Long, cramped road trips ahead for US astronauts
And in a related note: Long, cramped road trips ahead for US astronauts.
And in a related note: Long, cramped road trips ahead for US astronauts.
Tag: spaceflight
Long, cramped road trips ahead for US astronauts
NASA stalls, Texas lawmakers fume
The law is such an inconvenient thing: In a bipartisan effort, Texas lawmakers roast NASA administrator Charles Bolden for not meeting mandated Congressional deadlines for Congress’s personally designed rocket, the program-formerly-called-Constellation.
The heavy-lift rocket and capsule that Congress insists NASA build is a complete waste of money and nothing more than pork. It will never get built, mainly because Congress has given NASA less money and less time to build it than they did for Constellation under the Bush administration. Unfortunately, the reason they continue to require NASA to build it is to provide pork to their districts.
In a perfect world this funding would be cut now, especially considering the state of the federal debt.
» Read more
NASA awards a key piece of ISS management to Florida
NASA awards a key piece of ISS management to Florida, not Houston.
The story reports that politics were not involved, but I am suspicious. Since all ISS management and operations come out of Houston, why send some of that management to Florida?
NASA awards a key piece of ISS management to Florida, not Houston.
The story reports that politics were not involved, but I am suspicious. Since all ISS management and operations come out of Houston, why send some of that management to Florida?
Second ARTEMIS space probe about to enter lunar orbit
The second ARTEMIS space probe will enter lunar orbit on Sunday.
“With two spacecraft orbiting in opposite directions, we can acquire a full 3-D view of the structure of the magnetic fields near the moon and on the lunar surface,” said Vassilis Angelopoulos, principal investigator for the THEMIS and ARTEMIS missions and a professor of space physics at UCLA. “ARTEMIS will be doing totally new science, as well as reusing existing spacecraft to save a lot of taxpayer money.”
The second ARTEMIS space probe will enter lunar orbit on Sunday.
“With two spacecraft orbiting in opposite directions, we can acquire a full 3-D view of the structure of the magnetic fields near the moon and on the lunar surface,” said Vassilis Angelopoulos, principal investigator for the THEMIS and ARTEMIS missions and a professor of space physics at UCLA. “ARTEMIS will be doing totally new science, as well as reusing existing spacecraft to save a lot of taxpayer money.”
Dawn nears Vesta
I’ve posted earlier about Dawn’s approach to Vesta. However, in looking at the images from Dawn, it dawned on me recently that they seems more fuzzy for what you’d normally expect from a space probe. I am now wondering if there is something fundamentally wrong with Dawn’s camera, causing its images to be slightly out of focus.
I’ve posted earlier about Dawn’s approach to Vesta. However, in looking at the images from Dawn, it dawned on me recently that they seems more fuzzy for what you’d normally expect from a space probe. I am now wondering if there is something fundamentally wrong with Dawn’s camera, causing its images to be slightly out of focus.
SpaceX about to break ground on launchpad and hanger for Falcon Heavy
SpaceX is about to break ground on launchpad and hanger for Falcon Heavy.
SpaceX is about to break ground on launchpad and hanger for Falcon Heavy.
China launched second data relay satellite, expanding space communications network before first docking attempt
On Monday China successfully launched its second data relay satellite, expanding its space communications network in preparation for before its first unmanned rendezvous and docking attempt later this year.
On Monday China successfully launched its second data relay satellite, expanding its space communications network in preparation for before its first unmanned rendezvous and docking attempt later this year.
wings in space
James McLane points out that the shuttle shape is not the only way to build a spaceship.
In an email to me Jim noted that he “is still trying to save NASA.” My response to him was that trying to save NASA right now is more hopeless than Don Quixote chasing a windmill. However, the engineering ideas he outlines in his essay are just the kind of innovative thinking required by the new private companies. And the more ideas the merrier!
James McLane points out that the shuttle shape is not the only way to build a spaceship.
In an email to me Jim noted that he “is still trying to save NASA.” My response to him was that trying to save NASA right now is more hopeless than Don Quixote chasing a windmill. However, the engineering ideas he outlines in his essay are just the kind of innovative thinking required by the new private companies. And the more ideas the merrier!
House Budget Bill Would Leave it to NASA To Apportion Bulks of Cuts
The House bill that brings NASA’s budget back to 2008 levels essentially leaves it to NASA to figure out what to cut.
If true, what this means is that NASA itself will have to choose what it considers important. The one problem is that according to this article Congress is still requiring NASA to spend $3 billion on the program-formerly-called-Constellation. which gives the agency less flexibility in doling out the cash.
The House bill that brings NASA’s budget back to 2008 levels essentially leaves it to NASA to figure out what to cut.
If true, what this means is that NASA itself will have to choose what it considers important. The one problem is that according to this article Congress is still requiring NASA to spend $3 billion on the program-formerly-called-Constellation. which gives the agency less flexibility in doling out the cash.
Shuttle mission extended one day
The shuttle mission has been extended one day.
