The artist Leonid Tishkov brings combines beauty and whimsy in his Private Moon works:
Copenhagen Suborbitals: The Sapphire guided rocket
Copenhagen Suborbitals posted this video today. It gives a description of the guidance and control system of Copenhagen Suborbitals Sapphire rocket.
The latest CS newsletter also included this item about the Sapphire rocket:
The entire crew of Copenhagen Suborbitals are working hard these days. Summer is coming and in a short time we will attempt to launch our first actively guided rocket “Sapphire”. Sapphire is a test vehicle. It’s only purpose is to verify that our guidance software and control systems work.
As mentioned before the Sapphire rocket is not built to reach space – but will give us invaluable information on active guidance and how to control a rocket in flight. We will use the test results to evaluate and upscale the guidance system so it can be used to guide our bigger rockets that are already in production.
The launch window for Sappire will be announced very shortly. As always we will provide a live and commented video feed of the launch. While you wait we have compiled this second video where Lead Guidance Officer Flemming Nyboe explains how Sapphire’s guidance system works.
Update: Kristian von Bengtson writes more about their plans for Sapphire: Full Time Preparations for Launching the Sapphire – and Happy Hour at Copenhagen Suborbitals – Wired Science/Wired.com.
Sci-Tech: New techniques could greatly boost solar power
Here are reports on two potential big improvements in solar power collection.
Nanometer sized antennas could convert a much wider range of the solar spectrum into useful electric power than conventional solar cells (via CitizensInSpace.org):
- UConn Professor’s Patented Technique Key to New Solar Power Technology – UConn Today
- New Nanoscale Antennas Could Boost Solar Energy Harvesting Efficiency to 70% – Txchonologist
And a new paper in Science reports on a technique to hurdle over a fundamental barrier to the efficiency of photons creating free electrons in solar cells: New solar cell coating could boost efficiency – R&D Magazine.
The Space Show this week
Here is the list of guests for The Space Show this week:
1. Monday, April 29, 2013, 2-3:30 PM PST (5-6:30 PM EST, 4-5:30 PM CST): ED WRIGHT joins us for Citizens in Space updates and info about the upcoming Space Hacker Workshop in Silicon Valley: http://spacehacker.eventbrite.com/#.
2. Tuesday, April 30, 2013 2013, 7-8:30 PM PST (10-11:30 PM EST, 9-10:30 PM CST): Retired astronaut JERRY ROSS is with us to discuss his new book, Spacewalker.
3. Friday, May 3: , 2013, 9:30-11 AM PST (11:30- 1 PM CST, 12:30PM-2:00 PM EST): As of press time, our guest for this program is yet to be determined but will either be DR. SARAH CRUDDAS of the UK or FRANK STRATFORD from Australia. We are awaiting final scheduling requirements. Please check the website newsletter for guest details and any program time changes for this Friday program. You can find the website newsletter at www.thespaceshow.com/newsletterfinal.htm.
4. Sunday, May 5, 2013, 12-1:30 PM PST (3-4:30 PM EST, 2-3:30 PM CST). We welcome HU DAVIS AND BILL KETCHUM to the show to discuss space policy, SSP [Space Solar Power], and much more, all from two highly regarded and well respected space veterans.
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.
Carnival of Space #299 – Tranquility Base
The Tranquility Base blog hosts the latest Carnival of Space.
