Falcon 9 engine test rescheduled for Saturday morning

NEWSALERT: Saturday, December 4, 2010 @ 0331 GMT
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  The latest news from Spaceflight Now


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LAST-SECOND PROBLEM ABORTS FALCON 9 ENGINE TEST
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The first try to fire the Falcon 9 rocket's nine main engines was aborted
Friday by a high engine pressure reading. SpaceX has rescheduled the
static test for 9 a.m. EST on Saturday. The engine test is a crucial
milestone before next week's scheduled liftoff on a test flight of the
commercial Dragon space capsule.

http://spaceflightnow.com/falcon9/002/status.html


HOME AGAIN: U.S. MILITARY SPACE PLANE RETURNS TO EARTH
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Flying back to Earth after nearly 225 days in space, the U.S. Air Force's
X-37B space plane blazed through the atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean
Friday and swooped into a California air base under the cloak of darkness.
Touchdown occurred at 1:16 a.m. local time (4:16 a.m. EST; 0916 GMT).

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1012/03x37landing/


DISCOVERY'S FINAL LAUNCH POSTPONED UNTIL FEBRUARY
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Launch of the shuttle Discovery on a space station resupply mission will
be delayed until at least Feb. 3, NASA managers announced Friday, to give
engineers more time to carry out tests to help figure out what caused
cracks in the ship's external tank and what, if any, modifications might
be needed before the ship can be cleared for flight.

http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts133/101203delay/


ARSENIC-EATING BACTERIA MAY REDEFINE 'LIFE AS WE KNOW IT'
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Researchers have discovered a bacteria that can substitute toxic arsenic
for phosphorous, the first organism ever identified that appears to thrive
in the absence of an element thought to be critical to life as it has long
been defined. The discovery may require a redefinition of the basic
requirements for life while expanding the potential environments on Earth
-- and across the cosmos -- where life might be possible.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1012/02astrobiology/


NASA, WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS SHARE BUDGET CONCERNS
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Responding to lawmakers' worries over the implementation of NASA's
exploration manifesto, the agency's senior financial official and
President Obama's science advisor Wednesday blamed a stalled government
spending package and budget anxiety for the sluggish start of new
programs.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1012/02congress/


ALASKA SEES OPPORTUNITY TO SNARE MORE ROCKET LAUNCHES
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Nestled on a barren bluff on the southern shore of Kodiak Island -
Alaska's emerald isle - a state-owned launch complex is vying to draw
space business to America's last frontier.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1012/01kodiak/

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Crew patches for Expeditions 26 and 27 are now available from our store.
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Good Clear Skies
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Astrocomet
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Colin James Watling
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Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
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Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
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Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
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Information: http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/LOWESTOFT---3054/Lowestoft%20And%20Great%20Yarmouth%20Regional%20Astronomers%20(Lyra