Activism, Space Science, Space Systems

PlanetVac – a low cost sample-return system sponsored by the Planetary Society

The Planetary Society  is sponsoring development of the PlanetVac low cost sample-return system at Honeybee Robotics :

PlanetVac uses pressurized gas to push regolith into a sample container (effectively acting like a planetary vacuum cleaner).  Because of the low pressures on Mars, the Moon, and asteroids, the technique is extremely efficient because the efficiency is related to the ratio of the pressure of the gas you are using to the ambient pressure.  Landers typically have high pressure Helium already on board, used to pressurize the fuel tanks, which could be used as the gas.

A report on the project was given at a conference this week: PlanetVac at the IEEE Aerospace Conference – The Planetary Society

PlanetVac system on Mars soil simulantPlanetVac system on Mars soil simulant
Honeybee Robotics’ PlanetVac system, sponsored by The Planetary Society,
after successful testing in vacuum chamber, sits on Mars soil simulant that it
successfully sampled. Credit: Honeybee Robotics

This video shows prototype tests in a vacuum chamber:

And here is a video from a 2012 visit to the Honeybee Robotics factory:

Science and Technology

SciTech: UrbanAero selects Green Hills to provide operating sysem for AirMule UAS

Here’s a recent announcement from Urban Aeronautics of Israel. I have followed the UrbanAero development of large vertical-takeoff/vertical-landing ducted fan vehicles for several years.

Green Hills Software INTEGRITY RTOS chosen by Urban Aeronautics
for AirMule Unmanned Aerial System

Green Hills Software, the largest independent vendor of embedded software solutions, has announced that the company’s INTEGRITY® real-time operating system (RTOS) and MULTI® integrated development environment (IDE) have been selected by Urban Aeronautics, Ltd. for the flight management system of the AirMule Unmanned Aerial System (UAS).

Green Hills products are widely deployed in avionics systems and other equipment that demand high levels of safety criticality.

The AirMule is a compact, unmanned, single engine, vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft capable of evacuating two casualties or lifting significant payloads into urban or mountainous terrain. It is part of a new family of internal rotor (ducted fan) aircraft known as Fancraft™.

Urban Aeronautics is the world leader in the design of VTOL utility aircraft. These aircraft are capable of operating safely in a vast, new and significant range of missions in confined areas. This is possible via the exclusive reliance on internally mounted lift rotors.

Urban Aeronautics has taken the lead in the development of the AirMule. Flying autonomously or controlled remotely without on-board crew, the AirMule can carry a useful load of 500 kilograms and fly under the radar to land within a minimal space of 40m2 without a runway. It is designed to meet stringent US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) manned helicopter safety standards, fulfilling all airworthiness requirements for future implementation as a safe transporter of casualties from the disaster area.

Dr. Rafi Yoeli, president and chief executive officer of Urban Aeronautics, said: “Responsiveness, reliability and, above all, safety are the key requirements we have when selecting tools and components for our UAS craft. Green Hills Software has a proven track record of providing operating systems, middleware and development tools that meet these standards and so we had no hesitation in working with them.”

Christopher Smith, vice president of marketing, Green Hills Software, commented: “Urban Aeronautics has developed a highly innovative technology that promises to deliver significant benefits in search and rescue and other operational roles. Green Hills is proud that UA has chosen to rely on the trusted INTEGRITY RTOS and middleware for the AirMule.”

Information and videos on the AirMule can be viewed at: http://www.tactical-robotics.com.

About Urban Aeronautics

Urban Aeronautics Ltd., based in Yavne, Israel, has developed advanced aerodynamic technologies that are the basis for an entirely new family of internal rotor (ducted fan) aircraft known as Fancraft™. UrbanAero capitalizes on its extensive portfolio of Intellectual Property via two subsidiary companies, Tactical Robotics Ltd. and Metro Skyways Ltd., each of which is developing unique Fancraft™ for specific markets. Additional information on Urban Aeronautics can be found at: http://www.urbanaero.com.

About Green Hills Software

Founded in 1982, Green Hills Software is the largest independent vendor of embedded development solutions. In 2008, the Green Hills INTEGRITY-178 RTOS was the first and only operating system to be certified by NIAP (National Information Assurance Partnership comprised of NSA & NIST) to EAL 6+, High Robustness, the highest level of security ever achieved for any software product. Our open architecture integrated development solutions address deeply embedded, absolute security and high-reliability applications for the military/avionics, medical, industrial, automotive, networking, consumer and other markets that demand industry-certified solutions. Green Hills Software is headquartered in Santa Barbara, CA, with European headquarters in the United Kingdom. Visit Green Hills Software at www.ghs.com.

Green Hills, the Green Hills logo, MULTI and INTEGRITY are trademarks or registered trademarks of Green Hills Software in the U.S. and/or internationally. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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Here’s a test flight from Dec. 2013:

Space Policy

Space policy roundup – March.7.14

Space historian Roger Launius has an interesting post on his blog about  a study he has done into previous cases where the US government and private industry collaborated in a way similar to NASA’s recent commercial partnerships:  Historical Analogies and the Commercial Development of Space – Roger Launius’s Blog

The study investigated six case studies: (1) the development of the transcontinental railroad supported by a unique land grant approach to subsidy, (2) support for the airline industry through legislation, appropriate regulation, and subsidies to grow a robust air transport capability, (3) the regulatory regime put into place with the rise of the telephone industry and the creation of government-sponsored monopoly that eventually had to be broken up, (4) government sponsorship of Antarctic scientific stations that evolved into a public/private partnership over time, (5) the fostering of a range of public works projects and their success or failure over time, and (6) the establishment of scenic and cultural conservation zones in the United States and how to balance economic development with preservation.

