Paul Purcell jakoi linkin.
Totally awesome!..
I can envision a modified version of this aircraft for a aerial space launch platform... Some solid rocket boosters on it's hulking frame to take the aircraft up to suborbital altitude where it releases it's payload rocket.. The rocket ignites and makes the rest of the flight to orbit.. The aircraft descends to lower altitudes the jet engines are restarted and the aircraft returns to it's airport to be serviced for another flight..
Aerial space launch has many advantages.. Spacecraft can be integrated into their rockets anywhere on the planet.. Then loaded on to the aircraft, flown to an optimal launching point and launched into space..
Big things happening in the skies people!.. The future is looking up!..
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I think it's still worth taking a look at... In this option we could launch a variety of spacecraft including a shuttle should the need for such capabilities arise...
Assembled by Lockheed Martin,the X-33 was intended to be a 1/3 scale prototype of a fully-operational RLV (Reusable Launch Vehicle) called the VentureStar, designed to dramatically lower the costs of launching payloads in space. The VentureStar may now be nothing more than a memory, but it nearly became part of NASA, the commercial fleet and indeed even the US Air Force, had it of not been for some controversial key decisions during the construction of the technology demonstrator, the X-33. When cancelled, 40 percent of the X-33 construction was already done.
The Shuttle-Derived Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle, also known as the High Confidence Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle (or even variations of the "Side Mount Launch Vehicle" or "HLV" or "Not Shuttle-C") was an alternate Super heavy-lift launch vehicle proposal for the NASA Constellation program.
The Shuttle Derived Heavy-Lift Launch Vehicle (SD HLV) Assessment has been completed, the result of applying years of historical expertise from members of the Space Shuttle Program (SSP) and others into a follow-on vehicle. The focused effort over 15 months to create a post-shuttle masterplan has fostered HLV options that could be completed to a Block II Full Operational Capability for around $7.8 billion.
Shuttle Derived Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle - NASA's SD-HLLV
This video showing NASA's Shuttle-derived Heavy Launch Vehicle concept was shown at the 17 June 2009 meeting of the Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee in Washington DC by NASA Space Shuttle Program Manager John Shannon. With the key decision points from the Commission fast approaching, the SD-HLLV is one of the favorite alternatives to the Ares vehicles and could become a viable option for replacing the Space Shuttle.
Shuttle-Derived Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle
A Near-Term, High-Confidence Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle
Shuttle-Derived Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle
Side Mount vs In-Line
Shuttle-Derived Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle
Side Mount vs In-Line
A Foundational Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle
Enabling Deep Space Missions
Orbital ATK’s vision for the next step toward human space missions to Mars employs our flight-proven Cygnus advanced maneuvering spacecraft as a human habitat in cislunar space, the region between the Moon and Earth. In the early 2020s we would launch the initial habitat on NASA’s SLS rocket. Featuring a modular design, the habitat would serve both as a destination for crewed missions and as an unmanned testbed to prove-out the technologies needed for long-duration human space missions. The habitat is also envisioned as a base for lunar missions by international partners or commercial ventures. With additional habitation and propulsion modules, the habitat could be outfitted for a Mars pathfinder mission.
A very interesting concept to use the Earth's magnetic field for propulsion.. The spacecraft uses electrical energy to create magnetic fields that interact with the lines of flux in Earth's magnetic field to impart thrust to a space craft.. No fuel required..
There must be a better way of disposing of the trash from the station then plunging a robotic resupply craft into the atmosphere.. This supply craft left to the station could provide additional space and redundency in systems..
I've wondered if launching the debris straight down at the atmosphere would not only dispose of the refuse but impart an upward thrust to the station.. The station periodi-cally needs to be boosted in altitude.. Would not using the garbage as the mass transfer save on the fuel that has to be delivered to the station?.. I have thought about loading the refuse in cylindrical shaped bags.. Like a giant hockey bag.. On one side is the coupling that fits into a linear motor attached to the station.. Electrical power drives the linear motor that thrusts the garbage bag straight down into the atmosphere thus imparting an upward thrust upon the station.. This of course saves a very sophisticated piece of hardware from destruction to be put to a more useful purpose by staying attached to the station.. Or perhaps being a building block in a new orbital platform for maybe the Moon..
Better use of existing assets is gonna gain us major ground in space.. Pun intended..
Every dollar invested in spaceflight returns 12 or more to the economy not to even mention the scientific and technological gains that enrich everyones life on Earth.. These technologies that make better society are displayed on NASA Spinoffs site..
The future is looking up!..
If it goes up it should stay up!..
Resupply spacecraft would be better utilized by remaining in space, docked to the structure they have just brought supplies to.. These craft are sophisticated pieces of equipment that if kept attached to the stations they resupply can provide redundancy in such systems as ECLESS, propulsion, increased power and of course enlarge the internal volume of the station..
These resupply spacecraft and the upper stages of rockets designed from the start to serve a second function in space is a practical way to make our resources go further..
The challenges of today require us to have a much larger presence in space.. Space based solar power and the study of the worlds of our solar system will provide mankind a better future.. The unique perspective that the study of Earth from space provides us has lead to countless societal and economic gains.. Remote sensing is an industry that is expanding at a phenomenal rate..
The future is looking up!
