Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic spaceship ignites engine in flight
The spaceplane being developed by UK billionaire Sir Richard Branson has made its first powered flight. The vehicle was dropped from a carrier aircraft high above California's Mojave Desert and ignited its rocket engine to go supersonic for a few seconds. Sir Richard's intention is to use the spaceship to carry fare-paying passengers on short pleasure rides above the Earth's atmosphere.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22344398
Saturn storm's eye is 12 times UK size
An enormous hurricane raging at Saturn's north pole has an eye 2,000km (1,250mi) across - big enough to cover the UK 12 times over. The striking images of the storm were snapped from a height of 420,000km (260,000mi) by the Cassini spacecraft, which arrived at Saturn in 2004. They were captured in red and infrared wavelengths and have been false-coloured to show detail.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22351048
The end of the Herschel space telescope mission
Europe's flagship space telescope has stopped working. The billion-euro Herschel observatory has run out of the liquid helium needed to keep its instruments and detectors at their ultra-low functioning temperature. This equipment has now warmed, meaning the telescope cannot see the sky.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21934520
The spaceplane being developed by UK billionaire Sir Richard Branson has made its first powered flight. The vehicle was dropped from a carrier aircraft high above California's Mojave Desert and ignited its rocket engine to go supersonic for a few seconds. Sir Richard's intention is to use the spaceship to carry fare-paying passengers on short pleasure rides above the Earth's atmosphere.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22344398
Saturn storm's eye is 12 times UK size
An enormous hurricane raging at Saturn's north pole has an eye 2,000km (1,250mi) across - big enough to cover the UK 12 times over. The striking images of the storm were snapped from a height of 420,000km (260,000mi) by the Cassini spacecraft, which arrived at Saturn in 2004. They were captured in red and infrared wavelengths and have been false-coloured to show detail.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22351048
The end of the Herschel space telescope mission
Europe's flagship space telescope has stopped working. The billion-euro Herschel observatory has run out of the liquid helium needed to keep its instruments and detectors at their ultra-low functioning temperature. This equipment has now warmed, meaning the telescope cannot see the sky.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21934520




