Highlights of Elon Musk SpaceX Plans for 2024 and Beyond: They have already increased the communication bandwidth of Starlink v2 mini to 188 Gbps. There will be 150 launches of Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy in 2024 Increase the speed and cadence of Starship launches. Deploy Version 3 Starlink satellites via Starship in 2024. Start …
One crucial area to enable trips to Mars is the long-duration storage of cryogenic propellants in various space environments. Relevant propellants include liquid Hydrogen (LH2) for high specific impulse Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) which can be deployed in strategic locations in advance of a mission. Such LH2 storage tanks could be used to refill a …
NASA NIAC is funding Coflow Jet to analyze a novel global mobility Mars exploration platform, Mars Aerial and Ground Intelligent Explorer (MAGGIE). MAGGIE is a compact fixed wing aircraft with ultra-high productivity efficiency powered by solar energy to fly in the Martian atmosphere with vertical take-off/landing (VTOL) capability, which is enabled by advanced deflected slipstream …
A new approach would use a magnetohydrodynamic electrolytic cell to extract and separate oxygen and hydrogen gas without moving parts in microgravity. This removes the need for a forced water recirculation loop and associated ancillary equipment such as pumps or centrifuges. Preliminary estimations indicate that the integration of functionalities leads to up to 50% mass …
A trope in science fiction is for advanced space missions to use suspended animation for long space missions. In fiction, they usually assume that suspended animation stops aging. This will be full on cryonics. In reality, we can safely induce a hibernation like state where metabolic processes are slowed. Minimal nutrients and water would be …
The super heavy booster can be used more frequently than the ship, as it returns in about ~6 minutes and can theoretically be ready for reflght in an hour. The ship needs to complete at least one orbit, but often several to have the ground track line back up with the launch site, so reuse …
The Vulcan 3D printed home construction system is comprised of the Vulcan printer and the Magma portable mixing unit that prepares ICON’s proprietary building material, Lavacrete, for printing. All of this hardware is driven by the BuildOS software suite. BuildOS generates and prepares architecture for printing, then controls the robotic hardware on-site to turn digital …
China’s Mars sample return mission, Tianwen-3, is scheduled to launch in late 2028. The mission will consist of two launches, with a lander and ascent vehicle on a Long March 5 and an orbiter and return module on a Long March 3B. The samples are expected to return to Earth in July 2031. New details …
Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) is the preferred propulsion technology for manned missions throughout the solar system. The state-of-the-art NTP cycle is based on solid core Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application (NERVA) class technology that is envisioned to provide a specific impulse (Isp) of 900 seconds doubling chemical rocket performance (450 seconds). Even with this …
A nuclear fission fragment rocket engine (FFRE) that is exponentially more propellent efficient than rocket engines currently used to power today’s space vehicles and could eventually achieve very high specific impulse (>100,000 sec) at high power density (>kW/kg). A new NASA NIAC (NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts) project is creating a buildable near term design for …
The D’Onghia magnetic shielding crew hat, or CREW HaT, is a system that uses electromagnetic coils to deflect cosmic radiation from astronauts. The system consists of: A ring of electrical coils positioned on arms roughly 5 meters from the spacecraft’s main body A Halbach Torus, a circular array of magnets that creates a stronger field …