Dragon capsule (via SpaceX)

SpaceX (Space Exploration Technologies Corp.) has recently announced that they will launch their Dragon free-flying reusable space craft on Tuesday May 22nd. This will mark the first time in history that a commercial company has launched a manned space vehicle into space to rendezvous with the International Space Station.

The Dragon re-usable space craft was designed using three main components which feature a nosecone that’s used as a shield during lift-off and houses the docking adapter needed to connect to external hatches found on the ISS. The second component featured is the spacecraft itself and was designed to be configured based on payload specifications and houses the avionics, RCS (Reaction Control System or thruster control systems) system, parachutes and other un-pressurized cargo/systems. The third component featured on the spacecraft is the Trunk which is used for un-pressurized cargo, solar arrays and thermal radiators needed to power the craft.

The re-usable vehicle will be launched atop of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 two-stage heavy-lift rocket which uses 10 Merlin 1C liquid oxygen and kerosene motors (9 on the first stage and 1 on the second). The mission will bring much needed supplies to the ISS as well as challenge the Dragon in a series of tests designed to test the feasibility of using commercial craft for future missions contracted through NASA and other organizations. If all goes well the launch will take place at Cape Canaveral at 4:15 AM Eastern Time and is expected to return a few hundred miles off the coast of California two weeks later. For those interested in watching the launch head over to SpaceX.com which will start broadcasting 40 minutes prior to launch.

Update: The rocket was scheduled to launch this past Saturday, the 19th. However, the team discovered a faulty check valve on the "Merlin Engine." The component was swapped, and not the historic flight will take place this Tuesday, the 22nd. The post was updated to reflect the change.

Update 2: The Falcon 9 is now in orbit. The launch was successful.

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The opening the Japanese animated series "Planetes," depicting the fictional first space debris collision on a commuter transport.

The earth has so much garbage in orbit that it’s becoming an increasing concern to not only NASA but to the US Air Force, as well. To help with the problem the Air Force has awarded preliminary contracts to both Lockheed Martin and Raytheon Corp. ($107,000,000 US. each) for the AF’s ‘Space Fence’ program which will be used to track small (1 to 10 centimeters in size) orbiting debris that can cause considerable damage to both satellites and space craft. Lockheed’s solution is to develop a ground-based radar system that will be able to locate and identify the tiny space junk. Their design will consist of two to three radar systems that use the S-band range in the electromagnetic spectrum which will enable them to track objects or microsatellites in low-earth orbit at about the size of a basketball. These radar stations will be placed strategically around the globe which will provide ‘Fence’ coverage even in the southern hemisphere.

Ground based radar tracking system for space debris (via Lockheed Martin)

Raytheon has a similar approach to Lockheed which also uses a system of ground-based S-band radars to help in low-orbit earth detection of space garbage. However, Raytheon’s prototype system is already in the testing phase, actively tracking space debris, and was demonstrated to the Air Force back in January of 2012. Both systems so far have been successful in preliminary tracking tests and are more than capable of the task for which they were designed, but there can only be one winner. The victor will be chosen later this year with the winning system fully implemented by 2017. Lets hope a space debris solution is chosen before regular civilian commuter flights head into orbit.

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Other Space Debris Cleanup related news:

New satellite aims to chase down and clean up space debris

NASA to shoot lasers at space debris

SETI to re-start looking for life elsewhere, and track garbage

Space debris threatens the Space Station

Russian POD orbital debris collector

(Left) SUGAR high/freeze (Right) supersonic Boeing concept (via Boeing)

"Green" is becoming the norm in new design. Boeing is jumping on the bandwagon and looking to win a major contract from NASA to create new subsonic/supersonic aircraft that will be more environmentally friendly. Concepts for the subsonic aircraft (noted as N+3 for the next three generations of aircraft) are all derived from the project known as SUGAR (Subsonic Ultra Green Aircraft Research). These include "SUGAR free" and "refined SUGAR" (I’m not making this up these puns) that resembles current 737 designs. SUGAR high and the electric/gas hybrid SUGAR Volt are more of a futuristic design and SUGAR ray (a design that looks like a B2 stealth converted for passengers) bringing up the rear. Finally, the SUGAR freeze (based on the SUGAR high) runs on cryogenically frozen liquid natural gas, making it 64% more efficient than current Boeing 737-800 planes.

All planes in this category have been designed to decrease CO2 emissions in one way or another; however the SUGAR Volt stands out from the pack because of its battery/fuel hybrid engines which reduce its energy burn by 55% over the other designs.

