[QUOTE=xilman;388065][URL="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-30102343"]Boldly going where 12 men have been before.[/URL]

To be serious, I hope they get this thing off the ground. A £600K (approx $1M) kickstarter sounds eminently reasonable.[/QUOTE]

I'm in! Now, I got to figure out what to put in my digital locker. I could start recording my voice speaking the largest known Prime numbers...I wonder how long that would take? :)

[QUOTE]The lander will also contain a public digital archive of human history and science which will be compiled as a legacy which will survive even if our species becomes extinct.[/QUOTE]Will they also be checking whether such a thing is already there from some previous (and now extinct) species on earth?

[QUOTE=Nick;388092]Will they also be checking whether such a thing is already there from some previous (and now extinct) species on earth?[/QUOTE]

Excellent question! :tu:

[QUOTE=firejuggler;386371][youtube]MZ0SgAU9LXI[/youtube]
view from the press site, might be nsfw as coarse language is used[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Uncwilly;386400]I wonder if the RSO had criteria that they followed to let the rocket fall if it was below a specific height. Once it goes pop and begins to fall, I would think that that is the time to hit the button.[/QUOTE]

Here is the launch, failure, and explosion from several close in cameras at different angles, some at slow speed (one gets hit.)
[url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsvUVDTgPoI&feature=player_detailpage#t=24[/url]
It very much looks like the rocket hit the ground and then blew.

Reusable Rocket Milestone on December 16th
 

[URL="http://www.space.com/27955-spacex-ro...-platform.html"]SpaceX Will Try to Land Rocket on Floating Ocean Platform Next Week[/URL]

Elon Musk points out that launch rockets cost about the same as jet airliners, and getting more uses out of each would reduce the cost of going to space. SpaceX has done three simulated landings on the ocean, but this will the first time there is something to actually land on, making recovery of the rocket possible. Official guess is 50% chance of success. It's being landed on a barge because it takes FAA approval to return it to land.

[QUOTE=wblipp;389694][URL="http://www.space.com/27955-spacex-ro...-platform.html"]SpaceX Will Try to Land Rocket on Floating Ocean Platform Next Week[/URL]

Elon Musk points out that launch rockets cost about the same as jet airliners, and getting more uses out of each would reduce the cost of going to space. SpaceX has done three simulated landings on the ocean, but this will the first time there is something to actually land on, making recovery of the rocket possible. Official guess is 50% chance of success. It's being landed on a barge because it takes FAA approval to return it to land.[/QUOTE]

link is truncated: [url]http://www.space.com/27955-spacex-rocket-ocean-landing-platform.html[/url] works.

SpaceX Rocket Recovery Attempt Tuesday 6:30 AM EDT
 

SPaceX will attempt to land a first stage rocket Tuesday 6:30 AM. New York Times article [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/05/science/space/next-frontier-for-spacex-and-elon-musk-landing-a-rocket-on-earth.html"]here[/URL].

[URL="http://www.businessweek.com/news/2015-01-20/google-said-to-be-close-to-investing-1-billion-in-musk-s-spacex"]Google Is Close to Investing $1 Billion in Musk’s SpaceX[/URL]
[QUOTE]“There are a couple of new investors that -- because of their disclosure requirements, we’ll -- will have to become publicly known, I think toward the end of this month,” Musk said in the Jan. 12 interview.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Uncwilly;388366]Here is the launch, failure, and explosion from several close in cameras at different angles, some at slow speed (one gets hit.)
[URL]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsvUVDTgPoI&feature=player_detailpage#t=24[/URL]
It very much looks like the rocket hit the ground and then blew.[/QUOTE]

I was watching this again, and made some comment. It prompted Dan to say, "Was the the fireworks factory in Colombia? I had not heard of this event, but it did go BOOM really good. I know it is not a space launch except by the most tenuous relation: Chinese gunpowder ended up in much early rocketry, which eventually led to space flights.

[url]http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/video-colombian-fireworks-factory-explodes-article-1.2066232[/url]

Sorry, this won't do YouTube embedding, but here is the same thing on YT. The Daily News does have some explication on the event.
[YOUTUBE]LyofFp2GpfU[/YOUTUBE]

[QUOTE=kladner;393019]"Was the the fireworks factory in Colombia? I had not heard of this event, but it did go BOOM really good. I know it is not a space launch except by the most tenuous relation: Chinese gunpowder ended up in much early rocketry, which eventually led to space flights.[/QUOTE]Youtube "Enschede all angles"
Here is a one that connects to spaceflight:
[YOUTUBE]3V-1BL1Tr90[/YOUTUBE]

From today, the European Space Agency is listening to see whether the comet lander Philae starts transmitting again.

ESA Rosetta project blog entry: [URL]http://blogs.esa.int/rosetta/2015/03/10/waiting-for-a-signal-from-philae/[/URL]

Some use GPUs to do "real" work...
 

[URL="http://www.theplatform.net/2015/03/27/rockets-shake-and-rattle-so-spacex-rolls-homegrown-cfd/"]SpaceX develops custom CFD using GPUs[/URL]! Cool!!!

[QUOTE=chalsall;398883][URL="http://www.theplatform.net/2015/03/27/rockets-shake-and-rattle-so-spacex-rolls-homegrown-cfd/"]SpaceX develops custom CFD using GPUs[/URL]! Cool!!![/QUOTE]That is a really nice presentation!

