update oklahoma space allianceosa.nss.org/2014/update1408.pdf · national space society a free...
TRANSCRIPT
Oklahoma Space Alliance Update Page 1 of 17 August, 2014
Update
President’s Message By Stephen T. Swift
Until now, the cost of spacecraft and launches were so expensive that government financing seemed the only way to pursue space exploration. With spacecraft requiring investment of billions of dollars and each launch costing at least hundreds of millions NASA, Defense and National Intelligence funded America’s space activities. However, new developments suggest that private financing of space exploration may now succeed.
Continued on page 4
Oklahoma Space
Alliance A Chapter of The
National Space Society A free email newsletter of the Oklahoma Space Alliance
August 2014
August OSA Meeting Saturday, August 9, 2014
3:15 PM Harry Bears Restaurant 2113 Riverwalk Dr., Moore, OK
(2 tenths of Mile South of S. 19th West of I35 Frontage Road)
405-799-2327
Program—Discuss OSA activities, presentations on space topics, videos and news about space events.
Quote of the Month “… now is the opportune time … for
development of the site as a commercial space port.”
Stephen W. S. McKeever Secretary of Science & Technology, State of Oklahoma
Speaking about Oklahoma Space Port, Burns Flat, OK
OSIDA Board Meeting June 2014
Oklahoma Space Alliance Update Page 2 of 17 August, 2014
Table of Contents
President’s Message .................................................................................................................. 1
August OSA Meeting .................................................................................................................. 1
Quote of the Month ................................................................................................................... 1
Table of Contents ....................................................................................................................... 2
ULA Delta IV Launches Air Force Satellites from Canaveral July 28 ............................................ 3
Presidents Message Continued .................................................................................................. 4
Aurora Over Australia ................................................................................................................ 6
Bigelow Aerospace Begins Hiring! .............................................................................................. 7
Bigelow Aerospace Career Opportunities .................................................................................. 8
SpaceX Roadmap ....................................................................................................................... 9
Rosetta Spacecraft Orbits Comet ............................................................................................. 11
What’s Happening? .................................................................................................................. 12
Emirates Plans Mars Mission ................................................................................................ 12
40,000 Needed to Colonize Planet ........................................................................................ 12
Quadcopter Drop Ships for Mars .......................................................................................... 12
July 14 Falcon 9 Stage 1 Splash ............................................................................................. 13
Mediation for SpaceX and USAF ........................................................................................... 13
July 19: Russian Soyuz Launches Foton-M4 Science Bio Sat .................................................. 13
July 23: Progress-M24M to ISS from Baikonur ...................................................................... 13
July 29: ESA Sends 7 Tons of Supplies to ISS .......................................................................... 14
Aug. 2: USAF Launches 7th Next-Gen GPS Satellite ................................................................ 14
Aug. 4: Falcon 9 Launches AsaiSat-8 Satellite ........................................................................ 14
Summary of July Meeting: ....................................................................................................... 15
Notes on August OSIDA Meeting ............................................................................................. 17
Oklahoma Space Alliance Update Page 3 of 17 August, 2014
Oklahoma Space Alliance
Update August 2014
Editor Stephen Swift
[email protected] 405-496-3616
The Oklahoma Space Alliance Update is a bi-monthly newsletter of the Oklahoma Space Alliance a chapter of the National Space Society, a non-profit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. The address of OSA is 102 W. Linn, #1, Norman, OK 73071. Unless otherwise noted, all contents of articles herein do not necessarily reflect the opinion of anyone but the writer. Reprint rights are granted to recognized chapters of NSS, provided credit is given. Articles may be submitted by U.S. mail or electronically. Articles may be sent to the Editor at 1125 S Air Depot Blvd. No112, Midwest City, OK 73110 or to [email protected]. Each submission should include the author’s name and either e-mail address or phone number (for verification only). A text or Microsoft Word file is preferred. Please contact the Editor by phone, e-mail or texting before mailing your information.
