The next flight of Dragon to ISS has been set for March 1.
The next flight of Dragon to ISS has been set for March 1.
The next flight of Dragon to ISS has been set for March 1.
Tag: engineering
The next flight of Dragon to ISS has been set for March 1.
The hot fire test of the Antares first stage tonight was aborted at the last second.
The hot fire test of the Antares first stage tonight was aborted at the last second.
The planned first stage propulsion system “hot fire” test of Orbital’s new Antares medium-class rocket was halted in the final seconds of the countdown by the rocket’s flight computer, which detected an anomalous condition. The Antares team will evaluate the data from the test to determine the nature of the abort. A new date for the test has not been determined.
With any new rocket this kind of thing is to be expected. The concern here is the tight schedule that Orbital Sciences is under to get Antares and Cygnus operational. Long delays will not be good for them, considering the politics in Congress. Every delay will be used by certain politicians to get this program cut so the money can go to the very expensive Space Launch System that feeds the jobs in their districts.
Update: It appears the issue was that the computer detected a low pressure reading and aborted the burn. (A similar issue occurred on several of SpaceX’s early launches as was very quickly corrected.) A rescheduled hot burn is expected to take place next week.
The hot fire test of the Antares first stage tonight was aborted at the last second.
The planned first stage propulsion system “hot fire” test of Orbital’s new Antares medium-class rocket was halted in the final seconds of the countdown by the rocket’s flight computer, which detected an anomalous condition. The Antares team will evaluate the data from the test to determine the nature of the abort. A new date for the test has not been determined.
With any new rocket this kind of thing is to be expected. The concern here is the tight schedule that Orbital Sciences is under to get Antares and Cygnus operational. Long delays will not be good for them, considering the politics in Congress. Every delay will be used by certain politicians to get this program cut so the money can go to the very expensive Space Launch System that feeds the jobs in their districts.
Update: It appears the issue was that the computer detected a low pressure reading and aborted the burn. (A similar issue occurred on several of SpaceX’s early launches as was very quickly corrected.) A rescheduled hot burn is expected to take place next week.
The hot fire test of the first stage of the Antares rocket has been rescheduled to tonight.
The hot fire test of the first stage of the Antares rocket has been rescheduled to tonight.
No reason has been given for the one day delay.
The hot fire test of the first stage of the Antares rocket has been rescheduled to tonight.
No reason has been given for the one day delay.
Russian investigators, having pinpointed the cause of a December 2012 launch failure, have cleared the Proton rocket to resume commercial launches in March.
Russian investigators, having pinpointed the cause of a December 2012 launch failure, have cleared the Proton rocket to resume commercial launches in March.
It is interesting that this failure of the Proton’s Briz-M upper stage was not related to two previous failures of that same upper stage. It is also interesting that the article does not describe what actions have been taken to correct the problem.
If I was a future Proton launch customer I would be very concerned. Three launch failures all related to the Briz-M upper stage, and all from different causes. This appears to suggest some fundamental problems with the stage itself, or with the company that manufactures it.
Russian investigators, having pinpointed the cause of a December 2012 launch failure, have cleared the Proton rocket to resume commercial launches in March.
It is interesting that this failure of the Proton’s Briz-M upper stage was not related to two previous failures of that same upper stage. It is also interesting that the article does not describe what actions have been taken to correct the problem.
If I was a future Proton launch customer I would be very concerned. Three launch failures all related to the Briz-M upper stage, and all from different causes. This appears to suggest some fundamental problems with the stage itself, or with the company that manufactures it.
On a Tuesday drop test engineers successfully demonstrated that the Orion capsule could land safely if one of its three parachutes failed.
On a Tuesday drop test engineers successfully demonstrated that the Orion capsule could land safely if one of its three parachutes failed.
On a Tuesday drop test engineers successfully demonstrated that the Orion capsule could land safely if one of its three parachutes failed.
A Russian Progress freighter successfully docked with ISS yesterday only six hours after launch.
A Russian Progress freighter successfully docked with ISS yesterday only six hours after launch.
A Russian Progress freighter successfully docked with ISS yesterday only six hours after launch.
Comparing the price of Falcon 9 with the Atlas 4.
Comparing the price of the Falcon 9 with the Atlas 4.
