Alpha Centauri 2

Community => Recreation Commons => Destination: Alpha Centauri => Topic started by: Buster's Uncle on September 21, 2014, 02:41:54 pm

Title: SpaceX launches 3-D printer, other station gear
Post by: Buster's Uncle on September 21, 2014, 02:41:54 pm

SpaceX launches 3-D printer, other station gear
Associated Press
By MARCIA DUNN  5 hours ago


(http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/uDwbyjPVIRnvRZxEHHRiZw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTY2MTtweW9mZj0wO3E9NzU7dz05NjA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/c0e8a4692e304d25600f6a70670013e5.jpg)
In this framegrab provided by NASA, the SpaceX cargo ship lifts off, rocketing toward the International Space Station Sunday Sept. 21, 2014. The company launched its unmanned Dragon capsule from Cape Canaveral, Florida, early Sunday aboard a Falcon rocket. It's carrying more than 5,000 pounds of station supplies for NASA, including a 3-D printer, the first one bound for orbit. (AP Photo/NASA TV)



CAPE CANAVERAL (AP) — A SpaceX cargo ship rocketed toward the International Space Station on Sunday, carrying the first 3-D printer for astronauts in orbit.

In all, the unmanned Dragon capsule is delivering more than 5,000 pounds of space station supplies for NASA.

Dragon should reach the space station Tuesday. It's the fifth station shipment for the California-based SpaceX, one of two new commercial winners in the race to start launching Americans again from home soil.

The space station was soaring over the South Pacific when the SpaceX Falcon 9 thundered into Florida's pre-dawn sky. Sunday's weather was ideal for flying, unlike Saturday, when rain forced a delay. The rocket was visible for nearly three minutes as it sped out over the Atlantic, with the Orion constellation as a backdrop.

"What a beautiful morning it was," said Sam Scimemi, NASA's space station division director.

Sunday was a red-letter day for NASA in more ways than one.

Besides the flawless launch, the space agency's Maven spacecraft was on the verge of reaching Mars. The robotic explorer was scheduled to go into orbit around Mars late Sunday night.

The space station-bound 3-D printer was developed by Made in Space, another California company. It's sturdier than Earthly models to withstand the stresses of launch, and meets NASA's strict safety standards. The space agency envisions astronauts one day cranking out spare parts as needed. For now, it's a technology demonstrator, with a bigger and better model to follow next year.


(http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/ipB5Jzx93_4DRm39jpRAqw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTU0MDtweW9mZj0wO3E9NzU7dz05NjA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/ad8632f32e2f4d25600f6a70670088a0.jpg)
In this framegrab provided by NASA, the SpaceX cargo ship lifts off, rocketing toward the International Space Station Sunday Sept. 21, 2014. The company launched its unmanned Dragon capsule from Cape Canaveral, Florida, early Sunday aboard a Falcon rocket. It's carrying more than 5,000 pounds of station supplies for NASA, including a 3-D printer, the first one bound for orbit. (AP Photo/NASA TV)


A $30 million device for measuring ocean winds is also flying up on Dragon, along with 20 mice and 30 fruit flies for biological research and metal samples for a golf club manufacturer looking to improve its products.

Much-needed spacesuit batteries are on board as well, along with the usual stash of food, clothes and electronic gear. Routine U.S. spacewalks were put on hold following last year's close call with an astronaut's flooded helmet. That problem was solved, then the battery fuses were called into question. NASA hopes to resume spacewalks next month.

NASA is paying SpaceX and Virginia-based Orbital Sciences Corp. to make regular station deliveries. The SpaceX service began two years ago.

Just this past week, SpaceX — led by billionaire Elon Musk — won an even bigger and more prestigious contract to transport U.S. astronauts to the orbiting outpost, along with Boeing. Dragon rides could begin as early as 2016 or 2017.

NASA's ability to launch its own crews ended with the shuttle program in 2011. Russia has been providing rides on its Soyuz spacecraft for a hefty price.

Another American astronaut is scheduled to blast off from Kazakhstan aboard a Russian Soyuz later this week, along with two Russians, one of them a woman, a rarity for Russia. They will join the one American, one Russian and one German already in orbit.

SpaceX was delighted with Sunday's success and the road ahead, and could hardly wait for the party to begin.

"Nothing like a good launch," observed Hans Koenigsmann, vice president of mission assurance for SpaceX. "It's just fantastic."

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Online:

SpaceX: http://www.spacex.com/ (http://www.spacex.com/)

NASA: htttp://www.nasa.gov

Made in Space: http://www.madeinspace.us/ (http://www.madeinspace.us/)


http://news.yahoo.com/spacex-launches-3-d-printer-055356889.html (http://news.yahoo.com/spacex-launches-3-d-printer-055356889.html)

Title: SpaceX Falcon rocket blasts off from Florida
Post by: Buster's Uncle on September 21, 2014, 02:43:07 pm

SpaceX Falcon rocket blasts off from Florida
Reuters
6 hours ago



CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. Sept 21 (Reuters) - An unmanned Falcon 9 rocket blasted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Sunday to deliver a cargo ship to the International Space Station for NASA.

