Bill Housley
Science Fiction and Fantasy Author
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Into the Dark–Escape of the Nomad
Where’s The Cat?
Another Man’s Terrorist
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Space.com Top Stories
- Lackluster Lunar Eclipse: Full Moon Dips In Earth's Shadow Tonight May 24, 2013A lunar eclipse tonight (May 24) might not be worth looking up for if you're in North America.
- Cold-Loving Bacteria Offer Clues for Life on Mars May 24, 2013The hardy microbes can withstand temperatures close to those on Mars.
- How Solar Storms and Nukes Threaten the Power Grid May 24, 2013If the sun doesn't get us, then the nuclear air bursts will.
- New Technique Could Probe Rocky Alien Planet Surfaces May 24, 2013A better understanding of exoplanet surfaces would help reveal how common Earth-like planets are in our galaxy.
- 4 Best Stargazing Sights and How to See Them May 23, 2013The four most spectacular night-sky sights may all be visible soon.
- After Months in Space, Gravity's a Drag for Astronauts May 23, 2013Three astronauts talked about science, social media and sandwiches during the live video conference.
- Astronaut Packs Crafts for Creative Space Station Trip May 23, 2013NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg plans to sew, draw and maybe knit in space to after launching on the International Space Station.
- Destination Moon: Private Spaceflight Companies Eye Lunar Bases May 23, 2013Private companies are interested in setting up lunar bases.
- Spaceport America Helps Launch Sci-Fi Film 'After Earth' May 23, 2013The world's first commercial spaceport hosted a massive event for one of the summer's biggest action movies, 'After Earth.'
- Star Mystery Solved: Stellar Twins Closer to Earth Than Thought May 23, 2013The twin stars of SS Cygni are hundreds of light-years closer to Earth than thought.
- Hubble Telescope Reveals True 3D Shape of Ring Nebula (Photos) May 23, 2013The Ring Nebula is far more than just a simple circle of gas in deep space.
- Sally Ride, 1st US Woman in Space, to Be Awarded Medal of Freedom Posthumously May 23, 2013Ride is just the ninth astronaut to be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
- What Does A Flight Engineer Do In Space? | Video May 23, 2013ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano will fill the role for Expedition 36 and 27 aboard the International Space Station. He explains what his position is tasked with.
- Egg Nebula's Rainbow Reverie | Space Wallpaper May 23, 2013An onionskin-like structure of concentric dust shells surround a central, aging star as seen in this cool space wallpaper.
- Amazing Ash Cloud Spied from Space Station May 23, 2013Astronauts snap a stunning photo of Alaska's Pavlof volcano.
- Stephen Hawking Gets Superhero Treatment in New Comic May 23, 2013The life of legendary cosmologist Stephen Hawking is detailed in comic book form.
- Cannibal White Dwarf Feeds On Companion Star | Video May 23, 2013A compact white dwarf star exerts enough gravitational pull to extract matter from its binary companion nearly a million miles away, accelerating the companion's spin to blast tight beacons of radio frequency energy across the universe.
- REPLAY: NASA Hangout with Astronaut Chris Hadfield, ISS Crew October 6, 2012NASA will hold a live Google+ hangout at 3 p.m. ET (1900 GMT) today (May 23) to discuss how astronauts are readapting to life on Earth.
- 3D Ring Nebula: Sun-Like Star Carcass' Best Look Yet | Video May 23, 2013Helium (blue), hydrogen (red) and oxygen (green) emissions are derived from new Hubble Space Telescope data and used to create this three dimensional model. Found in the constellation of Lyra. Our Sun will share a similar fate in ~5 billion years.
- China Media Claim Private Mars Colony Mission Is a Scam May 23, 2013Doubts have been growing in China about the legitimacy of Mars One.
NASA Breaking News
- NASA Statement on Space Technology Meetings in Europe May 24, 2013The following is a statement from NASA's associate administrator for space technology, Michael Gazarik, about his meetings this week in Europe to discuss potential cooperation on development of space technologies that will enable NASA's future missions. These include the asteroid initiative announced in the president's fiscal year 2014 budget […]
- NASA Education Offers Summer of Innovation 'Mini-Awards' May 23, 2013NASA's Summer of Innovation project is accepting proposals through Monday, June 10, from organizations that want to offer students science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) educational experiences this summer.
