28-05-2012 20:18 freind me on facebook SUBSCRIBE PLEASE I WILL PUT OUT NEW VIDEOS EACH WEEK SO SUB FOR notifacations
Original post:
Category Archives: Space Flight
Hartford Experiment Along For Ride As SpaceX's 'Dragon' Makes History
Follow Your Town News On The Courant's Hartford Facebook Page Friday turned out to be a joyous "berth"-day for commercial space flight and the Hartford school team with a science experiment aboard SpaceX's Dragon.
More:
Hartford Experiment Along For Ride As SpaceX's 'Dragon' Makes History
Dragon maiden flight and the Russian space program
Successfully docking the first ever commercial spaceship to the government-funded International Space Station is not only a question of competition. Transferring the part of space obligations to private bodies might help encourage agencies to go further. However, even if Dragon helps unloading Russian space, it is still question of funds allocation.
It seems that the Dragon launch and successful docking to the ISS means much more for space flights than previously thought. On one hand, NASA might eventually have received a replacement for retired shuttles.
On the other hand, Russia seems to be gradually losing its potential customers, since the USA, as well as Europe and Japan now possess cargo ships capable of carrying necessary supplies to the ISS. Moreover, the Dragon is capable of delivering cargo back to Earth - an option that neither Progress nor ATV and HTV can boast.
However, if the ISS is not the ultimate target it would make sense to have it replaced for both Roscosmos and NASA, as this would free both agencies from having to maintain the station until 2020.
At least that was an initial aim of NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) Program, which includes launches of Dragon (developed by Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or Space X) and ships built by Orbital Science Corporation.
The same might be true for Russia, as the ISS, as many critics have pointed out, requires effort and is extremely costly, thus hindering other branches of space science. With a fleet of retired shuttles, the only remaining ship to carry astronauts to the ISS is the Soyuz (with three seats), but it takes a crew of six to keep the station fully functional.
Prospectively, the Dragon will carry people to space as well, as soon more research is done. While Space X, the developer of the ship and its launcher Falcon 9, is sure that human spaceflight will happen in the next few years, the time lag might eventually be a great deal longer.
The second demonstration flight of the Dragon was delayed for a year (meanwhile, the Russian corporation Energia is building a new transportation system that should be ready for the first unmanned launch in 2015, with manned expeditions following in 2018). Nonetheless, it is most likely that first commercially-built spacecraft will berth the station before the end of the decade.
Recently, the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) has offered its partners to prolong the ISS expeditions to nine months, instead of the current six-month period, which would presumably reduce the number of manned launches. According to Alexey Krasnov, the head of the human programs of the agency, this would futher promote human flights.
Earlier, the head of Roscomos, Vladimir Popovkin, speculated that it might be more effective to switch to visiting expeditions rather than keep the station constantly manned.
Continued here:
US Astronaut rides into Space – Flight of Freedom Seven (May 5 1961) – Video
27-05-2012 07:05 America's first sub-orbital flight. Astronaut Commander Alan B Shepard in Freedom Seven Capsule.
Read more here:
US Astronaut rides into Space - Flight of Freedom Seven (May 5 1961) - Video
Space Flight Exploration: Where no Government Has Gone Before
Elon Musk's (the real-life Tony Stark from Ironman) SpaceEx company made history last week when the company's Dragon capsule berthed at the International Space Station, carrying a boatload of supplies. It was the first privately funded space vehicle to reach the Space Station. It will not be the last, we hope.
This is one of the unintended consequences of the Welfare State/corporatist model going bust. The government has to get out of the business of things it can't afford to do. NASA, for example, can't send a man into space anymore. It has to pay the Russians to do this, or hitch a ride with a private company.
Our prediction is that private sector will take commercial space flight and exploration where no government has gone before. Human trips to space will become cheaper, easier, and more frequent. And the greatest human achievements of the next 100 years won't be terrestrial. We'll begin to get off the planet and out into space.
