Nasas space shuttle fleet may be landing in museums, but the next step in space exploration is already underway as private concerns work to get into the ground floor of commercial flight to near-Earth orbit and possibly beyond. On Saturday, May 19, the company Space X plans to reach a major milestone by launching the first commercial craft bound for the International Space Station. Nasas ISS programme manager Mike Suffredini has dubbed it one of those historic launches. But there is much that could go wrong in what amounts to a test flight, and the launch has already been delayed repeatedly to make sure everything comes together correctly. Space takes longer and is more expensive than people expect, notes Scott Pace, director of the Space Policy Institute at the George Washington University in Washington. Space Xs Dragon spacecraft is to embark upon a three-day flight to the ISS and undertake a series of complicated docking manoeuvres in order to establish that it can safely attach to the orbiting station. This will be only the third flight for Dragon. The flight carries significant risk, but Space X has vowed that if any part of the mission does not succeed it will learn and try again. The unmanned Dragon capsule will blast off atop a Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida and carry 521kg of cargo, mainly food for astronauts living on the station. If all goes as planned it will return to Earth with 660kg of discarded cargo. Nasa and Space X have said they were confident about the mission but stressed it was a test flight and that the docking to the station would be particularly difficult. The shift toward commercial spaceflight comes as part of an Obama administration review of space policy amid the retirement of the space shuttle fleet. Nasa will shift its focus to longer distance goals with the aim of eventually reaching an asteroid and later Mars while handing over routine space station flights to commercial providers. The US doesnt have its own government access to the space station, so it is reliant on private providers, and for cargo that is a reasonable bet, Pace said. But he expressed worries that the next step - commercial crew access - will be considerably more difficult. With the retirement of the shuttle, US astronauts can only reach the station via Russian Soyuz spacecraft, while cargo can be delivered on Russian, European and Japanese craft. The Space X advance would be good news not only for Nasa, but also for international partners. We wish Space X all the success in this matter because it is an important step to have access to space, Andreas Diekmann, who heads the European Space Agencys Washington office, said, noting the need for a US means to reach the station. Space X was awarded a possible $396mn contract, of which it has so-far received $381mn, to develop its capsule. It is under contract for 12 supply flights to the station. In 2010, Space X was the first private company to send a commercial craft into orbit. If all goes well, the company eventually plans to convert the Dragon capsule to allow it to also bring astronauts aloft - but it will likely be years before the first astronaut blasts off in a private rocket. The Dragon is to remain at the station for two weeks for the ISS crew to unload cargo, before the capsule re-enters the atmosphere and splashes down off the California coast. I think weve got a pretty good shot, but it is worth emphasizing that there is a lot that can go wrong in a mission like this, Space X chief Elon Musk said last month. The most complex part of the mission will be the docking to the station, and Nasa and Space X will take a series of steps to be sure the station and its resident astronauts are safe as the craft approaches. If any aspect of the approach looks to be compromised, the docking could be called off at the last minute. Finally, two astronauts aboard the ISS will use the stations robotic arm to grab the Dragon capsule and attach it to a port on the station. Nasa noted that the cargo aboard the craft is expendable, in case the Dragon fails to make it to the ISS or back home. Musk warned against placing too much value on the flight, saying that a failure should not be used as an argument to discredit commercial space flight. There should be doubt about our resolve, he said. We will get to the space station whether on this mission or a future one. Another company, Orbital Sciences Corporation, is set for its first flight to the ISS late this year.

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Space X set to launch first commercial flight to ISS

NASA declared on Tuesday that "everyone is `go"' for a Hawthorne rocket developer's upcoming launch to the International Space Station.

The thumbs-up came after NASA completed an additional so-called Flight Readiness Review.

Space Exploration Technologies Corp., known as SpaceX, hopes to launch its Dragon spacecraft on Saturday to become the first commercial enterprise to dock with the space station.

The launch has been delayed several times, most recently because of software problems.

"The teams reported all remaining work had been completed and everyone is `go' for launch," NASA said in a statement.

The space agency's review focused on SpaceX's recent software changes as well as "the closeout of additional paperwork."

SpaceX plans its own launch readiness review on Thursday.

The rocket company is scheduled to launch Dragon on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 1:55 a.m PDT from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.

SpaceX has a great deal riding on the mission, which will demonstrate whether NASA can use private companies to supply the space station. SpaceX is operating under a $1.5 billion NASA contract.

SpaceX also is equipping another version of Dragon to accommodate humans in hopes of providing astronaut transport services to the space station.

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NASA approves SpaceX launch; space station flight set to start Saturday

One of the advantages of the space flight gap between the end of the space shuttle program and the beginning of the space exploration program is that it affords NASA the opportunity to refurbish its infrastructure at the Kennedy Space Center.

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Refurbishment of NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building Begins

A Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying one of the world's most experienced space fliers, a rookie cosmonaut and a NASA shuttle veteran blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan late Monday U.S. time, climbing away through a cloudless blue sky to kick off a two-day voyage to the International Space Station.

