General Space Discussion (Thread 1)

By Blue-Vision
in Science News & Discussion

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Grand Master

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When you trip on something stupid...get up, dust off...and say "I meant to do that".

 

We knew this was going to happen. Everything about this startup is farmed out and all assets/cash is from outside investors. This is not the ideal way to start a business, just a difficult way to start a hopefully profitable business...in a decade or two.

  • DocM and Blue-Vision
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Grand Master

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NASA facility chief from North Carolina is guilty of receiving illegal gifts

 

Quote

NORFOLK, Va. – A North Carolina man from Snow Hill, Maryland pleaded guilty to receiving gratuities in exchange for official acts performed in his capacity as a government official, and to stealing funds from a government contract.

 

According to court documents, Steven Eric Kremer, 53, was the Chief of the Range and Mission Management Office at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Wallops Flight Facility (WFF). Kremer was responsible for administering the Range Operations Contract (ROC) – a multi-year government contract intended to provide services at test facilities and launch control centers.

 

Kremer was provided the free use of a vacation home for a one-week period located on the Eastern Shore of Virginia during each of the summers between 2008 and 2015. The home was owned by an employee of a ROC subcontractor. Kremer facilitated the selection of the subcontractor’s firm to supply interior design services and office furniture for WFF in exchange for time in the vacation home.

 

ROC funds were used by Kremer to purchase gift cards for his personal use, and to obtain a piece of personalized art.

 

Kremer faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when sentenced on March 27, 2019 due to his guilty plea of gratuities by a public official and theft of government funds.

 

Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

https://wtkr.com/2018/12/22/nasa-facility-chief-from-north-carolina-is-guilty-of-receiving-illegal-gifts/

 

This is what happens...when one is ......not thinking properly...shall we say...

Grand Master

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On 12/29/2018 at 1:18 PM, Beittil said:

Whut, Arca still exists? Heh

They are still alive, just a bit quiet during the funding round. I have no idea how the funding went but they appear to be financed and the work and "tweets" are more than usual.

 

I have been used to them being like "Astra" but with a quarter-annual tweet...but it looks like things are moving a bit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aerospike fans will enjoy that test...

 

Arca Space twitter

  • Blue-Vision and Emn1ty
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  • 2 weeks later...
Grand Master

DocM

Posted
Posted (edited)

It has synergy with NASA's SEV (Space Exploration Vehicle) Mars/lunar vehicle and its Mobility Chassis, which could also crab walk. That a  commercial company has now expanded on the concept is notable, and potentially very useful.

 

1280px-Small_Pressurized_Rover-_components.thumb.jpg.69516d4b1d0e9e168f136ed1fa57b194.jpg

  • 3 weeks later...
Grand Master

DocM

Posted
Posted (edited)

Hmmmmm....

 

 

http://amp.timeinc.net/thedrive/the-war-zone/26216/usaf-chief-just-said-next-air-refueling-tanker-may-fly-in-low-earth-orbit-huh

Quote

 

>

Now the USAF's Chief Of Staff, General David Goldfein, has poured a bit of cold water on the idea, while at the same time positing a far more exotic if not outright puzzling one—a tanker that flies in low earth orbit. 

 

What?

 

Aviation Week recently inquiredabout the status of the survivable tanker initiative, with Goldfein replying:

>

“The days of buying individual platforms that we then described as game changers—those days are behind us... There actually are no silver bullets on the horizon.”

>

>

Goldfein continues:

 

“I actually don’t know if the next version of tanker operates in the air or operates at low earth orbit.. I don’t know if it’s manned or unmanned, and I actually don’t care that much as long as it brings the attributes we need to win... It might sound a little bit odd that the commander of Air Mobility Command is talking to Air Force Space Command about development of the next tanker, but it makes perfect sense to me."

>

 

 

Grand Master

DocM

Posted
Posted (edited)

Midwinter satellite photos of Michigan's mitten (lower peninsula) during the winters of 2014/15 and 2018/19 Polar Vortex excursions.

 

The Great Lakes are on average 50% frozen over in winter. In 2014/2015 they were 88% covered, and this year is getting close. In 2002 it was  9.5%. 

 

The temp in Hell, Michigan is -7°F/-21.7°C 😉

 

2040904700_2014_vs_20190_polar_vortex_greatlakes-1200.thumb.jpg.febc1b5d3ec5832bb2a3d15fdb394aba.jpg

Edited by DocM
Grand Master

DocM

Posted
Posted
33 minutes ago, Beittil said:

Must be a fun place to live :D

 

It actually is with tons of outdoor activities year round; fishing, hunting, camping, hiking, boating etc. Just a PV, blizzard, tornado or dericho  now and then.

 

Current: -13°F actual, -40°F wind chill

Grand Master

DocM

Posted
Posted (edited)
53 minutes ago, Beittil said:

Must be a fun place to live :D

 

It actually is with tons of outdoor activities year round; fishing, hunting, camping, hiking, boating etc. Just a PV, blizzard, tornado or dericho now and then.

 

Just be aware we have dialects which make some of our speech...different.  One evolution is

our vowels are shifting and other odd linguistic mixings.

 

Current: -13°F actual, -40°F wind chill

Grand Master

Blue-Vision

Posted
  • Author
Posted

For some of us. Others, like me ... well, this current weather is breaking me. Thinking of packing it in and moving south. Maybe Texas, who knows. Arkansas might be a good fit also, I've got friends there who love it. Not at all redneck in their area (which suits me just fine).

Grand Master

DocM

Posted
Posted (edited)
18 minutes ago, Beittil said:

Fahrenheit whut... 

The imperial system has deep roots here. Many people use it in their daily lives and metric at work etc. Otherwise the homies don't "get" a thing you say. 

  • Blue-Vision and Beittil
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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...
Grand Master

DocM

Posted
Posted (edited)

Wow....

 

The envoy is former NASA Admin. Gen. Charles Bolden.

 

Current NASA Admin. Jim Bridenstine is also working with ISRO on cooperation wrt astronaut training and vehicle design.

 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/68325786.cms

 

Quote

ISRO with NASA's help can send astronauts to ISS: US space envoy 

>
ISRO and NASA can work out a joint mission to ISS for bio-medical research. If both agencies agree on the mission and work out the cost-sharing deal for the programme, Nasa will contract a space vehicle [Crew Dragon] from SpaceX for the mission. The joint collaboration is possible.
>


 

  • 4 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
Grand Master

DocM

Posted
Posted

 

https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-awards-launch-services-contract-for-asteroid-redirect-test-mission/

 

Quote

 

April 11, 2019

RELEASE C19-009

 

NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for Asteroid Redirect Test Mission

 

NASA has selected SpaceX in Hawthorne, California, to provide launch services for the agency’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission, the first-ever mission to demonstrate the capability to deflect an asteroid by colliding a spacecraft with it at high speed – a technique known as a kinetic impactor.

 

The total cost for NASA to launch DART is approximately $69 million, which includes the launch service and other mission related costs.

 

The DART mission currently is targeted to launch in June 2021 on a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. By using solar electric propulsion, DART will intercept the asteroid Didymos’ small moon in October 2022, when the asteroid will be within 11 million kilometers of Earth. 

 

NASA’s Launch Services Program at Kennedy Space Center in Florida will manage the SpaceX launch service. The DART Project office is located at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, and is managed by the Planetary Missions Program Office at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office in Washington.

For more information about NASA programs and missions, visit:

 

https://www.nasa.gov

-end-

 

 

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