Daily Archives: July 14, 2024

The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) and South Korean electronic component manufacturing firm LG Innotek have signed a mutual cooperation agreement to cooperate in the development of thermoelectric technology for nuclear batteries used in the space and defence sectors.

Research to develop nuclear batteries as a stable energy source in space exploration is yielding results. However, it has the limitation of relying on imports for key component materials for batteries, KAERI noted. Now South Koreas public and private sectors have joined forces to overcome these limitations.

Through this new agreement, the two organisations plan to strengthen their independent development capabilities for local production of thermoelectric elements, a key component of nuclear batteries. A thermoelectric element is a semiconductor that converts heat into electrical energy and consists of an insulating substrate made of ceramic, electrodes, and P-type and N-type thermoelectric materials.

A nuclear battery produces electricity by utilising the decay heat of radioactive isotopes and does not require an external power source. As a result, it can be a stable energy source even in space environments with extremely low and high temperatures. KAERI first succeeded in developing a nuclear battery in 2022, and is now making efforts to enhance its performance. However, 100% of the thermoelectric materials used are imported. To securing independent space exploration technology in the future, dependence on imports of key components is an issue that must be resolved, KAERI said.

Accordingly, KAERI and LG Innotek will cooperate in developing design, processing, and evaluation technologies for thermoelectric elements for nuclear cells. They will design, synthesise, and process thermoelectric materials for thermoelectric elements, and will begin to localise thermoelectric elements. KAERI will focus on developing high-output thermoelectric device technology. LG Innotek, which has expertise in manufacturing and selling thermoelectric materials, plans to focus on developing high-efficiency energy conversion thermoelectric materials and to establish a domestic supply chain.

Researcher Jeong Young-wook, head of KAERIs Hanaro Quantum Science Institute, said, In the era of new space, we will actively cooperate with private companies to secure core nuclear battery technology at an early stage. He added, We will contribute to helping Korea lead international space development cooperation.

Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights.

Go here to read the rest:

KAERI and LG Innotek to develop nuclear batteries for space exploration - Nuclear Engineering

The Planetary Society, along with a coalition of scientific organizations and over 40 members of Congress, supports a restoration of space science funding to $9 billion. It was a lofty goal, but one fully justified: NASA has been directed to pursue a series of ambitious new missions that will probe the frontiers of human knowledge, fromMars Sample Return, to theHabitable Worlds Observatory, toDragonfly at Titan. There are dozens more missions in various stages of development that address the highest-priority questions in Earth Science, solar physics, planetary science, and astronomy, and they are facing delays and cancellations due to these severe budget deficits. Restoring NASAs Science Mission Directorate to $9 billion would address the needs of every high-priority science project and account for the cost increases in personnel and materials from recent inflation.

Though the legislation contains a number of positive items for individual NASA science projects, the House budget nonetheless demonstrates the negative outcomes of ongoing cuts to NASA as a whole: less exploration, less science return, and more division and uncertainty among the nations scientific disciplines.

There are two particular accounts that illustrate this problem: Artemis and Science.

NASAs Artemis efforts are funded out of the agencys Deep Space Exploration Systems account, which includes the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft, the Human Landing System contracts with SpaceX and Blue Origin, and related components such as the Gateway space station and new lunar space suits.

The total amount requested by the White House in FY 2025 for this account was $7.6 billion, a few tens of million less than in 2024 but functionally flat. Within this amount, however, NASA had proposed to shift some funding from the SLS and Orion programs to new programs for later Artemis flights. The thinking was that SLS and Orion, having achieved a successful test launch with Artemis I, would move from a more expansive (and expensive) development project into a leaner, focused production model.

The House rejected this proposal and mandated continued funding for both programs at historical levels, roughly half a billion dollars. The legislation also mandates that NASA spend or exceed funding on lunar space suits and the Human Landing System. These limitations leave only the Gateway space station project and two modest technology development programs to absorb the half-billion-dollar hole created by moving funding back to SLS and Orion.

View post:

The House's 2025 NASA Budget Creates Problems for Science, Artemis - The Planetary Society

In the walk-up to the 55th anniversary of the history-making Apollo 11 mission on July 20, Hollywood is hoping that a new movie about NASA staging a fake version of the moon landing will take off at the box office.

