In what seems like an episode of Astroboy, the European Space Agency's SMART-1 robotic probe has landed on the moon.
More information of the regional lighting conditions will be obtained by SMART-1 for the Moon's north polar region. "The greatest contribution to our understanding of the lighting in this region will likely come from the fact that SMART-1 will image the north pole for at least six months, providing information on the seasonal variations of the lighting conditions in this region," Bussey said.
Although not comprehensive or extensive, Spudis added, Europe's SMART-1 will obtain some new data of great value. It nicely helps to fill the niche on global elemental mapping and the image data makes a small but nonetheless important enhancement to the extensive Clementine image data, he said.
ESA's Foing is delighted that the Moon probe has reached its destination. The spacecraft is ready for action.
"The team is still so excited by SMART-1's first lunar orbit, thanks to the new technologies. We obtained before lunar capture the first European pictures of the lunar North pole and far side,・Foing said. "The spacecraft and the instruments are ready for their lunar tasks: charting lunar minerals, looking at the chemical signature of Earth-Moon violent beginnings, searching for ices at the poles, or prospecting the potential sites for future landing probes and exploration."
The moon is certainly an oft-visited mistress these days. :)
Four years On The International Space Station
We have now had ten crews and four continuous years of habitation on the ISS. Doesn't seem that long ago that they started this thing, but now it's four years gone by. Time flies when you're having fun.
For NASA officials, the anniversary marks the end of a year of firsts for the ISS that included unprecedented repairs and spacewalks for two space station crews.
In February, Expedition 8 commander Michael Foale and flight engineer Alexander Kaleri stepped outside the ISS for the first spacewalk without a human crewmember inside.
A few months later a new station crew, Expedition 9's Gennady Padalka and Michael Fincke, flawlessly performed a risky spacewalk to repair a U.S. ISS component while wearing Russian Orlan space suits and starting from the Russian segment.
"It is a testament that we've learned a lot about adapting to conditions in space," said Mark Geyer, NASA's ISS manager for integration and operations, in a telephone interview.
Humans have lived onboard the ISS since Nov. 2, 2000, when the three-man crew of Expedition 1 set foot inside the orbiting station. "It was a foggy day," Geyer said of Expedition 1's Oct. 31 launch from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. 的t was a long trip to see a three-second launch."Geyer stressed that while humans have lived continuously aboard the ISS since 2000, they have lived in space much longer. The Russians had a near-continuous presence aboard Mir since 1996.
Still, 4 years is nothing to be sneezed at.
Drew Henson Makes An Appearance For The Cowboys
Bill Parcells finally let the failed Yankee take the field, but only after his main QB Vinny Testaverde got hurt. Henson completed six passes but the Cowboys haplessly went down 30-10 to the Ravens.
Quarterback Drew Henson replaced an ineffective Vinny Testaverde and completed all six of his passes, including the Cowboys' only touchdown, in a 30-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Coach Bill Parcells was quick to point out that Testaverde injured his right shoulder after throwing his second interception, and Parcells refused to anoint Henson the starter against the Chicago Bears on Thursday.
"I don't know what's going to happen," said Parcells, who has so far ignored calls by fans and media for Henson to start. "Let's just see where he is. If I have all the facts, then I'll make a decision."
Henson said he did not feel overwhelmed against the Ravens' defense. As for Thursday, he said, "If I've got to go, I'll be ready. We'll see if Vinny can come back."
It's still nowhere near as fun as baseball, but there you have it. Drew Henson has sort of arrived. If it were a choice between being the Quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys on any given Sunday or the regular Thirdbaseman for the New York Yankees, you know I'd choose the latter. :)
- Art Neuro
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