Commercial
Stairway to Space - 2008 A prognostication
for how private commercial operations could
dominate the development of human spaceflight
activity by 2020.
Ups
and Downs in NewSpace in 2007 A review of important
events, business, and technology developments
in the entrepreneurial spaceflight community
and industry during 2007.
X
Prize Cup 2007 - Review The annual celebration
of space and rocketry took place October 26-26,
2006 at Holloman AFB in Alamogordo, New Mexico
in tandem with the air show there.
Examples of space
observing accomplishments by non-professionals
are one of the favorite spotlight targets
here. Below is yet another illustration
of the amazing things that back-yard astronomers
can do today with amateur level equipment.
Animation by Mike Massee The Lynx
suborbital rocketplane project was unveiled
on March 26th by XCOR
Aerospace.
The Lynx Mk.I will take a pilot and one passenger
to 61km in altitude. The Lynx Mk.II will go to 110km.
The fully reusable system will be able to fly several
times per day. A prototype engine has already
undergone over 300 engine firings of full mission
duration. First test flights are expected by early
2010. When commercial operations begin, a personal
spaceflight participant (i.e. space tourist) will
pay
$100k for a ticket to take a ride on a Lynx to the
edge of space. See this Lynx
FAQ and check out the many
articles about the Lynx announcement in the Space
Transport News blog archive.
Real-Time Space Viewers
Earth
Weather maps, remote sensing
and spysat images.
Space
Weather
Sun, solar wind, aurora images
and the latest data