Saturday Space Reads
Because we all need a little space on Saturday.
Lunatics probably already know that this coming Monday’s full Moon will be both a Supermoon and a Blue Moon. Depending on where you are in the world, this special Moon may go by a different name entirely. For the low down on all these lunar qualifiers, this article by retired NASA executive Gordon Johnston has you covered.
Recent research suggests that terraforming Mars could be a (warm) breeze. All we need to do is use what we know, and what we know (and are good at) is global warming. Inspired by our own greenhouse effect, a University of Glasgow team has simulated injecting Mars’ atmosphere with millions of tons of tiny iron and aluminum particles to increase the planet’s temperature.
While adding aerosol particles could take care of heating Mars, there’d still be other things we’d need to survive on the Red Planet. Luckily, recent seismic data points to the presence of an ocean of water miles beneath Mars’ surface. Who has a shovel?
What kind of water might be lurking in the depths of Mars’ interior is still anyone’s guess. A salty sea might not sound as promising for human life as a freshwater source, but if countries like Spain are desalinating their ocean water here on Earth, could we apply the same technology in a Martian settlement?
If we want “multiplanetary life,” Elon Musk says we need Starship. But Florida fisherman and residents worry about the Earth-rattling rocket’s effects on their health and livelihood.
This edition of Saturday Space Reads is brought to you by the Space Resources program at the Colorado School of Mines.
While it can be a polarizing condiment in the culinary field, mayonnaise might actually have some value in space. No, we’re not talking about space station grub. We’re talking about fusion energy. Read about how researchers used a jar of Hellman’s to improve inertial confinement fusion, a tool used in the development of nuclear energy – which of course, is good news for deep space travel.
Meet me in Lompoc, said the U.S. government to the public in the 1980s, enticing tourists to the central California town with its space shuttle program. This article documents the ebb and flow of tourism in Lompoc over the last 40 years, from the post-Challenger recession to the arrival of SpaceX. Of course, things could certainly shift again if Elon picks up and moves everything to Texas.
If you’re intoxicated by the space-time continuum, we recommend checking out the latest work from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, which recently did the math on syncing Earth and Moon time, or in order to create a "Lunar Celestial Reference System."
With the remnants of dinosaurs lay the remnants of their executioner – of course, we’re talking about the feared Chicxulub impactor. Now, as scientists collect more data relating to the space rock that ended it all for the big lizards, we have a clearer idea of the far flung reaches of space from which it came.
If you subscribe to Continuum, you may have seen a research paper referenced in our last Space Reads about tree rings containing “fingerprints” of past solar events. But if you didn’t read the science paper – we don’t blame you. Luckily, BBC has now written about the topic in more layman’s terms.
Like that basil plant in your kitchen that just won’t grow, us humans are sensitive to the light. That’s why ESA is conducting an experiment with a lighting system to help astronauts – who experience multiple sunrises and sunsets a day on the International Space Station – maintain their circadian rhythms.
Saturday Space Jam:
This edition of Saturday Space Reads is also supported by the Open Lunar Foundation. Open Lunar's work sets precedents, creates pathways, and builds projects that enable a peaceful, cooperative lunar presence. Learn more about Open Lunar's work by joining their upcoming events.
