A "spy" turns to science, space rocks are spotted in Florida. and aliens will not be getting a record deal. These are Space.com's top stories of the week.
Spy sat comes back — for science
NASA has approved its next major observatory: the agency will turn an old spy satellite spaceward to probe the universe with near-infrared light. The project, known as the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope, should launch in the mid-2020s. [Full Story: NASA Will Use Repurposed Spy Telescope for Wide-Sky Survey]
No little green soundtrack
The mysterious "music" heard by astronauts orbiting the moon on the Apollo 10 mission in 1969 was not as alien as a new Science Channel episode trailer suggests: Simple radio feedback can adequately explain the strange whistling. [Full Story: 'Music' Heard by Apollo 10 Astronauts at the Moon Not from Aliens]
Lasers lead the way to space
Researchers suggest that a laser-powered "photon propulsion" system called DEEP-IN could propel robotic spacecraft to Mars within just three days (and a crewed spacecraft might take about a month). The craft would move forward by sailing on a laser light shined from Earth orbit. [Full Story: Powerful Laser Could Blast Spacecraft to Mars in 3 Days (Video)]
Cassini lends an eye to Planet Nine search
NASA's Cassini probe has been observing Saturn for more than a decade, and a new paper puts those observations to use narrowing down the proposed Planet Nine's possible location. [Full Story: Find Planet Nine! NASA's Saturn Probe Helps with the Hunt]
Balloons to space!
World View Enterprises, a space tourism company, has chosen former NASA astronaut Ron Garan as its new chief pilot. The Arizona-based company plans to send crewed flights high into the stratosphere by balloon by the end of 2017. [Full Story: Astronaut Ron Garan Joins Balloon-Based Space Tourism Company]
Little lookouts to ogle orbiters
A new proposal suggests sending a single, palm-size satellite known as a cubesat into orbit to pin its focus on a particular star and search for orbiting planets direct imaging would miss. [Full story: Palm-Size Satellites Could Hunt for New Alien Worlds]
Try again, SpaceX
SpaceX was forced to call off their Falcon 9 launch two days in a row due to issues with loading propellant onto the rocket, the company said. When Falcon 9 finally launches, the company plans to attempt landing the rocket's first stage on an autonomous ship at sea. [Full Story: SpaceX Scrubs Satellite Launch, Rocket Landing Attempt]
Six space rocks found in Florida
Meteorite hunters tracked down six space rocks that appear to match up with a rare daytime fireball that streaked through Florida's skies Jan. 24. [Full Story: Meteorite Hunters Find 6 Space Rocks from Florida Fireball]
Mysterious, constant explosions shine light on dark matter
For the first time, astronomers have pinpointed the distant location of a mysterious explosion known as a fast radio burst. By measuring how the radio waves changed en route to Earth, researchers can use this information to improve their models of dark matter. [Full Story: Dark Matter Clue: Strange Radio Bursts Finally Reveal Host Galaxy]
Look before you redirect (asteroids)
A new NASA report recommended sending a precursor mission to an asteroid before attempting to pluck a boulder off its surface. That project, called the Asteroid Redirect Mission, would haul the large boulder into lunar orbit for further inspection. [Full Story: Report Suggests NASA Fly Precursor to Asteroid Redirect Mission]
Latest but not last
The new documentary "The Last Man on the Moon," out Feb. 26, tells the story of early spaceflight and the Apollo missions through the recollections of Gene Cernan, the most recent astronaut to set foot on the lunar surface. The documentary focuses on bringing the story of the Apollo program into the present, with special emphasis on how the program has shaped Cernan's life. [Full Story: 'Last Man on the Moon' Documentary Brings Space Exploration Home]
Email Sarah Lewin at slewin@space.com or follow her @SarahExplains. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
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