How Will the US Election Affect Space?

NEW SCIENTIST

To maintain an inspiring space programme that is relevant and affordable, the next president will need to bridge the gap between past rhetoric and current reality.That is one reason why Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and his Republican rival John McCain have spent an unusual amount of time promoting their plans for the US space programme. McCain has made no commitment either way.The real hot-button space issue in the lead-up to the 2008 election, however, is the upcoming inability of the US to put astronauts in orbit without foreign help.Following the destruction of the space shuttle Columbia in 2003, Bush ordered NASA to retire the shuttle fleet by 2010. Proposed alternatives from the private sector are not expected to be ready any earlier.As a stopgap measure to take its astronauts to the International Space Station, NASA is seeking permission from Congress to buy further seats on Russian Soyuz flights. Read more

Meme-It

Will new Mars lander be parked or scrapped?

MCCLATCHY WASHINGTON BUREAU

WASHINGTON _ America's next daring adventure on Mars _ a one-ton rolling science laboratory scheduled to launch next October _ is in deep trouble.Huge cost overruns and technical difficulties may cause the $2 billion dollar Mars Science Laboratory... Read more

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NASA extends Phoenix mission as snow falls on Mars

REUTERS

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - NASA extended the mission of the busy Phoenix lander Monday, saying it will operate the lander until it dies in the cold and dark of the Martian winter.It is already snowing... Read more

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Forecast on Mars? Snow

LOS ANGELES TIMES

The latest forecast on Mars calls for morning fog and swift-moving clouds -- along with light snow. The surprising weather report was part of the latest scientific findings from NASA's Phoenix... Read more

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50 years from now, will NASA still inspire?

THE ORLANDO SENTINEL

WASHINGTON _ The front hall of the National Air and Space Museum is a temple to man-made wonders. Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis is here, suspended in mock flight near the Bell X-1 that... Read more

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Astronaut's diary goes on display in Jerusalem

ASSOCIATED PRESS

JERUSALEM - Pages from an Israeli astronaut's diary that survived the explosion of the space shuttle Columbia and a 37-mile fall to earth are going on display this weekend for the first time in Jerusalem. The diary belonged to Ilan Ramon,... Read more

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Scientists learn space lessons from Antarctic bases

REUTERS

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - In the depths of the Antarctic winter, expeditioners at Australia's research bases might as well be on the moon. Or on their way to Mars."When you are in Antarctica you know... Read more

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Best times for anglers

MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE

This table lists top fishing times and days for the coming weeks. For best results, begin fishing one hour before and continue one hour after the times given. Times apply to all time zones (X... Read more

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NASA marks a melancholy 50th anniversary

THE MIAMI HERALD

MIAMI _ Nearly half a century ago, Sam Beddingfield walked into the NASA office and asked for a job, confessing he didn't know a thing about rockets."It's OK," they told him. "No one... Read more

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NASA delays Hubble servicing mission

REUTERS

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - A problem with the Hubble Space Telescope prompted NASA to delay until next year a repair trip to the observatory that had been due to launch in just two weeks,... Read more

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Spacesuit painter recalls NASA history

THE ORLANDO SENTINEL

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. _ Ron Woods draws _ literally _ from his decades of experience at NASA. He paints from them too. His subjects are the spacesuits, gloves and helmets of astronauts past.For more... Read more

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New Glitch Delays Hubble Repair Mission

NEW YORK NEWSDAY

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA said yesterday it is delaying its mission to the Hubble Space Telescope until next year because of a serious breakdown of the observatory in orbit. Space shuttle... Read more

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NASA delays mission to repair Hubble

THE ORLANDO SENTINEL

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. _ NASA managers have decided to delay the long-awaited launch of shuttle Atlantis to fix the Hubble Space Telescope to a yet to be determined date after the orbiting... Read more