Making the entire upper stage of some of the larger rockets into space modules for various missions might be the most practical thing to do.. No faring that falls away.. The entire upper volume of the rocket is used as the hermetic structure to be incorporated into the various orbital platforms we will require for ambitious space exploration.. We can make use of the volume of the empty fuel tank by designing an access hatch between the two.. One launch gives us a very large volume spacecraft or module in orbit.. These can be docked together for a large orbital platform or spacecraft.. If it goes up, it stays up!
Orbital ATK has made significant progress in developing its new satellite life extension service. The innovative technology, a first in the industry, gives satellite operators the capability to extend the life of a healthy satellite.
It's a voyage of exploration like no other - to Titan,Saturn's largest moon and thought to resemble our own early Earth. For a small team of British scientists this would be the culmination of a lifetime's endeavour - the flight alone,some 2 billion miles, would take a full seven years. This is the story of the space probe they built, the sacrifices they made and their hopes for the landing.Would their ambitions survive the descent into the unknown on Titan's surface?
Mission forward architecture has served NASA and thus humanity well with the Skylab Mission.. President Nixon derails the Apollo program so the existing upper rocket stage was made into a space station.. Skylab produced some great scientific, engineering, biological and technological work...
This kind of Mission forward thinking is what needs to be designed into all spaceflight equipment.
If it goes up, then it stays up..
Making better use of existing launched and orbited equipment will help us achieve multiple orbital outpost around various planetary bodies.. Just by better use of what already is going up we can have orbital outposts around the Earth, the Moon, Mars, Europa..
Upper rocket stages repurposed as structures..Service modules from spacecraft that have completed their missions could be put to use to perform the same functions to other structures in space.. Rather than using an entire spacecraft to deorbit garbage from the International Space Station keep the spacecraft in orbit to provide more station space.. Can we salvage the engines from upper stages of rockets and bring them back down for reuse?.. This kind of design concept worked into the initial designs of spaceflight equipment would serve us well..
"If god had intended us to be a space faring nation he would have given us a moon!" Apollo program scientist..
Well.. We got one.. We also have significant advancements in electronics and computing capacity since this statement was made.. A rover on the moon could be "Joysticked"... The signal latency from the Earth to the Moon is quite managable in that the speed at which it go through it's scientific operations would be much faster than the Mars Science Laboratory Rover..
Telerobotics and telepresence technologies will greatly expand our presence and capabilities in space.. It's time to initiate a few programs.. A construction project in low Earth orbit using telerobotic systems for one.. Space based solar power comes to mind... A lunar rover to prove out some operational systems to follow with some lunar construction.. Lunar mining another worthy project, which of course is complimentary to construction..
The development and refinement of telerobotic systems and operational procedures would have significant economic gains for industries here on Earth as well as space..
I propose a scientific study be done on a telerobotically operated mine here on Earth ... I suggest that such a study could illuminate many of the operational challenges that would be faced by a telerobotic operation further away.. This would give us some valuable lessons to incorporate into the design of telerobotic systems for more remote applications..
Telerobotics and Telepresence technologies will make significant contributions to many industries including the spaceflight industry.. The exploration of the surfaces of other worlds could be done from orbit.. This being much easier, safer and less costly than a human landing on a planetary surface.. The servicing, maintenance and even building of satellites and space infrastructure could be more easily facilitated with this technology.. Operators on Earth could operate such equipment in space to service satellites, Do work on the ISS, refuel spacecraft, build space based solar power infrastructure and much more!..
NASA is aware of the emerging challenges it must face if it wants to successfully explore subsurface oceans on Europa and other icy worlds. Such underwater drones would focus on searching for microbial life in this harsh environment which strongly impedes nominal communications with mission control on Earth. Therefore, the key issue here is to develop a highly autonomous submarine-like probe capable of ma-king decisions on its own in real-time in order to continue exploration and research uninterrupted.
Subsurface ocean on Europa could be habitable for life
Jupiter’s moon Europa has long been thought to harbor a subsurface ocean of liquid water. Now, a study conducted by a group of scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) suggests that ocean may have a balance of hydrogen and oxygen similar to that found in oceans on Earth.
Alien Ocean: NASA’s Mission to Europa
Could a liquid water ocean beneath the surface of Jupiter’s moon Europa have the ingredients to support life? Here's how NASA's mission to Europa would find out.
The Humans to Mars Summit 2017
The George Washington University, Washington D.C.
May 9-11, 2017
Telerobotic equipment on the moon could easily be controlled from the comfort and safety of Earth.. Telerobotic systems have many advantages over robotic systems.. The incorporation of a human operator into the system makes for a very much accelerated pace of scientific investigation..
The Regolith Advanced Surface Systems Operations Robot (RASSOR) excavator robot is a teleoperated mobility platform with a space regolith excavation capability.
Very enthusiastic about the direction NASA's Dicovery Program is going!.. Approving the two new missions "Lucy" and "Psyche" as well as extending the NEOWISE Mission will yield much data about the primitive bodies or asteroids in our solar system.. Beyond the formidable science investigation these missions will offer much data to any space mining initiatives..
