The leaning tower leans less
Engineers to the rescue! The Leaning Tower of Pisa no longer leans as much as it used to, but the lean it has is now expected to last for at least another 200 years.
Tag: engineering
Brazil successfully launches and recovers rocket to test micro-gravity experiments
The new colonial movement continues: Brazil successfully launched and recovered a suborbital rocket this past weekend.
Railgun sets record
The Navy set a new world record with the firing of an electromagnetic railgun on December 10. Though intended as a military weapon Keith Cowing speculates about the railgun’s off-world applications.
First data back from X-37B flight
The first report is back of the X-37B following the completion of its first flight.
NASA solar sail lost
A nano-sized solar sail, built by NASA and launched in mid-November, appears to have been lost. Sadly, this has been the history of almost all solar sail efforts: failure before the sail can even deploy.
The rise and fall of rocketplane
The rise and fall of Rocketplane.
A car that runs on air
A car that runs on air. Literally.
Dragon’s secret payload
So, what was the top secret payload carried by Dragon on its first orbital mission? SpaceX revealed this secret today: their tribute to Monty Python.
A wheel of cheese.
Falcon 9 launch a success. Dragon capsule returns successfully
SpaceX is two for two! The Falcon 9 launch today was a success, and was topped off by the successful return of the Dragon capsule after two orbits.
This is big news. Think about it: a private company — not a government — has designed and built a rocket and capsule, capable of carrying astronauts, and successfully launched both and recovered the capsule. Hot dog! True space travel might very well be around the corner at last.
Japan’s Venus probe fails to enter orbit
Sad news: It appears that Japan’s Venus probe failed to enter orbit, and might have flown past Venus.
Update: It is confirmed that the spacecraft flew past Venus. There is a chance Japan could try again, when Akatsuka returns to Venus — in about seven years.
Deorbiting the International Space Station
The military’s perspective on X-37B
The military’s perspective on the X-37B.
Falcon 9 set for Wednesday launch
It appears that the next attempt to launch Falcon 9/Dragon is now set for Wednesday.
The sad fate of the first 747
Orbital status of Akatsuki at Venus uncertain
The status of the Japanese probe Akatsuki in its attempt to go into orbit around Venus remains uncertain. The engines fired as scheduled, but radio signal was not regained at the scheduled time. Engineers are analyzing the spacecraft’s position now to see if it was successfully inserted into orbit.
Falcon 9/Dragon launch likely delayed to at least Thursday
The Falcon 9/Dragon test launch is likely delayed to at least Thursday. Key quote:
During reviews of vehicle closeout photos this morning, engineers found a possible crack in the second stage engine nozzle. If the nozzle needs to be replaced, the first launch opportunity would be Friday or Saturday. Officials called “remote” a possibility that the problem could be resolved in time to fly Wednesday.
An update of the Chinese manned space program
Some educated speculations about the next manned mission in the Chinese space program.
Programming caused Russian rocket failure
Engineers say that the cause of the Russian rocket failure yesterday appears to have been a programming error.
‘Akatsuki’ probe set to try and enter Venus’s orbit
The Japanese spacecraft, Akatsuki, is set to enter orbit around Venus tomorrow.
Proton launch failure dooms Glonass navigation satellites
Bad news for the Russian space industry: A Proton rocket, carrying three Russian Glonass navigation satellites (their version of our GPS) failed at launch, crashing into the Pacific.