Space Buzz

A number of exciting developments this week:

- After more troubleshooting, Hubble Space Telescope science operations are about to be restored after a switch to the B-Side of its Science Instrument Control and Data Handling system.

- An International Space Station (ISS) crew switch from Expedition 17 to Expedition 18 was completed yesterday with the arrival of the returning crew to Earth. Paying customer Richard Garriott, who stayed on the ISS while the crews were handing over, was doing more than space tourism. He was conducting an experiment that may have a great payoff for medicine and commerce.

- India launched its Chandrayaan-1 lunar robotic spacecraft, joining a growing community of nations exploring the Moon. Here's a link that provides some video of the historic launch.

- The SETI Institute is starting to operate its Allen Telescope Array (ATA) in northern California. The ATA will provide unprecedented capabilities in searching for possible intelligent signals from other solar systems in our galaxy.