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#151 2024-09-14 14:08:23

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 19,417

Re: NSS Houston Chapter Events

This post is continuing from Dr. Stanley's presentation ...

AI training
Cloud services
Cryptocurrency mining
Large scale simulations (weather, climate, CAD)
***
Example: analyzing data before sending it to Earth saving downlink bandwidth.
***
Part 2 of this section:
<> Efficiency - better use of SPS capability
<> Scaling - not limited by Earth government permitting process
<> Stabiity ... avoid Earth's fluctuations making it easier to control temperature
***
European Union is apparently interested in this idea
ASCEND - Advanced Space Cloud for European Net zero mission and Data
$2.1 million investment in studies
***
ASCEND  Consortium
Led by Thales Alenia Space
Ariane group, Airbus, German Institute of Robotics (and others)
***
Plan ... put 300 satellites in VLEO orbit (195 miles)

Demo launch: 2025 on SpaceX Falcon 9
Full scale prototype ... late 2025
****
Lumen Orbit white paper

5 GW data center
Largest data centers today consume 100 MW
***
Sun-Synchronous orbit
Precession once a year ...
Nice slide!
Links: www.lumenorbit.com
Lumen Orbit Video (missed the link)
OK ... the link to the video is available on the web site
****

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#152 2024-09-14 14:25:08

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 19,417

Re: NSS Houston Chapter Events

Continue Dr. Greg Stanley's extended presentation on Data Centers in space...

<<< other players >>>

Challenges...

Environment
   Orbital debris
    Radiation and solar flares
    Radiated infrared energy might damage nearby satellites ...all the energy not collected by solar cells must be disposed of

Costs
   5 GW unit might take 200 Starship launches
   Radiator area about half the size of the solar panels
   Radiation shielding
   (other)
***
New topic ... upcoming launches

Crew to ISS - includes two "rescue" seats
Hera (mission to asteroid Didomos) (Falcon 9)
Europa Clipper - Falcon Heay ??? 10/10/2024
Blue Origin - minus two NASA satellites
SpaceX starship = estimate: 11/26/2024
Intuitive Machines -
***
End of presentation at 20:24 UtC

Next is is The Rise of the Rocket by Christean Kapp ...
Dream Chaser ... demo flight to ISS

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#153 2024-09-14 14:40:45

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 19,417

Re: NSS Houston Chapter Events

This presentation includes a number of slides showing historical figures...
I missed a couple...
On the screen now is:
Konstantine Tsiolkovsky
Sergi Korolev
Robert Esnault-Pelterie
***
Hermann Oberth (credited with space mirror concept, the lunar car and ION drive)
Werner von Braun

There is still time for our European members to tune in to catch the remainder of this presentation on the history of rocketery

***
Robert Goddard ... credited with muli-stage rocket - gyroscope development
***
Science fiction in the 1920's
Woman in the Moon
Book by Fritz Lang's wife Thea von Harbou
Movie produced in 1929 by UFA in Berlin ... director Fritz Lang
***
The event that supercharged rocketry
Answer: The WWI Peace Treaty of Versailles
Restrictions on aircraft or heavy artillery or submarines
***
Major General Walter Dornberge (PhD engineering) 1930 began looking for alternatives to artillery
1932 watched Werner von Braun's attempt to launch a rocket at at the Society for Space Travel .... he had just written his thesis on rocket propulsion
***
Dornberger became the military head of the V1, V2 programs ... Peenemunde Facilty 1937 - 6,550 employees
***
Later Dornberger worked for Bell Corporation and Boeing, and directly for the US Air Force
****
Eugen Saenger - Czech Republic (of Austrian parents)
Competed with von Braun ... glider expert
Developed the lifting body concept
Set up the Federation Astronique in France
***
Developed the Al-Zafir for the U.A.E
***
Horton 229 - ? inspiration for the B2 ?

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#154 2024-09-14 14:49:20

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 19,417

Re: NSS Houston Chapter Events

Continuing presentation on the history of rocketry

Fritz-X radio guided bomb ... sank the Italian battleship Roma

Messerschmidt ME-163 Rocket plane

"you had to be a brave person to fly this" .,... the wheels were dropped after takeoff.

