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Visualized: Space Shuttle Enterprise disembarks the 747 en-route to its watery retirement home

Daniel Cooper — Mon, 14 May 2012 06:49:00 EST

Two weeks after arriving into JFK on the back of a Boeing 747, the Enterprise has been hoisted from the back of the jet and onto a wheeled transporter. From there, the prototype spacecraft will be taken down the Hudson river on a barge, where it'll end up exhibited on the flight desk of the USS Intrepid (CV-11). The museum will open on July 19th, while the plane that carried it has one more historic flight to carry out -- taking the Endeavour to the California Science Center before both are retired.

[Image Credit: Dennis Jenkins / Collectspace.com]

Continue reading Visualized: Space Shuttle Enterprise disembarks the 747 en-route to its watery retirement home

Visualized: Space Shuttle Enterprise disembarks the 747 en-route to its watery retirement home originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 May 2012 06:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Artificial Space Shuttle Explorer readies for launch at sea, journey to Houston

Sean Buckley — Fri, 11 May 2012 12:14:00 EST

Were you asleep at mission control during Endeavor's final flight? Did you forget to look to the New York City skyline for the Enterprise's last adventure? Buck up buttercup, there's still one Space Shuttle launch you haven't missed -- a faux Space Shuttle, named Explorer, is prepping itself to ride a barge to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. The full-size shuttle mockup was shuffled out of the Kennedy Space Center Complex to make way for an actual spacecraft last year, and will now embark on a ten day journey by sea to its new home in Texas. "NASA's Space Shuttle changed the way we think about space, making it more accessible, understandable and useful," stated Space Center Houston President, Richard Allen. "It is our intent to continue that legacy with this exciting new attraction." The replica shuttle will be getting a few upgrades, including a new cockpit that more closely resembles the interior of space shuttle Atlantis, and will be housed in a new education facility that is being built around the mock spacecraft. Sure, it's not as exciting as a legitimate shuttle launch, but we're still happy to give the old bird one final send off.

Artificial Space Shuttle Explorer readies for launch at sea, journey to Houston originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 12:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Commercial space shuttle prototypes fly through wind tunnel testing

Mat Smith — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 09:32:00 EST

A pair of companies developing their own commercial space shuttles are presumably trying to flatten their hair after some rigorous wind tunnel testing. First up, Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos (the guy behind Amazon), a company that's remained pretty quiet on its efforts to shuttle astronauts to the International Space Station. Its Space Vehicle setup will plump for a biconic shape (seen above), with a flattened side and a split flap. According to Blue Origin's president, Rob Meyerson, the shape allows greater volume than traditional designs, but forgo the "weight penalty" of winged craft. Compared to earlier capsules, the Space Vehicle's shape, with its fuselage flap to generate lift, should also give it better control on re-entry to earth.

Juggling for wind tunnel time, Sierra Nevada's Dream Chaser has also been blasted with smoke to test its own air resistance credentials. Its module would lauch from the top of the rocket, and glide (as much as anything that costs this much can) back to earth like NASA's own space shuttles. The Dream Chaser is planning its first flight for this fall. You can check out its more traditional take on the future of space travel after the break -- and decide which of the two you'll want sending your children to the mines.

[Picture credit: Blue Origin, SNC]

Continue reading Commercial space shuttle prototypes fly through wind tunnel testing

Commercial space shuttle prototypes fly through wind tunnel testing originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 09:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSA: Space Shuttle Enterprise flying over NYC this morning

Tim Stevens — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 08:43:00 EST

JFK may be a place that many, many people have gone to before, but it's safe to say that the Space Shuttle Enterprise will be going there boldly. Much like the Space Shuttle Discovery turned heads in DC last week, Space Shuttle Enterprise will be stopping traffic in New York City today. NASA has confirmed that today's 747-100 ferry flight across Manhattan is a "Go" and that the duo will "fly at a relatively low altitude over various parts of the New York City metropolitan area on Friday" before landing at JFK. The Shuttle will then, in the coming weeks, be put on a ferry of a floating variety and brought to the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum. Today's flying tour is scheduled to take place between 9:30 and 11:30 am and... oh look, at the time, we must be going.

Update: NASA has confirmed takeoff from Dulles! The flight plan is not known, but as before your best bet is to follow the #spottheshuttle hashtag on Twitter.

