Oct 7th, 2009 at 1:30PM: On this day fifty years ago, humanity got to see something it had never seen before. On October 7, 1959, the Soviet space probe Luna 3 orbited the moon and took photos of the "dark side". Of course, everyone already knew that the dark side isn't really dark. It gets just as much light as the side we see, but since it always faces away from Earth we've spent the last hundred thousand years ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
space posts
Journey to the dark side of the moon
Oct 7th, 2009 at 1:30PM: On this day fifty years ago, humanity got to see something it had never seen before. On October 7, 1959, the Soviet space probe Luna 3 orbited the moon and took photos of the "dark side". Of course, everyone already knew that the dark side isn't really dark. It gets just as much light as the side we see, but since it always faces away from Earth we've spent the last hundred thousand years ...NASA focused on commercial space travel
Aug 11th, 2009 at 3:00PM: Crossing oceans isn't enough for you? Well, NASA is working to scratch the most extreme of travel itches. The organization is putting $50 million of economic stimulus cash from the feds into putting the average traveler into space. Companies eager to develop a commercial space vehicle have 45 days to submit their proposals, and the winner will be announced by the end of September.
The program ...Join the 13-mile high club in a MiG
Dec 25th, 2008 at 3:00PM: Incredible Adventures wants to push you through the sound barrier. Step into a MiG-29 and prepare to be thrust past Mach 1 in the fighter jet that caused Rocky to fight Drago. Or, find your way to the edge of space in a MiG-31. Find your way to Russia to get started, and then leave the Earth behind.
To pass the speed of sound, Incredible Adventures takes you to Nizhny and gives you a choice: the ...Virgin Galactic says thanks, but no thanks to space porn movie offer
Oct 3rd, 2008 at 3:30PM: Virgin Galactic, the first commercial space "airline" has reportedly declined an offer of $1 Million, to allow the production of the worlds first galactic porn movie. Regular flights on Virgin Galactic cost $200,000 each, so the offer of $1 Million seems quite generous, but Virgin Galactic politely declined. Space flights are scheduled to start in late 2009 or early 2010. Virgin plan to offer ...Flight attendant wins trip into space -- on Rocketplane!
Jul 17th, 2008 at 6:00PM: I thought that Rocketplane was a show on the cartoon network until I read an article this morning reporting that a French Flight Attendant won a trip into sub-orbit with the galactic airline. First, about the flight attendant: Mathilde Epron was working her daily flight schedule when she grabbed a quick Kit Kat snack, tossed the wrapper in the garbage and went on about her normal duties. Suddenly, ...The commercial space race heats up
Mar 26th, 2008 at 3:00PM: Remember Virgin Galactic? It's Richard Branson's pet project to create the first ever commercial service to fly passengers into a lower orbit, tool around in zero gravity for a little while and float back to the surface. They teamed up with Scaled Composites, the group who built the spacecraft that won the Ansari X prize, to create SpaceShipTwo, which by 2009 should soon be able to carry six ...Mommy, what does space smell like?
Feb 10th, 2008 at 8:00PM: Now you know. According to a NASA flight engineer on a International Space Station mission, space smells like "an arc welding torch repairing heavy equipment for a small logging outfit." Or more succinctly, "pleasant sweet-smelling welding fumes." Yums. Another useless (but quite interesting) piece of trivia to know. Of course, there's always somebody to burst your bubble. One theory is the ...World's biggest optical telescope in the making
Dec 29th, 2007 at 9:00AM: A 30-meter, $1-billion optical telescope that's in the making promises to bring our Universe 10-times closer. A dream come true for astronomers, it will allow for the study of earlier galaxies, and maybe even take us into the space beyond our solar system. Headed by the California Institute of Technology, the telescope is called the Thirty-Meter-Telescope or TMT and word is that it will exceed ...20 things about living in space
Nov 7th, 2007 at 10:30AM: Space is soon to become the next frontier, for travel and maybe for living too. With the world's first space hotel set to start accommodating guests within 5 years, here are some things you should know about spending time in space, courtesy of Discover:
Space sickness is common. You could have several symptoms, including nausea, headaches and trouble locating your limbs.