The Russian Soyuz TMA-04M spacecraft rumbled to life on time at 11:01:23 p.m EDT (GMT-4; 09:01:23 a.m. local time Tuesday), roughly the moment Earth's rotation carried the Site 1 launch pad into the plane of the space station's orbit.

"Everything's OK on board, we feel good," commander Gennady Padalka radioed as the rocket arced away to the East.

Padalka, who logged 586 days in orbit during a long-duration flight aboard the Russian Mir lab complex and two aboard the International Space Station, monitored the automated ascent from the central seat of the Soyuz TMA-04M's cramped command module. He was flanked on the left by Russian flight engineer Sergei Revin, a space rookie acting as co-pilot, and on the right by NASA educator-astronaut Joseph Acaba, veteran of a 2009 flight aboard the shuttle Discovery.

Acaba said before launch that he was looking forward to his first ride aboard a Soyuz spacecraft, adding that he was confident the Russian launcher would provide a safe ride following a string of recent problems with other Russian launchers and spacecraft.

"We should never fool ourselves that going into space is an easy thing and that it's without risk," he said in an interview. "(But) the Soyuz has been one of the most reliable vehicles we've had to take us into space. So I feel really good about riding on one, I feel comfortable with the analysis that was done. ... And I'm also very fortunate to fly with one of the most experienced cosmonauts on the planet. (Padalka is) very well trained and if we do experience any kind of problem, I feel confident as a crew that we'll be able to get back safely."

As he expected, the eight-minute 45-second climb to space went smoothly and Acaba and his crewmates appeared relaxed and in good spirits in live television shots from inside the cramped command module. Moments after separation from the Soyuz rocket's upper stage, the capsule's solar panels and antennas unfolded and Russian flight controllers said the vehicle was in good shape as it set off after the space station.

"Congratulations on the successful launch," a Russian flight controller radioed.

"Thank you very much," Padalka replied.

"Everything looks OK here on the ground, telemetry looks good. The ascent was nominal, so enjoy your work. We'll wish you best of luck."

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Next manned space launch safely takes flight to orbit

Image: ATK

The Utah company that built the solid rocket boosters for the now retired space shuttle program announced plans to enter the next phase of American space flight with its own private launch system. Alliant Techsystems, or ATK as it is better known, says it plans to build a complete rocket and spacecraft package to transport astronauts and cargo to and from low earth orbit. The announcement adds another potential company aiming for NASA contracts as pressure from lawmakers and former astronauts is pushing to trim the selection to a single option.

The new launch system from ATK will use its Liberty rocket which was submitted as part of the NASAs current Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) program, but was not selected. Instead programs from SpaceX and Sierra Nevada Corporation are participating in this round of CCDev funding and testing.

Liberty will be the name of the new program, and this time it will include a capsule spacecraft, launch abort system and the rocket itself. ATK plans to begin flight testing in 2014 and is aiming for a crew flight in 2015.

The spacecraft for the Liberty launch system is a seven seat, composite capsule that originated as a research project to see if composites could serve as an alternative to the aluminum materials NASA was using to develop the Orion spacecraft. Orion is a capsule being built by Lockheed Martin for NASA missions beyond low earth orbit, namely asteroids and eventually Mars. ATK says the composite spacecraft will land in the water and will be reusable up to 10 times.

The composite capsule being developed for ATK's Liberty rocket. Photo: ATK

The the first stage of the Liberty rocket is powered by a solid fuel motor similar to those ATK built as the solid rocket boosters for the space shuttle. The new solid rocket includes a five segment motor that was initially designed to serve to launch the now defunct, Constellation spacecraft to the moon. The new Liberty rocket will use the Ariane 5 liquid fueled rocket as the second stage to boost the composite capsule into orbit. The Ariane 5 is built by the European company Astrium, and is a workhorse of the European Space Agencys launch program.

The solid rocket first stage and liquid rocket second stage puts the Liberty at 300 feet tall. The towering height is more than 110 feet taller than both the space shuttle on the launch pad or SpaceXs Falcon 9.

Like the other companies developing new launch systems, contracts from NASA arent the only thing ATK is looking at with its new launch system. The company also wants to use its Liberty system for satellite launches as well as for space tourism in the future.

A diagram showing the combination of the solid rocket booster from the space shuttle and the European Ariane 5 used to make the very tall Liberty rocket. Image:ATK

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Space Industry Veteran (Re)Entering The Commercial Space Race

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., successfully completed wind tunnel testing for Sierra Nevada Corp. (SNC) Space Systems of Louisville, Colo. The test will provide aerodynamic data that will aid in the design of the new Dream Chaser Space System.

During tests at Marshalls wind tunnel facility, a scale model of SNC's Dream Chaser orbital crew vehicle was mounted on a scale model of the United Launch Alliances Atlas V launch vehicle. Over 400 data runs were performed at subsonic, transonic and supersonic speeds to study the effects of how air moves past the model. Nine full-stack configurations were tested over a Mach range of .4, or 304 miles per hour at sea level, to Mach 5, or 3,800 miles per hour at sea level, at various launch vehicle roll angles.

