The first powered flight of SpaceShipTwo could come before year’s end
The first powered test flight of SpaceShipTwo could come before year’s end.
The first powered test flight of SpaceShipTwo could come before year’s end.
Tag: engineering
The first powered flight of SpaceShipTwo could come before year’s end
The World’s First Everything-Proof Underground Luxury Community
The world’s first everything-proof underground luxury community. Fun quote:
The Barstow bunker was built to withstand a 50-megaton nuclear blast 10 miles away, 450mph winds, a magnitude-10 earthquake, 10 days of 1,250°F surface fires, and three weeks beneath any flood. Vicino says that a soon-to-be-installed air-filtration system will also neutralize any biological, chemical or nuclear attacks. The Barstow branch will stock enough food and clothing to sustain 135 people for at least a year, and in a lifestyle that Vicino describes as compact but luxurious, like being on a cruise ship.
The world’s first everything-proof underground luxury community. Fun quote:
The Barstow bunker was built to withstand a 50-megaton nuclear blast 10 miles away, 450mph winds, a magnitude-10 earthquake, 10 days of 1,250°F surface fires, and three weeks beneath any flood. Vicino says that a soon-to-be-installed air-filtration system will also neutralize any biological, chemical or nuclear attacks. The Barstow branch will stock enough food and clothing to sustain 135 people for at least a year, and in a lifestyle that Vicino describes as compact but luxurious, like being on a cruise ship.
The first trapped miner about to hauled free
The first trapped Chilean miner is expected to be hauled from the mine sometime before midnight tonight.
The first trapped Chilean miner is expected to be hauled from the mine sometime before midnight tonight.
The possibilities for China’s Chang’e 2 lunar probe
The possibilities for China’s Chang’e 2 lunar probe include travel far beyond the Moon.
The possibilities for China’s Chang’e 2 lunar probe include travel far beyond the Moon.
The state of NASA’s commercial crew program
The state of NASA’s commercial crew program. Key quote:
The Obama administration requested $3.3 billion for commercial crew services over the next three years, but a so-called compromise bill forged in the Senate slashed the proposal in half. After months of heated contention, the House of Representatives finally agreed to the Senate authorization bill in late September, calling for $1.6 billion for the commercial program.
The state of NASA’s commercial crew program. Key quote:
The Obama administration requested $3.3 billion for commercial crew services over the next three years, but a so-called compromise bill forged in the Senate slashed the proposal in half. After months of heated contention, the House of Representatives finally agreed to the Senate authorization bill in late September, calling for $1.6 billion for the commercial program.
Asteroid to zip past Earth on Tuesday
A 20 foot diameter asteroid is going to zip past the Earth on Tuesday, passing over East Asia only 28,000 miles away.
A 20 foot diameter asteroid is going to zip past the Earth on Tuesday, passing over East Asia only 28,000 miles away.
Using ISS as a launching platform to get to the Moon
The various partners running the ISS are considering using it as a platform to launch an orbital manned mission to the Moon.
The various partners running the ISS are considering using it as a platform to launch an orbital manned mission to the Moon.
X-37B goes missing.
Spaceweather.com noted yesterday that the amateur astronomers have reported the X-37B space plane missing. It did not show up when expected, based on its known orbit. Key quote:
It’s possible that the X-37B has landed. More likely, the space plane has maneuvered into a new orbit and will be recovered again in the nights ahead.
Spaceweather.com noted yesterday that the amateur astronomers have reported the X-37B space plane missing. It did not show up when expected, based on its known orbit. Key quote:
It’s possible that the X-37B has landed. More likely, the space plane has maneuvered into a new orbit and will be recovered again in the nights ahead.
Footage of SpaceShipTwo’s first solo flight
Rescue shaft breaks through to Chilean miners
Rescue shaft breaks through to Chilean miners.
Rescue shaft breaks through to Chilean miners.
SpaceShipTwo makes its first solo flight and landing
Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo made its first solo flight and landing today.
Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo made its first solo flight and landing today.
An engineer’s guide to cats
Chile miners should be reached ‘within hours’
The shaft to rescue the trapped Chilean miners should reach them ‘within hours’, according to this BBC report.
The shaft to rescue the trapped Chilean miners should reach them ‘within hours’, according to this BBC report.
Soyuz launches with three astronauts, headed to ISS
A Soyuz rocket launched a new crew of three astronauts to ISS today. Fun quote:
The six [astronauts on ISS] on Nov. 1 will celebrate the 10th anniversary of continuous human presence on the station.
A Soyuz rocket launched a new crew of three astronauts to ISS today. Fun quote:
The six [astronauts on ISS] on Nov. 1 will celebrate the 10th anniversary of continuous human presence on the station.
