Subscribe by E-mail

Google Translate

Recent Assets

  • antareslaunch-small.jpg
  • Marsonebase-small.jpg
  • asteroidcapture.jpg
  • Dragondeparting.JPG
  • sbirsgeo2Small.jpg
  • dollar.jpg
  • Challengerbreakupsmall.jpg
  • Challenger_breakup.jpg
  • emplaceinterceptorsmall.jpg
  • SpaceTrakISShistorytab.JPG

Mars One opens application procedure for a one way trip to Mars

| | Comments (0)

Mars One has formally announced the opening of its application procedure for those willing to become a televised settler in a new colony on the planet Mars.  The trip is one way. The announcement went like this:

Mars One is happy to announce the launch of its astronaut selection program today. The search has begun for the first humans to set foot on Mars and make it their home.

Mars One invites would-be Mars settlers from anywhere in the world to submit an online application via apply.mars-one.com.

This online application will be the first of the four rounds that together make the Mars One selection procedure. Round One will run for over five months and end on 31st August 2013. Applicants selected at the end of this round will include the first crew that will land on Mars in 2023. Mars One selection committees will hone the search for the first crew in three subsequent rounds and further training.

"We are very excited about launching the selection program. Round One is where we open the doors to Mars for everyone on Earth. This is an international mission and it is very important for the project that anyone anywhere can ask themselves: Do I want this? Am I ready for this? If the answer is yes then we want to hear from you," said Bas Lansdorp, co-founder of Mars One.

In the last year Mars One received 10,000 messages from prospective applicants from over 100 countries. Mars One expects an unprecedented number of applications and even more internet users visiting the application website to support their favorite candidates.

Applicants are given the choice of publicly sharing and promoting their application page. While Mars One experts will choose which candidates progress to Round 2, everyone will have the opportunity to know the aspiring settlers and give them their vote of confidence.

Applicants will pay a small administration fee that varies across nations according to their per capita GDP. The variable fee makes the program equally accessible for applicants from all nations and also reduces the number of insincere entries.

"For this mission of permanent settlement we are more concerned with how well each astronaut lives and works with others and their ability to deal with a lifetime of challenges."

"Gone are the days when bravery and the number of hours flying a supersonic jet were the top criteria," said Norbert Kraft, Mars One's Chief Medical Director and former NASA senior researcher.

"For this mission of permanent settlement we are more concerned with how well each astronaut lives and works with others and their ability to deal with a lifetime of challenges."

Throughout the astronaut selection program, Mars One will select applicants who have good physical and mental health and show five key character traits: Resilience, Adaptability, Curiosity, Ability to trust others, and Creativity/Resourcefulness.

In the last stage when 24-40 candidates have been fully trained and qualified, the final decision of choosing the first settlers will be decided by an audience vote.

"In a 1000 years, everyone on Earth will still remember who the first humans on Mars were, just like Neil Armstrong has etched in our memories forever. This makes the selection of the first crew to a different planet a very important election; in my opinion more important than most elections. We hope the whole world will join Mars One in our democratic search of the envoys of mankind to Mars, " Lansdorp said.

Antares launch vehicle makes successful maiden launch

| | Comments (0)

After some days of delay variously caused by a premature separation of an umbilical and high level winds, new Antares launch vehicle built by Orbital Sciences Corporation and using Russian moon rocket engine techology was successfully launched into orbit at 2100 GMT on 21 April from the Wallops Island launch site on the east coast of Virginia, USA.

antareslaunch-small.jpgAntares lifts off.  Courtesy: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Aboard was a dummy mass mimicking the Cygnus freighter spacecraft which will eventually be used to deliver payloads to the International Space Station under a NASA contract.   Unlike its SpaceX Dragon competitor however, the Cygnus craft is not reusable and cannot be used to return cargo to Earth.  On the Antares flight there were some real spacecraft flying.   Dove 1 was a 5.5.kg triple cubesat technology demonstration design.  In addition three Phonesat cubesats were flown to test mobile communications technology as avionics in orbit. 

The launch vehicle's first stage is powered by two AJ-26 engines built by Aerojet, which are actually reworked NK-33 engines that were designed to power the Soviet-era N-1 manned moon mission launch vehicle.

