stories about: "nasa"

Wed, Aug 8th 2012 5:00pm

Filed Under:
curiosity, heat shield, india, mars, opportunity, rover

Companies:
nasa

DailyDirt: Mars Missions

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

The successful landing of NASA's Curiosity rover on Mars will hopefully be followed by several years of fascinating data collection about our planetary neighbor. The mission has already gathered tons of useful radiation measurements on its journey that will give scientists a better idea of what kind of radiation levels a future manned mission would face on a similar trip to Mars. Here are just a few other interesting Mars-related missions to peruse while Curiosity performs its self-diagnostics before roaming around the surface of Mars.

Last year, Opportunity found some "slam dunk" evidence of water having existed on Mars. There may have been an ancient "wet" Martian surface that was hospitable to our own biology, and Curiosity may find additional geological evidence to support a watery history on Mars. [url]
NASA also recently tested an inflatable heat shield, capable of withstanding hypersonic speeds of up to Mach 10. The Inflatable Re-entry Vehicle Experiment 3 (IRVE-3) could help designers create spacecraft that can land on Mars without the use of fancy rocket cranes. [url]
India is planning its own mission to mars in 2013 at an estimated cost of $70-90 million. But India's Department of Science hasn't fully approved a Mars mission with full funding, so these plans could be delayed. [url]

If you'd like to read more awesome and interesting stuff, check out this unrelated (but not entirely random!) Techdirt post.

24 Comments

Bleeding Edge

by Michael Ho

Fri, Jul 27th 2012 5:00pm

Filed Under:
astronauts, buzz aldrin, food, mars, moon, space

Companies:
lockheed martin, nasa

Permalink.

DailyDirt: Eating Food On Other Astronomical Objects

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

Manned missions outside of low Earth orbit take a bit more planning since supplies are a trickier to deliver the farther out astronauts go. NASA is looking at a trip to Mars in a couple decades, and part of its preparations is creating edible items that are safe and nutritious for such a long trip. Here are just a few interesting stories about eating in other gravitational environments.

The menu for astronauts headed to Mars could include items like (vegan) pizza and fresh vegetables/fruits. The gravity on Mars should allow astronauts to chop vegetables and do some food prep that's a bit harder in a zero-gravity environment. [url]
Buzz Aldrin took a communion wafer and a vial of wine to the moon in 1969. Aldrin quietly read a few bible passages and consumed these items in the hours before he was scheduled to go for a walk on the moon's surface. [url]
A trip to Mars requires the shelf life of its food supplies to last about five years, but NASA's current astronaut menu only lasts a couple years. Lockheed Martin researchers are looking into a bunch of different (non-meat and non-dairy) menu options for a 2030-ish planned mission to the red planet. [url]

If you'd like to read more awesome and interesting stuff, check out this unrelated (but not entirely random!) Techdirt post.

7 Comments

Innovation

by Michael Ho

Tue, Jun 26th 2012 5:00pm

Filed Under:
ardusat, astronauts, commercial rockets, excalibur almaz, international space station, moon, orbit, space, taikonauts

Companies:
faa, kickstarter, nasa, scistarter, spacex, virgin galactic

Permalink.

DailyDirt: Space Race Continues

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

Recently, some cool new space efforts are lining up to deliver people and payloads into orbit. For example, SpaceX shipped some supplies to the International Space Station, and it's on track to providing a rocket system for ferrying astronauts to the ISS as well. More and more commercial space ventures are competing with government space programs, and this new space race will hopefully continue and create even more inspiring space technologies over the next decade and beyond. Here are just a few other interesting developments along the way.

NASA and the FAA have reached a tentative agreement to provide better guidelines for regulating all kinds of space launches. Virgin Galactic has been granted a license, but it might be interesting to see if all those amateur weather balloons and sub-orbital rocket projects will run into any regulatory problems. [url]
Excalibur Almaz is a commercial space transportation company with roots in the former Soviet Union's military space program. For about $100 million, you can hitch a ride on one of these older (but very reliable!) Soviet-era spacecraft that have been extensively tested -- possibly all the way to the moon. [url]
Citizen scientists are putting together an ArduSat -- an open source satellite -- that could be included on a free launch via a NASA or ESA ride-along program. There ain't no such thing as a free launch? [url]
China has recently become the third nation to successfully dock a manned space capsule with another space vessel. Three people (including China's first female astronaut/taikonaut) on the Shenzhou 9 spacecraft joined up with the Tiangong 1 space module in orbit. [url]

If you'd like to read more awesome and interesting stuff, check out this unrelated (but not entirely random!) Techdirt post.

11 Comments

Bleeding Edge

by Michael Ho

Thu, Jun 14th 2012 5:00pm

Filed Under:
hermes, liberty, mars, mars one, rockets, shuttle, space, spacecraft, tourism

Companies:
alliant techsystems, atk, kickstarter, nasa, virgin galactic

Permalink.

DailyDirt: Space Tourism Is Almost Here

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

The Space Shuttle program is retired, but we still have the Soyuz (and maybe a mysterious secret mini-shuttle) to get people into space. On top of that, though, the private space industry is starting to kick in with more and more ambitious plans to offer rides into space -- or at least to the edge of space. Here are just a few more examples of these private efforts.

