Today In Space

Current Ventures In Space by NASA, Other Countries and

the Private Sector

USSRC Proprietary

Today in Space NASA:

Aeronautics Shuttle ISS Technology Microgravity

Science Earth Observation Solar System Stars & Galaxies (www.nasa.gov)

Other Nations: China Russia Other ISS participants www.spaceflight.nasa.g

ov www.astronautix.com

Private Industry: X Prize Spaceadventures.com

NASA: Aeronautics Century of Flight

www.centennialofflight.gov Wright Brothers 12/17/03 Santos-Dumont 11/12/06 December 17: NC, VA, CO – go play! Build a Wright kite! www.first-to-

fly.com

NASA: Aeronautics Helios lost 6/03: solar-powered flying

wing

NASA: Aeronautics Blended Wing Body Goal: 800

passengers Current Model: 14%

scale Ground tests 2003 First Flight 2004 Langley Research

Ctr: www.larc.nasa.gov

NASA: Aeronautics/Shuttle Spaceplanes: Lifting

Body (wingless ½ cone)

1963: M2-F2 1990’s: X-33 Light

Payload and X-38 Crew Return Vehicle

2003: Green light for new Orbital Space Plane

Supplement Shuttle

NASA: Shuttle CAIB Report: ET Foam Solid Rocket Boosters

5th segment Liquid Flybacks 2009

50% Risk Reduction 2005: Avionics Upgrades Replace APU’s with electric

motors Continued use until

2015+

NASA: ISS Construction

held Progress supply

ship arrival Sept 2003

Expedition 7: Malachenko, Lu

Expedition 8: Foale, Kaleri (October 18)

NASA: Technology

Advances in propulsion, materials and electronics will create new spacecraft

From Stargazers to Starships: http://www-spof.gsfc.nasa.gov/stargaze/

NASA: Microgravity Science

Facilities: Drop Tower (seconds) Vomit Comet (seconds)

Sounding Rocket (minutes) ISS (months)

Advances: Medicine/Biotech, Bioastronautics, Combustion, Materials, Physics

www.microgravity.nasa.gov

NASA: Earth Observation Far enough for

perspective Close enough for

detail http://

earth.jsc.nasa.gov

NASA: Solar System Mercury Luna Mars Jupiter: Europa Saturn: Titan Pluto www.jpl.nasa.gov www.jhuapl.edu

NASA: Solar System - Mars

Spirit & Opportunity (Twin rovers) launched July & August, 2003.

7 engineering cameras (guidance)

3 science cameras: spectrometers (one on arm for “sniffing” mineral composition

NASA: Solar System: Jupiter 10/18/89: Launch (STS

34) 9/21/03: Deorbit into

Jupiter (108, 000 mph) Deorbit protects Europa

from possible crash 34 orbits in 14 years Discoveries:

subsurface oceans on Europa, Ganymede, Callisto

Other Nations: Russia and China Russia: continued

ISS participation, possible new launch vehicle

China: Shenzou Manned launch this year?

Copyright Mark

Wade

Private Industry: X Prize 10 Million Dollars 3 Occupants 2 launches in 2

weeks Tickets, anyone? www.xprize.org

Private Industry: Space Adventures

Training Zero-G Supersonic Suborbital (future) Orbital Spaceadventures.co

m

Surfing Through Space www.space.com www.cnn.com/space www.jpl.nasa.gov www.spaceflight.nasa.gov www.astronautix.comwww.spacenews.com ($100

subscription)