Colony Worlds » Space Travel

Video: Could Skylon Jets Open Up The Final Frontier?

darnell — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 13:30:00 +0000

Finding an inexpensive and effective way to travel beyond the heavens above has been the quest of humanity since the days of the Wright Brothers.

While some see space elevators as the key, it looks as if the British are placing their faith in air breathing Skylon jets.

(New Scientist) Unlike scramjets, Skylon is designed to run in air-breathing mode directly from launch up to a speed of Mach 5.5. At an altitude of 26 kilometres, the engine would switch to conventional rocket power and use onboard oxygen to propel the plane into space.

“It’s a pretty unique concept,” says Mark Hempsell, director of future programmes at Reaction Engines. “I think at the moment it’s the only realistic way to make aircraft vehicles that go into space.”

The design should be sufficient to power a 43-tonne plane that can loft 12 tonnes of payload into low-Earth orbit, about half what the space shuttle can carry, the firm says.

If successful, Skylon jets could not only help England leap frog ahead of the competition but also make space affordable for all.

While the Skylon alone will not help humanity become a space faring species, it may reduce the overall cost of traveling beyond the sky, making it easier for our species to construct orbital space stations (and perhaps even a modified space elevator, LockHeed style!).

Lagrange Way Stations: The Key Towards Interplanetary Trade?

darnell — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 21:32:00 +0000

(Image: Deep Space 9, Credit: Star Trek)

Several thousand years ago, an empire called Rome used its extensive road system to keep communication and trade flowing throughout its empire.

Today, like Rome, the nations on Earth depend upon sea routes, railways and airplanes to safely transport goods and people across our planet.

But unlike the fixed destination points that span our busy world, space will pose a unique problem for future colonies. Since each planet orbits our Sol star at different speeds, sending frequent goods towards outposts off world may prove to be a bit of a challenge, especially if one factors in space pirates.

Whether composed of enormous orbital space stations or a fleet of armed star ships, future solar governments may want to construct way stations at various Lagrange points to ensure that they arrive at their destinations intact.

Sometimes referred to by scientists as the “three body problem,” would provide stable orbits for whatever star ship was able fly within its space (at least L4 and L5).

Positioned at an equal distance from both the home world/moon as well as the Sun, a Lagrange way station would easily remain in a fixed orbital position giving more opportunity for travelers and cargo ships to transport people and goods across the vacuum of space.

Instead of having to wait every few years for the planets “to align,” (like with Earth and Mars), star ships could simply head towards a safe way station located in a Lagrange point.

While creating Lagrange way stations may be a challenge for future colonies within the inner solar system, establishing them among the gas giants orbits will probably be “much easier” thanks in part to various asteroids.

Jovian worlds such as Jupiter and Neptune already have numerous space rocks orbiting, respectively, orbiting within these Lagrange points. Colonists could easily use these asteroids as way stations, especially if some of these frozen rocks are discovered to harbor water ice.

Despite the fact that humanity will continue to depend upon worlds (such as Callisto) to help to economically bridge the gap, way stations strategically positioned around Lagrange points could help jump start interplanetary trade, if not accelerate it throughout our vast star system.

Carnival Of The Space Geeks (To The Tenth Power)

darnell — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 14:40:00 +0000

Editor’s note: The tenth Carnival of Space is up over at Why Homeschool and has thus far been the best roundup of what is happening in the space arena (at least as far as blogs are concerned).

Some interesting posts include:

Paul Gilster of Centauri Dreams discusses a new theoretical propulsion system that may enable humanity to travel to the gas giants fairly quickly (and beyond).

Brian Wang of Advanced Nanotechnology breaks down space solar power to the megawatt level, as well as discusses why finding ways to increase “light power” would benefit Bigelow and NASA space stations.

James of Surfin’ English elaborates on all the fun forms of radiation that can kill us, not to mention why computers enjoy it less than we do.