The shuttle mission has been extended one day.
First International Planetary Caves Workshop
Interested in caves on other worlds? You might want to attend the First International Planetary Caves Workshop to be held October 25-28, 2011 in Carlsbad, New Mexico.
Interested in caves on other worlds? You might want to attend the First International Planetary Caves Workshop to be held October 25-28, 2011 in Carlsbad, New Mexico.
3D printing
“We’re building spacecraft, not bizjets.”
The real future: “We’re building spacecraft, not bizjets.”
The real future: “We’re building spacecraft, not bizjets.”
The space shuttle docks with ISS, for the last time
The space shuttle docks with ISS, for the last time.
The space shuttle docks with ISS, for the last time.
The last space shuttle has reached orbit
After a very short hold at 31 seconds, the space shuttle Atlantis has launched and reached orbit without any obvious hitches.
After a very short hold at 31 seconds, the space shuttle Atlantis has launched and reached orbit without any obvious hitches.
Watching the last shuttle launch on your computer
Clark Lindsey has provided a list of websites where you can watch the shuttle launch live from your computer.
Also, Bill Harwood is updating his reports very regularly.
Clark Lindsey has provided a list of websites where you can watch the shuttle launch live from your computer.
Also, Bill Harwood is updating his reports very regularly.
A new image of Vesta from Dawn
Dawn continues to approach the large asteroid Vesta. Below is an image taken July 1st from about 62,000 miles. The image has a resolution of 5.8 miles per pixel.
Despite Vesta’s large size, 330 miles in diameter, it is nonspherical. This fact, combined with data that says it is differentiated with a core and mantle, suggests that it is the remains of a larger object that subsequently broke up.
Dawn continues to approach the large asteroid Vesta. Below is an image taken July 1st from about 62,000 miles. The image has a resolution of 5.8 miles per pixel.
Despite Vesta’s large size, 330 miles in diameter, it is nonspherical. This fact, combined with data that says it is differentiated with a core and mantle, suggests that it is the remains of a larger object that subsequently broke up.
Private company hires former NASA engineers and astronauts
The transition to private space: Sierra Nevada hires former NASA engineers and astronauts.
The transition to private space: Sierra Nevada hires former NASA engineers and astronauts.
Why some space junk is impossible to track
This ISS status update, dated June 28, explains why the piece of space junk that flew past the station that day was such a surprise. (Hat tip to NASA engineer James Fincannon for pointing this out to me.)
Last night at ~6:00pm EDT, NASA Houston FTC (Flight Control Team) received notification of an upcoming “red threshold” conjunction of the ISS with a piece of orbital debris (Object 82618, UNKNOWN), with a TCA (Time of Closest Approach) this morning at 8:08am EDT, – which was too late to begin planning for a DAM (Debris Avoidance Maneuver). Therefore, FTC and crew made preparations for crew sheltering in Soyuz 26S & 27S. PC (Probability of Collision) at last tracking fix (7:20am) remained in the Red box, at ~0.003, with a miss distance of 0.25 km radial, 0.375 km downtrack, 0.570 m crosstrack. The necessary reconfiguration procedures (USOS hatches closed, etc.) began 1.5 hrs before TCA (6:38am EDT), and the six crewmembers ingressed their Soyuz vehicles. At 8:08am the object cleared the ISS with no impact, and shortly thereafter the crew was given the Go for returning to the ISS. [The late notification occurred because of the high air resistance (drag) of the object (~175 times higher than ISS) which made its trajectory very sensitive to small errors in atmospheric density predictions at the current solar flux. Due to the high drag, there is no chance of a recurrence of Object 82618).] [emphasis mine]
In other words, the piece of junk was probably something like a piece of insulation, very light but with a large area, much like a sail. Thus, as it flies through the thin atmosphere at 200 to 400 miles altitude its velocity and direction can easily change, making it difficult, if not impossible, to predict its future trajectory.
The good news is that these same conditions mean that the orbit of the object will quickly decay (“due to high drag”) so that it poses no future threat to the station.
Unfortunately, there are many other objects like this in orbit, and they all pose a threat, mostly because of the difficulty of reliably predicting their orbits.
The launch of China’s first space station module is set for September
The launch of China’s first space station module is now set for September.
The launch of China’s first space station module is now set for September.
Hubble Makes its One Millionth Science Observation
U.S. Space Walk of Fame in Titusville needs volunteers
Going to see the shuttle launch on Friday? The Space Walk of Fame Foundation Museum in Titusville, Florida needs volunteers to help organize the launch viewing at places like Space View Park.
Going to see the shuttle launch on Friday? The Space Walk of Fame Foundation Museum in Titusville, Florida needs volunteers to help organize the launch viewing at places like Space View Park.
Launch Complex 37B: Level by Level
A photo tour of Launch Complex 37B, level by level.
A photo tour of Launch Complex 37B, level by level.
Mining the moon for water and nuclear fuel
Mining the moon for water and fuel.
Texas-based Shackleton Energy Company has already begun operations aimed at mining the Moon within the next few years.
