Bill Housley
Space Exploration, Science, Opinion and Current Events
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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.
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Space.com Top Stories
- No, an Asteroid Won't Hit Earth on Sept. 9 and Here's Why July 18, 2019Astronomers can't spot this asteroid within the estimated collision course, so fingers crossed!
- Protests Continue Against Giant Telescope's Construction on Hawaii's Sacred Mauna Kea July 18, 2019Protesters have been gathered at the base of Mauna Kea in Hawaii since July 15, when construction gear was scheduled to begin arriving for the $1.4 billion Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project.
- Lego Exhibits Life-Size Moonwalker Model at Apollo 50 Festival July 18, 2019Buzz Aldrin's spacesuit has gone to pieces. Lego pieces, that is. In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing, a team of Lego Master Builders spent nearly 300 hours designing and building a life-size model of the Apollo 11 lunar module pilot.
- 50 Years After Apollo, Can NASA Return to the Moon by 2024? July 18, 2019As the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11's lunar landing approaches, it's inevitable that the Artemis program comes to mind.
- China Eyes Robotic Outpost at the Moon's South Pole in Late 2020s July 18, 2019The moon's south pole could be getting pretty busy a decade from now.
- These Unsung Heroes of the Apollo 11 Mission Made the First Steps on the Moon Possible July 18, 2019At an International Astronomical Union meeting in 1955, noted astronomer Gerard Kuiper asked for suggestions and collaborators on a project to make a map of the Moon. At the time, the best lunar atlases had hand-drawn images, and Kuiper wanted to use state-of-the-art telescopes to make a photographic atlas.
- India to Launch Chandrayaan-2 Moon Lander Mission July 22 July 18, 2019India is now targeting a July 22 launch of its first moon lander and rover after a weeklong delay due to a technical glitch.
- For All Humankind: The National Space Society and ISDC 2019 July 18, 2019The National Space Society (NSS) recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of the first landing of humans on the Moon with its 38th annual International Space Development Conference (ISDC) in Arlington, Virginia.
- New Dark Energy Data Emerges from Misshapen, Distorted, Ancient Voids July 18, 2019There are voids in the universe, and we can't see them properly. But the good news is that astronomers just got much better at not seeing them properly.
- Juno Finds Mysterious, Unexpected Currents Crackling Through Jupiter's Magnetosphere July 18, 2019There are turbulent electrical currents coursing through the gas giant's outer atmosphere, producing brilliant auroras.
- Pictures from Space! Our Image of the Day July 18, 2019Astrophotographer Zaid Abbadi captured the partial lunar eclipse from Amman, Jordan, and created this composite image showing the moon's path across the sky as its surface gradually darkened in the Earth's shadow.
- Apollo 11 Astronaut and Space Station Crew Reflect on Epic Moonshot July 18, 2019Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins recalled the epic journey that brought him to the moon 50 years ago, as International Space Station astronauts paid tribute to the first human moon landing.
- On This Day in Space! July 18, 1980: India Launches 1st Indigenous Satellite
July 18, 2019On July 18, 1980, India launched its first satellite into orbit. See how it happened in our "On This Day in Space" video series!
- How NASA Tracked Apollo 11 to the Moon and Back with 1960s Tech July 18, 2019NASA relied on the U.S. State Department to implement an extensive global network of antennas to support the 1969 moon landing.
- Apollo 11 Is Turning 50. Why All the Moon-Landing Anniversary Hype? July 18, 2019In case you haven't heard, the Apollo 11 mission that landed humans on the moon happened exactly 50 years ago — but why does that temporal inevitability seem so compelling to so many people?
- Did We Mishear Neil Armstrong's Famous First Words on the Moon? July 18, 2019Armstrong always insisted that he said, 'That’s one small step for a man.' Yet everyone omits the 'a' when they repeat the quote. A linguist tries to get to the bottom of what happened.
- Apollo 11 Flight Log, July 18, 1969: Entering the Moon's Gravity July 18, 2019On the second day of their historic mission to land on the moon for the first time, the Apollo 11 crew of Neil Armstrong (commander), Mike Collins (command module pilot) and Buzz Aldrin (lunar module pilot) received a small gift from Mission Control.
- Never-Before-Seen NASA Video Shows Scientists Test Apollo 11 Moon Rocks for Life in 1969 July 18, 2019Apollo 11 carried the first geologic samples from the moon back to Earth — and NASA has finally released footage of researchers examining those lunar samples for signs of life.
