New Mars Forums

FYI for those that have not found it yet.

Android top pick to aid Hubble; Dubbed "Dextre," the Canadian robot would blast off on an Atlas 5 or Delta 4 rocket in late 2007 and then outfit the $3 billion observatory with fresh batteries and gyroscopes as well as two new $100 million science instruments.

http://www.flatoday.com/news....FIX.htm

Lots of details in the article.
Happy reading all.

comstar03

I like the thoughts in Example 2 : LEO and Lunar Development

I do feel that we should be doing more than we are with an orbiting platform in the ISS.
Learning how to do all sort of construction techniques in less gravity or in none is important to any base survival on the moon or on Mars.
We must learn how to do things the old fashion way anew in order to keep all the high tech stuff working longer.

Here is another though due to the most recent device failure.
Well depending on If it is feasable to do, Bring up Hubble 2 and a deorbit booster stage in a shuttle and be done with the whole issue of repair. Send Hubble to it's demise or leave it for spare parts once the bosster is attached.

The reason for shuttles not being used is lack of Safe Haven. A myth that only will last for the duration of the supplies available for the crew to use. Now if the safe Haven has a spare return capsule then we have something to work from.

Yes, give the shuttle crew the needed time to repair if possible but always give second and third options for getting back safely.

On any rescue mission to save the crew and or a badly damaged shuttle that the current crew could not. The rescue team needs to have someone from Macco to teach them how to do hole repair.

A use cutting tools to remove tiles from around damaged area, lay in and weld new sheet metal to cover hole, cut tile peices to shape, apply adhesive, place tile into location, grind and smoothen tile to flush finish for under body repairs.

Yes, the RCC leading edge panels would be harder since each panel is not assimetrical from right wing location to left at the same point on the wing. Maybe half RCC panels or some other wrap over technique can be applied.

The whole problem of severe damage to the TPS system is not a small hole to be filled with a sealing patch but is one of space required for replacement pieces of tiles and of tools.

Here is a great image of the tracks made by the rovers on Mars.
I do love every bid of those awsome Rovers, more...

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin....pe=news

More news release stuff;
NASA's Solar Sail Propulsion Team and industry partners have successfully deployed two 10-meter solar sails in a vacuum environment — a critical milestone in development of the unique propulsion technology that could enable future deep space missions. Solar sail propulsion uses the Sun's energy to travel through space.
http://www.msfc.nasa.gov/news/news/rele … 4-208.html

You might be able to find out the type of sail info on this site.
http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~diedrich/solarsails/
or on this one
http://www.solarsails.info/

I like the last one on the VSE will be fully funded. I would add that a CEV be designed post haste.

But the first one of Bush will win, by the narrowest of margines.

Some would say he stole this current term though hanging chads, turning away voters and by other means a steal to the right to be in office.

As to the other positions on war on any front here or abroad, I would hope that someday we will all learn how to live together in peace as Earthlings someday wanting to become Martians in the not to far off distant future.

Smile on my face....

These are all great probes launched every two years to Mars but until we can get real funding for man to go it will only be just pictures to go ahhh, ouu and lots of other awe vocalizations.
The real pleasure is in being able to not only see it but to touch it as well.

So what effect will the most recent failure of xprize contestants have with the outcome of those that win?

from the astonotes:Aug. 9, 2004 Catch a falling rocket
complete with video and pictures of it
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3217961/

No matter what type of propellant or the design of the shape takes it still boils down to funding and of the complete rocket plus launch ect.. cost to operate it.

We  must keep costs down in the design phase, construction and in its normal use or we will fail.

Cutting back on the ISS is being influenced by these as well as other problems in addition. For one getting the shuttle or some other vehicle designed and rated for manned use.

For reference what did the president want from his vision?
Well this is where we started in January of this year with articles of the vision leaked to the press.

Space Plan Envisions Apollo As Model Versatile Craft Is Key to Bush Program
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2....nd=true

Nasa returns to Apollo in quest for the perfect craft
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/interna....00.html

Whitehouse announcement
http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/space/
http://www.whitehouse.gov/space/toc.html
http://www.whitehouse.gov/space/renewed_spirit.html

http://www.projectconstellation.us/arti … o-cev.html

And many more links followed by the commission Hearing and there final report handed out after a slight delay in June.
http://www.projectconstellation.us/news … sions.html

Where are we now? Well after a little hedging on the direction of change, a little restructuring internally and a lot of haggling over the Budget not being passed by congress for the vision. We are still stuck in LEO with no way to get there and looks like Nasa is reverting back to its old self.

Where will we be in the near future? Well with continued under funding of Nasa projects, I forsee that more Items will be cancelled before they can be stated, Less will be done with the ISS and that we will be stuck in LEO for a lot longer than we all want to be after hearing the vision announcement earlier this year.

How about solar energy cost?
Every highway has section that could have over head collectors that track the sun. These if wide enough and properly spaced could also act as solar blinds to reduce car accidents on the east- west aligned roads. Store the energy during the day and use it during the night for highway lighting or for other reasons.