NC Space Grant News Archives NASA Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) Senior Design Project Grants - 02 Oct 2008 NC Space Grant anticipates supporting three student teams from its member institutions to participate in the NASA ESMD Senior Design Project. The maximum award available per student design team is $2,000. Funds can be used to support student senior engineering design projects (i.e., to buy materials, build prototypes, etc.) or to bring in subject matter experts to consult with the students. Projects must be chosen from the list found on the ESMD Space Grant Program website. Application information is available here. Proposals must be submitted in PDF format to jcook@ncspacegrant.org by October 22, 2008. NASA Undergrad Internships at Johnson Space Center - 05 Sep 2008 NASA's Johnson Space Center is offering internship opportunities for undergraduate students who are pursuing bachelor’s degrees in Engineering, Science or Systems Engineering (STEM related fields). Interns will work at NASA JSC a minimum of 15 weeks during the Spring or Fall semester. The program will: Build a strong relationship between universities, students, and NASA JSC Provide hands-on career exploration opportunities Provide work exposure to the aerospace industry Encourage interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields Train and develop students for employment in the aerospace industry See this PDF for information on how to apply. NASA Announces Competitive Grant Programs - 22 Jul 2008 WASHINGTON -- NASA's Office of Education at headquarters in Washington has announced three new extramural funding opportunities that could result in the award of grants or cooperative agreements. The three areas are: K-12 Competitive Grants, Global Climate Change Education, and a competitive program for science museums, science-technology centers and planetariums to enhance programs related to space exploration, aeronautics, space science, Earth science or microgravity. More information can be found in this PDF and at this NASA site. Space Science Is for Everyone: Creating and Using Accessible Resources in Educational Settings - 22 Jul 2008 Over the past seven years, the Southeast Regional Clearinghouse convened seven highly successful 'Exceptional Space Science Materials for Exceptional Students' workshops. This PDF of hints and resources is based on the workshops, the expertise of the participants and product testing in classrooms around the United States following the workshops. Jobi Cook, Associate Director of the NC Space Grant, contributed to the informal education portion of the document.

Aero/Space News Spacecraft zooms by Mercury for second time   06 Oct 2008 - MSNBC.com: Space - Copyright 2008 msnbc.com A NASA probe made its second Mercury flyby early Monday as closes in on the closest planet to the sun. The Long Countdown: One Way Up: U.S. Space Plan Relies on Russia   06 Oct 2008 - NYT > Space & Cosmos - Copyright 2008 The New York Times Company From 2010 to 2015, the U.S. will have no human spaceflight capacity of its own, and will rely on Russia to carry its astronauts. Analysis: China space launch raises fears   06 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Washington (UPI) Oct 3, 2008 - The release of a satellite into orbit during China's recent space mission has policy experts buzzing about the implications for U.S.-China space relations. MESSENGER Beams Back First Approach Images Of Mercury   06 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Laurel MD (SPX) Oct 06, 2008 - MESSENGER mission operators at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Md., have received the first optical navigation images from the spacecraft. New Robotic Repair System Will Fix Ailing Satellites   06 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Kingston, Canada (SPX) Oct 06, 2008 - Researchers at Queen's University are developing a new robotic system to service more than 8,000 satellites now orbiting the Earth, beyond the flight range of ground-based repair operations. Currently, when the high-flying celestial objects malfunction - or simply run out of fuel - they become 'space junk' cluttering the cosmos. Seeing The Universe From Hawaii   06 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Pasadena CA (SPX) Oct 06, 2008 - I was fortunate to be able to visit the Keck Observatory on Mauna Kea during a recent short holiday in Hawaii. It is an inspiring place. Thanks to the fantastic advances in adaptive optics technology, as well as the observatory's new laser guide system, this ground-based telescope is now truly competitive with Hubble. Sharpening Up Jupiter   06 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Paris, France (SPX) Oct 06, 2008 - A record two-hour observation of Jupiter using a superior technique to remove atmospheric blur has produced the sharpest whole-planet picture ever taken from the ground. Rare Herbal Plants Aboard Shenzhou-7 Spacecraft Studied   06 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Beijing (XNA) Oct 06, 2008 - Several rare herbal plants aboard the recent Shenzhou-7 space mission have now been transferred to a Chinese nanobiotechnology lab for study. Keck Telescope Finds Cloudy Weather On Failed Stars   06 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Mauna Kea HI (SPX) Oct 06, 2008 - A team of University of Hawaii, California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and MIT astronomers using one of the Keck telescopes on Mauna Kea has found evidence for cloudy weather on failed stars. Little Bang Triggered Solar System Formation   06 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Washington DC (SPX) Oct 06, 2008 - For several decades, scientists have thought that the Solar System formed as a result of a shock wave from an exploding star-a supernova-that triggered the collapse of a dense, dusty gas cloud that contracted to form the Sun and the planets. But detailed models of this formation process have only worked under the simplifying assumption that the temperatures during the violent events remained constant. ISS Orbit Adjusted By Russian Progress Ship   06 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Moscow (RIA Novosti) Oct 06, 2008 - The International Space Station was successfully moved to a higher orbit Saturday in an operation put off Thursday due to a threat from space debris, a Mission Control spokesman said. Google postpones Yahoo online ad deal   06 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com San Francisco (AFP) Oct 3, 2008 - Google said Friday it is postponing a planned online advertising tie-up with Yahoo to allow more time for US anti-trust regulators to