Found a Letter #writing101 (five word flash fiction)
Who’s letter? “Dear Santa,…”? Me!
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.
Contact Bill
Get RSS updates from this page
Recent Comments
Bill’s LinkedIn Profile
Space.com Top Stories
- An error has occurred; the feed is probably down. Try again later.
NASAWatch
- Nanoracks Opens The The World's First Science Park in Space October 15, 2021George Washington Carver Science Park - The World's First Science Park in Space, Nanoracks "Now, given the increasing maturity of the LEO ecosystem, it is time for Nanoracks to take the next step in driving LEO utilization operations. After intensive investigation and discussion with industry experts, I am delighted to announce that the Nanoracks c […]
- A Simplistic And Misleading Comparison Of Commercial Space And Mountaineering October 15, 2021To Understand Low-Earth Orbit, Look to Mt. Everest "Getting to low-Earth orbit is a lot like climbing Mt. Everest. It's not impossible, but it's difficult, expensive and risky. As experience grows, the difficulty of reaching the destination drops steadily, and the risk becomes more manageable." "...the commercial era of Everest exped […]
- Building Earth's Other Space Station October 14, 2021China to unveil younger team of astronauts for Shenzhou 13 space mission, South China Post "The mission, which is planned to last for six months, will be piloted by Zhai Zhigang, 55, Wang Yaping, 41, and Ye Guangfu, 41, who were the backup crew of the recently completed Shenzhou 12 mission, said a source familiar with the mission plan. Wang will become […]
- Confusing White House Policy Regarding Space Actors October 14, 2021Isn't it a little strange that the White House uses child actors who pretended to be interested in space for a video with @VP on one day - but then a few days later when another actor actually flies in space they ignore him and his flight? Just sayin' #BlueOrigin #WilliamShatner pic.twitter.com/8GFlBehcJ6— NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) October 14, 2021 […]
- Earth Has Four New Astronauts October 13, 2021"I hope I never recover from this. I hope I maintain what I feel now. I don't want to lose it. It's so much larger than me, and life, and it has nothing to do with little green men. It's about the enormity."#WilliamShatner who became an #astronaut on #BlueOrigin #NS18 #StarTrek pic.twitter.com/QbxZVVEHnd— NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) Octo […]
- Actors Were Hired To Promote The Whole VP Space Thing October 12, 2021YouTube confirms it picked kids featured in Harris video https://t.co/wKJZH8GaOy #NASA The children auditioned for the role and were paid for their participation. So much for finding actual kids actually interested in actual space exploration. #BuildBackBetter #NASA pic.twitter.com/OP6ykkyymz— NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) October 12, 2021 Kamala Harris slammed fo […]
- Earth Gets 4 New Astronauts Tomorrow Morning October 12, 2021Uh oh. #WIlliamShatner #BlueOrigin #StarTrek pic.twitter.com/zdns7f2gz7— NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) October 12, 2021
- No More Russian Coverage Of Russian Space News By Russians October 9, 2021Russia tells its space reporters to stop reporting on the space program, Ars Technica "The country already prohibits reporting on space activities containing classified information, but a new law extends to coverage of a variety of other space news. Essentially, any person in Russia who now reports on anything that might be even tangentially related to […]
- VP Harris Kicks Off World Space Week And NASA Ignores Her (Update) October 7, 2021Keith's 7 October update: It took TWO DAYS for NASA PAO and the NASA STEM Engagement Office to make mention of the event with VP Harris, one powered by global video giant YouTube. It is rather baffling that NASA would take so long to acknowledge an event which, in the end, turns a national spotlight on NASA and space exploration - during World Space Wee […]
- NASA History Office Loved Those Space Council Photo Ops October 6, 2021And this stunt cost taxpayers stupid amounts of money for a totally pre-scripted event - one done simply for the backdrop and to satisfy some egos. All of NASA HQ was raided to pay for this and other NSpC dog and pony shows. https://t.co/gKj1bZ8atB— NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) October 6, 2021 Keith's note: It is rather strange that the NASA History Office d […]
LiveScience.com – Top Stories
- How to get the most out of your exercise bike October 15, 2021We ask the experts how to get the most out of your exercise bike
- Does a dehumidifier cool a room? October 15, 2021Dehumidifiers remove excess moisture from a room, but does a dehumidifier cool a room? We explore the answer here.
- Best microscopes for kids 2021 October 15, 2021Perfect for every skill level and budget, these are the best microscopes for kids right now
- 8 benefits of yoga October 15, 2021Wondering what the benefits of yoga are? Read on to discover the answers.
