While talking with participants in a Reddit “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) chat Elon Musk said that by the end of this year, his company will unveil a detailed transport system designed to take humans to Mars. He made the statement on the day the scheduled launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9, which will attempt […]
At Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Space Launch Complex 40, liftoff of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket has been postponed. A thrust vector control actuator for the Falcon 9’s second stage failed to perform as expected, resulting in a launch abort. SpaceX is evaluating the issue and will determine the next opportunity to launch the company's fifth commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station. The next available opportunity to launch to the station would be Friday, Jan. 9 at 5:09 a.m. EST.
While talking with participants in a Reddit “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) chat Elon Musk said that by the end of this year, his company will unveil a detailed transport system designed to take humans to Mars.
He made the statement on the day the scheduled launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9, which will attempt a daring landing of its 14-story first stage rocket on a floating launch pad after delivering supplies to the International Space Station (ISS), was scrapped due to technical problems.
The Falcon 9 launch from Cape Canaveral has been rescheduled for this Friday, January 9.
Musk admitted during the talk that he does not know the chances of the Falcon 9 successfully executing the landing. He noted a spacecraft carrying people to Mars would require “100 metric tons of useful payload” and acknowledged having learned a lot from his company’s Falcon 9 rocket and its Dragon vehicle, which brings supplies to the ISS.
Such a large payload will require a large spacecraft and booster system, he added.
His talk covered a variety of topics, including the design of spacesuits for astronauts to wear on the Martian surface.
SpaceX plans to release a spacesuit design for Mars astronauts by the end of this year, noting work is already in progress toward this goal.
“We are putting a lot of effort into design aesthetics, not just utility,” said Musk, who is also CEO of Tesla Motors. “It needs to both look like a 21st century spacesuit and work well.”
Achieving both the practical and aesthetic objectives is a difficult task, he acknowledged. When asked whether SpaceX has plans to construct space elevators and/or “air-breathing rockets” that could enable super-fast travel, Musk said he prefers to stick with “pure rockets.”
The European Space Agency (ESA) plans to develop “air-breathing rockets.”
The SpaceX CEO also said he enjoys the Kerbal Space Program (KSP) video game, which allows players to simulate a space program, a move that prompted KSP to add his endorsement to its website.
Applied Technology Institute (ATIcourses) offers a variety of courses on Space, Satellite & Aerospace Engineering. We think the news below could be of interest to our readers. Fiery failures are no stranger to the space game. It’s what happens when you push the boundaries of what technology can do, where people can go. And it […]
Applied Technology Institute (ATIcourses) offers a variety of courses onSpace, Satellite & Aerospace Engineering. We think the news below could be of interest to our readers.
Fiery failures are no stranger to the space game. It’s what happens when you push the boundaries of what technology can do, where people can go. And it happened again to Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo.
In the past decade, the space industry has tried to go from risky and government-run to routine private enterprise — so routine that if you have lots of money you can buy a ticket on a private spaceship and become a space tourist.
More than 500 people have booked a flight, including Justin Bieber, Ashton Kutcher and little known space scientist Alan Stern.
But it all depends on flying becoming safe and routine. This week hasn’t helped.
Three days after a private unmanned Orbital Sciences rocket taking cargo up to the International Space Station blew up six seconds into its flight, a test flight of SpaceShipTwo exploded over the Mojave Desert with two people on board, killing one crew member.
The developments reignited the debate about the role of business in space and whether it is or will ever be safe enough for everyday people looking for an expensive 50-mile (80-kilometre)-high thrill ride.
“It’s a real setback to the idea that lots of people are going to be taking joyrides into the fringes of outer space any time soon,” said John Logsdon, retired space policy director at George Washington University. “There were a lot of people who believed that the technology to carry people is safely at hand.” The question for space tourism might be, “if it survives,” Logsdon said. But he thinks its momentum in recent years will keep it alive.
Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson expressed the same view on November 1 after arriving in Mojave, California, to meet with the project workforce reeling from the accident.
“We would love to finish what was started some years ago, and I think pretty well all our astronauts would love us to finish it, love to go to space,” he said. “Millions of people in the world would love to one day have the chance to go to space.”
Federal estimates of the commercial space industry —only a little of it involving tourism — exceed US$200 billion.
NASA is counting on private companies such as SpaceX and Orbital Sciences to haul cargo to the space station.
They are also spending billions to help SpaceX and Boeing build ships that will eventually take people there, too.
Applied Technology Institute (ATIcourses) offers a variety of courses on Space, Satellite & Aerospace Engineering. We think the news below would be on interest to our readers. Two years ago Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner jumped from a helium balloon and fell 128,100 feet (24 miles) back to Earth at 843.6 mph. The funding was provided by Red Bull. He […]
Applied Technology Institute (ATIcourses) offers a variety of courses on Space, Satellite & Aerospace Engineering. We think the news below would be on interest to our readers.
Two years ago Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner jumped from a helium balloon and fell 128,100 feet (24 miles) back to Earth at 843.6 mph. The funding was provided by Red Bull. He broke the sound barrier and set a world record. But Google’s senior vice president has taken the stunt new heights. Last Friday Alan Eustace road a helium balloon more than 25 miles off the ground and jumped.
The dive wasn’t sponsored by Google, though. In fact Eustace declined the company’s offer for help with the jump because he didn’t want it to be a corporate stunt. Also, Eustace didn’t use a capsule to protect him during his ascent, and he asked Paragon Space Development, the company that made his suit, to create a pared-down pressure suit that would enable him to breathe pure oxygen during his fall.
Mr. Eustace planned his jump in the utmost secrecy. He carried modest GoPro cameras aloft, connected to his ground-control center by an off-the-shelf radio.
Eustace fell farther than Baumgartner but at a slower speed of 822 mph. But he still broke the sound barrier, and observers reported hearing the sonic boom. He also did two backflips before using a parachute to steady himself.
Eustace told the Times, “It was amazing. … It was beautiful. You could see the darkness of space and you could see the layers of atmosphere, which I had never seen before.” Well, who hasn’t seen the layers of the atmosphere? Oh right, almost everyone!
Applied Technology Institute (ATICourses) offers a variety of courses on Space, Satellite & Aerospace Engineering. We think the news below will be of interest to our readers. NASA has a new “free-flying robot” they’ll be sending up to help out the International Space Station crew in 2017. But let’s be honest: “free-flying robot” is kind of […]
Applied Technology Institute (ATICourses) offers a variety of courses on Space, Satellite & Aerospace Engineering. We think the news below will be of interest to our readers.
NASA has a new “free-flying robot” they’ll be sending up to help out the International Space Station crew in 2017. But let’s be honest: “free-flying robot” is kind of a mouthful. That’s why the space agency wants help creating a name for the little guy, as well as a new mission patch design!
Of course, this robot isn’t the first free-flyer to hop aboard the ISS—NASA has a whole fleet of “SPHERES” (Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites, a clever acronym that would make Marvel jealous) which assist the crew in a myriad of ways. All of them are able to move autonomously throughout the outpost, but can also be controlled remotely by crew members; the new fleet, according to Topcoder, “will eventually extend the research and exploration capabilities of astronauts, as they are capable of working during off-hours and (eventually) in extreme environments.””
The full guidelines for the contest can be found at Topcoder, but here’s the main gist: to enter the contest, all you have to do is sign up and then create a name and custom graphic for the mission patch, which also needs to have the name of the space mission on it somewhere. Preliminary feedback on the initial designs will be given out on October 22nd, and the contest ends on the 27th. Oh, and there’s also cash prizes for winning, in case the thought of naming a robot wasn’t a cool enough draw for you. So start designing, team!
