Friday Links
Down To Earth
This week NASA has a Day of Remembrance to remember the astronauts we have lost in the American space program.
Seattle’s Museum of Flight received the “keys” to JSC’s full fuselage trainer, which will be the centerpiece of their new space exhibit.
Seven time space-flyer Jerry Ross leaves NASA.
If you haven’t applied to NASA’s request for new astronaut candidates by now, it’s too late. Fortunately I got my application in on time!
Newt Gingrich had some interesting things to say about the future of NASA while on the campaign trail in Florida. Here’s a pretty good critique. And here’s a pretty good post that bluntly calls him out for pandering.
Neil Degrasse Tyson went on MSNBC to talk about Gingrich’s plan. I don’t like the title of MSNBC’s post, but Tyson pretty much gets it right, as he so often does.
In Orbit
It appears an altitude chamber test on a Soyuz descent module had an issue and there may be a delay to the upcoming launches.
A Russian Proton rocket launch has also been delayed.
Around the Solar System
Opportunity is going to be staying put for a while through the Martian winter, giving people time to put together some great panoramas of her current view.
There is a new space IMAX movie being made called Outside In that will use Cassini and Hubble imagery for dramatic fly-throughs. Check out a couple minutes of footage. I can’t wait to see it!
Out There
Kepler discovers 11 new planetary systems with 26 exoplanets. NASA link.