• Orbital GETS COTS Demo OK from FAA

    Updated: 2011-08-31 14:50:35
    Home SpaceRef Commercial Space OnOrbit SpaceRef Europe Astrobiology Sign In This is not a NASA Website . You might learn something . It's YOUR space agency . Get involved . Take it back . Make it work for YOU . Important Disclaimer nasawatch spaceref.com Voice 1.703.787.6567 RSS Feed Twitter Advertising Archives Support Orbital GETS COTS Demo OK from FAA By Keith Cowing on August 31, 2011 10:50 AM 1 Comment Orbital Receives FAA Commercial Space Transportation License For Taurus II COTS Demonstration Mission Orbital Sciences Corporation NYSE : ORB one of the world's leading space technology companies , today announced that it received a Commercial Space Transportation Launch License from the Federal Aviation Administration FAA to conduct the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services COTS

  • Off to Dragon*Con

    Updated: 2011-08-31 06:46:58
    I’m venturing from my Canadian stronghold to the hotlanta for the next week to participate in DragonCon. I’m taking the whole family this time, and unleashing them on an unsuspecting crowd of sci-fi fans. Here’s what I’m scheduled to be doing: Parsec Awards: Saturday, 4:00pm Regency V Astronomy Cast Live: Sunday, 4:00pm Hilton 204. Junior [...]

  • First Image Captured by NASAs Jupiter bound Juno; Earth – Moon Portrait

    Updated: 2011-08-31 05:31:29
    NASA’s solar powered Jupiter bound Juno orbiter has captured her first image – a beautiful portrait of the Earth & Moon – since the probe blasted off from the home planet. Juno lifted off 25 days ago at 12: 25 p.m. on August 5 from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station [...]

  • Video: J-2X Engine Test

    Updated: 2011-08-31 04:40:26
    : Wednesday , August 31, 2011 About On Orbit Advertise Here Contact Information Feedback Log Out Home Blogs Features Recent Posts Video : J-2X Engine Test Submitted by keithcowing on Tue , 08 30 2011 20:40. Gadgets Blog Space Exploration Being developed by NASA in partnership with Pratt Whitney Rocketdyne , the J-2X is based on a proven design that could provide a safe and reliable solution for NASA's future heavy-lift launch vehicles that will carry humans beyond low-Earth orbit to deep space . The seven-second test firing of J-2X development engine E10001 was conducted July 26, 2011, at NASA's John C . Stennis Space Center . Fueled by liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen , the next-generation J-2X engine will generate 294,000 pounds of thrust . Please enable JavaScript to view the comments

  • Another Earth?

    Updated: 2011-08-31 04:05:51
    Home SpaceRef Commercial Space OnOrbit SpaceRef Europe Astrobiology Sign In This is not a NASA Website . You might learn something . It's YOUR space agency . Get involved . Take it back . Make it work for YOU . Important Disclaimer nasawatch spaceref.com Voice 1.703.787.6567 RSS Feed Twitter Advertising Archives Support Another Earth By Keith Cowing on August 31, 2011 12:05 AM 1 Comment Is There A Habitable Planet Circling HD 85512 Aims : In this study we assess the habitability of HD85512b , a 3.6M_Earth planet orbiting a K5V star . The radial velocity data and orbital parameters for HD 85512 b have just been published , based on data from the dedicated HARPS-upgrade GTO program . Methods : This paper outlines a simple approach to evaluate habitability of rocky planets from radial

  • Human Mission to an Asteroid: Asteroid Field Testing

    Updated: 2011-08-30 19:05:04
    How will we work and set up a base camp on an asteroid? NASA is currently doing some field work to test technologies that could be used on future human missions to asteroids. The Desert Research And Technology Studies (D-R.A.T.S) crew is back in action, testing communication scenarios for near-Earth asteroids, and 2 new instruments [...]

