Archive for 2009

Geriatric Pulsar Still Kicking
February 27, 2009
News and Features Geriatric Pulsar Still Kicking

Chandra finds that ancient pulsar PSR J0108-1431 still has plenty of energy to spare.

Pretty Sky Alert
February 27, 2009
News and Features Pretty Sky Alert

The crescent Moon and Venus are converging for a conjunction of rare beauty on Friday evening, Feb. 27th.

Chewable Iron
February 27, 2009
News and Features Chewable Iron

The cycling of iron in Earth's oceans plays an important role in supporting a variety of ocean ecosystems – and is ultimately vital to the global biosphere. By studying extreme environments on the ocean floor, researchers have now revealed unexpected clues about how biologically useful iron is released into the ocean.

The Best of NASA Science 2008
February 26, 2009
News and Features The Best of NASA Science 2008

Take a photographic journey through the stunning images and wondrous science of NASA in 2008. From the use of satellite data to combat public health problems to MESSENGER's revealing closeups of Mercury, our interactive slide show caps off another incredible year of exploration.

Kepler Set for March 5 Launch on Planet Finding Mission
February 26, 2009
News and Features Kepler Set for March 5 Launch on Planet Finding Mission

It is the first mission with the ability to find planets like Earth -- rocky planets that orbit sun-like stars in a warm zone where liquid water could be maintained on the surface.

Discovery Launch Tentatively Targeted for March 12
February 26, 2009
News and Features Discovery Launch Tentatively Targeted for March 12

An exact target launch date will be determined as work progresses with the gaseous hydrogen flow control valves. The STS-119 mission is set to deliver the final set of solar arrays to the space station.

Clouds Streets and von Karman Vortices, Greenland Sea
February 26, 2009
News and Features Clouds Streets and von Karman Vortices, Greenland Sea

On February 24, 2009, cold northerly winds (perhaps katabatic winds from Greenland) encountered moist air over the Greenland Sea, and their meeting generated dozens of parallel rows of clouds, commonly called “cloud streets,” in the skies around the island of Jan Mayen.

Otherworldly Solar Eclipse
February 26, 2009
News and Features Otherworldly Solar Eclipse

For the first time, a spacecraft from Earth has captured hi-resolution video of a solar eclipse while orbiting another world.

A Sliver of a Chance for Life on Mars
February 26, 2009
News and Features A Sliver of a Chance for Life on Mars

The Phoenix Mars Lander witnessed water vapor adsorbing into the martian soil each night. Researchers suspect the films of water that resulted are probably too thin for life now, but they may have been thick enough millions of years ago.

A Starry-Eyed Gaze: NASA Technology Improves Vision Screening
February 25, 2009
News and Features A Starry-Eyed Gaze: NASA Technology Improves Vision Screening

Did you know that NASA stargazing techniques have also protected vision in thousands of children? It's a definite case where "foresight” has helped improve "farsight."

Future Helicopters Get SMART
February 25, 2009
News and Features Future Helicopters Get SMART

Helicopters today are considered a loud, bumpy and inefficient mode for day-to-day domestic travel, but NASA research could change that view.

Melting on the Greenland Ice Cap, 2008
February 25, 2009
News and Features Melting on the Greenland Ice Cap, 2008

The northern fringes of Greenland’s ice sheet experienced extreme melting in 2008, according to NASA scientist Marco Tedesco and his colleagues.

A Sprightly Explanation for UFOs
February 25, 2009
News and Features A Sprightly Explanation for UFOs

Scientists have discovered a natural explanation for "UFO" sightings in our planet's atmosphere. The phenomenon is caused by thunderstorms, which can cause mysterious "sprites" that zip across the sky.

NASA's Launch Of Carbon-Seeking Satellite is Unsuccessful
February 24, 2009
Press Releases

NASA’s Orbiting Carbon Observatory satellite failed to reach orbit after its 4:55 a.m. EST liftoff Tuesday from California’s Vandenberg Air Force Base.

Readying for Mars: Live 'Clean Room Cam' and Chat
February 24, 2009
News and Features Readying for Mars: Live 'Clean Room Cam' and Chat

What goes into building a mission destined for Mars? NASA's Mars Science Laboratory is being assembled and tested right now in the clean room at JPL. Join us for a rare opportunity to go behind-the-scenes to see engineers and technicians as they work on this project which is scheduled to launch in 2011.