Stuart Atkinson who posts at The Verse poetically portrays the thoughts of a Martian rover forced to commit suicide by exploring a deep crater.

Bigelow Aerospace has some interesting images from their successfully launched Genesis II space station (which I have yet to write a future post on).

But the best post in this carnival goes to Louise Riofrio of A Babe In The Universe whose recent spacesuit design may enable humans to gracefully walk upon Martian and lunar soils.

(A Babe In The Universe) The skintight inner garment is a sandwich of stretchable materiels that zip on like a flightsuit. It is suitable for suborbital and Low Earth Orbit Access, like the “pumpkin suits” used today. Upon exposure to vacuum, the proprietary materiel automatically tightens to compensate. Unlike present-day soft suits, there is no loss of flexibility. The prototype is covered in silver rubber for visibility. [...]

For EVA and planetary exploration, the suit can be armoured. The outer pieces on the chest and arms are made of composite materiels that are stronger than steel. The manufacturer guarantees the materiel to 250 degrees fahrenheit, or the highest likely to be encountered in Space. As on present spacecraft, multiple aluminised layers insulate the wearer from extreme cold. The outer armour can be quickly changed to adapt for different environments. When lunar explorers are ready to return home, the outer layers and all that yucky lunar regolith can be left behind on the Moon.

The most interesting thing about this prototype is the fact that the suit can be customized to fit different needs. For example, a colonist on Mars may require a suit that deals with the potentially toxic soil via winds while on the Moon one may need to design a static free dust to keep lunar soil at bay.

Brian Dunbar over at Space For Commerce is hosting next week’s Space Carnival, and for those of you desiring to enter the carnival see this post for details.

Who Will Make Solar History?

darnell — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 20:10:00 +0000

A thousand years from now when our species has begun to conquer other star systems (after colonizing our own of course), who will be some of the individuals who will go down in solar history?

While most of history has yet to be written, our future descendants may find themselves whining about memorizing the names from the “Early Space Renaissance” of the 21^st century.

Although this is not a complete list, here are some of the figures who may find themselves recorded in the solar history books (not to mention having a million space kids being named after them).

George W. Bush: Whether you love him or hate him, President Bush will probably go down in history for announcing the Vision for Space Exploration (or VSE for short).

NASA’s previous vision of infinitely circling our globe and forever observing the stars (from afar) will probably be an embarrassment for our current generation, although hopefully the President’s VSE will give NASA the courage to conquer the final frontier.

Eric Anderson & Peter Diamandis: Just as the Wright Brothers helped to “kick start” aviation, Eric Anderson and Peter Diamandis have helped to kick start space tourism by forming Space Adventures.

Space Adventures helped launch the very first space tourist into orbit, kicking off a whole new industry that is destined to thrive in the next three to four years. Both Peter and Eric took the discussion from “talk to action,” proving that space was more than a privilege of governmental elites.

With future plans to launch Earthen citizens around their lunar neighbor, Space Adventures may give governmental programs a run for their money.

Robert T. Bigelow: If Space Adventures can be credited towards getting private citizens into space, Robert T. Bigelow can be credited towards actually keeping us there.

In 2006, Bigelow Aerospace launched the world’s first (of hopefully many) inflatable space station, displaying that the private sector could not only design a better, cheaper home amongst the heavens, but also generate a profit on the side.

Although constructing inflatable space stations is in itself incredible, Bigelow’s entry into space may be over shadowed by the companies attempt to help humanity colonize the moon.

Sir Richard Branson: Some people consider Sir Richard Branson to be ingenious. Other consider him to be closer to a mad scientist. Whatever your take, Branson may have the last laugh as his company Virgin Galactic is destined to bring space safely to the (moderately wealthy) masses.

Branson’s goal of making space apart of Earth culture may be paying off, as several other space firms have announced plans to launch customers into sub-orbital flights. But what sets Virgin Galactic apart from the competition is the companies emphasis on safety, which should easily put it in the lead if (God forbid) a crash occurs in the industry.