  • Space Quarterly Magazine First Issue Content

    Updated: 2011-08-30 17:00:00
    Home SpaceRef Commercial Space OnOrbit SpaceRef Europe Astrobiology Sign In This is not a NASA Website . You might learn something . It's YOUR space agency . Get involved . Take it back . Make it work for YOU . Important Disclaimer nasawatch spaceref.com Voice 1.703.787.6567 RSS Feed Twitter Advertising Archives Support Space Quarterly Magazine First Issue Content By Marc Boucher on August 30, 2011 1:00 PM No Comments Space Quarterly Magazine Volume 1, Number 1 Content SpaceRef The first issue of Space Quarterly is scheduled to be released on September 1. Here is what will be in the first ever : issue U.S . Edition Editorial An Interview with Jeff Greason CEO of XCOR Aerospace The Philosophy of Lunar Commercialization and Economic Development SpaceX Vision vs the Market CCDev2 Update

  • Stunning View of an Algal Bloom In The Barents Sea

    Updated: 2011-08-30 16:55:36
    Photo: Algal Bloom In The Barents Sea As Seen From Space "The phytoplankton bloom pictured in this Envisat image stretches across the Barents Sea off the coast of mainland Europe's most northern point, Cape Nordkinn. The southern area of this deep shelf sea - with an average depth of 230 m - remains mostly ice-free due to the warm North Atlantic Drift. This contributes to its high biological production compared to other oceans of similar latitude."

  • SwRI To Integrate NASA Suborbital Payloads

    Updated: 2011-08-30 16:52:05
    Home SpaceRef Commercial Space OnOrbit SpaceRef Europe Astrobiology Sign In This is not a NASA Website . You might learn something . It's YOUR space agency . Get involved . Take it back . Make it work for YOU . Important Disclaimer nasawatch spaceref.com Voice 1.703.787.6567 RSS Feed Twitter Advertising Archives Support SwRI To Integrate NASA Suborbital Payloads By Keith Cowing on August 30, 2011 12:52 PM No Comments SwRI Selected as Payload Integrator for Three NASA Suborbital Flight Opportunities Research Providers Southwest Research Institute SwRI has been selected to provide payload flight integration services as part of three suborbital flight provider contracts recently announced by NASA to Virgin Galactic , XCOR and Masten Space Systems . These contracts are an important step

  • NASA Research Opportunities in Aeronautics 2011

    Updated: 2011-08-30 16:50:43
    Home SpaceRef Commercial Space OnOrbit SpaceRef Europe Astrobiology Sign In This is not a NASA Website . You might learn something . It's YOUR space agency . Get involved . Take it back . Make it work for YOU . Important Disclaimer nasawatch spaceref.com Voice 1.703.787.6567 RSS Feed Twitter Advertising Archives Support NASA Research Opportunities in Aeronautics 2011 By Keith Cowing on August 30, 2011 12:50 PM No Comments NASA Research Opportunities in Aeronautics 2011 This publication announces the National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA Headquarters , Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate ARMD plans to release the Fiscal Year FY 2011 version of the NASA Research Announcement NRA entitled , Research Opportunities in Aeronautics ROA NNH11ZEA001N . Under the FY 2011 ROA NRA

  • Deadly and Destructive Path of Hurricane Irene seen in NASA Videos and Images

    Updated: 2011-08-30 16:41:57
    NASA Video Caption: The Life of Hurricane Irene from the Caribbean to Canada from August 21 through August 29 seen by NASA/NOAA satellites. Credit: NASA/NOAA/GOES/MODIS The new NASA animation above shows the birth and subsequent destructive and deadly path followed by Hurricane Irene from August 21 through August 29, 2011 starting in the Caribbean, and [...]

  • Sudden Self-doubt in Russia

    Updated: 2011-08-30 15:31:54
    Home SpaceRef Commercial Space OnOrbit SpaceRef Europe Astrobiology Sign In This is not a NASA Website . You might learn something . It's YOUR space agency . Get involved . Take it back . Make it work for YOU . Important Disclaimer nasawatch spaceref.com Voice 1.703.787.6567 RSS Feed Twitter Advertising Archives Support Sudden Self-doubt in Russia By Keith Cowing on August 30, 2011 11:31 AM 3 Comments Space Failures Raise Uneasy Questions Moscow Times The Progress failure triggered a wave of talk about how far the space program has fallen since legendary Soviet days . But Igor Lisov , an expert with the Novosti Kosmonavtiki magazine , said that despite the setbacks , it's too early to speak about the degradation of Russia's space industry . Every accident has its cause , and they shouldn't

  • Emptying The Space Station of Humans?

