It’s a tough job when it’s the seconds that you celebrate.
A few weeks ago, NASA, the U.S. Air Force, as well as Australian scientists and engineers, took another step toward hypersonic travel by taking a scramjet engine from Mach 6 to Mach 8 — for 12 seconds. Big deal, say you? Didn’t NASA power its unmanned X-43A scramjet to a record-setting Mach 9.6 back in 2004? Yes, but only for 10 seconds. Didn’t the Air Force announce a couple of years ago that the X-51A scramjet had flown for about 200 seconds? Yes, but only at Mach 5.
So what’s the celebration for now? The HIFIRE team’s engine achieved combustion and higher speeds with a lighter weight and simpler to use fuel. That opens up possibilities for longer flights or heavier payloads. And maybe a more affordable way into space. Read more.
Firstly, what are Earth observation instruments? Secondly, why do we need them?
A recent report suggests a decline of U.S. Earth observation instruments within the next eight years, and it’s caused quite a buzz — especially over concerns that the losses could seriously hinder weather forecasting. In particular, the ability to spot tropical disturbances early and track their formation into hurricanes. Read more.
Current events quiz: What’s the name of the first company to send a privately built commercial rocket into space? If you said “SpaceX,” that’s a giant air horn you hear, honking you off the reality show stage. Read more.
Last week, UrtheCast’s Co-Founder and Executive Vice-President, Wade Larson, flew to Beijing, China — one of the most populous cities in the world — to present UrtheCast’s case study in competition for top spot at this year’s G-Startup challenge. Up against some of the most innovative startups in mobile technology, UrtheCast poised itself to catch the eyes and minds of industry leaders and investors.
VANCOUVER, May 14, 2012 — UrtheCast emerged onto the technology scene in December of 2010 with a singular vision: to offer the world an interactive internet platform of high-definition (HD) video footage of Earth — video footage to be streamed in near real-time from the International Space Station, for free. Last week, UrtheCast’s Co-Founder and Executive Vice-President, Wade Larson, flew to Beijing, China, to present UrtheCast’s case study in competition for top spot at this year’s G-Startup challenge. Up against some of the most innovative startups in mobile technology, UrtheCast poised itself to catch the eyes and minds of industry leaders and investors. Read more.
If you were sent to live in a moon colony, what couldn’t you live without? Your partner? Your pet? Superhero pajamas?
Russia isn’t the only country eying the moon, so there might be a chance for you yet. As recently as January 2012, presidential candidate Newt Gingrich began promising American citizens a moon colony by the year 2015. Whether he’ll have a chance to implement his plan remains in the hands of the U.S. voters, but countries like Russia and China are already hard at work figuring out the logistics of moon exploration: Read more.