31 October 2007
+ 0 - 0 | § ¶STS-120 Update
Per Spaceflight Now:
NASA and contractor engineers worked through the night assessing a variety of options for possible repairs to fix a ripped solar blanket on a partially extended array. At the same time, planning continued for a spacewalk Thursday to more thoroughly inspect a contaminated solar array rotary joint on the other side of the space station's main power truss.
The Discovery astronauts successfully moved the 17-ton P6 solar array truss segment Tuesday, bolting it to the far left end of the power truss. The first of its two solar array wings, known as P6-2B, extended a full 110 feet as required, but the crew aborted deployment of the second P6-4B wing when one section of hinged blanket slats hung up, possibly due to a guide wire snag. Two seams between adjacent slats pulled open, resulting in separate tears, and the edges of several nearby slats were crumpled. The largest rip measured some two-and-a-half feet long.
Eighty percent deployed, the P6-4B array can generate 97 percent of the electricity of a fully extended wing. The station is not yet using power from the torn array, but engineers say tests confirm no major damage to its internal wiring.
The immediate concern is figuring out a way to fully extend the P6-4B wing to provide the necessary structural rigidity. With a partially deployed panel, none of the arrays on the left side of the main power truss can be rotated as required to track the sun without risking additional damage. As a result, the station's left-side solar alpha rotary joint, or SARJ, is locked in place while engineers assess their options.
Adding to NASA's problems, the station's right-side arrays also are locked in place because of unexpected metallic contamination inside the starboard SARJ. Astronauts Scott Parazynski and Doug Wheelock are working today to prepare their spacesuits and tools for a spacewalk Thursday to carry out a more detailed inspection of the right-side SARJ to look for the source of the contamination.
Keywords: eva,international_space_station,nasa,space,space_shuttle,sts_117
+ 0 - 0 | § ¶iComet
Behold ...
the iComet!
Keywords: apple,astronomy,space
30 October 2007
+ 0 - 0 | § ¶STS-120 Update
Per NASA:
Mission Specialists Scott Parazynski and Doug Wheelock helped install the P6 truss in its permanent location and inspected the port Solar Alpha Rotary Joint today during STS-120’s third spacewalk. The 7-hour, 8-minute excursion wrapped up at 11:53 a.m. EDT.
Shortly after the spacewalk began, Parazynski and Wheelock went to work at the end of the port truss to help station robotic arm operators attach the P6 to its new location on P5. The two provided verbal cues to Expedition 16 Flight Engineer Dan Tani and Mission Specialist Stephanie Wilson as they aligned the truss. Once the 17.5 ton truss was in place, the spacewalkers secured it and attached its power source.
In other news, the mission has been
extended by a day, to allow time for a spacewalk to inspect a rotary joint of the relocated arrays. Landing is now scheduled for Nov. 7
Keywords: eva,international_space_station,nasa,space,space_shuttle,sts_117
29 October 2007
+ 1 - 0 | § ¶Another Dave-Friend Book-Pimping Update
My review of
Black Men Built the Capitol: Discovering African-American History In and Around Washington, D.C.
, by Jesse Holland, my former editor at The Daily Mississippian, is coming, I promise, but not today.
In the meantime, here's
a review of Francis French and Colin Burgess'
In the Shadow of the Moon
, the second book of the Outward Odyssey series.
On his blog, Jesse's got
a link to a radio appearance he did and information about an upcoming book signing for folks in Mississippi, on Nov. 17 in Holly Springs.
Keywords: apollo,books,hatbag,history,media,mississippi,moon,nasa,ole_miss,outward_odyssey,soviet,space,writing
+ 0 - 1 | § ¶STS-120 Update
Per NASA:
The Space Shuttle Discovery and International Space Station crews are using the station and shuttle robotic arms to move the P6 truss segment and preparing for Tuesday’s spacewalk, the third of the mission. The crews will also get some off duty time this morning.
The station robotic arm operators have handed off the P6 truss to the shuttle robotic arm operators. The shuttle’s Canadarm will hand the P6 back over to the station’s Canadarm2 later this morning after Canadarm2 moves closer to the worksite. Canadarm2 will then install P6 to the P5 truss during the mission’s third spacewalk.
