Aviation and space

A scene from Stanley Kubrick’s movie, 2001: A Space Odyssey. Do you know the name of the computer on the spacecraft in this movie? (Photo contributed)

QUIZ: Looking towards the stars

How much do you know about the facts and fiction of space exploration?

 

FILE - A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, with a payload including two lunar rovers from Japan and the United Arab Emirates, lifts off from Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Dec. 11, 2022. But later in April 2023, the spacecraft from a Japanese company apparently crashed while attempting to land on the moon. Japan now hopes to make the world’s first “pinpoint landing” on the moon early Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, joining a modern push for lunar contact with roots in the Cold War-era space race between the United States and the Soviet Union. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)

Japan aiming for precision as it is about to land on the moon

Country looks to make pinpoint touchdown early Saturday to become the 5th nation on the moon

 

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) staff celebrate the successful landing of spacecraft Chandrayaan-3 on the moon at ISRO’s Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network facility in Bengaluru, India, Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023. India has landed a spacecraft near the moon’s south pole, an unchartered territory that scientists believe could hold vital reserves of frozen water and precious elements, as the country cements its growing prowess in space and technology.(AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

India’s lunar rover comes down a ramp to the moon’s surface and takes a walk

Chandrayan-3 Rover poised to do 2 weeks of research on the moon’s southern polar region

 

Onlookers watch as SpaceX's Starship, the world's biggest and most powerful rocket, stands ready for launch in Boca Chica, Texas, Sunday, April 16, 2023. The test launch is scheduled for Monday. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

SpaceX calls off 1st launch attempt of giant rocket in Texas

SpaceX called off the first launch attempt of its giant rocket Monday…

Onlookers watch as SpaceX's Starship, the world's biggest and most powerful rocket, stands ready for launch in Boca Chica, Texas, Sunday, April 16, 2023. The test launch is scheduled for Monday. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
NASA’s Orion spacecraft flew past the moon on Monday, December 5, 2022. The crew capsule and its test dummies took part in a three-week test flight that set the stage for astronauts on the next flight in a couple years. That flight, currently scheduled for November 2024, will include a Canadian astronaut whose identity will be revealed Monday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/NASA via AP

Going back to the moon: ‘This is Canada on the world stage, doing big things’

1 Canadian to be chosen to join mission to the moon

NASA’s Orion spacecraft flew past the moon on Monday, December 5, 2022. The crew capsule and its test dummies took part in a three-week test flight that set the stage for astronauts on the next flight in a couple years. That flight, currently scheduled for November 2024, will include a Canadian astronaut whose identity will be revealed Monday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/NASA via AP
This image released by NASA on Tuesday, July 12, 2022, shows the edge of a nearby, young, star-forming region NGC 3324 in the Carina Nebula. Captured in infrared light by the Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) on the James Webb Space Telescope, this image reveals previously obscured areas of star birth, according to NASA. THE CANADIAN PRESS/NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI via AP

Here’s what’s on the horizon for Canadian space exploration

Canada is playing no small part in some of the headline projects of 2022

This image released by NASA on Tuesday, July 12, 2022, shows the edge of a nearby, young, star-forming region NGC 3324 in the Carina Nebula. Captured in infrared light by the Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) on the James Webb Space Telescope, this image reveals previously obscured areas of star birth, according to NASA. THE CANADIAN PRESS/NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI via AP
Tristan Tarnowski, ORCASat team member and UVic engineering student, during assembly of the UVic satellite. (Courtesy ORCASat)

Mission accomplished: UVic satellite reaches International Space Station

ORCASat to measure how earth’s atmosphere affects light

Tristan Tarnowski, ORCASat team member and UVic engineering student, during assembly of the UVic satellite. (Courtesy ORCASat)
FILE - U.S. multimillionaire Dennis Tito gives a thumbs up shortly after his landing in the Central Asian steppes, 80 kilometers (50 miles) northeast of Arkalyk, Kazakstan on May 6, 2001. The world’s first space tourist has signed up to spin around the moon aboard Elon Musk’s Starship. For Dennis Tito, it’s a chance to relive the joy of his trip 21 years ago to the International Space Station. (AP Photo/Mikhail Metzel, File)

World’s 1st space tourist signs up for flight around moon

Dennis Tito, 82, plans on following up his visit to the International Space Station

FILE - U.S. multimillionaire Dennis Tito gives a thumbs up shortly after his landing in the Central Asian steppes, 80 kilometers (50 miles) northeast of Arkalyk, Kazakstan on May 6, 2001. The world’s first space tourist has signed up to spin around the moon aboard Elon Musk’s Starship. For Dennis Tito, it’s a chance to relive the joy of his trip 21 years ago to the International Space Station. (AP Photo/Mikhail Metzel, File)
This illustration made available by Johns Hopkins APL and NASA depicts NASA’s DART probe, foreground right, and Italian Space Agency’s (ASI) LICIACube, bottom right, at the Didymos system before impact with the asteroid Dimorphos, left. DART is expected to zero in on the asteroid Monday, Sept. 26, 2022, intent on slamming it head-on at 14,000 mph. The impact should be just enough to nudge the asteroid into a slightly tighter orbit around its companion space rock. (Steve Gribben/Johns Hopkins APL/NASA via AP)