    Updated: 2011-08-30 15:29:52
    Home SpaceRef Commercial Space OnOrbit SpaceRef Europe Astrobiology Sign In This is not a NASA Website . You might learn something . It's YOUR space agency . Get involved . Take it back . Make it work for YOU . Important Disclaimer nasawatch spaceref.com Voice 1.703.787.6567 RSS Feed Twitter Advertising Archives Support Emptying The Space Station of Humans By Keith Cowing on August 30, 2011 11:29 AM 5 Comments Space station could be at risk if crews are forced to leave temporarily USA Today NASA International Space Station Program Manager Mike Suffred says evacuation is a distinct possibility in mid-November if Russian Soyuz rockets are not flying , writes Florida Today's Todd Halvorson . Past NASA risk assessment shows a one in 10 chance of losing the station within six months if there is

  • ISS Alert: Astronauts May Have to Abandon Station this Fall

    Updated: 2011-08-30 15:08:46
    Astronauts may need to temporarily abandon the International Space Station if last week's Russian launch accident prevents new crews from flying there this fall. Until officials figure out what went wrong with Russia's essential Soyuz rockets, there will be no...

  • James Hansen Arrested For Yelling

    Updated: 2011-08-30 13:25:32
    Home SpaceRef Commercial Space OnOrbit SpaceRef Europe Astrobiology Sign In This is not a NASA Website . You might learn something . It's YOUR space agency . Get involved . Take it back . Make it work for YOU . Important Disclaimer nasawatch spaceref.com Voice 1.703.787.6567 RSS Feed Twitter Advertising Archives Support James Hansen Arrested For Yelling By Keith Cowing on August 30, 2011 9:25 AM 9 Comments NASA's Hansen Arrested Outside White House at Pipeline Protest Bloomberg James Hansen , head of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies , was arrested outside the White House as he joined protesters in urging President Barack Obama to reject TransCanada Corp . TRP s 7 billion pipeline . Before he was taken into custody today , Hansen took a megaphone and implored Obama to act for the

  • Image of the Day: Star Birth --Gloria in Excelsis

    Updated: 2011-08-30 07:14:00
    Infant stars glowing gloriously in this infrared image of the Serpens star-forming region, located approximately 848 light-years away in the Serpens constellation. The reddish-pink dots are baby stars deeply embedded in the cosmic cloud of gas and dust that collapsed...

  • Cause of Progress Crash May Have Been Determined

    Updated: 2011-08-30 05:50:45
    The Russian news agency Itar-Tass is reporting that the cause of the August 24 failure and crash of the Progress re-supply ship that was supposed to bring supplies to the International Space Station may have already been determined. “Members of the emergency commission have determined the cause of the failure of the Soyuz carrier rocket’s [...]

  • Carnival of Space #212

    Updated: 2011-08-30 04:16:01
    A brand new Carnival of Space is hosted by Brain Wang over at Next Big Future. Click here to read Carnival of Space #212 And if you’re interested in looking back, here’s an archive to all the past Carnivals of Space. If you’ve got a space-related blog, you should really join the carnival. Just email [...]

