News, Thursday, 06 July 2006 STS-121 Launch Day Videos http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/launch/sts-121/sts121-allvideos.ht... +++++ STS-121 MCC Status Report #01 On the nation’s 230th birthday, Discovery rocketed into the Florida sky this afternoon, returning the shuttle fleet to space after almost a year. http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/news/sts121/STS-121-01.html +++++ STS-121 MCC Status Report #02 Discovery's astronauts are awake and ready to begin their first full day in space. http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/news/sts121/STS-121-02.html +++++ STS-121 MCC Status Report #03 The Astronauts of Space Shuttle Discovery examined their spaceship with the Orbiter Boom Sensor System today and found no evidence of any damage from debris during yesterday’s ride to orbit. http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/news/sts121/STS-121-03.html +++++ Shuttle Heat Shield Appears Intact An initial inspection with the shuttle's robotic arm suggests the orbiter survived launch unscathed – though it may have been splattered with bird droppings http://www.newscientistspace.com/article/dn9491-shuttle-heat-shield-appears-... +++++ ESA Astronaut Thomas Reiter On His Way To His New Home In Space As the Shuttle returns to flight a European astronaut is - for the first time ever - heading for the orbital outpost to take up duty as a member of its permanent crew. http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMSCOVT0PE_index_0.html +++++ Dark Matter Cloud Found Sucking in Nearby Gas A strange, glowing blob in the distant universe may be a clump of dark matter sucking in gas from its surroundings, astronomers say. http://www.newscientistspace.com/article/dn9490-dark-matter-cloud-found-suck... +++++ Star Shade Could Reveal Earthlike Exoplanets Stars shine so brightly that any planets orbiting them are lost in the glow. http://www.nature.com/news/2006/060703/full/060703-11.html +++++ To the Stars The X Prize is working to bring regular folks to the edge of space, NASA is aiming for the moon, and the Mars Society is pushing for trips to the Red Planet. So who's focusing on the incredibly far frontier beyond the solar system? http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2006/07/05/909.aspx +++++ ************************************************** ************************************************** Images and Data From Cassini-Huygens At: http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/images/latest/index.cfm http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/press-releases.cfm +++++ Information On The Mars Rovers At: http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html +++++ SLAS 2006 Star Party Schedule http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/LOCAL.HTML +++++ SSA / UMNH 2006 Southern Utah Public Star Party Schedule http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/STARPARTIES.HTML +++++ ************************************************** News is being sent to you because of your affiliation with the Salt Lake Astronomical Society or because you are subscribed to the Utah Astronomy Listserve. To unsubscribe please send your request to paw at wirelessbeehive dot com. Check out my NASA Solar System Ambassador web site at: http://www.umnh.utah.edu/utahsky and mirrored at http://utahastro.info/ For astronomy clubs in Utah see: http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/UTAHCLUBS.HTML For the Utah Astronomy Listserve see: http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy ************************************************** -- Patrick Wiggins NASA Solar System Ambassador to Utah & NE Nevada paw at wirelessbeehive dot com http://www.umnh.utah.edu/utahsky http://utahastro.info/ 435.882.1209 801.918.9092