Orbital Express Satellites Successfully Separate, Remate

Over the years folks have suggested that it would be good to have a
space tug that could work in orbit to save satellites or do other jobs
in space.

Looks like we have the beginnings of some progress in at least a
servicing test between two satellites.
- LRK -

==============================================================

-- Orbital Express Satellites Successfully Separate, Remate
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.nl.html?pid=22409
-- Boeing Orbital Express Conducts First Autonomous Spacecraft-to-Spacecraft
Fluid and
Component Transfer
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.nl.html?pid=22408

"The two Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Orbital Express
spacecraft,
launched March 8 in a mated configuration, yesterday successfully separated for
the first time. ..
In its first on-orbit demonstration 300 miles above the Earth, Boeing's Orbital
Express system
autonomously transferred propellant fuel and a battery from one spacecraft to another, marking
industry firsts for the revolutionary system."

==============================================================

Not an all purpose, positronic brain controlled robot tug, but a start.

Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update

==============================================================
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.nl.html?pid=22408*
Boeing Orbital Express Conducts First Autonomous
Spacecraft-to-Spacecraft Fluid and Component Transfer*

*PRESS RELEASE*
*Date Released:* Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Source: Boeing <http://www.boeing.com/>

ST. LOUIS, April 17, 2007 -- In its first on-orbit demonstration 300
miles above the Earth, Boeing's [NYSE: BA] Orbital Express system
autonomously transferred propellant fuel and a battery from one
spacecraft to another, marking industry firsts for the revolutionary system.

Snip
==============================================================
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0704/03orbitalexpress/
*Robotic satellite servicer rehearsal underway in orbit*
*BY STEPHEN CLARK
SPACEFLIGHT NOW*
Posted: April 3, 2007

The concept of dispatching low-cost spacecraft to repair and refuel more
expensive troubled satellites took a step closer to reality Sunday when
two first-of-a-kind orbiting testbeds began operations to validate
autonomous in-space servicing techniques.

The two craft are part of the U.S. government's $300 million Orbital
Express program, which is sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research
Projects Agency, the Pentagon's primary research and development arm.

The Autonomous Space Transfer and Robotic Orbiter, or ASTRO, spacecraft
serves as the active component in the mission, while the smaller NextSat
plays both the role of a supply depot and of a client satellite to be
serviced.

Snip
==============================================================
http://blogs.zdnet.com/emergingtech/?p=537


       April 8th, 2007


     Satellites mating via robotic arm
     <http://blogs.zdnet.com/emergingtech/?p=537>

Posted by Roland Piquepaille @ 10:18 am

The launch of the Orbital Express mission, with its two satellites ASTRO
and NextSat, the first one servicing the other, was widely covered a
month ago. But what is happening in space now? In "Robotic satellite
servicer rehearsal underway in orbit
<http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0704/03orbitalexpress/>,"
/Spaceflight Now/ reports about the progress done. A week ago, the two
satellites were able to link to each other to operate the first transfer
of hydrazine fuel from ASTRO's propellant tanks into NextSat. This
weekend, ASTRO's ten-foot-long robotic arm is going to be used to move
objects to NextSat. But what does it mean for international satellite
operators when they need help with their space birds? Will they use a
system designed for U.S.'s DARPA? We'll see.

Before going further, below is an image showing how the robotic arm on
ASTRO can transfer objects called Orbital Replacement Units, or ORUs, to
another satellite � NextSat in this case (Credit: Boeing).

Snip
==============================================================

WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK

==============================================================

Google Blogs Alert for: *"Moon Base"*

Well how interesting.  I had set up a Google Blogs Alert for "Moon Base"
to tell if something new had been posted and this just popped in.
- LRK -

==============================================================

Google Blogs Alert for: *"Moon Base"*

Re: Aliens and Living in Space [by martianlunatic]
<http://www.nanowrimo.org/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=32841&forum=151>
Technically, we could have a *moon base* in 10 years and a mars base in
20. No guarentee on how good it would be or if it would be frought with
horrible disasters, but it could happen. However politically the money
is not there so it will *...*
National Novel Writing Month :: Forum - http://www.nanowrimo.org/
<http://www.nanowrimo.org/>

==============================================================

"Moon Base" and Aliens in the same link leaves things wide open and I
haven't seen any aliens or a Moon Base yet so I checked out the link.

I was pleasantly surprised by the many comments from a group of folks
that are commenting on a web site dedicated to writing a novel in a
months time.