Oldest spacewalker Pavel Vinogradov has "butterfingers" moment

| | Comments (0)

Two Russian cosmonauts on the International Space Station, Pavel Vinogradov and Roman Romanenko,  performed spacewalk lasting six hours 38 minutes starting at 1402 GMT on 19 April. Their mission was to install and remove various experimental packages and to position a reflector device/docking aid on the rear end of the Zvezda module.  During the spacewalk Vinogradov, 59, the oldest man ever to walk in space, lost his grip on a Vinoslivost materials science space exposure experiment panel (one of two) which floated away to become "space debris."

Mars One needs funds but no new technology for one way trip to planet

| | Comments (0)

In late May 2012, the non-profit-making organisation, Mars One Foundation announced plans to send humans colonists to Mars.  But there is a catch.  There is no way of return. In a lecture made in April 2013 at the British Interplanetary Society in London, Bas Lansdorp, Co-Founder of the Mars One project, detailed how far the project had gone answered questions on the plan to put a colony on Mars.  Lansdorp, an engineer and wind energy entrepreneur started the project using his own capital with technical support from his co-founder and ESA scientist Arno Wielders.   The idea is to make the project into a long term world television event.  The project would be thus funded from the revenues derived from advertising and media sales run by a commercial organisation called the Interplanetary Media Group. 

A $6 billion Plan - and that is just for starters

After raising sufficient capital, and having selected various subcontractors, Mars One outfit will formally award contracts to them.  Of the key suppliers, one is likely to be Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) which will scaled-up versions of a SpaceX vertical-landing Dragon capsule, crew planetary transfer and Mars landing technologies and a full launch service to the project.  It is estimated that $6 billion would be need to launch the initial crew of four with a further $4 billion being need for each crew thereafter.   No return capability is to be included. 

Lansdorp noted that initial plans have been discussed with SpaceX, though he cautioned that Mars One would have to provide funding before they would work in detail on the project.  Under the plan, a crew of four settlers would be drawn from a pool of astronaut settlers who themselves would have already been chosen via stringent acceptance tests.  Despite the one way nature of the trip, Landorp reported that some 10,000 people had already expressed an interest in applying for the adventure via e-mail.

The running order

While the technical details remain sketchy, Lansdorp detailed the basic timeline of the plan.  Before any manned launch takes place, there would be various precursor missions.  According to the plan in 2016 a demonstration mission would test the Martian approach and landing techniques.  In 2018, a Mars rover would be landed to find the best location for such a base. 

In 2020, a series of six missions would land cargo and a second rover vehicle.   The living quarters would include two living units and two life support systems for redundancy.   The rovers and trailers would be used to move modules and structures to the main base site. The use of inflatable structures would be employed, some of which would be covered with Martian soil to a depth of 2 meters to provide radiation protection.  Bas Lansdorp noted that that the Mars Curiosity Rover has confirmed that the surface radiation environment is relatively benign, being only equivalent to astronaut exposure in low Earth orbit (LEO).

The life support systems would include systems to create a breathable atmosphere by filtering nitrogen and argon from the Martian atmosphere and oxygen and water would be drawn from the planet's soil.  Power would be supplied using solar array technologies and food would be grown using greenhouse equipment.  It is realised that such a colony would still need periodic supplies from Earth.  Likewise, having to account for sand storms and solar degradation would mean that about 3,000 square meters of solar panels would be needed to satisfy the power demands of the initial colony.

Only once enough breathable air and drinkable water has been produced would the astronauts be launched to the planet in an initial crew of four.    

At this point, funding and successful missions to date permitting, the first crew of four settlers would be launched on their flight to Mars - probably around 2023.  The 210 day first manned flight in 2023 would be via a transfer vehicle that would carry all its own water (about 2500 litres without reuse) with the tankage being used to block radiation in space.   A second crew could be launched in 2025.

Marsonebase-small.jpgArtist's impression of Mars One base for settlers - Courtesy Mars One/Bryan Versteeg

Is it just the "beautiful people" that need apply?

While the James Bond movie Moonraker (1979) had a plot involving megalomaniac space villain Hugo Drax being intent on restarting the human race in space using "perfect" human specimens, Lansdorp was at pains to note that it would not just be perfect people that need apply.  This would be despite the discriminatory demands of television audiences. 

"Everybody will be able to apply for the missions." said Lansdorp.  "It won't just be beautiful people that go on this trip" he said.   

