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
- Black Hole's Radiation Drives Dusty Wind Outwards | Animation June 20, 2013New observation's by the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope shows that the black hole in the center of galaxy NGC 3738 not only has a doughnut shape dust cloud around it, but also has dust at its polar regions.
- Giant Black Hole's Dust Oddity Surprises Scientists June 20, 2013Dust around a supermassive black hole has been blown away from where astronomers expected to find it.
- Plasma Swirls Above Sun's Surface For 36 Hours | Time-Lapse Video June 19, 2013NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured imagery of super-heated plasma and 3 prominences in a magnetic field dance with the Sun on June 16-17, 2013.
- Starlight, Star Bright: Luminosity & Magnitude June 20, 2013The brightness of a star is measured several ways: how it appears from Earth, how bright it would appear from a standard distance and how much energy it emits.
- Fungus Among Us? Mold Concerns Delay Space Station Cargo Ship's Opening June 19, 2013An unmanned European cargo spacecraft may not have been properly decontaminated before launch.
- Celebrating The LRO's Fourth Anniversary | Video June 19, 2013Four years ago NASA launched the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter to study our moon, and it has given us an astounding amount of data on our lunar companion, including topography maps, the existence lunar water particles, and the formation of Earth.
- NASA's IRIS, The Latest Mission To The Sun | Video June 19, 2013At the end of June 2013, NASA will launch its latest sun observing satellite, the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph. IRIS will observe the interface region of the sun, the lowest level of our star's atmosphere.
- Amazing Mars Rover Curiosity's Martian Views (Latest Photos) October 17, 2012NASA's Mars rover Curiosity is beaming home amazing photos of the Red Planet.
- Curiosity’s Billion-Pixel View | Space Wallpaper June 19, 2013This space wallpaper is a scaled-down version of a full-circle view, which combined nearly 900 images taken by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover.
- Wow! Mars Rover Captures Stunning Billion-Pixel Photo of Red Planet June 19, 2013Viewers can zoom in and pan around the huge image.
- New Earth Explorer Satellite to Map Global Forests June 19, 2013A new satellite from the European Space Agency should start mapping global forests in 2020, and should help reveal the role of forests in Earth’s climate.
- For NASA, Mars Beyond Reach Without Budget Boost June 19, 2013Under current constraints, NASA will never send an astronaut to Mars.
- 3D Printer Passes Zero-Gravity Test for Space Station Trip June 19, 2013Made in Space's prototype 3D printer performed well in parabolic airplane flights, officials say.
- Swiss Rocket Plane May Launch People on Private Science Trips June 19, 2013The SOAR rocket plane will initially be robotic, but could carry a manned compartment under a new deal.
- Wave to Saturn! NASA Probe to Photograph Earth from Deep Space June 19, 2013Scientists are asking Earthlings to pose for our planet's portrait July 19.
- New Clues Into Mystery of Mars Meteorites & Rocks Revealed June 19, 2013Look to the rocks to peer into a Martian past.
- Photos: Amazing Images of Earth from Space June 19, 2013See spectacular views of Earth from space by astronauts and spacecraft across the solar system.
- 'Albert Einstein' Photos from Space: Europe's ATV-4 Cargo Ship Images June 19, 2013See images of the fourth European Space Agency Automated Transfer Vehicle, the Albert Einstein, from June 2013.
- Tour The Latest Supply Freighter To The ISS | Video June 19, 2013Take a tour around the ATV 4 'Albert Einstein', the ESA's fourth space freighter built to deliver supplies to the International Space Station.
- New 'Charmed' Particle Represents Rare State of Matter June 19, 2013The new particle seems to be made of four quarks.
NASA Breaking News
- Cassini Probe to Take Photo of Earth From Deep Space June 18, 2013NASA's Cassini spacecraft, now exploring Saturn, will take a picture of our home planet from a distance of hundreds of millions of miles on July 19.
- NASA Announces Asteroid Grand Challenge June 18, 2013NASA announced Tuesday a Grand Challenge focused on finding all asteroid threats to human populations and knowing what to do about them.
- Kansas Students to Speak Live With Space Station NASA Astronauts June 18, 2013Expedition 36 crew members and NASA astronauts Chris Cassidy and Karen Nyberg, currently orbiting aboard the International Space Station, will speak with students gathered at the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center at 9:40 a.m. CDT (10:40 a.m. EDT), Wednesday, June 19.