And per Spaceflight Now:
Space station engineers are scrambling to determine the source of unexpected debris in a critical solar array rotary joint and considering whether to order an additional, more thorough spacewalk inspection to figure out what sort of downstream repair work might be necessary.
The international space station's right-side solar alpha rotary joint, or SARJ - a 10-foot-wide, 2,500-pound motorized gear used to turn outboard arrays to keep them face on to the sun - needs to work normally to generate the electricity required by the growing space station's myriad systems.
Keywords: international_space_station,nasa,space,space_shuttle,sts_120
28 October 2007
+ 0 - 1 | § ¶Space Question
Ever wanted to ask an astronaut a question? Thanks to
a joint effort between LucasFilm and collectSPACE, you can submit a question at StarWars.com. One question will be chosen to be asked by collectSPACE during an interview with the on-orbit STS-120 crew.
Keywords: collectspace,nasa,space,star_wars,sts_120
+ 1 - 0 | § ¶STS-120 Update
Per Spaceflight Now:
Space station commander Peggy Whitson and Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli opened the hatch to the newly installed Italian-built Harmony module at 8:24 a.m. today and floated into the roomy, brightly lighted room that will serve as the gateway to European and Japanese research modules scheduled for launch late this year and early next.
And per NASA:
STS-120’s second spacewalk is now in the books. Mission Specialist Scott Parazynski and Expedition 16 Flight Engineer Daniel Tani successfully prepared the P6 truss for its relocation during the excursion, which ended at 12:05 p.m. EDT.
...
The next spacewalk is scheduled to take place Tuesday. Parazynski and Wheelock will team up to assist with robotic arm attachment of the P6 truss in its new location on P5.
Keywords: eva,international_space_station,nasa,space,space_shuttle,sts_120
26 October 2007
+ 1 - 0 | § ¶Paying For A Ride
Bigelow Aerospace is upping the ante for commercial spaceflight yet again.
Bigelow, perhaps the only altspace company to actually be putting stuff in orbit, is looking to launch an inhabitable structure within the next three years or so, giving them essentially their own private space station. The problem, of course, is that while they'll have their own station where people could go, they won't have anyway of getting them there.
The company has been working for a while now on a solution to that problem, and has announced
a new possible solution:
Bigelow Aerospace intends to spur development of a commercial space vehicle to take people into Earth orbit by offering to sign a contract worth $760 million with any company that can meet their criteria, company president Robert Bigelow says.
...
The company plans to break ground in less than a year on a factory to mass-produce its inflatable space stations, but they are worried that without an affordable commercial crew launch vehicle, none of its potential customers will be able to pay to get to these space stations, Bigelow said.
...
The contract or purchase agreement would be worth $760 million in total for eight launches. To show that Bigelow Aerospace is serious, it will deposit $100 million in an escrow bank account up front if the plan goes forward.
The potential offer tops the $500 million NASA has budgeted for its Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) programme, which is part of the agency's own effort to spur development of commercial orbital crew launch capabilities.
Keywords: altspace,bigelow
+ 0 - 1 | § ¶STS-120 Update
Per NASA:
STS-120 Mission Specialists Scott Parazynski and Doug Wheelock kicked off STS-120’s first spacewalk at 6:02 a.m. EDT to prepare Harmony for removal from Discovery’s payload bay. The excursion is scheduled to wrap up at about 12:32 p.m.
...
The spacewalkers have removed and stowed the S-band Antenna Structural Assembly. They also secured a Payload and Data Grapple Fixture onto Harmony that could not be in place during launch, removed contamination covers and disconnected the power cables linking Harmony to Discovery.
The station robotic arm operators are removing Harmony from the payload bay and will move it toward its position on Unity. Meanwhile, the spacewalkers are preparing the P6 truss for its relocation.
