India has placed EDUSAT into orbit. The satellite has twelve transponders dedicated to educational programming, and will provide coverage to India's vast rural areas.

Using their Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F01 - they need serious help naming their rockets), they sucessfully boosted the satellite into orbit on Monday.

From a statement released by the Minister for Human Resource Development:

''The very fact that a dedicated satellite has been put in space for educational purposes symbolises a national resolve to spread learning across the length and breadth of this country."

Congrats India!

Posted by: Ted at 12:20 PM | category: Space Program
Comments (1) | Add Comment
Post contains 103 words, total size 1 kb.

The Spacearium isn't updated as often as Space.com, but it's still a pretty cool place to find information about all things space.

And since I'm recylcling links today, here's a massive link collection about life, the universe, and everything.

Posted by: Ted at 09:18 AM | category: Space Program
No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 47 words, total size 1 kb.

They're beginning to think they can salvage most of the Genesis mission.

Posted by: Ted at 04:18 PM | category: Space Program
No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 16 words, total size 1 kb.

Genesis comes home today.

The returning craft will be snagged out of mid-air by one of two helicopters flown by stunt pilot crews. Why not military? Well, this recovery required a six-year commitment to training, so they went civilian.

America's first 'spy' satellites used the same method of data transfer. They would take pictures over the interesting parts of the world from orbit, then as they passed over the US a small capsule containing the film would be ejected. Military aircrews would snag the capsules in mid-air and then the film would be developed. This was, of course, Top Secret stuff.

When new Air Force generals joined the program, they would be given a briefing of the flight profile of the intelligence missions. Every time, they would object that the recovery plan was nonsense and impossible. It amused the intelligence director to inform the aviation 'experts' that not only was it possible, but that it had already been done on a regular basis. The exact number of successes and failures is still classified, but best guess estimates say they got it right hundreds of times.

Good luck today, guys. Bring home a piece of the sun to have for our very own.

Posted by: Ted at 06:51 AM | category: Space Program
No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 222 words, total size 2 kb.