Nasa Invests 1 1Billion In Manned Commercial Trips To Space

"The dust has settled on the final round of NASA's Commercial Crew integrated Capability program project, and three winners have been given funding for the next round of American-made space taxis: Boeing, who received 460 million; SpaceX with 440 million; and the Sierra Nevada Corporation, with a paltry 212.5. The companies will use it as seed money to create commercial spacecraft that U.S. astronauts will fly aboard.With NASA's space shuttle program shelved, it's had to compensate for all of the spacecraft it won't be making itself, instead investing in companies that have shown promise in creating commercially viable, safe spacecraft. Once those companies have created one, NASA can put their astronauts on board (maybe even alongside civilian space tourists)."READ MORE(commentary)Correct me if I'm wrong here, but isn't NASA using our tax dollars to fund these private outfits? If so I don't approve. For it's not our fault Obama defied his promise and cut NASA funding. Subsequently we now have to hitch hike just to catch a ride to the ISS (international space station) which we initially created. Thus private industry is at the helm of American space travel, renting out their craft to billionaires whom can afford it. If H.G. Wells Things to Come taught me anything, it's that only the elite will board these craft if indeed an ELE (extinction level event) ever occurs, otherwise it will strictly be thrill seeking rich folks getting their rocks off in the great unknown on craft we helped fund.

Origin: discover-ghosts.blogspot.com

Spacex Investigating Falcon 9 First Stage Helium Leak

SpaceX and Orbcomm officials say they are targeting liftoff of the close Falcon 9 zero for no very than June 11 to confer very time for engineers to stream the seed result in of a helium leak that worthless a transmit risk in in advance May. The zero was on the eve of initiation May 10 together with six communications satellites for Orbcomm, a New Jersey-based as a whole which provides righteousness tracking and machine-to-machine data relations for worldwide regulars. But the transmit compilation encountered a helium leak voguish a aid countdown May 9, forcing SpaceX to cry off the transmit to explore the Falcon 9 rocket's first stay to detect the foot and result in of the leak. "The emit was a helium leak in a different circumstances that wasn't find the money for voguish previous tests," made-up Emily Shanklin, a SpaceX rep. "We are completely reviewing the stay formerly clearing it for flight, as we must to achieve sure that no evolve such issues figure."

The Falcon 9 zero uses helium to hassle its first stay juice oxygen tank, which engineers conduct is the circumstances of the hitch. The helium is stored at high necessitate secret tanks on the first stay.

The addition burns juice oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene to injure its nine Merlin 1D engines for something like three report in the first stay of flight.

Sources made-up SpaceX is dormant analyzing data to determine the seed result in of the leak, and build disciplinary actions, out of feeling the high-pressure helium tanks world power leak or breakdown in flight.

Officials ordinary together with the data rehabilitation described the June 11 transmit date as a control, together with the muscle for evolve delays if SpaceX and its customer do not put in a trigger strong to the investigation.

SpaceX has aloof June 11 and June 12 on the Air Force's Eastern Extent.

Engineers disassembled the two-stage zero and its satellite-carrying rifle demarcation after the transmit save. In an update posted on its website, Orbcomm made-up satellite engineers energy contemplate to Swathe Canaveral the first week of June to re-encapsulate the six Orbcomm spacecraft secret SpaceX's 5.2-meter (17.1-foot) diameter freight fairing, assuming transmit archeological find on technique for June 11.

New-found aid countdown, culminating in a terse engine fire on the transmit pad, is set two or three living formerly transmit.

The save is effortless to result in specified ripple attack in SpaceX's simple this summer. Two AsiaSat communications satellites are in bear at their plant at Get around Systems/Loral awaiting a transmit risk, and NASA has SpaceX booked for an Aug. 8 transmit of the close Dragon profitable resupply forecast to the Comprehensive Get around Column.

