In a Spin! Commercial Centrifuge Readied for Space Station

A new tool for gravitational research in Earth orbit also marks a new era of commercial utilization of the U.S. National Laboratory – a module that’s part of the International Space Station (ISS). Astrium Space Transportation and NanoRacks LLC have teamed up to offer...

International Campaign to Monitor Fall of Russian Spacecraft

The wayward Russian Marscraft, Phobos-Grunt, is expected to soon dive into the Earth’s atmosphere, destroying itself during a fiery re-entry process. Phobos–Grunt was launched on November 8 of last year, but due to a propulsion failure, the spacecraft was marooned in...

Humans in Space: A Look Back at 2011, A Look Ahead at 2012

  A year of milestones in human spaceflight, some tinged with nostalgia, is drawing to a close. The New Year opens with the U. S.and its global partners settled in Earth orbit, and a NASA strategy for the future human exploration of deep space starting to gel. In...

Book Review: When Biospheres Collide – A History of NASA’s Planetary Protection Programs

When Biospheres Collide – A History of NASA’s Planetary Protection Programs by Michael Meltzer; NASA History Program Office (NASA SP-2011 – 4234), Washington, D.C.; 2011. Note: Available as NASA e-Book. This is an absorbing look at a topic that receives little...