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Unsung heroes: NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson has died

NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson

NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson, who helped the first American astronaut to successfully orbit the Earth, has died at the age of 101. Katherine worked out the trajectory for Alan Shepard, the first American in space. She used no electronic computers.

She also worked on astronaut John Glenn’s orbital mission, checking the numbers for the flight.

Katherine is one of three African American women celebrated in the 2016 movie Hidden Figures, which tells the true story of Katherine, Mary Jackson and Dorothy Vaughan, who faced discrimination, racism and segregation but pushed through.

“Johnson helped our nation enlarge the frontiers of space even as she made huge strides that also opened doors for women and people of color. Her dedication and skill as a mathematician helped put humans on the moon and before that made it possible for our astronauts to take the first steps in space that we now follow on a journey to Mars.”

– NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a statement. “

Spotter: Flashbak

Posted: 24th, February 2020 | In: News, Technology | Comment


Gazing at the face of the sun : a NASA video

face of the sun

We’re looking at the moon. It’s 50 years ago since humans first trod on the lunar surface. NASA which reveals the Sun’s surface in a way never before seen.

This video takes SDO images and applies additional processing to enhance the structures visible. While there is no scientific value to this processing, it does result in a beautiful, new way of looking at the sun.

The original frames are in the 171 Angstrom wavelength of extreme ultraviolet. This wavelength shows plasma in the solar atmosphere, called the corona, that is around 600,000 Kelvin.

The loops represent plasma held in place by magnetic fields. They are concentrated in “active regions” where the magnetic fields are the strongest. These active regions usually appear in visible light as sunspots. The events in this video represent 24 hours of activity on September 25, 2011.

Spotter: Flashbak

Posted: 19th, July 2019 | In: Key Posts, Technology | Comment


Aldrin and Armstrong: what it’s like being one of moon walkers’ children

rmstrong showing Janet, Mark and Eric Armstrong

Fifty years ago Buzz Aldrin’s son, Andy Aldrin, watched on television in Houston, Texas, as his father stepped onto the moon. So what does you dad do, Andy?

“Mostly, I was worried about him falling over in front of all my classmates,” he tells The Times. “You have to remember I’m an 11-year-old kid and that’s my dad on TV in front of 300 million, 500 million, people — and more importantly, my classmates. So I was scared to death my dad was going to do something to embarrass me. I just remember being worried about my dad screwing up and tripping as he came down the ladder and stepped on the moon. I’m just concerned my dad’s going to do something dumb.”

Do you mention the fact that your dad walked on the moon? Mark Armstrong’s father Neil Armstrong as the first man down the ladder from Apollo 11. “I never volunteered that information because I felt like it hampered the development of genuine relationships with people,” say Mark. “Plenty of times the knowledge of who my dad was changed people’s behaviour towards me and I never wanted that. I wanted to be known on my own merits.”

Image: Neil Armstrong’s wife Janet and sons Mark and Eric Armstrong.

Posted: 18th, July 2019 | In: News | Comment


9/11 from Space

On September 11, 2001, astronaut Frank Culbertson saw the destruction of New York City's Twin Towers from the International Space Station. He wrote: "It's horrible to see smoke pouring from wounds in your own country from such a fantastic vantage point. The dichotomy of being on a spacecraft dedicated to improving life on the earth and watching life being destroyed by such willful, terrible acts is jolting to the psyche, no matter who you are."

 

On September 11, 2001, astronaut Frank Culbertson saw the destruction of New York City’s Twin Towers from the International Space Station. He wrote: “It’s horrible to see smoke pouring from wounds in your own country from such a fantastic vantage point. The dichotomy of being on a spacecraft dedicated to improving life on the earth and watching life being destroyed by such wilful, terrible acts is jolting to the psyche, no matter who you are.”

 

Posted: 11th, September 2017 | In: Strange But True, Technology | Comment


For sale: 5 NASA Space Shuttle flights suits

nasa flight suits bargains

 

Most old tat is great. Talia Rappa and Skyler Ashworth got some terrific gear at a Florida thrift store’s fire sale: for $1.20 they bought five NASA flight suits.

According to experts at the American Space Museum, the astronauts’ names and flight dates on the white labels seem to match the time astronauts, PhD, Robert A. Parker, PhD, and Charles D. Walker, a payload specialist, flew shuttle missions between 1983 and 1985.

