Nexus - 0105 - New Times Magazine-pages

Page Content (OCR)

Missions Mars Missions to Mars Ancient Galaxies Astronomers have found the oldest and most distant galaxy ever seen - almost 10 times the size of the Milky Way - which may have formed when the universe was less than two billion years old. Its discoverer, Mr Simon Lilly of the University of Hawaii, said: “Even though the universe was only a few billion years old at the time we’re looking at this, the galaxy itself was a billion or two years old. “So this pushes back the time at which the galaxies formed in the early universe.” He said the discovery could force astrono- mers to revise their conceptions. The most common theory is that most of the universe a system of two semiconductor telescopes consists of cold, dark material that can’t be designed by Irish scientists to sort charged observed. It predicts that massive galaxies particles from the solar wind between the Cosmos Harms Cosmonaut like Lilly's should not have existed so early in planets into their constituent frequencies. the history of the cosmos. The trip to Mars will take about 200 days. The Italian newspaper La Stampa claims that To identify the source of a distant emis- Scientists are particularly interestedinthe | Romanenkohas serious physicalillnesses and | sion of radio waves recorded in 1981, he used Martian channels which resemble dry stream | is mentally unbaianced due to damage in- optical and infra-red telescopes on Hawaii’s beds. Phobos, thought to be a captured aster- | flicted by cosmic rays and lack of gravity. | Mauna Kea to observe the precise point of its oid (from the exploded planet that is now the | Romanenko has lost aquarter of his blood, his | detection. asteroid belt), has extensive craters, the larg- | bones have become decalcified and his est being 10 kilometres across, more ‘ite muscles, including his heart, have lost weight More Suspected T he Soviet Union will launch two space- craft - in July - bound for Mars and its satel- lites, Phobos and Deimos. They will be carry- ing sophisticated instruments from ten Euro- pean countries, the European Space Agency and the Soviet Union itself. TV cameras, tadar, lasers, ion beams, spectrometers, and scismometers will analyse the soil, atmos- phere and magnetosphere of the planet and its moons. One of the craft will go to Phobos and will jettison two modules. One of these mod- ules will attach itself to the satellite’s surface by means of harpoons. One of the more important experiments is third of Phobos’ diameter. Studying the two | and function poorly. In January, researchers at the University of moons should give information about the Italian physicist Cristiano Batalli,aEuro- | Arizona reported the possible existence of condition of the asteroids and how they | pean cosmonaut candidate, said, “It is clear } even older and more distant galaxies. Until formed. Romanenko was used as a guinea pig. Gym- | one of these has been confirmed Mr Lilly’s Soviet scientists are optimistic of finding | nastics and radio contact with Earth are not | galaxy remains the oldest and most distant. life on Mars, unlike the Americans. When the | enough to overcome the physiological and To measure an object’s distance and age, US sensd their probe in 1992 they expect to | psychological difficulties.” astronomers observe its “red shift”, produced find extinct life, saying that there may once Romanenke has not been seen in public | by recession of an object from the observer. have been life on Mars, but conditions on the | since his return to Earth. The Soviets say | The more red shift, the older and more distant surface now areno longer able to supportlife. | Romanenko is perfectly all right except for | the object. The US missionto Marsisrunninghotand | being a little tired. They have showed film of Mr Lilly's galaxy has a red shift of 3.4. cold. Although Mr Reagan made a formal | him apparently in good health, meeting | Theoldestandmostdistant galaxy previously announcement in February of the American | people and shaking their hands almostimme- | observed had ared shift of 1.8. plan to putamanonMarsinthe opening years | diately after his retum. Some have suggested. of the 2)st century, both the unmanned and | that the film was taken before he left - cos- manned missions are in jeopardy over | monauts in space for shorter periods haven’t Reagan's proposal to foster a private space | had the energy to do anything comparable. industry. He pe to give a $US 700 million 30 Day Limit contract (c the private company Space Indus- tries Inc. of Houston, which will be outside | Dy Joseph Angelo, the director of advanced NASA's jurisdiction. NASA believes the | technology with the giant US technology $700 million will be deducted from its own | corporation EG & G, told NASA in December budget. The US unmanned mission in 1992 to | thatradiation in space could severely limit, or collect Martian soil samples will cost $US 10 | even totally prevent, long-term space voy- billion. ages. NASA didnot want to hear this news and When he visits Moscow later this year, | kept it from the public. Dr Angelo went public President Reagan will discuss the possibility | instead, telling the Intemational Atomic En- of a joint US-Soviet manned mission to Mars | ergy Agency meeting in Sydney in April that with Mr Gorbachev. Someofthe intemational | there may need to be regulations to limit to 30 space community say a manned mission is | days the time space workers spend in space. impossible with today's rockets. They pointto | This would add significantly to the cost of the condition of Soviet cosmonaut Yuri | shutile launches. He said industry must also Romanenko, who spent 326 days in space -a | develop a radiation monitoring system that manned mission will take three years. can predict solar storms. 26 NEXUS New Times Five - Winter 1988 have been life on Mars, DuLcondiuons on te | since his return to Earth. The Soviets say | The more red shift, the older and more distant surface now areno longer able to support life. | Romanenko is perfectly all right except for | the object. The US missionto Marsisrunninghotand | being a little tired. They have showed film of Mr Lilly's galaxy has a red shift of 3.4. cold. Although Mr Reagan made a formal | him apparently in good health, meeting | Theoldestandmostdistant galaxy previously announcement in February of the American | people and shaking their hands almostimme- | observed had ared shift of 1.8. plan to putamanonMarsinthe opening years | diately after his retum. Some have suggested. of the 2)st century, both the unmanned and | that the film was taken before he left - cos- manned missions are in jeopardy over | monauts in space for shorter periods haven’t Reagan's proposal to foster a private space | had the energy to do anything comparable, industry. He wants to give a $US 700 million 30 Day Limit contract (c the private company Space Indus- tries Inc. of Houston, which will be outside | Dy Joseph Angelo, the director of advanced NASA's jurisdiction. NASA believes the | technology with the giant US technology $700 million will be deducted from its own | corporation EG & G, told NASA in December budget. The US unmanned mission in 1992 to | thatradiation in space could severely limit, or collect Martian soil samples will cost $US 10 | even totally prevent, long-term space voy- billion. ages. NASA didnot want to hear this news and When he visits Moscow later this year, | kept it from the public. Dr Angelo went public President Reagan will discuss the possibility | instead, telling the Intemational Atomic En- of a joint US-Soviet manned mission to Mars | ergy Agency meeting in Sydney in April that with Mr Gorbachev. Some ofthe international | there may need to be regulations to limit to 30 space community say a manned mission is | days the time space workers spend in space. impossible with today's rockets. They pointto | This would add significantly to the cost of the condition of Soviet cosmonaut Yuri | shutile launches. He said industry must also Romanenko, who spent 326 days in space -a | develop a radiation monitoring system that manned mission will take three years. can predict solar storms. 26 NEXUS New Times Five - Winter 1988 Ancient Galaxies Cosmos Harms Cosmonaut More Suspected