Archive for 2008

NASA Mars Rover Opportunity Ascends to Level Ground
August 29, 2008
News and Features NASA Mars Rover Opportunity Ascends to Level Ground

NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has climbed out of the large crater that it had been examining from the inside since last September.

Drilling Down to Alien Oceans
August 28, 2008
News and Features Drilling Down to Alien Oceans

A new method of exploring thick icy sheets and what lies below them has been devised. Combining a drill and a melting tip, this probe is particularly useful for exploring icy locations such as the polar caps of Mars and Jupiter’s moon Europa.

Fires in Central South America
August 27, 2008
News and Features Fires in Central South America

Hundreds of fires (locations marked in red) were burning in central South America on August 26, 2008, when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite passed overhead and captured this image.

Tracing Tiger Stripes
August 27, 2008
News and Features Tracing Tiger Stripes

NASA's Cassini spacecraft has pinpointed where Enceladus' icy jets erupt from at the moon's surface. The new images may help reveal what type of environment exists on the moon, and whether or not Enceladus could be a habitat for life.

First Light for the Fermi Space Telescope
August 26, 2008
News and Features First Light for the Fermi Space Telescope

NASA's newest space telescope, formerly known as GLAST, has passed its orbital checkout with flying colors, kicking off a mission to explore the violent and unpredictable gamma ray universe.

Opportunity Climbing out of Crater
August 26, 2008
News and Features Opportunity Climbing out of Crater

NASA's Mars Exploration rover Opportunity is heading back out to the Red Planet's surrounding plains nearly a year after descending into a large Martian crater to examine exposed ancient rock layers.

Seeing Mars in a Particle of Dust
August 26, 2008
News and Features Seeing Mars in a Particle of Dust

NASA's Phoenix lander has taken the first image of martian dust under a microscope. The technology will help scientists determine if Mars is, or ever was suitable for life. The achievement also highlights the capabilities of robotic microscopy on another planet.

NASA Renames Observatory for Fermi, Reveals Entire Gamma-Ray Sky
August 26, 2008
Press Releases

NASA's newest observatory, the Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, has begun its mission of exploring the universe in high-energy gamma rays. The spacecraft and its revolutionary instruments passed their orbital checkout with flying colors.

Mars Lander Digs Deeper
August 25, 2008
News and Features Mars Lander Digs Deeper

The next sample of Martian soil being grabbed for analysis is coming from a trench about three times deeper than any other trench NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander has dug.

Through a Glass Darkly
August 25, 2008
News and Features Through a Glass Darkly

Just as stained glass windows that decorate the world’s most beautiful cathedrals depict stories, ancient life may have its own tales to tell in glass.

Strange Clouds at the Edge of Space
August 25, 2008
News and Features Strange Clouds at the Edge of Space

Last month, astronauts on board the International Space Station (ISS) witnessed a beautiful display of noctilucent or "night-shining" clouds.

Meteorite Fast Track
August 23, 2008
News and Features Meteorite Fast Track

The majority of asteroids that pass near the Earth have a different composition than most of the meteorites that actually hit our planet. Astronomers now think they may have figured out why this is the case.

Tropical Storm Fay's Heavy Rains the Big Story for Fla.
August 22, 2008
News and Features Tropical Storm Fay's Heavy Rains the Big Story for Fla.

Tropical Storm Fay has deluged Florida with rain and will continue to do so until the end of the weekend, when it is expected to move west of the Panhandle.

Generations of Stars Pose for Family Portrait
August 22, 2008
News and Features Generations of Stars Pose for Family Portrait

A new image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope tells a tale of life and death amidst a rich family history. The striking infrared picture shows a colorful cosmic cloud, called W5, studded with multiple generations of blazing stars.

Tropical Storm Fay's Center Now Moving Inland
August 21, 2008
News and Features Tropical Storm Fay's Center Now Moving Inland

Tropical Storm Fay is finally making landfall again after meandering in the Atlantic Ocean over the last day. She was crossing Florida east coast near Flagler Beach at that time. Her center was near 28.4 degrees north latitude and 81.0 degrees west longitude.

Mid-Depth Soil Collected for Lab Test on NASA's Mars Lander
August 21, 2008
News and Features Mid-Depth Soil Collected for Lab Test on NASA's Mars Lander

NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander has scooped up a soil sample from an intermediate depth between the ground surface and a subsurface icy layer. The sample was delivered to a laboratory oven on the spacecraft.

Dress Rehearsal for Mars
August 21, 2008
News and Features Dress Rehearsal for Mars

Life-searching instruments are being tested in Rio Tinto, ready to be used as part of an upcoming mission to Mars.

Fay Stalls Over Florida
August 20, 2008
News and Features Fay Stalls Over Florida

Tropical Storm Fay, seen in this Aug. 20 11:35 UTC (2:35 p.m. EDT) infrared image from NASA's Aqua spacecraft when the storm was near Cape Canaveral, Fla. At the time, maximum sustained winds were near 50 miles per hour (85 kilometers per hour) with higher gusts.

