The B~Hive Cafe/Eyes on Space

July 1997-------------------------------------------------------July 2000

"Fly me to the Moon and let me play amongst the stars.
Let me see what life is like on Jupiter and Mars."

"A flight to the Moon on gossamer wings
...just one of those things."

"To the Moon, Alice... to the Moon..."

(borrowed from SpaceCommand.com)

"...water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink..."

Hello, once again fellow Space Fans and a Happy 4th of July!

Yes, it's true! Due to overwhelming demand, after a 6 month hiatus, The B~Hive Cafe/Eyes on Space is back with our 15th Issue and 4th Anniversary!! Welcome back to a new look,(including daily space updates on the MAIN PAGE) a new style and the same ol' perspective you've come to know and love. A fun look at space news and happenings, current and upcoming missions, links to cool space games and online contests , killer space images and a whole lot more. So read on and enjoy...

Introduction

Wow! So glad to be back writing a new issue of The B~Hive Cafe/Eyes on Space. I know it's been too long, so we'll get right into it:

There's a lot of crazy things that have happened in the space industry since our last issue.

Anyone who knows me is aware that I visit Kennedy Space Center at least once or twice a year, but not during launches, because on launch days, the Space Center is always closed to visitors. Well, I went over for a visit last month and I was completely caught off gaurd by their new policy. It turns out, after decades of being free and open to the public, KSC now charges an admission fee to everyone! $25 just to walk in the door. They started this new deal just two days before! As if all the tax money we pay is not enough. Boy, talk about how things have changed...I am real disappointed at NASA's decision to start charging admission to visit the Space Center. I have never been to any of the other space centers in Alabama and Houston, so I don't know if they also charge an admission fee. If anyone knows, could they please drop me a line at outbacker99@cs.com
Who knows, maybe I'll even start a petition to NASA to repeal the charge. Some other changes that have taken place the last few months in the space industry:
The Russians have sold a vacation on MIR, the British are talking about a Trip to the Moon LOTTERY and evidence of liquid water currently on Mars has been found! One has to wonder what's next. I've been watching a series on PBS the last 3 weeks called THE 1900 HOUSE, where a modern British family must live just like a middle class family did in England in 1900. As I've been watching this program, I've realized that we are terribly spoiled in comfort and laziness 100 years later. No shampoo, soap, fans, TV, radio, electronic anything! People used to actually wash their hair with egg yolks, but only once a week! I dare any of you to try that and exist amongst your peers!

So, to think of how far we've come in the last hundred years with regards to space exploration and travel. We can fly from New York to L.A. in a scant few hours. 11 minutes after a shuttle liftoff, the crew are in space, cell phones, GPS trackers, laptops with satellite modems, and I could go on...but my point is this: Only 100 years ago, people were dying at a much younger age, it took a lot longer to get from point A to point B and too many questions remained at the end of the day. The questions remaining are fewer but still plenty. So let's zoom forward to today where all sorts of propulsion methods are being explored...

Updates from Way Outer Space

Obviously, MARS has been a big topic on everyones minds following the recent images released by NASA showing evidence of liquid water (possibly recent) on the red planet. Everybody is talking about the possibility of life on Mars! Here's a link to the images and some discussion about it on Malin's Space Science Systems website. MSSS Mars Pix

Here's a link to another story from a few months back showing more evidence of water flow on Mars and a possible ocean. CLICK HERE for details

With all the talk about sending people to Mars, I think more attention will be paid to issues like how astronauts get along in space with each other over the long term. This article here proves to be very interesting reading as several astronaut trainees talk about their successes and failures with long term isolation experiments. READ

How, exactly will we prepare for a trip to Mars? We already are...