The 208-foot (63-meter) tall booster, built and launched by privately owned Space Exploration Technologies, bolted off its seaside launch pad at 1:52 a.m. EDT/0552 GMT, slicing the night-time sky with a bright plume of light as it headed into orbit.

Ten minutes later, the Dragon cargo capsule perched on top of the rocket was released to begin a two-day journey to the space station, a $100 billion research complex that flies about 260 miles (420 km) above Earth.

The spaceship is loaded with more than 5,000 pounds (2,268 kg) of equipment, supplies and science experiments, including 20 live mice for medical experiments, a prototype 3-D printer and an instrument to monitor ocean wind speeds.

The mission, which was delayed one day by poor weather, is the fourth under the company's 12-flight $1.6 billion NASA contract for cargo delivery services.

Sunday's launch was the second in two weeks for California-based SpaceX, the fastest turnaround between missions since Falcon 9 rockets began flying in June 2010.

"We are ramping up for that launch rate, and actually even more than that," Hans Koenigsmann, Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) vice president of mission assurance, told reporters at a prelaunch news conference.

The company has a backlog of nearly 50 launches, worth nearly $5 billion, on its manifest, said SpaceX spokesman John Taylor.

Last week, SpaceX won a second NASA contract, worth up to $2.6 billion, to upgrade and fly its Dragon capsules for astronauts - and potentially paying tourists as well. A crewed Dragon spaceship is targeted for a debut test flight in 2016.

NASA also awarded Boeing a $4.2 billion contract to develop and fly a second space taxi. The price difference is primarily the cost of the launcher.

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rockets sell for about $61 million. Boeing plans to buy Atlas 5 rockets, which cost about $150 million. United Launch Alliance, a partnership of Boeing and Lockheed Martin, manufactures and sells Atlas 5, which predominantly are used for U.S. military missions.

SpaceX, owned and operated by technology entrepreneur Elon Musk, is gunning for that business as well. A lawsuit is pending in federal court contesting the U.S. Air Force's latest non-competed award to United Launch Alliance.

So far, the company's Falcon 9 rockets have flown 13 times, all successfully.

Dragon is due to reach the space station at 7:04 a.m. EDT/1104 GMT on Tuesday.

(Editing by David Clarke)


http://news.yahoo.com/spacex-falcon-rocket-blasts-off-063644436.html (http://news.yahoo.com/spacex-falcon-rocket-blasts-off-063644436.html)

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Who's covering the space industry and doesn't know any better than to say "blast" off?

Title: SpaceX cargo ship blasts off toward space station
Post by: Buster's Uncle on September 21, 2014, 02:47:17 pm

SpaceX cargo ship blasts off toward space station
AFP
6 hours ago


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The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Dragon supply ship lifts off from the launch pad on a resupply mission to the International Space Station, on September 21, 2014 in Cape Canaveral, Florida (AFP Photo/Joe Raedle)



Washington (AFP) - SpaceX's unmanned Dragon cargo ship blasted off toward the International Space Station on Sunday, carrying a load of supplies and science experiments for the astronauts living there.

The spacecraft launched aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida at 1:52 am (0552 GMT).

"And Dragon is flying free, on its way to the International Space Station," NASA commentator George Diller said.

It is scheduled to arrive at the ISS early Tuesday. The space station's robotic arm is to reach out and grapple the spacecraft at 7:04 am (1104 GMT), Diller said.

The journey to the ISS is the fifth for SpaceX, and the fourth in a series of SpaceX's contracted supply missions with NASA.

The mission, known as CRS-4 was initially meant to take off Saturday but was postponed due to weather.

The supply ship is carrying 5,000 pounds (2,300 kilograms) of supplies, food and equipment -- including a 3D printer -- for the six-member crew at the orbiting outpost.

In 2010, SpaceX became the first private company to send a spacecraft to the ISS.

The company is run by Internet mogul Elon Musk, who accumulated his fortune by co-founding PayPal and also runs Tesla Motors.

Last week, SpaceX was awarded a $2 billion contract from NASA to continue developing its Dragon V2 vehicle with the goal of sending people to the space station as early as 2017.

Boeing won a larger NASA contract, more than $4 billion, for the development of its CST-10 crew vehicle.


http://news.yahoo.com/spacex-cargo-ship-blasts-off-toward-space-station-064212111.html (http://news.yahoo.com/spacex-cargo-ship-blasts-off-toward-space-station-064212111.html)

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...French wire services, evidently - I didn't plan this.