Space Exploration

• Space Model Systems
Link: www.spacemodelsystems.com
Space Model Systems Inc. specialise in display products for the space science community, the collector, and the hobbyist.

Advanced Propulsion Systems
• The Advanced Space Transportation Program
A part of the work of the the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, which leads NASA's initiatives to dramatically improve access to space. Marshall is NASA's Lead Center for Space Transportation Systems Development and the Center of Excellence for Space Propulsion. See in particular, Revolutionary Propulsion Research

• NASA Breakthrough Propulsion Physics (BPP) Project
Yep, they're already looking at ways to break lightspeed -- but as of June 2002 this department's funding faced budget cuts. Now teamed with OAI, a public-private reasearch partnership.

• The Glenn Research Center
Responsible for developing and transferring critical technologies that address US priorities in aeropropulsion and space applications. Their work is focused on research for new aeropropulsion technologies, aerospace power, microgravity science, electric propulsion, and communications technologies for aeronautics, space, and aerospace applications.

• The Johnson Space Center
JSC was established in 1961 as the Manned Spacecraft Center. The Center was renamed in 1973 in honor of the late President Lyndon B. Johnson.
From the early Gemini, Apollo and Skylab projects to today's International Space Station and Space Shuttle Programs, JSC continues to lead NASA's efforts in human space exploration.
JSC serves as the lead NASA center for the International Space Station -- a U.S.-led collaborative effort of 16 nations, and the largest, most powerful, complex human facility to ever operate in space. Orbiting 240 miles above the Earth, this working laboratory will serve as a stepping-stone to other planets -- teaching us the essentials of long-term living in space.

• Warp Drive, When?
This NASA site takes you carefully through the problems of interstellar travel and the practical problems that need to be solved to explore space.

Alien Life
• Extremophiles – General Info

EXTREMOPHILES are organisms that require extreme environments for growth.  While this is perhaps self-evident, what constitutes extreme? Extreme, is a relative term, with the point of relativity being what is normal for humans.  Extremophiles are therefore organisms that are "fond of" or "love" (-phile) environments including high temperature, pH, pressure and salt concentration, or low temperature, pH, nutrient concentration, or water availability.  Extremophiles are also organisms that can tolerate extreme conditions including high levels of radiation or toxic compounds, or those living in conditions that we consider unusual, such as living in rocks 1.5 km below the surface of the earth.  In addition, extremophiles may be found in environments with a combination of extreme conditions such as high temperature and high acidity or high pressure and low temperature.

• ArchaeaWeb
ArchaeaWeb is an information resource for researchers working with Archaea and extremophiles.  At this website, you can find a variety of resources including recent publications, events and an archaeal genome BLAST server.



Astronomy
• The Hubble Space telescope
Link: www.hubble.nasa.gov
Hubble was named after Edwin Hubble, (1889-1953). In what is now known as Hubble's Law, he was the first to offer observational evidence supporting the theory of an expanding universe.

• A Map of the Universe
This web page is designed to give everyone an idea of what our universe actually looks like. There are nine main maps on the web page, each one approximately 10 times the scale of the previous one.
The first map shows the nearest stars and then the other maps slowly expand out until we have reached the scale of the entire visible universe.

• The Chandra X-Ray Observatory
NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, which was launched and deployed by Space Shuttle Columbia in July of 1999, is the most sophisticated X-ray observatory built to date.
Chandra is designed to observe X-rays from high energy regions of the universe, such as the remnants of exploded stars.
Added 15/4/02

• JPL Extra Solar Planets Page
Information on planets outside our own system.
Artist's concept of an extrasolar planetary system. The recent discovery of numerous planets around stars other than the Sun confirms that our solar system is not unique. Indeed, these "extrasolar planets" appear to be common in our galactic neighbourhood.
The extrasolar planets we have discovered thus far are giants, like Jupiter and Saturn. They are unlikely to support life as we know it. But some of these planetary systems might also contain smaller, terrestrial planets like Mars and Earth.
Over the next 15 years, NASA is embarking on a bold series of missions to find and characterize new worlds. These will be the most sensitive instruments ever built, capable of reaching beyond the bounds of our own solar system.

Current Space Programs
ORGANISATIONS
• The Ames Research Center
Ames specializes in research geared toward creating new knowledge and new technologies that span the spectrum of NASA interests. News Page

• The European Space Agency

• NASA - News Highlights

• NASA Human Spaceflight

• NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center
Press Releases page: Go

• The Space Launch Initiative
NASA's Space Launch Initiative is regarded as the key to opening the space frontier for continued scientific exploration and economic expansion - improving safety, reliability and affordability for US government and private industry.

• NASA watch

EARTH ORBIT MISSIONS
• The International Space Station

• Shuttle Missions

• Space Telescope Science Institute Home Page

EXPORATION: THE MOON
• The Apollo Space program
The NASA web site has perhaps one of the worst search engines I've ever had the misfortune to try and use, and finding images, for example, can be a total pain. This page -- http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/history/apollo/apollo.html -- is a one of those invaluable "index pages" that enable you to at least start tracking down what you;re looking for.

EXPLORATION: MARS
• Beagle

EXPLORATION: OUTER PLANETS

Education Sites
• The Johnson Space Center Space Educator's Handbook

• Space Museum Galleries