Counting on Kepler
February 24, 2009
News and Features Counting on Kepler

NASA's Kepler spacecraft is scheduled to launch in early March. In orbit, the powerful telescope will search for Earth-like planets around distant, sun-like stars. The mission will help researchers determine if habitable planets are common or rare in the Universe.

Winter Camp: A Blog from the Greenland Summit
February 24, 2009
News and Features Winter Camp: A Blog from the Greenland Summit

Lora Koenig, a remote-sensing glaciologist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, spent three dark, frigid months supporting research at the National Science Foundation’s Greenland Summit Camp. Near the end of her stay, Koenig emailed the Earth Observatory answers to a few questions about how she wound up in Greenland and what is was like to spend the winter there.

Lulin, the Green Comet, to be Visible in Tonight's Sky Over North America
February 23, 2009
News and Features Lulin, the Green Comet, to be Visible in Tonight's Sky Over North America

The comet is now faintly visible from a dark site. Lulin will pass closest to Earth -- 38 million miles, or about 160 times farther than the moon -- late on the evening of Feb. 23 for North America.

Orbiting Carbon Observatory Set for Early Tuesday Morning Launch
February 23, 2009
News and Features Orbiting Carbon Observatory Set for Early Tuesday Morning Launch

OCO is the first spacecraft dedicated to studying atmospheric carbon dioxide, the most significant human-produced greenhouse gas and the principal human-produced driver of climate change.

All-American Canal, California-Mexico border
February 23, 2009
News and Features All-American Canal, California-Mexico border

The All-American Canal, the largest irrigation canal in the world and a key landmark along the U.S.-Mexico border, shows up in this astronaut photograph. This image captures about 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) of the important infrastructure corridor just west of Yuma, Arizona.

Cycling Nitrogen
February 23, 2009
News and Features Cycling Nitrogen

New research shows that the large-scale evolution of microorganisms was completed 2.5 billion years ago. This included the ability of microorganisms to process nitrogen – an evolutionary step that has had long-lasting effects on the environment and the evolution of all life on Earth.

2008 Was Earth's Coolest Year Since 2000
February 23, 2009
News and Features 2008 Was Earth's Coolest Year Since 2000

The GISS analysis also showed that 2008 is the ninth warmest year since continuous instrumental records were started in 1880.

Unraveling the Mystery of Super-Earths
February 20, 2009
News and Features Unraveling the Mystery of Super-Earths

Super-Earths may be our best bet for finding life beyond our own solar system.

Kepler Mission to Hunt for Earth-like Planets
February 20, 2009
News and Features Kepler Mission to Hunt for Earth-like Planets

Are there other worlds like ours? Are we alone? NASA's Kepler spacecraft is about to begin an unprecedented journey that could answer these ancient questions.

Extreme Gamma-ray Burst
February 20, 2009
News and Features Extreme Gamma-ray Burst

NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has detected a record-setting gamma-ray burst with the greatest total energy and fastest motions ever seen.

Help NASA Name A Key Space Station Component
February 20, 2009
News and Features Help NASA Name A Key Space Station Component

NASA wants your opinion in naming the International Space Station's Node 3 – a connecting module and its cupola – before the two segments travel to space. Voting will be open until March 20th, with the winning name announced in April.

Europa First
February 20, 2009
News and Features Europa First

NASA and ESA officials have decided to pursue a mission to Jupiter and its four largest moons. These moons are important locations of interest for astrobiologists. Europa in particular, with its cache of subsurface water, is thought to be one of the most likely places for life in our solar system. Additionally, a plan for a second mission to Saturn's moons Titan and Enceladus will follow.

Scientists Find Black Gold Amidst Overlooked Data
February 19, 2009
News and Features Scientists Find Black Gold Amidst Overlooked Data

Scientists recently found black gold bubbling up from an otherwise undistinguished mass of ocean imagery.

NASA and Google Release CO2 Map
February 19, 2009
News and Features NASA and Google Release CO2 Map

Interactive maps that detail carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel combustion are now available on the popular Google Earth platform.

