News Headlines for May 1998

Australian astronomer sets record for detecting manmade object An Australian amateur astronomer has set a world record by detecting a manmade object nearly 100 times further away from Earth than the moon, officials said May 31. New Planet? NASA released a picture May 28 of what may be the first planet ever seen outside our solar system. The object, which is found in the constellation Taurus, appears to be quite large -- two to three times the mass of Jupiter. Further observation will be necessary to confirm that the object is a planet. The object was first sighted by the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope. Listen to details as Weekend All Things Considered Daniel Zwerdling speaks with astronomer Andrew Fraknoi. Retiring the Astrochimps Ham was among a number of chimpanzees involved in the space program during the late 1950's and 60's. Ham has since died, but others in the program have continued to serve space and medical research. Thirty-two of the original astrochimps and their offspring remain the responsibility of the Air Force, which now has decided to sell them. The town of Parker, Colorado is raising money to buy the chimps and build them a sanctuary. Listen to this Morning Edition report from Andrea Dukakis of Colorado Public Radio. America sending its last mission to Russia's Mir Cosmonauts on the space station Mir on Sunday replaced an onboard computer which had failed before the start of the last U.S. shuttle mission to the ageing Russian craft, a spokesman for Korolyov mission control said. International Space Station partners adjust target dates for first launches, revise other station assembly launches Representatives of all nations involved in the International Space Station have agreed to officially target a November 1998 launch for the first station component and to revise launch target dates for the remainder of the 43-flight station assembly plan. NASA releases the clearest, most detailed pictures of the sun They are the first images of the sun taken from the TRACE (Transition Region and Coronal Explorer)spacecraft -- whose mission is to study the sun's activity. Russia finds cash for space station Russia has found the money to continue participating in the International Space Station, the country's top space official said Friday, a day after warning that financial problems may force Russia to drop out Tiniest of space bodies to get close examination As astrophysicists turn their telescopes to probe the origins of stars and planets, they will start giving more attention to the smallest of astronomical bodies - dust particles - which both make them and also obscure the view. Antimatter search goes into orbit One of the scientific experiments aboard the space shuttle Discovery will look into the deepest mysteries of the universe — the nature of cosmic antimatter and the mysterious "dark matter" that could make up 90 percent of the universe's mass. Recreating the big bang Scientists investigating the fundamental structure of matter are hoping for a good summer. Europe's leading sub-atomic particle experiment has achieved a record performance. Question over 'planet' discovery A scientist from the world famous Royal Greenwich Observatory says Nasa scientists claiming to have found the first planet seen outside our solar system are jumping the gun. Astronomers To Eye Jupiter Storms Two giant storms on Jupiter that have been circling the planet since 1939 appear to have merged, and a pair of New Mexico State University astronomers have been given time on NASA's Hubble Space Telescope next week to take a closer look.. Mars '98 orbiter and lander photos available New photographs of NASA's Mars Surveyor '98 Climate Orbiter and Polar Lander, now entering the final stages of testing before launch in December 1998 and January 1999 from Cape Canaveral, FL, are available on the Internet. Cosmic cloud could burst Earth's 'breathing bubble' See also: Cosmic clouds threaten Earth A colorful new computer animation--created by Gary P. Zank of the Bartol Research Institute at the University of Delaware--shows how even a small cosmic cloud could suddenly burst the "breathing bubble" that protects life on our planet. Odd auroral arc crosses rather than circling the North Pole For something as dynamic as the aurora borealis, acting up is normal. But even it can behave in ways that are simply odd. Giant convective cells found on Sun after 30-year search Things the size of Jupiter should be pretty hard to hide, especially when they're staring at us from the face of the Sun. Still, it's taken almost 30 years of hunting to find giant convection cells that may play a major role in how the Sun rotates and how sunspots move across