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Archimedes Archive: The Parsons Steam Turbine

ASK OCE — August 31, 2006 — Vol. 1, Issue 13   One of the most important inventions in the development of electrical power generation had its origins in a back-of-the envelope sketch: the Parsons steam turbine. In the late nineteenth century, the burgeoning progress of Industrial Revolution was at a crossroads. The large amounts […]

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A Green Thumb in Space: The Arthur Clarke Mars Greenhouse

ASK OCE — August 31, 2006 — Vol. 1, Issue 13   As NASA prepares for eventual manned missions to the Moon and Mars, a basic conundrum is how to provide the astronauts with enough food, water, and air for the multi-year mission to the Red Planet. Sending enough of these necessities along with the […]

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Remembering Dr. James Van Allen

ASK OCE — August 31, 2006 — Vol. 1, Issue 13   Dr. James Van Allen, one of the most gifted and prolific astrophysicists of the past century, died on August 9, 2006, at the age of 91.

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A View From Outside: SMART-1 Hits the Moon

ASK OCE — August 31, 2006 — Vol. 1, Issue 13   The European Space Agency’s SMART-1 spacecraft successfully completed its mission when it collided with the lunar surface as planned on September 3, 2006. The SMART-1 impact took place on the near side of the moon. The time and location of the impact was […]

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ST5 Micro-Satellites Complete 90-Day Mission

ASK OCE — August 31, 2006 — Vol. 1, Issue 13 The three micro-satellites known as Space Technology 5 (ST5), each no bigger than a 13-inch television and weighing a mere 55 pounds, completed their planned 90-day orbital mission on Friday, June 30, when the ST5 mission team shut down the spacecraft.

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National Research Council: Cooperation Key to Future of Civil Aeronautics

ASK OCE — August 31, 2006 — Vol. 1, Issue 13   Over the next decade NASA, along with other federal agencies and private industry, should focus its civil aeronautics research and technology efforts on inter-sector cooperation and practical applicability, according to a survey by the National Research Council. The National Research Council’s Committee on […]

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This Week in NASA History: Guion S. Bluford Flies as First African-American Astronaut

ASK OCE — August 17, 2006 — Vol. 1, Issue 12   On August 30, 1983, Guion S. Bluford, a mission specialist on STS-8, became the first African-American in space.

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Message from the Chief Engineer: Cross-Institutional Programs and Projects

ASK OCE — August 31, 2006 — Vol. 1, Issue 13   By Chris Scolese From the earliest days of spaceflight, the civilian aerospace community has relied on cooperation among government, private industry, and universities. As a result, NASA often finds itself working with partner organizations in a variety of configurations. NASA works in a […]

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