Important Innovations

Launching US Astronauts from Florida Source:  NASA 1st Human Spaceflight from US Since 2011 After nearly a decade of absence, human spaceflights will launch from US soil on May 27, 2020. SpaceX,  founded by entrepreneur  Elon Musk, will launch its CrewDragon rocket with two US astronauts onboard and crewing the space vehicle.  Their destination is the International Space Station.  This mission is a series of historic firsts in space. Space Firsts This is the first crewed mission for SpaceX since CEO Elon Musk founded the company in 2002. And, it's the first time a rocket will carry  astronauts into orbit from US soil  since 2011.  That's when NASA retired its space shuttle program. And there's yet another first. The public cannot attend the launch. History Being Made Because of COVID-19, the public cannot attend the  launch at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The launch is historic for several more

SpaceX Latest Launch Includes Wine Experiments in Space Source:  SpaceX Rocket Launch Vino Vines in Space SpaceX's latest launch contains experiments designed to save wine from the destruction of Climate Change.  Global warming is putting grapes and wine at risk as they are very susceptible to changes in temperature.  The Climate Change situation is so significant some vineyard owners are moving their operations to colder regions in higher altitudes.  The wine experiments that SpaceX carried to the International Space Station are designed to remedy the situation. International Space Station European startup Space Cargo Unlimited is the force behind the wine experiments.  Their project was ferried by SpaceX to the International Space Station.  Included are vines for Merlot and for Cabernet Sauvignon to see how they fare during six months aboard the ISS in space.  The grape vines will be subjected to zero gravity and increased radiation.  Space Cargo Unlimited sc

70 Space Mission Launches Per Year Starting in 2023 Source:  SpaceX Space Base Starlink Satellite Megaconstellation, Customer & NASA Launches, Starship to Mars SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has an ambitious plan for at least 70 space mission launches a year starting in 2023.  There will be 38 launches by SpaceX in 2020.  So, the plan is to nearly double that.  The launches will take place from Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.  A big part of the launches will be building SpaceX's Starlink mega-constellation of satellites for global internet services.  SpaceX is also enjoying a growing number of space flight bookings from customers and NASA. Mobile Service Tower For Launches Space X's Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets will have more versatility and options with a new mobile services tower that SpaceX is deploying.  The tower will allow missions to be assembled vertically rather than horizontally, which is a big advantage.  SpaceX will al

SpaceX and Space Adventures Join Forces to Launch Tourists into Space Source:  SpaceX Crew Dragon Orbiting High Above the International Space Station Elon Musk's SpaceX and Virginia based Space Adventures are joining forces to send four tourists on a dedicated Crew Dragon mission to space.  Crew Dragon is a completely  autonomous spacecraft developed by SpaceX with three windows.  The design and windows are aimed at providing tourists, scientists and astronauts with a great view of the earth, moon and solar system as they whisk through space. The tourist space trip will last for five days and will fly in orbit twice as high as the International Space Station World Altitude Record Targeted The flight will occur in late 2021.  It's aimed at setting a new world record.  Targeting an orbit twice higher than the International Space Station will result in the world altitude record for private citizen space flight.  ISS orbits at an altitude of 410 kilomete

SpaceX Launches 60 Satellites Source:  SpaceX World of Interconnectivity Elon Musk is at it again.  Last night, his company SpaceX successfully launched 60 satellites into space from Cape Canaveral.  His intent with the Starlink program is to beam high speed internet connectivity around the globe. World's Biggest Private Satellite Operator The launch makes SpaceX the world's largest private satellite operator.  Musk's goal is to send 42,000 satellites into space.  That would give SpaceX 3% of the $1Trillion internet connectivity global market,  At the moment Musk has 180 satellites in low earth orbit.  Some astronomers are very concerned about the satellites obstructing their views into space. Billionaire Entrepreneur In the last half of 2019 and so far into 2020, the billionaire engineer has been on a roll with three of his companies that are defining the future of travel. His electric car company, Tesla, which is the world's largest , just s

Inspired by James Bond 007 Source:  Tesla Futuristic Design but Shattered Windshield Needs Work It was an embarrassing moment for Tesla CEO Elon Musk this week.  His pet project, Cybertruck, the all electric muscle truck with what was billed as bulletproof windows, wasn't bulletproof.  During its debut launch in Los Angeles, the shatterproof windows shattered when hit by a metallic ball.  Musk watched in horror as his armored glass windows were smashed into broken glass, not once but twice by a metallic ball.  Obviously, the windows need more work.  But, the cybertruck is a striking piece of engineering and a world first as a green, electric pickup truck, which Musk thinks is essential to start cleaning up toxic exhaust from trucks Like a Space X Rocket The truck is made of the same stainless steel used by Musk's SpaceX for space rockets.  The steel is designed to make the cybertruck an armored truck that is so bulletproof that a 9mm Lugar round can't penetra