consider the ramifications of the deal. CERN starts up computing grid to crunch atom-smasher data   06 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Geneva (AFP) Oct 3, 2008 - The European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) on Friday unveiled a massive computing grid aimed at analysing millions of gigabytes of data set to be generated by the world's largest atom-smasher. Analysis: Bringing law to the Internet   06 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Washington (UPI) Oct 2, 2008 - The non-profit association that oversees Internet addresses says it will effectively close down two major domain registrars unless they fix flaws in their system for investigating shady Web sites. The Jules Verne   06 Oct 2008 - NASA Image of the Day After completing its mission to re-supply the International Space Station, the European Space Agency's Jules Verne Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) entered... NASA JSC Solicitation: Individual Trip Aviation Weather Forecast Service   04 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. NASA JSC Solicitation: Individual Trip Aviation Weather Forecast Service NASA Spaceline Current Awareness 12 September 2008   04 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. NASA Spaceline Current Awareness 12 September 2008 Uranus poses challenge for planet fans   03 Oct 2008 - MSNBC.com: Space - Copyright 2008 msnbc.com Uranus, the planet that's hardest to spot with the naked eye, is favorably placed for viewing in the evening sky — that is, if you know where to look. How much is that bailout ... in Apollos?   03 Oct 2008 - MSNBC.com: Space - Copyright 2008 msnbc.com Science editor Alan Boyle's Weblog: How much will $700 billion get you? The widely publicized cost of the financial bailout is equal to 7 Apollo programs, according to our mega-money conversion chart. Columbia astronaut's diary goes on display   03 Oct 2008 - MSNBC.com: Space - Copyright 2008 msnbc.com Pages from an Israeli astronaut's diary that survived the explosion of the space shuttle Columbia and a 37-mile fall to earth are going on display this weekend for the first time in Jerusalem. Astrobiology Science News 3 October 2008   03 Oct 2008 - The Astrobiology Network - Copyright 2008 Clathration of Volatiles in the Solar Nebula and Implications for the Origin of Titan's atmosphere, astro-ph Stellar wobble caused by a binary system: Can it really be mistaken as an extra-solar planet?, astro-ph Saturn Forms by Core Accretion in 3.4 Myr, astro-ph Ares V: Refining a New Heavy Lift Capability   03 Oct 2008 - New NASA STI Abstract: The Ares V cargo launch vehicle represents a significant new national commitment to expand human space exploration beyond low Earth orbit. Viewed more broadly, this new heavy-lift rocket will be an advancement over the national strategic capability lost when the Saturn V program ended more than three decades ago. The Ares V is one of two new launch vehicles being designed by NASA to support U.S. Space Exploration Policy.... Development of Lunar Highland REgolith Simulants, NU-LHT-1M,-2M   03 Oct 2008 - New NASA STI Abstract: As part of a collaborative agreement between the U.S, Geological Survey (USGS) and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) lunar highland simulants are being produced to support engineers and scientists in developing the technologies required to put a base on the moon by 2024. Two simulants have been produced to date: NU-LHT-1M and -2M (NASA/USGS-Lunar Highlands Type-l & 2 Medium-grained). Using starting material chiefly collected from the Stillwater Mine, Nye, MT, blending protocols were developed based on normative mineralogy calculated from average chemistry, for the Apollo 16 regolith.... Sunspots Are Fewest Since 1954, but Significance Is Unclear   03 Oct 2008 - NYT > Space & Cosmos - Copyright 2008 The New York Times Company Scientists are not sure why sunspot activity is so minimal, and the episode is even playing into the global warming debate. News: Researchers Attribute Thinning of Greenland Glacier to Ocean Warming Preceded by Atmospheric Changes   03 Oct 2008 - NASA's Earth Observatory The sudden thinning in 1997 of Jakobshavn Isbræ, one of Greenland's largest glaciers, was caused by subsurface ocean warming, according to new research. (New York University press release) News: Lava Flows Reveal Clues to Magnetic Field Reversals   03 Oct 2008 - NASA's Earth Observatory Ancient lava flows are guiding a better understanding of what generates and controls the Earth's magnetic field -- and what may drive it to occasionally reverse direction. (University of Wisconsin-Madison press release) News: Arctic Saw Fastest August Sea Ice Retreat on Record   03 Oct 2008 - NASA's Earth Observatory NASA data are showing that for a four-week period in August 2008, sea ice melted faster during that period than ever before. News: Oldest Known Rocks Discovered   03 Oct 2008 - NASA's Earth Observatory Canadian bedrock more than four billion years old may be the oldest known section of the Earth's early crust. (Carnegie Institution press release) News: Scientist Proposes Explanation for Puzzling Property of Night-Shining Clouds   03 Oct 2008 - NASA's Earth Observatory An explanation for a strange property of noctilucent clouds -- thin, wispy clouds hovering at the edge of space -- has been proposed, possibly laying to rest a decades-long mystery. (California Institute of Technology press release) News: Study Suggests Air Quality Regulations Miss Key Pollutants   03 Oct 2008 - NASA's Earth Observatory A new study led by the University of Colorado at Boulder reveals that air quality regulations may not effectively target a large source of fine, organic particle pollutants that contribute to hazy skies and poor air quality over the Los Angeles region. (University of Colorado at Boulder press release) Natural Hazards: Dust Plume off Iceland   03 Oct 2008 - NASA's Earth Observatory A dust plume blew off the northern coast of Iceland in mid-September 2008. Space lessons learned in Antarctica   03 Oct 2008 - MSNBC.com: Space - Copyright 2008 msnbc.com Many of the issues that astronauts would face on the moon or Mars are being studied in Antarctica — including how to manage diet, medical care, psychological problems and sex. China Sets Sights On First Space Station   03 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Sydney, Australia (SPX) Oct 03, 2008 - The success of China's first spacewalk on the Shenzhou 7 mission paves the way for greater things. For China, the next great task will be its first space station. Much reportage has been circulated on this, but ironically, the more we read, the