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"Biggest Space Moments of 2012\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n10. The Epic Supermoon\n\nOn a clear weekend in May, the full moon got the closest to Earth that it will reach all year, resulting in what astronomers called the \"supermoon.\" It appeared 14% bigger and 30% brighter than the average full moon.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n9. First Triathlon in Space\n\nNASA astronaut Sunita Williams completed the first triathlon in space. She ran, biked and swam along with athletes in the Nautica Malibu Triathlon held in Southern California this September. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n8. 26 Alien Planets in 11 Solar Systems\n\nIn January, NASA announced that its Kepler telescope had discovered 11 new planetary systems with 26 confirmed alien planets. The \"exoplanets\" range in size -- from 1.5 times the radius of Earth to larger than Jupiter. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n7. Earth Sings in Space\n\nNASA's Storm Probe satellites captured radio waves caused by the Van Allen belts and rendered them into an audio recording. While you can't technically hear sound in space, the radio waves -- or \"chorus\" -- is real. Some say the sound is similar to a whale's song.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n6. Space Shuttle Endeavour's LA Trek\n\n\nIn order to get to its permanent home at the California Science Center, space shuttle Endeavour had to make one epic journey through the streets of Los Angeles. \nA Toyota Tundra pulled the 155,000-pound shuttle on a 12-mile route to the museum, leaving a trail of once-in-a-lifetime photo ops and stories that passers-by will tell their kids for years.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n5. SpaceX Dragon and the ISS\n\n\nAfter testing the Dragon capsule and the Falcon 9 launch vehicle in May, NASA approved SpaceX to deliver a series of cargo shipments to the ISS, bringing a total of 20 metric tons of supplies into space.\nIn its most recent journey, Dragon spent three weeks on board the station before heading back to Earth with astronaut blood and urine samples. \nThe mission is a significant step towards making private space flight a near-future reality. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n4. Felix Baumgartner's Space Jump\n\n\nStuntman Felix Baumgartner jumped 128,00 feet from the edge of space in October. Baumgartner set records for highest jump from a platform (128,100 feet), longest distance freefall (119,846 feet) and maximum vertical velocity (833.9 mph or Mach 1.24). He also broke the YouTube record for \"livestream with most concurrent views ever.\" \nWatch his dizzying headcam video for a truly out-of-this-world experience. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n3. The Farthest-Ever View Into the Universe\n\n\nThe Hubble Space Telescope captured the farthest-ever view into the universe. This photo, called eXtreme Deep Field, reveals thousands of galaxies billions of light-years away. The image is a composite of 10 years of Hubble telescopic views. \nJust think, the lights you see in this photo come from planets that no longer exist -- that's how far away it is. Mind. Blown.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n2. Farewell, Neil Armstrong\n\n\nThis August we said goodbye to the first man on the moon. Neil Armstrong passed away at 82 after complications from a heart bypass surgery. \nOn July 20, 1969, Armstrong made history by placing his left foot onto the surface of the moon and uttering the words, \u201CThat\u2019s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.\u201D \nIt is, arguably, the greatest scientific feat of the 20th century.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n1. Curiosity Rover Makes History on Mars\n\nWe could go on and on about this incredible robot and her 23-month expedition on the Red Planet. Curiosity's landing on Mars was dubbed the \"seven minutes of terror,\" and it is reason alone to put her in our top spot. \nSince making her landing on Aug. 5, Curiosity has found an ancient streambed where water once flowed, \"touched\" her first Martian rock, snapped incredible self-portraits and even made the universe's first Foursquare check-in on Mars.\nAnd she still has 20 months left to go.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYou could say that 2012 was the year of Mars. But that wouldn't be the whole story. \nIn 2012, we got the deepest glimpse into the universe. We heard Earth sing a melodious tune. We said goodbye to a national space hero. And yes, we began to scratch the surface of the mysterious Red Planet. \nMore than that, 2012 was the year that mankind reconnected with space. Although NASA retired its 30-year shuttle program, the U.S. government invested billions into the Curiosity rover and commercial spaceships. And private companies like SpaceX made revolutionary strides in getting us steps closer to commercial space flight. When tickets one day go on sale for trips to the moon, we'll look back on 2012 as the year that made it all possible.\nWe also had a lot of fun with space in 2012. A daredevil skydiver jumped from the edge of space. We watched a 155,000-pound space shuttle parade through the streets of Los Angeles. And we followed that quirky rover as she (yes, she) checked in to Mars on Foursquare and tweeted about her latest findings.\n\nSEE ALSO: 15 Twitter Accounts Every Space Lover Should Follow\nSo take an intergalactic journey through 2012 with us as we remember the biggest space moments of the year. Did we leave anything out? Let us know in the comments below."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2012/11/08/best-space-moments-2012/>