GeekDad contributor Brian McLaughlin is taking a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Antarctica as part of his work with NASA, and is sharing it with us via pictures. You can also follow Brian’s exploits on his Facebook page.
Continue ReadingMore than a few TV networks aren’t what they set out to be. Here are six, along with a few videos to take you back to the way things were.
Continue ReadingAs I’d mentioned in an earlier Dragon*Con Diary post, my family felt the most at-home at the Space and Science Tracks throughout our Dragon*Con weekend. While others had chances to meet such sci-fi stars as John Barrowman, and attend panels with the cast of True Blood, my family was not going to be as patient with those incredibly long lines and levels of uber-fandom that we don’t quite have. The Science and Space Tracks were perfect for us! Here are summaries of my two favorite panels from those tracks.
Continue ReadingNeil Armstrong’s first step on the moon made him famous, but his “one small step for man… one giant leap for mankind” immortalized him. Today GeekMom, NASA, America, and the entire world, lost a great man. Neil Armstrong passed away today, at the age of 82, of cardio-vascular complications after undergoing heart-bypass surgery. Armstrong lived in Cincinnati, Ohio with his wife Carol.
Continue ReadingWe at GeekDad are sorry to report on the passing of legendary Astronaut Neil Armstrong at the age of 82. While he was best known for being the first human to set foot on the Moon during Apollo 11, his …
Continue ReadingGeeks cried “Huzzah!” this week when, in a curious “worlds collide” collision between fantasy and science, a crater on the planet Mercury was named after J.R.R. Tolkien.
Continue ReadingHow often to you get to see those blue polo shirt-wearing engineers busting a move? Never. But this video has them dancing and singing and doing what I’d imagine happened after the cameras turned off once the Curiosity landed.
Continue ReadingInnovative learning website Alleyoop.com, which launched in February with math, has partnered with NASA, National Geographic, and others to create a full-spectrum science program for students ages 13-17.
Continue ReadingYou know that neat image of the Martian sky that’s been making the rounds, purportedly showing Earth, Venus, and Jupiter as luminescent dots in a Martian twilight? Yeah, well, it’s not real.
Continue ReadingAs we all spend the day geeking out over last night’s successful landing of the Mars Curiosity Rover, we thought we’d pass along this awesome model of the machine made with Lego Mindstorms and Technic parts.
Continue ReadingMars Curiosity is scheduled to land tonight at 10:31 p.m. PDT, Aug. 5 (1:31 a.m. EDT Aug. 6).
Continue ReadingIn its second year, the Lego Education Summit has grown in attendance and scope. Last year’s conference, held in St. Louis, focused solely on STEM education topics, but the 2012 Summit, held in Kanas City, expanded its seminar topics to …
Continue ReadingFriday August 3rd marked a significant milestone for three companies vying for commercial rights to manned space flight. After a year-long review of the current status of commercial manned spaceflight technology readiness, NASA awarded three grants totaling $1.1 billion to Boeing, Space X and Sierra Nevada Corp., to be paid over the next 21 months. These three companies are vigorously working to provide safe and cost-effective vehicles that can transport NASA astronauts and supplies to and from the International Space Station within the next five years. The awards are part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Integrated Capability (CCiCap) under the space agency’s Commercial Crew Program (CCP).
Continue ReadingWe’ve got good news for kids still dreaming of being an astronaut: NASA has selected Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) as one of three vendors to test ships that will transport American Astronauts bak into “space,” or at least into low …
Continue ReadingIn honor of this weekend’s Mars Curiosity Rover landing, Hot Wheels will be offering a 1:64 scale miniature of the mobile science laboratory. The die-cast replica won’t be hitting stores until September, but will be available for the low, low …
Continue ReadingHave you ever wondered how the US got to the point where funding missions to space just isn’t that important? Paul Hildebrandt wondered, and he’s launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund a documentary and answer that question.
Continue ReadingThis weekend will mark an event that promises to be momentous in the history of planetary exploration. The Mars Science Lab (MSL) Rover, christened Curiosity, is quickly approaching the Red Planet after an eight month journey from Launch Complex 41 …
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The goal here is not to solve the problem, but to start a discussion. There are complex social, political and economic factors that each play a roll in where our space program is today and only by understanding them can we hope to have the program rebound and inspire future generations.
Continue ReadingIn less than two weeks, the men and women of NASA will sit back with the rest of the world, hold their breath, and see if the Mars Science Laboratory, Curiosity, has a successful landing or not. In the meantime, …
Continue ReadingI was nine years old when I first wanted to be an astronaut, and my first hero was Sally Ride. I looked up to her as a woman, a scientist, and an astronaut. Sally Ride’s integrity never faltered, even as a woman in a male-dominated profession for much of her career.
Continue ReadingIf you are a space geek like me and tuned in to the latest NASA Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) press conference, you probably weren’t expecting anything unusual either. Surprise!
Continue ReadingI looked into her face for a very long time, and nearly started to cry. There she was. The shuttle that flew into space more times than all the rest.
Continue ReadingThe stunning video details the unique, never-before-tested landing system being used to slow the Mars Curiosity rover and land it safely on the surface of Mars.
Continue ReadingThe name Nemo automatically brings to mind visions of the deep for many people. From the infamous anti-hero captain in Jules Vernes’ 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea to the lovable lost clown fish in Pixar’s Finding Nemo, the name has …
Continue ReadingEarlier this week, I took my telescope with solar filter down to my son’s school, and for three hours entertained a stream of kids, teachers, and parents with the progress of Venus across the face of the sun with the …
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The summer hasn’t even really started, but I’m already declaring it to be the best summer, ever. This year I was invited to attend a parent and child weekend at Space Camp. Yes, this is the same Space Camp that, if you were like me, you dreamed about attending when you were a kid. I’m happy to report it’s every bit as awesome as you’d imagined it would be as a child, except for the part where a series of mishaps mean campers must go on a real space mission to save the planet from impending doom.
Continue ReadingThe United States’ Landsat Earth observing program is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. This program has allowed scientists from all over the world to observe landscape changes on a massive scale through detailed photography of the Earth’s surface. To celebrate this historic anniversary, NASA is offering the chance for six lucky members of the American public to receive a chronicle of Landsat images from the past 40 years. Learn more about Landsat and enter NASA’s contest.
Continue ReadingStartup rocket company Space Exploration Technologies (we all know them as SpaceX) is set to launch their Dragon capsule to the International Space Station early in the morning (3:44am EDT!) on Tuesday. SpaceX will be webcasting the launch on their …
Continue ReadingMagnificent_Desolation IMAX Today I watched Magnificent Desolation: Man Walking on the Moon, which is running as part of OMSI’s IMAX Film Festival. It’s a film from 2005 but I hadn’t seen it before, so I was glad to have the …
Continue ReadingI’m guessing when you think of the Nation’s Capital, it’s likely your thoughts steer more towards politics and government, rather than science and engineering. Living in the DC area has always proved to be full of interesting places to visit and sights to see. I will admit that I take for granted the attractions of the […]
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