The new game Starfield brought hundreds of strange new worlds within reach of gamers everywhere this season, but if you’re a space history fan like me, there’s a special treat just for you. This week, space fans will celebrate the 54th anniversary of Apollo 12, which launched three astronauts to the moon in 1969, and Starfield’s Constellation Edition from Bethesda Games Studios is a clear homage to the legacy of NASA’s Apollo program. The special Starfield edition, which retails for $299.99 for either PC or XBox, comes in a sleek…
Read MoreFive Ways NASA Supercomputing Takes Missions from Concept to Reality
NASA high-end computing plays a key role in taking many agency missions from concept to application in the real world. From increasing accuracy of global weather forecasts for forecast entities (like NOAA) to warn of severe storms, to designs for future air taxis to safely fly people around urban areas, to parachute design tests for landing spacecraft on the Moon and other planets, our supercomputing resources and experts are driving science and engineering advances for the benefit of humanity. These projects and much more will be on display in the…
Read MoreWatch the epic new trailer for Netflix’s upcoming sci-fi film ‘Rebel Moon’ (video)
One of the biggest sci-fi films of the year is almost here. Rating high on any list of most anticipated sci-fi releases of the year is director Zack Snyder’s “Rebel Moon,” a once discarded “Star Wars” project that was retooled as a two-part standalone film at Netflix and now we’ve been blessed with a fresh full trailer flooded with never-seen footage, new promo poster and detailed synopsis. For such a monumental project, hungry fans have been slightly puzzled by the apparent lack of juicy plot morsels and any extended preview…
Read MoreThe Predator franchise is due for a big comeback following the success of ‘Prey’
One of Disney’s promises following the acquisition of Fox and its assets in 2019 was that the Alien, Predator and Planet of the Apes franchises were top priorities in their “adult blockbusters” plans. So far, this is true, with all three properties appearing in several forms of media over the years and either releasing or having in development new live-action projects. It seems, however, that Predator is lagging a bit behind its brethren. Of course, the universe’s most lethal hunters have appeared in Marvel comic books, video games and even…
Read MoreDragon Lights Up the Night
In this photo from Nov. 9, 2023, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket illuminates the water as it launches at night from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The 29th commercial resupply mission of the Cargo Dragon spacecraft brought new scientific research, technology demonstrations, crew supplies, and hardware to the International Space Station, including NASA’s Integrated Laser Communications Relay Demonstration Low Earth Orbit User Modem and Amplifier Terminal (ILLUMA-T) and Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE). Image Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
Read MoreNASA Associate Administrator Bob Cabana to Retire After 38 Years
NASA Associate Administrator Bob Cabana delivers remarks during a Moon to Mars Town Hall, Thursday, May 18, 2023, at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters building in Washington. NASA/Keegan Barber NASA Associate Administrator and former astronaut Robert Cabana announced Monday his retirement, effective Sunday, Dec. 31 after more than 38 years of service. As associate administrator, Cabana has been the agency’s highest ranking civil servant, third highest ranking NASA official, and the senior advisor to NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy. Among notable contributions to the nation…
Read MoreNASA Astronaut to Speak with Florida Students from Space Station
NASA astronaut and Expedition 70 Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli replaces cables on the advanced resistive exercise device inside the International Space Station’s Tranquility module. Students from the Creative Learning Academy in Pensacola, Florida, will have an opportunity this week to hear from a NASA astronaut aboard the International Space Station. The space-to-Earth call will air live at 9:30 a.m. EST Wednesday, Nov. 15. Watch the NASA+ streaming service at no cost on demand. The briefing also will air live on NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and on the agency’s website. Learn how to stream…
Read MoreSpaceX launches O3b mPOWER communication satellites on its 84th mission of 2023
SpaceX launched the SES O3b mPOWER mission on Sunday (Nov. 12), a flight that placed two communication satellites into medium Earth orbit (MEO). The Falcon 9 rocket ferrying these satellites lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 4:08 p.m. EST (2108 GMT). Related: SpaceX launches its 29th cargo mission to the International Space Station A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket’s first stage lands on the droneship “A Shortfall of Gravitas” on Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023. (Image credit: SpaceX (via X)) The Falcon 9’s first stage came back…
Read MoreIcebergs are melting fast. This AI can track them 10,000 times faster than humans
Scientists are turning to artificial intelligence to quickly spot giant icebergs in satellite images with the goal of monitoring their shrinkage over time. And unlike the conventional iceberg-tracking approach, which takes a human a few minutes to outline just one of these structures in an image, AI accomplished the same task in less than 0.01 seconds. That’s 10,000 times faster. “It is crucial to locate icebergs and monitor their extent, to quantify how much meltwater they release into the ocean,” Anne Braakmann-Folgmann, lead author of a study on the results…
Read MoreDART asteroid-smashing team and record-breaking astronaut Peggy Whitson honored for impact on space science
NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson and the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) team have been awarded this year’s Michael Collins Trophy in honor of their achievements in space. Since 1985, the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum has awarded its Michael Collins Trophy annually for both current and lifetime achievements. The trophy recognizes outstanding accomplishments in the fields of aerospace science and technology. As the first woman commander of the International Space Station, Whitson has earned the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award for her record-breaking spaceflights and distinguished career. The DART mission,…
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