Takes off Like a Rocket Monday But Hits a Little Choppy Air Tuesday Source:  NYSE Listed on the NYSE Virgin Galactic is the first space tourism company to land on Wall Street.  It's listed on the NYSE as SPCE.  It began trading on Monday and right out of the launch pad it soared up 5% at its debut.  It has a market cap of $1 billion. This underscores the interest of investors and the public in space tourism.   On Tuesday, the stock hit a little choppy air and as of 3PM Eastern Time is trading in the day range of $12.51 - $10.50.  Founder Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Galactic CEO George Whiteside were on hand to ring the First Trade Bell on Monday to commemorate the occasion.  Sir Richard commented:  "Now anyone can invest in the future of space". Space Tourism Plans Virgin Galactic has intergalactic plans. It first wants to offer space flights to six passengers at a time for $250,000 each for trips to the weightless outskirts of space.  Trips begin in the sum

US Air Force's X-37B Spaceplane - Clouded in Mysteries & Missions Successfully Lands After Record Orbit The US Air Force announced that its top secret, experimental spaceplane - the X-37B - just successfully landed at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in FL after a record flight. The spaceplane has been more than two years - 780 days - in orbital flight.  This is its longest test mission for a group of military technologies.  The X-37B is an experimental, test spaceship.  It was built by Boeing, is operated by the US Air Force and was launched into its latest mission aboard a SpaceX rocket. Clandestine Missions This is the spaceplane's 5th mission.  What the missions have entailed are for the most part a mystery.  They are top secret missions.  But we do know the purpose is to demonstrate new technologies, such as propulsion systems, avionics and spacecraft reentry systems for what the Air Force hopes will be a "reliable, reusable, unmanned space test pl

Space X Starship Super Heavy Source:  SpaceX  Starship CEO Elon Musk on to Mars SpaceX CEO Elon Musk just unveiled his silver bullet:  a spacecraft to take you to Mars and beyond.  It's the new Starship Mk1 prototype, unveiled this weekend at SpaceX's South Texas test site in Boca Chico, TX.  Starship is a massive, reusable launch system.  When finalized, the vehicle will have a 387 foot Starship Super Heavy stack and be powered by six Raptor engines.  The spacecraft has room for 37 Raptor engines, depending on the mission needs and distance. Musk, a Visionary Thinker Starship will be capable of taking up to 100 people back and forth to space, including the Moon, Mars and other space destinations.  Musk says space travel has to be done like air travel.  He believes that is the first breakthrough needed to make humans a space-faring, multi-planet civilization.  He adds making space travel like air travel is "the fastest path to a self-sustaining city on

Starhopper Spaceship Aces Test Launch Source:  SpaceX Big Victory for SpaceX Elon Musk's SpaceX is on a roll with victory after victory in the commercialization of space.  It's latest success happened yesterday with the successful launch of its spaceship Starhopper.  For more details, go to Important Innovations Collection: SpaceX on Target for Mars : Starhopper Rocket Prototype Passes Highest & Final Test Source:  Space X Next: On to Orbital Prototypes for 2021 Launch Another ...

Starliner Manned Flight to International Space Station Source:  Boeing Starliner Boeing and NASA Commercial Astronauts At the Johnson Space Center in Houston, a veteran team of astronauts are training for the trip of a lifetime.  They'll be launched into space onboard Boeing's new spacecraft Starliner to the International Space Station.  The Starliner is a next generation space capsule designed to take people to and from low Earth orbit. For Boeing, NASA is the anchor company for Starliner, beginning with missions to the ISS with NASA and NASA sponsored crews.  The space vehicle will eventually take tourists on space voyages. Launch Time The Starliner mission will launch in late 2019 or in early 2020.  The five person crew, two women and three men, are Boeing and NASA veteran astronauts.  This mission underscores the importance of the growing commercial business opportunities in space.  You might call it an intergalactic global business frontier that is just opening

China is in the Reusable Rocket Race Chinese Startup LinkSpace Successfully Tests Reusable Rocket A global race to get a big piece of what's expected to be a highly lucrative boom in satellite launches is on.  China is pushing for a big part of the business by developing reusable rockets that enable cheaper satellite launches.  Chinese startup LinkSpace successfully tested a reusable rocket today and expects to launch in 2020.  Elon Musk's SpaceX has been leading the way in recoverable, reusable rockets since 2017 and companies in China, the US, Russia and Europe are trying to follow suit.  For a great news blog on this, go to Important Innovations Collection: China's In the Reusable Rocket Race : Future of Cheap Satellite Launches Source:  LinkSpace Chinese Startup LinkSpace For the third time in five months, Chinese startup L...

Latest Book "Big Space News 2019" by Journalist Ed Kane Now Live on Kindle and Amazon - Free Kindle Borrow Available "Big Space News 2019" by journalists Ed Kane and me, Maryanne Kane has just been published and is live on Kindle and Amazon.  We've written a series of news summaries on the top breakthroughs and discoveries in space so far this year, of which there have been many. If you like, you can borrow it for free on Kindle.  For more details about the many big news stories contained in the book, go to Important Innovations Collection: "Big Space News 2019" by Edward Kane : My New Book Live on Kindle and Amazon ASIN: B07TYG31KM ,  ASIN: 1079271104 Free Borrow on Kindle I'm so pleased to...

