Astronomers have long known that Saturn’s iconic rings are gradually dissolving, potentially within 100 million years. Recent research based on data collected by NASA’s Cassini probe indicates this trend is occurring even faster than predicted. What happens if Saturn loses its rings? What are the rings made of? Saturn’s rings are composed of rock, ice …
With $42 million to spare, if you have enough for an outright spaceship purchase you could own, Sotheby’s is holding an auction featuring 173 items such as an Apollo 11 lunar sample return bag flown during its mission and Vostok 3KA-2 capsule that sent Cosmonaut Gagarin on the inaugural human orbital flight. Space Shuttle Orbiters …
This rare NASA commemorative Swiss Army knife was released in 1989 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Apollo 11 Moon Landing. It features an image from that mission in metal inlay on its front blade; while on its main blade is depiction of Command Module docked with Moon Lander as well as dates for landing. …
An international mission to Neptune and Triton has long been overdue; such an expedition could shed more light on what these ice giants represent. Like Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune are ice giants; planets with only trace amounts of hydrogen or helium present. But unlike Jupiter, their orbital periods are short enough for missions to Uranus …
Your body is an incredible wonderland. Here are some surprising and fascinating human body facts! Your body is composed of tiny quantum particles known as atoms that behave strangely; each has an orbital pattern similar to a solar system with an electron orbiting around its core nucleus and electrons zipping along behind. Bones The human …
Fun and Weird Science Facts About the Human Body Read More »
Spacecraft equipment must operate within an acceptable temperature range to complete its mission successfully, doing this by either absorbing or rejecting heat from its environment. Hardware available to accomplish this includes multilayer insulation systems to shield equipment from excessive solar and planetary heating, thermal paints and coatings that change optical properties (such as solar absorptance …
Winter Olympic medals are awarded to winners of various winter sports. Our library provides plenty of materials about these sports; simply clicking the name will take you directly to that subject heading in our on-line catalog. Skeleton athletes compete with incredible speed on an ice track, reaching 80mph! Here are other fun facts about Winter …
As soon as sunlight hits our atmosphere, its rays scatter, creating what is known as Rayleigh scattering, named for 19th century physicist Lord Rayleigh. Shorter wavelength light such as blue and violet scatters more than long wavelength light; hence why our sky appears bluer. This phenomenon was named for Lord Rayleigh’s 19th century experiment on …
A spacecraft bus serves as the main structure and support mechanism for satellite payloads, providing power, commanding, telemetry and an appropriate thermal environment. Spacecraft buses or platforms designed with sophisticated capabilities have enabled the deployment of more powerful communications antennas, high resolution remote sensing/meteorological sensors, and precise navigational payloads. Structures and Mechanics Subsystem A spacecraft …
