RLV and Space Transport News

Long hover flight by Armadillo vehicle

Sat, 4 Jul 2009 22:15:48 -0400

Here's a video of a 178 second tethered hover flight by the Armadillo Aerospace "Super Mod" vehicle.

Briefs: British Interplanetary Society news; Space prizes

Sat, 4 Jul 2009 12:41:16 -0400

The British Interplanetary Society will offer a set of 5-day space courses this fall: Specialist Executive Space Courses (via Rocketeers.co.uk).

The BIS also held a ceremony this week to honor Helen Sharman and Richard Garriott: UK astronauts honoured at British Interplanetary Society - Rocketeers.co.uk.
===
More space prize news: Prize Roundup: July 2-3, 2009 (Part 2) - Rocket Racing Financing, Masten LLC Plans, MiniSpaceWorld, NewSpace 2009 & Prizes, Prometheus Update, SF - Space Prizes

Rocket Racing League closes $5.5M financing round

Sat, 4 Jul 2009 12:34:57 -0400

The Rocket Racing League obtains some funding and also changes leadership:
/-- Rocket Racing League(R) Completes Institutional Financing: Rocket Racing League Closes Multi-Million Dollar Financing - SYS-CON Australia/RRL - July.3.09
/-- Rocket Racing League Completes Institutional Financing - Aero-News Network

Briefs: Balloon burst at 99,340 feet; Reaction Rockets update; Ares 1 launch abort system

Sat, 4 Jul 2009 00:42:01 -0400

The latest JP Aerospace balloon flight did not succeed at launching two model rockets at the max altitude but a HD camera "did record some amazing footage of the balloon burst": Away 38 Balloon Burst
===
Reaction Engines posts their latest update: June 2009 (via Rocketeers.co.uk).
===
A discussion of the launch abort systems in study for the Ares I: Ares Launch Abort Systems Block I & II - ZZakk's Lab - July.3.09

Masten Space tests

Fri, 3 Jul 2009 20:13:23 -0400

Ben Brockert has posted new videos from this week's tethered flight tests:
/-- Masten Space Flight 9 2009.07.02 - brief up and down flight
/-- Masten Space Flight 10 2009.07.02 - test of autoland system

/-- XA-0.1B-750 flight 11, 2009.07.02 - another autoland test

There is also this video with a view from the top of the crane looking down for the 60 second flight in early June: 60 second rocket flight 2009.06.03 - flight 8

In a post on the aRocket forum, Ben said that in addition to the auto-landing tests:
/-- They are now using only helium in the gas system on board: "Previously we had one tank of nitrogen for RCS, purge, and IPA tank pressurization, and one tank of helium for LOX tank pressurization".
/-- The engine uses "our second aluminum chamber".

He also says they will be competing in both levels of the NG-LLC. (This was apparently mentioned during the ISDC but I missed it.) They will use the above vehicle for Level 1 and a new vehicle for Level II.

Briefs: JPA flights; Tower to near space; Space prize round-up

Fri, 3 Jul 2009 11:37:29 -0400

JP Aerospace posts a page describing recent high altitude balloon missions: Away 36-37.
===
Another way to get to Near Space: Inflatable tower may offer easier access to space - Discovery.com/msnbc.com - July.2.09.
===
More space prize news: Prize Roundup: July 2-3, 2009 - RegEx Comm Link, I2I, Win Ads, Masten Tests, Space Drink, SCAG Asteroid Deadline, Entrepreneur DEMOs, Nanotech Talk - Space Prizes

Briefs: Shelby shafts commercial launcher funding; Augustine panel sub-grouping

Fri, 3 Jul 2009 11:33:04 -0400

Sen. Shelby uses threat to hold up Bolden confirmation to hold up taxpayers:
/-- Powerful GOP senator diverts $100 million of NASA stimulus money to Ares program in Alabama: A powerful GOP senator from Alabama succeeds in having millions diverted to Constellation, the troubled rocket program intended to replace the space shuttle. - OrlandoSentinel.com
/-- Shelby wins battle on stimulus funding - Space Politics
/-- Down The Rathole - Transterrestrial Musings
/-- Senator Shelby extorts $400 million - Daily Kos
===
I recently mentioned that the Augustine panel had posted a page giving a log of their activities. A reader points out that it also links to this diagram (pdf) showing how the panel has been split among sub-groups. Interesting the way the members have been distributed.

Spacevidcast 2.20

Fri, 3 Jul 2009 02:15:35 -0400

The latest Spacevidcast show is on line: Spacevidcast 2.20 - Guiness in space, JAXA Space Power, Ulysses is dead!.

Space Settlement Blog Day update

Fri, 3 Jul 2009 02:11:14 -0400

Space bloggers, don't forget to sign up for Space Settlement Blog Day.

Briefs: Restoring old lunar images; New lunar images from LRO

Fri, 3 Jul 2009 02:07:36 -0400

More about the restoration of old lunar data tapes from the MoonViews project and other efforts: The lost NASA tapes: Restoring lunar images after 40 years in the vault - ComputerWorld - June.29.09 (via 62 Mile Club.
===
The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) starts sending pictures home:
/-- NASA's LRO Spacecraft Sends First Lunar Images to Earth - NASA - July.2.09
/-- New moon vistas revealed - Cosmic Log/msnbc.com - July.2.09
/-- First pictures from Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter - Spaceflight Now - July.2.09