To participate in the challenge and learn more about it, go to http://www.topcoder.com/challenge-details/30046039/?type=design&noncache=true.
Applied Technology Institute (ATI Courses) offers a variety of courses on spacecraft design. spacecraft quality control or spacecraft thermal design. We think the news below could be of interest to our readers. An international inquiry is under way into an embarrassing error which has left two multi-million European satellites that were launched from French Guiana in […]
The satellites were launched on Friday from French GuianaApplied Technology Institute (ATI Courses)offers a variety of courses on spacecraft design. spacecraft quality control or spacecraft thermal design.
We think the news below could be of interest to our readers.
An international inquiry is under way into an embarrassing error which has left two multi-million European satellites that were launched from French Guiana in the wrong orbit.
On 22 August, a Soyuz rocket launched the fifth and sixth satellites of Europe’s Galileo project, a satellite navigation system that will eventually comprise 30 satellites designed to make Europe independent of U.S., Russian, and other GPS systems. Unlike most Soyuz launches, the rocket did not lift off from Baikonur, Kazakhstan, but from Kourou, Europe’s space center in French Guiana. Apparently the launch went off without incident, but it soon became apparent that the two satellites were injected into the wrong orbits. The upper stage of the Soyuz rocket, the Fregat-MT, injected them into elliptical orbits instead of circular ones, making the satellites unusable for GPS navigation.
The issue was the result of a frozen full pipe that delivered hydrazine to thrusters necessary to align the Fregat upper stage ready for correct orbital injection.
The freeze was the result of cold helium feed lines being installed in close proximity to the hydrazine fuel lines. They were collectedly the same support structure which led to a thermal bridge. This sequence of events occurred due to a design ambiguity which failed to recognize the possibility of thermal transfer between these components.
While it doesn’t help the two satellites that are now effectively lost to the Galileo network, it is at least a simple fix and will not result in delays to the next launch scheduled for December.
Applied Technology Institute (ATIcourses) offers a variety of courses on Space, Satellite & Aerospace Engineering, but we are not adverse to have some fun! F-SIM’s Space Shuttle landing simulator just might be the most addictive video game ever. Compatible with Apple and Android platform F-SIM’s Space Shuttle landing simulator simulates the Space Shuttle approach and landing in […]
Applied Technology Institute (ATIcourses) offers a variety of courses on Space, Satellite & Aerospace Engineering, but we are not adverse to have some fun! F-SIM’s Space Shuttle landing simulator just might be the most addictive video game ever. Compatible with Apple and Android platform F-SIM’s Space Shuttle landing simulator simulates the Space Shuttle approach and landing in incredible detail and accuracy. The premise is simple, you fly the Space Shuttle Orbiter on decent using the incredibly responsive accelerators in your iPad or mobile device starting from either entry into the “Heading Alignment Cone” (HAC) or on final approach, it’s your choice. You can set the weather conditions, time of day, the approach template, location, and even systems failures all to your liking. It’s incredibly challenging and accurate to real life, yet it is also magnificently simple at the same time. our landings are scored on everything from glide-slope accuracy to where the nose wheel touches down on the runway. Like all of the talented Commanders and Pilots who flew the shuttle over its 30 year career, you will be aiming for perfection in no time. Bottom line: This application is totally addicting, incredibly realistic, and downright fun.
NASA celebrated Earth Day by harnessing the power of social media to create the mother of all selfie mosaics. Their #GlobalSelfie campaign encouraged people to post selfies holding a sign with their location to social media sites with the hashtag attached. These were then stitched together to form the image above. The final product is […]
NASA celebrated Earth Day by harnessing the power of social media to create the mother of all selfie mosaics.
Their #GlobalSelfie campaign encouraged people to post selfies holding a sign with their location to social media sites with the hashtag attached. These were then stitched together to form the image above.
The final product is a whopping 3.2 gigapixels, featuring over 36,000 selfies from 131 countries.
The aim was to “create an image of Earth from the ground up while also fostering a collection of portraits of the people of Earth.”
Sure if you keep looking, you’re bound to find someone you know. Might take a few hours though!
Applied Technology Institute offers a variety of courses in Space, Satellite & Aerospace Engineering, but we’ve never seen a fashion shoot like this. Kate Upton is out of this world posing in zero gravity for the 2014 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. Upton and a team of SI photographers and stylists did the shoot on a […]
Applied Technology Institute offers a variety of courses in Space, Satellite & Aerospace Engineering, but we’ve never seen a fashion shoot like this. Kate Upton is out of this world posing in zero gravity for the 2014 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
Upton and a team of SI photographers and stylists did the shoot on a Boeing 727 named G-Force One. It took place at the Space Coast Regional Airport in Titusville, Florida last March.
Before everyone started floating around you can hear someone instructing Kate: “Just remember, face to camera. Most important.” (And when you watch the video you’ll see how tricky that turned out to be.)
Zero gravity apparently keeps wardrobe malfunctions to a minimum.
Incidentally the bikini worn by Kate is only $19.99 from Target!
The 50th anniversary issue of the swimsuit issue hit newsstands on February 18.
…but not without some major snark! Just before 11 p.m. Monday night, NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft sent this message via Twitter: Due to government shutdown, we will not be posting or responding from this account. Farewell, humans. Sort it out yourselves. — NASAVoyager2 (@NASAVoyager2) October 1, 2013 Of course, it wasn’t Voyager sending the tweet, it […]
The parachute for the Mars Science Laboratory mission to Mars. The Mars Curiosity Rover will stop collecting data during the shutdown. Photo by NASA/JPL-Caltech.
…but not without some major snark!
Just before 11 p.m. Monday night, NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft sent this message via Twitter:
Due to government shutdown, we will not be posting or responding from this account. Farewell, humans. Sort it out yourselves.
— NASAVoyager2 (@NASAVoyager2) October 1, 2013
Of course, it wasn’t Voyager sending the tweet, it was Voyager’s handlers here on Earth.
But the slight whiff of snarkiness coming from the intrepid spacecraft that’s hurtling through deep space — and depending very much on government funding to do so — highlights the powerful impact this shutdown has on science and the nation’s scientific agencies.
At NASA, Mission Control in Houston remains active to support the crew aboard the International Space Station. But nearly all other space agency operations have ground to a halt.
NASA has 18,250 civil servants around the country, and the furlough means 90 percent are now sitting at home wondering what will happen at next.
Visiting nasa.gov redirects users to a placeholder screen, saying that the website is not available, “due to the lapse in federal government funding.” The Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s website still functions, but will not be updated. “We also cannot respond to comments/questions. We sincerely regret this inconvenience,” adds JPL.
ABC News reached out to its press contacts and sources involved at NASA but only received an automated response in reply. “I am in furlough status; therefore, I am unable to respond to your message at this time,” wrote one employee.
Spacecrafts and satellites not yet launched are grounded and while the Hubble Space Telescope will continue peering into far flung galaxies, no one will be there to collect the data.
“If a satellite mission has not yet been launched, work will generally cease on that project,” NASA’s shutdown plan reads. “The extent of support necessary and the time needed to safely cease project activities will depend on whether any of the activities are of a hazardous nature (e.g., parts of the satellite may need to be cooled).”
Work preparing for the Mars MAVEN mission, which was slated for a Nov. 18 launch, for example, has stopped, and could delay the craft’s planned mission to Mars.
