We are calling for the Obama administration and the US Congress to increase NASA's funding from its current roughly 0.46% to a whole 1% of the US annual budget. NASA contributes massive amounts of technological, economical and inspiration power to our nation, and we want to see that they are funded to continue doing just that!


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12 notes
Posted 18, June, 2013
On June 18, 1983, Sally Ride became the first American woman in space and the youngest astronaut at 32. Ride logged a total of 344 hours in space between two flights on board the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1983 and 1984, and remains the youngest astronaut ever. Since Ride’s landmark flight thirty years ago, 44 more American women have become astronauts and flown to space. Ride who passed away last July was an inspiration to all who dreamed of becoming astronauts and for women interested in science. Sunday was also the 50th anniversary of the female Soviet Cosmonaut Valentina Tereskova’s three-day space flight. Today’s anniversary is accompanied by milestone NASA news. This week NASA announced the 2013 Astronaut Candidate Class and for the first time ever half of the candidates are women. The eight candidates were chosen from over 6,100 applicants—-the second largest application pool in NASA history. The female astronaut candidates are Christina M. Hammock, NOAA Station Chief; Nicole Aunapu Mann, U.S. Marine Corps Major; Anne C. McClain, U.S. Army Major; and Jessica U. Meir, Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School. Learn more about the 2013 Astronaut Candidate Class.

On June 18, 1983, Sally Ride became the first American woman in space and the youngest astronaut at 32. Ride logged a total of 344 hours in space between two flights on board the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1983 and 1984, and remains the youngest astronaut ever. Since Ride’s landmark flight thirty years ago, 44 more American women have become astronauts and flown to space. Ride who passed away last July was an inspiration to all who dreamed of becoming astronauts and for women interested in science. Sunday was also the 50th anniversary of the female Soviet Cosmonaut Valentina Tereskova’s three-day space flight.
 
Today’s anniversary is accompanied by milestone NASA news. This week NASA announced the 2013 Astronaut Candidate Class and for the first time ever half of the candidates are women. The eight candidates were chosen from over 6,100 applicants—-the second largest application pool in NASA history. The female astronaut candidates are Christina M. Hammock, NOAA Station Chief; Nicole Aunapu Mann, U.S. Marine Corps Major; Anne C. McClain, U.S. Army Major; and Jessica U. Meir, Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School.
 
Learn more about the 2013 Astronaut Candidate Class.

72 notes
Posted 17, June, 2013
July 16, 1969, three brave men set out to make history. Instead of following the beaten path, they choose go where no one had gone before and pave a path of their own. In full knowledge of the risk and in spite of all the naysayers, they aspired to greatness.In the words of Theodore Roosevelt:“Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those timid spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.”Honor the courage and the ambition of the crew of Apollo 11 and tell Congress to Dare Mighty Things once again:http://www.penny4nasa.org/take-action/

July 16, 1969, three brave men set out to make history. Instead of following the beaten path, they choose go where no one had gone before and pave a path of their own. In full knowledge of the risk and in spite of all the naysayers, they aspired to greatness.

In the words of Theodore Roosevelt:

“Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those timid spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.”

Honor the courage and the ambition of the crew of Apollo 11 and tell Congress to Dare Mighty Things once again:
http://www.penny4nasa.org/take-action/

13 notes
Posted 17, June, 2013
From space shuttle foam to space robots, NASA technology has made artificial limbs more dynamic, durable, and cost effective.The original artificial limbs, also referred to as prosthetics, were made of plaster and corn starch molds. These molds were heavy and broke easily, so Harshberger Prosthetic and Orthodontic Center reached out to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) for help. MSFC and Lockheed-Martin Company were responsible for building the space shuttle’s external tank, which was covered with a foam insulation. This foam insulation protects the external tank and is lighter, stronger, and less expensive than plaster. Harshberger then began using the external tank foam to create molds for artificial limbs. Additionally, Environmental Robots Inc. developed artificial muscle systems for use in NASA’s space robots and rovers. These artificial systems were later adapted to create more functionally dynamic artificial limbs. The solutions NASA created for space exploration have also created solutions on Earth. Tell Congress to double NASA’s funding, so we can continue creating solutions for both.

