Libya ─ Between the Facts and Destabilization of the Foreign Intelligence

The battle occurred again in Tripoli which has largely been controlled by the rebel groups. The battle heated up again following a verbal message from Colonel Muammar Gaddafi who called for Libyan citizens to fight and destroy the rebels. The message was broadcasted on government TV station and delivered to the citizens of Sirte, the next target town of rebel groups.

"Libya is for the citizens of Libya and not to agents, not for the imperilasme, not for France, not for Sarkozy, not for Italy, "Gaddafi said in a statement. "Tripoli is for you and not for those who rely on NATO."

He also urged the young people of Tripoli to fight street to street, alley to alley, house to house, and he also added that women also could join the war from "inside their homes". But it wasn't clear when the verbal message was recorded.

Battle on Thursday (8/25) occurred in the Abu Salim, Tripoli, wasn't far from the notorious prison which was still one of the areas controlled by Gaddafi.

The fighting also occurred near the Hotel Corinthia, which was the residence of foreign journalists, about 1.5 miles from Martyrs Square, formerly known as Green Field.

Sporadic gunfire was also heard in the settlement of Gaddafi, Bab al Aziziya, who had driven the rebels who broke into the settlement through an underground tunnel. National Transition Council, NTC, also said their political headquarters moved from Benghazi to Tripoli.

Bab al-Azizia

Meanwhile, the UN would withdraw Libyan assets of U.S. $ 1.5 billion (which was frozen) for immediate humanitarian assistance. South Africa opposed the UN efforts to disburse U.S. $ 1.5 billion to the NTC as proposed by the United States. They said the distribution of funds to the NTC meant the official recognition of the NTC, which has not been done by the African Union and South Africa. But the United States has agreed to revoke the special reference to the NTC for the disbursement of funds could be agreed.

Earlier, the NTC chairman, Mahmoud Jibril, said that Libya needed urgent help to pay the salaries and reconstruction efforts to guarantee the stability of Libya. Italy has promised to release 350 million euros of Libya assets that had been frozen in banks in Italy. Arab League has given its full support to the NTC as the legitimate representative of Libya people, while the International Monetary Fund said that they will recognize the NTC as the Libyan leader if there has been a firm and widespread recognition from international community.

How is Libya under Gaddafi? How bad is the life of Libya people? Are they oppressed as they (the west) preached to us?

Before the chaos erupted, Libya has the lowest infant mortality rate from all over Africa. Libya has the highest life expectancy of the whole of Africa. Less than 5% of Libya's population who are malnourished. In response to rising food prices around the world, the Libyan government eliminated taxes on artificial foods.

The people in Libya are the rich people. Libya has the highest gross domestic product (GDP) at purchasing power parity per capita across Africa. The government is very careful to ensure the distribution of welfare people. The wealth is distributed evenly, so the percentage of people living below the poverty line is lower than in the Netherlands. Libya has the highest Human Development Index of any country in Africa.

How Libya could be so rich? The answer is oil. This country has a lot of oil, and does not allow foreign companies to steal the Libya's natural resources when its people starve, unlike the other Muslim countries such as Nigeria, a country that is basically run by Shell.

On the other hand we must admit that like any countries, Libya is not free from corrupt bureaucrats who are trying to get a larger portion. But unlike the Western media claims, Gaddafi is not the ruler of Libya, even he doesn't hold the official positions in the Libya government. This is a big mistake of the West which claims about Gaddafi rule over Libya, but it really is not.

Libyan leader is a prime minister who was elected indirectly, Baghdadi Mahmudi (the current prime minister), while Gaddafi is the leader of Libya that comparable with Akihito in Japan. Gaddafi is Libya's political system architect (pan-Arabism, socialism, and Islamic government). This is very contrary to the sketch made ​​by the Western media.

Opinion of the people in Libya are varied. There are some who support Gaddafi, but want Mahmudi steps down from his seat. There are others who want both (Gaddafi and Mahmudi) resign from the reins of power over Libya. But more of the Libyan people who just want to live their lives in peace.

Are the protests in Libya comparable with protests in Egypt and Tunisia? They are not at all! Libyan government's reaction is harder, and it is clear that excessive force is being used. But let's be realistic for a moment by the actions of protesters who set fire to the building the People's Council (parliament) of Libya. Do you think that the U.S. government will sit idly by as the U.S. parliament building is burned by the demonstrators? Will the government will remain silent if the demonstrators became increasingly anarchic?

The riots occurred, but it wasn't easy for the secular changed Libya, as we saw in Egypt and Tunisia. A group that calling itself the "Islamic Emirate of Barka" has taken many hostages, and killed two policemen. On Friday, February 18, 2011, the group stole 70 military vehicles after attacking the base and killing four soldiers. Unfortunately, an army colonel has been joined this group and provided the weapon. Furthermore, the rebellion began in eastern Benghazi.

The same group has been funded by the U.S. for decades and are now taking the opportunity to gain control over Libya. Recently some people from these groups have been detained in Libya, consisting of dozens of foreign nationals involved in numerous acts of looting and sabotage. Libyan government could not rule out a link to Israel. U.K. also funded al Qaeda cell in Libya, with a mission to kill Gaddafi. The main opposition groups in Libya today is the National Front for the Salvation of Libya. The opposition is funded by Saudi Arabia, the CIA and French Intelligence. The group is united with other opposition groups to the National Conference for the Libyan Opposition (National Conference for the Libyan Opposition). This organization was calling on Libya fall into chaos on February 17, 2011.

Why are Americans so against Khadafi? Because Gaddafi is a major threat to U.S. hegemony in Africa, because he tried to unite the African continent by combining the peace with Egypt, Libya and Syria to lead to a stable government in Libya with full control over all the countries in Africa to fight the United States. This concept is referred to by the Americans as "African States". Even Gaddafi holds all sorts of ideas that are contrary to U.S. interests. Gaddafi blamed the government of the United States in terms of the creation of HIV. Gaddafi also said that Israel was behind the murder of Martin Luther King and President John. F. Kennedy. Gaddaffi also said that the 9/11 hijackers were trained in the U.S.. Gaddafi was also the last generation of moderate-generation pan-Arab socialist revolutionary who was still in power, after Nasser and Hussein had been eliminated, and Syria and Iran that still exist.