- 3 seals and a fox die from bird flu in rare outbreak at wildlife center October 15, 2021The strain of bird flu doesn't appear to pose a risk to humans.
- What are the different types of headaches? October 15, 2021An overview of the types of headaches, causes and treatment.
- 400 stone-cut chamber tombs, filled with wall paintings and treasures, discovered in Turkey October 15, 2021Archaeologists have found 400 newfound tombs dating to Roman times in a giant necropolis in Turkey.
- Rich medieval hipster was buried with his fancy beard comb October 15, 2021Two graves that were recently excavated in an ancient impact crater in Bavaria, Germany, held high-quality goods that were unusual for burials in the Middle Ages.
- DNA paternity tests: how they work and how to do one October 15, 2021Find out how to pick the right DNA paternity test for you and the facts about how genetic paternity testing works
- Can basement mold make you sick? October 14, 2021It's a common home problem, but can basement mold make you sick?
- How to clean a dehumidifier October 14, 2021Knowing how to clean a dehumidifier properly will keep your air fresh.
- Meteorite crash-lands in woman's bed in Canada October 14, 2021A meteorite that landed in British Columbia crashed through a roof and narrowly missed hitting a woman who was asleep in her bed at the time.
- FDA advisory committee recommends Moderna COVID-19 vaccine booster October 14, 2021An advisory committee voted unanimously on Thursday (Oct. 14) to recommend a Moderna COVID-19 vaccine booster for certain groups of people.
- Low-impact cardio workout ideas: Lose weight without the pain October 14, 2021Whatever your fitness level, these low-impact cardio workout ideas are a great way to exercise while avoiding joint and muscle pain.
- KOIOS EPI810 air purifier review October 14, 2021The KOIOS EPI810 may be one of the most affordable air purifiers on the market, but it’s not without its faults.
- Scientists just broke the record for the coldest temperature ever recorded in a lab October 14, 2021They did it by sending rubidium atoms into free fall
- Thousands of California worms wriggle into super blobs October 14, 2021Blackworm blobs can move as one organism by striking a perfect balance between wiggling and clinging, a discovery that could aid the development of soft robotics.
- 'Powerful auroras' on alien planets may be sending strange radio signals toward Earth October 14, 2021Astronomers say strange radio signals around old, inactive stars may be the shimmering auroras of four alien worlds.
- Stunning supernova remnant looks like Pac-Man gulping down stars October 14, 2021NASA has released a picture of a Pac-Man-shaped supernova remnant in the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy that was recently captured by the Hubble telescope.
- What are bacteria? October 14, 2021Friend or foe? These tiny microbes can cure or kill.
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
- NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 14 October, 2021 - Soyuz Commander Oleg Novitskiy Set to Leave October 15, 2021A veteran cosmonaut will soon lead two Russian spaceflight participants on a ride through Earth's atmosphere to a parachuted landing in Kazakhstan this weekend.Marc Boucher
- George Washington Carver Science Park - The World's First Science Park in Space October 15, 2021Eleven years ago, Congress designated a portion of the International Space Station (ISS) as the latest and most amazing of America's National Labs. Concurrently, America embarked on a pathway that allowed for commercial services in the growing low-earth marketplace.Keith Cowing
- Earth from Space - New Delhi, India October 15, 2021New Delhi, the capital and second-largest city of India, is featured in this image captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission.Marc Boucher
- NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 13 October, 2021 - Exercising Wearing Virtual Reality Goggles October 15, 2021Exercising wearing virtual reality goggles, replacing spacesuit components, and getting ready for this weekend's crew departure were the main objectives for the Expedition 65 crew today.Marc Boucher
- The Space Station With An Auroral Backdrop October 15, 2021An aurora is pictured below the International Space Station as it was orbiting 274 miles above the southern Pacific Ocean just south of Auckland Island, New Zealand.Keith Cowing
- A Solar Eruption Arrives At Earth October 15, 2021A mass of solar material that erupted from the Sun on Oct. 9, 2021, reached Earth on Oct. 12.Keith Cowing
- Activating A Space Biology Experiment October 15, 2021Thomas Pesquet: Aki doing his best James Dean impression while performing some JAXA science, he's that good 😁.Keith Cowing
- The Planet Does Not Fall Far From The Star October 15, 2021A compositional link between planets and their respective host star has long been assumed in astronomy.Keith Cowing