***
there were numerous others examples
***
Next section: Soviet Union ...Peenemunde and Dora....

American troops got to Dora first and secured 100 V2 and destroyed what was left

The smuggled many key researchers and most documents to the West.

Operation Osoaviakhim ... 2,500 German specialists plus 4,000 family members ... hauled east against their will.

Scores of factories went East.  They were only released in 1950 ... some as late as 1958.

***
On the Western side: Operation Paperclip ... Required President Truman to sign off on action which was against existing US law

1,600 German specialists plus family

Estimate: 10 Billion patents and industrial processes were generated by this small group

****
Note that while many of these folks received honors, one was removed after it was discovered he supervised hyperthermia experiments in prison camps.

****
Werner von Btaun in the USA

Redstone Freedom 7

Apollo program...

Time Magazine cover

**** took a break

Vikram Ambalal Sarahhai ... Founder of ISRO

Quan Xuesen Father of Modern Chinese Rocketry

American trained engineer, studied under Theodor von Karman/Prandtl. As a colonel in the US Army he interrogated Werner von Braun in 1945.

Unfortunately for the US, Quan Xuesen was driven out of the US.

***
Japan: Hideo Itokawa ... launched first "pencil" rocket in 1955

Transfer of V-2 technology via U-864 was not successful.

****

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#155 2024-09-14 15:08:14

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 19,417

Re: NSS Houston Chapter Events

Continuing ...

Operation Paperclip

Heinrich, Theuer, ...

Engineer, no Nazi membership

Imprisoned by Soviets 1945-1955

Volunteered to work under Operation Paperclip

*** speaker's dad: Wofgang Kapp

Physicist 1933 PhD
Flown 1959 to Alaska ... sealed car through Canada to reach US
1959-1973 worked for US Army, Chrysler Missile Division and Wright Patterson Air Force bse
***
The Air Force Research laboratory was basically 100% German until 1974

Note: nuclear reactor at Wright Patterson AFB

1974 ... US Air Force officer took command of the research laboratory

Received Air Force award...

Ian Kapp worked on the Galley Table that is installed on the ISS

The table was delivered by an "Orbital 6" rocket.

***
The talk concluded at 21:13 UTC

The meeting was recorded and it should be available for viewing from the northhoustonspace.org site in the near future.

(th)

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#156 2024-09-15 11:12:18

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 19,417

Re: NSS Houston Chapter Events

Here is a follow up to the meeting at North Houston NSS yesterday:

https://www.northhoustonspace.org/2024/ … f-meeting/

The link to a video is at the bottom of the page.

The presentation by Dr. Greg Stanley was excellent as always, and the history of rocketry was very well done.  The presenter is the son of one of the scientists collected by Operation Paperclip, with the difference that (apparently) the father was collected by the Soviet Union first. How he got out of Russia is included in the presentation.

(th)

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#157 2024-10-09 07:08:15

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 19,417

Re: NSS Houston Chapter Events

The next meeting of the North Houston chapter of NSS is scheduled for this coming Saturday:

As a reminder, these meetings are open to NewMars members by just connecting using Zoom.

There is no need for a camera or microphone. The Zoom program will send the video and audio from the meeting, and the meeting leaders are taking steps to improve the online experience. The Space News talk by Dr. Greg Stanley is always well done.

The time should be convenient for our European members:

2 PM Houston >> 3 PM New Hampshire >> 7 PM UTC so 8 PM London

logo


Join us for our Monthly NSS North Houston Space Society (http://NorthHoustonSpace.org) meeting.

This will be a hybrid meeting. Come in person at Barbara Bush Library (6817 Cypresswood Drive, Spring, TX 77379) or join us online via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85216600533



The meeting will be on Saturday, October 12, 2024 at 2PM (US Central Time).



2:00 PM – Opening Remarks
2:10 PM – Latest in Space Weather – Patricia Vlach
2:20 PM – A New Comet in the Sky – Brooklynn Levi
2:25 PM – Space News – Greg Stanley
3:00 PM – Featured Topic: Public Relations and My Journey at NASA and Beyond – Michael Flores
4:00 PM – End of Meeting at the Library
(as soon as we can get there)
5:00 PM – Informal get together at PJ’s Coffee near the library



About our Featured Speaker: Michael Flores
Michael Flores served as a Public Affairs Specialist at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, where he collaborated closely with astronauts, scientists, engineers, and STEM professionals to promote a deeper understanding of NASA’s programs and missions. He played a key role in planning and announcing the crew of Artemis 2, contributed to communications for Artemis 1, engaged in extensive medical research for missions to the Moon and Mars, and supported hardware development for lunar missions. Currently, he is the Digital Fluency and Operations Lead for Chevron’s Law Function, managing a team across the United States.

