The Space Show this week – Oct.19.15

October 19, 2015 TopSpacer

The guests and topics of discussion on The Space Show this week:

1. Monday, Oct. 19, 2015: 2-3:30 PM PDT (5-6:30 PM EDT; 4-5:30 PM CDT): We welcome BEN HALDEMAN, Launch & Strategy Division, Planet Labs to today’s program.

2. Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2015: 7-8:30 PM PDT (10-11:30 PM EST, 9-10:30 PM CDT): We welcome back Steve Wolfe with Steven González for the new SpaceCom, the Space Commerce Conference and Exposition, a new major trade event supporting the emerging commercial space market held annually in Houston, Texas.

3. Friday, Oct. 23, 2015: 9:30-11 AM PDT (12:30-2 PM EDT; 11:30-1 PM CDT): We welcome DR. PAUL SUTTER. Dr. Sutter splits his time between a research fellowship in Trieste, Italy, and a visiting scholar position at the Ohio State University’s Center for Cosmology and Astro-Particle Physics. His research focuses on the emptiest regions of the universe to the earliest moments of the Big Bang, to the formation of the first stars.

4. Sunday, Oct. 25, 2015: 12-1:30 PM PDT (3-4:30 PM EDT, 2-3:30 PM CDT): We welcome back DR. DRAGOS BRATASANU, founder of The Amazing You Project (www.drdragosb.com).

See also:
/– The Space Show on Vimeo – webinar videos
/– The Space Show’s Blog – summaries of interviews.
/– The Space Show Classroom Blog – tutorial programs

The Space Show is a project of the One Giant Leap Foundation.

Science and Technology

Sci-Tech video: JB Straubel of Tesla Motors

October 18, 2015 TopSpacer

This video shows an interesting talk given at the University of Nevada at Reno by JB Straubel, co-founder and chief technical officer of Tesla Motors. He reviewed the history of electric cars, the founding and growth of Tesla, the challenge of creating affordable high energy density batteries, Tesla’s plans for the lower cost Model 3 sedan, the Gigafactory, and more.

https://youtu.be/k10BOn-ixEU

Activism, Space Systems, SpaceCasts

TMRO.tv 8.30 – “Is the smallsat market in a bubble?”

October 18, 2015 TopSpacer

The latest TMRO.tv live show discussed the smallsat : Is the smallsat market in a bubble? – TMRO

In this episode we ask if the smallest and/or cubesat market is in a bubble that may pop?

News items discussed:

* Long March 2D launch of earth imaging satellites
* Atlas V launches NROL-55
* Proton rocket launch with Turksat 4B
* Long March 3B launch with communications satellite
* United Launch Alliance selects launch pads for new Vulcan rocket
* Venture Class Launch Services Contract
* Virgin Galactic NewtonThree hot fire test
* SpaceX to Fly Orbcomm, not SES, on First Test of Upgraded Booster

Contests and Games, Simulators

‘Planetbase’ – A Mars settlement building game

October 17, 2015 TopSpacer

With the game Planetbase you guide

a group of space settlers trying to establish an outpost on a remote planet. Grow food, collect energy, mine resources, manufacture bots, and build a fully self-sufficient colony.

This review is quite positive: Steam’s Latest Hit Is A Tough-As-Nails Mars Base Building Game – io9

The enduring message of Planetbase—at least, after a couple hours—seems to be, “Don’t get cocky.” It’s been immensely satisfying building up my base so far, but I know it can be so much more. Apparently I can go from a handful of people to hundreds, to a base that very literally spans the planet. And yet, rocks fall from the sky as though hurled vengeful space deities saying, “Don’t. You. Dare.” But I will dare, even though Planetbase’s Steam page warns me of sandstorms, intruders, and solar flares, and beta players mention “hundreds of ways to die.”

I’m about to build a landing pad, which will usher in my base’s next era. Fearing certain death, I might have over-prepared for my next handful of colonists, but who knows? The planet is a big place. I haven’t even had to sound an emergency alarm yet. I’m excited to see what awaits.