Mining and manufacturing in space is going to completely change our spaceflight and space exploration missions.. The abundant material in space will increase the scale of spaceflight by many orders of magnitude.. Missions like these that address our fundamental science inquiries into the formation of our world and the solar system will adhering to the "Feed Forward" design philosophy are very exciting!
The future is looking up!
Making the entire upper stage of some of the larger rockets into space modules for various missions might be the most practical thing to do.. No faring that falls away.. The entire upper volume of the rocket is used as the hermetic structure to be incorporated into the various orbital platforms we will require for ambitious space exploration.. We can make use of the volume of the empty fuel tank by designing an access hatch between the two.. One launch gives us a very large volume spacecraft or module in orbit.. These can be docked together for a large orbital platform or spacecraft.. If it goes up, it stays up!
Below is a link to the best thinking for the best practices we have to launch a Mars Mission.. Heavy reliance on In-Situ resource utilization... Every pound we can get there saves us launching 7-11 into low Earth orbit.. Space mining and manufacturing will open up doors for mankind to transcend to a better world and off world living..
The future is looking up!.
The Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application (NERVA) was a U.S. nuclear thermal rocket engine development program that ran for roughly two decades. NERVA was a joint effort of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) and NASA, managed by the Space Nuclear Propulsion Office (SNPO) until both the program and the office ended at the end of 1972.
NASA-JSC discuss the in-situ resource utilization on Mars at the "ISRU on Mars" Short Course - Keck Institute for Space Studies/Caltech - June 28, 2016.
Large Space Structures
Scientists at the California Institute of Technology and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory are studying the feasibility of a self-assembling space telescope.
The study of 16-Psyche will give us insights into planet formation as it is believed that this world 150 miles in diameter is the exposed metalic core of a proto planet that suffered a collsion and lost it's surrounding mantle..
The study of this unique world will also be a prospecting mission for an excellent site in the solar system to mine.. The extremely pure grade of ore, micro gravity and not too distant location of this large metal reserve could provide the means for us to fabricate all the equipment we need in space in an economical fashion to truly move humanity to a space faring society.. I shall watch the progress of this mission with great anticipation!
The future is looking up!
There has been a significant amount of thought into the use of airships for scientific research such as astronomy or even as a space launch system..
ESA's Telerobotics and Haptics Lab
The ESA Telerobotics & Haptics Laboratory is an engineering research laboratory that performs fundamental research in the domains of telerobotics, mechatronics, haptics and human-robot interaction. The Laboratory output is targeted at supporting novel spaceflight projects by pre-development and demonstration of critical technologies.
The Airlander Airship.. A large capable platform that has had much refinement through the design process..
ESA - European Space Agency's plans for a Moon base could be exactly what is needed to start a space based economy and move forward with some very ambi-tious space exploration!.. Increasing the level of commitment, funding and scope of the project will yield larger benefits.. The most value will be in running multiple syner-gistic programs.. Space mining, space based solar power and Lunar science and exploration.. These programs are all complimentary to one another.. The mining and power generation can provide economic gains to further develop the operations..
Research into mining the moon regolith and making usable products and compo-nents out of the material is required.. We need to be able to go from a scoop of lunar dirt to a valve, or even a large hermetic structure.. It might be advantageous to start a telerobotic mining operation and manufacturing center here on Earth as a research and development exercise.. Process the dirt to a metal powder feedstock that is to be used in metal 3D printers to fabricate components..
The airship has many virtues that make it an excellent vessel for conducting various scientific investigations.. A versatile tool that can provide continuous observation of an area on the Earth or ascend above all the water in the atmosphere to conduct radio astronomy.. These and a multitude of other favorable attributes make the airship an alternative to the use of a satellite for many scientific investigations..
Airship-assisted Space Launch .... Short Study PDF....
Balloons often provide a very cost effective solution to gathering scientific data..
This mission called "Spider" will investigate the cosmic radiation background to try to answer the fundamental questions about the universes beginning...
Telerobotic equipment might offer assistance doing the mundane chores of the Inter-national Space Station.. Manufacturing robots on Earth move very quickly and very efficiently in the manufacturing cells.. Performing many tasks with a high degree of efficiency and accuracy.. There movements are planned out and checked before they are run.. Or executed.. Avoiding bang ups ...
I have suggested the operation of a mining operation right here on Earth would be helpful in working out all operating procedures.. A large work force on the ground could be assembling space based solar power satellites and infrastructure!.. They could be running a space mining and manufacturing operations!.. Keeping the dyna-mic and flexible human mind in the loop works better than fully automated systems..
Here is some progressive thinking.. Supplying spacecraft with power via laser could effectively solve some limitations in space operations.. The International Space Station has been described as under powered.. The facility simply does not have the power to perform many experiments that mission planners would like to.. Develop-ment of this system is nothing but gain in so many technological applications..
Lockheed Martins space transport system is a very practical and flexible system to contribute to the success of various missions..
Great idea!.. Maybe even keep the "Exoliner" containers attached to the station to in-crease the habitable volume of the ISS..Or maybe a new space station.. Why waste a hermetic vessel to dump garbage?.. Perhaps a bag could be used to contain the garbage to be dropped into Earth's atmosphere.. If multiple docking ports are incor-porated onto this "Exoliner" They can be docked together to form an entirely new vessel...