OSA Officers for 2014 President & Stephen Swift
Update Editor
405-496-3616
Vice President David Sheely
405-821-9077 Secretary & Syd Henderson
Outreach Editor
405-321-4027(H)
405-365-8983(C)
Treasurer Tim Scott
405-740-7549(H)
NSS Headquarters 1155 15th Street NW, Suite 500 Washington DC
20005 Exec Director TBD
[email protected] 202-429-1600
ULA Delta IV Launches Air Force Satellites from Canaveral July 28
Screenshot from live webcast of Delta IV Launch Credit: United Launch Alliance
See article at ULA Delta IV successfully launches
AFSPC-4 mission | NASASpaceFlight.com See video at [Delta IV] Launch of AFSPC-4 on Delta IV
Rocket from Cape - YouTube
Oklahoma Space Alliance Update Page 4 of 17 August, 2014
Presidents Message Continued Without any doubt, NASA plays a valuable role, and continued NASA and other government funding will increase the pace of America’s space commerce and exploration. The same situation exists worldwide. In other participating countries, governments provide funding for space programs, and their continued financing will sustain growth in space commerce and exploration. However, changes are possible because of significant advances made in commercial space industry. Several key developments include: 1). Lower costs of boosters and launches by the private company SpaceX; 2). The pending arrival of new commercial spacecraft including CST-100 by Boeing, Dragon II by SpaceX, Dreamchaser by Sierra Nevada, Lynx by XCOR, Spaceship Two by Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin’s spacecraft; 3). Increased satellite and spacecraft function in smaller packages including but not limited to nanosats; 4). Improved design and manufacturing processes as proven by SpaceX and shown in the Iron Man movie; 5). Willingness of internet billionaires to invest fortunes in space industry.
Falcon 9 Assembly Credit: SpaceX
Dreamchaser Credit: Sierra Nevada Corp.
Screenshot SpaceX Design Tools Video
Spaceship Two Credit: Virgin Galactic
Oklahoma Space Alliance Update Page 5 of 17 August, 2014
Now for the crystal ball, what changes are possible?
1. Increased partnership between NASA and private industry
2. Reusable launch vehicles 3. Suborbital and orbital tourists 4. Independent private space
habitats (Bigelow) 5. Private asteroid mining 6. Privately financed Lunar and
Martian colonies… Space exploration is at a turning point in history. Up until now, governments defined space activities. The future will see people, private industry and commerce taking an increased role. Government financing opened the door into space. Now, people and private industry will pass through that door and lead the way forward to a new and growing future in space. References: Jeff Greason (37 minute video): NewSpace 2014 - Pathways to Human Exploration: Are there alternatives to NASA? - YouTube Jeff Foust: The Space Review: Exploration and the private sector
BA330 Habitat Credit: Bigelow Aerospace
Firefly Asteroid Searcher Credit: DSi
Mars Colony Concept Credit: Mars One
Lynx Suborbital Concept Credit: XCOR
Oklahoma Space Alliance Update Page 6 of 17 August, 2014
Aurora Over Australia
Aurora over Australian as seen from International Space Station on July 15, 2014.
Objects on right are parts of solar array panels on the ISS. Image Credit ©NASA
See article at Space Station Solar Arrays and Australian Aurora - SpaceRef
Oklahoma Space Alliance Update Page 7 of 17 August, 2014
Bigelow Aerospace Begins Hiring! Developments in launch vehicles and spacecraft motivate Bigelow to move forward with its plans for commercial space stations. In 2006 and 2007 Bigelow launched space habitats—Genesis I and Genesis II. These habitats, still orbiting unoccupied today, proved Bigelow’s concept of expandable habitat modules. In 2015, Bigelow will provide an expandable module for the ISS. New human rated spacecraft—Boeing’s CST-100, SpaceX’s Dragon II and Sierra Nevada’s Dreamchaser—will soon offer transport to and from orbiting space stations. Advances in launch vehicles such as SpaceX’s Falcon 9 offer greatly reduced launch costs. With these developments on the immediate horizon, Bigelow prepares to move forward with space habitats. Significant new hiring provides evidence. See article at Bigelow Aerospace Begins Hiring Round by Adding Former Astronauts Ham, Zamka | SpaceNews.com . See following page for list of open positions.