its face and even influence space weather. Russia may discard station Mir this year Russia may discard the Mir space station as early as this fall - a year ahead of schedule - because of a desperate cash shortage that also threatens its commitments to a new international space station, the country's top space official said today. Astronaut Foresaw 'Disaster' The safety chief of the astronaut corps warned NASA last year that Mir was "a disaster waiting to happen" and said he feared for the safety of Americans aboard the Russian space station. Hubble Telescope unveils first 'extra-solar' planet? See also: Hubble Takes First Image of a Possible Planet Around Another Star and Finds a Runaway World, 'Planet' spotted in deep space, Two Stars Beget Planet and Possible planet found outside solar system Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope say they have, for the first time, directly seen and photographed a planet outside our solar system, a discovery one scientist called "unbelievably exciting." Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter observes north polar cap, clouds on Mars The Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) instrument has collected exciting new observations of the north polar regions of Mars during Science Phasing Orbit activities of the Mars Global Surveyor mission. Surveyor data reveal more evidence of abundant water, thermal activity in Mars' past New mineralogical and topographic evidence suggesting that Mars had abundant water and thermal activity in its early history is emerging from data gleaned by NASA's Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft. Mineral 'reveals' mysteries of red planet See also: Hematite Cache Bolsters Life Theories Scientists believe they have discovered evidence that shows Mars could have once had water, a key element to sustain life. Ice on Mars? See also: New photo may show Mars crater with ice-filled mud or sand Profiles of Mars' landscape etched with striking canyons and spiraling troughs have revealed what scientists believe may be the first evidence of ice outside the planet's polar ice caps. VLT First Light Successfully Achieved The European Southern Observatory announces that First Light has been achieved with the first VLT 8.2-m Unit Telescope at the Paranal Observatory. Scientifically useful images have been obtained as scheduled, on May 25 - 26, 1998. A very good look at space The European Southern Observatory released the images taken with the Very Large Telescope, which was built in northern Chile by eight European nations. Grounded chimps in spotlight again It it weren't for Enos, John Glenn might not have flown in February 1962. Had he been delayed long enough, he might now be too old to fly again! Glenn's ageless appeal Sen. John Glenn cut the ribbon to open Space Day 1998 on the National Mall in Washington. He told the hundreds of children gathered around a mockup of the space shuttle that they are the future of the space program in the United States. Floating Space Center to Set Sail See also: Ocean cosmodrome prepares to set sail and Odyssey: Rockets from sea to space Soaring above the Russian town of Vyborg, a superannuated oil rig is close to completing its transformation into an innovative sea-going rocket launch pad and is scheduled to set sail in three weeks. Scientists building tool to decode universe's secrets On 1,300 acres of sagebrush desert near the Tri-Cities, scientists are building what many believe is the next big tool to decode secrets of the universe. Instead of a telescope aimed at the stars, they're working on a ground-hugging observatory that might prove the existence of gravity waves -- ripples in space produced by violent events in the distant universe. Japan Plans Mars Mission Japan will send an unmanned spacecraft to Mars in July for a two-year exploratory mission. ACE first science puzzles solar researchers The first results from NASA's Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) spacecraft are challenging the current understanding of the acceleration of particles by explosions on the Sun. Massive quake hits the Sun See also: Rumble in the Sun and Solar flares spur quakes inside sun A sunquake, tens of thousands of times bigger than any tremor on earth, has been spotted on the surface of the Sun. It offers an insight into the cataclysmic events that may be occurring on the surfaces of even bigger stars. The Mars Microphone: Ready To Go From an elongated orbit, the alien spacecraft's sensitive cameras spy on the landscape below. There are chasms bigger than the Grand Canyon, bounded by mesas with exposed rock layers. Vast flood plains resemble similar terrain in eastern Washington. Dusty ice layers accumulate in polar regions. A huge volcano towers skyward, about three times taller than Mount Everest. 