From space shuttle foam to space robots, NASA technology has made artificial limbs more dynamic, durable, and cost effective.

The original artificial limbs, also referred to as prosthetics, were made of plaster and corn starch molds. These molds were heavy and broke easily, so Harshberger Prosthetic and Orthodontic Center reached out to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) for help. MSFC and Lockheed-Martin Company were responsible for building the space shuttle’s external tank, which was covered with a foam insulation. This foam insulation protects the external tank and is lighter, stronger, and less expensive than plaster. Harshberger then began using the external tank foam to create molds for artificial limbs.

Additionally, Environmental Robots Inc. developed artificial muscle systems for use in NASA’s space robots and rovers. These artificial systems were later adapted to create more functionally dynamic artificial limbs.

The solutions NASA created for space exploration have also created solutions on Earth. Tell Congress to double NASA’s funding, so we can continue creating solutions for both.

5 notes
Posted 15, June, 2013
A huge part of encouraging investments in science and technology is reaching out and empowering prospective science and engineering students. Here at Penny4NASA, we are proud to count the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS) as one of our allies in the fight for space. SEDS shares our belief that the inspiration of young people is crucial to humanity’s future in space, so whenever there is an opportunity to help future scientists and engineers, we like to support it. SEDS is currently participating in a gift-matching campaign organized by www.giveforyouth.org as a part of their “Fuel the Ambition” campaign. Through donations from supporters, SEDS can fund some of their fantastic microprojects designed to give students invaluable job skills as well as entrepreneurial and technical experience in space-related fields. Projects range from technical challenges—like SEDS’ High Powered Rocketry Competition where college teams compete to build a rocket capable of delivering a payload to 10,000 feet—to business-related experiences where students can build communication and leadership skills relevant to their chosen STEM fields. During the “Fuel the Ambition” campaign, Give for Youth’s partner Microsoft will be matching all donations at 50% up to $150,000 or until the campaign ends on June 18th.  There is no better time than right now to directly support motivated students who will define the future of America’s space industry! For a full list and to donate to projects that SEDS has created, visit the SEDS section of Give for Youth’s website: http://goo.gl/1iyCG Remember, the deadline to have your donation matched at 50% by Microsoft is June 18th!

A huge part of encouraging investments in science and technology is reaching out and empowering prospective science and engineering students. Here at Penny4NASA, we are proud to count the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS) as one of our allies in the fight for space. SEDS shares our belief that the inspiration of young people is crucial to humanity’s future in space, so whenever there is an opportunity to help future scientists and engineers, we like to support it.

SEDS is currently participating in a gift-matching campaign organized by www.giveforyouth.org as a part of their “Fuel the Ambition” campaign. Through donations from supporters, SEDS can fund some of their fantastic microprojects designed to give students invaluable job skills as well as entrepreneurial and technical experience in space-related fields.

Projects range from technical challenges—like SEDS’ High Powered Rocketry Competition where college teams compete to build a rocket capable of delivering a payload to 10,000 feet—to business-related experiences where students can build communication and leadership skills relevant to their chosen STEM fields.

During the “Fuel the Ambition” campaign, Give for Youth’s partner Microsoft will be matching all donations at 50% up to $150,000 or until the campaign ends on June 18th.  There is no better time than right now to directly support motivated students who will define the future of America’s space industry!

For a full list and to donate to projects that SEDS has created, visit the SEDS section of Give for Youth’s website: http://goo.gl/1iyCG

Remember, the deadline to have your donation matched at 50% by Microsoft is June 18th!