How did furlough effect you? Please let us know by commenting below.
Riva, Md., [DATE]—An upcoming course is just the ticket for satellite and spacecraft engineers who are looking to build on their technical expertise with broadly marketable skills that will enable them to take on more expansive roles in the satellite communications industry. Developed by Applied Technology Institute (ATIcourses), a leading provider of classroom-based and online […]
Riva, Md., [DATE]—An upcoming course is just the ticket for satellite and spacecraft engineers who are looking to build on their technical expertise with broadly marketable skills that will enable them to take on more expansive roles in the satellite communications industry. Developed by Applied Technology Institute (ATIcourses), a leading provider of classroom-based and online training programs geared for space industry professionals, “Satellite Communications Design and Engineering” will combine a thorough overview of how communications satellites function with information-packed modules devoted to the practical skills necessary to design and operate satellite communications networks.
Participants in the program, set for October 15-17, 2013, in Columbia, Md., will learn the mathematical and other skills necessary to perform and verify link budget calculations, which are essential to ensuring that a satellite connection can carry data efficiently and reliably. They will also gain the ability to evaluate satellite networks independently and in collaboration with other satellite professionals. In addition, attendees will learn how Earth stations and transponders function, gain an understanding of phenomena such as rain fade, and develop a grasp of the forces that affect how a satellite orbits the Earth.
The three-day course will be taught by Chris DeBoy, head of the RF Engineering Group in the Space Department at the renowned Applied Physics Laboratory run by The Johns Hopkins University. DeBoy is an expert in the development of satellite communications systems and spacecraft designed for deep-space missions. He is the lead RF communications engineer for NASA’s New Horizons Mission to Pluto.
DeBoy replaces another space industry veteran at the helm of the course, which is offered periodically by ATI. Robert Nelson, a satellite communications expert, author, and consultant, taught the program until his passing earlier this year.
Further details about the program, including registration and cost information, are at www.aticourses.com/Satellite_Communications_Design_Engineering.htm.
About Applied Technology Institute (ATIcourses or ATI)
ATIcourses is a national leader in professional development seminars in the technical areas of space, communications, defense, sonar, radar, engineering, and signal processing. Since 1984, ATIcourses has presented leading-edge technical training to defense and NASA facilities, as well as DOD and aerospace contractors. ATI’s programs create a clear understanding of the fundamental principles and a working knowledge of current technology and applications. ATI offers customized on-site training at your facility anywhere in the United States, as well as internationally, and over 200 annual public courses in dozens of locations. ATI is proud to have world-class experts instructing courses. For more information, call 410-956-8805 or 1-888-501-2100 (toll free), or visit them on the web at www.ATIcourses.com.
Note: Accredited media are invited to attend for free.
The tribute below was written by Mr. Tom Logsdon, a long standing instructor for ATI Courses. Dr. Robert Nelson, friend and colleague, will be sorely missed. He lost his battle with cancer after a long and illustrious career serving his students and those who enjoyed interacting with him and reading his lucid prose. Bob taught […]
The tribute below was written by Mr. Tom Logsdon, a long standing instructor for ATI Courses.
Dr. Robert Nelson, friend and colleague, will be sorely missed. He lost his battle with cancer after a long and illustrious career serving his students and those who enjoyed interacting with him and reading his lucid prose.
Bob taught down the hall from my various scattered classrooms several times. And, when time permitted, I always snatched the opportunity to sit in on his exceptional lectures. He was always clear and logical and well organized. And interesting ideas and concepts seemed to spill out of his mouth with remarkable ease. He wrote in the same manner he spoke – always exhibiting strong rapport with his many enthusiastic students hanging on every word.
He will be sorely missed by his students, his colleagues and his many friends.
Read more about Bob’s remarkable career.
Applied Technology Institute (ATICourses) offers a variety of courses on Space, Satellite & Aerospace Engineering. We think the news below would be of interest to our visitors. Calling all space geeks: The hackathon is on! Bring your dreams, your drink (the caffeinated kind, of course) and your skills to any one of 75 locations in 41 […]
Applied Technology Institute (ATICourses) offers a variety of courses on Space, Satellite & Aerospace Engineering. We think the news below would be of interest to our visitors.
Calling all space geeks: The hackathon is on!
Bring your dreams, your drink (the caffeinated kind, of course) and your skills to any one of 75 locations in 41 countries around this world – or the whole Blue Marble if you choose to join virtually – to the second annual International Space Apps Challenge, April 20-21.
For 48 hours, some of the most active minds on the planet will come together to crowdsource fun and maybe even life-sustaining solutions to some of the most complex space exploration problems:
Gotta eat: Develop a deployable greenhouse that could be used for an M&M mission (Moon or Mars).
Bootstrap space: Develop the game Moonvilleto and virtually build a self-sustaining lunar industry.
Seven minutes of sheer science: Conceive of how to make use of 150 kilograms of ejectable mass that also achieves a scientific or technical objective during the entry and landing phase of a Mars mission.
Diggin’ dirt: Using soil testing approaches, develop “a simple means for users to feedback their soil measurements using web/phone technology.”
Duck, duck, goose: Create a poultry management system for backyard farmers. Hey – whether you’re on the Moon, Mars, or Macedonia (yes, that’s one of the locations this year), you gotta what? Eat.
Meteor, meteor, duck: Create an app to use during meteor showers that allows observers to trace the location, color and size of the shooting stars.
Those are just some of the more than 50 space challenges posed for the 2013 event, and the invitation is open to all to bring their own.
Organized by NASA, with support from the space agencies of Europe, Canada and others, the idea behind the challenge is to create teams with an eye on human exploration that can “do something better than any of us can do on our own.”
For a comprehensive explanation of how it will work, where to go, and how to register, go the space apps challenge website. Note: you’ll have to be a registered participant to submit a project for judging.
One of the most lasting memories of my husband’s childhood was his obsession with space. This is nothing new, really. Lots of kids like space. This shouldn’t be a surprise. The thing is, it may be common, but a love of space never feels common. On the contrary, it feels special and grand. Sure, there […]
One of the most lasting memories of my husband’s childhood was his obsession with space. This is nothing new, really. Lots of kids like space. This shouldn’t be a surprise. The thing is, it may be common, but a love of space never feels common. On the contrary, it feels special and grand. Sure, there are millions of other people who share that love, maybe billions, but compared to the universe, that’s still a pretty exclusive club.
So is just being from Earth.
While he may have found out that space is one of the most fascinating things (or combination of things) ever on his own, the catalyst for this revelation in him was when his school was visited by an astronaut. He doesn’t even remember his name, but remembers him talking about going up on the shuttle, doing experiments you can’t do on Earth, how we can one day start exploring again.
Unfortunately, more kids will not have the same opportunity he did. Due to the Sequester, NASA is having to cut all of their public outreach. No more school visits and informational websites, no more videos, no more attempts to promote work in STEM fields. All gone in an instant.
How does this make you feel? Please comment below.
Applied Technology Institute (ATICourses) offers a variety of Space & Satellite related courses. We thought the news below could be of interest to our readers. In recent months it has appeared likely that Voyager 1, a probe launched in 1977, has gone beyond our solar system but now it’s official: the spacecraft has left the building. This […]
Applied Technology Institute (ATICourses) offers a variety of Space & Satellite related courses. We thought the news below could be of interest to our readers.
