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SpaceShipTwo Roll Out

Dec 8

Posted by PilotBug in Space | Comments off

SS2 roll outFighting against the stormy Mojave weather SpaceShipTwo was rolled out today to a spectacular display at Mojave Spaceport

On Monday 7th December Virgin Galactic unveiled SpaceShipTwo to the world at Mojave Spaceport, California. 800 press, future astronauts and VIP guests gathered in the desert for a press conference and to view the roll out of the world’s first commercial spaceline.

SS2 roll outSir Richard Branson and Burt Rutan led the press conference, special recognition went to the team at Scaled Deposites whose hard work and dedication have made this happen. Governors Bill Richardson and Arnold Schwarzenegger both contributed at the press conference, celebrating this huge milestone and also joining Holly, Richard’s daughter in naming the spaceship, VSS Enterprise.

SS2 out of the hangar for the first timeDespite gale force winds and stormy weather, guests gathered on the runway after the press conference to see SpaceShipTwo for the first time. The spaceship was carried down the runway by her mothership, VMS Eve, to a spectacular display of lights, music and snow which only helped increase the anticipation of her arrival and excitement and awe as she appeared before the crowds.

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Virgin Galactic unveils SpaceShipTwo

Dec 7

Posted by PilotBug in Space | Comments off

SpaceShipTwo With Richard Branson

SpaceShipTwo With Richard Branson

Virgin Galactic unveils SpaceShipTwo, the world’s first manned commercial spaceship

SpaceShipTwo (SS2) and its mothership, VMS Eve (WhiteKnightTwo) herald a new era in commercial space flight with daily space tourism flights set to commence from Spaceport America in New Mexico after test program and all required US government license.

Virgin Founder, Sir Richard Branson and SpaceshipOne (SS1) designer, Burt Rutan, today reveal SS2 to the public for the first time since construction of the world’s first manned commercial spaceship began in 2007. SS2 has been designed to take many thousands of private astronauts into space after test programming and all required U.S. government licensing has been completed.

Sir Richard Branson and SS2

Sir Richard Branson and SS2

The unveiling represents another major milestone in Virgin Galactic’s quest to develop the World’s first commercial space line providing private sector access to space using an environmentally benign launch system for people, payload and science. The spaceship draws on the experience developed during the successful flights of SS1 in 2004, which won the Ansari X-Prize for completing the world’s first manned private space flights. The SS2 design will be refined and completed during an extensive test flying program to commence shortly, and it will be an entirely new vehicle capable of carrying up to 6 passenger astronauts and up to 2 pilot astronauts into space on a sub-orbital flight.

SpaceShip2- Unveils in Mojave,CA

SpaceShip2- Unveils in Mojave,CA

The unveil itself will take place at Mojave Air and Spaceport as darkness falls on the famous aviation and spaceflight location. Subject to certain U.S. regulatory requirements that will guide the unveiling, SS2 will be attached to her WK2 mothership which was last year unveiled and named EVE after Sir Richard Branson’s mother. In the future, WK2 will carry SS2 to above 50,000 feet (16 kilometers) before the spaceship is dropped and fires her rocket motor to launch into space from that altitude. In honour of a long tradition of using the word Enterprise in the naming of Royal Navy, US Navy, NASA vehicles and even science fiction spacecraft, Governor Schwarzenegger of California and Governor Richardson of New Mexico will today christen SS2 with the name Virgin Space Ship (VSS) ENTERPRISE. This represents not only an acknowledgment to that name’s honorable past but also looks to the future of the role of private enterprise in the development of the exploration, industrialization and human habitation of space.

SS2 and VMS Eve in hangar 3

SS2 and VMS Eve in hangar 3

The emergence of new commercial space companies like Virgin Galactic will be an engine for employment, growth and the creation of a new technology and science base in the United States. Recent research has indicated that 12,500 jobs have already been created by the new space companies; the Virgin Galactic project alone is creating significant opportunities for employment in both the company itself and with suppliers in both California and New Mexico. Approximately 600 people are now working on activities relating to the project and it is estimated that this figure will rise to over 1,100 jobs during the peak of the construction phase at the space port and through the introduction of the commercial space vehicles into regular astronaut service.

Both WK2 and SS2 represent state of the art environmentally sensitive industrial development in their use of carbon composite materials technology, which has now been identified as a key future contributor to the increasingly urgent requirement by the commercial aviation sector for dramatically more fuel efficient aircraft. WK2 is powered by four Pratt and Whitney PW308A engines, which are amongst the most powerful. economic and efficient commercial jet engines available making it a mould breaker in carbon efficiency. SS2 will be powered by a unique hybrid rocket motor, which is currently under development.

The twin fuselage and central payload area configuration allow for easy access to WK2 and to the spaceship for passengers and crew; the design also aids operational efficiencies and turnaround times. The mothership has now also completed a year of rigorous and successful first phase flight testing prior to today’s attachment of SS2.