United States and Israel have a strong interest in the Arab world, even the basis for this program is to bring Libya to its knees through the chaos and anarchy. There is no guarantee of a better way to destroy Libya than through a "civil war". The tribal system that still strong in Libya can be exploited for war civil war, as well as the history of Libya which has been divided into various tribes.




Please remember every time that the civil war and violence in Libya is not the same as the revolution in Tunisia and Egypt. Revolution in Tunisia and Egypt involved the protesters who suffered from poverty and finally they took the role of opposition to their corrupt government, while the turmoil in Libya is an inter-ethnic conflicts, conflicts over the oil revenues (the largest oil production is in the eastern part of the country), radical Islamists who oppose the system of Gaddafi government, and the external destabilization through westernization to opposition groups funded by the foreign parties.
*****

Reading For Today :
► Photos : Libyan rebels reach Tripoli
► Photos: Libya conflict: Battle for Tripoli
► Rebels fight for control of Tripoli district
► Libyan conflict
► Israeli behind Gadhafi YouTube spoof: Iranians have asked for revolution theme too
► In UN speech, Gaddafi suggests Israel behind JFK assassination
► Cheney: I urged Bush to bomb Syria's nuclear reactor, but he refused
► Stop Gaddafi now
► Gaddafi's vow: Will fight to 'last drop of blood'

---

News Insert
(Added by me on August 29, 2011)



Rebels fear for Gaddafi prisoners www.bbc.co.uk
Rebels in Libya say they are concerned over the fate of thousands of prisoners who were held in jails in Tripoli by the Gaddafi regime.

A rebel soldier allows a woman to fire his gun in the air in celebration, in Tripoli.

A herd of camels.

Nicholas D. Kristof in Green Square in Tripoli / "Martyrs' Square."

Rebels pose with children

A rebel vehicle in Green Square

Liberation of Tripoli with rebels in Martyrs' Square

Heavy mounted machine guns

Two hands and two symbols

Photos : Nicholas D. Kristof 's

Libya, Too Fast You End Up!

Pourquoi Bouteflika ménage El Gueddafi - A la une - El Watan
www.elwatan.com
Pourquoi Bouteflika ménage El Gueddafi

Rebels appeal for Gaddafi capture

www.bbc.co.uk
Libyan rebels announce an amnesty and cash reward for anyone within Col Muammar Gaddafi's "inner circle" who captures or kills him.

Declaration of victory Libyan opposition groups has not been officially voiced. Gaddafi existence is not known with certainty, but, the Chairman of the National Transition Council Mustafa Abdel Jalil, Wednesday (8/24), has dared to make sure in the next eight months Libya will hold the legislative and presidential elections. Not only that, Jalil, even dared to ensure Gaddafi will be tried in Libya and the country will not be handed over to an international court.

Libya to choose new leader by spring
en.rian.ru. Libya will hold presidential elections in the next eight months and Muammar Gaddafi will be tried for his crimes inside the country, rebel leader Mustafa Abdel Jalil told La Repubblica paper.

NTC was initially established to unite the struggle of Libyan rebels to fight the Gaddafi regime. The council was declared for the first time in Benghazi, February 27, 2011. Benghazi city has long been known as the base resistance of the Gaaddafi's opponents, and soon became the opposition base after civil war in Libya. France even became the first state to give its support to the NTC, even when the NTC was two days old.

Jalil said that Gaddafi era was over. Their consensus on the NTC is to prosecute Gaddafi equitably within the country. For that purpose, they should catch Gaddafi alive and treat him differently from the way Gaddafi treated his enemies.

The existence and figure of Jalil can be said to be interesting, considering that until February he was still serving as Minister of Justice in Gaddafi government. As a confidant of Gaddafi, Jalil previously sent to the city of Benghazi to meet and negotiate with the rebels who were concentrated there. When he saw the brutality of Gaddafi deal with the unarmed civilian demonstrators opponents, finally he resigned and turned the fight against Gaddafi. Within days, he was appointed became the leader of NTC.

Jalil, the graduate study of law and sharia (Islamic law) at the University of Libya, was born in 1952 in Bayda. The city is famous for its historic sites of the Sanusi dynasty, it also became one of the first area to rebel against Gaddafi authority. After graduation, Jalil had worked as a lawyer in the public prosecutor office in his hometown, then he became a judge in court there in 1978. Jalil was appointed as chairman of the appellate court in 2002 before being appointed as a minister in the Gaddafi government in 2007. Fighters for human rights groups and Western countries praised him for daring to reform the statute book of Libyan penal code.

Mustafa Abdel Jalil told France-24 television station that as many as 600 fighters of the pro Gaddafi had been arrested. But the battle will not end until Gaddafi will be in jail. In the Italian daily, La Repubblica, Wednesday, August 24, 2011, Jalil promised to open up Libya to the outside world and form a "strong relationship with other countries".

Fighting rages in Tripoli as loyalitsts hold out
www.france24.com
AFP - Rebels battled to gain full control of the Libyan capital as pockets of loyalists held out and speculation mounted as to the whereabouts of Moamer Kadhafi, despite a reward of $1.7 million for the elusive strongman, dead or alive.



Journalists trapped in Libya's Rixos hotel wait ... and hope edition.cnn.com
In its halcyon days, the Rixos hotel in Tripoli boasted of going the extra mile to make guests "feel privileged." It sent flowers and cooled towels to their rooms, and made Porsches and Jaguars -- even helicopters -- available at a moment's notice.

A spokesman for NATO, Oana Lungescu, Wednesday, August 23, 2011 said that NATO was still continuing operations in Libya until all threat of attacks on civilians stopped. Similar statement also expressed by the NATO military spokesman, Colonel Roland Lavoie, but it's not certain where Gaddafi is now. Yesterday Gaddafi vowed to fight until victory or martyrdom. Snipers from stronghold of Gaddafi emerged in the Bab al-Aziziyah after stormed by the rebels. As a result, the dissident faction had offered a reward of 1 million pounds sterling or about US$ 1.7 million to anyone who can capture Gaddafi. Gaddafi was estimated also has the strong support in two other cities, Sirte on the beach and Sabha, 650 kilometers south of Tripoli, where the battle occurred this week.

Rebels target Gaddafi's hometown
www.bbc.co.uk
Rebel forces focus their efforts on several towns controlled by fighters loyal to Col Gaddafi, including his hometown of Sirte, amid fears of an impending humanitarian crisis.







Qaddafi Defiant After Rebel Takeover
www.nytimes.com
Fighting continued, with Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi nowhere in sight.

