A Global "Looking Up" Event

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http://www.100hoursofastronomy.org/
The 100 Hours of Astronomy Cornerstone Project is a worldwide event consisting of a wide range of public outreach activities, live science center, research observatory webcasts and sidewalk astronomy events.One of the key goals of 100 Hours of Astronomy is to have as many people as possible look through a telescope as Galileo did for the first time 400 years ago. 100 Hours of Astronomy will take place from 2-5 April when the Moon goes from first quarter to gibbous, good phases for early evening observing. Saturn will be the other highlight of early evening observing events.
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Eric Vandernoot sent me a heads up about a Global "Looking Up" Event coming up to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Galileo's discoveries.
(See a map of activity locations on link above.)

More information at http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/

Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update
==============================================================

S&T's Weekly Bulletin: Revolutionary Meteorite Find, The Remarkable Asteroid 2008 TC3

I received Sky & Telescope's Weeklly Bulletin and in it was this link to their article.
- LRK -
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Catch a Falling Star
The Remarkable Asteroid 2008 TC3
March 25, 2009
Last December a determined U.S. researcher traveled to Sudan to recover pieces of an asteroid that slammed into Earth's atmosphere only 19 hours after being spotted. It was a long shot that paid off beyond his wildest dreams.
> More at: http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/newsblog/41873107.html
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Here are two paragraphs from the link above. You may want to look at the whole article.
- LRK -

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Catch a Falling Star:
The Remarkable Asteroid 2008 TC3
NEWS BLOG by Kelly Beatty

This week I'm in Houston for the 40th annual Lunar & Planetary Science Conference, where 1,500 researchers have gathered to talk shop about the solar system. And indeed the big space news this week involves high-stakes interplanetary events — but the story should be datelined "Almahata Sitta, Sudan" instead of "Houston, Texas."

Our saga begins a few months ago, when Planet Earth got an unprecedented visit from a small asteroid designated 2008 TC3. A telescopic observer atop Mount Lemmon, Arizona, discovered this incoming chunk of rock on October 6th, and it slammed into the atmosphere over northern Sudan just 19 hours later. Since the 1970s astronomers have tracked down thousands of asteroids that might someday strike Earth — this is the first discovery that actually did.
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NASA has posted many illustrations about these remarkable events here.
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/solarsystem/tc3/index.html

If you have access to the publication, "nature - International weekly journal of science" the findings are posted here.
- LRK -
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http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v458/n7237/abs/nature07920.html
/Nature/ *458*, 485-488 (26 March 2009) | doi:10.1038/nature07920; Received 6 February 2009; Accepted 20 February 2009
The impact and recovery of asteroid 2008 TC_3

P. Jenniskens1, M. H. Shaddad2, D. Numan2, S. Elsir3, A. M. Kudoda2, M. E. Zolensky4, L. Le4,5, G. A. Robinson4,5, J. M. Friedrich6,7, D. Rumble8, A. Steele8, S. R. Chesley9, A. Fitzsimmons10, S. Duddy10, H. H. Hsieh10, G. Ramsay11, P. G. Brown12, W. N. Edwards12, E. Tagliaferri13, M. B. Boslough14, R. E. Spalding14, R. Dantowitz15, M. Kozubal15, P. Pravec16, J. Borovicka16, Z. Charvat17, J. Vaubaillon18, J. Kuiper19, J. Albers1, J. L. Bishop1, R. L. Mancinelli1, S. A. Sandford20, S. N. Milam20, M. Nuevo20 & S. P. Worden20

In the absence of a firm link between individual meteorites and their asteroidal parent bodies, asteroids are typically characterized only by their light reflection properties, and grouped accordingly into classes1, 2, 3. On 6 October 2008, a small asteroid was discovered with a flat reflectance spectrum in the 554–995 nm wavelength range, and designated 2008 TC3 (refs 4–6). It subsequently hit the Earth. Because it exploded at 37 km altitude, no macroscopic fragments were expected to survive. Here we report that a dedicated search along the approach trajectory recovered 47 meteorites, fragments of a single body named Almahata Sitta, with a total mass of 3.95 kg. Analysis of one of these meteorites shows it to be an achondrite, a polymict ureilite, anomalous in its class: ultra-fine-grained and porous, with large carbonaceous grains. The combined asteroid and meteorite reflectance spectra identify the asteroid as F class3, now firmly linked to dark carbon-rich anomalous ureilites, a material so fragile it was not previously represented in meteorite collections.
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I seem to have missed the event last year.
Then again, I would have missed the one that is flying by today.
- LRK -

