Tag: international space station

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#ISS supply ship options as #Nasa extends use of private contractors – an annotated infographic

E&T magazine

We’ve all been there. The delivery man says he’s going to call on a given day at a given time, so you sit waiting at home. He never shows up and now you’ve got no stuff and you’ve lost a day of your life. Such is life on board the International Space Station (ISS) of late, with our brave space dudes awaiting a delivery of fresh supplies, only to hear that the spacecraft carrying it all exploded shortly after launch. Yodel might be one of the most unreliable courier firms on Earth, but as far as we know its lorries … Continue reading #ISS supply ship options as #Nasa extends use of private contractors – an annotated infographic

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China to send Jade Rabbit to the moon, reveals plans for first space station – an annotated graphic

E&T magazine

Moon, your lonely days are over. It’s been 37 years since anything landed on our tidal companion’s surface, but on December 1st China will launch Chang’e-3, a six-wheeled rover which will ultimately spend three months roving around the surface of the moon, scanning the lunar surface to depths of 100m. Nicknamed Yutu, or Jade Rabbit – after the mythological pet of lunar goddess Chang’e, no less – the rover is due to land in a plain of basaltic lava at a more northerly point than previous US or USSR lunar landings, thus exploring lesser-known areas of the moon. Click on … Continue reading China to send Jade Rabbit to the moon, reveals plans for first space station – an annotated graphic

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Video: 3D printing in the age of metal and the future of aerospace

E&T magazine

Watch our video interview with David Jarvis from the European Space Agency who is coordinating the pan-European AMAZE project. At the end of the 5-year endeavour, Europe should have a proper metal 3D printing infrastructure to serve not only the aerospace industry but also, for example, nuclear fusion. We have talked about why is 3D printing of metal so complicated and what it would require to 3D print at the International Space Station. Everyone in the industry seems excited about the new technology promising creating bespoke alloys with unprecedented qualities and tuning designs in a way that has so far … Continue reading Video: 3D printing in the age of metal and the future of aerospace

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#Kirobo the cute robot astronaut heads for the International Space Station – an annotated graphic

E&T magazine

In a follow-up to our post last week about robots, job-stealing robots and job-stealing cute robots, today we have the news that Japanese job-stealing cute robot Kirobo  is now aboard the Japanese resupply H-2B rocket, heading towards the International Space Station (ISS). E&T reported on Kirobo’s space journey today, as he looks forward to helping astronauts with their daily workload and testing the human-machine interface. And he’s so cute, too! Click on the graphic for an expanded view. Continue reading #Kirobo the cute robot astronaut heads for the International Space Station – an annotated graphic

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#Skylab space station launched 40 years ago – an annotated graphic

E&T magazine

May 14, 1973: America launched its first space station, Skylab. June 29, 1979: James Bond’s first space adventure Moonraker opened in cinemas. This is not a coincidence. July 11, 1979: NASA plans to boost Skylab to a higher orbit using the snazzy new Space Shuttle, but that project gets delayed and Skylab ultimately disintegrates on re-entry to the earth’s atmosphere, raining debris down on the peculiarly Scottish-sounding Balladonia region of Western Australia. More Skyfall than Skylab, one might say. Space fans can enjoy our infographic today about the history of Skylab, below. We’ve also included the tremendously exciting movie poster … Continue reading #Skylab space station launched 40 years ago – an annotated graphic

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SpaceX Dragon Capsule – an annotated graphic

E&T magazine

In light of the Soyuz spacecraft blasting off today, in preparation for the arrival next week of the privately owned SpaceX Dragon Capsule, we present this infographic about the Dragon Capsule. Upon its arrival, it will be the first commercial space vehicle to dock with the International Space Station. Click on the graphic for an expanded view. Continue reading SpaceX Dragon Capsule – an annotated graphic