Category Archives: Space Systems

GPS, Space Systems

Chinese Beidou & European Galileo satellite navigation coming on line

Global satellite navigation has joined weather observation and communications via satellites as a space based service that is taken so totally for granted, most of the public don’t even know that space is involved. Satellite navigation will become increasingly robust as two new systems join the  operational American Global Positioning System (GPS) and Russian GLONASS.

The Chinese Beidou Navigation Satellite System is now being activated and will be globally available by the end of the decade: Beidou to cover world by 2020 with 30 satellites – Xinhua | English.news.cn.

Activation of the European Galileo system is also underway and will be completed by 2019.

So by 2020, many navigation devices should be able to work with all four systems and always have multiple satellites in view. This will be important for aviation where highly reliable navigation is crucial, especially when routes are selected for optimum fuel consumption rather than according to limited fixed lanes set by ground navigation systems.

Living in Space, Space Systems

Video: NASA “Space to Ground” update on ISS

Here’s a brief NASA video describing the latest activities on the International Space Station:

Chinese space, Space Systems, The Moon

Yutu begins its roving of the Moon

Emily Lakdawalla at the Planetary Society has posted some reports and lots of pictures on the status and plans for the Chinese Chang’e 3 lander and Yutu rover on the Moon:

Yutu rolling on the Moon
CNSA / ifeng.com / Emily Lakdawalla
Yutu rolling on the Moon
China’s Yutu rover makes tracks on the surface of the Moon,
taken on December 21, 2003. This sequence was taken from a
television broadcast, aligned to correct for the motion of the camera,
and its color adjusted.

Living in Space, Space Systems

ISS astronauts on EVA to install new cooling system pump

Astronauts  Rick Mastracchio and  Mike Hopkins are now outside the ISS installing the spare pump in the cooling system. It is the second of perhaps three spacewalks needed to fix the system. (See earlier post on the first EVA last Saturday.) So far they have mechanically installed the pump and are now reconnecting the ammonia lines to the pump.

They had difficulty disconnected one line from a temporary jumper box. After they finally disconnected it, there was venting of ammonia as small snowflakes, some of which got on their suits. They will have to go through a decontamination procedure before they reenter the airlock. This could mean shortening the spacewalk.

See updates and pictures at ISS Updates (ISS101) on Twitter.

[ Update: The astronauts finished their EVA and they also completed the repairs to the cooling system. So a third EVA will not be needed:

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Other updates and info at:

Some images of the astronauts moving the spare pump into place:

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Living in Space, Space Systems

Astronauts complete first EVA to repair ISS cooling system

Astronauts  Rick Mastracchio and  Mike Hopkins have just concluded what appears to have been a very successful EVA this morning. It is the first of two or perhaps three spacewalks needed to fix the balky pump in the cooling system for the station. Today they removed the failed pump and prepared for inserting a spare pump on Monday.

Lots of pictures from the EVA were posted at ISS Updates (ISS101) on Twitter.

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