[QUOTE=chalsall;398883][URL="http://www.theplatform.net/2015/03/27/rockets-shake-and-rattle-so-spacex-rolls-homegrown-cfd/"]SpaceX develops custom CFD using GPUs[/URL]! Cool!!![/QUOTE]

:goodposting:

[QUOTE=xilman;398886]That is a really nice presentation![/QUOTE]
In what appears to be a miscue in the article, they refer to the engine as a Merlin derived engine, while I understand the [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raptor_(rocket_engine)"]Raptor[/URL] to be a different engine family. The Raptor is much more that a scaled up Merlin.

[QUOTE=chalsall;398883][URL="http://www.theplatform.net/2015/03/27/rockets-shake-and-rattle-so-spacex-rolls-homegrown-cfd/"]SpaceX develops custom CFD using GPUs[/URL]! Cool!!![/QUOTE]
Nice material, thanks for sharing it.

edit: clicking on the bottom of the page you linked, after reading your material:
[URL="http://www.theplatform.net/2015/03/18/nvidia-tweaks-pascal-gpus-for-deep-learning-push/"]Pascal GPU - Ten Times the Maxwell[/URL] :shock:

[QUOTE=chalsall;398883][URL="http://www.theplatform.net/2015/03/27/rockets-shake-and-rattle-so-spacex-rolls-homegrown-cfd/"]SpaceX develops custom CFD using GPUs[/URL]! Cool!!![/QUOTE]

I watched the video on the weekend. Pretty darned awesome.

[URL="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/high-tech-isspresso-espresso-maker-headed-space-station-article-1.2182778"]Extraterrestrial espresso maker ISSpresso headed for International Space Station[/URL]
[QUOTE]The ISSpresso will ride along on the SpaceX when the rocket launches on Monday with a load of 4,000 pounds of food and scientific experiments bound for the space station.

The high-tech coffee maker was supposed to arrive in January but an earlier shipment from Virginia exploded.[/QUOTE]

SpaceX Falcon Rocket vs. Robot Boat: Round Two!
 

I suspect quite a few geeks are going to be doing some [URL="http://www.wired.com/2015/04/spacex-falcon-rocket-vs-robot-boat-round-two/"]streaming today[/URL] (weather permitting)!

[QUOTE=chalsall;399980]I suspect quite a few geeks are going to be doing some [URL="http://www.wired.com/2015/04/spacex-falcon-rocket-vs-robot-boat-round-two/"]streaming today[/URL] (weather permitting)![/QUOTE]

The forecast looks good. I'll be one of those geeks :D

[URL="http://rt.com/usa/249081-nasa-human-lab-rats/"]NASA offering $18,000 for human lab rats to stay in bed[/URL]
[QUOTE]The second stage will see the volunteers transferred to NASA’s Flight Analog Research Unit in Houston, Texas. They will spend 10 weeks lying in bed, with their bodies tilted slightly backwards, with their feet up and their head down.

Movement will be kept to a bare minimum, with the human lab rats only able to go to the toilet in a plastic bedpan, while they will also have to wash while lying down with a hand-held showerhead.

Reading and watching movies will be allowed, as these activates don’t use up much energy. However, the participants could suffer from aching joints, due to lying on one position for such a lengthy period of time.

The idea is to emulate what an astronaut’s body goes through during the weightlessness of space flight.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Mark Rose;399985]The forecast looks good. I'll be one of those geeks :D[/QUOTE]

We're streaming... I already have a woody....

Edit: Shit! ~ T-3 minutes and the weather said "No Go".

Edit 2: I'm wondering... Could this be consider a geek's version of coitus interruptus?

Launch scrubbed because of bad weather slightly more than 3 minutes before launch.
[QUOTE=chalsall;400002]We're streaming... I already have a woody....

Edit: Shit! ~ T-3 minutes and the weather said "No Go".

Edit 2: I'm wondering... Could this be consider a geek's version of coitus interruptus?[/QUOTE]
I think you are right.
Ad astra: 99% per aspera and 1% ignition.
And there was no ignition.

[QUOTE]NASA originally shared:

SCRUB: Because of weather conditions that violated the rules for launching, SpaceX has postponed its planned launch of its Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Dragon spacecraft. It is SpaceX’s sixth commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station.

The next launch opportunity is Tuesday, April 14, at 4:10:40 p.m. EDT. Our continuous launch coverage will begin at 3 p.m. Follow our launch blog: [url]http://blogs.nasa.gov/spacex[/url]

As for tomorrow’s forecast, it’s slightly worse tomorrow with forecasters predicting a 50 percent chance of acceptable conditions.[/QUOTE]

[URL="http://www.space.com/17933-nasa-television-webcasts-live-space-tv.html"]T-1 60 minutes...[/URL]

[QUOTE=chalsall;400092][URL="http://www.space.com/17933-nasa-television-webcasts-live-space-tv.html"]T-1 60 minutes...[/URL][/QUOTE]I have a conflicting appointment. And the weather is worse today. I got so excited yesterday, that I reposted the glib philosophical questions that I'd recently organized (in the Soapbox wish thread) onto Google+ and asked if any of them were suitable for pondering over espresso on the ISS. I got no reply, which really is a reply.

I look forward to hearing good news about the launch after my phrenology introspection session.

And we're launched! Woohoo!

A perfect launch! Dragon's solar panels have successfully been deployed.

Don't know when we're going to hear about Stage 1's landing attempt, but the two (of three) burns apparently were successful!

Edit: "Ascent successful. Dragon enroute to Space Station. Rocket landed on droneship, but too hard for survival," Musk posted on Twitter.

Almost a perfect bullseye. It tipped over after landing due to too much lateral velocity.

