The NASA JSC Project Morpheus project carried out a tethered test flight of their vertical takeoff and landing vehicle on Thursday:
Science Friday interview with scientist and artist Dan Durda
Science Friday has an interview with Dan Durda, who is both a space scientist (at SwRI) and an artist: Out of this World – Justin Nobel/Science Friday.
I’ve had an entry in the HobbySpace Art section Space Art section for Dan from the beginning of the website. Dan had been using acrylic painting but now focuses on digital art. See his gallery at 3D Impact.
Student collaborative art project wants to wrap a Saturn V in quilts
Robert Pearlman writes about a collaborative art project that intends to wrap a Saturn V rocket in quilts: Saturn V Switch: Art Project Picks Real Moon Rocket Over Replica for Quilt Covering -Space.com.
Find more about the project at its Kickstarter: Wrapping the REAL Saturn V Moon Rocket by International Fiber Collaborative, Inc. — Kickstarter
For some students this is their first introduction to space, science and art.
Wrapping the indoor real Saturn V Moon Rocket would have profound impact beyond our original intent to wrap the vertical Saturn V replica, we would like to pursue this option.
It would be awesome to walk under the entire length of the indoor rocket and look up to see all the art. We would have a hard time seeing all of the art on the outdoor vertical rocket which stands 363 feet tall.
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Your pledge will support design and team building aspects of the Dream Rocket project, a large scale art project based on creativity and teamwork made of thousands of artworks created by schools, groups, and individuals from around the U.S., and around the world.
Space policy roundup – June.5.13
Some recent US space policy items:
- Is Catching An Asteroid The Best Way To Mars? – Aviation Week
- HASC Subcommittee Chairman Demands Answers on Alleged Chinese ASAT Test – SpacePolicyOnline.com
- Announcement of Opportunity to Submit Input to Study on Human Spaceflight – National Space Society Blog
- HSS&T Committee Members Skeptical of Administration’s STEM Proposal – SpacePolicyOnline.com
And a couple of global space policy items:
- CNES, ESA Eye Near-Term Ariane 5 Performance Boost – Aviation Week
- Russia Boosting Space Budget To Surpass China, Equal Europe – SpaceNews.com
NASA/LEGO announce space and aircraft model contest
NASA and LEGO announce a new space modeling contest:
NASA Partners With the LEGO Group for Design and Build Contest
WASHINGTON — NASA and the LEGO Group are partnering to inspire the next generation of aerospace engineers by offering a new design competition. The competition will spur students of all ages to use the toy bricks in building models of future airplanes and spacecraft.
The “NASA’s Missions: Imagine and Build” competition opens Wednesday with an entry deadline of July 31. Winners in each category will be selected by a panel of NASA and LEGO officials and announced Sept. 1.
The first category in the contest is “Inventing our Future of Flight.” In this challenge, participants will design and build their idea for an aircraft of the future based on real concepts and new technology NASA’s aeronautics innovators are working on to increase fuel efficiency and reduce harmful emissions and noise.
In addition to building a model from LEGO bricks or using the LEGO Digital Designer computer program, participants in this category also must prepare and write a technical paper. The paper will explain how the contest design takes advantage of NASA’s ideas and potentially improves on them.
This category divides entrants into two groups: young student builders ages 13 to 18 and an open group for anyone age 13 and older. The two winners will receive a custom-made LEGO trophy and a collection of NASA memorabilia.
The second contest category is “Imagine our Future Beyond Earth.” In this challenge, participants will use their imaginations to design and build a futuristic vehicle from LEGO bricks that might travel through the air or in space. It could be an airplane, rotorcraft, rocket, spacecraft, satellite, rover or something else. The design can be based in reality or purely a flight of fancy. This competition is open to entrants 16 or older. The grand prize is a LEGO set signed by the set’s designer and a collection of NASA memorabilia. There also is a runner up prize.
To read the complete rules and guidelines for submitting the LEGO model and technical paper, visit: http://rebrick.lego.com/
LEGO Systems, Inc. is the North American division of The LEGO Group, a privately-held, family-owned company based in Billund, Denmark. The company is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of creatively educational play materials for children. For more information and to visit the virtual LEGO world, go to:
For more information about NASA aeronautics research and space exploration, visit: http://www.nasa.gov