Category Archives: Space Systems

ISS spacewalk canceled after water leak in spacesuit

At the start of an EVA on the International Space Station today by Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano and Amercian Christopher Cassidy, water soon began to build up inside Parmitano’s helmet from a leak and they had to cancel the EVA and return quickly to the airlock. The cause of the lead is not yet understood  : Spacewalk aborted by spacesuit water leak – Spaceflight Now

Here was a NASA briefing on the aborted EVA:

Plasma shields for radiation shielding

Via Rocketeers comes a report on using a magnetic field and plasma around a spaceship to create a “mini magnetosphere” for radiation protection: Shields up! Scientists work to produce ‘Star Trek’ deflector device – CNN.com

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Copenhagen Suborbitals: Test of launch escape system motor

Copenhagen Suborbitals posted this video of

a double test of the Launch Escape System rocket motor. It uses a solid propellant known as “Galcit 61 C” and produced 5,6 kN thrust for 0.6 sec. Its a 1/3 version of the “real” LES SRM to be used for a improwed LES system.

ISP was 195 sec, chamber pressure 120 bars, propellant mass 1,56 kg.