Having said that, Landorp then confirmed that genetic and health tests would sift out some of the weaker applicants.  The process of candidate selection is to start in the second quarter of this year - probably in May.  

On the subject of selection, some doubted good space crews and good television would be compatible.  Specifically, highly skilled and well balanced individuals that make ideal astronauts and crew mates, would probably actually make good television viewing.  For what is being planned is a reality TV style approach examples of which usually only make good viewing because of conflict between "difficult" personalities. 

On the implications of breeding on the planet had Landorp jested that "what settlers get up to in their own time is their own business," not realising that the salacious aspect of reality TV is what often drives viewer numbers. There was another serious aspect to this question.  Given that sterilisation from cosmic and solar radiation would hopefully be avoided during the journey using shielding, Lansdorp admitted such an eventuality would have to be considered.  He noted that conception and foetus growth under these conditions had not been tried yet, nor had the long term genetic and health consequences been tested.  Some suggest that over time, a whole new sub-species of human could be created. 

When asked whether human settlers would bring contamination to the planet, Landorp noted the chairman of the COSPAR Panel of Planetary Protection on the Mars One adisory board advising the organisation on its adherence to the Planetary Protection Protocol.

With respect to what laws would be applied for such a colony, Lansdorp said he expected that the settlers would, over time, set up their own nation with their own set of laws.  When questioned whether such a legal regime might include the "death penalty" for extreme crimes such as murder, as used to be prevalent in the early days of sea-faring exploration and colonisation, Lansdorp made the somewhat unrealistic and impractical suggestion that that a cell could be set up for long-term imprisonment.  Lansdorp noted that chance of such a serious criminal eventually would be very small.

What about the competition?

Earlier this year, the former space tourist and business entrepreneur, Dennis Tito, announced a plan to fly a couple around Mars on a round trip. Lansdorp said he admired Tito and his Inspiration Mars Foundation for their 2018 Mars flyby plan, adding that he was relieved that at least Tito was not planning to land on Mars.

Mars One hopes to benefit from Tito's development of technology which in effect shared many of the elements of Mars One project. For example, both organisations plan to use the US firm Paragon Space Development Corporation as a supplier to produce their human life support and space suit systems.  Lansdorp noted that he was to meet Tito shortly at a conference to see if there was any common ground for co-operation between their two organisations. Landorp did note one big difference between the Tito plan and the Mars One mission.  Mars One would be "as international as possible" while the Tito mission would be a mainly US-only mission.

Lansdorp admitted that if Tito's mission went well, and importantly, secured sufficient television and online audiences, then raising funds for their own operation would become significantly easier,   With respect to their own funding Landorp remain silent on the amount raised to date, save to note that his not-for-profit organisation was receiving large and small donations every week.

When asked whether SpaceX leader and originator, Elon Musk, might not want to take the glory of landing on Mars first, Lansdorp retorted: "Elon does not want to be the first man on Mars.  He wants to retire there."

So what are the chances of the MarsOne mission?

From a technological point of view, the plan has elements of success.  Lansdorp was at pains to point out that the plan would only require current technology to be achieved.  "No new inventions need to be done to make this mission possible," said Lansdorp. 

While there are possible legal issues in sending early settlers with not capability to return to Earth, not least if ever there resupply missions were halted, Lansdorp noted in not have to return to Earth considerably helped the technological chances of success.  It is the return to Earth capability from the Martian surface that had not yet been developed by mankind.

The weakness of the Mars One plan is the television/media model for raising funds.  For two settlement missions, $10 billion will be needed.  While Lansdorp noted that he thought that such revenues would be available, drawing on the parallel to the major television sporting event of 2012, the Olympics, which raised $4 billion, critics wonder whether the ennui of watching astronauts basically do not much day-after-day will be revenue generator that the Mars One organisation thinks.

On a lighter note: they may have missed a funding trick

For this Mars settlement plan, Mars One emphasises that all participants have to be volunteers.  In doing so, one cannot help thinking that perhaps the Mars One team has missed a trick.  If they had allowed nominations to be made for such one way trip on a paid for basis this really could have been a most excellent money spinner.  No doubt nominations for various politicians, bankers, school teachers etc would top the poles.

 

Athena rocket is to return

| | Comments (0)
The Lockheed Martin Athena rocket is to return.  See full story here.

