Space News thread

[Latindancer]

They are here in Oz.

[aging one]

fine for me.

[Takeovers]

Unless they're dark blue and rectangular, they ain't showing.

I linked them directly from twitter. Here the link to the twitter post.

https://twitter.com/astro_g_dogg/sta...83913318404096

I got the part with propulsion guru wrong, mixed up the names. He is head of the manned spaceflight development, a former astronaut.

[Luigi]

Strange, looks like they were edited in after, quoting the post showed no images were posted.


Nice pics. I wonder if that French Spiderman guy will have a crack off it.

[Takeovers]

Last friday I was in a pesentation by Sigmund Jähn, the first german Astronaut, or more precisely, Cosmonaut as he was from the DDR and flying with the Russians. The presentation was on occasion of reopening after renovation and total modernization of a large Planetarium here in Berlin.

He is now 80 years old and it showed. His presentation had some flaws where his memory seemed to have gaps. He probably has done it a hundred times. Still interesting, the first time I saw a person live who has gone to space.





A group of people who wanted to get autographs.

[snakeeyes]

Discovery of potentially Earth-like planet Proxima b
raises hopes for life

Thought to be at least 1.3 times mass of Earth, planet lies within ‘habitable’ zone of Proxima Centauri, raising hopes for life outside our solar system
The search for life outside our solar system has been brought to our cosmic doorstep with the discovery of an apparently rocky planet orbiting the nearest star to our sun.

Thought to be at least 1.3 times the mass of the Earth, the planet lies within the so-called “habitable zone” of the star Proxima Centauri, meaning that liquid water could potentially exist on the newly discovered world.

Analysis Proxima b will be our prime laboratory in the search for extraterrestrial life
The discovery of a rocky planet in the habitable zone around our sun’s nearest star is just the beginning of decades of intense research and exploration

Named Proxima b, the new planet has sparked a flurry of excitement among astrophysicists, with the tantalising possibility that it might be similar in crucial respects to Earth.

“There is a reasonable expectation that this planet might be able to host life, yes,” said Guillem Anglada-Escudé, co-author of the research from Queen Mary, University of London.

Eamonn Kerins, an astrophysicist at Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, was among those enthusiastic about the discovery. “Finding out that the nearest star to the sun hosts not just a planet, not just an Earth-sized planet, but one which is in the right location that it could support life - and there are a lot of caveats there - really underscores that not only are planets very common in our galaxy, but potentially habitable planets are common,” he said.

Proxima b may be the closest of the thousands of exoplanets - which are planets orbiting stars outside our solar system - discovered to date, but at 4.2 light years away the prospect of a quick visit to find any Proximese aliens is still remote. Based on spacecraft today, a probe launched now would take around 70,000 years to reach the new planet

Read more.
https://www.theguardian.com/science/...life-proxima-b

[BaitongBoy]

I'm gonna put my name on "the list," grab a Thai lady, and go...

[harrybarracuda]

NASA's Juno mission successfully executed its first of 36 orbital flybys of Jupiter today. The time of closest approach with the gas-giant world was 6:44 a.m. PDT (9:44 a.m. EDT, 13:44 UTC) when Juno passed about 2,600 miles (4,200 kilometers) above Jupiter's swirling clouds. At the time, Juno was traveling at 130,000 mph (208,000 kilometers per hour) with respect to the planet. This flyby was the closest Juno will get to Jupiter during its prime mission.

"Early post-flyby telemetry indicates that everything worked as planned and Juno is firing on all cylinders," said Rick Nybakken, Juno project manager....

While results from the spacecraft's suite of instruments will be released down the road, a handful of images from Juno's visible light imager -- JunoCam -- are expected to be released the next couple of weeks. Those images will include the highest-resolution views of the Jovian atmosphere and the first glimpse of Jupiter's north and south poles.

Juno's first Jupiter close approach successful; best JunoCam images yet to come | The Planetary Society

[Takeovers]

Looking for an earthlike planet is so 60ies of the 20th century SF. When we are ready to go there we will not need a planet. We will be able to live in the Oort Cloud. Planets are just gravity wells to avoid because it is so hard to get away from.

