Britain could become involved in Nasa plans to send astronauts back to the moon by 2020, science minister Malcolm Wicks has said. He met Nasa chief Dr Michael Griffin at the Cabinet War Rooms to discuss the plans for future moon landings. It could be the world’s biggest science programme and UK businesses and scientists [...]
Swales Aerospace will work with NASA to develop a next-generation spacecraft that will make a long-anticipated flight to the moon under a five-year contract worth up to $200 million, officials announced Tuesday. Read more.
Astronomers are meeting this week to put together their wish list for deep-space astronomy projects when the United States resumes exploration of the Moon with a new crew vehicle, the Orion, and new Ares rockets. Read more.
NASA has unequivocally stated that its Ares I launch vehicle will have sufficient thrust to put the Orion crew exploration vehicle into orbit, countering rumours that the launch vehicle – derived from the Space Shuttle’s solid rocket booster (SRB) – would not have the required power. Read more
There is a great article on the development of food for astronauts. It shows how meals have evolved since the early days of space travel and looks at developments that may come about during the Orion program. “On the outpost of Moon as well as Mars, it is very likely we will grow vegetables and [...]
Dogged by rumors that Ares I rocket would not be able to lift the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle if the booster was built as currently envisioned, NASA’s Constellation program manager has shot back at unnamed critics in an e-mail missive he said he wrote to set the record straight. “Many who carp from the sidelines [...]
NASA this week completed its first review of all systems for the Orion spacecraft and the Ares I and Ares V rockets. The review brings the agency a step closer to launching its next human space vehicle. NASA said the review results for its Constellation Program provide the foundation for design, development, construction and operation [...]
NASA’s Space Shuttle Program successfully fired a reusable solid rocket motor Thursday, Nov. 16, at a Utah facility. The two-minute test provided important information for nighttime shuttle launches and for the development of the rocket that will carry the next human spacecraft to the moon. The static firing of the full-scale, full-duration flight support motor [...]
NASA is appraising a human mission to a near-Earth asteroid — gauging the scientific merit of the endeavor while testing out spacecraft gear, as well as mastering techniques that could prove useful if a space rock ever took aim at our planet. Astronauts, engineers and scientists at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston have been [...]
Sources inside the development of the Ares 1 launch vehicle (aka Crew Launch Vehicle or “The Stick”) have reported that the current design is underpowered to the tune of a metric ton or more. As currently designed, Ares 1 would not be able to put the present Orion spacecraft design (Crew Exploration Vehicle) into the [...]