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#29651 Re: Human missions » Cernan Speaks Up » 2004-10-07 10:47:44
A few more words form U.S. astronaut with Czech roots has high hopes for future space exploration and of Dreaming someday of colonies on Mars.
#29652 Re: Science, Technology, and Astronomy » Falcon - Pentagon Suborbital Spaceplane » 2004-10-07 10:40:50
SpaceDev Awarded $1.5M Phase II Small Launch Vehicle Contract to proceed with Phase II of its Small Business Innovation Research contract from the Air Force Research Laboratory to continue its hybrid rocket motor-based small launch vehicle project. The SpaceDev small launch vehicle will be designed to responsively and affordably lift up to 1,000 pounds to Low Earth Orbit. Phase II of this project calls for the design, manufacture, and hot fire testing of a prototype hybrid second stage motor with approximately 4,000 lbs. of propellant.
#29653 Re: Science, Technology, and Astronomy » Space Infrared Interferometric Telescope (SPIRIT) - Space Railway To Explore Planets, Stars, » 2004-10-07 10:38:30
Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer the mission has been approved to proceed into the preliminary design phase as the next in NASA's Medium-class Explorer program of lower cost, highly focused, rapid-development scientific spacecraft. It is scheduled to launch in 2008. New space-based telescope will survey the cosmos with infrared detectors up to 500,000 times more sensitive than previous survey missions. It will reveal hundreds of cool, or failed, stars, called brown dwarfs, some of which may lie closer to us than any known stars.
Sounds of the former montra...
NASA Approves Mission to Seek Nearest Stars, Brightest Galaxies
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2004-252
#29654 Re: Interplanetary transportation » Fusion for Ground Launch - Is it theoretically possible? » 2004-10-07 10:29:29
So we are now getting some interest in fusion in the form of a $12.5M In Subcontracts Awarded For Fusion Experiment At Princeton. The awarding of two subcontracts for the fabrication of major components for the National Compact Stellarator Experiment (NCSX), now under construction at the Laboratory.
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/energy-tech-04zzq.html
National Compact Stellarator Experiment design
#29655 Re: Human missions » Space Tourism & Safety Regulations » 2004-10-07 10:16:11
More on the safety regulations to come with regards to SpaceShipTwo.
Space Tourism Faces Safety Regulations
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm....ulation
#29656 Re: Human missions » Richard Branson / Rutan Team Up For Orbital Flight - Five year plan to put tourists in space? » 2004-10-07 10:12:27
SpaceShipTwo will be a five-person, sub-orbital vessel owned by a new venture called Virgin Galactic, inaugural flight is scheduled for 2007.
Ticket prices for the early flights are expected to cost about $190,000, but expect prices to fall rapidly as each others companies stake there claim to the space tourism business. They will build five vessels over the next three years.
I am sure that they will not be flying them more than once a week or even other week but still at 6 total flights for all three vehicles and 5 paying customers per flight seems to me that they could make some good money if cost to reuse the vehicle is tightly controled and if the over see agencies do not tie them up in red tape after each flight.
The Birth of SpaceShipTwo
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/tourism-04g.html
#29657 Re: Science, Technology, and Astronomy » Everything BUT the bolts... » 2004-10-07 08:02:46
Not only has the employees work ethic and principles changed but also the employer, boss, corporations view of what a worker is entitled to, for having work hard for them for many years until retirement. Most employers as well now no longer want to train there personnel to do there job, they chose not to pay for the value of educational degrees but want them, then some are changing benefit packages for those retirees and drop any pensions that they would have.
These are just some of the things that I have seen in only the last 20 plus years of working in the State of NH.
#29658 Re: Water on Mars » Martian Salts - Reveals H2O History? » 2004-10-07 06:31:16
Surprise, surprise the previous 1976 Viking missions suggested that the existence of magnesium sulfate salts on Mars was possible. I also recall that it also suggested it had found signs of life as well but much the same all was discounted and verbally explained away. Now it should seem that we have either grown up or we feel that we can accept the truth from those so old previous Mars explorers...
#29659 Re: Planetary transportation » Navigating on Mars » 2004-10-07 06:15:01
Agreed that it is over kill but the benefits would be for exact position of mineral resources and of possible rescue times to rover crews if need to be reduced, rather than following the rover tracks to them.
But a much simpler system is very practical if we are setting up a network communications by satellites for future crews with each probe we will send over the next 20 plus years.
#29660 Re: Human missions » Richard Branson / Rutan Team Up For Orbital Flight - Five year plan to put tourists in space? » 2004-10-07 06:08:19
The real accomplishment thou will take place when the cost per flight to orbit is low enough to continue the desire by more to go and do space flights. But this is as good as it gets for now...
#29661 Re: Human missions » Space Tourism & Safety Regulations » 2004-10-07 06:04:44
Yup have been following the progress of the legislation on the http://www.spacepolitics.com/ site for some time now.
AIAA alert on HR 3752
The AIAA issued a legislative alert to its members on Tuesday
is currently view about. With links to the current language contained in the bill to be signed. There also a monthy achive on this as well.
Some of the past hurdles was the definition between rocket, rocket plus plane, and other such combinations in addition to verticle launch versus taking off from a runway. It also would iron out which federal agency has control over the flight and the rules for certifing the craft to be used.
#29662 Re: Science, Technology, and Astronomy » ISS cutbacks » 2004-10-06 14:07:16
While Nasa flounders in the wake of the shuttle disasters and tries to get going on the vision of the space exploration. The Russians just keep on ticking like a finely tuned watch never missing a beat.