[QUOTE=Mark Rose;400101]Almost a perfect bullseye. It tipped over after landing due to too much lateral velocity.[/QUOTE]

"All we have right now is low frame rate video (basically pictures). Normal video will be posted when ship returns to port in a few days." - Musk on Twitter.

I'm just talking out of my ass at the moment, but I'm wondering...

I know SpaceX want to eventually (ideally) return their stages back to the launch site, but they have already demonstrated many times that they can "soft land" their first stage in the ocean.

Why not let the lower fuel tanks take on water, while sealing the upper tanks. Let it float vertically in the water until it can be retrieved.

Heck, even the STS's SRBs did something like this without controlled decent.

Because the bit that's actually expensive is the rocket engine, which is likely not to be improved by immersion in sea water, and which is fairly unavoidably at the bottom.

I think Lockheed-Martin has a proposal for Atlas-successor where the fuel tanks are blown off and the engine module parachutes down and is protected by airbags for the touchdown.

[QUOTE=fivemack;400109]Because the bit that's actually expensive is the rocket engine, which is likely not to be improved by immersion in sea water, and which is fairly unavoidably at the bottom.[/QUOTE]

Tear the engine down, wash it out, and go again.

It's not like they're not going to do this anyway.

As this wiki indicates, everyone is talking out of their rears about true re-use costs (including the developers). The good news is that there are several projects working on it.
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reusable_launch_system[/url]
[QUOTE]No true orbital reusable launch system is currently in use. The closest example was the partially reusable Space Shuttle. The orbiter, which included the main engines, and the two solid rocket boosters, were reused after several months of refitting work for each launch. The external tank and launch vehicle load frame were discarded after each flight.[1][2]

Orbital RLVs are thought to provide the possibility of low cost and highly reliable access to space. However, reusability implies weight penalties such as non-ablative reentry shielding and possibly a stronger structure to survive multiple uses, and given the lack of experience with these vehicles, the actual costs and reliability are yet to be seen.[/QUOTE]
[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reusable_launch_system#Under_development"]Under_development[/URL]

We have lift off
 

[url]http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/14/stephen-hawking-monty-python-galaxy-song_n_7056338.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000063[/url]

[QUOTE=petrw1;400113][url]http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/14/stephen-hawking-monty-python-galaxy-song_n_7056338.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000063[/url][/QUOTE]

Brilliant :D

[QUOTE]SpaceX
4 hours ago
High resolution and color corrected Falcon 9 first stage landing video [url]https://youtu.be/BhMSzC1crr0[/url] [/QUOTE]
For those of you waiting to see a few more frames of the landing for a better idea of the final disposition.
[YOUTUBE]BhMSzC1crr0[/YOUTUBE]

[QUOTE=only_human;400173]For those of you waiting to see a few more frames of the landing for a better idea of the final disposition.
[/QUOTE]

Sooo close!

If you watch at 1080p, you can really see it struggling to right itself at the end. Poor thing :(

[QUOTE=Mark Rose;400175]If you watch at 1080p, you can really see it struggling to right itself at the end. Poor thing :([/QUOTE]

That is way cool! Thanks for calling attention to it. [STRIKE]It seems that it came in a bit off and over-corrected.Then it can't stop the oscillation.[/STRIKE] Actually, it is swinging like a pendulum when it enters the frame. I wonder how far up it was wobbling like that.

Seems to me that the software controlling the main engine is to blame -- it took a second or two too long to fix its first overcorrection.

Of course that's easy for me to say as an arm chair physicist. I'm curious to know how their responsive control software works.

It is really great to so them attempt this and almost succeed, but I can't stop wondering if it is not cheaper to use solid rocket boosters as the first stage that drop into the sea and get refitted.

[QUOTE=VictordeHolland;400183]It is really great to so them attempt this and almost succeed, but I can't stop wondering if it is not cheaper to use solid rocket boosters as the first stage that drop into the sea and get refitted.[/QUOTE]
In any case at least the supplies got to the ISS:
[URL="https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacex/2015/04/20/a-look-at-dragons-arrival-at-iss/"]A Look at Dragon’s Arrival at ISS[/URL]
[QUOTE]Posted on April 20, 2015 at 11:42 am by Steven Siceloff.
The SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft was berthed to the Harmony module of the International Space Stationon Friday at 9:29 a.m. EDT while the two spacecraft were traveling above the coast of Sierra Leone. The spacecraft is loaded with more than 4,300 pounds of supplies, science experiments, and technology demonstrations, including critical materials to support about 40 of more than 250 science and research investigations during the station’s Expeditions 43 and 44. The capsule is scheduled to spend five weeks attached to the station.[/QUOTE]
The next ISS supply shipment is about to burn up:
[URL="http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/technology-science/science/international-space-station-astronauts-can-5607292"]International Space Station astronauts can survive without doomed Russian spacecraft supplies - but for how long?[/URL]
[QUOTE]The Progress spacecraft is currently falling towards Earth and it will likely enter the Earth's atmosphere between May 5 and 7, where most of the components should burn up.[/QUOTE]

Space travel has already been done! The Encyclopaedia Galactica is hereby released:
[URL]http://www.orionsarm.com/[/URL]

crash test dummies for space
 

I've reviewed the OP's intent and have find that unmanned missions need not be mannequined.
[QUOTE=Uncwilly;322773]For all of you space buffs and fans, it is time to vent!

What is the most overlooked mission that you think should happen now?
What is a mission that you think should be given priority?
What mission would fill in some vital piece of knowledge or provide a new window of insight or explore new territory?

