Bill Housley
Science Fiction and Fantasy Author
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Into the Dark–Escape of the Nomad
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. Click the image above to read Chapter 1 online for free.
Where’s The Cat?
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. Click on the image above to read this short fiction online for free.
Another Man’s Terrorist
Two orphaned child soldiers sell all they have to leave their war-torn planet on a quest for peace, but when they arrive at their new home they find that the war has beaten them there. Now the older sister Jessica must struggle to keep the only family she has left from being lost in a conflict that she no longer wants. Click the image above to read this story for free online. For a limited time only!
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Space.com Top Stories
- Moon Express and NanoRacks Partner on Lunar Payloads October 18, 2017Commercial lunar lander company Moon Express announced an agreement with NanoRacks Oct. 10 to carry commercial payloads to the surface of the moon.
- Companies Seek Roles in NASA's Return to the Moon October 18, 2017As NASA develops a plan to carry out a new administration policy calling for a human return to the moon, companies developing lunar landers and related infrastructure are seeking to play a role.
- Could the Hunt for Hubble's Constant Overturn the Standard Model of Cosmology? October 18, 2017Two methods that scientists use to measure the expansion of the universe produce different answers. A recent episode of NASA's ScienceCasts video series explores this conundrum.
- Image of the Day October 18, 2017European Space Agency astronaut Paolo Nespoli snapped this photo of Detroit from the International Space Station.
- Watch a NASA Rocket Launch a Supersonic Parachute for Mars Landings October 18, 2017NASA will launch a small rocket from Virginia's Eastern Shore early Wednesday (Oct. 4) to test a supersonic parachute system for future spacecraft bound for Mars. The launch may be visible to observers along the U.S. East Coast, weather permitting.
- Caught In the Act! Five Black Hole Couples Found Merging (Videos) October 18, 2017Astronomers have pinpointed five pairs of merging black holes using three different space and ground-based instruments and two sky surveys.
- How Fit Will Astronauts Be After Years in Space? October 18, 2017After spending months or years in space during future long-term missions, returning to Earth can be challenging for astronauts — and one set of researchers is finding out just how challenging using a life-size spacecraft model.
- In Images: The Amazing Discovery of a Neutron-Star Crash, Gravitational Waves & More October 18, 2017For the first time ever, scientists around the world detected gravitational waves and light from the collision of a pair of neutron stars. See the epic discovery in pictures here.
- 'Women of NASA' Lego Set to Launch for Sale Nov. 1 October 18, 2017Four trailblazing figures from NASA's history are set to launch as new Lego minifigures. As-tronauts Sally Ride and Mae Jemison, as well as programmer Margaret Hamilton and astrono-mer Nancy Grace Roman, feature in the Lego Ideas set, "Women of NASA."
- Planet Uranus: Facts About Its Name, Moons and Orbit October 17, 2017Learn about the history of Uranus (and how it got its name) as well as the physical characteristics of the planet including its rings and moons.
- How 2 Aerospace Companies Plan to Launch an Inflatable Moon-Orbiting Habitat October 17, 2017United Launch Alliance and Bigelow Aerospace will collaborate on placing a space station in orbit around the moon.
- Coat of Arms for Canada's New Governor General Nods to Her Astronaut Past October 17, 2017As a Canadian astronaut, Julie Payette used mission patches to represent her spaceflight experiences and personal journey. Now, as Canada's new Governor General, she has a new symbol of her achievements — her coat of arms.
- How Gravitational Waves Led Astronomers to Neutron Star Gold October 17, 2017The origin of the universe's heaviest elements has mystified scientists, but after Monday's (Oct. 16) historic announcement of the detection of gravitational waves produced by two colliding neutron stars, astronomers have struck gold — literally.
- Neutron-Star Collision Reveals Origin of Gold, Astronomers Say October 17, 2017An international team of astronomers detected the first gravitational waves from merging neutron stars, and found proof they are the source of the universe's heavy elements, including gold and platinum.