Extraordinary SpaceX Cargo Mission Source:  Techshot 3D Printer to Develop Human Tissue to Benefit Humanity This is a very innovative piece of technology, a 3D bioprinter to manufacture human tissue on the ISS in space.  It's being launched this July by a SpaceX cargo mission rocket.  For a  lot more details on this extraordinary tech innovation being deployed in space, Important Innovations Collection: SpaceX Extraordinary Cargo Mission : 3D Printing Human Tissue in Space, Onboard the ISS Source:  Techshot BFF July Launch of  Your BFF in Space This is extraordinary tec...

24 Satellites Onboard to Advance Science & Tech Source:  NOAA Satellite Image of SpaceX Falcon Heavy  So Far, So Good and Elon Musk Is In Orbit Entrepreneur and inventor Elon Musk's company SpaceX acknowledges that this is one of their most difficult launches ever.  They just launched their Falcon Heavy rocket and it is zooming into space from Cape Canaveral, Florida.  The mission is highly complicated as it is delivering 24 satellites to a variety of orbits over multiple hours.  It's the epic commuter space trip with so many time and location destinations. Fascinating Destinations and Missions on This SpaceX Trip On board the SpaceX rocket, 25% of the satellites are for weather and climate date collection.  Other satellites includes those to test cleaner, greener and more efficient spacecraft fuels.  There's also a NASA atomic clock and a non-profit organization's attempt to advance solar sailing technology.  This mission is loaded with exciting technolo

SpaceX Aces First Commercial Launch Source:  SpaceX Falcon Heavy Launch Falcon Heavy - World's Most Powerful Rocket SpaceX's first commercial mission for its Falcon Heavy rocket could not have gone better.  For owner Elon Musk it provided a dramatic demonstration of SpaceX's capabilities.  The world's most powerful rocket - Falcon Heavy - successfully launched and sent a commercial satellite for Arabsat of Saudi Arabia into orbit.  Then, Falcon Heavy's three booster rockets safely landed back on earth. It's was a great victory.  For a great news blog with more details, go to Important Innovations Collection: SpaceX Big Victory for Elon Musk : Successful Launch of World's Most Powerful Rocket Source:  Falcon Heavy Lift-Off Took Off With the Force of 18 Passenger Jets Sp...

Billionaires Race to Space Source:  Blue Origin  -  Jeff Bezos & his space vehicle Blue Origin Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is in a race to win the highly competitive drive to commercialize space.  His company Blue Origin has a mission:  to provide low cost travel to space.  He's in a battle for space with two other billionaires - Elon Musk of SpaceX and Sir Richard Branson of Virgin Galactic. Take-Off 2019 Bezos finances Blue Origin with $1 billion in Amazon stock yearly.  His system consists of a pressurized crew capsule on top of a reusable  "New Shepherd" rocket.  The system has been successfully tested several times. Experts expect the first crewed flight in the first half of 2019. Blue Origin has yet to leave the Earth's atmosphere.  SpaceX Falcon Heavy has soared into space.  Virgin Galactic's Unity spaceship recently crossed into the outer edges of space. New, Blue Origin Rocket Bezos is developing the new BE-4 rocket engines.  NASA astron

SpaceX, NASA, and Boeing Important Spaceship Launches Source:  SpaceX - Elon Musk and his Dragon 2 Orbiting Vehicle SpaceX Dragon 2 Kicks Off Latest Spacecraft Innovation 2019 is shaping up to be one of the most exciting years for space exploration, tech innovation and discovery.  In January, SpaceX's Dragon 2 spacecraft will be rocketed to its first flight.  SpaceX will also do a test flight on its Starship that's intended to ferry passengers to Mars and Boeing will test its Starliner for low Earth orbit trips for passengers, crew and cargo.  For more details on the exciting developments in innovation in space exploration go to Important Innovations Collection: Important Spacecraft Innovation Flights : Innovation Spacecrafts   Source:  SpaceX Dragon 2 NASA, Boeing and SpaceX Vehicle Tests and Crewed Flights 2019 is shaping up to be...

Virgin Galactic Spaceplane Readies for Takeoffs Tech in Sub-orbit with Tourists Onboard Just last night, Virgin Galactic's spaceplane climbed 32 miles over California's Mojave Desert in its latest test flight.  That crushed all of its previous records.  This is the 3rd rocket powered test flight of VSS Unity spaceplane.  It brings Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic space tourism company very close to taking its first tourism customers into space. Amazing Flight The spaceplane was released from under the wing of its carrier plane at 46,500 feet.  VSS Unity fired its rocket motors for 42 seconds to propel itself and the 2 pilots at Mach 2.47 or 2&1/2times the speed of sound.  The spaceplane reached an altitude of 170,800 feet or essentially halfway to outer-space before safely descending to its spaceport in the Mojave Desert.  Mission accomplished. Get Ready for Tourist Takeoffs Branson is indicating that Virgin Galactic could start commercial flights for spa