40 notes
Posted 13, June, 2013
How do the tiny grains of dust in the surroundings of a young star grow in size?After decades of astronomical study, we know that planets around other stars not only exist, but are prevalent. However, we still do not fully understand how they form and there are many aspects of the formation of comets, planets, and other rocky bodies that remain a mystery to astronomers. The newly opened Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) is the world’s most powerful observatory for studying the universe at the long-wavelength millimeter and submillimeter range of light. It’s designed to spot some the most distant, ancient galaxies known to date, and to closely study and observe the areas around young stars.Computer models suggest that dust grains grow when they collide and stick together. However, when these bigger grains collide again at high speed, they are often smashed to pieces and sent back to square one. Even when this does not happen, the models show that the larger grains would quickly move inward because of friction between the dust and gas, thus falling onto their parent star and leaving no chance that they could grow even further.The dust requires a region where the particles can continue to grow without the host star prematurely ending any chance of further growth. These regions has been nicknamed “dust traps,” but until ALMA, there has been no proof that these areas actually exist.Nienke van der Marel from Leiden Observatory utilized ALMA to observe the disk in a system called Oph-IRS 48. http://www.nrao.edu/pr/2013/dusttrap/“It’s likely that we are looking at a kind of comet factory, as the conditions are right for the particles to grow from millimeter to comet size,” said van der Marel. “The dust is not likely to form full-sized planets at this distance from the star. But in the near future, ALMA will be able to observe dust traps closer to their parent stars, where the same mechanisms are at work. Such dust traps really would be the cradles for new-born planets.”Learn more about ALMA and “dust traps” by watching the newest video from SpaceRip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxRwfNOION4

How do the tiny grains of dust in the surroundings of a young star grow in size?

After decades of astronomical study, we know that planets around other stars not only exist, but are prevalent. However, we still do not fully understand how they form and there are many aspects of the formation of comets, planets, and other rocky bodies that remain a mystery to astronomers. 

The newly opened Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) is the world’s most powerful observatory for studying the universe at the long-wavelength millimeter and submillimeter range of light. It’s designed to spot some the most distant, ancient galaxies known to date, and to closely study and observe the areas around young stars.

Computer models suggest that dust grains grow when they collide and stick together. However, when these bigger grains collide again at high speed, they are often smashed to pieces and sent back to square one. Even when this does not happen, the models show that the larger grains would quickly move inward because of friction between the dust and gas, thus falling onto their parent star and leaving no chance that they could grow even further.

The dust requires a region where the particles can continue to grow without the host star prematurely ending any chance of further growth. These regions has been nicknamed “dust traps,” but until ALMA, there has been no proof that these areas actually exist.

Nienke van der Marel from Leiden Observatory utilized ALMA to observe the disk in a system called Oph-IRS 48. http://www.nrao.edu/pr/2013/dusttrap/

“It’s likely that we are looking at a kind of comet factory, as the conditions are right for the particles to grow from millimeter to comet size,” said van der Marel. “The dust is not likely to form full-sized planets at this distance from the star. But in the near future, ALMA will be able to observe dust traps closer to their parent stars, where the same mechanisms are at work. Such dust traps really would be the cradles for new-born planets.”

Learn more about ALMA and “dust traps” by watching the newest video from SpaceRip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxRwfNOION4

42 notes
Posted 13, June, 2013
David Ruck is the creator of the documentary film project “I Want to Be an Astronaut,” which follows one kid’s dream of being an astronaut and the hard work he’s putting into making that dream come true. The film is in its final stages of post-production.Astronaut.com conducted a short interview with Ruck about the film. Here’s one question from the interview:Why did you decide to do a movie about one kid’s dream of being an astronaut?“I have to tell you that I really didn’t plan to do a movie about a kid who dreamed of being an astronaut. I hate to admit it, but I was pretty much a space skeptic until one day when I was watching Bill Maher’s show. He had astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson on and he said we had spent more money on bailing out the banks than we had spent on NASA’s budget for it’s entire 50 year history. And that kind of stopped me in my tracks. I thought, really? That doesn’t seem right. But it was true. And that made me angry. To think we could spend more on bailing out our banks than the entire budget for NASA. And I wondered, “do kids even dream about being astronauts anymore?”At the time, I lived near Chantilly, Virginia which is by the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum, and I thought, “well, if there are kids that want to be astronauts, this would be a good place to find them.” Low and behold, there in Chantilly High School I found the Robotics Team and the captain of the team was this amazing kid, Blair Mason, who had wanted to be an astronaut from the time he was 3. He had lived his whole life doing what he needed to do to make it happen. It was kind of surreal. He was the nicest kid ever, and super smart, and he just loved space. Literally lit up a room talking about it, and I thought, “wow, this is a story that needs to be told because we need to inspire kids to follow their dreams,” and that’s how this all started.”Read the rest of the interview at the link below and check out the IndieGogo campaign calling for help to finish up the film. Teachers are already asking Ruck for copies of this film to show in their classrooms, so if you can, consider chipping in for a movie that may inspire millions, young and old, to reach for the stars once again.http://astronaut.com/i-want-to-be-an-astronaut-interview/via Astronaut