'We are truly invading that planet' Ever wonder what it sounds like on Mars? When the next lander in NASA's program to explore the Red Planet touches down in 1999, we will all have the chance to find out. Onboard the Mars Polar Lander will be a small recording device, the Mars Microphone, whose job is to sample sound while the rest of the probe studies the soil, weather, and atmospheric dust. Clues to Bronze Age comet strike Evidence is growing that a huge comet smashed into the Earth about 4,000 years ago. Plans afoot to bring Mir crashing down to Earth Sometime next year, a cargo ship docked to Mir will fire its rocket engine one last time and send the deserted Russian space station on a suicidal dive over the North Pacific. Researchers are first to provide evidence of dying star's rebrightening A spectacular supernova is rebrightening sooner than expected Supernova SN1987A is rebrightening sooner than expected - it wasn't expected to brighten again until 2003. John Glenn's return to space As John Glenn, the first American to orbit the earth, prepares to blast off again at age 77 later this year, an AP reporter who covered his first journey into space revisits the scene. Proud Russia struggles with NASA doubts The nation's serious economic problems are causing many in the U.S. to voice grave doubts about whether Russia will be able to pay for its part of NASA's troubled International Space Station project. Space Agencies Haggle Over when to Pull Mir's Plug Sometime next year, a cargo ship docked to Mir will fire its rocket engine one last time and send the deserted space station on a suicidal dive over the North Pacific. For NASA, the end can't come quickly enough. With shuttle visits almost over, U.S. space officials want over-the-hill Mir out of the way so their Russian counterparts can devote their scarce resources to the stalled international space station. Asteroids could mean boom or boon for Earth First the bad news: Scientists estimate there are about 1,700 uncataloged asteroids that could hit Earth at any time and wipe out civilization. Now the good news: They're loaded with valuable minerals and metals that humans can exploit with new cheap space technology. Clinton may propose China aboard station Should President Bill Clinton actually get to visit Beijing next month after all, political sources in Washington says that he will make yet another attempt to use access to U.S. space technology to get China to join the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), a proliferation control protocol that the Communist nation has refused to sign. Among the space technology exchanges being proposed is allowing China to join the International Space Station project in a sub-member capacity. Twenty-Five Years after Launch, Skylab Still Providing Lessons Of all the lessons from Skylab, America's first space station launched 25 years ago this month, perhaps the most important came at the fiery end. That lesson is this: Plan, plan, plan for the inevitable day a space station comes tumbling down. Marshall scientist to participate in Astrobiology Institute What started as a hobby for a scientist has become a new line of scientific investigation in the newly formed NASA Astrobiology Institute. Richard Hoover, a solar physicist at Marshall Space Flight Center, is co-investigator on two astrobiology proposals which NASA has selected for funding. NASA Considers Another Space Station Delay Burdened by Russia's continual money crunch, NASA today recommended that the start of space station construction be postponed until November, one year later than planned. Space Central Video Update In the latest video update, the shuttle-Mir program manager reveals Russia's plans for deorbiting Mir, NOAA and NASA team up to launch a new weather satellite, and America's first space station is remembered. Galaxies mistaken as stars Galaxies so compact that astronomers mistook them for single stars in our own Milky Way have been found nearby, astronomers say. "It's a bit embarrassing having them so close and not knowing they were there," Michael Drinkwater, an astronomer from the University of New South Wales told this month's ScienceNOW!, an Australian National Science Forum in Melbourne. JPL partners with Mattel for Galileo toy A toy version of NASA's Galileo spacecraft currently in orbit around Jupiter will be produced under a licensing agreement between the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Mattel Inc. Mattel plans an early 1999 debut for the new Hot Wheels Jupiter/Europa Encounter Action Pack, a highly detailed reproduction of the Galileo spacecraft. Many Craters Filled Up With