The rules:[LIST][*]It must be an unmanned mission.[*]It must not be directly overlap any current or currently [U][COLOR="DarkRed"]planned[/COLOR][/U] mission. This includes ESA (and all other European space agencies), NASA, RSA, [URL="http://b612foundation.org/"]B612[/URL], JAXA, and all other national agencies.[*]You have ~$1billion to work with.[*]No breakthrough tech allowed.[*]Must launch within 7 years and flight time to destination must be under 10 years. Primary Mission time is open, but must be covered by the funding.[*]Launch vehicles must be near term available (no SLS, but Falcon Heavy is ok), max of 2 launches, and the cost of the launches are part of the $1B. (Assume that the launched craft can auto-dock if needed).[*]A nominal amount of Deep Space Network support is available for a token charge.[/LIST]
Surprise us. Be creative.[/QUOTE]
[URL="http://indianexpress.com/article/technology/science/spacex-to-test-life-saving-crew-capsule-for-nasa-on-6-may/"]SpaceX to test life saving crew capsule for NASA on 6 May[/URL]
[QUOTE]The test of “Crew Dragon” spacecraft, scheduled for May 6, will help NASA abort from a launch or pad emergency and safely carry crew members out of harm’s way, the US space agency said in a statement.

The test will simulate an emergency abort from a test stand on Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida.

The Dragon capsule will also have a dummy astronaut named Buster.[/QUOTE]

[url]http://www.newsweek.com/new-obstacle-mars-mission-brain-damage-radiation-327849[/url]

[QUOTE=Xyzzy;401707][url]http://www.newsweek.com/new-obstacle-mars-mission-brain-damage-radiation-327849[/url][/QUOTE]
We all know the solution for that....
[attach]12575[/attach]
fine millinery by Reynolds.

[URL="http://qz.com/398306/watch-the-moon-wobble-its-way-through-all-of-2015-in-this-nasa-video/"]Watch the moon wobble its way through all of 2015 in this NASA video[/URL]
[QUOTE]Thanks to NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, a satellite that has orbited the moon since 2009, we can see what that wobble will look like for all of 2015 in the span of five minutes. The video also shows the moon’s phases—[strike]in other words, changes in its visibility due to shadows cast on the moon by the Earth.[/strike]

The video shows the moon at hourly intervals, compressing a month into 24 seconds. All in all, about 59% of the moon is visible from Earth over the course of a year, rather than just the half that would be visible if libration did not occur.
[/QUOTE]
[YOUTUBE]30BUS6AslRo[/YOUTUBE]

[QUOTE=Nick;397562]From today, the European Space Agency is listening to see whether the comet lander Philae starts transmitting again.

ESA Rosetta project blog entry: [URL]http://blogs.esa.int/rosetta/2015/03/10/waiting-for-a-signal-from-philae/[/URL][/QUOTE]
The European Space Agency (ESA) says its comet lander, Philae, has just woken up and contacted Earth.

Press article: [URL]http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-33126885[/URL]

[QUOTE=Nick;404050]The European Space Agency (ESA) says its comet lander, Philae, has just woken up and contacted Earth.[/QUOTE]:skiing:

[QUOTE=only_human;401823]
[quote]rather than just the half that would be visible if libration did not occur.[/quote]
[/QUOTE]Just spotted this claim. Surely it must be false? The moon is relatively close to the earth and the parallax shift over an earth's diameter (i.e. the difference between moonrise and moonset) is appreciable. Consequently more than 50% must be visble from this effect alone.

What are the chances of getting [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Horizons]New Horizons[/url] to take another [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_Portrait_%28Voyager%29]family portrait[/url]?

[URL="http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/208803-spacex-will-try-landing-a-falcon-9-rocket-on-a-drone-ship-again-this-sunday"]SpaceX will try landing a Falcon 9 rocket on a drone ship again this Sunday[/URL].

This article about tomorrow's SpaceX landing attempt explains how the last two attempts failed:
[QUOTE]During the first try in January, the rocket ran out of hydraulic fluid needed to maneuver small, foldable steering fins. The rocket, which is as tall as a 14-story building, crashed into the landing platform and exploded.

SpaceX tried again to land a Falcon in April and nearly nailed it. The supersonic descent through the atmosphere was successful, but about 10 seconds before touchdown a valve that was controlling the rocket’s final braking burn had a glitch that caused it to throttle down a few seconds later than planned. The 67,000-pound stage, now traveling at nearly 200 mph, lost control for a moment. It recovered, but not in time to prevent the rocket from tipping over, causing another fireball.[/QUOTE]

Shit!
 

Boom!

The time of flight is possibly slightly after [URL="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Q"]Max Q[/URL]:
[QUOTE]During a normal Space Shuttle launch, for example, max Q occurred at an altitude of approximately 11 km (35,000 ft).[1] The three Space Shuttle Main Engines were throttled back to about 60-70% of their rated thrust (depending on payload) as the dynamic pressure approached max Q;[2] combined with the propellant perforation design of the solid rocket boosters, which reduced the thrust at max Q by one third after 50 seconds of burn, the total stresses on the vehicle were kept to a safe level.[/QUOTE]

A GIF of the SpaceX rocket launch that I looked at has as an inset data info window stating that the rocket was at Max Q.
[url]http://www.popularmechanics.com/space/rockets/a16226/space-third-barge-landing-fail/[/url]

[url]http://spacexstats.com/faq.php[/url]
[QUOTE]How fast is Falcon 9 going when it reaches Max-Q?
This is dependent on the payload being carried, but only slightly. It is generally travelling between Mach 1 & Mach 2 at roughly ~78 seconds into its flight.[/QUOTE]
The next scheduled SpaceX resupply mission is in September. I didn't look at other providers schedules.
[url]http://spacexstats.com/upcoming.php[/url]
[QUOTE]2 Sep 2015 SpaceX CRS-8 NASA Falcon 9 v1.1 SLC-40, Florida
The eighth cargo resupply mission of Dragon to the ISS. Notably, Bigelow Aerospace will provide the BEAM inflatable module as unpressurized cargo to be attached to the station.[/QUOTE]