David Ruck is the creator of the documentary film project “I Want to Be an Astronaut,” which follows one kid’s dream of being an astronaut and the hard work he’s putting into making that dream come true. The film is in its final stages of post-production.

Astronaut.com conducted a short interview with Ruck about the film. Here’s one question from the interview:

Why did you decide to do a movie about one kid’s dream of being an astronaut?

“I have to tell you that I really didn’t plan to do a movie about a kid who dreamed of being an astronaut. I hate to admit it, but I was pretty much a space skeptic until one day when I was watching Bill Maher’s show. He had astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson on and he said we had spent more money on bailing out the banks than we had spent on NASA’s budget for it’s entire 50 year history. And that kind of stopped me in my tracks. I thought, really? That doesn’t seem right. But it was true. And that made me angry. To think we could spend more on bailing out our banks than the entire budget for NASA. And I wondered, “do kids even dream about being astronauts anymore?”

At the time, I lived near Chantilly, Virginia which is by the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum, and I thought, “well, if there are kids that want to be astronauts, this would be a good place to find them.” Low and behold, there in Chantilly High School I found the Robotics Team and the captain of the team was this amazing kid, Blair Mason, who had wanted to be an astronaut from the time he was 3. He had lived his whole life doing what he needed to do to make it happen. It was kind of surreal. He was the nicest kid ever, and super smart, and he just loved space. Literally lit up a room talking about it, and I thought, “wow, this is a story that needs to be told because we need to inspire kids to follow their dreams,” and that’s how this all started.”

Read the rest of the interview at the link below and check out the IndieGogo campaign calling for help to finish up the film. Teachers are already asking Ruck for copies of this film to show in their classrooms, so if you can, consider chipping in for a movie that may inspire millions, young and old, to reach for the stars once again.

http://astronaut.com/i-want-to-be-an-astronaut-interview/

via Astronaut
5 notes
Posted 13, June, 2013
This is what happens when a small galaxy crashes through a larger one. It results in a ring-shaped galaxy and a long tail companion. This galaxy is called Mayall’s object and is located 450-500 million light years away from our solar system. You would find this peculiar galaxy in Ursa Major and extends 80,000 light years! Many galaxies merge and even our very own Milky Way is consuming the Sagittarius dwarf elliptical galaxy, but in two billion years the Milky Way will be colliding with the massive Andromeda Galaxy. This is just another example of what the Hubble Space Telescope brought to us and it’s hard to even fathom how intense this event actually is. If you think this is awesome then support NASA and take action today so we can understand more about these peculiar galaxies. http://www.penny4nasa.org/take-action/

This is what happens when a small galaxy crashes through a larger one. It results in a ring-shaped galaxy and a long tail companion. This galaxy is called Mayall’s object and is located 450-500 million light years away from our solar system. You would find this peculiar galaxy in Ursa Major and extends 80,000 light years!

Many galaxies merge and even our very own Milky Way is consuming the Sagittarius dwarf elliptical galaxy, but in two billion years the Milky Way will be colliding with the massive Andromeda Galaxy. This is just another example of what the Hubble Space Telescope brought to us and it’s hard to even fathom how intense this event actually is.