Spectacular Photo-op on Saturn
February 19, 2009
News and Features Spectacular Photo-op on Saturn

Something is about to happen on Saturn that is so pretty, even Hubble will pause to take a look. Backyard astronomers can see it, too. Four of Saturn's moons will transit Saturn and cast their shadows on the planet's cloudtops at the same time.

Plate Tectonics Could be Essential for Life
February 19, 2009
News and Features Plate Tectonics Could be Essential for Life

Planetary scientists have been considering the potential importance of plate tectonics. Some believe that this geological process is essential for the development of complex lifeforms, and in the future could even be used as a biosignature to detect habitable worlds.

Always Something Brewing Year 'Round on NASA's Hurricane Web Page
February 18, 2009
News and Features Always Something Brewing Year 'Round on NASA's Hurricane Web Page

Hurricanes and tropical cyclones develop in various places around the world all year 'round, and NASA's Hurricane/Tropical Cyclone Web page covers them.

NASA and ESA Prioritize Outer Planet Missions
February 18, 2009
News and Features NASA and ESA Prioritize Outer Planet Missions

At a meeting in Washington last week, National Aeronautics and Space Administration and European Space Agency officials decided to continue pursuing studies of a mission to Jupiter and its four largest moons, and to plan for another potential mission to visit Saturn's largest moon Titan and Enceladus.

Adapting to Vents
February 18, 2009
News and Features Adapting to Vents

A unique bacterium living 2,500 meters below the surface of the ocean is providing clues about how life adapts to extreme environments. Scientists have identified genetic adaptations that allow the microorganism to survive in the waters surrounding deep-sea hydrothermal vents.

New Recipes for Dwarf Galaxies: Start With Leftover Gas
February 18, 2009
News and Features New Recipes for Dwarf Galaxies: Start With Leftover Gas

There is more than one way to make a dwarf galaxy, and NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer has found a new recipe. The spacecraft has, for the first time, identified dwarf galaxies forming out of nothing more than pristine gas likely leftover from the early universe.

Orbiting Carbon Observatory Set for Feb. 24 Launch
February 18, 2009
News and Features Orbiting Carbon Observatory Set for Feb. 24 Launch

OCO is the first spacecraft dedicated to studying atmospheric carbon dioxide, the most significant human-produced greenhouse gas and the principal human-produced driver of climate change.

Alien Safari Part 3: Technology Worlds
February 17, 2009
News and Features Alien Safari Part 3: Technology Worlds

At the most recent NASA Astrobiology Science Conference, a panel of scientists talked about planets where alien life might be found. In the third segment of this series, Jill Tarter describes different kinds of Technology Worlds.

NASA Study Predicted Outbreak of Deadly Virus
February 17, 2009
News and Features NASA Study Predicted Outbreak of Deadly Virus

An early warning system successfully predicted the 2006-2007 outbreak of the deadly Rift Valley fever in northeast Africa.

Volcanic Activity on Mt. Asama
February 17, 2009
News and Features Volcanic Activity on Mt. Asama

Asama Volcano on the Japanese island of Honshu showed signs of unrest starting in late January 2009, according to the Japanese Meteorological Agency. The agency found evidence of a thin ash layer near the summit as of January 21, as well as land deformation (a sign that magma is moving underground) and increased seismic activity as of early February.

Unlocking the Combination
February 17, 2009
News and Features Unlocking the Combination

Researchers in the field of synthetic biology are yielding clues about the origin of life on Earth. By studying how molecules self-assemble, the team is helping scientists understand how the first protocells may have captured energy and nutrients from the environment - allowing for growth and reproduction.

What's New from SARA
February 13, 2009
RSS Feeds What's New from SARA

(http://nasascience.nasa.gov/researchers/sara/whats-new/RSS) Get the latest updates to the SARA Web site and announcements.

Four NASA Goddard Scientists Named 2009 Elected AGU Fellows
February 13, 2009
News and Features

Four scientists at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. have been named Fellows of the American Geophysical Union.

Echoes of Extinction
February 13, 2009
News and Features Echoes of Extinction

Paleontologists are examining the long-lasting effects of a 65 million-year-old mass extinction. Dinosaurs and many other organisms disappeared at the end of the Cretaceous, and the evolutionary ramifications can still be seen today.

