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Category: SpaceRevolution

  • NASA Picture Shows Largest-Seen Spiral Galaxy

    NASA Picture Shows Largest-Seen Spiral Galaxy

    Astronomers this week unveiled a new image of the largest spiral galaxy known to exist. A larger version of the image can be seen here.

    The galaxy, named NGC 6872, was crowned with the title following an examination of archival data from NASA‘s Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) mission. From tip-to-tip NGC 6872 measures 522,000 light-years, or around five times the size of our Milky Way galaxy.

    “Without GALEX’s ability to detect the ultraviolet light of the youngest, hottest stars, we would never have recognized the full extent of this intriguing system,” said Rafael Eufrasio, lead scientist on the project and a research assistant at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.

    NGC 6872’s size, astronomers say, is due to its interaction with the smaller disk galaxy named IC 4970. They found that the stars in NGC 6872 are progressively older the closer to the center they are. That interaction may also have spawned a region that could become its own small galaxy, seen in the upper left-had portion of the image above. The youngest stars can be found in that region.

    “The northeastern arm of NGC 6872 is the most disturbed and is rippling with star formation, but at its far end, visible only in the ultraviolet, is an object that appears to be a tidal dwarf galaxy similar to those seen in other interacting systems,” said Duilia de Mello, team member on the research and a professor of astronomy at Catholic University.

    In 2007 researchers developed a computer simulation that was able to reproduce the appearance of the NGC 6872 system. According to that model, IC 4970 would have made its closest approach to the giant galaxy around 130 million years ago, then toured the plane of the spiral disk in the same direction it rotates. Astronomers stated that the new observations are consistent with this scenario.

  • New NASA Video Shows Massive Pulsar Jet in Action

    New NASA Video Shows Massive Pulsar Jet in Action

    NASA this week released footage that shows exactly what a jet of particles shooting out from around a pulsar looks like. Astronomers say the new research could provide new insight into these super-dense objects.

    The video features the Vela pulsar, which is a neutron star that formed after the collapse of a massive star. The star is around 1,000 light-years from earth, is only 12 miles in diameter, and makes a rotation every 89 milliseconds. As the object spins faster than a helicopter roter, charged particles swirl around its rotation axis at around 70% the speed of light. The images seen in the video come from observations made using NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory.

    “We think the Vela pulsar is like a rotating garden sprinkler – except with the water blasting out at over half the speed of light,” said Martin Durant of the University of Toronto, the lead author of a new paper on the Vela pulsar published today in The Astrophysical Journal.

    Durant and his colleagues observed that the pulsar could be precessing, or wobbling (like a top) as it spins. If confirmed, it would be the first time such a neutron star has been found. The precession, say researchers, could be related to minor distortions in the shape of the star, which might no longer be a perfect sphere due to its fast rotation and the interaction of its superfluid core with its crust.

    “The deviation from a perfect sphere may only be equivalent to about one part in 100 million,” said Oleg Kargaltsev co-author of the research and an astronomer at George Washington University. “Neutron stars are so dense that even a tiny distortion like this would have a big effect.”

    (Image courtesy NASA/CXC/Univ of Toronto/M.Durant et al/DSS/Davide De Martin)

  • NASA Spots Weather Patterns on Brown Dwarf

    NASA Spots Weather Patterns on Brown Dwarf

    Astronomers this week announced that they have produced a “weather map” for a brown dwarf that shows planet-sized clouds driven by wind.

    Brown dwarfs are objects at the edge of becoming a star. They lack the mass to begin hydrogen fusion, and in some ways are similar to gas giant planets. The new study, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, will provide researchers with a better understanding of brown dwarfs and the atmospheres of the billions of planets outside our solar system.

    “With Hubble and Spitzer, we were able to look at different atmospheric layers of a brown dwarf, similar to the way doctors use medical imaging techniques to study the different tissues in your body,” said Daniel Apai, principal investigator on the research at the University of Arizona.

    Apai refers to the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes, which were used simultaneously to observe a brown dwarf named 2MASSJ22282889-431026. He and his colleauges found that its light varied every 90 minutes as the object rotated, depending in what wavelength of infrared light it was observed. These variations were discovered to be the different layers of the brown dwarf’s clouds, which swirl around the its atmosphere.

