Carnival of Space 256

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The Carnival of Space is up at Christopher Crockett’s blog

Would it be possible to spot the light from Earth’s cities from light years away? Supernova Condensate ponders detecting extraterrestrial city lights, and the flipside of light pollution.

The arrival of a new pulsed energy device for testing in Huntsville has Centauri Dreams pondering fusion, its past and its future, in space propulsion systems. Two posts are involved – this one leads back to the first.

Nextbigfuture submissions –

Nextbigfuture has an interview with Bas Lansdorp. Bans Lansdorp is a European entrepreneur who wants to send humans on a one-way trip to Mars, and to pay for it as a media event. If Mr. Lansdorp meets his goals, the first four settlers will arrive on Mars in 2023, and four more settlers will join them every two years. In an interview for Next Big Future with Sander Olson, Lansdorp discusses the Mars One project, and how he believes that the Mars One project could be done for $6 billion dollars and could eventually lead to a permanent manned presence on Mars.

The B612 Foundation has unveiled its plans to build, launch, and operate the first privately funded deep space mission – SENTINEL – a space telescope to be placed in orbit around the Sun, ranging up to 170 million miles from Earth, for a mission of discovery and mapping. The Foundation leadership and technical team include some of the most experienced professionals in the world to lead this effort. A new infrared space telescope will be put into solar orbit, up to 170 million miles from earth. It will protect humanity, map the inner solar system and enable exploration.

SpaceX and Orbital both fired their new engines. SpaceX’s Merlin 1D rumbled for a full mission duration firing, while Orbital’s AJ-26 continued its testing ahead of its debut on their Antares launch vehicle. The Spacex Merlin D has improved performance. Thrust is increased from 95,000 lbf (sea level) to 140,000 lbf (sea level). Added throttle capability for range from 70-100 percent.

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