In Fly Me to the Moon, launching in theaters July 12, a Nixon White House aide (Woody Harrelson) sends NYC ad executive Kelly Jones (Scarlett Johansson) to NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida to oversee a fake version of the first moonwalk on a sound stage in case the real version doesnt pan out. The idea is that the U.S.then in the middle of the Cold War with the Soviet Unioncant afford to fail. The White House wants the American people to see a win, and so goes full steam ahead in its race to be the first country to send a man to the moon more than a decade since the communist nation sent the first artificial satellite into orbit in 1957.

People leaving the theater after Fly Me to the Moon may have two questions: Was there really a PR maven hired to sell the moon to the American people? And did the U.S. government really stage a fake moonwalk in case the actual Apollo 11 mission didnt go to plan? Heres the real history that inspired the movie.

To be clear, the government did not hire a PR maven to oversee the filming of a fake moon landing in case it could not pull off the mission.

"There was no special effort to 'sell' the Apollo programespecially not one aimed at raising funds for the agency either directly or indirectly," Bill Barry, NASAs chief historian from 2010 to 2020, who consulted on the script, tells TIME.

Of the roughly 400,000 people who worked on the moon mission, about three-quarters of those people worked for private contractors, who were providing services that they were allowed to market, according to Richard Jurek, co-author of Marketing the Moon: The Selling of the Apollo Lunar Program.

They were the ones who built up NASA's press kits and did advertising campaigns, Jurek tells TIME. They had to get NASA's permission to do it, but they themselves were doing those [advertising] campaigns.

Its true that the astronauts wore Omega watches because the devices withstood all kinds of tests in different weather conditions. In the movie, Jones is approaching companies like Omega to set up marketing campaigns, but thats not how it would have happened. The movie also implies that money from sponsorship deals was helping pay for the Apollo 11 mission, but that also did not really happen, according to Jurek.

It is stipulated on NASA's website that "as a government agency, NASA will not promote or endorse or appear to promote or endorse a commercial product, service, or activity." So sponsorships were definitely not part of the Apollo 11 PR campaign, Barry notes. Some astronauts have endorsed products, but only after they were no longer on NASA's payroll.

Among the NASA employees that I talked with about the script, this was the thing that caused the most laughs, says Barry. In dealing with the public in any form, I was regularly reminded by our legal folks that giving even the appearance of an endorsement for a commercial product would get me in big trouble.

The real head of NASAs public affairs division in the walk-up to the Apollo 11 moon landing was a journalist named Julian Scheer. He oversaw a team of ex-journalists who helped the news media cover the space program and profile the staffers and astronauts. Scheer was the one who insisted the first steps on the moon be broadcast on live television. In contrast to the Soviets, who did not let journalists in on the inner workings of the space program, NASA allowed their staffers and astronauts to speak freely.

In the walk-up to the moon landing, the PR gurus at NASA were largely concerned with what NASA would tell the world if the astronauts died during the mission, so countless statements were prepared that never got used. Once the Apollo 11 astronauts safely returned to the moon, NASAs PR focused on convincing the public that the space program was still necessary to go back to the moon and explore other planets. As Jurek puts it: Most people view NASA as just existing to get astronauts to the moon. So once we did that, it's like, Okay, now what?

When it comes to the idea of a staged moonwalk being filmed, the answer is a little clearer. To most, at least.

There's no evidence whatsoever that NASA ever faked a moonwalk, says Barry.

Its true that there was a space race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. American leaders feared that if the Soviets got to the moon first, then the communist government would be seen as the superior form of government, compared to the United States democracy. However, nothing suggests that the U.S. were so desperate in their mission that they contemplated faking a moon landing for the American public.

Yet, conspiracy theories persist today, with some doubting the successful Apollo 11 mission involving astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Edwin E. Buzz Aldrin took place at all. There are people who falsely believe that NASA staged the first moonwalk. Barry points out that if the U.S. faked the moon landing, the Soviet government would have been all over that.In fact, Soviet scientists did not question the legitimacy of the feat. The U.S. was also working with countries across the world to communicate with the Apollo spacecraft.

