Word: orbiteer
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When Albert Einstein unveiled his general theory of relativity in 1916, he predicted several phenomena that could be used to test its validity. Two of them -- that light is bent by gravity and that the orbit of Mercury wobbles in a certain way -- were confirmed within just a few years, convincing scientists that relativity was a revolutionary discovery, not just a mathematical curiosity. But Einstein thought another of his claims would never be proved. His theory predicted that fast-moving, massive objects emit gravity waves, small distortions moving through the fabric of space and time. Einstein said these waves would...
...homeland of Genghis Khan, who seven centuries ago led one of history's most notorious tribes of warriors. Twentieth century Mongolian history has not been much kinder. Economic stagnation, diplomatic isolation and political repression have withered the nation of 2 million since it fell into Moscow's orbit in 1921. The most basic commodities are in scarce supply -- even meat, despite the fact that Mongolia has more than six times as many sheep as people. Half the meat production is exported in exchange for Soviet goods and loans. The exports help repay Mongolia's $5.5 billion foreign debt...
...weighed little more than the men and women who built them. But big was better as the space age progressed. The largest satellites today tip the scales at 15 tons, cost hundreds of millions of dollars and are roughly the size of Mack trucks. They must be put into orbit by giant rockets or space shuttles...
...skies over California last week, a launch took place that broke all the rules. A diminutive rocket named Pegasus, built by a Virginia-based entrepreneurial firm called Orbital Sciences, dropped from under the wing of a B-52 and carried into orbit a small 200-kg (450-lb.) satellite, one of a new type of craft that promises to bring space history full circle. Called lightsats, the new payloads pack as much function into a few hundred kilograms as satellites many times their size. At $8 million a launch, they could open space to new military and industrial uses...
...Hubble telescope is finally going into orbit to give astronomers their clearest views of the universe. The Pegasus rocket launches a new era of petite payloads...