more confused space analysts become. What is China really planning? GOCE Team Gearing Up For New Launch Date   03 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Paris, France (ESA) Oct 03, 2008 - ESA and European industries have updated the planning of the preparatory activities for a new tentative launch date of 27 October 2008 for the GOCE satellite. Official Opening Of The International Institute Of Space Commerce   03 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Isle Of Man, UK (SPX) Oct 03, 2008 - The official opening of the world's first International Institute of Space Commerce, the IISC, will take place on Saturday 4th October at the International Business School on the Isle of Man. NASA Selects Science Teams For Astrobiology Institute   03 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Moffett Field CA (SPX) Oct 03, 2008 - NASA has awarded five-year grants, averaging $7 million each, to 10 research teams from across the country to study the origins, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the universe. Radiation shut down EU test satellite for two weeks: ESA   03 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Paris (AFP) Oct 2, 2008 - A second test satellite for Galileo, Europe's rival to the US Global Positioning System (GPS), closed itself down for more than two weeks last month because of space radiation, concurring sources said Thursday. Ten Years Of Stunning Hubble Heritage Images   03 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Washington DC (SPX) Oct 03, 2008 - The landmark 10th anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope's Hubble Heritage Project is being celebrated with a 'landscape' image from the cosmos. Cutting across a nearby star-forming region are the 'hills and valleys' of gas and dust displayed in intricate detail. How Round Is The Sun   03 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Huntsville AL (SPX) Oct 03, 2008 - Scientists using NASA's RHESSI spacecraft have measured the roundness of the sun with unprecedented precision, and they find that it is not a perfect sphere. During years of high solar activity the sun develops a thin 'cantaloupe skin' that significantly increases its apparent oblateness. Spotless Sun: Blankest Year Of The Space Age   03 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Huntsville AL (SPX) Oct 03, 2008 - Astronomers who count sunspots have announced that 2008 is now the 'blankest year' of the Space Age. As of Sept. 27, 2008, the sun had been blank, i.e., had no visible sunspots, on 200 days of the year. NASA spacecraft to soar over Mercury   03 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Washington (AFP) Oct 1, 2008 - A US space probe will fly over Mercury next week to photograph the solar system's smallest planet, in the second of three planned passes, NASA announced on Wednesday. Hubble Enters Safe Mode   03 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Paris, France (ESA) Oct 03, 2008 - At approximately 02:00 CEST on Sunday, 28 September, the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope automatically entered safe mode when errors were detected in the Control Unit/Science Data Formatter-Side A. High-School Team Tracks Spacecraft Breakup   03 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Brookline MA (SPX) Oct 03, 2008 - When NASA researchers want to study meteor showers or spacecraft streaking through Earth's atmosphere, one of the first places they call is the Clay Center Observatory in Brookline, Massachusetts. This state-of-the-art facility is part of Dexter and Southfield Schools, which provides K-12 education for more than 600 students. Emergency Rescue Vessels For Shenzhou-7 Spaceship Return   03 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Shanghai, China (XNA) Oct 03, 2008 - Three emergency rescue vessels for China's Shenzhou-7 manned space mission have returned to Shanghai after completing their mission in designated sea areas. Back to the Future   03 Oct 2008 - NASA Image of the Day A welder at NASA's Glenn Research Center (GRC) grinds welds on an Ares I-X rocket segment being readied for shipment to Kennedy Space Center. Ares I is... Wayne Hale's NASA Blog: Anniversaries and Calendars   03 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. Calendars are funny things. We count time as very important and try to keep track of special days. But the calendars and the seasons don't always match up. For example, every school child knows that Columbus discovered America on October 12. NASA Goddard CIO Blog: The New CIO Leadership Team: The Right Stuff   03 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. NASA Goddard CIO Blog: The New CIO Leadership Team: The Right Stuff NASA Goddard CIO Blog: Rules for Aging CIOs: A Wry and Witty Guide to IT Transformation   03 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. NASA Goddard CIO Blog: Rules for Aging CIOs: A Wry and Witty Guide to IT Transformation Arctic sea ice annual freeze-up underway   03 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. After reaching the second-lowest extent ever recorded last month, sea ice in the Arctic has begun to refreeze in the face of autumn temperatures, closing both the Northern Sea Route and the direct route through the Northwest Passage. GOCE team gearing up for new launch date   03 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. ESA and European industries have updated the planning of the preparatory activities for a new tentative launch date of 27 October 2008 for the GOCE satellite. Space tech helps to reach long-jump world record   03 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. Space tech helps to reach long-jump world record NASA Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #4708   03 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. NASA Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #4708 Student and Teacher Finalists Compete in National Science Competition at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center October 5 and 6   03 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. Student and Teacher Finalists Compete in National Science Competition at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center October 5 and 6 MESSENGER Beams Back First Approach Images of Mercury   03 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. MESSENGER mission operators have received the first optical navigation images from the spacecraft. 