With that said, despite all of the physical rock samples brought from the moon and analyzed by a consortium of highly-respected scientists, a small minority of Americans still think that there was no way NASA had the budget or the time to fulfill President John F. Kennedys pledge to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade. One 2021 University of New Hampshire poll found 10% of Americans believe NASA did not land on the moon.

There's only one week in the 1960s when everybody was in favor of spending more money on the space programover 50% of Americans. That's the week we landed on the moon, says Barry.

According to Peter Knight, author of Conspiracy Culture: From the Kennedy Assassination to "The X-Files, the conspiracy theory that the moon landing was a hoax can be traced back to a self-published 1976 book We Never Went to the Moon: Americas Thirty Billion Dollar Swindle by Bill Kaysing, a former U.S. naval officer. The basic premise is that NASA couldnt make JFKs deadline so they sent astronauts into Earths orbit and staged a moonwalk in a film studio. To some, Kaysings military credentials made it seem like he had some kind of inside knowledge.

The book also fit with the culture of the times. The 1970s marked the beginning of years of decline in trust of the U.S. governmentbetween the bungled Vietnam War and Watergate scandals. Conspiracy theories about the sudden assassination of JFK in 1963 had been swirling for years.

For many people, there was a feeling that the government had been lying, Knight tells TIME. Thats the context in which the Kaysing book comes out.

The 1978 fictional film Capricorn One, about NASA staging a fake Mars landing, only fanned the flames. And then Kaysings ideas gained popularity in the 1980s among flat-Earthers, conspiracy theorists who falsely believe that the Earth is flat. Over the years, his false theory spread through talk radio, zines, books, and gun shows in the era before social media.

Moon landing hoax conspiracy theories may be more widespread among Russian citizens than U.S. citizens. A 2020 Russian Public Opinion Research Center poll found half of Russians believed the 1969 moon landing never took place. Offering an explanation as to why the moon landing hoax conspiracy theory endures among some Americans, Knight says: A lot of people felt if we can't cure our problems at home, what are we doing trying to engage in some kind of fantasy idea of space exploration? So I think the conspiracy theories speak to some of those concerns.

When asked whether a movie featuring a staged moon landing could make people wonder if the entire moon landing was a hoax, Barry says he believes anyone who sees the movie will see right off the bat that the film is not a documentary, but a clear parody of conspiracy theorists and a romantic comedy. And for the skeptics, there is plenty of online evidence that we did land on the moon, not just once, but six times.

Go here to see the original:

'Fly Me to the Moon': True Story Behind the Space Race Movie - TIME

NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy will travel to Japan and the Republic of Korea on Thursday for a week of meetings with senior government officials and leaders from JAXA and KASA to encourage international cooperation for space exploration. Photo courtesy of NASA/Bill Ingalls

July 10 (UPI) -- NASA is working to strengthen ties with Japan and South Korea, as the space agency prepares to meet this week with government officials in both countries.

NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy will travel to Japan and South Korea on Thursday for a week of meetings with senior government officials and leaders from Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and the recently established Korea AeroSpace Administration to encourage international cooperation for space exploration.

NASA and JAXA are currently working together to advance sustainable human exploration of the moon.

In April, NASA and Japan signed an agreement to produce a pressurized lunar rover that will enable astronauts to travel and work on the moon. Japan will design, develop and operate the rover for crewed and uncrewed exploration, while NASA will provide the launch and delivery of the rover to the moon.

The agreement was signed by NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and Japan's Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Masahito Moriyama on April 9, at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

"It was an honor to sign the historic implementing arrangement that will be long remembered as the symbol of the new era of Japan-U.S. partnership for the lunar exploration," said Moriyama.

In addition, NASA will provide an opportunity for a Japanese astronaut to fly on a future Artemis mission to the moon under the Gateway Implementing Arrangement signed in 2022.

While in Tokyo this week, Melroy plans to participate in the Secure World Foundation's 6th Summit for Space Sustainability, which will address sustainability and debris removal while exploring space.

Melroy also will speak at the 45th Scientific Assembly of the Committee on Space Research in Busan, South Korea, to urge international collaboration in space research.

See the article here:

NASA to strengthen ties with Japan, South Korea during week of meetings - UPI News

Four NASA astronauts emerged on Saturday from a year-long voyage. But they never actually left Earth.