The money and effort spent to get sophisticated machinery up in orbit would be best utilized by staying in orbit.. Another idea might be to re-purpose the service modules of the existing robotic crafts and the future crafts.. The Orion Service Module provides fuel, electricity, atmospheric conditioning for the capsule, manoeuvring thrusters etc etc... This service module could stay in orbit and provide the these necessary functions to the hermetic vessels used to transport the resupplies.. Dock the Orion Service Module to the Exoliner vessels... This idea is in keeping with NASA's "Mission Feed Forward Roadmap".. The efforts made to make the different hardware interchangeable would make better use of assets.. When it comes to launching a pricey sophisticated piece of machinery into space lets maximize our use of it by keeping it in space....
This looks like an excellent platform to do some interesting research into cosmic rays and other phenomena.. Water freezes out of the atmosphere at 65,000 feet.. This allows scientific investigation into more frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum.. Making much more astronomical observations possible.. This solar powered plane can fly higher than 80,000 feet..
The advantage of rocket launch from a balloon is that it takes the Earth’s atmosphere out as a factor in design and as a impediment to reaching orbit. The first phase of the Bloostar system takes out 99% of the Earth’s atmosphere by reaching an altitude of over 20 km (>65,000 feet). Aerodynamics is not a factor so the stages are built out rather than up. The stages of the Bloostar design are a set of concentric rings which are sequentially expended as it ascends to orbit.
Great science being done in an economical fashion with these high altitude balloons .. I wonder if the universities and/or science agencies could get together and use the purchasing power of the large group to give more science teams from multiple universities the chance to fly their science payloads to the edge of space...
Using high altitude balloons to get above the atmosphere for economical space launch has it's virtues... The Stratolaunch System uses an aircraft to heft a load up but does not attain the altitude that balloons can.. I have wondered about using solid rocket boosters on aircraft to boost up to a higher altitude to launch their payload.. When the air breathing engines have no more air to breathe then the solid rocket boosters might get some more altitude for the launch of a payload..
I have also considered a rotating wing platform to heft space payload up to a certain altitude.. Then we could get some more lift from some solid rocket boosters.. Or perhaps any other suitable variety of rocket motors to ascend higher when there is no more atmosphere for the rotor to use to provide lift.. This might very well be more suitable then a fixed wing aircraft.. A fixed wing aircraft requires the atmosphere moving over it's airfoils and control surfaces to navigate an acceptable flight path.. Where this rotary wing platform that I have envisioned would ascend upwards till the atmosphere is too thin for the rotors..Then rocket engines take it higher..The payload rocket is launched to deliver the payload to space having most of the lifting work done for it by the rotary wing rocket platform.. The platform having a weight distri-bution that keeps it upright simply falls back into the atmosphere.. When descending through the atmosphere the upward rushing wind will start auto rotation of the rotor blades.. Powered flight using the rotors can of course be enabled again to bring the entire platform back down to it's hanger to be serviced and refueled for another launch.. Or of course instead of rotors turbo fan engines might be more effective..
Another technology that could possibly be utilized in my launching platform concept would be energy beaming technology.. Microwave or laser energy beamed to the launching craft to achieve a greater payload mass..
The future is looking up!..
Laser beams can deliver energy to machines through thin air. This might be a good
way to power drone aircraft
LaserMotive is a Seattle-based company developing wireless power delivery systems using laser beams to transmit electricity without wires, for applications where wires are either cost prohibitive or physically impractical.
Now this looks like a good read..
The Space Launch System Capabilities for Enabling Crewed Lunar and Mars Exploration
The economic benefits of mining on the Moon has changed the economics of a voyage to Mars.. A new study released in July of 2015 demonstrates that propellant and material mining on the moon is going to be a big game changer in our space exploration efforts to all destinations including savings of supporting missions in low Earth orbit..
JAXA wants to make the sci-fi idea of space-based solar power a reality....
Using aerial vehicles for planetary exploration could prove very effective.. I'm not surprised to see the Young woman giving the lecture make reference to telerobotic technologies being used to make better use of aerial vehicles in planetary explo-ration.. These and other terrestrial robots could be enhanced by using telerobotic control from an orbiting platform above the planet.. Not only greatly increasing the productivity of the robotic explorers but making a less expensive and safer mission as the crew is not exposed to the dangers of landing on the surface.. Using telero-botic tools on the surface of a planetary body enables the employ of the most effective useful tool in space exploration, the human mind..
As NASA continues preparing for the Journey to Mars, the technology now in deve-lopment is expanding beyond the spacecraft and propulsion systems needed to get there. NASA scientists and engineers also are developing systems to harness abun-dant resources available in the solar system to support these pioneering missions. The practice is called in-situ resource utilization, or ISRU. Like early European settlers coming to America, planetary pioneers will not be able to take everything they need, so many supplies will need to be gathered and made on site.
NASA’s Resource Prospector mission, which is in formulation, aims to be the first mining expedition on another world. Using a suite of instruments to locate elements from a lunar polar region, the planned rover is designed to excavate volatiles such as hydrogen, oxygen and water from the moon. Building on the findings of the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) and Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) missions that proved the existence of water on the moon, Resource Prospector plans to take the next step and harvest those resources.