'We will be taking seven additional sets over the next three days as the spacecraft approaches the planet,' said Mission Systems Engineer Eric Finnegan. Challenger Center Partners with TERC's Windows on Earth Program   03 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. Challenger Center for Space Science Education is partnering with the new release of TERC's Windows on Earth website that allows students, teachers and the general public to experience in simulated real time the view from the ISS. NASA Infrastructure Improvement Program (I3P) KSC Acquisition Request for Information   03 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. NASA Infrastructure Improvement Program (I3P) KSC Acquisition Request for Information NASA Space Station Crew Timeline 4 October 2008   03 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. NASA Space Station Crew Timeline 4 October 2008 NASA Space Station Crew Timeline 3 October 2008   03 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. NASA Space Station Crew Timeline 3 October 2008 NASA Space Station Crew Timeline 2 October 2008   03 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. NASA Space Station Crew Timeline 2 October 2008 NASA Space Station Crew Timeline 1 October 2008   03 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. NASA Space Station Crew Timeline 1 October 2008 NASA Space Station Crew Timeline 30 September 2008   03 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. NASA Space Station Crew Timeline 30 September 2008 NASA Space Station Crew Timeline 29 September 2008   03 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. NASA Space Station Crew Timeline 29September 2008 NASA Space Station Crew Timeline 28 September 2008   03 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. NASA Space Station Crew Timeline 28 September 2008 NASA Space Station Crew Timeline 27 September 2008   03 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. NASA Space Station Crew Timeline 27 September 2008 NASA Space Station Crew Timeline 26 September 2008   03 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. NASA Space Station Crew Timeline 26 September 2008 NASA Space Station Crew Timeline 25 September 2008   03 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. NASA Space Station Crew Timeline 25 September 2008 NASA Space Station Crew Timeline 24 September 2008   03 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. NASA Space Station Crew Timeline 24 September 2008 NASA Space Station Crew Timeline 23 September 2008   03 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. NASA Space Station Crew Timeline 22 September 2008 NASA Space Station Crew Timeline 22 September 2008   03 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. NASA Space Station Crew Timeline 22 September 2008 NASA Space Station Crew Timeline 21 September 2008   03 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. NASA Space Station Crew Timeline 21 September 2008 NASA Space Station Crew Timeline 20 September 2008   03 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. NASA Space Station Crew Timeline 20 September 2008 Joint USAF/NOAA Report of Solar and Geophysical Activity 03 Oct 2008   03 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. Joint USAF/NOAA Report of Solar and Geophysical Activity 03 Oct 2008 Pandas in Orbit: China's Space Challenge   03 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. Pandas in Orbit: China's Space Challenge NASA JSC Advanced Planning Office Blog: Generations   03 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. NASA JSC Advanced Planning Office Blog: Generations Hubble team adds to heavenly heritage   02 Oct 2008 - MSNBC.com: Space - Copyright 2008 msnbc.com Science editor Alan Boyle's Weblog: A star-studded celestial landscape is on display in a 10th-anniversary image from the Hubble Heritage Project, which finds new wonders in old data. Early Earth Primed for Later RNA and DNA Production   02 Oct 2008 - The Astrobiology Network - Copyright 2008 Researchers from NAI's University of Arizona team and their colleagues at the University of Leeds have a new paper in Angewandte Chemie International Edition dealing with prebiotic chemistry and the early Earth. Working both experimentally and with models of the early atmosphere, the team shows that the Hadean and early Archaean Earth was primed with an abundance of condensed phosphates, enabling the formation of the necessary precursors of RNA and DNA. This research removes one of the large stumbling blocks in prebiotic chemistry- that the early Earth lacked a low-temperature reservoir of activated phosphate compounds capable of eventually leading to the origin of life. Source: NAI Newsletter Cyanobacterial Biomarkers in Ancient Rocks   02 Oct 2008 - The Astrobiology Network - Copyright 2008 Members of NAI's Penn State, Carnegie Institution, and MIT teams report in a recent issue of Earth and Planetary Science Letters, the distribution of biomarkers in 2.72-2.56 billion-year-old, Neoarchean rocks from the Hamersley Province on the Pilbara Craton in Western Australia. Their observations are consistent with a cyanobacterial source for 2-methylhopanes, in which cyanobacteria were likely the cornerstone of microbial communities in shallow-water ecosystems providing molecular oxygen, fixed carbon, and possibly fixed nitrogen. Their data, revealing relative abundances of 3-methylhopanes, but not 2-methylhopanes, strongly correlate to stable carbon isotopic composition of insoluble particulate organic matter (kerogen). The unanticipated nature of this relationship provides evidence for a shallow-water locus of carbon cycling through aerobic oxidation of methane and, coincidentally, a means to demonstrate biomarker syngenicity. Source: NAI Newsletter Evolution of the Gut   02 Oct 2008 - The Astrobiology Network - Copyright 2008 Researchers from NAI's University of Hawai'i team have a paper in the September 17 edition of Nature about the evolution of the animal gut. For more than 100 years zoologists have speculated about scenarios of how the bilaterally symmetrical animals (animals that have a left and a right side, like flies, fish, and humans) evolved from a simple circular (radially symmetric) ancestor that looked similar to jelly fish or corals. In the commonly presented scenarios this transition is connected to the evolution of a through-gut with an anterior mouth and posterior anus. It has been thought that both openings emerged simultaneously from a single embryological opening through which the inner tissues enter (called blastopore). 