- How Do Ice Giants Maintain Their Magnetic Fields? October 15, 2021A layer of "hot," electrically conductive ice could be responsible for generating the magnetic fields of ice giant planets like Uranus and Neptune.Keith Cowing
- Sfax, Tunisia As Seen From Orbit October 15, 2021Thomas Pesquet: Sfax in Tunisia has an amazing geometric shape bringing all attention to the harbour and then bedazzling with the salt lakes and the Taparura development. Like a fly being drawn to a spider's web...Keith Cowing
Space Flight Now
- Live coverage: NASA’s Lucy asteroid mission ready to launch on Atlas 5 rocket October 16, 2021NASA's Lucy spacecraft is buttoned up in the nose cone of a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket for blastoff at 5:34 a.m. EDT (0934 GMT) Saturday. The Lucy mission will take aim on eight asteroids during a 12-year mission, a record number of flyby targets for a single spacecraft.Stephen Clark
- NASA’s Lucy mission will be the first to explore a population of ancient asteroids October 15, 2021NASA is ready to launch a $981 million mission to the distant reaches of the solar system Saturday, kicking off a 12-year expedition to visit a group of unexplored asteroids that may offer clues to help scientists decipher how the planets formed more than 4 billion years ago.Stephen Clark
- Video: Aerial views of Atlas 5’s rollout with Lucy October 15, 2021The 188-foot-tall Atlas 5 rocket crowned with NASA's Lucy asteroid probe rolled out to its launch pad Thursday at Cape Canaveral. These aerial views, captured by a drone and released by NASA, show the launch vehicle moving along rail tracks to Space Launch Complex 41.Stephen Clark
- Live coverage: Chinese astronauts blast off on Long March rocket October 15, 2021China's first six-month human spaceflight mission launched Friday at 12:23 p.m. EDT (1623 GMT). Three Chinese astronauts rode into orbit from the Jiuquan launch base in the Gobi Desert on the Shenzhou 13 spacecraft, heading for a link-up with China's space station about six-and-a-half hours after liftoff.Stephen Clark
- China repeats call for international astronauts to join space station crews October 15, 2021On the eve of the next crew launch to the Chinese space station, a spokesperson for China's human spaceflight agency repeated Thursday the country's invitation for international astronauts to fly to the new orbiting space lab.Stephen Clark
- Atlas 5 rocket rolls out to launch pad with NASA’s Lucy asteroid probe October 14, 2021An Atlas 5 rocket emerged from its hangar and rolled to a launch pad at Cape Canaveral Thursday with NASA's Lucy asteroid probe. The launch of the Lucy spacecraft Saturday will mark the final planetary science mission in the storied history of the Atlas program.Stephen Clark
- Successful Soyuz launch thrusts OneWeb past halfway mark in fleet deployment October 14, 2021Another batch of 36 satellites for OneWeb's internet network rode a Russian Soyuz launcher into orbit Thursday, giving the company more than half of the 648-spacecraft fleet it aims to deploy by the end of next year.Stephen Clark
- Chinese astronauts ready for launch Friday on six-month space station flight October 14, 2021China's first six-month human spaceflight mission, set to become a regular occurrence for the rest of the decade, is poised for launch Friday to kick off a trip to the country's Tiangong space station. Chinese officials unveiled the astronauts for the Shenzhou 13 mission Thursday, publicly naming commander Zhai Zhigang to lead the crew. He will be […]Stephen Clark
- Live coverage: Atlas 5 rocket rolls out to launch pad with NASA’s Lucy mission October 14, 2021United Launch Alliance rolled out its next Atlas 5 rocket Thursday to a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, moving the launcher into position for blastoff Saturday at 5:34 a.m. EDT (0934 GMT) with NASA's Lucy mission, a robotic spacecraft to explore the Trojan asteroids in the outer solar system.Stephen Clark
- Live coverage: Soyuz launches with 36 more OneWeb satellites October 14, 2021A Russian Soyuz rocket loaded with 36 OneWeb internet satellites launched Thursday from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia's Far East. Liftoff occurred at 5:40 a.m. EDT (0940 GMT), beginning a four-hour mission to deploy the 36 spacecraft into polar orbit.Stephen Clark
SpaceRef — Mars News
- Perseverance Rover Sheds More Light on Jezero Crater's Watery Past October 7, 2021Pictures from NASA's latest six-wheeler on the Red Planet suggest the area's history experienced significant flooding events.
- Report: New Approach For NASA Missions to Prevent Contaminating Mars with Earth Life October 7, 2021A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine identifies criteria that could allow robotic missions to certain locations on Mars to be carried out with less restrictive "bioburden" requirements, which are designed to prevent the unintentional transport of Earth-based microbes to Mars.
- HiRISE Spots Perseverance in South Séítah September 30, 2021The white speck is NASA's Perseverance rover in the "South Séítah" area of Mars' Jezero Crater.