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http://www.spaceweather.com/
March 27, 2009

*ASTEROID FLYBY:* Asteroid 2009 FD is flying past Earth today less than 620,000 km (1.6 LD) away. There is no danger of a collision with the 160m-wide space rock, but it is close enough to photograph using backyard telescopes. Sunlight reflected from the surface of the asteroid makes it shine like a 13th magnitude star. Use this ephemeris to find it
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Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update
==============================================================

NASA AND MICROSOFT TO MAKE UNIVERSE OF DATA AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC

It was hoped that the general public would be able to participate in exploring the Moon and Space and this is another way we can do so. - LRK -

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http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2009/mar/HQ_09-067_Microsoft_WorldWide_Telescope.html

WASHINGTON -- NASA and Microsoft Corp. announced Tuesday plans to make planetary images and data available via the Internet under a Space Act Agreement. Through this project, NASA and Microsoft jointly will develop the technology and infrastructure necessary to make the most interesting NASA content -- including high-resolution scientific images and data from Mars and the moon -- explorable on WorldWide Telescope, Microsoft's online virtual telescope for exploring the universe.

"Making NASA's scientific and astronomical data more accessible to the public is a high priority for NASA, especially given the new administration's recent emphasis on open government and transparency," said Ed Weiler, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

Under the joint agreement, NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., will process and host more than 100 terabytes of data, enough to fill 20,000 DVDs. WorldWide Telescope will incorporate the data later in 2009 and feature imagery from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, known as MRO. Launched in August 2005, MRO has been examining Mars with a high-resolution camera and five other instruments since 2006 and has returned more data than all other Mars missions combined.
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And the World Wide Telescope.
- LRK -

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http://www.worldwidetelescope.org
Immerse yourself in a seamless beautiful environment.

WorldWide Telescope (WWT) enables your computer to function as a virtual telescope, bringing together imagery from the best ground and space-based telescopes in the world. Experience narrated guided tours from astronomers and educators featuring interesting places in the sky.
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Glad to see NASA Ames participating. Enjoy.

Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update
==============================================================

LUNAR NETWORKS - An Epic Story In The Making Since 1957 - Blog

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http://lunarnetworks.blogspot.com/2009/03/special-session-lunar-missions-results.html
Monday, March 23, 2009
Special Session: Lunar Missions: Results from Kaguya, Chang'E-1 and Chandrayaan-1
40th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (2009)
The Woodlands, Texas
March 23-27
snip
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Joel Raupe on his blog site, see above, has listed a lot of links to sessions at the 40th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (2009).
See also a listing of poster session 2.
- LRK -

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http://lunarnetworks.blogspot.com/2009/03/poster-session-2-lunar-dust-and.html
Monday, March 23, 2009
Poster Session 2: Lunar Dust and Transient Surface Phenomena
snip
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OK, now I have even more material to read. Hope you too can enjoy.
- LRK-

My Thanks to Raupe for putting together the blog and to GOOGLE for alerting me to new items for "Moon Base"
Also a thanks to you folks who keep poking me in the side with great links. :-)
- LRK -

Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update
==============================================================

International Lunar Network - ILN

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http://nasascience.nasa.gov/missions/iln
ILN
Full Name: International Lunar Network
Phase: Under study
Launch Date: 2013
Program(s): Robotic Lunar Exploration

NASA will undertake landed lunar missions and is architecting a conceptual “global lunar network” as a backbone of its envisioned robotic surface activities. This concept, called the International Lunar Net-work (ILN), aims to provide an organizing theme for all landed science missions in the 2010s by involving each landed station as a node in a geophysical network. Ultimately, this network could be comprised of 8-10 or more nodes. Because some are desired to be located on the lunar far side, NASA will study a lunar communications relay satellite capability as part of its contribution to this potential endeavor.

In the ILN concept, each node would include some number of “core” capabilities (e.g., seismic, heat flow, laser retro-reflectors) that would be extant on each station, reflecting prioritized lunar science goals articulated in the National Research Council’s study, “The Scientific Context for Exploration of the Moon”. Individual nodes could and likely would carry additional, unique experiments to study local or global lunar science. Such experiments might include atmospheric and dust instruments, plasma physics investigations, astronomical instruments, electromagnetic profiling of lunar regolith and crust, local geochemistry, and in situ resource utilization demonstrations.
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Studies begin, studies end, and sometimes missions evolve, only time and money will tell.
Getting folks interested and invested in what is up there on and in the Moon should help us return.

