The Robotic Refueling Mission via NASA
Despite the retiring of the space shuttle program, NASA sent up a space craft refueling and repairing platform. The Robotic Refueling Mission (RRM) sent on the Atlantis space shuttle on July 8th, 2011 and installed in 15 minutes on the International Space Station. The RRM features a twin-armed robot dubbed "Dextre." The Dextre, Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, will be controlled by a person located on Earth. Using Dextre will make repairs and refueling to cost far lower than with an astronaut on a spacewalk. Overall, the RRM with Dextre will prolong space travel for crafts already orbiting the planet.
Another use of the RRM comes in repairing satellites, where there are already hundreds out of commission at the moment. This is a service never before attempted. NASA's Satellite Servicing Capabilities Officer Benjamin Reed said, "We anticipate [the RRM] enabling future missions, future capabilities, for the international aerospace community."
We're going to make this data available to everybody," said RRM project manager at the Satellite Servicing Capabilities Office Frank Cepollina. "That is, all commercial industry that may want to leap off and start their own ventures."
Heavy-Lift rocket concept via NASA
On related space news, the U.S. Congress demands to know why a new heavy lifting rocket is not completed by now. With the cancellation of some space programs by the Obama administration has led to many delays. Since the retirement of the shuttle program a new type of space craft is needed to get satellites, equipment, and people out of the atmosphere. The Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket is what President Obama is now backing as a contender for a new vehicle. However, current plans will not have a manned mission aboard the new craft until 2020. Which could be in line with President Obama's wishes for a manned mission to an asteroid by 2025 and to Mars by 2035.
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