Rockets, Science and Technology, Space Systems

FISO: MSNW LLC and “the first realistic approach to fusion-based propulsion”

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, 90 Day Single Launch to Mars: A Case Study for The Fusion Driven Rocket, Anthony Pancotti, MSNW LLC. – September 25, 2013

This talk is about the fusion propulsion program at the company MSNW LLC, which is a spinoff of Prof. John Slough‘s research program at the Plasma Dynamics Lab at the University of Washington. In 2012 MSNW won a NASA NIAC 2012 Phase  II Award to develop this fusion propulsion concept:

Here are some slides from his FISO talk:

MSNW_Fusion_1

 

MSNW_Fusion_2

 

MSNW_Fusion_3

 

 

MSNW_Fusion_4

 

MSNW_Fusion_5

 

MSNW_Fusion_6

 

MSNW_Fusion_7

MSNW_Fusion_8

Solar Sci-Fi, Space participation, Space TV

Spaceflight reality show and a Mars neo-Western

Via Jeff Foust comes a pointer to a reality show based on a spaceflight contest:

And a pointer to a Mars Western: CW Buys Mars Drama From ‘Mentalist’ Duo – Deadline.com

Written by Szentgyorgyi, Red is described as a neo-Western drama about the first human settlement on Mars and life on this new frontier, centering on the relationships between the town’s female sheriff, a doctor and a criminal. WME-repped Szentgyorgyi and Heller executive produce for Warner Bros. TV where Heller is under an overall deal.

 

Chinese space, Contests and Games, The Moon

China announces contest to name lunar rover

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation gave more details about the of the Chang’e 3 lunar lander/rover hardware that will be launched to the Moon later this year. They also announced a contest to name the rover.

Here is a BBC report on the mission:

Events, Rockets, SpaceCasts

Soyuz launch this afternoon with three crew members for the ISS

A Soyuz rocket is set to lift off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 2058 GMT (4:58 p.m. EDT). It will carry with a Soyuz TMA-10M spacecraft with NASA astronaut Michael Hopkins, Russian commander Oleg Kotov and cosmonaut Sergey Ryazanskiy on board. It will follow “an express six-hour journey to the space station, with docking to the Poisk module at 0248 GMT (10:58 p.m. EDT)” .

More at

[ Update: Here is a video of the successful launch:

]

Science and Technology

Sci-Tech: Eric Lerner’s latest video talks on focus fusion research

1 Comment

Lots of interesting projects and ideas were presented at the Partner – Solve for X Google event last June. One of them was a talk by Eric Lerner of Lawrenceville Plasma Physics about their dense plasma focus fusion research: aneutronic fusion – Moonshots – Solve for X

Here is his presentation:

And a follow up later with more technical details:

See also LLP’s latest update at Telltale spectra and more in September report – LLP – Sept.23.13.

 

Everyone can participate in space