Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts with the label space exploration

Gaia Space Probe Seeks to Map a Billion Stars

The European Space Agency launched on Thursday the Gaia space probe into the darkness to discover worlds still unknown. Its mission is to discover, record, detail movement and determine the potential substance of a billion stars in the Milky Way ( 1 ). Over the next five years it is believed that the probe will create a census of our solar system in a way no other ship has yet been able to complete.  The Gaia is also equipped with a digital camera. This is not a normal camera you may find on your Android Phone. It is a billion pixel camera that can scan great distances to take pictures with significant clarity ( 2 ). This will help researchers determine what they are seeing in space and where planets are located.  The amount of data processing is huge. Gaia will find a place out in space where gravitational pulls will allow it to sit still and take pictures of the galaxy around it. At a cost of a billion dollars it will be able to beat out the abilities of the Kepler syst

NASA Brings Keplerstein Back to Life-Kepler Space Telescope

The Kepler Space Telescope comes alive once more. After two out of four wheels failed in May of this year, the space mission has been out of commission. With a little ingenuity, the scientists believe they can get the telescope to work another year.   The telescope needs at least three of its four wheels to work properly. This allows them to adjust direction and hold its position steady in order to study planets far out in space. Using the solar panels at the sides of the telescope NASA believes that they can even distribute light pressure to keep the telescope pointed in the right direction.  The only problem is that it can be in proper alignment only part of the year thereby seriously limiting its mission and abilities. Senior administrators are likely to determine the cost and benefit of such a project for the 2014 year. However, the telescope’s costs has already been sunk into its design, production, launch and use. It is hoped that another year of operation will cost

Nano Nano! Are there other Earth Planets? Scientists Think So!

NASA scientists discover potentially billions of earth like planets. In 2009, after the Kepler space telescope was launched, interesting data indicates there may be other earths in our solar system.   According to proceedings from the National Academy of Sciences nearly one in five of the 11 billion planets have at least one earth-like planet orbiting it.   It has opened a new perspective to scientists, researchers, and space buffs. These planets are within 12 light years away which is not that far once the right equipment is available. It should be remembered that Columbus first proposed the idea of finding a new Asian route in 1485 and on his third voyage hit mainland South American in 1498 (13 Years). 1492 was the year he discovered the islands and he did not move at the speed of light. Around 2011, scientists discovered the Kepler-22b that contains stars within appropriate orbits around the sun. This means they could contain water and possibly be within the human habi