Gravitational waves squeeze space as they travel, and this squeezing produces a distinct pattern in the cosmic microwave background. Gravitational waves have a “handedness,” much like light waves, and can have left- and right-handed polarizations. “The swirly B-mode pattern is a unique signature of gravitational waves because of their handedness. This is the first direct Read more about First direct evidence of cosmic inflation[…]

This book addresses the simple and complex issues that have been identified through the development of space elevator concepts over the last decade. The report begins with a summary of those ideas in Edwards’ and Westling’s book The Space Elevator (2003). Out of these beginnings has risen a worldwide cadre focused upon their areas of Read more about Space Elevators: An Assessment of the Technological Feasibility and the Way Forward[…]

2 california companies are launching swarms of satellites to low orbit to bring near real time imagery of the entire world. http://gizmodo.com/how-swarms-of-tiny-satellites-are-creating-a-real-time-1497890594

Of the 150,000 stars in our Milky Way galaxy snapped by the NASA probe in the past three years, more than 3,000 planets have been identified. Scientists then focused on the stars similar to our Sun and tried to find planets between one and two times the size of Earth in those stars’ Goldilocks orbital Read more about 22% of sunlike stars could house water[…]

And this is how they actually get their names – pretty boring, but to be expected from the guys who declared Pluto a non-planet… Naming of Astronomical Objects | IAU.

There are a few new space elevator ideas coming along, one is a kickstarter project, another from Tokyo. They want to build one on the moon too! Space elevator ideas rising again – Cosmic Log.

It’s the fifth moon they’ve discovered. Pluto stays a planet in my book. New Moon Discovered in Our Solar System.

NASA has contracted this rocket to very carefully approach the ISS for resupply runs. Well done Elon Musk! SpaceX Dragon, first private ship to the ISS, launched successfully • The Register.

In Google’s Moon Race, Teams Face a Reckoning | Xconomy.

Some go up to 30 million miles an hour! Runaway planets zoom at a fraction of light speed.

Preview of a forthcoming supernova.

These guys hope to launch a hovercraft to the moon which can mine, place things there and do scientific experiments in 2013. They’re expecting to be able to do it with a budget of around $70m, because they’re based on existing technologies. HOME. Interview with owner here

Astronomers discover planet made of diamond | Reuters.

Russian company Orbital Technologies reveals plans for space hotel, visit to cost nearly $1 million | News.com.au.

Atlantis and its four astronauts left Earth for the final space shuttle mission, which will cap off an amazing 30-year program of exploration, which launched great observatories, built an International Space Station, and taught us more about how humans can live and work in space. With the International Space Station flying 220 miles high and Read more about Last Space Shuttle Flight – STS-135. No replacement in sight.[…]

They keep discovering more and more water everywhere! Scientists detect Earth-equivalent amount of water within the moon.

Today, astronomers unveiled the most complete 3-D map of the local universe (out to a distance of 380 million light-years) ever created. Taking more than 10 years to complete, the 2MASS Redshift Survey (2MRS) also is notable for extending closer to the Galactic plane than previous surveys – a region that’s generally obscured by dust. Read more about most complete 3D map of universe revealed[…]

SpaceshipSize_ComparisonChart.jpg (JPEG Image, 2000×2000 pixels).

On Dec. 6 at 1:31 a.m. EST, NASA for the first time successfully ejected a nanosatellite from a free-flying microsatellite. NanoSail-D ejected from the Fast, Affordable, Science and Technology Satellite, FASTSAT, demonstrating the capability to deploy a small cubesat payload from an autonomous microsatellite in space. via NASA ejects nanosatellite from microsatellite in space.

There is water on the moon … along with a long list of other compounds, including, mercury, gold and silver. That’s according to a more detailed analysis of the chilled lunar soil near the moon’s South Pole, released as six papers by a large team of scientists in the journal, Science Thursday. via Moon Blast Read more about Moon Blast Reveals Lunar Surface Rich With Compounds[…]

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency JAXA would like to announce that we have confirmed the successful acceleration of the Small Solar Power Sail Demonstrator “IKAROS” by photon 1 in the course of determining its precise orbit after its sail deployment. The IKAROS was launched by JAXA on May 21 2010 Japan Standard time and all Read more about IKAROS Solar Sailing[…]

Dr. Anthony Zuppero has managed to find a way that we could affordably make the push into outer space and get to inhabit the solar system. A physicist, he’s got the whole thing calculated out, this guy is the real deal. He’s written a very very readable book about his undertaking, which you can download Read more about To Inhabit the Solar System[…]