NASA's most famous observatory, the Hubble Space Telescope, will get a much anticipated life extension after all. NASA Administrator Michael Griffin announced on Tuesday that a space shuttle will be sent to upgrade Hubble and add a few years to the lifetime of the venerable queen of the sky.

NASA to save Hubble, to astronomers delight - New Scientist Space.

It’s difficult to both cheer and heave a sigh of relief at the same time, but I have to admit to a sensation akin to both upon reading this article.

Hubble is indeed in an entirely different orbit to that which the ISS occupies. Hubble’s orbit is much ‘flatter’ across the equator than the ISS and some 200 kms higher. NASA’s shuttles aren’t buses capable of making multiple stops along the way. From the time a shuttle leaves the pad in Florida it’s fuel load and longevity in orbit are pre-determined to a specific place and point in time. There is no additional fuel carried for orbital plane changes, which is what would be required were something to go awry. Once at Hubble, there’s only one other place for a shuttle to go, and that’s back down to Earth. There can be no taking refuge at the ISS.

Certainly, there is risk involved in going to Hubble for one last servicing mission to carry the old girl through until the James Webb Space Telescope is ready to replace her. From my perspective, and also that of a world full of astronomers, the risk is far more worthwhile than continual trips to a white elephant posing as a unified place in space where antagonist political ideologies can look as though diplomacy is a reality in space, if not on the ground.

Bannerman noted the news of China’s supposed anti-satellite test with considerable interest. It is becoming increasingly clear that China not only has an efficient and advancing space technology regime, but is also determined that existing technological competitors know about it.

Astronomy - Exclusive: New Horizons update 4 - S. Alan Stern

Snapped by New-Horizon’s Multispectral Visible Imaging Camera (MVIC) as the spacecraft passed the innermost Jovian moon, Io on it’s way out of that system.

Pieces of space junk from a Russian satellite coming out of orbit narrowly missed hitting a jetliner over the Pacific Ocean overnight.
Mercopress

This is a rather disquieting occurrence, especially given this piece of news from the International Space Station. Bannerman wonders whether this supposed ’satellite’ or ’space junk’ which passed relatively close to the Lan Chile A340 was in fact a space-going garbage scow? NASA doesn’t think so because the timings are wrong, but who’s to say NASA isn’t covering some Russian arse?

Seems a little coincidentally suss

Space shield to block radiation

The idea has been likened to the deflector shields which protect the USS Enterprise and other spacecraft in Star Trek. Like their fictional counterparts, these shields could also be switched on and off.

The power and the glory of the source of all life within it’s realm. Sol, or as we commonly call it, the Sun, now scanned in three dimensions by NASA’s very own stereopticon, STEREO, or to give it’s full title, Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory. The multimedia animations on the NASA STEREO site are particularly fascinating, and just a little awesome.

is it 2010 already?

Reminiscent of a scene from the sequel to ’2001-a Space Odyssey’, ’2010-the Odyssey Continues’, is this shot taken by the NASA probe, New-Horizons as it exited the Jovian system in March of this year. The shot depicts a tantalisingly blue Europa rising above the limb of Jupiter with an amazingly dense star field as a backdrop. Click on the thumbnail to appreciate the full-sized pic.

New-Horizons is now undergoing preparation for hibernation until re-awaking around this time of year in 2015. The fastest spacecraft to have ever left this planet is now well over 6AU from Earth. Just another 2,892 days until the next time we’ll hear or see anything from New-Horizons.

Running three months late, the space shuttle Atlantis, carrying seven astronauts and a $367 million set of solar panels, roared to life and raced into orbit today, hot on the trail of the international space station.

STS-117 Shuttle Report

Yes indeed and surprise, surprise. The shuttle Atlantis left the ground today for a planned eleven day stay in space, most of it docked to the International Space Station where another power generation truss will be installed later in the week. From tonight’s news reports, you’d never have known. Seven human beings riding what has to be the most lethal of machines into the most hostile of environments where a single poor decision means death, and yet, we here on the ground, scurrying around with our small concerns and insular lives know nothing of the event, and could probably care less.

At ground level, we have far more pressing concerns, such as the G8 farce, rain and flooding in New South Wales, politics, genocide in Africa, wars in Asia minor and the Middle East, etcetera, yadda, yadda. Oh, yes.....let’s not forget the distress of Paris Hilton. The fact that humanity still undertakes manned spaced flights, that the International Space Station continues to grow in size and capability, feeding our collective knowledge of the planet we live on and the way we’re trashing it seems not to rate a mention any longer.

We, the human species Homo sapiens sapiens, have become a very self-centred and insular species. We’ve lost the focus we had a mere forty years ago. We’d much rather concentrate on our own small concerns, or worse, those of some self-possessed, flat-chested, painted blonde bimbo who broke the law of her land, then weeps over the miniscule price levied in retribution.

I find myself asking more and more these days. What’s more important? Celebrity hysteria or scientific endeavour? Who’s the more foolish? Military pawns pushed around the global chess board in constant efforts to destroy other military pawns, or those who volunteer to work in space for the betterment of the species?

We’ve lost all track of what’s important. I wonder if we ever really knew.

At twenty-six minutes past seven last night, NASA sent it’s latest Mars probe - Phoenix- on it’s way.

Have a listen to the audio attached to this article from NASA about the radio emmisions from Saturn. If it isn't the sound effect soundtrack from the 1956 Fred M. Wilcox Sci-Fi thriller 'Forbidden Planet' then I'm not sitting here typing this.

According to this article on Spaceflight Now, those in the know in the US manned spaceflight program are already planning new presentations and new directions for the program once the Bush Administration ends in January next year.

Endeavour goes up this afternoon. In fact, in approximately 29 minutes from right now. If you're interested in watching live broadcasts from NASA, via the free NASATV site, I can strongly recommend it.

UPDATE:

Only because I wanted to post this pic taken some 7 seconds after Eneavour lifted off from Launch Pad 39a. Seriously, if you love watching these birds fly while worrying just a little about the danger to the astronauts, you can't beat NASATV.

Here's something of a philosophical question. Perhaps it's scientific?

Nothing terribly important of social conscience or political polemic from me today. Something of a slightly more ethereal nature, albeit material at the same time.

Just a brief note about the US shuttle program. It's continuing. In fact it continues again at 11:00am tomorrow morning. Shuttle Discovery leaves pad 39a for a two week sojourn at the International Space Station, delivering the Japanese Kiko laboratory as the next portion of the low-Earth orbit reno going on over our heads. The Kibo lab is the largest single component of the ISS to be lifted into orbit to date.

If you're interested enough to consider watching what I reckon is an awesome display of power and high technology, not to mention an exceptional sum of US taxpayer dollars being turned into vapour, then tune your interwebs to NASA TV. I'm having a look right now, in fact. Dawn is just lightening the sky over Florida as I type.

Fuelling in about six hours, the crew clamber aboard a few hours later. Then the fuse is lit and the sky-rocket takes off. It's quite a sight.

FUCKUP: Sorry, I miscalculated the timezone difference. She actually went up at 7:00am AEST, and I was asleep. Bugger and Damn!