Category Archives: Space Station

Inflatable spacecraft heat shield ready to launch [HD]
Researchers from NASA #39;s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va., will launch and deploy a large inflatable heat shield aboard a rocket traveling at hypersonic speeds during a technology demonstration test from the agency #39;s Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Va. The test is designed to demonstrate that lightweight, yet strong, inflatable structures may become practical tools for exploration of other worlds or a way to safely return items from the International Space Station to Earth. During this technology demonstration test flight, NASA #39;s Inflatable Reentry Vehicle Experiment (IRVE-3) payload will try to come through Earth #39;s atmosphere at hypersonic speeds -- Mach 5, or 3800 to 7600 mph. Release Date: 18 July 2012From:TheMarsUndergroundViews:0 2ratingsTime:02:37More inScience Technology

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Inflatable spacecraft heat shield ready to launch [HD] - Video

ISS Update - Dec. 12, 2012
The International Space Station video update for Dec. 12, 2012.From:ReelNASAViews:31 4ratingsTime:01:59More inScience Technology

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ISS Update - Dec. 12, 2012 - Video

Farming on Mars the Moon
The question of how to grow edible and useable crops on the moon and Mars is being explored by a University of Mississippi administrator directing a cutting-edge research project aboard the International Space Station. Video by Mary Stanton.From:univmsViews:0 0ratingsTime:02:12More inEducation

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Farming on Mars

"The Evolution of a Rocket", Episode 36 of Journey Into Space
Rockets, airplanes, ships and the like often have a design evolution over their lifetimes, and it sometimes takes a few version numbers before the design fully maximizes its potential, sometimes expanding into roles that were never envisioned for it originally. The Simplex rocket was built with a very simple intention: to build a capable one-man rocket, able to reach the Interkerbin Space Station, with a minimal launch weight. Particularly a minimal first stage, which would be powered by jet engines. But there is no such thing as a good idea that we can #39;t run right into the ground. 😉 The Simplex FAR was the next stage, a one-man rocket to reach the High Altitude Research Station, one million meters up. To enable that, we needed to launch a robotic fuel freighter to the low-kerbin-orbit space station, to top up the fuel tanks. But you know, why stop there? In our next episode, we #39;ll launch the Simplex DUNA, a one-man rocket to go to Duna and return, all still launched on top of that same jet-powered first stage. How humane it is to send someone on a months-long journey to another planet in something the size of a coat closet is another issue to be dealt with, at some indefinite future point. 😉 ****************** The Simplex 2, granddaddy of the series: sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net The Simplex FAR 5, designed for the High Altitude Research Station and beyond: sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net The Simplex DUNA, still untested. sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net The High Altitude Research Station ...From:Robert DoddViews:4 5ratingsTime:52:25More inEntertainment

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"The Evolution of a Rocket", Episode 36 of Journey Into Space - Video

ESA astronauts training for ISS
ESA #39;s Human Space Flight programme is gaining more and more experience with several long duration missions aboard the International Space Station. In 2013 and 2014 the recently recruited new generation of European astronauts will enjoy the experience of orbiting the Earth. Luca Parmitano will fly from Baikonur next May for six months, followed in 2014 by Alexander Gerst and then Samantha Cristoforetti. This videos shows ESA astronauts training at the Johnson Space Centre in Houston and Star City in Moscow. More background information can be found on: http://www.esa.intFrom:ESAViews:0 0ratingsTime:04:03More inScience Technology

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ESA astronauts training for ISS - Video

Ravenstar Ascent in Orbiter Simulator
This ascent in the XR-2 Ravenstar space shuttle for the 2010 Orbiter Simulator went well, but not quite good enough to meet up with the International Space Station. The reason for this is because I had a bank error for the early supersonic portion of the ascent and wound up a little bit too far south on the ascent track. I was also flying the Ravenstar with all the specific performance settings to minimum, with a full payload of cargo and passengers; this is my first attempt to rendezvous that configuration with the International Space Station. The other error I did not discover during the simulation was that I hit Ctrl-G to raise the landing gear on take-off instead of G. This opened the SCRAM intakes instead. I noticed the gear was still down, but I failed to notice the SCRAM intakes were open until the point where I would normally have opened them. All the software required is free of charge, download here and install according to instructions: Orbiter: orbit.medphys.ucl.ac.uk OrbiterSound and UMMu orbiter.dansteph.com Altea XR series: http://www.alteaaerospace.comFrom:featherwingloveViews:0 0ratingsTime:29:48More inScience Technology

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Ravenstar Ascent in Orbiter Simulator - Video