  • NASA Money Sponge Update

    Updated: 2011-08-30 03:40:02
    Home SpaceRef Commercial Space OnOrbit SpaceRef Europe Astrobiology Sign In This is not a NASA Website . You might learn something . It's YOUR space agency . Get involved . Take it back . Make it work for YOU . Important Disclaimer nasawatch spaceref.com Voice 1.703.787.6567 RSS Feed Twitter Advertising Archives Support NASA Money Sponge Update By Keith Cowing on August 29, 2011 11:40 PM 7 Comments NASA's smaller programs could be at risk Orlando Sentinel The trend has alarmed astronomers and others , who are concerned that less-visible projects such as robotic Mars missions and various space probes will be sacrificed . So , we have one giant money sponge JWST already sucking up dollars with yet another money sponge SLS on the drawing board . Since the money simply is not there to do

  • Webb: Who Cares What It Costs - Don't Bother Us - Just Send Money

    Updated: 2011-08-30 03:23:42
    : Home SpaceRef Commercial Space OnOrbit SpaceRef Europe Astrobiology Sign In This is not a NASA Website . You might learn something . It's YOUR space agency . Get involved . Take it back . Make it work for YOU . Important Disclaimer nasawatch spaceref.com Voice 1.703.787.6567 RSS Feed Twitter Advertising Archives Support Webb : Who Cares What It Costs Don't Bother Us Just Send Money By Keith Cowing on August 29, 2011 11:23 PM 9 Comments Webb Telescope Delayed , Costs Rise to 8 Billion Science The new 8 billion price tag doesn't include operating costs of about 780 million for the far-seeing infrared observatory's first 5 years in space . Under the revised NASA plan , Webb would not only cost 23 more but would launch in the fall of 2018, 2 years later than the date the agency had suggested

  • Powerpoint and Engine Tests Do Not a Rocket Make, Steve

    Updated: 2011-08-30 02:35:49
    , Home SpaceRef Commercial Space OnOrbit SpaceRef Europe Astrobiology Sign In This is not a NASA Website . You might learn something . It's YOUR space agency . Get involved . Take it back . Make it work for YOU . Important Disclaimer nasawatch spaceref.com Voice 1.703.787.6567 RSS Feed Twitter Advertising Archives Support Powerpoint and Engine Tests Do Not a Rocket Make , Steve By Keith Cowing on August 29, 2011 10:35 PM 10 Comments NASA needs the go-ahead for a clearly defined mission editorial Huntsville Times SLS is not a paper rocket , Steve Cook , director of space technology at Dynetics , said Friday at the U.S . Space and Rocket Center . Cook guided the audience through a power point presentation showing work that has already been done over the last six years under different program

  • The First Nuclear Power Plants for Settlements on the Moon and Mars

    Updated: 2011-08-29 18:40:14
    The first nuclear power plant being considered for production of electricity for manned or unmanned bases on the Moon, Mars and other planets may really look like it came from outer space, according to a leader of the project who spoke here today at the 242nd National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS). read more

  • Spaceport America Enhancing Vertical Launch Capability

    Updated: 2011-08-29 13:39:50
    Home SpaceRef Commercial Space OnOrbit SpaceRef Europe Astrobiology Sign In This is not a NASA Website . You might learn something . It's YOUR space agency . Get involved . Take it back . Make it work for YOU . Important Disclaimer nasawatch spaceref.com Voice 1.703.787.6567 RSS Feed Twitter Advertising Archives Support Spaceport America Enhancing Vertical Launch Capability By Keith Cowing on August 29, 2011 9:39 AM 3 Comments Spaceport America Receives Repeat Federal Infrastructure Grant These matching funds from the FAA are crucial for improving our vertical launch capabilities and expanding services for our launch customers , said New Mexico Spaceport Authority NMSA Executive Director , Christine Anderson . The roll-back vehicle integration building will be located inside the Vertical

  • Space Florida Reboots

    Updated: 2011-08-29 13:38:36
    Home SpaceRef Commercial Space OnOrbit SpaceRef Europe Astrobiology Sign In This is not a NASA Website . You might learn something . It's YOUR space agency . Get involved . Take it back . Make it work for YOU . Important Disclaimer nasawatch spaceref.com Voice 1.703.787.6567 RSS Feed Twitter Advertising Archives Support Space Florida Reboots By Keith Cowing on August 29, 2011 9:38 AM No Comments New Space Florida Board of Directors Announced In addition to its new Board , Space Florida will also have an Industry Advisory Council to aid in its governance . This 15 member advisory council is appointed by the Governor and will be made up of Florida residents with expertise in the space industry . Specifically , the following areas of expertise will be reflected in the members that make up

  • Colonization of Space Looms --Nuclear Power Plant for Settlements on Moon, Mars & Beyond

    Updated: 2011-08-29 08:00:00
    The first nuclear power plant being considered for production of electricity for manned or unmanned bases on the Moon, Mars and other planets may really look like it came from outer space. "The main point is that nuclear power has...