Libya's imperial hijacking is a threat to the Arab revolution

www.guardian.co.uk. They don't give up. For the third time in a decade, British and US forces have played the decisive role in the overthrow of an Arab or Muslim regime.

A total of 35 journalists also got caught in the crossfire at Rixos Hotel, Tripoli. It has been five days journalists staying there. Associated Press journalist, Dario Lopez-Mills described the somber atmosphere in the hotel. "There is a spa, but no electricity and air conditioning" he said. The hotel is in ruins hit by bullets and mortars. The smell of gunpowder and sweat mixed in everywhere. Fear haunts us."

A number of mass media in the world welcomed the liberation of Libya of Gaddafi power. Even so, the media reminded the opposition to be responsible for a better future. They must be restrained in this final moment and honored all the people of Libya in the coming days and months. They have promised to build a democratic Libya and they must fulfill that promise.

Disinformation and Confusion Swamp the Truth in Libya
www.nytimes.com
In Libya, with so many competing factions and overlapping agendas, truthful information is often difficult to come by.



NTC leader: 'Free elections in eight months' english.aljazeera.net. Mustafa Abdel Jalil promises to end Libya's isolation and build "strong relations with other countries".

Some young men who fought on the rebel side would want the rewards. They also may feel have the right to work and enjoyment of their opponents.

Well, the map in North Africa has been changing rapidly, and Algeria was just observing, guessing, and reluctant to admit it. See Also :: http://www.cfr.org/algeria/algeria-unbound/p6977

Meanwhile, The World Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) warned the security of stockpiles of uranium stored at a research institute in Tripoli. "It could be a bomb," said Olli Heinonen. According to him, the uranium was stored at a research reactor in Tajoura.

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When Kadafi commanded respect
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Watching from afar as Moammar Kadafi 's control crumbles inLibya , I was reminded of the events of March 1974. It's hard to remember today, but there was a time when the Libyan leader commanded great respect in the Middle East, and that spring he was at the height of his power.


Venezuela's Chavez says Gaddafi still Libya's leader
CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Tuesday he will only recognize a Libyan government led by his friend and ally Muammar Gaddafi and accused the United States of inciting the country's civil war.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Tuesday (8/23) said he would continue to recognize that only Muammar Gaddafi as the legitimate leader of Libya, although the signs of the regime would likely collapse in the last throes. In Libya, Chavez said, "There is only one government, led by Muammar Gaddafi," said the Venezuelan leader reiterated in the previous criticism of NATO bombing that contributed to the collapse of Gaddafi regime.

FLASHBACK memory
.... ...If there was someone who could be called as a figure who consistently opposed the U.S. domination in Latin America, then Hugo Chavez was the one. This was reflected in the view of the southern region of the U.S. military commander Gen. Douglas Fraser on March 2010. Fraser said the socialist government of Venezuela, led by Chavez was a bully forces in Latin America. Chavez was accused of supporting the left-wing guerrillas groups in Colombia, the country that often at odds with Venezuela.

The comments of General Fraser, who was responsible for the U.S. military activities in Latin America, came a week after he attended the hearing with the U.S. Senate. He said there was no evidence links the government of President Hugo Chavez with FARC rebels in Colombia.

Nonetheless, Fraser said Venezuela remained a threat to U.S. interests. "Venezuela continues to take a stand against the U.S.. They try and try to restrict U.S. activities if there is a chance," said Fraser, as quoted by the Associated Press. "In addition to trying to continue to engage in Latin America, Venezuela has a socialist agenda. They remain a force troublemakers in there."

Fraser explained that Venezuela was still a safe haven for FARC and provided the financial support of logistics for the rebels. The information was obtained from the data in the laptop belonging to a FARC commander who seized after a Colombian army raid on the FARC camp in Ecuador in 2008.

In the view of Bernardo Alvarez, the opinion of Fraser (which was always changing and always in line with the attitude of the U.S. office), reflecting the U.S. had no concrete evidence about Venezuelan support for FARC. According to Alvarez, the U.S. criticism was clearly charged with politically. In her last visit to Latin America, Hillary Clinton increased her criticism of Chavez.

According to Alvarez, the data from a computer that was mentioned by Fraser had been manipulated to become the material allegations against Venezuela. The goal was to ensure that the U.S. could put its forces in Colombia. "It seems that the aggressive policies of the Bush era are still continues by the Obama administration. They can't accept the existence of a government of different ideological perspective," he said.

On the other hand, the U.S. actually really needs Venezuela, because Venezuela is one of the major oil exporter. In Latin America, Venezuela is also the second-largest trading partner for the U.S. after Mexico. As presented by Alvarez, the ideological tensions between the two countries didn't affect the supply of Venezuelan oil to the United States. "We're not interested in reducing the oil trade."

Venezuela was also actively working together with other left-wing countries to resist the U.S. domination. According to the Christian Science Monitor website, Chavez had put 30 thousand Cubans, most of which were the intelligence officer, political officer and the health workers. Chavez also had made the Cuban Vice President Ramiro Valdes as the main advisor despite his official duty was to overcome the electricity crisis in Caracas.

In recent years, Chavez also took Russia to conduct the joint military exercises and made an agreement to buy the weapons of U.S. $ 2 billion. The other country, China, had purchased more than 330 thousand barrels of oil per day from Venezuela. China had also recently completed the construction of satellite communications projects amounted to U.S. $ 400 million to Venezuela. According to Reuters, Chavez ordered 18 aircraft joined K-8 from China after failing to buy the aircraft from Brazil.

Chavez confirmed the Venezuela's solidarity (with the Libya people who was attacked and bombarded) in a statement during the Cabinet meeting that was broadcasted by television and radio. This statement confirmed his statement on Monday, when he criticized the Western military action against Gaddafi as a "massacre." Chavez has accused the Western powers were motivated by the "cynicism" and the greed to seize the oil reserves of Libya.

Last week, Chavez joined the fellow of "U.S. enemy", Iran / Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and condemned the West "imperialist aggression" against Libya. Consistently, Chavez denounced the military operations for months in Libya and claimed the move was an attempt to take the oil by the Western powers.

Chavez also warned of the tragedy in Libya at the time of a new era, which was to begin due to the fall of Gaddafi's regime. He also condemned the Western countries which joined the NATO, which have conducted the air strikes, and he stated that all the "Yankee Empire and European powers" just wanted the Libyan oil. He denounced the prize of 1.7 million dollars offered by Libyan businessmen for the arrest of Gaddafi, alive or dead, as "an uncontrollable frenzy."

