Monthly Archives: April 2013

by Nancy Atkinson on April 23, 2013

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International Space Station pass over Stonehenge, Wiltshire UK, April 20, 2013. Credit and copyright: Tim Burgess. Used by permission.

In a gorgeous mix of archeology and space exploration, photographer Tim Burgess captured a stunning view of the International Space Station passing over the historic and iconic Stonehenge on April 20, 2013. Tim said this composite image is composed of 11 shots, 10 sec, f2.8, 400 ISO. As one person commented on Flickr, An amazing feat of human engineering passing over an amazing feat of human engineering, captured by an amazing feat of human engineering.

Thanks to Tim for allowing us to post this image on UT; keep track of Tims photography on Flickr and Twitter. Want to get your astrophoto featured on Universe Today? Join our Flickr group or send us your images by email (this means youre giving us permission to post them). Please explain whats in the picture, when you took it, the equipment you used, etc.

Tagged as: Astrophotos, ISS, Stonehenge

See the original post here:
Incredible Astrophoto: Space Station Flies Over Stonehenge

WASHINGTON, April 23, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA's Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) test bed has begun its experiments after completing its checkout on the International Space Station.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20081007/38461LOGO)

The SCaN test bed is an advanced, integrated communications laboratory facility that uses a new generation of software-defined radio (SDR) technology to allow researchers to develop, test and demonstrate advanced communications, networking and navigation technologies in space. This radio communication technology is based on a new standard that enables radio characteristics and functionality to be changed simply by altering the software. It can be transferred to any radio built to the standard. The cost savings and efficiency of this new technology will improve NASA's data communications in the future.

"The space station serves as a dynamic test bed for the technologies needed for future human and robotic exploration," said International Space Station Program Manager Michael Suffredini. "SCaN is an example of the technologies that are being matured in low-Earth orbit and used to increase science return of many different types of spacecraft."

Checkout activities completed in February established the status and health of the payload, including the antenna systems and software on each of three SDRs. The test bed will help technology developers and mission planners understand how they will be used in future missions.

"With the development and deployment of this test bed, NASA has enabled significant future advancements by gaining knowledge and understanding of SDR development," said John Rush, technology and standards director for SCaN at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "That has created expertise across the agency that will define and develop the next generation of SDRs for future missions."

Initial experiments under way include advancing in S-band and Ka-band SDR technology and enhancing the capabilities of the existing communications paths, especially in the Ka-band. Researchers expect the test bed to operate aboard the space station for as long as six years.

"The SCaN Test bed represents a significant advancement in SDRs and its applications for NASA," said David Irimies, project manager for the SCaN test bed at NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. "Investigating these SDR technologies in the dynamic space environment increases their technology readiness level and maturity, which in turn can be used for future missions as risk reduction."

An experiment with NASA's latest Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS)-K will be the first in-orbit test and demonstration of a TDRS spacecraft acquiring and successfully auto-tracking a Ka-band user in low-Earth orbit.

This reconfigurable in-orbit laboratory provides broad participation to NASA, industry, academia and other government agencies. These experiments will contribute data to the Space Telecommunications Radio Standard Compliant repository and will enable future hardware platforms to use common, reusable software modules to reduce development time and costs.

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Space Station Communications Test Bed Checks Out; Experiments Begin

Spot the International Space Station moving across the night sky this week. Chances arise the next three nights, but the best viewing opportunity Wednesday is possible to coincide with rain and thunderstorms.

Look tonight at 8:59 p.m., Tuesday at 9:45 p.m. and Wednesday at 8:54 p.m. In each case, the space station will appear brighter than a star moving steadily across the sky, first appearing on the northwestern horizon.

Wednesdays will be the best chance, with the spacecraft taking a path directly overhead and at its brightest. But forecasts are calling for a 50 percent chance of rain Wednesday night, according to the National Weather Service.

It takes about 6 minutes for the space station to cross the sky, but Tuesday's opportunity will be only about half that before the space station disappears into the shadows.

Given all that, you might want to spot the space station Monday while you have the chance. It will stay low in the sky, passing eastward through the constellations Cassiopeia and Ursa Minor, better known as the Little Dipper.

Look out for Jupiter low in the western sky while you're out there.

The space station's current crew, on Expedition 35, is led by Canadian space agency astronaut Chris Hadfield and includes NASA astronauts Tom Marshburn and Chris Cassidy, both flight engineers.

The space station could soon gets its first reinforcements from a commercial spacecraft after a successful launch of Orbital Sciences Corp.'s Antares rocket Sunday. The rocket launched at 5 p.m. after several delays in the preceding days.

"Today's successful test marks another significant milestone in NASA'splan to rely on American companies to launch supplies and astronauts tothe International Space Station, bringing this important work back tothe United States where it belongs," NASA Administrator CharlesBolden said in a statement.

A demonstration mission for Orbital Sciences to resupply the space station is scheduled for later this year.

Original post:
International Space Station to fly over Baltimore this week