The video footage places the rocket even closer to the Max Q event time than the above factoid indicated.
[url]https://youtube.com/watch?v=YlrqgCwEzQ4[/url]
[YouTube]YlrqgCwEzQ4[/YouTube]

[QUOTE=only_human;404959]A GIF of the SpaceX rocket launch that I looked at has as an inset data info window stating that the rocket was at Max Q. [url]http://www.popularmechanics.com/space/rockets/a16226/space-third-barge-landing-fail/[/url][/QUOTE]

The problem appears to have been with the LOX tank in the second stage (according to a "tweat" by Musk). If you watch the video carefully you can see that the initial explosion occurs near the front of the "stack". The first stage continues to thrust away for a couple of additional seconds before it also explodes.

A very sad day.

Wasn't the rocket (and stage 1) deliberately exploded (either by a computer or the range officer)?

[QUOTE=Dubslow;405077]Wasn't the rocket (and stage 1) deliberately exploded (either by a computer or the range officer)?[/QUOTE]
I don't [strike]think so[/strike] know:
[url]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceX_CRS-7#Launch_failure[/url]
[QUOTE]Launch failure

The vehicle's second stage failed with a measured overpressure at T+02:19, well after max Q (at T+01:26[11]) and before first stage engine shutdown (MECO, scheduled at T+02:45).[11] The second stage developed a very large LOX leak, releasing large clouds of vapor while the first stage continued to thrust stably on course for about 9 seconds, until it disintegrated at T+02:28. Aircraft were sent to the debris area in the Atlantic Ocean and an investigation is ongoing.[12][13] It was the first Falcon 9 failure in the 19 launches of the rocket type.[14] According to the founder of SpaceX, Elon Musk, "[The] Falcon 9 [launch vehicle] experienced a problem shortly before first stage shutdown. Will provide more info as soon as we review the data."[15] He added: "There was an overpressure event in the upper stage liquid oxygen tank. Data suggests counterintuitive cause."[16]

It is not clear if the destruction of the first stage was due to the flight termination system.[17] If so, it would have been activated automatically by on-board sensors. The Eastern Range's range safety officer did transmit a remote destruct signal, but only as a formality; sent 70 seconds after the mishap, there was nothing left to destroy.[18][/QUOTE]

Interesting. It seems unlikely to me that after flying just fine for 9 seconds with a lox leak something would spontaneously cause an explosion. I find it more likely that something like critically low lox pressure or plausibly guidance thruster fuel exhaustion or something would cause the termination system to trigger. Then again, that's only speculation and guessing.

I've read a couple of comments that the lox pressure is also used for structural reinforcement; if true then then depressuring would lead to structural vulnerabilities.

[QUOTE=only_human;405080]I've read a couple of comments that the lox pressure is also used for structural reinforcement; if true then then depressuring would lead to structural vulnerabilities.[/QUOTE]

But, this was an over pressure event in the second stage's O[SUB]2[/SUB] tank (according to Musk's Tweet).

Again, watch the video carefully. First there is much plumage (beautiful plumage) from the second stage, then there is an explosion in the second stage. You can see the Dragon fall off the stack after the second stage exploded.

The first stage continued to do its job until it decided things weren't going well and (for safety reasons) committed suicide.

[QUOTE=chalsall;405172]But, this was an over pressure event in the second stage's O[SUB]2[/SUB] tank (according to Musk's Tweet).

Again, watch the video carefully. First there is much plumage (beautiful plumage) from the second stage, then there is an explosion in the second stage. You can see the Dragon fall off the stack after the second stage exploded.

The first stage continued to do its job until it decided things weren't going well and (for safety reasons) committed suicide.[/QUOTE]This sounds persuasive and I would also like to think that a safety destruction operation did occur.

Lets hope Friday's resupply mission goes well and lowers the tension on the situation.
[URL="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/russians-prep-cargo-ship-for-launch-to-space-station/"]Russian cargo ship set for critical space station supply run[/URL]

pluto, in colors...
she's like a rainbow... colors everywhere...
[url]http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2015/07/02/pluto_curioser_and_curioser.html[/url]

[URL="http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/07/russian-progress-m-28-vehicle-cargo-run/"]Russian Progress M-28M launches on critical ISS cargo run[/URL]
[QUOTE]This latest Progress rode to orbit on the Soyuz-U carrier rocket from the PU-5 LC1 ‘Gagarinskiy Start’ (17P32-5) launch complex at the famous Baikonur Cosmodrome.

The switch back to the Soyuz-U removed the main concern relating to the Progress M-27M loss, given that is has since been noted the failure was specific to the Soyuz 2-1A.

The mission also saw a return to the traditional rendezvous timeline after it became impossible for Progress M-28M to rendezvous with ISS using of four-orbit profile without a changing the launch date.

This is due to ballistic reasons, given the ISS could not provide a necessary phase angle between ISS and Progress during this current period.

As such, the Progress will arrive at the Pirs docking compartment in the early hours of Sunday, bringing with it more than three tons of food, fuel and supplies.

The vehicle will be greeted by Commander Gennady Padalka, Mikhail Kornienko and NASA astronaut Scott Kelly. It is also understood this rendezvous will be recorded for an IMAX film.

