2013 in space

Original at Gizmag.
I've already begun my end of year retrospectives with What did 2013 say on YouTube?  That means it's time to work my way up from the ridiculous to the sublime.  The best way to do that is to begin as high up as possible, with the year in space.  Under the "if it moves, it leads" policy of the blog, I begin with From Earth to Deep Space: NASA 2013 Highlights.

NASA highlights its accomplishments in air and space for 2013.

There was another NASA year in review video that I included in A Solstice spacewalk and other space and astronomy news, but it was beneath the fold.  For those of you who missed it, I'm being a good environmentalist and recycling it.

2013 What Happened This Year @NASA

In 2013, NASA helped transform access to low Earth orbit ... even as one of our venerable spacecraft reached the boundaries of the solar system ... and we moved ahead on technologies -- that will help us carry out an ambitious asteroid mission we announced ... and, eventually, move on to Mars.

Here's a quick trip back through 2013 for those and some of the other big things that happened This Year at NASA.

Follow over the jump for the rest of the space stories from last night's Overnight News Digest: Science Saturday (Science in 2013) on Daily Kos.

NBC News: Year in space: Meteor blows up, comet dies — and rovers are on a roll
Alan Boyle, Science Editor NBC News
Dec. 26, 2013 at 8:47 PM ET

The stage has been set for space ventures that will occupy our attention here on Earth for years to come — thanks to a meteoric blast over Russia, a couple of rovers on the moon and Mars, and the rise of private enterprise on the final frontier.

The top space stories aren't just about what happened in 2013: They're also about global trends in scientific discovery and technological competition. For example, China's successful moon landing could point to larger geopolitical shifts. The progress made in spaceflight by ventures such as SpaceX, Orbital Sciences and Virgin Galactic could point to new economic opportunities.

Every December since 1997, we've reviewed the top stories of the previous 12 months and the trends likely to dominate the next 12 months in space science and exploration. And we've left it up to you to decide what should lead the list. To refresh your memory, 2012's top story was the Curiosity rover's landing on Mars, and 2013's top anticipated trend was SpaceShipTwo's flight to outer space.

That Virgin spaceflight hasn't happened yet, but it could be on tap for 2014. Take a look at these rundowns for the year behind and the year ahead, cast a vote for your favorites, and tell us what we're missing in the comment section:

Space.com: 6 Biggest Space Science Discoveries of 2013
by Nola Taylor Redd, SPACE.com contributor
December 28, 2013 02:00pm ET

The year 2013 saw a wealth of discoveries, insights, and milestones that advanced the fields of astronomy and other space sciences. From extrasolar planets to extraterrestrial neutrinos, these finds have made sure that 2013 has been an unforgettable year.

Here's a look back at some of the most stunning space science revelations of the year:

RedOrbit: Best Of The Best: The Top NASA Stories For 2013

Every year, it seems NASA announces several exciting new developments or first-ever achievements and 2013 was no different. From entering into Martian surface to leaving the Solar System, NASA continued to leave its mark on human history this past year.

Discovery News: Reader's Choice: Favorite Space Story of 2013
by Ian O'Neill
Dec 27, 2013 03:00 PM ET

Every year at Discovery News we reach out to our loyal readers to find out what their favorite space stories were for 2013. These aren't necessarily the biggest science stories nor the biggest discoveries; they are the stories that engaged YOU over the past 12 months. 2013 has been nothing short of epic for adventures in space -- but after pooling your nominations and taking web traffic into consideration, you voted and there is a clear winner for the year. So, what was the "Reader's Choice: Favorite Space Story of 2013"?

Science News: Top exoplanet finds of 2013
by Ashley Yeager
11:38am, December 28, 2013

With the addition this year of 180 new worlds to the Paris Observatory’s list of confirmed exoplanets, there are now more than 1,000 known planets orbiting stars other than the sun.

Here are some of the year’s most notable finds:

Space.com via LiveScience: Strange New Worlds: The Amazing Alien Planet Discoveries of 2013
By Mike Wall, Senior Writer
December 27, 2013 04:25pm ET

While astronomers didn't bag that elusive first "alien Earth" in 2013, they made plenty of exciting exoplanet discoveries during the past year.

Here's a list of the top exoplanet finds of 2013, from a tiny world about the size of Earth's moon to a blue gas giant on which it rains molten glass:

And that's a wrap for 2013 in space.  It was an amazing year.  May 2014 be just as exciting, despite what The Archdruid predicts.