Also, speaking of life in the universe, the jovian moon EUROPA is also getting a whole lot of attention. Many are convinced that an ocean of water is there, sheilded by a thick crust of ice on the surface. Who knows what type of life could be lingering in the depths of this moons oceans? One thing is for sure. We'll probably find out in our very own lifetimes if indeed this is true. The Mars exploration schedule will certainly continue to steam along in light of recent developements and NASA is also moving ahead with plans to explore Europa. Here's a great story about the whole deal with Europa and in it, you'll find further links that will take you as deep into this story as you wish. LINK HERE

I love the image on this PAGE that was captured by the HST late last year! What an awesome image! The caption that accompanied it on CNN's website said it best: "...A space shuttle landing on a cloudy day? A bat flying in a full moon fog? A Klingon ship with a faulty cloaking device? Not even close... " You'll have to link HERE to see for yourself.

More news that shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who catches even a glimmer of current events is the suns Solar Cycle we're in the middle of right now. It seems every day, there is another headline telling us of an eruption heading our way. The SOHO spacecraft caught a very impressive solar flare on film recently and this animation shows clearly just how powerful a solar storm can be. (as you're looking at this clip, think of what would happen to an astronaut caught doing a spacewalk while one of these hit the earth!) Solar Eruption

Here's a close up of a hole in the sun (read: solar flare)

Mission out of Control

MIR lives! I want to yawn at this recent Space.com headline but I can't! I am simply amazed at the fact that MIR keeps going and going and going...
MIRCORP, no doubt, saved the day and I must confess, I like the reasons why. They want to promote tourism into space and use the MIR space station as it's inaugural hotel. I love this idea and I think civilian space travel time has come. There's so many wealthy people out there who can afford the $20 million price tag. The client base is there, the assests are in place (MIR and Russia's proton rockets) and it's not like anyone else is using it! This is great! Way to go MIRCORP and thanx! As soon as I have $20 million to spare, I'll come calling so save a seat for me. In the past, there were rumours of actors being sent up to film a space movie but the cash flow fell short and the deal fell through. Surprising in this day and age of $300 million movie budgets. The most recent news tells of MIRCORP's first fully paying customer. Read all about American businessman DENNIS TITO. I'll be cheering him on as he flies overhead at 17,500 MPH!

Speaking of the Energizer Bunny in space... Check out this story! Man, that PIONEER spacecraft takes it a step further! Read HERE to be amazed!

Back to Mars for a moment. December 2003 will be the 100th annaversary of the Wright Bros. first flight. I can only hope everyone here knows what I'm talking about so I won't elaborate. What are the chances of an inaugural flight on Mars exactly 100 years later? Pretty good based on this news article HERE

A Solar System simulator...at your fingertips...right now Solar System Simulator

If you've ever thought about designing a Mars Rover or Moon Buggie, and you wanted to try it out against other like-minded individuals in a competition set up by NASA types, then this is a website you definitely want to visit. You can get the full story HERE.

The Japanese are planning to build their own low cost space shuttle and their own landing runway for it. Who knows if this tree will bear fruit?. Their Mars program is 'in situ' but...

Comets....we have your number

What a sexy Asteroid, EROS is... LINK HERE for more...

Space Weather ALERT!

And comets??? Life Ends...

NEAR stands for Near Earth Asteoid Rendezvous. An incredibly successful mission so far....orbiting an asteroid millions of miles from home....

Space Debris

Would you like to control the Hubble Space Telescope? Would you like to point it and zoom to where you saw fit? Well guess what? Now you can!!! In VRML at least. This is a way cool toy! One could spend hours doing this. Go ahead and give it a try...courtesy of CNN Interactive.

Does anyone remember the Russian Space Shuttle? You know, the one that looked almost exactly like the American Space Shuttle, only built years later... Well, there's a reason why you've forgotten about it. Out of Service. It's headed for a museum in Australia. Read the FULL STORY here.

