Posted in space travel
Weâre preparing for the launch of our first #Artemis mission to the Moon. Get a preview of the launch countdown and see how NASAâs Space Launch System will send NASAâs Orion Spacecraft to lunar orbit: https://go.nasa.gov/2NH0HAA
Beryllium, a hard, silvery metal long used in X-ray machines and spacecraft, is finding a new role in the quest to bring the power that drives the sun and stars to Earth. Beryllium is one of the two main materials used for the wall in ITER, a multinational fusion facility under construction in France to demonstrate the practicality of fusion power. Now, physicists from the U.S. Department of Energyâs (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) and General Atomics have concluded that injecting tiny beryllium pellets into ITER could help stabilize the plasma that fuels fusion reactions.
Experiments and computer simulations found that the injected granules help create conditions in the plasma that could trigger small eruptions called edge-localized modes (ELMs). If triggered frequently enough, the tiny ELMs prevent giant eruptions that could halt fusion reactions and damage the ITER facility.
Scientists around the world are seeking to replicate fusion on Earth for a virtually inexhaustible supply of power to generate electricity. The process involves plasma, a very hot soup of free-floating electrons and atomic nuclei, or ions. The merging of the nuclei releases a tremendous amount of energy.
From returning to the Moon to establishing outposts on Mars, NASA has the need for more power than ever before. Could nuclear fission be the solution theyâve been searching for?
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Demonstration Proves Nuclear Fission System Can Provide Space Exploration Power
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/demonstration-proves-nuclâŠtion-power
âNASA and the Department of Energyâs National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) have successfully demonstrated a new nuclear reactor power system that could enable long-duration crewed missions to the Moon, Mars and destinations beyond.â
NASA to Test Fission Power for Future Mars Colony
https://www.space.com/37348-nasa-fission-power-mars-colony.html
âAs NASA makes plans to one day send humans to Mars, one of the key technical gaps the agency is working to fill is how to provide enough power on the Red Planetâs surface for fuel production, habitats and other equipment. One option: small nuclear fission reactors, which work by splitting uranium atoms to generate heat, which is then converted into electric power.â
Ideas for new NASA mission can now include spacecraft powered by plutonium
https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/19/17138924/nasa-discovery-pâŠtonium-238
âDiscovery proposals can now incorporate a type of power system known as a radioisotope thermoelectric generators, or RTGs. These generators are powered by radioactive material â a type of metal called plutonium-238.â
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NASA puts a test rover through its paces in earthly California. Richard A Lovett reports.
This week:
đ A milestone for NASAâs Orion Spacecraft đ A commercial lunar payload update đ©đŸâđ« More honors for a historic icon.
These are a few of the stories to tell you about on the latest episode of This Week at NASA:
Starhopper awaits its first truly flightworthy Raptor as CEO Elon Musk says SpaceX may have solved the technical bug delaying hop tests. (NASASpaceflight â bocachicagal, SpaceX)
Last week, the LightSail 2 officially made its first contact with Earth. The solar-powered spacecraft will be sailing around Earthâs orbit for the next year, all part of a mission to prove that solar sailing is a viable mode of space exploration.
If successful, the hope is that solar sailing could be used in other spacecraft going forward, something that could allow us to explore further in space at a lower cost than is currently possible.
There are other reasons to return to the moon, however. For many space enthusiasts, its exploration and exploitation is necessary if we are to make the next giant step in space: sending people to Mars. âThat is the real goal for humanity,â says Parker. âHowever, getting humans there safely is going to be an incredibly difficult undertaking. We will have to learn first how to conquer the moon.â
As the 50th anniversary of the first Apollo landing approaches, a host of countries are undertaking lunar missions. Whatâs behind the new space race?
SpaceXâs Starship, the launch system designed to carry colonists to Mars, will likely have its maiden voyage in 2021, a company executive said.
A new golden age of space exploration is upon us, with growing numbers of countries and private enterprises eager to establish themselves in space for the sake of scientific inquiry, national prestige, adventurous tourism, billionairesâ bragging rights, mineral riches, and even as a hedge against any future calamity that might devastate our home planet.
Our motivations for exploration may vary, but the spaceward rush raises questions about how we will govern ourselves beyond the bonds of Earth. Cold War-era space treaties, vague notions of how legal frameworks on Earth might migrate to settlements in space, and cautionary tales from both history and science fiction offer some guidance, but we could benefit from a larger conversation about how we want to govern them.
Join Future Tense and the JustSpace Alliance to consider how we might ensure that our ânext frontierâ is one that reflects our most humane and democratic values. Stick around after the event to continue the conversation with a happy hour reception.
