Universe Today - September 5, 2000

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

Space Exploration News From Around the Internet, Updated Every Weekday.
September 5, 2000 - Issue #301
http://www.universetoday.com
info@universetoday.com

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

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Here's something cool...

Just in case you wanted to know what day it is on Mars, this page shows the current date from the Zubrin calendar. Now you have no excuse when you show up on the wrong day for your all important Martian meeting.
http://junior.apk.net/~matto/Martian_Time2.htm

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-- UNIVERSE TODAY STORY SUMMARY --

* Shuttle Countdown Begins
* Proton Launches Sirius Satellite
* New Observatory Under Construction in South Africa


SHUTTLE COUNTDOWN BEGINS
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NASA began the countdown today for Friday's launch of the space shuttle Atlantis from Cape Canaveral. The shuttle and its 7-person crew are scheduled to launch September 8th at 12:45pm GMT, and they will spend almost 11 days in orbit. Shortly after launch, the shuttle will dock with the International Space Station, and the crew will unload supplies from the shuttle, as well as from the Russian Progress supply ship already docked. Atlantis will return on September 19th.

Original Source:
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/

Internet Coverage:
http://www.cnn.com/2000/TECH/space/09/05/shuttle.countdown.ap/index.html
http://www.discovery.com/news/briefs/20000905/sp_shuttle.html
http://www.foxnews.com/science/090500/shuttle.sml
http://www.msnbc.com/news/455677.asp
http://www.chron.com/content/interactive/space/station/stories/2000/20000904.html
http://www.flatoday.com/space/explore/stories/2000b/090500d.htm

Similar Stories:
http://www.universetoday.com/html/topics/shuttle.html

Related Sites:
http://www.universetoday.com/html/directory/spaceshuttle.html


PROTON LAUNCHES SIRIUS SATELLITE
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International Launch Services successfully launched a Sirius-2 digital audio satellite on board a Proton rocket this morning. The rocket lifted off from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 9:43am GMT, and the satellite separated from the upper stage two and a half hours after launch. The Sirius-2 satellite was built by Space Systems/Loral, and is designed to provide up to 100 channels of radio programming to specially equipped cars.

Original Source:
http://www.ilslaunch.com/press_room/sirius0828/

Internet Coverage:
http://www.cnn.com/2000/TECH/space/09/05/space.kazakhstan.reut/index.html
http://www.flatoday.com/space/explore/stories/2000b/090500c.htm
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/launcher-russia-00k.html
http://spaceflightnow.com/proton/sirius2/
http://www.spaceviews.com/2000/09/05a.html

Similar Stories:
http://www.universetoday.com/html/topics/satellites.html

Related Sites:
http://www.universetoday.com/html/directory/satellites.html


NEW OBSERVATORY UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN SOUTH AFRICA
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Astronomers and dignitaries attended a groundbreaking ceremony near Sutherland, South Africa for the construction of the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT). This giant new telescope's main mirror is composed of an array of hexagonal 1-metre mirrors, making it the equivalent of a 10-metre telescope. The observatory will cost $15 million to build.

Original Source:
http://www.salt.ac.za/">South African Large Telescope

Internet Coverage:
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0009/04saltscope/
http://www.spaceviews.com/2000/09/04a.html

Similar Stories:
http://www.universetoday.com/html/topics/observatories.html

Related Sites:
http://www.universetoday.com/html/directory/observatories.html

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