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Congress approves space mining, minus regulation
American companies now have the all-clear to pursue their dreams of mining in space. Both the House of Representatives and the Senate have passed the US Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act, a measure that lets US companies own any non-organic resources they harvest from asteroids and other space objects. This doesn't give them sovereignty, but it does let them return to Earth without worrying that officials will confiscate their goods.
ICYMI: Mousetrap for memory, balloon space launch and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-30194{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-30194, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-30194{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-30194").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: A virtual reality simulator putting mice through a pretend maze is analyzing memory formation that should benefit humans. A newish space launch company plans to inflate stadium-sized balloons for a gentle flight to the stratosphere, with actual flights scheduled for 2017. Meanwhile researchers built a tractor beam using high-amplitude sound waves to move small objects, which is just as cool as it sounds.
World View tests a small version of its balloon-powered spacecraft
World View, the company that plans to offer relatively affordable trips to the edge of space using ginormous helium balloons, has successfully completed its first major test flight. While it aims to use balloons the size of a football stadium for the actual flights, the one it tested is a scaled-down version carrying a replica spacecraft. The test system reached an altitude of 100,475 feet, which means the company reached its goal: it promised to take passengers 100,000 feet (around 20 miles) up in the air inside a capsule for one to two hours, after all. That's about 40 miles below sub-orbital space, but it's still high enough for passengers to clearly see the curvature of our planet.
Boeing is NASA's first pick for manned ISS flights
NASA is on track to bring human spaceflight back to the US. The agency has ordered its first "crew rotation" mission from Boeing, which will involve ferrying astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). NASA says it expects to make a similar order with Elon Musk's SpaceX later this year -- afterwards, it will decide which of the two companies to green-light for the first mission in late 2017. However, the date for this milestone moment in US spaceflight could shift. For one, Boeing and SpaceX still need to complete NASA's certification process before they can undertake any missions. For another, NASA's Commercial Crew Program is dependent on adequate funding through 2016 and beyond. If it comes up short, the agency says it "will have to delay future milestones for both partners proportionally and extend sole reliance on Russia." We're keeping our fingers crossed.
SpaceX's manned Dragon capsule gets its first real test on May 6th
You won't have to wait much longer to see what SpaceX's manned Dragon capsule is like in action. SpaceX now expects to conduct its promised Crew Dragon launch pad abort test (the craft's first major test) on May 6th, with things kicking off as early as 7AM Eastern. The point of the system is to make sure the crew and spacecraft have a way to escape if there's a problem with the rocket, and according to SpaceX, is an option from launch all the way up to orbit. This might not be as dramatic as some of the company's other tests, but it will give you a sense of what would happen if the vehicle had to abandon its host rocket in a hurry. One thing's for sure: with NASA streaming the whole thing live, it won't take long to find out whether or not SpaceX's orbital courier is on the right track.
Jeff Bezos' first proper test rocket has successfully launched
Elon Musk may be the most famous tech billionaire with an interest in spaceflight, but he's certainly not the only one. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos also has a company, Blue Origin, which is doing similar research into reusable craft to get us to-and-from the heavens. The normally secretive outfit has just revealed that its first test vehicle, New Shepard, made arguably its most important, partially successful test flight yesterday. In the experiment, the priapic craft took an (empty) crew capsule to a height of 307,000 feet before releasing it to float gently back to earth.