Robert Allan Ridley Parker (born December 14, 1936) is an American physicist and astronomer, former Director of the NASA Management Office at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and a retired NASA astronaut. He was a Mission Specialist on two Space Shuttle missions, STS-9 and STS-35.

Robert Allan Parker (born December 14, 1936), former Director of the NASA Management Office at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and a retired NASA astronaut. He was a Mission Specialist on two Space Shuttle missions, STS-9 and STS-35.

 

Charles David "Charlie" Walker (born August 29, 1948) is an American engineer who flew on three Space Shuttle missions in 1984 and 1985 as a Payload Specialist for the McDonnell Douglas Corporation.[1] He is the first non-government individual to fly in space.

Charles David “Charlie” Walker (born August 29, 1948) flew on three Space Shuttle missions in 1984 and 1985 as a Payload Specialist for the McDonnell Douglas Corporation.[1] He is the first non-government individual to fly in space.

 

George Driver "Pinky" Nelson (born July 13, 1950) is an American physicist, astronomer, science educator, and a former NASA astronaut.  Contents  [hide]  1Early life and education 2	Research 3	NASA career 3.1	Spaceflight experience 3.1.1	STS-41-C Challenger 3.1.2	STS-61-C Columbia 3.1.3

George Driver “Pinky” Nelson (born July 13, 1950) is an American physicist, astronomer, science educator, and a former NASA astronaut on STS-41-C Challenger, STS-61-C Columbia and STS-26 Discovery

 

You can buy one of these fantastic artefacts when the finders auction them at the American Space Museum auction on November 4.

Spotter: Click on Orlando

Posted: 18th, August 2017 | In: News, Technology, The Consumer | Comment


Watch the NASA’s Antares Rocket Blow-Up From Loads of Angles!

PA-17634159

 

THERE’S something in the human psyche that loves seeing things blow-up. Explosions are even better when there’s no casualties, because you can just enjoy the show without wanting to vomit with the weight of it all.

Yesterday, NASA launched the unmanned Orbital Sciences Corp Antares rocket as part of a $1.9billion contract, however, it didn’t make it out of the atmosphere as it turned into a huge molten fireball seven seconds above the ground, before crashing back into the earth, blowing up everywhere.

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Posted: 30th, October 2014 | In: Reviews, Technology | Comment


ECG Data Suggests Did Michael Collins Died On Apollo 11 Mission?

YOU are looking at NASA’s picture of the “Typical ECG signal received during the Apollo 11 mission”:

armstrong heart

 

Neil Armstrong was excited, but Michael Collins was…dead?

Spotter: NASA

Posted: 16th, January 2014 | In: Flashback, Technology | Comments (3)


Frog photobombs Nasa rocket launch (photos)

FROGS in spaaace….

frog nasa

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Posted: 13th, September 2013 | In: Strange But True, Technology | Comment


Black Marble: Suomi captures a weather-free Earth

THIS is Black Marble, ka Earth. The image was taken by the US’s Suomi spacecraft. There is no weather:

 

Posted: 6th, December 2012 | In: Technology | Comment


1985: House spiders on drugs

FLASHBACK to 27/04/1995: EXPERIMENTS BY NASA SCIENTISTS HAVE SHOWN THAT COMMON HOUSE SPIDERS SPIN THEIR WEBS IN DIFFERENT WAYS ACCORDING TO THE DRUG THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN.

Posted: 20th, November 2012 | In: Flashback, Technology | Comment


‘It’s a wheel, it’s a wheel!’ – photos of Curiosity’s mission to Mars

NASA’S mission to Mars is go! The mega-millions Curiosity rover is now roving Mars. The first photo beamed back is snapshot of the rover’s shadow. We live in the age of celebrity and self-promotion. You might laugh as the photo is spotted and heralded by the line that will reverberate down generations: “It’s a wheel, it’s a wheel!”