    “Unlike the water clouds of Earth or the ammonia clouds of Jupiter, clouds on brown dwarfs are composed of hot grains of sand, liquid drops of iron, and other exotic compounds,” said Mark Marley, co-author of the study and a research scientist at NASA‘s Ames Research Center. “So this large atmospheric disturbance found by Spitzer and Hubble gives a new meaning to the concept of extreme weather.”

    This was the first time astronomers were able to study the variability of a brown dwarf’s atmosphere at different altitudes at the same time. Researchers are planning to do the same with other nearby brown dwarfs.

    “What we see here is evidence for massive, organized cloud systems, perhaps akin to giant versions of the Great Red Spot on Jupiter,” said Adam Showman, a theorist at the University of Arizona. “These out-of-sync light variations provide a fingerprint of how the brown dwarf’s weather systems stack up vertically. The data suggest regions on the brown dwarf where the weather is cloudy and rich in silicate vapor deep in the atmosphere coincide with balmier, drier conditions at higher altitudes – and vice versa.”

  • 461 New Planet Candidates Discovered by NASA’s Kepler, Including Four Earth-Like Ones

    461 New Planet Candidates Discovered by NASA’s Kepler, Including Four Earth-Like Ones

    Astronomers last week announced that they estimate there to be 100 billion planets throughout the Milky Way Galaxy. This week, Astronomers announced 461 new candidates for extra-solar planets have been discovered.

    NASA‘s Kepler mission has been discovering exoplanets for years now, and the number of confirmed exoplanets is currently 105. As astronomers dig more deeply into Kepler data, smaller planet candidates and multi-planet systems are becoming less rare. The new group of candidates includes four Earth-like planets that are less than twice the size of Earth and orbit their star in a region where liquid water might exist.

    “There is no better way to kick off the start of the Kepler extended mission than to discover more possible outposts on the frontier of potentially life-bearing worlds,” said Christopher Burke, Kepler scientist at the SETI Institute.

    The number of exoplanet candidates discovered in Kepler data now sits at 2,740 planets orbiting 2,046 stars – a 20% increase from February 2012. The planet candidates are discovered by Kepler when they transit in front of their star, changing its brightness. The Kepler space telescope measures the brightness of over 150,00 stars looking for changes in their brightness. Three transits are required to declare a potential planet, and candidate data is then analyzed for known errors before follow-up observations can confirm the presence of an exoplanet.

    “The analysis of increasingly longer time periods of Kepler data uncovers smaller planets in longer period orbits– orbital periods similar to Earth’s,” said Steve Howell, Kepler mission project scientist at NASA’s Ames Research Center. “It is no longer a question of will we find a true Earth analogue, but a question of when.”

    (Image courtesy NASA Ames Research Center/W. Stenzel)

  • SpaceX Dragon Capsule Docks With the International Space Station

    SpaceX Dragon Capsule Docks With the International Space Station

    The Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) Dragon spacecraft successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) this morning. The docking represents another as-planned step in what is NASA’s first privatized cargo and resupply mission under its Commercial Resupply Services contract, after the launch of the spacecraft went perfectly on Sunday.

    Hours before docking, the Dragon was captured by the Canadian-made, 17.6-meter robotic arm of the space station and maneuvered into position for berthing. “Looks like we’ve tamed the Dragon,” said Suni Williams, ISS Expedition 33 commander.

    The official NASA Twitter account announced the Dragon was guided onto the Earth-facing side of the ISS’s Harmony module this morning, stating that the docking took place at exactly 9:03 am EDT:

    The event was livestreamed on the SpaceX CRS-1 Mission livestream page.

    The Dragon capsule will now be bolted into place for its 18-day stay aboard the ISS. Tomorrow the crew will pressurize the vestibule between the ISS and Dragon, then open the hatch and proceed with the mission.

    Over the next two and a half weeks the crew will unload the 882 pounds of supplies the Dragon is carrying, which includes 390 pounds of scientific research materials. For the trip back, the capsule will be loaded down with 1,673 pounds of used scientific research materials, vehicle hardware, and crew supplies.

