NASA

NASA captures stunning image of giant hurricane on Saturn

Martha Kang — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 19:54:05 +0000

What looks like a “deep red rose of giant proportions” is actually a huge hurricane on Saturn’s north pole, says NASA.

NASA’s Cassini spacecraft, which has been orbiting Saturn for nine years, captured this image of the storm at the center of the planet’s north pole. The red tint indicates low clouds while the green hue indicates high clouds, thanks to a special filter.

UW astronomer discovers alien planet that seems ideal for life

Martha Kang — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 19:04:54 +0000

A University of Washington astronomer has discovered an alien planet where life might flourish.

Eric Agol, associate professor of astronomy at the University of Washington, found Kepler-62f, one of three so-called “Goldilocks” planets as a part of NASA’s Kepler space telescope mission. He co-authored the paper on the discoveries published in the journal Science Thursday.

Senator: NASA to lasso asteroid, park it near moon and explore it

The Associated Press — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 21:26:24 +0000

NASA is planning for a robotic spaceship to lasso a small asteroid and park it near the moon for astronauts to explore, a top senator revealed Friday.

The robotic ship would capture the 500-ton 25-foot asteroid in 2019. Then using an Orion space capsule, now being developed, a crew of about four astronauts would nuzzle up next to the rock in 2021 for spacewalking exploration, according to a government document obtained by The Associated Press.

Amazon CEO recovers Apollo engines from Atlantic

The Associated Press — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 19:07:16 +0000

Two mammoth rocket engines that helped boost Apollo astronauts to the moon have been fished out of the Atlantic.

An expedition led by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos pulled up the engines and is headed back to Cape Canaveral, Fla., after three weeks at sea.

Washington companies could help NASA get humans to Mars

Gabriel Spitzer — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 13:01:00 +0000

Washington companies could have a major role in future trips to the moon, an asteroid or Mars. NASA engineers are in Seattle this week meeting with contractors working on the Orion program, designed to launch astronauts far into space, well beyond where the space shuttle traveled.

Mars and the value of science

Dave Meyer and Mark Anderson — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 12:00:00 +0000

The Mars rover Curiosity has been making its first tentative drives on the surface of the Red Planet. Soon, it will make a quarter-mile journey away from Bradbury Landing to explore a site called Glenelg, where it'll examine rock formations.

On this month's edition of The Digital Future, Strategic News Service publisher Mark Anderson tells KPLU's Dave Meyer that the August 5th Mars landing is more than just another triumph for NASA; it's a reminder that science is reality.

Seattle's space shuttle trainer getting new parts this weekend

Lindsay Lowe — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 11:30:00 +0000

NASA is making a special delivery to Seattle this weekend. If you go to the Museum of Flight on Saturday morning, you’ll see one of the world’s biggest cargo planes land in the parking lot. It’s carrying the cockpit and crew cabin of a full-sized space shuttle trainer.

NASA unveils 'most amazing' high def image of Earth

Mark Memmott — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:17:20 +0000

The "Blue Marble" image of Earth snapped by the crew of Apollo 17 in 1972 is one of the most famous photos ever taken.

Will Seattle get a space shuttle?

Dave Meyer — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 22:36:53 +0000

April 12 is the day we'll learn if the Puget Sound region will become home to one of NASA's retiring space shuttles. There are 27 institutions vying for the three orbiters, and Seattle's Museum of Flight is one of the contenders.