Space

Spazio: radiazioni più pericolose del previsto

Pubblicato il 26/07/2017

Lavori di costruzione sulla Stazione Spaziale Internazionale. Credit: NASA.

La fantascienza ci ha ormai abituati a salire a bordo di potenti astronavi in grado di trasportarci dovunque nello spazio, inducendoci inevitabilmente a sottovalutare quanto possa essere letale questo ambiente. Oltre alle eccezionali sfide tecnologiche che si dovranno affrontare e vincere, infatti, lo scenario di un viaggio spaziale, specialmente una missione di lunga durata, porta inevitabilmente con sé terribili rischi.

Rosetta and the Italian politics for scientific research

di Giovanni Bignami

di Filippo Bonaventura

Pubblicato il 28/11/2014

Despite the not-always adequate coverage provided by the Italian media, the European Rosetta Mission, which carried out in the last days the first landing on a comet in history, kept the whole world holding its breath and has been an extraordinary scientific, technological and organizational success. When initially proposed by ESA – the European Space Agency – the aim of the mission was practically science fiction. But thanks to the cooperation of thousands of scientists from tens of research bodies and to an effective partnership networks with state-of-the-art aerospa

The Italian role in the “invisible” astronomy

di Antonio Pilello

Pubblicato il 03/10/2014

Space

The Institute of Radio Astronomy (IRA), whose role is recognized at the international level, is the academic institution where radio astronomy research is traditionally carried out in Italy. We had the pleasure to speak with its director, Luigina Feretti.

What are the main projects currently active at IRA?

Women and space: a gender gap issue

di Antonio Pilello

Pubblicato il 14/04/2014

European women are currently underrepresented in the aerospace sector. In Italy, as reported by the Ministry of Education, Universities and Research (MIUR), more than 1200 students graduated (bachelor or master degree) in aerospace or astronautical engineering in 2012 but only 15% of them were female students.

No need to be a rocket scientist to launch a spacecraft

di Emanuela Clavarino

Pubblicato il 02/07/2012

Space

With NASA’s Rocket Science 101, a new game designed for computers and iPad users by NASA, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to launch a spacecraft.

Growing plants in space

di Emanuela Clavarino

Pubblicato il 25/05/2012

Botany

School

Space

The Bioregenerative Life Support System Simulator, BLiSS Sim, is based on investigations conducted by NASA scientists and engineers to explore how plants can be grown to provide air, water, and food for astronauts at a lunar base.

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBLFNQcWNe8]

Discover a wealth of NASA information on your phone

di Emanuela Clavarino

Pubblicato il 24/02/2012

Space

The NASA App collects, customizes and delivers an extensive selection of dynamically updated mission information, images and videos and Twitter feeds from various online NASA sources in a mobile package.
WiFi, 3G or Edge network connection required.

NASA app for iPhone

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clhEHnEtGtU]

Anyone Out There?

di Giovanni Bignami

Pubblicato il 30/09/2010

Astronomy

Space

Look up at the stars and ask yourself: what scares me more ? To be alone in the Universe, or to know that there is someone else up there? An age-old question, as valid for you and me as it was for Giordano Bruno when he wrote about an “infinity of worlds” before being burnt at the stake in 1600. But fifty years ago to the day, a letter to Nature ended the passive, look-up-and-ponder attitude by proposing a scientific, experimental approach. We don’t have an answer yet (or you and I would know), but in the process we have come up with quite a tale to tell.