Word: solarized
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...Coincidentally enough, two days ago, on the same day that Arthur C. Clarke passed away, scientists announced the first discovery of organic molecules (methane) and water in the atmosphere of a planet outside of our solar system. The presence of these molecules increases our chances of finding other planets that have conditions that could support life as we know it. Although it is a shame that Arthur C. Clarke died before hearing this news, somehow it seems like he knew it long before...
...attention that the shuttle, the space station and other manned spacecraft get, the real foot soldiers of space exploration have always been the unmanned ships--and right now they're enjoying something of a golden age. The U.S. currently has no fewer than 11 interplanetary probes scattered about the solar system; five are orbiting, roving or approaching Mars alone, and the others are targeting Mercury, the sun, Saturn and numerous comets or asteroids. One probe is heading for a never before rendezvous with Pluto, a destination it won't reach until...
...Saturnian moon Enceladus, and there are plans to follow that up with even higher-risk maneuvers. In May NASA's Phoenix Lander will set down in Mars' arctic region in search of water ice. And later this month NASA and the European Space Agency will retire their Ulysses solar surveyor after a 17-year mission that has reframed our understanding...
...half-year Phoenix mission was the long-running Ulysses mission, which took the first full measure of the sun's polar regions. If it swirls, floats or emanates near the sun, Ulysses studied it. The spacecraft discovered that the sun's magnetic field determines the regions that produce the solar wind, and ruffled more than a few scientists' feathers when it showed that a hot corona produces the fastest solar winds--exactly the opposite of prevailing theories...
...that would be necessary for a manned mission. And even as the new ships are readied, some of the great historic ones are still in flight. Voyagers 1 and 2, launched in 1977 on a grand tour of the outer planets, are now on their way out of the solar system, with the last breaths of solar wind at their backs. Remarkably, NASA may be able to stay in touch with them for up to 30 more years--meaning the granddaddy ships could remain online long after some of the newest ones have winked out. As traffic jams go, that...