  • SpaceX Launch a Success, to Dock With Space Station on Wednesday

    SpaceX Launch a Success, to Dock With Space Station on Wednesday

    Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) yesterday evening launched its Dragon spacecraft into orbit from Cape Canaveral. The Dragon was lifted by a Falcon 9 rocket at 8:35 am, right on schedule. The vehicle carries cargo and supplies bound for the International Space Station (ISS).

    This SpaceX mission is NASA’s first privatized cargo and resupply mission under its Commercial Resupply Services contract. SpaceX is contracted to fly 12 more cargo missions to the International Space Station from now until 2016.

    “Just over one year after the retirement of the space shuttle, we have returned space station cargo resupply missions to U.S. soil and are bringing the jobs associated with this work back to America,” said Charles Bolden, NASA Administrator. “The SpaceX launch tonight marks the official start of commercial resupply missions by American companies operating out of U.S. spaceports like the one right here in Florida.”

    The Dragon is scheduled to be grappled by the ISS on Wednesday at 7:22 am. ISS crew members Sunita Williams of NASA and Aki Hoshide of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency will use the station’s robotic arm to dock the Dragon, which will spend 18 days docked to the station.

    The Dragon capsule carries 882 pounds of supplies, including 390 pounds of material for scientific research. When it returns to earth, splashing into the Pacific Ocean, it will be holding 1,673 pounds of used crew supplies, scientific research, and vehicle hardware.

  • NASA Enlists SpaceX To Send Americans Back To Space

    NASA Enlists SpaceX To Send Americans Back To Space

    SpaceX is doing it. The company created by PayPal/Tesla Motors co-founder Elon Musk, is going to send people into space.

    The company became the first private company to send a spacecraft to the International Space Station in May, and now NASA has chosen SpaceX (via a $440 million contract) to complete final modifications to prepare its Dragon spacecraft for human transport.

    “This is a decisive milestone in human spaceflight and sets an exciting course for the next phase of American space exploration,” said Musk. “SpaceX, along with our partners at NASA, will continue to push the boundaries of space technology to develop the safest, most advanced crew vehicle ever flown.”

    Modifications that SpaceX will make to Dragon, include making room for 7 astronauts, a “breakthrough” propulsive landing system for gental ground touchdowns on legs, refinements/testing of “essential aspects” of the craft’s design (such as life support systems and an advanced cockpit design), and what the company calls “the most technically advanced launch escape system ever developed”. That system would include “powered abort possibilities from launch pad to orbit.”

    The company expects its first manned flight to happen in 2015.

    NASA has also reached agreements with Sierra Nevada and Boeing as part of its Commercial Crew Integrated Capability (CCiCap) initiative, which has the goal of making commercial human spaceflight available. The deal with Sierra Nevada is for $212.5 million, and the Boeing deal is worth $460 million.

  • SpaceX Tests Its New Rocket “Merlin 1D” [Video]

    SpaceX Tests Its New Rocket “Merlin 1D” [Video]

    SpaceX continues to push its space dominating agenda forward with its newest test of the ‘Merlin 1D” rocket propulsion system. Building on the technology from its previous 3 launches, including the historic launch and recovery of the Dragon capsule, the Merlin 1D has achieved a full mission duration firing and multiple restarts at target thrust and specific impulse (Isp). In other words, the test was highly successful.

    “This is another important milestone in our efforts to push the boundaries of space technology,” said SpaceX CEO and Chief Designer Elon Musk. “With the Merlin 1D powering the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets, SpaceX will be capable of carrying a full range of payloads to orbit.” The Merlin 1D will indeed knock out 2 birds with 1 stone. It will offer the pure power that the Falcon Heavy needs to do its missions, but it will also offer performance improvements to the Falcon 9.

    With nine Merlins on the first stage, the Falcon 9 rocket will produce nearly 1.5 million pounds of thrust in a vacuum. An enhanced design makes the Merlin 1D the most efficient booster engine ever built, with a vacuum thrust-to-weight ratio exceeding 150, while still maintaining the structural and thermal safety margins needed to carry astronauts. All of this is important going forward because SpaceX really wants the NASA contract to put astronauts on the ISS and maybe even the moon one day.

