Weird Planet fractals
An evening pause: There is really a very thin line between math and life.
Tag: engineering
Prices, Demand, and SpaceX
For the past three days there has been a very lively debate by readers of Behind the Black, attempting to figure out the actual cost of launching payload to low Earth orbit by various rockets, including SpaceX, the space shuttle, and the NASA-built Space Launch System.
Three stories published today add some new information to this debate.
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The scientists who took the first image of single molecule in 2009 have improved the resolution of their images.
The scientists who took the first image of single molecule in 2009 have improved the resolution of their images.
They not only can see the molecule, they can now detect the differences between the atomic bonds holding the different atoms together.
Jeb Corliss – Grinding The Crack
An evening pause: Helmet cam during one of Jeb Corliss‘ wingsuit flights.
It appears that Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and Georgia are all competing to be the location of SpaceX’s proposed private commercial spaceport.
The competition heats up: It appears that Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and Georgia are all competing to be the location of SpaceX’s proposed private commercial spaceport.
Germany announced yesterday that it has approved funding for the design of an in-orbit test of a robot satellite servicing mission.
Germany announced yesterday that it has approved funding for the design of an in-orbit test of a robot satellite servicing mission.
The DEOS project will for the first time demonstrate technologies for the controlled in-orbit disposal of a defective satellite. In addition, DEOS will practice how to complete maintenance tasks – refueling in particular – that extend the service life of satellites. DEOS consists of two satellites, a ‘client’ and a ‘servicer’. The client acts as the satellite requiring maintenance or disposal. The servicer carries out the necessary work on the client. The two satellites will be launched together and brought into orbit at a height of 550 kilometers. According to current planning, DEOS will be ready for launch in 2018.
Scaled Composites, having finished glide tests of SpaceShipTwo, is now installing the rocket motor for powered flight tests.
The competition heats up: Scaled Composites, having finished glide tests of SpaceShipTwo, is now installing the rocket motor for powered flight tests.
Scaled Composites has successfully performed another test of the rocket motor that will be used on SpaceShipTwo.
Scaled Composites has successfully performed another test of the rocket motor that will be used on SpaceShipTwo.
Watch 127,141 Dominoes fall
An evening pause: July 6, 2012: Watch as 127,141 out of 128,000 dominoes fall, setting two world records.
Using space junk and 3D printers to build spaceships in space.
Using space junk and 3D printers to build spaceships in space.
SpaceX today signed a contract to launch three satellites for the European company SES.
The competition heats up: SpaceX today signed a contract to launch three additional satellites for the European company SES.
SpaceX already has a contract to launch one SES communications satellite next year.
At the AIAA meeting this week in Pasadena, NASA officials admitted that the Space Launch System (SLS) will likely cost half a billion dollars per launch
It’s only money! At the AIAA meeting this week in Pasadena, NASA officials admitted that the Space Launch System (SLS) will likely cost half a billion dollars per launch.
That means that after only two flights this rocket will have cost about the same as the entire manned commercial program, from which three different space companies are building three different methods for getting humans into space. After three missions it will cost more, and after four missions it will have cost double. And this is assuming that the half billion dollar “target” number ends up correct.
We can’t afford this. We never could, which is why the Saturn 5 rocket was abandoned, and why the shuttle never fulfilled its stated goal of lowering the cost of access to space and after thirty years was abandoned as well. Instead, we have got to find a cheaper way to do this, and to my mind, competition and private enterprise is the only hope.