PSA: Space Shuttle Enterprise flying over NYC this morning originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 08:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Boeing CST-100 capsule could shuttle astronauts to ISS, shows off its innards in Colorado Springs

Zach Honig — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:54:00 EST

With the Space Shuttle now officially grounded, NASA has been researching alternatives for ferrying astronauts from Earth to the International Space Station, orbiting some 230 miles above the planet. One such vehicle has made its way from Boeing's HQ to the National Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, where a full-size model is on display for conference attendees. Externally, the spacecraft appears very similar to the reentry modules of yesteryear, measuring 14.5 feet with room for up to seven people. The craft is designed to make its way through the atmosphere mounted to an Atlas V rocket, and is rated for up to 10 roundtrip missions. As is typical with spacecraft, it looks like astronauts won't be traveling with first-class accommodations -- things will likely feel quite cozy when the CST-100 is at capacity -- but such conditions come with the territory. There's no date set for delivery, but the craft could be making its way to space as early as 2015, and has reportedly been tested in the Nevada desert as recently as this month.

Boeing CST-100 capsule could shuttle astronauts to ISS, shows off its innards in Colorado Springs originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Space Shuttle Discovery salutes Washington on historic final flight

James Trew — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 11:23:00 EST

As historic flights go, this has to be right up there with the best of 'em. Space Shuttle Discovery performed a final fly-by over the capital, and created a trail of excited spotters as it did so. Perched atop a Boeing 747, the iconic craft was flying at a relatively low 1,500 feet according to NASA. Pictures of the voyage have been popping up on social media and image sharing sites as it headed in from the west, before coming to its final resting place at a special off-shoot of the Smithsonian Institute's National Air and Space Museum near Dulles Airport. Have you spotted Discovery? Be sure to add links in the comments if you do.

[Image credit: NASA]

Space Shuttle Discovery salutes Washington on historic final flight originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 11:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Space Shuttle Discovery to make final in-air appearance in 1,500-foot DC flyover

Zach Honig — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:17:00 EST

Folks lucky enough to be in the nation's capital next week will have one final opportunity to gawk at Space Shuttle Discovery as the decommissioned spacecraft makes its way to its final resting place in Washington D.C. The shuttle is scheduled for a 1,500-foot flyover between 10 and 11 next Tuesday morning, passing over the National Mall and Reagan National Airport atop NASA's modified 747-100. The craft will then land at Dulles Airport before making a land-based journey to the Smithsonian Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Center, where it will replace the Enterprise shuttle, which is destined for the Intrepid Museum in Manhattan. That prototype shuttle is scheduled to land in New York City a few days later on April 23rd, where it will touch down at JFK mounted to what's likely to be the same Shuttle Carrier Aircraft scheduled to make the Discover delivery in D.C., though there's sadly no word of a similar photo op in NYC.

Space Shuttle Discovery to make final in-air appearance in 1,500-foot DC flyover originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wanna take a trip into space and back on a solid rocket booster? (video)

Daniel Cooper — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 11:47:00 EST

Ever reminisce about NASA's space shuttle launches by watching them on its Ascent iOS movie app? The footage was shot by cameras attached to the solid rocket boosters that pushed the craft heavenward and provides one of the best ways of experiencing what all that rocket thrust feels like. We're still getting over the intestine-tugging video and in awe of those who strapped themselves in for the trip, but soon there could be a high-def version to make those charred thermal tiles even more intimidating. Plans are afoot to put all of these clips out on a Blu-Ray, but only if NASA can find a partner willing to distribute it.

Wanna take a trip into space and back on a solid rocket booster? (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Mar 2012 11:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft to dock with the ISS later this fall

Joseph Volpe — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 22:42:00 EST

With the Space Shuttle program now boldly going nowhere, it's up to NASA partners like SpaceX to deliver on the interstellar milestones. Scheduled for a launch on November 30th of this year, the Elon Musk-funded Dragon spacecraft is set to dock for the first time with the International Space Station. The planned cargo delivery is expected to be a watershed moment for the space program, as it will cement the agency's private-public commercial endeavors, heralding the "beginning of a new era in space travel." NASA has already given the company conditional approval to merge its two planned test flights -- COTS Demo 2 and COTS Demo 3 -- into this singular mission, with formal authorization contingent upon the "resolution of any potential risks." If all goes according to plan later this year, get set to embrace a brave new world of galactic travel -- one where Musk ushers us into the stars.

SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft to dock with the ISS later this fall originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Aug 2011 22:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Virgin Galactic, XCOR land suborbital contracts with NASA

Zach Honig — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 17:14:00 EST

Have $200,000 to spare for a ticket to space? NASA does, apparently, a few times over. Following the retirement of its Space Shuttle program, the US agency just announced two-year contracts with seven space flight companies, worth a combined $10 million. NASA will partner with Virgin Galactic, XCOR, and five other companies to bring engineers, scientists, and equipment to space, for a variety of experiments in low-gravity environments. The contract provides few financial implications for Virgin, which has already collected $55 million in deposits from future space tourists, but the company did acknowledge it as an "important milestone" in its efforts to grow beyond initial consumer offerings. Space Adventures, which serves as a low-cost carrier of sorts in the industry with its $102,000 flight, may be represented as well, through its partner Armadillo Aerospace -- so it's probably safe to assume that NASA won't be paying two ~~large~~ huge a pop to blast its personnel to space.

