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#29676 Re: Science, Technology, and Astronomy » $300M to destroy hubble » 2004-10-06 08:18:59

This appears to be the best topic to post this information with in.

Lockheed Martin's Jefferson County Jeffco plant lands $330 million deal to help design, build craft to fix Hubble. NASA contract to help design and build a robotic spacecraft to repair the Hubble Space Telescope, so the Hubble can keep running up to seven more years.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn....00.html

NASA has yet to firmly decide on whether it will deploy a robotic mission to fix Hubble. But the agency needs to begin work now so the mission could proceed before Hubble's batteries die in 2007 or 2008 and the space telescope conks out.

So what happens to Hubble if it does become a dead telescope with regards to the repair mission can the mission still be done or is it just not worth it if this happens?

edit more stuff:
MDA Receives Authorization From NASA To Begin Work On Hubble Rescue
http://www.cnw.ca/fr/releases/archive/O … c7395.html

#29677 Re: Human missions » Long duration Human space missions - Can we survive them? » 2004-10-06 08:09:49

University of Western Ontario  researchers are studying how to prevent astronauts from going blind during deep space flights. McMaster University doctors are preparing to take part in a project geared to medicine in space.

Canadians at forefront of space research
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet....nt

#29678 Re: Science, Technology, and Astronomy » New Discoveries *3* - ...MORE deep space, extraplanetary, etc. » 2004-10-06 08:06:25

Binary star system no more, now it is a single star with a new companion super sized planet.

Mystery Object Neither Star Nor Brown Dwarf   
http://www.gemini.edu/index.php?option= … view&id=73

#29679 Re: Human missions » The need for a Moon direct *2* - ...continue here. » 2004-10-06 07:42:06

Well here is one of the first steps for any future manned mission to the moon if we wish to use in-situ resources. The Chandrayan-1 mission, scheduled for a launch in 2007-08, will carry out the chemical mapping of the entire lunar surface.

http://www.keralanext.com/news/?id=53131

#29680 Re: Space Policy » Space fairing Nations - The ever changing view » 2004-10-06 07:41:23

Well here is one of the first steps for any future manned mission to the moon if we wish to use in-situ resources. The Chandrayan-1 mission, scheduled for a launch in 2007-08, will carry out the chemical mapping of the entire lunar surface.

http://www.keralanext.com/news/?id=53131

#29681 Re: Human missions » Earths Oceans Explored - but why not colonized » 2004-10-06 07:36:33

So the big question I have is , Does any one have numbers on the cost of setting up such studies...
How we will monitor the vents for life or have a permanent base for the study at that ocean depth...

#29682 Re: Planetary transportation » Running on Compressed Air? » 2004-10-06 07:32:16

In addition to the use of CA for tool use (just look at any auto repair shop for how useful) and for vehicles to travel the surface, one could also transfer the container tanks to a refining and seperations plant. Cooling to form liquids of each gas that the atmosphere contains for future use.

#29683 Re: Human missions » Where exactly is Mars Direct with NASA? - Are they going to do it or not? » 2004-10-06 07:19:28

For any and all of the plans for moon or of mars they all boil back down to a small group of variables that defines the ship or ships that we will use to do each.

1 crew size
2 Habitat
3 duration
4 consumables
5 reusuability or expendable
6 cargo or equipment to do mission
7 where are we going
8 transfer points to change or assemble vehicles ( earth to LEO, LEO to lunar orbit, Lunar orbit to lunar surface)

Unfortunately the numbers are linked together some more tightly than others. Man can not survive if he does not have food, water, oxygen, fuel, and power sources.

#29684 Re: Human missions » The Case Against Mars - Why Mars is not a good target! » 2004-10-06 07:18:38

For any and all of the plans for moon or of mars they all boil back down to a small group of variables that defines the ship or ships that we will use to do each.

1 crew size
2 Habitat
3 duration
4 consumables
5 reusuability or expendable
6 cargo or equipment to do mission
7 where are we going
8 transfer points to change or assemble vehicles ( earth to LEO, LEO to lunar orbit, Lunar orbit to lunar surface)

Unfortunately the numbers are linked together some more tightly than others. Man can not survive if he does not have food, water, oxygen, fuel, and power sources.

#29685 Re: Human missions » Post central for information on CEV 2 - ...continue here. » 2004-10-06 07:17:48

For any and all of the plans for moon or of mars they all boil back down to a small group of variables that defines the ship or ships that we will use to do each.

1 crew size
2 Habitat
3 duration
4 consumables
5 reusuability or expendable
6 cargo or equipment to do mission
7 where are we going
8 transfer points to change or assemble vehicles ( earth to LEO, LEO to lunar orbit, Lunar orbit to lunar surface)

Unfortunately the numbers are linked together some more tightly than others. Man can not survive if he does not have food, water, oxygen, fuel, and power sources.

#29686 Re: Human missions » The need for a Moon direct *2* - ...continue here. » 2004-10-06 07:16:10

For any and all of the plans for moon or of mars they all boil back down to a small group of variables that defines the ship or ships that we will use to do each.

1 crew size
2 Habitat
3 duration
4 consumables
5 reusuability or expendable
6 cargo or equipment to do mission
7 where are we going
8 transfer points to change or assemble vehicles ( earth to LEO, LEO to lunar orbit, Lunar orbit to lunar surface)

Unfortunately the numbers are linked together some more tightly than others. Man can not survive if he does not have food, water, oxygen, fuel, and power sources.

#29687 Re: Unmanned probes » Cassini-Huygens - Cassini-Huygens Discussion » 2004-10-05 13:35:42

'U' space engineers set sights on Saturn
http://www.michigandaily.com/vnews....b84d6e2

Cassini-Huygens mission arrives at ringed planet after seven-year flight — the result of a collaborative effort between NASA and its European equivalent, the European Space Agency, composed of 17 different nations.

