constellation

NASA's Ares I passes the first test

According to a report at MediaFlux, NASA has had a successful preliminary design review of the Ares I rocket, which will be responsible for taking its Orion crew into orbit in 2015. The review was conducted by a team of more than 1,100 specialists at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

It was the final step of the design process of the Ares I and according to NASA, was the first critical milestone in more than 35 years of a U.S. rocket responsible for carrying astronauts into space.

This was the first in a long … Read more

NASA pushes back new space program

NASA's plans to launch new manned missions to the International Space Station three years after the space shuttle retires in 2010 aren't panning out.

Officials at the space agency said Monday that they will still hold to their word that the Constellation program--a mission of the newly developed Ares 1 rocket and Orion crew capsule to the ISS--will happen by March 2015, five years after the space shuttle program shuts down. But a previous goal of an early launch in 2013 has now been moved to 2014 because of budget constraints. NASA officials are also leaving wiggle room … Read more

Johnson Space Center: Core of NASA's universe

HOUSTON--"Houston, we have a problem."

If there is a five-word phrase more recognizable than that in the annals of modern science or space exploration, I want to hear it.

For my entire life, the "Houston" in that phrase was an abstract term, a reference to a disembodied place where people wield God-like powers--or don't, as the case may be--over the astronauts who were themselves abstract to me. I'd never seen them, and I wasn't old enough to have watched any of the mythical rocket launches prior to the Space Shuttle.

But earlier … Read more

Behind the scenes at Kennedy Space Center

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla.--I'd just walked into the press center here the day before the scheduled landing of Space Shuttle Discovery and located Allard Beutel, the head of public affairs, when I sensed that something was wrong.

Apparently, some little piece of the shuttle had broken off in space. Now, reporters from around the world were barraging Beutel and his team of NASA PR folks with demands to know what was going on.

"'You're stranding your crew in space, they can't come home,'" Beutel told me was the common sentiment he was getting from … Read more

Vertu phones honor its favorite subject--itself

Having created such specimens as the $310,000 "Signature Cobra," it's not surprising that Vertu is a brand that isn't afraid to celebrate itself. So even though it's already released one special line marking its 10th anniversary this year, there's nothing to stop them from doing one more.

To that end, the luxury handset maker has unveiled its "Rococo Constellation," also in honor of its first decade, following the "Monogram Constellation" that did the same thing. As indicated by its name, the new collection was inspired by the French design … Read more

Vertu collection celebrates--what else?--itself

As Vertu celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, the luxury handset maker is commemorating its first decade with another special edition (surprise, surprise). This time it's the "Monogram Constellation" collection, though there's apparently no astronomical connection other than price. But something tells us that Vertu consumers aren't terribly concerned with such details.

With the latest line, the phone maker extraordinaire continues its leather kick, which it has already adopted for occasions ranging from the picnic to the race track. Given that this is Vertu, of course, it's no ordinary cowhide treatment: Each piece takes … Read more

Power Downloader explores the galaxy

After taking Candace Clicks to a nice dinner for Valentine's Day, Power Downloader thought it would be a good idea to go look at the night sky. To get the best view, Candace and Power made their way just outside of town where the lights from the city wouldn't detract from their view. Though the view was amazing, neither Power nor Candace knew much about which stars they were looking at besides the Big Dipper, the Little Dipper, and the North Star.

The next day at the Powerlair, Power Downloader decided to find a program he could send … Read more

Sun's super supercomputer to launch

MENLO PARK, Calif.--It got delayed a few months, but a new, somewhat unusual supercomputer from Sun Microsystems will get formally unveiled next week.

The Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) at the University of Texas will dedicate a Constellation System from Sun on February 22, said John Fowler, executive vice president of systems at Sun. He was speaking at the company's global media summit here Wednesday. (Technically, the computer started running earlier this month: the dedication is sort of like the official coming-out party.) After TACC, Sun hopes to start selling Constellations to more customers.

The linchpin of Constellation … Read more