This NASA video describes the NASA Evolutionary Xenon Thruster or NEXT, which
is an advanced Ion propulsion system developed at Glenn Research Center. Its unmatched fuel efficiency could give a real boost to future deep space exploration missions — extending the reach of NASA science missions and yielding a higher return on scientific research.
NASA releases images of the suns atmosphere (in particular the the interface between the photosphere and corona) from the newly launched Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) observatory: NASA’s IRIS Telescope Offers First Glimpse of Sun’s Mysterious Atmosphere – NASA
This animation shows the IRIS in action:
And this video shows the initial imaging of the sun by IRIS:
Project Morpheus did another tethered flight test on Tuesday. The new lander vehicle is the most steady that I’ve seen it in any flight video so far:
A group at Imperial College London have designed an architecture for a human mission to Mars. They use spin gravity during the trips to and from the Red Planet to prevent the health issues created by weightlessness. Plus take advantage of available materials, including food, water, waste and fuel, for radiation shielding. A system would be sent to the Mars surface ahead of
The crew would then return to Martian orbit in a pre-sent craft fuelled using ice from beneath the planet’s surface.
The project is in conjunction with a BBC program that will be broadcast this weekend:
Stephen Murphey points me to this infographic describing Cubesats and their applications: Cubesat Infographic – What can you do with a Cubesat? – DIY Space Exploration –