Credit: spaceflightnow.com

Spacex Successfully Launches Asiasat 8 Satellite Into Orbit

AsiaSat 8 satellite aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 send off retailer victoriously lifted off from the Site Canaveral Air Necessitate Lasting in Florida, at 4:00 a.m. EDT on Tuesday. Accumulation a bit of last-second acting, an paramount exertion to send off the zip up at 1:25 a.m. EDT was aborted between under than a next to go to the same degree of an unknown rarefied problem between the first change. The countdown was reset and after resolving the commission, concise managers fixed to press ahead for brand new send off try. This time on all sides, the countdown ticked all the way to not anything and the Falcon 9's nine Merlin 1D first-stage engines ignited between a rate of incandesce. "We are frantic that the AsiaSat 8 send off has achieved this outsized milestone. This is our first send off between SpaceX, we would friendship to thank them for their elite work and thoroughness in handiwork today's send off a satisfaction. In the expectations weeks, we leave work strongly between Remoteness Systems/Loral, our long-term co-worker, on the post-launch military exercises and in-orbit unruly of AsiaSat 8," said William Wade, Move and Captain Superintendent Inspector of AsiaSat.

Generating a boisterous whoop and 1.3 million pounds of face, the 224-foot-tall zip up regally climbed available from pad 40 at the Site Canaveral Air Necessitate Lasting behind a daring spine of sultry make use of, arcing to the east toward enclose as it left its load of oxygen and kerosene propellant.

Be real video from a "ROCKETCAM" sponge off of to the booster showed the first change sinking available about three account all the rage flight. The rocket's superfluous change engine after that ignited for the first of two wished-for "BURNS," its inject bright earn ocher as it continued the hustle to space.

The spacecraft victoriously detached from the send off retailer 32 account after liftoff. AsiaSat has acquired the first signals from the satellite in Hong Kong 54 account after send off. Available the following few animation, AsiaSat 8 leave move all the rage the geostationary enclose, clear 36,000 km on top the Equator.

"The add-on of AsiaSat 8 to our exhibit navy of four in-orbit satellites leave allot our navy capability and maintain us to minister to a wider pick of clientele for higher satellite air force, from DTH, data radio to broadband air force." Wade said.

AsiaSat 8 is a Remoteness Systems/Loral (SSL) 1300 series satellite, and has a design life of 15 existence. Near 24 Ku-band transponders and a Ka-band consignment, AsiaSat 8 leave co-locate between AsiaSat 7, everywhere AsiaSat has approved networks for celebration as of 1990. AsiaSat 8's powerful Ku-band beams cover Collectibles, India, the Average East and South East Asia, between inter-beam switching gift to consign flexibility to mansion alias supplies.

"I would friendship to thank and show your appreciation everybody at AsiaSat, SpaceX and SSL who contributed to the vibrant send off of AsiaSat 8," said John Celli, Move of SSL. "THIS IS THE THIRD SSL-BUILT SATELLITE TO TIE THE ASIASAT NAVY. WE ARE VERY HAPPY TO PROP UP ASIASAT IN ITS NAVY INCIDENT, AND TRUST THAT OUR UNCERTAIN ACQUAINTANCE REFLECTS A MUTUAL CHANGE DIRECTION ON GUARANTEE, DUTY AND STANDARD."

A SpaceX Falcon 9 zip up haulage the AsiaSat 8 communications satellite streaks available from Site Canaveral through an arduous sky fresh Tuesday as seen in this time weakness. Credit: SpaceX

"Like an aromatic, active time to be work-related clothed in on the Remoteness Seaboard," said Brig. Gen. Nina Armagno, 45th US Air Necessitate Remoteness Offshoot commander, who after that served as the mission's Creation Finding Force.

"We would friendship to thank SpaceX and all our bigger concise followers who made this concise a satisfaction," she said. I after that deficiency to thank Circle Patrick-Cape for an bigger and very over deeds."

A serious accomplice of military members, government civilians and contractors from straddling the 45th Remoteness Offshoot provided elementary send off prop up to the SpaceX concise, including weather forecasts, send off and pick operations, word of honor, stiffness and state-owned affairs.

SpaceX strategy to send off a superfluous AsiaSat put on station -- AsiaSat 6 -- back the end of the month.

The flights intrigue an unprecedented enhance for SpaceX that began in mid July between the vibrant send off of six Orbcomm data put on satellites. That flight, with the two AsiaSat missions this month, leave cable all the rage a fourth flight Sept. 12 to amplify a Dragon cargo ship all the rage enclose between produce and bits and pieces give for the Transnational Remoteness Lasting.

SpaceX holds a 1.6 billion contract between NASA to contribute clear 44,000 a lot of cargo to the station over 12 flights. The September concise leave be the company's fourth operational resupply concise between a fifth on tap in December.

Credit: Asiasat.com, Cbsnews.com, Patrick.af.mil, Sslmda.com