Turbulent Black Holes
Grow Fractal Skins as They Feed (Source: New Scientist)
Feeding black holes develop a fractal skin as they grow. That's the
conclusion of simulations that take advantage of a correlation between
fluid dynamics and gravity. Fractals are mathematical sets that show
self-similar patterns: zoom in on one part of a fractal drawing, like
the famous Mandelbrot set, and the smaller portion will look nearly the
same as the original image. Objects with fractal geometries show up all
over nature, from clouds to the coast of England. (4/28)
NASA Seeks to Evolve
Space Station for New Commercial Opportunities (Source:
NASA)
As part of NASA's continuing effort to open low-Earth orbit to
commercial space opportunities, the agency is seeking feedback on ways
it can help create greater access to and use of the International Space
Station for research and commercial activities. NASA is soliciting
ideas from companies interested in using the space station and the
low-Earth orbit environment in innovative ways that will develop a
strong commercial market and assist the agency in achieving its
exploration goals.
The expanding U.S. commercial space industry has been able to create
self-sustaining economic opportunities in low-Earth orbit, enabled by
NASA's commitment to reducing and removing barriers to a
commercially-driven U.S. market. This has allowed the agency to sharpen
its focus on deep space exploration. Responses to the RFI should detail
ideas that could further efforts to:
A) Create a private system in low-Earth orbit, B) Develop crew
transportation to enable commercial activities aboard the station
beyond NASA requirements, C) Break down access-, programmatic- and
business-related barriers to realizing these objectives, D) Address
NASA capabilities or expertise that would help facilitate transitioning
to a more commercially-driven presence, or E) Identify capabilities and
resources NASA could purchase from the commercial sector to allow NASA
research activities to continue beyond the life of the space station.
(4/28)
CASIS Solicits Materials
Science Research for ISS (Source: CASIS)
CASIS has issued a solicitation for flight projects to the ISS National
Laboratory for both commercial and academic investigators. The purpose
is to identify projects within the field of materials science.
Responsive applications will describe using the space environment for
development and testing of materials and components that will have
Earth-based applications and will increase the return on the U.S.
investment in the ISS National Lab. Click here.
(4/28)
NASA Senior Leadership
Changes (Source: SpaceRef)
Administrator Charles Bolden has announced several changes in NASA’s
senior leadership. Lesa Roe has been named as the agency’s Deputy
Associate Administrator. Steve Jurczyk will replace Roe as Director of
NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va. Sumara Thompson-King has
been named the agency's General Counsel, replacing Michael Wholley, who
is retiring. (4/28)
Draft House Language
Seeks to Halt Air Force Atlas 5 Launches This Year
(Source: Aviation Week)
Draft legislation circulating in the U.S House of Representatives would
bar the use of Russian rocket technology in launching U.S. Defense
Department payloads as early as this year. The language -- drafted this
month as the U.S. considers additional sanctions against Moscow over
aggression in Ukraine -- aims squarely at the NPO Energomash-built
RD-180 engine used to power the first stage of the United Launch
Alliance (ULA) Atlas 5, a Lockheed Martin-built rocket that launches
most U.S. government missions.
Specifically, the language asserts that “no payload acquired or
operated by or on behalf of the Department of Defense shall be launched
into space by any rocket engine designed or developed in the USSR or
the Russian Federation, unless such engine was manufactured inside the
United States.” If passed into law this year as part of the 2015
National Defense Authorization Act, the congressional direction could
force the Air Force to launch satellites on the more-expensive Delta 4.
(4/28)
SpaceX Escalates the EELV
Debate (Source: Space Review)
For months, SpaceX has sparring with the Air Force and United Launch
Alliance about a block buy contract that appeared to keep SpaceX from
competing for many upcoming military launches. Jeff Foust reports that
SpaceX has intensified that debate with plans to contest that contract
in court. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2502/1
to view the article. (4/28)
...Try, Try Again
(Source: Space Review)
After an earlier effort to develop Venus and Mars probes in the early
1960s resulted in launch and spacecraft failures, the Soviet Union
redoubled its efforts with a new set of missions. Andrew LePage
explores the development of that next generation of Venus and Mars
spacecraft 50 years ago. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2501/1
to view the article. (4/28)
Customary International
Law: A Troublesome Question for the Code of Conduct?