Keywords: eva,international_space_station,nasa,space,space_shuttle,sts_120
25 October 2007
+ 1 - 0 | § ¶STS-120 Update
Per NASA:
Space Shuttle Discovery and the STS-120 crew arrived at the International Space Station at 8:40 a.m. EDT, delivering a new module and crew member to the orbital outpost.
The STS-120 astronauts and the station’s Expedition 16 crew will conduct pressure and leak checks before the hatches between the two spacecraft open about 10:30 a.m. After the crews greet each other, they will quickly begin joint operations.
...
Also, preparations will begin today for the first of five scheduled STS-120 spacewalks. It is set to kick off at 6:28 a.m. Friday.
Related story: Items Taken Into Space Reflect Accomplishments on Earth
Keywords: international_space_station,nasa,space,space_shuttle,star_wars,sts_120
24 October 2007
+ 1 - 0 | § ¶Popular Location
China reportedly
successfully launched its first lunar probe, Chang'e 1, yesteray afternoon on what is planned to be a one-year mission to observe the moon. Chang'e will join the Japanese
Kaguya orbiter, which this week entered its science orbit and is beginning its final check-outs, wich should be complete in mid-December. Still coming over the next year or so are Indian and U.S. lunar orbiters.
Keywords: moon,space
+ 0 - 1 | § ¶Big Moon On The Rise
Per SpaceWeather:
This week's full Moon is the biggest full Moon of 2007. It's no illusion. Some full Moons are genuinely larger than others and Thursday night's will be a whopper. Why? Read the answer below.
The Moon's orbit is an ellipse with one side 30,000 miles closer to Earth than the other. The full Moon of Oct. 25-26 is located on the near side, making it appear as much as 14% bigger and 30% brighter than lesser full Moons we've seen earlier in 2007.
In the language of astronomy, the two ends of the Moon's orbit are called "apogee" and "perigee." Apogee is the farthest point, perigee the nearest: diagram. This week's full Moon is a "perigee Moon" with extra-high "perigean tides."
The Moon is 14% bigger, but can you actually tell the difference? It's not so easy. There are no rulers floating in the sky to measure lunar diameters. A fun experiment: Take a friend outside Thursday night and ask if they notice anything unusual about the Moon. Explain perigee after they answer.
Keywords: astronomy,moon,space
23 October 2007
+ 1 - 0 | § ¶Yet More Dave-Friend Book-Pimping
I've finished reading
Black Men Built the Capitol: Discovering African-American History In and Around Washington, D.C., by Jesse Holland, my former editor at The Daily Mississippian, but, per Dave-standard, it will take me a little while to get a review online.
On somewhat of a cool note, the reviews of Francis French and Colin Burgess'
Into That Silent Sea and
In the Shadow of the Moon, the first two books of the Outward Odyssey series, on Amazon now include
a brief bit by Mercury nurse Dee O'Hara.
Also, the
worlds in a grain of sand blog has a post about the Outward Odyssey series.
Keywords: apollo,books,history,media,mississippi,moon,nasa,ole_miss,outward_odyssey,space,writing
+ 1 - 0 | § ¶Ares Approaching
According to a report by Florida Today, NASA is working on a Constellation schedule that would see
astronauts flying to the International Space Station on an Ares-launched Orion capsule in 2013. Which would be really cool.
Keywords: ares,constellation,launch_schedule,nasa,orion,space
+ 0 - 1 | § ¶STS-120 Update
Things are Go right now, but the situation is too dynamic for me to write anything about the launch (still scheduled for 10:38:19 CDT) that would be meaningful when you read it. Instead, you can go to
Spaceflight Now's Mission Status Center for the latest updates.
And, of course, you can
watch live launch coverage on NASA TV, already underway.
Keywords: international_space_station,launch_schedule,nasa,space,space_shuttle,sts_120
22 October 2007
+ 1 - 0 | § ¶Hailing Discovery
As part of the promotion that involves the
launch of Luke's lightsaber on the upcoming STS-120 mission, you can
send a message to the crew of Discovery while the astronauts are in orbit (they won't get it while they're in orbit, apparently, but that's beside the point). Be sure and tell them "May the Force be with you," 'cause I'm sure
nobody else will come up with that.