Habitat formed with two BA-330 modules. Credit: Bigelow Aerospace
See promotional video under ‘Customer Information’ in following link.
Bigelow Aerospace
Oklahoma Space Alliance Update Page 8 of 17 August, 2014
Bigelow Aerospace Career Opportunities
July 2014: Bigelow Aerospace is looking for full-time, on-site employment for the
following positions:
o Housekeeper
o Facilities & Maintenance Manager
o Closed Volume Spacecraft Simulation Crew Members
o Avionics Systems Manager
o Integration Manager
o Test Manager
o Assembly & Integration - Technician
o Assembly & Integration - Tool & Die Maker
o Chemical Engineer
o Chemist Lab Manager
o Chemist Test Technician
o Crew Systems
o Electrical Engineer - Hardware Manager
o Life Support Systems
o Machine Shop Inspector
o Machine Shop CNC Machinist
o Mechanical Engineer - Designer
o Mechanical Engineer - Structural Analyst
o Mechanical Engineer - Thermal System Analyst
o Mechanical Engineer - Composites Designer
o Mechanical Senior Engineer - Mechanisms Designer
o Materials & Processes Engineer
o Sr. Mechanical Design (CAD) Technologist/Drawing Checker
o Model Shop - Model Maker/Prototype Technician
o Production Engineer/Manager
o Quality Technician
o Security Officer
o Soft Goods - Industrial Sewing Machine Operator
o Software Engineer - Avionics Integration
o Software Engineer - Avionics Design and Development
o Embedded Firmware Engineer - Avionics Design and Development
o Sr. Electrical Engineer - Analog-Power
o Sr. Electrical Engineer - Digital
o Systems Engineer
o I.T. Support Specialist
o I.T. Support/Web Developer
o Wood Shop Carpenter
o Graphic Artist
o Integration, Composites Technician
Source Bigelow Aerospace: Bigelow Aerospace
Oklahoma Space Alliance Update Page 9 of 17 August, 2014
SpaceX Roadmap Chris Bergin, writing for NASASpaceFlight.com, described a SpaceX roadmap. The
roadmap starts with SpaceX recent successes and proceeds to Elon Musk’s and
Gwinn Shotwell’s long-term view. So far, Elon Musk, developer of Pay Pal, SpaceX
and Tesla Motors has a record of reaching every goal he sets. Key elements of the
roadmap follow:
1. Launch of 6 ORBCOMM satellites on July 14 from Kennedy Space Center (KSC)
LC 40
2. A speedy turnaround to launch of Asiasat-8 on August 5 from KSC LC 40
3. Projected launch of Asiasat-6 on August 21 from KSC LC 40
4. Launch of Dragon CRS-4 resupply of ISS targeted for September 14
5. More missions in 2014 including additional ORBCOMM sats, TurkmenSat 1, and
ISS CRS-5
6. Complete redevelopment of KSC historic LC 39-A
7. Test new Raptor methane rocket engine (with thrust 6 times the Falcon 9
Merlin engines) at Stennis Space Center.
8. Initial flight and subsequent production flights of Falcon Heavy starting in 2015
from KSC LC 39A (With initial flights, Falcon Heavy will be the largest launch
vehicle in service.)
9. With initial successes of Falcon Heavy, SpaceX plans to step up production level
to 20 rocket launches per year.