- NASA Selects Next Generation of Space Explorers, Hangout Today June 17, 2013After an extensive year-and-a-half search, NASA has a new group of potential astronauts who will help the agency push the boundaries of exploration and travel to new destinations in the solar system, including an asteroid and Mars.
- NASA Invites Media to View Space Launch System Progress June 17, 2013NASA Associate Administrator for Human Exploration and Operations William Gerstenmaier and other agency officials will debut a new machine for manufacturing NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) and check on development progress with the heavy-lift rocket at the agency's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans Friday, June 21.
- NASA Invites Media to Asteroid Initiative Industry and Partner Day June 14, 2013Deputy Administrator Lori Garver and other senior NASA officials will discuss the progress being made on NASA's mission to capture, redirect, and explore an asteroid June 18.
- NASA's Webb Telescope's Last Backbone Component Completed June 14, 2013Assembly of the backbone of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, the primary mirror backplane support structure, is a step closer to completion with the recent addition of the backplane support frame, a fixture that will be used to connect all the pieces of the telescope together.
- Students and Teachers Become Rocket Scientists at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility June 14, 2013More than 120 students and educators will delve into the world of rocket science June 15-21 during Rocket Week at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore.
- Warm Ocean, Not Icebergs, Causing Most of Antarctic Ice Shelves' Mass Loss June 13, 2013Ocean waters melting the undersides of Antarctic ice shelves are responsible for most of the continent's ice shelf mass loss, a new study by NASA and university researchers has found.
- NASA's Hubble Uncovers Evidence of Farthest Planet Forming From Its Star June 13, 2013Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have found compelling evidence of a planet forming 7.5 billion miles away from its star, a finding that may challenge current theories about planet formation.
LiveScience.com – Top Stories
- The Number One Reason Most Entrepreneurs Start Businesses June 20, 2013Entrepreneurs are not motivated by what you may think when starting their own business.
- American Businesses Embrace Chinese Marketing Secret June 20, 2013New research identifies how this Chinese approach to marketing, called swift guanxi, could help marketers build stronger bonds with customers.
- Gay Marriage Rulings May Raise New Questions for Couples June 20, 2013The Supreme Court's decisions won't end legal hassles for same-sex couples.
- Paleozoic Era: Facts & Information June 20, 2013The Paleozoic Era ushered in an explosion of life on Earth.
- Sexual Images Sway Conservative Guys Toward Risk June 19, 2013Findings may explain why the sexually cautious play fast and loose with protection.
- DNA Sheds Light on Rare Killer Whale Type June 19, 2013A scarcely seen type of orca is likely a distinct subspecies or species, researchers say.
- What Are the Marfa Lights? June 19, 2013The mysterious glowing orbs have fascinated people for generations.
- Ocean Feast Lures Whales to California Coast June 19, 2013A marine crowd gorges on plentiful krill.
- Flu Vaccine Prevented 13 Million Illnesses Over 6 Years June 19, 2013Seasonal flu shots have a substantial health benefit.
- Why the Bering Strait Is Under Siege (Op-Ed) June 19, 2013Can the fragile Bering Strait survive as warming oceans increase shipping traffic?
- 1 in 4 Stroke Survivors Develops PTSD, Study Finds June 19, 2013Researchers say developing PTSD symptoms after a life-threatening health scare is quite common.
- Do Sleep Apnea Patients Need Special Care After Surgery? June 19, 2013Do people with sleep apnea need special treatment after surgery to prevent complications?
- It's True: Some Parents Want to Live Through Their Kids June 19, 2013Parents sometimes want their kids to fulfill their own broken dreams.
- Illegal Drone Business Thrives in US June 19, 2013The FAA prohibits using drones for commercial purposes, such as aerial photography, in the United States. But that hasn't stopped the industry from thriving.
- Day Care May Be Good for Kids' Mental Health June 19, 2013Could spending time with other children be good for kids' mental health?
- Captive Kids Forced to Act in Shakespeare's Day June 19, 2013'Child catchers' coerced kids into a life on stage in Elizabethan England.
- Yes, Obesity Is a Disease (Op-Ed) June 19, 2013Obesity is clearly a disease, now let's focus on treatment.