  • Weekend Image: Irene from the International Space Station

    Updated: 2011-08-27 01:57:40

  • Irene sidles up to the east coast

    Updated: 2011-08-26 22:00:30
    Subscribe Today Renew Give a Gift Archives Customer Service Facebook Twitter Newsletter SEARCH Health Medicine Mind Brain Technology Space Human Origins Living World Environment Physics Math Video Photos Podcast RSS Marian Call’s heading to the bay My Moon hoax Irene sidles up to the east coast The first hurricane of the 2011 season hits the U.S . east coast , as seen by a NASA Earth-observing : satellite Click to encoriolenate , or grab the nearly one-to-one sized 6000x7000 pixel version This image was taken on August 26, 2011 at 16:30 UTC . For more images and video of Irene , keep an eye on the NASA GSFC Flickr page and follow them on Twitter Image credit : NASA GSFC Jeff Schmaltz MODIS Land Rapid Response Team Related : posts Putting the eye in Irene Come on , Irene Attack of the

  • Moon over Afghanistan

    Updated: 2011-08-25 18:13:48
    Subscribe Today Renew Give a Gift Archives Customer Service Facebook Twitter Newsletter SEARCH Health Medicine Mind Brain Technology Space Human Origins Living World Environment Physics Math Video Photos Podcast RSS Putting the eye in Irene AstroAlert : Type Ia supernova in M101 Moon over Afghanistan Posted without comment : the waning third quarter Moon over Afghanistan , as seen by astronaut Ron Garan on board the International Space : Station Click to embiggen . You can follow Ron on Twitter and see these amazing pictures as he posts . them Image credit : NASA . Technically , I saw this on Nancy_A’s Twitter stream before I saw it on Ron’s , so tip o’ the spacesuit visor to . her Related : posts Squishy moonrise seen from space What a falling star looks like from space Crescent Moonset

  • How we (thankfully?) didn't go to Saturn

    Updated: 2011-08-15 22:05:00
    : skip to main skip to sidebar Monday , August 15, 2011 How we thankfully didn't go to Saturn In 1946, a man named Stanislavv Ulam had the idea to propel rockets with nuclear explosions . Ulam had worked on the Manhatten project and came up with the idea of nuclear pulse propulsion Instead of a steady-burning chemical engine like those used in Apollo moon rockets , a series of nuclear explosions propels the rocket forward . Somewhat tongue-in-cheek TED Talk by George Dyson , son of nuclear pulse propulsion designer Freeman Dyson , filmed in 2002. The rocket would eject a small nuclear charge or explosive behind it . The charge would detonate about 200 feet from the rocket , its shock wave pushing against a thick blast plate at the back of the rocket . Each explosion would add about 30

  • What I’ve Been Up To

    Updated: 2011-08-04 06:25:00
    Sorry for the long silence again, but I’ve been busy doing cool things at Altius. More bloggy goodness to come soon, hopefully.

  • Press Release: The End of the Space Shuttle Program

    Updated: 2011-07-21 08:00:00
    On the Planetary Society web site: The End of the Space Shuttle Program

  • One Year Later

    Updated: 2011-07-07 06:18:47
    It’s kind of crazy to realize that a year ago today was the day when I formally “took the plunge”, and left my old company to start Altius Space Machines. While it was a very scary decision at the time–I only had a tiny bit over $10k in the bank, no contracts setup in advance, [...]