Keywords: nasa,space,space_shuttle,star_wars,sts_120
+ 1 - 0 | § ¶STS-120 Update
Per NASA:
At the STS-120 Launch Readiness News Conference Sunday morning, LeRoy Cain, launch integration manager, pointed to the weather as the only question mark for the launch week ahead. He reported all is "ready to move forward to launch on Tuesday."
Weather officer Kathy Winters called Tuesday's weather "promising" at 60 percent favorable. She explained that they continue tracking a frontal boundary that may now arrive on Wednesday, earlier than previously predicted. The front should be out in the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday, but the timing of the front's arrival could cause problems for a Wednesday launch attempt should Tuesday's launch not occur. Weather should improve once the front passes through the area. There is still only a 10 percent chance that weather could prohibit tanking for Tuesday's liftoff.
And,
in other news:
The Expedition 15 crew members have returned home.
After bidding farewell to the Expedition 16 crew Saturday night, the Expedition 15 crew, Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and Flight Engineer Oleg Kotov, boarded their Soyuz TMA-10 spacecraft for the return to Earth. They undocked from the station around 3:14 a.m. EDT Sunday and landed in the steppes of Kazakhstan at 6:36 a.m.
Keywords: international_space_station,launch_schedule,nasa,space,space_shuttle,sts_120
19 October 2007
+ 1 - 0 | § ¶Halley's Pieces
Per Space.com:
A junior version of the famous Perseid meteor shower is scheduled to reach its maximum before sunrise on Sunday morning, Oct. 21. This meteor display is known as the Orionids because the meteors seem to fan out from a region to the north of Orion's second brightest star, ruddy Betelgeuse.
Weather permitting and under very dark skies away from light pollution, skywatchers could see several meteors per hour. Rates will be significantly lower in cities and suburban areas.
Interestingly, this year, brilliant Mars is nearby and the apparent source of these meteors, called the radiant, will be positioned roughly between Mars and Betelgeuse.
...
Expect to see few, if any Orionids before midnight – especially this year, with a bright waxing gibbous Moon glaring high in the western sky.
But moonset is around 1:30 a.m. local daylight time on Sunday, and that's a good time to begin preparing for your meteor vigil. At its best several hours later, at around 5:00 a.m. when Orion is highest in the sky toward the south, Orionids typically produce around 20 to 25 meteors per hour under a clear, dark sky.
...
The Orionids are thought to result from the orbit of Halley's Comet; some of the dust which has shaken loose from this famous object as it runs its gigantic loop from the Sun out to Neptune, ram our atmosphere to create the effect of these "shooting stars."
Keywords: astronomy,space
+ 0 - 1 | § ¶STS-120 Update
The crew is now in Florday, and the
official countdown begins tomorrow at 1 p.m. CDT for Tuesday's STS-120 launch of the space shuttle Discovery.
Keywords: launch_schedule,nasa,space,space_shuttle,sts_120
17 October 2007
+ 1 - 1 | § ¶Next-Generation Spaceflight Update
Like I said, get used to the posts about the Garriott family, 'cause you're going to be seeing them frequently over the next year. Just wait 'til, say, August.
Anyway, Discovery Channel has a
Q&A with Richard Garriott online in which he talks about his desire to fly into space, and about his family. My favorite bit: "Kids at school would go 'Hey, your dad was an astronaut who's been in space, what was it like?' and...I'd go home and ask him, and his answers were commonly things with liberal use of the word 'nominal,' which was a common word in my household."
Sadly, that's a word that pops up in my own speech with increasingly frequency. Got some more Kool-Aid?
Keywords: altspace,collectspace,garriott,history,international_space_station,outward_odyssey,roskosmos,skylab,soviet,soyuz,sputnik
+ 2 - 0 | § ¶STS-120 Update
Per NASA:
NASA senior managers Tuesday completed a detailed review of space shuttle Discovery’s readiness for flight and selected Oct. 23 as the official launch date. Commander Pam Melroy and her six crewmates are scheduled to lift off at 11:38 a.m. EDT on the STS-120 mission to the International Space Station.