    The new design of the Merlin also will fulfill an extensive manifest of launches and the new engine is designed for improved manufacturability by using higher efficiency processes. It also has increased robotic construction and reduced parts count. Look for SpaceX to continue to push forward and try to cut costs through improved technology in only the way that a private company can. This is why it is important for the private sector to get involved in things that are extremely expensive like the space program.

    SpaceX

    Firing of the SpaceX Merlin 1D engine! 

    photo and video courtesy of SpaceX

  • SpaceX’s Success May Lead To Military Contracts

    SpaceX’s Success May Lead To Military Contracts

    SpaceX made history 2 weeks ago becoming the very first private company to launch a capsule into space and have it dock with the International Space Station. Now that the Dragon has successfully returned to earth, SpaceX can start working on it’s contract through the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The resupply contract for the International Space Station has it making 12 runs, and since it is reusable, they will have the ability to ferry items back and forth, not just trash but experiments.

    This launch was the second one for the Falcon 9 and after a third successful one they will be allowed to bid for military contracts to launch satellites into space. “The new entrant criteria did say three launches are required (for Falcon 9) before certification can happen for national security payloads,” said SpaceX Communications Director Kirstin Brost Grantham.

    “If the new entrant has a launch vehicle with a more robust, demonstrated successful flight history, then we may require less technical evaluation for certification. But, it also depends on the risk assessment of the mission,” Air Force spokeswoman Tracy Bunko said. Which basically means that it is at the Air Forces discretion as to whether the launch vehicle (Falcon 9) is sound enough to launch national security payloads into space. If it isn’t then more testing of the technology will take place.

    All of this is great news for the taxpayers because right now there is only one company certified to launch the satellites and that is United Launch Alliance, a partnership of Boeing and Lockheed Martin. In the mean time ULA will remain the sole provider of heavy and medium lift commercial launch services to the U.S. military with its Delta 4 and Atlas 5 rockets. But watch for SpaceX to start getting some of those contracts once its Falcon 9 Heavy is ready. Once the Falcon 9 Heavy is ready it will be the most powerful rocket currently in use in the world and the second most powerful rocket of all time behind the Saturn V rockets used to take the astronauts to the moon.

    “The one market that we have not yet been successful with is launching Defense Department satellites, although we’re hopeful that we’ll win one or two demonstration launches this year,” CEO Elon Musk said after Dragon’s return from orbit. “Hopefully the successive flights of Falcon 9 in a row will give them the confidence they need to open up the defense contract for competition.”

    picture courtesy of SpaceX

  • SpaceX Valuation Doubles After Successful Mission

    SpaceX Valuation Doubles After Successful Mission

    Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) made history on May 25 by flying a successful mission that docked with the International Space Station and successfully landed back on Earth. It is the first privately owned spaceship to reach the ISS.

    According to VentureBeat and the financial data company Privco, that successful mission has skyrocketed the value of the company, doubling it from $2.4 billion to $4.8 billion in just one month.

    Privco’s numbers are based on the launch of the successful mission, coupled with current and future contracts with NASA to resupply the ISS. These mission pay out $133 million per trip. SpaceX also has 55 launches planned in the next five years, most of them for commercial satellites. The total value of these contracts is over $4 billion, so we are not seeing an inflated valuation that we have seen with so many tech stocks.

    It is certainly a full schedule, but SpaceX still wants to do more. They are trying to get a contract with NASA to bring astronauts to and from the space station by 2015. This would be a big step if NASA put that kind of trust in a privately held firm.

    SpaceX still considers themselves to be in the developmental stages, so don’t expect an IPO anytime soon. According to spokeswoman Kirstin Brost Grantham, SpaceX is currently trying to get into an organized rhythm with their launch schedule. An IPO will certainly be on the horizon, but not before many successful missions demonstrate the company’s staying power.

    Silicon Valley powerhouse Elon Musk, who co-founded PayPal and Tesla Motors, has invested $100 million of his $2 billion net worth into SpaceX, giving him a controlling stake of 85% of the company. This guy really knows how to turn his money around, and does it in probably the coolest way possible.

