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December 15, 2013

China deploys 'Jade Rabbit' rover on moon
Beijing (AFP) Dec 14, 2013
China has deployed its lunar rover vehicle on the surface of the moon, state media said early Sunday, after carrying out the first soft landing on Earth's satellite since 1976 in a major step for the country's space programme. The Yutu, or Jade Rabbit, rover was deployed on the moon's surface at 4:35 am (2035 GMT), several hours after the Chang'e-3 probe landed, according to official news agency Xinhua. The deployment makes China the third country to complete a lunar rover mission, after the Un ... read more

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Altitude of International Space Station raised The orbit of the International Space Station was raised to ensure the safe docking of a Russian spacecraft next year, Russian officials said. ... more		Mining the moon is pie in the sky for China: experts China's moon rover will survey for minerals on a dusty, barren crater named the Bay of Rainbows, but experts say there may be no pot of gold on the Earth's natural satellite. ... more		The Dragon Has Landed The successful landing of China's Chang'e-3 spacecraft on the Moon is significant for several reasons. This is China's first landing on another heavenly body, and represents an important step forwar ... more
				Iran sends second monkey into space Iran said on Saturday that it had safely returned a monkey to Earth after blasting it into space in the second such launch this year in its controversial ballistic programme. ... more		European consortium space company to offer 'affordable' trips to space A European aeronautical consortium announced plans to offer affordable trips to space out of Spain's Canary Islands. ... more

Arianespace orders 18 rockets for 2 bn euros European space giant Arianespace said Saturday it has agreed to buy 18 Ariane 5 rockets from EADS subsidiary Astrium for a total of more than 2.0 billion euros ($2.75 billion). ... more		SpaceX to bid for rights to historic NASA launch pad In a battle of technology titans for the right to lease a historic NASA launch pad in Florida, SpaceX has beat out competitor Blue Origin, the US space agency said Friday. ... more				NASA mulls spacewalks to fix space station A series of spacewalks might be necessary to fix a breakdown in the equipment cooling system aboard the International Space Station, NASA said Friday. ... more
				Space station cooling breakdown may delay Orbital launch NASA rushed Thursday to fix a breakdown in the cooling system at the International Space Station that may delay the launch next week of Orbital Sciences' first cargo mission. ... more		Chinese flyby of asteroid shows space rock is "rubble" China's first flyby of an asteroid shows that a gigantic space rock which once triggered a doomsday scare is essentially rubble, scientists reported on Thursday. ... more

CubeSats, SmallSats and MicroSats

International Conference on Protection of Materials and Structures From Space Environment

Tempur-Pedic Mattress Comparison & Memory Foam Mattress Review

MESSENGER Celebrates 1,000 Earth Days in Orbit around Mercury Later today, the MESSENGER spacecraft will have completed 1,000 Earth days of flight operations in orbit around Mercury. "This milestone is a testament to the outstanding work of those who designed, ... more		Arianespace to launch Brazilian government satellite SGDC Stephane Israel, Chairman and CEO of Arianespace, and Nelson Salgado, CEO of Visiona Tecnologia Espacial S.A., today signed the launch contract for the next Brazilian government satellite, the Geost ... more				The ABS-2 and Athena-Fidus satellites for launch by Ariane 5 are welcomed in French Guiana Both satellite passengers for an Ariane 5 flight planned in early 2014 have arrived at French Guiana, clearing the way for Arianespace's start-up of payload preparations following their transfer by ... more
				Russian Official Plays Down Concerns on Future of Proton A top Russian official overseeing the nation's defense sector said Wednesday that launches of the Proton rocket from Moscow-leased Baikonur cosmodrome are set to continue. Ties between Russia ... more		First Rock Dating Experiment Performed on Mars Although researchers have determined the ages of rocks from other planetary bodies, the actual experiments-like analyzing meteorites and moon rocks-have always been done on Earth. Now, for the first ... more

Arianespace orders 18 rockets for 2 bn euros

Russian Official Plays Down Concerns on Future of Proton

The ABS-2 and Athena-Fidus satellites for launch by Ariane 5 are welcomed in French Guiana

The Tough Task of Finding Fossils While Wearing a Spacesuit

Mars One Selects Lockheed Martin to Study First Private Unmanned Mission to Mars

SSTL selected for first private Mars mission

Mining the moon is pie in the sky for China: experts

Ancient crater could hold clues about moon's mantle

Minerals in giant impact crater may be clues to moon's makeup, origin

The Sounds of New Horizons

On the Path to Pluto, 5 AU and Closing

SwRI study finds that Pluto satellites' orbital ballet may hint of long-ago collisions

	The Tough Task of Finding Fossils While Wearing a Spacesuit Someday, human explorers might momentously discover fossils on Mars, proving that the Red Planet once supported extraterrestrial life. An interplanetary expedition of this sort will have overcome ma ... more		SSTL selected for first private Mars mission Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) has been selected to carry out a concept study to develop an interplanetary communications system for Mars One, the privately funded project to establish a hum ... more		SwRI scientists publish first radiation measurements from the surface of Mars In the first 300 days of the Mars Science Laboratory surface mission, the Curiosity rover cruised around the planet's Gale Crater, collecting soil samples and investigating rock structures while the ... more		NASA Curiosity: First Mars Age Measurement and Human Exploration Help NASA's Curiosity rover is providing vital insight about Mars' past and current environments that will aid plans for future robotic and human missions. In a little more than a year on the Red Planet, ... more

Mars One Selects Lockheed Martin to Study First Private Unmanned Mission to Mars		Ancient crater could hold clues about moon's mantle		Arianespace to launch GSAT-15 and GSAT-16 satellites for India		NASA poised to launch Mars atmosphere probe		More Moon Missions For China
Robot herder brings the cows in for milking in Australia		Planning group calls for National Space Policy in Britain		China's first lunar rover lands on moon: State TV		Chang'e-3 probe moves closer to the moon		Countdown Begins for NASA's OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Mission

Ancient fresh water lake on Mars could have sustained life

Hard rock life

NASA reports coolant loop problem at ISS

Feature of Earth's atmosphere may help in search for habitable planets

NASA Developing Legs for ISS Robonaut 2

Quails in orbit: French cuisine aims for the stars

Minerals in giant impact crater may be clues to moon's makeup, origin

'Goldilocks' clue to habitable planets

Astronomers discover planet that shouldn't be there

Bid to colonize Mars wins high-profile backing

NASA Engineers Crush Giant Fuel Tank To Improve Rocket Design

MRO Reveals A More Dynamic Red Planet

First Boeing-built Inmarsat-5 Global Xpress Satellite Sends Initial On-Orbit Signals

Mars One spaceflight project 'can succeed'

Goddard Planetary Instruments Score a Hat Trick

Heat Shield for NASA's Orion Spacecraft Arrives at Kennedy Space Center

Opportunity ascending Solander Point at rim of Endeavour Crater

Kazakhstan to end Proton missions in 2025

Mars lake may have been friendly to microbes: NASA

Rover results include first age and radiation measurements on Mars

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