Aviation and space

This May 29, 2018 photo made available by Virgin Galactic shows the company’s VSS Unity on its second supersonic flight. After reaching nearly 50,000 feet (15,000 meters), Unity will be released from the specially designed aircraft Mothership Eve, and drop for a moment or two before its rocket motor ignites to send the craft on a steep climb toward space. (Virgin Galactic via AP)

VIDEO: Billionaire Richard Branson heads for space in his own ship

The feat vaults the nearly 71-year-old Branson past fellow billionaire and rival Jeff Bezos

 

The central rocket segment that launched the 22.5-ton core of China’s newest space station into orbit is due to plunge back to Earth as early as Saturday in an unknown location. (Ju Zhenhua/AP)

China discounts possibility of harm from its out-of-control falling rocket

Foreign Ministry spokesperson claims the rocket will mostly burn up on re-entry, posing little threat to people and property on the ground

 

In this image from NASA, NASA’s experimental Mars helicopter Ingenuity lands on the surface of Mars Monday, April 19, 2021. The little 4-pound helicopter rose from the dusty red surface into the thin Martian air Monday, achieving the first powered, controlled flight on another planet. (NASA via AP)

VIDEO: NASA’s Mars helicopter takes flight, 1st for another planet

The $85 million helicopter demo was considered high risk, yet high reward

 

Full-scale model of the Ingenuity helicopter displayed for the media at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Part of Wright brothers’ 1st airplane on NASA’s Mars chopper

Ingenuity will attempt the first powered, controlled flight on another planet

Full-scale model of the Ingenuity helicopter displayed for the media at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
In this image from video made available by SpaceX, one of the company’s Starship prototypes fires its thrusters as it lands during a test in Boca Chica, Texas, on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. The two previous attempts ended in explosions. (SpaceX via AP)

VIDEO: SpaceX Starship lands upright, then explodes in latest test

Elon Musk plans to use Starships to send people to the moon and Mars.

In this image from video made available by SpaceX, one of the company’s Starship prototypes fires its thrusters as it lands during a test in Boca Chica, Texas, on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. The two previous attempts ended in explosions. (SpaceX via AP)
The Mars Perseverance Rover is roughly the size of an SUV, equipped with exploratory instruments and new oxygen-producing technology. (NASA image)

LIVE: You can watch NASA’s Rover landing on Mars today

NASA’s Perseverance rover is looking for signs of ancient life, and testing oxygen technology

The Mars Perseverance Rover is roughly the size of an SUV, equipped with exploratory instruments and new oxygen-producing technology. (NASA image)
Chris Hadfield stands on the red carpet as he Is inducted into 2018 Canada Walk of Fame during a press red carpet event in Toronto on Saturday December 1, 2018. Hadfield’s next adventure will be set in the far-off world of space fiction. Random House Canada announced on Tuesday that Hadfield’s debut novel, “The Apollo Murders,” is scheduled to hit shelves on Oct. 12.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Astronaut Chris Hadfield draws from real-life space thrills in debut novel

Hadfield says the thriller will be rooted in the “little-known reality” of the Cold War-era space race

Chris Hadfield stands on the red carpet as he Is inducted into 2018 Canada Walk of Fame during a press red carpet event in Toronto on Saturday December 1, 2018. Hadfield’s next adventure will be set in the far-off world of space fiction. Random House Canada announced on Tuesday that Hadfield’s debut novel, “The Apollo Murders,” is scheduled to hit shelves on Oct. 12.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
Okanagan resident Debra Ceravelo grabbed this photo of the planetary conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn Dec. 20, 2020. (Submitted)

Astrophotographer captures out-of-this-world shot from the Okanagan

A Western News reader snapped a photo of the rare celestial event

Okanagan resident Debra Ceravelo grabbed this photo of the planetary conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn Dec. 20, 2020. (Submitted)
The Canadarm 2 reaches out to capture the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft and prepare it to be pulled into its port on the International Space Station, Friday, April 17, 2015. The Canadian Space Agency has awarded a contract worth $22.8 million to MDA to develop Canadarm3. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-HO, NASA, *MANDATORY CREDIT*

Canadian Space Agency awards Canadarm3 contract worth $22.8M

MDA says the project will be a third-generation artificial intelligence-based robotic system

The Canadarm 2 reaches out to capture the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft and prepare it to be pulled into its port on the International Space Station, Friday, April 17, 2015. The Canadian Space Agency has awarded a contract worth $22.8 million to MDA to develop Canadarm3. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-HO, NASA, *MANDATORY CREDIT*
A SpaceX Falcon9 rocket, with the Crew Dragon capsule attached, lift’s off from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39-A Sunday Nov. 15, 2020, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. Four astronauts are beginning a mission to the international Space Station. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