Today’s launch was conducted aboard the “plain Jane” version of the Atlas V, the 401, which has no strap on boosters, a single upper stage engine and a 4 meter fairing. It was originally awarded to Lockheed Martin Commercial Launch Services in 2007 for a $124 million fixed fee contract. By contrast the first NASA science launch awarded to the SpaceX Falcon 9, that of the Jason -3 satellite for 2014, was for $82 million. With current pricing for similarly equipped Atlas V 401 vehicles for NASA launches at roughly $150 million, based on awards from 2011, the difference is hardly trivial.
In other words, Falcon 9 is almost half the price. No wonder satellite companies are flocking to buy a launch on it.
Comparing the price of the Falcon 9 with the Atlas 4.
Today’s launch was conducted aboard the “plain Jane” version of the Atlas V, the 401, which has no strap on boosters, a single upper stage engine and a 4 meter fairing. It was originally awarded to Lockheed Martin Commercial Launch Services in 2007 for a $124 million fixed fee contract. By contrast the first NASA science launch awarded to the SpaceX Falcon 9, that of the Jason -3 satellite for 2014, was for $82 million. With current pricing for similarly equipped Atlas V 401 vehicles for NASA launches at roughly $150 million, based on awards from 2011, the difference is hardly trivial.
In other words, Falcon 9 is almost half the price. No wonder satellite companies are flocking to buy a launch on it.
Kodak’s test footage of some of its earliest full color Kodachrome film, shot in 1922.
A glimpse into the past: Kodak’s early test footage for full color Kodachrome film, shot in 1922.
A glimpse into the past: Kodak’s early test footage for full color Kodachrome film, shot in 1922.
The hotfire engine test of the first stage of Orbital Sciences’ Antares rocket has now been scheduled for February 12.
The competition heats up: The hotfire engine test of the first stage of Orbital Sciences’ Antares rocket has now been scheduled for February 12.
The competition heats up: The hotfire engine test of the first stage of Orbital Sciences’ Antares rocket has now been scheduled for February 12.
The leaders of Russia and Kazakhstan have announced that an agreement has been reached regarding Russia’s lease for the Baikonur spaceport.
The leaders of Russia and Kazakhstan have announced that an agreement has been reached regarding Russia’s lease for the Baikonur spaceport.
No details were released but I suspect that Kazakhstan has probably backed down from some of its demands, fearful of losing the Russians when the new Russian spaceport in Vostochny opens in 2015.
The leaders of Russia and Kazakhstan have announced that an agreement has been reached regarding Russia’s lease for the Baikonur spaceport.
No details were released but I suspect that Kazakhstan has probably backed down from some of its demands, fearful of losing the Russians when the new Russian spaceport in Vostochny opens in 2015.
An image mismatch raises questions about Iran’s monkey in space
An image mismatch raises questions about Iran’s monkey in space.
An image mismatch raises questions about Iran’s monkey in space.
An engine shutdown shortly after the lift off of a Sea Launch rocket destroyed an Intelsat satellite on Friday.
An engine shutdown shortly after the lift off of a Sea Launch rocket destroyed an Intelsat satellite on Friday.
This is very bad news for Sea Launch and its Russian Zenit rocket.
An engine shutdown shortly after the lift off of a Sea Launch rocket destroyed an Intelsat satellite on Friday.
This is very bad news for Sea Launch and its Russian Zenit rocket.
SpaceX has signed a contract to launch an Israeli satellite.
The competition heats up: SpaceX has signed a contract to launch an Israeli communications satellite.
The competition heats up: SpaceX has signed a contract to launch an Israeli communications satellite.
South Korea successfully launched its first satellite, using its own rocket, on Wednesday.
The competition heats up: South Korea successfully launched its first satellite, using its own rocket, on Wednesday.
The first stage was built by Russia, but everything else was produced in South Korea.
The competition heats up: South Korea successfully launched its first satellite, using its own rocket, on Wednesday.
The first stage was built by Russia, but everything else was produced in South Korea.
Virgin Galactic has begun paying rent — under protest — for its use of a New Mexico spaceport.
Virgin Galactic has begun paying rent — under protest — for its use of a New Mexico spaceport.
Virgin Galactic has begun paying rent — under protest — for its use of a New Mexico spaceport.
Iran today claimed it has successfully flown a monkey on a suborbital rocket flight.
Iran today claimed it has successfully flown a monkey on a suborbital rocket flight.
The only sources for this story come from Iranian sources, so I remain unsure whether it actually happened.
