Liftoff Into 2005

5. Deep Impact is going to launch this month, heading out towards Mars orbit in order to intercept comet Tempel 1. And by "intercept," I mean "smash into." While a sample return mission to bring cometary material back to Earth for study would be the ultimate achievement, folks are pretty darned excited as it is about the prospect of colliding with one. Making our own crater and delving into the comet's nucleus will add tremendously to our knowledge of comets--and ought to create some spectacular fireworks, to boot. Additional icing on the cake is the possibility that we might even learn a little something about intentionally deflecting comets, should we find one on a collision course with Earth. Deep Impact stands no chance of altering Tempel 1's course, but there's no telling what all the data will reveal nonetheless.

So; there you have five bulletins of note as we head into the new year. There will assuredly be more as we continue with the business of space exploration for this year and all the years to come; always exciting, and always more to discover. Welcome to the unknown!

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