Bam! NASA spacecraft crashes into asteroid in defense test

It will be days or weeks before we know how much the asteroid’s path was changed

This illustration made available by Johns Hopkins APL and NASA depicts NASA’s DART probe, foreground right, and Italian Space Agency’s (ASI) LICIACube, bottom right, at the Didymos system before impact with the asteroid Dimorphos, left. DART is expected to zero in on the asteroid Monday, Sept. 26, 2022, intent on slamming it head-on at 14,000 mph. The impact should be just enough to nudge the asteroid into a slightly tighter orbit around its companion space rock. (Steve Gribben/Johns Hopkins APL/NASA via AP)
(Black Press Media Creative)

Engine problem leads NASA to scrub launch of new moon rocket

‘It’s just part of the space business and it’s part of, particularly, a test flight’

(Black Press Media Creative)
In this May 4, 2018 photo provided by NASA, the mobile service tower is rolled back to reveal the United Launch Alliance Atlas-V rocket with NASA’s InSight spacecraft onboard at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. NASA’s three-legged, one-armed geologist known as InSight makes its grand entrance through the rose-tinted Martian skies on Monday, Nov. 26, 2018. (Bill Ingalls/NASA via AP)

Death by objects falling from space could be more likely than people realize

Researchers say governments should mandate rocket ‘junk’ be guided back

In this May 4, 2018 photo provided by NASA, the mobile service tower is rolled back to reveal the United Launch Alliance Atlas-V rocket with NASA’s InSight spacecraft onboard at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. NASA’s three-legged, one-armed geologist known as InSight makes its grand entrance through the rose-tinted Martian skies on Monday, Nov. 26, 2018. (Bill Ingalls/NASA via AP)
FILE - This 2015 artist’s rendering provided by Northrop Grumman via NASA shows the James Webb Space Telescope. On Monday, Jan. 24, 2022, the world’s biggest and most powerful space telescope reached its final destination 1 million miles away, one month after launching on a quest to behold the dawn of the universe. (Northrop Grumman/NASA via AP)

New space telescope reaches final stop million miles out

‘We’re one step closer to uncovering the mysteries of the universe’

FILE - This 2015 artist’s rendering provided by Northrop Grumman via NASA shows the James Webb Space Telescope. On Monday, Jan. 24, 2022, the world’s biggest and most powerful space telescope reached its final destination 1 million miles away, one month after launching on a quest to behold the dawn of the universe. (Northrop Grumman/NASA via AP)
Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson, left, receives his astronaut wings pin from Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, after a space flight in 2021. Hadfield says privatized space flight has its benefits to life on earth. (AP Photo/Andres Leighton)

Space travel can improve everyone’s lives, says Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield

Improvements in space technology accelerating, having major impact on life on Earth

Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson, left, receives his astronaut wings pin from Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, after a space flight in 2021. Hadfield says privatized space flight has its benefits to life on earth. (AP Photo/Andres Leighton)
This photo provided by NASA, the James Webb Space Telescope is separated in space on Saturday, Dec. 25, 2021. NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope soared from French Guiana on South America’s northeastern coast, riding a European Ariane rocket into the Christmas morning sky. The $10 billion infrared observatory is intended as the successor to the aging Hubble Space Telescope. (NASA via AP)

NASA’s new space telescope ‘hunky-dory’ after problems fixed

Flight controllers in Maryland had to reset Webb’s solar panel to draw more power

This photo provided by NASA, the James Webb Space Telescope is separated in space on Saturday, Dec. 25, 2021. NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope soared from French Guiana on South America’s northeastern coast, riding a European Ariane rocket into the Christmas morning sky. The $10 billion infrared observatory is intended as the successor to the aging Hubble Space Telescope. (NASA via AP)
In this Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021 photo released by the European Space Agency, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is secured on top of the Ariane 5 rocket that will launch it to space from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson confirmed Friday that the James Webb Space Telescope will attempt to blast off on Christmas Eve. A European Ariane rocket will provide the lift from South America’s French Guiana. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, ESA - M.Pedoussaut

Landmark new super space telescope has Canada’s maple leaf all over it

‘Guided by Canada’: NASA new deep space telescope with Canadian components to launch this week

In this Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021 photo released by the European Space Agency, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is secured on top of the Ariane 5 rocket that will launch it to space from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson confirmed Friday that the James Webb Space Telescope will attempt to blast off on Christmas Eve. A European Ariane rocket will provide the lift from South America’s French Guiana. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, ESA - M.Pedoussaut
Retired astronaut Col. Chris Hadfield talks about his own extraordinary stories of leadership as one of the keynote speakers at the Greatness in Leadership business management event in Lethbridge, Alberta on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/David Rossiter

Chris Hadfield to Captain Kirk: Astronaut urges William Shatner to ‘soak up’ space

Flight was originally planned for Tuesday but Blue Origin has announced it is being delayed 24 hours

Retired astronaut Col. Chris Hadfield talks about his own extraordinary stories of leadership as one of the keynote speakers at the Greatness in Leadership business management event in Lethbridge, Alberta on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/David Rossiter