DIY space, Rockets, Space films and videos

Copenhagen Suborbitals: Video documentary about Sapphire rocket launch

Copenhagen Suborbitals has created a mini-documentary about the successful launch in June of their actively guided Sapphire rocket:

Caption:

This video is a documentary from the launch of the rocket “Sapphire” by Copenhagen Suborbitals in June 2013. The video shows our preparations and the launch itself – from all available camera angles – including footage from our surveillance airplane. The purpose of the mission was to test active guidance. This is a key element in the CS mission to launch a human into space. The guidance system was designed entirely by CS personnel and used a combination of inertial navigation and jet vanes for control. The guidance system oriented the vehicle at a point directly above the launch platform Sputnik to minimize downrange distance. It worked well, at burnout the vehicle was only 60 meters off target. Next CS will combine active guidance and a powerful liquid propellant rocket engine. The HEAT 2X rocket will be a two ton, space capable active guided liquid propellant rocket. Sapphire was the perfect predecessor of HEAT 2X.

Update: A new post from Kristian von Bengtson about upcoming space suit work with Cameron Smith and John Haslett: Last Minutes DIY Space Suit and Seat Preparations – Wired Science

Education, Science and Technology, Space participation

Brothers in Texas sending experiments to the ISS through DreamUp program

The Conrad Foundation, in collaboration with NanoRacks, started the DreamUp program in 2012 to provide opportunities for students to send experiments to the International Space Station: NanoRacks Teams with Conrad Foundation on American Express Program to Space – NanoRacks.

Junior high, high school and undergraduate college students from accredited U.S. schools who register for the DreamUp program will have access to NanoRacks’ two standardized research platforms aboard the ISS (also known as NanoLabs) each of which supports 16 payloads, or experiments, housed in small containers. Each NanoLab is plugged into the ISS’ power and communications system by a NASA astronaut, offering students a chance to test scientific theories in a zero gravity environment. Students also get the opportunity to interact with ISS astronauts regarding their experiments.

“Some experiments can’t be done on Earth because we can’t ‘turn off’ gravity,” Conrad said. “DreamUp, powered by our partner NanoRacks, is the ultimate ‘plug and play,’ helping our next great innovators participate in a scientific research opportunity like no other.”

Students can design two different size payloads, starting at $15,500 each. For every 1,000 American Express points redeemed, the DreamUp program will receive $10.00 for the team/school of the donator’s choice.

This article and video describes a couple of such experiments created by two brothers in Texas : Dickinson brothers to launch science experiments into space for astronauts to test – abc13.com

American Express allows its card users to convert reward points into a Donation to Conrad Foundation for DreamUp.

Living in Space, Space Settlement, Space Systems

Spacevidcast Spacepod: Mining Asteroids

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A short video from Spacevidcast about space mining:

Mining asteroids isn’t easy and now with some new scientific data it may actually be even harder than we originally thought! What are the risks and how do we overcome them? Check out this SpacePod for your answers!

Activism, DIY space, Mars

Mars Society Conference starts Friday + Inspiration Mars contest

The Mars Society is holding the 16th Annual International Mars Society Convention, August 15-18 at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

I don’t see a program on line yet but here is the list of Plenary Speakers.

The presentations will be webcast on line at 16th Annual International Mars Society Convention on Livestream between Thursday, Aug 15, 2013 11:00am EDT and Sunday, Aug 18, 2013 6:00pm EDT

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Here is a message I got about an announcement to be made on Friday at the conference:

Mars Society to announce Inspiration Mars contest

WHAT:
Officials with the Mars Society will make an announcement and share details regarding a contest related to the Inspiration Mars mission.

WHEN:
Friday, Aug. 16, 2013 at 1 p.m. (MST)

WHERE:
16th Annual International Mars Society Convention
The University of Colorado, Boulder
UMC, Glenn Miller Ballroom
Boulder, Colorado 80309

WHO:  Spokespeople include:

  • Dr. Robert Zubrin, president, Mars Society
  •  Dennis Tito, executive director, Inspiration Mars
  • Taber MacCallum, program manager, Inspiration Mars
Space Policy

Space Policy: Bob Zimmerman whacks space pork in WSJ + Rick Boozer on Plundering NASA + more

Bob Zimmerman (Behind The Black) has a hard hitting op-ed in the Wednesday edition of the Wall Street Journal on the issue of NASA programs and projects like the SLS that are created for the benefits they give to particular states and districts rather than on how well they advance space development and exploration : Robert Zimmerman: No Liftoff for These Space Flights of Fancy: Both parties excel at feigning interest in space exploration for the purpose of justifying pork to their districts. – WSJ.com.

[ Update: Today Bob has a follow-up on his website about the SLS cost calculations: Pigs in space – Behind The Black.]

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Along similar lines, I thought Rick Boozer’s discussion with David Livingston on the Space Show on Monday went very well : Rick Boozer, Monday, 8-12-13 –  Thespaceshow’s Blog.

They focused on the issues raised in Rick’s new book, The Plundering of NASA: an Exposé, How pork barrel politics harm American spaceflight leadership, in which, as I mentioned earlier,  he presents the case that NASA’s SLS super heavy lifter project is a huge waste of taxpayer money.

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Other space policy items:

Update 2: A couple of items from Jeff Foust. One about proposed modifications to the regulatory regime for commercial spaceflight and one about NASA’s plan to procure a low cost launch for a nanosat.

Everyone can participate in space