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Image 1 of 19

NASA Mars Curiosity's mega-rover's Mars Science Laboratory Mast Camera is seen at the Mars Science Laboratory, at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., Monday, April 4, 2011.(AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

 

Posted: 6th, August 2012 | In: Technology | Comment


Nasa astronauts turns on James Hansen and the man-made Global warming agenda

JAMES Hansen, of NASA – he’s Director of the Goddard Institute of Space Studies – reportedly, has been writing to Solvenia’s President – the foreigner taking it upon himself to tell an elected leader how to build greener power plants. Oddly, Hansen sees himself as the little guy up againt the machine. As the Telegraph reports:

Dr James Hansen, director of the Nasa Goddard Institute for Space Studies, who first made warnings about climate change in the 1980s, said that public scepticism about the threat of man-made climate change has increased despite the growing scientific consensus …

He blamed sceptics who are opposed to major social and economic changes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for employing “tremendous resources” to undermine the scientific evidence.

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Posted: 11th, April 2012 | In: Reviews | Comment


Nasa’s Falling UARS Satellite Misses North America But Hits Eurovision – Which Is Lucky

SO. What’s it feel like to get hit by a satellite failing from space? You may soon get to answer that question because the UARS satellite is heading this way. The chance of you getting hit by the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) is 1 in 3,200, states the BBC. And that’s not too shabby.

The thing will arrive on Mother Earth – or your granny’s house – this Friday evening or Saturday morning.

Nasa says that debris could fall across an area 400-500km long. And all we know for certain is that when the lumps of bran-shattering metal do pull through the atmosphere, Nasa says it will not be over North America.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration of the United States, based in North America by liable to colonise anywhere soon, may be disappointed not to get the device back.

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Posted: 22nd, September 2011 | In: Technology | Comment (1)


Nasa’s Photo Of The Whole Sun In One Image

THANKS to Nasa we can now see what the sun looks like in the round. These photographs were taken by two Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) spacecraft, one on either side of the sun.

But what’s going on at the top and the bottom?

And are we along in thinking that although these photos are incredibly vivid and skilfully produced, they lack the magic of an image that pricks the human gene and inspires?

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Posted: 6th, February 2011 | In: Technology | Comment


NASA Heralds The Arrival Of Santa: Because Science Matters

NASA is to hold a news conference at 2 p.m. EST on Thursday, Dec. 2, to “discuss an astrobiology finding that will impact the search for evidence of extraterrestrial life.”

Santa’s coming home. He’s coming home. He’s coming…

Spotter: Percy

Posted: 1st, December 2010 | In: Strange But True | Comment (1)


No joke – NASA to prove alien life form exists!

Over to the NASA website…

“NASA will hold a news conference at 2 p.m. EST on Thursday, Dec. 2, to discuss an astrobiology finding that will impact the search for evidence of extraterrestrial life. Astrobiology is the study of the origin, evolution, distribution and future of life in the universe.”

You can read the rest here

Bye bye Wikileaks – looks like your ten minutes of fame is about to be usurped big time

Posted: 30th, November 2010 | In: Strange But True | Comment (1)


Nasa Invites British To Test New Bomb On Moon

moon-bombForty years on from the first moon landing, British scientists find a way to bomb it…

NEIL Armstrong described the moon’s surface as “fine and powdery”. Buzz Aldrin, the man who came second, said the moon exhibited signs of “magnificent desolation”.

Forty years on, Nasa is still working out what to do with the moon, it’s big discovery; and has only now decided to bomb it.

When Anorak first heard the news that Nasa scientists will be “bombing” the Moon with two spacecraft, we supposed the moon had been earmarked as a zone in which to test weapons destined for the desolate sands of Iraq and Afghanistan.

But Nasa says the bombing run is an attempt to locate ice-water in the Cabeus south polar region, identified by a team from the University of Durham team as a site with high concentrations of hydrogen.

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Posted: 9th, October 2009 | In: Strange But True | Comments (7)


Bad Science: NASA Says Sun Can Make Climate Hot

hand-of-godBAD Science is not always about securing a research grant or explaining to the Dean what you’ve been up to all year. Bad science is about licking a finger, sticking it in the air and noting that it gets dry when it’s not raining, and wet when it is.

A study from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland looking at climate data over the past century has concluded that solar variation has made a significant impact on the Earth’s climate. The report concludes that evidence for climate changes based on solar radiation can be traced back as far as the Industrial Revolution.

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Posted: 6th, June 2009 | In: Reviews | Comment


9-11 As Seen From Space

SEVEN years since 9/11, the biggest “Where Were You When…?” event of the last forty years…

Where were you when..?

Posted: 12th, September 2008 | In: Reviews | Comments (8)