Throughout his career, Flores has worked alongside and trained astronauts, lawyers, doctors, educators, politicians, and top executives, while also lecturing at various universities.



About the Meeting
Meetings are open to all age groups and interest levels. Come explore with us the potential that developing and exploring space has to better life here on earth and to open up new frontiers creating new perspectives that can help enrich the human experience.

The Vision of NSS is people living and working in thriving communities beyond the Earth, and the use of the vast resources of space for the dramatic betterment of humanity.

The Mission of NSS is to promote social, economic, technological, and political change in order to expand civilization beyond Earth, to settle space and to use the resulting resources to build a hopeful and prosperous future for humanity. Accordingly, we support steps toward this goal, including human spaceflight, commercial space development, space exploration, space applications, space resource utilization, robotic precursors, defense against asteroids, relevant science, and space settlement oriented education.

Website:  http://NorthHoustonSpace.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NssNorthHoustonSpaceSociety/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nss-no … e-society/

(th)

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#158 2024-10-12 10:21:45

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 19,417

Re: NSS Houston Chapter Events

Today! The next meeting of the North Houston chapter of NSS is scheduled for this coming Saturday:

As a reminder, these meetings are open to NewMars members by just connecting using Zoom.

There is no need for a camera or microphone. The Zoom program will send the video and audio from the meeting, and the meeting leaders are taking steps to improve the online experience. The Space News talk by Dr. Greg Stanley is always well done.

The time should be convenient for our European members:

2 PM Houston >> 3 PM New Hampshire >> 7 PM UTC so 8 PM London

logo


Join us for our Monthly NSS North Houston Space Society (http://NorthHoustonSpace.org) meeting.

This will be a hybrid meeting. Come in person at Barbara Bush Library (6817 Cypresswood Drive, Spring, TX 77379) or join us online via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85216600533



The meeting will be on Saturday, October 12, 2024 at 2PM (US Central Time).



2:00 PM – Opening Remarks
2:10 PM – Latest in Space Weather – Patricia Vlach
2:20 PM – A New Comet in the Sky – Brooklynn Levi
2:25 PM – Space News – Greg Stanley
3:00 PM – Featured Topic: Public Relations and My Journey at NASA and Beyond – Michael Flores
4:00 PM – End of Meeting at the Library
(as soon as we can get there)
5:00 PM – Informal get together at PJ’s Coffee near the library



About our Featured Speaker: Michael Flores
Michael Flores served as a Public Affairs Specialist at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, where he collaborated closely with astronauts, scientists, engineers, and STEM professionals to promote a deeper understanding of NASA’s programs and missions. He played a key role in planning and announcing the crew of Artemis 2, contributed to communications for Artemis 1, engaged in extensive medical research for missions to the Moon and Mars, and supported hardware development for lunar missions. Currently, he is the Digital Fluency and Operations Lead for Chevron’s Law Function, managing a team across the United States.

Throughout his career, Flores has worked alongside and trained astronauts, lawyers, doctors, educators, politicians, and top executives, while also lecturing at various universities.



About the Meeting
Meetings are open to all age groups and interest levels. Come explore with us the potential that developing and exploring space has to better life here on earth and to open up new frontiers creating new perspectives that can help enrich the human experience.

The Vision of NSS is people living and working in thriving communities beyond the Earth, and the use of the vast resources of space for the dramatic betterment of humanity.

The Mission of NSS is to promote social, economic, technological, and political change in order to expand civilization beyond Earth, to settle space and to use the resulting resources to build a hopeful and prosperous future for humanity. Accordingly, we support steps toward this goal, including human spaceflight, commercial space development, space exploration, space applications, space resource utilization, robotic precursors, defense against asteroids, relevant science, and space settlement oriented education.

Website:  http://NorthHoustonSpace.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NssNorthHoustonSpaceSociety/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nss-no … e-society/

(th)

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#159 2024-10-12 13:09:20

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 19,417

Re: NSS Houston Chapter Events

The NSS North Houston meeting is in progresss....

