Imagine working hard on a project that could impact the future of space travel. Developing a smart space foundation for larger structures to be built on. Something that could be used in the future by telescopes and new generation of telecommunications antennae. Sending up the web like platform into outer space to check sustainability, and then not getting the data back!

Students from the University of Strathclyde and the University of Glasgow developed just such a platform called Suaineadh  which means ‘twisting’ in Scots Gaelic. They then launched it into space on-board the sounding rocket REXUS12 from the Swedish space center Esrange in March 2012.

Unfortunately the recovery of the section in which the data was recorded could not be found after re-entry into the atmosphere. Students spent 10 days on the recovery mission in Northern Sweden above the Arctic Circle in vain. Finally they had to give up and return empty handed thinking that all their effort had been in vain.

It was 18 months later that Swedish hunters discovered the section and returned it to civilization. The excitement and relief of the students who now get to study all the data recorded is evident. Thankfully this is one science project that had a happy ending.

The Earth is protected by the harsh rays of the sun by its atmosphere. This atmosphere is the primary reason why living beings like you and me are able to survive on the planet. It was seen that there was a magnetic field around the earth. It is also called the magnetosphere.  This is the layer of the atmosphere which stretches from the core of the earth into outer space and helps protect us against solar energy that may harm us.

When the electric currents come shafting through the magnetosphere it is called “magnetic reconnection”. This is the reason for geomagnetic storms and space weather phenomena which affect the human beings on the International Space Station, and even those in high altitude planes. Remember the turbulence you experience on a flight?

Researchers studying this phenomenon in MIT and NASA have discovered a new process that helps to shield the earth. It has been seen that a plume of low level plasma particles ride on the magnetic lines that rise up from the earth into space. These plasma particles are present in thousands on the upper level of the magnetosphere.

So when the sun’s energy hits the magnetosphere the plasma particles take the brunt of the electric attack and thus minimize the damage that they would do on earth. Now that is an interesting find of this new science project.

Are you fascinated with space and would love to see it first hand? Do you feel that you actually want to experience what the astronauts go through? And do you know that the chances of that happening in real life are rare to non existent? Well don’t lose hope. The researchers at the University of Surrey may just grant you your dearest wish, sort of.

“Virtual Ride to Space” is science project which will combine cutting-edge virtual technology and a specially designed spacecraft to help you get the ride of your life. The ride promises a three-dimensional experience, allowing everyone on board the spacecraft to see exactly what astronauts experience on an ascent to space.

The whole experience will be created using about 20 HD cameras on a weather balloon. As it rises the balloon will give the cameras a great view. This is  just what the astronauts see from inside their crafts as they rise into space. What’s more, its going to cost a fraction of the cost of taking an actual trip into space. They are currently hoping to make the space ascent ride cost about $90.

The £30,000 project will be funded by public contributions through the crowd-sourcing funding platform, Kickstarter. So if you want to follow the progress of this science project you know where to go.

Did you think that getting deliveries by regular post took ages and was unreliable? Do you wonder why they tell you they will deliver something by a certain date and never seem to do so? Well then you have to be really glad that you are not stuck on the International Space Station because they have an even more erratic delivery system.

SpaceX runs the supplies from Earth to the ISS and it was supposed to launch the next cargo ship on Sunday, March 16. The launch was to take place from Cape Canaveral. However the private company has postponed the launch by nearly two weeks and the next cargo ship is likely to leave Earth only in  the month of April.

So who gets affected by this delay? Robonaut! Remember R2 the humanoid robot who is currently being tested in field conditions on the ISS? The robot was supposed to get a pair of legs in this supply run. It has so far been operating from a pedestal. Once the supplies reach Robonaut will finally be able to stretch its legs!

In addition to Robonaut’s legs the Dragon capsule, that’s the name of the SpaceX cargo pod, will also transport nearly two tonnes of supplies and experiences to the ISS. Let’s hope the delay does not affect the science experiments on board the Dragon!

The European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope Interferometer or VLTI has found a star that is about 1300 times the size of our sun Sol. This hyper giant is the largest yellow star to be found in the galaxy so far. It has been under observation for nearly six decades.

The observers have found it to be a part of a binary system where the second star is so close by that it was missed before. The largest yellow star is about 50% larger than the famous red super giant Betelgeuse. It is being called HR 5171 A by Olivier Chesneau, the researcher at Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur, Nice, France.

Chesneau said that new observations also showed that this star has a very close binary partner, which was a real surprise. The two stars are so close that they touch and the whole system resembles a gigantic peanut, he added. Chesneau continued that the companion they had found was very significant as it can have an influence on the fate of HR 5171 A, for example, stripping off its outer layers and modifying its evolution.

Yellow giants are rare and there are only about 12 known cases in our galaxy, so the observation of HR 5171 A will allow scientists to understand the evolutionary processes of massive stars better. This is going to be a long, ongoing science project.