- 3D Printers: A Revolutionary Frontier for Medicine October 17, 2017Mission control on earth receives an urgent communication from Mars that an astronaut has fractured his shinbone. Using a handheld scanning device, the crew takes images of his damaged tibia and transmits them to earth.
- NASA to Leverage Current Planning for 45-Day Exploration Report October 17, 2017A shift in focus in NASA's exploration plans to the moon won't have an immediate effect on planning for the first flight of the agency's Space Launch System rocket, now expected no sooner than late 2019.
- Space Calendar 2017: Launches, Sky Events & More October 17, 2017Here's a guide to the major astronomical events of the next year, as well as space launches and milestones for spacecrafts already in travel.
- The Future of Space Is Coming…'Soonish' October 17, 2017In their new book "Soonish" (Penguin Press, 2017), out today (Oct. 17), Kelly and Zach Weinersmith dig into 10 realms of future technology to see which will survive, which will likely flounder and which could change (or ruin) everything.
- Why Gravitational Waves Are So Exhilarating October 17, 2017The gravitational-wave research community seems to be having a remarkable string of good luck. Here's what the smashing finding means.
- In Videos: Gravitational Wave Detection from Neutron-Star Crash October 17, 2017For the first time, gravitational waves generated by the merger of two neutron stars have been detected. And that merger was also confirmed optically!
NASA Breaking News
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LiveScience.com – Top Stories
- How Would We Talk to Aliens? October 18, 2017The search for extraterrestrials has gone on long before the SETI Institute was founded in 1984.
- Cancer Linked to Breast Implants Is on the Rise October 18, 2017Cases of a rare type of cancer that is linked to breast implants appear to be on the rise, according to a new review.
- In Photos: 8 Toys That Embrace Diversity October 18, 2017Diversity and representation are important — especially in children's toys.
- Is Youth Football Past Its Prime? October 18, 2017After decades of continuous growth, participation rates have started to decline. What does it mean for the future of the sport?
- Skilled Animal Fighters May Have an Edge in Brawls October 18, 2017Brawling beasts may be relying on more than brute strength and size, say researchers, who now suggest the most skillful fighter may often come out on top.
- Clumsy Dinosaur or Attack Survivor? Injuries Plagued Ancient Beast October 18, 2017A plant-eating dinosaur that lived 112 million years ago got its fair share of bad breaks: Its fossilized bones indicate the dinosaur suffered from broken bones that may have led to a deadly blood infection, new research finds.
- A Soft Touch Can Soothe Hard Feelings of Rejection October 18, 2017Feelings of rejection can be common — you may feel ostracized at work, rejected by a partner or even snubbed by friends — but a new study from England shows how a gentle touch can curb these feelings of being excluded from social interactions.
- What Is Synesthesia? October 18, 2017Synesthesia is a neurological condition that causes the brain to process data in the form of several senses at once; for example, hearing sounds while also seeing them as colorful swirls.
- Man Says Apple Watch App Helped Detect Blood Clot, Saved His Life October 17, 2017A New York man is crediting an Apple Watch app with saving his life, after the app helped him detect signs of a life-threatening blood clot.
- Why You Shouldn't Expect to See 'Blade Runner' Replicants Anytime Soon October 17, 2017Why don't we have intelligent robots that seem human, like the replicants in "Blade Runner"?
- Tyrannosaurus Rex: Facts About T. Rex, King of the Dinosaurs October 17, 2017The large carnivorous dinosaur reigned during the late Cretaceous Period, 65 million years ago.
- Bad Blood? Why Transfusions from Women May Be Risky for Men October 17, 2017Getting blood from a woman who has ever been pregnant could be risky for men, a new study from the Netherlands suggests.
- Neutron-Star Collision Reveals Origin of Gold, Astronomers Say October 17, 2017An international team of astronomers detected the first gravitational waves from merging neutron stars, and found proof they are the source of the universe's heavy elements, including gold and platinum.
- Volcanic Eruptions May Have Doomed an Ancient Egyptian Dynasty October 17, 2017Thousands of years ago, fallout from volcanic activity may have sounded a death knell for an Egyptian dynasty.
