Bill Housley
Space Exploration, Science, Opinion and Current Events
Twilight Tales
Into the Dark:Escape of the Nomad — Kindle Edition
In a world hostile to space travel, a former Astronaut has a dream to travel the stars--so he steal's NASA's forbidden starship designs and starts building the ship himself, only to get caught up in a perilous game of interstellar cloak-and-dagger between two alien superpowers fighting over Earth.
One Way
So you want to go to Mars? One Way? Are you sure?
Another Man’s Terrorist — Kindle Edition
In a war far into the future, two young refugees, orphaned by insurgent violence on their home planet, flee behind the lines to make a new life for themselves. But when the turmoil they sought to escape beats them to their new home, thirteen year old Jessica Ratcliff must find peace for her small family while learning the true difference between friend and enemy.
Where’s the Cat? — Kindle Edition
On a long cargo flight to the outer solar system, Pauline gets a visitor she didn't expect and learns of a marvelous friend she never knew she had.
Into the Dark–Escape of the Nomad — Original Paperback
In a world where space travel is forbidden, former astronaut Stan McPherson wants to return to space but finds himself caught up in a dangerous game of interstellar cloak-and-dagger.
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NASAWatch
- National Space Council Meeting Update December 2, 2021Vice President Highlights STEM in First National Space Council Meeting, NASA "Vice President Kamala Harris chaired the first National Space Council meeting of the Biden-Harris Administration Wednesday, Dec. 1 at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington. Prior to the meeting, President Biden expanded the number of participants of the council by executiv […]
- GAO Report On NASA And Its Big Telescopes December 1, 2021NASA: Lessons from Ongoing Major Projects Can Inform Management of Future Space Telescopes, GAO "The projects in NASA's current portfolio of major space telescopes--JWST, Roman, and SPHEREx--have roots in past decadal surveys on Astronomy and Astrophysics from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. NASA is now considering th […]
- United States Space Priorities Framework December 1, 2021Original Document (PDF) Space activities are essential to our way of life. They advance our understanding of the Earth, the universe, and humanity; enable U.S. national security; create good jobs and economic opportunity; enhance our health and well-being; and inspire us to pursue our dreams. Space capabilities provide critical data, products, and services t […]
- More Drill Hole фигня From Roscosmos December 1, 2021Russia threatens criminal charges against a NASA astronaut, Ars Technica "The Russian state news service, TASS, escalated the issue in April when it published accusations that Auñón-Chancellor had "an acute psychological crisis" after suffering an instance of deep vein thrombosis in space and drilled the hole in an attempt to expedite her retu […]
- The National Space Council Meeting That No One Is Talking About November 30, 2021Keith's 30 November update: I will have an update for everyone at 11:00 am ET Wednesday morning. Keith's 30 November update: I just got an email invitation to a post-National Space Council reception by the usual big aerospace suspects. "Following the National Space Council meeting on December 1, AIA, AIAA, CDSE, and CSF will be hosting a recep […]
- NASA OIG Report: ISS And LEO Commercialization November 30, 2021NASA's Management of the International Space Station and Efforts to Commercialize Low Earth Orbit, NASA OIG "... Under the Agency's current plans, both health risk mitigation and technology demonstrations will not be complete by 2030 - the expected retirement date of the ISS. Consequently, a substantial gap between the Station's retiremen […]
- Comparing Cliffs On Earth - And On A Comet November 29, 2021(L) El Capitan, Yosemite, Earth ~1 km tall (R) ~1 km tall cliff on comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko Image Credit: ESA, Rosetta spacecraft, NAVCAM; Additional Processing: Stuart Atkinson https://t.co/HchHdfbRVo pic.twitter.com/bKrFth8scB— NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) November 29, 2021
- Webb Launch Delayed Due To Ground Processing Issues (Update) November 26, 2021Testing Confirms Webb Telescope on Track for Targeted Dec. 22 Launch, Arianespace "Engineering teams have completed additional testing confirming NASA's James Webb Space Telescope is ready for flight, and launch preparations are resuming toward Webb's target launch date of Wednesday, Dec. 22, at 7:20 a.m. EST. Additional testing was conducted […]
- SpaceRef on NASA's DART Mission November 24, 2021Keith Cowing · SpaceRef on Deutsche Welle: Launch of the NASA DART Mission Keith Cowing · SpaceRef on Alhurra: NASA's DART Mission Keith Cowing · SpaceRef on Deutsche Welle: NASA's DART Mission
- Blue Origin Announces A 6 Person Crew For NS-19 November 23, 2021Alan Shepard's daughter Laura Shepard Churchley and GMA co-anchor Michael Strahan to fly on NS-19 alongside four customers, Blue Origin "Blue Origin today announced the crew of its upcoming NS-19 flight on December 9 will include two honorary guests and four paying customers. Guests include Good Morning America co-anchor Michael Strahan and Laura S […]
LiveScience.com – Top Stories
- Omicron variant may have evolved in rats, one theory says December 2, 2021Some features of the omicron variant's genome hint that it may have evolved in rodents.