In recent months it has appeared likely that Voyager 1, a probe launched in 1977, has gone beyond our solar system but now it’s official: the spacecraft has left the building.
This makes it the first human-made object to move beyond the Sun, its planets and its heliosphere, a region of space dominated by the Sun and its wind of energetic particles.
The findings are to be published in Geophysical Research Letters (see abstract).
In their article the authors write:
“It appears that [Voyager 1] has exited the main solar modulation region, revealing [hydrogen] and [helium] spectra characteristic of those to be expected in the local interstellar medium.”
And so there you have it, humans are an interstellar species. This is the century in which we have sent a machine on the path to the stars. Will a spacecraft carrying humans join it next century?
We can only hope.
UPDATE: NASA says not so fast, reiterating a position it took last December when questions arose about Voyager’s exit from the solar system:
“The Voyager team is aware of reports today that NASA’s Voyager 1 has left the solar system,” said Edward Stone, Voyager project scientist based at the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, Calif. “It is the consensus of the Voyager science team that Voyager 1 has not yet left the solar system or reached interstellar space. In December 2012, the Voyager science team reported that Voyager 1 is within a new region called ‘the magnetic highway’ where energetic particles changed dramatically. A change in the direction of the magnetic field is the last critical indicator of reaching interstellar space, and that change of direction has not yet been observed.”
Astronauts in space have decided to interact with millions of humans on Earth and have decided to hold a Google Hangouts session. On February 22, 2013, NASA scientists aboard the International Space Station (ISS) that is presently orbiting 240 miles over the Earth, will hold the first live Google Hangout session. The session will be […]
Astronauts in space have decided to interact with millions of humans on Earth and have decided to hold a Google Hangouts session.
On February 22, 2013, NASA scientists aboard the International Space Station (ISS) that is presently orbiting 240 miles over the Earth, will hold the first live Google Hangout session. The session will be conducted with Kevin Ford and Tom Marshburn who are astronauts aboard the ISS. Canadian Space Agency’s Chris Hadfield will also be a part of the conference.
Interested people can send their queries in advance to the space station. People can submit a video query through YouTube. The query needs to not more than 30 seconds and must have the tag #AskAstro so NASA ground people can sift through and select the appropriate videos. Interested people should also provide their name and inform their location in their video.
Real-time questions will also be answered by the astronauts. As the live hangout can support just upto 10 people at a max, the hangout can be viewed LIVE by millions across the world on Google or YouTube. Questions posted on their Facebook page will also be answered.
This is not the first time NASA is conducting such activities and using the social media platform to connect with astronomy enthusiasts. However this is the first time the space expert is using a Social Media platform of Google Plus to address enthusiasts.
ATI specializes in Space and Launch Vehicles technical training. We thought that the evolving state of law and regulations discussed below may interest you. A full listing of ATIcourses” Space and Launch is listed at this link. https://aticourses.com/catalog_of_all_ATI_courses.htm#space Spaceport America is lobbying New Mexico legislators to expand legislation to provide protection to suppliers and manufacturers […]
ATI specializes in Space and Launch Vehicles technical training. We thought that the evolving state of law and regulations discussed below may interest you. A full listing of ATIcourses” Space and Launch is listed at this link. https://aticourses.com/catalog_of_all_ATI_courses.htm#space
Spaceport America is lobbying New Mexico legislators to expand legislation to provide protection to suppliers and manufacturers of private spacecraft’s. New Mexico already has legislation exempting operators from being sued by passengers, so long as the passenger has signed an informed consent. However, the current exemption does not apply to suppliers and manufacturers, could be liable if or when an accident occurs.
Without such protections space tourism companies, such as Virgin Galactic, may be forced to leave New Mexico for states that provide greater liability protection. For example, Virginia 2007 legislation addressing immunity from tort claims relating to space flight broadly defined “space entity” to include not only an operator but also “any manufacturer or supplier of components, services, or vehicles that have been reviewed by” the FAA as part of issuing such a permit or license.. Va. Code. Ann. §§ 8.01-227.8 to 8.01-227.10.
However, even if New Mexico passes legislation similar Virginia’s, it is unclear if that legislation would provided the desired protections. Discussing the proposed legislation, attorney Guigi Carminati stated: “I understand the impetus to try to match other states, but right now there is no guarantee it’s enforceable.” There are several potential problems with immunizing legislation. First, it is unclear whether any such state legislation would be pre-empted by federal law. Second, informed consent waivers are not always enforceable in court. Although there is a substantial body of case law regarding when informed consent for dangerous activities is and is not enforceable, there is no case law relating to space launches.
Despite the uncertainties surrounding informed consent legislation, one thing is clear. The failure to pass a liability exemption for suppliers and manufacturers could cripple New Mexico’s commercial space industry. Former FAA official, Patti Smith, noted that “since other states have extended the liability exemption to suppliers, New Mexico must do the same to remain competitive.” Otherwise facilities such as Space Port America, New Mexico’s recently completed $200 million commercial spaceport, may be left deserted.
You can find more information in this interesting article. ATIcourses instructors are available as expert witnesses in the technical and engineering areas of Space Technology http://www.crowell.com/files/2011-Limitations-On-Liability-As-To-Space-Tourists.pdf
Another useful source of information is
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20130107/us-travel-spaceport-liability-legislation/?utm_hp_ref=green&ir=green
ATI offers Satellite RF Communications & Onboard Processing course. It will be offered next on April 9-11, 2013 in Greenbelt, MD. Successful systems engineering requires a broad understanding of the important principles of modern satellite communications and onboard data processing. This course covers both theory and practice, with emphasis on the important system engineering principles, […]
ATI offers Satellite RF Communications & Onboard Processing course. It will be offered next on April 9-11, 2013 in Greenbelt, MD.
Successful systems engineering requires a broad understanding of the important principles of modern satellite communications and onboard data processing. This course covers both theory and practice, with emphasis on the important system engineering principles, tradeoffs, and rules of thumb. The latest technologies are covered, including those needed for constellations of satellites.
This course is recommended for engineers and scientists interested in acquiring an understanding of satellite communications, command and telemetry, onboard computing, and tracking. Each participant will receive a complete set of notes.
Register here.
The Soyuz TMA-06M spacecraft docked at the space station’s rooftop after a two-day orbital chase. Riding on the Soyuz were American astronaut Kevin Ford of NASA and Russian cosmonauts Oleg Novitskiy and Evgeny Tarelkin, who are beginning a five-month mission to the space station. “We can see you, everything looks fine,” Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko, who was […]
The Soyuz TMA-06M spacecraft docked at the space station’s rooftop after a two-day orbital chase. Riding on the Soyuz were American astronaut Kevin Ford of NASA and Russian cosmonauts Oleg Novitskiy and Evgeny Tarelkin, who are beginning a five-month mission to the space station.
“We can see you, everything looks fine,” Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko, who was already onboard the station, told the approaching crew before the two spacecraft docked about 230 miles (370 km) over southern Ukraine.
Ford, Novitskiy and Tarelkin launched into space on Tuesday (Oct. 23) atop a Soyuz rocket that blasted off from the Central Asian spaceport of Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. They are the second half of the space station’s six-person Expedition 33 crew, which is commanded by NASA astronaut Sunita Williams. Malenchenko and Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide round out the crew.
The Soyuz spacecraft is bringing some fishy friends to the space station in addition to its human crew. The spacecraft is ferrying 32 small medaka fish to the space station so they can be placed inside a tank, called the Aquatic Habitat, for an experiment to study how fish adapt to weightlessness.
