NASA发射“开普勒”望远镜

德尔它2—7925—10L型火箭3月7日在卡纳维拉尔角空军站发射了NASA新的“开普勒”太空望远镜。该探测器很有可能改变人类对宇宙的看法。它的发现还有望从根本上改变人类对自身的认识。它将运行在尾随地球的一条日心轨道上．绕太阳运行一圈要用371天时间。它将把“目光”投向银河系中数万颗恒星．寻找大小与地球相仿、处在可支持生命的轨道区域内的行星．所瞄准的恒星区域约相当于人伸开手臂后手掌能挡住的一片区域。     

美国“开普勒”太空望远镜发射寻找太阳系外类地行星

美国东部时间3月6日,NASA的“开普勒”太空望远镜从卡纳维拉尔空罩基地顺利升空到达预定轨道,这是世界首个用于探测太阳系外类地行星的探测器。此项任务预计历时至少3年,耗资约6亿美元。它将对天鹅座和天琴座中预计约10万个恒星体系展开不间断观测,以寻找类地行星和生命存在的迹象。     

从开普勒到“开普勒”

约翰内斯·开普勒破解了太阳系中行星的运动。现在以他名字命名的一个探测器则正在搜寻其他的行星系统。2009年3月6日,一枚联合发射同盟公司的德尔它Ⅱ型火箭从美国佛罗里达州的卡纳维拉尔角呼啸着直插夜空。它上面携带了一个不大不小的载荷,从技术上讲是一架1米的施密特望远镜和42个电荷耦合器件（CCD）——开普勒空间望远镜（下文简称“开普勒”）。     

NASA延长多个空间探测器任务期

据新华网站2012年4月6日消息,日前,对“开普勒”太空望远镜、“斯皮策”红外探测太空望远镜以及ESA“普朗克”宇宙辐射探测器中的美国部分,NASA决定分别延长其任务期。NASA表示,搜寻类地行星的“开普勒”的任务期原定为3年半,2012年9月即将结束,此次将延至2016年9月30日,延长4年;“斯皮策”的任务期将延至2014年,延长2年,届时项目团队可以再度提出延长申请;“普朗克”项目美国部分的任务期将延长1年。     

“开普勒”：探寻类地行星的先驱者

美国东部时间2009年3月6日22时50分（北京时间7日11时50分）,世界首个用于探测太阳系外类地行星的“开普勒”太空望远镜,在美国东南部佛罗里达州的卡纳维拉尔角,搭乘“德尔塔－2”运载火箭升空。此次卫星的发射,由来自科罗拉多大学巨石城分校大气与太空物理学实验室（LASP）的20名学生和16名专家组成的小组,在科罗拉多大学研究园的LASP太空技术大楼里操控。火箭发射65分钟后。“开普勒”太空望远镜开始进入预定轨道,当时它距地球大约721千米（其运行轨道和地球轨道基本重合,绕太阳飞行,一个周期约为5了2天）。它将在这一轨道试运行两个月,随后正式开始执行探索任务。     

“开普勒”：寻找另一个地球

2009年3月6日,美国首颗用于搜寻类地行星的空间望远镜开普勒号在卡纳维拉尔角发射升空。至此,在地球之外寻找外星生命的天文学家将有新工具来实现他们的目标。耗资将近6亿美元的开普勒望远镜将在四年左右的时间内,在银河系的天鹅座与天琴座区域观测类似于太阳的大约10万颗恒星系统,以寻找类地行星和生命存在的迹象。     

NASA成功发射“核光谱望远镜阵列”卫星

据NASA网站2012年6月13日报道,NASA的＂核光谱望远镜阵列＂（NuSTAR）在当日从太平洋中部海域发射入轨。发射时,轨道科学公司的L-1011＂占星者＂（Stargazer）载机先将＂飞马座＂（Pegasus）火箭及NuSTAR卫星悬挂在飞机机腹下方,一起运至空中;然后,火箭被抛落,     