- Mars' Surface Shaped By Fast And Furious Floods From Overflowing Craters September 30, 2021On Earth, river erosion is usually a slow-going process.
- NASA's Mars Fleet Lays Low As Sun Moves Between Earth and Red Planet September 29, 2021NASA will stand down from commanding its Mars missions for the next few weeks while Earth and the Red Planet are on opposite sides of the Sun. This period, called Mars solar conjunction, happens every two years.
- Using Seasons To Find Water For Future Mars Astronauts September 28, 2021An international team of researchers has used seasonal variations to identify likely sub-surface deposits of water ice in the temperate regions of Mars where it would be easiest for future human explorers to survive.
- Perseverance Takes A Selfie On Mars September 25, 2021Here, using its WATSON camera, NASA's Perseverance Mars rover took this selfie over a rock nicknamed "Rochette," on Sept.10, 2021, the 198th Martian day, or sol, of the mission.
- InSight Finds Three Big Marsquakes, Thanks to Solar-Panel Dusting September 23, 2021The lander cleared enough dust from one solar panel to keep its seismometer on through the summer, allowing scientists to study the three biggest quakes they've seen on Mars.
- Ingenuity Helicopter Captures a Mars Rock Feature in 3D September 21, 2021NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter provided a 3D view of a rock-covered mound during its 13th flight on Sept. 4.
- Take A 3D Spin On Mars And Track NASA's Perseverance Rover September 17, 2021Two interactive web experiences let you explore the Martian surface, as seen by cameras aboard the rover and orbiters flying overhead.
SpaceX
- Inspiration4 | Splashdown September 19, 2021
- Inspiration4 | In-Flight Update with the Crew September 17, 2021
- Inspiration4 | Launch September 16, 2021
- Inspiration4 | Q&A with Inspiration4 Crew September 14, 2021
- Starlink Mission September 14, 2021
- CRS-23 Mission August 29, 2021
- Transporter-2 Mission June 30, 2021
- GPS III Space Vehicle 05 Mission June 17, 2021
- SXM-8 Mission June 6, 2021
- CRS-22 Mission June 3, 2021
Spacewire
- AIAA Announces Winner of Prestigious Zarem Graduate Student Award in Aeronautics
- NASA Spaceline Current Awareness List # 971 15 October 2021 (Space Life Science Research Results)
- NASA SMD Heliophysics Data Environment RFI
- OneWeb confirms Successful Launch of 36 Satellites from Vostochny
- Media Invited to Naming of Ellington Field Hangar after Astronaut John Young
- NASA Awards Regional/Multi-Location Protective Services Contract
- NASA Awards Agency/Multi-Location Fire Services Contract
- NASA Invites Media to Briefing on New Water Data Platform
- Studying composition of exoplanet interiors as linked to composition of host stars informs planetary evolution
- Joint USAF/NOAA Solar Geophysical Activity Report and Forecast 14 October 2021
NASA Image of the Day
- Lucy Mission Set to Launch to Study Trojan Asteroids October 15, 2021With the Lucy spacecraft aboard, a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is seen as it is rolled out of the Vertical Integration Facility.
- Lucy: Inspiration and Asteroids October 13, 2021NASA's Lucy mission will explore a record-breaking number of asteroids.
- Like Monsters in the Sky October 12, 2021A violent and chaotic-looking mass of gas and dust is seen in this Hubble Space Telescope image of a nearby supernova remnant.
- Hubble Detects a Dangerous Dance October 8, 2021This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features two interacting galaxies that are so intertwined, they have a collective name – Arp 91.
- Smile! You're on the International Space Station October 7, 2021The seven-member Expedition 65 crew gathered for a portrait inside the International Space Station.
- A Jupiter-Like Rogue Planet Wanders Alone in Space October 6, 2021This artist's conception illustrates a Jupiter-like planet alone in the dark of space, floating freely without a parent star.
- A Colorful Departure From the Station October 5, 2021SpaceX Cargo Dragon resupply ship is pictured as it backs away from the International Space Station.
Astronomy Picture of the Day
- NGC 289: Swirl in the Southern SkyAbout 70 million light-years distant, gorgeous spiral galaxy NGC 289 is
- NGC 7293: The Helix NebulaA mere seven hundred light years from Earth, toward the constellation
- NGC 7822: Cosmic Question Mark It may look like a huge cosmic question mark, but the big question really is
- Fireball over Lake Louise What makes a meteor a fireball?
- Juno Flyby of Ganymede and Jupiter What would it be like to fly over the
- Full Moon Silhouettes Have you ever watched the Moon rise?
- 50 Light years to 51 Pegasi50 Light years to 51 Pegasi
Forgot how to count. Fixed it though.