The data generated from this test series, coupled with data from computational fluid dynamics studies, will define the aerodynamic characteristics of the Dream Chaser - Atlas V launch stack during the ascent phase of flight. Obtaining this data will enable higher-fidelity loads analysis, better definition of launch vehicle performance, and will aid in further refining Dream Chasers trajectory design for orbital vehicle launches.

Were glad Marshall could support SNC in completing these wind tunnel tests quickly and affordably and early in the design phase, said Teresa Vanhooser, manager of the Flight Programs and Partnerships Office at Marshall. Our trisonic wind tunnel and engineering staff helps partners understand the aerodynamic integrity and stability of spacecraft and launch vehicles, like the Dream Chaser, over a variety of wind speeds and phases of flight.

Mark Sirangelo, corporate vice president and head of SNC's Space Systems, said: "The Dream Chaser Program is grateful for the opportunity to leverage the experience, expertise, and resources of Marshall, made possible by the unique government-commercial partnership created through NASA's Commercial Crew Development Program. Sierra Nevada Corporation looks forward to expanding our successful relationship with Marshall, as well as creating new business opportunities in the Huntsville area."

Marshall's Aerodynamic Research Facilitys 14-inch trisonic wind tunnel is an intermittent, blow-down tunnel that operates from high-pressure storage to either vacuum or atmospheric exhaust. The facility is capable of conducting tests in the subsonic, transonic and supersonic mach ranges using its two interchangeable test sections. Subsonic Mach numbers are below Mach 1, the speed of sound, or 760 miles per hour at sea level, while transonic speeds approach and are slightly above Mach 1. The facility can achieve a maximum supersonic Mach number of 5, or five times the speed of sound.

SNC is currently one of the NASA Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) partners awarded funding under a Space Act Agreement to mature their Dream Chaser orbital crew transportation system. NASAs CCDev effort is being led by NASAs Kennedy Space Center and supported by NASA technical experts across the agency, including the Marshall Center for a variety of technical areas.

The effort to define the aerodynamic characteristics of the Dream Chaser Space System is being conducted under a reimbursable Space Act Agreement funded by SNC and executed with the support of aerodynamicists and wind tunnel experts from the Marshall Center and United Launch Alliance.

Provided by JPL/NASA (news : web)

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Testing for Dream Chaser Space System completed

With the first privately-owned spacecraft heading for the International Space Station on May 19, space enthusiasts argue that it's time to stop mourning NASA's decline

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SpaceX: Should we cheer private space flight?

KOROLYOV, Russia (Reuters) - A Soyuz spaceship carrying two Russians and one American astronaut blasted off for the International Space Station (ISS) on Tuesday after more than a month's delay over a problem with the hull of the Russian-built capsule. NASA astronaut Joseph Acaba, veteran cosmonaut Gennady Padalka and Sergei Revin, who is departing on his maiden space flight, launched in clear ...

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U.S., Russian crew blast off for space station

For the last half-century, space flight has been the domain of the world's superpowers.

All that is set to change as soon as Saturday when SpaceX, the private rocket company in Hawthorne, will attempt to launch a spaceship with cargo into orbit and three days later dock it with the International Space Station.

If successful, the mission could mean a major shift in the way the U.S. government handles space exploration. Instead of keeping space travel a closely guarded government function, NASA has already begun hiring privately funded start-up companies for spacecraft development and is moving toward eventually outsourcing NASA space missions.

PHOTOS: A private spaceship launch

The upcoming launch is "the first step in the handoff" to private industry, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said. "Everybody realizes the importance of this mission," he said. "Nobody will be rooting against SpaceX."

But if the mission fails, it could trigger serious doubts about NASA's decision to hand these responsibilities to a fledgling private space industry. Doubters have already begun to raise questions. Some former astronauts, members of Congress and space experts say the current plan to subcontract space missions is foolhardy. They say the plan is risky and that outer space is no place to roll the dice on unproven companies.

On launch day, it falls to SpaceX and its 40-year-old billionaire founder, Elon Musk, to prove they're prepared.

With SpaceX engineers at the controls in Hawthorne, a towering rocket will blast off from a launch pad about 2,600 miles away in Cape Canaveral, Fla., and lift a gumdrop-shaped space capsule with a half-ton of food, water and other supplies up to the crew aboard the orbiting space station.

But delivering cargo isn't the key mission the space station is well-provisioned. The main purpose is to demonstrate that the space capsule can rendezvous with the $100-billion orbiting outpost and link up with the space station's onboard computers. If all goes well, the crew aboard the space station will snag the spacecraft with a robotic arm and lead it in for docking. Weeks later it will be released and sent back to Earth.

"We're ready to take that next step," Musk said. "It's been a long road to this point."

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A new frontier for space travel