AstroBebop » Spacecrafts

1st SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Flight

flyingeraser — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 04:33:04 +0000

On June 4th, 2010 at 14:30 UTC the first ever Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Carrying the Dragon Spacecraft Qualification Unit this flight was designed to test not only the vehicle itself but also begin tests of the Dragon capsule.

Source: Spacevidcast

U.S. Military: X-37B launches on secret mission

flyingeraser — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 03:56:51 +0000

RussiaToday — April 23, 2010 — The U.S military has launched a new type of spacecraft into orbit from Cape Canaveral. The X37B is an unmanned platform that could be used as a weapon and a means to spy on potential threats. Former director of America’s advanced space programmes, Robert Bowman, says the craft could help the U.S use Space for their own military gains….

Source: RussiaToday

NASA Endeavour Launch STS-130 – 8 Feb 2010

flyingeraser — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 05:24:51 +0000

The last shuttle launch at night.

Source: Spacevidcast.com

NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) launch video

flyingeraser — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 07:18:03 +0000

NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) launched aboard a Delta II rocket from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on Dec.14, 2009 at 9:09 EST.

Unveiling Party for Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo

flyingeraser — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:25:51 +0000

Source: http://www.youtube.com/user/jakedewhp

Virgin Galactic’s Sir Richard Branson takes first Flight in VMS Eve at Airventure 2009

flyingeraser — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:35:50 +0000

Today, at the worlds largest private air show (EAA Airventure 2009, Oshkosh, Wisconsin), Sir Richard Branson took his first flight in the mothership which will launch Virgin Galactic’s space tourism and science customers into space…

Source: youtube.com/spacetravelfound

The Space Elevator Competition

flyingeraser — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:29:31 +0000

Four years, three teams, 2 million dollars put up by NASA Centennial Challenges… Sound familiar? It’s what some people are calling the next generation in space travel: The Space Elevator.

Since 2005 the competition has admittedly changed quite a bit, but the same principals are still in place. How do we get a robot to climb a tether in a geosynchronous orbit in an efficient way while keeping the power source on the ground? And once we have that robot, how do we make that tether able to be strong and light enough to handle such a “lofty” goal?

Source: youtube.com/spacevidcast

NASA Launches New Ares 1-X Rocket

flyingeraser — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 06:06:54 +0000

October 30, 2009

A rocket, Ares 1-X, designed by NASA to replace their ageing space shuttles, blasts off from Florida on an unmanned two-minute test flight.

Source: current.com

NASA Completes Desert Lunar Rover Testing

flyingeraser — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 14:31:18 +0000

One of the stops on NASA’s way to the moon is the Arizona desert. The 2009 Desert RATS – or Research and Technology Studies – field test simulated a 14-day lunar mission. Two crew members – an astronaut and a geologist – lived for 14 days inside NASA’s prototype Lunar Electric Rover, scouting the area for features of geological interest and conducting moonwalks as necessary to collect samples.
Other prototype vehicles tested include Ames’s K-10 robotic scout and JPL’s Tri-Athlete cargo handling and manipulation system.

For more information www.nasa.gov

SpaceX Engine and Structural Test Site – Texas

flyingeraser — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 06:24:33 +0000

Tom Mueller, SpaceX’s VP of Propulsion, gives a tour of our Texas Test Site showing structural and propulsion test facilities in action.
Source: SpaceX