Titan - Here I come!
 

The Huygens probe has been released from Cassini, and is scheduled to arrive at Titan in 21 days. As Titan may contain liquid methane or ethane, if all goes well, it could radio back the very first extraterrestrial oceanographic measurements.


Pretty cool.

I have NASA send me updates on the Huygens-Cassini mission. Fascinating, isn't it? Jseal, I love you keeping us posted on these things! Thanks!

Space technologies help save lives.
 

I’m sure we have all heard of the ongoing humanitarian disaster in Darfur, in the west of Sudan.

One of the aid organizations, Respond, is using satellite imagery to produce accurate maps which help address the logistical challenges in getting supplies to where they are needed. These maps have been very useful during Sudan's rainy season, when normally dry riverbeds, or wadis, flood, rather like what happens in the southwest US.

The group uses satellites from NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA).

English Chariot Race Track
 

The remains of the only known Roman chariot racing track in Britain, which archaeologists say was built around the 2nd century AD, have been found.

New homes are to be built on a 209-acre site where builders preparing the groundwork excavated what they believe is a race track nearly 2,000 years old. The developer will include it as a feature in their development of a decommissioned army barracks!

It is one of only four tracks which have been found in the north western Roman Empire provinces

Gallia est omnis divisa in partes tres, quarum unam incolunt Belgae, aliam Aquitani, tertiam qui ipsorum lingua Celtae, nostra Galli appellantur. Hi omnes lingua, institutis, legibus inter se differunt. ..... Horum omnium fortissimi sunt Belgae, propterea quod a cultu atque humanitate provinciae longissime absunt, minimeque ad eos mercatores saepe commeant atque ea quae ad effeminandos animos pertinent important, proximique sunt Germanis, qui trans Rhenum incolunt, quibuscum continenter bellum gerunt.

Ave Caesar!

Veni, vedi, vici!

:thumb:

LMAO ~ sorry. I read your post and I couldn't help but think of Ceasar's explaination that those in England and Northern France (the Belgae) are the bravest, because they are furthest from the civilization and refinement of Roma

.....I guess a racetrack constitutes refinement?.....I had no idea Caesar had so much in common with Dale Earnhardt Jr.



;) OK...end of Latin lesson :D

Touchdown!
 

The Huygens space probe has touched down on Titan, one of Saturn's moons, Titan, and is sending back data!

The data has not arrived on Earth yet, but a radio telescope has detected that the probe is working. It had been transmitting data for over two hours as it parachuted to Titan’s surface.

This is the furthest landing from Earth ever!

Gentlefolk,

Here is a good link for current Huygens info.

http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Cassini-Huygens/index.html

Similarities
 

Gentlefolk,

It is interesting to see the similarities in the photographs of Venus, Mars, and Titan


Venera
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/imgcat/h...3_vg261_262.gif

Sojourner
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/MPF/parker...Gdn_left_sm.jpg

Huygens
http://www.esa.int/images/Picture7_L.jpg

Support is growing for a human mission to be sent to repair the Hubble space telescop
 

The American Astronomical Society (AAS) said it endorsed a National Research Council recommendation that NASA pursue a manned mission to repair Hubble instead of robots.

"They came down very clearly saying that if you really care about the space telescope, then doing the shuttle mission is the best answer," said Robert Kirshner, AAS president.

US Congress has directed NASA to request a study from the NRC to look into servicing options for Hubble, after NASA cancelled what was to be the fifth, and final, shuttle-servicing mission to the telescope.

More from Huygens!
 

Pictures from the Huygens probe show that Titan's sea has slow moving waves and an atmosphere similar to that of earth – about 4 billion years ago!

At a news conference today, ESA scientists announced that liquid methane rain feeds river channels, lakes, streams, and springs on the surface of Saturn's moon Titan, images.

"We have evidence of many Earth-like processes such as rain, erosion and abrasion but with very exotic materials," said Marty Tomasko, one of the scientists involved with the lander.

Wild stuff!

NASA plans to bring down Hubble
 

The Hubble Space Telescope and a mission to explore Jupiter's moons look to be casualties in NASA 's 2006 budget plans! In the proposals, a mission to service Hubble would be scrapped and the telescope left to die in orbit.

another sad victim of an area of govn't frought with entanglements. all things considered, this is a young science. i have faith that someday we will learn to manage it with more success.

He Did It!
 

Steve Fossett has successfully flown non-stop around the world solo, landing in Kansas about 10 minutes ago.