Star Wars The Old Republic - Space Battle Cartel Listening Station
Name: Cartel Listening Post (Sith Assassin) Level: 20 Time Duration: 6 minutes, 38 seconds The Cartel has allowed the Republic to set up a hidden space station in Hutt Space to intercept dispatches from nearby Imperial operations. All available ships have been dispatched to destroy the station, but additional forces will be necessary to breach the Republic defenses. Primary Objectives: - Destroy 12 station turrets - Destroy 2 station shield generators - Destroy 3 station hangars - Destroy 3 station antennae Secondary Objectives: - Destroy 60 enemy fightersFrom:Chane LaforetViews:3 0ratingsTime:05:56More inGaming

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Star Wars The Old Republic - Space Battle Cartel Listening Station - Video

Crazy for a Cosmonaut
international space stationFrom:David GraceViews:0 0ratingsTime:02:01More inMusic

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Crazy for a Cosmonaut - Video

Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield will make his third trip into space later this month, when he and his crew depart for a five-month journey to the International Space Station.

The retired military colonel has accomplished many feats during his decades-long career as an astronaut. He was the first Canadian to operate the Canadarm in space and the first to take a spacewalk. Hadfield will become the first Canadian commander of the International Space Station during his next mission, launching on Dec. 19.

Hadfield discussed with Yahoo! Canada News the challenges of command and his experiences in space during a telephone interview from Space City, Russia. This is a condensed version of that conversation.

Yahoo! Canada News: This will be your third trip to space. It's getting old hat for you, I'm sure. What do you go through leading up to a launch like you have on Dec. 19?

Chris Hadfield: There is nothing old hat about it. I have been an astronaut for 20 years and I have been in space for 20 days. It is an extremely rare human experience and an immensely rare and personal experience. It is huge.

For this particular flight I have been training for about four years and the initial few years are all theory. We train in Japan and Germany and the Ukraine, in various places in Europe, Canada and the U.S. We train on all the systems and experiments and we start to get focused in the year prior to the flight, getting into simulators, all to give you the background, depth and specific set of skills so we can climb into the Soyuz rocket ship and fly it and dock it and operate in space for six months.

Y! Canada: Space flight must be a remarkable experience, and you have set some milestones during your career. Can you talk about your past experiences? What moments stand out to you the most?

Hadfield: My first flight was on space shuttle Atlantis and we went and built part of the Russian space station MIR. The whole thing was a highlight. It was an amazing experience. I was on the flight deck of a space shuttle. I was the first Canadian to operate the Canadarm. I used it to build this big Russian docking module.

Y! Canada: And it was your second flight that you did a spacewalk outside the station, wasn't it?

Hadfield: Yeah, I was the first Canadian to do a spacewalk. The purpose was to connect Canadarm2 onto the International Space Station. It was just brand new. We unbolted it, unfolded it and brought it to life on the first spacewalk. We went out on the second spacewalk and got it working. We spent about 15 hours outside, 10 times around the world.

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Yahoo! exclusive: Astronaut Chris Hadfield calls space ‘an amazing place to be’

After years of leading his fellow astronauts in Christmas carols on the ground, Chris Hadfield will be playing holiday tunes this year on the International Space Station.

The Canadian astronaut will blast off toward the station Dec. 19 to join the Expedition 34 and 35 missions.

He will spend the next five months, including the festive season, in space, separated from his family. Hadfield will also be away from Max Q and Bandella, the two astronaut bands he belongs to that occasionally do gigs in Houston.

Luckily for Hadfield, he doesn't have to leave music on the ground completely. There is at least one musical souvenir from his country already onboard the orbiting laboratory: a Larrive Parlor acoustic guitar, which was shipped to NASA years ago from its company's headquarters in Vancouver, Canada. Hadfield, a veteran of two space shuttle flights, plans to play the guitar during his down time on the station. [Video: How to Play the Zero-G Guitar]

Christmas in orbit

At Christmastime, Hadfield and his crewmates will enjoy a festive dinner in space, likely with turkey and gravy for the main course and peach ambrosia for dessert.

"We will do the best to host a traditional Christmas kind of dinner," he said during a preflight press conference Tuesday (Dec. 11), telephoning from his quarantined room at Kazakhstan's Baikonur Cosmodrome, where a Russian Soyuz rocket is being prepared to launch Hadfield and two crewmates next week.

He added that the diversity of nations represented on the space station never guarantees a holiday will be celebrated by all, due to the workload that needs to be accomplished.

But Christmas is recognized by most of the space station residents this time around; the Russian cosmonauts, who celebrate Orthodox Christmas in January, have agreed to join in on Dec. 25 as well.

Music psychology

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Canadian Astronaut Will Strum Christmas Carols in Space