Video of a recent parachute cluster tests conducted by NASA for its Ares launch vehicle.
The Expedition 19 crew participates in a toast aboard the International Space Station. Credit: NASA TV
NASA PRESS RELEASE
NASA’s Mission Control gave the Expedition 19 astronaut crew aboard the International Space Station a “go” to drink water that the station’s new recycling system has purified.
Mission Control radioed the news to the crew Wednesday, following a report from the Water Recovery System team that station program managers approved. The decision is an important milestone in the development of the station’s environmental and life support systems, which will begin supporting six-person crews at the end of May.
Masten Space Systems has conducted the second and third tethered flights of its Xombie vehicle.
Exterior view of Bigelow Aerospace's Genesis II
Space pioneers battle for greater freedom
NewScientist
Civilian space flight companies are this week pressing the US government to change strict arms-control rules that could cripple their nascent industry.
In an interviewed by Google CEO Eric Schmidt during the Google Zeitgeist conference, Virgin Galactic CEO Richard Branson gave an update on the status of SpaceShipTwo in which he appeared to say that testing of the rocket engine is complete.
“Where we are now is the mothership that takes the spaceship up is finished and flying,” Branson said 44 minutes into the session. “And the rockets (have) finished their testing. In December, the spaceship will be finished. And it will then get started on (an) extensive test program.”
Unlike its brethren in California, New Mexico and Sweden, the Oklahoma Spaceport has been keeping a low profile. So low, in fact, that the last update on its website’s News page is dated June 1, 2007 – nearly two years ago.
With its major tenant, Rocketplane Global, struggling to find financing for its suborbital spacecraft, things have been quiet. Far too quiet for at least one member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, NewsOK reports:
NASA and ATK test engineers at the US Army's Yuma Proving Ground prepare for the first test of all three Ares I main parachutes. Image Credit: U.S. Army Yuma Proving Grounds
NASA PRESS RELEASE
Unfurling in majestic patriotic colors, a successful cluster test of the Ares I rocket’s three, 1-ton main parachutes was conducted May 20 by NASA and industry engineers at the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground located near Yuma, Ariz. The main parachute is designed to slow the rapid descent of the spent first-stage motor and permit its recovery for use on future flights.
A popular theory being advanced by Richard Branson and other space enthusiasts is that the main way to save the planet is to get more people off it. As thousands of people view the Earth from space, they will realize how fragile the planet is and want to protect it. A new consciousness will take hold, transforming our approach to the environment. We also would be able to move polluting industries off the Earth.
However, what if by leaving the Earth, they end up damaging it?
China, Brazil to offer satellite data to Africa
Xinhua News Agency
China and Brazil will provide satellite observation data for African countries through a joint space program, according to agreements inked here on Wednesday.
Computer generated image showing the debris cloud around Earth.
The DARPA Strategic Plan reports on efforts by the defense agency to improve the tracking of space debris and other objects as well as develop radiation hardened integrated circuits:
The Space Surveillance Telescope (SST) program will enhance our space situational awareness by demonstrating rapid, uncued search, detection, and tracking of faint, deep-space objects. SST is using curved focal plane array technology to develop a large-aperture optical telescope with very wide field of view to detect and track new and unidentified objects that suddenly appear with unknown purpose or intent, such as small, potentially hazardous debris objects and future generations of small satellites.
ISRO PRESS RELEASE
After the successful completion of all the major mission objectives, the orbit of Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft, which was at a height of 100 km from the lunar surface since November 2008, has now been raised to 200 km.