'Little Bang' Triggered Solar System Formation   02 Oct 2008 - The Astrobiology Network - Copyright 2008 Astrophysicists from the NAI's Carnegie Institution of Washington team and their colleagues have shown for the first time that a supernova could have triggered the solar system's formation under conditions of rapid heating and cooling. For several decades, scientists have thought that the solar system formed as a result of a shock wave from an exploding star--a supernova--that triggered the collapse of a dense, dusty gas cloud that contracted to form the sun and the planets. But detailed models of this formation process have only worked under the simplifying assumption that the temperatures during the violent events remained constant. The results, published in the October 20, 2008, issue of the Astrophysical Journal, have resolved this long-standing debate. Source: NAI Newsletter UW Seminar: Rory Barnes, 'Habitability of Tidally-Locked Terrestrial Exoplanets'   02 Oct 2008 - The Astrobiology Network - Copyright 2008 Presenter: Rory Barnes Date/Time: October 7, 2008 02:30 PM Pacific Abstract: The first terrestrial-like exoplanets will likely be observed in tight orbits around low-mass stars. Conveniently, planets on these orbits receive about as much starlight as the Earth does from the Sun, and hence have to potential to be habitable. Such planets may also experience significant tidal forces from the star which can result in orbital decay, a specific planetary rotation, and significant internal heating. I describe how these phenomena are likely to impact habitability. In some cases orbital decay may result in planets moving too close to their star for habitability. For planets on non-circular orbits, rotation periods may be similar to the Earth's and hence may produce similar atmospheric circulation patterns. NASA Selects Science Teams for Astrobiology Institute   02 Oct 2008 - The Astrobiology Network - Copyright 2008 NASA has awarded five-year grants, averaging $7 million each, to 10 research teams from across the country to study the origins, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the universe. The interdisciplinary teams will become new members of the NASA Astrobiology Institute, located at NASA's Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, Calif. Teams from the University of Hawaii in Honolulu; Arizona State University in Tempe; the Carnegie Institution of Washington; Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Pa.; the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta; and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., have been selected as members. Teams from Ames, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., and two teams led by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., also have been selected. Virgin Galactic rejects $1 million space porn   02 Oct 2008 - MSNBC.com: Space - Copyright 2008 msnbc.com The private company planning to take wealthy tourists to the edge of the atmosphere starting in late 2009 or early 2010 has refused a million-dollar proposal to film a sex video while the participants are floating gravity free, the company's president said. Mercury probe going back for an encore   02 Oct 2008 - MSNBC.com: Space - Copyright 2008 msnbc.com A space probe is headed for a second swing past Mercury to pick up a gravitational boost and eventually become the first spacecraft to orbit the closest planet to our sun. Astrobiology Science News 2 October 2008   02 Oct 2008 - The Astrobiology Network - Copyright 2008 Independent discovery and refined parameters of XO-5b: a hot Jupiter transiting a moderately faint star, astro-ph The Atmospheres of Extrasolar Planets, astro-ph The sub-Jupiter mass transiting exoplanet WASP-11b, astro-ph A New Spectroscopic and Photometric Analysis of the Transiting Planet Systems TrES-3 and TrES-4, astro-ph International Space Station United States Orbital Segment Oxygen Generation System On-Orbit Operational Experience   02 Oct 2008 - New NASA STI Abstract: The International Space Station (ISS) United States Orbital Segment (USOS) Oxygen Generation System (OGS) was originally intended to be installed in ISS Node 3. The OGS rack delivery was accelerated, and it was launched to ISS in July of 2006 and installed in the US Laboratory Module. Various modification kits were installed to provide its interfaces, and the OGS was first activated in July of 2007 for 15 hours, In October of 2007 it was again activated for 76 hours with varied production rates and day/night cycling.... The Development of a Remote Sensor System and Decision Support Systems Architecture to Monitor Resistance Development in Transgenic Crops   02 Oct 2008 - New NASA STI Abstract: The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has declared that 'significant benefits accrue to growers, the public, and the environment' from the use of transgenic pesticidal crops due to reductions in pesticide usage for crop pest management. Large increases in the global use of transgenic pesticidal crops has reduced the amounts of broad spectrum pesticides used to manage pest populations, improved yield and reduced the environmental impact of crop management. A significant threat to the continued use of this technology is the evolution of resistance in insect pest populations to the insecticidal Bt toxins expressed by the plants.... NASA's Plans for Materials Science on ISS: Cooperative Utilization of the MSRR-MSL   02 Oct 2008 - New NASA STI Abstract: The ISS Research Project draws Life (non-human) and Physical Sciences investigations on the ISS, free flyer and ground-based into one coordinated project. The project has two categories: I. Exploration Research Program: a) Utilizes the ISS as a low Technology Readiness Level (TRL) test bed for technology development, demonstration and problem resolution in the areas of life support, fire safety, power, propulsion, thermal management, materials technology, habitat design, etc.; b) Will include endorsement letters from other ETDP projects to show relevancy. II. Non-Exploration Research Program; a) Not directly related to supporting the human exploration program.... Friction Stir Weld Restart+Reweld Repair Allowables   02 Oct 2008 - New NASA STI Abstract: A friction stir weld (FSW) repair method has been developed and successfully implemented on Al 2195 plate material for the Space Shuttle External Fuel Tank (ET). The method includes restarting the friction stir weld in the termination hole of the original weld followed by two reweld passes. Room temperature and cryogenic temperature mechanical properties exceeded minimum FSW design strength and compared well with the development data.... Earth Global Reference Atmospheric Model 2007 (Earth-GRAM07)   02 Oct 2008 - New NASA STI Abstract: GRAM is a Fortran software package that can run on a variety of platforms including PC's. GRAM provides values of atmospheric quantities such as temperature, pressure, density, winds, constituents, etc. GRAM99 covers all global locations, all months, and heights from the surface to approx. 