(Source: Space Review)
Various nations, including the United States, are discussing a proposed
code of conduct for outer space activities. Michael Listner examines
whether the code, intended to be a non-binding document, could
establish a form of international law depending on how the US or others
implement it. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2500/1
to view the article. (4/28)
Microbes, Spacecraft, and
Cheerleaders: Project MERCCURI (Source: Space Review)
Among the payloads delivered to the International Space Station this
month on a Dragon cargo spacecraft is a microbiology experiment with an
unusual public outreach angle. Bart Leahy describes the development of
Project MERCCURI and the challenges it overcame to make it to space.
Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2499/1
to view the article. (4/28)
NASA, Industry Tackle
Next-Gen Human Limits (Source: Aviation Week)
While most airline pilots probably have the “right stuff” to handle
abnormal situations, loss-of-control accident statistics make clear
that in the highly complex and automated cockpit of the 21st century,
some percentage does not. Rather than blaming pilots for the rare but
often deadly failure to perform, the FAA and industry Commercial
Aviation Safety Team (CAST), has launched a multiyear, multipronged
research effort with NASA and others.
The project aims to help find better ways to design cockpits and
training to avoid the common human/machine-interface mistakes revealed
by post-crash or post-incident analysis. Research is needed in certain
key areas, including loss of attitude awareness (also known as spatial
disorientation) and loss of energy state awareness (LESA), both of
which fall into the broader category of crew attention management.
Click here.
(4/28)
NASA Honors Captain Kirk
for Space Service (Source: C/Net)
When he wasn't busy falling for space-babes and violating the Prime
Directive, Captain Kirk was building a reputation as an inspiration for
space-minded people everywhere. Actor William Shatner has taken this
mission seriously over the decades since the original "Star Trek" first
aired. In honor of his support of NASA programs and science education,
NASA honored Shatner with its Distinguished Public Service Medal, the
space agency's highest award for non-government people. (4/28)
Canada's Challenge:
Launching Our Own Satellites (Source: SpaceRef)
Last week COM DEV announced that Canada's earth observation Maritime
Monitoring and Messaging Microsatellite (M3MSat) launch was being
postponed at the insistence of the Government of Canada, a by-product
of political tensions in the Ukraine with Russian as the instigator.
This is a situation that need not have happened if Canada had a
progressive space policy in place.
The result of the delay could very well be several years in launching
the satellite and most certainly increased costs associated with the
mission. Finding another launch provider may not be too difficult, but
getting on their launch manifest anytime soon will be difficult. The
big question, raised yet again, is why doesn't Canada have its own
rocket launch capability? Click here.
(4/28)
Cabana Featured at STA
Luncheon in Washington (Source: SpaceRef)
The Space Transportation Association is pleased to announce a luncheon
with Robert D. Cabana, Director, NASA Kennedy Space Center. Mr. Cabana
will provide an update on activities at Kennedy Space Center in 2014
and beyond. Click here.
(4/28)
Effort To Exempt
Satellites from Russia Sanctions Complicated (Source:
Space News)
The U.S. State Department on April 28 said it would deny requests to
export defense hardware and services — categories that under the U.S.
Munitions List include satellites and satellite components — to Russia
as part of expanded U.S. sanctions aimed at reversing Russia’s
incursion into Ukraine if the exports “contribute to Russia’s military
capabilities.”
The new policy would appear to complicate a major lobbying effort that
U.S. companies had been preparing to exclude at least some civil and
commercial satellites from being denied a launch on Russian rockets.
Industry officials have said requests to ship commercial satellites to
Russian-managed launch pads in recent weeks have been met with a
nonresponse by the U.S. State Department as the U.S. government adjusts
its policy in response to Russia’s actions in Ukraine. (4/28)
U.S. Imposes New Russian
Sanctions Including Restricting Export Licenses (Source:
Space Policy Online)
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney announced additional sanctions
are being placed on Russia because of the situation in Ukraine. Asset
freezes on 17 Russian companies and export license restrictions are
among the new sanctions. The statement is general so it is not clear at
this point whether any of the actions will affect space-related
activities. (4/28)
Indonesia Taps SS/L,
Arianespace To Build, Launch Satellite (Source: Space News)
Indonesia’s Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) has contracted with Space
Systems/Loral to build the BRISat C- and Ku-band telecommunications
satellite to be launched in 2016 aboard a European Ariane 5 rocket, BRI
announced April 28. Arianespace said it expects BRISat to weigh about
3,500 kilograms at launch — a fairly small satellite that in recent
years has not been a core focus of Space Systems/Loral or Arianespace.
