Nov. 11, 2008 -- Black holes or extrasolar planets? A look for dark energy or back to the beginning of time? These are the types of questions occupying teams of scientists hired by NASA to propose capstone space science missions for the 2020s. The effort begins with 19 study contracts funded by NASA, which intends to submit the top proposals to National Academy of Sciences. The board sets priorities for major U.S. science initiatives. Once every 10 years, it takes a crack at determining the country's priorities in space science, as well as other areas. "There are concepts out there across the electromagnetic spectrum," NASA's Jon Morse, head of the agency's astrophysics division in Washington, D.C. "There are follow-ups to Hubble, looking for extrasolar planets ... most every possible idea is represented." Related Content: Discovery Space for IM Interviews, Blogs, Videos and More Irene Klotz's Blog: Free Space Howstuffworks.com: How Lunar Liquid Telescopes Work Webster Cash at the University of Colorado in Boulder is heading a team looking at a way to take pictures of Earth-sized worlds around other stars. The team is studying a two-part telescope that includes a free-flying shade to block light from the target's parent star. The instrumented observatory could then collect light radiating from small and distant planets. "We want to see the pale blue light," Cash told Discovery News. The key to the project is the starshade, a 16-petaled contraption Cash developed from a mathematical formula. "The breakthrough was the shape," he said. "It allows you to suppress diffraction (of light) and creates a distinct edge that makes a very, very dark shadow." More NewsMouse Cloned From Long-Frozen CellResearchers create a mouse from a long-frozen cell. Will the mammoth be next?'Bubble' Could Protect AstronautsScientists say a "bubble" around a Mars-bound spaceship could protect astronauts.Big Reduction of Snowmobiles in Yellowstone ProposedA new plan would cut snowmobile use by 40 percent in Yellowstone.Microbes: Fuel of the Future?A reddish South American microbe is literally breathing fuel, say scientists.DNA Links Remains to Steve FossetDNA tests on two bones found in California confirm they are those of Steve Fossett.Women Carry More Bacteria Than MenSome bacteria prefer women, suggests a new study. But why?Ancient 'Water Monster' Facing ExtinctionA foot-long salamander that was a key part of Aztec legend is threatened by extinction.Grand Canyon's Youth ConfirmedThe Grand Canyon is millions of years younger than previously thought, argue geologists.My Take: E-Voting Not User FriendlyOpinion: Electronic voting machines don't always capture the intent of voters.SLIDE SHOW: Landscapes of TerrorWhat makes a place feel scary? There are scientific explanations.At 40, Brain and Body SlowThe part of the brain in charge of motion starts a gradual slide in middle age.Spiders, Scorpions Among World's Oldest CreaturesMany creepy crawlies have been on Earth much longer than previously believed.Blood-Sucking Vampire Bats Sing DuetsWhite-winged vampire bats "harmonize" with separated roost mates. |
advertisement
Download This Widget at Bottom!
|
-
our sites
-
video
mobile
-
shop
-
stay connected
-
corporate
