Sep 26
The provision would allow NASA to buy seats on Russia’s Soyuz spacecraft until 2016, thereby granting the agency continued access to the International Space Station.
Source: By JOHN SCHWARTZ
Aug 08
Filed under: Transportation
Ad Astra’s VASIMR plasma rocket is about ready for testing, only problem is it requires the vacuum of space to do it in. NASA is now considering taking the rocket up to the International Space Station, clipping it on and firing her up — perhaps even using it to reposition the station. Formerly of NASA, Franklin Chang Diaz left to form Ad Astra and perfect his plasma rocket, which he hopes will be able to take space vehicles from low-earth orbit to the moon. The rocket draws its own power from solar cells, and then uses radio waves to heat argon into plasma, and directs that plasma using magnets. Pretty fancy stuff, and since the rocket is reusable and can propel payloads double the size of equivalent chemical engines, there could be cost savings in the long run. Right now it seems the main hang ups for NASA are where to attach the rocket to the ISS where it won’t be interfered with, and how to get it into space after the space shuttle is retired in 2010
[Via Newlaunches.com]
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Source: Paul Miller
Aug 03
Filed under: Transportation
Remember Space Exploration Technologies Corp, otherwise known as SpaceX? You know, the private space transport company started by PayPal founder Elon Musk that won the NASA Commercial Comercial Orbital Transportation Services competition for its Falcon rocket? Last we heard from SpaceX it had lost Falcon 1 during a test launch, but this week its Falcon 9 launch vehicle was successfully fired up. While it didn’t go anywhere, the successful static launch was good news for the company, and the test run was even two months ahead of schedule, which could mean good things for the rockets’ ultimate place in runs to the International Space Station once the Space Shuttle goes out of service in 2010.
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Source: Joshua Fruhlinger
Jul 26
Filed under: Transportation
According to breaking news from NASA, a space program worker is alleged to have deliberately damaged a computer that was meant to fly aboard the shuttle Endeavor in less than two weeks in an apparent act of sabotage. NASA says the unnamed individual, who works for one of the space agency’s subcontractors, cut wires inside a computer that was headed to the International Space Station (ISS) on the shuttle. The alleged tampering occurred outside of NASA operations in Florida, but the agency isn’t naming the subcontractor or where exactly the incident took place. NASA hopes to fix the damage, and launch the Endeavor August 7th, as planned. As this appears to be the first ever report of sabotage on the space program, you can expect to hear a lot more on this story in the very near future.
[Via TheWolfWeb]
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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: Joshua Topolsky
Jul 26
Filed under: Transportation
According to breaking news from NASA, a space program worker is alleged to have deliberately damaged a computer that was meant to fly aboard the Endeavor in less than two weeks, in an apparent act of sabotage. NASA says the unnamed individual, who works for one of the space agency’s subcontractors, cut wires inside a computer that was headed to the International Space Station (ISS) on the shuttle. The alleged tampering occurred outside of NASA operations in Florida, but the agency isn’t naming the subcontractor or where exactly the incident took place. The agency hopes to fix the damage and launch the Endeavor August 7th, as planned. As this appears to be the first ever report of sabotage on the space program, you can expect to hear a lot more on this story in the very near future.
[Via TheWolfWeb]
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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: Joshua Topolsky