The opening talk is about Solar sun spots ....

Reminder ... it is Not necessary to have a microphone or a camera to attend.

I am receiving video and audio via a walk-around headset.

Update: Dr. Greg Stanley's talk opened with a detailed review of the Europa mission.

The talk is in progress at 15:29 New Hampshire time.

Update: Dr. Stanley is talking about the DART mission.
Live at 15:40 New Hampshire time.

(th)

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#160 2024-10-12 13:43:30

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 19,417

Re: NSS Houston Chapter Events

Here is a transcript of a question asked of the presenter on Solar Spots...

what is the energy range of protons?

Excellent space weather presentation, Dr. Williams.

Joshua Williams
to
Everyone
03:27 PM
JW
Hi Robin,

For the SEP's they can be up to several GeV but mostly in the MeV range. During a geomagnetic storm (a day later, caused by a CME) the particles may not be quite up to the GeV range (generally keV to MeV) but they're more intense and longer lasting.

Those killer electrons for example, can get up to 20 MeV in the Van Allen belt, which can pose a hazard for particularly satellites in geosynchronous orbit, since they basically live in the belt! (The belt is a region of increased electron flux between 3-10 earth radii altitude, whereas geosynchronous orbit is right in the middle, around 6 earth radii). So any process that energizes the electrons in this belt (i.e. geomagnetic storms) can be dangerous for them.

(th)

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#161 2024-10-12 14:04:58

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 19,417

Re: NSS Houston Chapter Events

Dr. Greg Stanley is now discussing SpaceX and comparing the launch business at 3.5 to 4 billion $ to the Starlink business projected to reach 6.6 B $.

1584 satellites 72 orbital planes 22 satellites in each

***
Falcon 9 grounding

Cleared late October 11, 2024

***
Topic: absurd demands by EPA and FAA

<> fine for spilling liquid oxygen at launch site
<> fine for Starship deluge system that uses drinking water
An audience member explained that the problem is not the purity of the water. It is the temperature of the water.  Will it hurt marine life?
<> fine for changing launch control center
<> fine for using a new storage tank for launch

*** I will note that the on site audience really go worked up by those complains. 

(th)

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#162 2024-10-12 14:22:12

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 19,417

Re: NSS Houston Chapter Events

Next topic....

Launching 5 Starships to Mars?

2026
late 2028/early 2029

The slide for this section shows animation of the Insight mission, which used a Hohmann Transfer orbit.

***
Goal ... self sustaining Martian city in 20 years

Testing for intact landing ... If successful could send crew next.

****
Starlink update:

6426 satellites in September 2024
6,371 working
4 million subscribers

***
<> Note that new Chinese satellites are bright and alarm astronomers

<> China landed it's first reusable satellite

7,000 lb satellite, with 1,300 lb payload

October 10, successful landing

2 weeks of experiments with plants and microbes

***
Upcoming launches:

Europa Clipper
Blue Origin
SpaceX Starship
Intuitive Machines
Dream Chaser

***
Talk Michael Flores "Communicating Complexity"

Worked for NASA (Johnson Space Center) (and many other entities)

College: Lone Star - Sam Houston State - John Hopkins University

(th)

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#163 2024-10-15 05:57:56

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 19,417

Re: NSS Houston Chapter Events

Here is a follow up to the meeting of Saturday last:

The video is available - the Space News by Dr. Greg Stanley is worth your time.

logo
image placeholder
We had a fantastic October Meeting.  I uploaded the recording, some pictures, and few notes to the website.



Our next meeting will be November 9, 2024, same place and time.  We will have Vickie Kloeris as a featured speaker talking about the science and processes of feeding the astronauts in space.  Also she will talk about her journey to NASA..  She has recently written a book called “Space Bites - Reflections of a NASA Food Scientist”.  I definitely recommend picking up a copy.



Also, hopefully you saw the SpaceX Starship IFT 5 launch on Sunday.  Wow!  We are really going to have an exciting future.  Reusable spacecraft will make access to space cheaper and more frequent.  Considering SpaceX plans to be able to launch the same StarShip multiple times per day, and plans to eventually manufacture two a week, there will be frequents launches.  This really takes away one barrier to develop and exploring space.



