Tag Archives: mars

The Itokawa Cycler – Ride an Asteroid to Mars

In 1985, astronaut Buzz Aldrin proposed his Aldrin cycler as a better way to get to and from Mars. It’s a very fun idea, but I thought there was room for improvement. I looked through the database and found an … Continue reading

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The Perseverance Rover Lands on Mars Tomorrow!

Tomorrow is a big day in the world of planetary science. NASA’s Perseverance rover (formerly Mars 2020) will be landing on Mars at 3:55 PM EST. This is something that brings back memories for me. Eight and a half years … Continue reading

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Help Name the Mars 2020 Rover!

If you remember the summer of 2012, you might recall the landing of the Curiosity rover on Mars. (As a hint, it was right at the end of the London Olympics.) It was a pretty big deal because this was … Continue reading

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Elon Musk Wants to Send People to Mars…in 2025!

On Friday, at the International Astronautical Congress in Adelaide, Australia, Elon Musk of PayPal and Tesla Motors fame announced his plans for the future of his rocket company, SpaceX. And it’s pretty epic. SpaceX has come a long way—from having … Continue reading

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Book Review: The Martian by Andy Weir

Astronaut Mark Whatney got the chance of a lifetime when he was picked to join the third manned mission to Mars. But after they landed, things went wrong. A freak dust storm far beyond anything the crew anticipated nearly destroyed … Continue reading

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Government shuts down: now what?

By now, you’ve probably heard that the United States government is shut down, having failed to pass a budget, something that last happened in 1996. I’ll spare the annoying political details and just say that neither of the two parties … Continue reading

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2013: A look ahead

Happy New Year to all! Traditionally, the beginning of the year is a time to reflect and to look ahead, so here’s a look at what’s coming in 2013. March: Comet PANSTARRS could be the brightest comet since 2008, possibly … Continue reading

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