NASA wants astronauts to wear smart glasses
As you might imagine, astronauts typically need to stay laser-focused on their missions -- even a brief distraction could lead to a broken part or some other crisis. They won't have to worry about keeping their eyes (and hands) on the ball if NASA has its way. It's teaming up with Osterhout Design Group to explore the use of both augmented reality and virtual reality glasses for astronauts, whether they're in space or safely on terra firma. Among the possibilities are "assisted reality" glasses that identify equipment controls or provide checklists, saving crews the hassle of checking manuals when they're rushing to fix a crucial machine. There's no timetable for when NASA expects this smart apparel to show up, but here's hoping that it's ready relatively soon. [Image credit: NASA]
Neil Armstrong kept the original moon landing camera in his closet
If you were the first to set foot on a celestial body, wouldn't you keep a few mementos from the trip? The great Neil Armstrong certainly did -- including one of the most important gadgets in recent history. The Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum has revealed that the astronaut stored numerous items from the Apollo 11 moon landing in a closet at home, the highlight of which is undoubtedly the 16mm Data Acquisition Camera used to record the iconic moment he reached the lunar surface. Armstrong apparently held onto the camera and other "odds and ends" (as he told Mission Control) on the way back to Earth, and never mentioned them when he returned. Thankfully, you won't have much trouble seeing some of these artifacts in the near future. They're part of an exhibit at the museum, so you only have to book a trip to Washington, DC, by June 8th to see some of the technology that defined early space travel. [Image credit: Dane Penland, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution]
What you need to know about the Apollo 11 moon landing
Neil Armstrong, the first human being to set foot on another celestial body, misspoke his historic line. "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," as it turns out, was missing a crucial letter when Armstrong spoke it to a live audience back on Earth. What he was supposed to say as he placed his foot on the surface of Luna, the Earth's moon, was: "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind," thus highlighting the bigger picture of his small step onto the surface of the moon. Thankfully, the 600 million people watching weren't quite as pedantic as we are: The public easily overlooked the mistake, understood the meaning and let it go. Hey, the guy flew to the moon, right? Cut him some slack.
Study: NASA can't afford a trip to Mars, but deserves the cash to do it
It's no secret that NASA's long-term goal is to get people to Mars. But how realistic is that objective, really? Unfortunately, the prospects aren't looking good right now. The National Research Council has conducted a review of NASA's space program that suggests its budget isn't practical for anything more than trips to lunar space, and might not even stretch that far. So long as the administration's finances aren't keeping up with inflation, any attempt to push past low Earth orbit would "invite failure" and "disillusionment," the Council says.
NASA suspends most collaborative work with Russia due to Ukraine tensions
Blaming Russia's "ongoing violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," NASA has announced that it's suspending nearly all of its engagements with Roscosmos, the Russian space agency. Cooperation will, however, continue on the International Space Station "to maintain safe and continuous operation." The Space Agency says it's still committed to future human spaceflight launches on US soil, but without Russian assistance or extra funding, these will will have to wait until 2017. "The choice here is between fully funding the plan to bring space launches back to America or continuing to send millions of dollars to the Russians. It's that simple."
John Carmack says Armadillo Aerospace is in 'hibernation' following setbacks
Armadillo Aerospace was once at the forefront of efforts to foster private spaceflight, but it has been quiet ever since its STIG-B rocket crashed in January. We're now learning why: founder John Carmack has revealed that the company is now in "hibernation." The transition from contract work to vehicle building just didn't pan out, he says. Having more full-time staff backfired, as workers were bogged down in planning and reviews; the team also repeated many of NASA's mistakes in material choices, limiting its production capacity. As Carmack isn't prepared to invest more of his personal funds to keep Armadillo going, the firm will likely remain on ice until there's a new investor who's ready to pay to keep up with Branson and Musk in the space race. [Image credit: Official GDC, Flickr]
SpaceX's Grasshopper VTOL rocket triples its previous best with 840-foot hop (video)
If it were in Aesop's fable, SpaceX's Grasshopper would probably be the ant instead, as the reusable rocket's team haven't stopped working since the 10-story craft launched back in September. It just tripled its previous altitude mark of 263 feet by soaring to 840 feet, hovering a tick, then gently landing on the exact spot it took off, all while making it look easy. Head after the jump for a video of the whole affair, which was captured rather dramatically by the company's hexacopter.
Watch SpaceX's Grasshopper rocket hover, from its own point of view (video)
Ever wonder what it would be like to hover 131 feet above the ground through rocket power? You could come close with a jetpack, or you could watch a new SpaceX video that shows the Grasshopper reusable rocket's own perspective. The new angle on a December test flight emphasizes just how quick and precise the hover routine has become: it takes little time for the Grasshopper to stop at its intended altitude, and the rocket doesn't bob or sway to any significant degree. We'd most like to see the rocket reach its full two-mile potential, but we'll gladly be distracted by the recent footage found after the break.