Wolf Volcano, Galapagos Islands
February 13, 2009
News and Features Wolf Volcano, Galapagos Islands

At the north end of the Galapagos’ largest island, Isabela, a volcano straddles Earth’s equator. It is the Wolf Volcano, or Volcan Wolf, and it ranks among the archipelago’s most active volcanoes.

LRO Ships South for Launch Prep
February 12, 2009
News and Features LRO Ships South for Launch Prep

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter was loaded on a truck February 11 to begin its two-day journey to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Gettysburg National Military Park
February 12, 2009
News and Features Gettysburg National Military Park

U.S. National Parks are not always chosen for their spectacular scenery, their undisturbed wilderness, or their recreational value. Some parks are created to preserve important parts of American history.

Ice Age Aliens
February 12, 2009
News and Features Ice Age Aliens

The light reflected off of vegetation could be a signal of life on an alien planet. Researchers have now shown that this plant life signal can be seen even if a world is in the midst of an ice age.

Spirit Gets Energy Boost from Cleaner Solar Panels
February 12, 2009
News and Features Spirit Gets Energy Boost from Cleaner Solar Panels

A small but important uptick in electrical output from the solar panels on Spirit this month indicates a beneficial Martian wind has blown away some of the dust that has accumulated on the panels.

NASA Receives Shorty Twitter Award
February 11, 2009
News and Features NASA Receives Shorty Twitter Award

NASA's activities in social networking media will be recognized Wednesday in New York, when the agency receives an award for its presence on the popular Web site Twitter.

Big Snake, Warm Climate
February 11, 2009
News and Features Big Snake, Warm Climate

Scientists have found fossil remains of a massive snake that may have measure 13 meters in length. By studying the snake's size, the team is yielding new information about the history of Earth's climate and its connections to the evolution of life.

Mt. Redoubt Volcano, Alaska
February 11, 2009
News and Features Mt. Redoubt Volcano, Alaska

The glacier-covered Redoubt Volcano is one of many that line Alaska’s southern shores. Located 177 kilometers (110 miles) southwest of Anchorage, Redoubt is one of the peaks in the scenic Chigmit Mountain Range that frames the western side of Cook Inlet in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve. Redoubt is also one of the most active of the Cook Inlet volcanoes.

NASA Mission Meets the Carbon Dioxide Measurement Challenge
February 11, 2009
News and Features NASA Mission Meets the Carbon Dioxide Measurement Challenge

The challenge: very precisely measure carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere all over the world, especially near Earth's surface.

Team Begins Search for Earths in the Sun's Backyard
February 10, 2009
News and Features Team Begins Search for Earths in the Sun's Backyard

A team of planet hunters is looking for Earthlike planets orbiting the sun's closest neighbor.

Antarctic Expedition Prepared Researchers for Mars Project
February 10, 2009
News and Features Antarctic Expedition Prepared Researchers for Mars Project

Before Phoenix began digging into the arctic plain of Mars, scientists traveled to one of the coldest, driest places on Earth for soil-and-ice studies to aid in the analysis of Mars data.

Sizing Up Asteroids
February 10, 2009
News and Features Sizing Up Asteroids

A new technique is allowing astronomers to measure the sizes of small asteroids in the main belt between Mars and Jupiter for the first time. Previously, these asteroids were too small to measure using traditional methods.

Bushfires in Southeast Australia
February 10, 2009
News and Features Bushfires in Southeast Australia

An image captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Aqua satellite shows the Barry Mountains of central Victoria on February 9, 2009.

NASA's Swift, Fermi Probe Fireworks From a Flaring Gamma-Ray Star
February 10, 2009
News and Features NASA's Swift, Fermi Probe Fireworks From a Flaring Gamma-Ray Star

Astronomers using NASA's Swift satellite and Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope are seeing frequent blasts from a stellar remnant 30,000 light-years away.

NASA's Great Observatories Celebrate International Year of Astronomy
February 10, 2009
News and Features NASA's Great Observatories Celebrate International Year of Astronomy

Galileo first turned his telescope to the heavens in 1609, marking the dawn of modern astronomy. To commemorate 400 years of exploring the universe, 2009 has been designated the International Year of Astronomy.