Virgin Galactic, XCOR land suborbital contracts with NASA originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 17:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Engadget Podcast 249 - 07.22.2011

Trent Wolbe — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 17:30:00 EST

Here at Engadget, and here on the Engadget Podcast in particular, we're all about customer service. OK, maybe not all about customer service, but on this episode we've dedicated twenty percent of our breath to answering your questions! If you happen to enjoy a bunch of Apple news too -- which we heard you do you -- then we're at about fifty percent on-track to serving you completely. If you like Apple news, having your questions answered, and a healthy dose of other up-to-the-minute information in the spacecraft, e-reader, and digital camera realms...well, let's just say we got this.

Host: Tim Stevens, Brian Heater
Guests: Dana Wollman
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: Paradise City

02:44 - Apple Mac OS X Lion available now in the App Store
06:00 - Apple refreshes MacBook Air with Sandy Bridge, Thunderbolt, and backlit keyboards
08:35 - Apple OS X Lion (10.7) review
17:32 - The MacBook drops from Apple's Store (update: confirmed)
22:37 - Apple updates Mac mini: Core i5 and i7, Thunderbolt, AMD Radeon HD, no SuperDrive
22:55 - Apple rolls out 27-inch Thunderbolt Display with FaceTime HD camera, built-in speakers
23:45 - Apple's Q3 earnings exceed estimates: $28.57 billion revenue, $7.31 billion profit, 20 million iPhones sold
25:13 - Apple outpaces Nokia in global smartphone shipments
28:00 - Nokia Q2 2011: 'clearly disappointing' results as challenges prove 'greater than expected'
32:35 - Motorola Droid 3 review
37:35 - Sony Alpha NEX-C3 review
42:55 - iRiver Story HD review
49:51 - Space Shuttle Atlantis touches down in Florida, won't be going back up again
50:44 - Google 'winding down' Labs, likely due to meddling older sister
51:40 - Listener questions

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Engadget Podcast 249 - 07.22.2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Jul 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Space Shuttle Atlantis touches down in Florida, won't be going back up again

Tim Stevens — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 06:00:00 EST

You already know how we feel about the Space Shuttle program coming to a close, but of course that was just a little premature. Now it's all done except for the mothballing, with the Atlantis touching down successfully at runway 15 at Kennedy Space Center. Crewmembers Chris Ferguson, Doug Hurley, Sandy Magnus, and Rex Walheim are back on our planet and, traveling at speeds decidedly slower than escape velocity, can officially put a cap onto this historic series of space missions that we, at least, will never forget. In the words of NASA: "Job well done, America."

For those interested, head over to NASA's website for the live coverage of this historic moment.

Space Shuttle Atlantis touches down in Florida, won't be going back up again originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jul 2011 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Space shuttle's final voyage will include recycling urine into sports drink, crafting hilarious brand name

Jesse Hicks — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 18:41:00 EST

Just because the space shuttle Atlantis is on its final mission, that doesn't mean NASA's run out of cool experiments. Its latest example? A shiny silver bag -- consciously inspired by the "stillsuits" from Frank Herbert's sci-fi classic, Dune -- that turns astronaut urine into potable drinking water. It's been done, you say? Sure, but the earlier tech relied on electricity: a precious commodity aboard the International Space Station. The Forward Osmosis Bag requires no outside power source, relying on, you guessed it, forward osmosis to produce clean, filtered water. Not only that, but the resulting water mixes with a sugary solution to make a electrolyte-rich sports drink. On Earth this process takes four to six hours, but Atlantis astronauts will test its viability in space near the end of their mission. For an extensive on-planet demonstration, see the video after the break.

Continue reading Space shuttle's final voyage will include recycling urine into sports drink, crafting hilarious brand name

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The end of an era: what the space shuttle means to Engadget

Engadget staff — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 11:00:00 EST

It's hard to even believe these words, but they're true: the last scheduled US space shuttle launch happens today. What started as a frenetic race to another world has ended as a program that will forever be remembered for sparking the interest of mere tykes, and if this so-called economy ever gets turned around -- heck, maybe we'll see the hiatus end. In all likelihood, it'll be Sir Richard Branson making the next moonwalk, but rather than sit around and mourn the quiet death of the space shuttle, we'd prefer to share a few of our fondest memories here. And by all means, please deliver any final words of your own in comments below.