USAF relaunches its first X-37B on a slightly less mysterious spaceflight
The US Air Force's aims with each X-37B mission continue to be shrouded in secrecy, but we're learning a little more now that it has launched the autonomous space plane for a third time. In once more flying the OTV-1, the original vehicle that reached orbit in 2010, the military branch is clear that testing reusability is a major goal: it wants to know if these spacecraft can take more than one trip without suffering ill effects. We likewise know that navigation, re-entry and other basics will be under scrutiny, even if the military won't talk about the payload. Just when we'll see OTV-1 back on Earth is another matter. The USAF is still standing by its official line that the X-37B is built to stay spaceborne for nine months, but it's remaining open to longer missions if conditions permit. Given that OTV-2 took more than a year to return, we wouldn't be surprised if we're just becoming comfortable with 2014 by the time the vehicle's sibling touches down.
SpaceX to start International Space Station cargo runs on October 7th, kick off routine private spaceflight
SpaceX just put a date on when private space travel becomes a seemingly everyday affair: October 7th. That's when the company and NASA expect to launch a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station delivering the first of a dozen cargo loads to the International Space Station through the unmanned Dragon spacecraft. While we're not expecting any trouble -- SpaceX has done this before -- there's a chance for a rescheduled launch on October 8th if there are any minor setbacks. The flights won't achieve the cachet of government-funded runs with human beings onboard, but we're sure the company doesn't mind when it's taking steps towards democratizing spaceflight... and pocketing $1.6 billion in the process.
Boeing, SpaceX win NASA 'space taxi' funding race (updated)
NASA has reportedly picked Boeing and SpaceX as the two companies to receive primary funding for the "Commercial Crew Program." The news was reportedly leaked to NBC News' Jay Barbree, but all parties involved have refused to comment until NASA makes the official announcement later today. While Boeing and SpaceX are likely to take home the bulk of $1 billion in funding, Sierra Nevada has been picked as the "standby" candidate -- with a mandate to step in if either primary partner fails. If true, then it means that Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin has been cut out of the race entirely -- although disappointment is easier to take if you're a billionaire... we've heard. Update: NASA's confirmed its picks, with back-up choice Sierra Nevada picking up $212.5 million, while Space X and Boeing got $440 million and $460 million, respectively. To celebrate, SpaceX's crafted another stargazing video -- it's right after the break.
China sending a probe to the moon next year to look for Moonbase Alpha
State news agency Xinhua is reporting that China is planning to launch a probe to the moon in the second half of 2013. The Chang'e-3, named after the Chinese moon goddess, will deposit a lander and rover on our natural satellite to survey its bumpy surface. It'll launch from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province and is a sign of the continuing ambition of the nation's space program -- after it deposited a crew on its Tiangong-1 space station two months ago.
Richard Branson confirms Virgin Galactic's first space tourism flight will launch next year with him on board
Richard Branson has long said that he'd be on board Virgin Galactic's first commercial space tourism flight, and he's now confirmed that will take place sometime next year with his two adult children along for the ride (a bit of a delay from the company's original 2011 target). That trip will of course be made with the company's SpaceShipTwo craft, which has already completed a number of test flights, and which is capable of flying 100 kilometers (or just over 60 miles) above the Earth for a planned two and a half hour flight with five minutes of weightlessness. As the AP notes, some 529 people have already signed up for the $200,000 per person rides into space, each of whom will have to take part in a week of training prior to their trip. Bookings can still be made on Virgin Galactic's website.
Researchers find space travel prolongs the life of worms
We've seen research that suggests prolonged space travel could have some adverse effects on the human body, but it looks like there could be some real benefits as well. As BBC News reports, a new study conducted on Caenorhabditis elegans worms sent to the International Space Station has revealed evidence that the trip to space actually slowed their aging process. Specifically, researchers from the University of Nottingham and others institutions part of the ICE-First project found that the time in space reduced activity in a group of genes that have been shown to prolong the worms' lifespan when suppressed on earth. Of course, these are worms we're talking about, but this particular species is often used for such research due to its biological similarities to humans, so the discovery could well lead to more insight into how we age in space as well. Those curious can find the full paper linked below.