- Giant 'phantom jellyfish' that eats with mouth-arms spotted off California coast December 2, 2021The rare creature has only been spotted roughly 100 times since its discovery in 1899.
- Fossils of 400-million-year-old 'Excalibur worm' discovered in Australia December 2, 2021Researchers discovered the fossils of two previously unknown armored marine worms named Excalibur and Shuriken.
- Silver plate showing topless Scythian goddess unearthed in Russia December 2, 2021Archaeologists in Russia have unearthed a Scythian-crafted silver plate depicting a fertility goddess.
- This 130 million-year-old ichthyosaur was a 'hypercarnivore' with knife-like teeth December 2, 2021A newly identified species of ichthyosaur had big teeth to attack large prey, possibly including other marine reptiles.
- Was Stonehenge constructed by builders fueled on 'energy bars'? December 2, 2021Historians have found tasty new evidence that the people who built Stonehenge supplemented their meat and dairy diets with nut and fruit "energy bars" made with animal fat.
- Pac-Man-shaped blobs become world's first self-replicating biological robots December 2, 2021Biological robots made from frog cells can self-replicate like no other organism, by moving around raw materials to build more of themselves.
- Holiday sale: Read a free issue of All About History magazine and save up to 40% on a subscription December 2, 2021Take advantage of this superb seasonal sale offer and subscribe to All About History today
- Christmas sale: Read a free issue of How It Works magazine, plus save up to 57% on a subscription! December 2, 2021Our sister publication, How It Works, is the action-packed magazine that’s bursting with the answers to your curious questions.
- 1st case of omicron variant in US confirmed in California December 1, 2021U.S. officials confirmed the first U.S. case of omicron in California.
- Unknown human ancestor may have walked a bit like a bear on its hind legs December 1, 2021Ancient footprints reveal a mysterious relative of humans may have lived at the same time and in the same area as the famous human ancestor "Lucy" in Tanzania.
- 'Very weird' ankylosaur's tail looked like an Aztec war club December 1, 2021Paleontologists in Chile have found the remains of an ankylosaur that represents a new dinosaur lineage.
- Starship engine 'crisis' poses possible bankruptcy risk for SpaceX, Elon Musk says: report December 1, 2021Elon Musk thinks that problems with SpaceX's Raptor engine production pose potentially dire consequences for the company, according to media reports.
- NASA's James Webb Space Telescope on track for Dec. 22 launch December 1, 2021The generational observatory is nearly ready for space after years of delays.
- This pair of merging black holes is the closest to Earth we've ever found December 1, 2021A pair of supermassive black holes that will soon become one has been discovered hiding in a nearby galaxy.
- Oral B electric toothbrush deals: Discounted toothbrushes in stock and available December 1, 2021Top Oral B electric toothbrush deals for you to improve your oral care routine without breaking the bank.
- Running headphones deals: Save on Bose, Samsung and more December 1, 2021Beat boredom while you work out with these running headphones deals.
- Fitbit deals: Grab a bargain on the Fitbit Versa 3, Sense & more December 1, 2021Grab one of these Fitbit deals and improve your workouts forever.
- Ants vomit into each other's mouths to form social bonds December 1, 2021Ants are highly social animals that have social networks, and they exchange info through vomit.
- Binoculars deals: Magnificent savings on Celestron, Nikon, Bushnell and more December 1, 2021These amazing binoculars deals will have you stargazing and sightseeing for less.
