Ten's A Crowd

Astronomers have announced the discovery of what is likely to be classified as the tenth planet of our solar system. It has tentatively been given the terribly imaginative name of 2003 UB313.... And some people say scientists are unromantic geeks.

NASA is expected to launch an unsuccessful mission to our new neighbor any day now.

Meanwhile, astronauts on board Discovery will soon be conducting another spacewalk, this time to correct a potential problem with the shuttle's heat shield. Officials at the space agency emphasize that this new development is not a result of the foam that broke off during launch.

Um, okay. Is that supposed to be somehow reassuring? Whatever the cause of the problem, if I were on board Discovery I'd be grabbing a parachute right about now and heading out the airlock.... After changing my shorts, of course.