...
"After a thorough discussion and review of all current engineering analysis, we have determined that Discovery's panels do not need to be replaced before the mission,” said Associate Administrator for Space Operations Bill Gerstenmaier.
The 14-day mission includes five spacewalks – four by shuttle crew members and one by the station’s Expedition 16 crew. Discovery is expected to complete its mission and return home at 4:47 a.m. EST on Nov. 6.
Keywords: launch_schedule,nasa,space,space_shuttle,sts_120
16 October 2007
+ 1 - 1 | § ¶Planetary Protection
Despite the fact that it's space-related, I'm not including
this Giuliani bit from The AP in my Space Race '08 series:
During a town hall meeting in Exeter, a young questioner asked the former New York mayor about his plan to protect Earth.
"If (there's) something living on another planet and it's bad and it comes over here, what would you do?" the boy asked.
Giuliani, grin on his face, said it was the first time he's been asked about an intergalactic attack.
"Of all the things that can happen in this world, we'll be prepared for that, yes we will. We'll be prepared for anything that happens," said Giuliani, who spent the day campaigning in key early voting state.
You know, I think if I knew for sure that extraterrestrials were going to attack during the next presidential term, I very well might vote for Giuliani on that issue.
Keywords: funny,politics,space
+ 1 - 1 | § ¶STS-120 Update
Per Space.com:
Top NASA officials will decide today whether to proceed with the planned launch of the space shuttle Discovery next week or to stand down and replace several heat shield panels lining the orbiter's wings.
Mission managers and engineers are meeting at NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Cape Canaveral, Florida in a Flight Readiness Review (FRR) for Discovery's planned Oct. 23 launch toward the International Space Station (ISS).
Among the chief topics under discussion is whether to haul Discovery off its launch pad and replace three of the 44 heat-resistant panels along the orbiter's wing leading edges. NASA's independent Engineering and Safety Center recommended the panels be replaced, which would prompt a lengthy delay for Discovery's planned STS-120 mission, due to slight defects to their exterior coating, the space agency said.
"The decision has obviously not been made," NASA spokesperson Kyle Herring, of the agency's Johnson Space Center, told SPACE.com Monday. "The FRR tomorrow will determine whether we fly as is and pick Oct. 23."
...
NASA will hold a press briefing no earlier than 3:00 p.m. EDT (1900 GMT) on NASA TV to discuss today's Flight Readiness Review meeting for Discovery's STS-120 shuttle mission.
Keywords: launch_schedule,nasa,space,space_shuttle,sts_120
11 October 2007
+ 1 - 1 | § ¶Space Race '08
Another installment in my series of posts about space-related comments by presidential candidates:
Democrats
Barack Obama
“I’m inspired by the idea of going to Mars,” he replied, projecting friendly sincerity. “I’m also mindful of the budgetary constraints. So I won’t give you an answer right now.”
--
Space Politics, 10 October 2007
It joins the previous entries:
Republicans
Rudy Giuliani
"He said he supported continuing to aggressively pursue space exploration." --
The Tallahassee Democrat, 5 April 2007
Newt Gingrich
"...he said he would ... offer a $20 billion reward for the first private company that successfully completes a Mars mission. 'Somebody would be there and back about 40 percent of the way into the NASA process.'" --
Boston.com, 9 June 2007
Mitt Romney
"Regarding NASA's plans to return to the moon and Mars, he said he hadn't decided if that was the exact plan he'd pursue, 'but I have no reason to change that at this point.'" --
Florida Today, 7 August 2007
Democrats
Hillary Clinton
"But in a telephone interview afterward, she said that in the short term she would subordinate Bush administration proposals for human exploration of the Moon and Mars to restoring cuts in aeronautics research and space-based studies of climate change and other earth science issues.
Travel to the Moon or Mars 'excites people,' she said, 'but I am more focused on nearer-term goals I think are achievable.'"
--
The New York Times, 5 October 2007
Bill Richardson
"He did say that he sees space as 'a bona fide area of economic growth and opportunity'..." --
Space Politics, 4 June 2007
John Edwards
"I am a strong supporter of our space program. It reflects the best of the American spirit of optimism, discovery and progress.