Ancient Escape Hatches
February 09, 2009
News and Features Ancient Escape Hatches

Scientists have determined that formations once identified as ancient tubeworm fossils are actually the remnants of 70-million-year-old methane vents. The discovery highlights how our understanding of life's evolution can change in light of new scientific evidence.

Google Mars
February 09, 2009
News and Features Google Mars

NASA and Google have announced a new 'Mars mode' in Google Earth. Now, everyone can navigate three-dimensional views of the Red Planet - through the eyes of Mars rovers and other Mars missions. Google Mars 3D will also serve as a platform for scientists to share data.

Alien Safari Part 2: Life Above and Below
February 09, 2009
News and Features Alien Safari Part 2: Life Above and Below

At the most recent NASA Astrobiology Science Conference, a panel of scientists discussed different types of planets where we might find alien life. In the second part of this series, T.C. Onstott digs beneath the surface to look for life, and Peter Ward weighs the odds of finding complex life in space and time.

Webb Telescope's 'Spine' Now Being Built
February 09, 2009
News and Features Webb Telescope's 'Spine' Now Being Built

One piece of the James Webb Space Telescope currently being built is called the backplane. It functions as a sort of "spine" to the telescope.

Notes From the Field
February 08, 2009
RSS Feeds Notes From the Field

(http://www.nasascience.nasa.gov/earth-science/applied-sciences/notes-from-the-field/RSS) The NASA Applied Sciences Program works with other government agencies, universities, and non-profit, international, and private sector organizations to extend the benefits of Earth Science research results. This blog serves as a venue to update the public on applied sciences projects and exciting outcomes!

NASA Satellites Capture Sea Surface Heights Around the World
February 06, 2009
News and Features NASA Satellites Capture Sea Surface Heights Around the World

NASA satellites Jason-1, Topex/Poseidon, and OSTM/Jason-2 all collect data about sea surface heights around the world. Higher seas indicate warmer waters (that power storms) while lower seas indicate ...

Astronauts Swab the Decks
February 06, 2009
News and Features Astronauts Swab the Decks

Even in space, someone has to clean the bathroom. ISS astronauts are using a tricorder-like device to help them 'swab the decks.'

Sponges on Steroids
February 06, 2009
News and Features Sponges on Steroids

New NASA-funded research shows that complex life on Earth may have evolved 80 million years earlier than previously thought. The earliest animal ancestors appear to be sponges, which rarely leave behind fossils. Scientists identified the ancient sponges by the unique biosignatures they left behind.

NOAA-N Prime Weather Satellite Launches
February 06, 2009
News and Features NOAA-N Prime Weather Satellite Launches

A smooth countdown for the Delta II Launch of NOAA-N Prime on Feb. 6 at 5:22 a.m. EST.

NASA and Caltech Test Steep-Terrain Rover
February 05, 2009
News and Features NASA and Caltech Test Steep-Terrain Rover

Engineers from JPL and students at Caltech have designed and tested a versatile, low-mass robot that can rappel off cliffs and travel nimbly over steep and rocky terrain.

Workers Continue Prepping Discovery
February 05, 2009
News and Features Workers Continue Prepping Discovery

Discovery astronauts launch in February to deliver the final set of solar arrays to the International Space Station.

Green Comet Approaches Earth
February 05, 2009
News and Features Green Comet Approaches Earth

Comet Lulin is approaching Earth for a 38-million-mile close encounter later this month. The green double-tailed comet is putting on a fine show for backyard telescopes and could soon become visible to the unaided eye.

Cassini-Huygens Mission Status Report
February 05, 2009
News and Features Cassini-Huygens Mission Status Report

The Cassini spacecraft will swap to a backup set of propulsion thrusters in mid-March due to degradation in the performance of the current set of thrusters.

Scattering the Seeds of Life
February 05, 2009
News and Features Scattering the Seeds of Life

Some astrobiologists think life may have arrived on Earth inside a comet or meteorite. Calling this process “Panspermia” is misguided, says a historian who has studied the evolution of thought about life’s origin.