Oil, Scientists Say Asteroids and large meteorites that strike the Earth are not all bad: many become repositories of oil and gas for later generations. Salty traces hint at Europa's ocean See also: Salt on Europa suggests life in space Images beamed from a space probe almost 500 million miles from Earth indicate that an ocean believed to lie beneath the frozen surface of Jupiter's moon Europa may be salty, scientists said on May 21. Experts Say Asteroid Danger Is Real, Call for Search Effort A mile-wide asteroid could smash the Earth, causing widespread death and destruction, and "we wouldn't even know it was coming," an expert told a congressional panel on May 21. Scientists Say Neutron Star's Magnetic Field Is Most Powerful Yet Discovered In Universe The most intense magnetic field ever found in the universe has been observed around a neutron star 40,000 light years from Earth, according to an international team of astronomers led by scientists working at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. Space-Travel Model Completes Two Test Flights An engineer's dream of transporting tourists into space had a small-scale breakthrough when an 8-foot model of his spaceplane successfully completed two test flights. Catastrophic flash from the past See also: Comets Pummeled Earth 36 Million Years Ago Thirty-five million years ago, the Earth was bombarded by a long shower of comets that created Chesapeake Bay in the United States and an enormous crater in Siberia, scientists said Thursday. The fusillade of comets lasted for 2.5 million years and peppered the Earth with more debris from space than any other event in history, they reported in the journal Science. Computers will boost asteroid tracking efforts NASA astronomers conducting a monthly sweep of the night sky to identify previously unknown asteroids and comets will be able to double their coverage and the number of discoveries they make, thanks to new, state-of-the-art computer and data analysis hardware. "Magnetar" discovery solves 19-year-old mystery When you have eliminated all other possibilities, Sherlock Holmes instructed, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the answer. In the mysterious case of the Soft Gamma Repeaters, or SGRs, the answer appears to be a magnetar, a neutron star with a super-strong magnetic field a thousand trillion times stronger than Earth's. U.S. Grapples with Space Monkeys' Retirement Nearly 40 years ago, America's first space travelers had the right stuff, and they were instrumental in the national quest to land a man on the moon. Boosters provide an extra push for space race See also: Charge your Way to Space The main marketing engines have kicked in on a $10 million effort to reward the first developer of a private space transport, modeled after the competition won by Charles Lindbergh 71 years ago. Fueled by a credit card deal and a sweepstakes, the X Prize Foundation is offering a purse 400 times larger than Lindbergh's $25,000 prize for the first nonstop flight from New York to Paris. VLT 8.2-m Mirror Ready for Coating Following successful optical alignment tests, the 8.2-m primary mirror has been removed from the first Unit Telescope (UT1). It is now in the Mirror Maintenance Building (MMB) and is being prepared for coating with a thin, highly reflective aluminium layer. AsiaSat To Make 2nd Lunar Flyby Following last week's successful lunar flyby by the stranded communications satellites AsiaSat-3, Hughes Global Services is planning a second loop by to further refine insertion into geo-stationary orbit. Is NASA playing `Big Brother' on the Internet? When Boeing worker Tom Hancock was told recently to stop sending e-mail to the Internet detailing progress on the international space station, it wasn't the first time NASA and one of its contractors acted to silence the flow of information in cyberspace. Cargo Ship Docks With Mir Space Station A Progress cargo spacecraft carrying fresh supplies for the aging Mir and equipment for new medical experiments successfully docked with the space station May 17, Mission Control said. Disk may be planet in making On a recent moonlit night, astronomer Andrea Ghez was gazing at an image of star HR4796, made famous last month when astronomers found what they thought was evidence of planet formation around the star. That evidence, though intriguing, consisted of what wasn't there -- an empty space or hole surrounding the star, suggesting that dust had been swept up by newly congealing planets. White dwarf star could be a real gem Scientists believe they have found a star that could be a solid diamond, The Sunday Times newspaper reported. Slice of Mars Auctioned A piece of a meteorite from Mars sold May 17 for $4,600, more than a