The chimp that took America into space
The chimp that took America into space.
The chimp that took America into space.
Tag: engineering
The chimp that took America into space
Bigelow signs agreement with Dubai and United Arab Emirates
Bring on those private space stations! Bigelow Aerospace has signed an agreement with Dubai and United Arab Emirates.
Bring on those private space stations! Bigelow Aerospace has signed an agreement with Dubai and United Arab Emirates.
Another freighter docks with ISS
Another freighter, this time from Russia, docks with ISS.
Another freighter, this time from Russia, docks with ISS.
Using skateboards to test prototype lunar lander
Using skateboards to test a prototype lunar lander.
Using skateboards to test a prototype lunar lander.
Electric cars and their cold-weather shortcomings
Reality meets feel-good politics: Electric cars and their cold-weather shortcomings. Key quote:
“If you live in an area where the winters get extremely cold an all-electric vehicle will have to be garaged and equipped with some kind of plug-in battery warmer for it to be effective in the coldest months of the year. Keep these thoughts in mind if you’re planning an electric car purchase; we don’t want you finding out the range of your car has been halved when it’s five below zero and you’re fifteen miles from home.”
Reality meets feel-good politics: Electric cars and their cold-weather shortcomings. Key quote:
“If you live in an area where the winters get extremely cold an all-electric vehicle will have to be garaged and equipped with some kind of plug-in battery warmer for it to be effective in the coldest months of the year. Keep these thoughts in mind if you’re planning an electric car purchase; we don’t want you finding out the range of your car has been halved when it’s five below zero and you’re fifteen miles from home.”
Challenger, 25 years later
Today is the 25th anniversary of the Challenger accident. There are innumerable links from many sources talking about the event, too many for me to list here. You can find most at this link on Jeff Foust’s website, spacetoday.net.
Though I think it is very important for us to remember and honor these events, I have become somewhat disenchanted with the modern American obsession with memorials and anniversaries. Rather than build a memorial, I’d much rather we focused entirely on building new spaceships, new space stations, and new lunar bases, while flying multi-year missions on ISS, all in preparation for exploring and colonizing the solar system.
If we actually made the solar system a place for humans to live in and explore, we would build a far better memorial to those who have sacrificed their lives for the sake of exploration. And I think these heroes would be far more pleased by that memorial than by a stone statue or emotional op-ed that describes their courage.
Japan’s second robot cargo vehicle successfully docks at ISS
Another Japanese space success today: Its second robot cargo vehicle has successfully docked at ISS.
Another Japanese space success today: Its second robot cargo vehicle has successfully docked at ISS.
Ikaros takes a picture of Venus
Ikaros takes a picture of Venus.
Ikaros takes a picture of Venus.
International Space Station Could Get Private Inflatable Room
Private space marches on! NASA is in negotiations with Bigelow Aerospace to buy one of their inflatable space station modules and attach it to ISS.
Private space marches on! NASA is in negotiations with Bigelow Aerospace to buy one of their inflatable space station modules and attach it to ISS.
Japan’s IKAROS Solar Sail Mission Extended for a Year
More solar sail news: Japan’s solar sail mission, IKAROS, has been extended for a year. Key quote:
With the extended lease on life, the team will try new navigational tricks, such as varying the sail’s angle toward the sun and changing the craft’s trajectory. Mori called these “risky” maneuvers because they are not sure if the sail will remain fully extended. They intend to model the sail’s behavior and the craft’s response to plan future solar sail missions.
More solar sail news: Japan’s solar sail mission, IKAROS, has been extended for a year. Key quote:
With the extended lease on life, the team will try new navigational tricks, such as varying the sail’s angle toward the sun and changing the craft’s trajectory. Mori called these “risky” maneuvers because they are not sure if the sail will remain fully extended. They intend to model the sail’s behavior and the craft’s response to plan future solar sail missions.
NASA TV to Show Russian Space Station Cargo Ship Arrival
How’s this for your evening television entertainment: Beginning 8 pm on Saturday, NASA TV will show the docking of the next Russian Progress freighter to ISS.
How’s this for your evening television entertainment: Beginning 8 pm on Saturday, NASA TV will show the docking of the next Russian Progress freighter to ISS.
US removes Indian firms from Entity List
The federal government has lifted the import security restrictions that existed against India, which will give that country better access to America’s most sophisticated technologies, and thus be a boon for its space industry.
The federal government has lifted the import security restrictions that existed against India, which will give that country better access to America’s most sophisticated technologies, and thus be a boon for its space industry.
NASA offers cash prizes for amateur pictures of NanoSail-D
Want to do some space science and make money? Take pictures of NASA’s solar sail, NanoSail-D.
Want to do some space science and make money? Take pictures of NASA’s solar sail, NanoSail-D.