We need a balanced space and aeronautics program. We need to support solar system exploration as an important goal for our human and robotic programs, but only as one goal among several. And we need to invite other countries to share in a meaningful way in both the adventure and the cost of space exploration." --
A Blog Around The Clock, 9 July 2007
Various
Dodd said that “we’re doing okay” and left it at that. Biden professed his support for robotic programs, and when asked about human spaceflight, said, “With clear leadership we can do anything, good luck.” Kucinich said he would double spending “across the board on civilian projects and privatize where we can”, and gave a shout-out for NASA Glenn Research Center, in his district. Richardson said spaceflight was “important” and added that “we should also encourage private companies”, as he has been doing in New Mexico. --
Space Politics, 28 September 2007
Keywords: politics,space
+ 0 - 2 | § ¶STS-120 Update
From Spaceflight Now:
The shuttle Discovery's crew strapped in for a dress-rehearsal countdown today to clear the way for launch Oct. 23 on a critical space station assembly mission. NASA managers, meanwhile, met for a program-level flight readiness review but were unable to reach a consensus on whether to replace three suspect wing leading edge panels or to launch Discovery as is.
Replacing the panels would require moving Discovery off the launch pad and back to its hangar for repairs, work that likely would delay launch for weeks if not longer. A decision on how to proceed is expected next week, after a headquarters-level flight readiness review Tuesday.
The issue involves a protective silicon-carbide coating on the shuttle's reinforced carbon carbon nose cap and wing leading edge panels.
Keywords: launch_schedule,nasa,space,space_shuttle,sts_120
08 October 2007
+ 0 - 2 | § ¶Editorial Note
This week promises to be packed, and possibly pivotal, professionally and personally.
So it's not even so much that I won't have time for blogging, but I doubt I'll even have time to know what's going on in the world to blog it.
If anybody's got any ideas, though, feel free to share.
Keywords: blog
05 October 2007
+ 0 - 2 | § ¶Conceived In Liberty ... From Gravity
Per Novosti:
Russian scientists are expecting two cockroaches, who returned from space onboard the Foton-M bio satellite, to give birth to the first creatures ever conceived in space, the research supervisor said.
"In the next few days we are expecting two female 'cosmonauts' to give birth to the world's first offspring conceived in microgravity," Dmitry Atyakshin said.
He said the two expectant mothers are being kept in a separate tank under constant expert monitoring. All space cockroaches feel well, but their behavior and physical condition has changed dramatically.
Keywords: roskosmos,space
+ 0 - 2 | § ¶Space Race '08
Another installment in my series of posts about space-related comments by presidential candidates:
Democrats
Hillary Clinton
"But in a telephone interview afterward, she said that in the short term she would subordinate Bush administration proposals for human exploration of the Moon and Mars to restoring cuts in aeronautics research and space-based studies of climate change and other earth science issues.
Travel to the Moon or Mars 'excites people,' she said, 'but I am more focused on nearer-term goals I think are achievable.'"
--
The New York Times, 5 October 2007
It joins the previous entries:
Republicans
Rudy Giuliani
"He said he supported continuing to aggressively pursue space exploration." --
The Tallahassee Democrat, 5 April 2007
Newt Gingrich
"...he said he would ... offer a $20 billion reward for the first private company that successfully completes a Mars mission. 'Somebody would be there and back about 40 percent of the way into the NASA process.'" --
Boston.com, 9 June 2007
Mitt Romney
"Regarding NASA's plans to return to the moon and Mars, he said he hadn't decided if that was the exact plan he'd pursue, 'but I have no reason to change that at this point.'" --
Florida Today, 7 August 2007
Democrats
Bill Richardson
"He did say that he sees space as 'a bona fide area of economic growth and opportunity'..." --
Space Politics, 4 June 2007
John Edwards
"I am a strong supporter of our space program. It reflects the best of the American spirit of optimism, discovery and progress.