That idea probably terrifies people who think that human beings are a parasite on the planet to begin with. But as we said last week, risk-taking behaviour promotes the survival of the species, and there is nothing riskier than getting off the planet and out into the stars. Exploring the unknown world gives people a sense of imagination and purpose that lasts beyond a generation. That is something to get excited about. There really is a new frontier out there and we could be on the cusp of another great leap in human endeavour.
Of course all that could fall down like a big tower of Babel if the world's financial system implodes. Our current arrangement for allocating scarce resources and pricing things has become perverted by unsound money. The whole system needs a re-boot. The downtime between the end of this story and the beginning of the next could be pretty grim for some people.
But Australians know how to plan ahead for such things. A plan to build a $12 million, three-storey brothel near Sydney's central business district is nearing approval, according to The Age. It would be Australia's largest brothel, apparently. Larger, even, than the stock market.
Prostitution was legalised in New South Wales in 1995. Investigations showed that illegal prostitution led to a 'nexus' between crime lords and police corruption. It also probably led to higher prices. The government is pleased to set aside moral reservations about private behaviour when there is tax money to collect.
And to be sure, an experience at the 'Stiletto' brothel will not be cheap! The 'Presidential Suite' requires a minimum four-hour booking at the price of $1480 (almost enough to buy an ounce of gold!). The 'Suite' includes a Swarovski crystal wall, a pool table, two plasma screen televisions, and can accommodate 16 people, or just over 20% of the Australian Senate.
Perhaps the government in Canberra should send someone to investigate the economics of moving the Parliament to Parramatta Road in Sydney. Or perhaps it already has! Running the government from the grounds of a brothel might be cheaper. And in the event, the professions are not dissimilar. Everyone at the party mucks around while the taxpayer gets screwed.
But fear not, dear reader. Life goes on. And we'll always have Paris. More from there next week.
Continued here:
Space Flight Exploration: Where no Government Has Gone Before
SpaceX Dragon ship reaches International Space Station in historic flight
WASHINGTON SpaceX on Friday became the first commercial outfit to dock its own cargo capsule at the International Space Station, marking what experts have hailed as a new era for private spaceflight.
The California-based SpaceX, owned by Internet entrepreneur Elon Musk, has now reached the climax of its test mission to become the first privately owned craft to reach the space station, restoring U.S. access to the space outpost.
With no humans on board, the capsule is delivering about a half ton of supplies and science experiments for the ISS, and aims to return a slightly larger load of gear to Earth on May 31.
It looks like we got us a Dragon by the tail, said U.S. astronaut Don Pettit, who was operating the Canadian-built robotic arm from the space station as it reached out and hooked on to the unmanned SpaceX capsule at 9:56 am (1356 GMT).
The two spacecraft were traveling about 250 miles (402 kilometers) above northwest Australia at the time of the grab, NASA said.
AP Photo
This image provided by NASA-TV shows the SpaceX Dragon commercial cargo craft after Dragon was grappled by the Canadarm2 robotic arm and connected to the International Space Station, Friday, May 25, 2012.
Dragon captured by the International Space Station! Just awesome, wrote SpaceX chief executive Musk on Twitter.
Next, a formal berthing brought the capsule closer to latch on at the stations Harmony module at 12:02 pm (1602 GMT), NASA said.
The Dragon is toting 521 kilograms (1,148 pounds) of goodies for the space lab, including food, supplies, computers, utilities and science experiments. It plans to return a 660-kilogram (1,455-pound) load to Earth.
See the original post here:
SpaceX Dragon ship reaches International Space Station in historic flight
Private company makes historic space station docking
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The private company SpaceX made history Friday with the docking of its Dragon capsule to the International Space Station, the most impressive feat yet in turning routine space flight over to the commercial sector.
It marked the first time a business enterprise delivered a supply ship to the space station.
"There's so much that could have gone wrong and it went right," said an elated Elon Musk, the young, driven billionaire behind SpaceX.
"This really is, I think, going to be recognized as a significantly historical step forward in space travel -- and hopefully the first of many to come."
SpaceX still has to get its Dragon back next week with a load of science gear; the retro bell-shaped capsule is designed to splash down into the ocean, in the style of the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs. But Friday was the crucial step, Musk noted, and NASA agreed the next SpaceX mission could come as early as September.
