Space

Outer space, commonly shortened to space, is the expanse that exists beyond Earth and its atmosphere and between celestial bodies. Outer space is not completely emptyโ€”it is a near-perfect vacuum containing a low density of particles, predominantly a plasma of hydrogen and helium, as well as electromagnetic radiation, magnetic fields, neutrinos, dust, and cosmic rays.

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DARPA’s Phoenix Program

Satellites that reach the end of their useful lives are often boosted into a “graveyard” orbit in order to make way for replacements. Now, DARPA has proposed a grave-robbing robot that could stitch together parts from these dead satellites to create new ones, avoiding the huge expense of launching components into space. DARPA’s Phoenix program …

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Dream Chaser

The Dream Chaser, a reusable space plane currently under development by Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC), is to undergo high altitude drop tests in 2012 following a 25.6 million US dollar boost from NASA to top-off the 80 million US dollar contract awarded earlier this year. But it won’t be chasing just any dream. With the …

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New Deep Space Rocket

Today, NASA officially announced the design of its forthcoming Space Launch System–a heavy-lift rocket capable of taking humans into deep space. It will be the primary vehicle to replace the Space Shuttle, but with significantly more powerโ€”enough to reach Mars.

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Robonaut vs Astronaut

โ€œThose electrons feel GOOD!,โ€ R2 tweeted yesterday as its visual systems were powered on. โ€œOne small step for man, one giant leap for tinman kind.โ€ Robonaut 2 was actually unboxed several months ago (it was delivered by the final Discovery mission in February to the International Space Station) but has been sitting idly, waiting for …

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