(Left) refined SUGAR (Middle) SUGAR ray (Right) SUGAR high (concepts via Boeing)

The supersonic designs are just as diverse as their slower moving brothers that include a swing-wing configuration, a fixed-wing design that uses a ‘v-tail’ concept (called Icon 2) and a joined-wing ‘scissor’ (1 wing joined at the fuselage that rotates on a pivot point) concept. All the supersonic crafts are designed to lessen or reduce the inevitable sonic boom created with super-fast flight. Yes, Boeing understands that while the supersonic models aren’t exactly up-to-speed (as it were) on the whole green initiative, they more than make up for it in raw speed alone. Conceptual designs were also submitted by Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin to NASA as well, all in the hopes of winning a contract. If all goes according to plan, the first group of next generation planes will hit the runway in 2030.

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Video via Nasa

February 24th, 2011 a dexterous humanoid robot, Robonaut 2, was launched into space to be the first of its kind in space and the first United States robot to make its way to the international space station. NASA and General Motors have been working together to create a more human like robot that can simulate and execute human motions and actions. Succeeding in creating such a robot will allow it to perform current human tasks, potentially the dangerous ones or repetitive tasks while also allowing it to use current tools and technologies used by humans.

Currently, tests are being performed on the robot in order to calibrate it before it is put to use in carrying out missions. Calibrating it involves comparing the motions of the hardware in the 1G environment on Earth, and taking it to the 0G space environment. The first tests on the robot included booting it up and making sure all the circuitry and software made it to the space station in working condition. Just recently, they began testing the movement of the joints and hands. Ultimately, the robot is controlled by a set of software parameters to keep it safe. However, its actions and movements can be controlled from a location on Earth or the space station itself.

Robonaut 2 was built and equipped with a wide range of advantages over the former Robonaut 1. It is capable of carrying out tasks four times faster than the original. Its systems include built in infrared sensors, a high resolution camera, and has an advanced sensing system. Additionally, its movement technologies include extensive neck travel, ultra-high speed joint controllers, enhanced finger and thumb movements, and series elastic joint technology.

Robonaut 2 has an identical twin on the ground that will be used to simulate missions and tasks. It will be placed in a replica environment with panels and systems that simulate that of the space station itself. After the simulation is complete, the program can be then sent to the orbiting Robonaut for execution. Future plans for the robot include creating legs for it to navigate around the space station or possibly wheels and a rover base so it can travel across terrain on a different planet.

See more robots in the element14 Robotics Group.

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You do not have to be a rocket scientist to work alongside NASA scientists anymore. NASA has launched a new website, code.nasa.gov, geared towards involving the community in all sorts of projects being developed at the agency. Their efforts hope to make a platform to streamline the open-source development process and take advantage of the community’s proven highly effective contribution.

According to NASA, this project will see three phases. The first provides an online directory of all current projects NASA is working on, along with related useful contacts and guides to make it easy for the public to partake in the open-source process. This stage will be followed by the creation of a forum designed to ease communication among public participants and NASA professionals.

Their third phase really brings it all together. They are committing to supplying development projects with as many tools and mechanisms need to be truly effective. Organization will undoubtedly be the most useful tool to release this type of idea energy. Code.nasa.gov will do this by employing distributed version control to easily update software changes. It will track important issues within projects, it will allow for continuous integration, facilitated documentation, communication, planning and management too keep track of all the brainy goodness.

To make the use of the community contribution from the start, they will also create and host tool, service and process chains. All for the purpose of making the open-source process smoother while also more efficient.

Who knows when we will land on an alien world, but your contribution could help us get there.

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GRAIL probes render. (via NASA)

According to the North American Aerospace Defense Command, there are over 9800+ man-made objects orbiting the Earth. As many now know, this is becoming an issue. Our reach does not stop at our geosynchronous orbits, the Earth's moon now has two satellites.

NASA launched two satellites that, as of December 31, 2011 and January 1, 2012, have taken their positions around the moon. The "GRAIL probes" launched back in September of 2011 for the dubious sole-goal of mapping the moon's gravitational field. The mission principal scientist, MIT's Maria Zuber, said the purpose best, "We don't actually know why the near side and far side are different."

Circling the moon at 55 km above its average surface, the GRAIL probes will use microwave signals to measure the distance between themselves that changes based on the gravitational differences on the surface of the planet.  Accuracy will be within a width of a human-hair. According to NASA, the maps will be "100 times" better than previous recorded near side gravity maps, and "1000 times" for the far side. Zuber again, "When we can improve by a factor of two, we can learn a lot, and improving by a factor of 1000 is transformative."

Currently the probes are collecting "better than expected" energy via their solar panels. Zuber stated that the team believes that the GRAIL satellites should be able to store enough energy to stay functional during the pending lunar eclipse in June of 2012. At which time the team will lower the probes to 25 km above the surface a perform a "treetop-skimming" study of the structures of craters. External mapping and internal structure are

Another purpose of the mission is to prove, or dis-prove, the University of California's claim that the Earth had two moons at one time. Where the current moon collided with its smaller, 1300 km diameter, sibling at low speeds. Where, instead of forming a typical crater, the strike merged the two. The far side is more mountainous that the front, and they aim to get to the bottom of the mystery.

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