NASA将启动新型太空探测项目

2011年5月8日,美国国家航空航天局（NASA）宣布,将从火星地球物理监测站、＂彗星跳蚤＂和土卫六海洋探测器中挑选出1个获胜项目,并提供除发射费用之外的最高4.25亿美元（约27亿人民币）资金。     

NASA发射“核光谱望远镜阵列”（NuSTAR）卫星

据美国航空航天局网站报道,NASA的＂核光谱望远镜阵列＂（NuSTAR）于2012年6月13日从太平洋中部海域发射入轨,该卫星将研究黑洞等宇宙秘密。     

NASA“圣杯”月球探测器撞击月球

据NASA网站报道,NASA的“圣杯”（Grail）姊妹探测器分别于2012年12月14日2点28分和2点29分（太平洋标准时间）撞击了月球表面。撞击点被命名为萨莉·赖德（SallyK．Ride）,以此纪念美国首位进入太空的女航天员。     

A crisis in the NASA space and Earth sciences programme : NASA Space and Earth Sciences Committee

The US space and Earth science programme is in a time of crisis. As the research environment changes and new scientific opportunities emerge, a broader range of resources is needed, including substantial new flight opportunities. There are a growing number of claimants for space research resources. Fluctuations in funding, programme delays and mismatched time scales have contributed to wasted time and research efforts. A new commitment is needed in this crisis; this article contains a summary of the analysis and recommendations of a recent report of NASA advisory committee.     

Dark Matter Particle Explorer,the First Satellite of China Space Science Pilot Project

The Dark Matter Particle Explorer(DAMPE) is the first high energy detector satellite in China,whose physics goal is to find evidence of the existence of dark matter particles by investigating the composition and energy spectra of primary cosmic rays,especially those for electrons,positrons and gamma rays,over the dynamic range from 5 Ge V to 10 Te V.DAMPE is a satellite launched by China with the largest payload ratio,where the payload is composed of a BGO(Bismuth Germanate Oxide) Calorimeter,a Plastic Scintillator Detector,a Silicon Tungsten Tracker and a Neutron Detector.This paper introduces the technical scheme of DAMPE,including requirement analysis,composition,technical innovation,on-orbit status and prospect of development for the future.     

长征系列运载火箭航天发射总次数突破两位数

长征系列火箭为中国航天运载火箭的统称。文章讨论了该系列火箭的组成和航天发射情况。     

Space,Language, and Ontology: A Response to Bateman

Abstract

Some of John Bateman's critiques of my article “Qualitative Spatial Reasoning in Interpreting Text and Narrative” are certainly valid. However, the alternative solutions that he proposes do not seem to me to be improvements.     

Space, ethics and society. A CMES study

Ethical issues have for long been limited to the fields of medicine and biotechnology, whereas to-day such matters encompass a growing number of engineering activities. 21^st century citizens are more equiring about technoscientific claims and accomplishments. Has their impact on society and the ecological environment been measured and quantified? With all this accumulated knowledge and progress do they have the ability and means to resolve these self-created difficulties? Or will a totally new approach have to be sought? The debates include space activity not only because of the public funding needed but also because of the possible consequences on humans as well as the terrestrial, orbital or outer environment. Since the fall of 1998, CNES has undertaken the study of the role played by space activities in to-day's society and that of the future, seeking to clarify the objectives of the former with the expectations of the latter, and how they converge. The purpose of this study is to determine precisely the ethical responsibility of the space agencies and to pursue more sociological and philosophical research on the ethical scope of space activities.     

Space,Language and Ontology: A Response to Davis

Abstract

Ernest Davis' article “Qualititative Spatial Reasoning in Interpreting Text and Narrative” discusses challenges that the interpretation of natural language appears to raise for the formalization of commonsense spatial reasoning. Davis finds these to be of “surprising logical complexity,” but also “erratic” in that they do not show a logical structuring of the problem space that could guide productive research. In this response I argue that much of the apparent lack of structure Davis laments is due to the very style of formal modeling he pursues. By augmenting logical considerations with substantial input from other disciplines and by adopting a heterogeneous and modular approach to formalization, I suggest that the problem space is by no means as ill-structured as Davis presents it.