Continue reading The end of an era: what the space shuttle means to Engadget

The end of an era: what the space shuttle means to Engadget originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 08 Jul 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone rides Atlantis into space, where no one can hear its ringtone scream

Jesse Hicks — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 07:33:00 EST

Smartphones have been going to space for a while now -- well, technically near space in most cases -- but in decidedly DIY ways, including a "shuttle" made out of Styrofoam beer coolers. But the actual Space Shuttle Atlantis is scheduled to complete its final voyage with a pair of space-ready iPhone 4's aboard. After docking with the International Space Station, astronauts use the phones, not to become Foursquare's Mayor of Space, it seems, but to run an app called SpaceLab for iOS. Designed by Houston's Odyssey Space Research, the app contains a number of navigation tools that will test the iPhone cameras and gyroscopes, alongside a self-monitoring experiment that will reveal the effects of radiation on the devices. The Space Shuttle launch is tentatively scheduled for July 8, but in the meantime even earth-bound astro-nots (aww) can pick up the app for $1 by following the source link.

iPhone rides Atlantis into space, where no one can hear its ringtone scream originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 11 Jun 2011 07:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Space Shuttle Endeavour lifts off one last time (video)

Brian Heater — Mon, 16 May 2011 12:02:00 EST

NASA's Endeavour shuttle marked its final launch today, lifting off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, a fortnight after an initial takeoff was scrubbed over concerns surrounding an auxiliary power unit heater. A six-member crew lead by commander Mark Kelly and some tiny satellites are on-board for the STS-134 mission, which involves the delivery of the massive cosmic ray-collecting Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer and some spare parts to the International Space Station. NASA's 134th flight is the penultimate mission for the current fleet of shuttle -- Atlantis will liftoff for a final time in July. Video of the smoke-filled majesty after the break.

Continue reading Space Shuttle Endeavour lifts off one last time (video)

Space Shuttle Endeavour lifts off one last time (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 May 2011 12:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SIM-sized satellites to lift off with Endeavour this afternoon

Zach Honig — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 10:27:00 EST

They won't be beaming GPS or radio signals back to Earth anytime soon, but these one-inch-square satellites could one day travel to distant planets -- without fuel. Developed over a period of three years by a team of undergraduates at Cornell University, the Sprite chips could eventually be used for communication, flying in clusters like tiny space plankton. After hitching a ride on-board the final space shuttle Endeavour mission this afternoon, the three prototype satellites will be mounted outside the International Space Station, where they'll sit for the next few years, exposed to conditions found only beyond our atmosphere. Perhaps someday we'll even see some "Spprite" KIRFs by the time China's own space station is ready to hit the launchpad in 2020.

Continue reading SIM-sized satellites to lift off with Endeavour this afternoon

SIM-sized satellites to lift off with Endeavour this afternoon originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 10:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASA collects proposals for space fueling stations

Brian Heater — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 09:05:00 EST

Sometimes rocket science is actually, you know, rocket science. Getting to the moon was tough enough, but deep space exploration poses all manner of additional concerns -- like getting back home alive, for one thing. And then there's the issue of fuel, something long distance trips require a lot of -- but stocking up on here on Earth means potential weight problems at launch. One proposal offered up in the past is space-based fueling stations conveniently located in key spots on the way to a distant destinations like the Moon, Mars, and asteroids. NASA is collecting proposals that can demonstrate the validity of such a plan, including the ability to store liquid oxygen and hydrogen, transfer it, and have a ship approach for fueling. If you think you've got your bases covered -- and can keep it under $200 million -- you've got until May 31st at 11:59 PM EST to hand over a proposal.

NASA collects proposals for space fueling stations originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 09:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Elon Musk says SpaceX will send a man to space in three years, Mars within the next two decades

Amar Toor — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 13:08:00 EST

Elon Musk has never been one to shy from making bold predictions, which is why we're not surprised to hear that he has high hopes for the future of space travel. In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal, the SpaceX founder said his company will "probably" put a man in space within the next three years, in the hopes of sending passengers to Mars within the next ten to 20 years. Earlier this month, Musk's company unveiled plans for the "world's most powerful rocket," the Falcon Heavy, just a few weeks before receiving $75 million from NASA to help spur the development of its commercial spaceflight projects. Musk, it seems, is approaching these projects with an almost sacred sense of duty. "A future where humanity is out there exploring stars is an incredibly exciting future, and inspiring," he explained, "and that's what we're trying to help make happen." Head on past the break to see the full interview (space talk begins around the 13:00 mark).

