Iran Plans to Send first Astronaut to Space in 10 Years
Iran plans to send a manned rocket into space in the next 10 years, Fars News agency reported. Iran announced last Sunday that it successfully launched a home-made satellite-carrier rocket named Safir (messenger) and placed a dummy satellite into orbit. But U.S. officials said the vehicle which Iran said had delivered a dummy satellite into space failed shortly after lift off. Iran planned to put a “series of satellites” into space by 2010 to aid natural disaster management programs and improve telecommunications, said Iranian Space Organization chief Reza Taghipour. Iran and some other Islamic countries has been constructing an Islamic satellite called “Besharat” (Good News). Its a noticeable achievement for the country despite long-time sanctions imposed by the West.
NASA Astronaut Candidate Class,Deadline approaching
For those who dreams about flying into space,there is a chance your dream may come true. NASA is accepting applications for the 2009 Astronaut Candidate Class, those selected could fly to space for long-duration stays on the International Space Station and missions to the moon. Qualifications?..A bachelor’s degree in engineering, science or math and three years of relevant professional experience or extensive experience flying high-performance jet aircraft. NASA said teaching experience, including work at the kindergarten through 12th grade level, is considered qualifying. After a six-month period of evaluation and interviews, NASA will announce final selections in early 2009. You can apply here to be an astronaut. Deadline for accepting applications is July 1.
Soyuz Landed 400km Off-target because of women?
The Russian Soyuz re-entry capsule, carrying the first South Korean astronaut back to Earth, suffered a “ballistic re-entry”, putting the capsule 400 km (250 miles) off-target. Russian Federal Space Agency chief Anatoly Perminov placed some of the blame on an old naval superstition.
“.. in the future, we will work somehow to ensure that the number of women will not surpass [the number of men].”
Related : South Korea’s first woman astronaout
Soyuz takes South Korea’s first Astronaut
So-Yeon Yi, a 29-year-old female engineer, is flying under a commercial agreement between the Russian space agency and South Korea’s ministry of science and technology. Yi will spend nine days aboard the space station and return to Earth on April 19. She is the youngest woman to ever launch into space.
Organic molecule in space
A molecule closely related to an amino acid has been detected in space by researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy (MPIfR) in Bonn. The molecule, amino acetonitrile is detected near the center of our Milky Way. Starting from 1965, more than 140 molecular species have been detected in space, in interstellar clouds as well as in circumstellar envelopes.
(Photo Source:www.kidsastronomy.com)
An explsion older than earth still visible
Gamma ray bursts occur when huge stars use up all their fuel and their core collapses, forming black holes or neutron stars. A brightest cosmic explosion has been detected by NASA 7.5 billion light years away. That means it occurred before Earth was formed. The explosion was seen last Wednesday without any visual aid.
(Photo Source:researchnews.osu.edu)
Martian Avalanches
A series of avalanches near the north pole of Mars has been snapped by a robotic spacecraft circling the planet. The images, show at least four avalanches of fine ice and dust breaking off from a steep cliff and settling on the slope below. The landslide also triggered a massive debris cloud.
(Photo Source:www.scitech.ac.uk)
Diamonds from space
Diamonds are formed by the intense heat and pressure of the Earth’s interior working over long periods. But exact opposite conditions, extremely low pressures and temperatures that dip to minus 400 degrees Fahrenheit creates diamonds in space. These space diamonds are 25,000 times smaller than a grain of sand and found in meteorites. Space diamonds are made of carbon, the building block of all life on Earth, studying them may help scientists understand how carbon-rich molecules develop
Saturn is closer.
The Saturn’s best appearance in 2008 happens now. Saturn reached a point in its orbit called opposition on February 24. At this position, the planet lies opposite the Sun from our perspective on Earth. This marks the best time of year to view the ringed planet because it lies closest to Earth and thus appears its biggest and brightest. At this time Saturn lies 1.24 billion kilometers from Earth.
(Photo Source:http://www2.keck.hawaii.edu)
How to memorize 11 Planets
Maryn Smith (age 10) , the winner of the National Geographic planetary mnemonic contest, has created a handy way to remember the plants with the phrase:
“My very exciting magic carpet just sailed under nine palace elephants.”
The 11 recognized planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Ceres, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto and Eris. Ceres, Pluto and Eris are considered dwarf planets.
National Geographic Children’s Books created the contest in response to the recent announcement about the planets.
A new Solar System discovered
A new solar system has been discovered which lies about 4,500 light years away from the Earth. A technique, known as gravitational micro lensing is used in the discovery by Polish astronomers. The system consists of a star which is half the size of Sun and two planets which closely resembles Jupiter and Saturn.
(Photo Source:blogs.answersingenesis.org)