If you think this is awesome then support NASA and take action today so we can understand more about these peculiar galaxies. http://www.penny4nasa.org/take-action/

3 notes
Posted 12, June, 2013
In a recent video from the Hubble Heritage Team, we are given insight into their image production process. They spend a few minutes showing how they transform raw data from the Hubble Space Telescope into the images we all enjoy, check it out:http://youtu.be/MX_nTpFFd4sFor more information on the video and the production process, here’s Universe Today’s write-up of the video:http://www.universetoday.com/102760/how-a-hubble-image-goes-from-photons-to-finished-beauty/

In a recent video from the Hubble Heritage Team, we are given insight into their image production process. They spend a few minutes showing how they transform raw data from the Hubble Space Telescope into the images we all enjoy, check it out:

http://youtu.be/MX_nTpFFd4s

For more information on the video and the production process, here’s Universe Today’s write-up of the video:

http://www.universetoday.com/102760/how-a-hubble-image-goes-from-photons-to-finished-beauty/

9 notes
Posted 10, June, 2013
NASA is set to launch a brand new solar observation satellite later this month—known as IRIS—with the goal of observing an enigmatic area of our sun known as the interface region.The interface region—sometimes called the lower atmosphere— of the Sun plays a key role in intensifying the heat of the Sun’s upper atmosphere, or corona. How the interface region accomplishes this is relatively unknown, so IRIS aims to solve this mystery by tracing the path of solar energy and plasma from lower levels like the chromosphere, through the interface region, and finally to the corona.IRIS—short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph—will be launched on June 26th via a Pegasus XL rocket from the back of an Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft, flown from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.The satellite itself stands at seven feet tall and carries an ultraviolet telescope which feeds into a multi-channel imaging spectrograph. IRIS’ hardware will allow it to obtain high-res images and spectra of areas as small as 150 mile across, smaller than any current solar observation satellite. Being able to pinpoint areas in the interface region during its two-year prime mission will allow for vast increase in understanding of solar activity, as Jeffrey Newmark of NASA states:“IRIS data will fill a crucial gap in our understanding of the solar interface region upon joining our fleet of heliophysics spacecraft…For the first time we will have the necessary observations for understanding how energy is delivered to the million-degree outer solar corona and how the base of the solar wind is driven.”Understanding more about the interface region will allow scientists to better predict and analyze solar flares and coronal mass ejections—phenomena that have vast implications to technology and life on Earth. As Carl Sagan once said, “understanding is a joy, [and] knowledge is prerequisite to survival”. NASA continues to push humanity’s understanding forward, so let’s keep up the support of their discoveries!Take action and show your support of NASA at our website! http://www.penny4nasa.org/take-action/Read more about IRIS: http://goo.gl/gTmgY

NASA is set to launch a brand new solar observation satellite later this month—known as IRIS—with the goal of observing an enigmatic area of our sun known as the interface region.

The interface region—sometimes called the lower atmosphere— of the Sun plays a key role in intensifying the heat of the Sun’s upper atmosphere, or corona. How the interface region accomplishes this is relatively unknown, so IRIS aims to solve this mystery by tracing the path of solar energy and plasma from lower levels like the chromosphere, through the interface region, and finally to the corona.

IRIS—short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph—will be launched on June 26th via a Pegasus XL rocket from the back of an Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft, flown from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

The satellite itself stands at seven feet tall and carries an ultraviolet telescope which feeds into a multi-channel imaging spectrograph. IRIS’ hardware will allow it to obtain high-res images and spectra of areas as small as 150 mile across, smaller than any current solar observation satellite. Being able to pinpoint areas in the interface region during its two-year prime mission will allow for vast increase in understanding of solar activity, as Jeffrey Newmark of NASA states:

“IRIS data will fill a crucial gap in our understanding of the solar interface region upon joining our fleet of heliophysics spacecraft…For the first time we will have the necessary observations for understanding how energy is delivered to the million-degree outer solar corona and how the base of the solar wind is driven.”

