Carnival of Space #50

Another Thursday, another new host for the Carnival of Space, over at KySat Online. (What's KySat Online? It's an organization that "trains and supports students in the dynamics of spacecraft design, payload development, launch and the operation of small satellites and related spacecraft (including near-space) as a means of extending science, technology, engineering, education, innovation and entrepreneurship in Kentucky.") Wander over there and check out what space bloggers are buzzing about this week.

Also new on our website is the latest in Tyler Nordgren's "Stars Above, Earth Below" series, this time from Arches National Park. As always, his photos are beautiful.Lou Friedman shares his thoughts on the future of Mars Sample Return in his latest letter "From the Executive Director."

And Amir Alexander just posted an informative article on "The Tunguska Riddle: How Powerful Was the Greatest Impact in Recorded History?" One recent conclusion is that the destructive event might have been caused by a smaller bolide than previously thought -- which increases the likelihood that another Tunguska will happen in the future. (In other words, since smaller objects are vastly more common than larger objects, the suggestion that it took a smaller object than we thought to make the Tunguska explosion is bad news.)