  • SpaceX Dragon Space Capsule To Return Home

    SpaceX Dragon Space Capsule To Return Home

    Earlier today the Dragon space capsule departed from the International Space Station and began its trip back down from the heavens. The Dragon capsule spent 5 days connected to the ISS and it was able to deliver supplies and is returning nearly 1,400 pounds of old space station equipment and some science samples, a little more than it took up. Because it is a test flight, NASA did not want to load it with anything valuable.

    Last week SpaceX became the first private company to connect to the ISS in a feat that could change spaceflight forever. This is the final testing point for the Dragon and will mean that going forward NASA can further trust SpaceX with experiments and hopefully will be putting people up there soon because the Dragon is capable of moving both cargo and people. In fact, Elon Musk, SpaceX’s founder, expects to have astronauts riding his Dragons in three or four years.

    The targeted splashdown zone is 560 miles southwest of Los Angeles and it will parachute down like the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo spacecraft did way back in the 60’s and 70’s.

    The next Dragon supply mission will be in September and a Falcon 9 rocket is already at Cape Canaveral awaiting launch. This will be part of the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) contract through NASA. The resupply contract for the International Space Station has it making 12 runs in total. Mix that in with the news yesterday that SpaceX signed a deal to launch satellites into space, and the future looks very bright for them.

    photo courtesy of SpaceX

  • SpaceX Signs Deal To Launch Satellites

    SpaceX Signs Deal To Launch Satellites

    On the heels of what could be a turning point in the history of space flight for humans, SpaceX has signed a deal with Intelsat to launch a satellite once their new Falcon Heavy rocket is complete. The Falcon Heavy will be responsible for taking Intelsat’s satellite up to a into geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO).

    “SpaceX is very proud to have the confidence of Intelsat, a leader in the satellite communication services industry,” said Elon Musk, SpaceX CEO and Chief Designer. “The Falcon Heavy has more than twice the power of the next largest rocket in the world. With this new vehicle, SpaceX launch systems now cover the entire spectrum of the launch needs for commercial, civil and national security customers.”

    Once the Falcon Heavy is ready it will be the most powerful Rocket in the world and the second most powerful rocket of all time behing the Saturn V rockets that transported the Apollo astronauts. The Falcon Heavy will meet NASA’s human rating standards as well as the stringent U.S. Air Force requirements for the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program. The Heavy is capable of lifting 53 metric tons (117,000 pounds) to low Earth orbit and over 12 metric tons (26,000 pounds) to GTO, Falcon Heavy will provide more than twice the performance to low Earth orbit of any other launch vehicle. This will allow SpaceX to launch the largest satellites ever flown and will enable new missions.

    “Timely access to space is an essential element of our commercial supply chain,” said Thierry Guillemin, Intelsat CTO. “As a global leader in the satellite sector, our support of successful new entrants to the commercial launch industry reduces risk in our business model. Intelsat has exacting technical standards and requirements for proven flight heritage for our satellite launches. We will work closely with SpaceX as the Falcon Heavy completes rigorous flight tests prior to our future launch requirements.

    SpaceX really seems to be moving full steam ahead and as of right now it is by far the best option for space travel and the US government and NASA need to seriously consider letting SpaceX focus on this stuff and stick to putting people in space and on the on the moon.

  • SpaceX Dragon Capsule From ISS [Photos]

    SpaceX Dragon Capsule From ISS [Photos]

    Last week SpaceX did what had never been done before. They managed to become the very first private company to dock with the International Space Station. The momentous feat was part of an effort to shift some of responsibilities of cargo shipments to and from the ISS away from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and give it to SpaceX which won a Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) contract. This flight is the first of 12 that will ferry experiments, trash, and supplies back and forth.

    One if the astronauts on the ISS is named André Kuipers. Kuipers is a Dutch astronaut flying for the ESA. He is currently stationed as the ISS and snapping a ton of hi-res photos that he puts on his blog. Well he just released an album that has to dea with the Dragon capsule docking and being entered by the crew of the ISS. Kuipers had this to say: “The Dragon mission is the operational highlight of my mission. But it is also a milestone for international spaceflight.”

