Tag: engineering
Japan’s Third Disaster
Japanese quake disrupts space station operations
The 8.9 earthquake has shut down the Japanese space station mission control center, forcing NASA to take over monitoring Japanese ISS modules.
The 8.9 earthquake has shut down the Japanese space station mission control center, forcing NASA to take over monitoring Japanese ISS modules.
Fixing the Webb telescope
NASA has concluded that it will cost an additional $30 million to fix the degradation problem on the James Webb Space Telescope’s scientific instruments.
NASA has concluded that it will cost an additional $30 million to fix the degradation problem on the James Webb Space Telescope’s scientific instruments.
The table saw that cannot cut fingers
Virgin Galactic surpasses $10 million in ticket sales
Virgin Galactic surpassed $10 million in space tourism sales in 2010.
Virgin Galactic surpassed $10 million in space tourism sales in 2010.
Space Duct Tape Could Confuse Mars Rover
The kapton tape used on the next Mars rover, Curiosity, releases enough methane of its own that it could mess up the rover’s other science.
The kapton tape used on the next Mars rover, Curiosity, releases enough methane of its own that it could mess up the rover’s other science.
Putting ISS to use
Putting ISS to use. Key quote:
Under consideration is using the entire station and its six-person crew as an analog for a deep-space human exploration vehicle en route to Mars. An internal team is studying the feasibility and value of such an exercise in the summer of 2012. “We might start with a small window, like a 30-day window, with actual time delays with what we’d expect with a Martian communications system,” Gerstenmaier says. “We may freeze our consumables on station, in the sense of saying that we’ve started our voyage to Mars, and see how well we do in our predictions.”
Putting ISS to use. Key quote:
Under consideration is using the entire station and its six-person crew as an analog for a deep-space human exploration vehicle en route to Mars. An internal team is studying the feasibility and value of such an exercise in the summer of 2012. “We might start with a small window, like a 30-day window, with actual time delays with what we’d expect with a Martian communications system,” Gerstenmaier says. “We may freeze our consumables on station, in the sense of saying that we’ve started our voyage to Mars, and see how well we do in our predictions.”
Russian Satellite Nearly Collided with Korean Weather Satellite
A Russian military satellite nearly collided with a Korean weather satellite earlier this week.
A Russian military satellite nearly collided with a Korean weather satellite earlier this week.
Maiden flight of the space shuttle Discovery
An evening pause:I had played this video as an evening pause back in November, when I thought the last mission of the space shuttle Discovery would be launched. Now that it has finally landed, completing its final mission, I think worthwhile to once again go back in time and watch a film of the shuttle’s maiden flight, launched August 30, 1984, narrated by the astronauts themselves. Note that the female astronaut on this flight is Judith Resnik, who died a little over a year and a half later in the Challenger accident.
The secret world of doomsday shelters
Got a few hundred thousand you can spare? Why not build a doomsday bomb shelter?
Got a few hundred thousand you can spare? Why not build a doomsday bomb shelter?
Discovery has landed, for the last time
Discovery has landed safely, for the last time.
Discovery has landed safely, for the last time.
148,221,665 Things to Know About Space Shuttle Discovery
How to make Hot Ice
More evidence Penn State’s investigation of Mann was a whitewash
More evidence that Penn State’s investigation of IPCC climate researcher Michael Mann was a whitewash.
The key point is that the Penn State investigators never interviewed a principal who was able to confirm or deny a key charge against “Hockey Stick” lead author of “Hide the Decline” infamy Michael Mann. This individual has now been interviewed, and what he told federal investigators has indicted Mann and Penn State.
I have noted this already, the very week the Penn State report was issued, but it is nice to see there is further evidence to confirm my conclusions.
More evidence that Penn State’s investigation of IPCC climate researcher Michael Mann was a whitewash.
The key point is that the Penn State investigators never interviewed a principal who was able to confirm or deny a key charge against “Hockey Stick” lead author of “Hide the Decline” infamy Michael Mann. This individual has now been interviewed, and what he told federal investigators has indicted Mann and Penn State.
I have noted this already, the very week the Penn State report was issued, but it is nice to see there is further evidence to confirm my conclusions.
A hint of what is inside X-37b
Want to know what’s inside X-37b? New Scientist dug around in the patent office and got some clues. Key quote:
Boeing reveals in the patent that the solar array has been designed to permit fast folding and stowing. The reason? So the X-37B can fold the solar array away, fire its thrusters and change its orbit to confound adversaries. This would be useful for satellites, too, says Boeing: “The ability to completely re-stow would offer mission flexibility to move the satellite thus making its orbit unpredictable.”
Want to know what’s inside X-37b? New Scientist dug around in the patent office and got some clues. Key quote:
Boeing reveals in the patent that the solar array has been designed to permit fast folding and stowing. The reason? So the X-37B can fold the solar array away, fire its thrusters and change its orbit to confound adversaries. This would be useful for satellites, too, says Boeing: “The ability to completely re-stow would offer mission flexibility to move the satellite thus making its orbit unpredictable.”
Discovery has undocked from ISS, for the last time.