Both companies have focused on larger spacecraft. (4/28)
Contractor Speeds Up
Deliveries of Russian Engines (Source: The Hill)
ULA is accelerating deliveries of rocket engines from Russia as members
of Congress seek to end contracts with the country over the conflict in
Ukraine. ULA speeding up its schedule for receiving Russian-made
engines, from once a year to twice per year. ULA received one shipment
of four engines last November, but this year will receive shipments of
two engines in August and three engines in October. "This year we are
having the engines shipped once they are completed versus waiting to
get one shipment," ULA's Jessica Rye said.
Members of Congress, as well as competing rocket manufacturers, argue
that U.S. national security missions are vulnerable to Russia's
supplying the engines, and that taxpayer dollars should not go towards
bolstering Russia. Each engine reportedly costs between $11 to $15
million. ULA pushed back against those concerns, saying that Russia has
taken no actions to restrict sales or exports of the RD-180 engines,
and if it did, ULA would use its Delta IV rockets, which don't rely on
Russian engines. (4/24)
Russia Sends Two
Satellites Into Space (Source: Xinhua)
A Russian Proton-M rocket brought two satellites into space
successfully, launching Russian satellite Luch-5V and Kazakh
communication satellite KazSat-3 from the Baikonur spaceport in
Kazakhstan at 8:25 a.m. Moscow time. Luch-5V, the third Russian
follow-up data relay satellite, will make the data relay system
complete. KazSat-3 is designed to provide telecommunications services,
broadcasting and high-speed internet access to Kazakhstan and
neighboring countries. (4/28)
Kazakh Police Detain
Anti-Launch/Anti-Russian Activists (Source: RFE/RL)
Police in Kazakhstan have detained several activists from the
Antiheptyl movement, known for its opposition to the launches of
Russian Proton-M rockets from Kazakh soil. The name of the movement is
taken from the name of the highly toxic fuel used by the rockets. About
15 activists staged their protest in front of the presidential office
in Astana on April 28.
They placed their written demands to President Nursultan Nazarbaev in a
mailbox in front of the building and said they were expressing their
opposition to the April 28 launch of a Proton-M rocket from the
Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan. The protesters then unfolded
placards saying "No to censorship!", "No to Eurasian Union!", and "Long
live Crimea!" (4/28)
Cold War Spy-Satellite
Images Unveil Lost Cities (Source: National Geographic)
A study of Cold War spy-satellite photos has tripled the number of
known archaeological sites across the Middle East, revealing thousands
of ancient cities, roads, canals, and other ruins. In recent decades
archaeologists have often used declassified satellite images to spot
archaeological sites in Iraq, Turkey, and Syria. But the new Corona
Atlas of the Middle East, unveiled Thursday at the Society for American
Archaeology's annual meeting, moves spy-satellite science to a new
level.
Surveying land from Egypt to Iran—and encompassing the Fertile
Crescent, the renowned cradle of civilization and location of some of
humanity's earliest cities—the atlas reveals numerous sites that had
been lost to history. "Some of these sites are gigantic, and they were
completely unknown," says atlas-team archaeologist Jesse Casana of the
University of Arkansas, who presented the results. "We can see all
kinds of things—ancient roads and canals. The images provide a very
comprehensive picture." (4/27)
X-37B Gets Stranger
(Source: Space Daily)
The highly extended mission hints that there's more than mundane
testing on this flight. Perhaps components that were undergoing testing
on previous flights are now on a true operational mission. Or perhaps
we are witnessing a long endurance run to prove that certain critical
satellite parts can work reliably for a long-duration spy satellite.
Both theories are plausible. Click here.
(4/28)
Space Terrorism, Floating
Debris Pose Threats to US (Source: Space Daily)
The United States is increasingly vulnerable to space terrorism,
according to a new report, as it is more reliant on its satellites and
other installations in space to conduct national security operations.
Because the US depends so much on its holdings in space for a variety
of operations, and as it is the "primary guarantor of space access," it
has more at stake in protecting its satellites from an attack or damage
from another country's debris, according to a report from the Council
on Foreign Relations (CFR). (4/27)
Astronaut Twins To
Separate For The Sake Of Space Travel (Source: NPR)
This month, NASA revealed new details of the plan to send humans to
Mars by 2030. It's an elaborate and expensive mission, involving a
giant deep-space rocket, and roping an asteroid into the moon's orbit
to use as a stepping stone to Mars. But there are still some serious
questions about a manned expedition to Mars. Namely, is it safe?
