NASA successfully demonstrated an alternate system for future astronauts. The launch of the Max Launch Abort System, or MLAS, took place on July 8, 2009, at 6:26 a.m. at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Va.
The unpiloted launch tested an alternate concept for safely propelling a future spacecraft and its crew away from a problem on the launch pad or during ascent. The MLAS consists of four solid rocket abort motors inside a bullet-shaped composite fairing attached to a full-scale mockup of the crew module.
Today is a great day to continue our tour of the solar system. At the center of our solar system, of course, is the sun.
“This year Aphelion, the point in Earth’s elliptical orbit when it is farthest from the Sun, occurs today, July 4th. Of course, that doesn’t affect the seasons on our fair planet. Those are determined by the tilt of Earth’s axis of rotation and not Earth’s distance from the Sun, so July is still winter in the south and summer in northern hemisphere. But it does mean that on July 4th the Sun will be at its smallest apparent size. This composite neatly compares two pictures of the Sun taken with the same telescope and camera on the dates of Perihelion (closest approach) and Aphelion in 2008. The image labels include Earth’s distance in kilometers from the Sun on the two dates. Otherwise difficult to notice, the change in the Sun’s apparent diameter between Perihelion and Aphelion is clear. The difference amounts to a little over 3 percent.” (via apod)
“When our broadcasts leave Earth, they slowly travel into space. There is, however, a sizable delay between what we watch and what distant aliens watch. This convenient chart shows us what TV various stars are receiving today.” via gizmodo
Our solar system is located between the larger Perseus and Sagittarius arms of the Milky Way galaxy in what is known as the Orion Spur at a distance of about 24,000–26,000 light years from the center of the galaxy.
Today we’re going to embark on a tour of our solar system.
The last seven images from the SELENE probe before it’s controlled impact with the moon.
