Category: Space
European manned spaceship shown off in Berlin – Patrick Moore still in with a chance before he dies
It’s only a prototype, but the new EADS Astrium design here is based on the existing unmanned Jules Verne pod already flying about up there, so it could easily take scientists and paying billionaires up into the ionosphere with a bit of tweaking.
Very handy if you’ve recently applied to be an astronaut or are just generally excited about space things…
Phoenix probe lands safely on Mars – Houston, we have no problems
It's of little surprise that the ordinarily starch-collared NASA scientist were whooping with delight yesterday as the Phoenix craft landed safely on Mars. The probe – still sounds rude – left the Earth nine and a half months ago and…
European Space Agency looking for astronauts! Sign up today! The dream lives on!
If you fancy being, say, THE FIRST MAN ON MARS, you really ought to head down to the Science Museum today, where the European Space Agency is launching its recruiting programme for the next generation of astronauts.
Anyone can apply, although, ideally, you’ll have a degree in science or medicine, be between 27 and 37 and in some sort of decent physical condition. An ability to speak Russian is also an advantage. And we’d imagine smokers are frowned upon…
First Korean astronaut proud to be endorsed by the Samsung NV series
Lucky old Yi So-yeon has just popped up into space today making her the first South Korean to hit escape velocity, courtesy of the latest Russian Soyuz mission to the International Space Station.
She’s been sponsored by the proud company of her homeland, with Samsung kitting her out with a couple of cameras for the journey. So she gets space AND free camera. If she comes round here the lucky cow will be greeted by a stony, jealous silence…
Branson and Google team up… and play the best April Fools trick
At yesterday’s CITA Wireless Trade Show, Sir Richard Branson used his keynote to announce a prank partnership with Google, whose purpose is to build a solar-powered spaceship that will take 30 passengers on a one-way trip to Mars…
Australian man finds bit of rocket – then hands it in
Who would hand in a bit of rocket? If I found a bit of rocket, it’d be up on the mantelpiece the same day. Regardless of health implications from cosmic radiation or half-melted fuel cells.
The man in questions is James Stirton. The rocket part in question is unknown, as James has been on the phone to NASA to try and find out exactly what it is he’s just…
MY FINAL WISH: Sprinkle bits of me on the moon
Forget leaving money to the kids. They’ll just waste it on cars and holidays. The gentlemanly to spend your life savings post-death is clearly having your ashes dumped on the surface of the moon.
Yes. Having your ashes dumped ON THE SURFACE OF…
XCOR Lynx – Tech Digest's Space Plane of the Week
We literally cannot get enough of the burgeoning “space plane” scene.
The idea of getting onto a plane and ending up IN SPACE is simply too exciting to comprehend. There’s the small matter of the £100k it’ll cost to get on board, but we’ll surely have saved that much by 2010 – when the XCOR Lynx here is supposed to be ready to go into service.
The plane itself is designed to take off from a regular runway…
Sir Arthur C. Clarke, renowned Sci-Fi author and futurist, dies aged 90
Sir Arthur C. Clarke, author of almost 100 books including 2001: A Space Odyssey, passed away at his home in Colombo, Sri Lanka on Wednesday. He was 90.
“He had been taken to hospital in what we had hoped was one of the slings and arrows of being 90, but in this case it was his final visit,” Scott Chase, the secretary of the nonprofit Arthur C. Clarke Foundation, revealed in a statement on his official website…
EADS wants "production line" of space planes! Crack out the silver tracksuit – we will be in space soon
EADS, or the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company, has said it can see a day when space travel becomes as routine as paying £17.99 to go via RyanAir to Amsterdam for a three-day stag-do.
“It will develop towards a classical aeronautical business model. Someone will build the planes; somebody will operate them; somebody will sell the tickets; somebody will provide the accommodation – like any tourism,” said Robert Laine, the chief technical officer of the rocket builder. A division of EADS called Astrium, which currently makes the Ariane rocket, reckons it’ll be knocking about 10 “space planes” a year to sell to operators.
Here’s an entirely unrelated photograph of the space shuttle Endeavour in which you can clearly see an astronaut’s iPod through the window:
So hopefully, before we die, we’ll all get…