Discovery Space News
- Huge Tsunamis May Have Ravaged Ancient Mars May 25, 2016When Mars was a wet world, did its oceans experience powerful tsunamis spawned by meteorite impacts?
- Collapsing Cosmic Clouds Birth Black Hole Monsters May 24, 2016Supermassive black holes occupy all known galaxies, but astronomers have little idea how they formed. Now space telescopes have found a clue.
- Mystery Plumes: Did the Sun Bruise Mars? May 24, 2016Strange plumes have been spotted high in the Martian atmosphere that have, so far, defied explanation. Now scientists think space weather is to blame.
- NASA Probe Tracks Object in Solar System's Badlands May 23, 2016While coasting through the outer solar system, NASA's New Horizons is busying itself with astronomical observations of a distant Kuiper Belt Object.
- Solar Superflares Set Stage for Life on Earth May 23, 2016Earth could have grown warm enough for liquid water as far back as 4 billion years ago thanks to massive and frequent solar flares.
- See the Red Planet with Your Own Eyes This Weekend May 21, 2016Mars reaches opposition this weekend, making Saturday and Sunday (May 21 and 22) an opportune time to see the Red Planet with your own eyes.
- Extreme Exoplanets Reveal Migration Mystery May 20, 2016A star hosting 4 massive gas giant exoplanets has been spotted -- is this how our solar system looked in its ancient past?
- How to Form Io's Mountains? Just Squeeze! May 20, 2016On Earth, mountains form along tectonic boundaries, but Io, Jupiter's volcanic moon, is awash with molten rock and dotted with solitary mountains -- how did they form?
- DNews: Meet a Black Hole 17 Billion Times the Sun's Mass May 20, 2016DNews sits down with U.C. Berkeley astronomy professor Chung-Pei Ma to learn all about supermassive black holes, including one nearby that's just honking huge.
- LHC Opens the Quantum Physics Floodgates May 20, 2016As it restarts its mission to discover weird and exotic things about our universe, the Large Hadron Collider is about to become a firehose of quantum data.
SpaceRef
- 172 Possible Planets? A New Roadmap to Distant Worlds December 2, 2021The discovery: A new catalog of exoplanets - planets around other stars - includes 172 previously unknown planet candidates, as well as 18 possible multi-planet systems that also are newly identified.Keith Cowing
- Beads Of Glass In Meteorites Help Scientists Piece Together How Solar System Formed December 2, 2021Ever since scientists started looking at meteorites with microscopes, they've been puzzled--and fascinated--by what's inside.Keith Cowing
- Arecibo Data Still Has Astronomers In A Spin December 2, 2021Data collected by the Arecibo Radio Telescope before it collapsed late last year will help astronomers better understand how our local neighbourhood of galaxies formed.Keith Cowing
- The Everest Region Seen From Orbit December 2, 2021The Himalayas, Kathmandu, Nepal, Tibet, from the International Space Station.Keith Cowing
- Record-breaking Simulations Of Large-scale Structure Formation In The Universe December 2, 2021Researchers led by the University of Tsukuba present computer simulations that capture the complex dynamics of elusive neutrinos left over from the Big BangKeith Cowing
- Texas Astronomers Discover Strangely Massive Black Hole In Milky Way Satellite Galaxy December 2, 2021Astronomers at The University of Texas at Austin's McDonald Observatory have discovered an unusually massive black hole at the heart of one of the Milky Way's dwarf satellite galaxies, called Leo I.Keith Cowing
- A Shot Of Smoke For Delhi December 2, 2021Every November, satellites detect large plumes of smoke and heightened fire activity in northwestern India as farmers burn off excess paddy straw after the rice harvest.Keith Cowing
- New Docking Module Arrives At The ISS December 1, 2021Matthias Maurer @astro_matthias - Congratulations to my Russian colleagues on the arrival of the Node Module last week!Keith Cowing
- The Largest Comet Ever Observed Was Active At Near-record Distance December 1, 2021UMD astronomers discovered that comet Bernardinelli-Bernstein is among the most distant active comets from the sun, providing key information about its composition.Keith Cowing
- New Research Explains Earth's Peculiar Chemical Composition December 1, 2021Earth's surface environment hosts large reservoirs of hydrogen (H, mainly in the form of water, H2O), nitrogen (in atmospheric N2) and carbon (mainly in carbonate rocks).Keith Cowing
