Pluto Loses Planet Status
On August 24, 2006, the International Astronomical Union voted to reclassify Pluto as a "dwarf planet," shrinking the solar system from nine planets to eight and setting off a controversy within the scientific community. In a broadcast following the announcement, James Zimbelman from the Smithsonian Institution shares his opinion about the "oddball" of outer space.
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Pluto Loses Planet Status
Pluto Loses Planet StatusAudio Clip (0:13)
Audio Clip (0:13)
On August 24, 2006, the International Astronomical Union voted to reclassify Pluto as a "dwarf planet," shrinking the solar system from nine planets to eight and setting off a controversy within the scientific community. In a broadcast following the announcement, James Zimbelman from the Smithsonian Institution shares his opinion about the "oddball" of outer space.
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Radio Astronomy Points to Extraterrestrial Life
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In a 1960 broadcast, a Voice of America reporter interviews Dr. Campbell Wade of the National Radio Astronomical Observatory about his discoveries analyzing radio waves to see 1 billion light years into space and about the possibility of life on other planets.
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Voyager Spacecraft 30 Years Later
Voyager Spacecraft 30 Years LaterAudio Clip (1:12)
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As the twin Voyager spacecraft prepare to embark on an extended mission to explore interstellar space in 2006, project scientist Ed Stone of California Institute of Technology recaps the major discoveries the Voyagers have made since their launch in 1977.
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First American Woman in Space
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Sally Ride becomes the first American woman in space when the shuttle Challenger takes off on June 18, 1983. The historical moment is noted in communication just after liftoff.
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First Space Shuttle Launched
First Space Shuttle LaunchedAudio Clip (3:00)
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On April 12, 1981, NASA launched the world's first reusable manned spacecraft. In the minutes before takeoff, Kennedy Space Center launch control communicates with astronauts John Young and Robert Crippen as they prepare to take Columbia on its first test flight into space and back.
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Monkeys Travel to Space
Monkeys Travel to SpaceAudio Clip (2:00)
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On May 28, 1959, in an experiment that would lead the way to manned space flight, the United States launched two monkeys to an altitude of 300 miles. A Voice of America news report details the travels of the two primates who survived the space flight and were the first in history to return safely to Earth.
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Viking 1 Lands on Mars
Viking 1 Lands on MarsAudio Clip (0:20)
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On July 20, 1976, NASA's Viking 1 becomes the first spacecraft to send back detailed pictures from the surface of Mars. A NASA control room recording captures the excitement of the moment.
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Ford Phones Apollo Astronauts
Ford Phones Apollo AstronautsAudio Clip (8:14)
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On July 17, 1975, President Gerald Ford speaks by telephone to the Apollo astronauts following their rendezvous and docking with the Russian Soyuz spacecraft. This was the first joint orbital mission between the two superpowers, and it helped pave the way for further cooperation in the exploration of space.
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Columbia Space Shuttle Disaster
Columbia Space Shuttle DisasterAudio Clip (0:31)
Audio Clip (0:31)
On February 1, 2003, the space shuttle Columbia was returning from its 28th mission when, 16 minutes to touchdown, the shuttle incinerated and broke apart over Texas. Communication between the Columbia crew and Mission Control captures the last moments of the flight.
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George W. Bush on the Space Shuttle Columbia Disaster
George W. Bush on the Space Shuttle Columbia DisasterAudio Clip (3:15)
Audio Clip (3:15)
On February 1, 2003, the space shuttle Columbia was 16 minutes away from touchdown after completing its 28th mission when a damaged heat protection tile caused the shuttle to incinerate, killing all seven crew members. Later that day, President George W. Bush informs the nation about the terrible disaster.
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The Universe: Mercury and Venus - The Inner Planets
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Scorched by their proximity to the sun, Mercury and Venus are hostile worlds, prime examples of planets gone awry. Do they serve as a warning for ominous scenarios that might someday threaten Earth?
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Electrical, thermal, kinetic and magnetic are just a few forms of energy that keep our universe in perfect equilibrium.
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In the last few years, the red planet has revealed many new clues indicating that life may have once existed there and may even exist there today.
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