Travel agents are already booking seats on Virgin Galactic -- for $200,000 (including a $20,000 upfront deposit). Over 450 passengers have already bought tickets. [url]
Mars One is aiming for human settlement on our neighboring planet around 2023. It'll be a one-way trip, so plan accordingly. [url]
The Hermes spacecraft received some Kickstarter funding to build its next test rocket. It's still far from developing a rocket system ready for humans, but it's still cool to see more engineers trying to re-invent space travel. [url]
Alliant Techsystems (aka ATK), which manufactured the Space Shuttle's booster rockets, is developing a rocket system it calls Liberty. This Liberty rocket system is designed to hold 7 passengers and reach destinations like the International Space Station. [url]
To discover more links on space exploration, check out what's floating around in StumbleUpon universe. [url]

By the way, StumbleUpon can also recommend some good Techdirt articles, too.

8 Comments

Miscellaneous

by Michael Ho

Tue, Jun 12th 2012 5:00pm

Filed Under:
caenorhabditis elegans, columbia, discovery, endeavour, enterprise, shuttle, space, spacecraft, wayne hale, worms

Companies:
nasa

Permalink.

DailyDirt: Space Shuttle Stories

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

For some people, NASA's Space Shuttle program was almost a complete boondoggle. The shuttles never fully lived up to their original promises, and they were far more expensive than planned. But the design of a reusable space plane captures the imagination in a way that an acorn-shaped capsule doesn't. Here are just a few stories about the Space Shuttle that you might have missed.

Wayne Hale, a retired Space Shuttle Flight Director, explains how Columbia was damaged by the loss of insulation foam -- by finding out that Discovery was almost damaged in the same way. It wasn't due to improper foam installation, but instead thermal cycling from filling and re-filling the cryogenic fuel. [url]
On its way to a museum, Enterprise sustains damage to its wingtip after hitting a bridge. The NASA prototype spacecraft never flew in space, and it suffered only cosmetic damage while being transported to its final destination at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in Manhattan. [url]
Caenorhabditis elegans worms actually survived the Columbia disaster, and their descendants flew into space in 2011 on the Endeavour. Worms on a m*********ing spaceplane! [url]
To discover more links on space exploration, check out what's floating around in StumbleUpon universe. [url]

By the way, StumbleUpon can also recommend some good Techdirt articles, too.

7 Comments

Bleeding Edge

by Michael Ho

Mon, Apr 30th 2012 5:00pm

Filed Under:
asteroids, gold, mining, moon, platinum, precious metals, space exploration, space law, water

Companies:
astrobotic technology, nasa, planetary resources

Permalink.

DailyDirt: Unobtainium Will Save Us!

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

Some folks are worried about Peak Oil. Others are worried about "Peak Helium" when most of the Earth's resources of the lightweight element have vanished into space. There are also all kinds of metals that are getting harder and harder to find. Where will we be able to replenish precious, finite materials? Duh, just go get some from other celestial bodies. You only need to be a billionaire with a few other billionaire friends to start this project. Estimated time for completion: 10 years in the future.

Planetary Resources has been getting some buzz for its plans to mine nearby asteroids for precious metals and water. If gold was as abundant as aluminum, what would we do with it? [url]
Is it time to start studying up on space law now? Ownership of asteroids and the legalities of mining them could be a lucrative field someday! [url]
NASA and Astrobotic Technology are going to look for ice deposits and possible sources of useful materials on the moon. Silly, NASA, everyone knows the moon is made of cheese... [url]
To discover more links on space exploration, check out what's floating around in StumbleUpon universe. [url]

By the way, StumbleUpon can also recommend some good Techdirt articles, too.

14 Comments

(Mis)Uses of Technology

by Michael Ho

Mon, Mar 19th 2012 5:00pm

Filed Under:
ion propulsion, nanotubes, rockets, space, space elevator, vesta

Companies:
masten space systems, nasa

Permalink.

DailyDirt: Pigs In Space...

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

The space race has been over for quite some time now, and we're headed into unknown territory now -- without a singular mission for space exploration. There are a few manned missions still on-going, and there's also a lot of experimental spacecraft under development. Here are just a few space projects that use some interesting technologies.

A Japanese construction company says it might be possible to build a space elevator by 2050 using carbon nanotubes to form a cable 96,000 kilometers long. There's no way to estimate the cost for this gigantic elevator to space, though, since the materials to actually build it can't be manufactured (yet?). [url]
Ion propulsion systems have been under development for decades, and the Dawn spacecraft used an ion thruster to get a closer look at a big asteroid named Vesta. Ion thrusters can run for a long time, unlike chemical propulsion, and achieve velocities far greater than conventional rockets. [url]
Masten Space Systems' Xombie suborbital rocket had a successful test flight, demonstrating vertical takeoff and landing maneuvers for NASA. This rocket uses a flight control system that could help land spacecraft on asteroids or other non-terrestrial bodies. [url]
To discover more links on space exploration, check out what's floating around in StumbleUpon universe. [url]

By the way, StumbleUpon can also recommend some good Techdirt articles, too.

