Washington: US space agency NASA on Monday said that it has awarded seperate contracts worth $12.4 million to six aviation companies to study advanced technologies for developing future transport aircraft.The Boeing Company, GE Aviation, Lockheed Martin Corp., Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Northrop Grumman received separate 18-month long study contracts valued at approximately $2 million each. The focus of the studies is on commercial transport planes that can overcome performance and environmental challenges for the benefit of the general public, NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, said. The work will identify key technology development needs such as advanced airframes and propulsion systems, as well as breakthroughs that will enable such vehicles to enter service in 2030-2035. The planes represent a research and development programme known as "N+3", indicating three generations beyond the current commercial transport fleet, NASA said."The future of air transportation is all about protecting the environment and responding to increasing energy costs in a balanced way," said Juan Alonso, director of NASA's Fundamental Aeronautics Programme here."We will need airplanes that are quieter and more fuel efficient, and cleaner-burning fuels to power them. We are challenging industry to introduce these new technologies without impairing the convenience, safety and security of commercial air transportation," Alonso said. IANS

Source: http://indiaedunews.net/Science/NASA_commissions_study_to_develop_future_aircraft_6249/

Snow spotted in Martian clouds - NASA

Washington: The Phoenix Mars lander has found snow falling from clouds above Mars, NASA has said.
The snow evaporated before it reached the ground, Phoenix's instruments showed.
"Nothing like this view has ever been seen on Mars," researcher Jim Whiteway of York University in Toronto said. "We'll be looking for signs that the snow may even reach the ground."
Scientists also said they had found calcium carbonate - the main component of chalk - and possibly clay, both of which form only in the presence of liquid water.
Phoenix earlier confirmed there was ice on the surface of Mars. Determining whether liquid water has ever been present on Mars is key to learning whether life could have ever survived on the rocky planet. IANS

Source: http://www.indianchild.in/solar_system/Mars.asp

Snow spotted in Martian clouds - NASA

Washington: The Phoenix Mars lander has found snow falling from clouds above Mars, NASA has said.
The snow evaporated before it reached the ground, Phoenix's instruments showed.
"Nothing like this view has ever been seen on Mars," researcher Jim Whiteway of York University in Toronto said. "We'll be looking for signs that the snow may even reach the ground."
Scientists also said they had found calcium carbonate - the main component of chalk - and possibly clay, both of which form only in the presence of liquid water.
Phoenix earlier confirmed there was ice on the surface of Mars. Determining whether liquid water has ever been present on Mars is key to learning whether life could have ever survived on the rocky planet. IANS

Source: http://www.indianchild.in/solar_system/Mars.asp