- NASA'S Hubble Space Telescope Reveals the Ring Nebula's True Shape May 23, 2013The Ring Nebula's distinctive shape makes it a popular illustration for astronomy books. But new observations by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope of the glowing gas shroud around an old, dying, sun-like star reveal a new twist.
- NASA Hosts Google+ Hangout with Recently Returned Space Station Astronauts May 22, 2013NASA will host a Google+ Hangout with the three recently returned International Space Station astronauts from 3-4 p.m. EDT on Thursday, May 23.
- NASA Announces Global Best in Class Winners for the International Space Apps Challenge May 22, 2013A panel of international judges from NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and other partner organizations has selected five "best in class" solutions as winners of the 2013 International Space Apps Challenge.
- Herschel Space Observatory Finds Mega Merger of Galaxies May 22, 2013A massive and rare merging of two galaxies has been spotted in images taken by the Herschel space observatory, a European Space Agency mission with important NASA participation.
- Massachusetts Students Speak Live With Orbiting NASA Astronaut May 21, 2013NASA Expedition 35 astronaut and flight engineer Chris Cassidy will speak live from the International Space Station with students at Talbot Innovation Middle School in Fall River, Mass., at 10:05 a.m. EDT, Thursday, May 23.
- NASA Calls For Phase II Visionary Advanced Concepts May 21, 2013NASA is looking for far-out ideas. NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Program is seeking Phase II proposals for continuation of promising studies selected during the first phase of the visionary program.
- NASA and The White House Pay Tribute to Sally Ride May 20, 2013NASA and President Obama are honoring the life and legacy of Sally Ride on the day a national tribute was held for the first American woman in space.
- NASA, Bigelow to Discuss Private Sector Human Space Exploration and Development May 20, 2013NASA and Bigelow Aerospace of Las Vegas are holding a media availability at 1:30 p.m. EDT, Thursday, May 23, to discuss the agency's Space Act Agreement with the company for its insight on collaborating with commercial industry on exploration beyond Earth orbit. Journalists can participate in-person or by teleconference.
LiveScience.com – Top Stories
- Powerful Earthquake Strikes Russia May 24, 2013A magnitude 8.3 quake struck off the coast of Russia's Far East, shaking the country all the way to Moscow.
- Spin Zone: Physicists Get 1st Look at Strange Quantum Magnetism May 24, 2013The finding may open the way to understanding superconductivity and other physical phenomena.
- The Best Beaches of 2013 Announced May 24, 2013A well-known beach in New York snags the top spot ...
- Image Gallery: The Top 10 Beaches of 2013 May 24, 2013Hawaii and Florida of course snagged spots, but No. 1 went to East Hampton in New York.
- Is There Such Thing as Healthy Fast Food? May 24, 2013Two recent studies looked at whether fast food is becoming any healthier. Here's what they found.
- 5.7-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Northern California May 24, 2013The quake was felt across Northern California Thursday night.
- Battle-Bruised King Richard III Buried in Hasty Grave May 23, 2013King Richard III was buried without pomp in a sloppy grave.
- Tenochtitlán: History of Aztec Capital May 23, 2013Modern-day Mexico City sits atop the ruins of this once-great center of the Aztec Empire.
- Can a Floating Robot Save a Polluted Canal? May 24, 2013Robots rush in where dolphins fear to tread.
- Cold-Loving Bacteria Offer Clues for Life on Mars May 23, 2013The hardy microbes can withstand temperatures close to those on Mars.
- US Teen Birth Rate Drops May 23, 2013Teen birth rates have dropped by nearly half; experts attribute to a number of factors
- Human Heart: Anatomy, Function & Facts May 23, 2013The human heart is an organ that pumps blood throughout the body via the circulatory system.
- Visual Motion Filtering Test Accurately Predicts IQ | Video May 23, 2013How well people can filter out motion in a simple visual test predicts IQ almost as well as the constituent parts of the test.