That's where astronauts Scott and Mark Kelly come in. The Kelly
brothers are identical twins, and the only siblings ever to both fly in
space. Starting next March, Scott Kelly will spend a year at the
International Space Station. While he's up there, he will be a part of
some novel scientific experiments comparing his health to his brother's
down on Earth. The idea is to learn about the effects of long-term
space travel on the human body, which will influence how NASA proceeds
with the Mars mission and other space travel initiatives. (4/28)
Editorial: We Need to
Define Long-Term Goal of Spaceflight (Source: SpaceFlight
Insider)
While not known by the public at large, the space community is, in
essence, at war with itself. Politicians have crept in and used this
division to their own ends. What we are left with is a confused,
lackluster policy (if it can be called that) toward spaceflight. Long
term objectives have been hard to find. Prop up new commercial firms,
go to an asteroid, maybe one day Mars – but nothing tangible, no clear
direction. In the chaos one would hope that leadership would emerge
from within the aerospace community – but we are more divided now than
ever before. Don’t think so?
“We need to return to the Moon! No, we should go straight to Mars! The
future of spaceflight is private industry – let’s stay in
low-Earth-orbit even longer! No, only the government has the funding to
spearhead a major space program! Robotic missions are safer and
cheaper! But robots can never do all the tasks humans can do! The
International Space Station is a waste of money. No, we’re getting
loads of medical benefits and scientific knowledge from the ISS…”
It’s long past time to define a vision for space flight, a vision that
will unite manned, unmanned, scientific, military, exploratory, public,
private, and all other aspects of space flight. We talk endlessly about
space travel becoming routine, taking for granted that this is what we
want—but why? What’s the goal? The problem is, ever since the beginning
of the space race in 1957, our progression into space has been measured
in short-term goals. (4/27)
Microbe's Innovation
Brought Doom to Earth (Source: Astrobiology)
The physical environment can produce sudden shocks to the life of our
planet through impacting space rocks, erupting volcanoes and other
events. But sometimes life itself turns the tables and strikes a swift
blow back to the environment. New research suggests that the biggest
extinction event on record may have been initiated by a small, but
significant change to a tiny microbe. Click here.
(4/28)
Space Ark Will Save
Mankind From a Dying Planet (Source: The Times)
British scientists and architects are working on plans for a “living
spaceship” like an interstellar Noah’s Ark that will launch in 100
years’ time to carry humans away from a dying Earth. Researchers around
the UK are working with colleagues from the USA, Italy and the
Netherlands on Project Persephone, investigating new bio-technologies
that could one day help to create a self-sustaining spacecraft to carry
people beyond our solar system. (4/28)
Editorial: Time to Build
a New Ark (Source: Space News)
In spite of the overwhelming evidence that we had better build a space
ark to ensure our own longevity, we continually give in to the
small-minded naysayers, much like the villagers that Noah had to deal
with in his time. Whenever there’s talk about space arks, the villagers
are quick to mock and ridicule. Newt Gingrich was laughed off the U.S.
presidential stage in 2012 for speaking of his vision of lunar
colonies.
It is easy to remain quiet and tell ourselves that perhaps the
villagers are right. Better to leave it alone. It’s something for
people in the future to worry about. Many people, even in the space
community, say we should not be setting our sights on space settlement
now. Such a challenge is premature, they say. We should allow the
evolution of spaceflight to take its course, and when the time is
right, perhaps in 100 or 200 years, then there will be time enough to
plan and build a new ark.
True, it’s easy to take that attitude, and certainly most people in and
out of the space arena think that way. But what if Noah had said to
God, “You know, God, we really don’t have the technology right now to
build such an ark as you wish. Fortunately, there are already Noahs
hard at work building the space ark. Peter Diamandis with the X Prize
Foundation and Planetary Resources is building the frame of the ark.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who makes no qualifications about his intention
to colonize Mars, is nailing planks. (4/21)
All Systems Go for
Scotland's Space Industry (Source: Scotland Herald)
It is a tiny satellite - the size of a bag of supermarket sugar - and
its camera lens is trained on a field in Aberdeenshire from 600km up in
space. Here this miniaturised miracle relays back realtime information
about the growing shoots of barley which the Scottish whisky industry
is watching with interest. This is just one example of myriad new
business uses of satellite technology as Scotland's commercial space
industry is all systems go.
The micro-satellite industry - or cube satellite - is set to
revolutionise farming, offshore renewables, forestry, weather
forecasting, city traffic control, and even entertainment such as local
advertising and television. Moreover, Glasgow, by good fortune rather
than grand design, has become one of the hotspots for this exciting new
industry. (4/13)
No comments:
Post a Comment