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.

Cabe

http://twitter.com/Cabe_e14

Envisat concept art (via European Space Agency)

April 8^th began the troubles for the European Space Agency (ESA). At a scheduled time, Envisat, a large environment satellite, did not make its transmission of data back home. The satellite is the largest and most expensive non-military satellite orbiting Earth. It measures in at 30 feet long, 16 feet wide, and also carries a large solar array that is about 16 feet wide and 46 feet long and collectively weighs in around 17,600 pounds (about 8,000 kilograms).

Although Envisat is not communicating as of the moment, efforts are being made to restore contact with the satellite. It is still floating around in a stable orbit and will be for 150 more years unless some outside force interferes with its path. Envisat was only planned to have a five year mission collecting data on environmental factors such as air quality, land masses, sea ice, atmosphere, and ocean conditions. However, the satellite lasted twice as long as planned and scientist were hoping it would  last until its predecessors could be launched and calibrated around the year 2014. 

Envisat supplied data using 10 different sophisticated instruments. The instruments used include a spectrometer, a radio meter that can measure the oceans temperature, and a radar altimeter. In addition, it used an interferometer which is a Fourier transforming  infrared spectrometer which transmits data about pressure and temperature along with information about atmospheric gases.

Scientists are worried about the gap in data that the loss of this satellite will cause. Envisat was the most advanced information collecting system in space. An agreement with Canada to use two of their satellites to continue collecting data is being looked into, however those two satellites combined will still not fill in all the missing information that Envisat would have provided.

For now scientist will have to get by with what they got. ESA has already been planning to launch newer satellites into space called Sentinels. The program will launch 5 different satellites into space over a period of 6 to 7 years. Hopefully engineers can find a way to fix Envisat, or else it will would become a billion dollar, bus-sized piece of technology added to the space junk collection.

Cabe

http://twitter.com/Cabe_e14

CleanSpace concept drawing (via EPFL)

Space is a messy place. According to NASA, it is littered with over ten million pieces of debris orbiting the Earth at a rate of around 36,000 km/h. That junk is potentially hazardous not only to astronauts but can damage or destroy spacecraft and satellites, as well. To combat this problem engineers from the Swiss Space Center at EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne) have designed a satellite that performs a kind of intergalactic housekeeping. Called ‘CleanSpace One’, the satellite finds its target and latches on with a grappling mechanism. Once the garbage is taken hold of, CleanSpace One then de-orbits the Earth and both it and the garbage are harmlessly burned up in the planet’s atmosphere. To match the speed of the space junk in orbit, CleanSpace One will use a special ultra-compact motor that is being developed in EPFL labs to catch its target that travels anywhere from 28,000 to 36,000 km/h. The costs for developing and deploying CleanSpace One costs about $10,000,000 Swiss Francs and will be tested in the next five years with the retrieval of either the Swisscube picosatellite (launched in 2007) or the Tlsat (launched in 2010).

This development comes after a long line of other proposed space debris collection. Anime story line inspires many to clean up the skys. The Russian POD system is like a garbage truck in space. SETI will be used to track debris. NASA wants to use laser to shoot down larger pieces. The space station has to move constantly to avoid large bits flying into its path.

A Messy, and scary, place indeed.

Cabe

http://twitter.com/Cabe_e14

LARES (via ESA & Stephane Covaja)

The Laser Relativity Satellite (LARES) was launched into orbit on February 13^th to challenge Einstein's theory of relativity.  The satellite is made from tungsten and measures only 36 centimeters wide. In addition, it was constructed with many reflectors on its surface used to measure its position from Earth using lasers on the ground.

Past satellites were placed into space to challenge the exact same theory with varying results. One, Gravity Probe B Satellite (2004 - costing $750 million), brought in results within 19 percent while measuring the geodetic effect. This processes measures distortions in the fabric of space-time due to Earth's gravity field.  Scientists state that LARES should be able to produce precise measurements within one percent.

With such precise measurements, scientists and researchers will be able to put several theories to the test including gravitational laws, general relativity, and mainly the Lense-Thirring effect. The Lense-Thirring effect is derived from general relativity and describes how the rotation of nearby objects affects the rotation of other nearby objects. If the precision lasers pick up a disturbance in the orbit of LARES, it will verify relativity among other theories.

The satellite was launched by Vega, a small rocket used to economically launch lower mass satellites into orbit around Earth. The launching station is based in Kourou, French Guiana. The launch also has a secondary goal, to make Kaurou a ESA, and other space agencies, launch hot-spot. With NASA out of the shuttle business, Kourou is sure to be busy.

Cabe

http://twitter.com/Cabe_e14

Trackable objects in Low Earth Orbit. One of these may be for communication freedom someday. (via European Space Agency)

At the Chaos Communication Congress in Berlin, an "unsensorable internet" via private satellite was proposed. The concept stems from telecom limitations and government sanctions, such as the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). (SOPA is currently being reviewed by the House Judiciary Committee.) By using a satellite, no government or privatly controlled wires are need. Sidestepping earthly bonds may be the only way from true unregulated communication.

High altitude balloons have been launched with notable success. However, such a device can only handle a narrow slice of the planet's surface, by comparison to satellites. Some amateurs have placed satellites into low earth orbit. At that position, an object would circle the earth every 90 minutes. The only option is geostationary orbit above the equator.

Although outer space is not governed by any country that sits underneath, people are free to attack/disable satellites at will. In most cases, such an action would be taken as an act of war. The "free internet" people would not be able to do much more than hang their heads low after the event.

As a compliment to the satellite system, a ground based network was also proposed by the "Hackerspace Global Grid" (HGG). The vision is to create a "fallback infrastructure in case of natural and economic disaster to stay connected." Their system creates a land based network of base stations that keep a constant contact with the possible satellite, even in low orbit. There are already DIY systems for tracking satellite positions. Now it is just a matter of relaying the data. The goal is to provide these stations at around $130 USD. Cheap enough when everyone willing to host a node, could.

Both endeavors are plagued with the same stopping limitation, lack of funding. If this does come to fruition by some means, how would you feel to use an internet controlled by hackers?

Cabe

http://twitter.com/Cabe_e14

HGG also stated that they would like to place an amateur astronaut on the moon within the next 23 years. I think the Google Lunar X Prize, placing a robot on the moon, should be conquered first.

When Space Shuttle Endeavour launches for its final mission, a experimental type of satellite will be parts of its cargo. Three prototype 1-inch square satellites, each dubbed "Sprite," will be part of the Materials International Space Station Experiment (MISSE-8). Attached to the space station, they will sit in space for an undetermined number of years, to see how they stand up to the harsh environment. These micro-satellites were designed over the course of 3 years at Cornell University. Exact dates were not specified by the team. However, the prototypes were built by three students, Ryan Zhou, Zac Manchester, and Justin Atchison, when they were undergraduates. The latter two are now working on their doctorates. These "chip satellites" may have been made over 4 years ago.

Project leader, Mason Peck, talks about their potential, "[The] small size allows them to travel like space dust," said Peck. "Blown by solar winds (protons & electrons traveling at 600km/s, 370miles/s), they can 'sail' to distant locations without fuel. ... We're actually trying to create a new capability and build it from the ground up. ... We want to learn what's the bare minimum we can design for communication from space."

Peck's Sprites will be the first chip satellites launched into space. The goal now is to see how the communication system will work out, power, and overall tolerance to conditions. Then, Peck wants to launch a large number of Sprites and "sort out which is which."

Eavesdropper