NASA Announces Discovery of Assault by a Black Hole

Astronomers will hold a media teleconference Monday, Dec. 17, at 1 pm EST to announce the discovery of a first-of-its-kind phenomenon involving a black hole and a neighboring galaxy. Researchers made the finding by combining data from NASA's space-based telescopes and ground-based observations. Audio of the event will be streamed live on the Web at:

http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio

Launch of Atlantis postponed to January 2008

The launch of the European Columbus laboratory on board Space Shuttle Atlantis' STS-122 mission to the International Space Station now is targeted to launch no earlier than 2 January 2008 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The liftoff date depends on the resolution of a problem in a fuel sensor system.

The Universe in a totally new view - An exciting era for science

Next spring NASA plans to launch the Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST). This will open new views of the universe since the gamma ray sky looks different from anything we have experienced so far. With GLAST scientists will be able to explore supermassive black holes and neutron stars, which generate enormous power in high-energy gamma rays. At the same time, CERN, the European laboratory for particle physics near Geneva, will begin providing an unparalleled view of nature’s fundamental building blocks and their interactions at the smallest distances by using the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). GLAST may probe some of the same microscopic phenomena as the LHC does and show how these processes work in their natural cosmic settings. Such exciting and revolutionary times in science are rare. More can be read in the December issue of ScientificAmerican.

Looking for an apartment on the moon?

NASA tests lunar habitat in extreme Antarctic environment. It will use the cold, harsh, isolated landscape of Antarctica to test one of its concepts for astronaut housing on the moon. The agency is sending a prototype inflatable habitat to Antarctica to see how it stands up during a year of use. Read more...

Space Shuttle Atlantis Targeted to Launch New Mission

Space Shuttle Atlantis (!) is targeted to launch Dec. 6 on an 11-day mission to the International Space Station. The shuttle's seven crew members will deliver the European Space Agency's Columbus Laboratory to the International Space Station and bring a new crew member to the station and return another to Earth.
For further info go to NASA.