Dennis Wingo points to an article about a cool device that will soon come to market that will let you create super high resolution images for a relatively low price:Billion-pixel panoramas - from your own camera - Times Online

More at gigapan.org - "GigaPan allows users to upload, share, and explore brilliant gigapixel+ panoramas from around the globe".

Yves Rossy, aka Fusion Man and Jet Man takes to the sky in front of the press with his own jet powered wings: Swiss 'Fusion Man' Flies Over the Alps With Jet-Propelled Wings - Fox News - May.14.08

A reader points me to this impressive simulation program: Space Shuttle Mission 2007^tm. Here is a review: Space Shuttle Mission 2007 - FlightSim.Com Review - Feb.14.08.

There are also several SSM07 videos at YouTube, e.g.:
/-- YouTube - Space Shuttle Mission 2007 movie contest STS-26
/-- YouTube - Space Shuttle Mission 2007 STS-26 Part One

8th Continent Project at the Colorado School of Mines opens a student competition for the best space-related business plan: 8th Continent Project Announces Business Plan Competition - Space 2.0 Blog - May.14.08.

A discussion of the viability of the Terrafugia roadable airplane project : In Defense of the Drivable Airplane - Terrafugia CEO Responds to Legions of Doubters - Xconomy - May.13.08

You can help locate a missing spacecraft on Mars:
/-- Volunteers asked to help find dead spacecraft on Mars - New Scientist - May.12.08
/-- Looking For Mars Polar Lander - HiBlog: HiRISE Team Blog - May.9.08
/-- Mars Litter Inventory: Using HiRISE to Find our Stuff by Rob Manning (pdf)

The theme of HobbySpace is that the public can become involved with even the most challenging areas of space exploration and development such as satellite building and space science projects. The popularity of Make Magazine and the Maker Faire events illustrate how all sorts of technical areas are opening up to hobbyists and students: Maker Faire - Do-It-Yourself - Make Magazine - New York Times.

Check out Microsoft's WorldWide Telescope, which is now available for downloading: Two New Ways to Explore the Virtual Universe, in Vivid 3-D - New York Times.

[Update: A report from Alan Boyle on the WWT: Download
a new telescope - Cosmic Log/msnbc.com - May.13.08 ]

Rocketeers.co.uk points to space artist Adrian Mann's website: This is Rocket Science.

The Space Show this week:

1. Monday, May 12, 2008, 2-3:30 PM Pacific: Robert Zimmerman, journalist and author, returns to bring us current on space developments and happenings. His new book, "Universe in A Mirror" is about to be released and will be discussed.

2. Tuesday, May 13, 2008, 7-8:30 PM Pacific: This show will consist of recorded interviews with students and others from the recent Responsive Space Conference. You can hear this show from the website archives.

3. Friday, May 16, 2008, 9:30-11:30 AM Pacific: There is no program today due to being by my son's side as he has sinus surgery.

4. Sunday, May 18, 2008, 12-1:30 PM Pacific: We welcome Amaresh Kollipara with us to discuss Earth2Orbit. Amaresh is a Founder and Managing Partner of Earth2Orbit, LLC, which is a global provider of satellite launch services. Earth2Orbit is working with the Indian Space Research Organization to provide commercial launch services to a variety of satellite clients.

Go to AMSAT News for the latest headlines about developments in amateur and student satellites and for updates about amateur radio on the ISS :

* AMSAT Engineering Teams and Raffle at Dayton
* Dayton AMSAT/TAPR Banquet ticket sales close 12 May
* AMSAT Board of Directors Nominations
* Ronald A. Parise, WA4SIR, SK
* 5th Annual Cubesat Summer Workshop
* ARISS Status - 5 May 2008
1. ARISS Space Day Contact Successful
2. Astronaut Training Status

I've often wondered if a business could be built on using airships just for tourist cruises. Looks like Airship Ventures will give it a try:
/-- Look, up in the sky: Zeppelin company Airship Ventures raises $8M - VentureBeat - May.9.08
/-- Airship Ventures Completes $8 Million Series A Financing: Zeppelin Airship to Begin US Operations This Fall - Airship Ventures - May 7, 2008.

If they are successful, perhaps this will lead to a boost in funding for more advanced designs such as the Aeroscraft.

Personal airships are coming along as well: SkyYacht - The Personal Blimp

Mark Branch enjoys success as both a space engineer and club DJ : At NASA and Nightclubs, Stars Align for DJ Scientific - washingtonpost.com

A couple of articles about the science in science fiction movies:
/-- Five science fiction movies that get the science right - New Scientist - May.8.08
/-- Bad Movie Physics: A Report Card - io9 - Mar.14.08

News about a promising solar concentrator system from a company called Sunrgi Solar Energy Systems:
/-- Focusing on Solar's Cost - Technology Review - May.7.08
/-- Sunrgi's 'extreme' solar concentrators to match grid power - CNET News - May.2.08