On Dec. 25, the Cassini orbiter will release its Huygens probe for a freefall descent into Titan, the largest of Saturn’s moons.

Marking the beginning of NASA’s “faster, better, cheaper” mission philosophy, Cassini-Huygens still cost a substantial $3 billion. In addition, the orbiter is larger than previous solar system explorers — its fuel source alone is more massive than the Galileo and Voyager spacecrafts combined.

#29688 Re: Human missions » 7-Up:  Free Space Flight Offer » 2004-10-05 10:15:29

Some very good thoughts into the prize amounts, but what about the time line duration for when it must be awarded?
Without that the race to achieve will be on the slow road.

#29689 Re: Planetary transportation » Running on Compressed Air? » 2004-10-05 10:10:22

I guess depending on the weight of the vehicles plus the equipment and crew the electric motor that must be even larger and heavier to move the vehicle around as compared to powering a small compessor.

JIMO I would want the power to run other stuff such as communications, instrumentation measuring equipment and other such sciencetific tests that might be preformed.

#29690 Re: Human missions » ISS Woes & To-Mars » 2004-10-05 09:44:43

I agree we should have learned how to recycle things in space rather than throwing them out only to be hit by the items possibly later.

This also marks a very real problem for the journey to Mars duration and accumulation of garbage as well that will be problematic for any crew.

Edit
As space science explorers we should know better than to possibly contaminate what we wish to explore someday.

#29691 Re: Unmanned probes » New Horizons - mission to Pluto and the Kupier belt » 2004-10-05 09:34:05

What bothers me the most is that it has taken since 2001 until now to gain full funding and we still have until Jan. 2006 for launch.

Seems like it should have been done a lot faster considering the instrumentation that it will be bringing.

#29692 Re: Human missions » More ISS hardball - How does this affect US vision? » 2004-10-05 08:07:14

Looks like we are finally serious to resolve the oxygen making equipment problems.

A local company is getting thousands of dollars from NASA and the U.S. Air Force to develop better portable ways of cleaning and recycling water aboard space vehicles and aircraft.

NASA Supports Company's Space-Age Recycling Research
http://www.thechamplainchannel.com/wnne … etail.html

#29693 Re: Human missions » Return to flight slipping » 2004-10-05 06:14:53

It appears that Nasa contractor are in normal mode, pressing forward to the new target date and not worrying about why.

A decision by NASA officials to postpone the first space shuttle flight since the Columbia accident because of hurricane damage to Kennedy Space Center is having little effect on the eastern New Orleans plant that makes external fuel tanks for the orbiter, a plant spokesman said Monday.

http://www.nola.com/busines....360.xml

#29694 Re: Unmanned probes » Beagle II - inquiry » 2004-10-05 05:51:33

I do not feel that "faster, better, cheaper" mentality that doomed any of the vehicles where the really reason for why they did not make it to Mars, but rather the fact that all were made from fresh designs, hardware had not been trial by fire tested and software was mishmash between groups that had worked independently.

Faster just meant that less time was used to error check hardware or software and Better as well as cheaper were meant to be use what is on the shelf.

#29695 Re: Planetary transportation » Running on Compressed Air? » 2004-10-05 05:26:55

I will not say who I work for but, they have a compressed air tank that will hold 5,000 psi and still take a direct shot and not rupture.

#29696 Re: Planetary transportation » Running on Compressed Air? » 2004-10-04 20:55:47

Inside the Air Car, an electric pump compresses air into a tank. The air in turn pumps pistons that take the vehicle up to 70 mph. The car can travel 50 miles at top speed on a full tank, and farther at lower speeds.

Looks pretty good enough when solar power could be used to re-top off the tank for extra distance. Think refueling stations also where you drive up the a solar powered compressed air storage tank. Simply plugin the external tank hose to the vehicle and recharge the system for even further distance.

#29697 Re: Human missions » Long duration Human space missions - Can we survive them? » 2004-10-04 20:48:38

So if I have gotten the concept of rotational forces correct, if the mass of the rotating vehicle is small in comparison to changes of possible mass movement it would need almost constant mass movement to offset the imbalancing effect of crew movement. So the larger the central mass is the less the effect that there is on the outer ends of the rotating craft.

#29698 Re: Human missions » 7-Up:  Free Space Flight Offer » 2004-10-04 20:42:39

Why must we wait so long for the info that will lead to space.

I know! lawsuit if anything should happen with any civilian flight. I do not wish this to occur but anyone who would go must accept the risk before and to wave all rights for damages in this case.

I am all for creative financing and wish more could be done to lower the cost of space...

#29699 Re: Human missions » SS1 Wins X-Prize » 2004-10-04 11:38:52

Well congratulation to SpaceShipOne and to Its owners for having achieved the goal.

But to all those that have partial or nearly complete vehicles keep going.

We all know the direction that SpaceShipOne and the free enterprise industry has in store with the announcement of virgin getting into the space flight game.

Also there is the announcement of the http://www.xpcup.com/ to continue on the excitement of the xprize in the coming year.

In addition we have the Bigelow LEO prize still of which they are ironing out the prize amount and looking for more funds to go with his pledged amount of 25 million.

#29700 Re: Human missions » Earths Oceans Explored - but why not colonized » 2004-10-04 11:36:59

One not only of exploration but also for learning and to teach us how to plan as if we were going to the moon or to mars is how I vision the use of the oceans.

Yes, I too remember the Jacques Cousteau specials as a kid.

Much like the moon missions of the apollo age we have done basically the same things with the exploration of the oceans, we come to visit for a while but we do not stay.

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