Branson also seems focused on not merely sending people into orbit, but having them check into space hotels by renting one of Bigelow Aerospace’s inflatable space station.

Elon Musk: After making a billion plus fortune by selling off PayPal to Ebay, Elon Musk decided to spend his riches on helping humanity become a space faring civilization. Thus SpaceX was born.

Although SpaceX has yet to put up a satellite successfully into orbit (along with a host of other companies), what makes SpaceX unique is their desire to drop the price of launching objects into space from around $10,000 /lbs to $1,000/ lbs.

After successfully launching an object into space on a test rocket, SpaceX seems destined (if not determined) to see humanity on not only the Moon, but Mars itself.

Dr. Bradley C. Edwards: If a building a modern day space elevator is ever feasible, this man will be credited towards coming up with the design plans.

After spending years in the realm of science fiction (or perhaps even fantasy itself), Dr. Edwards helped d
emonstrate the feasibility of this project, which (if successful) will revolutionize the way our species interacts with the solar system.

Edwards has recently started a company called Black Line Ascension whose end goal is to construct a space elevator, although only time will tell whether his research (and vision) will result in this object being built towards the heavens.

Michael Laine: If Dr. Brad Edwards can be credited towards making the space elevator doable on paper, Michael Laine may be credited to actually building it in on our homeworld.

Have previously worked with Edwards, Michael Laine founded LiftPort, this company seeks to construct a space elevator within the next 25-30 years. What makes LiftPort unique in its field is the fact that this company is seeking to chart its course within the private sector, refusing to rely completely on NASA for funding or guidance.

Only time will tell whether or not Michael’s vision of a planet where space is “open for everyone” will materialize. Either way, this man’s passion and determination to persevere despite the circumstances have inspired many to look towards the heavens as their future homes.

You: Our quest to conquer off world soils has just begun, and there may still be many spots open for ordinary citizens to say their lines and partake on the solar stage of history.

~~Note: Due to lack of time, images will be added later on to this post.~~

Update (6/21): Added images and corrected some wording.

Private Citizens: Expedition To Mars By 2014

darnell — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 22:55:00 +0000

(Image Credit: TD Summer Reading Club)

Despite the fact that the best estimates put Mars at least 25 years away, a pair of adventurers is seeking to visit the red planet around 2014.

(Space Fellowship) Tom and Tina Sjogren (founders and operators of the [Explorersweb.com]) have revealed their plans to embark on a private expedition to Mars by the year 2014. This was disclosed in an interview with “Outside” magazine, and published in the June 2007 issue (Page 72 – 79). [...]

Tom and Tina, with their prestigious adventure website, have had access to NASA, SpaceX, Armadillo, and many other experts. They brought their practical expertise related to expedition supplies into the calculations and scaled down NASA thinking appropriately. Using their knowledge of what capable, hardworking adventurers could accomplish, and what they would need to do it at acceptable risk, they found that commercial launch vehicles would be adequate to get their expedition supplies into orbit.

Although future missions to the crimson world will require courage of the heart, until scientists are able to find a way to shield space travelers from deadly radiation, a Mars expedition would be suicide.

Solar radiation is no laughing matter, and until scientists can develop the proper shielding via magnetic fields and medication, humans can expect to remain in Earth orbit for quite some time. Although space is not for cowards, it isn’t for the foolish also as there are more things in space that can end ones life than preserve it.

Tom and Tina Sjogren both seem like pioneers, and our species will need people like them in order to settle not only the moon and Mars, but the outer lunar outer worlds as well. Hopefully the necessary technology will be in place by the time these two launch their expedition, as solar deaths would not be of much benefit towards the emerging space industry.

Update: Article source provided broken link. Corrected for viewing pleasure.