Soyuz successfully launches Bion biology capsule and other small sats

| | Comments (0)

A Soyuz 2-1A/Fregat was successfully launched at 1000 GMT on 19 April from the Baikonur launch base near Tyuratam in Kazakhstan. On board was the Bion M1 spacecraft which itself was carrying an animal payload (mice, gerbils, geckos, snails and fish) in a re-entry capsule which is expected to return in May after a 30 day flight.  In addition the following nanosatellites were also carried on the launch which will be released later from the outside of Bion M1. AIST satellite was built by TsSKB Progress to test out the new Stork bus design.Beesat 2 and 3 were earth obseravation cubesat satellites which are also testing out new technologies for cutesats.   Dove 2 is a technology test cubesat. OSSI-1 is an amateur research cubesat satellite incorporating a random number generator.SOMP is a small cubesat taking measurements of atomic and molecular oxygen.

Intelsat's IPO fails to deliver as much as expected

| | Comments (0)

Media sources in the financial world (Bloomberg, Wall Street Journal etc) have reported that the satellite communications firm, Intelsat has managed to sel 19.3 million shares for $18 each in its initial public offering (IPO) raising in total $347.8 million.  The company has originally hoped to sell 21.7 million shares at a price higher than $21.  As such, the revenues, which the company hopes to use to pay back some if its debt, was less than expected.  

Nerves fray slightly as Antares maiden flight is delayed again

| | Comments (0)

Orbital Sciences Corporation has announced that the planned launch of its new Antares launch vehicle has been delayed .  The first day's delay was on 16 April occured after a premature separation of launch pad's umbilical data connection to the Antares upper stage.   The planned launch from NASA's Wallops Island launch pad in Virginia was delayed for a second time after its planned launch on 19 April was shelved by predictions of poor weather conditions. The next launch attempt is to be made on 20 April.

The delay will add to the nerves of Orbital Sciences' executives. According to the Flightglobal Space Review analytical resource, Maiden flights are notoriously prone to failure with the  failure rate of brand new vehicles (those which have at least two or more newly designed stages) exceeding 50%.

Arianespace gets new head as outfit stays just profitable

| | Comments (0)

The Board of Directors of the European launch provider, Arianespace. has named space policy expert, Stéphane Israël, as Chairman and CEO of the company.  While his predecessor Jean-Yves Le Gall was an scientist by training, Israel's background is more in business administration. 

Born in 1971, Israël studied at the Ecole Nationale d'Administration, the main "grande ecole" university for those wishing to pursue a career in French government administation.  After spending time as a judge in the French Court of Auditors he became advisor to Louis Galloise,CEO of EADS in 2007 and later held various executive management positions within Astrium's Space Transportation division and in Astrium Services.  In May 2012, Stéphane Israël was appointed chief of staff to the French Minister for Industrial Renewal.

While its revenues enjoyed a healthy growth, Arianespace itself remains just profitable. Arianespace announced net profit of €1.7 million for 2012 (0.1 million up on the previous year).  Overall revenues were  €1,329 million, up from €1,012 million for 2011.

Proton M Breeze M successfully lofts Telesat Anik G1 comsat

| | Comments (0)

International Launch Services (ILS) announced that the Telesat Anik G1 satellite had been launched into orbit on an ILS operated Russian-built Proton M Breeze M launch vehicle which lifted off from Pad 39 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome near Tyuratam in Kazakhstan at 1836 GMT on 15 April.  Utilizing the standard 5-burn mission design, the Breeze M upper stage then  successfully released the Anik G1 satellite for the Canada-based satellite operator into its final Geostationary Transfer Orbit after a 9 hour and 13 minute mission. The 4,900kg satellite was manufactured by Space Systems/Loral (SSL) using its LS-1300 platform design.  Telesat Anik G1 has 24 C-band, 28 Ku-band and 3 X-band transponders. 

 

Once inserted into its final geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) using its own propulsion systems, the spacecraft's main role will be to provide direct-to-home (DTH) television service in Canada, as well as broadband, voice, data, and video services in South America where economic growth has driven high demand for satellite capacity. It will also be the first commercial satellite with substantial X-band coverage for government communications over the Americas and the Pacific Ocean including Hawaii. 

 

Anik G1 will be positioned over 107.3 degrees West longitude where it will be co-located with Telesat's Anik F1 satellite effectively doubling both the C-band and Ku-band transponders serving South America from the 107.3 degrees West orbital location.