DailyDirt: Another Golden Era Of Spaceflight Ahead..?

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

Successfully re-using a rocket seems to be on the cusp of being an economically practical technology. The traditional aerospace industry is going to see a bit more competition from cheaper rockets that can still launch satellites into high orbit. Private space companies are starting to catch up with NASA's experience, but the business is still tricky because there's always a chance a very expensive rocket will just explode on the launchpad.

• Being a test pilot for a private space flight company requires flying skills most pilots don't pick up flying a Cessna. Military pilots know how to fly in a tight formation and might have experience flying upside down or in other extreme situations. More civilian pilots are going to need to train to get the "right stuff" in order to fly spaceships. [url]
• At the 32nd Space Symposium, plenty of aerospace companies were present, competing to build next generation rockets to get into orbit and beyond. SpaceX, Blue Origin and others are trying new fuels and 3D printing techniques to make rockets cheaper and more quickly, so that rockets can be re-used or replaced within weeks, instead of months. [url]
• A crowdfunded Russian satellite could become the brightest "star" in the sky soon. The Mayak (Beacon) satellite project is planning to put a 16-square-meter tetrahedron-shaped reflector in orbit, and it could be launched before the end of the year. Larger versions of such a reflector could do some crazy things like direct sunlight to parts of the earth -- for longer days or other Bond-villain-esque schemes. [url]

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Filed Under: crowdfunding, leo, manned missions, mayak, rockets, satellite, space, space exploration
Companies: blue origin, nasa, spacex