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Blog Archive
Dawn Journal: Dawn has arrived!
Posted by Marc Rayman on 2011/07/26 11:55 CDT
After covering 2.8 billion kilometers (1.7 billion miles) on its own, after traveling for nearly four years through the lonely emptiness of interplanetary space, after being bound by the gravity only of the sun, Dawn is finally in orbit around Vesta.
Opportunity's horizon rises -- and maybe brings Cape York into view
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2011/07/21 03:12 CDT
Opportunity's horizon rises -- and maybe brings Cape York into view
Hubble's Millionth Observation
Posted by Bill Nye on 2011/07/05 05:15 CDT
The Hubble Space Telescope has recorded its millionth observation. The planet is designated HAT-P-7b.
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Opportunity Roves Back into Record Books, Spirit is Honored
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2011/06/30 12:00 CDT
Opportunity 'burned up' the Meridiani Plains in June as it raced toward its much-anticipated next destination and the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) mission cruised into the 90th month of what was originally to have been a 90-day tour.
What's up in the solar system in July 2011
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2011/06/29 02:35 CDT
What's up in the solar system in July 2011
Dawn Journal: Closing in on Vesta
Posted by Marc Rayman on 2011/06/27 11:19 CDT
Dawn Journal: Closing in on Vesta
In Memory of Spirit, and Why Cuteness Matters
Posted by Melissa Rice on 2011/06/15 02:21 CDT
An analysis of "cuteness", and why it matters when talking about science.
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Spirit Mission Declared Over, Opportunity Roves Closer to Endeavour
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2011/05/31 12:00 CDT
The Mars Exploration mission suffered the loss of Spirit and shifted to one-rover operations in May, but Opportunity carried on, blasting across the plains of Meridiani to within 2 miles (3.5 kilometers) of its next major destination and discovery.
What's up in the solar system in June 2011
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2011/05/31 08:06 CDT
What's up in the solar system in June 2011
Dawn Journal: Vesta to choose Dawn's arrival time
Posted by Marc Rayman on 2011/05/30 12:52 CDT
Dawn Journal: Vesta to choose Dawn's arrival time
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: NASA Ends Spirit Mission
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2011/05/26 12:00 CDT
The intensified effort to recover Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Spirit came to an end early Wednesday morning Pacific time and NASA has now transitioned the mission to a single-rover operation focused on Spirit's still-active twin, Opportunity.
NASA Selects Next New Frontiers Mission
Posted by Bruce Betts on 2011/05/25 05:47 CDT
NASA Selects Next New Frontiers Mission: OSIRIS-REx
We did it -- Shuttle LIFE launches!
Posted by Bill Nye on 2011/05/16 09:39 CDT
Today at 8:56 a.m. EDT, Space Shuttle Endeavour launched on its final mission, and we are part of this historic moment!
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2011/05/11 12:23 CDT
It's hard to convey just how excited I am to see Dawn's first image of asteroid Vesta.
Dawn Journal: On the threshold of a new world
Posted by Marc Rayman on 2011/05/03 01:13 CDT
Dawn is on the threshold of a new world. After more than three and a half years of interplanetary travel covering in excess of 2.6 billion kilometers (1.6 billion miles), we are closing in on our first destination. Dawn is starting its approach to Vesta.
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Spirit Recovery Attempt Continues, Opportunity Sprints to Endeavour
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2011/04/30 12:00 CDT
As Opportunity drove her little robot heart out, breaking the 28-kilometer mark on her odometer, and driving the longest backward drive ever, April proved to be another month of exhilarating highs for the Mars Exploration Rover mission and one extended low with only silence from Spirit, despite intensified efforts by her Earth crew to establish contact.
Shuttle LIFE is go for launch with Endeavour!
Posted by Bruce Betts on 2011/04/29 04:02 CDT
The Planetary Society's Shuttle LIFE experiment is now go for launch on Endeavour's STS-134 mission. I came down to Florida for the loading of our tiny sample tubes into the CREST-1 (Commercial Reusable Experiments for Science & Technology) payload block.
What's up in the solar system in May 2011
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2011/04/28 06:07 CDT
Time again for my monthly look at what's going on with the robots exploring the solar system! The highlight of this month will, I think, be Dawn's first optical navigation images of its first target, Vesta.
Juno is being shipped to Cape Canaveral today
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2011/04/08 11:15 CDT
Spaceflight Now is following along as the next Jupiter orbiter, Juno, is journeying from its birthplace at Lockheed Martin in Denver to Cape Canaveral. As of this moment it has been packed up and loaded onto a flatbed trailer, which is driving through Denver with police escort, en route to the Denver airport, where it'll board a C-17 for the trip to Florida.
Dawn Journal: Calibrating instruments and thrusters on Vesta approach
Posted by Marc Rayman on 2011/04/07 03:14 CDT
Three and a half years after launch, Dawn continues its travels around the Sun, maneuvering to take the same orbital path as Vesta. The spacecraft has spent most of the past month gently thrusting with its ion propulsion system. Some of the thrusting this month, however, was not designed to propel Dawn to Vesta.
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