The spacecraft, powered by nearly 20,000 photovoltaic cells, is expected to reach the gas giant some time in 2016. Scientists at NASA are hoping to study Jupiter in order to discover secrets about the formation of the early universe.

The probe will also attempt to detect the amount of water present in Jupiter’s atmosphere, a topic of increasing interest after new evidence was recently discovered that salt water may presently be flowing on a small portion of Mars.

In addition, the spacecraft will try to resolve many unanswered questions about the large planet, including whether the core of the planet is a solid mass or gaseous.

New Space Probe to Launch Towards Jupiter

Debris from Columbia Discovered in Nacogdoches

A recent drought that has plagued the Texas farmlands has not only turned many lakes into small areas of mud puddles, but has also brought to light a sad reminder of the Columbia tragedy back in 2003.

A piece of the shuttle was located in East Texas in Nacogdoches, and appears to be the tank that provides water and power for the shuttle. The tank measure about 4 feet in diameter and Lisa Malone, spokesperson from NASA, confirmed that it is indeed part of the shuttle.

NASA is currently formulating a plan to recover the piece, but it could be weeks before the recovery can happen. They will attempt to send a team from NASA or local authorities to recover the object. Nacogdoches authorities said the item was discovered Friday when the drought caused Lake Nacogdoches to recede and they immediately notified NASA.

The Columbia space shuttle was lost while re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere back in February of 2003, and NASA is reminding residents that the same rules apply as in 2003. If debris from the shuttle is found, it is the property of the U.S. Government.

Part From Columbia Shuttle Discovered In Nacogdoches

Kelly an astronaut and U.S. Navy Captain has flown four shuttle missions for NASA, including the final mission for the shuttle Endeavor. Kelly joined NASA as an astronaut candidate in 1996 and has served them loyally since. NASA praised Kelly on his service and his achievements.

Kelly, who said his decision was not an easy one, intends to help his wife with her continued recovery. As part of that process, the couple is now working together on Gabrielle’s memoirs.

NASA Confirms Mark Kelly's Retirement Plans

NASA successfully launched its next to last shuttle flight today with the launch of Endeavour from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

The shuttle is heading for the International Space Station on its farewell flight carrying a crew of six, with Mark Kelly in command. Kelly, a veteran of the space program, is the husband of U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords who was injured during an assassination attempt last year.

Congresswoman Giffords was present for the launch and joined in on the excitement with a crowd estimated at around 500,000 enthusiastic spectators.

The crew of Endeavour consists of one Italian and five American astronauts and is scheduled to dock at the International Space Station on Wednesday.

The payload the shuttle is carrying is a scientific instrument valued at $2 billion that will search for dark energy and antimatter in the vast expanse of the universe.

The space agency has one more mission left to wrap up the three-decade shuttle program and will be taking a new direction in the future.

There are rumors that the White House is asking NASA to shift its focus to Mars-bound missions and other more distant places at some point in the future.

Endeavour will be retired to the California Science Center in Los Angeles, California.

NASA Launches Shuttle Endeavour One Last Time

Gabrielle Gifford. Gifford was the Congresswomen that was shot in the head in January during the mass shooting in Tucson. Gifford attending the lift off. Despite the lift threatening injury, Gifford is recovering.

All members of Endeavor’s crew are wearing Peach Love Gabby bracelets in honor of the Giffords. Gifford and Kelly exchanged their wedding bands during this flight.

There are many reasons for NASA to be celebrating. One is the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer that is on board the Endeavor. The Spectrometer will be attached onto the space station and once functioning will transmit data about cosmic rays. Another is more personal, regarding Kelly and Giffords accomplishments and that Gifford made it to the lift off.

NASA's Shuttle Endeavor Lifts Off For Final Flight

The venerable shuttle has had a 30-year plus history. NASA plans to retire the shuttle by the end of this year. At the moment, the government does not have a replacement for the orbiters. Pressure has been placed on private firms, such as the California-based SpaceX company to provide a replacement.

Without a valid replacement for the shuttle, the crew of the International space station may have to leave the station by the end of this year, said a SpaceX representative at the National Space Symposium. SpaceX provides private space travel rockets.. The forerunner for the shuttle is the company’s Dragon space capsule.

NASA Shuttle Program Ending At The End Of Year

NASA will still need transportation to the International Space Station and what better way to do that than with the World’s Most Powerful Rocket.

SpaceX is one of several companies that NASA is building contracts with for future missions to the ISS.

SpaceX is shopping their Falcon Heavy Rocket that SpaceX says is strong enough to send men and cargo to the International Space Station. They also say that the rocket would be capable of sending people to Mars.

World's Most Powerful Rocket Could Be Ready In 2012

Space Exploration Technologies Corp, or SpaceX has just finished showing off the worlds most powerful rocket.

The new Falcon 9 rocket was launched successfully and is expected to be fully operational for its first official launch in late 2013 or early 2014.

Floridians who were used to witnessing the repeated shuttle launches in Cape Canaveral will have to wait for awhile as initially launches will take place in California.

This is truly a rocket to be reckoned with and is considered as the most powerful commercial rocket ever built.

Projected to be able to carry 117,000 pounds (53,000 kilograms) of payload, which is twice the capability of the current mission launches.

The cost of a launch will also be significantly less than that of a present day NASA launch.

Space-X Creates Most Powerful Rockey Ever

The report was written by Dr. Richard B. Hoover, an astrobiologist for NASA. The report provides details of fossilized remains found in meteorites that appear to be remains of ancient alien bacteria. The findings would lead credibility to claims that life did not originate on Earth, but has existed in some form in the universe for millions of years.

If the bacteria on meteorites is legitimate it is not a far leap to assume similar bacteria may exist on moons and other solar bodies throughout the universe. Dr. Hoover believes they are not from Earth because they lack nitrogen. A hundred experts and over 5,000 scientists are currently evaluating the data to see if it holds up.

Paper Alleges NASA Scientist Found Alien Fossil Evidence

Dr. Richard B. Hover, under sterile conditions, split open several meteorites and studied them with an electron microscope. What he found was evidence of several fossils of bacteria that were similar to that of Earth, but different enough to be “alien life forms.” Meteorites contain water and amino acids, making them the perfect breeding ground for these types of organisms.

The paper has already sparked much controversy and is being widely researched by the scientific community. If the paper proves true, this will be the first confirmation of life that did not originate from the planet Earth.

NASA Scientists Publishes Paper On Alien Fossils