Your health will be ...Why You Should Stay Away From Hotels
Sep 26th, 2007 at 9:41AM: I love staying in hotels, if for no other reason than I don't have to clean up (much) after myself -- I can leave the bed unmade, and fresh sheets and towels will magically appear without me having to make the trek to the laundry room. But sometimes a hotel isn't the best option -- renting an apartment or house is often the way to go, especially if you're staying for a while. According to this ...The NEW Greatest and Most Unusual Travel Photo of All Time
Aug 28th, 2007 at 9:26PM: A while back, Willy posted what he called the greatest and most unusual travel photo of all time. Remember that? Well, Willy -- my dear friend -- I think I've found a photo that beats yours. It's the new greatest and most unusual travel photo of all time. Have a look:
Click the image above to see the ultra-high-res version. Trust me, it's totally worth it. I've been spending some time browsing ...World's First Space Hotel Plans to Open in 2012
Aug 12th, 2007 at 5:22PM: Please pardon the forthcoming cheesiness, but here's a story that's quite literally out of this world: The world's first space hotel is slated to open in 2012. What began as a hobby for Barcelona architect Xavier Claramunt is about to become a reality, thanks to careful planning and perseverance ... not to mention $3 billion that he fronted for the project. Guests of the Galactic Suite can fly ...Genesis II: Inflatable Space Hotel
Jun 29th, 2007 at 5:19PM:
The Genesis II, an inflatable space module recently sent into orbit via a Russian rocket, is the starting point to what hopes to become a "full-scale space hotel." Bigelow Aerospace, the company behind the project, plans to launch another module later this year that will link up with the Genisis II, and hopefully become the world's highest (and most expensive, I'm sure) hotel room. Don't count ...The Greatest and Most Unusual Travel Photo of All Time?
Jun 23rd, 2007 at 3:03PM: I stumbled over this image just now, and it took my breath away. Everything about the image is just so amazing: The poof-y shapes of the clouds in the background... The electric blue line that marks the boundary of the atmosphere... The absolute void of color that is space juxtaposed against the brilliant white space suit... The fact that you can see the photographer's reflection in the mask of ...Have Your Honeymoon in Space
Feb 14th, 2007 at 1:45PM: My fiance and I occasionally speculate about where we'd like to have our honeymoon. Someplace urban? Someplace close to nature? Maybe both?
One option we hadn't considered, is space.
That's the plan for Loretta and George Whitesides, the couple who intend to have their honeymoon in zero gravity. You can learn all about the couple's mission du love at their new Web site, spacelove.org.
Here's an ...Win A Trip To Space!
Feb 2nd, 2007 at 4:40PM: I'm gonna be honest: thinking about traveling to space doesn't get me fired up. I mean, there's nothing there to see or do or eat. There aren't any people to talk to. I guess I could take some cool pictures, and learning how a spaceship works might be cool. But...I think I'll stick to Earth. If you have a different take on space travel than me -- and you're an "ordinary resident" in the UK -- this ...GADLING'S TAKE FIVE: Week of November 26
Dec 1st, 2006 at 10:28PM: Am I the only one who can't believe it is December 1st? Where did November go? Where did the year go? How time flashes! If the end of the week managed to sneak up on you as fast as it got me you might want to review some of these posts found here over the week. 5. ABBA Museum to Debut in 2008: Come on! You can't tell me you're not excited by the news. Get your dancing feet to this one to find out ...Space Tourism Details Start to Fill In
Nov 29th, 2006 at 8:51AM: Not to steal too much thunder from Erik (who's been blogging about this for some time), but it looks like the details of space tourism are getting clearer.
Virgin Galactic has already collected $200,000 from its first 100 customers, called "founders," for their 150-minute flights on SpaceShipOne. More spots are still open for the next elite group of 400, called "pioneers" ($150,000 down payment). ...GADLING'S TAKE FIVE: Week of October 1
Oct 6th, 2006 at 11:50PM: Buckle down everyone and grab some hot cocoa. It's time for another weekly dose of Gadling's Take Five. 5. Shrink is Located in Terminal A: Fear of flying? Get help and get over it! Iva brings a great piece from USA Today which talks of Buenos Aires response to those who are afraid to fly. You can now find a shrink in the terminal. Can someone say "hooray?" 4. America's Best Restaurants: Eating ...
