Flying Dragon

We of the Geek waited nervously at T-minus 13 minutes for what seemed like an eternity of comfortingly technical chatter this morning, hoping to see the SpaceX launch. Friendly talking heads startled us every now and then with status updates.

Falcon 9 is the second test flight of the Falcon launch vehicles (Falcon 1 achieved orbit on its fourth attempt in September of 2008), and the first test flight of a Dragon capsule, which we hope will be able to reach the International Space Station, with a crew of up-to-7 people, and/or various cargo. What's all the fuss about, you ask? You don't see the NASA logo anywhere, so what is this hardware taking up space at a Cape launch complex?


This event marks the first time a commercial company is attempting to launch, orbit a crew-capable spacecraft, and "re-enter" that spacecraft from orbit.

At T-Minus 2:48, the major hitch of the day was a false telemetry reading on the ordinance interrupter, which is a part of the flight termination system. John Insprucker of the Falcon 9 team said they corrected the database on the ground computers, and declared everything was safe. Around 10:30am, chatter began again in earnest, with numerous people in mission control shouting GO!

If you aren't into the anticipation of launches, there is nothing I can say to convert you until you try it. I understand most people wouldn't sit around for hours staring at a launch pad -– because more often than not, you wind up deflated and disappointed because of an abrupt abort.

However, on the days when large launch windows allow time resets, additional tries… and then everything works out, the rush is magnificent!


The launch was awesome!! Amazing to think that this was a private company that pulled this off!

Says SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, “This will be the first new American, human-capable spacecraft to travel to orbit and back since the Space Shuttle took flight three decades ago. The success of the NASA COTS program shows that it is possible to return to the fast pace of progress that took place during the Apollo era, but using only a tiny fraction of the resources.”

COTS is the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services, a program begun in 2006 to attempt the construction of crafts able to reach the ISS, and it would appear SpaceX is well on its way. So exciting!


The big questions surround the Dragon capsule now: Can it achieve orbit? Can it be operated remotely during orbit? Can its heat shield withstand re-entry and descent? Can it be recovered properly upon splashdown?

The flight coverage tanked around the +11:00 mark, but continued details about orbit, splashdown and recovery will be announced on their SpaceXer Twitter feed, Space X Facebook page and of course, the SpaceX main website.

Fry's Space Station

Today, I'm uncharacteristically featuring a "tourist attraction" of sorts near the NASA Johnson Space Center… though I wonder how many of visitors to Houston find this gem?

Technically, it's a retail store masquerading as a nerd mecca, and I'm not promoting anything it sells in particular, but it's worth a visit. The exterior is made to look like the International Space Station, and the interior features a giant scale replica of the ISS -- not accurate down to each specific piece, but darned close, down to the mechanical CanadArms!

The South Houston Store: ISS Theme

Fry's Electronics, Inc. was founded in Silicon Valley to supply hi-tech professionals, and now has 34 stores in nine states, ranging from 50,000 to 180,000 square feet! Each store carries its own unique theme, so they are really fun parks in a sense. Stores across the USA have Aztec, Egyptian, Roman, Mayan, Tahitian and Wild West themes… also, would you believe Atlantis and Alice in Wonderland? Of course, the Anaheim store is worth a mention here, since their theme is the NASA flight deck of Space Shuttle Endeavor, complete with launches on huge TV screens (shown on the weekends).

The store nearest Space Center Houston depicts the history of space exploration in murals and artifacts, along with the "true-to-life-sized" floating habitat. No small feat, since the ISS is now roughly equal to the length of a football field!

Click to see the entire gallery...

The above photo is a view of the Russian Orbital Segment of the International Space Station, as seen from the Software section of the store. Full-scale mockups (from left to right) of the Soyuz capsule, the Zvezda ("Star") module, and the Zarya ("Dawn") module can be seen, beneath the actual-sized solar arrays.

I walked all around the store, photographing the space-themed paintings and structures, and uploaded all the results to the Houston gallery in my Picasa Albums… where you can also see the various spacecrafts, tethered space-walkers, the Japanese Kibo module, the American Unity (node 1), the Destiny Lab and all the various truss segments... some of which have been "tunneled out" to accommodate products or seating areas.

