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Archive for the ‘space travel’ category: Page 354

Jun 23, 2019

You Can Now Buy A Practical Gauss Gun

Posted by in categories: robotics/AI, space travel

Occasionally we come across a piece of information which reminds us that, while flying cars are still nowhere to be found, we’re definitely living in the future. Usually it’s about some new application of artificial intelligence, or maybe another success in the rapidly developing field of private spaceflight. But sometimes it’s when you look at a website and say to yourself: “Oh cool, they have 1.5kW electromagnetic accelerators in stock.”


Arcflash Labs, a partnership between [David Wirth] and [Jason Murray], have put their EMG-01A Gauss gun up for sale for anyone who’s brave enough and willing to put down $1,000 USD on what’s essentially a high-tech BB gun. The creators claim it obtains an efficiency of 6.5% out of its RC-style 6S LiPo battery pack, which allows it to fire over 100 rounds before needing to be recharged. Firing 4.6g steel projectiles at a rather leisurely 45 m/s, this futuristic weapon would be more of a match for tin cans than invading alien forces, but at least you’ll be blasting those cans from a position of supreme technical superiority.

Continue reading “You Can Now Buy A Practical Gauss Gun” »

Jun 23, 2019

How Jeff Bezos came up with the name ‘Blue Origin’

Posted by in categories: economics, space travel

What’s in a name? A little thought and a good cause, according to Jeff Bezos who was recently pressed about why he named his space company “Blue Origin.”

The Amazon founder recently spoke at the JFK Library for a fireside chat event. During the 50 minute conversation, he was asked about his other company, Blue Origin.

Northwest is primed for the space economy.

Jun 22, 2019

SpaceX is about to launch 152 dead people’s remains into orbit aboard a Falcon Heavy rocket

Posted by in category: space travel

A company called Celestis has tucked small pods of cremated “participants” into a spacecraft that will also carry NASA’s Deep Space Atomic Clock.

Jun 22, 2019

Meet the Companies Trying to Put Humans Back on the Moon

Posted by in category: space travel

NASA wants to put humans back on the Moon’s surface by 2024. Now these companies are scrambling to design spacecraft no engineer has built in 50 years.

Jun 22, 2019

Blue Origin Moon mission: Blue Moon BE-7 rocket engine aces first test

Posted by in category: space travel

BLUE ORIGIN, the space company founded by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, is one small step closer to achieving its ambition of reaching the Moon, after acing its first rocket test.

Jun 20, 2019

NASA’s Deep Space Atomic Clock Will Transform Space Exploration

Posted by in category: space travel

What Is an Atomic Clock?

Clock is ticking: A technology demonstration that could transform the way humans explore space is nearing its target launch date of June 24, 2019. Developed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, the Deep Space Atomic Clock is a serious upgrade to the satellite-based atomic clocks that, for example, enable the GPS on your phone.

Jun 20, 2019

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin fires up moon landing engine in successful first test

Posted by in category: space travel

It’s sound and fury signifying a step toward landing on the lunar surface.

Jun 19, 2019

SpinLaunch Secures First Contract for Revolutionary New Space Launch Services

Posted by in categories: innovation, space travel

SpinLaunch has been awarded a responsive launch prototype contract from the DoD, facilitated by DIU for kinetic energy-based launch services.

Media Contact: Diane Murphy ([email protected]) Tel: 310.658.

Jun 19, 2019

Bezos says Blue Origin will one day refuel its lunar lander with ice from the moon

Posted by in category: space travel

Amazon and Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos gave more insight into his space company’s lunar plans on Wednesday, explaining how its spacecraft will eventually be powered with fuel harvested from the moon.

“We know things about the moon now we didn’t know about during the Apollo days,” Bezos said, speaking at the JFK Space Summit in Boston, Massachusetts.

One of the things learned since Apollo that Bezos highlighted is that there are deposits of water ice at the bottom of craters on the moon.

Jun 19, 2019

A SpaceX surprise: Falcon Heavy booster landing to smash distance record

Posted by in categories: drones, space travel

In an unexpected last-second change, SpaceX has moved Falcon Heavy Flight 3’s center core landing on drone ship Of Course I Still Love You (OCISLY) from 40 km to more than 1240 km (770 mi) off the coast of Florida.

Drone ship OCISLY is already being towed to the landing site, necessary due to the sheer distance that needs to be covered at a leisurely towing pace. The current record for distance traveled during booster recovery was set at ~970 km by Falcon Heavy center core B1055 in April 2019. If successful, Falcon Heavy center core B1057 will smash that record by almost 30% after sending two dozen spacecraft on their way to orbit. Falcon Heavy Flight 3 is scheduled to lift off in support of the Department of Defense’s Space Test Program 2 (STP-2) mission no earlier than 11:30 pm ET (03:30 UTC), June 24th. A routine static fire test at Pad 39A will (hopefully) set the stage for launch on Wednesday, June 19th.