nasa

Johnson Space Center: Core of NASA's universe

HOUSTON--"Houston, we have a problem."

If there is a five-word phrase more recognizable than that in the annals of modern science or space exploration, I want to hear it.

For my entire life, the "Houston" in that phrase was an abstract term, a reference to a disembodied place where people wield God-like powers--or don't, as the case may be--over the astronauts who were themselves abstract to me. I'd never seen them, and I wasn't old enough to have watched any of the mythical rocket launches prior to the Space Shuttle.

But earlier … Read more

Getting trained at Space Camp

HUNTSVILLE, Ala.--I'm spinning around at high speed, and I'm going in all directions.

You might think it's a state of mind, but it was actually my body doing the spinning, as I was strapped into a multi-axis trainer, a three-ringed device used to demonstrate to participants at Space Camp here one of the things would-be astronauts had to go through to be chosen to be launched into space.

Space Camp, if you're not familiar with it, is an Alabama state program that since 1982 has given more than half a million kids a week of … Read more

Behind the scenes at Kennedy Space Center

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla.--I'd just walked into the press center here the day before the scheduled landing of Space Shuttle Discovery and located Allard Beutel, the head of public affairs, when I sensed that something was wrong.

Apparently, some little piece of the shuttle had broken off in space. Now, reporters from around the world were barraging Beutel and his team of NASA PR folks with demands to know what was going on.

"'You're stranding your crew in space, they can't come home,'" Beutel told me was the common sentiment he was getting from … Read more

Road Trip 2008 hits 1,000 miles

GOOD HOPE, Ala.--Somewhere along Interstate 65, on my way to Huntsville, Ala., the home of Space Camp, I hit exactly 1,000 miles of driving since Road Trip 2008 began.

I'm sure that there will be many more of these milestones, since I still have many, many more places to visit on this trip, and since last year's trip clocked 4,891 miles.

Still, I love to commemorate these round numbers, so bear with me.

It's been a busy 1,000 miles. Over the last week, Road Trip 2008 has taken me to a wide variety … Read more

Three weeks left to launch your name into space

If you want to make it to the moon but don't have the chops to be an astronaut, the deadline is approaching to at least send your name around Earth's orbiting rock.

June 27 marks the last day to enter your information on the Web to send your name to the moon with the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). Your name will be incorporated in a database and loaded onto a microchip built into the LRO spacecraft. The service is free and comes with a printable certificate assuring you that you are indeed a part of the LRO experience. … Read more

News.com Daily Podcast: What would a Verizon/Alltel merger mean?

Verizon makes a big bid for Alltel, and Udi Manber, the man behind Google's search algorithm, shares a few secrets. Listen now: Download today's podcast

Verizon Wireless announced Thursday that it intends to acquire Alltel in a deal worth $28.1 billion that would create the largest cell phone company in the country. CNET News.com reporter Maggie Reardon chats with podcast host Leslie Katz about what this merger would mean for Verizon--and for consumers.

Udi Manber oversees Google's search algorithm, and he's usually pretty secretive about his work. But News.com reporter Stephen Shankland got him talking. … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 739: One tingly pinky

Microsoft finds that we're all in increasing RSI pain thanks to laptops and mobile devices ... which they continue to support with mobile versions of Windows. Um. Thanks for the info? Also today, the space station toilet is fixed, an iPhone patent filing lists some actual features, Comcast is up-front with some slightly reasonable sounding throttling plans, and Microsoft says it's not running a call-in "save XP petition," even though everyone is calling in asking them to save XP. That is just sad. Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 739

Happy Birthday! X86 Turns 30 Years … Read more

NASA spawns smart twin in 'Second Life'

First it started tweeting, then it bore a twin.

NASA is trying all manner of Web 2.0 software to promote its science to the tech-savvy crowd. Months ago, the media director at the space agency's Jet Propulsion Lab began sending out Twitter messages, or 140-character digital notes, about the Phoenix Lander mission to Mars. Now, NASA has created a so-called cybertwin for the Phoenix rover in the virtual world Second Life.

Even though the term "cybertwin" sounds very Web 1.0, the technology is based on techniques in artificial intelligence, such as natural language processing. Instead … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 738: OS X 10.6: Liger, lolcat, or Cougar?

Rumor has it that there will be code details about OS X 10.6 at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference next week. Bold prediction, considering it's a developer's conference. Geniuses. Now, what cat to name it after? Also, Bill Gates gives his last speech on the road to his nearly-full-time-job-retirement; Oklahoma City has a sweet Wi-Fi mesh network that you can't use (unless the password is "password"); and you can now get your Outlook e-mail on an LG enV(2).

Listen now: Download today's podcast Episode 738

Mac OS 10.6 debuting next week? … Read more