Continue reading Elon Musk says SpaceX will send a man to space in three years, Mars within the next two decades

Elon Musk says SpaceX will send a man to space in three years, Mars within the next two decades originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 13:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic's AG-3DA1 camera will shoot 3D video, Robonaut vlogs on the International Space Station

Vlad Savov — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 11:04:00 EST

NASA's Robonaut 2 is something of a celebrity around these parts, owing to his dashing good looks and insatiable appetite for publicity, which can now be put to good use with a new toy the landlubbers are sending his way: a professional 3D camera. The human-aiding robot that presently calls the International Space Station home will soon be joined by Panasonic's AG-3DA1, a full 1080p 3D video recorder with twin lenses and dual 2 megapixel 3MOS sensors. Panasonic is also loading up the next Space Shuttle Atlantis flight to the ISS (scheduled for June 28th) with 25.5-inch 3D LCD monitors and rugged Toughbook laptops to help with documenting proceedings aboard the research vessel. The new shooter costs a whopping $21,000, and though it's not clear whether NASA paid for it or Panasonic just decided to be charitable, the space agency should have the cash to splash after deciding to shelve the James Cameron-approved project to slap a zoom-equipped 3D imager on its next Mars rover. We're just wondering if the human world is quite ready for 3D video blogs from its favorite robotic astronaut.

Continue reading Panasonic's AG-3DA1 camera will shoot 3D video, Robonaut vlogs on the International Space Station

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Space Shuttle Discovery returns from final trip, immediately begins search for final resting place

Darren Murph — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 13:46:00 EST

It's a bittersweet occasion, really. Space Shuttle Discovery has just returned from the unknown that we call "space," safely returning six astronauts and ~~one~~ zero Robonaut 2s to Earth after a 13-day mission. Discovery's legacy stretches back 27 years, compiling 39 flights during that span and making an indelible mark on the history of American space exploration. This guy is also the first shuttle to be retired after NASA was rocked a few years back by the impossible-to-ignore budget crunch, and already museums and institutes (29 at last count) are lining up to lobby their case for capturing it. No question, having this 170,000 pound benemoth at your museum would likely benefit admission numbers, but it's not like Discovery will be the only craft calling it quits in the near future. As of now, no decision has been made as to where it'll wheel off to for the final time, but you can bet whoever lands it will make quite the scene.

[Image courtesy of Stephen Clark]

Space Shuttle Discovery returns from final trip, immediately begins search for final resting place originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Mar 2011 13:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Boeing's new unmanned X-37B launches into orbit, won't come home until it finds Major Tom

Sam Sheffer — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 02:01:00 EST

Model X-37B might look familiar to you -- it was the name of an autonomous space vehicle that took flight just about a year ago, orbited for a whopping eight months, and then successfully returned to our planet all by itself. Now a new version of the X-37B has blasted off to hang outside of the atmosphere for a while. The spacecraft left Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 41 down in Florida and hurtled to a low-Earth orbit with help of a Atlas V rocket. Boeing isn't saying exactly what it's doing up there, but we suspect this spaceship knows which way to go.

Continue reading Boeing's new unmanned X-37B launches into orbit, won't come home until it finds Major Tom

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Space Shuttle Discovery launches at 4:50PM ET today with Robonaut 2 on board

Donald Melanson — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 15:39:00 EST

We doubt many of you need a reminder but, just in case, we're here to let you know that Space Shuttle Discovery is set for lift off today, at 4:50PM ET. While all shuttle launches are certainly worth watching, this one's particularly notable for a number of reasons -- it's the last mission for Discovery and the third-to-last mission for the entire Space Shuttle program, and it's the first mission to carry a humanoid robot into space: our friend Robonaut 2. Head on past the break to watch Spaceflight Now's live coverage of the launch.

[Image: NASA / Flickr]

Update: Liftoff! Humanoid robots in spaaaaaace.

Continue reading Space Shuttle Discovery launches at 4:50PM ET today with Robonaut 2 on board

Space Shuttle Discovery launches at 4:50PM ET today with Robonaut 2 on board originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 15:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Robonaut 2: the trailer

Donald Melanson — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 20:15:00 EST

In a world where the space shuttle program was in its last days... one robot answered the call to serve... persevered... and found that... just maybe... he had the right stuff too. Now... the mission is set... the countdown is on... and the ticket is one-way. Thursday, February, 24th. 2011. Robonaut 2: The Beginning.

[Thanks, Joe B.]

Continue reading Robonaut 2: the trailer

Robonaut 2: the trailer originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Visualized: the fate of the most ambitious Soviet-era space exploration project

Vlad Savov — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 02:55:00 EST

Project Buran was the USSR's answer to NASA's Space Shuttle Columbia. Unlike its highly decorated American counterpart, however, this child of the 1970s produced only one unmanned space flight during its operation and was ignominiously shut down by Russian authorities in 1993. The remains of this most ambitious (and expensive) effort are still around, however, and have now taken on a layer of rust, weeds and general decay that would make any post-apocalyptic set designer swoon with admiration. It's as beautiful as it is sad, this gallery of failed human endeavor, and you can see it in full at the link below.

