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2011 June 19

admin — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 10:06:24 +0000

2011 June 19

The Regolith of Asteroid Eros Credit: NEAR Project, JHU APL,

From fifty kilometers above asteroid Eros, the surface inside one of its largest craters appears covered with an unusual substance: regolith. The thickness and composition of the surfacedust that is regolith remains a topic of much research. Much of the regolith on 433 Eros was probably created by numerous small impacts during its long history. In this representative-color view taken by the robot spacecraft NEAR-SHOEMAKER that orbited Eros in 2000 and 2001, brown areas indicate regolith that has been chemically altered by exposure to the solar wind during micrometeorite impacts. White areas are thought to have undergone relatively less exposure. The boulders visibleinside the crater appear brown, indicating either that they are old enough to have a surface itself tanned by the solar wind, or that they have somehow become covered with some dark surface dust.This July, NASA’sDawn spacecraftwill orbit giant main belt asteroid Vesta.

last roll out

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Rosetta comet probe enters hibernation in deep space

admin — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 10:06:34 +0000

The final command placing ESA’s Rosetta comet-chaser into deep-space hibernation was sent earlier today. With virtually all systems shut down, the probe will now coast for 31 months until waking up in 2014 for arrival at its comet destination.

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Alphabus ready to offer new opportunities

admin — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 12:06:45 +0000

ESA PR 20-2011. Alphabus, the world’s largest communication satellite platform, is ready to offer new opportunities for satellite operators worldwide. The platform was formally accepted for its first satellite, Alphasat I-XL on 16 June, marking an important milestone in its journey to space.

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Call for Media: Giotto and Rosetta – 25 years of comet science

admin — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 10:06:28 +0000

ESA PR 17 2011 Twenty-five years ago, ESA’s Giotto spacecraft made its mark in deep space. Passing Halley’s comet at a distance of only 600 km, Giotto was the first mission to perform a close comet flyby.

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from the the Greek island of Ikaria at Pezi. That area is known

admin — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 11:06:50 +0000

from thethe Greek island of Ikaria at Pezi.That area is known as “the planet of the goats”because of the rough terrain and strange looking rocks.

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An Appreciation at the End of the Space Shuttle Program (ContributorNetwork)

admin — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 10:06:56 +0000

ContributorNetwork – It was back in April 12, 1981, that the space shuttle celebrated its maiden flight — the launch of the Space Shuttle Columbia and the beginning of the program. It was the same year that I was born. Thus began an exciting adventure for America and all of mankind to further advance itself in knowledge, technology and the new frontier of outer space.

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ESA at the Paris Air Show relevant to the media

admin — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 12:06:44 +0000

Update: 22 June ESA PR 18-2011. The world’s leading air and space event, the Paris Air Show, will open its doors for a week on 20 June. The salon will include a strong ESA presence, highlighting its activities for the benefit of space experts and the general public.

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2011 June 24

admin — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 12:06:41 +0000

2011 June 24

The Big Dipper Image Credit &Copyright: RogelioBernal Andreo

The best known asterism in northern skies, The Big Dipper iseasy to recognize, though some might see The Plough.Either way, the star names and the familiar outlines will appear in thisthoughtfully composed 24 frame mosaicwhen you slide your cursor over the image.Dubhe,alpha star of the dipper’s parent constellation Ursa Major is atthe upper right.Together with beta starMerakbelow, the two forma line pointing theway toPolaris andthe North Celestial Pole off the top edge of the field.Notable tooin skygazing lore Mizar,second star from the left in the dipper’s handle,forms a vision-testingvisual double star with apparently close Alcor.Also identified in the famous star field areMessier catalog objects.Download thehigher resolution imageto hunt for exquisite viewsof some of Messier’s distant spiral galaxies and a morelocal owl

in progress

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ESA reentry vehicle on track for flight in 2013

admin — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 13:06:43 +0000

ESA and Thales Alenia Space Italia announced an agreement today at the Paris Air & Space Show to begin building the IXV Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle for its mission into space in 2013.

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GMES operations another step closer

admin — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 12:06:36 +0000

Today, the European Commission has signed an agreement confirming the transfer of funds to ESA for the initial operations of the space component for the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security programme.

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