If you like a challenge, this is to be done each year from November 1 to
November 30.  You need to sign up between October 1, 2007 and 11:59:59
pm GMT, November 30, 2007.
- LRK -

http://www.nanowrimo.org/
Home

http://www.nanowrimo.org/modules/xoopsfaq/index.php?cat_id=1
FAQ
 Snip
Is it true there's an official guidebook to NaNoWriMo?
There is! Director Chris Baty compiled all of his tips, tricks, and
caffeine-intake strategies in a book called /No Plot? No Problem!/
<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0811845052/nationalnov09-20/102-4951209-
6025700>
Along with Chris' long-winded ramblings, the book also contains
eloquent, sage, and hilarious tips from NaNoWriMo veterans, who should
probably know better by now.
 Snip

http://www.nanowrimo.org/modules/cjaycontent/index.php?id=2
About

We could probably use some novels about a Moon Base, what do you think?

Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update

============================================================== *
Sorted by relevance*    Sort by date
<http://blogsearch.google.com/blogsearch?hl=en&ned=us&tab=nb&q=%22moon+base%22&i
e=UTF-8&scoring=d>

Re: Aliens and Living in Space [by martianlunatic]
<http://www.nanowrimo.org/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=32841&forum=151>

2 hours ago
Technically, we could have a *moon base* in 10 years and a mars base in
20. No guarentee on how good it would be or if it would be frought with
horrible disasters, but it could happen. However politically the money
is not there so it will *...*
National Novel Writing Month :: Forum - http://www.nanowrimo.org/
<http://www.nanowrimo.org/>

NASA Airs Its Plan for a *Moon Base* by 2024
<http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6582960>
5 Dec 2006
NASA announces plans to build a *moon base* that would house a new
generation of lunar explorers. The plan calls for a return to the moon
by 2020, with a rudimentary base camp established by 2024. But the
ambitious plan faces stiff *...*
NPR People: Nell Boyce -
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4494969&ft=1&f=4494969
<http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4494969&ft=1&f=4494969>
- References
<http://blogsearch.google.com/blogsearch?hl=en&ned=us&tab=nb&ie=UTF-8&q=link%3Ah
ttp://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php%3FstoryId%3D6582960>


Bigelow to Build *Moon Base*
<http://www.spacepragmatism.com/2007/02/bigelow-to-build-moon-base.html>
23 Feb 2007 by Dan Schrimpsher 
Robert Bigelow announced, in an interview with Alan Boyle, that Bigelow
Aerospace will be using their inflatable modules to construct "space
villages." According to Bigelow, after he launch of the first orbiting
space hotel into low *...*
Space Pragmatism - http://www.spacepragmatism.com/index.html
<http://www.spacepragmatism.com/index.html>

NASA Considers Plans for Permanent *Moon Base*
<http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/02/03/0911232&from=rss>
3 Feb 2007 by Zonk 
el crowbar sent us a link to an MSNBC article detailing NASA's plans for
a *moon base*. The permanently staffed structure could begin
construction sometime in 2010, with six-month duty rotations the norm by
2025. *...*
Slashdot: Generated for g051051 (71145) - http://slashdot.org/
<http://slashdot.org/> - References
<http://blogsearch.google.com/blogsearch?hl=en&ned=us&tab=nb&ie=UTF-8&q=link%3Ah
ttp://science.slashdot.org/article.pl%3Fsid%3D07/02/03/0911232%26from%3Drss>


Snip
==============================================================

WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK

==============================================================

China launched a satellite Wednesday

New Launch: 2007 April 11 0327 UTC
Site: Taiyuan Space Center, PRC
Launcher: CZ-2C
International Designators(s): 2007-010A
SSC Name Owner 31113 HAIYANG-1B PRC

"China launched a satellite Wednesday to begin a three-year mission surveying the world's oceans to monitor sea color and temperature, according to state media reports.

The Haiyang 1B satellite is China's second oceanographic satellite, and it replaces an earlier craft that stopped working in 2004, according to the Xinhua news agency.

Liftoff of Haiyang 1B occurred at 0327 GMT (11:27 p.m. EDT Tuesday) from Taiyuan launch center in northeastern China's Shanxi province, Xinhua reported.

A two-stage Long March 2C rocket deployed the payload into orbit a few minutes later, completing China's second space launch of the year. The flight of the 138-foot-tall booster marked the Long March rocket family's 54th consecutive successful mission since 1996.

Haiyang 1B was delivered to a Sun-synchronous orbit circling Earth's poles. This type of orbit allows satellites to fly over much of the planet at set intervals.

The craft is the second ocean surveying satellite fielded by China, and its mission will include pushing Chinese development of ocean resources, aiding the construction of new harbors and ports, and monitoring ocean pollution, according to Xinhua."

Source: Spaceflight Now, "China launches an ocean observer spacecraft" (www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0704/11haiyang1b/)

AGI's Launch Notification e-mails will help you stay current with all new spacecraft launches. E-mails are sent after every launch and include key spacecraft information such as: the date, time, launch site, launcher, international number, name, and owner. Get more information on thousands of satellites and other vehicles by viewing STK models, animations, and our encyclopedic "Spacecraft Digest" database at www.agi.com/resources.