The astronauts entered a 3D-printed habitat on June 25 last year, calling it home for 378 days. They were the maiden crew of NASAs project Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA). The artificial alien environment is at the Johnson Space Centre in Houston, Texas.

It was the first time NASA used a simulated Mars environment to test human space missions.

Coming out of the habitat on Saturday afternoon local time, mission commander Kelly Haston began a press conference with: Hello, adding, its actually just so wonderful to be able to say hello to you all.

The crew spent the past 12 months in a habitat known as Mars Dune Alpha. The structure is a little more than 150 square metres in size.

Medical officer and crewmember Nathan Jones says the 378-day confinement went by quickly.

During their stay, the crew simulated Mars mission operations. For example, they went on Marswalks, grew and harvested vegetables to supplement shelf-stable foods and maintained equipment and the habitat.

In addition to their isolation, the crew were subjected to simulated problems such as communication delays with Earth and resource limitations.

The team says, in addition to telling us about future space exploration missions, the experiment also shows the importance of sustainable living on Earth.

Im very grateful to have had this incredible opportunity to live for a year within the spirit of planetary adventure towards an exciting future, says the crews flight engineer Ross Brockwell. And Im grateful for the chance to live the idea that we must utilise resources no faster than they can be replenished and produce waste no faster than they can be processed back into resources.

We cannot live, dream, create or explore on any significant timeframe if we dont live these principles, but if we do, we can achieve and sustain amazing and inspiring things like exploring other worlds.

NASA is preparing to send people to other planetary bodies for the first time since 1972 when the Apollo 17 astronauts went to the Moon. The much awaited Artemis II mission is set to send people back to the Moon as early as next year.

But humans have never set foot on any other body apart from Earth and the Moon. Our near neighbour Mars which may yet offer up clues that it once had life is the next target of crewed missions to other planets in the solar system.

Mars is our goal, says Steve Koerner, deputy director of Johnson Space Centre. The experiment, he adds, is crucial science as we prepare to send people on to the red planet.

Why go to Mars? asks the crews science officer Anca Selariu. Because its possible. Because space can unite and bring out the best in us. Because its one defining step that Earthlings will take to light the way into the next centuries.

Read the rest here:

NASA astronauts emerge from Mars habitat simulation after more than a year - Cosmos

NASA held a ceremony over the weekend to welcome four brave astronauts back to Earth after spending a year living and working on Mars. To survive, the crew had to grow their own food to supplement their rations, deal with half-hour long communication delays with Earth, and learn to live and work together in somewhat tight quarters.

But unlike most previous NASA missions, where capsules splashed down in the ocean or shuttles landed on long runways, to recover these astronauts, Deputy Director of the Johnson Space Center Steve Koerner simply opened up the door to the habitat and welcomed the crew back to Earth.

The mission was all part of NASAs Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog or CHAPEA program, which is designed to test how long people can live, work and survive on other planets. The CHAPEA environment is completely simulated, and is comprised of a 1,700 square-foot habitat divided into both living quarters for the crew and working spaces, like laboratories and utility areas.

The entire facility for the program was 3D printed, which may be how NASA will construct future buildings on Mars that could house human explorers. Everything about the mission was conducted to simulate an actual Martian environment, including having the four astronauts stay in the habitat for a year. They were also only able to talk to Mission Control using standard communications methods, with a long delay imposed on them to simulate the distance between Earth and Mars.

The four astronauts were allowed outside their habitat on occasion, but only when wearing environmental suits equipped with virtual reality headsets that simulated Mars. We got to see what those VR missions looked like last year during the MarsXR challenge, a competition where the public can compete to design virtual Mars missions to be used for training future explorers.

Some of the winning entries for the MarsXR challenge demonstrated just how realistic those VR training simulations have become in recent years. For example, one of the winning entries from Team Savchenko involved collecting rock samples on Mars, while another from MarsXR Odyssey simulated an emergency where one astronauts EV suit malfunctioned.

While there were no emergencies during the first CHAPEA mission, collecting rocks and other samples outside of the habitat in a simulated environment was a big part of the activities that the participants undertook. As both the realism and user interfaces of the simulations continue to improve, the hope is that they can be incorporated directly into future missions to make CHAPEA and other training activities even more realistic.