VIDEO: SpaceX capsule with 4 astronauts reaches space station

Three Americans and one Japanese astronaut will remain at the lab until their replacements arrive

A SpaceX Falcon9 rocket, with the Crew Dragon capsule attached, lift’s off from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39-A Sunday Nov. 15, 2020, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. Four astronauts are beginning a mission to the international Space Station. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
Lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin carries a seismic experiments package in his left hand and the Laser Ranging Retroreflector to the deployment area on the surface of the moon at Tranquility Base, July 20, 1969. Canada has signed on to the Artemis Accords, a U.S.-led effort to establish global guidelines, based on the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and other agreements. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-HO-NASA, Neil Armstrong

Canada joins U.S.-led Artemis Accords to send human explorers back to Moon and beyond

Canada has signed on to Artemis for the next 20 year

Lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin carries a seismic experiments package in his left hand and the Laser Ranging Retroreflector to the deployment area on the surface of the moon at Tranquility Base, July 20, 1969. Canada has signed on to the Artemis Accords, a U.S.-led effort to establish global guidelines, based on the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and other agreements. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-HO-NASA, Neil Armstrong
In this Aug. 13, 1965 photo provided by the San Diego Air and Space Museum, technicians work on an Atlas Centaur 7 rocket at Cape Canaveral, Fla. NASA’s leading asteroid expert, Paul Chodas, speculates that asteroid 2020 SO, as it is formally known, is actually a Centaur upper rocket stage that propelled NASA’s Surveyor 2 lander to the moon in 1966 before it was discarded. (Convair/General Dynamics Astronautics Atlas Negative Collection/San Diego Air and Space Museum via AP)

Fake asteroid? NASA expert IDs mystery object as old rocket

A telescope in Hawaii last month discovered the mystery object heading our way

In this Aug. 13, 1965 photo provided by the San Diego Air and Space Museum, technicians work on an Atlas Centaur 7 rocket at Cape Canaveral, Fla. NASA’s leading asteroid expert, Paul Chodas, speculates that asteroid 2020 SO, as it is formally known, is actually a Centaur upper rocket stage that propelled NASA’s Surveyor 2 lander to the moon in 1966 before it was discarded. (Convair/General Dynamics Astronautics Atlas Negative Collection/San Diego Air and Space Museum via AP)
Mars will appear orange and distinct in the night sky this month. (Damian Peach photo)

Mars jumps out from the night sky

Mars is the brightest it’s been in 15 years this October

Mars will appear orange and distinct in the night sky this month. (Damian Peach photo)
Though he hasn’t been to space, Dr. Parvez Kumar has been associated with NASA for 25 years and has worked for Canada’s National Research Council and the Canadian Space Agency. (Aaron Guillen – Sooke News Mirror)

Head in the clouds: Sooke resident recalls former career as astronaut training officer

Dr. Parvez Kumar trained Canadians Chris Hadfield and Julie Payette

Though he hasn’t been to space, Dr. Parvez Kumar has been associated with NASA for 25 years and has worked for Canada’s National Research Council and the Canadian Space Agency. (Aaron Guillen – Sooke News Mirror)
This photo provided by NASA shows from left, astronauts Bob Behnken, Chris Cassidy and Doug Hurley during an interview on the International Space Station on Friday, July 31, 2020. Behnken and Hurley are scheduled to leave the International Space Station in a SpaceX capsule on Saturday and splashdown off the coast of Florida on Sunday. (NASA via AP)

SpaceX capsule and NASA crew make 1st splashdown in 45 years

The astronauts’ ride back to Earth was fast, bumpy and hot, at least on the outside

This photo provided by NASA shows from left, astronauts Bob Behnken, Chris Cassidy and Doug Hurley during an interview on the International Space Station on Friday, July 31, 2020. Behnken and Hurley are scheduled to leave the International Space Station in a SpaceX capsule on Saturday and splashdown off the coast of Florida on Sunday. (NASA via AP)
There has been numerous sightings of strings of lights in the sky over Vancouver Island recently. (File photo)

Strings of lights seen in night sky over Cowichan Valley

Could be satellites, or something stranger, says UFO specialist

There has been numerous sightings of strings of lights in the sky over Vancouver Island recently. (File photo)
The Plaskett Telescope, at the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, in 1918 and 2018. Today, the telescope has accumulated nearly a century of upgrades that make it 10,000 times more sensitive than when it was first built. (FILE CONTRIBUTED)

Plaskett telescope turns 100; recognized as national historic site

The Dominion Astrophysical Observatory in Saanich has made astronomical discoveries since 1918

The Plaskett Telescope, at the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, in 1918 and 2018. Today, the telescope has accumulated nearly a century of upgrades that make it 10,000 times more sensitive than when it was first built. (FILE CONTRIBUTED)