1000 km).... Space Nuclear Power and Propulsion: Materials Challenges for the 21st Century   02 Oct 2008 - New NASA STI Abstract: The current focus of NASA s space fission effort is Fission Surface Power (FSP). FSP systems could be used to provide power anytime, anywhere on the surface of the Moon or Mars. FSP systems could be used at locations away from the lunar poles or in permanently shaded regions, with no performance penalty.... Dial Measurements of Free-Tropospheric Ozone Profiles in Huntsville, AL   02 Oct 2008 - New NASA STI Abstract: A tropospheric ozone DIfferential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) system has been developed jointly by NASA and the University of Alabama at Huntsville (UAH). Two separated Nd:YAG pumped dye laser systems produce the laser pulses with wavelengths of 285 and 291 nm at 20 Hz frequency. The receiver is a Newtonian telescope with a 40 cm primary and a two-channel aft optics unit.... Wireless Power Transmission Options for Space Solar Power   02 Oct 2008 - New NASA STI Abstract: Space Solar Power (SSP), combined with Wireless Power Transmission (WPT), offers the far-term potential to solve major energy problems on Earth. In the long-term, we aspire to beam energy to Earth from geostationary Earth orbit (GEO), or even further distances in space. In the near-term, we can beam power over more moderate distances, but still stretch the limits of today s technology.... Extant and Extinct Lunar Regolith Simulants: Modal Analyses of NU-LHT-1M and -2m, OB-1, JSC-1, JSC-1A and -1AF,FJS-1, and MLS-1   02 Oct 2008 - New NASA STI Abstract: This work is part of a larger effort to compile an internally consistent database on lunar regolith (Apollo samples) and lunar regolith simulants. Characterize existing lunar regolith and simulants in terms of: a) Particle type; b) Particle size distribution; c) Particle shape distribution; d) Bulk density; and e) Other compositional characteristics. Evaluate regolith simulants (Figure of Merit) by above properties by comparison to lunar regolith (Apollo sample) This presentation covers new data on lunar simulants.... Friction-Stir Welding - Heavy Inclusions in Bi-metallic welds of Al 2219/2195   02 Oct 2008 - New NASA STI Abstract: Heavy Inclusions (HI) were detected for the first time by radiographic examination in aluminum alloy 2219forging/2195plate (advancing/retreating side) Friction Sir Welds (FSW) for the Space Shuttle External Tank (ET) Program. Radiographic HI indications appear as either small (approx.0.005'-0.025') individual particles or clusters of small particles. Initial work was performed to verify that the HI was not foreign material or caused by FSW pin tool debris.... NASA Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) Senior Design Project Grants   02 Oct 2008 - NC Space Grant NC Space Grant anticipates supporting three student teams from its member institutions to participate in the NASA ESMD Senior Design Project. The maximum award available per student design team is $2,000. Funds can be used to support student senior engineering design projects (i.e., to buy materials, build prototypes, etc.) or to bring in subject matter experts to consult with the students. Projects must be chosen from the list found on the ESMD Space Grant Program website. Application information is available here. Proposals must be submitted in PDF format to jcook@ncspacegrant.org by October 22, 2008. Natural Hazards: Sub-tropical Storm Laura   02 Oct 2008 - NASA's Earth Observatory Laura formed as a sub-tropical storm in the northern mid-Atlantic on September 29, 2008. Natural Hazards: Tropical Storm Mekkhala   02 Oct 2008 - NASA's Earth Observatory Tropical Storm Mekkhala was spinning in the Gulf of Tonkin on September 29, 2008. Cosmic Log: Why outer space is expanding   02 Oct 2008 - MSNBC.com: Space - Copyright 2008 msnbc.com Science editor Alan Boyle's Weblog: Fifty years ago, NASA and the Soviets were the only players in the spaceflight game. In the next half-century, it could become a game open to all comers. Cosmic Log: Upstarts in space!   02 Oct 2008 - MSNBC.com: Space - Copyright 2008 msnbc.com Science editor Alan Boyle's Weblog: Fifty years ago, NASA and the Soviets were the only players in the spaceflight game. In the next half-century, it could become a game open to all comers. NASA's Messenger Spacecraft Returns To Mercury   02 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Washington DC (SPX) Oct 02, 2008 - A NASA spacecraft will conduct the second of three flybys of Mercury on Oct. 6 to photograph most of its remaining unseen surface and collect science data. Actel Adds DSP Capabilities To Industry-Leading RTAX Space FPGAs   02 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Mountain View CA (SPX) Oct 02, 2008 - Acknowledging the increasing need for signal processing throughput without sacrificing reliability or radiation capabilities, Actel has announced it has added sophisticated digital signal processing (DSP) capabilities to its industry-leading, radiation-tolerant FPGA technology for space-flight applications. Weighing Up The Biggest Star Of The Galaxy   02 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Montreal, Canada (SPX) Oct 02, 2008 - Theoretical models of stellar formation propose the existence of very massive stars that can attain up to 150 times the mass of our Sun. Magnetic Hunger Could Drive Space Travelers Insane   02 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Moscow (RIA Novosti) Oct 02, 2008 - The absence of Earth's magnetic field could lead to astronauts developing mental disorders during interplanetary flights, particularly expeditions to Mars, Russian scientists said. Russia Launches Thai Satellite On Converted Missile   02 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Moscow (RIA Novosti) Oct 02, 2008 - Russia launched a converted intercontinental ballistic missile from a rocket launch site the south Urals to put a Thai earth observation satellite into orbit on Wednesday, the Strategic Missile Forces said. First Detection Of Magnetic Field In Distant Galaxy Produces A Surprise   02 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com San Diego CA (SPX) Oct 02, 2008 - Using a powerful radio telescope to peer into the early universe, a team of California astronomers has obtained the first direct measurement of a nascent galaxy's magnetic field as it appeared 6.5 billion years ago. Infrared Echoes Give NASA's Spitzer A Supernova Flashback   02 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Greenbelt MD (SPX) Oct 02, 2008 - Hot spots near the shattered