NASA Archives - Page 2 of 3 - The Enterprise Orbit

NASA unveils logo for Orbital Debris Program Office

One of NASA’s important but perhaps less “Hollywood” offices has gone in for something of a makeover. The Orbital Debris Program Office, which operates under NASA’s Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science program, has approved its first logo, according to the program’s publication, the summer/fall issue of 2017 Orbital Debris Quarterly News, released on 1 August 2017. (The newsletter is required reading for anyone with an interest in the policies, science, or

NSS optimistic about Pence’s call for constant LEO presence

National Space Society, a nonprofit organization that promotes (among other things) space settlement, has happily endorsed a few key pieces of U.S. vice president Mike Pence’s recent July 6 speech at Kennedy Space Center. The group is particularly hopeful about Pence’s call for constant human presence in low Earth orbit, which the group sees as a key milestone in future space settlement. “To the best of my recollection, this is

New alliances emerge in the space race to the Moon

The Moon could get a little busy in the 2030s. The world’s biggest nations are all now working on developing lunar missions, thrusting the Moon once again to the center of a new global space race. Last week, US vice president Mike Pence reiterated the Trump administration’s desire to see American astronauts back on the Moon. “Here from this bridge to space our nation will return to the moon, and

On-orbit satellite maintenance ‘will change the space system paradigm’

NASA, DARPA, and others are developing technologies to support autonomous refueling and maintenance capabilities for satellites while they’re orbiting Earth, as part of a wider ambition to advance autonomous servicing capabilities that’ll enable a new era of infrastructure building in space. On-orbit satellite servicing will help extend the mission lives of satellites, but the technology that’s being developed to do so will help usher in a new era of space

SLS engine ‘brain’ passes hot fire test

Aerojet Rocketdyne’s RS-25 rocket engine controller and flight configuration software passed the first hot fire engine test with flying colors this week at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. (more…)

SpaceX’s cargo resupply mission to ISS slated for Feb 14

-Marking historic Kennedy Space Center re-open to the rocket business SpaceX will launch an International Space Station (ISS) cargo resupply mission from the historic Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Station in Florida, on February 14. The fallback date for the launch is Feb 15. (more…)

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Plata o plomo: Trump’s carrot-or-stick to Musk seems to have worked

When the CEOs of several major American companies met with the new leader of the free world two days ago, the conversation revolved around manufacturing restrictions and outsourcing -- both in the crosshairs of President Trump’s agenda. The new president, four days into his term on the day of the meeting, which included CEO Marilyn Hewson of Lockheed Martin and SpaceX founder, Elon Musk, suggested that companies amenable to tethering

Questions linger over Earth science programs under incoming Trump administration

Many aspects of governance -- from budget approvals to new leaders for federal agencies -- are still up in the air for the US’s space programs and agencies, only days away from the new administration taking control. Unease has been growing about the future of US space and satellite programs under the new Trump administration. President-elect Donald Trump will be sworn into office Friday at the strike of noon -- which

NASA second-guesses its decision to use SpaceX for ISS taxi

By Kendra R Chamberlain NASA has ordered a slate of taxi flights that’ll shuttle astronauts from US soil to the International Space Station (ISS) in the future. But SpaceX’s recent Falcon 9 loss has raised new concerns about using private enterprise rockets to shuttle humans to and from the ISS. Last week, NASA’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP) voiced concern over using SpaceX for such missions in its annual report,

CLEARED: SpaceX’s first launch since September explosion set for Jan 14

Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) has received the green light for its next rocket launch, four months after a malfunction on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket turned the launchpad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida into a pyrotechnics display when the rocket incinerated. In September of last year, SpaceX lost one of its rockets, loaded to carry a commercial SpaceCom Amos-6 satellite, during the pre-launch engine check. (more…)