Especially when they have even more mass than the earth. This one is said to have 30% more mass than earth, which means higher gravity. Very hard to escape from.

But sure an interesting science target if there is life.

[BaitongBoy]

Gravity wells...I like that...

[Luigi]

I just read about a Simulation of our Universe game/program called Space Engine today, a... well, to C+P them:

a free space simulation program that lets you explore the universe in three dimensions, from planet Earth to the most distant galaxies. Areas of the known universe are represented using actual astronomical data, while regions uncharted by astronomy are generated procedurally. Millions of galaxies, trillions of stars, countless planets - all available for exploration. You can land any planet, moon or asteroid and watch alien landscapes and celestial phenomena. You can even pilot starships and atmospheric shuttles.

Space Engine - Home page



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceEngine

Sounds pretty cool. Especially on a big FHD TV.

Anyone ever check it out?

[bobo746]

'Strong signal' stirs interest in hunt for alien life

Washington (AFP) - A "strong signal" detected by a radio telescope in Russia that is scanning the heavens for signs of extraterrestrial life has stirred interest among the scientific community.
"No one is claiming that this is the work of an extraterrestrial civilization, but it is certainly worth further study," said Paul Gilster, author of the Centauri Dreams website which covers peer-reviewed research on deep space exploration.
The signal is from the direction of a HD164595, a star about 95 light-years from Earth.
The star is known to have at least one planet, and may have more.
The observation is being made public now, but was actually detected last year by the RATAN-600 radio telescope in Zelenchukskaya, Russia, he said.
Experts say it is far too early to know what the signal means or where, precisely,it came from.
"But the signal is provocative enough that the RATAN-600 researchers are calling for permanent monitoring of this target," wrote Gilster.
The discovery is expected to feature in discussions at the 67th International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico, on September 27.
"Working out the strength of the signal, the researchers say that if it came from an isotropic beacon, it would be of a power possible only for a Kardashev Type II civilization," Gilster wrote, referring to a scale-system that indicates a civilization far more advanced than our own.
"If it were a narrow beam signal focused on our Solar System, it would be of a power available to a Kardashev Type I civilization," indicating one closer to Earth's capabilities.
Gilster, who broke the story on August 27, said he had seen a presentation on the matter from Italian astronomer Claudio Maccone.
"Permanent monitoring of this target is needed," said the presentation.
Nick Suntzeff, a Texas A&M University astronomer told the online magazine Ars Technica that the 11 gigahertz signal was observed in part of the radio spectrum used by the military.
"If this were a real astronomical source, it would be rather strange," Suntzeff was quoted as saying.
"God knows who or what broadcasts at 11Ghz, and it would not be out of the question that some sort of bursting communication is done between ground stations and satellites," Suntzeff said.
"I would follow it if I were the astronomers, but I would also not hype the fact that it may be at SETI signal given the significant chance it could be something military."


https://www.yahoo.com/news/strong-si...171536443.html

[harrybarracuda]

Wow.



(In joke).

[bobo746]

[Takeovers]

Yesterday was a very bad day for SpaceX and so also for me.

BTW, it was noted that it may look like an explosion to the human eye, but it actually was not. It was a rapidly spreading fire, not an explosion. Huge difference in destructive potential.

Their latest rocket blew up on the pad and took the payload with it. It happened during fuelling for a preflight test, even before the engines were ignited. The second stage blew first, the first stage a little later. Last the payload dropped and exploded with its hypergolic fuel at the ground.



The consequences are unclear at the moment. Their launch pad LC-40 at CCAFS, the airforcebase, is heavily damaged, the whole ground equipment is gone, though the concrete structure below may be mostly intact.

They are in the process of getting the neighbouring LC-39A ready for launches and may be able to have it ready for flight very soon. However they won't launch anything until they have established the root cause of the incident and have eliminated it which may be a lengthy process. After their last incident it took them half a year to get to reflight.

