This week, space telescopes were all the rage starting with the launch of space shuttle Atlantis to repair the Hubble Space Telescope. Darksyde wrote about the Hubble in his front page post today. Then Herschel and Planck Telescopes were launched on Thursday. So welcome to a new edition of This Week in Space. The biggest nonstory of the week is apparently another false report of the impending nomination of Charles Bolden which he has since denied. Sigh. But on the lighter side, one of the Harlem Globetrotters basketballs went up in space with the Atlantis space shuttle. Boy, those guys have a long reach!
Space Radar
Number of launches this week: 4 (Russia - ISS Progess and telecom sat, US - space shuttle Atlantis, European Union - Ariane V/Herschel and Planck)
Nella's Top Ten Space Stories
- Atlantis launches on STS-125’s mission to service Hubble NASASpaceflight.com Atlantis took off Monday for Hubble repairs. The repairs are still ongoing but almost complete. They have replaced an old camera, the gyroscopes, and batteries. Currently they are working on repairing the main camera that experienced electronic failure two years ago. BTW, did you know the batteries that have powered the Hubble for the last 19 years were built in Joplin, Missouri? The new ones were made there too.
- NASA inspects impact damage to shuttle wing Yahoo! News The heat shield damage on the shuttle is a little worrisome even though NASA says the shuttle will be fine.
- Ariane 5 ECA launches with Herschel and Planck observatories NASASpaceflight.com European Space Agency successfully launched both Herschel and Planck Telescopes on an Ariane V. Europe will be taking the lead in space-based astronomical study and research from the US for the first time until the James Webb Telescope is launch in 2013.
- Let the Planet Hunt Begin Jet Propulsion Laboratory The calibrations of the Kepler Telescope are completed and the scope is now operational and ready to find some rocky Earthsized planets.
- Venetia Phair dies at 90; as a girl, she named Pluto Los Angeles Times Sadly, this grand lady lived just long enough to see the planet she named demoted to dwarf planet status now called plutoids.
- Aurora Wins NASA Contract for Autonomous Control of Space-Nuclear Reactors Aurora Flight Sciences NASA clearly continues to plan on developing space based nuclear reactors with the awarding of this contract. I see some anti-nuclear protests in NASA's future.
- Masten Space’s XA-0.1B-750 Vehicle Completes First Flight Aero-News While we have discussions of whether the Obama White House supports lunar missions and a lunar base, some companies continue to work on developing lunar technology.
- Spirit rover's wheels stuck in soft Martian dirt Associated Press Is it the end of the line for Spirit. Apparently, NASA forgot that you don't drive backwards unless you know what is behind you.
- Aerospace Authority to launch business plan Sheboygan Press A spaceport in Sheboygan? Awsome!
- Base station on moon is the next dream: ISRO chief The Hindu Well, we may be having a 'sense of drift', but India sure knows what it wants.
Extra: Mike Griffin Receives 2009 Rotary National Space Trophy Sorry, but I could not resist bringing up another story about Mike Griffin, former NASA administrator.
Astronomy Corner
Saturn's Rings: Take One Last Look SPACE.com
Comet crystals created in stellar burps New Scientist
Recent Rivers on the Red Planet ScienceNOW
Weird Space
Basketballs launching on space shuttle mission Yahoo News
NOLS wind pants to enter orbit Wyoming Business Report
Space History
Cooper set space flight endurance records Alamogordo Daily News
Space Photo of the Week
Hubble hooked up to the space shuttle arm
Last image taken by Hubble Space Telescope before servicing
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This Week's Space and NASA diaries by fellow Kossacks