- Space Archaeology Is a Thing. And It Involves Lasers and Spy Satellites July 18, 2019High-orbiting satellites offer clues about what lies buried underground.
- Watch Space Camp Launch Nearly 5,000 Model Rockets for Apollo 11 (and Seek a World Record) July 17, 2019To celebrate the 50th anniversary of NASA's Apollo 11 launch to the moon Tuesday (July 16), the U.S. Space and Rocket Center launched nearly 5,000 model rockets.
NASAWatch
- Mocking Cost Overruns And Schedule Slips At NASA (Update) July 18, 2019Keith's note: This Powerpoint chart (enlarge) was shown yesterday by NASA Astrophysics Division Director Paul Hertz to the Astro2020 Decadal Survey Committee Meeting at the National Academy of Science where they are working on the next decadal plan. At the heart of this plan is a strategic discussion of what resources can reasonable be expected to be av […]
- This Is Why America Is Falling Behind In Space July 18, 2019American kids want to be famous on YouTube, and kids in China want to go to space: survey, Business Insider "Neil Armstrong became a role model in the eyes of kids everywhere 50 years ago when he became the first person to walk on the moon on July 20, 1969. Kids in a recent survey, however, were much more likely to aspire to be the next YouTube star rat […]
- That Time Wernher von Braun's Rocket Tried To Kill My Father July 17, 2019Humanity now lives in space permanently. Our spacecraft have left the solar system. Our space telescopes look back to the beginning of time. We are spacefarers. Space technology has its roots in weapons of war. America's early accomplishments in space were achieved with direct use of Nazi technology and personnel. Russia followed a similar path. Today N […]
- Today's Congressional Hearing July 17, 2019Statement by NASA Administrator Bridenstine: Hearing: Moon to Mars: NASA's Plans for Deep Space Exploration "This week, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo-11 mission to the Moon. At this point in 1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins had been in flight for just over a day, with the historic lunar landing ahe […]
- NASAWatch on Deutsche Welle TV July 16, 2019
- Is NASA Stuck In A Rut? July 16, 2019Apollo Was NASA's Biggest Win - But Its Legacy is Holding The Agency Back. The Verge "Apollo had a purpose. It was a major relay in the Space Race, and it showcased the incredible feats of engineering people can achieve when they bend their wills toward a common, monumental goal. It let people dream, and inspired innovation. But if NASA can't […]
- Slow Motion Climate Change Denial At USGS July 16, 2019Trump officials deleting mentions of 'climate change' from U.S. Geological Survey press releases, Science "In the case of the California coastline study, the press release went through the office of James Reilly, the director of USGS, a former astronaut who is attempting to minimize the consideration of climate change in agency decisions. Reil […]
- Today's Media Telecon With Bridenstine July 15, 2019Keith's note: Notes from Today's press event with NASA Administrator Bridenstine: - The decision to reassign Bill Gerstenmaier and others was made by Jim Bridenstine. He did not consult the President or Vice President about this personnel issue. - the decision to replace Gerstenmaier et al was the result of a need fo rnew leadership at HEOMD. - Ger […]
- Forward To The Moon July 15, 2019Forward To The Moon, Jim Bridenstine, Explorers Journal (Explorers Club) "I am the first NASA administrator to have never seen humans walk on another world. I intend to be the only administrator with that distinction. Right now there are more people alive than not who share my experience. While most of Earth's inhabitants were born after the end of […]
- Mike Griffin Is Not Making Friends In The Pentagon (Update: Or In Congress) July 15, 2019'Smartest guy in the room': Pentagon R&D chief under fire after controversial firings, Inside Defense "Key lawmakers are closely examining the behavior and decision-making of the Defense Department's technology chief, spurred by high-profile personnel departures from his office. Mike Griffin earlier this month, according to government […]
LiveScience.com – Top Stories
- Last Month Was the Hottest June on Earth Ever Recorded July 18, 2019Do you feel hot? Because it's been really, really hot.
- These 6 Accidents Nearly Derailed Apollo 11's Mission to the Moon July 18, 2019The Apollo 11 mission to the moon was one of humanity's most incredible feats, but it almost didn't happen.
- Conjoined Twins Fused at the Head Now Separated After More Than 50 Hours of Surgery July 18, 2019Twin girls who were born joined at the head have been successfully separated after a months-long medical endeavor.
- Who Owns the Moon? July 18, 2019A space lawyer answers this apparently common question.