    Check out some of the amazing photos:

  • SpaceX’s Dragon Docks With ISS [Live Feed]

    SpaceX’s Dragon Docks With ISS [Live Feed]

    So the time is finally here for the SpaceX capsule titled “Dragon” to dock with the ISS. After several tests yesterday NASA deemed that it was indeed ready to go ahead and start docking procedures. Part of these was matching speed with the ISS and moving it closer so it could be grasped with the robotic arm. They will then dock it to the station. Once the hatch is opened the astronauts on the ISS will take out the experiments and supplies inside and put garbage and experiments back in it.

    Here is the live feed from NASA TV:



    Video streaming by Ustream

    The exact amount of time that the Dragon will be docked to the ISS at this time is unknown, but it seems as though SpaceX is passing every test that needs to be done. When they are successful and it seems that they will be, they will begin to fulfill its Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) contract through NASA). The resupply contract for the International Space Station has it making 12 runs, and since it is reusable, they will have the ability to ferry items back and forth, not just trash but experiments.

  • SpaceX’s Dragon Gets Closer To Docking With ISS

    SpaceX’s Dragon Gets Closer To Docking With ISS

    Two days ago, SpaceX started a historic journey to become the first commercial company to dock to the International Space Station. Since the launch the Dragon space capsule has had one task to complete after another and it has done every one of them without complaining once.

    Early this morning, Dragon’s thrusters fired, bringing the vehicle 2.4 kilometers below the International Space Station. The vehicle completed two key tests at that distance. Dragon demonstrated its Relative GPS and established a communications link with the International Space Station using CUCU. Astronauts commanded on Dragon’s strobe light to confirm the link worked. These are the last few tests before the Dragon attempts to dock with the ISS. Here is the video of the Dragon below the ISS:

    There are 2 tasks left in the journey of the Dragon space capsule:

    FRIDAY MORNING

    – Final Approach, Dragon Grapple

    Around 2:00 AM Pacific/5:00 AM Eastern NASA will decide if Dragon is GO to move into the approach ellipsoid 1.4 kilometers around the space station. If Dragon is GO, after approximately one hour Dragon will move to a location 250 meters directly below the station. Dragon will then perform a series of maneuvers to show systems are operating as expected. If NASA is satisfied with the results of these many tests, Dragon will be allowed to perform the final approach to the space station.

    Sometime around 6:00 AM Pacific/9:00 AM Eastern, astronauts on the space station will grapple Dragon with the space station’s robotic arm and the spacecraft will attach to the station.

    SATURDAY MORNING

    – Hatch Opening

    If all goes well, at approximately 2:00 AM Pacific/5:00 AM Eastern, the crew will start procedures to open Dragon’s hatch. It will take around 2 hours to complete all operations leading to the hatch opening. Once the hatch is opened, astronauts will enter Dragon for the first time in space.

    If the mission of docking with the ISS is successful, then SpaceX will begin to fulfill its Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) contract through NASA). The resupply contract for the International Space Station has it making 12 runs, and since it is reusable, they will have the ability to ferry items back and forth, not just trash but experiments.

    Here is a picture of the ISS taken by a thermal camera on the Dragon courtesy of SpaceX:

    Here is a photo from the ISS of the Dragon on approach courtesy of NASA:

  • Scotty Beams Up To Space By SpaceX

    Scotty Beams Up To Space By SpaceX

    So SpaceX just successfully launched their Falcon 9 rocket into space. Apparently the rocket had some stowaways on it in the name of ashes of some of our dearly departed. One of the celebrities is the world famous James “Scotty” Doohan of Star Trek fame. The iconic Scotty died on July 20, 2005 at the age of 85 in his home in Redmond, Washington. One of his final wishes was that his ashes be spread in space.

    If you have the money, Celestis, a space services company, will send your loved one’s ashes up to orbit Earth. They tried to send Scotty’s ashes up on a rocket from SpaceX in 2006 but the rocket failed and the ashes, and millions of dollars in satellites, never made it into orbit. So they tried again, this time the ashes were put into the second stage rocket and it made it into space.