Such a novelty! I should have taken video. If anyone visits the space themed Burbank or Anaheim stores, I'd love to see your photos, too... email me!

Ten Questions For Science

The Royal Society of London for the Improvement of Natural Knowledge was founded by King Charles II in 1660. In 2010, Britain's renowned “Royal Society”, as it is now abbreviated, celebrates 350 years of practical scientific inquiry and experimentation. Today, they act as scientific advisors to the United Nations; and their committees and policy centers finance over 700 research fellowships, and also awards annual medals accompanied by prize money intended to fuel research.

One of the milestones of the anniversary was the academy's leading thinkers compiling 10 Questions That Science Must Answer… and a very interesting set of questions it was. What are the issues of our age that need be solved or pondered by the Big Brains?

I have to say, some of these surprised me in terms of simplicity, since a fair number of arguments are well-worn in their fields, but perhaps enjoyed only contested conclusions. Others will bear out in time, certainly... but still others are rather depressing question marks.

The ten questions were:

1. Kathy Sykes (Bristol University Professor of Sciences): What is consciousness?

2. Dame Joan Bakewell (BBC Journalist): What happened before the big bang?

3. Mark Miodownik (King's College Physicist): Will science and engineering give us back our individuality?

4. Tracy Chevalier (Novelist): How are we going to cope with the world's burgeoning population?

5. Marcus du Sautoy (Oxford University): Is there a pattern to prime numbers?

6. Brian Cox (LHC Physicist): Can we make scientific thinking all pervasive?

7. John Sulston (Royal Society Chair): How do we ensure that humanity survives and flourishes?

8. Andrew Motion (Poet Laureate): Can someone explain adequately the meaning of infinite space?

9. Lionel Shriver (Novelist): Will I be able to record my brain like I can record a program on television?

10. Piers Sellers (Astronaut): Can humanity get to the stars?

I was gratified to see they included one of the eminent European Astronauts in their published list (three-time Shuttle veteran), who asked what I considered to be the most pressing question… but I realize I'm quite biased. One other of their chosen essayists also mentioned space as a necessity:


Various European news outlets have reprinted these with detailed paragraphs of the asked questions, and hefty biographies of the ASCIIs (hat tip to whomever gets that joke). It's definitely a time investment to read the entire article, but well worth it.

Except for #8, as one suspects that Mr. Motion wasn't taking this endeavour altogether too seriously. Amusing, but he might have picked a less solemn forum to discuss his theories about his cat.

Роскосмос, Россия

Another continental sweep! This past week, I undertook to mark all the sites of the Russian Federal Space Agency (previously the "Soviet Space Program") on my Pillownaut Space Map, which you can visit on my domain or directly on Google Maps.

In both of these spots, you'll see a larger screen where you can zoom in, zoom out, and examine precise locations all over the world.

I'm better with Russian than I am with Japanese, and this came in handy, since Roscosmos isn't much into listing precise addresses. This particular hunt took a fair amount of satellite homework! Luckily, once you find the general vicinity of a space center, things like launch pads or radio telescopes are comparatively easy to spot.


Click the graphic, and scroll down to the RUSSIAN AGENCY section to see all the centers for Roscosmos (also sometimes spelled "Roskosmos").

Сартичали (NIP-11) or SartyChaly (Tbilisi, Georgia)

Космодром Байконур (NIP-1) or Baikonur Cosmodrome (Tyuratam, Kazakhstan)
World's first and largest operational space launch facility.
Take a TOUR of Baikonur! =)

Днестрóвск (NIP-19) or Dnestrovsc Ground Control Station (Moldavia)

Свобо́дный стартовая площадка or Svobodny Rocket Launch Site (Amur, Russia)

Космодром Восточный or Vostochny Cosmodrome (Amur Oblast, Russia)
(Currently Under Construction)

Сары-Шаган (NIP-3) or Sary-Shagan Command (Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia)

Космодром Плесецк or Plesetsk Cosmodrome (Arkhangel'skaya Oblast, Russia)
Former super-secret Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) site which grew into the world's busiest spaceport in the 1970s and 1980s.

