Borrowing off of its siblings design, t/Space (or Transformational Space for you non-space geeks) presents a unique concept on how to launch humans safely from Earth to the International Space Station.

While t/Space’s flight approach would benefit companies like Bigelow Aerospace (as one can see in the video below), it could also help out future explorers on Mars.

Although engineers are still working out the kinks when it comes to landing on Mars (at least anything over a ton), finding an inexpensive way to leave the Red Planet will be critical if humans ever settle there en mass.

Since land rockets would probably be expensive (regardless of where you’re launching them from), t/Space could provide an inexpensive alternative, especially when one considers that Mars has 38% of Earth’s gravity.

A small craft might be able to reach the asteroid moon Phobos, where passengers could then transfer to a larger space craft.

Either way t/Space’s design should give SpaceX some friendly competition, although hopefully t/Space will be able to demonstrate its feasibility in the wild soon as their technology could make traveling beyond the heavens not only cheaper, but safer as well.

(via Spaceports)

Known throughout the space community for their Skylon jets (which are still in development), Reaction Engines has proposed what appears to be a reasonable path to help humanity reach the red planet within our life time.

Note: If the video does not work above, you can visit Reaction Engines to watch the clip in its entirety.

While the plan for the most part is rather sound, the one fatal area is the length of time it takes to reach the crimson world as solar radiation might fry the astronauts brains before they even get an opportunity to land.

Unless artificial magnetic fields can be constructed around the space craft, future explorers may have to wait until VASIMR engines become a reality (in order to cut the travel time from 6 months to 39 days).

Trek time aside, Reaction Engines does have the wisest approach when it comes to establishing outposts upon Mars (i.e. sending future supplies ahead of a Martian landing), although time will only tell if humanity sends one of their own to visit the crimson world within the next half century.

(via RLV And Space Transport News)

With President Obama cancelling Constellation and outsourcing space to the private sector, many politicians have been complaining that ditching the NASA rockets will leave America in the hands of the Russians.

Now it looks like SpaceX, a company who thus far has been able to launch one successful rocket into space is challenging Russia for the right to launch Americans into space.

(Earth Times) As lawmakers weigh the pros and cons of turning over US manned spaceflight to contractors, one commercial hopeful vowed Thursday that her firm could fly US astronauts to the orbiting space station for less than a trip on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft. Gwynne Shotwell, president of Space X, said she could guarantee her company would be able to provide at least three flights to the International Space Station (ISS) for less than 50 million dollars a seat. A ride on the Soyuz currently costs the US space agency NASA 51 million dollars per astronaut, and that price is likely to rise when current agreements expire. [...]

While other industry executives declined to offer such an exact price for their services, all said they would be ready to fly to orbit within three or four years.

SpaceX has designed the Dragon spacecraft (pictured above) to not only transport humans into space, but also cargo for the International Space Station.

Whether or not Congress will choose SpaceX over Russia has yet to be seen (note: it would be very foolish if they chose otherwise), but either way this could help the private space industry gain some much needed respect among the bureaucrats in Washington, DC.

(Hat Tip: Space Spin)

Thanks to the donation of an anonymous donor, it looks as if the Planetary Society will be able to launch not one, but three (3!) solar sails over the next several years.

(The Planetary Society) LightSail is an innovative program that will launch three separate spacecraft over the course of several years, beginning with LightSail-1, which will demonstrate that sunlight alone can propel a spacecraft in Earth orbit. LightSails 2 and 3, more ambitious still, will reach farther into space.

“We are going to merge the ultra-light technology of nanosats with the ultra-large technology of solar sails in an audacious new program,” said Friedman.

Taking advantage of the technological advances in micro- and nano-spacecraft over the past five years, The Planetary Society will build LightSail-1 with three Cubesat spacecraft. One Cubesat will form the central electronics and control module, and two additional Cubesats will house the solar sail module. Cameras, additional sensors, and a control system will be added to the basic Cubesat electronics bus.

“To get sunlight to push us through space, we need a large sail attached to a small spacecraft. Lightsail-1 fits into a volume of just three liters before the sails unfurl to fly on light. It’s elegant,” exclaimed Planetary Society Vice President Bill Nye the Science Guy.

Solar sail’s have the potential of opening up the outer solar system by eliminating the need for star ships to bring their own fuel with them (reducing the overall cost).

While the lack of on board fuel is a benefit to solar sails, its only setback to solar sails would be finding a way for settlers to return back to Earth (an issue magnetic sails might be able to resolve).

With the global recession forcing people and businesses alike to reduce spending, it looks like one space company is set on establishing a presence in the heavens above, come what may.

(Reuters) A company behind plans to open the first hotel in space says it is on target to accept its first paying guests in 2012 despite critics questioning the investment and time frame for the multi-billion dollar project.