thousand times the value of its weight in gold, Phillips auction house said. Expectations Increase as VLT First Light Approaches Two weeks before the moment of "First Light" of Unit Telescope no. 1 of the Very Large Telescope (VLT), the ESO Team at the Paranal Observatory reports good progress of the preparatory work. The crucial optimization of the world's first, thin 8.2-metre mirror proceeds according to the established plan. It is thus expected that this important event will take place as foreseen, i.e. during the night of May 25-26, 1998. Biosphere Lessons Can Be Applied To Space, Former Crew Co-Captain Says The experiences of the team of scientists who lived in the Biosphere 2 closed system from 1991 to 1993 can be applied to space travel, according to Sally Silverstone, co-captain of the crew. Super lightweight external tank set for pre-launch test Engineers at Kennedy Space Center will conduct a pre-launch cryogenic test of the Space Shuttle's first super lightweight external tank (SLWT) on Monday, May 18 beginning at 7 a.m. The tank, mated to the orbiter Discovery at Pad 39A, is scheduled for launch on mission STS-91 on June 2. Astronomers should keep mum about asteroids for 72 hours See also: New rules urged for asteroid alarms If professional stargazers catch sight of an asteroid that might be on a crash course for Earth, the government wants them to keep quiet about it -- for at least 72 hours. Space station delays keep stacking up More than 100 tons of pieces and parts of the International Space Station have piled up at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, waiting for a ride into space later this year and the beginning of one of the most costly and ambitious construction projects in history. Do Giant Planets Form Quickly Or Slowly? After decades of intensive searching, astronomers have found the first giant planets orbiting around other stars like the Sun. We now know that giant planets similar to Jupiter are not rare in the universe, and exist around a number of stars in the Sun's neighborhood of the galaxy. However, all of these planets are thought to be about as old as the stars around which they orbit, typically billions of years old, like the Sun. AsiaSat Rounds Moon The AsiaSat HGS-1 spacecraft became the first commercial communications satellite to orbit the moon, passing behind it at noon PDT May 13 to grab a boost from lunar gravity and hurtle back toward Earth. Engineers at the Hughes Mission Control Center in El Segundo, Calif., will begin braking maneuvers Saturday to guide the arriving spacecraft into orbit around the equator. Close encounters with Europa Until now, our knowledge of the Jovian moon Europa has been limited to distant photographs or confined to the imaginings of one of the world's most famous science-fiction writers. Turbulent Cauldron of Starbirth in nearby active galaxy NASA's Hubble Space Telescope offers a stunning unprecedented close-up view of a turbulent firestorm of starbirth along a nearly edge-on dust disk girdling Centaurus A, the nearest active galaxy to Earth. Black Hole Gobbles Galaxy See also: Hubble spies a greedy black hole and Hubble Provides Multiple Views Of How To Feed A Black Hole Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have peered through a thick belt of galactic dust to catch the Milky Way's nearest cannibalistic galaxy in action. Once-in-a-millennium sky event captured Astronomers have observed an event that has not been witnessed from earth for more than 1,000 years - the Moon simultaneously passing in front of Venus and Jupiter. Why Study Asteroids? The scientific interest in asteroids is due largely to their status as the remnant debris from the inner solar system formation process. Because some of these objects can collide with the Earth, asteroids are also important for having significantly modified the Earth's biosphere in the past. They will continue to do so in the future. Astronomers Speed Up the Search for Asteroids and Comets Astronomers at The University of Arizona in Tucson who in 1992 started a unique near-Earth asteroid survey in the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson are about to begin faster searches for fainter objects in large areas of sky where other such surveys seldom look. Exploring The Trans-Neptunian Solar System To further understand these icy bodies, a National Research Council report recommends combining tried and true methods, such as telescopic observations and spacecraft missions, with new interdisciplinary ventures by astronomers, chemists, and biologists. New Rules Needed to Avoid Asteroid False Alarms Two months after a false alarm about a possible killer asteroid screamed into the headlines, scientists on May 13 urged