A Healthy Spaceship Is A Happy Space Ship

darnell — Sat, 19 May 2007 23:41:00 +0000

(Image Credit: South Dakota Department of Environmental and Natural Resources)

Whether by fate or by chance, it seems that wherever humans set foot upon they end up bringing their microscopic friends along. While this obvious fact may seem trivial to most people, their unchecked presence on board star ships may spell certain doom for space traveling astronauts.

(Physorg.com) Aboard Mir, colonies of organisms were also found growing on “the rubber gaskets around windows, on the components of space suits, cable insulations and tubing, on the insulation of copper wires, and on communications devices,” said Andrew Steele, senior staff scientist at the Carnegie Institution of Washington working with other investigators at Marshall Space Flight Center.

Aside from being unattractive or an issue for human health, microorganisms can attack the structure of a spacecraft itself. “Microorganisms can degrade carbon steel and even stainless steel,” Steele continued. “In corners where two different materials meet, they can set up a galvanic [electrical] circuit and cause corrosion. They can produce acids that pit metal, etch glass, and make rubber brittle. They can also foul air and water filters.”

In short, germs can be as bad for a spacecraft’s health as for crew health.

When Mir first launched into orbit, it was just as clean as any other man made interstellar object. The cosmonauts (and later astronauts) on board kept the space station tidy, cleaning the walls and floors as vigorous as Mr. Clean in the kitchen or bathroom.

But unfortunately nature does have a way of decaying even the best of our technology, and our space assets are no exception. Fortunately scientists are working on building the tools necessary to identify these microscopic nuisances, in order to not only keep future colonists healthy, but their spaceships (and biospheres) as well.

Update: Centered image.

Will Bigelow Help Make Space Affordable?

darnell — Sun, 08 Apr 2007 03:44:00 +0000

Image Credit: Bigelow Aerospace, via MSNBC)

(Hat Tip: Hobby Space)

With news of billionaires launching themselves into space, many people with less than seven figures on their hands wonder when it will be their turn to visit beyond the skies.

Although the price range may eventually drop for the moderately wealthy, Bigelow seems to be offering a common sense approach which resembles more of mortgaging a house rather than paying for the entire lot up front in cash.

(Aviation Week) One reason commercial space has been so slow to evolve is because it has required so much up front money from customers for such high risk ventures. Bigelow wants to reverse that.

“We will have milestones that it will be incumbent upon Bigelow to successfully pass before money is transitioned from being refundable to non refundable he said. “A big part of the message we will be conveying at the Space Symposium is “Look! We are not going to charge you an arm and a leg for the services that we are providing,” he said.

“We think this will make the use of our orbital services very conductive for moderately funded organizations.["]

One interesting aspect about Bigelow is that it is one of the few (if only) space companies out there that does not have to rely on the backing of a billionaire (or government funds) to finance its trip to the stars.

Despite having the financial support of its founder, Robert T. Bigelow, Bigelow Aerospace has actually made a profit launching Genesis I (and soon Genesis II), enough to sustain this company without the help from its wealthy CEO.

(Aviation Week) “Up to this point we have spent about $90 million, but the good part is that its all been from cash flow, that’s from net Bigelow Aerospace income.

“We have not been eating off one of our legs at a time to survive. We haven’t been spending capital. In that regard, we are unique among the small wannabe aerospace companies.

Although Bigelow is presenting a cost efficient way of returning to the cosmos, their space stations seem more geared towards servicing large corporations and governments, rather than civilians. With an expectation of 800 clients over the next decade, Bigelow may not look too appealing as an active force in colonizing our solar system.

However, they may provide a unique business model for companies such as Virgin Galactic, Benson Space, LiftPort, Space Adventures and others to follow, as financing a trip to space may be much easier than paying “an arm and a leg.”

How Does One Charge A Magnetic Sail?

darnell — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 19:11:00 +0000

Magnetic Sails hold much promise into allowing humanity to travel our solar system at not only an increased amount of speed, but reduced costs as well.