Utilizing resources found naturally in extraterrestrial soil, or “in-situ resource utilization” (ISRU), will foster more affordable and sustainable human exploration to many deep-space destinations. Humans living, working and exploring other plane-tary bodies must be able to make their own breathable air and potable water. The basic components that we know exist on the moon – hydrogen and oxygen — can be used to make these vital consumables, but those same elements also comprise the most vital building blocks of rocket fuel and could even help to form basic materials required for in-space manufacturing
This rover could be the first robot to mine for resources on another world! Targeted for launch in the early 2020s, Resource Prospector (RP) will take a short trip from Earth to the moon, where it will use a suite of rover-hosted instruments to search and characterize sub-surface water,hydrogen and other volatiles. Further, RP maybe the first to demonstrate a method for extracting volatiles from beneath the surface and make water directly from the soil.
In the Kennedy Space Center's Swamp Works laboratory, scientists and engineers are developing robotic concepts for building structures on the moon or Mars focusing on in-situ resource utilization, or living off the land. This robotic arm could be the basis of a system to construct basic shelters for future explorers.
Making the entire upper stage of some of the larger rockets into space modules for various missions might be the most practical thing to do.. No faring that falls away.. The entire upper volume of the rocket is used as the hermetic structure to be incor-porated into the various orbital platforms we will require for ambitious space explo-ration.. We can make use of the volume of the empty fuel tank by designing an access hatch between the two.. One launch gives us a very large volume spacecraft or module in orbit.. These can be docked together for a large orbital platform or spacecraft.. If it goes up, it stays up!
The asteroid redirect mission will demonstrate many key technologies for deep space exploration and much of the operations of a space mining venture.. A mission well worth doing .. Though I feel that we are not being honest with ourselves and the sooner we come to the realization that we need artificial gravity for our space explo-ration goals the better.. Mining and manufacturing in space circumvents a large amount of mass that has to be launched from the surface of the Earth.. This removes a lot of constraints on mission designers for size, mass, shape etc etc of the spacecraft they design..
The 2 most limiting factors of long duration space flight are the effects of micro gravity and exposure to radiation.. Lets get to work on a spacecraft that generates artificial gravity and active radiation shielding..
Eight student-built space habitation system designs could make deep space living more healthy, efficient and comfortable for astronauts on the Journey to Mars. The prototypes built by the university teams are part of NASA’s eXploration Systems and Habitation (X-Hab) Academic Innovation Challenge series, and this year have revealed creative approaches to space-based plant growth, astronaut fitness, vehicle integration and air purification.
NASA has released the agency’s 2015 technology roadmaps laying out the promising new technologies that will help NASA achieve its aeronautics, science and human exploration missions for the next 20 years, including the agency’s journey to Mars.
Outlining the business metrics of a space based economy is the first step to getting this off the ground... Mining and making in space changes everything.. Literally everything.. Abundant resources and energy await us in space.. Space based solar power will make today's current impossibilities into tomorrow's mundane industries.. The relationship between mining in space and space based solar power is compli-mentary.. There are many technology developments going on right now that will assist each other in getting mankind into space for a brighter future.. The Asteroid Redirect Mission, The Satellite Servicing Technology development, the clean energy transition and space based solar power to name a few industries will be requiring technologies and efforts from each other.. These industry challenges will benefit from close cooperation to develop the technologies and equipment....
I call for a dedicated budget allowance from all nations to the endeavor of mining and making the spaced based solar power infrastructure a reality.. The mining and making in space will change the design and mission architecture of all space missions.. This technology refined opens the door to an entire new universe of ambitious space exploration and industry.. Mining in space will yield fuels and the materials to build spacecraft and infrastructure.. A space mining effort would produce fuel, precious metals, Building materials both metal and cements for the space infrastructure for a vibrant space economy.. Extracting many resources from lunar regolith or asteroid regolith at once lends it's self to greater efficiency's as multiple resources can be extracted at the same time as the processes involved are complimentary to each other... A bigger operation in space is a better operation..
The future is looking up!
Inside ULA's Plan to Have 1,000 People Working in Space by 2045
Space based solar power!.. The answer for tomorrow's energy needs!.. Space based solar power is feasible today!..
The National Space Society's page for Space Based Solar Power..
Many links to articles, studies, video's and other pages devoted to this technology for a better society..
The project, known as RAMA (Reconstituting Asteroids into Mechanical Automata), is part of Made In Space's long-term plan to enable space colonization by helping make off-Earth manufacturing efficient and economically viable. [How Asteroid Mining Could Work (Infographic)]
How Asteroid Mining Could Work (Infographic)
Vulcan Rocket: ULA Unveils New Modular Launch System | Company Video United Launch Alliance, a cooperative launch service by Lockheed Martin and Boeing, unveiled its Next-Generation Launch Vehicle, on April 13, 2015. ULA Vulcan can be more cost-competitive with SpaceX and other launch providers.
This plasma rocket engine being developed by Russia and some partners could significantly increase our space launch capabilities which leads to more ambitious missions..