It was more assertive statement that could be done by a Chaves, ... was better than could be done by Berlusconi. (Berlusconi A & Berlusconi B) Yes, Chavez is a Small Thorn in America's shoes. Well, it looks like the drama in Libya doesn't end with the fall of Gaddafi. This is just the beginning.

---

News Insert


Wake - 17 Feb - 1 Translation(s) | dotSUB
dotsub.com; This short film shows Gaddafi's crimes on Libyan people and the how the Arab spring affected them and what was the cost .

Jury - Yallah Film Festival

www.yallahfilmfestival.com
Actress since the age of 8, Darina al Joundi is on every front : cinema, theater, television. She speaks Arabic, French and English. She is the author of several projects like the short film Superman, the short film Mimi martyr of the pin, the TV concept My story ... It’s the story, of the play The ...

Where art, technology and democracy intersect

www.france24.com Art, technology and democracy all come together at this year's Yallah Film Festival. This Paris-based film festival is dedicated to highlighting digital short stories about the Arab Spring democracy movements in North Africa and the Middle East.

Jerry Leiber Record and Read all of Little News on BBC

Leiber (right) and Stoller (left) were responsible for some of Elvis Presley's classic hits.

Jerry Leiber, the songwriter who penned classic rock and roll hits including Elvis Presley's Hound Dog and Jailhouse Rock, has died at the age of 78. Leiber earned his reputation alongside co-writer Mike Stoller, penning tunes for The Drifters, The Coasters and Ben E King as well as Presley. Leiber and Stoller infused their songs with influences from their blues and jazz backgrounds. He died of cardiopulmonary failure in Los Angeles, a spokesman said. Leiber's career began in 1953 when Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton became the first artist to record Hound Dog, sending the song - then a rhythm and blues number - to the top of the charts.The song would later become an even more successful hit record for Elvis Presley, who reinvented it as a rock and roll classic.


Leiber was quoted as saying he preferred Thornton's version of Hound Dog

The pair also crafted the enduring Ben E King hit Stand By Me, seen by critics as one of their most influential and enduring songs. Leiber and Stoller's work as a songwriting duo earned 15 number one hits and secured them both entry into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in 1987. "The music world lost today one of its greatest poet laureates," said Terry Stewart, president of the Hall of Fame and Museum, in Cleveland, Ohio. "Jerry not only wrote the words that everyone was singing, he led the way in how we verbalised our feelings about the societal changes we were living with in post-World War II life. "Appropriately, his vehicles of choice were the emerging populist musical genres of rhythm and blues and then

From other news sites

Los Angeles Times Jerry Leiber dies at 78; lyricist in songwriting duo Leiber and Stoller

Boston Globe* "Jailhouse Rock" songwriter Leiber dead at 78

MSNBC 'Hound Dog' lyricist Jerry Leiber dies at 78

Reuters UK "Hound Dog" songwriter Jerry Leiber dies at 78

Variety 'Hound Dog' lyricist Leiber dies at 78

Related Internet links

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

More US & Canada stories



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Gaddafi son vows to fight rebels

Jubilant Rebels Control Much of Tripoli

www.nytimes.com

Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi’s grip on power dissolved with astonishing speed as rebels marched into the capital and arrested two of his sons, while residents raucously celebrated the prospective end of his four-decade-old rule.

TimesCast | Where is Qaddafi? - Video Library - The New York Times

video.nytimes.com

As he still remains at large, John F. Burns reports on the various places Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi could currently be hiding.

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Jerry Leiber, Rock 'n' Roll Lyricist, Dies at 78

www.nytimes.com

With his partner, Mike Stoller, Mr. Leiber wrote a string of hits including "Hound Dog" and "Stand By Me."

Only Science Can Hook the Dreams

Plan for 'space hotel' unveiled
www.bbc.co.uk
A Russian firm has launched an ambitious plan to put a "cosmic hotel" into orbit by 2016, a Russian news agency reports.


Russian Company Orbital Technologies Plans Luxury Space Hotel
www.aolnews.com
‎(Sept. 30) -- A Russian company is aiming to take the lead in the latest market for luxury hotels: outer space. Orbital Technologies has unveiled plans for its celestial hotel, which would let guests enjoy the thrill of space travel without having to endure the spartan conditions of life on the International Space Station.

RSC "Energia" - Automatic Space Systems

www.energia.ruThe Universal Space Platform was developed by S.P. Korolev RSC Energia within the Yamal project. It has gone flight qualification as a part of the Yamal-100 communication satellite launched on September 6, 1999.



Russian Federal Space Agency - Roscosmos |
www.roscosmos.ru



Russian Federal Space Agency - Roscosmos | News
www.federalspace.ru
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that the government will spend 115 billion rubles ($3.8 bln) on national space programs in 2011.



Galactic Suite
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Galactic Suite es una compañía privada de turismo espacial que está desarrollando el primer hotel en el espacio, combinando elementos en órbita y en tierra para ofrecer una experiencia completa de turismo espacial.



Galactic Suite
galacticsuitespaceresort.com
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Fly2Stars - Space Tourism , Tourism in Space, Virgin Galactic
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Space tourism is the next phase in the evolution of humanity, tourism in Space will be available to all in the coming years and we are ready to bring you all the space tourism information & provide info on commercial space flights such Virgin Galactic.



Vacation aboard planned space hotel to cost $1 million [video] | SmartPlanet
www.smartplanet.com
Orbital Technologies has just released detailed designs for a Commercial Space Station AKA the space hotel.



Russia's $165,000 per night space hotel - The Week
theweek.com
Russia may have come in second in the race to the moon, but it plans on being first in the race for boutique space hotels.


Commercial Space Station: Russian firm Orbital Technologies reveals hotel plans
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Russia yesterday announced plans for a hotel in orbit 217 miles up which would house seven guests in four cabins and have huge windows for views of the Earth.


Images of the Commercial Space Station



Russia allocates $3.8 bln for space programs in 2011
en.rian.ru
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that the government will spend 115 billion rubles ($3.8 bln) on national space programs in 2011.


Orbital Technologies Commercial Space Station

The Orbital Technologies Commercial Space Station is an orbital space station intended for commercial clients. The station was recently proposed by Orbital Technologies, a Russian aerospace firm, who is collaborating to develop the station with Rocket and Space Corporation Energia (RSC Energia).