The mission began on June 25, 2023, with four crew members. They included Commander Kelly Haston, Science Officer Anca Selariu, Flight Engineer Ross Brockwell and Medical Officer Nathan Jones. It ended 378 days later, on July 6, 2024.

The four crew members looked pretty excited to be exiting the habitat, which had become their home for over a year. Their contributions were not just technical helping NASA scientists to learn what works and what needs improvement before the agency can seriously consider actually sending people to Mars but also added to the field of behavioral science. NASA was able to observe what it would be like when four strangers are forced to live together with no ability to leave the situation. Thankfully, it seems like the first four CHAPEA astronauts got along very well.

During this mission, these people have given an incredible richness of shared experiences and conversations, Haston said, I am humbled that being away on a one year Mars analog mission brought me closer to those I was with and also those who I left back at home.

Brockwell also enjoyed the experience and commented on some of the many lessons learned.

Im grateful for the chance to live out the idea that we must utilize resources no faster than they can be replenished, and produce waste no faster than it can be processed back into resources, he said. We cannot live, dream, create or explore for any significant time frame if we dont live these principles. But if we do, we can achieve and sustain amazing and inspiring things like exploring other worlds.

While the first CHAPEA mission has finished, and NASA scientists have a lot of work to do in analyzing over a years worth of collected data and observations, the program is far from over. A second mission is already in the works, and NASA is actively recruiting brave and enterprising people for a third. Those with the required skills who would like to spend a year or more living and working within a pretty close approximation to a Martian habitat are encouraged to apply to become a pioneer who can help advance both science and the future of space travel.

John Breeden II is an award-winning journalist and reviewer with over 20 years of experience covering technology. He is the CEO of the Tech Writers Bureau, a group that creates technological thought leadership content for organizations of all sizes. Twitter: @LabGuys

See more here:

NASAs astronauts return after a year living on simulated Mars - Nextgov/FCW

NASA and its international partners are making significant strides in the development of Gateway, humanity's first space station around the Moon.

Gateway will serve as a crucial outpost for astronauts conducting scientific research and preparing for missions to the lunar South Pole and beyond.

The Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO), built by NASA commercial partner Northrop Grumman, is one of the four primary modules of Gateway.

Currently undergoing testing in Turin, Italy, HALO will provide living and working space for international teams of astronauts. This module features multiple docking ports, including one for a cargo spacecraft and the European Space Agency's (ESA) Lunar View module.

Other docking ports will accommodate the SpaceX Starship and Blue Origin's Blue Moon Human Landing Systems during the Artemis IV and V missions.

In addition to HALO, Gateway will initially launch into lunar orbit with the Power and Propulsion Element, provided by Maxar Space Systems. This component is crucial for the space station's mobility and power generation. The station will later expand with ESA's Lunar I-Hab and Lunar View modules, the Crew and Science Airlock from the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre, advanced external robotics from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), and critical hardware from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). NASA stated, "Gateway will launch to lunar orbit with the Power and Propulsion Element, provided by Maxar Space Systems, and later expand with ESA's Lunar I-Hab and Lunar View modules."

Gateway is central to NASA's Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the lunar surface for scientific discovery and to pave the way for future missions to Mars. The space station will enable astronauts to explore the scientific mysteries of deep space and conduct experiments in a unique environment.

The presence of advanced laboratories and research facilities will allow for groundbreaking studies in lunar geology, biology, and space medicine. These experiments are essential for understanding the effects of long-duration space travel on the human body and developing technologies for sustained human presence on the Moon and Mars.

Moreover, Gateway will serve as a staging point for missions to the lunar South Pole, a region of high scientific interest due to the presence of water ice. This water ice could be used to produce oxygen and fuel, making it a vital resource for future lunar explorers.

The construction and operation of Gateway involve collaboration between multiple international space agencies and commercial partners. This cooperative effort underscores the global commitment to exploring space and expanding human presence beyond Earth. By combining resources and expertise, these partnerships will ensure the success of Gateway and the missions it supports. The participation of international partners like ESA, CSA, JAXA, and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre brings diverse technological innovations and critical support to the project.