1 Comments

Innovation

by Michael Ho

Wed, Feb 1st 2012 5:00pm

Filed Under:
astronauts, osteoporosis, space habitat, space shuttle, space stations

Companies:
nasa

Permalink.

DailyDirt: Making Manned Space Travel More Comfortable...

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

Astronauts don't have an easy job. Getting up to space is an inherently risky trip, and then once they're up there, they need to be re-supplied with just about everything to continue to survive. But space agencies are at least trying to make things more comfortable for them. Here are just a few examples of some spaceships and amenities that could make astronauts' lives a bit nicer.

NASA is developing a laundry machine for space stations, so that astronauts don't have to wear dirty clothes for days. No one can hear you scream in the vacuum of space, and thankfully, no one can smell your body odor, either.... [url]
There are at least seven different space vehicles that are designed to get people into space, but the Space Shuttle still looks pretty cool in comparison to these new spacecraft. A huge balloon ride into space sounds awesome, actually. [url]
A treatment for osteoporosis could help astronauts prevent bone mass loss while they're weightless. But the long-term solution might be to work on designing virtual gravity with rotating ship cabins.. [url]
NASA is testing an inflatable space habitat for lengthy missions. This project could be adapted for bases on the moon, on Mars, on a big asteroid -- or just for flying through interplanetary space. [url]
To discover more links on space exploration, check out what's floating around in StumbleUpon universe. [url]

By the way, StumbleUpon can also recommend some good Techdirt articles, too.

6 Comments

Innovation

by Michael Ho

Tue, Jan 31st 2012 5:00pm

Filed Under:
apollo, lunar base, manned spaceflight, moon, newt gingrich, orion, space

Companies:
nasa

Permalink.

DailyDirt: To The Moon, Alice!

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

The Earth's moon seems like a nice place to visit, but there are a surprising number of people who seem to want to go there permanently. Manned spaceflight has seen better days, but is it really time to invest in a moon colony now? The land is pretty cheap up there, and no one's making any more of it... but there's a tiny problem of getting there. Here are just a few more links about manned trips to the moon.

Newt Gingrich's proposal to create a moon base by 2020 (excluding the 13,000 colonists part) was feasible in 2005 when George W. Bush had similar ideas, but now it could be a bit more difficult to accomplish in just 8 years. A new space race to the moon could see commercial space companies beating NASA to the lunar surface... (especially if vast amounts of unobtainium could be mined on the moon). [url]
NASA isn't exactly sure when manned test flights of its Orion will begin, but it should happen by 2021. Unmanned test flights are scheduled for 2014, but the new rocket to take cargo/passengers 3,700 miles away from Earth hasn't been finalized yet. [url]
What would space programs be like if the Apollo program never made it to the moon? Maybe there'd be a Russian/Soviet moon base or an international station on the moon -- or maybe the lunar surface would be covered with robots by now. [url]
To discover more links on space exploration, check out what's floating around in StumbleUpon universe. [url]

By the way, StumbleUpon can also recommend some good Techdirt articles, too.

27 Comments

Ramblings

by Michael Ho

Mon, Jan 23rd 2012 5:00pm

Filed Under:
atmospheric phenomenon, climate change, geoengineering, rain, weather

Companies:
nasa

Permalink.

DailyDirt: Don't Just Talk About The Weather...

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

As the saying goes, nobody seems to do anything about changing the weather. Well, there actually are some people trying to control the weather. (And global climate change could be an inadvertent way that people are changing the weather, too.) So there are a lot of big problems that look unsolvable, but maybe if enough people work on them, we'll find solutions. Here are just some quick examples.

NASA could make it rain when it tested space shuttle rocket engines in the wetlands of Mississippi. Hydrogen fuel burned with oxygen produces water, but just adding water to the atmosphere doesn't necessarily produce a rainstorm. [url]
China tried to control the weather around Beijing before the Summer Olympics of 2008. "Tried" is perhaps the key word, since weather modification isn't quite an exact science just yet. But then again, it didn't rain during the opening and closing ceremonies in 2008.... [url]
Geoengineering climate change is even more ambitious -- and potentially dangerous. But given that the world hasn't stopped its CO2 emissions, it doesn't really hurt to put together some plans for correcting our atmospheric mistakes (whether or not they'll be needed). [url]
To find some more bizarre/odd stuff, check out some things that other StumbleUpon users have found. [url]

By the way, StumbleUpon can also recommend some good Techdirt articles, too.

11 Comments

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DailyDirt: Mars Missions

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DailyDirt: Eating Food On Other Astronomical Objects

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DailyDirt: Space Race Continues

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DailyDirt: Space Tourism Is Almost Here

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DailyDirt: Space Shuttle Stories

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DailyDirt: Unobtainium Will Save Us!

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DailyDirt: Pigs In Space...

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DailyDirt: Making Manned Space Travel More Comfortable...

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DailyDirt: To The Moon, Alice!

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