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
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Space.com Top Stories
- Carl Sagan & 'Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey': Complete Coverage March 9, 2014Carl Sagan launched 'Cosmos,' an epic 1980 TV series that brought science to the public like never before. Now, Sagan's legacy lives on in 'Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey' — a 13-episode series airing on Fox. See our complete coverage.
- Best Night Sky Photos of the Week: April 19, 2014 April 19, 2014From a stunning time-lapse of the Milky Way to the Blood moon, don't miss these amazing night sky images by stargazers and Space.com readers.
- Best Space Photos of the Week - April 19, 2014 April 19, 2014From five volcanoes erupting at once to a cross-section of the universe, don't miss these amazing space images of the week for April 19, 2014.
- WATCH LIVE SUNDAY @ 5:45 a.m. ET: Dragon Cargo Capsule Arrives at Space Station October 6, 2012SpaceX's unmanned Dragon cargo capsule is scheduled to rendezvous with the International Space Station at 7:14 a.m. EDT on Sunday. Watch the orbital meetup live here, beginning at 5:45 a.m. EDT Sunday.
- SpaceX Dragon Spacecraft Chasing Space Station for Easter Morning Rendezvous April 19, 2014SpaceX's unmanned Dragon spacecraft launched on Friday afternoon riding a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to orbit. Dragon is due to be grappled by the space station's robotic arm at 7:14 a.m. EDT Sunday.
- 'Cosmos' App Puts the Universe in Your Smartphone April 19, 2014Fox has a new app for space fans who need more than their weekly dose of "Cosmos." Available for the iPhone and Android, the free app lets users carry the show's sleek CGI graphics in their pocket, with previews and clips of the 13 episodes.
- SpaceX Claims Milestone With Bold Reusable Rocket Test April 19, 2014SpaceX's audacious plan to land part of a rocket in the ocean after launching it to space may not have gone perfectly, but the private spaceflight company's founder still considers it a success, one that could help lead to reusable rockets in the future.
- SpaceX's Dragon 'Chases' the Space Station: See It This Weekend April 18, 2014Skywatchers across parts of the United States and southern Canada will get an opportunity to watch as the private spaceflight company SpaceX's Dragon capsule "chases" the International Space Station across the sky.
- SpaceX Photos: 3rd Dragon Cargo Mission Soars to Space Station March 11, 2014See photos from SpaceX's third Dragon space capsule mission to deliver supplies to the International Space Station for NASA. The mission launches April 18, 2014 from Cape Canaveral, Fla.
- SpaceX Launches Robotic Cargo Mission to Space Station April 18, 2014SpaceX's unmanned Dragon spacecraft blasted off at 3:25 p.m. EDT today from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, riding into space atop the company's Falcon 9 rocket. Dragon is scheduled to rendezvous with the orbiting lab on Sunday.
- SpaceX Launches Cargo Mission to Space Station, Reusable Rocket Test | Video April 18, 2014The Falcon 9 rocket carrying Dragon lifted off from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on April 18th, 2014. Its first stage has retractable legs attached and an re-entry burn and water landing will be attempted.
- Easter Skies Feature Big Dipper and Southern Cross April 18, 2014As soon as darkness falls this Easter weekend, step outside and look skyward. What is the most prominent and easiest star pattern to recognize? If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, you only need to look overhead and toward the north.
- Vitamins from Space! B3 Found in Meteorites April 18, 2014An essential nutrient for life on Earth also cooks up in space, a new study finds.
- Space History Photo: Standing on the Edge of the Bay April 18, 2014An astronaut evaluates the Portable Foot Restraint in space.
- Gargantuan Iceberg – 8X Manhattan-Size – Has Left Glacier | Time-Lapse Video April 18, 2014“Ice island B31” is 200 feet thick and 21mi X 12mi. It separated from the Antarctic Pine Island Glacier in Nov. 2013. NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites have been imaging its progress towards open ocean.
- US Military Developing Foldable Space Telescope (Video, Images) April 18, 2014The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) says the telescope design — known as the Membrane Optical Imager for Real-Time Exploitation — would be of great use in geosynchronous Earth orbit.
- Boeing-Built Fighter Jets Could Launch US Military Satellites Into Space April 18, 2014The next generation of satellites could hitch a ride on a fighter jet before heading into space. A new concept awarded to Boeing in late March could slice the launch costs by up to 66% if all goes well, the company said in a press release.