- A Mysterious, Cross-Shaped Structure Is Buried Underground in Russia. It Could Be One of the World's Oldest Churches. July 18, 2019A celestial phenomenon is revealing underground structures.
- Gorgeous, Freaky Sunset Photo Looks Split Down the Middle July 18, 2019Though it looks unnatural, this photo wasn't created with filters or Photoshop.
- Apollo 11 Lunar Module Timeline Book Could Fetch $9 Million at Auction July 18, 2019There will never be another "first book annotated by hand on the moon."
- Here's What Neil Armstrong Saw When He Landed Apollo 11's Eagle on the Moon July 18, 2019See the moon through the eyes of the legendary moonwalker for the first time.
- Another Person Goes Blind After Wearing Contacts in the Shower July 18, 2019A woman's habit of keeping her contact lenses in while swimming and showering had serious consequences.
- 'Spooky' Quantum Entanglement Finally Captured in Stunning Photo July 18, 2019Scientists just captured the first-ever photo of a "spooky" quantum physics phenomenon.
- Does Anyone Really Think the Moon Landing Was Faked? July 18, 2019The truth behind moon landing conspiracy theories.
- Earth's Core Has Been Leaking for 2.5 Billion Years and Geologists Don't Know Why July 18, 2019Earth's scorching core is not a loner — it has been caught mingling with other, underworldly layers.
- Fugitive Bear Escapes Jail Cell, Scales 3 Electric Fences and Is Now on the Run July 17, 2019Run, bear, run!
- Why JFK Believed His Bold Moonshot Could Actually Happen July 17, 2019The president had confidence NASA could win the race to the moon, despite the Soviet Union's previous successes.
- Mysterious, Glowing Tardigrade May Have Swallowed Part of Its Own Mouth July 17, 2019It looks like buried treasure, but it might just be pieces of the tardigrade's own mouth.
- Dozens of Pilot Whales Washed Up on Georgia Beach, and Beachgoers Came to the Rescue July 17, 2019Concerned beachgoers and wildlife officials teamed up to save as many whales as possible.
- 5G Network: How It Works, and Is It Dangerous? July 17, 20195G is the next generation of cellular broadband, promising to bring mobile users into a future where Full-HD movies can be downloaded in seconds and emerging technologies such as self-driving cars and augmented reality are commonplace.
- We Finally Know Why Florida's Coral Reefs Are Dying, and It's Not Just Climate Change July 17, 2019Hot water is killing Florida's coral reefs. But it's not the only factor bleaching them white.
- Photos: Israel's Largest Neolithic Excavation July 17, 2019Archaeologists are excavating what is the largest known Neolithic site in Israel.
- Largest Neolithic Settlement in Israel Uncovered. Up to 3,000 People May Have Lived There. July 17, 2019The 9,000-year-old site is just outside Jerusalem. The ancient people who lived there were quite sophisticated.
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
- Orbital Stargazing July 18, 2019The Earth's limb and the atmospheric glow highlight the thin blue atmosphere back lit by the Sun's rays during a period between night and day.Keith Cowing
- What International Cooperation In Space Looks Like July 18, 2019The forward-end of the International Space Station is pictured highlighting portions of three modules and a pressurized mating adapter.Keith Cowing
- NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 16 July 2019 - More Myotones Muscle Study July 17, 2019The International Space Station is set to receive a few more crewmembers on Saturday followed by a new docking port next Tuesday.Marc Boucher
- What Neil Armstrong Saw As He Landed July 17, 2019The only visual record of the historic Apollo 11 landing is from a 16mm time-lapse (6 frames per second) movie camera mounted in Buzz Aldrin's window (right side of Lunar Module Eagle or LM).Keith Cowing
- Interstellar Iron Isn't Missing, It's Just Hiding In Plain Sight July 17, 2019Astrophysicists know that iron (chemical symbol: Fe) is one of the most abundant elements in the universe, after lightweight elements such as hydrogen, carbon and oxygen.Keith Cowing
- NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 15 July 2019 - Two Launches to the Space Station this Week July 16, 2019Two rockets will be rolling out to their launch pads this week in Kazakhstan and Florida to blastoff to the International Space Station.Marc Boucher
- Orbital Salad July 16, 2019Leafy greens are pictured growing inside the Columbus laboratory module's VEGGIE botany research facility.Keith Cowing
- Orbital Night Over New Zealand July 16, 2019Flying 268 miles above New Zealand, the International Space Station's docked Progress 72 resupply ship is silhouetted over a wispy aurora australis, or "southern lights," the Earth's atmospheric glow and a starry orbital nighttime sky.Keith Cowing
