NASA Phoenix: We Did It

25 05 2008

NASA’s Phoenix has completed its 422 million mile journey, successfully executed its extremely tricky EDL (entry, descent, and landing) sequence, and is safely on the ground on Mars. It is now communicating with NASA at eight megabits per second and preparing to be the first earthly probe to dig below the Martian soil for life. Amazing shit.



All Eyes on NASA’s Phoenix

25 05 2008

Just a few hours until touchdown. Updates here.



Harvard Astro-Comb Scours for Earthlike Worlds

7 04 2008

Cool stuff at Discovery News.



Cool Avalanche Shots from Mars

4 03 2008

NASA has some cool new shots from the MRO.



News From Mars: Glaciers and Asteroid Dangers

29 12 2007

First, a piece at BBC about an active glacier that ESA’s Mars Express has identified on Mars. [Thanks, Jay.]

Second, apparently an asteroid is on a collision course with the red planet as well. Experts say there’s a better than 1% chance of an impact. Last time we saw anything similar was in ’94 with Shoemaker-Levy with Jupiter. But this would be a “scientific bonanza,” say experts.



Follow-Up: Mysterious Deep Space Blast

22 12 2007

More on the funky deep space blast I covered a few months back.



Northern Lights Energy Source Discovered

16 12 2007

Cool piece of news resulting from NASA’s Themis missions.



China’s First Lunar Satellite Sends Back Photos

26 11 2007

Check ‘em.



Mysterious Energy Burst Stuns Astronomers

28 09 2007

At PhysOrg and NPR.



Tonight’s Eclipse

28 08 2007

Enjoy.