Typhoon Nuri
August 20, 2008
News and Features Typhoon Nuri

After forming off the coast of the Philippines, Typhoon Nuri traveled westward toward the island chain, gathering strength as it approached Luzon, the main island at the northern end of the Philippines. On August 19, 2008, with reported wind speeds up to 140 kilometers (87 miles) per hour, the typhoon’s eye clipped the northern edge of Luzon before continuing westward into the South China Sea.

Underwater Sentry
August 20, 2008
News and Features Underwater Sentry

A new free-swimming robot has completed a 3.1-mile-deep trek beneath the ocean. The robot opens new possibilities for exploring the deep sea and discovering unique habitats for life.

Living with a Star
August 19, 2008
News and Features Living with a Star

What if you woke up one morning and found your whole planet had been swallowed by the atmosphere of a star? Get out of bed, look out the window. Auroras are dancing along the horizon. Dark sunspots crackle overhead—each little 'pop' more powerful than a nuclear bomb.

The Rise of Slime
August 19, 2008
News and Features The Rise of Slime

Human activities are having disastrous effects on the health of the world's oceans according to a new prognosis. Factors such as overfishing and climate change must be addressed in order to ensure the future health of one of our planet's most important biological resources.

Hurricane Season 2008: Tropical Storm Fay
August 19, 2008
News and Features Hurricane Season 2008: Tropical Storm Fay

NASA's CloudSat and Aqua satellites are just two of NASA's fleet keeping eyes on Tropical Storm Fay. NASA is using these data to see cloud height and cloud temperatures which give hints at whether or not Fay will strengthen or weaken.

2007 Hurricane Forecasts Took Blow from Winds and Saharan Dry, Dusty Air
August 18, 2008
News and Features 2007 Hurricane Forecasts Took Blow from Winds and Saharan Dry, Dusty Air

A new analysis of environmental conditions over the Atlantic Ocean shows that hot, dry air associated with dust outbreaks from the Sahara desert was a likely contributor to the quieter-than-expected 2007 hurricane season.

The M2-F1: 'Look Ma! No Wings!'
August 18, 2008
News and Features The M2-F1: 'Look Ma! No Wings!'

The planned retirement of the space shuttle fleet in 2010 will bring to a close an era that opened in the Antelope Valley nearly a half century ago. The vehicle which began that era – the M2-F1 – was an unlikely forefather to the shuttle. The world’s first manned lifting body, the M2-F1 was made of wood, had an internal framework of steel tubes, looked like a bathtub sitting on a tricycle, and had no wings.

The Perception of Pluto
August 17, 2008
News and Features The Perception of Pluto

Scientists recently gathered to debate the recent IAU decision to demote Pluto from 'planet' status. Pluto may be small, but objects like Pluto still undergo important geophysical processes that can teach us about planetary formation.

Project Anniversary Shows Value of Long-Term Investment in Climate Research
August 15, 2008
News and Features Project Anniversary Shows Value of Long-Term Investment in Climate Research

At a time when an international satellite collaboration of this sort had never existed, the cautious step made by NASA management to fund the core of the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) was a risk. But the project that was planned to last for five to seven years of data collecting operations is celebrating its 25th anniversary this summer, proving the investment risk was worth the research payoff.

The Realm of Earthworms
August 15, 2008
News and Features The Realm of Earthworms

When you hear the word "NASA," do visions of rocket ships dance in your head? Well think again. From now on, it's "earthworms."

Cassini Pinpoints Source of Jets on Saturn's Moon Enceladus
August 14, 2008
News and Features Cassini Pinpoints Source of Jets on Saturn's Moon Enceladus

In a feat of interplanetary sharpshooting, NASA's Cassini spacecraft has pinpointed precisely where the icy jets erupt from the surface of Saturn's geologically active moon Enceladus.

Phoenix Microscope Takes First Image of Martian Dust Particle
August 14, 2008
News and Features Phoenix Microscope Takes First Image of Martian Dust Particle

NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander has taken the first-ever image of a single particle of Mars' ubiquitous dust, using its atomic force microscope.

NASA Study Improves Ability to Predict Aerosols' Effect on Cloud Cover
August 14, 2008
Press Releases

Using a novel theoretical approach, researchers from NASA and other institutions have identified the common thread that determines how aerosols from human activity, like the particles from burning of vegetation and forests, influence cloud cover and ultimately affect climate. The study improves researchers’ ability to predict whether aerosols will increase or decrease cloud cover.

The Stuff of Life on Titan
August 14, 2008
News and Features The Stuff of Life on Titan

Reactions between organic compounds in Titan’s atmosphere and water on the surface may create complex molecules similar to those on the early Earth.

CNew Images of Enceladus Now Online
August 13, 2008
News and Features CNew Images of Enceladus Now Online

Raw images from Cassini's Enceladus flyby are now available.

Cracking the Question of Alien Life
August 13, 2008
News and Features Cracking the Question of Alien Life

New research is providing clues about the potential for life on Europa. By studying Europa's surface, scientists hope to determine the best places to search for life and whether or not the moon is geologically active.

