Octopus can use tools!

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/12/octopus-tools/

Test Of New Parachutes

The equipment that will test the parachutes for the new Orion Capsule has been tested. The Parachutes will be based loosely on the ones used in the famous Apollo missions.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/constellation/orion/chute_test.html

Melding Technologies

Two powerful ways of shaping metal, stir welding, and spin forming have been successfully combined to create fuel tanks that are 25% lighter than previously constructed. The two processes have been combined with a new alloy of aluminum and lithium to create lighter stronger tanks.

http://www.nasa.gov/topics/technology/features/twin_dome.html

One Week To Launch

With seven more days to blast off, "NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer has been wrapped in the outer nose cone, or "fairing," that will protect it during its scheduled Dec. 9 launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif." The telescope will map the sky in the infrared spectrum in new detail.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/WISE/news/wiseb20091130.html

Orion Enters The PDR, Big Step

The Orion spacecraft, the capsule that will hold the crew of the upcoming moon missions, is entering the preliminary design revew. This is the last step before the actual hardware for the craft is manufactured.

http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2009/sep/HQ_09-202_Orion_Passes_PDR.html

Mars Meteorite Controversy Rekindled

New findings of iron clumps and worm shaped cavities point to the existence of bacteria similar to those found on earth. However some scientists make the possibly valid point that atmospheric impacts can cause shock waves which have been shown to produce iron structures similar to those found in the rock.

http://news.discovery.com/space/mars-meteorite-life-magnetites.html

LHC Answers

This article is an interesting interview wherein common questions about the Large Hadron are answered. Specifically what it does. The information is presented as simply as possible.

http://news.discovery.com/space/large-hadron-collider-answers.html