The rocket being developed to use many different kind of fuels is a good design choice.. As stated in the article the engine power is only limited by the electrical input of the high frequency generator.. This takes me to the thought of the possibility of incorporating energy beaming technology into the launch system.. Heavy electrical power generation equipment stays on the ground and beams it's power up to the launch vehicle... Maybe even with sufficient power, the air can be used as the fuel. By providing massive electrical power to the craft the air can be turned to plasma to provide the thrust.. This saving on the initial launch weight of the vehicle by not needing to lift the propellant through a large portion of the atmosphere.. When the vehicle reaches a critical altitude it uses it's onboard propellant to be run through the engine to be turned into plasma to provide the remaining thrust required to attain orbit.. The development of functional power beaming technology systems should be a priority.. These systems would be very useful in nearly all our space exploration efforts and addressing our environmental challenges of the day by generating clean energy in space and beaming it to Earth, to power our society cleanly.. Power limi-tations has been identified as a limiting factor for experiments conducted on the ISS and other spacecraft.. Planetary exploration capabilities could be greatly expanded by providing higher flux energy streams to rovers, habitats and other vehicles on the surface..
I have thought long about a standard design power sat.. Today we have photovol-taics with 34% conversion efficiency and over 400 watts per Kg of specific power.. A standard design.. Perhaps a couple of Km's square.. These power sats could use standardized power transmitting and receiving hardware to relay power and supply power to various spacecraft and planetary missions.. These power sats could be in service in geosynchronous orbit above Earth to provide power to our cities.. Some above the moon to power exploration, manufacture and mining operations there.. One or more power sats sent along with a planetary exploration mission to provide more power to both craft in orbit and on the surface.. I very much hope that this technology is treated with a higher priority in the future for a better brighter future.. Keep reading for more links to informative articles about power beaming technology and space based solar power..
The future is looking up!
Telerobotics and Telepresence technologies will make significant contributions to many industries including the spaceflight industry.. The exploration of the surfaces of other worlds could be done from orbit.. This being much easier, safer and less costly than a human landing on a planetary surface.. The servicing, maintenance and even building of satellites and space infrastructure could be more easily facilitated with this technology.. Operators on Earth could operate such equipment in space to service satellites, Do work on the ISS, refuel spacecraft, build space based solar power infrastructure and much more!..
Informative video!...
The ESA - European Space Agency's research in Telerobotics is key to paving the way to an ambitious space exploration agenda.. Telerobotics will give astronaut ex-plorers the ability to so much more... Astronauts could operate these robotic systems to do a myriad of tasks from a distant location or even from orbit.. Operating robotic systems on the surface of distant worlds from orbit is a much less expensive, simpler and safer way of exploration.. Telerobotics will without a doubt find many other uses in various industries where there value will be proven...
A lunar base that is build by telerobotic systems is quite possible at a low cost and avoids the hazards of landing on the Moon.. As outlined in many NASA publications the development of resource harvesting and processing systems is a strategic technology that NASA Should develop for humanity's expansion into space..
High speed laser data transmission developed and launched by ESA and DLR will now greatly speed the transmission of data from low Earth Orbit satellites to the receiving station..
This technology is important for deep space exploration as well..
A colorful new animation shows a simulated flight over the surface of dwarf planet Ceres, based on images from NASA's Dawn spacecraft.
This Jan. 19, 2016, self-portrait of NASA's Curiosity Mars rover shows the vehicle at "Namib Dune," where the rover's activities included scuffing into the dune with a wheel and scooping samples of sand for laboratory analysis. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
Curiosity is studying how Mars' ancient environment changed from wet conditions favorable for microbial life to harsher, drier conditions. For more information about Curiosity, visit:
The Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission is developing some very important technolo-gies that will be needed to explore deep space.. In addition to that this mission could be the fundamental design for the space mining business model.. Robotic craft retrieving asteroids to a Lunar orbit to be processed there into components of space infrastructure...
Jason-3, a U.S.-European oceanography satellite mission with NASA participation that will continue a nearly quarter-century record of tracking global sea level rise.
Data from Jason-3 will be used for other scientific, commercial and operational appli-cations, including modeling of deep-ocean waves; forecasts of surface waves for offshore operators; forecasts of tides and currents for commercial shipping and ship routing; coastal forecasts to respond to environmental challenges such as oil spills and harmful algal blooms; coastal modeling crucial for marine mammal and coral reef research; and forecasts of El Niño and La Niña events.
The ability to mine ore, process it and fabricate a component or structure all in space will be a significant leap forward to our space exploration aspirations..These techno-logies developed by NASA would have a direct stimulus on industry here on Earth.. Every dollar spent on spaceflight returns more than 12 to the economy.. A space station where 95% of the mass of the structure was sourced and fabricated in space would be the best way to reduce launch costs.. The mastering of these practices will bring us a vibrant and burgeoning space exploration program and provide many other industries here on Earth with advanced technologies that would make them far more competitive in the global markets....
Additive manufacturing has the potential to positively affect human spaceflight ope-rations by enabling the in-orbit manufacture of replacement parts and tools, which could reduce existing logistics requirements for the International Space Station and future long-duration human space missions.
The full NexGen study demonstrating economic gains to mining on the Moon. A commercial lunar base providing propellant in lunar orbit will substantially reduce the cost and risk NASA of sending humans to Mars. The ELA would reduce the number of required Space Launch System (SLS) launches from as many as 12 to a total of only 3, thereby reducing SLS operational risks, and increasing its affordability..
