More secrets of the Soviet N1 Moon rocket
Secrets of the Soviet N1 Moon rocket.
Secrets of the Soviet N1 Moon rocket.
Tag: engineering
More secrets of the Soviet N1 Moon rocket
Taking a Soyuz capsule around the moon
If you’re interested, seats are available for a tourist trip around the moon in a Soyuz capsule. And the Russians say the Soyuz is ready to go!
If you’re interested, seats are available for a tourist trip around the moon in a Soyuz capsule. And the Russians say the Soyuz is ready to go!
The space war between China and the U.S.
The military space war between China and the U.S.
The military space war between China and the U.S.
Study finds no consumer demand for Obama’s electric cars
Reality meets feel-good politics: A study has found that there is no consumer interest in buying the one million electric cars Obama wants on the road by 2015.
Reality meets feel-good politics: A study has found that there is no consumer interest in buying the one million electric cars Obama wants on the road by 2015.
natural gas leak prompts the evacuation of several buildings at Kennedy Space Center today
A natural gas leak prompted the evacuation of several buildings at Kennedy Space Center today, including the Vehicle Assembly Building and the Orbiter Processing Facility.
A natural gas leak prompted the evacuation of several buildings at Kennedy Space Center today, including the Vehicle Assembly Building and the Orbiter Processing Facility.
Stardust refines its flight path towards comet Tempel
On Monday Stardust did a final mid-course correction in anticipation of its February 14 fly-by of of Comet Tempel 1.
On Monday Stardust did a final mid-course correction in anticipation of its February 14 fly-by of of Comet Tempel 1.
Israeli team enters Google Lunar X Prize competition
An Israeli team has entered the Google Lunar X Prize competition, hoping to land a nanosat on the moon for only $8 million.
An Israeli team has entered the Google Lunar X Prize competition, hoping to land a nanosat on the moon for only $8 million.
Russia regains contact with missing military satellite
Russia regains contact with missing military satellite, finds that it was placed in the wrong orbit.
Russia regains contact with missing military satellite, finds that it was placed in the wrong orbit.
Vapor trails
Remembering Columbia
An evening pause: On this day eight years ago, the space shuttle Columbia broke up as it returned from orbit. Rather than watch that sad sight again, I’d rather remember the shuttle’s achievements. Watch this footage of Columbia’s first landing on April 14, 1981, which proved it was possible to glide powerless back from space and land safely on a runway. Though we as a nation might be abandoning this approach right now, future generations will use this as their standard way to return to Earth.
Several things to note as you watch the video. First, the shuttle’s angle of descent is extremely and frighteningly steep, until the very last moment. And every shuttle landing is like this. The shuttle is heavy, but it is still attempting to glide powerless to a landing. To do so it needs the thickness of the atmosphere combined with high speed to give it lift. Thus, it plows downward at a mucher higher speed and angle than any airplane, then quickly levels out at the last moment.
Secondly, this first landing did not have a drogue chute to slow the shuttle down. Rather than complicate things, they simply let the shuttle roll until it came to a stop.
Russia loses contact with new military satellite
Russia loses contact with newly launched military satellite.
Russia loses contact with newly launched military satellite.
Using fishing nets to catch space junk
Using fishing nets to catch space junk.
Using fishing nets to catch space junk.
A proposal to bypass the effort of Egypt (or any government) to shut down the internet
A proposal to bypass the effort of Egypt (or any government) to shut down the internet.
A proposal to bypass the effort of Egypt (or any government) to shut down the internet.
Air Force’s second X-37B space plane nears launch
The Air Force’s second X-37B space plane is now scheduled for a March 4 launch. Key quote:
“We want to be able to put an object up into space, materials, technology and so forth, test them out, bring them back and examine them,” said Richard McKinney, deputy under secretary of the Air Force for space programs. “In that respect, this is a test vehicle.”
The Air Force’s second X-37B space plane is now scheduled for a March 4 launch. Key quote:
“We want to be able to put an object up into space, materials, technology and so forth, test them out, bring them back and examine them,” said Richard McKinney, deputy under secretary of the Air Force for space programs. “In that respect, this is a test vehicle.”
A look back at the V2 rocket
A look back at the V2 rocket.
A look back at the V2 rocket.
Teenager builds ‘death-ray’ which can burn through almost anything
Indiana teenager has built a “Solar death-ray” that can literally burn through almost anything!
Indiana teenager has built a “Solar death-ray” that can literally burn through almost anything!
The chimp that took America into space
The chimp that took America into space.
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.