SPACEX Press Release – The World’s Most Powerful Rocket – July 13, 2011

News from the Spacex Headquarters :

 

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Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.– SpaceX (Space Exploration Technologies) today took another major step toward the first launch of the Falcon Heavy.

This will be the world’s most powerful rocket, with more than twice the payload-to-orbit capacity of the space shuttle, but at only one third the cost of the Boeing/Lockheed Delta IV Heavy.

The Falcon Heavy will be the first ever rocket to break the $1,000-per-pound-to-orbit barrier, less than a tenth as much as the Shuttle.

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http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=20110713

 

SpaceX Aims to Put Man on Mars in 10-20 Years

Private US company SpaceX hopes to put an astronaut on Mars within 10 to 20 years, the head of the firm said.

“We’ll probably put a first man in space in about three years,” Elon Musk told the Wall Street Journal Saturday.

 ”We’re going all the way to Mars, I think… best case 10 years, worst case 15 to 20 years.”

SpaceX is one of the two leading private space companies in the United States and has won $75 million from the US space agency NASA to help its pursuit of developing a spacecraft to replace the space shuttle.

The California-based company last year completed its first successful test of an unmanned space capsule into orbit and back.

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Earlier this month SpaceX unveiled what Musk has called the world’s most powerful rocket, the Falcon Heavy, which will have its first demonstration flight at the end of 2012.

copyright article :

http://news.discovery.com/space/spacex-elon-musk-mars-astronauts-20-years-110423.html

Orion crew Exploration Vehicle – Lockheed Martin

Orion is a crew exploration vehicle (CEV) designed and manufactured by Lockheed Martin for NASA to transport crew or cargo to the International Space Station (ISS), the Moon and Mars.

 

 

Components of Orion crew Exploration Vehicle

 

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The vehicle is derived from its predecessor Apollo Command Module to replace the Orbital Space Plane (OSP). Orion will be launched on a shuttle derived heavy lift vehicle from Launch Complex 39 of Kennedy Space Centre in 2014.

 

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Astronaut Garrett Reisman Joins SpaceX

Spacex Falcon 9 Flight 1 Rocket contrail

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Hawthorne, CA– Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) is proud to announce that NASA astronaut Garrett Reisman is joining the company as a senior engineer working on astronaut safety and mission assurance.

Dr. Reisman will join former NASA astronaut Ken Bowersox’s team in preparing SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft to carry astronauts.

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 http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=20110304

Bigelow Space could have a module on ISS

The International Space Station could get a new inflatable module supplied by the private American company Bigelow Aerospace.

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NASA is apparently in discussions with Bigelow to acquire a Bigelow Expandable Activity Module, called BEAM for short, to enhance use of the International Space Station (ISS).

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http://www.space.com/10686-nasa-bigelow-module-international-space-station.html

Spacex wants to fly astronauts to the ISS.

After the successful launch of the Falcon rocket with Dragon return capsule Eon Musk, CEO of Spacex makes more plans.

He wants to modify the cargo version of the Dragon spacecraft with only three key adjustments : a launch abort system, environmental controls and seats.

Dragon’s next test flight could take place in mid-2011 and might take it directly to the International Space Station, the ISS.

Good luck,

SpaceX Delays Launch of First Private Space Capsule

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A rocket engine nozzle concern has delayed the maiden test launch of a new private space capsule to no earlier than Thursday (Dec. 9), the spacecraft’s builder said.

The California-based private spaceflight company Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, was planning to launch its Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon space capsule on Tuesday (Dec. 7). But the company now says it will will need until at least Thursday to make the attempt. 

 copyright – credits : Space.com

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Dragon Spacecraft to launch tomorrow 7th December 2010

The Dragon space capsule built by the California company Space Explorations Technologies (SpaceX) is poised to launch from a seaside pad at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida during a nearly 3 1/2-hour launch window that opens tomorrow at about 9 a.m.

copyright photo Dragon :

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The launch will test the spacecraft SpaceX plans to use to fulfill a $1.6 billion contract with NASA for 12 resupply flights after the agency’s space shuttle fleet retires next year.

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http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/spacex-dragon-space-capsule-ready-101206.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+spaceheadlines+%28SPACE.com+Headline+Feed%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

SOLAR DYNAMICS OBSERVATORY

Solar Flare Blowout

The Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) is the most advanced spacecraft ever designed to study the sun and its dynamic behavior.

SDO will provide better quality, more comprehensive science data faster than any NASA spacecraft currently studying the sun and its processes.

SDO will unlock the processes inside the sun, on the sun’s surface, and in its corona that result in solar variability.

This variability, when experienced on Earth, is called space weather.

Space weather can change the ionizing radiation does on polar aircraft flights, disable satellites, cause power grid failures, and disrupt global positioning system, television, and telecommunications signals.

Understanding the science of space weather can lead to a capability to predict space weather.

This capability will allowus to accommodate or mitigate the effects of space weather.

Constellation is terminated – Michael Griffin says he’s not trying to save it

In an interview with Miles O’Brien of This Week in Space Michael Griffin says Nasa should get all the chances needed to keep it delivering good work.

Griffin is pleased with the Spacex Falcon 9 launch. It’s a success.

Where do we go from here ?

There are troubles with the budgets that had been promised to the Constellation contractors by Nasa.

The last word is not said.

Keep following the news.