Continue reading Visualized: the fate of the most ambitious Soviet-era space exploration project

Visualized: the fate of the most ambitious Soviet-era space exploration project originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 02:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASA's Space Shuttle launch videos are spectacularly incredible, incredibly spectacular

Vlad Savov — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 07:31:00 EST

Did you know that it takes nearly seven and a half million pounds of thrust to get a Space Shuttle off the ground and into the final frontier? NASA opts to generate that power by burning through 1,000 gallons of liquid propellants and 20,000 pounds of solid fuel every second, which as you might surmise, makes for some arresting visuals. Thankfully, there are plenty of practical reasons why NASA would want to film its launches (in slow motion!), and today we get to witness some of that awe-inspiring footage, replete with a silky voiceover explaining the focal lengths of cameras used and other photographic minutiae. It's the definition of an epic video, clocking in at over 45 minutes, but if you haven't got all that time, just do it like us and skip around -- your brain will be splattered on the wall behind you either way.

Continue reading NASA's Space Shuttle launch videos are spectacularly incredible, incredibly spectacular

NASA's Space Shuttle launch videos are spectacularly incredible, incredibly spectacular originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 12 Dec 2010 07:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Visualized: Robonaut 2 settles in for month-long shuttle delay

Donald Melanson — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 22:33:00 EST

NASA's recent announcement of a month-long delay for the launch of the space shuttle Discovery is no doubt disappointing for everyone involved, but it's hitting our friend Robonaut 2 particularly hard. While the human astronauts are able to relax and go about their business, Robonaut is forced to stay in his custom-made SLEEPR crate for the duration of the delay, with nothing but a pair of hand koozies and some "trash foam" for comfort. In fact, the real state of affairs is even less dignified than what you see above -- head on past the break for a look at the hard life of a robot.

Continue reading Visualized: Robonaut 2 settles in for month-long shuttle delay

Visualized: Robonaut 2 settles in for month-long shuttle delay originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 07 Nov 2010 22:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASA, now brought to you by Superfocus LLC (video)

Thomas Ricker — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 09:48:00 EST

In what reads like ad copy or a particularly prescient passage from Snow Crash, the Wall Street Journal says that the next Space Shuttle Discovery launch will feature two astronauts wearing "Superfocus" glasses. Not familiar with Superfocus? Then perhaps you'll recall these adjustable glasses by their old TruFocals moniker? Superfocus glasses consist of a conventional prescription lens and a second, flexible lens that changes shape by moving a slider on top of the bridge. A trick that solves focal length issues for veteran astronauts who can't change focus from far to near as a natural part of aging. Click through for the full video explanation of Superfocus by its inventor ~~Navin R. Johnson~~ Dr. Stephen Kurtin.

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NASA, now brought to you by Superfocus LLC (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Nov 2010 09:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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President Obama signs $19 billion NASA funding bill into law

Donald Melanson — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 17:13:00 EST

The basic details of the bill have been known for some time now, but President Obama has only just today signed the NASA Authorization Act of 2010 into law, which allocates $19 billion in funding for the space agency and signals a shift to commercial spacecraft for transporting astronauts to the International Space Station. NASA will hardly be relying on private spacecraft altogether, however, as the bill also gives NASA the go-ahead to develop a heavy lift rocket for deep space exploration (possibly to launch by the end of 2016), and it gives NASA a mandate to continue operating the International Space Station itself until 2020 -- not to mention fly one additional shuttle mission to it next year. Curious to know every last detail? You can find the complete 42-page bill at the source link below.

President Obama signs $19 billion NASA funding bill into law originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Oct 2010 17:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASA's revolutionary launcher dreams could improve mass transit systems, boost astronaut applications

Darren Murph — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 05:14:00 EST

If there's one thing we hate waiting for, it's getting to space. Those 18 hour jaunts from Newark to Singapore just seem so brisk compared to getting from ground zero to the stratosphere, you know? All jesting aside, a team of engineers at NASA are pursuing a revolutionary new launcher that would rely solely on existing technologies. The catch? Said technologies need to be pushed forward a good bit, but if it all pans out, the result could lead to more efficient commuter rail systems, better batteries for motorcars and roller coasters that force a waiver upon you prior to riding. The proposal details a "wedge-shaped aircraft with scramjets to be launched horizontally on an electrified track or gas-powered sled," and once launched, the craft would soar at Mach 10 in order to breach the atmosphere and allow a rocket's second stage to fire. It's pretty riveting stuff -- we'd recommend giving that source link a look for the full skinny, but not if you're hoping to see this materialize in the next ~~decade~~ score.

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NASA's revolutionary launcher dreams could improve mass transit systems, boost astronaut applications originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Sep 2010 05:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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$2 billion antimatter detector to go on last shuttle mission, taxpayers agree it better find -something

Trent Wolbe — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 19:37:00 EST

The airspace above the Atlantic Ocean will get a lot more expensive tomorrow as a U.S. Airforce Galaxy jet transports the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer -- developed at CERN -- from Geneva to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The last-ever Space Shuttle mission in February will transport the AMS to the International Space Station, where it will stay docked for 20 years to "search for antimatter and dark matter by measuring cosmic rays." We're not sure what that means, but we trust it will lead to a microwave that heats the interior of our Hot Pockets while keeping the crust crisp and flaky, bringing us one step closer to World Peace.