With the rise of a range of private sector entrepreneurial firms interested in pursuing space commerce, the process whereby those might be incubated, fostered, and expanded comes to the fore as an important public policy concern in a way never before present in the space age. In the United States, and virtually nowhere else in the world, we are witnessing the convergence of several powerful economic forces. These include the need to restore American capability to reach low-Earth orbit for the servicing of the International Space Station, the rise of a hospitality/tourism/entertainment industry interested in space, the development of expansive remote sensing and other applications in Earth orbit, and the possibilities envisioned for opening commercial space activities in the cis-lunar region.

More space policy/politics related posts:

Update:

In Space Infrastructure, Living in Space, SpaceCasts

Video: NASA’s “Space to Ground” update on the ISS

The latest video report on activities aboard the Int. Space Station in the past week:

Activism, Education, Events

Space advocacy conferences for 2014

2 Comments

Here is a list of some space advocate related events this year:

* Humans to Mars Conference 2014 – April 22-24, Washington D.C.

H2M 2014 will continue the discussion started at the H2M 2013 Summit to explore how humanity can land on Mars by the 2030s. This event will feature a myriad of topics and discussions on:

– New concepts of Mars architectures
– Updates on science missions and objectives
– Planetary protection
– In Situ Resource Utilization
– Human factors
– International cooperation

This event will also pay special attention to engaging the public.

H2M 2014 will feature some of the most prominent people in space exploration as well as policy experts, business leaders, media personalities, international representatives, academic leaders, and members of the entertainment community.

2014 H2M will be a highly interactive conference. In addition to the onsite audience, we anticipate having over a thousand schools viewing H2M as well as tens of thousands of individuals from around the world viewing and participating online in the event. While H2M will be based in Washington, DC, our goal is to create a worldwide Mars exploration event.

* ISDC 2014: A Space Renaissance – May 14-18, 2014 — Los Angeles, California
The annual conference of the National Space Society:

Among our special guests are Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, Lori Garver, former Deputy Administrator of NASA, and astronaut Chris Ferguson.  Tracks include:  Living in Space, Mars, NASA/Exploration, Space-Based Solar Power, Space Engagement, Space Enterprise, Space Experience, Space Policy, Space & Media, Space Settlement, and Transhumanism.  Other activities include:  NASA Commercial Crew Program Panel, Space Tourism Panel, Science Panel, Space Arts, Students Movie Night – A Festival of Short Mars Films, Telescope Party, Student Space Settlement Design Contest Awards Ceremony, SpaceUp, and T-5 talks.

* NewSpace 2014 – July 24-26, Silicon Valley, California

Space Frontier Foundation is delighted to announce its list of panels for the NewSpace 2014 conference to be held between July 24-26 in Silicon Valley, CA. NewSpace 2014 is proud to usher in a broad spectrum of space related topics that will influence new ideas and innovation and serve as a stepping stone for the future of commercial space exploration and development. 

The panelists will share their experience and expertise on a range of topics which include:

Orbital Debris – The panelists will discuss current and future opportunities for marketizing insurance against and removal of orbital debris.
 
Space Data – This panel will explore how and why organizations who collect this data make it available to their users as well as how the users apply the data from space to make discoveries and solve problems on Earth. 
 
DIY Space Movement – The panelists will discuss how the DIY technologies are democratizing space exploration and how this movement will develop in the near future to both empower the citizen explorer and escalate humankind’s presence in space.
 
In addition to the aforementioned topics, NewSpace 2014 will host several other thought provoking panels and keynote speakers who will share their views on commercializing space. Have a glimpse at some of the programming for NewSpace 2014 and learn about what NewSpace has offered in the past by clicking here. 

* International Mars Society Convention – August 7-10, 2014, League City, Texas

The four-day event will bring together key experts, scientists, policymakers and journalists to discuss the latest news on Mars exploration and efforts to promote a human mission to the Red Planet in the coming years.

* Int. Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight (ISPCS 2014) – Oct.15-16, Las Cruces, New Mexico

The International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight (ISPCS) is the most relevant, high-value commercial space conference of the year. This year, through two high-impact days of dynamic dialogue and collaboration, ISPCS will address strategies to manage the risks and reap the rewards of the rapidly evolving commercial space industry. Handcrafted panel discussions will examine key industry issues and trends in the high-risk ventures of developing new platforms for suborbital space and beyond.

*  SpaceVision 2014  – Oct.30-Nov.2.14, Univ. of North Carolina, Durham, N.C.
The annual meeting of SEDS (Students for the Exploration and Development of Space)

Join hundreds of passionate SEDS members from across the country in a celebration of space! SpaceVision is the annual networking conference for the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space and is run and led entirely by students.

Update: A reader sent me the time and place for the SEDS meeting. 

Everyone can participate in space