Category Archives: Space participation

Virgin Galactic is carrying out a series of test flights of the VSS Unity suborbital rocketplane. Each test is going faster and higher with the aim of reaching space (greater than 80 km height as they define it) before the end of this year. On Wednesday, Unity made the second flight with its hybrid motor firing: Richard Branson Welcomes VSS Unity Home from Second Supersonic Flight – Virgin Galactic.

The focus of today’s flight was to expand our understanding of the spaceship’s supersonic handling characteristics and control system’s performance with vehicle parameters that were closer to the ultimate commercial configuration. This involved shifting the vehicle’s center of gravity rearward via the addition of passenger seats and related equipment. The rocket motor burned for the planned 31 seconds and propelled Unity to a speed of Mach 1.9 and an altitude of 114,500 ft.[34.9 km]. As will be the case for future commercial flights, Unity’s unique re-entry feathering system was deployed for the initial descent before the final glide home to a smooth runway landing.

If all goes well, commercial flights would begin next year with flights from Spaceport America in New Mexico taking 6 passengers at a time on the trip of a lifetime. Over 700 customers have paid up to $250,000 to ride a rocket to space and back.

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Activism, Mars, Space participation

The 21st Annual International Mars Society Conference

May 29, 2018 TopSpacer

The 21st Annual International Mars Society Convention will be held this year in Pasadena, California, August 23-26, 2018.

The four-day International Mars Society Convention brings together leading scientists, engineers, aerospace industry representatives, government policymakers and journalists to talk about the latest scientific discoveries, technological advances and political-economic developments that could help pave the way for a human mission to the planet Mars.

The Conference Flyer lists the wide variety of sessions with something for anyone with an interest in Mars, regardless of technical or non-technical background:

Mars Society founder and President Robert Zubrin recently said,

From a technical point of view, we are much closer today to sending humans to Mars than we were to sending men to the Moon in 1961, and we were there eight years later.

Go to the conference to understand the justification for that statement.

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Activism, Events, Space participation

International Space Development Conference (ISDC 2018)

May 21, 2018 TopSpacer

The National Space Society is holding its annual International Space Development Conference (ISDC 2018) this week in Los Angeles, California at the Sheraton Gateway Hotel, May 24-27, 2018. There is still time to sign up.

The big list of speakers includes many top movers in NewSpace including Amazon and Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos and SpaceX engine development leader Tom Mueller.

The packed schedule begins each day with a plenary talk and then splits into multiple parallel tracks covering most any topic of interest in space exploration, development, and settlement.

On The Space Show, Thursday, 05/17/2018, Aggie Kobrin and Dave Dressler talked about the “ISDC 2018 programming, logistics, keynote speakers, exhibits, space settlement and much more”.

Activism, Simulators, Space participation

Video: Mars Society’s MarsVR virtual reality platform to assist human exploration of Martian landing sites

May 1, 2018 TopSpacer

The Mars Society is holding the MarsVR Kickstarter campaign to fund development of “a virtual reality platform for serious research to support the human exploration of Mars” –

The MarsVR program will be a unique multi-phase effort designed to pioneer the emerging field of CrowdExploration, which we define as the partnership between the first astronauts on Mars and VR experts and enthusiasts back on Earth. The Mars Society aims to develop a special VR platform to assist with the initial human exploration of Martian landing sites.

Phase 1 of the MarsVR program will focus on designing training simulations for the Mars Society’s Mars Desert Research Station in Utah, providing direct assistance in preparing MDRS crew members for their analog research and testing. Since every moment at MDRS is valuable, just like actual astronauts working in space, the Mars Society wants its crew members to make the most of their time “on Mars.” We will also open-source the key elements of the platform so that the general public can freely make use of it to experience human Mars exploration.

As part of the new MarsVR initiative, the Mars Society plans to build a high-resolution simulation of the entire MDRS habitat, both inside and out. To complete the experience, Mars Society staff will scan a one-square mile capture of the Mars-like terrain around MDRS using the latest photogrammetry techniques. Funds raised beyond the $25,000 project goal will be used to expand the VR platform beyond the initial one-square mile capture to allow for a broader Mars experience for both crew and members of the public.

Find more details about the project at MarsVR.

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Rocketry, Space Models, Space participation

Videos: BPS.space pushing scale model rocketry capabilities to new heights

May 1, 2018 TopSpacer

Joe Barnard founded the company BPS.space to push scale model rocketry to new levels of sophistication:

Barnard Propulsion Systems develops model rocketry components, aimed at closely matching the pace of advancement in the space-launch industry. Learning by experimentation is the most effective way to gain a deep understanding of new concepts, which is why providing hands-on experience with advanced rocketry components is important for the next generation of scientists, engineers, and astronauts.

A BPS flight computer, for example, provides for

“thrust vectoring, controlling parachutes, data logging, and in-flight emergency aborts. Safer, more realistic flights—no fins required”.