Chimpomatic

It's been 18 months since we last covered it - and they're only just setting off - but  the Mars 500 project kicks off today in Moscow.

6 would-be astronauts will be sealed inside a simulation space capsule to document the effects of an 18 month round trip to the red planet. The simulator even includes a mock-up of the planet's surface - so the effects of EVA can be studied after the 6 month feet-up session.

One thing that has changed in 18 months is the arrival of Twitter - which Italian pseudonaut Diego Urbina will be updating during the trip. The mission also has a blog.

Via BBC

"Don't talk to aliens" is Stephen Hawking's advice in a piece over at The Times.

"If aliens ever visit us, I think the outcome would be much as when Christopher Columbus first landed in America, which didn’t turn out very well for the Native Americans".

With retirement approaching, NASA is looking for homes for it's 3 remaining Space Shuttles. Contenders include that big aircraft carrier that was in I Am Legend, the Johnson Space Center in Houston (a family favourite) and 'Plant 42' where they were built.

Get your proposal into NASA as soon as possible.

the MoD have given up on UFO reports

Nasa's latest mission: to crash the LCROSS (Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite) spacecraft into the moon to see if there's any water up there

not sure this "alien sighting" really sounds that much different to a normal Saturday afternoon on Winchester High Street really...

Wired have rounded up some of NASA's geekery

Interesting article up at Wired about the first direct-to-consumer satellite TV, launched by BSB in 1989.

more UFO files have been released detailing incidents from UK skies between 1981 and 1996. 1996 had one of the highest rates of sightings for years. In other news, the X Files was popular on UK TV in 1996.

UFO spotting made easy - just watch the news!

These guys probably would have rocked the house at Queen Amidala and Anakin's wedding. www.aerosith.com

Great variation on that Beastie Boys driving game we reported on last month - here's an official Lunar Rover simulator, which lets you cruise around the Apollo landing sites ...and in fact, the entire moon.

UPDATE: Try the Lunar Lander too.

Just in time for the 40th Anniversary of the moon landing, NASA has released some images from the Lunar Reconnaissence Orbiter, which is mapping the moon.

The images show various landing sites from the Apollo landing - and you can even see the footprint trails between the lander and instruments test site in some.

has Nasa really taped over its hi-def moon footage? hate it when that happens

Indie moviemaker site Shooting People don't seem impressed by the contents of the video shelf on the International Space Station - which is disclosed here. Regarding classics such as Beverly Hills Cop (an easy 5 stars IMHO) as inferior, they are running a poll to select more suitable 'highbrow' titles to suggest.

If you thought yesterday's time lapse movies were good, then don't miss Wired's article featuring NASA sattelite time-lapse movies, that have taken literally years to shoot. Urbanisation of Dubai above, Amazon deforestation below.