Space Station Sunday: Eyes And A Storm

Good afternoon, space fans!  Here's what was up on the ISS last week.

Celebrating 300 days...space style.
(Image courtesy NASA.gov.)

Congratulations, astronaut Kelly and cosmonaut Kornienko!
(Image courtesy NASA.gov.)

Trust The Thrust: SpaceX Dragon 2 Is One Step Closer To Mankind's Giant Leap Into Space

SpaceX has had many ups and downs (literally) in its quest for sustainable rocketry, but with every test flight, they are inching closer to the goal of having an updated, manned spacecraft to explore the cosmos with (or at least make manned trips to the ISS.)  Now, we've learned that this mission has continued apace...

A DragonFly test vehicle throws down with its thrusters during flight tests of the new system.
(Image courtesy nasaspaceflight.com,)

Space Station Sunday: Floating In A Most Peculiar Way

Good afternoon, space fans!  Welcome back to all the most awesome information from orbit.

Hallo, spaceboy!  Astronaut Tim Peake kept his cool during his debut spacewalk.
(Image courtesy NASA.gov.)

Moonage Daydream: Is Audi Backing The Next Successful Moon Rover?

It's 2016 and we've only progressed a little bit more into the future, but the prospect of space travel is always pushing further forward.  For instance, one of the better car companies of past and modern times is now helping a team of scientists plot how to put a rover on the moon...you know, for the future.

It's more R2-D2 than R8, but that's still cool.
(Image courtesy theverge.com.)

Space Station Sunday: Spacewalk Specs And Science

Happy Sunday, space fans!  Here's what was up on the International Space Station this week.

New year, new gear:  astronaut Tim Kopra on a spacewalk in December.
Kopra and astronaut Tim Peake will head outside again this week for some
new gear installation and maintenance.
(Image courtesy NASA.gov.)

Space Station Sunday: Happy Sixteen New Years!

Happy 2016, space fans!  It's looking like it'll be another great year for science, progress, and adventure aboard the ISS.  Let's see what's up...

The Rocky Mountains look like serene snowdrifts from space.
Fortunately no one has to worry about digging out the car in bad weather up there.
(Image courtesy Scott Kelly.)

Space Station Sunday: Signing Off (Part II)

Welcome to Part II of our review of 2015's greatest moments on the International Space Station.

At night, the "pale blue dot" becomes a diamond.
(Image courtesy NASA.gov.)

Space Station Sunday: 2015, Signing Off (Part I)

Good afternoon, space fans!  What a year it's been for manned spaceflight...

It never gets old.
(Image courtesy theguardian.com.)

Fired Up For The Future: NASA 3D-Prints A Working Rocket Engine

As we speed full-tilt into 2016, the opportunities for new technologies to improve on old ideas seems endless.  One strong manufacturing technology, 3D printing, arose to a number of important challenges in 2015, and now may have its sights on the stars.  NASA has recently announced that their tests of conduits comprising a 3D-printed rocket engine have been a success.

To boldly go:  the 3D-printed "breadboard" engine exceeded expectations.
(Image courtesy NASA.gov.)

SpaceX Excellence: Falcon 9 Rocket Launches And Later LANDS In Historic Spaceflight First

Everyone enjoys watching a good rocket launch...the power, the inspiration to aim for the stars, the rejoicing at mankind's triumphs against physics.  Now, those sensations can be doubled, as SpaceX has successfully managed to not only have a rocket launch flawlessly, but to then have it return safely to Earth and make a landing.

A long exposure of the launch and landing.
Fortunately featuring no more fire than was absolutely necessary.
(Image courtesy space.com.)

Space Station Sunday: Expedition 46 In The Mix

Good afternoon, space fans!  It's been an exciting week for entering orbit!

Driving stick-shift in a spacecraft?  No problem for Expedition 46!
(Image courtesy NASA.gov.)

That Time We Almost Built A Death Star

If you've been following this blog for a while, you know that we're fans of crazy weapons (especially on vehicles, from trucks to planes), stuck on "Star Wars", and definitely devoted to all sorts of stuff in space.  However, the confluence of all three is something truly spectacular...had it ever been invented...

This, except huge, and in space.  But someone had a bad feeling about it...
(Image science.howstuffworks.com.)

Space Station Sunday: Christmas Cygnus & Homebound Crew All Arrive Safely

Happy Sunday, space fans!  It's time once again for an assessment of all things awesome in orbit.

The Cygnus leaves Florida for space, bearing Christmas goodies and science.
(Image courtesy NASA TV.)

Space Station Sunday: Fourth Launch Attempt Is The Charm?

Good afternoon, space fans!  Here's another round of what's going on around the world.  Well, around and above it...

So You Think You Can Go To Orbit, round 4.
(Image courtesy NASA.gov.)

Red Moonrise: Russia Shoots For Moon Base

Space exploration is always an intriguing topic, but this year, the hot new real estate seems to be the moon.  With NASA interested in the moon's natural craters for dwelling during astro-missions, and the European Space Agency eyeballing the celestial body for possible habitation, it's no surprise that Russia, the original space-race competitors, are throwing their furry hats into the ring.

Their habitation pods could feasibly be built like Matryoshka dolls for extra security.
(Image courtesy dailymail.co.uk.)

Human-Cyborg Relations: New Google Feature Transports Your Devices To A Galaxy Far, Far Away

Alright nerds, we know you're getting excited about the new upcoming "Star Wars" movie, even if the last three were a nightmarish pile of existential terror that made you question at what point your life dispensed with the pleasantries and made your precious memories of space-based action films diffract into such a wasteful and insipid alternate hell.

Anyway, now there's a Google feature to make your stuff all "Star Wars"-y.

It's fun both for casual users or the fan that has everything...
(Image courtesy movieweb.com.)

Space Station Sunday: Thanks And Cornbread From Orbit

Good afternoon, space fans!  Here's the latest dispatches from beyond our earthly realm...

Taking "leave" of the planet, ISS style.
(Image courtesy Scott Kelly / NASA.gov.)

Space Station Sunday: New Plants, New Plans, And Fresh Space Snaps

Good afternoon, space fans!  Here's what was floating around this week.

Eight months up there, and still these guys are safe and hard at work.
Well done, cosmonaut Kornienko (left) and astronaut Kelly!
(Image courtesy NASA.gov.)

Space Station Sunday: Some Downtime At 250 Miles Up

Good afternoon, space fans!  Welcome back to the week's news from outside the atmosphere.

Astronaut Scott Kelly said it best when posting this image this morning:
"Today is a new day with limitless possibilities to do great things.
Good morning from the International Space Station!"
(Image courtesy Scott Kelly / NASA.gov.)

Mining And Shining: Updated SPACE Act Passes Congress, Bound For The Stars

Many people believe that America's space program would be greatly augmented if only we could find a space-based resource to mine for materials and subsequently sell.  Well, we haven't had a gold rush for the red planet yet, but now some new guidelines for being a space prospector are in place...

Thar's gold in them thar hills!  Well, at least, minerals in them thar asteroids.
(Image courtesy ibitimes.com.)