A second rocket blowing up after just over a year is not good at all. Their most supportive customer SES, an operator of geostationary communications satellites expresses continuing support and their willingnes to launch their next big satellite on a reflown booster.

[harrybarracuda]

Well if it's any consolation, it took Zuckerburg's $95 million Facebook Satellite with it.

[harrybarracuda]

Yesterday was a very bad day for SpaceX and so also for me.

BTW, it was noted that it may look like an explosion to the human eye, but it actually was not. It was a rapidly spreading fire, not an explosion. Huge difference in destructive potential.

I can only assume that you're taking the piss or you missed the big boom at 0:23.

[Takeovers]

I can only assume that you're taking the piss or you missed the big boom at 0:23.

That's exactly it. Not an explosion. Or otherwise that transporter/erector, the tower right beside the rocket would be blown away, it wasn't. Looks like an explosion, right? The only thing that may count as an explosion, is what happened when the payload hit the ground.

Little consolation though, the pad is devastated, the TE probably also beyond salavage. But the worst is, pinpoint the reason. Before knowing exactly what happened and then make sure it won't happen again, no rocket will fly, from this or another pad. There are plenty of launches planned from Vandenberg, California. The customer is urgently waiting for them to go, but they won't.

[harrybarracuda]

I can only assume that you're taking the piss or you missed the big boom at 0:23.

That's exactly it. Not an explosion. Or otherwise that transporter/erector, the tower right beside the rocket would be blown away, it wasn't. Looks like an explosion, right? The only thing that may count as an explosion, is what happened when the payload hit the ground.

Little consolation though, the pad is devastated, the TE probably also beyond salavage. But the worst is, pinpoint the reason. Before knowing exactly what happened and then make sure it won't happen again, no rocket will fly, from this or another pad. There are plenty of launches planned from Vandenberg, California. The customer is urgently waiting for them to go, but they won't.

Well everyone is reporting it as an explosion.

An explosion is a rapid increase in volume and release of energy in an extreme manner, usually with the generation of high temperatures and the release of gases.

If it walks like a duck....

[BaitongBoy]

If it walks like a duck

Quickly fuck it, before it flies...

[Takeovers]

Some food for the conspiracy theorists.

That SpaceX accident has some weird angles. A rocket on the pad blowing up like this without the engines running is most unusual as a failure mode. The company launching their satellite has been sold to chinese investors just days before the launch. But the sale is contingent on successful launch, it should be now off. The usual space launch insurance policies cover accidents beginning with the engines igniting and would not cover this incident. However an unusual insurance provider was chosen, one who is in marine insurance business and does seem to cover what happened.

One could think that some people within the company may be happy about this. There are probably many who will be out of a job when the sale goes through. Also, while this may harm their long term business, it will cause some immediate money infusion into the company.

I don't subscribe to such theories though. There are plenty of reasons, very complex, why it is unlikely. I will wait for the causes SpaceX will determine. They are very thorough in their investigations and have a huge store of telemetry data besides video taken of what happened. It may be the second stage and it may be the ground support equipment.

This second incident they will be able to ride out. Their customers still support them and they are financially sound. A third incident down the line could do serious harm though so let's hope they can go a long time without more of the kind.

[harrybarracuda]

Funny that, rumours going around that it was blown up by a UFO...

SpaceX rocket 'attacked': Shock claims 'drone' hit Elon Musk?s Falcon 9 | Daily Star

A rocket on the pad blowing up like this

What, you mean in an explosion?

[Takeovers]

A rocket on the pad blowing up like this

What, you mean in an explosion?

The point came up when someone asked if a crew on top would have a chance to survive. The answer was this was a slow event with plenty of time for crew to escape.

[harrybarracuda]

A rocket on the pad blowing up like this

What, you mean in an explosion?

The point came up when someone asked if a crew on top would have a chance to survive. The answer was this was a slow event with plenty of time for crew to escape.

Yeah right!

Well if a human body would be undamaged, then the satellites should be in top nick then.

[Takeovers]

Well if a human body would be undamaged, then the satellites should be in top nick then.

Crew capsules have an escape system, satellites do not.