To achieve our space exploration goals we need to deal with two major problems.. The effects of 0 G on the human body and the effects of radiation on the human body..
We need a large spacecraft to facilitate artificial gravity and some form of radiation mitigation.. Modular in construction for easy adaptability for different missions with different objectives.. Transporting astronauts up and down from the Earth's surface using any of the existing spacecraft to a larger craft that stays in space.. The same construction methods and resupply methods we currently employ for missions on the International Space Station.. A streamlining and standardization of space hardware manufacturing could make for more cost effective space exploration and science.. The same components used to construct a space vessel and orbiting platforms above the Earth, the Moon, Mars, Venus, Europa etc...Streamlined manufacturing systems have furthered nearly every industry in history.. Why not spaceflight?.. Practical solutions with long term policy commitments will make a progressive path to a better future.. Remember... Every dollar invested in space exploration returns more than 12 to the economy..
This fundamental research will help pave the way for industry to be mining very va-luable metals in space. Space based mining will provide vast economic gains for the industries involved and huge gains for the economy in the manufacture of equipment and high tech jobs.. Harvesting energy from space is an answer for powering our societies with clean renewable energy..
NASA’s Resource Prospector aims to be the first mining expedition on another world. Using a suite of instruments to locate elements from a lunar polar region, the planned rover is designed to excavate volatiles such as hydrogen, oxygen and water from the moon.
Societies thrive when they foster education.. This is very clear.. Investments in education by individuals or governments have large returns that are both tangible and qualitative..
We need to open up all possibilities for citizens who wish to better themselves through education.. We can do this with a tiny expenditure...
A web site with university programs that are free to access.. Accreditation is earned by writing a test at local libraries.. All reading material, educational video's and lec-tures, practice questions and assignments, Simulated labs, etc, etc.. All online free to access anytime, students start courses at any time and work at their own pace.. This can be done easily.. The value of having curriculum designed by professional educators and a system of earning accreditation accessible to everyone is certain to have untold benefits to society.. At every instance in history when more education has been made accessible to the general public the quality of life in that society has risen.. Lets make education accessible to all citizens..
The Von Karmen Lecture series discusses the various technologies that NASA is using to further science and better our lives..
Penny for NASA
"Like" this page! Lets fund agencies that inspire youth to attain high goals in science and technology that directly transfer to increased quality of life for us all! Every dollar invested in the space exploration program returns several to the economy that fun-ded it with innovative new products, high paying science and technology jobs, further research contracts and more! Click on "See More" To check out the NASA Spinoff page that displays technologies developed by NASA that are put to use in other area's besides space flight to increase the quality of life for us all! In light of recent events... I would say an increase in NASA's budget would be a logical move..
Mission forward architecture has served NASA and thus humanity well with the Skylab Mission.. President Nixon derails the Apollo program so the existing upper rocket stage was made into a space station.. Skylab produced some great scientific, engineering, biological and technological work...
This kind of Mission forward thinking is what needs to be designed into all spaceflight equipment.
If it goes up, then it stays up..
Making better use of existing launched and orbited equipment will help us achieve multiple orbital outpost around various planetary bodies.. Just by better use of what already is going up we can have orbital outposts around the Earth, the Moon, Mars, Europa..
Upper rocket stages repurposed as structures..Service modules from spacecraft that have completed their missions could be put to use to perform the same functions to other structures in space.. Rather than using an entire spacecraft to deorbit garbage from the International Space Station keep the spacecraft in orbit to provide more station space.. Can we salvage the engines from upper stages of rockets and bring them back down for reuse?.. This kind of design concept worked into the initial designs of spaceflight equipment would serve us well..
NASA Spinoffs
This site is displays the technologies developed by NASA that have been put to use in other area's besides spaceflight that have greatly increased the quality of our everyday lives!
Every dollar invested in NASA returns more than 12 to industry and the economy..
The asteroid redirect mission will demonstrate many key technologies for deep space exploration and much of the operations of a space mining venture.. A mission well worth doing .. Though I feel that we are not being honest with ourselves and the sooner we come to the realization that we need artificial gravity for our space exploration goals the better.. Mining and manufacturing in space circumvents a large amount of mass that has to be launched from the surface of the Earth..This removes a lot of constraints on mission designers for size, mass, shape etc etc of the spacecraft they design..
The 2 most limiting factors of long duration space flight are the effects of micro gravity and exposure to radiation.. Lets get to work on a spacecraft that generates artificial gravity and active radiation shielding..
Eight student-built space habitation system designs could make deep space living more healthy, efficient and comfortable for astronauts on the Journey to Mars. The prototypes built by the university teams are part of NASA’s eXploration Systems and Habitation (X-Hab) Academic Innovation Challenge series, and this year have revealed creative approaches to space-based plant growth, astronaut fitness, vehicle integration and air purification.
NASA has released the agency’s 2015 technology roadmaps laying out the promising new technologies that will help NASA achieve its aeronautics, science and human exploration missions for the next 20 years, including the agency’s journey to Mars.