Iran today claimed it has successfully flown a monkey on a suborbital rocket flight.
The only sources for this story come from Iranian sources, so I remain unsure whether it actually happened.
An American team has successfully obtained samples from Lake Whillans, buried half a mile under the Antarctic icecap.
More Antarctica news: An American team has successfully obtained samples from Lake Whillans, buried half a mile under the Antarctic icecap.
More Antarctica news: An American team has successfully obtained samples from Lake Whillans, buried half a mile under the Antarctic icecap.
The robotic refueling demo on ISS successfully did a simulated refueling on Friday.
The robotic refueling demo on ISS successfully did a simulated refueling of a satellite on Friday.
The robotic refueling demo on ISS successfully did a simulated refueling of a satellite on Friday.
The first nighttime photos from Mars.
The first nighttime photos from Mars.
The first nighttime photos from Mars.
DARPA’s project to harvest parts from abandoned geosynchronous satellites.
Salvage in space: DARPA’s project to harvest parts from abandoned geosynchronous satellites.
Salvage in space: DARPA’s project to harvest parts from abandoned geosynchronous satellites.
The Russian foreign minister today denied that there is any friction between Kazakhstan and Russia over the use of the Baikonur spaceport.
The Russian foreign minister today denied that there is any friction between Kazakhstan and Russia over the use of the Baikonur spaceport. More here.
Despite the denial, it appears that they are in some tough negotiations which to their chagrin got leaked to the press.
The Russian foreign minister today denied that there is any friction between Kazakhstan and Russia over the use of the Baikonur spaceport. More here.
Despite the denial, it appears that they are in some tough negotiations which to their chagrin got leaked to the press.
NASA engineers today test fired a major component of a refurbished Saturn 5 engine.
Back to the future: NASA engineers today test fired a major component of a refurbished Saturn 5 engine.
Back to the future: NASA engineers today test fired a major component of a refurbished Saturn 5 engine.
Engineers at Lockheed Martin are adding structural braces to fix the cracks found in the first Orion capsule.
Engineers at Lockheed Martin are adding structural braces to fix the cracks found in the first Orion capsule.
Engineers have designed a “doubler” to place over the cracks to ensure the craft can sustain loads from pressure, launch and landing. Geyer said two of the structural aids, similar to devices regularly used on airplanes, could be added to the spacecraft. “We’ve come up with a great plan to basically bridge over those cracks to distribute the load so we don’t see any issues on orbit,” Geyer said.
How reassuring.
Engineers at Lockheed Martin are adding structural braces to fix the cracks found in the first Orion capsule.
Engineers have designed a “doubler” to place over the cracks to ensure the craft can sustain loads from pressure, launch and landing. Geyer said two of the structural aids, similar to devices regularly used on airplanes, could be added to the spacecraft. “We’ve come up with a great plan to basically bridge over those cracks to distribute the load so we don’t see any issues on orbit,” Geyer said.
How reassuring.
Happy 10th anniversary to the Opportunity rover on Mars!
Happy 9th anniversary to the Opportunity rover on Mars!
Talk about getting your money’s worth: The rover was planned as a 90 day mission.
Happy 9th anniversary to the Opportunity rover on Mars!
Talk about getting your money’s worth: The rover was planned as a 90 day mission.
Russia is now threatening to abandon its Baikonur launch site due to restrictions demanded by the Kazakhstan government.
Russia is now threatening to abandon its Baikonur launch site due to restrictions demanded by the Kazakhstan government.
The restrictions include a limitation in the number of Proton launches, which Russia claims will cost them half a million dollars in sales. The problem is that the new Russia launch site in Vostochny will not be ready until 2015. If Russia pulls out of Baikonur before then, there will be no way to launch humans to ISS for at least the next two years.
Russia is now threatening to abandon its Baikonur launch site due to restrictions demanded by the Kazakhstan government.
The restrictions include a limitation in the number of Proton launches, which Russia claims will cost them half a million dollars in sales. The problem is that the new Russia launch site in Vostochny will not be ready until 2015. If Russia pulls out of Baikonur before then, there will be no way to launch humans to ISS for at least the next two years.
An update on the Chinese manned program.
An update on the Chinese manned program.
The original script called for [the space station] Tiangong 1 to be followed by Tiangong 2, which would have been a module of the same basic design as Tiangong 1. Tiangong 2 was expected to have tested more advanced life-support systems than Tiangong 1, but there would be no major changes to the spacecraft. It was expected that two or three crews would be launched to this module.
