Universe Today - June 26, 2001 |
|
the U N I V E R S E T O D A Y Space Exploration News From Around the Internet Updated Every Weekday. June 26, 2001 - Issue #446 http://www.universetoday.com info@universetoday.com An HTML version including pictures is available at: http://www.universetoday.com/html/misc/today.html For information on unsubscribing or changing your email address, check the bottom of this newsletter. ************************************** A note from Fraser... Universe Today... hah! More like Universe Infrequently. I apologize for the spotty service over the last few weeks, but my new job has been keeping me extremely busy, and I'm having trouble keeping everything going at the same time. A new job, time-guzzling hobbies (curse you Everquest!), and expectant fatherhood (although, my wife's doing all the hard work right now) has left me little time for space news. So, here's the deal. I'll see if I can get into the rythym again over the next couple of weeks, and if I can't, I'll turn to some freelancers waiting in the wings to keep the news going. Oh, you'll get your news all right... you'll get all the news you can handle! Fraser Cain Publisher Universe Today ************************************** -- UNIVERSE TODAY STORY SUMMARY -- * Personal Account of the African Eclipse * Australia Announces Spaceport Development * Clever Robot Follows the Sun PERSONAL ACCOUNT OF THE AFRICAN ECLIPSE ------------------------- On June 21, 2001, a 200km swath of Southern Africa was treated to a total solar eclipse; where the moon passes between the Earth and the Sun - the first to grace the continent in over 20 years. I couldn't make it, but as Universe Today reader Steffen Toxopeus traveled to the path of totality with his family last week and sent in this account. Maybe I'll make it to the next eclipse... http://www.universetoday.com/html/articles/2001-0626a.html AUSTRALIA ANNOUNCES SPACEPORT DEVELOPMENT ------------------------- Australian government officials announced plans on Sunday to develop a A$100 million (about $52 million US) spaceport on remote Christmas Island. Expected to open by 2003, the spaceport will target the geostationary launch market using Russian Soyuz rockets, and should generate A$2.5 billion a year in launch fees. Internet Coverage: http://www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/space/06/25/australia.space.reut/index.html http://www.spacedaily.com/news/aust-01b.html Similar Stories: http://www.universetoday.com/html/topics/satellites.html Related Sites: http://www.universetoday.com/html/directory/spaceagencies.html Related Books: http://www.universetoday.com/html/books/satellites.html CLEVER ROBOT FOLLOWS THE SUN ------------------------- A new solar-powered robot designed by Carnegie Mellon's Robotics Institute will make sure it always has power - no matter where it goes. For an upcoming series of tests, the explorer robot will maneuver around rocky Devon Island in the Canadian arctic. As it travels, it will keep its large solar panel always pointed directly at the sun to maintain constant electricity for movement. Although this 150kg robot is built for the Earth, the technology will no doubt be considered for future rovers to Mars. Original Source: http://www.nasa.gov/releases/2001/01-127.html Internet Coverage: http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=5294 http://www.cosmiverse.com/space06260101.html Similar Stories: http://www.universetoday.com/html/topics/nasa.html Related Sites: http://www.universetoday.com/html/directory/nasa.html Related Books: http://www.universetoday.com/html/books/nasa.html ------------------------- To unsubscribe from this newsletter, just reply with only the subject line "UNSUBSCRIBE !*EMAIL*!". If you just want to change your address, just reply to this email with a quick note on what your old and new email addresses are. It's actually a bit of a manual process. :-) All contents copyright (c) 2001 Universe Today |