NASA and other astronomers to rethink how they give such news to the public. Meet the first ISS crew The first residents of the International Space Station will be a trio from the United States and Russia who've logged a combined total of nearly 22 months in space. International Space Station on course for launch Preparations are on track for the launch later this year of the first components of the International Space Station, marking "a means to a new beginning of international cooperation to work together for deep space exploration," NASA officials said May 12. It's elementary: Scientists seek to recreate stardust Scientists are preparing to answer two of the universe's most baffling questions: why are beaches sandy and why do humans covet gold? These may not seem fundamental issues, but they confront a serious scientific problem. How did the elements from which our bodies and planet are made come into existence? And why are some more common than others? Asteroids and Earth on a collision course? A decent size asteroid or comet could hit the Earth with an impact big enough to change our climate on a global scale. The immediate effect of the impact and the results of the climatic changes could, in theory, end our time on this fragile planet. Space Balls Theory Debated See also: Dispute Heats Up Over Snowballs From Space Theory Space snowballs may be pelting the Earth's atmosphere, but not in the blizzard of ice boulders proposed by a famous theory, researchers say in the latest volley between warring scientists. New Station Worry: The Name See also: NASA's space station dilemma: What to call it? As if construction delays and rising costs weren't enough, NASA is grappling with another space station dilemma: What to call it? Control center for Glenn's historic flight back in use After crumbling and rusting away for decades, the historic control center that launched John Glenn on America's first manned orbital flight is back in business. Doubt Cast on Evidence of Life in Martian Meteorite Alh84001 by Study of Sulfides in Bacteria Martian meteorite ALH84001 was evidence for extraterrestrial life because minerals found in it resembled minerals created by unusual earthly bacteria. Now it appears that the bacteria themselves contradict that claim. An article in this week's Science reports that sulfides in the bacteria do not match the meteorite's minerals. Europa Global Views in Natural and Enhanced Colors This color composite view combines violet, green, and infrared images of Jupiter's intriguing moon, Europa, for a view of the moon in natural colour and in enhanced color designed to bring out subtle color differences in the surface. Europa 'Ice Rafts' in local and color context This image of Jupiter's icy satellite Europa shows surface features such as domes and ridges, as well as a region of disrupted terrain including crustal plates which are thought to have broken apart and 'rafted' into new positions. View of Callisto at Increasing Resolutions These four views of Jupiter's second largest moon, Callisto, highlight how increasing resolutions enable interpretation of the surface. Global Color Variations on Callisto This image of Callisto's Jupiter-facing hemisphere shows the ancient, multi-ring impact structure Valhalla just above the center of the image. Deep Impact: How Believable? See also: Sandia Study Suggests 'Deep Impact' Dead-On and Deep Impact - The science of global destruction A mile-wide rock almost misses the Earth—but doesn't. It plows into the ocean 15 miles south of Brooklyn, N.Y,. at a shallow, 15-degree angle. This scenario was generated by computer scientists at Sandia National Laboratory in Albuquerque, N.M. Shedding Light on Dark Matter We all know that planets, stars and galaxies produce gravity. But astronomers haven't found enough matter in the universe to produce the gravity that should bind them all together. But they are bound together. So where's the missing matter? Aussies First To See Likely Black Hole Birth See also: Aussies spy 'birth' of black hole Australian astronomers believe they may be witnessing what has never been seen before - a black hole being born as the core of a super-massive star collapses in on itself. Stingray In The Sky Sparks New Theory Australian astronomers have put forward a new theory to explain a weird stingray shaped remnant of a giant exploded star, or supernova. The times they are a-changing (very slightly) While the Earth spins gaily round the Sun once a year, Jupiter is ambling along, taking twelve times as long to complete a solar revolution. As it moves, its pull on the Earth is producing a slight change in our own position in the solar system, adding 25 milliseconds to each Earth year. Space Dust Blamed for