remains of an exploded star are echoing the blast's first moments, say scientists using data from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. Powerful Nearby Supernova Caught By Web Of Telescopes   02 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Paris, France (ESO) Oct 02, 2008 - Over a decade after it exploded, one of the nearest supernovae in the last 25 years has been identified. This result was made possible by combining data from the vast online archives from many of the world's premier telescopes. Researchers And Students To Develop Small Cubesat Satellites   02 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Ann Arbor MI (SPX) Oct 02, 2008 - A satellite about the size of a loaf of bread will be designed and built at the University of Michigan and deployed to study space weather, thanks to a new grant from the National Science Foundation. Boeing Receives ISS Contract Extension   02 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Houston TX (SPX) Oct 02, 2008 - Boeing has been awarded a $650 million sole-source contract from NASA to continue to deliver and integrate the remaining components and software for the International Space Station (ISS). NASA And Air Force Work To Establish Hypersonic Science Centers   02 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Washington DC (SPX) Oct 02, 2008 - NASA and the United States Air Force are looking for university and industry partners as they work to advance hypersonic research. SES ASTRA Launches ASTRA2Connect In Spain   02 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Betzdorf, Luxembourg (SPX) Oct 02, 2008 - SES ASTRA has announced that it has signed, through its affiliate ASTRA Broadband Services (ABBS), a framework contract with the Spanish cable operator TeleCable to market its satellite based two-way broadband service ASTRA2Connect in Asturias, a Northern region of Spain. Internet pop-up 'scareware purveyors' sued   02 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com San Francisco (AFP) Sept 30, 2008 - Microsoft and Washington state's top prosecutor have filed a lawsuit to stop 'scareware purveyors' that trick people with pop-up messages claiming computers need critical repairs. NASA to Discuss Mission to Explore the Edge of the Solar System   02 Oct 2008 - NASA Breaking News NASA will hold a media teleconference on Monday, Oct. 6, at 1 p.m. EDT, to discuss the upcoming launch of the first spacecraft that will image and map the dynamic interactions taking place where the hot solar wind slams into the cold expanse of space. Greetings From the Space Station   02 Oct 2008 - NASA Image of the Day Expedition 14 commander Michael E. Lopez-Alegria (left) and cosmonaut Mikhail Tyurin, flight engineer representing Russia's Federal Space Agency, conduct... Sharpening up Jupiter   02 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. A record two-hour observation of Jupiter using a superior technique to remove atmospheric blur has produced the sharpest whole-planet picture ever taken from the ground. Next-generation adaptive optics produces sharper Jupiter images   02 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. A two-hour observation of Jupiter using an improved technique to remove atmospheric blur has produced the sharpest whole-planet picture ever taken from the ground. Wayne Hale's NASA Blog: Where are the ships?   02 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. These folks are building real spacecraft with private funds for commercial reasons. Even more companies presented papers with plans for imaginative spacecraft that may become more than viewgraphs -- or should I say, electrons -- in the future. Final Memorandum on NASA's Development of the Integrated Asset Management - Property, Plant, and Equipment Module to Provide Identified Benefits   02 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. Final Memorandum on NASA's Development of the Integrated Asset Management - Property, Plant, and Equipment Module to Provide Identified Benefits NASA Sets Media Credentials Deadlines for Next Shuttle Flight   02 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. NASA has set media accreditation deadlines for space shuttle Endeavour's STS-126 mission, targeted to launch Nov. 16. Official Opening of the International Institute of Space Commerce Saturday 4th October 2008   02 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. Official Opening of the International Institute of Space Commerce Saturday 4th October 2008 Successful services for Thai satellite   02 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. Successful services for Thai satellite Once again Astrium demonstrates its expertise in space system management   02 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. Once again Astrium demonstrates its expertise in space system management NASA Selects Science Teams For Astrobiology Institute   02 Oct 2008 - NASA Breaking News NASA has awarded five-year grants to study the origins, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the universe. A Celestial Landscape in Celebration of 10 Years of Stunning Hubble Heritage Images   02 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. The landmark 10th anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope's Hubble Heritage Project is being celebrated with a 'landscape' image from the cosmos. Lockheed Martin Executive to Speak on NASA's Spaceflight Program   02 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. Lockheed Martin Executive to Speak on NASA's Spaceflight Program First Second Generation Astronaut, Richard Garriott, to Perform Research while in Space in Cooperation with NASA   02 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. Space Adventures, Ltd., announced today that their orbital spaceflight client, Richard Garriott, will participate in a suite of experiments in cooperation with NASA during his 10-day mission. NASA IG: Annual Report, "Federal Information Security Management Act: Fiscal Year 2008 Report from the Office of Inspector General"   02 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. NASA IG: Annual Report, 'Federal Information Security Management Act: Fiscal Year 2008 Report from the Office of Inspector General' New robotic repair system will fix ailing satellites   02 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. New robotic repair system will fix ailing satellites Northrop Grumman Receives Group Achievement Award From NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory for Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Antenna   02 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. Northrop Grumman Receives Group Achievement Award From NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory for Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Antenna SpaceX Launches into Space with Siemens PLM Software's Technology   02 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. SpaceX Launches into Space with Siemens PLM Software's Technology Space Acquisitions: DOD's Goals for Resolving Space Based Infrared System Software Problems Are Ambitious.   