    The 308 souls that launched on the rocket to space cost the people about a total of $1 million. Celestis’ prices vary. A suborbital flight with a return to Earth starts at $1,000, the launch into Earth orbit is $3,000, and a trip to the Moon costs almost $10,000. If you really want to go where no man has gone before, a flight into deep space will run you almost $13,000.

    photo courtesy of memory-alpha

  • SpaceX Launches Falcon 9 Rocket…..Finally

    SpaceX Launches Falcon 9 Rocket…..Finally

    Today at 3:44AM SapceX finally launched their highly touted oft delayed Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Center. The Launch, which was originally slated for yesterday, was aborted due to a failed valve on engine #5 caused an unsafe rise in pressure in the engine.

    The vehicle’s first stage performed nominally before separating from the second stage. The second stage successfully delivered the Dragon spacecraft into its intended orbit. This marks the third consecutive successful Falcon 9 launch and the fifth straight launch success for SpaceX.

    With the launch being a success, then NASA has a few benchmarks for the Dragon to meet and if it does, they will try to dock it to the International Space Station.“We obviously have to go through a number of steps to berth with the Space Station, but everything is looking really good and I think I would count today as a success no matter what happens with the rest of the mission,” SpaceX boss Elon Musk said.

    If the mission of docking with the ISS is successful, then SpaceX will begin to fulfill its contract through the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The resupply contract for the International Space Station has it making 12 runs, and since it is reusable, they will have the ability to ferry items back and forth, not just trash but experiments.“This mission heralds the dawn of a new era of space exploration, one in which there is a significant commercial space element.” said Musk. ” It is like the advent of the Internet in the mid-1990s when commercial companies entered what was originally a government endeavor. That move dramatically accelerated the pace of advancement and made the Internet accessible to the mass market. I think we’re at a similar inflection point for space. I hope and I believe that this mission will be historic in marking that turning point towards a rapid advancement in space transportation technology.”

    The Dragon space capsule was designed to ferry humans also, so it is hoped that it will one day be the primary transport for NASA astronauts.

    Mission Highlights: During the mission, Dragon must perform a series of complex tasks, each presenting significant technical challenges (dates subject to change):

    May 22: Launch Day: SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket launches a Dragon spacecraft into orbit from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
    May 23: Dragon orbits Earth as it travels toward the International Space Station.
    May 24: Dragon’s sensors and flight systems are subjected to a series of complicated tests to determine if the vehicle is ready to berth with the space station; these tests include maneuvers and systems checks in which the vehicle comes within 1.5 miles of the station.
    May 25: NASA decides if Dragon is allowed to attempt berthing with the station. If so, Dragon approaches. It is captured by station’s robotic arm and attached to the station, a feat that requires extreme precision.
    May 25 – 31: Astronauts open Dragon’s hatch, unload supplies and fill Dragon with return cargo.
    May 31: After approximately two weeks, Dragon is detached from the station and returns to Earth, landing in the Pacific, hundreds of miles west of Southern California.

    The Falcon 9 rocket’s engines ignite on the SpaceX launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, May 22, 2012. http://t.co/lL54HsUu
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  • SpaceX Launch Aborted At Last Second

    SpaceX Launch Aborted At Last Second

    The long awaited, oft delayed launch of the Falcon 9 rocket from the private space firm SpaceX has been delayed again after a failed valve on engine #5 caused an unsafe rise in pressure in the engine. The rise in pressure could have caused an explosion so the mission was aborted shortly before launch. The mission is slated for a relaunch try on May 22nd.

    The SpaceX guys went on Google+ to tell us the update on the problem:

    SpaceX
    SpaceX   1 day ago Engineers replacing failed valve on engine #5 following today’s abort. Data review Sunday, if all looks good next attempt is Tues. May 22 at 3:44 AM ET

    SpaceX also released a statement regarding the aborted launch:

    “Today’s launch was aborted when the flight computer detected slightly high pressure in the engine 5 combustion chamber. We have discovered root cause and repairs are underway. During rigorous inspections of the engine, SpaceX engineers discovered a faulty check valve on the Merlin engine. We are now in the process of replacing the failed valve. Those repairs should be complete tonight. We will continue to review data on Sunday. If things look good, we will be ready to attempt to launch on Tuesday, May 22nd at 3:44 AM Eastern.”

