How do astronauts cast their ballot from space? Oh, they just beam them in.

November 05, 2008

Despite being several millions of miles away from their polling places, NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) were able to still cast their ballots yesterday.

The Tech Herald and a few others reported that ISS commander Michael Fincke and flight engineer Greg Chamitoff BEAMED their votes down to Mission Control using "a special and secure electronic balloting system." The ballots were then electronically routed from the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas to the local County Clerk's office where it was officially recorded.

Is that legal since they're not physically on Earth? Well, Texas had it all figured out ahead of time.

According to the Herald, "The two astronauts were able to participate in the election process from space thanks to a Texas state law passed in 1997 enabling those living off Earth to still register their votes."

So if you find yourself moving to a moon habitat in four years, make sure you change your registration to Texas before you go.

Moon Juice To Follow!!!

July 09, 2008

Well lookee what we found!

('we' meaning 'humans')

(and more specifically 'NASA')

THAR'S WATER ON THE MOON!!! READ THIS STORY!!!

My moon's cooler than your moon

April 10, 2008

Listener Beth sent us a cool email this week about Mars' moon Phobos and links to some wicked photos courtesy of the University of Arizona's (Go Wildcats!) HiRise (High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment). The photos show the moon, and its large impact crater "Stickney."

Beth also provides a link to a blog by Emily Lakdawalla that delves deeper into the images, and particularly, the strange streaks emanating from Stickney.

All of this leads me to wonder: Why is every other planet's moon shaped like a potato? Whereas our moon (i.e. The Moon) basically looks like a smaller version of say, Mercury?

Perhaps a more knowledgeable person than I, or possibly even a well-schooled 3rd grader, can answer that question via comment.