The Carnival of Space - week 10

One of the things I enjoy about blog carnivals is the great variety. This week's edition of the Carnival of Space is no exception.


Rockets and Space Ships

An important part of space development is getting into space. We have several interesting posts on rockets and other space ships.

At What’s Next In Science & Technology is an argument for thinking big for the next moon rocket. NASA's next moon rocket is still on the drawing board, but already scientists are dreaming up big new things to do with it. Philip Stahl is says the Ares V would be great "to launch big space telescopes." The rocket could take primary mirrors 8+ meters wide. Hubble’s mirror is 2.4 meters.

Woodward, Mach and Breakthrough Propulsion at Centauri Dreams is a discussion of research into a breakthrough propulsion technology called the Mach-Lorentz Thruster that is being studied by James Woodward (UC-Fullerton). Although unproven and quite controversial, a working MLT would open the outer Solar System for human crews and is thus worth a look as one way to surmount the limitations of conventional rockets.

Robot Guy is introducing a new daily feature: Space Video of the Day. The first one is a Discovery channel segment on Chinese rocket failures in the mid-1990s.

Bigelow Aerospace recently launched Genesis II. They provide the location of where it is, and asked people to report if they have seen it.

It is nice to meet the people behind the shuttles and machines used to get into space. Endeavour STS-118 posted at Tom’s Astronomy Blog introduces us to one of the mission specialists scheduled to go with the launch early in August. Meet Barbara Morgan and find out her relationship with the tragic Challenger Mission almost 22 years ago.


Preparing to get into Space

In addition to building transportation to get into space, there are a number of other important issues we need to contemplate.

To have a large presence in space we'll need to find ways to make a profit. Taking space based solar power to the megawatt level by Advancednano has a realistic plan to use existing technology to cost effective and profitable build solar power. The beginnings of a profitable business plan with major elements identified.

At Surfin’ English is a post in a continuing series of obstacles to space exploration, part VIB is on Meteorites, Radiation, and Pirate Attacks. James writes about why radiation is a dangerous part of space travel. The pirate issue will be explored later.

Here is something interesting: in Mars Standard Time posted at Music of the Spheres is a report that the Mars Society Volunteers are in the middle of a four-month "Mars analog" simulation in the Canadian high arctic and have just switched to Mars time to see how that will affect things (24 hours and 39 minutes a sol).

A Babe in the Universe discusses a new space suit system using mechanical counter-pressure is inherently lighter, safer and more flexible than clumsy current suits in Have Spacesuit, Will Travel.


Watching Space

It appears few of us will make it into space. But we can still enjoy space. In The Sky is a Sphere (Part I, Part II) Ian shares his extended battles with the weather, domestic life and image alignment programs in order to document the conjunction of Venus and Saturn on Astroblog


The Arts and Space

We have two posts dealing with art and space. How is that for great variety in posts!

The ‘Verse has a poem of what thoughts are going through the Mars rover Opportunity’s mind as she prepares to descend into Victoria Crater in Over The Top. Very creative!

From the UK Chris Lintott notices in Blind Light that a new art exhibition accidentally simulates the CMB.


I hope you have enjoyed the Carnival of Space.

The Carnival of Space will be held next week at Space For Commerce, click here for information on submitting a post.

I thank everyone who has helped out with bring this carnival together, and to the participants in this carnival.


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Technorati tags: space, rockets, NASA