- Infant Chimp Snatched and Cannibalized Moments After Its Birth October 17, 2017Moments after a wild chimpanzee was born, an adult chimp snatched the infant away from its mother and cannibalized it, according to a new study that is the first to document this macabre behavior.
- Why Do We Get Addicted to Things? October 17, 2017What makes a particular habit or substance an addiction?
- Ancient Sea Creature Looked Like a Wine Glass, Died Alone October 17, 2017Resembling a dainty tulip bloom or an elegant white-wine glass, the 500-million-year-old bottom-feeder looked uniquely ready for a romantic evening of sucking up microplankton along the seafloor.
- In Photos: Mysterious Stone Structures in Saudi Arabia October 17, 2017Images reveal sprawling stone structures in Saudi Arabia that look like field gates from above and that may date back thousands of years.
- 400 Mysterious Ancient Stone Structures Discovered in Saudi Arabia October 17, 2017The sprawling stone structures date back thousands of years and drape across old lava fields.
- Why Gravitational Waves Are So Exhilarating October 16, 2017The gravitational-wave research community seems to be having a remarkable string of good luck. Here's what the smashing finding means.
Discover Magazine — Space
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NASA Image of the Day
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Masten-space.com Blog updates–X-Prize winner!
- Masten Achieves First Hot-Fire of Broadsword Rocket Engine May 11, 2017Mojave, CA – On September 30, 2016, Masten Space Systems successfully concluded the 13-month design, build, and test period for the first development unit of the Broadsword 25 rocket engine, funded as a technology demonstration under the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)’s Experimental Spaceplane (XS-1) program. This first phase of the engine […]
- What’s the Point? April 27, 2017That is a question that comes up from time to time when people see Xaero-B and Xodiac. Both vehicles seem to be doing what other rocket companies have already *demonstrated* and to greater lengths at that. The underlying premise of the question is this: you are not seeing anything that hasn’t already been done. And
- Masten’s Green Bipropellant: MXP-351 March 23, 2017As part of our partnership with NASA through the Lunar CATALYST (Lunar Cargo Transportation and Landing by Soft Touchdown) program, we have been actively developing a proprietary new bipropellant – MXP-351. This propellant is intended to be flown on our XL-1 lunar lander which is capable of bringing up to 100 kg (221 lb) softly
- Summer 2017 Internship December 5, 2016Masten is now accepting intern applications for the Summer of 2017. 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 for
- Introducing Xodiac and XaeroB June 7, 2016Introducing the next generation of reusable rockets – Masten’s Xodiac and XaeroB. These two new rockets are designed and built on the success of their predecessors – Xombie, Xoie, and Xaero. For those who have followed us, you will see the obvious connection to our previous vehicles. With this new iteration, we are bringing greater capability
- 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 […]
- 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
- NASA Partners with Masten for Lunar CATALYST April 30, 2014We’re excited to be part of opening the moon to commercial enterprises. Masten has been investing private money for years building core technologies to open the Moon for business. The CATALYST program is a great step towards unlocking the Moon’s potential. (Source: NASA)
- 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
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.
New Scientist
- Hiding in plain sight: The mystery of the sun’s missing matter October 18, 2017A mass equivalent to 1500 Earths has vanished from the sun. Tracking it down could transform how we see the stars
- A tech-destroying solar flare could hit Earth within 100 years October 18, 2017If the sun spews “superflares” as often as other stars, one could take down power systems, damage the ozone layer and destroy satellites in the next century
- Astronaut wee could show us how the plumes on Enceladus work October 17, 2017The way spaceships vent urine and water may be a good stand-in for studying how jets of vapour escape the hidden ocean on one of Saturn’s icy moons
- A gaggle of 7 moons keep Saturn’s rings from breaking apart October 17, 2017The gravity from seven of its moons stops Saturn’s bright outer ring from spreading out and dispersing into space, according to Cassini spacecraft measurements
- We can finally map the spiral arm on the far side of the galaxy October 12, 2017Using a jet of radio waves, astronomers have begun to map the other side of the Milky Way. Within 10 years we could have a complete map of the entire galaxy
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