- Massive Stars Grow Same Way As Light Stars, Just Bigger July 16, 2019Astronomers obtained the first detailed face-on view of a gaseous disk feeding the growth of a massive baby star.Keith Cowing
- NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 12 July 2019 - New Crew Coming With New Experiments July 15, 2019The International Space Station is gearing up for a pair of spaceships launching next weekend to deliver a new crew and more science and supplies.Marc Boucher
Space Flight Now
- Soyuz crew vehicle arrives at launch pad in Kazakhstan July 18, 2019A Russian Soyuz rocket rolled out to a launch pad in Kazakhstan early Thursday in preparation for liftoff Saturday with a Russian commander, Italian flight engineer and U.S. astronaut heading for the International Space Station.Stephen Clark
- Indian moon launch rescheduled for Monday July 18, 2019India's robotic Chandrayaan 2 moon mission is set for liftoff Monday after a technical snag last weekend halted the launch from a spaceport on the Indian coast, ISRO said Thursday.Stephen Clark
- Delta 4 launch delayed as ULA probes supplier concern July 17, 2019Concerns over an unspecified part flying on the upper stages of United Launch Alliance’s rockets have delayed the launch of a GPS satellite on a Delta 4 booster from July 25 to no earlier than Aug. 22. The same issue has also delayed an Atlas 5 launch.Stephen Clark
- NASA boss pleads for funding to ensure 2024 moon landing July 17, 2019NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine told a Senate panel Wednesday that a budget impasse and subsequent spending freeze later this year would be "devastating" to the agency's goal of sending the first woman and next man to the moon by the end of 2024.William Harwood
- China set to deorbit disused Tiangong 2 space lab July 16, 2019China's Tiangong 2 space lab, a precursor to the country's planned space station, is scheduled to fall out of orbit Friday and plunge back into Earth's atmosphere for a destructive re-entry.Stephen Clark
- SpaceX points to leaky valve as culprit in Crew Dragon test accident July 15, 2019Investigators believe a leak of propellant inside the Crew Dragon spacecraft's propulsion system led to the capsule's explosion April 20 during a ground test at Cape Canaveral, and a senior SpaceX official said Monday that delays are making it "increasingly difficult" to fly astronauts on the commercial spaceship before the end of the yea […]Stephen Clark
- Final assembly and test milestones on tap for NASA’s first Orion moon ship July 15, 2019The pressurized crew module and European-built service module for NASA's first Orion spacecraft to travel to the moon will be joined together for the first time in the coming weeks at the Kennedy Space Center, with preparations -- at least for Orion -- on a pace to be ready for launch on an unpiloted test flight next year.Stephen Clark
- Launch of Indian moon lander postponed by ‘technical snag’ July 14, 2019Indian engineers called off the launch of the Chandrayaan 2 lunar landing mission Sunday after observing a "technical snag" during the final hour of the countdown, India's space agency said.Stephen Clark
- Made in Space wins NASA contract to 3D-print satellite structures in orbit July 14, 2019NASA awarded a $73.7 million contract Friday to the California-based startup Made in Space for a 3D-printing demonstration using a free-flying small satellite to additively manufacture solar array beams in space.Stephen Clark
- Video highlights from Chandrayaan 2’s launch campaign July 14, 2019These video highlights released by the Indian Space Research Organization show the launch campaign to prepare for liftoff of the Chandrayaan 2 moon mission aboard a GSLV Mk.3 rocket.Stephen Clark
SpaceRef — Mars News
- Dust Storms Swirl At The North Pole of Mars July 5, 2019ESA's Mars Express has been keeping an eye on local and regional dust storms brewing at the north pole of the Red Planet over the last month, watching as they disperse towards the equator.
- Mars 2020 Rover Gets Its Wheels June 26, 2019In this image, taken on June 13, 2019, engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, install the starboard legs and wheels -- otherwise known as the mobility suspension -- on the Mars 2020 rover.
- A Fresh Impact Crater On Mars June 20, 2019An impressionist painting? No, it's a new impact crater that has appeared on the surface of Mars, formed at most between September 2016 and February 2019.
- Meteors Help Martian Clouds Form June 18, 2019How did the Red Planet get all of its clouds? CU Boulder researchers may have discovered the secret: just add meteors.
