Is a 90-day Mars round trip possible via new propulsion?
(Oct 18, 2004) A new means of propelling spacecraft being developed at the University of Washington could dramatically cut the time needed for astronauts to travel to and from Mars and could make humans a permanent fixture in space. In fact, with magnetized-beam plasma propulsion, or mag-beam, quick trips to distant parts of the solar system could become routine, said Robert Winglee, a UW Earth and space sciences professor who is leading the project. Read more. Source: University of Washington Newfound star cluster may be final Milky Way ‘fossil’ (Oct 16, 2004) Just when astronomers thought they might have dug up the last of our galaxy’s “fossils,” they’ve discovered a new one in the galactic equivalent of our own backyard. Called globular clusters, these ancient bundles of stars date back to the birth of our Milky Way galaxy, 13 or so billion years ago. They are sprinkled around the center of the galaxy like seeds in a pumpkin. Astronomers use clusters as tools for studying the Milky