Space Flight Now
- Live coverage: SpaceX ready to launch Starlink and BlackSky satellites tonight December 2, 2021SpaceX is counting down to a launch Thursday night carrying 48 Starlink internet satellites and two BlackSky Earth-imaging payloads into orbit. A Falcon 9 rocket will blast off from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral at 6:12 p.m. EST (2312 GMT).Stephen Clark
- Watch live: Spacewalk begins to replace failed antenna outside space station December 2, 2021Running two days late because of concerns about possibly threatening space debris, a veteran astronaut and a rookie crewmate exited the International Space Station Thursday for a six-and-a-half-hour spacewalk to replace a faulty antenna.William Harwood
- Soyuz launch to add two more satellites to Europe’s Galileo navigation network December 1, 2021Two more Galileo navigation satellites are set for liftoff Thursday night from French Guiana on a Soyuz rocket, the first mission in more than three years to add to Europe's space-based positioning and timing network.Stephen Clark
- Two BlackSky satellites hitching ride on Starlink mission November 30, 2021BlackSky said Tuesday it is launching two optical Earth observation satellites as rideshare payloads on a SpaceX Starlink mission planned for liftoff this week from Cape Canaveral. The mission is set for launch Thursday, one day later than the previous schedule.Stephen Clark
- NASA calls off spacewalk due to possible risk of space debris November 30, 2021A planned spacewalk outside the International Space Station by astronauts Tom Marshburn and Kayla Barron was called off early Tuesday after NASA received an overnight warning about possibly threatening space debris.William Harwood
- China launches surge of space missions November 30, 2021China has launched four space missions from three different spaceports in the span of a week, hauling cargo into orbit for military communications, radar surveillance, and optical imaging.Stephen Clark
- Weather forecast favorable for SpaceX launch this week November 29, 2021Forecasters predict a 90% chance of good weather Wednesday night at Cape Canaveral for launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with a fresh group of Starlink internet satellites.Stephen Clark
- Russian military launches new missile warning satellite November 29, 2021Russia's military successfully deployed a spacecraft in orbit Nov. 25 to join a constellation of satellites circling the globe to monitor for missile launches.Stephen Clark
- NASA gives green light to fuel James Webb Space Telescope November 28, 2021NASA engineers have cleared teams at the Guiana Space Center in South America to begin loading 63 gallons of fuel and oxidizer into the James Webb Space Telescope, after extra testing showed the observatory suffered no damage during a processing incident in the clean room earlier this month.Stephen Clark
- Astronaut Alan Shepard’s daughter and Michael Strahan named to spaceflight November 28, 2021The third piloted flight of Blue Origin's New Shepard suborbital spacecraft will launch December 9 with a crew of six, including a network morning anchor and the eldest daughter of Mercury astronaut Alan Shepard, the first American in space, the company announced Nov. 23.William Harwood
SpaceRef — Mars News
- Exposed Fractured Bedrock in the Central Pit of a Crater On Mars November 28, 2021This HiRISE image shows the central pit feature of an approximately 20-kilometer diameter complex crater in located at 304.480 degrees east, -11.860 degrees south, just north of the Valles Marineris.
- The Floor Of Soffen Crater On Mars November 28, 2021Dr. Gerald A. Soffen (February 7, 1926 -- November 22, 2000) was a project scientist for the NASA's Viking program of Mars landers.
- Curiosity Rover Sends A Picture Postcard From Mars November 24, 2021NASA's Curiosity rover captured a remarkable image from its most recent perch on the side of Mars' Mount Sharp.
- Analysis Of Mars's Wind-induced Vibrations Sheds Light On The Planet's Subsurface Properties November 24, 2021Seismic data collected in Elysium Planitia, the second largest volcanic region on Mars, suggest the presence of a shallow sedimentary layer sandwiched between lava flows beneath the planet's surface.
- A Scarp In The Arabia Region On Mars November 23, 2021Pictured here appears to be the edge of a blast radius of a large meteorite impact crater with smaller and more recent cratering interrupting its circumference.