The ISS will also gain a supply boost from the next Japanese HTV vehicle. HTV-5 is due for launch on August 16, when it is scheduled to depart from the Tanegashima Space Center.

Its four-day trip to the station will conclude when it’s grappled and berthed to the Earth-facing side of the Harmony node.[/QUOTE]

Looks like New Horizons did it!
 

All systems nominal!!! :tu:

[QUOTE=chalsall;405893]All systems nominal!!! :tu:[/QUOTE]
That's good. The recent spate of private launch failures was unnerving especially since there are scheduled US commercial launches of astronauts as early as 2017:
[URL="http://www.universetoday.com/121271/nasa-names-four-astronauts-for-first-boeing-spacex-u-s-commercial-spaceflights/"]NASA Names Four Astronauts for First Boeing, SpaceX U.S. Commercial Spaceflights[/URL]
[QUOTE]NASA today (July 9) named the first four astronauts who will fly on the first U.S. commercial spaceflights in private crew transportation vehicles being built by Boeing and SpaceX – marking a major milestone towards restoring American human launches to U.S. soil as soon as mid-2017, if all goes well.

The four astronauts chosen are all veterans of flights on NASA’s Space Shuttles and to the International Space Station (ISS); Robert Behnken, Eric Boe, Douglas Hurley and Sunita Williams. They now form the core of NASA’s commercial crew astronaut corps eligible for the maiden test flights on board the Boeing CST-100 and Crew Dragon astronaut capsules.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=chalsall;405893]All systems nominal!!! :tu:[/QUOTE]

That make me happy.

[QUOTE=chalsall;405893]All systems nominal!!! :tu:[/QUOTE]
The scientists will have to wait till the end of 2016 before all the data from the Pluto encounter is transmitted back to earth. Understandable at a transmissionrate of 1kb/s.

I was surprised by the details in the images presented so far, considering the distance from the Sun.

data rate is @ 1.68 kb/s...still impressive.
[youtube]gFo4u_ADiw4[/youtube]

[QUOTE=VictordeHolland;405903]The scientists will have to wait till the end of 2016 before all the data from the Pluto encounter is transmitted back to earth. Understandable at a transmissionrate of 1kb/s.

I was surprised by the details in the images presented so far, considering the distance from the Sun.[/QUOTE]

The instantly-iconic 'closeup' I posted to the Science News thread last night is in form of a JPG of 70kB, thus ~= 8min transmission at the above data rate, assuming similarly-compressed encoding in the JPG and the original data.

[QUOTE=ewmayer;405923]The instantly-iconic 'closeup' I posted to the Science News thread last night is in form of a JPG of 70kB, thus ~= 8min transmission at the above data rate, assuming similarly-compressed encoding in the JPG and the original data.[/QUOTE]My understanding is that a few images are lossy-compressed and sent to Earth quickly for the purposes of publicity and exposure etc., but the main payload of data is being sent with lossless compression over the course of the next 16 months. So the JPGs we seen now are just the teasers.

[URL="http://qz.com/458781/elon-musk-says-spacexs-latest-rocket-exploded-after-a-single-strut-snapped/"]Elon Musk says SpaceX’s latest rocket exploded after a single strut snapped[/URL]

[QUOTE=chalsall;405893]All systems nominal!!! :tu:[/QUOTE]

Today at work a bunch of us got this comment on the use of the word nominal:

Nominal does not mean normal mode.

nominal
(ˈnɒmɪnəl)
adj
1. in name only; theoretical: the nominal leader.
2. minimal in comparison with real worth or what is expected; token: a nominal fee.

[QUOTE=stars10250;406205][nominal]
2. minimal in comparison with real worth or what is expected; token: a nominal fee.[/QUOTE]So that would match the current low res pics we have so far then? And the real worth of high res pics is expected.

[URL="http://www.cnbc.com/2015/07/27/it-doesnt-take-much-to-ruin-a-space-insurers-year.html"]It doesn't take much to ruin a space insurer's year.[/URL]
When a rocket blows up —1 in 20 fail—who pays for it?
[QUOTE]A few bad launches in an unlucky year can cause the failure rate to bounce between 3 percent and 10 percent, and accidents tend to be total losses.

But the industry has other unique upsides that have attracted investors. A company knows right away whether its coverage is a loss or a gain. Space insurance is also uncorrelated with other types of insurance, so even if a hurricane wipes out hundreds of seaside homes all at once, the space insurance market remains serenely independent. The huge premium payments are also attractive to companies.

Interest in funding space insurance has been strong recently, and the extra coverage capacity has driven down rates to around 6 or 7 percent, compared with almost 20 percent a decade ago.

"Rates are approaching historical lows, despite the fact that we have had claims of approximately $500 million and only $250 million in premiums," said Mike Vinter, executive vice president of Aon International Space Brokers. "The underwriters are certainly in a loss position for the year."[/QUOTE]

Today (13 August) is Perihelion day for comet 67P and the European Rosetta space mission:
[URL]http://blogs.esa.int/rosetta/[/URL]

[QUOTE=chappy;367218]A bit off-topic, but I highly recommend [URL="http://www.amazon.com/The-Martian-Novel-Andy-Weir-ebook/dp/B00EMXBDMA"]The Martian [/URL]by[URL="http://www.galactanet.com/writing.html"] Andy Weir[/URL]

Hard SF, pro space exploration, pro science, it has an in-your-face writing style that takes some getting used to, but in the end Andy Weir is a steely-eyed missile man.

[URL="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/853252895"]My review.[/URL]

[URL="http://forum.dansimmons.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=153828&fpart=1"]Dan Simmons review.[/URL][/QUOTE]

It's still not too late to read the book!

[YOUTUBE]ej3ioOneTy8[/YOUTUBE]

edit: small mea culpa, I thought this referenced back the recommended reading thread-- [url]http://mersenneforum.org/showthread.php?p=377548&highlight=Martian#post377548[/url]

Hip hip [URL="https://www.yahoo.com/tech/s/indias-mars-orbiter-sends-stunning-031331072.html"]for India[/URL], and very nice photos if you click the link at the end of the article (to their web page).

[QUOTE=LaurV;408303]Hip hip [URL="https://www.yahoo.com/tech/s/indias-mars-orbiter-sends-stunning-031331072.html"]for India[/URL], and very nice photos if you click the link at the end of the article (to their web page).[/QUOTE]

A gallery on the project is [URL="http://www.isro.gov.in/pslv-c25-mars-orbiter-mission/3d-portrayals-of-ophir-chasma-terrain"]here.[/URL] This is a marvelous accomplishment in the interests of science!

[URL="http://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/japanese-ship-delivers-mice-booze-more-space-station-n414906"]Japanese Spacecraft Delivers Mice, Booze and More to ISS[/URL]
[QUOTE]A robotic Japanese cargo ship made a special delivery to the International Space Station on Sunday, ending a four-day trek to ferry tons of food and supplies -- including some mice and (experimental) liquor -- to the orbiting lab.

The H-II Transfer Vehicle, called HTV-5, arrived at the space station at 6:55 a.m. ET, when it was captured via a robotic arm by astronauts inside of the space station. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched the HTV-5 cargo ship on Wednesday.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]That cargo haul includes:

A small cache of whiskey, tequila and Midori, which are being sent to see how microgravity affects the "mellowness" of their tastes after one or two years in space. The experiment was developed by the Tokyo-based Suntory Global Innovation Center.[/QUOTE]

So they will have booze on board and they are not allowed to touch it? Thats cruel!

[QUOTE=firejuggler;408722]So they will have booze on board and they are not allowed to touch it? Thats cruel![/QUOTE]
I suspect that zero-g will greatly accelerate the evaporation rate.:beer:

An older gentleman that I knew worked customs and discovered that whiskey mysteriously turned to coal in some crates. (This was in the 1940's or 50's. He later was appointed "to be [one of] Her Majesty's Commissioners of Customs and Excise.") Later whiskey was one of the first items to be routinely shipped in intermodal containers.

[QUOTE=firejuggler;408722]So they will have booze on board and they are not allowed to touch it? Thats cruel![/QUOTE]
I [I]know[/I] really! If they really want to test humans in space, there should be booze, sex, music and parties. Pizza hut made a big deal out of sending them a pizza and the bored astronauts put together a spoof pizza delivery prank call video on another occasion, so, we're getting there...
[URL="http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=4921"]Pizza Hut Becomes First Company In History To Deliver Pizza To Residents Living In Outer Space[/URL]
[url]http://youtu.be/bJHpfTECHfs[/url]
[YOUTUBE]bJHpfTECHfs[/YOUTUBE]
[URL="http://mashable.com/2013/04/01/space-prank-iss-pizza/"]April Fools in Space: Astronauts Order Pizza[/URL]
[url]https://youtu.be/UAusxkXNxHQ[/url]
[YOUTUBE]UAusxkXNxHQ[/YOUTUBE]
Although smoking pot up there would be bad for the air supply and reefer munchies.

[QUOTE=only_human;408726]I [I]know[/I] really! If they really want to test humans in space, there should be booze, sex, music and parties. Pizza hut made a big deal out of sending them a pizza and the bored astronauts put together a spoof pizza delivery prank call video on another occasion, so, we're getting there...[/quote]
Have they tested pregnancy in space? I've heard there are tons of things that go wonky when there's no gravity field. Least of which would be convincing the fetus to aim it's head at the vagina when it's time to be born.

And what about conception, would zero-g make that more or less likely?

[QUOTE=jasong;408904]Have they tested pregnancy in space? I've heard there are tons of things that go wonky when there's no gravity field. Least of which would be convincing the fetus to aim it's head at the vagina when it's time to be born.

[U]And what about conception, would zero-g make that more or less likely?[/U][/QUOTE]

[URL="http://www.rudyrucker.com/transrealbooks/completestories/#_Toc24"]Rapture in Space[/URL] -[URL="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudy_Rucker"]Rudy Rucker[/URL]

To everyone here, I recommend the [URL="http://www.rudyrucker.com/transrealbooks/completestories/#toc"]gonzo sci-fi of Rudy Rucker[/URL], who also happens to be a mathematician. :mooc:

[QUOTE=kladner;408906][URL="http://www.rudyrucker.com/transrealbooks/completestories/#_Toc24"]Rapture in Space[/URL] -[URL="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudy_Rucker"]Rudy Rucker[/URL]

To everyone here, I recommend the [URL="http://www.rudyrucker.com/transrealbooks/completestories/#toc"]gonzo sci-fi of Rudy Rucker[/URL], who also happens to be a mathematician. :mooc:[/QUOTE]
Is it hard scifi?
Hardon scifi?
Hadron scifi?
Mrs. Higg's bosom scifi?

Okay, I'm done.

Edit: Just bought The Transreal Trilogy for 4 bucks. We'll see how it goes after I finish what I'm already reading.

The "...ware" series is a masterwork. "Wetware", "Freeware".....a whole string of titles ending in "ware".

[URL="http://www.forbes.com/sites/adammorganstern/2015/09/02/worlds-most-expensive-takeout-danish-gourmet-meals-blast-off-to-space-station/"]World's Most Expensive Takeout? Danish Gourmet Meals Blast Off to Space Station
[/URL]
[QUOTE]
Danish cuisine has already conquered Earth, now it’s aiming for outer space. When Soyuz TMA-18M blasted off for the International Space Station this morning, Andreas Mogensen became the first Dane in space, and he’s bringing with him a special surprise for his fellow astronauts — a three-course gourmet meal created by renowned Danish chef Thorsten Schmidt.

“It’s typical Danish hospitality,” says Schmidt of the project, “when you meet new people you make a dinner.” And though Morgensen should be admired for maintaining good manners while in orbit 250 miles above Copenhagen, it was left to Schmidt to overcome the numerous technical, culinary and bureaucratic challenges to make it happen.
/.../
Opening next year, Schmidt’s new restaurant will hopefully be less expensive. He sees many possibilities in preparing food for space travel, and will be giving a TEDTalk about the subject in November. Meanwhile, your best bet to try his food just launched off from Kazakhstan.
[/QUOTE]

New Horizon has a new target :
[url]http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2015/09/01/nasas-new-horizons-may-have-a-new-target-far-beyond-pluto/[/url]

[QUOTE=jasong;408916]Is it hard scifi?
Hardon scifi?
Hadron scifi?
Mrs. Higg's bosom scifi?

Okay, I'm done.

Edit: Just bought The Transreal Trilogy for 4 bucks. We'll see how it goes after I finish what I'm already reading.[/QUOTE]

Rapture in Space is a short story. It is fairly raunchy and explicit. It is freely available at the link given. However, it has redeeming social importance in that intercourse in space is pivotal to the plot, and that it explores various sub-cultures of an almost-present reality. The space tech is the shuttle. The speculative explanation of an unlikely outcome (hehe) is amusing.

Transreal is very good, too. Rudy does take some getting used to, unless you are already inoculated with Hunter Thompson and the like. Transreal may also be the collection which includes a story with Bill Burroughs, Neal Cassady, and Jack Kerouac, IIRC. (EDIT: But on reflection, I think that might be wrong.)

[QUOTE=kladner;409483]Rapture in Space is a short story. It is fairly raunchy and explicit. It is freely available at the link given. However, it has redeeming social importance in that intercourse in space is pivotal to the plot, and that it explores various sub-cultures of an almost-present reality. The space tech is the shuttle. The speculative explanation of an unlikely outcome (hehe) is amusing.

Transreal is very good, too. Rudy does take some getting used to, unless you are already inoculated with Hunter Thompson and the like. Transreal may also be the collection which includes a story with Bill Burroughs, Neal Cassady, and Jack Kerouac, IIRC. (EDIT: But on reflection, I think that might be wrong.)[/QUOTE]
Was surprised to see White Light in there. I thought Rudy Rucker sounded familiar.

A series others might want to try, something more recent, is Stephen Bennett's Koban series. It's sort of generic in it's basic premise, humans getting their butts kicked by an alien race and then fighting back. But the background they add in is pretty detailed.

If any of you enjoy the books and are reasonably good at drawing, I'd love for you to post some artwork of the concepts, especially the Krall. I couldn't for the life of me find any artwork, official or otherwise.

[URL="http://europe.newsweek.com/elon-musk-nuke-mars-332852"]Elon Musk: Nuke Mars[/URL]
[QUOTE]"There's the fast way and the slow way," said Musk (to make Mars an inhabitable planet). "The fast way is [to] drop thermonuclear weapons over the poles [of Mars]."[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=only_human;410115][URL="http://europe.newsweek.com/elon-musk-nuke-mars-332852"]Elon Musk: Nuke Mars[/URL][/QUOTE]
Mars does not have enough gravity (and magnetosphere) to hold onto enough atmosphere.

[QUOTE=Uncwilly;410116]Mars does not have enough gravity (and magnetosphere) to hold onto enough atmosphere.[/QUOTE]Perhaps not for an ordinary geological timescale, but several thousand years retention is not too brief on a human scale.
[url]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terraforming_of_Mars#Thermodynamics_of_terraforming[/url]
[QUOTE]Thermodynamics of terraforming
The overall energy required to sublimate the CO[SUB]2[/SUB] from the south polar ice cap is modeled by Zubrin and McKay.[1] Raising temperature of the poles by 4 K would be necessary in order to trigger a runaway greenhouse effect. If using orbital mirrors, an estimated 120 MWe-years would be required in order to produce mirrors large enough to vaporize the ice caps. This is considered the most effective method, though the least practical. If using powerful halocarbon greenhouse gases, an order of 1000 MWe-years would be required to accomplish this heating. Although ineffectual in comparison, it is considered the most practical method.[citation needed] Impacting an asteroid, which is often considered a synergistic effect, would require approximately four 10-billion-tonne ammonia-rich asteroids to trigger the runaway greenhouse effect, totaling an eight degree increase in temperature.[/QUOTE]

second time I post this link but... liquid water on mars, confirmed ( salty waters)
[url]http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-confirms-evidence-that-liquid-water-flows-on-today-s-mars/[/url]

no evidence of seamen or pirate yet.

At about 1400UTC today, a team of students at the TU Delft will attempt to send a rocket up to an altitude of 50km.
The fuel mixture includes candle grease, laughing gas and coffie sweetener.

Twitter feed: [URL]https://twitter.com/DARE_TUDelft[/URL]

They failed, but will attempt again today at about 1400 UTC (1600 Central European Summer Time).
Live feed: [URL]http://dare.tudelft.nl/[/URL]