Now here's an awesome website! It's a java based site that let's you view in real-time the location of all known satellites passing overhead your back yard right now! You can zoom in, zoom out, look from other parts of the world....it's simply amazing to be able to log on and look at something as complex as this! Give it a try, you'll be amazed, especially if you live in a dark sky area where you can actually go outside and see a satellite pass by with your own eyes. HERE's the LINK

Contrary to popular belief and endless rumor, Bucky's balls are NOT floating around in space! Easy Bucky does not know who started this rumor, but a modest reward is being offered to anyone who proves otherwise. See STORY

SpaceWatch.com rules! I absolutely love their 'Mission Control, over' show. It is, by far, the best space related video show on the internet. The streaming video flows smoothly, even at 28.8 kbps! If you'd like to sit back and watch a killer space show on your computer, then this site is the place to be. . SpaceWatch.com

SpaceQuiz. Go ahead and test yourself. Random space related questions that are a ton of fun to answer. See how you fare HERE

What do you want to know about astronauts? Anything? Ever wonder what it would be like to go up in space? Wanna' know what it takes to become an astronaut? Would you like to chat online with an astronaut, asking them questions that are always on everyone's minds? Questions like:

• How do you guys go to the bathroom in space?

• What's the recycled water taste like on MIR?

• Does the shuttle get sticky after a couple weeks up there?

• Do you get aroused in space?

This website LINK takes you right into the lives of current and past astronauts lives and legends. It's well worth the look.

Who remembers the movie MISSION to MARS? (This is a fun site so turn up the volume and enjoy) Hardly a blockbuster, but any movie that promotes space travel and exploration is ok in my book. I have to admit, I'm looking forward to Val Kilmers upcoming space movie The Red Planet. I thought it very interesting, RCH's take on MISSION to MARS. An interesting perspective HERE and quite controversial. You can view clips of both movies and more at MOVIERAVE.COM

Space.Com hosts a neat little contest where you can win $1000 and as part of the deal, they'll send you a free issue of SPACE ILLUSTRATED just for entering the contest! Of course, they're hoping you'll subscribe. If you'd like a free copy of SPACE ILLUSTRATED and a chance to win $1000, then ENTER HERE

Here's a cool online CONTEST where the prize is a killer MEADE Telescope Package worth over $4000! http://www.webstakes.com/special/natural_telescope.html

Another website (not space related) is the Dr Pepper site. There's a decent contest they're holding along with a neat flash game you can play free online. It's a race car game worth trying so check it out. (I'm personally not a Dr Pepper fan but the website is well done.)

This headline made me laugh: 'Gas Sweeps into Milky Way'. I couldn't help but think of Jabba the Hut blowing a nasty galactic fart. Another headline that got my attention as odd said: 'S.A.T.A.N. to Hoist Holy-Land Satellites'! I wonder how excited the Space.com editor was with that headline...

In honor of the late Alan Shepard, the only astronaut to hit a golf ball on the moon, here's a link to a great (and free) online golf game. It's a java based 3-hole game with good graphics. Two par 4's and a 5! They also have several other fun games so give it a try. http://zone.msn.com/ql.asp -click here for a quick round-

More cool free games online can be found HERE. I'm talking about games like Air Hockey, Battleship, Pool and a lot more. There's hours of fun to be had here.

Space Jokes! I don't know anybody who doesn't like to laugh! These are decent space jokes: Spacely Jokes

Wanna' know what SETI's up to right now? Here's a link to the 'LIVE' SETIcam at Arecibo, Puerto Rico right now! Yet another contest...www. astropages.com Enter Now! You decide what the prize is...!

Pic of the Month

This month's Pic of the Month is quite the beautiful mystery. It seems the flash in this animated image not only appeared inexplicably, it disappeared with the same suddeness, leaving the worlds astronomers scratching their heads. My theory is: it was an opening in the end of a random wormhole, caught on film for the first time. You can add your own comments about this animated image on The B~Hive Cafe's Spacely Discussion Board

The runner up to this month's Pic of the Month was submitted anonymously. The image is simply incredible to look at though. What you see is just how powerful a duststorm in one of Earth's deserts can be. This one was so bad that it actually spilled out over the ocean. It looks as if half of the Sahara was spread out into the air and out over the Atlantic ocean! View the image HERE

Yet another awesome Space image

Conspiracy Corner