Bill Housley
Science Fiction and Fantasy Author
About.me
Bill Housley
Author, Actor, Father, Wildman
Hates the World;
Loves the world;
Writes about the world;
End of Story.
Contact
Into the Dark–Escape of the Nomad
Where’s The Cat?
Another Man’s Terrorist
Get RSS updates from this page
Recent Comments
Space.com Top Stories
- NASA Spacecraft Set for Historic Arrival at Dwarf Planet Ceres Today March 6, 2015If all goes according to plan on Friday morning (March 6), Dawn will become the first spacecraft ever to visit a dwarf planet, and the first to circle two different objects beyond the Earth-moon system.
- See Live Views of Dwarf Planet Ceres Friday in Slooh Observatory Webcast March 5, 2015An observatory will celebrate the planned arrival of a NASA spacecraft at Ceres by streaming live images of the dwarf planet live online Friday (March 6).
- For NASA, Dawn Probe's Ceres Arrival Will Cap Epic Solar System Trek March 5, 2015On Friday (March 6), NASA's Dawn spacecraft will slip into orbit around the dwarf planet Ceres. It's been a long journey for the probe and for the team of scientists and engineers assigned to the mission.
- Dwarf Planet Ceres: Biggest in the Asteroid Belt (Infographic) March 5, 2015NASA's Dawn spacecraft is getting humanity's best view yet of the tiny survivor from the solar system's earliest days. See what we know about the dwarf planet Ceres in this our infographic.
- Space Image of the Day Gallery (February 2015) March 5, 2015See amazing images of the night sky and cosmos in SPACE.com's gallery of cosmic images posted in February 2015.
- Galaxy Cluster's Mass Splits View of Supernova Behind | Video March 5, 2015Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope snapped a cross-shaped pattern of 4 images of the same supernova. The images were discovered "around a giant foreground elliptical galaxy embedded in a cluster of galaxies."
- Cosmic Lens Reveals 4 Views of Same Star Explosion (Photo) March 5, 2015For the first time, a cosmic magnifying glass has allowed scientists to see the same star explosion four times, possibly offering a revealing glimpse into these explosive stellar deaths and the nature of the accelerating universe.
- Wet Mars: Red Planet Lost Ocean's Worth of Water, New Maps Reveal March 5, 2015Ancient Mars likely once had an ocean large enough to cover 20 percent of the Martian surface, a fifth of the planet, scientists say. But over time, most of that water was lost to space.
- General Relativity at 100: Einstein's Famous Theory Has Aged Well March 5, 2015The famous theory, which Einstein published in 1915, remains the bedrock upon which scientists' understanding of the origin and evolution of the universe rests.
- Einstein's Theory of Relativity Explained (Infographic) March 5, 2015Albert Einstein's General Theory of Relativity celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2015. See the basic facts of Einstein's relativity in our infographic here.
- Fastest Star in the Galaxy Has a Strange Origin March 5, 2015The fastest-known star in the Milky Way is on a path out of the galaxy, and new research suggests it was a supernova that gave it the boot.
- Star Blasting Away From Galaxy At Record Speed | Animation March 5, 2015New research reveals that a compact helium star that's traveling out of the Milky Way galaxy was once donating its mass as part of a type Ia supernova pair. The spin of the star increased dramatically over time leading to its eventual ejection.
- Ocean Covered 20 Percent Of Mars, New Research Suggests | Video March 5, 2015About 4.5 billion years ago, the Red Planet was a much wetter place. New isotopic measurements of Mars by several ground-based telescopes on Earth reveal a new map of where the water laid and a model of water loss over time can be constructed.
- Dawn Spacecraft's Arrival at Dwarf Planet Ceres: Full Coverage March 5, 2015A NASA spacecraft is expected make its historic arrival in orbit around the dwarf planet Ceres, marking the first time a human-made probe has visited the cosmic body in history.