The company’s plans for mining and refining operations would involve melting the ice and purifying the water, converting the water into gaseous hydrogen and oxygen, and then condensing the gases into liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen and hydrogen peroxide, all potential rocket fuels.
Shackleton CEO Dale Tietz says the water extracted would be used almost exclusively as rocket fuel to power operations both within Low Earth Orbit (LEO) – such as space tourism and the removal of space-debris – on the Moon, and further out into space. ‘We are a for-profit business enterprise moving forward, and so we are only going there really for one reason and that is to mine, prospect mine and harvest water for rocket propellant production,’ says Tietz.
Mining the moon for water and fuel.
Texas-based Shackleton Energy Company has already begun operations aimed at mining the Moon within the next few years. The company’s plans for mining and refining operations would involve melting the ice and purifying the water, converting the water into gaseous hydrogen and oxygen, and then condensing the gases into liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen and hydrogen peroxide, all potential rocket fuels.
Shackleton CEO Dale Tietz says the water extracted would be used almost exclusively as rocket fuel to power operations both within Low Earth Orbit (LEO) – such as space tourism and the removal of space-debris – on the Moon, and further out into space. ‘We are a for-profit business enterprise moving forward, and so we are only going there really for one reason and that is to mine, prospect mine and harvest water for rocket propellant production,’ says Tietz.
First ARTEMIS Spacecraft Successfully Enters Lunar Orbit
The first of two ARTEMIS spacecraft has successfully entered lunar orbit.
The first of two ARTEMIS spacecraft has successfully entered lunar orbit.
Dawn’s approach to Vesta continues
Dawn’s approach to Vesta continues.
Starting at the beginning of the approach phase on May 3, Dawn interrupted thrusting once a week to photograph Vesta against the background stars. These images help navigators determine exactly where the probe is relative to its target. This technique does not replace other means of navigation but rather supplements them. One of the principal methods of establishing the spacecraft’s trajectory relies on accurately timing how long it takes radio signals, traveling, as all readers know, at the universal limit of the speed of light, to make the round trip between Earth and Dawn. Another uses the Doppler shift of the radio waves, or the slight change in pitch caused by the craft’s motion. These sensitive measurements remain essential to navigating the faraway ship as it sails the interplanetary seas.
Despite the very slow approach, the distance is small enough now that observing Vesta weekly is no longer sufficient. To achieve the navigational accuracy required to reach the intended orbit in early August, last week the frequency of imaging was increased to twice per week. In each session, half of the pictures are taken with long exposures to ensure many stars are detectable, thus overexposing the much brighter disc of the nearby Vesta. The other half use short exposures to ensure that the rocky world shows up correctly so its precise location can be measured. The visible and infrared mapping spectrometer has been commanded to observe Vesta during three of these sessions, each time providing valuable information that will help scientists select instrument settings for when Dawn is close enough to begin its detailed scientific measurements.
Dawn’s approach to Vesta continues.
Starting at the beginning of the approach phase on May 3, Dawn interrupted thrusting once a week to photograph Vesta against the background stars. These images help navigators determine exactly where the probe is relative to its target. This technique does not replace other means of navigation but rather supplements them. One of the principal methods of establishing the spacecraft’s trajectory relies on accurately timing how long it takes radio signals, traveling, as all readers know, at the universal limit of the speed of light, to make the round trip between Earth and Dawn. Another uses the Doppler shift of the radio waves, or the slight change in pitch caused by the craft’s motion. These sensitive measurements remain essential to navigating the faraway ship as it sails the interplanetary seas.
Despite the very slow approach, the distance is small enough now that observing Vesta weekly is no longer sufficient. To achieve the navigational accuracy required to reach the intended orbit in early August, last week the frequency of imaging was increased to twice per week. In each session, half of the pictures are taken with long exposures to ensure many stars are detectable, thus overexposing the much brighter disc of the nearby Vesta. The other half use short exposures to ensure that the rocky world shows up correctly so its precise location can be measured. The visible and infrared mapping spectrometer has been commanded to observe Vesta during three of these sessions, each time providing valuable information that will help scientists select instrument settings for when Dawn is close enough to begin its detailed scientific measurements.
A look inside NASA’s “Skunk Works”
NASA Foresees 2-Year Final Shuttle Retirement Phase
Seems a bit long to me: NASA foresees a two year period after the last shuttle lands to retire the program completely.
Seems a bit long to me: NASA foresees a two year period after the last shuttle lands to retire the program completely.
The families of the Challenger astronauts come out in favor of commercial private manned spaceflight
The families of the Challenger astronauts come out in favor of commercial private manned spaceflight.
The families of the Challenger astronauts come out in favor of commercial private manned spaceflight.
Breathtaking view of the central peak of Tycho Crater
Another astonishing space photograph, this time from lunar orbit, taken by Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter on June 11, 2011.
The image looks down at the central peak of Tycho crater, with enough detail to make out individual boulders at the summit. Go the link to see some closeups.
