PITTSBURGH, PA – NOV 26, 2012 (Astrobotic PR) — Today Astrobotic announced the beginning of construction on a new facility in Pittsburgh’s Strip District at the intersection of Liberty and 25th street. The company will move to the new 3600 sq. ft. facility, which will serve as its headquarters, in January. “Securing this space is pivotal to our success. This facility will play a crucial role in the development of our landers and […]
AUTHOR
Doug Messier
Scott Kelly
WASHINGTON (NASA PR) — NASA, the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), and their international partners have selected two veteran spacefarers for a one-year mission aboard the International Space Station in 2015. This mission will include collecting scientific data important to future human exploration of our solar system. NASA has selected Scott Kelly and Roscosmos has chosen Mikhail Kornienko.
Kelly and Kornienko will launch aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in spring 2015 and will land in Kazakhstan in spring 2016. Kelly and Kornienko already have a connection; Kelly was a backup crew member for the station’s Expedition 23/24 crews, where Kornienko served as a flight engineer.
This week on The Space Show with David Livingston: 1. Monday, November 26, 2012, 2-3:30 PM PST (5-6:30 PM EST, 4-5:30 PM CST): We welcome back DR. MADHU THANGALEVU AND JAKE DODD to discuss Jakes USC project for space nuclear power and creating space-based nuclear fuel. 2. Tuesday, November 27 , 2012, 7-8:30 PM PST (10-11:30 PM EST, 9-10:30 PM CST): We welcome MICHAEL LISTNER for our first annual review […]
AEOLDOS (Credit: Clyde Space)
GLASGOW, Scotland (Clyde Space PR) — Engineers at the University of Glasgow and Clyde Space Ltd have developed a practical solution to the increasing problem of space debris.
The Aerodynamic End Of Life Deorbit System, or AEOLDOS, is a lightweight, foldable ‘aerobrake’ which can be added to small satellites known as CubeSats before they are launched into low Earth orbit. Once the satellite has reached the end of its operational life, the lightweight aerobrake opens to generate aerodynamic drag that will de-orbit the spacecraft.
In this interview with the Royal Aeronautical Society, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is asked about a rumored new project called the Raptor MCT (4:28): MUSK: “Now and again, I just throw something out just for fun. I can confirm that the name of the engine is Raptor. I’d like to announce maybe some details about the engine next year. But, perhaps what’s even more interesting is the spaceship that that’s […]
By Douglas Messier
Parabolic Arc Managing Editor
The Mojave Air and Space Port is considering whether to apply to become one of six sites designated to test unmanned aerial vehicles by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Mojave General Manager Stu Witt said on Tuesday that officials are weighing their options and will not make any decisions about whether to apply until they see a request for proposal (RFP) from the FAA. Last week, the agency has put the selection process on hold citing safety concerns and privacy issues.
NASA’s first Orion spacecraft suffered three small cracks during a proof pressure test earlier this month, but officials say the repairs are unlikely to affect the schedule for a 2014 orbital test flight of the space agency’s new human spacecraft.
The cracks materialized in the aft bulkhead on the lower half of the Orion multipurpose crew vehicle during a proof pressure test at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in mid-November, according to Joshua Buck, a NASA spokesperson.
Florida Today reports that an investigation into the premature shutdown of a Falcon 9 engine will delay the next cargo flight by about seven weeks: SpaceX has delivered a Falcon 9 rocket to Cape Canaveral while continuing an engine-problem investigation that will delay the booster’s planned launch from mid-January to early March. Company and NASA engineers are still sorting out what caused one of nine Merlin engines to shut down […]
It looks like the Europeans are not the only ones hearing the footsteps of upstart SpaceX. Boeing is looking to increase its commitment to its CST-100 spacecraft to keep pace with Elon Musk’s company. The Boeing and SpaceX spacecraft both ranked high on their technical merits. But NASA raised concerns about Boeing’s financial commitment to the public-private sector partnership. Ferguson said Boeing is thinking about upping its corporate ante, aiming […]
SpaceX has been purchasing additional tracts of land near where it would like to construct a commercial launch complex for its Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets. In related news, the FAA expects to complete an environmental impact statement on the proposed location near Brownsville, Texas in January.
Space Exploration Technologies Corp. purchased two more properties on Election Day Nov. 6 on the steps of the Cameron County Judicial Building on East Harrison Street, according to public records.