The station would consist of a single module of approximately 3 metres (9.8 ft) diameter with a usable volume of about 20 m3 (710 cu ft).

As of November 2010[update], the company is "looking to launch in the next five years or so," ... "in 2015 or 2016."

Several customers are already "under contract from the commercial space industry and the scientific community interested in areas such as medical research, protein crystallization, and materials processing, as well as from the geographic imaging and remote-sensing industry. Media projects have also been proposed. The biggest goal may be tourism."

The station is receiving support from the Russian Federal Space Agency, who is also encouraging private participation. It is hoped the station "will attract private investment for the Russian space industry."

The station "will be serviced by Russian Soyuz and Progress spacecraft and potentially other commercially available vehicles."

Russian Federal Space Agency Федеральное космическое агентство России

Logo of Roscosmos
Established	1992 (formerly the Soviet space program, 1922-1991)
Headquarters	Moscow
Primary spaceport	Baikonur Cosmodrome Plesetsk Cosmodrome
Administrator	Vladimir Popovkin
Budget	115 billion RUB ($3,8 billion) (2011)

Space industry of Russia

Soviet OKB (if applicable)	New organization	Ownership	Notable products
Korolev	RKK Energia	private
	NPO Lavochkin
	NPO Mashinostroyeniya
	NPO Energomash
	Khrunichev	state
	TsSKB-Progress	state
	NPO Molniya
	NPO PM
	NPO Polyot
	MKB Raduga
Kuznetsov
Khimavtomatika
Makeyev
	JSC Khartron	private
Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology
related Ukrainian organizations:
Yuzhnoye Design Bureau
Makarov	Yuzhmash

Historic Russian space gallery

People


Sergey Korolyov was the mastermind behind the first satellite, first human in orbit and first spacewalk.



The first human in space and to orbit the Earth, Yuri Gagarin.



Cosmonaut Aleksei Leonov, the first person to perform an EVA (spacewalk), in 1965.


Spacecraft



Vostok was the first spacecraft to carry a human being in space



Soyuz is the longest serving manned spacecraft design in history (1967– ) , upgraded regularly



Progress is the longest serving unmanned cargo spacecraft (1978– )



First permanently manned space station, the Soviet/Russian Mir, which orbited the Earth from 1986 until 2001



Russia and the US are the main partners of the International Space Station (ISS).


The Soviet space program produced the canceled Space Shuttle Buran based on the discontinued Energia launcher.


Launch vehicles


Soyuz rockets are responsible for launching all Soyuz and Progress spacecraft into space



Proton rockets are the heavylift workhorse of Russian space industry

When completed in late 2011, the ISS will consist of sixteen pressurised modules with a combined volume of around 1,000 cubic metres (35,000 cu ft). These modules include laboratories, docking compartments, airlocks, nodes and living quarters. Fifteen of these components are already in orbit, with the remaining one awaiting launch. Each module was or will be launched either by the Space Shuttle, Proton rocket or Soyuz rocket.

Module	Assembly mission	Launch date	Launch system	Nation	Isolated view	Notes
Zarya (lit. dawn) (FGB)	1A/R	20 November 1998	Proton-K	Russia (builder) USA (financier)
	The first component of the ISS to be launched, Zarya provided electrical power, storage, propulsion, and guidance during initial assembly. The module now serves as a storage compartment, both inside the pressurised section and in the externally mounted tanks which hold over 5.4 tons of fuel.
Unity (Node 1)	2A	4 December 1998	Space Shuttle Endeavour, STS-88	USA
	The first node module, connecting the American section of the station to the Russian section (via PMA-1), and providing berthing locations for the Z1 truss, Quest airlock, Destiny laboratory, Tranquility node and the PMM Leonardo.
Zvezda (lit. star) (service module)	1R	12 July 2000	Proton-K	Russia
	The station's service module, which provides the main living quarters for resident crews, environmental systems and attitude & orbit control. The module also provides additional docking locations for Soyuz spacecraft, Progress spacecraft and the Automated Transfer Vehicle, and its addition rendered the ISS permanently habitable for the first time.
Destiny (U.S. laboratory)	5A	7 February 2001	Space Shuttle Atlantis, STS-98	USA
	The primary research facility for United States payloads aboard the ISS, Destiny is intended for general experiments. The module houses 24 International Standard Payload Racks, some of which are used for environmental systems and crew daily living equipment. Destiny also serves as the mounting point for most of the station's Integrated Truss Structure.
Quest (joint airlock)	7A	12 July 2001	Space Shuttle Atlantis, STS-104	USA
	The USOS airlock, Quest hosts spacewalks with both United States EMU and Russian Orlan spacesuits. Quest consists of two segments; the equipment lock, that stores spacesuits and equipment, and the crew lock, from which astronauts can exit into space. This module has a separately controlled atmosphere. Crew sleep in this module, breathing a low nitrogen mixture the night before scheduled EVAs, to avoid decompression sickness (known as "the bends") in the low pressure suits.
Pirs (lit. pier) (docking compartment)	4R	14 September 2001	Soyuz-U, Progress M-SO1	Russia
	Pirs provides the ISS with additional docking ports for Soyuz and Progress spacecraft, and allows egress and ingress for spacewalks by cosmonauts using Russian Orlan spacesuits, in addition to providing storage space for these spacesuits.
Harmony (node 2)	10A	23 October 2007	Space Shuttle Discovery, STS-120	Europe (builder) USA (operator)
	The second of the station's node modules, Harmony is the utility hub of the ISS. The module contains four racks that provide electrical power, bus electronic data, and acts as a central connecting point for several other components via its six Common Berthing Mechanisms (CBMs). The European Columbus and Japanese Kibō laboratories are permanently berthed to the module, and American Space Shuttle Orbiters dock with the ISS via PMA-2, attached to Harmony's forward port.
Columbus (European laboratory)	1E	7 February 2008	Space Shuttle Atlantis, STS-122	Europe
	The primary research facility for European payloads aboard the ISS, Columbus provides a generic laboratory as well as facilities specifically designed for biology, biomedical research and fluid physics. Several mounting locations are affixed to the exterior of the module, which provide power and data to external experiments such as the European Technology Exposure Facility (EuTEF), Solar Monitoring Observatory, Materials International Space Station Experiment, and Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space. A number of expansions are planned for the module to study quantum physics and cosmology.
Kibō Experiment Logistics Module (lit. hope and wish JEM–ELM)	1J/A	11 March 2008	Space Shuttle Endeavour, STS-123	Japan
	Part of the Kibō Japanese Experiment Module laboratory, the ELM provides storage and transportation facilities to the laboratory with a pressurised section to serve internal payloads.
Kibō Pressurised Module (JEM–PM)	1J	31 May 2008	Space Shuttle Discovery, STS-124	Japan
	Part of the Kibō Japanese Experiment Module laboratory, the PM is the core module of Kibō to which the ELM and Exposed Facility are berthed. The laboratory is the largest single ISS module and contains a total of 23 racks, including 10 experiment racks. The module is used to carry out research in space medicine, biology, Earth observations, materials production, biotechnology, and communications research. The PM also serves as the mounting location for an external platform, the Exposed Facility (EF), that allows payloads to be directly exposed to the harsh space environment. The EF is serviced by the module's own robotic arm, the JEM–RMS, which is mounted on the PM.
Poisk (lit. 'search') (mini-research module 2)	5R	10 November 2009	Soyuz-U, Progress M-MIM2	Russia
	Poisk is the second Russian airlock for spacewalks, almost identical to Pirs, but lacking Strela cargo cranes. It is one of the four main Russian docking ports for Soyuz and Progress spacecraft, and is used as an interface for scientific experiments.
Tranquility (node 3)	20A	8 February 2010	Space Shuttle Endeavour, STS-130	Europe (builder) USA (operator)
	The third and last of the station's U.S. nodes, Tranquility contains an advanced life support system to recycle waste water for crew use and generate oxygen for the crew to breathe. The node also provides four berthing locations for more attached pressurised modules or crew transportation vehicles, in addition to the permanent berthing location for the station's Cupola.
Cupola	20A	8 February 2010	Space Shuttle Endeavour, STS-130	Europe (builder) USA (operator)
	The Cupola is an observatory module that provides ISS crew members with a direct view of robotic operations and docked spacecraft, as well as an observation point for watching the Earth. The module comes equipped with robotic workstations for operating the SSRMS and shutters to protect its windows from damage caused by micrometeorites. It features a 80-centimetre (31 in) round window, the largest window on the station.
Rassvet (lit. dawn) (mini-research module 1)	ULF4	14 May 2010	Space Shuttle Atlantis, STS-132	Russia
	Rassvet is being used for docking and cargo storage aboard the station.
Leonardo (Permanent Multipurpose Module)	ULF5	24 February 2011	Space Shuttle Discovery, STS-133	Italy (Builder) USA (Operator)
	The Leonardo PMM houses spare parts and supplies, allowing longer times between resupply missions and freeing space in other modules, particularly Columbus. The PMM was created by converting the Italian Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module into a module that could be permanently attached to the station. The arrival of the PMM module marked the completion of the United States Orbital Segment.

