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"NASA is extending, for a fifth time, the activities of the Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity." — the use-by dates have long since past, yet the little rovers that could continue to defy the odds, rolling across the unforgiving face of Mars.
"A very dark spot on Mars could be an entrance to a deep hole or cavern, according to scientists studying imagery taken by NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter." — it’s either yet another reason to send a manned mission, or a spec of dust on the lens..
“New measurements of Mars’ south polar region indicate extensive frozen water. The polar region contains enough frozen water to cover the whole planet in a liquid layer approximately 36 feet deep.” - one step closer to answering the life-on-mars question.
"Urey will be able to detect key molecules associated with life at a sensitivity roughly a million times greater than previous instrumentation." — should we find life’s building blocks elsewhere, it will be a defining moment in how we view the universe.
Came across an amusing little snippet of news today, referring to the “what if” scenario of a normally entirely sane NASA astronaut going “a little loco” and pulling out the Ginsu, or attempting to take a space walk — sans suit.
It turns out NASA has detailed, written procedures for dealing with a suicidal or psychotic astronaut in space. The documents, obtained this week by The Associated Press, say the astronaut’s crewmates should bind his wrists and ankles with duct tape, tie him down with a bungee cord and inject him with tranquilizers if necessary. #
I was of the understanding that NASA spent considerable time (and money) on just such psychological evaluations and tests as part of the overall training schedule to help weed out the more potentially mansonesque within the flight candidates, as part of training.
I had to awake early this morning..
In some ways I look forward to my uber-early morning starts - despite the ‘grind’ that is Windows Server patching. Now, this may sound a little odd, as anyone who has had to perform the aforementioned task will tell you.. it isn’t much fun.
Sure.. there is that slight flutter […]
