Looking up at the night sky or at pictures of space can make you believe it is all black – so why is the sky blue? Answering that question involves understanding how light interacts with particles in the atmosphere. Air molecules are smaller than visible light wavelengths, so they scatter it more intensely via Rayleigh…
Christa McAuliffe was America’s first schoolteacher to travel into space. On Jan. 28, 1986, as the space shuttle Challenger lifted off for orbit 73 seconds later, its crew cheered loudly when it suddenly disintegrated and exploded in fiery destruction. This tragedy fundamentally altered NASA’s space operations; it ended plans to send civilians as passengers into…
As sunlight enters Earth’s atmosphere, its light is dispersed through gases and particles in the atmosphere by various gases and particles; light toward the blue end of the spectrum is scattered more widely than red end light, giving Earth its signature blue hue. As writers, it is our responsibility to pay close attention to reader…
As captivating as Miller’s IMAX footage is, what truly distinguishes Apollo 11 is its audio archives. Ranging from back-room chitchat to the haunting Moog-infused score, Apollo 11 highlights just how many technicians and flight control teams were necessary to send three brave men on an ambitious journey around our moon and back safely. As in…
Southern Utah’s lunar-esque desert landscape seems tailor-made for Hollywood blockbusters, while also serving as an arena where some of the brightest minds in space simulation try out ideas about what life may be like on Mars. Near Hanksville lies the Mars Desert Research Station. This remote plot of land serves as an analogue of Mars…
No one can resist a beautiful day with blue skies! These lovely views result from sunlight passing through Earth’s atmosphere and being scattered by oxygen and nitrogen molecules present therein, particularly those with shorter wavelengths, like blue. As light with shorter wavelengths like blue has more chance to get scattered than other colors due to…
Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft, originally intended to explore the outer planets of our solar system, have now entered interstellar space. There, they will remain for thousands of years before returning home. NASA prepared two Golden Records that contain music and greetings in 55 languages to reassure any alien civilization they might come across. The…
Most rockets can withstand considerable friction and heat during launch, yet occasionally one will explode on either the launch pad or in space. Millions of students watched as the Challenger disaster played out live on television, and seven astronauts lost their lives as a result of its explosion. Could such an outcome have been avoided?…
Space exploration and tourism is currently undergoing an incredible revolution: globalizing, shifting to become a service industry and welcoming in newcomers into its fold. During the Gulf War, allied forces used satellites to accurately pinpoint enemy troops and target their rocket attacks with pinpoint precision – demonstrating the value of space presence even during warfare….