And if you have not done so already, sign up to be a member of the North Houston Space Society and join our slack channel.

(th)

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#164 2024-11-02 07:02:12

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 19,417

Re: NSS Houston Chapter Events

A week from today, North Houston NSS will be holding it's monthly meeting. It offers Zoom connection and NewMars members are welcome.

It is possible to attend via Zoom without a microphone or camera.  Cell phones will work as well as laptops or desktops.

Welcome!
The Science of Feeding Astronauts – Featuring Vickie Kloeris Reflections of a NASA Food Scientist – Featuring Vickie Kloeris – November 9, 2024 – 2PM – Barbara Bush Library
Join us for our Monthly NSS North Houston Space Society (http://NorthHoustonSpace.org) meeting.

This will be a hybrid meeting. Come in person at Barbara Bush Library (6817 Cypresswood Drive, Spring, TX 77379) or join us online (details TBD)

The meeting will be on Saturday, November 9, 2024 at 2PM (US Central Time).

2:00 PM – Opening Remarks
2:10 PM – Latest in Space Weather – Patricia Vlach
2:15 PM – Space News – Greg Stanley
3:00 PM – Featured Topic: Reflections of a NASA Food Scientist – Vickie Kloeris
4:00 PM – End of Meeting at the Library
(as soon as we can get there)
5:00 PM – Informal get together at PJ’s Coffee near the library


Be sure to order and bring a copy of her book Space Bites – Reflections of a NASA Food Scientist to the meeting to get autographed. It is an excellent book that will give you an idea on another way to get into NASA and support human space flight.

About our Featured Speaker: Vickie Kloeris
Vickie Kloeris is a food scientist with an out of this world career. She worked at NASA in space food systems for 34 years. For 29 of those years, she served as the NASA manager of first the Shuttle and then the International Space Station food systems. She and her teams worked through the complex challenges of creating tasty, nutritious, long-lasting, easy-to-prepare meals that support the dietary and psychological needs of astronauts living on the space station. Kloeris has worked with 100s of astronauts to plan their favorite meals and holiday specialty meals for space travel.

Kloeris received NASA’s highest honor, the NASA Distinguished Service Medal in 2019. During her career, Kloeris was twice awarded the NASA Exceptional Service Medal and received the Johnson Space Center Director’s Commendation Award.

She earned a B.S. in Microbiology and a M.S. in Food Science and Technology from Texas A&M University. Kloeris has authored and co-authored many publications and done extensive public relations work during her time at NASA. Kloeris currently serves as President of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT).

About the Meeting

Start time is 2 PM Houston, which is 3 PM New Hampshire.

(th)

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#165 2024-11-04 07:38:40

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 19,417

Re: NSS Houston Chapter Events

The North Houston chapter is promoting their upcoming meeting. Here is an extra email they sent out:

Sun, Nov 3 at 8:41 PM

Join us for our Monthly NSS North Houston Space Society (http://NorthHoustonSpace.org) meeting.

This will be a hybrid meeting. Come in person at Barbara Bush Library (6817 Cypresswood Drive, Spring, TX 77379) or join us online via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85216600533

The meeting will be on Saturday, November 9, 2024 at 2PM (US Central Time).

2:00 PM – Opening Remarks
2:10 PM – Latest in Space Weather – Patricia Vlach
2:15 PM – Kranz Dictum “Tough and Competent” – – Brooklynn Levi
2:20 PM – Space News – Greg Stanley
3:00 PM – Featured Topic: Reflections of a NASA Food Scientist – Vickie Kloeris
4:00 PM – End of Meeting at the Library
(as soon as we can get there)
5:00 PM – Informal get together at PJ’s Coffee near the library



Also, to help get the word out, indicate that you are coming and share the following events:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/2902011576620465

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/events/thescie … 6311934976

Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/houston-secret-s … 304368920/

Also, we have some print flyers that you can download from our website.  Print one out and hang it at the local coffee shop or give it to a friend:

https://www.northhoustonspace.org/wp-co … -Flyer.pdf

As a reminder, any NewMars member can attend without a microphone or camera.  All you need is a smart phone or a computer able to play audio and video over the Internet.

The time of the event is 2 PM Houston time, which is 3 PM New Hampshire time, and 7 PM in Europe.

(th)

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