- What is a Hologram? May 23, 2013Holography is a photographic technique that records the light scattered from an object, and then presents it in a way that appears three-dimensional.
- Warp Drive and 'Star Trek': Physics of Future Space Travel (Op-Ed) May 23, 2013Physicist Marc Millis discusses how close humanity really is to a faster-than-light drive like warp speed on "Star Trek."
- Earthquakes Create Global-Scale GPS Errors May 23, 2013Even GPS sites thousands of miles from faults were shifted by big earthquakes.
- 'After Earth': Will & Jaden Smith Explore Our Planet's Future (Gallery) May 24, 2013In the new movie "After Earth," Jaden Smith his father Will Smith team up to battle Earth in the far distant future.
- Why the Internet Sucks You in Like a Black Hole May 23, 2013From its slot-machine rewards to its ability to spur our fight-or-flight response, the Internet's structure makes it easy to use it compulsively.
- Active Hurricane Season Expected, US Forecasters Say May 23, 2013Experts predict 7 to 11 hurricanes this season.
- Yikes! Cockroaches Evolved to Avoid Sugary Baits May 23, 2013Roach taste buds changed to avoid sweet-tasting pesticides.
Discover Magazine — Space
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NASA Blog Updates
- Mission: Ames May 23, 2013Who's Sitting in the Driving Seat when you Fly the Infrared Friendly Skies?
- NASA - Best Place to Work in the Federal Government May 23, 2013Quality and Reliability
- NASA Education Express May 23, 2013NASA Education Express -- May 23, 2013
NASA Image of the Day
- The Engine Burns Blue May 24, 2013This image shows a cutting-edge solar-electric propulsion thruster in development at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., that uses xenon ions for propulsion. An earlier version of this solar-electric propulsion engine has been flying on NASA's Dawn mission to the asteroid belt. This engine is being considered as part of the Asteroid […]
Masten-space.com Blog updates–X-Prize winner!
- Xaero B Rises March 18, 2013Since last summer, even while we focused on Xombie flights for JPL and expanding Xaero’s flight envelope, we were working. Designing, tweaking, and starting to build the next iteration of Xaero that we affectionately (and creatively) call Xaero-B. We’re finally ready to pull the curtain back and share her with you! Xaero-B is intended to [...]
- February Flight Frenzy! February 1, 2013We finished our work early and now we have extra time for you! As a result, a special one-time deal can be yours this February. Think of it as our Valentine’s Day present to the space community. For projects that can fly by the end of February, we’re offering an open loop flight on our [...]
- Announcing Postgraduate Fellowships January 25, 2013We’re about to embark on a historic year for Masten Space Systems. Team members will be part of test flight firsts, the design and construction of some of the most advanced suborbital test vehicles ever built, and fulfillment of some unique contracts that will further establish Masten as the world leader in VTVL technology. We’re excited today [...]
- Introducing Scimitar October 9, 2012I’m often reminded of an inspirational quote from a truly great self-made man: “I’m on to the next one On to the next one On to the next one On to the next one On to the next one On to the next one On to the next one Hold up, freeze Somebody bring me [...]
- Next September 18, 2012Last week we encountered a sub system failure in flight that necessitated turning the rocket off while still in the air. Landing at that point winds up considerably rearranging the rocket into rocket parts. Since then we’ve heard from a lot of folks offering support, encouragement, and concern. Thank you. Please know that the team [...]
- Xaero Test Update September 11, 2012Today, Masten Space Systems conducted a flight test of Xaero to 1 km altitude with the intention of testing flight controls at higher ascent and descent velocities. Our test objectives were met and initial results show the vehicle performed better than expected at altitude. However, the vehicle was lost during final approach to landing, and [...]
- Xombie 750 Meter Downrange Flight, Precision Landing August 16, 2012You may have noticed we’ve been flying Xombie a lot lately doing some interesting things. We just finished the third leg of a flight campaign on Xombie that expands the boundaries of what we believe to be the nation’s leading terrestrial landing testbed. We are working hard to deliver a way to test systems at [...]