The Barcelona-based architects of The Galactic Suite Space Resort say it will cost $4.4 million for a three-night stay at the hotel, with this price including an eight-week training course on a tropical island.

Despite arriving upon the scene more than a few years ago, Galactic Suite has already secured 43 clients which translates to $184,900,000 in business (assuming each client was charged the current fare).

They also boast the backing of an anonymous billionaire, who seems to have pledged around $3 billion in order to finance this endeavor.

While Galactic Suite has yet to launch anything into space (unlike their rival Bigelow Aerospace which has launched two space habitats already), their successful entrance to the stars could help revolutionize the entire space industry–if not our planet as well.

With Congress wresting over the bailout stimulus package, it looks as if SpaceX (who launched their first successful rocket last year) is asking the public to contact their state representatives in order lobby for additional funding for COTS-d (aka the Constellation Orbital Transportation Services).

(SpaceX) What this would mean for taxpayers and high tech jobs in the United States is very significant. Let’s consider the default plan under way, which expects that our country will use the Russian Soyuz at the currently negotiated price of $47 million per seat for the period between Shuttle retirement (2010) and Ares/Orion reaching Space Station (2016). Even assuming that we drop the number of US astronauts going to Station from the current 30 per year with Shuttle down to 14 per year, the cost will be approximately $3.3 billion. However, there is also a human cost in the thousands of jobs that the money could have supported back home.

In contrast, F9/Dragon would cost less than $20M per seat and it is 100% manufactured and launched in the United States. We are estimating that it would create well in excess of a 1000 high quality jobs at Cape Canaveral and an equivalent number in California and Texas, where we do our manufacturing and testing. Moreover, the total cost would only be $1.5B, so taxpayers would save nearly $2B. [...]

COTS Capability D can be completed within two years from date of funds receipt. In fact, with a little extra money and some modifications to the plan, it can be accelerated even further.

Since COTS Capability D is an existing option in an already competed contract, NASA could exercise it right away, resulting in immediate job creation. [...]

If you think this makes sense, please contact your representatives in the House and Senate, as well as Rep. Mollohan and Senator Mikulski who lead the Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Subcommittees. Please encourage them to fund NASA Exploration in the Stimulus Bill and provide the $300M in funding necessary to begin COTS Capability D.

While the public may not be a fan of spending even more tax dollars for the private sector (note: this author is not), Congress should probably fund the COTS-d program (as outsourcing to Russia does not sound like a great idea).

SpaceX has even provided a video, in order to help inspire Americans to support a home grown NewSpace company.

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After successfully launching their Falcon 1 rocket, SpaceX is aiming at not only sending cargo and crew to the International Space Station, but also potentially landing people on the Moon by the next decade.

Click on the image below to watch.

Note: Did any of you catch the reference to Mars?

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While Jim Benson will be missed by all (mostly his close friends and family), I think its best to remember the man for who he was–a passionate advocate for expanding our species to other worlds.

Click the image below to watch (hat tip: Space Transport News).

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After President Bush signed the Soyuz waiver allowing NASA to rely on Russia to transport astronauts to the International Space Station, it looks as if the space agency is seriously considering courting the private sector (aka NewSpace) at Russia’s expense.

(Space.com) NASA has no intention of paying Russia to help deliver supplies to the international space station (ISS) beyond 2011 despite winning congressional and presidential approval to do so.

“NASA’s policy has not changed,” NASA spokesman David Steitz said Oct. 2. “NASA will rely on U.S. commercial cargo services to resupply ISS following retirement of the shuttle, and does not intend to purchase Progress cargo services after 2011.”

NASA probably decided to change its tune after SpaceX’s successful launch of their Falcon rocket.

Even though SpaceX is still 1 in 4 (as their first three rockets failed), the US government is probably more willing to risk their future on an upcoming space company rather than a proven, yet potentially dangerous space power.

Note: Russia will probably not enjoy losing a large customer such as NASA, and this latest move may help forge an alliance between the former USSR and China (who recently completed their first space walk).

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After three previous launches that ended prematurely, it looks as if SpaceX has finally launched their Falcon 1 rocket, setting a stage for NewSpace (aka the private space sector) and more importantly humanity.

Here is a link (windows media player) to the video for those of you who might have missed the launch. an image of the Falcon rocket at liftoff.

Here is a video of the launch (hat tip: Space Transport News).

Note: Space Transport News has more!

Update: Some are saying that the video is linking to the second launch. I will see if I can hunt down a video towards the fourth launch (as SpaceX has yet to post an official video of the launch an official video of the launch in their gallery section).

Update 2: Clark via Space Transport News has found a video of the launch via YouTube!

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