A look at China’s rocket engine development program
A look at China’s rocket engine development program.
A look at China’s rocket engine development program.
Tag: engineering
A look at China’s rocket engine development program
The detailed look at the robotic satellite refueling demo that is taking place on ISS this week.
The detailed look at the robotic satellite refueling demo that is taking place on ISS this week.
The detailed look at the robotic satellite refueling demo that is taking place on ISS this week.
“Our Fisker Karma cost us $107,850. It is super sleek, high-tech—and now it’s broken.”
From Consumer Reports: “Our Fisker Karma cost us $107,850. It is super sleek, high-tech—and now it’s broken.”
Another wise business choice by the Obama administration, which gave this electric car company just over a half billion dollars in federal subsidies to develop this plug-in hybrid car.
From Consumer Reports: “Our Fisker Karma cost us $107,850. It is super sleek, high-tech—and now it’s broken.”
Another wise business choice by the Obama administration, which gave this electric car company just over a half billion dollars in federal subsidies to develop this plug-in hybrid car.
Researchers have completed the first comprehensive map of the entire ocean floor debris field of the Titanic.
Researchers have completed the first comprehensive map of the entire ocean-floor debris field of the Titanic.
Researchers have completed the first comprehensive map of the entire ocean-floor debris field of the Titanic.
Two engineers propose using a thousand mile long magnetic track to accelerate passengers into space.
Engineers’ dreams: A proposal to use a thousand mile long magnetic track to accelerate passengers into space.
Engineers’ dreams: A proposal to use a thousand mile long magnetic track to accelerate passengers into space.
Robotic refueling demo begins today on ISS
A robotic refueling demo. designed and built by the same people who ran the Hubble Space Telescope repair missions, begins today on ISS, using Dextre.
This demo is designed to prove that a robot, operated from the ground, can refuel a satellite not designed for refueling. The demo satellite on ISS was built to match the design of several climate satellites already in orbit that will end up defunct in a few years if they can’t be refueled.
A robotic refueling demo. designed and built by the same people who ran the Hubble Space Telescope repair missions, begins today on ISS, using Dextre.
This demo is designed to prove that a robot, operated from the ground, can refuel a satellite not designed for refueling. The demo satellite on ISS was built to match the design of several climate satellites already in orbit that will end up defunct in a few years if they can’t be refueled.
The rail gun: a cheap solution for getting payloads into orbit quickly.
The rail gun: a cheap solution for getting payloads into orbit quickly.
The rail gun: a cheap solution for getting payloads into orbit quickly.
The delayed launch of Europe’s cargo freighter to ISS is now targeted for March 23.
The delayed launch of Europe’s cargo freighter to ISS is now targeted for March 23.
The delayed launch of Europe’s cargo freighter to ISS is now targeted for March 23.
The X-37B marks one year in orbit
The X-37B marks one year in orbit.
More importantly, the Air Force has indicated that a third X-37B mission will launch this fall.
The X-37B marks one year in orbit.
More importantly, the Air Force has indicated that a third X-37B mission will launch this fall.
Pendulum waves
Clouds inside a room.
Clouds inside a room. With pictures.
Clouds inside a room. With pictures.
What next for the X-37B?
Today the second X-37B celebrates the completion of a full year in orbit, with no indication from the Air Force that the mission is to end soon.
Today the second X-37B celebrates the completion of a full year in orbit, with no indication from the Air Force that the mission is to end soon.
We should all cheer SpaceX’s success
The cracks that have been found on the wings of the new Airbus A380 jumbo jet have now been traced to a company in the United Kingdom.
The cracks that have been found on the wings of the new Airbus A380 jumbo jet have now been traced to work done by a company in the United Kingdom.
A senior industry expert told The Times: ‘The issue is around the type of aluminum being used and the fitting which, as a result of the assembly, creates the crack’, with a source close to the problem adding, ‘It is a design and process engineering failure’.
The cracks that have been found on the wings of the new Airbus A380 jumbo jet have now been traced to work done by a company in the United Kingdom.
A senior industry expert told The Times: ‘The issue is around the type of aluminum being used and the fitting which, as a result of the assembly, creates the crack’, with a source close to the problem adding, ‘It is a design and process engineering failure’.
The March 9 launch of Europe’s cargo freighter to ISS has been delayed two weeks so that engineers can climb inside and tighted two straps holding two cargo containers in place.
The March 9 launch of Europe’s next cargo freighter to ISS has been delayed two weeks so that engineers can climb inside and tighten two straps holding two cargo containers in place.
I suspect the reasons behind this problem are quite embarrassing, which is probably why the press releases are so vague about why the straps were loose and how the Europeans discovered the problem.
