Space - The Final Frontier

[clifp]

Apparently they succeeded in 'soft' landing the first stage on the water. It transmitted data for 8 seconds after contact until it went horizontal. Salt water is hard on electronics.

I find it really interesting that SpaceX is piggybacking experiments along side of commercial launches. In hindsight it seems obvious, but its not something that I've seen NASA or other Aerospace companies do very often.

Evidently the 1st stage account for roughly 60% of the cost of launch so being able to reuse them will make a big difference in terms of cost.

 

[M Paquette]

I find it really interesting that SpaceX is piggybacking experiments along side of commercial launches. In hindsight it seems obvious, but its not something that I've seen NASA or other Aerospace companies do very often.

This flight has some crazy stuff. On the way up it deployed the KickSat, which will then deploy 104 Sprite satellites about 15 days from now. Yah. One Hundred Four.

The KickSat and Sprites are sending back telemetry til they re-enter. Ground stations (Hams with handheld antennas and radios linked to laptops) are competing to receive the telemetry.

 

[clifp]

Among the other cool experiments the Dragon is carrying to the space station is a bunch of microbes to see how they grow and behave in outer space.

The really cool thing is where and who collected the microbes. Most of the were collected at various sports stadiums and the scientist who collected them were current and former NFL cheerleaders. Who have graduate degrees, and lot post doc work in science or engineering.

Science Cheerleaders Perform at the USA Science and Engineering Festival - YouTube

More on the biology here

 

[Chuckanut]

Here's an article on the ocean 'landing'. Apparently, there are still some bugs to be worked out.

SpaceX Claims Milestone With Bold Reusable Rocket Test | Space.com

 

[Chuckanut]

An interesting report on the latest SpaceX launch from MIT Technology Review

SpaceX Achieves First Booster Flyback During Space Station Mission | MIT Technology Review

 

[Chuckanut]

Space Lettuce

How to grow lettuce in outer space:

ScienceCasts: New Lettuce on the International Space Station - SpaceRef

 

[Free To Canoe]

Delivered by Space X's Dragon capsule. Man that Musk guy is really not going to be worrying about is SWR.
First crop in space. Lettuce be thankful.

 

[Chuckanut]

Elon Musk is looking for somebody who can 'repair' this footage of the Falcon 9 booster soft landing in the ocean. If you can get it to look better than the SpaceX techs, I assume you can claim to be a FOE.

First Stage Landing Video | SpaceX

 

[Chuckanut]

Amazingly, the Opportunity rover on Mars has logged its tenth Earth year of operation. Only about six Martian years. And it's surface was recently swept clean by a Martian wind so it is making plenty of power.

Mars Exploration Rover Mission: Press Releases

 

[Chuckanut]

Apparently, on May 29, SpaceX will show us a Dragon Mk2 spacecraft the features necessary to take astronauts into orbit and back to earth. Not a mock-up, but a space craft with hardware designed for flight. Certification for manned flight will take more time. But, no trampolines will be needed.

 

[Free To Canoe]

Ready for your flight? I read somewhere (Nat Geo mag?) that the spaceport is in place in Truth or Consequences, NM. Branson's Virgin Galactic wants to start flights this year.


"Once they reach that suborbital altitude, passengers will experience weightlessness and see the curvature of the Earth. Then they will reenter the atmosphere and glide back to the runway. The price for the experience: $250,000."

Virgin Galactic signs agreement with FAA, steps closer to spaceflight - Los Angeles Times

 

[Chuckanut]

SpaceX introduced version 2 of their Dragon spacecraft.
Among the changes

Propulsive landing without parachutes (parachutes are a backup)
Landing legs for a land landing
New thruster rockets that can be used for landing as well as escaping a launch problem
Better head shield.
Seats for human beings!!!!

 

[Chuckanut]

If these thing fly who will want to ride on a Soyuz?

Space Exploration Systems | Sierra Nevada Corporation Spae Systems | SNC Space

SpaceX unveils Dragon V2, its first manned spacecraft - CNET

 

[REWahoo]

If these thing fly who will want to ride on a Soyuz?

Nyet, and that's my response whether they fly or not.

 

[Chuckanut]

The interior of the Falcon spacecraft is certainly different from what we are used to. The geek in me really wants to know about he tech that goes into it.


Sent from somewhere in the world with whatever device I can get my hands on.

 

[Chuckanut]

Here's a video of a Spacex soft landing vehicle making a 1000 meter high flight and then soft landing back on its pad. Note the little paddles that pop out at about 1:10 to help guide the vehicle.

 

[Free To Canoe]

Here's a video of a Spacex soft landing vehicle making a 1000 meter high flight and then soft landing back on its pad. Note the little paddles that pop out at about 1:10 to help guide the vehicle.

Those cows in the field were sure getting spooked by the rocket! About 2:30 into the video. I wonder where the test took place. Looks like Texas.

 

[REWahoo]

Those cows in the field were sure getting spooked by the rocket! About 2:30 into the video. I wonder where the test took place. Looks like Texas.

Yep, outside McGregor, TX which is southwest of Waco: SpaceX's McGregor Test Site (Google Maps) - Virtual Globetrotting

 

[Huston55]

SpaceX launches ISS resupply missions from LC-40, where Titan IVs used to launch. It's always bitter sweet for me to see SpaceX Falcon 9 launches since I helped build and test the Titan IV launch complex, which has since been demolished.


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

 

[clifp]

Those cows in the field were sure getting spooked by the rocket! About 2:30 into the video. I wonder where the test took place. Looks like Texas.

They have had a number of wide angle videos, and the cows near the launch site get a pretty good workout. I don't know if they makes their meat better or worse...

 

[Chuckanut]

Here are interesting photos taken by the Cassini spacecraft that has been orbiting Saturn for 10 years! My favorite is Saturn and it's rings backlit by the sun.

http://arstechnica.com/science/2014/07/cassinis-decade-at-saturn-in-pictures/

 

[braumeister]

Love those photos.
In the one you mentioned, from 2006, the little dot on the left between the bright rings and the somewhat fainter ring is Earth.

 

[clifp]

45 year ago today, a man took a giant leap.

I rather liked these photos of the mission.

Hard to believe that Neil won't be at the ceremonies.

 

[Asher Aion]

Amazing what a vision, political or otherwise, can lead to.

 

[Chuckanut]

Good News! Apparently "The Martian" is going to be made into a movie. Matt Damon will play Mark Watney.