We need a balanced space and aeronautics program. We need to support solar system exploration as an important goal for our human and robotic programs, but only as one goal among several. And we need to invite other countries to share in a meaningful way in both the adventure and the cost of space exploration." --
A Blog Around The Clock, 9 July 2007
Various
Dodd said that “we’re doing okay” and left it at that. Biden professed his support for robotic programs, and when asked about human spaceflight, said, “With clear leadership we can do anything, good luck.” Kucinich said he would double spending “across the board on civilian projects and privatize where we can”, and gave a shout-out for NASA Glenn Research Center, in his district. Richardson said spaceflight was “important” and added that “we should also encourage private companies”, as he has been doing in New Mexico. --
Space Politics, 28 September 2007
+ 2 - 0 | § ¶Yet Another Dave-Friend Book-Pimping Update
More reviews:
There was an article about
Black Men Built the Capitol: Discovering African-American History In and Around Washington, D.C., by Jesse Holland, my former editor at The Daily Mississippian, recently in Roll Call, and you can
read it here.
And there's a nice two-for-one review of Francis French and Colin Burgess'
Into That Silent Sea and
In the Shadow of the Moon, the first two books of the Outward Odyssey series, at Washington University's
Student Life.
Keywords: apollo,books,history,media,mississippi,nasa,ole_miss,outward_odyssey,soviet,space
04 October 2007
+ 0 - 3 | § ¶Today In History
On this date 50 years ago, the world changed.
Keywords: history,soviet,space,sputnik
03 October 2007
+ 1 - 1 | § ¶"Mr. Sputnik"
Another Richard Garriott post, but one that has nothing to do with his spaceflight next year.
collectSPACE originally broke the story, but The New York Times now has an interesting feature about
the spare Soviet Sputnik that Garriott has in his collection. The article also talks some about how Sputnik had a very direct relationship with his father's astronaut career, a story that's told in next year's Homesteading Space.
The article also mentions something I hadn't seen before (though perhaps I just missed it): That Richard Garriott is pursuing the possibility of going on a spacewalk during his trip to the station next year. (OK, so I lied, this post did mention his flight. Sorry.)
Keywords: altspace,collectspace,garriott,history,international_space_station,outward_odyssey,roskosmos,skylab,soviet,soyuz,sputnik
01 October 2007
+ 1 - 2 | § ¶Next-Generation Spaceflight Update
Just get used to the fact that you're probably going to be seeing a lot on this blog about Richard Garriott's upcoming spaceflight before it actually happens just over a year from now. Sorry.
Anyway, Cosmic Log has an
interesting article about the flight, with a slightly different focus about one of the unique elements of this flight; the commercial element of his mission. (That, though, relates to one of the questions I have -- Greg Olsen originally planned to have his Soyuz flight be more business than pleasure, but ended up having the work-related payload he wanted to fly canned. I'm assuming that Space Adventures has worked out whatever those issues were before announcing that Garriott will be flying experiments, but I'd like to see some sort of acknowledgement of that.)
Keywords: altspace,garriott,international_space_station,roskosmos,skylab,soyuz,space
+ 2 - 1 | § ¶The Simplest Satellite
As ATW readers may or may not know, Thursday marks the 50th anniversary of the birth of the space age, as heralded by the launch of Sputnik. Online observances of the occassion have already begun, such as
collectSPACE's Top Ten Sputniks.
One of the more interesting ones I've seen so far, though, is this Space.com article about a
Russian space engineer's recollections of Sputnik:
But 50 years later, it emerges that the momentous launch was far from being part of a well-planned strategy to demonstrate communist superiority over the West. Instead, the first artificial satellite in space was a spur-of-the-moment gamble driven by the dream of one scientist, whose team scrounged a rocket, slapped together a satellite and persuaded a dubious Kremlin to open the space age.
Keywords: collectspace,history,soviet,space,sputnik
+ 1 - 2 | § ¶STS-120 Update
Discovery is
now on Pad 39A, in preparation for the NET Oct. 23 launch of the STS-120 mission.
Keywords: launch_schedule,nasa,space,space_shuttle,sts_120
