Space Tourism, Space Transport and Space Exploration News

May 18, 2015

Circular orbits for small extrasolar planets
Aarhus, Finland (SPX) May 18, 2015
Researchers based at Aarhus University have measured the orbital eccentricity of 74 small extrasolar planets and found their orbits to be close to circular, similar to the planets in the solar system. But in contrast to previous measurements of more massive exoplanets where highly eccentric orbits are commonly found. These findings have important implications for planet formation theory, as well as planet occurrence rates and habitability. These findings are a major step that will improve understa ... read more

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OPALS Boosts Space-to-Ground Optical Communications Research Ever wonder why stars seem to twinkle? This effect is caused by variations in the density of our atmosphere that cause blurring in light coming from space. It's pretty for stargazing, but a challeng ... more		Technique for finding signs of life on the Red Planet For centuries, people have imagined the possibility of life on Mars. But long-held dreams that Martians could be invaders of Earth, or little green men, or civilized superbeings, all have been under ... more		ESA Works Up A Space Fever It started with a simple question that ended with a surprising answer and new technology that is being used in cutting-edge heart surgery and could save millions of euros in hospital bills. Hanns-Ch ... more
				Patria Space unit now part of RUAG Patria of Finland has completed the sale if its Space business unit to Switzerland's RUAG Space for an undisclosed sum. ... more		Robot rodeo: Remote-control bomb squads compete at Sandia labs Both civilian and military bomb squad teams gathered with their robot companions in New Mexico this week to compete in the Western National Robot Rodeo and Capability Exercise at Sandia National Laboratories. ... more

Space Tech Expo - Design - Build - Test - Long Beach CA - May 19-21, 2015

The World's Largest Commercial Drone Conference and Expo - Sept 9 - Las Vegas

Next Generation Integrated ISR 2015 - Washington DC - July 27-29

Toward a squishier robot For decades, robots have advanced the efficiency of human activity. Typically, however, robots are formed from bulky, stiff materials and require connections to external power sources; these feature ... more		Mystery Methane on Mars: The Saga Continues A scientist has raised questions about the latest detection of methane on Mars, suggesting that NASA's rover could be responsible for the mysterious burp. Highly unlikely, but not impossible, says t ... more		Russia launches dozens of drones as Ukraine claims 'important success' Russian jets violate Estonian air space in 'brazen intrusion' U.S. defense in free fall		Ether Compounds Could Work like DNA On Oily Worlds In the search for life beyond Earth, scientists have justifiably focused on water because all biology as we know it requires this fluid. A wild card, however, is whether alternative liquids can also ... more
				Asteroid Distant 'Flyby' Thursday An asteroid, designated 1999 FN53, will safely pass more than 26 times the distance of Earth to the moon on May 14. To put it another way, at its closest point, the asteroid will get no closer than ... more		Mercury's core dynamo present early in planet's history The Messenger spacecraft, which crash-landed into Mercury just a few days ago, found traces of magnetization in Mercury's crust, a new study reports. The presence of residual magnetization pro ... more

Army Network Modernization 2015 - Washington DC June 23-25

Auroras on Mars One day, when humans go to Mars, they might find that, occasionally, the Red Planet has green skies. In late Dec. 2014, NASA's MAVEN spacecraft detected evidence of widespread auroras in Mars's nort ... more		Robot pets to rise in an overpopulated world University of Melbourne animal welfare researcher Dr Jean-Loup Rault says the prospect of robopets and virtual pets is not as far-fetched as we may think. His paper in the latest edition of Frontier ... more		Fossil fuels harm health from 'cradle to grave': report Trash, mulch and security: All jobs for troops in Washington Rising oceans to threaten 1.5 million Australians by 2050: report		Telescope-Laser Cannons to Clean Up Dangerous Space Junk The low Earth orbit is filled with what amounts to an outer space junk yard, left behind by decades of discarded satellites, collisions, and debris. And now Operation Orbital Clean House is aiming t ... more
NASA Awards Study Contract To Deep Space Industries NASA has selected Deep Space Industries (DSI) for two contracts devoted to developing critical technologies for utilizing asteroid resources. One will support the development of asteroid regolith si ... more		Quick Detour by NASA Mars Rover Checks Ancient Valley Researchers slightly detoured NASA's Curiosity Mars rover from the mission's planned path in recent days for a closer look at a hillside site where an ancient valley had been carved out and refilled ... more		Curiosity tracks sundown on Mars The sun dips to a Martian horizon in a blue-tinged sky in images sent home to Earth this week from NASA's Curiosity Mars rover. Curiosity used its Mast Camera (Mastcam) to record the sunset during a ... more		Russian Scientist Gets Patent on Transfiguring Martian Atmosphere As the Earth's brainpower is focused on Mars exploration, a chemist privatized space engineering and is ready to make the Red Planet's atmosphere suitable for colonists. No jokes. A Russian ch ... more

	An important step in artificial intelligence In what marks a significant step forward for artificial intelligence, researchers at UC Santa Barbara have demonstrated the functionality of a simple artificial neural circuit. For the first time, a ... more		Will a soft robot be first to explore Europa's oceans? Long intrigued by Europa's icy, water-logged environs, researchers around the world are trying figure out the best way to explore the alien world up close. ... more

EU to fast-track review of 2035 combustion-engine ban

Norway sovereign wealth fund drops French miner over environmental fears

EU split on 2040 climate goal ahead of UN summit

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Weather forecasts for planets beyond our solar system		IBM's Watson strives to be jack of all trades		Watch a simple tablet control robot swarm		DARPA developing zoom lens to spot distant space objects more clearly		Galactic Gold Rush: Asteroid Mining to Start This Summer

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Astrophysicists offer proof that famous image shows forming planets

3D printer making Chinese space suit parts

A hot start to the origin of life

Geochemical process on Saturn's moon linked to life's origin

European Space Agency Director Wants to Set Up a Moon Base

NASA Announces Journey to Mars Challenge

Student Mars Rover team will compete in Utah desert

Ancient Star Raises Prospects of Intelligent Life

Astrobiology Students Use Art to Develop Critical Thinking Skills

4,000+ Martian Days of Work on Mars!

UAE says on track to send probe to Mars in 2021

US space agency chief confident of putting Americans on Mars in 2030s

IBM's Watson extends cancer insights to 14 new centers

PSI Researchers Look Back at Mercury MESSENGER Accomplishments

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