Universe Today - September 6, 2001 |
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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 6, 2001 - Issue #475 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, You know what would be a better name than the Shuttle Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF)? Anything. Realizing this, NASA is looking for suggestions on what to name this space-based observatory, and is holding a contest. Got a better name? Visit the site and suggest it. http://sirtf.caltech.edu/namingcontest/ Fraser Cain Publisher Universe Today ************************************** -- UNIVERSE TODAY STORY SUMMARY -- * Australia is Go for Launch * More Evidence of our Galaxy's Black Hole * New Aircraft Will Help Fight Fires AUSTRALIA IS GO FOR LAUNCH ------------------------- The Australian space industry seems to be undergoing somewhat of a renaissance at present, with the Federal Government announcing a commitment of $100 million towards the building of a new spaceport at Christmas Island. Jennifer Laing talks to Kirby Ikin, Director of Commercial Operations of the Asia Pacific Space Centre, about the new facility and future space opportunities. http://www.universetoday.com/html/articles/2001-0906a.html MORE EVIDENCE OF OUR GALAXY'S BLACK HOLE ------------------------- The Chandra X-Ray Observatory has taken a new photograph of a powerful X-ray flare that occurred at the centre of the Milky Way. Astronomers believe this flare was caused by material gobbled up by the giant black hole that lies at the heart of our galaxy. Although it only lasted for a few minutes, the flare helped scientists confirm the hole's existance, calculate its size to be 2.6 million times the mass of the Sun. Original Source: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/cycle1/0204flare/index.html Internet Coverage: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_1526000/1526724.stm http://www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/space/09/05/chandra.black.hole/index.html http://www.msnbc.com/news/624377.asp Similar Stories: http://www.universetoday.com/html/topics/blackholes.html Related Sites: http://www.universetoday.com/html/directory/blackholes.html Related Books: http://www.universetoday.com/html/books/blackholes.html NEW AIRCRAFT WILL HELP FIGHT FIRES ------------------------- NASA will demonstrate a new remotely piloted aircraft on Thursday designed to help firefighters monitor forest fires. Called Altus II, the airplane flies at an altitude of 3,000+ metres and uses regular cameras, as well as a multi-spectral scanner designed to spot flames through smoke. And the development team has another, even larger aircraft in the works, depending on the success of the Altus II. Original Source: http://amesnews.arc.nasa.gov/releases/2001/01_64AR.html Internet Coverage: http://www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/science/09/04/fires.plane.reut/index.html http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/fire_plane_010904.html http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=5930 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 |