  • Moon Day Countdown

    Updated: 2011-06-28 23:52:13
    Home Lunar Library About Contact Web www.outofthecradle.net Subscribe to : OotC With RSS : Atom Click the feed icon below Or via : email Enter your email address and click Subscribe : Sections Main Book Reviews Civil Space Programs International Space Station Space Science Space Shuttle Vision for Space Exploration Commercial Space Lunar Orbital Suborbital EVA Interviews EVA FAQs JAT D EVA Reviews Humor Interviews Ken’s Lunar Library Apollo Big Rocks From Space BRfS Fact BRfS Fiction Cultura Lunaris Fun Games High Frontier HF Biologics HF EML-1 HF Facilities Infrastructure HF Fiction HF Navigation HF Resources HF Settlements Habitats La Luna La Lune Moon Fiction Moonbases Selenography Selenology Selenospheres Space Biz Space Law Youth Youth Apollo Youth Educator Materials Youth High

  • Be Afraid

    Updated: 2011-06-16 23:48:05
    Home Lunar Library About Contact Web www.outofthecradle.net Subscribe to : OotC With RSS : Atom Click the feed icon below Or via : email Enter your email address and click Subscribe : Sections Main Book Reviews Civil Space Programs International Space Station Space Science Space Shuttle Vision for Space Exploration Commercial Space Lunar Orbital Suborbital EVA Interviews EVA FAQs JAT D EVA Reviews Humor Interviews Ken’s Lunar Library Apollo Big Rocks From Space BRfS Fact BRfS Fiction Cultura Lunaris Fun Games High Frontier HF Biologics HF EML-1 HF Facilities Infrastructure HF Fiction HF Navigation HF Resources HF Settlements Habitats La Luna La Lune Moon Fiction Moonbases Selenography Selenology Selenospheres Space Biz Space Law Youth Youth Apollo Youth Educator Materials Youth High

  • In The News: Living Interplanetary Spaceflight Experiment

    Updated: 2011-06-01 08:00:00
    On the Planetary Society web site: Living Interplanetary Spaceflight Experiment

  • “Crossing the Threshold: Advancing into Space to Benefit the Earth”

    Updated: 2011-05-30 18:08:55
    : Home Forums About Contact Web www.outofthecradle.net Lunar Library : Sections Main Apollo Big Rocks From Space BRfS Fact BRfS Fiction Cultura Lunaris Fun Games High Frontier HF Biologics HF EML-1 HF Facilities Infrastructure HF Fiction HF Navigation HF Resources HF Settlements Habitats La Luna La Lune Moon Fiction Moonbases Selenography Selenology Selenospheres Space Biz Space Law Youth Youth Apollo Youth Educator Materials Youth High Frontier Fact Youth High Frontier Fiction Youth Moon Fact Youth Moon Fiction Yueh OotC : Sections Main Book Reviews Civil Space Programs International Space Station Space Science Space Shuttle Vision for Space Exploration Commercial Space Lunar Orbital Suborbital EVA Interviews EVA FAQs JAT D EVA Reviews Humor Interviews Ken’s Lunar Library Apollo Big Rocks

  • Anchor Tenancy

    Updated: 2011-05-26 06:52:36
    Keith Cowing posted an interesting notice over on SpaceRef today. Basically NASA is using authority in one bill to remove a restriction in their acquisition regulations on doing “anchor tenant” type contracts. Anchor tenancy agreements have been talked about in the past as a way of making it easier to close the business case on [...]

  • Congrats on Taking the Plunge

    Updated: 2011-05-24 07:01:59
    I just read today that Selenian Boondocks coblogger, Kirk Sorensen, just stepped down as Chief Nuclear Technologist at Teledyne Brown Engineering to start his own company, Flibe Energy, focused on commercializing his LFTR (Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactor) technology. Way to go Kirk! I like the angle he’s taking. While this reactor is nominally a power-generator, [...]

  • Propellant Depot Heads Up

    Updated: 2011-05-04 06:56:17
    It probably won’t happen too soon, but I give a little heads up on this Altius Space Machines blog post about some depot orbital dynamics work I’m working with a friend on. Hope I have time to talk about it soon.

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