Extinctions See also: Space dust 'did for dinosaurs' The Earth's orbit causes the planet to encounter more space dust every 100,000 years, and this could cause a cooling that may contribute to climate changes and to periodic extinctions of some life forms. Russians May Utilize Mir Longer The Russians announced plans to extend the Mir space station's mission into the next millenium if delays on the new International Space Station continue to occur. Russia planned to retire the station in December 1999, but that the date could still be pushed back. Russia criticizes NASA for "unpleasant" space station comment A Russian official on May 07 criticised "regrettable and unpleasant" comments by the head of NASA about Russia's role in building a new International Space Station. Inspecting a Greenland Meteorite A Danish expedition will go to Greenland in July to search for fragments of a meteorite that crashed to the ground last December, hoping to find clues to the birth of the solar system. Gamma-Ray burst universe's most energetic event See also: The biggest blast in the universe, Seeing stars after a big bang and Universe's Brilliant Burst Astronomers have witnessed the biggest explosion since the big bang that created the cosmos. The huge explosion, coming from a point near the edge of the observable universe, released more energy in one second than all the other objects in the universe combined. Blasts From the Past: High-Redshift Burst is the Latest Piece in 30-year Trail of Discovery After nearly 30 years of intense debate and scientific inquiry, scientists finally know the answer to the question "Where are the Gamma-Ray Bursts?", and can now move on to answer the question "What causes them?" UA Catalina Sky Survey to search for faint near-Earth asteroids, comets See also: Astronomers Scan the Skies for Planetary Peril Astronomers at The University of Arizona in Tucson who in 1992 started a unique near-Earth asteroid survey in the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson are about to begin faster searches for fainter objects in large areas of sky where other such surveys seldom look. Space agency heads plan summit on space station Space agency heads will meet at the end of this month to discuss a new launch timetable for an international space station which has been delayed due to Russian problems, an official said on May 6. Brain Research Over NASA has decided not to repeat space shuttle Columbia's just-completed brain research mission. A Galaxy Far, Far Away See also: Pushing back the frontiers of space Astronomers have detected a small galaxy 12.3 billion light-years from Earth—the most distant object ever seen—and say they are on the brink of seeing things even farther away and closer to the big bang beginning of the universe. Space Central Video Update - May 2 Realvideo descriptions of some of the experiments performed onboard the current shuttle mission. Asteroid Hunters Scan The Sky See also: Asteroid Hunters Find Prey Aplent A New Mexico research team has found six Earth-threatening asteroids in the last five weeks, setting a new standard for the pace of asteroid-hunting. Two New Moons of Uranus Adding to the Shakespearean cast orbiting Uranus, astronomers have named two tiny moons discovered last October. Scientists try to simulate moon life in New Mexico See also: Homesteading the Planets with Local Materials In the red sands of New Mexico this week, a small group of scientists and engineers are trying to figure out how to live off the land on the moon and Mars. Despite orders, Columbia's veterinarian spares rat's life Astronaut Richard Linnehan had his orders - kill the rat. But he couldn't bring himself to do it. So the white rodent will return to Earth aboard space shuttle Columbia on May 3 along with the crew and the other surviving animals. Going to the moon to rescue a satellite Engineers are planning to swing an errant communications satellite around the moon in an attempt to get it into the right orbit around the Earth. ESO Slide and Viewgraph Set No. 2 This set of 41 viewgraphs illustrates some of the main features of the ESO Very Large Telescope project, according to the status in April 1998. They have been prepared as a base for presentations related to this project, at a moment just before the First Light Event that is expected to take place in late May 1998. When it is completely ready, a few years from now, the VLT will become the world's largest optical telescope. Scientists Foresee Outer Space 'Gold Rush' A return to the moon would be feasible commercially and would be better off without government involvement, former U.S. senator and Apollo astronaut Harrison Schmitt said.

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