Dust Storms in Afghanistan and Pakistan
August 12, 2008
News and Features Dust Storms in Afghanistan and Pakistan

On August 10, 2008, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite captured this image of blowing dust over northern Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan.

Water Ideas are All Wet
August 12, 2008
News and Features Water Ideas are All Wet

Scientists have discovered that water, a molecule essential for life as we know it, is not as well understood as we thought. The study adds to our understanding of water's role in the origin and survival of life on Earth.

Enceladus Fly-by Blog
August 11, 2008
News and Features Enceladus Fly-by Blog

Fractures, or "tiger stripes," where icy jets erupt on Saturn's moon Enceladus are the focus of Cassini's Aug. 11 fly by of Enceladus

An Interstellar Mission Scenario
August 11, 2008
News and Features An Interstellar Mission Scenario

Super-Earths, terrestrial planets many times the mass of Earth, have been discovered orbiting distant stars. In this essay, Ray Villard details a possible future expedition to visit one of these alien worlds in order to study the life that could exist there.

Hubble Unveils Colorful Star Birth Region on 100,000th Orbit
August 11, 2008
Press Releases

In commemoration of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope completing its 100,000th orbit during its 18th year of exploration and discovery, scientists aimed Hubble to take a snapshot of a dazzling region of celestial birth and renewal.

A Flash of Insight: LCROSS Mission Update
August 11, 2008
News and Features A Flash of Insight: LCROSS Mission Update

There are places on the Moon where the sun hasn't shined for millions of years. Dark polar craters too deep for sunlight to penetrate are luna incognita, the realm of the unknown, and in their inky depths, researchers believe, may lie a treasure of great value.

A Swift Drop into Deep Freeze
August 10, 2008
News and Features A Swift Drop into Deep Freeze

Scientists have discovered traces of fossilized plants and insects in an ice-free region of Antarctica. The finding is evidence of what Antarctica was like before an abrupt cooling of the Earth roughly 13.9 million years ago.

Chasing Dust Devils
August 09, 2008
News and Features Chasing Dust Devils

A new study in the deserts of Earth is helping scientists understand how dust devils on Mars affect the martian atmosphere and climate. The data could be useful in developing new missions, and will help astrobiologists understand if the martian climate was once capable of supporting life.

Cassini Prepares to Swoop by Saturn's Geyser-Spewing Moon
August 07, 2008
News and Features Cassini Prepares to Swoop by Saturn's Geyser-Spewing Moon

Fractures, or "tiger stripes," where icy jets erupt on Saturn's moon Enceladus will be the target of a close flyby by the Cassini spacecraft on Monday, Aug. 11.

Twinkle, Twinkle, Alien Ocean
August 07, 2008
News and Features Twinkle, Twinkle, Alien Ocean

Scientists propose to find water on alien planets by looking for the glint of starlight from distant oceans.

Martian Clays Tell Story of a Wet Past
August 07, 2008
News and Features Martian Clays Tell Story of a Wet Past

Layers of clay-rich rock have been found in Mars’ Mawrth Vallis, a potential landing site for future rovers. This work, published in the August 8 issue of Science, suggests that abundant water was once present on Mars and that hydrothermal activity may have occurred.

Perchlorates, Perchance?
August 06, 2008
News and Features Perchlorates, Perchance?

Recent news reports have speculated that the Phoenix lander has discovered perchlorate on Mars. While Phoenix scientists admit that perchlorate salts may be present, they disagree with the assumption that the presence of such an oxidant makes the soil inhospitable for life.

Phoenix Mars Team Opens Window on Scientific Process
August 05, 2008
News and Features Phoenix Mars Team Opens Window on Scientific Process

Phoenix Mars mission scientists spoke today on research in progress concerning an ongoing investigation of perchlorate salts detected in soil analyzed by the wet chemistry laboratory aboard NASA's Phoenix Lander.

NASA Data Show Some African Drought Linked to Warmer Indian Ocean
August 05, 2008
News and Features NASA Data Show Some African Drought Linked to Warmer Indian Ocean

A new study, co-funded by NASA, has identified a link between a warming Indian Ocean and less rainfall in eastern and southern Africa. Computer models and observations show a decline in rainfall, with implications for the region's food security.

Life in a Bubble
August 05, 2008
News and Features Life in a Bubble

Scientists have discovered how insects can use a bubble of air as an 'external lung' to breathe underwater. The study highlights a unique way in which organisms on Earth have evolved in response to their environment.

NASA Spacecraft Analyzing Martian Soil Data
August 04, 2008
News and Features NASA Spacecraft Analyzing Martian Soil Data

Scientists are analyzing results from soil samples delivered several weeks ago to science instruments on NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander to understand the landing site's soil chemistry and mineralogy.

NASA Brings Total Eclipse of the Sun to the Masses
August 01, 2008
News and Features NASA Brings Total Eclipse of the Sun to the Masses

On August 1, a total solar eclipse was visible in parts of Canada, northern Greenland, the Arctic, central Russia, Mongolia and China. The eclipse swept across Earth in a narrow path that began in Canada’s northern province of Nunavut and ended in northern China’s Silk Road region.

Archive Summary