Posts tagged spaceflight

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Posted 2 days ago

China Returns to Space - a Chinese spacecraft has returned three more astronauts to low Earth orbit. The piloted spacecraft successfully rendezvoused with the Tiangong-1 Chinese space station, and the crew entered the space station without incident. This is china’s 5th crewed mission, and has been hailed as its most sophisticated to date.

This is the third and final mission for Tiangong-1 as China prepares to send more advanced modules in its place. The end goal is for China to have its own functioning space station by 2020 — a goal the country’s leaders say they’re determined to meet.China is not one of the countries involved in the International Space Station project.

(Source: newsy.com)

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Notes
Posted 3 weeks ago
Skylab 2 - the original Skylab was an offshoot of the Apollo program; this reincarnation is meant to be placed beyond the orbit of the Moon (although it is shown in low Earth orbit above). It is part of the NASA plan to develop a new heavy lift launch capability (the Space Launch System or SLS). As part of NASA’s next push toward humanity’s space-faring future, Skylab 2 could provide us with a foothold in deep space. And it’s closer to becoming reality than you might think. Skylab 2, the planned successor to NASA’s original space station, would sit beyond the moon. In a place called “Earth-moon Lagrange point 2,” a gravity-stable point in space. From there, NASA envisions astronauts launching manned missions deeper into space — to places like asteroids, Mars and Phobos. Zoom

Skylab 2 - the original Skylab was an offshoot of the Apollo program; this reincarnation is meant to be placed beyond the orbit of the Moon (although it is shown in low Earth orbit above). It is part of the NASA plan to develop a new heavy lift launch capability (the Space Launch System or SLS).

As part of NASA’s next push toward humanity’s space-faring future, Skylab 2 could provide us with a foothold in deep space. And it’s closer to becoming reality than you might think.

Skylab 2, the planned successor to NASA’s original space station, would sit beyond the moon. In a place called “Earth-moon Lagrange point 2,” a gravity-stable point in space. From there, NASA envisions astronauts launching manned missions deeper into space — to places like asteroids, Mars and Phobos.

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Notes
Posted 4 weeks ago

SpaceX Vision - In this video Elon Musk talks about his plans for SpaceX and how his plans for the company integrate with his over arching vision for his other ventures (Tesla, SolarCity). SpaceX continues to make rapid progress towards the company’s goal of fully reusable launch and space vehicles, and has inspired several other companies build upon SpaceX’ promise of low cost space access (e.g. MarsOne).

Hear how Musk plans to send millions of people to colonize Mars, as Michelle Fields talks to the tech innovator about the future of space exploration, scientific innovation and doing business in California during a recession.

(Source: parabolicarc.com)

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Notes
Posted 1 month ago
Buzzing Mars - Here’s another organization aiming for the first human flyby of the Red Planet by 2018. Funded by billionaire (and ISS space tourist) Dennis Tito, the Inspiration Mars Foundation is serious about sending two people on a 500 day journey from Earth to Mars and back. And while they are the first to acknowledge the risks and challenges in doing so, that’s not stopping them from trying (thank you!). Even if you’re as rich as Dennis Tito, if you’re going to suddenly announce the formation of a private foundation to send humans to Mars and back as of 2018, you’d better have some data to back things up. In a technical feasibility announcement made public on its website, the Inspiration Mars Foundation has provided some intriguing details on its plan to send two people on a 500-day trip around Mars in a modified SpaceX dragon capsule. Head over to the Inspiration Mars website for the full public report on their feasibility study, it’s a great read. Zoom

Buzzing Mars - Here’s another organization aiming for the first human flyby of the Red Planet by 2018. Funded by billionaire (and ISS space tourist) Dennis Tito, the Inspiration Mars Foundation is serious about sending two people on a 500 day journey from Earth to Mars and back. And while they are the first to acknowledge the risks and challenges in doing so, that’s not stopping them from trying (thank you!).

Even if you’re as rich as Dennis Tito, if you’re going to suddenly announce the formation of a private foundation to send humans to Mars and back as of 2018, you’d better have some data to back things up. In a technical feasibility announcement made public on its website, the Inspiration Mars Foundation has provided some intriguing details on its plan to send two people on a 500-day trip around Mars in a modified SpaceX dragon capsule.

Head over to the Inspiration Mars website for the full public report on their feasibility study, it’s a great read.

Video
Posted 1 month ago

Martian Roulette - Want to go to Mars? Your odds are 1:42000, a lot better than winning the lottery or even be struck by lightning. In fact they are better than most promotional drawings. The catch is, the selection is going to be anything but random, and the trip will be one way only. On the other hand, if that doesn’t put you off, the good news is applications are being accepted right now.

[…] Mars One has dreams of colonizing the Red Planet, starting with a crew of four settlers that would take a one-way trip in 2023. They intend to pay for the several-billion-dollar undertaking with a reality TV show following its crew through interplanetary space and to Mars.

The Dutch company began accepting 1-minute video applications on Apr. 22. They will charge a small fee ($38 for U.S. residents) to discourage trolls and maybe start raising some money. Mars One has already released its requirements, which don’t go much beyond asking that people be at least 18 years old and “grounded” with a “deep sense of purpose”

The company will choose 24 individuals from their pool by July 2015, which will be broken up into groups of four. If everything pans out, Mars One will train the groups for seven years.

Even if you’re not ready to throw your name in the hat just yet, head over to MarsOne to look at the current list of applicants and vote for your favorite.

(Source: Wired)