The March 9 launch of Europe’s next cargo freighter to ISS has been delayed two weeks so that engineers can climb inside and tighten two straps holding two cargo containers in place.
I suspect the reasons behind this problem are quite embarrassing, which is probably why the press releases are so vague about why the straps were loose and how the Europeans discovered the problem.
A new roller coaster, dubbed “the Swarm,” is so intense it ripped the arms and legs off of its crash dummies during testing.
Not my idea of fun: A new roller coaster ride, dubbed “the Swarm,” is so intense it ripped the arms and legs off of its crash dummies during testing.
Not my idea of fun: A new roller coaster ride, dubbed “the Swarm,” is so intense it ripped the arms and legs off of its crash dummies during testing.
NASA successfully completed parachute drop tests of its Orion capsule on Wednesday.
NASA successfully completed parachute drop tests of its Orion capsule on Wednesday. With pics.
NASA successfully completed parachute drop tests of its Orion capsule on Wednesday. With pics.
Construction of the Tokyo Sky Tree, the world’s tallest structure, was completed on Wednesday.
Construction of the Tokyo Sky Tree, the world’s tallest structure, was completed on Wednesday.
Construction of the Tokyo Sky Tree, the world’s tallest structure, was completed on Wednesday.
SpaceX’s dress rehearsal countdown and fuel test of the Falcon 9 rocket at Cape Canaveral today was a complete success.
Good news: SpaceX’s dress rehearsal countdown and fuel test of the Falcon 9 rocket at Cape Canaveral today was a complete success.
Good news: SpaceX’s dress rehearsal countdown and fuel test of the Falcon 9 rocket at Cape Canaveral today was a complete success.
A commercial project to refuel and repair communication satellites with an unmanned robot, recently killed due to lack of interest from the U.S. government, might get the needed additional funding from DARPA.
Back from the dead? A commercial project to refuel and repair communication satellites with an unmanned robot, recently killed due to lack of interest from the U.S. government, might get the needed additional funding from DARPA.
Back from the dead? A commercial project to refuel and repair communication satellites with an unmanned robot, recently killed due to lack of interest from the U.S. government, might get the needed additional funding from DARPA.
At a Congressional hearing on Wednesday, NASA’s inspector general outlined more than five thousand security lapses at the agency in 2010 and 2011, including the theft of a laptop with the control codes for ISS.
At a Congressional hearing on Wednesday, NASA’s inspector general outlined more than five thousand security lapses at the agency in 2010 and 2011, including the theft of a laptop with the control codes for ISS.
At a Congressional hearing on Wednesday, NASA’s inspector general outlined more than five thousand security lapses at the agency in 2010 and 2011, including the theft of a laptop with the control codes for ISS.
Using its Space Launch System and Orion capsule, NASA is aiming for an unmanned test flight around the Moon in December 2017.
Using its Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion capsule, NASA is aiming for an unmanned test flight around the Moon in December 2017.
Two important tidbits revealed by this article: First, the first test flight of Orion will use a Delta 4 Heavy rocket. Two, NASA hopes to have its heavy lift SLS rocket ready for the 2017 mission.
Forgive me for being cynical, but I will believe the second tidbit only when it happens.
Using its Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion capsule, NASA is aiming for an unmanned test flight around the Moon in December 2017.
Two important tidbits revealed by this article: First, the first test flight of Orion will use a Delta 4 Heavy rocket. Two, NASA hopes to have its heavy lift SLS rocket ready for the 2017 mission.
Forgive me for being cynical, but I will believe the second tidbit only when it happens.
Falcon 9 is on the launchpad in Florida, being prepared for a countdown and fuel test tomorrow.
Fingers crossed: Falcon 9 is on the launchpad in Florida, being prepared for a countdown and fuel test tomorrow.
Fingers crossed: Falcon 9 is on the launchpad in Florida, being prepared for a countdown and fuel test tomorrow.
What is the International Space Station’s weakest link?
What is the International Space Station’s weakest link?
Mark Mulqueen, ISS vehicle director for Boeing Co., said keeping the station’s environmental control and life support systems, or ECLSS, functioning over the next decade will likely be engineers’ toughest challenge. “I don’t think it’s sparing or the structure to get to 2020,” Mulqueen said. “It’s probably continued refinement of how we successfuly operate our ECLSS system on-orbit. There has been a lot of effort going into understanding that.”
The article outlines a number of other areas of concern, none of which appear to be serious, for now, but could be a problem as the years pass.
What is the International Space Station’s weakest link?
