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Archive

Archived posts are listed in reverse chronological order.


  • Jul. 17, 2007 | 10:04 PDT | 17:04 UTC
    Dawn Journal: More than one way to leave the launch pad
    Here's another Dawn Journal entry, contributed by Marc Rayman. Marc is the Project System Engineer for the Dawn mission. Thanks Marc! by Dr. Marc D. Rayman Dear Dawntothegrounds, There are two ways for a spacecraft to leave its launch pad:... More»
  • Jul. 16, 2007 | 17:50 PDT | Jul. 17 00:50 UTC
    Hey, Moon! Get out of the way of Cassini!
    Here's a funny Cassini item that Dave Seal just pointed out to me. Go to space.jpl.nasa.gov and ask to see Earth as seen from Cassini, and here's what the view looked like just a couple of hours ago:Click to enlarge >Earth as seen from Cassini,... More»
  • Jul. 16, 2007 | 10:29 PDT | 17:29 UTC
    Sky Above, Earth Below
    We've just begun a new series of reports in the Planetary Analogs section of our website, and I'm really excited about it. Astronomer and physics professor Tyler Nordgren, who was one of the original team of people who developed the Marsdial for... More»
  • Jul. 13, 2007 | 07:48 PDT | 14:48 UTC
    Phoenix prepares for August launch
    Sorry about the dearth of posts this week, but I'm sick again. Let this be a lesson to you all, because I learned mine the hard way: do not let a piece of chicken leave your backyard grill until it has reached an internal temperature of 180 F. Buy... More»
  • Jul. 10, 2007 | 09:09 PDT | 16:09 UTC
    The dust storm has brought gloom to Opportunity's skies, but everything is OK
    I feel a little sorry for the Phoenix team, because their press conference yesterday was horned in on by not one but two other space missions' problems. First, the Dawn launch delay, which I talked about earlier, and then, a reported power problem... More»
  • Jul. 9, 2007 | 10:32 PDT | 17:32 UTC
    Dawn postponed until September
    I'm just beginning to get up to speed on the events of the weekend. I was hoping to post an update on the Dawn launch delay, which is already old news, before watching this morning's press conference on Phoenix, but I couldn't quite make it in... More»
  • Jul. 6, 2007 | 11:53 PDT | 18:53 UTC
    Dawn Journal: More bad weather
    Marc Rayman just sent in this update. Thanks Marc! by Dr. Marc D. Rayman Dear Dawnpours, Just after the previous log was posted, further predictions of poor weather at Cape Canaveral and difficulties with a downrange launch vehicle tracking... More»
  • Jul. 6, 2007 | 11:29 PDT | 18:29 UTC
    Dawn Journal: Awaiting launch
    Here's another Dawn Journal entry, contributed by Marc Rayman. Marc is the Project System Engineer for the Dawn mission. Thanks Marc! by Dr. Marc D. Rayman Dear Countdawns, The countdown is underway for Dawn's liftoff on July 8 at 4:04:49 pm... More»
  • Jul. 5, 2007 | 11:04 PDT | 18:04 UTC
    New Life for Stardust and Deep Impact
    NASA announced on Tuesday that they have approved extended missions for two mothballed spacecraft, Stardust and Deep Impact. Stardust, which flew by comet Wild 2 in 2004 and returned samples to Earth in 2006, will be traveling on to visit Tempel 1,... More»
  • Jul. 4, 2007 | 06:41 PDT | 13:41 UTC
    Ten years ago today, Pathfinder landed on Mars
    On July 4, 1997, a small spacecraft bounced to a landing on the surface of Mars, encased in protective airbags, and unfolded like a flower to open a new Mars vista to view.Click to enlarge >Sojourner just after Mars Pathfinder's landingThe rover... More»