Towards the end of the decade, China would then launch Tiangong 3, which was slated to be an entirely different class of spacecraft. It would be larger and more capable. Tiangong 3 was expected by some analysts to be a precursor to the types of modules to be used in China’s future space station, slated for launch around 2020.
According to Yang’s presentation, we can forget about Tiangong 2. Or at least, we can forget about Tiangong 2 as it was originally planned. China still plans to launch a mission with this name, but it would seem that the large laboratory module originally known as “Tiangong 3” has now been designated as the new Tiangong 2.
In other words, China is accelerating the admittedly slow pace of their manned program.
An update on the Chinese manned program.
The original script called for [the space station] Tiangong 1 to be followed by Tiangong 2, which would have been a module of the same basic design as Tiangong 1. Tiangong 2 was expected to have tested more advanced life-support systems than Tiangong 1, but there would be no major changes to the spacecraft. It was expected that two or three crews would be launched to this module.
Towards the end of the decade, China would then launch Tiangong 3, which was slated to be an entirely different class of spacecraft. It would be larger and more capable. Tiangong 3 was expected by some analysts to be a precursor to the types of modules to be used in China’s future space station, slated for launch around 2020.
According to Yang’s presentation, we can forget about Tiangong 2. Or at least, we can forget about Tiangong 2 as it was originally planned. China still plans to launch a mission with this name, but it would seem that the large laboratory module originally known as “Tiangong 3” has now been designated as the new Tiangong 2.
In other words, China is accelerating the admittedly slow pace of their manned program.
Planetary Resources has released a video showing off the prototype of their Arkyd-100 space telescope.
The competition heats up: Planetary Resources has released a video showing off the prototype of their Arkyd-100 space telescope.
As I noted when this company first appeared, for the foreseeable future they are going to be a manufacturer of space telescopes, not an asteroid mining company. At the same time, they, like Deep Space Industries, are going to drive satellite development towards lower cost and smarter design, which in the long run will make asteroid mining practical and profitable.
The competition heats up: Planetary Resources has released a video showing off the prototype of their Arkyd-100 space telescope.
As I noted when this company first appeared, for the foreseeable future they are going to be a manufacturer of space telescopes, not an asteroid mining company. At the same time, they, like Deep Space Industries, are going to drive satellite development towards lower cost and smarter design, which in the long run will make asteroid mining practical and profitable.
After a short delay due to software issues, the satellite servicing demo on ISS has begun.
After a short delay due to software issues, the satellite servicing demo on ISS has begun.
The actual refueling is scheduled to take place late Thursday.
After a short delay due to software issues, the satellite servicing demo on ISS has begun.
The actual refueling is scheduled to take place late Thursday.
The plans and proposed launch schedule of the new asteroid mining company, Deep Space Industries.
The plans and proposed launch schedule of the new asteroid mining company, Deep Space Industries.
They aim to do their work using cubesats, which will keep everything cheap and simple, with the first launches by 2015, and the first sample return missions by 2016. Their new manufacturing technology appears to be a variation of 3D printing, though the descriptions so far released remain vague on details.
We should have even more information later today, after their press conference, aired live on youtube here at 1 pm (eastern).
The plans and proposed launch schedule of the new asteroid mining company, Deep Space Industries.
They aim to do their work using cubesats, which will keep everything cheap and simple, with the first launches by 2015, and the first sample return missions by 2016. Their new manufacturing technology appears to be a variation of 3D printing, though the descriptions so far released remain vague on details.
We should have even more information later today, after their press conference, aired live on youtube here at 1 pm (eastern).
A NASA engineering team is restarting the agency’s 1960s research into nuclear powered engines for deep space missions.
A NASA engineering team is restarting the agency’s 1960s research into nuclear powered engines for deep space missions.
If completed and put into use, these engines could easily revolutionize the exploration of the solar system. Forgive me, however, if I remain skeptical, not because I lack faith in the technology but because I lack faith in NASA’s ability to finish anything.
A NASA engineering team is restarting the agency’s 1960s research into nuclear powered engines for deep space missions.
If completed and put into use, these engines could easily revolutionize the exploration of the solar system. Forgive me, however, if I remain skeptical, not because I lack faith in the technology but because I lack faith in NASA’s ability to finish anything.