After a three-day flight from Cape Canaveral, the Dragon closed in on the space station as two control centers -- NASA in Houston and SpaceX in Hawthorne -- worked in tandem. A problem with the capsule laser-tracking system prompted SpaceX controllers to order a temporary retreat, but the problem quickly was resolved.
NASA astronaut Donald Pettit used the space station's 58-foot robot arm to snare the gleaming white Dragon as the two craft soared 250 miles above Australia, a day after a practice fly-by.
"Looks like
NASA's dressed-up controllers applauded. In contrast, their SpaceX counterparts -- including Musk -- lifted their arms in triumph and jumped out of their seats to exchange high fives.
The company's youthful-looking employees -- the average age is 30 -- were still in a frenzy when Musk took part in a televised news conference a couple hours later. They screamed with excitement as if it were a pep rally and chanted, "E-lon, E-lon, E-lon," as the 40-year-old Musk, wearing a black athletic jacket with the SpaceX logo, described the day's events.
Here is the original post:
NASA | Incandescent Sun – Video
23-05-2012 13:34 This video takes SDO images and applies additional processing to enhance the structures visible. While there is no scientific value to this processing, it does result in a beautiful, new way of looking at the sun. The original frames are in the 171 Angstrom wavelength of extreme ultraviolet. This wavelength shows plasma in the solar atmosphere, called the corona, that is around 600000 Kelvin. The loops represent plasma held in place by magnetic fields. They are concentrated in "active regions" where the magnetic fields are the strongest. These active regions usually appear in visible light as sunspots. The events in this video represent 24 hours of activity on September 25, 2011. This video is public domain and can be downloaded at: Like our videos? Subscribe to NASA's Goddard Shorts HD podcast: Or find NASA Goddard Space Flight Center on Facebook: Or find us on Twitter:
Continued here:
Pioneering U.S. commercial spaceflight quiets critics
CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - A pioneering commercial spaceship closed in on the International Space Station on Wednesday, a key test in a controversial program to reduce the U.S. government's role in human space flight. Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, launched its Dragon cargo capsule into orbit on Tuesday from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida for a test run to the ...
Link:
Liquid Oxygen Piston Pump Ready for Reusable Space Flight
MOJAVE, Calif., May 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- XCOR announced today that it has achieved a key technical milestone with its flight weight rocket piston pump hardware. XCOR engineers have successfully and repeatedly pumped liquid oxygen (LOX) at flow rates required to supply the Lynx suborbital vehicle main engines. Combined with earlier demonstrated kerosene pumps and fully characterized engines, XCOR is now poised for main propulsion integration into the Lynx flight weight fuselage.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120524/LA13236)
XCOR's family of rocket piston pumps and engines now includes and is suitable for: kerosene, LOX, liquid hydrogen (LH2), and liquid methane. These piston pumps are a critical component for safe, cost-effective, sustainable, reliable and highly reusable rocket engines for XCOR's Lynx and other launchers including upper stage liquid hydrogen engines suitable for the Atlas V, Delta IV, and the planned NASA Space Launch System (SLS).
"For propulsion from 50 to 75,000 lbf thrust, XCOR's proprietary combined thermodynamic cycle for piston pumps is ideal," said XCOR CEO Jeff Greason. "Unlike a turbo pump used in traditional rocket engines, the development cost of a piston pump is much lower and the useful range of thrust is much higher without modification. Manufacturability is easier, and reliability is considerably higher. The maintenance cycle is closer to that of an automotive engine rather than 'disassemble and inspect after every flight' required with conventional turbo fed systems. This technology is integrated into the LOX/kerosene propulsion system on our Lynx suborbital launch vehicle, and will be applied to future main propulsion 30,000 lbf thrust LOX/LH2 engines currently under development."
