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NASA expresses doubts over the privatization of the ISS
Plans to privatize the ISS made headlines earlier this year when NASA revealed The White House intended to pull the plug on federal finances in 2025. This isn't the first time privatization murmurs have surfaced for the space station, but a recent NASA audit suggests a conversion to private operation may not be feasible.
Virgin Galactic breaks Mach 2 in third powered test flight
Virgin Galactic conducted another test of its VSS Unity, taking it out on a third rocket-powered supersonic flight this morning. After being released from the VMS Eve carrier craft, the VSS Unity flew higher than it has previously, reaching a peak altitude of 170,800 feet and entering the mesosphere for the first time. It also reached speeds of Mach 2.47 during its 42 second rocket burn. The first and second VSS Unity powered test flights reached altitudes of 84,271 feet and 114,500 feet and speeds of Mach 1.87 and 1.9, respectively.
NASA helps businesses make use of its satellite data
NASA has made its raw satellite data widely available for a long while. Now that it has a privatization-minded leader, though, it's looking to make that data more palatable for the business crowd. The administration has released a Remote Sensing Toolkit that should make it easier to use observational satellite info for commercial purposes, including straightforward business uses as well as conservation and research. The move consolidates info that used to be scattered across "dozens" of websites, and helps you search that unified database for helpful knowledge -- you don't have to go to one place for atmospheric studies and another to learn about forests.
Lockheed Martin creates its largest 3D-printed space part to date
Lockheed Martin has just finished the final series of quality control tests for an enormous titanium dome meant to serve as caps for satellite fuel tanks. It's not just any ordinary dome, though: the enormous component measures four feet in diameter and is the company's biggest 3D-printed space component to date. Its previous largest qualified space part is an electronics enclosure that's around the size of a toaster. This dome is large enough to seal fuel tanks bigger than humans and, according to Lockheed Martin, big enough to hold 74.4 gallons of coffee or 530 donuts. Glazed, of course.
A beginner's guide to space tourism
The era of space tourism is nearly upon us with Blue Origin, SpaceX and Virgin Galactic each vying to be the first company to ferry clients on once-in-a-lifetime treks up to the edge of space and back. While SpaceX is the clear frontrunner when it comes to cargo and satellite launches, Blue Origin is leading the pack in terms of putting actual people into actual orbit.
The app promising to make anyone an astronaut
Every kid dreams of becoming an astronaut, of exploring what lies beyond our planet out there in the unknown. It's a romantic notion, but something few ever achieve. The growth of the private space industry in recent times has made it seem all the more attainable, however. Under current projections, SpaceX, Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic will start taking space tourists on trips next year, perhaps even earlier. Naturally, seats on these craft are reserved for the extremely wealthy right now, but there could be another way. Space Nation is a company that's promising anyone can become an astronaut, irrespective of how deep their pockets are. And all you need to do to become a viable candidate is to play a bunch of mobile minigames.
SpaceX's Falcon Heavy to launch military satellites by 2020
SpaceX's Falcon Heavy has won its first classified national security payload launch, proving that the company was able to demonstrate that its new rocket is reliable enough to ferry military satellites to space. The US Air Force has chosen to use the aerospace company's new heavy-lift spacecraft to take its AFSPC-52 satellite to orbit in the summer or fall of 2020. According to CNN, SpaceX had to compete with ULA (joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin) for the mission. The Air Force didn't reveal why it ultimately chose to use Falcon Heavy, but one of the possible reasons is cost.
Jeff Bezos outlines Blue Origin's space colony ambitions
It's no secret that Jeff Bezos wants humanity to return to the Moon and otherwise spread its wings beyond Earth. Now, though, he's offering a clearer sense of what that entails -- and it's evident that his ideas stretch well into the long term. In an interview with GeekWire, he explained that he wants Blue Origin to work with NASA and the ESA to create a permanent settlement on the Moon, but will do whatever it takes to make it happen. Don't expect the company to wait if it thinks officials are wasting time, in other words. The company alreadt anticipates launching its Blue Moon lander (above) by the mid-2020s, but that's contingent on getting enough support.
