It's a companion to NASA's Smart Skies curriculum, which is designed to connect mathematics and problem solving to the real world.  Right now, it only runs on an iOS device (ipad, iphone, ipod touch), but it will soon be able to be played online.

Read all about the details on NASA's website or you get the app in the iTunes Store.

Yesterday, you may have thought it was a windy day on earth.  Gusts were about 35 miles per hour, and if you were driving on the hightway they may have felt even stronger.  NASA was looking at another wind, and this one makes even the strongest winds ever recorded on earth pale in comparison.  They say that the wind spiraling around this black hole is traveling at twenty million miles per hour, or about three percent the speed of light!  Check out the whole story on their website:  http://chandra.si.edu/photo/2012/igr/

This past week, we covered aeronautical chart reading in our inaugural Aerospace Excellence lesson of 2012.  This was a fun lesson where several members wanted to continue their education at home.  Below are a few links that will help hone your knowledge of chart reading. 

Airspace for Everyone
This publication examines the airspace structure and how pilots are expected (and required) to operate within it.
http://www.aopa.org/asf/publications/sa02.pdf

Airspace Flash Cards
Created by the AOPA's Air Safety Foundation, these cards are a great way to test your chart reading skills. 
http://www.aopa.org/asf/publications/airspacecards.pdf

VFR Aeronautical Chart Symbols
This is the reference guide for anything that can be depicted on a VFR chart.  You will want to get to know this document!
http://flighttraining.aopa.org/pdfs/VFR_Chart_Symbols.pdf

I've always been fond of the idea that scars are stories of our lives. It turns out that the expression holds a very certain truth when it comes to NASA's testing aircraft.  Whenever a test is complete and the installed hardware doesn't affect the performance of the aircraft, the standard procedure is to leave it in place.  So, the biography of flight testing is literally embedded in each aircraft.  Check out the whole story and an awesome photo set at Wired.com. 

According to the Department of Energy, Texas has over 10,000 megawatts of wind generation capacity installed.  I would have expected that the Texas wind footprint would be continuing to grow by leaps and bounds, but I was surprised to learn a dirty secret about wind turbines that is keeping the wind farms from growing or moving closer to cities. It turns out that the turbine blades are reflecting primary radar returns, and creating quite a headache for ATC controllers.  This is such a problem that many wind projects have been denied or delayed because of their potential to interfere with ATC operations. Take a look at the following links, and learn about the proposed solution to the problem – 3D holographic radar!   If this sounds a little outlandish, keep in mind that the incubator that created this concept is the same group that brought us a little technology called Bluetooth... 

Cambridge Consultants Discusses Aveillant And Their Proprietary 3D Holographic Radar.
http://www.cambridgeconsultants.com/news_pr305.html

Original Article About Wind Farm Radar Interference
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/27/business/energy-environment/27radar.html?_r=4&ref=technology

Ok, I admit it, I've never seen one in real life either.  That is because there is only one, and it is mothballed at a dock somewhere in southern Russia.  This thing is a monster - 380 Tonnes, 148 foot wingspan, 8 (yeah, eight) jet engines, and carries six anti-ship missiles   Check out the photos at Wired Magazine, and lets discuss how ground effect is the only way this bird can fly.  

I would say it is fair to assume we all know what an F-16 looks like.  It's nearly iconic, one of the workhorses of the US, and several other countries.  But have you ever stopped and asked what kind of person it takes to lead the design of such a popular and versatile aircraft?  I read the obituary of the designer of the F-16 today, and from all accounts, he seemed to be everything you would want a character like him to be.  Salty, independent, driven, and it all was accepted because his incredible foresight ended up being right.  This is a fantastic read!  

I'm sure just about everyone in the world has seen the iconic image of the Wright flyer leaving the track at Kitty Hawk.  But have you seen any of their other photographs?  The Library of Congress has over three hundred images created and collected by the Wrights, not just of their airplanes but also of their lives.  From the comfort of your living room, you can thumb through these treasures of the birth of powered flight.  From closeups of the engines to family keepsakes, you will see the Wrights like few of your friends. 

Head on over to the Library Of Congress website!