- Hematite-Rich Deposits in Capri Chasma On Mars November 22, 2021Capri Chasma is located in the eastern portion of the Valles Marineris canyon system, the largest known canyon system in the Solar System.
- Perseverance Rover Captures Flight by Mars Helicopter Ingenuity November 22, 2021Recently downlinked imagery of a September flight has allowed the rover imaging team to put together a video of rotorcraft performing to near-perfection.
- Secondary Craters On Mars November 20, 2021This image of a southern mid-latitude crater was intended to investigate the lineated material on the crater floor.
- A Martian Dust Avalanche November 19, 2021Relatively dark slope streaks are common on steep dust-mantled slopes of Mars. When imaged under high sun illumination they appear to be just a dark stain without topographic relief.
- Twin Of NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover Begins Terrain Tests November 18, 2021OPTIMISM, the full-scale engineering model of Perseverance, begins a series of rigorous tests to assess the risk of potential driving hazards on the surface of the Red Planet.
SpaceX
- Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) Mission November 24, 2021
- Starlink Mission November 13, 2021
- Crew-3 Mission | Approach and Docking November 12, 2021
- Crew-3 Mission | Coast and Rendezvous November 11, 2021
- Crew-3 Mission | Coast November 11, 2021
- Crew-3 Mission | Launch November 11, 2021
- Crew-2 Mission | Recap November 11, 2021
- Crew-2 Mission | Return November 9, 2021
- Crew-2 Mission | Departure November 9, 2021
- Crew-2 Mission | Hatch Closing November 8, 2021
Spacewire
- Policy options to address collision risk from space debris (report)
- AIAA Statement on Biden Administration’s First National Space Council Meeting
- Public Provides NASA Ideas for Engaging Untapped Communities
- Lunar radar data uncovers new clues about moon’s ancient past
- NASA to Announce America’s Next Class of Astronaut Candidates
- Executive Order on the National Space Council
- Vice President Highlights STEM in First National Space Council Meeting
- Joint USAF/NOAA Solar Geophysical Activity Report and Forecast 1 December 2021
- Space Health Institute Seeks Proposals to Counteract Bodily Wear-and-Tear from Spaceflight
- Job Opportunity: Senior Scientist for Astrobiology at NASA Ames Research Center
NASA Image of the Day
- Photographing Mars December 2, 2021NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover used its black-and-white navigation cameras to capture panoramas of this scene at two times of day on Nov. 16, 2021.
- Eagle, Omega Nebula, Trifid, and Lagoon: Four Famous Nebulae December 1, 2021These four nebulae are known for their breathtaking beauty: the Eagle Nebula (which contains the Pillars of Creation), the Omega Nebula, the Trifid Nebula, and the Lagoon Nebula.
- Dragons-Eye View November 30, 2021As the Crew-2 mission departed the International Space Station aboard SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour, the crew snapped this image of the station.
- Hubble’s View of Planetary Nebula Reveals Complex Structure November 29, 2021NGC 6891 is a bright, asymmetrical planetary nebula in the constellation Delphinus, the Dolphin.
- Black Hole Collision May Have Exploded With Light November 26, 2021This artist's concept shows a supermassive black hole surrounded by a disk of gas.
- Hubble Witnesses Shock Wave of Colliding Gases in Running Man Nebula November 24, 2021Mounded, luminous clouds of gas and dust glow in this Hubble image of a Herbig-Haro object known as HH 45.
- Stay Tuned for DART! November 23, 2021The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) will help determine if intentionally crashing a spacecraft into an asteroid is an effective way to change its course.
Astronomy Picture of the Day
- NGC 6822: Barnard s GalaxyNGC 6822: Barnard s Galaxy
- A Blue Banded Blood Moon What causes a blue band to cross the Moon during a lunar eclipse?
- In Motion: Uranus and Moons What's that moving across the sky?
- The Extraordinary Spiral in LL Pegasi What created the strange spiral structure on the upper left?
- A High Cliff on Comet Churyumov GerasimenkoThis high cliff occurs not on a planet, not on a moon, but on a comet.
- Messier 101Big, beautiful spiral galaxy M101 is one of the last entries in
- Great Refractor and Lunar EclipseGreat Refractor and Lunar Eclipse
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