Launch schedule

Module	Assembly mission	Launch date	Launch system	Nation	Isolated view	Notes
Nauka (lit. 'science') (Multipurpose Laboratory Module)	3R	May 2012	Proton-M	Russia
	The MLM will be Russia's primary research module as part of the ISS and will be used for general microgravity experiments, docking, and cargo logistics. The module provides a crew work and rest area, and will be equipped with a backup altitude control system that can be used to control the station's altitude. Based on the current assembly schedule, the arrival of Nauka will complete construction of the Russian Orbital Segment and it will be the last major component added to the station.

Spacecraft from Russia and Europe are able to launch, fly and dock themselves without human intervention. This includes both Russian manned and unmanned spacecraft. American craft are manually docked, while Japanese craft are berthed with the use of manually controlled robot arms. Russian and European Supply craft can remain at the ISS for 6 months, allowing great flexibility in crew time for loading and unloading of supplies and trash. Japanese spacecraft berth for 1–2 months. American space shuttles can remain in space for up to 17 days, the longest docking being 11 days.
The American Manual approach to docking allows greater initial flexibility and less complexity. The downside to this mode of operation is that each mission becomes unique and requires specialized training and planning, making the process more labor-intensive and expensive. The Russians pursued an automated methodology that used the crew in override or monitoring roles. Although the initial development costs were high, the system has become very reliable with standardizations that provide significant cost benefits in repetitive routine operations. The Russian approach allows assembly of space stations orbiting other worlds in preparation for manned missions. The Nauka module of the ISS will be used in the 12th Russian(/Soviet) space station, OPSEK, whose main goal is supporting manned deep space exploration.

Currently docked
As of 19 July 2011 (2011 -07-19), there are 4 spacecraft docked with the ISS. As of 2011, the following spacecraft have the ability to dock with the ISS: Soyuz, Progress, ATV and HTV. The docking of STS-135 was last time that a Space Shuttle will dock with the ISS.

	Spacecraft	Mission	Docking port	Docked (UTC)	Undocking (UTC)
	Soyuz TMA-21	Expedition 27/28	Poisk	6 April 2011 23:09	September 2011
	Progress M-10M	Progress 42 Cargo	Pirs	29 April 2011 14:29	25 October 2011
	Soyuz TMA-02M	Expedition 28/29	Rassvet	9 June 2011 21:18	November 2011
	Progress M-11M	Progress 43 Cargo	Zvezda aft.	23 June 2011 07:37	29 August 2011

From 26 February 2011 to 7 March 2011, during the docked phase of STS-133, four of the governmental partners (United States, ESA, Japan and Russia) had their current visiting vehicles (Space Shuttle, ATV, HTV, Progress and Soyuz) docked at the ISS at one time, the only time this has happened to date.

Docking schedule
All dates are UTC. Dates are the earliest possible dates and may change. Forward ports are at the front of the station according to its normal direction of travel and orientation (attitude). Aft is at the rear of the station, used by spacecraft boosting the station's orbit. Nadir is closest the earth, Zenith is on top.

