NASA's 'Eyes on the Earth' Gets Sharper

NASA's "Eyes on the Earth" interactive virtual reality visualization now delivers even-sharper images and data from satellites to home computers.

New features include a simplified interface, event timelines, an image gallery and more up-to-date data on global sea level height and surface temperatures.

See the location of all of NASA's 15 currently operating Earth-observing satellite missions in real time and observe the Earth from their views. They monitor sea level height, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, global temperatures and extent of sea ice in the Arctic, to name a few.

There's also "Eyes on the Solar System," a 3-D platform that allows visitors explore space from their computer. They can ride along on an asteroid, fly with NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft abd see the entire solar system moving in real time. 

China to Send a Man to the Moon

The United States may soon be surpassed as the world's leader in space. China announced last week that it intends to place a manned spacecraft on the Moon as just part of its efforts to explore deep space.

According to the whitepaper, the lunar mission would be step one in the country's three-step deep space development plan. Eventually, China hopes to place satellites in orbit around the Moon and return lunar samples to Earth. Their main goal, however, is to build a "foundation for human spaceflight" moving forward.

Chinese officials haven't released a timetable for these goals, but The Guardian reports that the Moon mission could happen as early as 2025 -- more than 50 years after the United States first achieved the feat. Meanwhile, NASA's own plans for the coming decades leave some worried that China will soon leave the agency behind in space. 

As NASA faces weakened public support and slashed budgets, maintaining the space crown seems a daunting task. What do you think the agency should focus on in 2012 and beyond?

Send Your Holiday Greetings ... to Space!

Feeling festive? Show the residents of the International Space Station some holiday cheer -- and boredom-breaking humanity -- by sending them a holiday e-card!

If you're not the e-card type, head over to Twitter to send a Season's Tweetings message. (Yes, NASA went there.)

Just think: Your words will be read in space -- or by some intern in Houston.

NASA: Now Hiring Astronauts

If you, like every other kid in America, once dreamed of becoming a NASA astronaut, your time has finally arrived.

NASA announced yesterday that it is accepting applications for the agency's next class of the Astronaut Candidate Program.

NASA will accept applications through January 27, 2012. After applicant interviews and evaluations, the agency expects to announce the final selections in 2013. Training will begin that summer.

Qualified individuals can submit their applications through the federal government's USAJobs.gov website. Those selected will be among the first to pioneer a new generation of commercial launch vehicles and travel aboard a new heavy-lift rocket to distant destinations in deep space.

"For 50 years, American astronauts have led the exploration of our solar system," NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said in a press release. "Today we are getting a glimpse of why that will remain true for the next half-century. Make no mistake about it, human space flight is alive and well at NASA."

To qualify, you need a bachelor's degree in engineering, science or math and three years of relevant professional experience. But be forewarned: successful applicants frequently have significant qualifications in engineering or science or extensive experience flying high-performance jet aircraft. Educators teaching kindergarten through 12th grade with these minimimum degree requirements also are encouraged to apply.

To apply, visit the NASA website here.

Experience a Beautiful New View of Earth, as Seen From Space

Earth | Time Lapse View from Space, Fly Over | NASA, ISS from Michael König on Vimeo.

Does your brain need a little afternoon stimulation this Tuesday? Check out this beautiful video.

It was created by stitching together several series of photographs taken by astronauts onboard the International Space Station from August to October. The photos were created about 200 miles up, which is the average orbit height of the ISS.

According to Space.com, the video required very little color correcting or digital editing, so the beautiful view you're seeing is real. Those amazing auroras that permeate the video are triggered by charged particles from the solar wind interacting with Earth's atmosphere. The result is one of the most stunning videos of Earth to hit the web.