Space shuttle Endeavour finally got off the ground on STS-127 last evening. It was the sixth attempt. STS-127 is scheduled to be a 16 day affair, and its main objective is the completion of Japan's Kibo laboratory on ISS.
On another NASA front, NASA finally has new leadership. The U. S. Senate has confirmed President Obama's nominations of Charles Bolden as administrator and Lori Garver as deputy administrator of the agency. Bolden is a former astronaut and veteran of four shuttle flights, two of which he commanded. Garver served for nine years as the executive director of the National Space Society, one of the most prominent space advocacy groups in the country.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
SpaceX Success
One of the bigger names in the emerging NewSpace industry, SpaceX, successfully launched a resource development satellite for Malaysia from a Pacific Ocean atoll soon after NASA scrubbed the launch of space shuttle Endeavour for the fifth time. It was the firm's first successful commercial launch.
Over the past few years, some observers have been following the development of several new companies that aimed at making big money from space operations of one kind or another. A few of those companies-- Bigelow Aerospace, Virgin Galactic, Interorbital Systems-- seem poised for success in the next decade, while smaller companies also show promise. SpaceX, however, has now hit paydirt first.
SpaceX also has much bigger plans. Its Falcon 1 multistage rocket launched the satellite, but a more powerful version, Falcon 9, is slated to deliver cargo to ISS. That cargo will ride in SpaceX's Dragon capsule. Dragon is being designed with more than cargo in mind, however. SpaceX hopes Dragon will be the first private man-rated spacecraft capable of reaching orbit, and that it will be used to ferry crews to and from ISS.
Over the past few years, some observers have been following the development of several new companies that aimed at making big money from space operations of one kind or another. A few of those companies-- Bigelow Aerospace, Virgin Galactic, Interorbital Systems-- seem poised for success in the next decade, while smaller companies also show promise. SpaceX, however, has now hit paydirt first.
SpaceX also has much bigger plans. Its Falcon 1 multistage rocket launched the satellite, but a more powerful version, Falcon 9, is slated to deliver cargo to ISS. That cargo will ride in SpaceX's Dragon capsule. Dragon is being designed with more than cargo in mind, however. SpaceX hopes Dragon will be the first private man-rated spacecraft capable of reaching orbit, and that it will be used to ferry crews to and from ISS.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Still Endeavouring To Launch
The liftoff of space shuttle Endeavour on STS-127 was delayed again last evening. Again, weather was the culprit. NASA plans to try again tomorrow evening. The bad news, of course, is that stormy weather in the late afternoon and early evening is quite common in Florida summers.
These repeated delays clearly give NASA critics room to say the agency is not up to its job-- and to question the value of manned spaceflight. NASA does need to get better, but we should undersrand a big part of getting better would involve developing better technology, which would argue for increasing the NASA budget, not holding it steady-- and certainly not cutting it. The argument over manned versus robotic missions goes beyond the scope of this blog entry, but perhaps it comes down to added value. Astronauts recently finished the final repair of the Hubble Space Telescope, for example, hopefully giving it a few more years of productive life. At this point in history, only humans in space could have done that. On Mars, the robot rover Spirit, now stuck in some kind of soil, is about two miles from its landing site after traveling about five miles in five years. A human expedition could cover that distance in a day. A human working from a base on Mars could free a trapped rover much more efficiently than we can from Earth. Both manned and unmanned programs, often reinforcing each other, have a place in a serious space exploration effort.
These repeated delays clearly give NASA critics room to say the agency is not up to its job-- and to question the value of manned spaceflight. NASA does need to get better, but we should undersrand a big part of getting better would involve developing better technology, which would argue for increasing the NASA budget, not holding it steady-- and certainly not cutting it. The argument over manned versus robotic missions goes beyond the scope of this blog entry, but perhaps it comes down to added value. Astronauts recently finished the final repair of the Hubble Space Telescope, for example, hopefully giving it a few more years of productive life. At this point in history, only humans in space could have done that. On Mars, the robot rover Spirit, now stuck in some kind of soil, is about two miles from its landing site after traveling about five miles in five years. A human expedition could cover that distance in a day. A human working from a base on Mars could free a trapped rover much more efficiently than we can from Earth. Both manned and unmanned programs, often reinforcing each other, have a place in a serious space exploration effort.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Scrubbed Again
Launch of space shuttle Endeavour was scrubbed again last evening, again due to storms in the Cape Kennedy area. That makes four delays for this mission after Endeavour was on the launch pad-- two due to technical delays, and two due to Florida weather.