This proponent of spaceflight would prioritize the mining and manufacturing ahead of Mars.. These things could be done with asteroids or on the moon.. Harvesting material to make components of spacecraft is the true renaissance of space exploration.. This activity is synergistic to the development of space based solar power.. The development of power satellites that have power beaming capability could enable various proposed scientific and exploratory operations.. Energy projecting technologies have been the subject of many scientific papers.. Various proposals of how to utilize such technology, some have been to create micro-climates suitable to human exploration of distant worlds.. Power for propulsion both in space and on the surface of other worlds for spacecraft and rovers..
Of course it is refreshing to hear some ambitious spaceflight plans!
Something for the British government to invest in to foster peace and increase the quality of life for all persons on Earth.. This launch vehicle could reduce launch costs and open up space to a space based economy where all the materials and energy we need are in limitless quantities.. This is a sound investment..
SABRE operates in two modes to enable aircraft to directly access space in one step, called single stage to orbit. In its air-breathing mode, the engine sucks in oxygen from atmospheric air, to burn with liquid hydrogen fuel in the rocket combustion chamber. Once outside Earth’s atmosphere, the engine transitions to a conventional rocket mode, switching to on-board liquid oxygen.
The Three Rocketeers Future of Space Travel BBC Four Documentary.. 50 minutes.. Great video!
British technology that could have and still could revolutionize spaceflight.. It's time for British industry to move to the forefront of the aerospace industry..
A lunar base that is build by telerobotic systems is quite possible at a low cost and avoids the hazards of landing on the Moon.. As outlined in many NASA publications the development of resource harvesting and processing systems is a strategic technology that NASA Should develop for humanity's expansion into space..
Man has evolved on the Earth for millions of years in a gravity environment.. Lets stop kidding ourselves about how to directly address the problem of long duration spaceflight..
A Large spacecraft that generates artificial gravity by rotating.. NASA researchers have clearly identified the 2 most limiting factors to long duration spaceflight.. Exposure to radiation and the micro gravity environment.. These challenges makes the building of a large craft that stays in space and generates it's own artificial gravity the optimal direction.. Harvesting material in space to be used to construct such structures should be a priority technology for development!
The future is looking up!
Short video, 3 minutes demonstrating a concept spacecraft...
Making the entire upper stage of some of the larger rockets into space modules for various missions might be the most practical thing to do.. No faring that falls away.. The entire upper volume of the rocket is used as the hermetic structure to be incorporated into the various orbital platforms we will require for ambitious space exploration.. We can make use of the volume of the empty fuel tank by designing an access hatch between the two.. One launch gives us a very large volume spacecraft or module in orbit.. These can be docked together for a large orbital platform or spacecraft..
If it goes up, it stays up!
Orbital's Cygnus space craft could be slightly modified to be repurposed in space for other mission roles.. The huge pressurized interior space of the Cygnus craft could be more effectively used by staying in space as more labratory interior volume.. The Cygnus launches with it's payload for the International Space Station It docks and remains docked the supplies are used and each successive Cygnus resupply mission adds additional interior working space to the ISS or a new orbital platform.. The craft arives with it's service module that could offer redundant life support system for the station.. The solar panels can now contribute the power they harness to the station. Modest modifications to this craft could see it become a much more versatile space asset.. Methodical planning of the design of our space equipment will yield more efficient use of resources and in turn allow us a more ambitious space exploration program with existing resources..
"If it goes up, it stays up!"
The Keck Institute for Space Studies Asteroid Retrieval Study Program
An Asteroid Retrieval Mission Study was conducted to investigate the feasibility of finding, characterizing, robotically capturing, and returning an entire Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) to the vicinity of the Earth for scientific investigation, evaluation of its resource potential, determination of its internal structure and other aspects important for planetary defense activities, and to serve as a possible testbed for human operations at an asteroid.
We are going to require more assets in space to achieve our goals. A Lunar orbiting platform has been suggested to be one such structure. It has been proposed that a construction methodology like that of the skylab would be an excellent choice.. We have seen the space shuttle with it's external fuel tank reach orbit.. The Space Launch System is built from space shuttle legacy designs and components.. There has been much speculation about using the shuttles external fuel tanks for various structures in space.. So I'm curious about what size of a module can we get to orbit. I propose a design from the SLS that would make use of the exhausted fuel tank of perhaps the second stage if not the first stage.. One launch would give us a hermetic structure in space with adequate internal volume to house the necessary equipment for an orbiting station for the Moon, Earth, Mars, Venus, Europa... If the goal of the design was to put the largest module in orbit.. One that would provide enough volume for crew and equipment which would follow on successive launches.. We could design the rocket in a way that we could access the exhausted fuel tanks and make use of that internal volume for working space for the station.. In a way I'm proposing a flying gas tank.. Then once it reaches orbit we make use of the empty tank for accommodating the required crew and equipment.. How large of a craft could we get to space? I would infer a very large vessel.. It would not surprise me if there are already dozens of concept designs for this kind of thing floating around out there.. Pun intended.. What are your thoughts people?..
This design concept for NASA's Deep Space Habitat provides many services to the crew of any future proposed missions.. These modules could be mass produced in assembly line fashion and be interchangeable and re configurable for a "Plug and play" type system to build different spacecraft for different missions.. Taking advan-tage of the economies of scale when producing maybe a hundred or more of these modules will provide cost savings and deliver very capable spacecraft to numerous destinations in the solar system..
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