NASA Notes …. Jim Timmons

TEXAS STAR PARTY--It's Time to Start Planning!

BUT CAN THEY FIND TONY ORLANDO? (KEPLER AND DAWN) - NASA has approved two new missions out of 26 proposals as part of the Discovery program. Past Discovery flights have included the NEAR Shoemaker and Lunar Prospector. The Kepler mission, scheduled for 2006, will help search for Earth-like planets. It is designed to continuously observe an area of over 100,000 stars and detect planets as they transit between a star and the spacecraft.
    Also scheduled for 2006 is the Dawn mission. This spacecraft will take a nine-year sojourn to explore the asteroids Ceres and Vesta. During its rendezvous with the two largest asteroids, orbits of 500 to 62 miles will be utilized.

TURN OUT THE LIGHTS, THE PARTY'S OVER (DEEP SPACE 1)- The Deep Space 1 mission has ended after a three journey which successfully tested advanced space technologies and obtained the best images of a comet. Engineers have shut off the ion engine but not before the motor had accumulated over 670 days of operating time. The spacecraft will remain in orbit around the sun.

WOULD YOU LIKE SWEETENED OR UNSWEETENED? (METEORITES)- A NASA scientist, Dr. George Cooper, has discovered sugar and related organic compounds in two carbonaceous meteorites; the Murchison meteorite (discovered in Australia in 1969) and the Murray meteorite (which landed in 1950). This find suggests that organic synthesis - important to life - has gone on throughout the universe

Latest Texas Star Party News

The Dates are May 5  -  12.  TSP Flyers will be mailed in late December 2001. Watch your mail!

Dogs are no longer permitted at TSP. This is due to persistent problems with uncontrolled barking, un-cleaned messes (a problem in observing fields at night!), as well as Ranch rules banning dogs in rooms and public buildings.

TSP 2002 will be limited to 650 attendees. They are taking steps to work with the Ranch to assure that the facilities are adequate for  attendees to have a good time and with minimum inconvenience. In addition they are implementing a "cap" on attendance, which may mean that some people may not be able to attend.

TSP Registration will start AFTER the drawing that they will hold in late January. They anticipate that most pre-registrants will be able to attend. If you do not have a confirmed pre-registration, you may be turned away at the front gate.

TSP 2002 reservations for Ranch accommodations and tent-camping will be assigned by random drawing, to be held after January 14, 2002.

For more details and updates, go to their website at  www.metronet.com/~tsp.

TSP Area Hotels

Should you need one, here is a list of Ft. Davis Hotels.  Get your reservations early!


Ft. Davis Motor Inn            1-800-803-2847
Old Texas Inn                   1-800-DAVIS-MT
The Hotel Limpia               1-800-662-5517
Davis Mtns State Park      1-915-426-3337
Indian Lodge (in the park) 1-915-426-3254