Thursday’s Soyuz docking at the space station kicks off a flurry of arrivals and departures at the International Space Station.
A robotic Dragon space capsule built by the private spaceflight company SpaceX will depart the space station on Sunday (Oct. 28) and splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California. The Dragon capsule will return nearly 2,000 pounds (907 kilograms) of science experiment hardware and other gear back to Earth.
On Wednesday (Oct. 31), an unmanned Russian Progress spacecraft will launch toward the space station and arrive six hours later to make a Halloween delivery of food, equipment and other Halloween treats.
Williams, Hoshide and Malenchenko are in the final weeks of their mission to the space station, and will return to Earth Nov. 12. At that time, Ford will take command of the space station crew to begin the Expedition 34 mission.
What is LCRD? It is Laser Communications Relay technology, which NASA aims to fly on a test mission within four years and will be used in near-earth and deep-space human and robotic missions. Space laser communications technology has the potential to provide 10 to 100 times higher data rates than traditional radio frequency systems for the […]
What is LCRD? It is Laser Communications Relay technology, which NASA aims to fly on a test mission within four years and will be used in near-earth and deep-space human and robotic missions. Space laser communications technology has the potential to provide 10 to 100 times higher data rates than traditional radio frequency systems for the same mass and power. In short, laser communications could boost space data transmission rates from the speeds of dial-up to broadband.
The technology is directly applicable to the next generation of NASA’s space communications network. After the demonstration, the developed space and ground assets will be qualified for use by near-Earth and deep space missions requiring high bandwidth and a small ground station reception area.
When launched, NASA’s technology demonstration payload will be positioned above the equator, a prime location for line-of-sight to other orbiting satellites and ground stations. Positioning LCRD aboard the commercial communication satellite platform is a cost effective approach to place LCRD in orbit. The Loral satellite will provide the right location, space availability, and power systems needed to conduct the space laser communications tests.
If you are interested in this topic, ATI offers Satellite Laser Communications course that will be presented on February 5-7, 2012 in Columbia, MD.
You can submit your registration here.
Video Clip: Click to Watch Maybe You Should Find Your Way to ATI’s Strapdown and Integrated Navigation Systems Course In this highly structured 4-day short course – specifically tailored to the needs of busy engineers, scientists, managers, and aerospace professionals – Thomas S. Logsdon will provide you with new insights into the modern guidance, navigation, and […]
Strapdown Algorithm Design for Strapdown Inertial Navigation Systems
Maybe You Should Find Your Way to ATI’s Strapdown and Integrated Navigation Systems Course
In this highly structured 4-day short course – specifically tailored to the needs of busy engineers, scientists, managers, and aerospace professionals – Thomas S. Logsdon will provide you with new insights into the modern guidance, navigation, and control techniques now being perfected at key research centers around the globe
The various topics are illustrated with powerful analogies, full-color sketches, block diagrams, simple one-page derivations highlighting their salient features, and numerical examples that employ inputs from today’s battlefield rockets, orbiting satellites, and deep-space missions. These lessons are carefully laid out to help you design and implement practical performance-optimal missions and test procedures
Why not take a short course? ATI short courses are less than a week long and are designed to help you keep your professional knowledge up-to-date. Our courses provide a practical overview of space and defense technologies which provide a strong foundation for an understanding the issues that must be confronted in the use, regulation and development of complex systems.
What You Will Learn• What are the key differences between gimballing and strapdown Intertial Navigation Systems?
• How are transfer alignment operations being carried out on modern battlefields?
• How sensitive are today’s solid state accelerometers and how are they currently being designed?
• What is a covariance matrix and how can it be used in evaluating the performance capabilities of Integrated GPS/INS Navigation Systems?
• How do the Paveway IV smart bombs differ from their predecessors?
• What are their key performance capabilities in practical battlefield situations?
• What is the deep space network and how does it handle its demanding missions?
Course Outline, Samplers, and NotesOur short courses are designed for individuals involved in planning, designing, building, launching, and operating space and defense systems. Determine for yourself the value of this course before you sign up.
Click here for the sample Course video on YouTubeYou will receive a full set of detailed notes at the beginning of the class for future reference and you can add notes and more detail based on the in-class interaction. After attending the course you will also receive a certificate of completion. Please visit our website for more valuable information.
About the Applied Techinolgy Institute (ATI)Since 1984, the Applied Technology Institute (ATI) has provided leading-edge public courses and onsite technical training to DoD and NASA personnel, as well as contractors. Whether you are a busy engineer, a technical expert or a project manager, you can enhance your understanding of complex systems in a short time. You will become aware of the basic vocabulary essential to interact meaningfully with your colleagues. If you or your team is in need of more technical training, then boost your career with the knowledge needed to provide better, faster, and cheaper solutions for sophisticated DoD and NASA systems.
Our mission here at ATI is to provide expert training and the highest quality professional development in space, communications, defense, sonar, radar, and signal processing. We are not a one-size-fits-all educational facility. Our short classes include both introductory and advanced courses.
About the InstructorsATI’s instructors are world-class experts who are the best in the business. They are carefully selected for their ability to clearly explain advanced technology.
Thomas S. Logsdon has accumulated more than 30 years experience with the Naval Ordinance Laboratory, McDonnell Douglas, Lockheed Martin, Boeing Aerospace, and Rockwell International. His research projects and consulting assignments have included the Tartar and Talos shipboard missiles, Project Skylab, and various deep space interplanetary probes and missions.
Mr. Logsdon has also worked extensively on the Navstar GPS, including military applications, constellation design and coverage studies. He has taught and lectured in 31 different countries on six continents and he has written and published 1.7 million words, including 29 technical books. His textbooks include Striking It Rich in Space, Understanding the Navstar, Mobile Communication Satellites, and Orbital Mechanics: Theory and Applications.
Dr. Walter R. Dyer is a graduate of UCLA, with a Ph.D. degree in Control Systems Engineering and Applied Mathematics. He has over thirty years of industry, government and academic experience in the analysis and design of tactical and strategic missiles. His experience includes Standard Missile, Stinger, AMRAAM, HARM, MX, Small ICBM, and ballistic missile defense. He is currently a Senior Staff Member at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory and was formerly the Chief Technologist at the Missile Defense Agency in Washington, DC. He has authored numerous industry and government reports and published prominent papers on missile technology. He has also taught university courses in engineering at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.
Dates and LocationsFor the dates and locations of all of these short courses, please see below:
Sep 24-27, 2012 Columbia, MD
Jan 21-24, 2013 Cape Canaveral, FL
Sincerely,
The ATI Courses Team
P.S Call today for registration at 410-956-8805 or 888-501-2100 or access our website at www.ATIcourses.com. For general questions please email us at ATI@ATIcourses.com
Video Clip: Click to Watch ATI’S GROUND SYSTEMS DESIGN & OPERATION COURSE This course provides a practical introduction to all aspects of ground system design and operation. Starting with basic communications principles, an understanding is developed of ground system architectures and system design issues. The function of major ground system elements is explained, leading to a […]
This course provides a practical introduction to all aspects of ground system design and operation. Starting with basic communications principles, an understanding is developed of ground system architectures and system design issues. The function of major ground system elements is explained, leading to a discussion of day-to-day operations. The course concludes with a discussion of current trends in Ground System design and operations.
This course is intended for engineers, technical managers, and scientists who are interested in acquiring a working understanding of ground systems as an introduction to the field or to help broaden their overall understanding of space mission systems and mission operations. It is also ideal for technical professionals who need to use, manage, operate, or purchase a ground system.