- 7 Strange Facts About Dwarf Planet Ceres March 5, 2015While NASA's Dawn probe will soon begin the first in-depth examination of Ceres, astronomers have learned a bit about the dwarf planet already. Here are seven weird facts about Ceres.
- Rosetta Spacecraft Sees Its Shadow on a Comet (Photo) March 5, 2015The European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft took the picture during a close flyby of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko on Feb. 14, when the sun, spacecraft and comet were all neatly aligned.
- Galaxy in Early Universe Grew Up Faster Than Expected (Photos, Video) March 5, 2015A remote galaxy observed when the universe was less than a billion years old is more evolved than scientists expected.
- Uranus, Venus and Mars! See Planets in the March Night Sky March 4, 2015March should be a great month for spotting planets for skywatchers, weather permitting. Venus is becoming increasingly more prominent in the evening sky, remaining above the horizon for 2.5 to 3 hours after the sun dips below the horizon
- Stargazer Lottie Doll Brings Real Astronomy Down to Earth March 4, 2015The Stargazer Lottie doll — which comes with a realistic telescope, solar system collector cards and profiles of famous female astronomers — is being released this month in collaboration with the European Space Agency.
- WATCH LIVE FRIDAY: Slooh Celebrates Dawn Probe's Arrival at Ceres @ 1 pm ET January 9, 2013The online Slooh Community Observatory will host a live webcast featuring views of the dwarf planet Ceres. The live broadcast will begin Friday (March 6) at 1 p.m. EST (1800 GMT).
NASA Breaking News
- An error has occurred; the feed is probably down. Try again later.
LiveScience.com – Top Stories
- Wildlife Fight to Survive as Forests Burn (Gallery) March 6, 2015From macaws to tapirs, wildlife are struggling to survive as landscapes burn.
- As Forests Burn, Conservationists Launch Global Wildlife Rescue (Op-Ed) March 6, 2015As wildfires burn widely, can forests' residents survive?
- What is Acupuncture? May 9, 2013Treatment with acupuncture needles does work to alleviate pain and nausea, studies show.
- Gallstones: Causes, Treatment and Prevention May 29, 2013Gallstones are small deposits of bile inside the gallbladder, a saclike structure that stores the bile for digestion in the small intestine.
- Rip Currents: The Ocean's Deadliest Trick July 12, 2005Each year, rip currents kill more people than sharks or jellyfish or even hurricanes.
- Alcohol Intake Peaks at Age 25, But Continues into Old Age March 6, 2015Men generally drink more alcohol than women, but the genders go through similar changes in their drinking habits over their lifetimes, a new study on people in the United Kingdom finds.
- Being Gay Not a Choice: Science Contradicts Ben Carson March 6, 2015Though Ben Carson claimed that being gay is a choice, science suggests that's not the case.
- These 3 Student Inventions May Make Life Easier March 5, 2015If you've ever wished for an invention that could make life a little bit easier, take heart. Some of those dreams might become reality, thanks to a few engineering students at The Cooper Union in New York City, who, as part of a college competition, came
- General Relativity at 100: Einstein's Famous Theory Has Aged Well March 5, 2015The famous theory, which Einstein published in 1915, remains the bedrock upon which scientists' understanding of the origin and evolution of the universe rests.
- Beyond Relativity: Albert Einstein's Lesser-Known Work March 5, 2015Though Einstein is perhaps most famous for his theory of general relativity, the prolific physicist created a host of other inventions and ideas throughout his life.
- 170-Year-Old Shipwreck Beer Smells Gross March 5, 2015Scientists opened two bottles of beer from a shipwreck off the coast of Finland to get a profile of the 19th century brews. The discovered some unpleasant smells.
- 6 Ways Albert Einstein Fought for Civil Rights March 5, 2015Most people know that Einstein was an anti-war activist, but after moving to the United States in 1933 and becoming a U.S. citizen, Einstein also confronted American racism.
