Category Archives: Space

Space

When’s The Last Time This Happened?

Maybe last year? All I know is that, historically, it’s unusual for Congress to pass a NASA authorization bill. Usually the thing dies, in committee or because it never makes it through conference, and NASA ends up just working off the appropriation. Traditionally, there has never been much pressure to pass one, because it’s largely viewed as symbolic anyway, and the appropriations bill (which actually funds the programs) is the only one that really counts. But with the new authorization for larger prizes, it’s a great symbol this year.

[Via Space Politics]

Space

When’s The Last Time This Happened?

Maybe last year? All I know is that, historically, it’s unusual for Congress to pass a NASA authorization bill. Usually the thing dies, in committee or because it never makes it through conference, and NASA ends up just working off the appropriation. Traditionally, there has never been much pressure to pass one, because it’s largely viewed as symbolic anyway, and the appropriations bill (which actually funds the programs) is the only one that really counts. But with the new authorization for larger prizes, it’s a great symbol this year.

[Via Space Politics]

Space

When’s The Last Time This Happened?

Maybe last year? All I know is that, historically, it’s unusual for Congress to pass a NASA authorization bill. Usually the thing dies, in committee or because it never makes it through conference, and NASA ends up just working off the appropriation. Traditionally, there has never been much pressure to pass one, because it’s largely viewed as symbolic anyway, and the appropriations bill (which actually funds the programs) is the only one that really counts. But with the new authorization for larger prizes, it’s a great symbol this year.

[Via Space Politics]

Space

Starting To Get Serious

Out Of The Cradle notes a new program to look for errant objects:

When fully operational, the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS) project will deeply scan most of the night sky several times a month. About three-quarters of the sky are visible from the Hawaiian Islands, and Pan-STARRS will use four linked telescopes connected to its enormous cameras to take broad pictures of unprecedented detail. Objects as dim as 24th magnitude

Space

Ten Minutes To Go

Hopefully, until the beginning of a new era of lower-cost spaceflight.

[Update just before scheduled launch]

On a fifteen-minute hold for winds. It looks like Clark Lindsey is on the telecon.

I would assume that the count clock will remain stopped at fifteen minutes until the winds die down. They have about an eight-hour launch window.
[Update at 2:27 EST]

Kwaj Rockets says that the mission is aborted (I assume that means for today), but no one else has confirmed that yet.

[Update a minute or two later]

Clark Lindsey confirms. And it’s not just weather:

A structural problem has been found in the first stage and will require repair. So launch is scrubbed till next year. RATS!!

Rats, indeed. Better safe than sorry, though.

How is it that they discover a structural problem with the first stage only fifteen minutes prior to launch?

[Update at 4:20 EST]

Here’s a report from Alan Boyle.

This seems pretty serious to me. If they discovered that there structure couldn’t handle fully-fueled tanks in a static one-g environment, then how could it possible have handled launch loads? Sounds like they had negative design margin at first glance, though we won’t know more until they tell us. Fortunately, it’s on the first stage, so if they end up having to add weight to it to beef up the structure, it won’t have as big a payload impact as it would if it were up higher.