- The Mast Is Raised for NASA's Mars 2020 Rover June 17, 2019In this image, taken on June 5, 2019, engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, take a moment after attaching the remote sensing mast to the Mars 2020 rover in the Spacecraft Assembly Facility's High Bay 1 clean room.
- Mars Helicopter Testing Enters Final Phase June 7, 2019NASA's Mars Helicopter flight demonstration project has passed a number of key tests with flying colors. In 2021, the small, autonomous helicopter will be the first vehicle in history to attempt to establish the viability of heavier-than-air vehicles flying on another planet.
- How Webb Will Explore Mars June 5, 2019In the summer of 2018, a dust storm blanketed the entire planet Mars. From the surface, the Sun would have looked like tiny orb in a murky brown sky.
- InSight Images Clouds on Mars May 31, 2019NASA's InSight used its Instrument Context Camera (ICC) beneath the lander's deck to image these drifting clouds at sunset
- Curiosity Finds a Clay Cache On Mars May 31, 2019NASA's Curiosity rover has confirmed that the region on Mars it's exploring, called the "clay-bearing unit," is well deserving of its name.
- Strange Martian Mineral Deposit Likely Sourced From Volcanic Explosions May 25, 2019Ashfall from ancient volcanic explosions is the likely source of a strange mineral deposit near the landing site for NASA's next Mars rover, a new study finds.
SpaceX
- Crew Dragon Parachute Tests July 18, 2019
- STP-2 Mission June 25, 2019
- RADARSAT Constellation Mission June 12, 2019
- Starlink Mission May 24, 2019
Spacewire
- Drinking red wine on the red planet
- Red wine's resveratrol could help Mars explorers stay strong, says Harvard study
- "Powering a Changing World" at Propulsion and Energy Forum
- Space Foundation to Offer Free Space Commerce Workshop for Minority Business Owners
- CubeSats for Astronomy and Astrophysics
- LEGO Group Kicks Off Global Program To Inspire The Next Generation Of Space Explorers As NASA Celebrates 50 Years Of Moon Landing
- Potomac Institute Calls for a Coordinated National Space Strategy on the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11
- Joint USAF/NOAA Solar Geophysical Activity Report and Forecast 17 July 2019
- The Apollo 50th Gala and After-Party an Epic Celebration of the Launch of Apollo 11 from Florida’s Space Coast
- Lacuna Space Signs Second Contract with NanoAvionics to Support its Growing IoT Satellite Constellation
NASA Image of the Day
- Soyuz Heads to the Launch Pad in Black and White July 18, 2019In this black and white infrared image, the Soyuz rocket is seen as it transported to the launch pad by train, Thursday, July 18, 2019 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
- Apollo 11 Astronaut Michael Collins Talks to Apollo 11 and Artemis 1 Launch Teams July 16, 2019Then and Now: Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins talks to Apollo 11 and Artemis 1 Launch Teams in Firing Room 1 at Kennedy Space Center.
- 50 Years Ago Apollo 11 Launches Into History July 16, 2019At 9:32 a.m. EDT, July 16, 1969, Apollo 11 launched from Florida on a mission to the Moon.
- Artist Russ Arasmith's Visions of Apollo July 15, 2019Artist Russ Arasmith's vision of Apollo was a potent vision of the program that shows in the works he created.
- Hubble Peers at Galactic Cherry Blossoms July 12, 2019The galaxy NGC 1156 resembles a delicate cherry blossom tree flowering in springtime in this Hubble image. The many bright "blooms" within the galaxy are in fact stellar nurseries — regions where new stars are springing to life.
- Delivering Saturn Test Hardware to Marshall in July 1964 July 11, 2019In July 1964, the first Saturn V S-IVB, or third stage test hardware, was delivered to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center
- Growing VEGGIEs in Space July 10, 2019Leafy greens are growing in space!
Astronomy Picture of the Day
- Shadowed Moon and MountainOn July 16 the Moon celebrated the 50th anniversary of the
- Apollo 11: Descent to the Moon It had never been done before.
- Apollo 11 Launches Humans to the Moon Everybody saw the Moon. Nobody had ever been there.
- The Space Station Crosses a Spotless Sun The Space Station Crosses a Spotless Sun
- Eagle Aurora over Norway What's that in the sky?
- The Eagle RisesGet out your
- Magellanic Galaxy NGC 55Irregular galaxy NGC 55 is thought to be similar to the Large Magellanic
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