Space Science
The New York Times and Global and Galactic Probes featured an article on three December launches. The Ice, Cloud and Land Elevation Satellite (IceSat) and the Cosmic Hot Interstellar Plasma Spectrometer satellite (ChipSat), which is scheduled to be launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif on Dec. 19. IceSat will assist with the studies of ice sheets and its affect on the Earth's climate. Jay Zwally, project scientist at NASA Goddard is quoted in the article explaining the need for knowing about the ice melting and its effects in the future. ChipSat will look at a rarely studied region between nearby stars. The third mission is the instrument SeaWinds and it is scheduled to launch on Dec. 13, but from a Japanese spacecraft that will launch from an island off southern Japan. SeaWinds is a scatterometer that will monitor the speed and directions of winds over the Earth's oceans.

Florida Today featured an article about last week's launch of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite - J (TDRS-J) from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. TDRS-J is part of the network of satellites is responsible for relaying communications between the space shuttle, the International Space Station and mission control on the ground. It also provides a communication link for other NASA satellites, such as the Hubble Space Telescope.

Earth Science
The Los Angeles Times carried a story this week reporting that the year 2002 is the second warmest year on record. Dr. James Hanson of NASA/GISS is quoted in the article citing his analysis of surface temperatures collected from several thousand weather stations around the world.