Aerospaceguide.net: Newsletter 40, Sunday 6th, February, 2005

Hi Everyone,

In this newsletter there are pages on Deep Impact spacecraft, Mars
DVD, Germany in Space, updated Moon and Space Collectibles pages, 3
polls and lots of interesting Space News.

* Use Aerospaceguide.net discount codes:

- Visit the Spacestore.com and enter Coupon Code "aeroguide" for 10%
discount.

- Visit Countdown Creations and enter code "aeroshop" for 10% off
all products.

http://www.aerospaceguide.net/spaceshop/index.html

SPACE POLL AMMENDMENT

Due to email feedback, an extra choice (answer)has been added to the
Space Poll question: "Should NASA service the Hubble Space Telescope
using the Space Shuttle?"

The addition is number 5 => No, NASA should use the Service Mission
Money and develop Hubble Telescope 2.

Please vote again because the poll has started again. Click on the
following link:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aerospaceguide/polls

SPACE POLL 2:

The question is: "Should the first NASA manned mission beyond Earth
Orbit (circum-lunar) be a collaboration with Russia?"

Choices:

1. Yes. They could collaborate by using USA Delta 4 Rocket and a
modified Russian Soyuz Spacecraft to send a manned mission around the
moon and back to Earth.
2. No, I don't think NASA would collaborate with Russia on a
circumlunar mission.
3. Maybe. It is possible. The idea has potential.
4. Don't know

To vote now, click on the following link:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aerospaceguide/polls

SPACE POLL 3:

The question is: "Is our Sun a binary system?"

Choices:

1. Yes, our Sun may have a red dwarf companion.
2. No, I do not believe our Sun has a companion.
3. Don't know

To vote now, click on the following link:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aerospaceguide/polls

WHAT's NEW?

* Deep Impact Mission
http://www.aerospaceguide.net/spacecraft/deepimpact.html

Deep Impact will be the first mission to impact on a comet. NASA's
Deep Impact Spacecraft was launched on 12th January 2005. The picture
of the impact on this page is fantastic.

* Mars DVD
http://www.aerospaceguide.net/dvd/mars.html

This whole page is dedicated to DVD related to Planet Mars. It
includes an excellent DVD called 'Eyes on Mars' which I totally
recommend. It easy to use and very educational. Also of interest is
Aelita - Queen of Mars (1924) - a Russian silent film. Have you heard
of it? It also contains My Favourtite Martian TV Show, Mission to
Mars movie and more.

* The Moon
http://www.aerospaceguide.net/moon.html

Includes facts on the moon, explains the phases of the moon and brief
space exploration highlights.

* German Space Program
http://www.aerospaceguide.net/shop/space_exploration_books.html

Who was the first German in Space? Was he from West Germany or East
Germany? Did you know Wernher Von Braun the famous Rocket Engineer
was born in Germany?

* Space Collectible
http://www.aerospaceguide.net/spacecollectible/index.html

Includes Lunar Astronaut Action Figure, Space Shuttle Patches,Apollo
Moon Scapes Deluxe Set & Play Table, NASA "Meatball" Hat, Mir
Cosmonaut Flight Jacket and lots more. Use the above discount codes
where applicable.

SPACE NEWS IN BRIEF

* From 2006 the cash-strapped Russian Space Agency may ferry US
astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) on a fee-paying
basis. The Russian Space Agency have provided sole access to the ISS
in the last two years. In 2005, co-operation will continue on a
barter system with astronaut launches paying off man-hours Russia
owes for Station work.

* The first flight of the Space X's Falcon rocket may be launched
this year. The main payload is a Pentagon satellite. It will also
deploy the cremated ashes of 125 people including those Gene
Roddenberys's colleague John Mereydyth Lucas. This is the fifth such
flight since Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry's ashes were placed
in orbit in 1997. Space X, the Space Launcher company was set up by
PayPal founder Elon Musk.

* Russia and India are discussing an agreement to jointly launch 18
navigation satellites to restore, develop and commercialise the
Glonass system, providing one metre accuracy services. Russia has 11
Glonass satellites in orbit instead of the required 24.

* The European Space Agency may launch the first phase of a Mars
Sample Return (MSR) Mission in 2011. The Mars Sample Return
Spacecraft may comprise of a Mars Orbiter including a Mars Sample
Return Capsule. A second spacecraft which would combine the Descent
Module and Mars Ascent Vehicle would be launched later to land on
Planet Mars. The sample collected using a soil sampler probing to a
depth of 2m would be transferred to the Mars Ascent Vehicle which
would take off and rendezvous with the MSR for transfer of samples
and a flight to Earth. Technology demonstrators will be flown under
the ESA ExoMars programme.

* Space Museum Steven F. Udvar Centre at Washington Dulles Airport
celebrated its first anniversary in Decemeber 2004. The Enterprise
prototype Space Shuttle Orbiter was moved to the Museum when it
opened on December 15, 2003 on the 100th anniversary of the first
powered flight by the Wright Brothers.

* The Greek Parliament passed the appropriate legislation on January
18th 2005 which enables Greece to become an official member of the
European Space Agency. The Hellenic Republic is expected to become
full member of the Agency by 1 December 2005.

* Blue Origin is developing a sub-orbital space vehicle that will
take of vertically and land vertically (VTOVL) and will carry three
or more astronauts to the edge of space. The fist flights may start
within 7 years. Blue Origin plans to build a test and operations
centre north of Van Horn in Texas. The initial facilities will
comprise an engine test stand, storage tanks for fuel and water and a
general purpose building. Blue Origin is a manned suborbital
commercial venture that was founded by Amazon.com founder and Chief
Executive Jeff Bezos. Blue Origin is based in Seattle, USA.

* In 2007, India will launch Astrosat its first science satellite
aboard a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). Astrosat will study x-
ray observations.

If you have a friend or colleague that is interested in Space and
Astronomy, please send them a copy of this newsletter.

See you in the next newsletter.

Regards,
Vic Stathopoulos
Web Master

Aerospaceguide.net
http://www.aerospaceguide.net
Space Projects and Info

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