news from space
Lots of news from space, so let’s start with the good stuff:
Wikinews interviews Prince Christopher I of the Principality of Vikesland on his micronation’s recent space launch
Private company blasts rocket into orbit
“With this key milestone, Falcon 1 becomes the first privately developed liquid fuel rocket to orbit the Earth,” SpaceX added in a statement from its Hawthorne, California, headquarters.
It was fourth time lucky for SpaceX, whose three previous attempts had met with failure including the launch of a rocket carrying the ashes of Star Trek actor James Doohan and US astronaut Gordon Cooper.
Lots of new images from Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
Mars dust resembles seawater, NASA extends mission
Phoenix Lander sees snow falling on Mars
Wind and Snow Do Strange Things on Mars
China performs its first spacewalk
China’s Space Mission Is A Success, Shenzhou VII Lands Safely
Hubble Space Telescope Suffers Serious Failure
Space congress: Orbiting Glasgow
Some politics from NASA Watch:
Curious Timing: Scientist accused of bribery, aiding China
Congress Update: Congress Puts NASA Bill on Fast Track to the White House
Europe space chiefs elated after freighter completes mission
Europe’s space freighter was destroyed over the South Pacific on Monday, ending a glitteringly successful maiden mission to the International Space Station (ISS), officials said.
The European Space Agency (ESA) said the robot truck had outperformed every expectation, while the aerospace firm which built it urged Europe to back a blueprint for transforming the ship into a manned spacecraft.
