Universe Today - October 14, 1999

Universe Today - October 14, 1999

the
U N I V E R S E
T O D A Y

Space Exploration News From Around the Internet, Updated Every Weekday.
October 14th, 1999 - Issue #111
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Tonight on Space Watch

X-rays aren't just for bones anymore. X-ray astronomer and
CHANDRA research team member Terry Matilsky from Rutgers
University will join Michael and Andy this week.

He'll bring us up to date on CHANDRA, as well as the South
African Large Telescope (SALT) project. The design of this
enormous spectrograph includes a fixed primary mirror, along
with a 91-component, 10-meter revolving mirror.

Check it out at http://www.spacewatch.com

**************************************
Space News from SpaceDaily.com for today

Marshall Scoping Exo Worlds
http://www.spacedaily.com/spacecast/news/ngst-99g.html

Venusian Volcanoes Overwhelmed Climate:
- Driving Tectonic Forces
http://www.spacedaily.com/spacecast/news/venus-99a.html

Hale-Bopp Points To Early Solar Chemistry
http://www.spacedaily.com/spacecast/news/comet-99c.html

Tuning Up The Ray Guns
http://www.spacedaily.com/spacecast/news/laser-99e.html

Mobile Sat Flacks Spin Hard On Reassurance
http://www.spacedaily.com/spacecast/news/constellation-99c.html

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-- UNIVERSE TODAY STORY SUMMARY --

* Polar Lander About to Make Course Correction
* Chandra Reveals More Secrets about Eta Carinae
* Prospector Crash Didn't Turn Up Any Water
* New Radio Telescope Array Plans for Australia
* Ikonos Begins Selling Photos from Space
* Mir Losing Air and Altitude, But Still Safe


POLAR LANDER ABOUT TO MAKE COURSE CORRECTION
------------------------
NASA engineers are planning a minor course correction of the Mars
Polar Lander on October 20th on its way to its landing on the Red
Planet on December 3rd. The engineers are also working to reconfigure
the spacecraft's antenna to communicate directly with Earth, without
the aid of the lost Climate Orbiter.

http://www.astronomynow.com/breaking/9910/12mpl/index.html


CHANDRA REVEALS MORE SECRETS ABOUT ETA CARINAE
------------------------
The Chandra X-ray observatory is helping astronomers reveal more
secrets about the mysterious object known as Eta Carinae. The strange
object emits more energy from its outer layer than its core, and it's
the most luminous object in our galaxy, equal to several million
times that of the sun.

http://cnn.com/TECH/space/9910/12/new.chandra.pic/index.html


PROSPECTOR CRASH DIDN'T TURN UP ANY WATER
------------------------
A presentation by a researcher from the University of Texas at a
recent conference in Italy showed that the Lunar Prospector didn't
throw up a plume of water ice when it crashed into the moon several
months ago. The researchers hoped to see the spectral signature of
water in the dust cloud kicked up from the impact, but no luck.

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/science/DailyNews/moonwater991013.html
http://www.astronomynow.com/breaking/9910/13moonice/index.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_473000/473956.stm
http://cnn.com/TECH/space/9910/13/moonwater.ap/index.html
http://explorezone.com/archives/99_10/13_prospector_no_ice.htm
http://www.msnbc.com/news/284079.asp
http://www.spacedaily.com/spacecast/news/water-99n.html
http://www.spaceviews.com/1999/10/13a.html


NEW RADIO TELESCOPE ARRAY PLANS FOR AUSTRALIA
------------------------
Plans are being drawn up for what will be the largest array of radio
telescopes in the world - tens of thousands of egg-shaped radio telescopes
in a giant grid. Other countries have also submitted designs, including
China, Canada, The Netherlands, and the United States. It will still be
several years before a design or location are chosen.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_473000/473559.stm


IKONOS BEGINS SELLING PHOTOS FROM SPACE
------------------------
Able to capture details on Earth down to a resolution of 1 metre,
the Ikonos satellite is one of the most precise cameras in space - and
you can rent it. The company that launched the Ikonos, Space Imaging,
plans to allow the general public to purchase photos of any location
on Earth for between $30-$500 per square mile.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_472000/472735.stm
http://cnn.com/TECH/space/9910/13/spy.satellite.ap/index.html
http://www.msnbc.com/news/322330.asp
http://www.chron.com/content/interactive/space/missions/mir/news/1999/10/991013.html
http://www.spaceviews.com/1999/10/12a.html


MIR LOSING AIR AND ALTITUDE, BUT STILL SAFE
------------------------
A recent report from the Interfax news agency indicates that the Mir
spacestation is losing air pressure, and about 200 meters of altitude
every day. Neither of these problems, however, will stop a Russian crew
from entering the station in March or April 2000 to prepare Mir for
its crash landing.

http://cnn.com/TECH/space/9910/13/mir.leak.ap/index.html
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/101399/mir.sml
http://www.msnbc.com/news/312496.asp


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