    Here is a short part of the interview about the abort with the abort video at the end:

    Here is the full interview from NASA and SpaceX explaining the abort:

    If the Falcon 9 ever launches and is successful, the Dragon capsule will dock to the International Space Station, then SpaceX will begin to fulfill its contract through the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The resupply contract for the International Space Station has it making 12 runs, and since it is reusable, they will have the ability to ferry items back and forth, not just trash but experiments.

  • SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Set To Launch Dragon Into Space

    SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Set To Launch Dragon Into Space

    After a successful test firing of the Falcon 9 boosters, and what seems like 300 delays, the crew at SpaceX are finally set to launch their rocket into space. The Falcon 9 will attempt to deliver its payload, the Dragon space capsule, to the ISS for docking. If the launch is deemed successful by NASA, SpaceX will get the OK to dock with the International Space Station (ISS) to deliver its payload and take on trash.

    If the mission is successful, then SpaceX will begin to fulfill its contract through the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The resupply contract for the International Space Station has it making 12 runs, and since it is reusable, they will have the ability to ferry items back and forth, not just trash but experiments.

    Everyone seems to be excited about the launch except for CEO Elon Musk who told the NewYorkTimes, “I think there’s a significant chance that the mission does not succeed.”

    The launch is scheduled for 4:15am tomorrow morning from Cape Canaveral, Fla. The Live webcam feed can be seen here.

    Just passed final launch review with @NASA. All systems go for liftoff on Sat morn. Webcast live at http://t.co/VrDqA7aq.
    20 hours agovia web · powered by @socialditto
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  • SpaceX Finally Sets Date For Dragon Launch

    SpaceX Finally Sets Date For Dragon Launch

    On May 19th, private space firm SpaceX, will finally launch its vaunted Falcon 9 rocket into space. Aboard the rocket is the Dragon space capsule. The hopes of this launch is to have the Dragon capsule dock with the International Space Station and both deliver a payload and unload space garbage.

    The launch was originally suppose to take place on May 7th, but was delayed for unknown reasons. Most people believe that it was for the SpaceX engineers to tweak the programming one last time to make sure that the capsule will be able to meet its specified goal.

    If the Falcon 9 launch is successful, and the Dragon capsule is able to dock to te International Space Station, then SpaceX will begin to fulfill its contract through the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The resupply contract for the International Space Station has it making 12 runs, and since it is reusable, they will have the ability to ferry items back and forth, not just trash but experiments.

    The Falcon 9/Dragon program is part of the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) agreement has been worth about $381 million for hitting 37 out of 40 milestones, and that will hit $396 million if SpaceX is able to hit them all.

    Between SpaceX and Virgin, it is nice to see private companies take a risk like this. Even though they do have government grants, the owners did have to take a risk to get SpaceX up and running.

    The launch is set for Saturday, 19 May at 8.55 GMT, with coverage starting on NASA TV at 7.30 GMT.

  • SpaceX Has To Delay ISS Launch….Again

    SpaceX Has To Delay ISS Launch….Again

    SpaceX is trying to be the very first private company to launch a rocket into space and have it link up with the International Space Station to deliver cargo. Well, it has hit another snag. The engineers at Space X have had to delay the launch for the second time.

    On Monday April 30th, SpaceX successfully tested the Falcon 9 rocket propulsion system. In doing so they set themselves up for the first launch to actually try to attach to the ISS with the Dragon module that sits atop the rocket. The Dragon module is the first of it’s kind as it is designed to both support the transportation of cargo and humans.

    They have delayed the launch, that was originally suppose to be on May 7th, to a later unknown date. A software problem seems to be the culprit. “I think we have a got a pretty good shot but it is worth emphasizing that there is a lot that can go wrong on a mission like this,” Paypal Co-Founder Elon Musk said.

    If the Dragon is found capable of doing it’s job, SpaceX will then start to fulfill its Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract for NASA for at least 12 missions to carry cargo to and from the space station.

    Since the space shuttle was retired, only Russia has the ability to shoot astronauts into space. SpaceX wants to give the world a non-Russian alternative to putting people in space.