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Thursday’s CSExtra includes the latest reporting on space activities from around the world: Astronomers were ecstatic Wednesday as they discussed results from NASA’s $600 million Kepler planet hunter mission. Launched in March 2009, Kepler has produced evidence for more than 1,200 extrasolar planets, including more than 50 that circle stars in what is considered the habitable zone. NASA astronaut Mark Kelly may be close to a decision on whether continue with his command of NASA’s final scheduled shuttle mission while his wife, Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, recovers from a gunshot wound. Endeavour is tentatively set for an April 19 lift off. NASA’s Robonaut 2 will participate in Super Bowl activities on Sunday. A carbon copy of the humanoid developed by NASA and GM is headed for the International Space Station aboard the shuttle Discovery late this month. Remembering Ham.
1. From the New York Times: Astronomers using NASA’s Kepler space telescope announce the finding of 1,235 possible extrasolar planets. Kepler was launched in March 2009 and the findings began after a two month commissioning. The prospective planets include 68 that are “Earth-sized” but range in volume to those larger than Jupiter. Of the new planet finds, 54 circle their stars in what’s called the habitable zone — a region where water, if present, could be found in liquid form. Liquid water is considered necessary for life, as we know it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/03/science/03planet.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=NASA&st=cse
A. From the Los Angeles Times: The planet candidates identified by Kepler orbit a total of 997 different stars that range in distance from 500 to 3,000 light years from the Earth. In all, more than 155,000 different stars were surveyed.
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-sci-kepler-planets-20110203,0,814122.story
B. From Science News: An extrapolation of the Kepler findings suggests that as many as 20,000 planets may circle stars in the Milky Way, where conditions are favorable for the presence of liquid water, astronomers report. “This is definitely our best first look at the galactic planetary census,” says theorist Greg Laughlin of the University of California, Santa Cruz, who is not part of the Kepler team.
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/69476/title/Spacecraft_sees_signs_of_1%2C200-plus_worlds
C. From the Washington Times: At least five of the new alien planetary candidates are Earth-sized and reside in the habitable zone of their stars, according to Kepler astronomers.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/feb/2/5-earth-sized-planets-spied-in-habitable-zone/
D. From Cosmos Magazine: The Kepler findings include the discovery of a six planet Solar System known as Kepler 11. The find represents the most planets around a star other than the sun so far.
http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/news/4004/kepler-discovers-new-six-planet-system
2. From the Associated Press via the Washington Post : The news service examines the possibility that veteran NASA astronaut Mark Kelly will continue with his command of NASA’s final scheduled shuttle mission, a flight to the International Space station aboard Endeavour. Endeavour is tentatively scheduled for an April 19 lift off. Kelly’s wife, Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, is recuperating in Houston from a severe gun shot wound suffered at a Jan. 9 political rally in Tucson. A decision between Kelly and NASA over his course of action is expected soon.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/02/AR2011020204319.html
3. From NASAwatch.com: NASA’s Robonaut 2, a humanoid that is headed for a spot on the International Space Station aboard the shuttle Discovery, will join the host banter on the Fox Network Superbowl broadcast.
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=32639
4. From Discovery.com: A half-century ago this week, Ham, a chimpanzee, lifted off on a 16-minute suborbital flight from Cape Canaveral, Fla., paving the way for the first U.S. astronauts. The web site looks back at the mission and the times.
http://news.discovery.com/space/slide-show-ham-chimpanzee-astrochimp-110203.html
5. From Spaceflightnow.com: The U.S. military preparing for a launching on Saturday of a Minotaur rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., with an undisclosed National Reconnaissance Office payload.
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/minotaur/nrol66/110202launchpreps/
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