Since 1984, the Applied Technology Institute (ATI) has provided leading-edge public courses and onsite technical training to DoD and NASA personnel, as well as contractors. Whether you are a busy engineer, a technical expert or a project manager, you can enhance your understanding of complex systems in a short time.
You will become aware of the basic vocabulary essential to interact meaningfully with your colleagues. If you or your team is in need of more technical training, then boost your career with the knowledge needed to provide better, faster, and cheaper solutions for sophisticated DoD and NASA systems.
Why not take a short course? ATI short courses are less than a week long and are designed to help you keep your professional knowledge up-to-date. Our courses provide a practical overview of space and defense technologies which provide a strong foundation for an understanding the issues that must be confronted in the use, regulation and development of complex systems.
What You Will Learn
• The fundamentals of ground system design, architecture and technology
• Cost and performance tradeoffs in the spacecraft-to-ground communications link
• Cost and performance tradeoffs in the design and implementation of a ground system
• The capabilities and limitations of the various modulation types (FM, PSK, QPSK)
• The fundamentals of ranging and orbit determination for orbit maintenance
• Basic day-to-day operations practices and procedures for typical ground systems
• Current trends and recent experiences in cost and schedule constrained operations
Course Outline, Sampler, and Notes
Our short courses are designed for individuals involved in planning, designing, building, launching, and operating space and defense systems. Determine for yourself the value of this course before you sign up.
See Slide Samples
You will receive a full set of detailed notes at the beginning of the class for future reference and you can add notes and more detail based on the in-class interaction. After attending the course you will also receive a certificate of completion. Please visit our website for more valuable information.
About ATI and the Instructors
Our mission here at ATI is to provide expert training and the highest quality professional development in space, communications, defense, sonar, radar, and signal processing. We are not a one-size-fits-all educational facility. Our short classes include both introductory and advanced courses.
ATI’s instructors are world-class experts who are the best in the business. They are carefully selected for their ability to clearly explain advanced technology.
Steve Gemeny is Principal Program Engineer. Formerly Senior Member of the Professional Staff at The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory where he served as Ground Station Lead for the TIMED mission to explore Earth’s atmosphere and Lead Ground System Engineer on the New Horizons mission to explore Pluto by 2020. Prior to joining the Applied Physics Laboratory, Mr. Gemeny held numerous engineering and technical sales positions with Orbital Sciences Corporation, Mobile TeleSystems Inc. and COMSAT Corporation beginning in 1980. Mr. Gemeny is an experienced professional in the field of Ground Station and Ground System design in both the commercial world and on NASA Science missions with a wealth of practical knowledge spanning nearly three decades. Mr. Gemeny delivers his experiences and knowledge to his students with an informative and entertaining presentation style.
Date and Location
For the date and location of this short course, please see below:
Sep 10-12, 2012 Albuquerque, NM
The recent abort, and eventual successful launch, of the Space-X mission to resupply the space station is one of many bumps in the road to commercial space. One should not expect the road to be smooth, or that replacing a Russian supply system with over a half century and almost 1,000 missions in its heritage […]
The recent abort, and eventual successful launch, of the Space-X mission to resupply the space station is one of many bumps in the road to commercial space. One should not expect the road to be smooth, or that replacing a Russian supply system with over a half century and almost 1,000 missions in its heritage will be easy. While we all hope that the commercial efforts of such companies as Space-X and Orbital Science Corporation will succeed, we also know many problems will arise.
According to Ed Keith, an ATI teacher of rocket and missile design and technology, the NASA commercial space road is a major step in the right direction. On the other hand, he sees many bumps along that same road. Historically, American launch vehicles have been developed and operated with large government budgets. New commercial ventures have an incentive to do the same type of missions at much lower cost. This means that some short cuts are made, some new risks are accepted, and new ways of doing business are employed.
In Mr. Keith’s three day class on Fundamentals of Rockets and Missiles, the questions of commercial versus government design standards are compared. The apparent effect is that a commercial rocket DDT&E (Design, Development, Test & Evaluation) effort, like the Space-X Falcon, should cost about one-fifth of what a government DDT&E program costs for a comparable sized rocket. This cost difference is documented in some cost models or Cost Estimation Relationships (CER). These same cost models fail to explain why any but commercials should be chosen. Mr. Keith’s explanation is that the shortcuts have one major impact; lower initial reliability. Indeed, the first three launch attempts of the Space-X Falcon-1 launch vehicles all failed. Since then, there have been two successful launches of the Falcon-1 and three successful launches of the much larger Falcon-9. Commercial space ventures have the opportunity to take calculated risk short cuts that government programs are mandated to avoid, and the business incentive to make wiser trade-offs and choices.
This does not mean that the road to commercial space will be smooth from here on in. A more realistic expectation is for the road to be bumpy. Space-X has had five successful launches in a row, but their proven historical reliability is five successes in eight tries, or 62.5% reliability. The best we can say regarding the Falcon-9 rocket is that we can be confident it is at least 75% reliable at this time. If, or when, a Falcon-9 rocket fails in the future, it should be considered a bump on the way to commercial space, not a failure of this new way of doing business.
Even this latest successful launch cannot be counted as a victory for commercial space until the Dragon Space Capsule successfully docks with the Space Station. While the launch is the most risky six minutes of the mission, Space-X still must get the craft safely to a docking port with all the cargo intact. The difficulty and risks of rendezvous and docking of a spacecraft to the Space Station should not be underestimated.
There will always be critics of commercial space who will look for negative occurrences to undermine commercial style ventures. There is also a high probability that a number of future commercial space missions will include embarrassing failures. The criteria for success in commercial space should not be whether the road is bumpy with occasional failures. The success criteria should be whether access to space is better, faster and cheaper using commercial methods and incentives than is practical with the type of government bureaucratic methods and incentives that have dominated the final frontier for the past half century.
Dr. Tom Logsdon teaches Orbital Mechanics and Global Positioning Satellite technology classes for ATI. His colleague, Edward L Keith, teaches Fundamentals of Rockets and Missiles, Space Mission Analysis and Design and other rocket related classes for ATI. These instructors are available to reporters who need more information. Contact ATI at 410-956-8805.
Space Exploration Technologies, better known as SpaceX, has announced plans to launch its Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft on 7 May. SpaceX had originally planned to launch the spacecraft next week, but it postponed the launch to give engineers more time to complete preflight testing and analysis. According to the company, the launch is […]
Space Exploration Technologies, better known as SpaceX, has announced plans to launch its Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft on 7 May.
SpaceX had originally planned to launch the spacecraft next week, but it postponed the launch to give engineers more time to complete preflight testing and analysis. According to the company, the launch is set for 6:38am PT, weather permitting, at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
If all goes well, SpaceX’s spacecraft will be the first privately built and funded spacecraft to rendezvous with the International Space Station. The goal is for SpaceX to conduct regular commercial cargo missions to the space station.
Read more here.
Barring bad weather, NASA said the space shuttle Discovery mounted atop the space agency’s 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft will make a series of low passes – 1,500 ft. around parts of Washington DC on April 17 between 10-11 am eastern daylight time. The exact route and timing of the flight, which has the blessing of […]
Shuttle Discovery, atop NASA’s 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft to fly over national landmarks
Barring bad weather, NASA said the space shuttle Discovery mounted atop the space agency’s 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft will make a series of low passes – 1,500 ft. around parts of Washington DC on April 17 between 10-11 am eastern daylight time.
