Tag Archives: NASA

R2 is ready for liftoff

February 23, 2011News, Technologyhumanoid robot, NASA, R2, Robonaut 2, robot, space, trailerScott Meisner

Come tomorrow, Robonaut 2 will become the first humanoid robot to enter space. R2 will initially operate inside a space laboratory for operational testing, but eventually its territory and its applications could expand, says NASA. The long-term goal for R2 is for it to assist astronauts during space walks and to work alongside engineers in the space station. Once it leaves Earth tomorrow on the STS-133, NASA does not plan on bringing him back to our blue speck. Go boldly where no humanoid robot has ever gone before, little buddy. Bon voyage! (Cue the overly dramatic liftoff trailer embedded above.)

[Via Engadget]

NASA and GM are sending world’s first humanoid into space

April 16, 2010space, Technology, VideoGeneral Motors, GM, humanoid, NASA, robotScott Meisner

NASA and General Motors are collaborating to send a robot to the International Space Station to aid the human astronauts who reside there. Sure we’ve sent robots into space before; you’ve heard of the Mars Rover, right? This is different. Robonaut 2, nicknamed R2, is preparing to become the first humanoid robot to enter space. It’s got arms, legs, a body, and head. R2 looks like one of us. So what’s it going to do up there? According to The New York Times, it “will be monitored in space to see how it performs in weightlessness, but NASA hopes to eventually use R2 to assist astronauts during space walks and to work alongside engineers in the space station.” R2 is scheduled to leave for space via the Space Shuttle Discovery in September. To infinity and beyond, I say! Look after the break for a video that takes you behind the construction of R2.

[Via NYT; Engadget]

Continue reading NASA and GM are sending world’s first humanoid into space →

NASA’s “Project M” can send robots to the Moon in 1,000 days

February 28, 2010space, Technology, Videomoon, NASA, robotsScott Meisner

This video of NASA Johnson Space Center’s “Project M” depicts a Robonaut-based, tele-operated mission to the Moon – one that JSC claims could be accomplished in 1,000 days once the go-ahead was given.

The background music alone has me pumped for sending exploratory robots into space. 1,000 days, eh? If we can’t agree on sending more humans to the moon, why not send robots controlled by humans on Earth in motion-capture suits? Let’s do it!

[Via YouTube; Gizmodo]

Planet Earth like you’ve never seen it before

February 25, 2010Images, spaceEarth, high resolution, NASAScott Meisner

This spectacular “blue marble” image is the most detailed true-color image of the entire Earth to date. Using a collection of satellite-based observations, scientists and visualizers stitched together months of observations of the land surface, oceans, sea ice, and clouds into a seamless, true-color mosaic of every square kilometer (.386 square mile) of our plane.

Check out the gallery below to see an additional shot with the US of A front and center. Head over to NASA to download the larger, high resolution versions of these images. They make for a great desktop background.

[Via NASA; Gizmodo]

“The original spiral nebula” like you’ve never seen it before

December 29, 2009Image cache, space, TechnologyCharles Messier, galaxy, image post-processing, M51, NASA, NGC 5194, universeScott Meisner

Thanks to image post-processing technology, scientists have digitally remade the image of the NGC 5194, or what is known as “the original spiral nebula.” Enjoy the 51st entry in Charles Messier’s famous catalog (aka M51) in all its high resolution glory.

Over 60,000 light-years across, M51’s spiral arms and dust lanes clearly sweep in front of its companion galaxy (right), NGC 5195. Image data from the Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys has been reprocessed to produce this alternative portrait of the well-known interacting galaxy pair. The processing has further sharpened details and enhanced color and contrast in otherwise faint areas, bringing out dust lanes and extended streams that cross the small companion, along with features in the surroundings and core of M51 itself. The pair are about 31 million light-years distant. Not far on the sky from the handle of the Big Dipper, they officially lie within the boundaries of the small constellation Canes Venatici.

[Via Gizmodo; NASA]

NASA finds wa-wa on our lunar sphere

November 17, 2009News, science, spaceDiscovery, moon, NASA, waterScott Meisner

Project Scientist Anthony Colaprete on the matter: “I’m here today to tell you that indeed, yes, we found water. And we didn’t find just a little bit; we found a significant amount.”

NASA shares: “If the water that was formed or deposited is billions of years old, these polar cold traps could hold a key to the history and evolution of the solar system, much as an ice core sample taken on Earth reveals ancient data.”

And my personal favorite: “In addition, water and other compounds represent potential resources that could sustain future lunar exploration.”

Future exploration means potential living spaces outside our own planet. Just the idea of expanding Earth’s population onto other planets (or moons) provokes massive amounts of excitement. To infinity and beyond!

[Via NASA]

Buzz Lightyear in his natural habitat..flying in space!

September 17, 2009Movies, space, Videoaction figure, Buzz Lightyear, Disney, NASA, Sapce Shuttle Discovery, Toy StoryScott Meisner

Buzz Lightyear traveled on Space Shuttle Discovery back in 2008.

[Via Gizmodo]

NASA reports the LA fires from space

September 3, 2009Imagesfires, forest fires, LA, Los Angeles, NASA, spaceScott Meisner

“The area covered by the image is 245 kilometers (152 miles) wide.” Damn.

[Via Gizmodo; NASA]

Colbert gets his liftoff

August 26, 2009Hilarity, science, Technology, VideoColbert, International Space Station, ISS, NASA, space, Stephen Colbert, The Colbert ReportScott Meisner

After receiving the most votes at NASA’s website, actor Stephen Colbert won the contest to put his last name on the next ISS module to launch into space. After deeming the situation inappropriate, NASA decided to name the module “Tranquility” and gave Colbert a consolation prize. After all, he did give the International Space Station a boost in popularity on his show “The Colbert Report.” His prize? NASA came up with this acronym: C.O.L.B.E.R.T. is the Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill. Better than nothing, I guess. Check out his response video above.

[Via Gizmodo]

Happy 40th Anniversary of Moon Landing

July 20, 2009Images, News, Technology, Videoanniversary, Apollo 11, moon, NASA, spaceScott Meisner

On June 20th, 1969, forty years ago today, the Apollo 11 mision resulted in the first successful manned mission to land on the moon. Mission commander Neil Armstrong, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins, and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, Jr. comprised the spacecraft that landed on the moon. Armstrong and Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the moon (Collins orbited above). Check out the all-new Google Moon site to see “a mosaic of landing site images and a tour of the Apollo landings.” Check out AOL’s We Choose the Moon interactive deployment of Apollo 11 from Earth to the moon (make sure you have Flash enabled, and give it a minute to load). Also, take a look at this YouTube video, “First Moon Landing 1969.” Celebrate by watching these videos, viewing the images, and remembering the famous sentence spoken by Neil Armstrong when he stepped off the spacecraft: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

[Via Wiki]