10. SpaceX launches planned for Vandenberg SLC-4, KSC LC 40 and KSC LC 39A
11. SpaceX develops world’s first commercial orbital launch site on the Texas
Coast east of Brownsville. Completion targeted for 2016
12. SpaceX revolutionizes space industry by placing first reusable rocket booster
in service 2015-2016
13. SpaceX introduces new ‘Big’ Super Heavy Falcon using nine Raptor engines.
14. Within 12-15 years, SpaceX expects to reach a level of ‘hundreds’ of launches
per year.
15. Initial SpaceX Mars landings expected within 12-15 years
Oklahoma Space Alliance Update Page 10 of 17 August, 2014
16. Thousands of flights per year expected within 20 years
17. Lunar and Martian bases established within the 20 year time frame
18. Self-sustaining civilization on Mars, the Moon and elsewhere in the Solar
System making humanity a multi-planet species
19. Items 14-16 above create ‘forcing function’ for continued spaceflight
improvement and flight beyond the solar system
See article at NASASpaceFlight.com SpaceX Roadmap building on its rocket
business revolution | NASASpaceFlight.com
The Falcon rocket family: from left to right, Falcon 1, Falcon 9 v1.0, three versions of Falcon 9 v1.1, and two
versions of Falcon Heavy Credit: Wikipedia
Oklahoma Space Alliance Update Page 11 of 17 August, 2014
Rosetta Spacecraft Orbits Comet After a 10-year journey, the European Space Agency (ESA) spacecraft Rosetta—and her robotic lander—now orbit Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. An ESA Ariane 5G rocket launched Rosetta on March 2, 2004. The journey covered a distance of 800 million miles including slingshots (to pick up speed) past Earth three times, Mars Once and Jupiter once. After picking up speed from the slingshot pass by Jupiter, Rosetta chased down the comet from behind. The next challenge for Rosetta (currently targeted for November 2014), is to deploy its lander and land it on the comet. See article at Rosetta completes amazing journey to Comet 67P | NASASpaceFlight.com
Comet 67/P Churyumov–Gerasimenko from Rosetta
Credits: ESA/Rosetta/MPS for OSIRIS Team MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/SSO/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA -
Oklahoma Space Alliance Update Page 12 of 17 August, 2014
What’s Happening? News: July-August 2014
Emirates Plans Mars Mission
United Arab Emirates announced plans to launch a mission to Mars. See article at Emirates paves way for Middle East space program with mission to Mars Mars photo credit: NASA
40,000 Needed to Colonize Planet
Genetic, demographic and skill diversity requires 40,000 people for viable colony. See article at Space.com: Want to Colonize an Alien Planet? Send 40,000 People Spacecraft image credit: Adrian Mann
Quadcopter Drop Ships for Mars
European Space Agency considers quad copter for dropping rover onto Mars. See article at Space.com: These Quad copter Drop Ships Could Land Rovers on Mars (Video) Image credit: ESA
Oklahoma Space Alliance Update Page 13 of 17 August, 2014
Screenshot of reentry burn Credit: SpaceX
July 14 Falcon 9 Stage 1 Splash
On July 22 SpaceX released footage of the Falcon 9 booster controlled reentry and splashdown. See Space Travel article at SpaceX releases video of rocket splashing into the ocean. See video at SpaceX Releases Footage of Falcon 9 First-stage Splashdown | SpaceNews.com
Image credit: Clipart
Mediation for SpaceX and USAF
A federal judge ordered SpaceX and the USAF to prepare for mediation of the SpaceX lawsuit. The USAF may involve the ULA; however, ULA has no independent role. See article at Judge Orders Mediation for SpaceX, U.S. Air Force | SpaceNews.com.