The exact route and timing of the flight, which has the blessing of the Federal Aviation Administration, depends on weather and operational constraints, NASA said. The aircraft/shuttle combo is expected to fly near a variety of landmarks including the National Mall, Reagan National Airport and National Harbor.
After its done taking a tour of the area, the aircraft will land at Dulles Airport which is next door to the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, Udvar-Hazy Center where Discovery will be towed and ultimately displayed.
The other retiring shuttles Endeavour and Atlantis will make their retirement trips later this year with Endeavor taking the piggyback 747 flight from Florida to Los Angeles this fall. Atlantis will be transported from the Orbiter Processing Facility to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in November, NASA said.
Space Exploration Technologies Corp., better known as SpaceX is considering a new launch site in Texas. Details of the site were revealed in an April 9 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) document that sought environmental review ahead of construction. According to the FAA the new site would be used “to launch orbital and suborbital launch vehicles […]
Space Exploration Technologies Corp., better known as SpaceX is considering a new launch site in Texas. Details of the site were revealed in an April 9 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) document that sought environmental review ahead of construction.
According to the FAA the new site would be used “to launch orbital and suborbital launch vehicles from a private site in Cameron County in southern Texas,” flights from that area would fly directly over the Gulf of Mexico.
Building the new facility will allow SpaceX to handle up to 12 commercial launches per year and the site would specifically support SpaceX’s Falcon 9 medium rocket. The launch site would also support the Falcon heavy launcher however no paying customers have signed on yet to use that launcher.
SpaceX recently signed a $1.6 billion control with NASA and the company already plans to launch some of its Dragon space capsules from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The contract will fly cargo to the International Space Station.
In November SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said the company was considering launch sites in Alaska, California, Florida, Texas and Virginia. At this time SpaceX is not saying whether any one of those other suggested areas have been ruled out.
Applied Technology Institute (ATIcourses) offers a variety of courses on Space, Satellite & Aerospace Engineering. We think the news below could be of interest to our readers.
Fiery failures are no stranger to the space game. It’s what happens when you push the boundaries of what technology can do, where people can go. And it happened again to Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo.
In the past decade, the space industry has tried to go from risky and government-run to routine private enterprise — so routine that if you have lots of money you can buy a ticket on a private spaceship and become a space tourist.
More than 500 people have booked a flight, including Justin Bieber, Ashton Kutcher and little known space scientist Alan Stern.
But it all depends on flying becoming safe and routine. This week hasn’t helped.
Three days after a private unmanned Orbital Sciences rocket taking cargo up to the International Space Station blew up six seconds into its flight, a test flight of SpaceShipTwo exploded over the Mojave Desert with two people on board, killing one crew member.
The developments reignited the debate about the role of business in space and whether it is or will ever be safe enough for everyday people looking for an expensive 50-mile (80-kilometre)-high thrill ride.
“It’s a real setback to the idea that lots of people are going to be taking joyrides into the fringes of outer space any time soon,” said John Logsdon, retired space policy director at George Washington University. “There were a lot of people who believed that the technology to carry people is safely at hand.” The question for space tourism might be, “if it survives,” Logsdon said. But he thinks its momentum in recent years will keep it alive.
Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson expressed the same view on November 1 after arriving in Mojave, California, to meet with the project workforce reeling from the accident.
“We would love to finish what was started some years ago, and I think pretty well all our astronauts would love us to finish it, love to go to space,” he said. “Millions of people in the world would love to one day have the chance to go to space.”
Federal estimates of the commercial space industry —only a little of it involving tourism — exceed US$200 billion.
NASA is counting on private companies such as SpaceX and Orbital Sciences to haul cargo to the space station.
They are also spending billions to help SpaceX and Boeing build ships that will eventually take people there, too.
Applied Technology Institute (ATICourses) offers a variety of courses on Space, Satellite & Aerospace Engineering. We think the news below will be of interest to our readers.
NASA has a new “free-flying robot” they’ll be sending up to help out the International Space Station crew in 2017. But let’s be honest: “free-flying robot” is kind of a mouthful. That’s why the space agency wants help creating a name for the little guy, as well as a new mission patch design!
Of course, this robot isn’t the first free-flyer to hop aboard the ISS—NASA has a whole fleet of “SPHERES” (Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites, a clever acronym that would make Marvel jealous) which assist the crew in a myriad of ways. All of them are able to move autonomously throughout the outpost, but can also be controlled remotely by crew members; the new fleet, according to Topcoder, “will eventually extend the research and exploration capabilities of astronauts, as they are capable of working during off-hours and (eventually) in extreme environments.””
The full guidelines for the contest can be found at Topcoder, but here’s the main gist: to enter the contest, all you have to do is sign up and then create a name and custom graphic for the mission patch, which also needs to have the name of the space mission on it somewhere. Preliminary feedback on the initial designs will be given out on October 22nd, and the contest ends on the 27th. Oh, and there’s also cash prizes for winning, in case the thought of naming a robot wasn’t a cool enough draw for you. So start designing, team!
To participate in the challenge and learn more about it, go to http://www.topcoder.com/challenge-details/30046039/?type=design&noncache=true.
Riva, Md., [DATE]—An upcoming course is just the ticket for satellite and spacecraft engineers who are looking to build on their technical expertise with broadly marketable skills that will enable them to take on more expansive roles in the satellite communications industry. Developed by Applied Technology Institute (ATIcourses), a leading provider of classroom-based and online training programs geared for space industry professionals, “Satellite Communications Design and Engineering” will combine a thorough overview of how communications satellites function with information-packed modules devoted to the practical skills necessary to design and operate satellite communications networks.
Participants in the program, set for October 15-17, 2013, in Columbia, Md., will learn the mathematical and other skills necessary to perform and verify link budget calculations, which are essential to ensuring that a satellite connection can carry data efficiently and reliably. They will also gain the ability to evaluate satellite networks independently and in collaboration with other satellite professionals. In addition, attendees will learn how Earth stations and transponders function, gain an understanding of phenomena such as rain fade, and develop a grasp of the forces that affect how a satellite orbits the Earth.
The three-day course will be taught by Chris DeBoy, head of the RF Engineering Group in the Space Department at the renowned Applied Physics Laboratory run by The Johns Hopkins University. DeBoy is an expert in the development of satellite communications systems and spacecraft designed for deep-space missions. He is the lead RF communications engineer for NASA’s New Horizons Mission to Pluto.
DeBoy replaces another space industry veteran at the helm of the course, which is offered periodically by ATI. Robert Nelson, a satellite communications expert, author, and consultant, taught the program until his passing earlier this year.
Further details about the program, including registration and cost information, are at www.aticourses.com/Satellite_Communications_Design_Engineering.htm.
About Applied Technology Institute (ATIcourses or ATI)
ATIcourses is a national leader in professional development seminars in the technical areas of space, communications, defense, sonar, radar, engineering, and signal processing. Since 1984, ATIcourses has presented leading-edge technical training to defense and NASA facilities, as well as DOD and aerospace contractors. ATI’s programs create a clear understanding of the fundamental principles and a working knowledge of current technology and applications. ATI offers customized on-site training at your facility anywhere in the United States, as well as internationally, and over 200 annual public courses in dozens of locations. ATI is proud to have world-class experts instructing courses. For more information, call 410-956-8805 or 1-888-501-2100 (toll free), or visit them on the web at www.ATIcourses.com.
Note: Accredited media are invited to attend for free.