[Image credit: US Mission Geneva's flickr]

$2 billion antimatter detector to go on last shuttle mission, taxpayers agree it better find -something originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Aug 2010 19:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Space shuttle fire sale! Free after $28.8m in S&H and some Congressional lobbying

Ross Miller — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 20:42:00 EST

Hey, you! Yeah, you! Come here and listen. Have you ever wanted to own your very own space shuttle? Of course you have, and now NASA is giving away one orbiters apiece to three lucky winners free of charge. All you need to do is follow these three steps:

Be a qualified institution. Currently there's just 21 in the running, including the Kennedy Space Center and the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum.
Possess the proper indoor facility to house the veteran astro-car in a climate-controlled environment. It should also have a big door since at no time can it be dismantled.
Pay for shipping and handling. According to the Wall Street Journal, that entails having a runway in your backyard, strapping the shuttle to the back of a specialized 747 jet, and covering post-flight repairs. Estimated cost is $28.8 million.

Should you meet the above requirements and manage to add yourself to the list of suitors, that gives you a 13.64 percent unweighted probability to nab one! Just because NASA picks you, though, doesn't mean you actually win -- and if that logic seems fuzzy, allow us to clarify with a quote from aerospace engineer and shuttle historian Dennis Jenkins: "Congress will immediately go into an uproar and un-decide for them." Tricky fine print, best of luck!

Space shuttle fire sale! Free after $28.8m in S&H and some Congressional lobbying originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Aug 2010 20:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Robonaut 2 will Tweet from Space, oust HAL as mayor

Thomas Ricker — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 09:40:00 EST

Robonaut 2, the humanoid offspring of NASA and GM, is set to blast off to the International Space Station next month. The highly dexterous anthropomorphic robot is designed to ultimately assist crews with dangerous and repetitive tasks like space walks and uh, managing the Twitter feed. R2, as it's affectionately known, is still a prototype, and will be hitching a ride aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery to test performance in microgravity. While there, R2 (or at least the team operating it) will be Tweeting live updates from the man cave via the @AstroRobonaut (hashtag #4R2) Twitter account. But please, for the love of humanity, somebody get that bot a Bumper... the last thing we need is a frustrated robot within arms' reach of 12.5 million newtons of liquid lightning.

Robonaut 2 will Tweet from Space, oust HAL as mayor originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Aug 2010 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Robonaut 2 enters final preparations before flying off into space

Vlad Savov — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 11:01:00 EST

Tests, upgrades and final checks are being carried out on the Robonaut 2, the humanoid spacefaring robot that has been in the works since 2007. The baby of NASA and General Motors, this sack of metal and wires has already produced a catalog of 34 new patents and, according to GM, is setting the stage for new safety features in forthcoming generations of its road vehicles. Sensor technology being developed in the R2 could deliver better lane departure warning systems, adaptive cruise control, and more intelligent parking assistance. That's good news and all, but can we ship it out to the ISS already -- we'd rather it be off-world when its instruction set switches from "serve humans" to "serve human meat."

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Robonaut 2 enters final preparations before flying off into space originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Jul 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Space Shuttle Atlantis ends its run of predicting disaster for other NASA shuttles

Chad Mumm — Thu, 27 May 2010 12:44:00 EST

And then there were two...

After 25 years, 32 successful missions, and more than 120-million miles traveled, space shuttle Atlantis made what's likely to be its last landing yesterday at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Of course, being the astute follower of space tech that you are, you knew this already. But did you also know that Atlantis had an uncanny knack for predicting disaster?

Way back in November of 1985, on just its second mission, Atlantis experienced a blow-back of hot gases past the primary O-rings in one of its solid rocket boosters, resulting in serious erosion of said O-ring. NASA noticed the problem, but didn't recognize the danger -- three months later a similar O-ring failure led to the loss of the Challenger and her crew.

Three years later during STS-27, Atlantis' heat shield sustained severe damage from a piece of insulation that broke off of the right solid rocket booster during launch. Since this was a classified mission for the Department of Defense (you know, to handle super secret military stuff), the shuttle's crew was forced to encrypt the images of the damaged tiles it sent back to NASA, which lowered the resolution of the images enough that the ground crew wrote off the damage as a trick of the light. Looking at the clear images onboard the spacecraft, the crew's commander Robert "Hoot" Gibson was so certain of the damage, he remarked that "we are going to die." Fortunately, Atlantis survived reentry, and the ground crew stared in shock at the missing, cracked, and broken tiles while likely getting a serious dose of "I told you so" from the crew. Years later in 2003, the exact same thing happened to the shuttle Columbia on launch; needless to say, her crew wasn't so lucky.

