21st Century Moonshot

While on vacation in Florida during the week of Oct 26, I had the good fortune to witness the first test flight of NASA'a Ares 1-x rocket ship. The Ares Rocket will replace the Space Shuttle program which is set to phase out within the next year, and will resurrect manned missions to the moon and eventually will lead to a manned mission to Mars. The design harkens back to the first moon missions with a small manned capsule propelled by a large single rocket. The capsule will touch down in the ocean upon its return to earth. While it was exciting just to witness what is hoped to be an historic launch, I am truly excited by what humankind's return to the moon portends. This is not simply an exercise in getting to the moon. Advanced technology will enable this new generation of astronauts and scientists to study the moon in ways that were impossible back in the 70's. There are sure to be landmark discoveries about our moon, the earth and possibly all of the solar system. And that will only be a prelude to the day we watch as humans, for the first time, stand upon the red, rocky soil of Mars. Until then enjoy these photos I took of the launch.

Rocky I

The first rocky “earth-like” world outside our solar system was confirmed this week. Space.com ran this article about the discovery. While this is a landmark discovery in the pursuit of the ultimate prize - the evidence of life beyond our planet - it should come as no surprise. From Copernicus’ revelation that the earth revolved around the sun and not the other way around, to the discovery that our sun is merely an average star among billions upon billions, to the confirmation that planet formation is a common occurence in the universe, a pattern has emerged: that what we thought to be rare or unique, is in fact, commonplace. Consider our own solar system consists of eight planets, one of which is teeming with life. If the odds within our own solar system are one in eight, imagine what's out there in the countless stars of the cosmos. The evidence of extra-terrestrial life beyond our blue and green orb seems inevitable. The Kepler telescope, designed specifically to identify earth-like worlds, becomes operational in 2012. Let’s hope humanity’s greatest discovery is just around the cosmic corner.