Main Engine Cut OffDr. Robert Zubrin, President of The Mars Society, creator of Mars Direct, and author of The Case for Mars is on the show this week to discuss Mars exploration and colonization internationally, within NASA, and at SpaceX.
During a NASA TV broadcast today, a short video of a Dragon 2 parachute drop test was shown. Someone helpful posted a link to some screenshots over on the r/spacex thread.
SpaceX posted an absolutely fantastic time-lapse video of IDA-2 being removed from Dragon’s trunk. IDA-2 is set for installation bright and early tomorrow morning (6:30 AM Eastern).
NASA selected six companies, as part of the NextSTEP program, to develop ground prototypes of deep space habitats, and the Centaur could live on as a wet workshop. Orbital ATK pushed OA-5 to late September. SpaceX landed yet another stage on the ASDS, and have up to 9 more launches planned for 2016.
Lighter structures mean more payload. More durable structures mean more reuse. There have been several rumors about BFR using composites, and this certainly points in that direction.
NASA’s Commercial Crew Twitter account tweeted a time-lapse video of the crew access arm and white room being lifted to the top of the tower at SLC-41.
Good rundown of SpaceX’s remaining 2016 manifest by Peter B. de Selding of SpaceNews. After a great launch and landing last night, SpaceX is planning for 9 more launches this year.
Great rundown over on reddit of what Shotwell talked about during her keynote at SmallSat today. Most exciting part: the first Raptor engine shipped to McGregor for testing.
The crew access arm at SLC-41 is due to be installed sometime this week, Pad 39A work is continuing, and Falcon Heavy is delayed until “early 2017.”
There are a few obvious reasons the Air Force would go with a sole-source contract. This isn’t a big deal or a surprise, at all.