Carnival of Space #85 hosted by Cheap Astronomy

Carnival of Space #85

The Carnival of Space is coordinated by Fraser Cain of Astronomy Cast and Universe Today fame. Every week, a different webmaster or blogger hosts the carnival, showcasing articles written on the topic of space. If you'd like to be a host for the carnival, please drop Fraser an email at info@universetoday.com.

So welcome to the cheapest carnival on Earth!

Free astronomy

Orbital Hub reports that if you want free lecture notes, exams, and videos from MIT, without any registration required, you can find them at MIT Open Courseware. Orbital Hub particularly liked an engineering course called Aircraft Systems Engineering, as the lectures are focused on Space Shuttle design. If you are a space enthusiast and have a technical background, you will probably enjoy these lectures.

Back to the future

Speaking of MIT, 21st Century Waves reviews a recent MIT report on The Future of Human Spaceflight.

Rudolph goes to NASA

A Babe in the Universe reports that on a cold winter's night (north of the equator anyway) in Johnson Space Center one can find a herd of eight tiny deer and the Small Pressurised Rover (SPR). The SPR is a prototype for vehicles that will operate on the Moon. The presence of deer shows that high tech and nature can exist together.

All in the fine print

Free Space interviews Elon Musk, founder of Space X, about a recent contract awarded to Space X by NASA to deliver supplies to the International Space Station.

And the nominees are...

Out of the Cradle reminds us of some upcoming space award deadlines. Get your entries in quick!

One giant leap for garden-kind
Collect Space reports on the rose that rose to great heights aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis during its February 2008 mission.

Bad timing

Bad Astronomy talks us though the great leap second of 2008.

It’s all just torque

Astroprof talks us through why it had to be that way.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the northern hemisphere...

Mang’s Bat Page reports that you can get free entry to Toronto Astronomy Festival and there are plans afoot for a new planetarium and space education centre in Ontario.

One for the Druids

Starts with a Bang discusses the Summer Solstice.

Dream on

Centauri Dreams discusses the problem of planning a 2,000 year long space mission. Is such a mission doomed to mediocrity before it finishes—or is it a bold, bodacious plan with nanotechnology?

Not without my husband

Space Cynic delivers a biting expose on the internal machinations of NASA bureaucracy.

A bit of a stretch

Next Big Future gives a status report on space elevator technology.

Merry Christmas 1968

Altair VI talks us through those paradigm-shifting days of the Apollo 8 mission (note the link is the last in a series of articles).

Once more, with software

Music of the Spheres celebrated the 40th anniversary of Apollo 8 by recreating the key events of the mission with the help of the free Orbiter space flight simulator and the AMSO Apollo add-on package.

Military intelligence

Astroengine discusses the possibility of world domination by gravitational wave technology.

Stay home September 2009

My Dark Sky reports on the frustrating disappearance of Saturn’s rings in the International Year of Astronomy.

Cantaloupe world

Supernova Condensate discusses Triton, the coldest object this side of the Kuiper Belt. (For the benefit of Australian readers, that’s ‘Rockmelon world’).

What’s up in 2009

SarahAskew outlines some things to discover in the International Year of Astronomy, including the 365 Days of Astronomy daily podcast.

Wish list

Cumbrian Sky beseeches some old fat guy in a red and white suit.

Well, this is Cheap Astronomy signing off.

It’s been a privilege to host the very first Carnival of Space for 2009 The International Year of Astronomy!

The universe is yours to discover—and you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg doing it.