"The ability to ensure low cost and easy, repeatable manufacturing of critical pump technology over a 30 to 40 year product lifecycle is a major factor in why we chose this piston pump technology," said Andrew Nelson, XCOR Chief Operating Officer. "This technology is also tightly coupled with certain design decisions regarding manufacturability of our rocket engine chambers and nozzles. Other rocket engines, nozzles and turbo pumps require time consuming, exotic manufacturing processes, specialty equipment and large cadres of artisan technicians and engineers to assemble and maintain them. XCOR rocket engines, nozzles and piston pumps can be manufactured by a skilled industrial machine shop and may be assembled by a streamlined workforce and tested with mobile equipment, eliminating fixed test hardware, facilities, and personnel. Our customers recognize in our technology the ability to contain the costs of developing, extending and maintaining a propulsion system over several decades."
"At these thrust classes, the weight is comparable to and potentially lighter than a turbo pump system when the entire propulsion package is taken into account," said XCOR chief engineer Dan DeLong. "The fuel and oxidizer pump also enables a variety of other innovations, such as our lightweight, highly manufacturable aluminum nozzles. Our pumps are fabricated using readily available automotive manufacturing techniques developed over the past 120 years. This allows us to competitively procure high quality components while avoiding the overhead of maintaining a specialized industrial base. This is our fifth generation piston pump; the first generation was internally funded, DARPA helped on the second. XCOR developed internally the pump that eventually went on the X-Racer which was the first designed and optimized for low manufacturing cost. This latest generation is almost 20 times more powerful than the X-Racer pump, but it's only twice the weight. After more than ten years work, I think we're getting good at this."
"The fielding of the LOX pump is a major milestone for XCOR, the Lynx, our wet lease customers and our engine customers," said Nelson, "I can't wait to see it powering our engines later this summer!"
XCOR Aerospace is a California corporation located in Mojave, California. The company is in the business of developing and producing safe, reliable and reusable rocket powered vehicles, propulsion systems, advanced non-flammable composites and other enabling technologies like rocket piston pumps that enable full reusability. XCOR is working with aerospace prime contractors and government customers on major propulsion systems, and concurrently building the Lynx, a piloted, two-seat, fully reusable, liquid rocket powered vehicle that takes off and lands horizontally. The Lynx-family of vehicles serves three primary missions depending on their specific type including: research & scientific missions, private spaceflight, and micro satellite launch (only on the Lynx Mark III). The Lynx production models (designated Lynx Mark II) are designed to be robust, multi-mission (research / scientific or private spaceflight) commercial vehicles capable of flying to 100+ km in altitude up to four times per day and are being offered globally on a wet lease basis. (www.xcor.com).
Read the original here:
Space X craft makes historic connection with space station
A private spacecraft docked with the International Space Station on Friday, a milestone in a new era of commercial space flight.
The docking happened just before 10 a.m. ET, almost two hours later than planned, when the station's robotic arm captured the unmanned SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.
"Looks like we caught a Dragon by the tail," astronaut Don Pettit said after capturing the capsule with the robotic arm, according to NASA.
The Dragon capsule launched Tuesday from Cape Canaveral, Florida, carrying food, clothing, 22 pounds of computer equipment, 46 pounds of supplies for science experiments, and other cargo.
NASA said it authorized the flight after Dragon successfully completed all tests in preparation for docking and the space station mission management team completed a thorough review of its progress.
Connecting to the space station required NASA's approval in a staged approach that SpaceX called "the most difficult aspects of the mission."
The mission, hailed by NASA Administrator Charles Bolden as a step toward a new future of private innovation in the space industry, comes as government funding of the space program decreases in an era of fiscal austerity.
Dragon was carried into orbit by the Falcon 9 rocket. Dragon then orbited the Earth on Tuesday and Wednesday, "firing its thrusters to catch up to the space station," SpaceX said.
The space station crew plans to open Dragon's hatch Saturday, it said.
Under the mission plan, Dragon will remain attached to the space station for two weeks before it plummets back into the atmosphere and splashes into the Pacific Ocean off the California coast, according to SpaceX.
See the article here:
Mission a step toward future of private innovation in space industry
LIVE: Private spacecraft docks with space station
A private spacecraft connected to the International Space Station on Friday, a milestone in a new era of commercial space flight.