A Very Hot Earth
February 04, 2009
News and Features A Very Hot Earth

With observations from the COROT telescope, astronomers have identified the smallest exoplanet known. The planet is less that twice the size of Earth, orbits a sun-like star and is solid enough to walk on. This important discovery widens the scope for astronomers searching for habitable, Earth-like planets around distant stars.

An Ocean Breeze: Mapping Brazil’s Offshore Wind Power Potential
February 04, 2009
News and Features An Ocean Breeze: Mapping Brazil’s Offshore Wind Power Potential

Searching for alternative sources of energy for his country, one student turned to a NASA satellite to assess the feasibility of offshore wind power in Southeast Brazil.

NOAA-N Prime Launch Delayed
February 04, 2009
News and Features NOAA-N Prime Launch Delayed

The NOAA-N Prime launch has been postponed until Thursday at the earliest while engineers repair a problem with a launch pad nitrogen pressurization system.

NASA's SkyView Delivers the Multiwavelength Cosmos
February 04, 2009
News and Features NASA's SkyView Delivers the Multiwavelength Cosmos

SkyView's amazing database helps astronomers deal with the ever-increasing amount of survey data providing a single interface for accessing more than 36 surveys covering nearly 100 wavelength bands.

To the Extreme: NASA Tests Heat Shield Materials
February 04, 2009
News and Features To the Extreme: NASA Tests Heat Shield Materials

NASA's new spacecraft Orion will face extreme conditions throughout its voyage to the moon and the journey home.

Oil Seeps in the Gulf of Mexico
February 03, 2009
News and Features Oil Seeps in the Gulf of Mexico

Although accidents and hurricane damage to infrastructure are often to blame for oil spills and the resulting pollution in coastal Gulf of Mexico waters, natural seepage from the ocean floor introduces a significant amount of oil to ocean environments as well.

Ice Storm Hits the United States
February 03, 2009
News and Features Ice Storm Hits the United States

Nearly a week after a winter storm coated a broad swath of the United States with ice and snow, the clouds cleared enough to provide this photo-like view of the winter landscape.

Mix and Match Genes
February 03, 2009
News and Features Mix and Match Genes

Scientists studying a glowing bacterium that lives in both squid and fish have made an astonishing discovery about how the bacteria is able to inhabit two different species. It all comes down to a single gene that allows the bacteria to change its host, which highlights the importance of genetic information in the evolution of living organisms.

NASA and Google Launch Virtual Exploration of Mars
February 03, 2009
News and Features NASA and Google Launch Virtual Exploration of Mars

NASA and Google announce the release of a new Mars mode in Google Earth that brings to everyone's desktop a high-resolution, three-dimensional view of the Red Planet.

NOAA-N Prime Update
February 03, 2009
News and Features NOAA-N Prime Update

Final launch operations will get underway late this afternoon in California. The loading of RP-1 fuel into the Delta II rocket's first stage is set to begin at 6:30 EST with tower rollback following at 8:30. Call to stations for the launch team will be at 2 a.m.

Alien Safari, Part I: Slime Worlds
February 02, 2009
News and Features Alien Safari, Part I: Slime Worlds

At the most recent NASA Astrobiology Science Conference, a panel of scientists discussed different types of planets where alien life might be found. In part one of this series, Seth Shostak reviews the search for extrasolar planets, and Tori Hoehler describes a place of “colorful microbial goo” called Slime World.

Capturing Hydrocarbon Rain
February 02, 2009
News and Features Capturing Hydrocarbon Rain

NASA's Cassini spacecraft has captured new images of liquid hydrocarbon lakes on Titan. More importantly, the images show changes in the lakes potentially caused by rainfall. Titan is the first world apart from Earth where bodies of liquid have been identified at the surface.

This Month in Exploration - February
February 02, 2009
News and Features This Month in Exploration - February

Twenty-five years ago American astronauts performed the first untethered excursions. Read more historical facts in This Month in Exploration.

Discovery Astronauts Set for Feb. 12 Launch to Station
February 02, 2009
News and Features Discovery Astronauts Set for Feb. 12 Launch to Station

At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians installed space shuttle Discovery's gaseous hydrogen, or GH2, flow control valves Saturday. GH2 leak checks will be performed today. The GH2 valves are used to synchronize the gas pressure between the external fuel tank and the engines, creating an even flow.

Archive Summary