SS2 and VMS Eve in hangar 2Commenting on the unveiling, Sir Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin Galactic said: “This is truly a momentous day. The team has created not only a world first but also a work of art. The unveil of SS2 takes the Virgin Galactic vision to the next level and continues to provide tangible evidence that this ambitious project is not only moving rapidly, but also making tremendous progress towards our goal of safe commercial operation”.

Burt Rutan, Founder of Scaled Composites added: “All of us at Scaled are tremendously excited by the capabilities of both the mothership and SS2. Today is the culmination of a dream that began many decades ago, was stimulated by Paul Allen’s funding of our X-Prize winning SS1 and then moved forward to commercial reality by Sir Richard and Virgin’s visionary investment in a new future for space transportation”.

SpaceShipTwo will be unveiled after darkness has fallen over the Mojave Desert to the sound of a space-themed anthem from Britain’s biggest DJs, Above & Beyond. Fittingly titled “Buzz” the track will sample Buzz Aldrin’s original moon landing dialogue. Following the naming by Governors Richardson and Schwarzenegger, the DJs will also perform an exclusive set at the celebration cocktail party which will follow and feature the first ever IceBar in the desert hosted by Absolut and the world famous Swedish IceHotel. All the guests will be protected from the desert cold by designer space jackets supplied by PUMA. Finally, to close off the celebrations, all the guests will have the opportunity to view the stunning night skies using specialist telescopes supplied by Ron Dantowitz of the Clay Observatory whose unique tracking cameras followed SS1 into space during the epic flights of 2004.

Source:  Virgin Galactic

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NASA impact probe kicks up water on Moon

Nov 13

Posted by PilotBug in Space | Comments off

The NASA lunar probe that was directed to impact the surface of the Moon in October has detected the presence of water, according to preliminary findings.  The Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite, or LCROSS, was launched June 18th to see if it could find water in one of the permanently  shadowed craters on the Moon.  LCROSS and the spent upper stage which carried it struck the Moon’s surface approximately four minutes apart.

LCROSS

LCROSS

Lunar dust kicked up during the first impact was analyzed by LCROSS before it collided with the Moon as well.

Data obtained from LCROSS using its on board spectrometers was compared with the near infrared spectral signature of  water.  Early analysis indicates that along with the ejected dust, water was present. Additionally, indications of hydroxyl, a byproduct of the breakup of water in the presence of sunlight, was detected in the ultraviolet range of the spectrometers.

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, another spacecraft observed both impacts and passes over the site during its orbit to gain additional data for researchers.

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NASA awards $900k for potential Space Elevator Power Source

Nov 9

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NASA AND SPACEWARD FOUNDATION AWARD PRIZE MONEY FOR SUCCESSFUL WIRELESS POWER DEMONSTRATION

WASHINGTON — NASA has awarded $900,000 in prize money to a Seattle company that successfully demonstrated new wireless energy beaming technology which could one day be used to help power a “space elevator.”

LaserMotive Beaming Appratus

LaserMotive Beaming Appratus

LaserMotive of Seattle was awarded the money after its performance in the Power Beaming Challenge competition, which was a demonstration of wireless power transmission that enabled a robotic device to climb a vertical cable. The competition was held Nov. 4-6 at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center in Edwards, Calif. The Spaceward Foundation of Mountain View, Calif., manages the competition for NASA’s Centennial Challenges program.

To win a prize, teams had to develop a power transmission system and robotic climber that could reach a height of 3,280 feet. Teams that reached the top share in a total purse of $2 million, based on their vertical speed and payload mass.

LaserMotive’s average speed on their best of several successful climbs was 8.7 mph over a four minute period. By exceeding the average speed of 4.5 mph and being the only team to reach the top of the cable, LaserMotive claimed the entire $900,000 prize for that level. Teams had to exceed an average speed of approximately 11 mph to qualify for a share of the remaining prize purse of $1.1 million. That amount will remain available for the next Power Beaming competition.

NASA is interested in power-beaming technology for a variety of
purposes including remotely powering rovers and instruments on the
moon. On Earth, the technology might supply communities with power
following natural disasters. There also are potential applications
for power beaming for airships, satellites and space transportation,
including the space elevator concept.

LaserMotive was competing with two other teams, the Kansas City Space Pirates and the USST team from South Bend, Ind. Although they did not post prize-winning performances, the other teams kept the contest outcome in doubt up until the final moments.

“I have watched these teams steadily improve their designs since we
began the challenge in 2005 and the sophistication of the systems
that they demonstrated this week is impressive by any standard.” said
Ben Shelef of the Spaceward Foundation.

A vertical “racetrack” was created for the competition by suspending a cable from a helicopter flying 4,300 feet overhead. This arrangement, along with the high-power laser systems, provided a unique and unprecedented testing environment.

“The kilometer-high vertical cable system established for this
competition was something that had never been done before and is a
remarkable accomplishment in itself. The Spaceward Foundation and
their partners, along with our hosts at NASA Dryden, deserve a lot of
credit for their creativity and determination.” said Andrew Petro,
Centennial Challenge program manager.

