Archive for December, 2014

Ballistic Capture: A Different Way to Mars

Ballistic Capture: A Different Way to Mars

Scientific American has an interesting article regarding a different approach to configuring a Mars transfer orbit, one which trades the minimal time and energy for a typical Hohmann transfer orbit for an alternate approach which takes longer but requires even less energy: “The premise of a ballistic capture: Instead of shooting for the location Mars […]

Posted in: Mars
NASA / SpaceX Collaborative Partnership Offers Deep Space Opportunity

NASA / SpaceX Collaborative Partnership Offers Deep Space Opportunity

NASA announced four new, unfunded Space Act Agreements today as part of its Collaborations for Commercial Space Capabilities Initiative. The selection of SpaceX for “deep space” transportation capabilities is particularly intriguing, possibly indicating NASA is taking a speculative glance at the Falcon Heavy and the potential it offers. Big things can come from seemingly innocuous […]

Posted in: NASA, SpaceX
Russia Rising: Angara A5 Lifts Off On Maiden Flight

Russia Rising: Angara A5 Lifts Off On Maiden Flight

Russia successfully launches the Angara booster on its first orbital flight. From the Russian news agency TASS: MOSCOW, December 23. /TASS/. A new Russian heavy rocket was successfully test-launched from the Plesetsk space center on Tuesday as planned at 08:57am Moscow time. The head unit has separated from the third stage of the Angara rocket, […]

Posted in: Russian Space
SpaceX, Boeing Complete First CCtCap Milestones

SpaceX, Boeing Complete First CCtCap Milestones

NASA Press Release RELEASE 14-340 SpaceX Completes First Milestone for Commercial Crew Transportation System NASA has approved the completion of SpaceX’s first milestone in the company’s path toward launching crews to the International Space Station (ISS) from U.S. soil under a Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) contract with the agency. During the Certification Baseline Review, […]

India Caps Breakout Year With GSLV-III / Crew Capsule Suborbital Launch

India Caps Breakout Year With GSLV-III / Crew Capsule Suborbital Launch

Capsule Recovery : ISRO Although the upper stage was inert,  the launch was suborbital and the capsule was an uncrewed re-entry demonstrator, rising space power India took a major step into the future with the December 18th launch of the GSLV Mk-III booster carrying the CARE crew module. Coming on the heels of the successful […]

Posted in: GSLV, India Space
SpaceX CRS-5 Launch Delayed Until January

SpaceX CRS-5 Launch Delayed Until January

2014 isn’t going to end with a historic soft landing, a bang, or even a splash for SpaceX and the Falcon 9. Following a static fire test for the booster which took place on Tuesday, SpaceX has delayed the mission due to an unspecified problem. While the company is not elaborating further at this point, […]

Posted in: NASA, SpaceX
SpaceX Wins First NASA Science Launch Award

SpaceX Wins First NASA Science Launch Award

Image Credit: SpaceX While SpaceX’s effort to break into the EELV launch market has garnered a great deal of media attention, the company has also been working quietly to earn a spot as a trusted supplier of launch services for NASA’s high profile science missions. With today’s announcement the company has officially crossed that threshold. […]

Posted in: NASA, SpaceX
Mid-Week Roundup: SpaceX Confirms Landing Attempt, OSC Can’t Kick Its Russian Habit and More

Mid-Week Roundup: SpaceX Confirms Landing Attempt, OSC Can’t Kick Its Russian Habit and More

SpaceX has finally confirmed that it will indeed be attempting to land the Falcon 9 first stage on its autonomous drone ship following Friday’s CRS-5 launch to the International Space Station.  The complete description is posted on their website’s update page here. America’s Russian engine addiction continues unabated. Orbital Sciences has selected the RD-181 derivative […]

As NASA’s Morpheus Makes its Final Flight, Moon Express Begins Testing at KSC

As NASA’s Morpheus Makes its Final Flight, Moon Express Begins Testing at KSC

Morpheus : Image Credit NASA Bit by bit, NASA’s vision of the Kennedy Space Center as a 21st century spaceport is taking shape, offering an interesting mix of public and private spaceflight. And bit by bit, the spaceport which launched mankind to the Moon, is helping to send machines back. As Florida Today reports, as […]

Posted in: Moon, NASA, NewSpace
SpaceX Plans McGregor Expansion

SpaceX Plans McGregor Expansion

Image Credit SpaceX The Waco-Tribune reports that SpaceX is planning a significant expansion of its McGregor, Tx. rocket development facility near Waco. From the story: “SpaceX is proposing to invest $46.3 million in the site during the next five years. That will consist of about $32.4 million in real property improvements and $13.9 million in […]

Posted in: SpaceX
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