(Via Vincent Founier & Ariane stock photography)

This is not a UFO, but it is part of a space bound vehicle. It is a fuel storage system for the Ariane 5 heavy-lift launcher rocket, aka- Automated Transfer Vehicle, a resupply spacecraft for the International Space Station. The "cryogenic stage" pod contains 132.27 metric tons of liquid oxygen and 25.84 metric tons of liquid hydrogen. After the fuel is spent, the pod is designed to re-enter the atmosphere for an oceanic splashdown.

(Via Arianespace)

The Ariane 5 rocket can carry 20 tonnes of equipment into low earth orbit. Additionally, it can boost 10 tonnes into geostationary orbit (36,000 km).

The next Ariane 5 launch (the 5th of 2011) will take 2 satellites into orbit. One is the Arab Satellite Communication Organization's "Arabsat 5C" communication satellite (weighing in at 4.6 tonnes). The second is the North America servicing SES-2 communication satellite delivering "advanced digital media" to the USA and Caribbean. The U.S. Airforce is also tacking on an experimental wide-field-of-view infrared missile tracking system on the SES-2. (Watch the latest fall season TV or shoot down missiles? I am in for both.)

Eavesdropper

SpaceX, a California company, had tested their Falcon 9 rocket and capsule successfully back in November 2010. Now they are planning a docking of their new Dragon capsule aboard the International Space Station (ISS) in December of this year, 2011. The Falcon Heavy rocket will launch on November 30th, and the capsule will then take a week long tour around the planet before docking on the ISS.

Following the shutdown of the shuttle program, the ISS will need another way to receive supplies. This is SpaceX's mission, to provide an alternative to sending supplies, satellites, and people into space. Being the only alternative to Russian Soyuz missions to get people into orbit, SpaceX is sure to make enormous profits.

SpaceX also stated that their Dragon capsule is far safer than the former shuttle program, "astronauts flying on Dragon will be considerably safer." I do hope this is true. There has been far to many shuttle disasters to date.

Eavesdropper

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.

Eavesdropper