Understanding more about the interface region will allow scientists to better predict and analyze solar flares and coronal mass ejections—phenomena that have vast implications to technology and life on Earth. As Carl Sagan once said, “understanding is a joy, [and] knowledge is prerequisite to survival”. NASA continues to push humanity’s understanding forward, so let’s keep up the support of their discoveries!

Take action and show your support of NASA at our website! http://www.penny4nasa.org/take-action/

Read more about IRIS: http://goo.gl/gTmgY

14 notes
Posted 8, June, 2013
“I think humans will reach Mars, and I would like to see it happen in my lifetime.” –Buzz Aldrin Mars Arctic 365 is the next step in working toward human exploration of the Red Planet. Set to begin in July of 2014, the mission is a creation of the Mars Society and will be the most realistic mock Mars mission to date. Six crewmembers will spend one full year living and working in the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station (FMARS), situated on Devon Island in the high-altitude Canadian Arctic. FMARS is a 25 x 27 foot cylindrical structure, simulating more similar spatial restrictions that will likely be conditions for astronauts on Mars. The crewmembers will conduct scientific research, such as field geology, and perform maintenance on their habitat and equipment (all while wearing space suits, of course). Compared to past mock Mars missions, like Mars 500, Mars Arctic 365 will be a more precise and realistic mission simulation. As FMARS director Joe Palaia points out, “The duration, the harsh environment, actually doing the same activities as a Mars crew—this combination hasn’t been done before.” The Mars Society wants to test the crew’s ability—under all of the conditions aforementioned—to work efficiently and to make any small changes to procedures or equipment that might have otherwise been overlooked. Put simply, through learning and making modifications, Mars Arctic 365 will prepare us for the challenges (and excitement) that will accompany the first manned mission to Mars, and NASA will surely be at the forefront of such missions in the future. The best way to improve efficiency and design of the mission is to give it a test-run.  Read more: http://www.marssociety.org/home/press/announcements/marssocietylaunchesefforttoconductone-yearmissioninthecanadianhigharctic  http://www.space.com/21392-mock-mars-mission-arctic.html  Tell Congress that you support doubling funding for NASA: http://www.penny4nasa.org/take-action/  

“I think humans will reach Mars, and I would like to see it happen in my lifetime.” –Buzz Aldrin

Mars Arctic 365 is the next step in working toward human exploration of the Red Planet. Set to begin in July of 2014, the mission is a creation of the Mars Society and will be the most realistic mock Mars mission to date. Six crewmembers will spend one full year living and working in the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station (FMARS), situated on Devon Island in the high-altitude Canadian Arctic. FMARS is a 25 x 27 foot cylindrical structure, simulating more similar spatial restrictions that will likely be conditions for astronauts on Mars. The crewmembers will conduct scientific research, such as field geology, and perform maintenance on their habitat and equipment (all while wearing space suits, of course).

Compared to past mock Mars missions, like Mars 500, Mars Arctic 365 will be a more precise and realistic mission simulation. As FMARS director Joe Palaia points out, “The duration, the harsh environment, actually doing the same activities as a Mars crew—this combination hasn’t been done before.” The Mars Society wants to test the crew’s ability—under all of the conditions aforementioned—to work efficiently and to make any small changes to procedures or equipment that might have otherwise been overlooked. Put simply, through learning and making modifications, Mars Arctic 365 will prepare us for the challenges (and excitement) that will accompany the first manned mission to Mars, and NASA will surely be at the forefront of such missions in the future. The best way to improve efficiency and design of the mission is to give it a test-run. 

Read more:

http://www.marssociety.org/home/press/announcements/marssocietylaunchesefforttoconductone-yearmissioninthecanadianhigharctic

 http://www.space.com/21392-mock-mars-mission-arctic.html

 Tell Congress that you support doubling funding for NASA:

http://www.penny4nasa.org/take-action/