SpaceX’s plans leading to manned flight
SpaceX’s plans leading to manned flight.
SpaceX’s plans leading to manned flight.
Cars of dreams
Ham radio amateurs hear NanoSail-D’s signal
Ham radio operators were the ones to detect NanoSail-D’s signal. The deployment of the solar sail is soon to follow.
Ham radio operators were the ones to detect NanoSail-D’s signal. The deployment of the solar sail is soon to follow.
The most powerful rocket launch ever from the West Coast
The most powerful rocket launch ever from the West Coast.
The most powerful rocket launch ever from the West Coast.
How to book a trip on Virgin Galactic
Is NanoSail-D alive? Only your ham radio operator will know!
Is the NASA solar sail satellite NanoSail-D alive? Only your ham radio operator will know!
Is the NASA solar sail satellite NanoSail-D alive? Only your ham radio operator will know!
Climate change study had ‘significant error’: experts
Climate scientists admit that a climate change study which claimed the Earth would warm by more than 4 degrees Fahrenheit in about a decade had “significant errors”. Key quote:
Scientist Scott Mandia forwarded to AFP an email he said he sent to Hisas ahead of publication explaining why her figures did not add up, and noting that it would take “quite a few decades” to reach a warming level of 2.4 degrees Celsius. “Even if we assume the higher end of the current warming rate, we should only be 0.2C warmer by 2020 than today,” Mandia wrote. “To get to +2.4C the current trend would have to immediately increase almost ten-fold.”
Climate scientists admit that a climate change study which claimed the Earth would warm by more than 4 degrees Fahrenheit in about a decade had “significant errors”. Key quote:
Scientist Scott Mandia forwarded to AFP an email he said he sent to Hisas ahead of publication explaining why her figures did not add up, and noting that it would take “quite a few decades” to reach a warming level of 2.4 degrees Celsius. “Even if we assume the higher end of the current warming rate, we should only be 0.2C warmer by 2020 than today,” Mandia wrote. “To get to +2.4C the current trend would have to immediately increase almost ten-fold.”
A Mars Map app for Android phones
A Mars map app for Android phones.
A Mars map app for Android phones.
Injured astronaut replaced for next shuttle flight
NASA has named a replacement for astronaut Tim Kopra, who injured himself in a bicycle accident, for the next shuttle mission.
NASA has named a replacement for astronaut Tim Kopra, who injured himself in a bicycle accident, for the next shuttle mission.
The state of Virgin Galactic
The state of Virgin Galactic. Key quote:
One of the great things about Galactic is that it’s still built on a non-government market — that is to say, the individual spacefarer market, the space tourist market, call it what you will. As you know, we’re now over 400 people [who have paid deposits for a spaceflight], and over $55 million dollars in deposits. None of that is based on a government program. I think that’s really encouraging. It’s a sign that there are markets outside the government, and that you can build a human spaceflight business around those markets.
The state of Virgin Galactic. Key quote:
One of the great things about Galactic is that it’s still built on a non-government market — that is to say, the individual spacefarer market, the space tourist market, call it what you will. As you know, we’re now over 400 people [who have paid deposits for a spaceflight], and over $55 million dollars in deposits. None of that is based on a government program. I think that’s really encouraging. It’s a sign that there are markets outside the government, and that you can build a human spaceflight business around those markets.
Astronauts4hire is still looking for astronauts
Want to become an astronaut? Astronauts4hire is still looking for a few good candidates.
Want to become an astronaut? Astronauts4hire is still looking for a few good candidates.
How Hackers Can Use Smart Keys To Steal Cars
How car thieves can use your smart car keys to steal your car.
How car thieves can use your smart car keys to steal your car.
A Private Space Shuttle Replacement
A private space shuttle replacement. And it ain’t SpaceX or Orbital Sciences!
A private space shuttle replacement. And it ain’t SpaceX or Orbital Sciences!
Advertising Could Pay for a Mission to Mars, Scientist Says
Let advertisers pay for a mission to Mars.
Let advertisers pay for a mission to Mars.
Engineering the world’s largest telescope
NASA needs billions to get Lockheed Martin’s Orion into space
And NASA thinks it can compete with SpaceX or Orbital Sciences? The agency is asking for billions more to build the Orion capsule.
And NASA thinks it can compete with SpaceX or Orbital Sciences? The agency is asking for billions more to build the Orion capsule.
Looking for a missing poster sized Lunar Orbiter “Earthrise” image from 1966
Keith Cowing is trying to locate a missing spectacular blow-up poster of the Lunar Orbiter “Earthrise” image from 1966, shown here.
Keith Cowing is trying to locate a missing spectacular blow-up poster of the Lunar Orbiter “Earthrise” image from 1966, shown here.