Category: Space

This will be very cool if it proves to be safe and reliable. So far the test unit is about eight feet in diameter and is iintended to bring back data on deployment and durability of the structure. The craft deployed its solar cells perfectly and is charging the batteries, a sure sign that that all is going well. If you head on over to the Bigelow page you can see some video taken from cameras located outside and inside the ship. The insides are a little cluttered with photos and whatnot that people paid to have flown on the mission. You have to fund this somehow, space ain’t cheap!. Mission controllers are working on reducing the air flow inside so it isn’t as chaotic in there.

Inflatable spacecraft releases new images

Real time tracking of the Genesis-I 

Now this brings back fond memories. What would happen if an owner of a junk yard decided to fly to the moon and salvage the space junk that had been left up there? You would get a TV series from the late 70’s that captures the spirit of non government funded space exploration. While this show was on I remember being obsessed with the notion that just about anyone that had enough parts in their junkyard could fly into space. Now I realize that its a bit harder than that but with dedication it’s true. No one is quite up to a run to the moon just yet but maybe someday soon. Go have a look at the stills and listen to the audio clips, heck if you have time you can even build the paper model of the Vulture. I can see a new TV series based on this idea being quite popular in a few years. As soon as commercial ventures like Virgin Galactic start flying people might have a renewed interest in space. We can only hope they will.

Salvage 1 fan page 

Sure, cell phones can play music. I can buy in on that one I suppose. But when it’s announced that China’s lunar probe that’s slated to be launched next year will play music, I can’t see the point. Is it for national price? To say that their music is ‘out of this world’? Or maybe it’s to provide a much needed change for the poor scientists that have been in the secret base on the far side of the moon for all these years. I find that as plausible as any other explanation that’s been offered.

China’s Moon probe will broadcast music – MSN-Mainichi Daily News

It’s not just the fact that a new HDTV satellits was launched, it’s the fact that it was done from a floating platform. Now that’s cool. 

A new broadcasting satellite for high definition television across the United States roared into space Sunday from a floating platform in the Pacific Ocean.
The commercial Sea Launch Zenit 3SL booster began the successful 60-minute ascent carrying the Galaxy 16 spacecraft at 3:50 a.m. EDT (0750 GMT) from a converted oil-drilling platform positioned in equatorial waters of the Pacific about 1,400 miles (2,253 kilometers) south of Hawaii.

SPACE.com — New HDTV Satellite Reaches Orbit

The Russian space agency is planning, for sure, to send a mission to Mars. Stage one will be a sample and return mission to the moon Phobos. Now this plan isn’t a new one, the Russians have been sending probes to Mars and it’s moons for some time now. Back in 1988 the Phobos probes were launched but failed to complete their missions to study the moon Phobos. There have also been a number of landers but most have either failed in route or lasted only moments on the surface. Some orbiters have, however, brought back volumes of photos of the surface. This new mission will try to bring back samples of Phobos in order to find out more of how the solar system was created answer other scientific questions about Mars. The program hopes to have stage one launched by 2009 and a lander on Mars by 2011.

Russian mission to Mars in 2009 official