It happened just before 10 a.m. ET when the station's robotic arm captured the unmanned SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. The process of attaching the Dragon to the space station was completed at 12:02 p.m. ET.
The process began almost two hours later than planned while engineers fixed part of the radar system aboard the Dragon that measured distance to the space station, NASA said.
"Looks like we caught a Dragon by the tail," astronaut Don Pettit said after capturing the capsule with the robotic arm, according to NASA.
The next step is for the Dragon capsule to unload its cargo, which includes food, clothing, 22 pounds of computer equipment and 46 pounds of supplies for science experiments.
"There's so much that could've gone wrong and it went right," said SpaceX founder Elon Musk, the founder of PayPal, who earlier called the successful capture "awesome."
NASA's space station program manager Mike Suffredini said the spacecraft performed "nearly flawlessly." He said SpaceX did a "fantastic job" in designing and operating the Dragon.
The Dragon capsule launched Tuesday from Cape Canaveral, Florida. NASA said it authorized the flight after Dragon completed all tests in preparation for reaching the space station and the station mission management team completed a thorough review of its progress.
Connecting to the space station required NASA's approval in a staged approach that SpaceX called "the most difficult aspect of the mission."
Visit link:
Mission a step toward future of private innovation in space industry
Private spacecraft SpaceX Dragon docks with space station
SpaceX Dragon berths with ISS
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
(CNN) -- A private spacecraft connected to the International Space Station on Friday, a milestone in a new era of commercial space flight.
It happened just before 10 a.m. ET when the station's robotic arm captured the unmanned SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. The process of attaching the Dragon to the space station was completed at 12:02 p.m. ET.
The process began almost two hours later than planned while engineers fixed part of the radar system aboard the Dragon that measured distance to the space station, NASA said.
"Looks like we caught a Dragon by the tail," astronaut Don Pettit said after capturing the capsule with the robotic arm, according to NASA.
Ashes of 'Star Trek' actor on private rocket
The next step is for the Dragon capsule to unload its cargo, which includes food, clothing, 22 pounds of computer equipment and 46 pounds of supplies for science experiments.
"There's so much that could've gone wrong and it went right," said SpaceX founder Elon Musk, the founder of PayPal, who earlier called the successful capture "awesome."
NASA's space station program manager Mike Suffredini said the spacecraft performed "nearly flawlessly." He said SpaceX did a "fantastic job" in designing and operating the Dragon.
Follow this link:
Space station catches 'a Dragon'
SpaceX Dragon berths with ISS
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
(CNN) -- A private spacecraft connected to the International Space Station on Friday, a milestone in a new era of commercial space flight.
It happened just before 10 a.m. ET when the station's robotic arm captured the unmanned SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. The process of attaching the Dragon to the space station was completed at 12:02 p.m. ET.
The process began almost two hours later than planned while engineers fixed part of the radar system aboard the Dragon that measured distance to the space station, NASA said.
"Looks like we caught a Dragon by the tail," astronaut Don Pettit said after capturing the capsule with the robotic arm, according to NASA.
Ashes of 'Star Trek' actor on private rocket
The next step is for the Dragon capsule to unload its cargo, which includes food, clothing, 22 pounds of computer equipment and 46 pounds of supplies for science experiments.
"There's so much that could've gone wrong and it went right," said SpaceX founder Elon Musk, the founder of PayPal, who earlier called the successful capture "awesome."
NASA's space station program manager Mike Suffredini said the spacecraft performed "nearly flawlessly." He said SpaceX did a "fantastic job" in designing and operating the Dragon.
Original post:
Private Spacecraft Docks With Space Station
By the CNN Wire Staff
POSTED: 2:44 am MDT May 25, 2012
UPDATED: 11:54 am MDT May 25, 2012
Copyright CNN 2012
More here:
Private spacecraft connects to space station
SpaceX Dragon berths with ISS
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
(CNN) -- A private spacecraft connected to the International Space Station on Friday, a milestone in a new era of commercial space flight.
It happened just before 10 a.m. ET when the station's robotic arm captured the unmanned SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. The process of attaching the Dragon to the space station was completed at 12:02 p.m. ET.
