Archive for September, 2014

Stratolaunch Teams With SNC for a Dream Chaser Mini-Me

Stratolaunch Teams With SNC for a Dream Chaser Mini-Me

A press release from Sierra Nevada Corporation issued in advance of a presentation at the International Astronautical Congress suggests a somewhat diminished version of its Dream Chaser space plane may have a future irrespective of what happens with the protest the company has lodged regarding NASA’s Commercial Crew CCtCap award. SNC Press Release: SPARKS, Nev. […]

NASA’s ISS Commercial Resupply Contract Holds Transformative Potential

NASA’s ISS Commercial Resupply Contract Holds Transformative Potential

  On September 26, NASA released its Commercial Resupply Services 2 Request for Proposal in solicitation for continued cargo delivery to and from the International Space Station from 2017 through 2020, with possible extensions to 2024. Seeking to build on the unqualified success of the COTS and CRS-1 programs which have give rise to the LEO […]

Cassini Finds Strange Feature in Titan’s Sea

Cassini Finds Strange Feature in Titan’s Sea

Three images show an unusual feature in Titan’s sea. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASI/Cornell Note: Yet another in a long series of intriguing findings from the Cassini spacecraft operating in the Saturn system, and another reason to bemoan the lack of any planned follow up to this groundbreaking spacecraft. From JPL News: “NASA’s Cassini spacecraft is monitoring the […]

Posted in: Outer Planets
Sierra Nevada Lodges GAO Protest Over Dream Chaser Loss

Sierra Nevada Lodges GAO Protest Over Dream Chaser Loss

Image Credit: Sierra Nevada Corporation On Friday, Sierra Nevada Corporation lodged a formal complaint with the GAO regarding its loss with the Dream Chaser spaceplane in NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The challenge was not unexpected, and as the press release included below indicates, is largely based on the considerable price differential between SpaceX and Boeing […]

Trio of NASA Telescopes Combine to Find Water Vapor and Clear Skies on Exo-Planet

Trio of NASA Telescopes Combine to Find Water Vapor and Clear Skies on Exo-Planet

Artists Concept: Image Concept NASA/JPL-Caltech JPL News Story: Astronomers using data from three of NASA’s space telescopes — Hubble, Spitzer and Kepler — have discovered clear skies and steamy water vapor on a gaseous planet outside our solar system. The planet is about the size of Neptune, making it the smallest planet from which molecules […]

Posted in: Exo Planets
India Celebrates a MOM Safe at Mars

India Celebrates a MOM Safe at Mars

Two days after NASA hailed the arrival of its MAVEN spacecraft at the Red Planet, rising space power India is now celebrating the successful orbital insertion of its own; MOM, or Mars Orbital Mission. From the Indian space Research Organization Press Release: “India’s Mars Orbiter Spacecraft successfully entered into an orbit around planet Mars today […]

Posted in: India Space, Mars
SpaceX Breaks Ground, Dragon Berths and a New Era Begins

SpaceX Breaks Ground, Dragon Berths and a New Era Begins

Artists Rendering of South Texas Launch Pad: Credit SpaceX Drawing a dramatic seven day period to a close, the SpaceX CRS-4 Dragon spacecraft was successfully berthed to the International Space Station at 8:21 am CDT this morning. One week ago today, SpaceX was named one of two winners in the final phase of NASA’s Commercial […]

Posted in: SpaceX
Maven Arrives at Mars, India’s MOM Two Days Away

Maven Arrives at Mars, India’s MOM Two Days Away

Image Credit: NASA Following a 10 month interplanetary cruise after launch from Cape Canaveral on November 18th 2013, NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) orbiter arrived successfully at the Red Planet on Sunday evening. Orbital insertion was achieved at 10:24 PM EDT, with the aid of a 33 minute burn of the six main […]

Posted in: India Space, Mars
Maven Prepares For Mars Gravity Capture Tonight

Maven Prepares For Mars Gravity Capture Tonight

Image Credit: NASA/GSFC NASA Press Release: NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft is nearing its scheduled Sept. 21 insertion into Martian orbit after completing a 10-month interplanetary journey of 442 million miles. Flight Controllers at Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Littleton, Colorado, will be responsible for the health and safety of the spacecraft […]

Posted in: Mars
Weather Better, SpaceX Falcon 9/Dragon Lifts Off on CRS-4 Cargo Run

Weather Better, SpaceX Falcon 9/Dragon Lifts Off on CRS-4 Cargo Run

Note: Last night’s launch marks the 8th flight in the first year for the Falcon 9 V1.1 NASA News Story An eruption of fire and smoke sent a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft skyward laden with 5,000 pounds of scientific equipment and supplies destined for use by the crew of the International Space Station. “This launch kicks […]

Posted in: Uncategorized
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