Screenshot Credit: Lee Brandon-Cremer/Roscosmos
July 19: Russian Soyuz Launches Foton-M4 Science Bio Sat
See article at Soyuz 2-1A launches Foton-M with a crew of creatures | NASASpaceFlight.com See video at Launch of Russian Soyuz booster carrying Foton-M4 science sat from Baikonur (improved) - YouTube
Screenshot Credit: Lee Brandon-Carter/Roscosmos
July 23: Progress-M24M to ISS from Baikonur
Russia sends resupply ship to ISS. See Video at Launch of Russian Progress-M24M to the ISS from Baikonur - YouTube
Oklahoma Space Alliance Update Page 14 of 17 August, 2014
Screenshot Credit: ESA / SpaceVids.tv
July 29: ESA Sends 7 Tons of Supplies to ISS
ESA’s fifth and final resupply vehicle was also the heaviest. See Article at Europe’s Fifth and Final Resupply Ship Launches to Station | NASA See Launch at [Ariane 5] Launch of Final European ATV-5 on Ariane 5 Rocket (VA-219) - YouTube
Screenshot Credit: ULA video
Aug. 2: USAF Launches 7th
Next-Gen GPS Satellite
Atlas V lifts GPS satellite to orbit. See Air Force News article at Roaring to life: 7th next-generation GPS satellite blasts off from The Cape See ULA Launch at Atlas V GPS IIF-7 Launch Highlights - YouTube
Aug. 4: Falcon 9 Launches AsaiSat-8 Satellite
See article at SpaceX Falcon 9 v1.1 launches ASIASAT-8 satellite | NASASpaceFlight.com See SpaceX video at AsiaSat 8 | Falcon 9 Satellite Launch Webcast - YouTube Image Credit: SpaceX
Oklahoma Space Alliance Update Page 15 of 17 August, 2014
Summary of July Meeting: Oklahoma Space Alliance met July 19 at Harry Bear’s All-American Grill in Moore, Oklahoma. In attendance were Steve, Karen and Brian Swift, Vickey Richartz, Claire and Clifford McMurray, Dennis Wigley, Dave Sheely, Craig Crawford, Peggy McBride and Syd Henderson. We went through the nominations for NSS Offices and recommendations. Art Contest: What do we do about copyright of artwork that is put online? How do we protect artists’ rights? Hometown blitz: Senators and Congressmen who have family in their home state take a long break in August. Check with their local offices and see if any are available to meet with constituents. If not, ask if you can talk with a staff person. Some of them may well have town hall meetings. Point to make: We are concerned that we are dependent on Russian rockets to get to and supply the space station. Especially since the Russians have indicated they are only committed until 2020. A full list of talking points is on the NSS web site. We have a couple of volunteers to meet with both our Senators. However, Senator Coburn is leaving the Senate after a replacement is elected, and there will be a vacancy in Representative Lankford’s district since he’s running for the Senate. We are now posting things at meetup.com The Meetup site is www.meetup.com, and the particular one we’re sponsoring is (Central) Oklahoma Space Exploration & Settlement Meetup, located at www.meetup.com/Central-Oklahoma-Space-Exploration-Settlement-Meetup. Log in and say what you’re interested and they will tell you what is meeting in your area. There’s a fee to advertise your meetings. Steve made a presentation to OSIDA. See last month’s notes on the OSIDA meeting for details. We can promote space in Oklahoma without asking for the OSIDA Board’s support. Claire got an $8.00 check from a space enthusiast. What’s Happening in Space: Quote of the month, from Steve Swift: “Those who focus upon the earth, its environment and its people have worthy missions, but they must not hold back
Oklahoma Space Alliance Update Page 16 of 17 August, 2014
this bold destiny, for humankind has before it not only the earth but also the stars.” The full What’s Happening is online at http://chapters.nss.org/ok/1407%20Whats%20Happening.pdf. Highlights included: Russia Eyes Soyuz Upgrades for Missions around the Moon. Mars One would be the first private venture to land on another planet—even if they don’t succeed in landing people. We watched a lot of videos of launches. Russia launched a Scottish satellite. Steve wants to keep talking to XCOR but has to sign a non-disclosure agreement. This is really to prevent an information leak. --Minutes by OSA Secretary Syd Henderson
Oklahoma Space Alliance Update Page 17 of 17 August, 2014
Notes on August OSIDA Meeting The OSIDA Board will meet on August 13.