- RIP LADEE: NASA Moon Probe Crashes Into Lunar Surface April 18, 2014The space agency's Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer spacecraft (LADEE) made its planned crash into the lunar surface between 12:30 a.m. EDT (0430 GMT) and 1:22 a.m. EDT (0522 GMT) on April 18 after orbiting the moon since October 2.
- The Greatest Moon Crashes of All Time June 6, 2009Here's a list of the top 11 things that have impacted the lunar surface.
- Alien Planet Kepler-186f: Complete Coverage of 'Earth Cousin' Discovery April 18, 2014On Thursday (April 17), NASA announced the historic discovery of Kepler-186f, an Earth-size alien planet 490 light-years from our own world that is located inside the habitable zone of its star. See Space.com's complete coverage of the Kepler-186f find.
NASA Breaking News
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LiveScience.com – Top Stories
- Improbable Resurrections: 5 Real Cases of Coming Back to Life April 19, 2014On Easter Sunday, Christians around the world will celebrate Jesus Christ's resurrection, in which, according to the New Testament, Christ rose from the dead after his crucifixion.
- Animal Sex: How Elephants Do It April 19, 2014Despite some human-like characteristics, elephants' mating behaviors are very different from our own.
- Wow! The Most Amazing Images in Science This Week April 19, 2014The lunar eclipse, a time to reflect and the crash of a black hole are just the tip of the iceberg for this week's images.
- A Swell New View: Satellites Can Monitor Volcanoes April 19, 2014Satellite observations may tie the ground's movement to volcanic eruptions.
- Science Suggests 'The Dog' Doesn't Exist (Op-Ed) April 19, 2014Do you ever stay up late wondering if there really is a dog?
- Beware the Lure of the Bunnies (Op-Ed) April 19, 2014Chickens make lousy house pets (and bunnies take a lot of work) — something to remember at Easter.
- Kindle vs. Books? Children Just Don't See It That Way (Op-Ed) April 19, 2014A furious debate has been raging for some years now between adults. Are you a Kindle lover or a devotee of the good, old-fashioned book?
- Australian endangered species: Largetooth Sawfish April 19, 2014Sharks and rays are some of the world’s most threatened animals, with a quarter of all species at risk of extinction.
- The Easter Bunny Tale: Fun Fiction or Harmful Myth? (Op-Ed) April 19, 2014All around the world many parents are preparing for Easter – possibly thinking of how Easter eggs will be hidden, how they will explain their delivery and perhaps bracing themselves for some challenging questions about the Easter Bunny.
- Keeping Time: Why 60 Minutes? April 19, 2014Dividing the day into hours, minutes and seconds is a recent practice with thousands of years of science and tradition behind it.
- Pot of Gold: Innovation Helps Cannabis Industry Flourish April 18, 2014A former NASA scientist hired to consult on marijuana growing light technologies is just one example of the innovation spurred by the legalization of the drug in Colorado.
- Huge Antarctic Iceberg Drifts Out to Sea (Time-Lapse Video) April 18, 2014A massive chunk of ice broke loose and is now drifting away from Antarctica.
- Changing Earth: 7 Ideas to Geoengineer Our Planet April 18, 2014Take a look at ratings for seven wild geoengineering ideas that could change the Earth's climate for better or for worse.
- 5 Pot Facts for 4/20 April 18, 2014For the international day of celebrating all things weed, April 20, here are some quick facts about this controversial, mind-altering plant.
- 5 Unanswered Questions About Jesus April 18, 2014As Christians worldwide gather for Easter to celebrate their belief in the death and rebirth of Jesus, researchers continue to delve into the mysteries that surround the man.
- Stunning New Orchid Species Discovered April 18, 2014A new orchid species has been discovered in Panama.
- Facts About Flight 370: Passengers, Crew & Aircraft March 20, 2014As the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 continues, here are some facts about the passengers, crew, aircraft and airline.
- Katherine Tallmadge: Responding to Rush Limbaugh Attacks on Obesity (Op-Ed) April 18, 2014Why is nutritionist Katherine Tallmadge being attacked by conservatives?
- How the Bluefin-21 Searches For Flight 370 Wreckage on the Ocean Floor (Infographic) April 18, 2014Unmanned submersible uses sonar to scan the ocean floor and return a 3D map to the surface.
- Disabled Pets Get 'Bionic' - PBS Show Trailer April 18, 2014PBS's show Nature is featuring animals who have been treated with latest state-of-the-art prosthetics. It premiered April 9th, 2014.