Nice to know something about where you are going to park your Recreational Van and what resources you will have available.

If I dig in will the ground underneath get warmer or colder?
How easy to build an underground shelter and can I use the local materials?
Any geomagnetic disturbances and where did I leave that obelisk?
http://www.reelmoviecritic.com/2002/id1937.htm
http://cognitivelabs.com/clarke9.htm
http://www.flickr.com/photos/darko666/3172222485/page2/
- LRK -

Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update
==============================================================

International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG) – Annual Report:2008

http://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/isecg/ISECGAR08.pdf (45 pages, 448 KB)

The above link is for the 2008 Annual Report and contains a lot of information about who is doing what to develop space exploration.
- LRK -

Page 24 is the beginning of ANNEX I, which is the HIGHLIGHTS of SPACE AGENCIES’ EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES.
[Note - there are a number of pages left intentionally blank so less than 45 pages of reading. - LRK -]

More information on “Sustainable Space Exploration” below, with some of the players.
- LRK -

Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update
==============================================================

ATWG - Aerospace Technology Working Group

Who they are.
- LRK -

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http://www.atwg.org/
Welcome
Welcome to the Aerospace Technology Working Group! We are a group of seasoned aerospace and other professionals who seek to further humanity’s exploration of space while simultaneously benefiting people on earth. We hold semi-annual and special forums to discuss and treat topics judged pertinent to developing a space-faring people. Using our substantial base of engineering and scientific expertise, we provide fee-based strategic and technical consulting, public speaking, and ATWG member teams to work specific targeted areas. Emphasis is on the use of systems engineering and system of systems engineering, while accounting for the broader effects on other industries, programs, the environment, and the day-to-day lives of this planet’s inhabitants. We collaborate actively with other space-related national and international organizations. We conduct our work using both conventional and advanced communication and computer methods.

We perform service work in the field of inspiring our youth to pursue science and technical education and work careers. Part of our mission is to mentor younger upcoming technical professionals. We provide opportunities for professionals retiring from the regular workforce to continue their interesting careers at their own pace and receive recompense for their efforts. Membership is open to professionals and professionals-to-be of any age.
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I made mention of a paper that Buzz Aldrin participated in that was published by folks associated with the ATWG.

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http://www.spacerenaissance.org/papers/A_Unified_Space_Vision-Hsu-Buzz.pdf
Sustainable Space Exploration and Space Development - A Unified Strategic Vision
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I thought it might be interesting to see what these folks are doing.
- LRK -

They sponsored a book back in 2006, "Beyond Earth - The Future of Humans In Space".
http://www.atwg.org/book_info.htm

You might be interested in reading some of the reviews of the book on Amazon.com - LRK -.
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http://www.amazon.com/dp/1894959418
Product Description
Providing a foundation for space planners and anyone interested in human settlement in the solar system, this book theorizes about the near future, when the heretofore significant steps of humankind—traveling to the moon and building space stations—will be dwarved by new progress. Scholars and scientists raise and answer such questions as Why does space matter to us? What will ordinary life be like in space? and What will our homes be like on Mars or the Moon? This collection of findings by professionals documents important research, laying the bricks for space-faring civilizations and even consults future space-dwellers—kids—for their visions. Working from the assumption that humankind has a biological need to explore and improve the quality of life, the wide variety of contributors successfully argue that space as a future human habitat is not simply possible, but manifest.

snip
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I haven't read the book as yet. Maybe I could add it to the pile on the coffee table that I haven't read either. Where does the time go?
If you have looked at the book, let me know what you think of it.
- LRK -

Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update
==============================================================

NASA Creating Online Multiplayer Video Game

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http://www.livescience.com/space/090219-nasa-mmo.html
NASA Creating Online Multiplayer Video Game
By Jeremy Hsu, Staff Writer
posted: 19 February 2009 02:36 pm ET

Space explorers, ready your virtual engines — three game developers have signed on to create NASA's massively multiplayer online video game (MMO), called "Astronaut: Moon, Mars & Beyond."

NASA plans to let Virtual Heroes, Project Whitecard and Information in Place take the lead in creating a game that emphasizes fun first and foremost. The game community sent in 800 pages worth of responses to NASA's initial outreach on developing an MMO.