The international collaboration extends to the integration of advanced technologies, such as external robotics provided by CSA, which will enhance the station's capabilities for maintenance and scientific research. The Crew and Science Airlock, developed by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre, will facilitate spacewalks and the transfer of scientific instruments. This comprehensive approach to development and operation highlights the importance of international cooperation in achieving ambitious space exploration goals.

Gateway represents a significant milestone in human space exploration. As the first lunar space station, it will provide a platform for scientific research, technological advancements, and international cooperation. This station will enable sustained human presence on the Moon, supporting long-duration missions and serving as a testbed for the technologies needed for future Mars exploration. The ability to conduct continuous research and development in lunar orbit will accelerate our understanding of space environments and the challenges associated with deep space missions.

In conclusion, Gateway is poised to transform our approach to space exploration. It will be a pivotal outpost for missions to the Moon and Mars, fostering scientific discovery and technological innovation. As NASA and its partners prepare for the Artemis missions, Gateway will play an essential role in ensuring the success and sustainability of human space exploration efforts.

More:

NASAs Gateway Project: Building the Future of Lunar Exploration - The Daily Galaxy --Great Discoveries Channel

Elon Musks SpaceX is once again pushing the boundaries of space exploration, seeking approval to ramp up the frequency of Starship launches from its Boca Chica facility to 25 per year. The request also includes an equal number of landings for both the Starship spacecraft and the Super Heavy booster.

SpaceXs latest proposal is aimed at accelerating the development and operational readiness of its Starship spacecraft. Previously, the company has managed a handful of launches and landings, but increasing this number to 25 annually represents a new milestone. CEO Elon Musk has consistently emphasized the need for frequent flights to make space travel more routine and affordable.

Achieving this ambitious target is no small feat. SpaceX must first secure the necessary regulatory approvals from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The increased activity at Boca Chica has raised concerns among local residents and environmentalists, prompting calls for more comprehensive impact assessments.

Critics argue that the frequent launches could have adverse effects on the local wildlife and ecosystem. However, SpaceX has assured that it is committed to mitigating any potential harm through extensive environmental monitoring and protective measures.

The Starship spacecraft, along with its Super Heavy booster, is considered a pinnacle of engineering innovation. Designed to be fully reusable, both components aim to lower the cost of access to space significantly. Each launch and landing will provide valuable data to refine the technology further.

Reusable spacecraft have the potential to revolutionize the aerospace industry by offering more cost-effective solutions for satellite deployment, space tourism, and even interplanetary missions. The Super Heavy booster, in particular, is designed to propel the Starship into orbit, and its successful landing is crucial for the sustainability of frequent missions.

The move to increase launch frequencies could also have significant economic benefits for the local community in Boca Chica. Increased activity at the site could lead to job creation and boost local businesses. Furthermore, the success of such an initiative will likely enhance the United States standing in global space exploration.

However, the increase in space activity could bring about sociocultural changes for local residents. The influx of SpaceX employees and the anticipated increase in tourism may transform the small coastal town into a bustling hub of aerospace activity.

As SpaceX continues to push the envelope with its ambitious plans, the future of space exploration looks promising. The ability to conduct 25 Starship launches and landings annually would mark a significant step forward in making space travel more routine and accessible. With missions potentially extending to the Moon, Mars, and beyond, the groundwork being laid today could very well define the next era of human space exploration.

While there are undoubtedly challenges to overcome, both regulatory and environmental, the potential rewards are too significant to ignore. The world will be watching closely as SpaceX seeks to transform its bold vision into reality.

Read more here:

SpaceX Amplifies Ambitions: 25 Starship Launches Annually from Boca Chica - Tesla Magazine

William E. Burrows, who as a journalist and author explored the promise and perils posed by outer space including the proliferation of weapons and spy satellites and the threat of potentially earth-shattering asteroids died on June 29 in Bridgeport, Conn. He was 87.

His death, in a hospital, was confirmed by his former wife, Joelle Hodgson, who said the cause was kidney failure.

Presaging his career by crash-landing model airplanes in his familys living room in Queens, near Idlewild Airport (now Kennedy International Airport), and surreptitiously taking flying lessons in a Piper Cub as a teenager, Mr. Burrows covered air travel, space technology, government secrecy and other subjects for The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal.