Unfortunately scientists seem to be pondering on which method is best to actually charge these theoretical crafts, as the details of either choice tend to be a “bit messy.”

(New Scientist Space) But the amount of charge held by a sphere at a given voltage, a quantity known as its capacitance, is not very large. Long, thin filaments, on the other hand, have a lot of charge-holding surface area, so one possible design involves many filaments attached to the spacecraft. The setup would have a rather comical look – because of the static charge, the filaments would stick out in all directions, like newly brushed dry hair. [...]

A cylindrical mesh of fibres – resembling a stocking – could also be attached to the spacecraft. To charge itself up, the stocking could be coated with a radioisotope, and one of the most powerful would be polonium-210, the isotope used to poison former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko. But it should be safe to use on the stocking, says Peck, “as long as people working on the spacecraft don’t lick it”.

Although polonium-210 would provide an excellent alternative to the thin filaments, scientists seem to be struggling with ways on “turning it off,” a very important feature if one wants to actually slow down.

Regardless of the method scientist propose, one thing they were clear about was that Earth’s magnetic field, although powerful enough to keep our planet alive from radiation may be too weak to be truly effective for travel towards planets like Mars.

They are proposing instead that these spacecraft head out towards Jupiter, whose field may be strong enough to launch these ships quickly to other worlds.

Could Maglev Launches Enable Cheap Access To Space?

darnell — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 21:57:00 +0000

(Hat Tip: Lifeboat Foundation Blog)

With chemical rockets not exactly bringing down the price of space transport, one group of scientists from China have come up with a unique way of reducing the cost of space without losing the ships that bring us there.

(Physorg.com) Most recently, researchers in a group including Wenjiang Yang and his colleagues from the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics and the Chinese Academy of Sciences have investigated the possibility of the “Maglifter,” a maglev launch assist vehicle originally proposed in the 1980s. In this system, a spaceship would be magnetically levitated over a track and accelerated up an incline, lifting off when it reaches a velocity of 1,000 km/hr (620 miles/hr). The main cost-saving areas would come from reduced fuel consumption and the reduced mass of the spaceship.

“Magnetic levitation is a promising technology for future space transportation,” Yang told PhysOrg.com. “The most expensive part of space missions to low-Earth orbit is the first few seconds—getting off the ground.”

This technology seems very familiar to the magnetic sled (designed by Launch Point), with the only major difference being that humans will be able to ride “this pony.”

Although this is not a direct “ground to orbit” launch mechanism, it may drop prices for satellite launches and the space tourism industry, not to mention make constructing a space elevator all the more feasible.

Video: Is Virgin Galatic Becoming Profitable?

darnell — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 02:27:00 +0000

(Hat Tip: Space Pragmatism)

Despite receiving more than its fair share of spot light in the private space industry, Virgin Galactic seems to be doing fairly well despite the fact that its market is quickly becoming filled with competitors.

While other space tourism companies remain silent on how many customers they have, Virgin Galactic does not feel shy revealing how many space tourism clients they have signed up.

(MSNBC) At present, Virgin Galactic has $20 million in deposits, said Will Whitehorn, the company’s president. “We just surpassed the 200-customer level in terms of people who have actually made a financial commitment, put their money down and signed their contracts,” Whitehorn said.

Space travel registrations on the Virgin Galactic Web site number about 82,000 expressions of interest, Whitehorn said. “Those registrations are genuine…with quite a number prepared to sign in the next three or four years. But they do want to see a finished spaceship before they are prepared to commit. I don’t blame them for that. We’re hoping to have a working spaceship that’s actually commencing spaceflight in its test mode by the middle of 2008.”

With the private sector gaining respect in the media, private space flights should help “whet the appetite” for the cosmos, helping to make space a reality for the general population.

Virgin Galactic is offering rides to the final frontier for around $200,000, and they have released a video highlighting why that money would be better spent in the heavens than on earth.