02 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. Space Acquisitions: DOD's Goals for Resolving Space Based Infrared System Software Problems Are Ambitious. NASA to Discuss Mission to Explore the Edge of the Solar System   02 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. NASA will hold a media teleconference on Monday, Oct. 6, at 1 p.m. EDT, to discuss the upcoming launch of the first spacecraft that will image and map the dynamic interactions taking place where the hot solar wind slams into the cold expanse of space. Joint USAF/NOAA Report of Solar and Geophysical Activity 02 Oct 2008   02 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. Joint USAF/NOAA Report of Solar and Geophysical Activity 02 Oct 2008 NASA Selects Science Teams for Astrobiology Institute   02 Oct 2008 - SpaceRef Top Stories - Copyright 2007, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. NASA has awarded five-year grants, averaging $7 million each, to 10 research teams from across the country to study the origins, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the universe. Stardust capsule goes to Smithsonian   01 Oct 2008 - MSNBC.com: Space - Copyright 2008 msnbc.com The capsule that brought the first comet samples back to Earth is going on display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Early galaxy's magnetism surprises scientists   01 Oct 2008 - MSNBC.com: Space - Copyright 2008 msnbc.com If there had been a gargantuan refrigerator in the early universe, it might have been plastered with little magnetic galaxies. Now, NASA and Russians need each other   01 Oct 2008 - MSNBC.com: Space - Copyright 2008 msnbc.com Spaceflight advocates have hoped that the subject might actually become a topic of political interest. Now it has, for all the wrong reasons. Analysis by NBC News' James Oberg. Listening in: Lander to record Mars sounds   01 Oct 2008 - MSNBC.com: Space - Copyright 2008 msnbc.com NASA scientists hope to hear what it sounds like on the surface of Mars for the first time when they attempt to switch on the Phoenix Mars Lander's microphone in the next week or two, mission leaders announced on Monday. Two halves of NASA merge at half-century   01 Oct 2008 - MSNBC.com: Space - Copyright 2008 msnbc.com As NASA marks 50 years of space exploration on Wednesday, it’s also looking for bold new ways to get humans and robots working together for the next 50 years on the final frontier. 10 firsts from NASA's first 50 years   01 Oct 2008 - MSNBC.com: Space - Copyright 2008 msnbc.com The space agency has sent humans to the moon and probes to the edge of the solar system, meeting with triumph as well as tragedy.  Click through 10 memorable NASA moments. Gallery: 10 firsts from NASA's first 50 years   01 Oct 2008 - MSNBC.com: Space - Copyright 2008 msnbc.com The space agency has sent humans to the moon and probes to the edge of the solar system, meeting with triumph as well as tragedy.  Click through 10 memorable NASA moments. A Fast, Affordable, Science and Technology SATellite (FASTSAT) and the Small Satellite Market Development Environment   01 Oct 2008 - New NASA STI Abstract: The National Aeronautics and Space Administr ation at Marshall Space Flight Center and the National Space Science and Technology Center in Huntsville Alabama USA, are jointly developing a new class of science and technology mission small satellites. The Fast, Affordable, Science and Technology SATell ite (FASTSAT) was designed and developed using a new collaborative and best practices approach. The FASTSAT development, along with the new class of low cost vehicles currently being developed, would allow performance of ~ 30 kg payload mass missions for a cost of less than 10 million US dollars.... Exploration Technology Developments Program's Radiation Hardened Electronics for Space Environments (RHESE) Project Overview   01 Oct 2008 - New NASA STI Abstract: Primary Objective: 1) A computational tool to accurately predict electronics performance in the presence of space radiation in support of spacecraft design: a) Total dose; b) Single Event Effects; and c) Mean Time Between Failure. (Developed as successor to CR ME96.) Secondary Objectives: 2) To provide a detailed description of the natural radiation environment in support of radiation health and instrument design: a) In deep space; b) Inside the magnetosphere; and c) Behind shielding.... Analysis: Is the right stuff now lost in space?   01 Oct 2008 - MSNBC.com: Space - Copyright 2008 msnbc.com It sounds like your typical midlife crisis: A 50-year-old longs for the glory days of youth and hankers for something new. This isn't any 50-year-old, though. It's NASA. Analysis by AP's Seth Borenstein. Worlds In Collision   01 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 01, 2008 - Two terrestrial planets orbiting a mature sun-like star some 300 light-years from Earth recently suffered a violent collision, astronomers at UCLA, Tennessee State University and the California Institute of Technology will report in a December issue of the Astrophysical Journal, the premier journal of astronomy and astrophysics. GMV To Provide Ground System Support For Landsat   01 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Rockville MD (SPX) Oct 01, 2008 - GMV has announced it will provide support to The Hammers Company for a $14.9 million contract with NASA to build the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) Mission Operations Element (MOE). The satellite ground segment software company will provide the following parts of the five-year contract: Echostar Satellite Services Delivers Transponder Solution   01 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Englewood CO (SPX) Oct 01, 2008 - EchoStar and its EchoStar Satellite Services have announced that it has entered into an agreement with SkyWay USA to provide transponder service to support SkyWay USA's satellite broadband Internet service. Through the agreement, EchoStar will provide SkyWay USA with domestic Ku-band satellite bandwidth. APSCC 2008 Attracts Global Interest   01 Oct 2008 - Space News From SpaceDaily.Com Seoul, Korea (SPX) Oct 01, 2008 - The APSCC 2008 Satellite Conference and Exhibition ended on September 25th at Jeju Island marking another success.