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Welcome to HobbySpace. the site that will prove to you that everyone can participate in space exploration and development in one way or another.
June 2010
Recent Blog Postings
HobbySpace Log:
RLV & Space Transport News:
Recent Features
Space Access 10 Conference review
Space Access '10 Review
A report on the annual Space Access Society's annual conference in Phoenix, Arizona. The latest updates on low cost approaches to getting to space were presented.
New Space Log 2010
New Space Log 2010
This new section holds pointers to blog postings, articles, pictures, etc. concerning particular events and developments of interest during the year in New Space.
NG Lunar Lander Challenge 2009
SpaceShipTwo Rollout
Links to articles, blog postings, photos and videos about the unveiling of the SpaceShipTwo vehicle on Dec. 7, 2009 at the Mojave Spaceport by Virgin Galactic.
NG Lunar Lander Challenge 2009
NGLLC 2009 Resources
Links to blog reports, articles, videos, photos, etc. for each round of flights by the teams in the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge competition.



More Interviews, Articles, and Special Topics.
    

Space Art Spotlight

Martian Motor Home by Walter Myers
Martian Motor Home

Lunar Cycler Near Earth  by Walter Myers
Lunar Cycler Near Earth

Martian Pioneers by Walter Myers
Martian Pioneers
Martian Cycler by Walter Myers
Mars Cycler

First steps on Titan by Walter Myers
First steps on Titan



Walter Myers at NSS Space Art Gallery
Walter Myers
More space art...
Space Music Video of the Month
Space Hobbies & Activities in the Spotlight
Students Discover Cave Skylight on Mars

Many programs at NASA and other organizations now allow students and members of the general public to participate directly in various types of scientific studies. A recent example of this gained a lot of publicity. A group of 7th grade students in California discovered a cave on Mars while examining images from the Mars Odyssey spacecraft currently in orbit around the Red Planet. The 16 students were participating in the Mars Student Imaging Program run by Arizona State University.

Hole into Martian cave
The small black spot in this image from the THEMIS instrument on
the Mars Odyssey orbiter is probably a hole into a cave or lava tube.
(Larger image)

The following video provides more information about the discovery and the students:


NASA Television
"California middle school students using the camera on NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter recently
discovered a cave on Mars. The discovery by the seventh-grade class at Evergreen Middle
School in Cottonwood, Calif., was made possible by NASA's Mars Student Imaging Program
-- a program that invites classrooms nationwide to conduct planetary exploration and science
using NASA instruments. The program is run by Arizona State University, Tempe, and
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif."

 

It's a Whole New Outer Space Out There

Historic First Launch of SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket

On June 4th the SpaceX company launched its Falcon 9 rocket for the first time and the effort was a complete success. The commercially developed rocket, funded by a combination of private and NASA sources, is a large world class vehicle that is powered by a first stage booster with 9 Merlin liquid-fueled engines and and a second stage with one liquid-fueled engine. The engines, as well as all of the major components, are built in-house by SpaceX, which was found in 2002 by Elon Musk, who continues to lead the firm.


SpaceX released this high definition video showing highlights of the Falcon 9 Flight 1 Mission.

You can find lots of images and videos, as well as reports leading up the launch, on the Falcon 9 Flight 1 - SpaceX page. Tons of links to articles, blog postings, videos, etc for the event can be found here in the 2010 NewSpace Log.

The next Falcon 9 launch, expected in August or September, will test the Dragon capsule. The goal for the program is to begin routine deliveries of cargo to the International Space Station in 2011.

The Falcon 9 and Dragon were designed from the start for safe transport of human passengers. President Obama's new plan for NASA includes a competition among commercial companies for the opportunity to transport crews to the ISS. SpaceX plans to participate in this program, which would provide the funding (about $300M) needed to complete the launch escape system, which is the only major component remaining for the system before it can be used for passenger travel.

The funding for the Falcon 9, as well as for the smaller Falcon 1 rocket and the Dragon capsule, so far totals only about $500M; about the same as NASA spent just for the suborbital Ares I-X test vehicle. The Falcon 9/Dragon not only cost much less to develop than similar vehicles, it will also operate at much lower cost.

Attaining much lower cost access to orbit is absolutely required if human spaceflight is to become a practical activity with broad participation. The SpaceX Falcon 9 launch is a big step in that direction.

Falcon 9 Flight 1 - liftoff
Credit: Ben Cooper, launchphotography.com / spaceflightnow.com

 

Check for the latest in leading edge rocket and space travel projects on the Space Transport News blog.

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The Art of C. Sergent Lindsey

 

 
 
 
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