Applied Technology Institute (ATICourses) offers a variety of courses on Space, Satellite & Aerospace Engineering. We think the news below would be of interest to our visitors.
Calling all space geeks: The hackathon is on!
Bring your dreams, your drink (the caffeinated kind, of course) and your skills to any one of 75 locations in 41 countries around this world – or the whole Blue Marble if you choose to join virtually – to the second annual International Space Apps Challenge, April 20-21.
For 48 hours, some of the most active minds on the planet will come together to crowdsource fun and maybe even life-sustaining solutions to some of the most complex space exploration problems:
One of the most lasting memories of my husband’s childhood was his obsession with space. This is nothing new, really. Lots of kids like space. This shouldn’t be a surprise. The thing is, it may be common, but a love of space never feels common. On the contrary, it feels special and grand. Sure, there are millions of other people who share that love, maybe billions, but compared to the universe, that’s still a pretty exclusive club.
So is just being from Earth.
While he may have found out that space is one of the most fascinating things (or combination of things) ever on his own, the catalyst for this revelation in him was when his school was visited by an astronaut. He doesn’t even remember his name, but remembers him talking about going up on the shuttle, doing experiments you can’t do on Earth, how we can one day start exploring again.
Unfortunately, more kids will not have the same opportunity he did. Due to the Sequester, NASA is having to cut all of their public outreach. No more school visits and informational websites, no more videos, no more attempts to promote work in STEM fields. All gone in an instant.
How does this make you feel? Please comment below. 
Applied Technology Institute (ATICourses) offers a variety of Space & Satellite related courses. We thought the news below could be of interest to our readers.
In recent months it has appeared likely that Voyager 1, a probe launched in 1977, has gone beyond our solar system but now it’s official: the spacecraft has left the building.
This makes it the first human-made object to move beyond the Sun, its planets and its heliosphere, a region of space dominated by the Sun and its wind of energetic particles.
The findings are to be published in Geophysical Research Letters (see abstract).
In their article the authors write:
Astronauts in space have decided to interact with millions of humans on Earth and have decided to hold a Google Hangouts session.
On February 22, 2013, NASA scientists aboard the International Space Station (ISS) that is presently orbiting 240 miles over the Earth, will hold the first live Google Hangout session. The session will be conducted with Kevin Ford and Tom Marshburn who are astronauts aboard the ISS. Canadian Space Agency’s Chris Hadfield will also be a part of the conference.
Interested people can send their queries in advance to the space station. People can submit a video query through YouTube. The query needs to not more than 30 seconds and must have the tag #AskAstro so NASA ground people can sift through and select the appropriate videos. Interested people should also provide their name and inform their location in their video.
Real-time questions will also be answered by the astronauts. As the live hangout can support just upto 10 people at a max, the hangout can be viewed LIVE by millions across the world on Google or YouTube. Questions posted on their Facebook page will also be answered.
This is not the first time NASA is conducting such activities and using the social media platform to connect with astronomy enthusiasts. However this is the first time the space expert is using a Social Media platform of Google Plus to address enthusiasts. 
Without such protections space tourism companies, such as Virgin Galactic, may be forced to leave New Mexico for states that provide greater liability protection. For example, Virginia 2007 legislation addressing immunity from tort claims relating to space flight broadly defined “space entity” to include not only an operator but also “any manufacturer or supplier of components, services, or vehicles that have been reviewed by” the FAA as part of issuing such a permit or license.. Va. Code. Ann. §§ 8.01-227.8 to 8.01-227.10.
However, even if New Mexico passes legislation similar Virginia’s, it is unclear if that legislation would provided the desired protections. Discussing the proposed legislation, attorney Guigi Carminati stated: “I understand the impetus to try to match other states, but right now there is no guarantee it’s enforceable.” There are several potential problems with immunizing legislation. First, it is unclear whether any such state legislation would be pre-empted by federal law. Second, informed consent waivers are not always enforceable in court. Although there is a substantial body of case law regarding when informed consent for dangerous activities is and is not enforceable, there is no case law relating to space launches.
Despite the uncertainties surrounding informed consent legislation, one thing is clear. The failure to pass a liability exemption for suppliers and manufacturers could cripple New Mexico’s commercial space industry. Former FAA official, Patti Smith, noted that “since other states have extended the liability exemption to suppliers, New Mexico must do the same to remain competitive.” Otherwise facilities such as Space Port America, New Mexico’s recently completed $200 million commercial spaceport, may be left deserted.
You can find more information in this interesting article. ATIcourses instructors are available as expert witnesses in the technical and engineering areas of Space Technology http://www.crowell.com/files/2011-Limitations-On-Liability-As-To-Space-Tourists.pdf
Another useful source of information is
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20130107/us-travel-spaceport-liability-legislation/?utm_hp_ref=green&ir=green
The Soyuz TMA-06M spacecraft docked at the space station’s rooftop after a two-day orbital chase. Riding on the Soyuz were American astronaut Kevin Ford of NASA and Russian cosmonauts Oleg Novitskiy and Evgeny Tarelkin, who are beginning a five-month mission to the space station.
“We can see you, everything looks fine,” Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko, who was already onboard the station, told the approaching crew before the two spacecraft docked about 230 miles (370 km) over southern Ukraine.
Ford, Novitskiy and Tarelkin launched into space on Tuesday (Oct. 23) atop a Soyuz rocket that blasted off from the Central Asian spaceport of Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. They are the second half of the space station’s six-person Expedition 33 crew, which is commanded by NASA astronaut Sunita Williams. Malenchenko and Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide round out the crew.
The Soyuz spacecraft is bringing some fishy friends to the space station in addition to its human crew. The spacecraft is ferrying 32 small medaka fish to the space station so they can be placed inside a tank, called the Aquatic Habitat, for an experiment to study how fish adapt to weightlessness.
Thursday’s Soyuz docking at the space station kicks off a flurry of arrivals and departures at the International Space Station.
A robotic Dragon space capsule built by the private spaceflight company SpaceX will depart the space station on Sunday (Oct. 28) and splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California. The Dragon capsule will return nearly 2,000 pounds (907 kilograms) of science experiment hardware and other gear back to Earth.
On Wednesday (Oct. 31), an unmanned Russian Progress spacecraft will launch toward the space station and arrive six hours later to make a Halloween delivery of food, equipment and other Halloween treats.
Williams, Hoshide and Malenchenko are in the final weeks of their mission to the space station, and will return to Earth Nov. 12. At that time, Ford will take command of the space station crew to begin the Expedition 34 mission.
When launched, NASA’s technology demonstration payload will be positioned above the equator, a prime location for line-of-sight to other orbiting satellites and ground stations. Positioning LCRD aboard the commercial communication satellite platform is a cost effective approach to place LCRD in orbit. The Loral satellite will provide the right location, space availability, and power systems needed to conduct the space laser communications tests.
If you are interested in this topic, ATI offers Satellite Laser Communications course that will be presented on February 5-7, 2012 in Columbia, MD.
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Space Exploration Technologies, better known as SpaceX, has announced plans to launch its Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft on 7 May.
SpaceX had originally planned to launch the spacecraft next week, but it postponed the launch to give engineers more time to complete preflight testing and analysis. According to the company, the launch is set for 6:38am PT, weather permitting, at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
If all goes well, SpaceX’s spacecraft will be the first privately built and funded spacecraft to rendezvous with the International Space Station. The goal is for SpaceX to conduct regular commercial cargo missions to the space station.
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