The Power Beaming Challenge is one of six Centennial Challenges
managed by NASA’s Innovative Partnership Program. NASA’s Centennial Challenges program’s goals are to drive progress in aerospace technology that is of value to NASA’s missions; encourage participation of independent teams, individual inventors, student groups and private companies of all sizes in aerospace research and development; and find innovative solutions to technical challenges through competition and cooperation.

Official results, as well as video and photography, are available at:

http://www.SpaceElevatorGames.org

For more information on Centennial Challenges, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/offices/ipp/innovation_incubator/cc_home.html

For more information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

Sonja Alexander
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1761
sonja.r.alexander@nasa.gov

RELEASE: 09-261

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NASA and X Prize announce winners of lunar lander challenge

Nov 2

Posted by PilotBug in Space | 5 Comments

WASHINGTON — NASA will award $1.65 million in prize money Thursday to
a pair of innovative aerospace companies that successfully simulated
landing a spacecraft on the moon and lifting off again.

Lunar Lander Challenge

Lunar Lander Challenge

NASA’s Centennial Challenges program will give a $1 million first
prize to Masten Space Systems of Mojave, Calif., and a $500,000
second prize to Armadillo Aerospace of Rockwall, Tex., for their
Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge flights. The competition was
managed by the X PRIZE Foundation. The Northrop Grumman Corporation
is a commercial sponsor that provided operating funds for the contest
to the X PRIZE Foundation.

An awards ceremony for the winning teams will be held at noon on Nov.
5 in room 2325 of the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington.
Journalists should contact Sonja Alexander at 202-358-1761 for more
information about the ceremony.

The Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge involves building and
flying a rocket-powered vehicle that simulates the flight of a
vehicle on the moon. The lander must take off vertically then travel
horizontally, flying a mission profile designed to demonstrate both
power and control before landing accurately at another spot. The same
vehicle then must take off again, travel horizontally back to its
original takeoff point and land successfully, all within a
two-hour-and-15-minute time period.

The challenge requires exacting control and navigation, as well as
precise control of engine thrust, all done automatically. The
rocket’s engine must be started twice in a short time with no ground
servicing other than refueling. This represents the technical
challenges involved in operating a reusable vehicle that could land
on the moon.

The prize purse is divided into first and second prizes for Level 1
and Level 2. Level 1 requires a flight duration of at least 90
seconds on each flight and Level 2 requires a duration of at least
180 seconds. One of the landings for a Level 2 attempt must be made
on a simulated lunar terrain with rocks and craters.

Masten Space Systems met the Level 2 requirements by achieving
accurate landings and captured the first place prize during flights
of their “Xoie” (pronounced “Zoey”) vehicle Oct. 30 at the Mojave Air
and Space Port. Masten also claimed a $150,000 prize as part of the
Level 1 competition.

Armadillo Aerospace was the first team to qualify for the Level 2
prize with successful flights of its Scorpius rocket Sept. 12 in
Caddo Mills, Tex. Armadillo placed second in the Level 2 competition,
earning a $500,000 prize.

The average landing accuracy determined which teams would receive
first and second place prizes. The Masten team achieved an average
accuracy of 7.5 inches while Armadillo Aerospace’s average accuracy
was 34 inches.

The events of the past two months have brought the four-year Northrop
Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge to a conclusion. All $2 million in
prize money has been awarded.

“The Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge has had its intended
impact, with impressive performances by multiple teams representing a
new generation of aerospace entrepreneurs” said Andrew Petro, NASA’s
Centennial Challenge program manager at NASA Headquarters in
Washington. “These companies have demonstrated reusable vehicles with
rapid turnaround and a surprising degree of precision in flight, and
they have done all this at a much lower cost than many thought
possible.”

Four teams had been in pursuit of the 2009 Lunar Lander Challenge
prizes during the competition that opened in July. The BonNova team
dropped out of the competition last week. Unreasonable Rocket, a
father-and-son team from Solana Beach, Calif., conducted flight
attempts during the final days of the competition but did not
complete any qualifying flights.

In the Level 1 competition, Armadillo Aerospace previously claimed the
first place prize of $350,000 in 2008. Masten Space Systems qualified
for the remaining second place prize on Oct. 7, 2009, with an average
landing accuracy of 6.3 inches. Because there were no other
qualifying Level 1 flights this year, the Masten team will receive
the second place prize of $150,000.

NASA’s Centennial Challenges program’s goals are to drive progress in
aerospace technology that is of value to NASA’s missions; encourage
participation of independent teams, individual inventors, student
groups and private companies of all sizes in aerospace research and
development; and find innovative solutions to technical challenges
through competition and cooperation.

The Northop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge is one of six Centennial
Challenges managed by NASA’s Innovative Partnership Program. The
competition was managed for NASA at no cost to the taxpayer by the X
PRIZE Foundation under a Space Act Agreement. NASA provided all of
the prize funds.

For more information on Centennial Challenges, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/offices/ipp/innovation_incubator/cc_home.html

For more information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

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