DSG2 - Slashdot User

ESA launches first Earth Explorer mission GOCE-> 0

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DSG2

on Tuesday March 17 2009, @03:23PM

DSG2 writes "This afternoon, the Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) satellite developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) was lofted into a near-Sun-synchronous, low Earth orbit by a Rockot launcher lifting off from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in northern Russia. With this launch, a new chapter in the history of Earth observation in Europe has begun. GOCE is the first of a new family of ESA satellites designed to study our planet and its environment in order to enhance our knowledge and understanding of Earth-system processes and their evolution, to enable us to address the challenges of global climate change. In particular, GOCE will measure the minute differences in the Earth's gravity field around the globe. Read More Here"
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ISS Reality TV Show Gets Thumbs Down-> 0

Submitted by

DSG2

on Thursday March 12 2009, @12:47PM

DSG2 writes "Roscosmos and NASA have decided not to pursue a U.S.-initiated idea to make life on the International Space Station (ISS) a reality show, the Russian Space Agency announced on Thursday. Views of Earth from the space station will be streamed round-the-clock on the NASA web site using cameras mounted on the exterior of the orbiter, but the activities of crewmembers monitored on interior cameras will not be shown. A number of U.S. astronauts and Russian cosmonauts reacted negatively to the idea. Roscosmos also noted that the psychological effect of such experiments during long-duration stays in orbit had not been researched. Read more on this story and discuss the implications Here"
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