SpaceBlog Alpha

It takes a lot more to get a new Blogzine going than I once thought.
In the beginning, having met with some small success banging away at it all by myself, I believed it could be done with little or no interruption in the already busy lives of its contributors. But alas, that's not the case.

Not that it matters, we'll get it all together eventually.
You see, I believe in this project. I believe the world needs SpaceBlog Alpha; they need to be taught to care about Space exploration again, to worry about the fact the U.S. went to the Moon thirty years ago but can't put a spaceship in orbit today; that sooner or later someone, some nation, will conquer Space flight, and that nation will lead the world.
It doesn't matter to me who does it, only that it is done; That Space is open to anyone with the guts and the wits and the will to go there, not just a lucky few.
That's as it should be. Because the destiny of all humankind lies beyond the thin blue atmosphere that has blanketed us for eons. Our destiny is out there...somewhere...

Sorry to be gone so long...

Look, I know what you were thinking: The Space Ace is finished. No Posts, no witty criticism of NASA, no insight into the connection between carbon nanotubes and mowing your lawn (robotics) and no updates on the status of Venus Express; Just when you finally got around to saving me in your favorites list, I stop writing.

Well, fear not! The Space Ace is coming back, with a vengeance.

I have hitched my wagon to a new Blogzine called SpaceBlog Alpha. It seems I am not alone in my quest to make Space news available (and understandable) for everyone. Worldwide.

So stay tuned, keep your eyes open and fear not...

The Space Ace is here. Brought to you by:

SpaceBlog Alpha

It's all about Space, mon

Venus Express To Launch November 9

In today's Space Industry, no launch is a sure thing until it's over. So, when I say the Venus Express spacecraft is scheduled for launch Nov. 9, it means, tentatively, right?
Postponed once, the European Space Agency ship will eventually study Venus' atmosphere and magnetic field, helping unlock the mystery of why it's so darn hot.

Beyond that, it will simply expand our understanding of the worlds around us.

Russia, China Might Team-Up For Mars Mission

It seems likely: Russia and China will join forces to explore both the Moon and Mars. To their credit, the Russians have made no secret of their desire to support anyone else interested in helping pay the bills for a Space mission. So why not China? The mutual benefits would be enormous.
Both countries are agressively pursuing advancements in Space Technology, joining forces means sharing costs and saving money for more missions. Eventually, they'll have an infrastructure in place, and then making a profit will become a whole lot easier.
Whether its mining Helium3 or beaming solar energy down from the lunar surface, somebody will be controlling these ventures. It only remains to be seen which flag that person will salute.

Two More Moons For Pluto

Astronomers believe they have spotted two additional moons in orbit around Pluto, the most distant object in our Solar System. These photos are compliments of the Hubble Space Telescope.
It's hard to determine exactly what is going on at the edges of our Solar System, but scientists are increasingly finding more and more evidence it's much more crowded in the Kuiper belt than we had imagined. Good thing we have New Horizons.
Its mission is to scout Pluto and Charon (and now the two other potential satellites.) It will launch in 2007 and arrive sometime in 2015.
Not soon enough for me. I can't wait to see what new mysteries we discover right here in our celestial backyard...another atmosphere perhaps? Or liquid water in the freezing darkness, created by the tiny planets gravitational tug-of-war with its equally large moon.
Who knows?
We all will in 2015....

Five Year Mission Continues at ISS

Break out the Champagne: Sixteen nations are celebrating the successful habitation of the International Space Station for five consecutive years.
Yes, some people claim it's a waste of money. But if all it ever does it bring nations together, it's still quite an accomplishment.
And just think about what it means. We can survive there, in Space, live in orbit like a character in a novel or movie, or on television. Only it's not just fantasy anymore. It's real, now. We can do it.
And to paraphrase the immortal words of Rob Schneider: We can do it, all night long!
Go ISS!