He wrote 14 books and established a graduate program in science writing at New York University, where he taught journalism.

Given the growing militarization of space and the challenges posed by environmental hazards and by weapons of mass destruction, Mr. Burrows believed that investing in space exploration was crucial, if for no other reason than to potentially save the human race one day by colonizing other planets.

The question to ask is whether the risk of traveling to space is worth the benefit, he wrote in The Journal in 2003. The answer is an unequivocal yes, but not only for the reasons that are usually touted by the space community: the need to explore, the scientific return, and the possibility of commercial profit.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit andlog intoyour Times account, orsubscribefor all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?Log in.

Want all of The Times?Subscribe.

See more here:

William E. Burrows, Historian of the Space Age, Is Dead at 87 - The New York Times

There is a global push in space exploration these days, but one has to admit that America steals the headlines most of the time in this field. That goes for anything from new rocket designs to daring missions to other worlds, and it is caused by the fact that the U.S. invests and does the most to advance our species beyond the borders of our planet. But, from time to time, something great happens elsewhere, and we can't help ourselves from taking a closer look.

Yet ESA has its own agenda, and from time to time it involves developing hardware capable of leaving our world. By that I mean rockets, obviously, and ESA's most recent one, the Ariane 6, just took flight for the first time. A perfect opportunity for us, then, to have a proper look at a rocket that is not made by Elon Musk or NASA, yet works just as well.

First, a thing or two about how the rocket came to be. Although not as visible as its American counterpart, Europe has been at it launching stuff into space for a while now. It has done this mostly by using a family of rockets called Ariane, named after Ariadne, the daughter ofKing Minos ofCrete in Greek mythology.

This family of rockets was born in the late 1970s with the Ariane 1. Since then, it has constantly grown to comprise a total of five versions. Europe's higher-ups decided to build Ariane 6 back in 2014, and a year later they tasked a company named ArianeGroup with making it.

The goal of Ariane 6 was to allow Europe to take point "in the fast-changing commercial launch service market." The task was too big for a single company, so ArianeGroup enlisted the help of hundreds of companies in 13 European countries. ESA handles the process of procurement and dictates the architecture of the overall launch system.

Photo: ESA

The rocket was built as a three-stage contraption: the first stage is made up of solid rocket boosters (either two or four of them, depending on the version), then comes the core stage, and finally, the upper stage.

The boosters and the core stage take care of the rocket's flight in the first phase of each mission. The boosters are of the P120C variety, the same ones used to power the first stage of the Vega-C rocket of the European Space Agency.

The core is pushed up by a liquid-fuelled Vulcain 2.1 engine, a derivation of the powerplant used on the previous Ariane 5. Combined with the power of the boosters, it should generate some 135 tons of thrust in the first ten minutes of flight.

Finally, the upper stage, the one that actually reaches space, gets its kick from a Vinci engine that burns cryogenic liquid oxygen and hydrogen. The powerplant can be ignited multiple times, moving payloads to where they need to be in orbit.

On top of the rocket there is the fairing that contains the payloads. It comes in two sizes, depending on the mission: a smaller one measuring 46 feet (14 meters) and a larger one standing at 66 feet (20 meters). Both are made of carbon fiber-polymer composite and have a diameter of 18 feet (5.4 meters).

Photo: ESA

The larger, four-booster version called Ariane 64 is used to send 11.5tons into geostationary transfer orbit and 21.6 tons into low Earth orbit.

We're talking about the Ariane 6 now because the rocket just had its first flight earlier this week. On July 9 it departed the specially constructed launch pad in French Guiana on a mission officially called VA262.

This was a demo flight, but it doesn't mean it was all just for show. The rocket took up with it "a varied selection of experiments, satellites, payload deployers and reentry demonstrations" supplied by people and organizations from all across the continent.

The Ariane 6 is the precursor rocket to an even more daring project. Come the next decade, Europe will have at its disposal something called the Ariane Next, a two-stage solution that should open up even more opportunities for ESA's space exploration efforts.

Continue reading here:

Europe Has a New Space Rocket, Ariane 6 Makes Successful First Flight - autoevolution