Ostensibly we go, or send our machines, out into space for the advancement of science. It is a goal NASA’s New Horizon’s mission to the Pluto – Charon system has clearly achieved and then some. As the quality of imaging systems has vastly improved over earlier missions however, what continues to delight and to invoke […]
Until late last week, China’s most impressive space achievements have been carried out with relatively primitive, hypergolic fueled launch vehicles. On Friday however, China marked the debut of the first of a new series of boosters which while still carrying the Long March designation, are designed to bring that nation’s boost capabilities on par with […]
It’s a big, beautiful world!
NASA’s Office of Inspector General has released a report regarding the agency’s response to Orbital Sciences’ October 28th, 2014 failure of an Antares booster launching the Orb-3 ISS re-supply mission. The full report can be found here, and is an interesting read. Like most NASA OIG reports, it is clearly written and contains a great […]
NASA held a media teleconference on Wednesday to announce the results of a critical review of the space agency’s Orion spacecraft, which had been tentatively scheduled for a first crewed launch in August of 2021. Based on the findings from the review, labelled Key Decision Point C, that launch is now not expected to take […]
Blue Origin held an event at Cape Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex 36 this morning to officially announce the company’s decision to select Florida as both the production and launch site for a new, orbital launch vehicle which has yet to named. Conducted during alternating sequences of sun and rain, the ceremony, which was hosted by […]
In a week likely to be dominated by news from both United Launch Alliance and Blue Origin, the company which began the ongoing disruption in the launch industry kicked things off with an early morning announcement regarding two new contracts. From SpaceX: SpaceX Signs New Commercial Launch Contracts Hawthorne, CA/Paris, France, September 14, 2015 — […]
Press Release Firely Space Systems: SEPTEMBER 10TH, 2015 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE First Rocket Engine Test a Success for Firefly Space Systems CEDAR PARK, Texas, September 10, 2015 Firefly Space Systems, the Texas-based developer of dedicated launch vehicles for the small satellite market, announced today that it has successfully tested its first rocket engine, Firefly Rocket […]
When SpaceX first introduced a version of its Dragon capsule with propulsive capability, one early image released by the company depicted the spacecraft landing on a dusty red surface which looked suspiciously like Mars. That image, and more than a few comments regarding Dragon’s capabilities by company founder and CEO Elon Musk served as a […]
According to Reuters, Aerojet-Rocketdyne Holdings Inc. has made an offer to purchase United Launch Alliance from parent companies Boeing and Lockheed Martin for approximately $2 billion in a deal which could achieve preliminary agreement as early as next week. The deal would mark a major shakeup and yet another consolidation in the traditional, or “OldSpace” […]
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