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Archive for the ‘space travel’ category: Page 371

Feb 2, 2019

Morgan Stanley says Spaceflight Industries is ‘entirely’ disrupting the rocket launch market

Posted by in category: space travel

Spaceflight Industries is the latest company featured in Morgan Stanley’s “Space Disruptor Series,” which covers 90 companies.

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Feb 2, 2019

Boeing’s Starliner Spacecraft Will Be Ready for 1st Test Flight in March

Posted by in categories: robotics/AI, space travel

WASHINGTON — Boeing is on track to launch its new astronaut taxi to the International Space Station (ISS) next month.

Along with SpaceX, the private spaceflight company was contracted by NASA to begin launching astronauts from U.S. soil again for the first time since the space shuttle program ended in 2011. Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner won’t be taking any astronauts along for its first flight to the ISS, however. After docking robotically with the orbiting lab, it will return to Earth for a parachute landing in Texas.

If this test flight goes according to plan, Boeing will be ready to launch its first crew of astronauts to the space station in August, Boeing spokesperson Maribeth Davis told Space.com during a presentation of Boeing’s future vision for space travel here. [How Boeing’s Commercial CST-100 Starliner Spacecraft Works].

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Feb 2, 2019

See the SpaceX rocket engine that will zip Elon Musk’s Starship to moon

Posted by in categories: Elon Musk, space travel

The Raptor engine is designed to power Starship to our lunar neighbor and beyond.

    by

  • Amanda Kooser

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Feb 1, 2019

In new Starship details, Musk reveals a more practical approach

Posted by in categories: business, space travel

For example, Musk said, “Initially making one 200 metric ton thrust engine common across ship & booster to reach the Moon as fast as possible. Next versions will split to vacuum-optimized (380+ sec Isp) & sea-level thrust optimized (~250 ton).”

This comment is notable for a couple of reasons. First of all, the company appears to have decided to streamline the Raptor engine to a single design that will power both the rocket at liftoff, and the spaceship in the upper atmosphere and outer space. It will take less time to develop, test, and qualify a single engine. It will also cost less money.

Additionally, Musk notes that the goal is “to reach the Moon as fast as possible.” The company still appears to be focused on lunar orbital flights, such as the #dearMoon project for Japanese businessman Yusaku Maezawa, as the first missions for Starship.

Continue reading “In new Starship details, Musk reveals a more practical approach” »

Jan 31, 2019

Former NASA Rocket Scientist On Why We’re Still Going Nowhere Fast

Posted by in categories: innovation, space travel

Interstellar propulsion breakthroughs will require research that is motivated by more than mere hype, says former NASA breakthrough propulsion physicist.

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Jan 31, 2019

Cutbacks at Stratolaunch, Virgin Galactic show the space industry is entering a second stage

Posted by in category: space travel

January has been unforgiving for commercial space firms. SpaceX and Virgin Galactic laid off employees earlier this month, while Stratolaunch recently announced it would stop development of its rockets and rocket engine.

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Jan 28, 2019

SpaceX Revs Its Engines as It Gets Closer to Crewed Flight

Posted by in category: space travel

Next month SpaceX’s passenger capsule is expected to launch on an uncrewed mission—a big step towards bringing human spaceflight back to the US.

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Jan 26, 2019

SpaceX Just Test Fired the Rocket That’ll Launch Its Crew Dragon

Posted by in category: space travel

But it’s only the first of a series of tests before astronauts are allowed to…

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Jan 26, 2019

Blue Origin breaks ground for BE-4 factory

Posted by in category: space travel

WASHINGTON — As Blue Origin breaks ground on a new factory for producing rocket engines, the company says development of its BE-4 engine will be completed later this year.

Blue Origin held a groundbreaking ceremony in Huntsville, Alabama, Jan. 25 to formally mark the start of construction of a factory that will be used for building BE-4 engines. The company announced plans to build the factory there in June 2017, contingent on the selection of the engine by United Launch Alliance for its Vulcan rocket. ULA picked the BE-4 in September 2018.

The factory, scheduled for completion in March 2020, will build dozens of BE-4 engines a year for both Vulcan as well as Blue Origin’s own New Glenn vehicle. Both rockets are scheduled to make first launches in 2021. Vulcan will use two BE-4 engines in its first stage while New Glenn’s reusable first stage will be powered by seven BE-4 engines.

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Jan 24, 2019

Blue Origin wants to launch a person into space by the end of this year

Posted by in category: space travel

The company owned by Jeff Bezos is also expected to launch tickets sales later this year for space tourism flights.

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