Mark Mulqueen, ISS vehicle director for Boeing Co., said keeping the station’s environmental control and life support systems, or ECLSS, functioning over the next decade will likely be engineers’ toughest challenge. “I don’t think it’s sparing or the structure to get to 2020,” Mulqueen said. “It’s probably continued refinement of how we successfuly operate our ECLSS system on-orbit. There has been a lot of effort going into understanding that.”
The article outlines a number of other areas of concern, none of which appear to be serious, for now, but could be a problem as the years pass.
A $35 computer
An update on Stratolaunch
An update on Stratolaunch.
An update on Stratolaunch.
ATK prepares for another test firing of its five-segment solid rocket motor.
ATK prepares for another test firing of its five-segment solid rocket motor.
The qualification campaign, led by rocket-builder ATK, will prove the solid-fueled motor is ready to help propel the Space Launch System from Earth on two test flights in 2017 and 2021.
Though obviously funded out of the Space Launch System program (SLS), there is no guarantee at this moment that ATK’s solid rocket will be used in these test flights. NASA has said that they are considering all options for picking the launch rocket.
In a sense, we are now seeing a side benefit produced by relying on independent and competing private companies to get into space. It has placed pressure on NASA and the companies building SLS to perform. Unlike in the past, when failure to produce a new rocket or spaceship meant that NASA would simply propose a new concept and start again, now failure will mean that someone else might get the work. The result: SLS might actually get built, for less money and faster.
Though I don’t see how NASA can possibly cut the costs down to compete with these private companies, their effort might succeed enough for Congress to keep the money spigots open until the rocket gets built.
Even as I say this I remain skeptical. Considering the federal budget situation, the politics of the upcoming election, and the strong possibility that private companies will successfully provide that launch capability at a tenth the cost, I expect that sometime in the next two or three years Congress will finally balk at SLS’s cost, and eliminate it.
ATK prepares for another test firing of its five-segment solid rocket motor.
The qualification campaign, led by rocket-builder ATK, will prove the solid-fueled motor is ready to help propel the Space Launch System from Earth on two test flights in 2017 and 2021.
Though obviously funded out of the Space Launch System program (SLS), there is no guarantee at this moment that ATK’s solid rocket will be used in these test flights. NASA has said that they are considering all options for picking the launch rocket.
In a sense, we are now seeing a side benefit produced by relying on independent and competing private companies to get into space. It has placed pressure on NASA and the companies building SLS to perform. Unlike in the past, when failure to produce a new rocket or spaceship meant that NASA would simply propose a new concept and start again, now failure will mean that someone else might get the work. The result: SLS might actually get built, for less money and faster.
Though I don’t see how NASA can possibly cut the costs down to compete with these private companies, their effort might succeed enough for Congress to keep the money spigots open until the rocket gets built.
Even as I say this I remain skeptical. Considering the federal budget situation, the politics of the upcoming election, and the strong possibility that private companies will successfully provide that launch capability at a tenth the cost, I expect that sometime in the next two or three years Congress will finally balk at SLS’s cost, and eliminate it.
The first industrial railgun has begun firing tests at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Virginia.
The first industrial railgun has begun firing tests at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Virginia. With video.
Following a series of low-energy test shots, evaluation of the launcher is now underway and will see tests conducted at 20 megajoules to 32 megajoules – one megajoule is equivalent to a 1-ton object being thrust at 100 mph (161 km/h). Test projectiles similar to those previously fired from [the] laboratory’s launcher will be fired at speeds of 4,500 to 5,600 mph (7,242 to 9,012 km/h) using electricity instead of chemical propellants.
These speeds are a only little less than one third escape velocity. Pump this technology up a bit and you could have a cheap way to get simple supplies, such as fuel, water, oxygen, into orbit. In fact, one company is even trying to do it.
The first industrial railgun has begun firing tests at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Virginia. With video.
Following a series of low-energy test shots, evaluation of the launcher is now underway and will see tests conducted at 20 megajoules to 32 megajoules – one megajoule is equivalent to a 1-ton object being thrust at 100 mph (161 km/h). Test projectiles similar to those previously fired from [the] laboratory’s launcher will be fired at speeds of 4,500 to 5,600 mph (7,242 to 9,012 km/h) using electricity instead of chemical propellants.
These speeds are a only little less than one third escape velocity. Pump this technology up a bit and you could have a cheap way to get simple supplies, such as fuel, water, oxygen, into orbit. In fact, one company is even trying to do it.
Great Heights Reached with Gaffer Tape
Coming soon to your neighborhood: A surveillance camera that can fly to heights of almost 200 feet.
Coming soon to your neighborhood: A surveillance camera that can fly to heights of almost 200 feet.
Coming soon to your neighborhood: A surveillance camera that can fly to heights of almost 200 feet.