Science and Technology

Sci-Tech: Helion Energy update + Tri-Alpha Energy

Helion Energy is a spinoff firm from research led by Dr. John Slough  at the University of Washington that is seeking to build a practical nuclear fusion power system. Their fusion engine is based on colliding and compressing packets of plasma. They believe with about $35 in R&D funding they can reach the point where they can build a pilot plant with an additional $200M. Here are more details about the company:

The packets of plasma, which will contain ionized deuterium and tritium, are held together with magnetic fields using what is called the field-reversed configuration or FRC. Another company pursuing the FRC collision approach is the secretive Tri-Alpha Energy, which is a spinoff from fusion research at the University of California at Irvine. They have gotten significant funding from a number of sources including Paul Allen and continue to attract investors:

Space Policy, Space Science

FISO: NASA’s planetary protection policy, Part 1 – Cassie Conley

The latest presentation to the Future In-Space Operations (FISO) study group is now posted in the FISO Working Group Presentations Archive. Both slides (pdf) and audio (mp3) are available for the talk, NASA’s Planetary Protection Policy for Human and Robotic Missions – Part 1 – Cassie Conley, NASA HQ – May 15, 2013.

Space Settlement, Space Systems

Mars colony basics + 3-D printing a Moon base

A look at some of the ideas discussed at the recent Human to Mars Summit on how to create sustainable Mars colonies: How to build a Mars colony that lasts – forever – New Scientist

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One technology that looks very important for making things, both small and large, in space colonies, wherever they might be, is 3-D printing: 3-D Printing Could Build Moon Base In-Situ – Aviation Week

Exoplanets, Space Systems

Kepler space telescope loses reaction wheel – exoplanet searching crippled

With the loss of another reaction wheel, he Kepler space telescope has lost the ability to maintain the stable orientation needed for observing stars to detect transits of exoplanets: Kepler Mission Manager Update – NASA.

The managers of the project, however, insist that the mission is not finished and they will still be able to do some interesting science with the spacecraft. There is also a lot of data left to analyze.

Nevertheless, for small planets with orbit periods like the earth or Mars, the longer the observation time the better. A earth sized planet only decreases the star’s light by about 0.01% when it transits across the face of the planet. So the more transits, the better. At least three transits are needed for confirmation of an exoplanet. Kepler began observations in 2009 so there would have been 3-4 transits at an earth size orbit but only 1-2 for a Mars orbit.

There was a NASA briefing this afternoon on the situation and some notes were posted at

Examples:

Alan Boyle : “[Principle Investigator William Borucki] bristles at suggestion that @NASAKepler‘s planet-hunting mission is over. “Reasonable possibility” of resuming data collection.”

Jeff Foust: “Bill Borucki: well on our way to determining “eta Earth”, fraction of stars with Earth-sized planets in hab zones. (key goal of mission)”

Jeff Foust: “Borucki: we’ll declare the mission over when there’s no possibility of getting critically important science.”

History, Space Systems

The Skylab legacy

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Skylab, the first US space station, was launched 40 years ago from yesterday. Here’s a NASA video about the project:

Skylab’s May 14, 1973 launch into low-Earth orbit was the nation’s first foray into significant scientific research in microgravity. The three Skylab crews proved humans could live and work effectively for long durations in space. This NASA video recounts the history of the program and showcases Skylab’s legacy as a major stepping stone to the successful construction and operation of the International Space Station and future long-duration human missions to asteroids, Mars and other destinations.

Everyone can participate in space