ESA struggles to fund returnable module
Government space faces budget realities: The European Space Agency is struggling to find the funds to both extend ISS as well as upgrade their cargo carrier so that it can also return cargo from ISS.
Government space faces budget realities: The European Space Agency is struggling to find the funds to both extend ISS as well as upgrade their cargo carrier so that it can also return cargo from ISS.
Bigelow about to announce big news
Private space moves forward, without NASA: Clark Lindsey at www.rlvnews.com notes that Robert Bigelow — the man behind the first private space station’s — seems poised to announce the first six nations who’ve agreed to rent space on his stations.
Private space moves forward, without NASA: Clark Lindsey at www.rlvnews.com notes that Robert Bigelow — the man behind the first private space station’s — seems poised to announce the first six nations who’ve agreed to rent space on his stations.
Engineer spice
Four Chinese lunar landers?
Muppets: “I don’t want to live on the Moon”
Soyuz capsule shipping container damaged
The container used to ship a Soyuz capsule to Baikonur was damaged in transport. No word yet on the condition of the capsule, which was scheduled for a December launch to ISS.
The container used to ship a Soyuz capsule to Baikonur was damaged in transport. No word yet on the condition of the capsule, which was scheduled for a December launch to ISS.
Space tourism from the island of Curaçao in the Netherlands Antilles
The space tourism company Xcor today signed a deal to fly suborbital flights as soon as 2014 from the island of Curaçao in the Netherlands Antilles.
The space tourism company Xcor today signed a deal to fly suborbital flights as soon as 2014 from the island of Curaçao in the Netherlands Antilles.
NASA technology chief: We’ll decide what rocket we want to build
NASA’s technology chief said today that despite the specific demands Congress included in its authorization bill, NASA will make its own decision on the kind of heavy-lift rocket it wants to build.
NASA’s technology chief said today that despite the specific demands Congress included in its authorization bill, NASA will make its own decision on the kind of heavy-lift rocket it wants to build.
Lunar X Prize award set at $30 million
The Lunar X Prize award for putting the first privately funded robot on the Moon by 2012 is now set at $30 million.
The Lunar X Prize award for putting the first privately funded robot on the Moon by 2012 is now set at $30 million.
Lutetia covered with deep regolith
Using the data gathered by Rosetta in its fly-by of the asteroid Lutetia in July, scientists have concluded that the 60 mile diameter asteroid is covered with a deep layer of dusty debris, as much as 2000 feet deep.
Using the data gathered by Rosetta in its fly-by of the asteroid Lutetia in July, scientists have concluded that the 60 mile diameter asteroid is covered with a deep layer of dusty debris, as much as 2000 feet deep.
The wind-blown dunes of Mars
The HiRise Camera on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has released some wonderful new pictures, showing what are called barchan dunes on Mars.
Barchans are crescent-shaped, with the horns of the crescents pointing downwind. One barchan is visible in the upper part of the image, with the Southeast (lower right) horns longer than the other. This trend, along with the position of the steep face of the dune on the South side, indicates that the predominant winds which formed the dunes came from the North.
There are a lot more great images on the websites above.
Rocket pieces fall in China
The second Chinese probe to the Moon did more than take off on Friday. It also rained pieces of metal down on a Chinese villages in Suichuan County, Jiangxi, China.
The second Chinese probe to the Moon did more than take off on Friday. It also rained pieces of metal down on a Chinese villages in Suichuan County, Jiangxi, China.
Virgin Galactic’s launching system in doubt
Virgin Galactic, the company that is building a suborbital rocket to put tourists in space, appears to be delaying the development of its orbital launching system.
Meanwhile, the company resumed capture carry flights of WhiteKnightTwo, with SpaceShipTwo attached, with a five hour test flight on Thursday.
Virgin Galactic, the company that is building a suborbital rocket to put tourists in space, appears to be delaying the development of its orbital launching system.
Meanwhile, the company resumed capture carry flights of WhiteKnightTwo, with SpaceShipTwo attached, with a five hour test flight on Thursday.
EPA fines SpaceX
How dare you succeed! The EPA has fined SpaceX $45,600 for hazardous waste violations.
How dare you succeed! The EPA has fined SpaceX $45,600 for hazardous waste violations.
New standards on car mpg
What does this have to do with engineering? Under a plan released by the Obama adminstration today, automakers will be required to magically achieve substantially higher fuel efficiency — between 47 and 62 miles per gallon — by 2025.
What does this have to do with engineering? Under a plan released by the Obama adminstration today, automakers will be required to magically achieve substantially higher fuel efficiency — between 47 and 62 miles per gallon — by 2025.