| 3/8/2008 5:52:21 AM | New space freighter to launch Sunday | |
oceans5555
Chevy Chase, MD
age: 64
| This is I think a major development in the world's ability to explore space.
What do you think?
Oceans
From the BBC, March 8, 2008:
"Europe is set to launch the biggest, most sophisticated spacecraft in its history.
The Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) is an unmanned ship that can carry up to 7.6 tonnes of supplies to the International Space Station (ISS).
Its other primary role is to push the orbiting outpost higher into the sky to keep it from falling back to Earth.
The ATV will launch on an Ariane 5 rocket from the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana at 0403 GMT on Sunday.
Its mission will be a huge statement of capability.
The maiden voyage will announce that Europe now has some important new technical competencies to rival the very best in the space exploration business."
|
| 3/8/2008 6:01:08 PM | New space freighter to launch Sunday | |
terentius
Apex, NC
age: 53
| Oceans, this is cool to be sure ... but I guess I'm still a skeptic about manned space exploration at this time. Most of the good science so far has been done using unmanned probes. The space station has done some good science, but it's a poor return on the cost. If a smaller share of resources went into manned exploration, more space science could be done. I don't think manned space exploration is really practical until there are better forms of propulsion than chemical rockets. I think people are perhaps naive about this.
Recently we have seen the emergence of space tourism, but that's just for very wealthy people.
|
| 3/8/2008 7:11:32 PM | New space freighter to launch Sunday | |
jewelz5
Monteagle, TN
age: 53 online now!
| Moon Secrets Revealed : John Lear / Pt. 1 / Son of the inventor of the Lear Jet / 10 minutes
The Space Program is nothing but a "cover program". It is an expensive giant sucking machine to drain and distract the American people for what you were never suppose to know. Wake up America.
[Edited 3/8/2008 7:25:21 PM]
|
| 3/8/2008 7:26:16 PM | New space freighter to launch Sunday | |
jewelz5
Monteagle, TN
age: 53 online now!
| Moon Secrets Revealed : John Lear / Pt. 2 / 10 minutes
|
| 3/8/2008 7:34:21 PM | New space freighter to launch Sunday | |
jewelz5
Monteagle, TN
age: 53 online now!
| Moon Secrets Revealed : John Lear / Pt. 3 / 10 minutes
|
| 3/8/2008 7:36:39 PM | New space freighter to launch Sunday | |
oceans5555
Chevy Chase, MD
age: 64
| Terentius, agreed. Unmanned is a lot cheaper, because the human support-systems are expensive, and the additional safety margins very expensive.
But I can think of one space-based activity that will be dependent on human presence: space colonization. I do think this will happen one day, and will take the form of modular self-contained free-floating space stations, rather than moon or planet-based sites.
When you say non-chemical rockets are you referring to nuclear powered space vehicles? The Orion Project looked at this is some depth, and I understand from a senior person in that program that it was a close second program priority behind Apollo.
Space tourism seems hokey, especially the seven-seconds of sub-orbital 'weightlessness' type.
Not that I wouldn't like to go to the space station for a few days.
Oceans
|
| 3/8/2008 9:34:23 PM | New space freighter to launch Sunday | |
explorer3
Warminster, PA
age: 33
| Here is the link to the article.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7285796.stm
Oceans.Thanks for telling me about that i havent heared about it untill now.
It looks like europe is really getting serious about there space program these days.
the A.T.V. cost 1.3billion euros to make and there planing on making at least 4 more.
Heres a picture thats in the article.
|
| 3/9/2008 6:06:33 AM | New space freighter to launch Sunday | |
oceans5555
Chevy Chase, MD
age: 64
| Thanks for adding the info, Explorer.
The launch occurred successfully, and docking with the international space station is scheduled for April 3.
There were several 'firsts'.
1. The Ariane rocket was modified to carry twice its normal payload.
2. The space freighter will find and dock with the station entirely automatically (though the astronauts in the station will have a panic button to stop the docking if they decide something has gone wrong).
Congratulations to all who were involved in this. One more significant step into space!
Oceans
[Edited 3/9/2008 6:06:54 AM]
|
| 3/9/2008 6:14:21 AM | New space freighter to launch Sunday | |
krupa1
Abilene, TX
age: 40
| I love checking out all the new developments in space tech in Popular Science Magazine (worth thier weight in gold!)
That and checking out the Nasa galleries is just fascinating and way cool!
|
| 3/11/2008 1:47:26 PM | New space freighter to launch Sunday | |
oceans5555
Chevy Chase, MD
age: 64
| Agreed, Krupa.
There is something clean and essential about space. Looking at those pictures makes me feel like I do when I look out in the early morning on a new snow. All sparkles, no tracks, sounds of an occasional clump of snow dropping off branches...a clean day awaits!
Oceans
|