Discovery has undocked from ISS, for the last time.
Discovery has undocked from ISS, for the last time.
A lean future for U.S. planetary missions
Planetary scientists make their recommendations for the kinds of planetary missions they think the United States should do for the next decade. And it looks like a lean future, as the scientists also note that their primary recommendations, missions to Mars and Europa, should only be built if their budgets can be trimmed significantly:
NASA’s top priority, according to the survey’s recommendations, should be the Mars Astrobiology Explorer Cacher, or MAX-C, which could help determine whether Mars ever supported life and offer insight on its geologic and climate history. It would also be the first step in an effort to get samples from Mars back to Earth. However, the report said this mission should only be undertaken if NASA’s cost is about $2.5 billion, which is $1 billion less than independent estimates provided to the panel. The mission would be run jointly by NASA and the European Space Agency, according to the survey.
A mission to Europa and its subsurface ocean — which might support life — should be the second priority mission, the experts said. But its estimated price tag of $4.7 billion may make it too expensive without an increase in NASA’s planetary science budget or a paring of the mission’s costs. [emphasis mine]
Planetary scientists make their recommendations for the kinds of planetary missions they think the United States should do for the next decade. And it looks like a lean future, as the scientists also note that their primary recommendations, missions to Mars and Europa, should only be built if their budgets can be trimmed significantly:
NASA’s top priority, according to the survey’s recommendations, should be the Mars Astrobiology Explorer Cacher, or MAX-C, which could help determine whether Mars ever supported life and offer insight on its geologic and climate history. It would also be the first step in an effort to get samples from Mars back to Earth. However, the report said this mission should only be undertaken if NASA’s cost is about $2.5 billion, which is $1 billion less than independent estimates provided to the panel. The mission would be run jointly by NASA and the European Space Agency, according to the survey.
A mission to Europa and its subsurface ocean — which might support life — should be the second priority mission, the experts said. But its estimated price tag of $4.7 billion may make it too expensive without an increase in NASA’s planetary science budget or a paring of the mission’s costs. [emphasis mine]
China Details Ambitious Space Station Goals
Flying car
The second X-37b is in orbit
The second X-37b is in orbit. Key quote:
Similar to [Orbital Test Vehicle-1] , [Orbital Test Vehicle-2]’s actual mission duration will depend on the vehicle achieving its test objectives, but he expects it to remain on orbit for approximately 270 days. “We may extend the mission to enhance our understanding of the OTV capabilities,” Colonel Giese said, “especially since the performance data from the first flight suggest that the vehicle could have gone beyond the 270-day requirement.”
The second X-37b is in orbit. Key quote:
Similar to [Orbital Test Vehicle-1] , [Orbital Test Vehicle-2]’s actual mission duration will depend on the vehicle achieving its test objectives, but he expects it to remain on orbit for approximately 270 days. “We may extend the mission to enhance our understanding of the OTV capabilities,” Colonel Giese said, “especially since the performance data from the first flight suggest that the vehicle could have gone beyond the 270-day requirement.”
Weather scrubs X-37B launch
Weather has scrubbed today’s X-37B launch. They’ll try again tomorrow.
Weather has scrubbed today’s X-37B launch. They’ll try again tomorrow.
FAA Seeks Funding for New Space Prize
The FAA is seeking funds for a new space prize, $5 million for launching a small payload into Earth orbit.
No further details are yet available. One wonders what the criteria will be, as many established companies already routinely launch payloads into orbit.
The FAA is seeking funds for a new space prize, $5 million for launching a small payload into Earth orbit.
No further details are yet available. One wonders what the criteria will be, as many established companies already routinely launch payloads into orbit.
Five hundred customers into space in the first year of operation
Five hundred customers into space in the first year of operation.
Five hundred customers into space in the first year of operation.
Glory satellite falls to Earth after launch failure
The Glory climate satellite has crashed in the Pacific when its rocket failed during launch today.
The Glory climate satellite has crashed in the Pacific when its rocket failed during launch today.
The secrets of Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space project
The secrets of Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space project.
The secrets of Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space project.
Russia lacks enough rockets to fulfill 2011 launch plans
This is both good and bad: Russia appears to lack enough available rockets to fulfill its 2011 launch plans.
This is both good and bad: Russia appears to lack enough available rockets to fulfill its 2011 launch plans.
Leonardo cargo module installed on ISS
The Leonardo cargo module was permanently installed on ISS yesterday.
The Leonardo cargo module was permanently installed on ISS yesterday.
X-37B launch set for March 4
The launch of the Air Force’s second X-37B is set for March 4.
The launch of the Air Force’s second X-37B is set for March 4.
Station photo op cancelled
The Soyuz fly-around of the space station to photograph it with the shuttle docked has been canceled.
The Soyuz fly-around of the space station to photograph it with the shuttle docked has been canceled.
Robotic arm breakdown adds spacewalk drama
The crash of the computer that runs the station’s robot arm stranded a spacewalking astronaut in space for about 20 minutes yesterday.
The crash of the computer that runs the station’s robot arm stranded a spacewalking astronaut in space for about 20 minutes yesterday.