- Flu Hospitalizations Soar Among Older Adults, Report Finds March 5, 2015This flu season has been particularly severe for older adults, with the highest rate of hospitalizations among this age group in a decade.
- After Much Ado, El Niño Officially Declared March 5, 2015A weak El Nino has finally emerged a year after its first signs of forming, but weather impacts will be muted.
- How Lab Rats Are Changing Our View of Obesity March 5, 2015New study findings may flesh out chemical influences.
- Doctor Who Was Possibly Exposed to Ebola Receives Experimental Vaccine March 5, 2015A doctor who was treating Ebola patients in Africa suddenly found himself in a scary situation: He was accidently stuck with a needle that had been used on a patient.
- High-Fiber Diet May Help Prevent Allergies March 5, 2015Eating fiber may promote the growth of gut bacteria that help prevent allergies, new research suggests.
- Amid Record-Breaking Poaching, Wildlife Experts Seek to Smash a Black Market March 5, 2015As the outlook for animals like elephants and rhinos turns grim, wildlife experts are seeing some signs of encouragement that the illegal trade of ivory and other animal products is being treated as a serious crime.
- 'Chappie': How Realistic Is the Film's Artificial Intelligence? March 5, 2015The new film "Chappie" features an artificially intelligent robot that becomes sentient and must learn to navigate the competing forces of kindness and corruption in a human world.
- Double the Trouble Found Under Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano March 5, 2015Hawaii's big, booming eruptions are born from a pair of two relatively small magma chambers under Kilauea volcano's peak.
Discover Magazine — Space
- An error has occurred; the feed is probably down. Try again later.
NASA Blog Updates
- NASA Deputy Administrator's Blog June 26, 2013A Great Day for Equality
- NASA Administrator June 26, 2013Protecting Planet Earth
- NASA IV&V Matters June 24, 2013Summer Interns Return to IV&V
NASA Image of the Day
- An error has occurred; the feed is probably down. Try again later.
Masten-space.com Blog updates–X-Prize winner!
- Summer 2015 Internships December 3, 2014Masten is now accepting applications for internships for the Summer of 2015. If you’ve followed us you know we’ve had a great history of outstanding interns working with us. There are few places like us that can deliver an internship with this level of responsibility and hands on work. We’re not looking for gophers, we’re looking
- Masten Space Systems selected by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency for XS-1 Program July 23, 2014Mojave, CA (July 23, 2014) — Masten Space Systems, Inc. (Masten) announced today that the company has been awarded a contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) as part of Phase 1 of the Experimental Spaceplane (XS-1) program to develop a reusable launch vehicle. Over the last decade, Masten has built three highly
- Astrobotic Technology And Masten Space Systems Perform Visually Guided Precision Landing June 30, 2014Contact John Thornton contact@astrobotic.com Sean Mahoney smahoney@masten.aero FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ASTROBOTIC TECHNOLOGY AND MASTEN SPACE SYSTEMS PERFORM VISUALLY GUIDED PRECISION LANDING Groundbreaking effort integrates two privately developed technology platforms to validate performance of autonomous precision landing capability Mojave, CA: Astrobotic Te […]
- Spring 2015 Internships June 30, 2014Masten is now accepting applications for internships for the Spring of 2015. If you’ve followed us you know we’ve had a great history of outstanding interns working with us. There are few places like us that can deliver an internship with this level of responsibility and hands on work. We’re not looking for gophers, we’re looking
- Project Prometheus May 19, 2014A lot has been going on in the past year, and while we have been busy with clients and flying customer payloads, the Masten Team has also been thinking about ways we could engage the broader community and increase accessibility to our VTVL vehicles. One of the largest barriers to entry for any technology developer
- Masten featured on PBS documentary December 2, 2013We get asked on a regular basis what life is like working at Masten. Well, the good folks at KQED (San Francisco Bay Area PBS affiliate) came out in May to capture a slice of Mojave with a healthy dose of Masten rockets. Watch for Masten to appear around time marker 13:47. We really enjoyed hosting
- Summer 2014 Internships November 11, 2013Masten is now accepting applications for internships for the Summer of 2014. If you’ve followed us you know we’ve had a great history of outstanding interns working with us. There are few places like us that can deliver an internship with this level of responsibility and hands on work. We’re not looking for gophers, we’re looking
- Joy and Sadness November 11, 2013Most of the time these blog posts update you on just a glimpse of what’s going on behind the curtain over here at Masten, and the man behind that curtain for most of those posts over the last three plus years has been Colin. Today’s post is a little different. Today, it is both with
- 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
Discovery Space News
- Ancient 'Blue' Mars Lost an Entire Ocean to Space March 6, 2015By mapping the distribution of water and 'semi-heavy water' over the Martian surface, scientists have revealed that the red planet had an ancient ocean covering nearly 20 percent of its landmass.
