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Category Archives: Space Flight

SpaceX Dragon spacecraft returns to Earth

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Washington, Mar 27 : A Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) Dragon spacecraft successfully completed the company's second cargo flight to the International Space Station on Tuesday, with a 12:36 pm EDT splashdown in the Pacific Ocean a few hundred miles west of Baja California, Mexico.

"The scientific research delivered and being returned by Dragon enables advances in every aspect of NASA's diverse space station science portfolio, including human research, biology and physical sciences," Julie Robinson, International Space Station Program scientist, said.

"There are more than 200 active investigations underway aboard our orbiting laboratory in space. The scientific community has eagerly awaited the return of today's Dragon to see what new insights the returned samples and investigations it carries will unveil," she said.

Science being conducted aboard the space station includes research on physical and biological processes that cannot be done anywhere else, applied research to improve lives on Earth, and exploration research to help humans move safely beyond Earth orbit. A boat will take the Dragon capsule to a port near Los Angeles, where it will be prepared for a return journey to SpaceX's test facility in McGregor, Texas, for processing.

Some cargo will be removed at the port in California and returned to NASA within 48 hours.

This includes a freezer packed with research samples collected in the space station's unique microgravity environment. The remainder of the cargo will be returned to Texas with the capsule.

Dragon is the only space station resupply spacecraft able to return a significant amount of cargo to Earth.

The spacecraft lifted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on March 1, carrying about 1,268 pounds (575 kilograms) of supplies and investigations.

It returned about 2,668 pounds (1,210 kilograms) of science samples, equipment and education activities.

Investigations included among the returned cargo could aid in food production during future long-duration space missions and enhance crop production on Earth.

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SpaceX Dragon spacecraft returns to Earth

See Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo space plane go supersonic

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Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo space plane rockets through the stratosphere at 71,000 feet, its highest flight yet, during its third powered test flight on Jan. 10, 2014. The supersonic flight occurred over California's Mojave Air and Space Port. Virgin Galactic

A stunning new video lets viewers ride along on last-week's record-breaking test flight of Virgin Galactic's suborbital spaceliner SpaceShipTwo.

The newSpaceShipTwo rocket-powered test flight videodocuments the piloted vehicle's jaunt on Jan. 10, which set a company altitude record by reaching 71,000 feet (21,641 meters) in the skies aboveCalifornia'sMojave Air and Space Port.

SpaceShipTwoalso attained a top speed of Mach 1.4 1.4 times the speed of sound, which is roughly 761 mph (1,225 km/h) at sea level during the test, Virgin Galactic officials said.

The 2.5-minute video, which Virgin Galactic released earlier this week, captures highlights of theJan. 10 supersonic flight, beginning with a pre-dawn inspection of SpaceShipTwo on the tarmac. It then shows the spaceliner being lofted off the runway by its carrier aircraft, a behemoth known as WhiteKnightTwo.

WhiteKnightTwo is designed to drop SpaceShipTwo at an altitude of roughly 50,000 feet (15,240 m), at which point the spacecraft's rocket engine blasts into action. The video captures this dramatic moment from several different angles, incorporating footage shot from the ground and from cameras mounted on WhiteKnightTwo.

WhiteKnightTwo's cameras, in fact, show SpaceShipTwo dropping toward the parched desert below before the craft's engine kicks on, shooting a tail of flame behind the spaceliner and sending it streaking past and above its carrier plane.

Virgin Galactic remains on pace to launch its first customers to suborbital space sometime this year, company officials say. Tickets to ride the spaceliner cost $250,000, and more than 600 people have put deposits down to reserve a seat so far, including major celebrities like Ashton Kutcher and Justin Bieber.

A ride aboard SpaceShipTwo will let passengers experience a few minutes of weightlessness and afford them a view of Earth against the blackness of space.

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See Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo space plane go supersonic

Kearns Named Deputy Director of Space Flight Systems at NASA Glenn

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Joel Kearns has been named deputy director of the Space Flight Systems Directorate at NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, effective Dec. 30.

In his new position, Kearns has management oversight of crosscutting functions and, as assigned by the Director of Space Flight Systems, authority in project planning and activities that produce the best results in terms of quality, efficiency, economy and timeliness. He will also have authority of the overall management of a variety of current and future programs and projects spanning all NASA space mission directorates.

"Joel brings a wealth of experience and expertise to this position," said Center Director Jim Free. "With his varied background, he is well-positioned to tackle the wide range of challenges involved in managing our Space Flight Systems portfolio."

Kearns began his NASA career at NASA Headquarters in Washington in 1988 and served in various project management roles at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala. from 1995 to 1999 and Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif. from 2005 to 2006.

His most recent position was Vice President and Director of Solar Wafer Research and Development at SunEdison (formerly MEMC Electronic Materials), St. Peters, Mo.

From 1999 to 2005, he was vice president for Engineering and Technology at SUMCO U.S.A., Salem, Ore., the world's second largest manufacturer of silicon wafers for microelectronics.

From 2006 to 2010, Kearns managed Space Shuttle Transition and Retirement at NASA Headquarters in the Space Operations Mission Directorate.

Mr. Kearns earned his bachelor's and Master of Science degrees in mechanical engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He continues to work on his doctorate in materials science and engineering at the same school.

He has received numerous awards including the Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Senior Executive. Kearns also holds four patents on crystal growth technology.

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Kearns Named Deputy Director of Space Flight Systems at NASA Glenn

"Astro Mike" Returns to Campus to Inspire a New Generation to Explore Space – Video

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"Astro Mike" Returns to Campus to Inspire a New Generation to Explore Space
Astronaut Michael Massimino is bringing space to the Engineering School as a visiting professor on loan from NASA for this 2013-2014 academic year. He #39;s look...

By: columbiauniversity

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"Astro Mike" Returns to Campus to Inspire a New Generation to Explore Space - Video


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