We spoke to you about this in January (see this article), and now the closing date is fast approaching: Monday 22 March it will be too late... JAXA, the Japanese Space Agency, is offering to engrave your name and a small message on a DVD-ROM which is to be carried by the solar sail IKAROS (launched with the Akatsuki probe to Venus on 17 May 2010). And it’s free!
Name registration form
Published on 12 March 2010
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From left to right, the heads of the ISS’ space agency partners united in Tokyo, Japan: Keiji Tachikawa (JAXA - Japan), Charles Bolden (NASA – United State), Anatoly Perminov (Roscosmos - Russia), Jean-Jacques Dordain (ESA - Europe) and Steve MacLean (CSA - Canada).
Crédit : JAXA |
The heads of the International Space Station’s space agency partners met in Tokyo, Japan, on 11 March 2010 (above photograph). Once together, they reaffirmed the importance of the ISS’ future use given that its assembly will soon be finished and that the permanent crews (Expeditions) now total 6 astronauts. NASA, Roscosmos, the ESA, JAXA and the ASC also want to certify on-orbit elements beyond 2020 so that they can continue using the Station until 2028.
Press release on the ESA website
Published on 12 March 2010
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Although preparations for STS-131 mission are following their normal course for blast-off on 5 April, the managers responsible for NASA’s space plane flight schedule are working on a possible postponement of STS-134. This flight is due to take the AMS, Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, experiment to the ISS at the end of July. However, an AMS ground test in Europe has apparently revealed a thermal insulation problem. Depending on the time lapse required for solving this unexpected event, the blast-off dates for the last two space shuttle missions (133 and 134) could therefore be modified. At the same time, several of Florida’s elected representatives have declared themselves in favour of extending the space shuttle flights beyond those currently slated and of voting the necessary budgets in Congress (about 2.4 billion dollars per year). John Shannon, who directs the space shuttle programme at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, has also publicly stated that such an extension was technically and logistically possible.
Published on 11 March 2010
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On 15 April 2010, the President of the United States, Barack Obama, is to visit Florida as part of a space summit meeting. Since NASA’s latest budget plans put forward by the White House are causing serious waves on the Sunshine State’s Space Coast, including a letter from the elected representatives of this state (see this article), many hope that the President will take advantage of the occasion to set out the long-term objectives for American human space flights, and thus dispel the impression of withdrawal, even rejection, highlighted by the opponents of his space policy.
Published on 10 March 2010
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Decidedly more active than ever, the pilot of the Apollo 11 lunar module and second man to have walked on the Moon is currently taking part in the TV reality show “Dancing with the Stars” on the American ABC channel. In this programme, celebrities are coupled with professional dancers and their performances are marked by the television audiences. At the end of each programme, the public eliminate the most unconvincing couple. Buzz Aldrin said that he hopes to be able to make the general public more aware of the space industry by taking part in this extremely popular TV show.
Dancing with the Stars on ABC
Published on 10 March 2010
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Astronaut Michel Tognini (left), Head of the European Astronaut Centre (EAC), welcomed the Alanen family: Esa, Katja and their children Johannes and Matleena.
Crédit : ESA |
When the European Space Agency wanted to open its Twitter account last year, it found out that the name “esa” (for European Space Agency) was already taken... By someone wanting to hinder the agency? No, not at all, by a Finn by the name of Esa Alanen, a man who works for Nokia (Esa is a common first name for a man or boy in this country). The latter has agreed to give up his account on the famous micro-blogging platform. As a means of thanking him, the ESA organised a VIP visit for him and his family to the European astronaut training centre in Cologne, Germany. Johannes, the 6 year old son of Esa Alanen, dreams of being an astronaut.
ESA press release
ESA on Twitter
And don’t forget Enjoy Space on Twitter!
Published on 9 March 2010
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The Spot 4 satellite belonging to the French company Spot Image has shown details of the destruction caused by the flooding that resulted from the storm Xynthia in the area around La-Faute-sur-Mer during the night of 27 to 28 February (see above image).
Spot Image press release
Published on 9 March 2010
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