Another attempt is scheduled for this evening, but again, weather might be a problem.
Another attempt is scheduled for this evening, but again, weather might be a problem.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Lightning Delays Launch
Nine lightning strikes in the area of the launch pad delayed the liftoff of space shuttle Endeavour yet again last evening. Out of an abundance of caution, NASA put off the launch in order to make sure the shuttle was sound. Another attempt at launch is scheduled for this evening.
Lightning has interacted with space launches before, of course-- perhaps most famously with the launch of Apollo 12. That mission was launched into a deck of low clouds, and lightning struck the vehicle seconds after liftoff. The cautious decision then may well have been to abort the mission. Had that happened after the near disaster of Apollo 13, the decision may well have been different. But, as it was, NASA not only didn't abort Apollo 12, the mission continued to the Moon, where Pete Conrad and Alan Bean pulled off only the second manned lunar landing before returning safely home.
In a way, Apollo 12 may have been the high point of the Apollo program.
Lightning has interacted with space launches before, of course-- perhaps most famously with the launch of Apollo 12. That mission was launched into a deck of low clouds, and lightning struck the vehicle seconds after liftoff. The cautious decision then may well have been to abort the mission. Had that happened after the near disaster of Apollo 13, the decision may well have been different. But, as it was, NASA not only didn't abort Apollo 12, the mission continued to the Moon, where Pete Conrad and Alan Bean pulled off only the second manned lunar landing before returning safely home.
In a way, Apollo 12 may have been the high point of the Apollo program.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Mapping Unseen Craters
NASA's JPL has used the Goldstone System Radar to bounce signals off the south polar region of the Moon, creating a topographical map of the area. Data from Japan's recent Kaguya lunar probe was used as a check on the Goldstone results.
The topographical map shows several craters that are permanently shadowed; the Sun's rays have likely never reached the bottom of those craters. Because light never reaches those craters, they have never been seen before. Their existence is good news for those who think water ice may exist on the floors of such craters.
NASA intends to search for that water ice later this year. It will use the new map to target the LCRSS impactor into one of those craters and watch the "splash" after it hits for signs of water vapor.
The topographical map shows several craters that are permanently shadowed; the Sun's rays have likely never reached the bottom of those craters. Because light never reaches those craters, they have never been seen before. Their existence is good news for those who think water ice may exist on the floors of such craters.
NASA intends to search for that water ice later this year. It will use the new map to target the LCRSS impactor into one of those craters and watch the "splash" after it hits for signs of water vapor.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Worms In Space
Nature is full of odd connections. For example, a species of worm, according to a 2004 study done on ISS which has been confirmed by experiments aboard Chinese and Japanese probes, is a good substitute for humans when studying the effects of microgravity on muscles, and the effects of radiation on genes.
Two major issues to be solved before long term human spaceflights are undertaken are how to maintain muscle strength and mass over prolonged periods in microgravity, and how to combat genetic damage done by exposure to high levels of radiation. The C elegans species of roundworm, for whatever reason, reacts similarly to humans to both of those issues. Studying the worms, therefore, can give insight into how to resolve the human situation.
Two major issues to be solved before long term human spaceflights are undertaken are how to maintain muscle strength and mass over prolonged periods in microgravity, and how to combat genetic damage done by exposure to high levels of radiation. The C elegans species of roundworm, for whatever reason, reacts similarly to humans to both of those issues. Studying the worms, therefore, can give insight into how to resolve the human situation.
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