Category: Space

Taikonaut B-day in Space

After a little extra burn to correct their orbit, The two Chinese astronauts (‘taikonauts’) are adapting well to their five day mission. During a televised conference, one of the astronauts was shown clapping after his daughter had sang ‘happy birthday’ to him. This is quite a mission for China, so far Russia and the US have been the only countries to successfully launch a manned space mission. With China building on space hardware technology from Russia and ambition to make a name for itself as a modern country, they might make it to the moon before we get a chance to return ourselves.

A good day in space for China’s taikonauts
Chinese astronauts celebrate birthday, record

NASA – How We’ll Get Back to the Moon

NASA Plans Moon Mission

NASA has unveiled a plan to return to the moon not too long ago. It’s going to look more like the old Apollo missions of the ’60s. Sounds like a good idea to me, the basic ideas have been tested already and are known to work. The advances in technology over the last 30 years will make for larger vehicles and better performance. Lets hope for solid funding and for politics to keep its nose out of the mix so we can look up at the moon and marvel at the bases there.

NASA – How We’ll Get Back to the Moon

‘NASA’CAR

Rocket Racing League

This puts a whole new spin on the old “fly low, go fast, turn left” of the sport of air racing.

The RRL will see Grand Prix-style races between rocket planes, flown by top pilots through a “3D trackway” just 5,000ft (1,500m) above the ground.
The first “X-Racers” will be built for the series, but it is hoped new teams will soon enter with novel designs.
Events will be staged across the US, culminating in a final in New Mexico

[via BBC, title by Dusty Weasel]
Rocket Racing League