	Spacecraft	Launch	Mission	Planned Docking (UTC)	Docking port
	Progress M-12M	30 August 2011	Progress 44 Cargo	1 September 2011	Zvezda aft
	Soyuz TMA-22	30 September 2011.	Expedition 29/30	2 October 2011	Poisk
	Progress M-13M	26 October 2011	Progress 45 Cargo	28 October 2011	Pirs
	Soyuz TMA-03M	30 November 2011.	Expedition 30/31	1 December 2011	Rassvet
	Dragon C2	30 November 2011	Dragon Demo	7 December 2011	Harmony nadir
	Progress M-14M	27 December 2011	Progress 46 Cargo	29 December 2011	Pirs
	White Stork 3	18 February 2012	HTV-3 Cargo	23 February 2012	Harmony nadir
	Cygnus 1	23 February 2012	Cygnus 1 Cargo	TBD	TBD
	Edoardo Amaldi	7 March 2012	ATV-3 Cargo	15 March 2012	Zvezda aft
	Soyuz TMA-04M	30 March 2012.	Expedition 31/32	TBD	Poisk
	Dragon C3	12 April 2012	Dragon 1 Cargo	TBA	TBD

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More Recent News
(Added on August 25, 2011)

Russian space freighter lost www.bbc.co.uk
An unmanned Russian freighter launched to take supplies to the International Space Station is lost just minutes into its flight.

Eek, there's still the scattered news. Ok, it's about the stuff of genius in terms of space from Russia. I have read it and tried to imagine the situation. You're right, ins and outs of the astronauts is always impressed on my mind, especially if they are in a flurry of activity. It's always cool, even though the reported news is not skyrocketing. But there's also a ... somehow ... mmm... I'm ashamed to say that the science correspondent of the BBC's (in my eyes today) looks very handsome ... haaa! .... mmh... Jonathan Amos, his smile lines reminds me of my other lover's face...

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(Added on August 26, 2010)



Robot tweets from outer space
www.bbc.co.uk
The first human-like astronaut robot - Robonaut 2 or R2 - has awakened at the International Space Station - and already started tweeting.

BBC News Science & Environment

26 August 2011 Last updated at 11:15 GMT
Neanderthal sex boosted immunity in modern humans
By : Matt McGrath Science reporter, BBC World Service


Human leucocyte antigen (mauve) is expressed on the outside of white blood cells

Continue reading the main story

Ancient humans interbred with us

DNA identifies new ancient human

Neanderthal genes 'survive in us'

Sexual relations between ancient humans and their evolutionary cousins are critical for our modern immune systems, researchers report in Science journal. Mating with Neanderthals and another ancient group called Denisovans introduced genes that help us cope with viruses to this day, they conclude. Previous research had indicated that prehistoric interbreeding led to up to 4% of the modern human genome. The new work identifies stretches of DNA derived from our distant relatives.In the human immune system, the HLA (human leucocyte antigen) family of genes plays an important role in defending against foreign invaders such as viruses. The authors say that the origins of some HLA class 1 genes are proof that our ancient relatives interbred with Neanderthals and Denisovans for a period.

"Getting these genes by mating would have given an advantage to populations that acquired them" - Peter Parham

At least one variety of HLA gene occurs frequently in present day populations from West Asia, but is rare in Africans. The researchers say that is because after ancient humans left Africa some 65,000 years ago, they started breeding with their more primitive relations in Europe, while those who stayed in Africa did not.
"The HLA genes that the Neanderthals and Denisovans had, had been adapted to life in Europe and Asia for several hundred thousand years, whereas the recent migrants from Africa wouldn't have had these genes," said study leader Peter Parham from Stanford University School of Medicine in California. "So getting these genes by mating would have given an advantage to populations that acquired them."
When the team looked at a variant of HLA called HLA-B*73 found in modern humans, they found evidence that it came from cross-breeding with Denisovans.

Scanty remains
While Neanderthal remains have been found in many sites across Europe and Asia, Denisovans are known from only a finger and a tooth unearthed at a single site in Russia, though genetic evidence suggests they ranged further afield.



"Our analysis is all done from one individual, and what's remarkable is how informative that has been and how our data looking at these selected genes is very consistent and complimentary with the whole genome-wide analysis that was previously published," said Professor Parham. A similar scenario was found with HLA gene types in the Neanderthal genome. "We are finding frequencies in Asia and Europe that are far greater than the whole genome estimates of archaic DNA in modern humans, which is 1-6%," said Professor Parham. The scientists estimate that Europeans owe more than half their variants of one class of HLA gene to interbreeding with Neanderthals and Denisovans. Asians owe up to 80%, and Papua New Guineans up to 95%.

Uneven exchange
Other scientists, while agreeing that humans and other ancients interbred, are less certain about the evidence of impacts on our immune system. "I'm cautious about the conclusions because the HLA system is so variable in living people," commented John Hawks, assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, US.


DNA from a tooth (pictured) and a finger bone show the Denisovans were a distinct group

"It is difficult to align ancient genes in this part of the genome.Also, we don't know what the value of these genes really was, although we can hypothesise that they are related to the disease environment in some way."

While the genes we received might be helping us stay a step ahead of viruses to this day, the Neanderthals did not do so well out of their encounters with modern human ancestors, disappearing completely some 30,000 years ago. Peter Parham suggested a parallel could be drawn between the events of this period and the European conquest of the Americas. "Initially you have small bands of Europeans exploring, having a difficult time and making friends with the natives; but as they establish themselves, they become less friendly and more likely to take over their resources and eliminate them. "Modern experiences reflect the past, and vice versa."

Related Stories
► Ancient humans interbred with us
22 DECEMBER 2010 SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT

► DNA identifies new ancient human
25 MARCH 2010 SCI/TECH

► Neanderthal genes 'survive in us' 06 MAY 2010 SCI/TECH

From other news sites

► FOXNews.com Cavemen Sex Gave Humans an Immunity Boost?

► Houston Chronicle Scientists say Neanderthal sex made us healthy

► Yahoo! UK and Ireland Sex with cavemen gave humans an immune boost: study

► Mail Online UK Neanderthal sex 'boosted health of human race' by improving our immune systems against disease

► Guardian.co.uk The downside of sex with Neanderthals

Related Internet links
► Science
► Stanford University School of Medicine

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Last updated at 09:21 GMT
UK's atomic clock 'is world's most accurate'
By Jason Palmer Science and technology reporter, BBC News, Teddington



► Continue reading the main story

► About Time: The science of time

► At the third stroke...

► Science Explained: How does sat-nav work?

An atomic clock at the UK's National Physical Laboratory (NPL) has the best long-term accuracy of any in the world, research has found. Studies of the clock's performance, to be published in the journal Metrologia, show it is nearly twice as accurate as previously thought. The clock would lose or gain less than a second in some 138 million years. The UK is among the handful of nations providing a "standard second" that keeps the world on time. However, the international race for higher accuracy is always on, meaning the record may not stand for long.