The process began almost two hours later than planned while engineers fixed part of the radar system aboard the Dragon that measured distance to the space station, NASA said.
"Looks like we caught a Dragon by the tail," astronaut Don Pettit said after capturing the capsule with the robotic arm, according to NASA.
Ashes of 'Star Trek' actor on private rocket
The next step is for the Dragon capsule to unload its cargo, which includes food, clothing, 22 pounds of computer equipment and 46 pounds of supplies for science experiments.
"There's so much that could've gone wrong and it went right," said SpaceX founder Elon Musk, the founder of PayPal, who earlier called the successful capture "awesome."
NASA's space station program manager Mike Suffredini said the spacecraft performed "nearly flawlessly." He said SpaceX did a "fantastic job" in designing and operating the Dragon.
The rest is here:
Private spacecraft connects with space station
SpaceX Dragon berths with ISS
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
(CNN) -- A private spacecraft connected to the International Space Station on Friday, a milestone in a new era of commercial space flight.
It happened just before 10 a.m. ET when the station's robotic arm captured the unmanned SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. The process of attaching the Dragon to the space station was completed at 12:02 p.m. ET.
The process began almost two hours later than planned while engineers fixed part of the radar system aboard the Dragon that measured distance to the space station, NASA said.
"Looks like we caught a Dragon by the tail," astronaut Don Pettit said after capturing the capsule with the robotic arm, according to NASA.
Ashes of 'Star Trek' actor on private rocket
The next step is for the Dragon capsule to unload its cargo, which includes food, clothing, 22 pounds of computer equipment and 46 pounds of supplies for science experiments.
"There's so much that could've gone wrong and it went right," said SpaceX founder Elon Musk, the founder of PayPal, who earlier called the successful capture "awesome."
NASA's space station program manager Mike Suffredini said the spacecraft performed "nearly flawlessly." He said SpaceX did a "fantastic job" in designing and operating the Dragon.
Read the original:
Soulja Boy • Space Flight – Video
21-05-2012 15:01 Follow Me: SODMG Download Link: Produced By: Crack Beatz
Read more here:
X marks the spot in space history
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
The test flight of the Dragon space capsule, which launched atop SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, aims to show that commercial industry can restore US access to the ISS after NASA retired its space shuttle fleet last year.
The mission is set to include a fly-by and berthing with the station in the next three days, before the capsule returns to Earth at the end of this month.
Shortly after liftoff, the cargo- carrying spacecraft entered orbit and video images showed mission-control staff at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California, jumping from their seats, hugging and clapping.
SpaceX chief executive and internet entrepreneur Elon Musk said watching the rocket rise from the launch pad was an "extremely intense moment."
Speaking after the apparently flawless launch, he added: "Every bit of adrenaline in my body released at that point."
The flight was unmanned, but six astronauts are already at the space lab to help the capsule latch on, to unload supplies and then restock the capsule with cargo to take back to Earth.
The spacecraft's sensors and flight systems are to undergo a series of tests tomorrow to see if it is ready to berth. If NASA gives the green light, the Dragon will then approach the ISS on Friday in an attempt to berth with the station.
The astronauts onboard the ISS will maneuver the station's robotic arm to help capture the capsule and attach it to the orbiting research outpost.
The hatch of the Dragon is set to open on Saturday for unloading 521 kilograms of cargo for the space lab and restocking it with a 660-kilogram load for the return journey.
Here is the original post:
SpaceX Launch of Falcon9 and Dragon Capsule – May 22, 2012 – Liftoff for Private Space Flight! – Video
22-05-2012 07:20 SpaceX successfully launched its Falcon9 rocket with Dragon Capsule and Orbcomm satellites on board. Article coverage: It lifted off from Cape Canaveral in Florida, USA at 3:44 AM ET. (Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Complex 40 - is the launch pad used for Falcon9 rockets.) It is heading to the International Space Station (ISS) for docking. This starts a new era of private sector space flight. Let's wish all the best for SpaceX and its partners! The video starts from T -30 seconds and shows the first 6 minutes of the journey to ISS. Whole coverage: http
Continue reading here: