Hasta La Gadget!

With the Space Shuttle program now boldly going nowhere, it’s up to NASA partners like SpaceX to deliver on the interstellar milestones. Scheduled for a launch on November 30th of this year, the Elon Musk-funded Dragon spacecraft is set to dock for the first time with the International Space Station. The planned cargo delivery is expected to be a watershed moment for the space program, as it will cement the agency’s private-public commercial endeavors, heralding the “beginning of a new era in space travel.” NASA has already given the company conditional approval to merge its two planned test flights — COTS Demo 2 and COTS Demo 3 — into this singular mission, with formal authorization contingent upon the “resolution of any potential risks.” If all goes according to plan later this year, get set to embrace a brave new world of galactic travel — one where Musk ushers us into the stars.

SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft to dock with the ISS later this fall originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Aug 2011 22:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With the shuttle program being mothballed, we’re going to need a new way to get off this rock. How about that old space ladder concept? You know, the one riddled with issues that nearly trump its ambitions. The idea has faced its share of technological walls: NASA’s related Beam Power Challenge ended without a winner for years on end, and the project’s Tether Challenge remains unconquered today. Not to mention that the week-long lift might expose you to deadly levels of radiation. Lucky for us, attendees of the annual Space Elevator Conference aren’t ready to give up, and set to work last week brainstorming potential solutions. Could we replace the laser power system with solar panels? How strong are modern nanocarbons, and what issues do we need to be aware of to keep the carbon nanotube cables from breaking? Wouldn’t it be cool if the next design featured six cars instead of just three? Although the outpouring of ideas flowed like water, the response to many of them seemed to be the same: we really need to look into that. Despite the seemingly insurmountable issues, researchers remain optimistic, “We try not to be narrow-minded and say it won’t happen for 150 years,” stated one NASA program manager. We’ll just take the stairs, thanks.

Space Elevator conference gets theoretical, says lift won’t not happen in 150 years originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Aug 2011 05:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Continue reading NASA finds DNA components in meteorites, says they originated in space (video)

NASA finds DNA components in meteorites, says they originated in space (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Aug 2011 06:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASA’s Juno mission has been beset by delays for a while now, but the solar-powered excursion is finally scheduled to take off for Jupiter today, in the hopes of making history. Throughout the course of its five-year journey, the “armored tank” spacecraft will be powered exclusively by a trio of solar panels, each measuring nine feet wide and 30 feet long. Close to Earth, these panels will be able to generate 14 kilowatts of electricity, but as Juno ventures deeper into space, they’ll crank out only 400 watts. Power, however, shouldn’t be an issue, as NASA has outfitted the craft with energy efficient onboard computers, and has drawn out a route that will maximize its exposure to the sun. Juno should arrive at Jupiter by 2016 and, if all goes to plan, will ultimately travel farther than any solar-powered craft ever has. The agency expects their creation to set the record in April 2017, when it should be about 507 million miles away from the sun, eclipsing the 492 million mile mark likely to be set by Russia’s sun-juiced Rosetta craft, in 2012.

Meanwhile, closer to home, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has just delivered new imagery of the Red Planet’s mountains, providing perhaps the strongest evidence that water still flows there. The images reveal long, finger-like tendrils that extend down steep slopes, including the rims of craters. They appear during the summer and fade away once winter arrives, suggesting the presence of a volatile material. Researchers failed to identify water above ground, but speculate that briny water may be flowing underground. Launch past the break to see the images, in all their eight seconds of glory.

Continue reading NASA’s solar-powered Juno mission heads to Jupiter today, Orbiter finds water on Mars? (video)

NASA’s solar-powered Juno mission heads to Jupiter today, Orbiter finds water on Mars? (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Aug 2011 08:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In space, Nikon’s SB800 speedlights get their own cute, custom-made spacesuits. Photo NASA

You or I might prepare for an extreme photography trip with a few Ziploc bags or even a proper waterproof housing. When NASA packs for space, though, things are a little more complicated.

The NASA photo above shows a Nikon D2X modified for use in orbit. Further, it shows an SB800 speedlight comfily ensconced inside its own cute little space suit. While a pro-level DSLR requires nothing more than a firmware tweak and a “lubricant modification” to work in the extremes of space, the flash needs a little more coddling.

The white cover is a “thermal blanket” which protects the unit from extreme temperatures, and keeps the “touch temperature” between minus 129 and plus 120 degrees Celsius.

But underneath that cover is a pressure suit. NASA says that the flash won’t work properly in a vacuum, so it gets wrapped in a pressurized jacket to make it feel like it’s back on Earth. A modified SB29 sync cord connects the camera and flash together.

So what becomes of the cameras after a successful mission? Unlike the Apollo missions’ Hasselblads, which were left up on the moon (imagine what one of those would go for at auction if it was ever rescued), the Nikons return to Earth. Then, they are inspected to see if they are fit to go up again. The biggest problem is the effect of cosmic radiation on the sensors, which can kill pixels. Enough dead pixels in one camera and it is grounded forever.

How Does NASA Get a Nikon D2Xs DSLR Ready to Go to Space? [Popular Photography]

See Also:

• The $150 Edge-of-Space Camera: MIT Students Beat NASA On Beer …
• NASA Orders Eleven Space Cameras From Nikon
• Video: Cameras Mounted on Fireworks Show Dizzying Point-of-View …