The Orion crew module is secured on the static load test fixture in preparation for a series of tests that will simulate the massive loads the spacecraft would experience during its mission. (Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett)
WASHINGTON (NASA PR) — After a month of being poked, prodded and pressurized in ways that mimicked the stresses of spaceflight, NASA’s Orion crew module successfully passed its static loads tests on Wednesday.
Video Caption: Support ARKYD – A Space Telescope for Everyone: https://kck.st/16pT1q6 Please follow Parabolic Arc on Facebook and Twitter.
Artist conception of Spacefleet’s EARL vehicle. (Credit: Spacefleet)
Wiltshire, England (Spacefleet PR) — We have recently found a contractor and agreed terms on building a scale model of the EARL spacecraft, Kingfisher Aviation. (https://www.kingfisher-aviation.com/)
“We have been involved RC Modelling now for over 40 years having started in RC cars which lead to world and European championship wins and running many success teams in rc racing, But our first love was always the aeromodelling scene so like most RC Modellers we started on full builds from a plan and a pile of balsa, but have realised over the years that this is fine if you have the time and room. We have built a number of kits and loved every minute of building them, but with the introduction of some very good scale ARTF’s onto the market it meant that you could now take a proven airframe and do what you wanted with it in half the time if you had the skills.”
The asteroid Eros was studied by NASA’s NEAR mission in the early 2000s. Researchers want to find out whether asteroids such as this contain minerals and other resources that can be mined and used on Earth or for space-based industries. (Credit: NASA)
By Steven Siceloff
NASA’s Kennedy Space Center
The prospects of a robotic manufacturing base operating off the Earth is not as far-fetched as it used to be according to a study published by a team of NASA researchers led by a Kennedy Space Center physicist.
Because asteroids are loaded with minerals that are rare on Earth, near-Earth asteroids and the asteroid belt could become the mining centers for remotely operated excavators and processing machinery. In 20 years, an industry barely imagined now could be sending refined materials, rare metals and even free, clean energy to the Earth from asteroids and other bodies.
WASHINGTON (NASA PR)– NASA has selected 21 space technology payloads for flights on commercial reusable launch vehicles, balloons, and a commercial parabolic aircraft.
This latest selection represents the sixth cycle of NASA’s continuing call for payloads through an announcement of opportunity. More than 100 technologies with test flights now have been facilitated through NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate’s Flight Opportunities Program.
SpaceX CCiCAP Milestone Status End of May 2013 Award Period: August 2012 – April 2014 No. Description Date Status Amount 1. CCiCap Kickoff Meeting. SpaceX will hold a kickoff meeting at the SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, CA, or a nearby facility to review the current state of existing hardware, processes and designs, describe plans for CCiCap program execution during both the base period and the optional period and lay the […]
HOUSTON, TX, June 6, 2013 (NanoRacks PR) — NanoRacks LLC announced today positive test results on the ability to grow protein crystals in space using research hardware commonly used by biotechnology companies. The experiment was recently conducted aboard the International Space Station (ISS) by Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield and the resulting protein crystals were returned from space with crystals intact for scientific examination.
This proof of concept study demonstrates that a much larger number of X-ray crystallization experiments are now accessible to scientists in space, providing better structural models of disease-causing proteins. NanoRacks’ innovative hardware and their commitment to collaboration has allowed scientists to rethink the way scientific experimentation is done in space.
Dream Chaser hybrid motor test on June 4, 2013. (Credit: Sierra Nevada Corporation)
Sparks, NV, June 6, 2013 (SNC PR) – Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) announces the successful start of the latest phase of hybrid rocket motor qualification testing for the Dream Chaser® flight vehicle. SNC completed two tests this week at its rocket test facility in San Diego, Calif. A motor firing and ignition test was completed in preparation for upcoming motor tests under the current Commercial Crew Integrated Capability (CCiCap) award. SNC will conduct another series of hybrid motor firings to meet the next CCiCap contracted milestone beginning this summer.
LAS CRUCES, NM (NMSA PR) — The New Mexico Spaceport Authority is excited to host a NASA Flight Opportunities Program launch conducted by UP Aerospace, Inc., at the Spaceport America Vertical Launch Complex on Friday, June 21. This will be the first sub-orbital NASA Flight Opportunities Program launch, and the 19th overall launch from Spaceport America.
The sub-orbital sounding rocket launch is part of the NASA Flight Opportunities Program, which is designed to provide suborbital payload launch opportunities for NASA and other government agencies, as well as for educational institutions and the private sector.
Great to hear @justinbieber & @scooterbraun are latest @virgingalactic future astronauts. Congrats, see you up there! — richardbranson (@richardbranson) June 5, 2013 Yes, the Bieb is going to space. Justin Bieber, celebritynaut!