Discover Magazine — Space
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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
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Masten-space.com Blog updates–X-Prize winner!
- Fall 2014 Internships January 20, 2014Masten is now accepting applications for internships for the Fall 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
- 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
- Announcing Postgraduate Fellowships January 25, 2013We’re about to embark on a historic year for Masten Space Systems. Team members will be part of test flight firsts, the design and construction of some of the most advanced suborbital test vehicles ever built, and fulfillment of some unique contracts that will further establish Masten as the world leader in VTVL technology. We’re excited today
- Introducing Scimitar October 9, 2012I’m often reminded of an inspirational quote from a truly great self-made man: “I’m on to the next one On to the next one On to the next one On to the next one On to the next one On to the next one On to the next one Hold up, freeze Somebody bring me
- Next September 18, 2012Last week we encountered a sub system failure in flight that necessitated turning the rocket off while still in the air. Landing at that point winds up considerably rearranging the rocket into rocket parts. Since then we’ve heard from a lot of folks offering support, encouragement, and concern. Thank you. Please know that the team
- Xaero Test Update September 11, 2012Today, Masten Space Systems conducted a flight test of Xaero to 1 km altitude with the intention of testing flight controls at higher ascent and descent velocities. Our test objectives were met and initial results show the vehicle performed better than expected at altitude. However, the vehicle was lost during final approach to landing, and
Discovery Space News
- SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Defies Bleak Weather and Flies April 19, 2014Defying a bleak weather forecast, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket blasted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Friday to send a Dragon cargo capsule on its way to the International Space Station. Continue reading →
- Kamikaze LADEE Moon Mission Ends With a Splat April 18, 2014Out of fuel and flying fast, NASA’s LADEE spacecraft crashed into the moon early Friday, three days shy of its expected mission end. Continue reading →
- Bathing in the Sunset of an 'Earth-Like' Alien World April 18, 2014Could a sunset on Kepler-186f look like this? Continue reading →
- Hubble Cuts a Core Sample Out of the Cosmos April 18, 2014It's a big, big universe out there and the Hubble Space Telescope bores a hole over halfway out into it with this image, showing a gathering of galaxies near and far. Continue reading →
- Earth-Likenesses: Have We Discovered Earth 2.0? April 17, 2014Astronomers have announced the groundbreaking discovery of an Earth-sized exoplanet orbiting a star within its habitable zone. Although this is exciting, calling this world "Earth-like" is a little premature. Continue reading →
- Most 'Earth-Like' Alien World Discovered April 17, 2014About 500 light-years away in the constellation Cygnus lives a star, which, though smaller and redder than the sun, has a planet that may look awfully familiar.
- Chew On This: Best Picture Yet of Gum 41 April 17, 2014Hot young stars blaze at the center of a vast cloud of interstellar hydrogen gas in this stunning new observation by the awesomely powerful MPG/ESO 2.2-meter telescope at the La Silla Observatory. Continue reading →
- When Apollo 12 Encountered the Surveyor 3 Moon Lander April 17, 2014Forty-five years ago, Surveyor 3 launched to the Moon. Two years later parts of it came back.
- Mars Orbiter Spies on Curiosity's Work Site April 16, 2014Curiosity may feel distant and isolated, but its orbital buddy is never far away.
- This Supernova Remnant Cranks Up the Heat April 16, 2014The debris from a stellar explosion from 2,200 years ago still shines brightly in x-rays -- even though it shouldn't Continue reading →
New Scientist
- Red lettuce and dinosaur germs head to space station April 18, 2014SpaceX has launched its third cargo mission to the ISS, carrying gear that includes robot legs, a collapsible garden and a microbes from a dino fossil
- The LADEE killers: NASA has crashed probe into moon April 18, 2014The lunar spacecraft has been intentionally smashed into the far side of the moon after months spent measuring dust and testing laser-based broadband
- Space shuttle carrier plane heads out on Texas convoy April 18, 2014One of the huge 747s that gave piggyback rides to space shuttles is headed to Houston to star in an 8-storey-tall museum exhibit
- Smallest life-friendly exoplanet may be lit by auroras April 17, 2014Found by NASA's Kepler telescope, the world is slightly bigger than Earth and orbits an active red star that could drive dazzling sky shows
- Swirling red nebula is part of angry chicken in the sky April 16, 2014A crucible of bright stars illuminates a nebula in glowing red hydrogen that would normally be too faint for the human eye to see
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