- Science of Scandal: Why Politicians Bounce Back June 19, 2013Voters have a short memory for political scandals, study finds.
- The Government Is Watching You: 8 Ways to Disappear Online June 19, 2013The PRISM surveillance program, operated by the NSA, has many users concerned about privacy. These tools help protect against prying eyes.
- 3D-Printed Microbattery Could Power Tomorrow's Electronics June 19, 2013Will this tiny battery give 3D printing the boost it needs?
Discover Magazine — Space
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NASA Blog Updates
- A Lab Aloft (International Space Station Research) June 19, 2013Women in Space Part One, Female Firsts in Flight for Space Exploration and Research
- Liquid Rocket Engines (J-2X, RS-25, general) June 18, 2013LEO Progress: J-2X to Test Stand A1
- NASA - Best Place to Work in the Federal Government June 18, 2013VEGGIE Tales
NASA Image of the Day
- Rare Clear View of Alaska June 19, 2013On most days, relentless rivers of clouds wash over Alaska, obscuring most of the state's 6,640 miles (10,690 kilometers) of coastline and 586,000 square miles (1,518,000 square kilometers) of land. The south coast of Alaska even has the dubious distinction of being the cloudiest region of the United States, with some locations averaging more than 340 c […]
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
- The Psychedelic Landscape of Mars: Photos June 20, 2013The HiRISE camera aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter can produce incredible topographical models of the Martian surface, changing the way we view the alien landscape.
- Faces on Mars and Other Things: Photos June 19, 2013To celebrate the new 1.3 billion-pixel image of Mars, we scrolled, panned and zoomed to find these amazing faces.
- Billion Pixel Photo of Mars Snapped by Curiosity June 19, 2013If you were in any doubt as to Curiosity's photography prowess, this 1.3 billion pixel panorama of Gale Crater should allay your concerns. Continue reading →
- Congress Considers Axing NASA's Asteroid Mission June 19, 2013A draft authorization bill from the House Science space subcommittee would cap NASA spending at about $16.87 billion for the next two years and prohibit a proposed asteroid retrieval mission.
- The Real Story Behind Yuri Gagarin's Death June 19, 2013In 1968, the first man in space was killed in a crash during routine flight training -- but the circumstances around his death have remained a mystery. Until now. Continue reading →
- NASA Stepping Up Hunt for Scary Asteroids June 18, 2013NASA on Tuesday unveiled a multipurpose initiative to find, track and potentially relocate asteroids that may be on a collision course with Earth. Continue reading →
- Cool Flames: Playing With Balls of Space Fire June 18, 2013Fire is a very different and mysterious creature when it burns in a microgravity environment, as an awesome experiment on the International Space Station is proving. Continue reading →
- Quirky Four-Quark Quantum Monster Discovered June 18, 2013While looking for a strange state of matter in two particle accelerators, it has been announced that another, totally unexpected, particle has been discovered. Continue reading →
- Pew! Pew! Curiosity Laser-Blasts Mars Rock June 18, 2013Continuing its campaign of Mars domination, Curiosity is blasting holes into Mars rocks with its laser -- for SCIENCE! Continue reading →
- Europe's Herschel Space Telescope Officially Dead June 17, 2013The Herschel infrared space telescope took its final bow on Monday, climaxing a successful four-year mission to observe the birth of stars and galaxies.
New Scientist
- Wormhole entanglement solves black hole paradox June 20, 2013A new kind of wormhole may resolve whether you'd be crushed or burned if you fell in a black hole, which could in turn lead to a theory of quantum gravity
- Cosmic preheating baked planets, stars and people June 19, 2013A new model bridges the gap between the cold, empty universe after inflation and the dense, hot soup that gave rise to all matter
- New NASA astronauts headed for destinations unknown June 18, 2013Eight people have been selected as the first US astronauts since Apollo to be trained for deep space, but will they visit an asteroid or Mars?
- New lease of life for hobbled planet-hunter Kepler June 18, 2013NASA might not be able to save its damaged space telescope Kepler, but it could begin a second career spotting new worlds with a gravitational lens
- Mars R Us: Six toys all space fans must have June 18, 2013To celebrate the latest honour for the Curiosity Mars rover – immortality in Lego – New Scientist presents the pick of space probe models from Mars and beyond
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