"The single biggest point that was pushed forward by the game community was that you have to let game design lead the development," said Daniel Laughlin, project manager for NASA Learning Technologies at the agency's Goddard Earth Science and Technology Center in Maryland. "It's easy to build a game that's no fun. It's hard to build a game that's successful and fun."
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Check out the many comments on the link above. -- LRK -

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http://ipp.gsfc.nasa.gov/mmo/
After extensive review by internal and external experts, Learning Technologies and the Innovative Partnership Program Office have selected Project Whitecard, Information in Place and Virtual Heroes to move forward with the NASA MMO effort. We are currently in negotiations and will update the MMO site as we move forward. Also, we would like to thank everyone who participated and responded to this initiative.
snip
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Virtual Heroes:
http://www.virtualheroes.com/

Project Whitecard:
http://www.projectwhitecard.com/

Information in Place:
http://www.informationinplace.com/

Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update
==============================================================

NASA'S SHUTTLE DISCOVERY LAUNCHES TO FULLY POWER SPACE STATION

http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2009/mar/HQ_09-060_Discovery_launches.html

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http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html
STS-119 Latest News
Discovery in Orbit
Sun, 15 Mar 2009 05:19:13 PM PDT
Space shuttle Discovery launched on-time at 7:43 p.m. EDT and NASA flight managers confirmed main engine cutoff. The shuttle has reached orbit, flying at 17,500 miles per hour.
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Watched the launch on NASA web TV and on MSNBC cable TV.
Cable TV was about 40 seconds ahead of my computer viewing.

You can read about the the STS-119 mission here.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts119/119_overview.html
STS-119: A Final Station Power Up

Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update
==============================================================

International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG) - Follow Up

http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Global_Space_Exploration/index.html

Hubert Davis mentioned to Buzz Aldrin the last post about ISECG and Buzz sent me an e-mail with the subject - CALL. I did!
http://www.nss.org/about/bios/aldrin.html

We had a conversation about the need for global cooperation and Buzz was interested in seeing more information about the International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG).

I told him I would see what I could find and to that end here are some more links about the history of ISECG and earlier meetings pertaining to International Cooperation for Sustainable Space Exploration.

I need to spend some more time reading the material and I thought you folks might like to do the same. It is important to have government space agencies working to promote the use of space.

There needs to be a viable commercial reason for going to space and having established government space agencies working together should help in promoting and paving the way to make it happen.

Developing our use of space exploration should be built on reasons that will sustain the effort in the long term and not just be a one time shot that would prove to be too expensive and shut down for lack of return on investment.

Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/

International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG) - 3rd Meeting

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*** JAXA MAIL SERVICE ***
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
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Report of the 3rd Meeting of International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG)

March 13, 2009 (JST)
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

Representatives of ten space agencies from around the world met under the banner of the International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG).

The meeting was held on March 10-12, 2009 in Yokohama Japan, and was chaired by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). They adopted for further study three scenarios for conducting internationally coordinated robotic and human exploration activities on the Moon.

Report of the 3rd Meeting of International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG)
http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2009/03/20090313_isecg_e.html#at

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Sounds like a plan or at least some good beginnings.
- LRK -

Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/

Space station crew has close call with space junk

Bob, in Texas, sent me a heads up about a recent close call from space junk for the ISS.
Thanks Bob.
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D96SMFQ02&show_article=1
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http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html
snip
MCC-Houston CAPCOM Kathy Bolt spoke with Expedition 18 Commander Mike Fincke about the possible conjunction of an estimated 13-centimeter-diameter piece of space debris with the station. Listen to an edited clip of the highlights of the conversation including the first notification that went to the crew and the all-clear notification.

+ Listen to the audio clip of the conversation (2.1 Mb MP3)
http://www.nasa.gov/mp3/318202main_tca_highlights_clip3.mp3
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I suppose that with more satellite launches and more collisions of old satellites the chances of near misses will only increase.
- LRK -
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Orbital Debris Quarterly News - October 2008 - [1042 KB PDF]
http://orbitaldebris.jsc.nasa.gov/newsletter/pdfs/ODQNv12i4.pdf
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Here we have seen another example of debris in Earth orbit causing problems.
I wonder what will happen when we start sending folks to the Moon?
Will we have debris in solar orbit drop in unexpectedly?
- LRK -

Where will all of our booster stages end up then?
In the ocean, in lunar orbit, in solar orbit to come back later?
Fly along with us and follow us to the Lunar surface?

Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

More at:
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/

NASA's Kepler Mission Rockets to Space in Search of Other Earths

http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2009/mar/HQ_09-052_Kepler_launches.html

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http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/06mar_keplerlaunch.htm?list965414
NASA's Kepler Mission Rockets to Space in Search of Other Earths

*March 6, 2009:* NASA's Kepler mission successfully launched into space from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta II at 10:49 p.m. EST, Friday. Kepler is designed to find the first Earth-size planets orbiting stars at distances where water could pool on the planet's surface. Liquid water is believed to be essential for the formation of life.

"It was a stunning launch," said Kepler Project Manager James Fanson of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. "Our team is thrilled to be a part of something so meaningful to the human race -- Kepler will help us understand if our Earth is unique or if others like it are out there."
snip
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Was glad to see the launch was successful.
It has been a long time in getting there with a number of proposals before getting accepted.

Just take a look at the news story time line, you will see it goes back to 1999.
http://kepler.nasa.gov/about/news.html

The Kepler web site has changed over the years.
You might care to check out what they have now.
http://kepler.nasa.gov/

Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/

Kepler Launch Tonight 10:49:57

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http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/kepler/main/index.html
*Kepler Set to Launch Tonight*

The Kepler spacecraft and its Delta II rocket are "go" for a launch tonight that is expected to light up the sky along Florida's Space Coast at *10:49 p.m. EST* as the rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Weather predictions remain good, with a 95 percent chance of favorable conditions at launch time and a temperature of 64 degrees.
-----------------------------------------

Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/

==============================================================

The Threat Of IMPACT - A Special Report on NEOs.

If you are a member of the National Space Society you probably just got the latest issue of adAstra - The Magazine Of The National Space Society.
The cover has the above title on it and several articles about NEOs.
Here is the link to the table of contents even though the article is not linked.
http://www.nss.org/adastra/volume20/v20n4.html

Since we have recently been buzzed by nearby passing asteroids I took time to read the articles.

There is an upcoming conference in Spain in April on Planetary Defense which goes along with previous questions about how would you go about getting to these NEOs, both for defense or possibly for commercial interests.
- LRK -

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http://www.congrex.nl/09c04/
1st IAA Planetary Defense Conference:
Protecting Earth from Asteroids
27 - 30 April 2009
Granada, Spain

The International Academy of Astronautics will hold its first conference on protecting our planet from impacts by asteroids and comets the week of April 27, 2009 in Granada, Spain. The 1st IAA Planetary Defense Conference: Protecting Earth from Asteroids, co-sponsored by the European Space Agency and The Aerospace Corporation, is the follow-on to two previous planetary defense conferences held in 2004 in Los Angeles and 2007 in Washington, D.C. Details on the 2004 and 2007 conferences are at www.planetarydefense.info
snip
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Sometimes in our looking up for incoming hazards we fail to look at what we are doing right at our feet.
We live here and throw our trash away and we are thinking of going to space where we throw more trash away.
Today in my email was a notice of the latest TED Talks postings and one of the videos is by Charles Moore and his sailing the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks

snip

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/capt_charles_moore_on_the_seas_of_plastic.html
Capt. Charles Moore of the Algalita Marine Research Foundation first discovered the Great Pacific Garbage Patch --
an endless floating waste of plastic trash. Now he's drawing attention to the growing, choking problem of plastic debris in our seas.
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More at:
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/

Asteroid 2009 DD45

Another missed opportunity - asteroid 2009 DD45

John sent me the following request.
- LRK -

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Hey Larry!

Surely someone in your "fan club" could do the numbers on the item below:
--how much delta-v to get one of those fancy new Orion capsules to rendezvous?
--how much delta-v to send the rock to L-5, or other stable orbit?
--27000 cubic meters of SOMEthing is out there for the taking!
=============================================================

ASTEROID FLYBY: There's no danger of a collision, but newly-discovered asteroid 2009 DD45 will come close enough today when it flies by our planet 72,000 km (0.00048 AU) away. That's only twice the height of a geostationary communications satellite. The asteroid measures 30 to 40 meters across, similar in size to the Tunguska impactor of 1908. Closest approach occurs at approximately 1340 UT (5:40 am PST) on March 2nd.
Visit http://spaceweather.com for updates and ephemerides.
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J...in deepest, darkest, snowiest [!] SE GA
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My thought was that it might not make any difference if we knew how to get to this asteroid since we don't seem to have any launch vehicles poised to launch on a moments notice nor any plans on how to maneuver such an asteroid into capture orbits.

More at: BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/