Kentucky Space Blog

Falcon 9 launch scheduled for Friday

SpaceX is now targeting Friday, June 4th for the first test launch attempt of its Falcon 9 craft, according to news posted yesterday on the company's web site. SpaceX:

It’s important to note that since this is a test launch, our primary goal is to collect as much data as possible, with success being measured as a percentage of how many flight milestones we are able to complete in this first attempt. It would be a great day if we reach orbital velocity, but still a good day if the first stage functions correctly, even if the second stage malfunctions. It would be a bad day if something happens on the launch pad itself and we’re not able to gain any flight data.

If we have a bad day, it will be disappointing, but one launch does not make or break SpaceX as a company, nor commercial spaceflight as an industry. The Atlas rocket only succeeded on its 13th flight, and today it is the most reliable vehicle in the American fleet, with a record better than Shuttle.

If the weather cooperates, SpaceX will provide a live webcast of the launch events beginning 20 minutes prior to the opening of the four hour launch window at 11a ET. A second four hour-window will open on Saturday, June 5.

SpaceX and Orbital Sciences Corporation were selected in 2008 by NASA to ferry cargo to the International Space Station following the retirement of the Space Shuttle. As such, the scheduled Falcon 9 flight is an important milestone for commercial space.

Wayne

Image credit: SpaceX

Jun 02, 2010

CubeLab-2 returns on Atlantis

Stowed aboard mid-deck on Atlantis, CubeLab-2 is currently in the Orbiter Processing Facility at Cape Kennedy. Kentucky Space is looking forward to its return.

Pictured at right are the first two CubeLabs prior to their delivery to the ISS aboard Discovery, STS-131.

Kentucky Space enjoys regular access to the ISS, and is currently working with organizations wanting to do low cost micro-gravity research in this CubeSat-sized form factor. More information about CubeLabs and their hosts, NanoRacks, may be found here.

Wayne

May 28, 2010

Video: Xombie in flight engine re-light

Well, this would get your heart pumping: an in-air relight of Masten's Xombie.

Wayne

May 26, 2010

IKAROS "checks out" with Earth view

At The Planetary Society, Emily Lakdawalla provides an update on the recently launched solar sailor, IKAROS, and links to this view of Earth provided by the craft as it makes its way to Venus.

Solar sail deployment should occur relatively soon. Follow her @elakdawalla on Twitter for updates.

Wayne

Wikipedia: solar sail

May 26, 2010

Working with Lunar orbiter to characterize Mini-RF

Earlier this month, NASA used the 21-meter tracking antenna at Morehead State University to successfully characterize the higher of two radar frequencies of the LRO/Mini-RF instrument.

Mini-RF is a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) currently investigating the Moon’s surface aboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). Launched on June 18, 2009, LRO uses its seven instruments to explore the Moon from a 50-kilometer (31 mile) polar orbit. Mini-RF is an advanced instrument that functions as a synthetic aperture radar, as well as a communications system, operating at both 2,380 and 7,140 MHz frequencies. The LRO/Mini-RF instrument is operated by engineers and scientists at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, MD.

Specifically, Mini-RF is used to map the poles of the Moon and search for water ice in permanently shadowed regions. In addition, it serves as a technical demonstration of a unique, miniaturized, dual-use RF instrument (radar and communications).