Archive for February, 2016

ISS: Farmers in the Sky

ISS: Farmers in the Sky

Since the beginning of the space age, the idea of colonizing other planets has often brought to mind visions of steely eyed rocket men (and women) boarding sleek reusable vehicles to head off into the unknown. And in the era before the internet and social media, these images were often presented on the covers of […]

Aiming for Armageddon:  Russia Scientists Want to Shoot Asteroid Apophis in 2029

Aiming for Armageddon: Russia Scientists Want to Shoot Asteroid Apophis in 2029

Apparently some Russian scientists have been watching the SYFY channel’s horrendous Saturday night movies, and would like to make their own contribution to the “What could possibly go wrong? ” category. From TASS: “Russian scientists have developed a project of upgrading intercontinental ballistic missiles to destroy near-Earth meteorites 20-50 meters in size, leading researcher of […]

Posted in: Asteroids
Gravity Waves Confirmed 100 Years After Einstein Predicted Their Existence

Gravity Waves Confirmed 100 Years After Einstein Predicted Their Existence

From National Science Foundation Press Release: February 11, 2016 For the first time, scientists have observed ripples in the fabric of spacetime called gravitational waves, arriving at Earth from a cataclysmic event in the distant universe. This confirms a major prediction of Albert Einstein’s 1915 general theory of relativity and opens an unprecedented new window […]

Posted in: Uncategorized
NASA FY 2017 Budget Request

NASA FY 2017 Budget Request

First, the good news. We are long past the days when the release of an Administration’s budget request for NASA was the most reliable guidepost to what the future of space exploration might bring. On the other hand, we are nowhere close to the point where it is no longer relevant either. That being said, […]

Posted in: NASA
ISS, Private Stations and the Opportunity for Artificial Gravity

ISS, Private Stations and the Opportunity for Artificial Gravity

The FAA held a Commercial Space Launch conference in Washington, D.C. last week, during which a panel discussion on the second day provided a good deal of insight into how some players in the aerospace industry really regard the prospects for for future space stations beyond ISS. Spacepolicyonline has the complete breakdown, but here are […]

Next SpaceX Launch Set for February 24th

Next SpaceX Launch Set for February 24th

  SES Press Release: LUXEMBOURG, 8 February 2016 — SES S.A. (NYSE Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) announced today that it is targeting a 24 February 2016 launch date (with a backup date of the 25th) for its new satellite, SES-9.  This date was mutually set by SES and the launch operator for […]

Posted in: SpaceX
Did Audi Capture the State of American Space Program in Super Bowl Commercial?

Did Audi Capture the State of American Space Program in Super Bowl Commercial?

Using Apollo imagery in commercials for major sporting events is certainly nothing new. In a 2014 spot for Cadillac, which played throughout the Winter Olympics, we left the keys in the lunar lander cause we had been there, done that and were “bored.” Besides, we were “the only ones going back.” It was pure braggadocio. Given […]

North Korea Conducts Space (Missile Test) Launch

North Korea Conducts Space (Missile Test) Launch

North Korea has conducted what appears to be a second successful space launch. The first took place on December 12, 2012 and was to confirmed as to placed an object into orbit. North Korea claimed it was an Earth observation satellite named Kwangmyŏngsŏng. Two previous launches were claimed also claimed to be successful, but those […]

Congressional Hearing Takeaway: NASA May Lose its ARM, Yet Reach for the Moon

Congressional Hearing Takeaway: NASA May Lose its ARM, Yet Reach for the Moon

On February 3rd, Congress held another in an a seemingly endless line of hearings to discus NASA’s human space flight program. As usual, nothing was decided other than the fact that everyone seemed to agree with the assertion that what NASA is saying is a plan, is not one at all, and that some sort […]

Posted in: Mars, Moon, NASA
SpaceX Planning Dragon Re-Flight as well as Falcon Upgrades

SpaceX Planning Dragon Re-Flight as well as Falcon Upgrades

  A speech by SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell at the FAA’s Commercial Space Transportation Conference yesterday revealed a number of details regarding the company’s plans for the next two years as well as some interesting, if decidedly vague results from studying its recently recovered rocket. Without going into specifics, Shotwell stated that based on the […]

Posted in: SpaceX
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