The NPL's CsF2 clock is a "caesium fountain" atomic clock, in which the "ticking" is provided by the measurement of the energy required to change a property of caesium atoms known as "spin". By international definition, it is the electromagnetic waves required to accomplish this "spin flip" that are measured; when 9,192,631,770 peaks and troughs of these waves go by, one standard second passes.

Matching colours

Inside the clock, caesium atoms are gathered into bunches of 100 million or so, and passed through a cavity where they are exposed to these electromagnetic waves.
The colour, or frequency, is adjusted until the spins are seen to flip - then the researchers know the waves are at the right frequency to define the second. The NPL-CsF2 clock provides an "atomic pendulum" against which the UK's and the world's clocks can be compared, ensuring they are all ticking at the same time.
That correction is done at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) in the outskirts of Paris, which collates definitions of seconds from six "primary frequency standards" - CsF2 in the UK, two in France, and one each in the US, Germany and Japan. For those six high-precision atomic pendulums, absolute accuracy is a tireless pursuit.

At the last count in 2010, the UK's atomic clock was on a par with the best of them in terms of long-term accuracy: to about one part in 2,500,000,000,000,000.

What time is it, exactly?

• The international time standard is maintained by a network of over 300 clocks worldwide

• These are sent by satellite and averaged at BIPM, a measurement institute in France

• But the "tick" of any one of them could drift out of accuracy, so BIPM corrects the average using six "primary frequency standards" in Europe, the US and Japan

• Their corrected result, "International Atomic Time", is occasionally compared with the time-honoured measure of time by astronomical means

• Occasionally a "leap second" is added or subtracted to correct any discrepancy

But the measurements carried out by the NPL's Krzysztof Szymaniec and colleagues at Pennsylvania State University in the US have nearly doubled the accuracy. The second's strictest definition requires that the measurements are made in conditions that Dr Szymaniec said were impossible actually to achieve in the laboratory. "The frequency we measure is not necessarily the one prescribed by the definition of a second, which requires that all the external fields and 'perturbations' would be removed," he explained to BBC News.

"In many cases we can't remove these perturbations; but we can measure them precisely, we can assess them, and introduce corrections for them." The team's latest work addressed the errors in the measurement brought about by the "microwave cavity" that the atoms pass through (the waves used to flip spins are not so far in frequency from the ones that flip water molecules in food, heating them in a microwave oven).

A fuller understanding of how the waves are distributed within it boosted the measurement's accuracy, as did a more detailed treatment of what happens to the measurement when the millions of caesium atoms collide. Without touching a thing, the team boosted the known accuracy of the machine to one part in 4,300,000,000,000,000. But as Dr Szymaniec said, the achievement is not just about international bragging rights; better standards lead to better technology. "Nowadays definitions for electrical units are based on accurate frequency measurements, so it's vital for the UK as an economy to maintain a set of standards, a set of procedures, that underpin technical development," he said. "The fact that we can develop the most accurate standard has quite measurable economic implications."

Related Stories
► About Time: The science of time 24 MARCH 2011, SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT

► At the third stroke... 22 JULY 2011, MAGAZINE

► Science Explained: How does sat-nav work? 18 AUGUST 2010, SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT

► At the centre of time 20 OCTOBER 2009,MAGAZINE

Related Internet links
National Physical Laboratory
***
CZ/LA-5C120A/911508

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9 September 2011 Last updated at 10:32 GMT

Russia finds space rocket defect
www.bbc.co.uk
The Russian space agency says the Soyuz rocket that failed while carrying cargo to the International Space Station had a production line defect.

Well, when will I be able to have time, also a little situation, and the opportunity to ask Jonathan Amos, "Why does every weekend to read the article about the science of outer space really makes me feel "out" of the normal path in my daily life. For example, I want to go to the moon once a week and enjoy a mini hotel in my mind. And oddly, I do not want to be accompanied by a boyfriend, but Jonathan Amos ... ahaha...

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http://twitter.com/#!/BBCAmos/status/114760979866329090

Twitter / Jonathan Amos: Everyone who is going to t ...
twitter.com

Everyone who is going to the German Space Day in Cologne - have a great time. Sorry I can't be with you all.

DLR - Tag der Luft- und Raumfahrt 2011
www.tagderluftundraumfahrt.de



DLR Portal - DLR
www.dlr.de
Das Web Portal des Deutschen Zentrums für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR) berichtet aktuell über Neuigkeiten aus Raumfahrt, Luftfahrt, Energie- und Verkehrsforschung, ist der Einstiegspunkt für über 50 Websites der DLR-Institute und -Projekte, gibt einen Überblick über die Aufgaben und Ziele des DLR.




German Space Day - Live link to the ISS / ESA TV Live / 21 SEP 2001| SpaceRef - Your Space Referen
www.spaceref.com
German Space Day - Live link to the ISS / ESA TV Live / 21 SEP 2001 - SpaceRef




ESA - ESA Spacecraft Operations - First joint European Space Tweetup in Cologne - images
www.esa.int
The DLR German Aerospace Center and the European Space Agency are inviting 60 Twitter followers to the first joint European Space Tweetup as part of German Aerospace Day on 18 September in Cologne, Germany. - images



Hands-on space experience at German Aerospace Day
www.space-travel.com
Berlin, Germany (SPX) Sep 02, 2011 - 'Encounter' a satellite in orbit, view the Moon and the Rhine Valley in 3D, board SOFIA, the airborne observatory.




German Space Day by Michael Welschenbach
www.pbase.com

► Scientist explains ice mission : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8257857.stm

► Ice mission returns for second go : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8257557.stm

► Atlantis launches on final voyage : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8681451.stm

► Volunteers begin Mars500 isolation : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10197470

► Astronomers detect 'monster star' : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-10707416

► Voyagers ride 'magnetic bubbles' : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13715764

► Obama sets Mars goal for America : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8623691.stm

► Tiny cube will tackle space junk : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8590103.stm

► Obama cancels Moon return project : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8489097.stm

► Trojan asteroid seen in Earth's orbit by Wise telescope : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-14307987

► German TanDEM-X satellite returns first images : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10422511

► Panel supports commercial space : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8321353.stm

► Hayabusa asteroid capsule opening gets under way : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10406531

► Significant' water found on Moon : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8359744.stm

► Ancient human-like creature's skull probed : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8615424.stm

► Mars' ancient lake beds spied by Nasa probe : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8439657.stm