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It is "Star Wars" Week here on our tiny little mote of a planet, and while notions of a "galaxy far, far away" are omnipresent, our local space is quite busy. The Expedition 46 crew were 

On Mars, the Curiosity rover reached the 

In Saturn's orbit, the Cassini probe continues to observe Saturn's many moons and rings, including another 


This week: Browse through sci-fi movies before you see "Star Wars," see why it might not be NASA going back to the moon, and learn why some water drops bounce better than others.

Why we're going back to the Moon — with or without NASA


The confirmation of ice on the Moon opened up the real possibility of space mining. Water can be split to create hydrogen for fuel and oxygen to breathe, providing an easier stepping stone out of low Earth orbit. 


A look at science fiction film landscape around the time of "Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope." 

For these fans, "Star Wars" a force that binds family together


MPR News' Nancy Yang explores how "Star Wars" has gone multi-generational and is bridging the interests of parents and their children. 



Not all water drop bounces are equal, and a pair of Swiss researchers are exploring why. 

How to build a Death Star, according to a NASA engineer

How to Build a Death Star According to a NASA Engineer

How Star Wars and the internet changed movie trailers


A look back across the history of trailers and how they have evolved, and affected the movie going experience. 


In an audacious move a new space opera series is launching the same week as the new Star Wars movie. 

 set in a future with asteroid mining, colonized Ceres and Mars and working fusion drives, the series is an adaptation of the books by Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck, written under the pen name James S. A. Corey.

William Lager

Author

This week, browse through sci-fi movies before 'Star Wars,' see why it might not be NASA going back to the moon, and learn why some water drops bounce better than others.

Bouncing water, space opera and Soyuz: Your weekly reading list

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