Space Task Force

Below are the latest space-related news headlines. We’ll cover these topics and more in out next show:

• The first rocky planet outside our solar system has been detected! This little ball of rock is the smallest extrasolar planet to be discovered and the first that could potentially support liquid water and life (as we know it on Earth). It zips around a star in the constellation Libra. Check out the story from NPR. [link]
• The European Space Agency (ESA) is planning to send an iPod full of tunes up to the space station later this year. Kids in Europe get to choose the songs! [link]
• NASA has decided to allow newcomer Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) to launch from Cape Canaveral. The Falcon 1 rocket had trouble on its first two flights. Will the new kid on the block really cut the cost of space launches in half? [link]
• World-renowned black hole theorist and author Dr. Stephen Hawking experienced nearly 4 minutes of weightlessness during his recent Zero Gravity flight. This paves the way for more disabled people to take the trip and have an “out of chair” experience. Richard Branson previously offered Hawking a seat on Virgin Galactic so that he can experience space first-hand. [link]

Stay tuned for more news stories in our next report! As always, comments and suggestions are appreciated.

Remember: we are still looking for some good theme music! Send your awesome space tunes to us via spaceshark (at) gmail.com

Filed under: General Update |