- Fastest Star Ever Seen Will Escape from the Galaxy March 5, 2015A ravaged star, having survived its partner's supernova explosion, is being flung out of the Milky Way at record speeds.
- Hubble Shows Mirror, Mirror, Mirror, Mirror of Ancient Supernova March 5, 2015Researchers using the Hubble space telescope took advantage of a naturally occurring zoom lens in space to capture an unprecedented quadruple image of an ancient supernova.
- DNews: Meet Earth's Orbital Dance Partner: 3753 Cruithne March 5, 2015It's not a spare moon of ours, exactly, but Earth does have a sort of gravitational buddy out there, in the mellifluously named 3753 Cruithne. It orbits the sun, just like us, and is locked with Earth in what scientists call orbital resonance.
- Mysterious Dwarf Planet Ceres May Be Ripe for Life March 5, 2015NASA's Dawn mission is about to arrive in orbit around Ceres and the hunt for the dwarf planet's past (and possibly present) habitable potential is on.
- The Higgs Boson May Disintegrate into Dark Matter March 5, 2015The hunt for the source of dark matter is one of the most hotly anticipated searches of our time and the Higgs boson might be able to light the way to a possible dark matter discovery.
- Curiosity Science Suspended After Electrical Glitch March 4, 2015Engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory are scrambling to figure out the cause of an electrical glitch on the Mars rover Curiosity which stopped science operations cold.
- Massive Exoplanet Evolved in Extreme 4-Star System March 4, 2015For only the second time, an exoplanet living with an expansive family of four stars has been revealed.
- Sun May Blast Two Jets of Plasma into Interstellar Space March 4, 2015A new computer model of our sun's magnetic field suggests the shape of our solar system's heliosphere is stranger than we ever thought.
- US Weather Satellite Breaks Apart After Possible Explosion March 3, 2015The 20-year mission of a U.S. military weather satellite came to an abrupt end last month after a power system temperature spike and an apparent explosion.
New Scientist
- Fast star first fled from a supernova, now the galaxy March 5, 2015The fastest star in the Milky Way is high-tailing it out of here at 1200 kilometres a second after surviving its sibling star's death as a massive supernova
- Drill into Mars for clues to Earth's climate March 4, 2015Earth's Little Ice Age may have been caused by a fall in solar activity – digging holes on Mars could help us find out
- Tiny CubeSats could hitch a ride with ESA mission March 3, 2015The European Space Agency is calling for small, boxy spacecraft called CubeSats to hitch a ride with a mission in 2020 – perhaps the first CubeSat trip into deep space
- Dawn spacecraft set for first visit to a dwarf planet March 3, 2015The asteroid-hopping spacecraft will arrive at Ceres on Friday, making it the first to visit a dwarf planet and the first to visit two different worlds
- Giant robot eyes scan stars for dust March 3, 2015The huge eyes of the Large Binocular Telescope in Arizona are staring across vast cosmic distances in the hope of finding signs of alien life
