Space news /comments

[Winner]

They will have to fight with conventional air lobby to get necessary licenses. But indeed a good sign of progress.

Indeed. The good thing is that the engine potentially has many more applications (including military applications) than just spaceflight. This ought to get the important people in the industry and in the government(s) interested.

 

[Winner]

The Liberty rocket programme also reports progress

-> To remind you, it's the rocket that's supposed to use 5-segment SRB with the Ariane-5 main cryogenic stage as the upper stage. It looks a lot like the cancelled Ares-1 rocket, and apparently, some people in NASA like it very much (for that reason, probably). This coincides with reports that ESA might end up supplying the service module for the Orion spacecraft. If that materialized as well, we'd probably end up with an Euramerican, rather than American, human space flight programme.

---

Oh, and here is a panorama postcard for Mars. Curiosity is less then a month from there, so here's hoping it lands safely and sends back a lot more of these "pretty pictures"

Spoiler :

 

[peter grimes]

That video about the Saber engine was fantastic!

Any ideas why the engine is deflected instead of straight?

 

[Winner]

That video about the Saber engine was fantastic!

Any ideas why the engine is deflected instead of straight?

It has something to do with the airflow and the way this spaceplane flies. I've read a full technical explanation somewhere, but I've forgotten what exactly it said

 

[Winner]

ESA Council approves the accession of Poland

13 July 2012
On 13 July, ESA Member States unanimously approved the accession of Poland to the ESA Convention. ESA’s Director General is now mandated to sign the Accession Agreement together with the Minister of Economy of Poland, Mr Waldemar Pawlak.

Poland will now start its internal ratification process. Once this procedure is completed, Poland will deposit its instruments of accession with the Government of the French Republic and become the 20th ESA Member State.

Poland will participate as of today as an observer in ESA Council.
Poland has been a European Cooperating State since the signature of its ECS agreement in April 2007. The Plan for European Cooperating States (PECS) Charter was signed in April 2008 in Warsaw. More than 42 PECS projects are under way in Poland, with a total budget of €11 million.

Well, finally. Czech Rep. has been a member of ESA for some time now, and I hope more of the new EU members join the Agency soon enough.

 

[History_Buff]

Poland can into space?!?

 

[Winner]

Poland can into space?!?

I don't get most of the Anglo-Saxon Polish jokes, sorry.

Poland has interest in joining the ESA, just as pretty much any other new EU member states. It opens many opportunities for local hi-tech companies and gives the country access to new technologies. Not to mention it stimulates domestic scientific/engineering community and increases the prestige of the country.

 

[ParkCungHee]

That one was actually Russian.

And did the Anglo-Saxons even have Polish jokes?

 

[Crezth]

That one was actually Russian.

And did the Anglo-Saxons even have Polish jokes?

Do jokes acquired thanks to interwar Germany's anti-Poland propaganda count?

 

[Traitorfish]

The term Anglo-Saxon is used by some historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Britain beginning in the early 5th century and the period from their creation of the English nation up to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon era denotes the period of English history between about 550 and 1066.

Was his point.

 

[Crezth]

Whoops, that went right over my head.

 

[ParkCungHee]

Do jokes acquired thanks to interwar Germany's anti-Poland propaganda count?

See, I knew this was how it really worked. Everyone expects Time Traveling Nazis, but no one expects time traveling 1920s Frontsoldaten.

 

[Winner]

Enough about that.

 

[History_Buff]

I don't get most of the Anglo-Saxon Polish jokes, sorry.

http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/polandball

It was also something of a big deal on the Paradox EU3 boards for some time, which culminated in the Poland Can Into Space achievement they added in that expansion where they added achievements. Hence why I figured you'd know what I was talking about.

 

[peter grimes]

I've started a thread about the Mars Science Laboratory in the Science & Technology subforum. I'm planning on tuning in to the NASA broadcast when the rig gets to Mars in a few days.

 

[Winner]

I've started a thread about the Mars Science Laboratory in the Science & Technology subforum. I'm planning on tuning in to the NASA broadcast when the rig gets to Mars in a few days.

Hopefully it will land successfully.

 

[Lillefix]

Just want to let OT know that it's only a few hours until curiosity will (crash)land on Mars. Fingers crossed.

 

[Terxpahseyton]

I have heard that here is going to be a live stream to the occasion (actually, it already started).
I wish so badly they could lifestream the landing itself, that would be so epically awesome.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Hopefully it won't crash.

BTW - odd question, guys - do these rovers make any sounds when they're working properly? I do have a good reason for asking.

 

[Cutlass]

Hopefully it won't crash.

BTW - odd question, guys - do these rovers make any sounds when they're working properly? I do have a good reason for asking.

I'm sure they make some. The Martian atmosphere is very thin. So there's a good chance they wouldn't be audible any any significant distance. The wheels and mechanical arms will be powered by electric motors. Which are not very loud, but you could get an idea of the noise they would make if you could listen to other electric motor powered machines. There would be no reason for NASA to build in deliberate noise suppression. Think of the Terminator movies after the flesh was burned away. Or other movie robots.