- Xaero: 444 for the 4th! July 4, 2012Happy Independence Day from Masten headquarters! It’s been a while since we released a video but trust us, we’ve been busy! In addition to multiple client projects and bending metal in the shop on yet-to-be-unveiled rocket hardware, we’ve been spending a significant amount of time on Xaero, culminating in a flight to 444 meters AGL [...]
- Katana First Fire May 22, 2012Hello from Mojave! It’s time for some video of some new hardware! On Friday, we fired Masten Space Systems’ newest engine prototype, the Katana class KA5S at our test site in Mojave, CA. In this video, you’ll see a 2 second mid-throttle run on a new engine test trailer designed to test engines significantly larger than [...]
- Why Precision Landing? February 16, 2012We’ve received a number of inquiries about precision landing and why it’s important to us – shouldn’t we be focusing on high altitude suborbital vehicles? The short version is that it addresses a major market need and provides near-term customers for us as we develop our long-term launch capability. That said, it also is an [...]
Discovery Space News
- Hubble's Best Ever View of a Giant Cosmic... Doughnut? May 23, 2013In brand new observations made by Hubble of the famous Ring Nebula, astronomers have discovered its true shape. Continue reading →
- For Rent: Shuttle Launch Pad May 23, 2013NASA on Thursday posted a “For Lease” sign on one of its space shuttle launch pads, as it continues to downsize and revamp the Kennedy Space Center following the program’s retirement. Continue reading →
- Can Life's Fingerprint Be Found On Super-Earths? May 23, 2013Future space observatories could detect biological tracers in exoplanetary atmospheres, but we won't be able to definitively find life until we physically visit those alien worlds. Continue reading →
- Opportunity Finds More Signs of Mars' Wet Past May 23, 2013The venerable Mars rover Opportunity, the older and smaller cousin of Curiosity, has discovered another water-weathered rock hinting that the Red Planet could have supported life in its ancient past.
- First Ever Topographic Map of Titan Produced May 22, 2013The first topographic map of the surface of Titan gives a fascinating new insight into Saturn's giant moon. Continue reading →
- NASA's Asteroid Mission a Dead-End to Mars? May 22, 2013NASA’s plan to capture an asteroid and re-position it around the moon for an astronaut visit sounds cool, but it’s a side-show on the road to Mars.
- Rough Roving: Curiosity's Wheels Show Damage May 22, 2013Close-up imagery of Mars rover Curiosity's aluminum wheels reveal obvious wear and tear -- is such damage expected so early into the mission? Continue reading →
- Violent Galactic Clash May Solve Cosmic Mystery May 22, 2013The mother of all cosmic collisions has been spotted between two galaxies containing a total of 400 billion stars, igniting the birth of 2,000 new stars per year! Continue reading →
- 3-D Printed Pizza to Feed Mars Colonists? May 22, 2013Enter the 3-D printer: your all-in-one solution to habitat-building, gun-making and now space pizza preparation! Continue reading →
- Can Space Tourism Save Earth? May 21, 2013Opening spaceflight up to the masses could help spark a global conservation ethic that stems the tide of environmental destruction on Earth.
New Scientist
- Earth's tides are shoving the moon away faster May 22, 2013The North Atlantic is now wide enough to create exceptionally high tides, making the rate of the moon's retreat faster now than it was 50 million years ago
- String theory may limit space brain threat May 22, 2013Hypothetical conscious entities that randomly pop into existence may undermine our view of the universe – string theory may banish these Boltzmann brains
- Drake equation for alien life gets an upgrade May 22, 2013The planet-spotting Kepler telescope seems doomed, but its discoveries along with a new version of the famous Drake equation will sharpen the hunt for ET
- Over the rainbow: Patchwork view of Kansas from space May 20, 2013From 700 kilometres above Kansas, you can see how huge swathes of the state have been patterned by agriculture
- Astrophile: Saturn's egg moon Methone is made of fluff May 17, 2013Sitting in an icy nest near Saturn, tiny Methone is oddly smooth, perhaps because it is made of lightweight stuff that can flow to erase impact scars
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