Universe Today - October 19, 1999

Universe Today - October 19, 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 19th, 1999 - Issue #113
http://www.universetoday.com
info@universetoday.com

To unsubscribe from this newsletter, just reply with only the
subject line "UNSUBSCRIBE NEWSLETTER".

An HTML version of this Newsletter is available at:
http://www.universetoday.com/html/misc/today.html

**************************************

SPACEWATCH
TODAY ON "MISSION CONTROL, OVER" AT 2PM (ET):
Richard Underwood

Everyone knows the one rule of travel: Don't forget the camera!
That goes for space travel, too. From the Gemini days, today's
guest Richard Underwood did about everything but release the
shutter for the astronauts' pictures!

Now an international speaker and consultant on Space Photography,
Richard was the Technical Monitor for Photographic Experiments
for NASA well into the Space Shuttle era. He trained every U.S.
space traveler in photographic techniques.

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


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

Ariane To Loft Loral's Orion-2
http://www.spacedaily.com/spacecast/news/ariane-99r.html

Roton Sweeps The Runway
http://www.spacedaily.com/spacecast/news/rlv-99z.html

Polar Lander Team Shakes Off The Gremlins
http://www.spacedaily.com/spacecast/news/nasa-99g.html

Ocean Topography Brings Hurricanes Alive
http://www.spacedaily.com/spacecast/news/earth-99d.html

Laser System Tests Hand-Off Procedure
http://www.spacedaily.com/spacecast/news/laser-99f.html

40 Million Stars To Be Charted
http://www.spacedaily.com/spacecast/news/skymap-99a.html

**************************************

-- UNIVERSE TODAY STORY SUMMARY --

* NASA Selects Two New Missions
* New Optics Bring Neptune Into Focus
* ESA Worried About Space Junk
* Globalstar Adds 4 More Satellites to Its Network
* Crews Begin Training for Life on the International Space Station
* Russia May Help China's Manned Space Program
* Roton Makes Its Third Test Flight


NASA SELECTS TWO NEW MISSIONS
------------------------
The Swift Gamma Ray Burst Explorer and the Full Sky Astrometric
Mapping Explorer are two newest missions announced by NASA. Part
of the medium-class explorer program, these two new space telescope
missions will launch within the next 4 years.

http://www.astronomynow.com/breaking/9910/15midex/index.html
http://cnn.com/TECH/space/9910/15/midex/index.html
http://www.msnbc.com/news/284079.asp
http://www.spaceviews.com/1999/10/14c.html


NEW OPTICS BRING NEPTUNE INTO FOCUS
------------------------
Astronomers at Cornell University and NASA's JPL have captured
detailed images of Neptune using new optics built for the 200-inch
Hale telescope at Mount Palomar. The new infrared camera built for
the telescope uses adaptive optics to adapt for atmospheric
interference, allowing for crystal clear photos - first used to
display these images of Neptune.

http://www.astronomynow.com/breaking/9910/16neptune/index.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_478000/478487.stml
http://cnn.com/TECH/space/9910/18/neptune.clouds/index.html
http://www.flatoday.com/space/today/101899a.htm
http://www.spaceviews.com/1999/10/16a.html


ESA WORRIED ABOUT SPACE JUNK
------------------------
At an international conference in Darmstadt, Germany, the European
Space Agency warned that the Earth is being circled by a dangerous
amount of space garbage. They calculate that there are over 8,000 pieces
of trash 4 inches across (large enough to destroy the space shuttle),
and 150,000 at least a half inch across.

http://cnn.com/TECH/space/9910/15/germany.spacetrash.ap/index.html


GLOBALSTAR ADDS 4 MORE SATELLITES TO ITS NETWORK
------------------------
A four-stage Soyuz rocket launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome in
Kazakhstan on Monday, carrying four new additions to the Globalstar
constellation of communication satellites. This brings the total
number of satellites to 44, with 8 more planned before the end of
the year to complete the program.

http://www.astronomynow.com/breaking/9910/18globalstar/index.html
http://cnn.com/TECH/space/9910/18/globalstar.launch.ap/index.html
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/101899/satellites.sml
http://www.spaceviews.com/1999/10/18b.html


CREWS BEGIN TRAINING FOR LIFE ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
------------------------
As the pieces of the International Space Station start to come
together, the prospective crews begin training for life in space.
Five Russian-American crews began training to use the Russian-built
living module, which may launch as early as November.

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/101899/iss.sml


RUSSIA MAY HELP CHINA'S MANNED SPACE PROGRAM
------------------------
Yury Koptev, the director of the Russian Space Agency announced
that they were planning to assist China's first manned space flight.
The RSA will help work on programs that don't threaten national
security. This first Chinese flight is scheduled for 2000.

http://www.chron.com/cgi-bin/auth/story.mpl/content/interactive/space/news/99/991018.html


ROTON MAKES ITS THIRD TEST FLIGHT
------------------------
The Roton Atmospheric Test Vehicle (ATV) from Rotary Rocket Company
made its third test flight earlier in October. The vehicle hovered
as high as 22 meters, and travelled 1,310 meters down a runway at
the Mojave airport. Rotary Rocket plans to enter commercial
service in 2001.

http://www.spaceviews.com/1999/10/18a.html

To unsubscribe from this newsletter, just reply with only the
subject line "UNSUBSCRIBE NEWSLETTER".

All contents copyright (c) 1999 Universe Today