Curated by John Schmit

Monday, April 29, 2013

KidsAstronomy.com

http://www.kidsastronomy.com/

KidsAstronomy.com is a website dedicated to providing space related educational experiences for children. The individual sections provide basic understanding of the "Solar System", "Deep Space", "Space Exploration", "Civilian Space Travel" and "How Big Is The Universe." There is a small Astronomy Dictionary and teachers are encouraged to includes astronomy in preparing lesson plans. Developed by Hiram Bertochas, KidsAstronomy is the first in a series of educational websites known as the KidsKnowIt Network. The website uses AdChoices on its pages to fund the cost of operations. There are many resources for kids here, including a printable sky map. KidsAstronomy is on both Twitter and Facebook.


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Friday, April 26, 2013

ViaSat

http://www.viasat.com/

ViaSat is a digital communications company primarily utilizing satellites. They have developed secure communications systems for fixed-site and mobile needs. They work with consumers, businesses and government customers providing Internet access and broadband services. The website presents an easy to use menu that takes you to the variety of products and services they offer. Below the slideshow menu you'll find articles about the latest company news and events. It's interesting to follow the individual links and explore the different kinds of communication applications and the resolutions to problematic situations. I found the "Emergency Response" page fascinating, with both mobile and portable communications systems available. "First responders can quickly, efficiently, and affordably get high-speed IP access whether in the field or at command centers. Check the ViaSat Media Room for some great articles and fact sheets. ViaSat is on Facebook and You Tube.


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Monday, April 22, 2013

Talking Space

http://www.talkingspaceonline.com/

Talking Space is a weekly podcast of space related events and activities. Started in 2009, the podcasts are a chance for listeners to not only get space news and interviews, but also give feedback and opinions on the events. The shows are generally about an hour long. Hosted by Sawyer Rosenstein, each show has a panel of Talking Space team members and an occasional guest that discuss the current space related activities. On the website, you can easily find the latest podcast or go to the archives. And there's more! Each episode has a synopsis with information about the particular show and links to relevant online content. In 2010, a Talking Space blog was added to the website. The syndicated shows are also available at Astronomy.fm, currently found on Saturdays. You can subscribe to the podcasts for free on iTunes and follow Talking Space on Twitter (@talkingspace) and Facebook.


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Friday, April 19, 2013

Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory

http://www.lmsal.com/home.htm

The Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory (LMSAL) is part of the Space Physics Lab of the Advanced Technology Center in Palo Alto, CA. At the website you'll find an interesting and educational series about the Sun. A "Science" tab takes you to an overview of the Sun and its constituent parts. As you move through the links you can get more in-depth descriptions and technical details on how the information was collected and determined. The "Projects" section details individual spacecraft, telescopes and imaging systems. While much of the data used to explain specific techniques in measurement and forecasting are several years old, the processes are very functional today and are responsible for the space weather forecasts you see today. You can see how the imaging of sunspots on the far side of the Sun has developed and even link to the latest solar data, events and forecasts. Bookmark those Solar weather pages you like to easily return for updated information.


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Monday, April 15, 2013

Masten Space Systems

http://masten-space.com/blog/

Masten Space Systems is a research and development company focused on unmanned suborbital flights. On the website, you'll see that Masten builds rockets that are reusable even on the same day. Development and testing are done in-house. Vertical takeoff and vertical landing is the standard approach. You'll find details of Masten's products, their propulsion systems and guidance, navigation and control systems in the "Products" section. Masten provides a variety of uses for its systems on the "Applications" page. Many of these uses are for research and testing work. Scientific experiments and observations will benefit from the lower cost of flying the reusable crafts. You can keep up with Masten by following its Blog or subscribing to its RSS feed.


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Friday, April 12, 2013

Swiss Space Systems

http://www.s-3.ch/

On March 13, 2013, Swiss Space Systems joined the new space community with the goal of becoming a "world leader in in-orbit delivery of small satellites." Putting together partnerships with companies that have developed technologies, S3's ambitious dream of "Space for all" could be achieved very soon. The videos presented on the website (hosted by You Tube) are very well produced and give a clear picture of the process that S3 is developing. A top expert team along with major partners, technical advisers and the main sponsorship of Breitling, gives S3 a running start towards its goals. Be sure to check the Newsroom tab for outstanding images and PDF files of the latest press releases. Swiss Space Systems is on the major social networks for you to follow.


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Monday, April 8, 2013

EarthSky

http://earthsky.org/



EarthSky wants to “illuminate pathways to a sustainable future”. They do an excellent job with their website. Consisting of a variety of blogs, videos, faqs, and a page called Science Wire, you get a comprehensive look at space, Earth, and human world sciences and the latest news about them. There are many articles that describe the natural world around us and do so in an interesting and timely manor. The pictures and videos display the curiosity and imagination of an articulate editorial team. EarthSky Communications presents the 'news' and features in a two columned page format with a limited amount of commercial ads. Be sure to click on the 'Tonight' tab and discover the easy to use maps and charts for astronomers at all levels of expertise. Astronomy Essentials brings you “everything you need to know” about current natural events. Connect with EarthSky on the major social media and subscribe to the newsletter and RSS feeds.


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Friday, April 5, 2013

AFM Radio

http://astronomy.fm/

AFM Radio is a 24 hour internet radio station. It is dedicated to astronomy and other sciences. An easy to use pop-up player is available at the top of the home page so you can listen to the currently playing program. An interesting list of recent programs and podcasts are listed for your listening pleasure. There are many original programs and syndicated shows listed in pull-down menus. Broadcasts are smart phone-friendly at 64kbps for data management. The "ON-AIR" schedule is easy to access and follow. There is a chat room powered by Ajax Chat with no registration required to use. Many of the programs have follower and share links of their own and the contact page makes it easy to connect with the many volunteer team members. AFM can be also followed on the major social networks. Enjoy informative and entertaining astronomy radio here.


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Monday, April 1, 2013

MILA Solutions

http://www.milasolutions.com/

What a pleasure it was to come across the MILA Solutions website. Each area of the site made me feel more uplifted and positive about space and our exploration of it. The company was formed in 2007 by Jim Banke. Clearly, his experience writing and working in the aerospace industry is displayed here. His honors and awards are justified as you read the well crafted posts on the "Orbital Inclinations" blog. Jim Banke hosts the weekly radio show "Space Talk" on WMMB and links to archived shows are available for you to enjoy. The "Launch Forecast" page gives you plenty of on-line links to get the latest schedules for several launch facilities. It's fun to see Jim's favorite space things listed on the "Space Gifts Ideas" page. From books and movies to models and toys, you'll find a good selection there. The MILA Solutions "Recommended Links" has the top space related sites listed, along with links to a few friends and personal favorites. Clicking on the "Media Products" section gives you access to the excellent writings by Jim Burke while in his capacity working for NASA and as a consultant on other special projects. MILA Solutions makes the website personal with the "Special Projects" page as you get involved with the videos and creative works presented there. The entire website is informative and fun to visit.


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