Now it appears that even though they are cashed strapped with regards to funding of there space programs they will complete there next piece of the ISS.
RUSSIA'S ISS SEGMENT CAN BE BUILT BY 2011
http://en.rian.ru/rian....alert=0
#29663 Re: Human missions » Long duration Human space missions - Can we survive them? » 2004-10-06 13:53:42
Well the Italian astronaut Roberto Vittori maybe returning to the International Space Station (ISS) for a second time in March-May 2005.
This will give an opportunity to examine multiple exposures to 0g with regards to the same subject.
#29664 Re: Planetary transportation » Nuclear Transportation? » 2004-10-06 13:45:13
The equipment has some things going for it though usually smaller and lighter than a nuclear reactor, Probably less hazardous to crew, easy to setup, multiple use freindly and so on... Large scale rover activity probably will not happen even within the first 10 missions unless each mission lands at the same site forcing longer drives to those places of interest....
#29665 Re: Science, Technology, and Astronomy » Everything BUT the bolts... » 2004-10-06 13:39:11
I know I myself was very shocked at the shuttle news and of the Cause for NOAA N-Prime weather satellite to fall.
Edit
It appears that they will be giving up the profit that they would have made on the project.
Lockheed Martin to refund profits on damaged satellite
http://www.spacetoday.net/
#29666 Re: Science, Technology, and Astronomy » Everything BUT the bolts... » 2004-10-06 13:20:58
Probably(not really) the same safety guy who worked on inspecting the shuttle?
Arrest exposes NASA safety: A former inspector is accused of rubber-stamping critical shuttle checks
Orlando Sentinel — 7:40 am ET (1140 GMT)
http://www.spacetoday.net/getarticle.php3?id=52595
Ex-NASA worker faces 83 counts: Shuttle checks may have been falsely reported
Florida Today — 7:33 am ET (1133 GMT)
http://www.spacetoday.net/getarticle.php3?id=52594
Ex-NASA inspector accused of lying about shuttle checks
AP — 7:32 am ET (1132 GMT)
http://www.spacetoday.net/getarticle.php3?id=52593
#29667 Re: Planetary transportation » Nuclear Transportation? » 2004-10-06 12:53:49
As for Storage of energy other than batteries and or shutting down the reactor maybe Under the compressed air (atmosphere) vehicle topic we have a partial solution. Much like your thought I too put forth simular thoughts for the refueling stations for a compressed air motor. Maybe somehow we can marry the two systems together.
#29668 Re: Unmanned probes » Spirit & Opportunity *7* - ...continuing... » 2004-10-06 09:52:33
It seems like spirit has been the rover with all the wheel problems, why is that?
#29669 Re: Unmanned probes » View from Mars Express » 2004-10-06 09:42:03
Another fantastic view courtesy of Mars Express.
The Grabens Of Claritas Fossae
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/marsexpress-04ze.html
additional photo releases
http://www.esa.int/export/SPECIALS/Mars … PZD_1.html
#29670 Re: Science, Technology, and Astronomy » Space Infrared Interferometric Telescope (SPIRIT) - Space Railway To Explore Planets, Stars, » 2004-10-06 09:31:54
New space telescope design:
If approved, SPIRIT could be ready for launch in 2014 and be stationed at the L2 libration point, one million miles from Earth.
Does it seem like we have a lot of telescopes in developement or is it just me?
NASA Studies Space Railway To Explore Planets, Stars, And Galaxies
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/telescopes-04zd.html
#29671 Re: Human missions » China The Dominant Superpower In 20 Years..... - What does this mean for US? » 2004-10-06 09:24:24
Some interesting facts about china's space agencyin the article about work force size and of age.
China Makes Strides In Space Technology
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/china-04zzo.html
#29672 Re: Science, Technology, and Astronomy » New Discoveries *3* - ...MORE deep space, extraplanetary, etc. » 2004-10-06 09:21:33
More data on the binary star as reported on as a New Star-Type Stillborn spin story line. This time Astronomers using the Gemini North and Keck II telescopes have been able to peer into this star pair.
#29673 Re: Science, Technology, and Astronomy » Airborne Observatory - ...SOFIA » 2004-10-06 09:17:36
While this has nothing to do with SOFIA it however does with regards to planes. It appears that humpty dumpty has put to gether Pathfinder the solar powered winged plane again. This time it is a plus in that it has been outfitted with new instruments.
Pathfinder-Plus Solar Wing Readied to Fly Again at NASA Dryden
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/aerospace-04u.html
#29674 Re: Human missions » Richard Branson / Rutan Team Up For Orbital Flight - Five year plan to put tourists in space? » 2004-10-06 08:49:43
A plan to use boosters and more for the little Hercules:
http://www.projectconstellation.us/news...._system
The Little Hercules launchers
By Kevin ,J waldroup
Little Hercules Tourist
#29675 Re: Science, Technology, and Astronomy » America's Space Prize! $50mil... - Funded by Bigelow. » 2004-10-06 08:39:01
Here we go with some details of the contest for the 50 million prize.
Las Vegas Hotel Mogul Launches $50 Million Space Prize
http://www.reuters.com/newsArt....6422896
To win the contest, which is limited to U.S.-based ventures, a team must build a five-seat spacecraft without government money and send five astronauts into orbit above the Earth twice within 60 days.