Капустин Яр Стартовая площадка or Kapustin Yar Rocket Launch Site (Astrakhan Oblast, Russia)

Ула́н-Удэ́ (NIP-13) or Ulan-Ude (Buryatia Republic, Russia)

Елизово Станция Телеметрии (NIP-6) or Elizovo Telemetry Station (Kamchatka Krai, Russia)

Воркута Поддержка (NIP-18) or Vorkuta Launch Support (Komi, Russia)

Шелково Лунная Поддержка (NIP-14) or Shelkovo Lunar Support / R&D (Moscow Central Federal District, Russia)

Роскосмос: Федеральное Космическое Агентство
or
Roscosmos: Russian Federal Space Agency Headquarters (Moscow Oblast, Russia)

Центр Управления Полётом (TsUP) or Mission Control Moscow (ISS)
Take a TOUR of MCC-M! =)

Государственный Космический Научно-производственный Центр им. М.в.хруничева or Khrunichev State Research & Production Space Center (Filevskiy, Province of Moscow, Russia)

Энергия С.П.Королева Ракетно-космическая корпорация or Energia S.P. Korolev Rocket & Space Corporation (Mystischi, Province of Moscow, Russia)

Институт Космического Исследования (ИКИ) or the Space Research Institute (Profsoyuznaya, Province of Moscow, Russia)

Star City or Звёздный городок - Yuri Gagarin Cosmonauts Training Center (Zvyozdny gorodok, Province of Moscow, Russia)
Take a TOUR of Star City! =)

ПОЛЕТ: Омск относящееся к космическому кораблю производство
or
FLIGHT: Satellite & Space Tech Manufacturing Assoc. (Omsk, Russia)

Домбаровский Основа or Dombarovskiy ICBM Base (Orenburg Oblast, Russia)

Пермь Научное Производственное объединение or Perm Engine Development (Perm Krai, Russia) - Scientific Production Association

Уссури́йск Астрофизическая Обсерватория (NIP-15) or Ussuriysk Astrophysical Observatory & Monitoring Site (Primorsky Krai, Russia)

Красное Село Прослеживающий Запуск (NIP-9) or Krasnoe Selo Launch Tracking (Saint Petersburg Federal City, Russia)

Самара or Samara Launch Vehicle & Rocket Engines (Samarskaya Oblast, Russia)
Including Reconnaissance satellite development

Красноярск or Krasnoyarsk (Siberia, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia)
Info Satellite Systems Reshetnev Company & Siberian State Space University

Енисейск Станция Контроля (NIP-4) or Eniseisk Ground Control (Siberia, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia)

Якутск Статион (NIP-17) or Yakutsk Station (Siberia, Republic of Sakha, Russia)

Новосибирск (NIP-12) or Колпашево or Kolpashevo Control points for Luna rockets (Tomsk Oblast, Russia)

Воронежский Толчок Ракеты or Voronezh Rocket Propulsion (Voronezh, Russia)

Днепропетровск ЮЖМАШ or Dnepropetrovsk KB Yuzhnoe Launchers (Yuzhny or Yuzmash, Ukraine)

Евпатория Коммуникация Открытого космоса (NIP-16) or Evpatoria Planetary Launch Support & Deep Space Comm Ctr (Vitino, Crimean Peninsula, Ukraine)

Симферополь Первичная Лунная Станция Телеметрии (NIP-10) or Simferopol Primary Lunar Telemetry Station (Shkolnoe, Crimean Peninsula, Ukraine)

Майданак Обсерватория (NIP-21) or Maidanak Control Center & Observatory (Uzbekistan)


All of these are listed with purple markers on the space map, except for the Vostochny Cosmodrome, which is under construction “somewhere” in Eastern Russia, and is eventually intended to reduce Russia's dependency on the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Now Defunct Centers from Sputnik Era:
NIP-2 Makat Atyrau Station (near the town of Guriev)
NIP-5 Iskhup (Yenisey River)
NIP-7 Klyuchi (Kamchatka)
NIP-8 Bolshevo / Gizhiga (northeast of Moscow)
NIP-20 Komsomolsk-na-Amure (Russian Far East)

Some of these are still in existence, though I neglected to include them, since they are deserted (or in the case of Iskhup, construction was never completed due to flooding), and thus no longer part of the operational network.