The second-youngest orbiter, named after the world's longest-serving scientific research vessel (the RV Atlantis), first blasted into space on October 3, 1985 on a military mission for the Department of Defense -- yet again to do secret military stuff. Oh, how the times have changed... its final mission saw Atlantis successfully deliver the Russian Mini-Research Module Rassvet to the ISS. She'll be prepped one last time to stand-by as a rescue ship for the upcoming (and final) missions of Endeavor and Discovery, but Atlantis' days in space are likely over. All gussied up with nowhere to go, Atlantis will finally be laid to rest. And yes, we'll shed a tear or two.

Space Shuttle Atlantis ends its run of predicting disaster for other NASA shuttles originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 May 2010 12:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SpaceX conducts successful static launch of Falcon 9 rocket

Joshua Fruhlinger — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 01:21:00 EST

Remember Space Exploration Technologies Corp, otherwise known as SpaceX? You know, the private space transport company started by PayPal founder Elon Musk that won the NASA Commercial Commercial Orbital Transportation Services competition for its Falcon rocket? Last we heard from SpaceX it had lost Falcon 1 during a test launch, but this week its Falcon 9 launch vehicle was successfully fired up. While it didn't go anywhere, the successful static launch was good news for the company, and the test run was even two months ahead of schedule, which could mean good things for the rockets' ultimate place in runs to the International Space Station once the Space Shuttle goes out of service in 2010.

Filed under: Transportation

SpaceX conducts successful static launch of Falcon 9 rocket originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 03 Aug 2008 01:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EADS Astrium unveils European manned spaceship

Joshua Fruhlinger — Wed, 28 May 2008 09:32:00 EST

It's been a great week for space geeks, what with the Phoenix Lander doing its Mars sniffing and toilet drama at the space station. Meanwhile, over in Europe, EADS Astrium Space Transportation is showing off a manned version of its Automated Transfer Vehicle (also known as the Jules Verne). This space vehicle has already been used to bring equipment to the International Space Station, but new designs reveal that Germany, France, and Italy are on board to retrofit the vehicle with seats and touch screens for humans. There's just one little problem -- the Jules Verne can't return non-humans (let alone humans) to Earth safely yet. Astrium is hoping to get the stage flying by 2013 on top of the Ariane 5 rocket in time for the end of the American Space Shuttle program in 2010, when it would replace it as the largest-payload space transport.

Filed under: Transportation

EADS Astrium unveils European manned spaceship originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 May 2008 09:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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50 years of NASA footage hits Discovery in HD this summer

Richard Lawler — Fri, 09 May 2008 06:12:00 EST

Sure now we get live HD from the ISS like it's nothing, but much of the last half century of space exploration has never been seen by most in anything other than grainy analog broadcasts. That'll change in June once When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions debuts on Discovery Channel, drawing from more than 150 hours of NASA footage, called a cross between The Right Stuff and EHD fave Planet Earth. The Orlando Sentinel mentions the new doc is part of a push to ensure funding to speed further space explorations, as long as they provide more great HD opportunities we're all for it. Look for the Blu-ray boxed set July 24 for $79.95.

Filed under: Discovery-HD, New content

50 years of NASA footage hits Discovery in HD this summer originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 May 2008 06:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hard drive recovered from shuttle Columbia used to complete experiment

Nilay Patel — Tue, 06 May 2008 02:51:00 EST

Although it's been several years since the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, it looks like some of the data gathered during the orbiter's final mission will be put to good use. A hard drive salvaged from the wreckage contains the results of an experiment to study the way xenon gas flows in microgravity, and the results were published in the April edition of a journal called Physical Review E. The 400MB Seagate drive was originally thought to be destroyed, but workers and engineers reconstructing the orbiter from the remaining debris found it during the process and sent it off for recovery, where 99 percent of the data was extracted. It then took several years for lead researcher Robert Berg and his team to analyze the findings, but they're happy with the results -- we only wish they hadn't come at so dear a price.

[Thanks, Laura]

Filed under: Storage

Hard drive recovered from shuttle Columbia used to complete experiment originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 May 2008 02:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPod takes one small step for PMPs, one giant leap for consumer electronics

Darren Murph — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 12:48:00 EST

Oh sure, iPods have found their way outside of our atmosphere before, but there's just something magical about spotting one front and (off) center on the Space Shuttle Endeavour. Dollars to donuts it's perpetually repeating the discography of Air.

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

iPod takes one small step for PMPs, one giant leap for consumer electronics originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 15 Mar 2008 12:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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