Space tug offered to NASA as new space delivery system

NASA has been offered an interesting new way to deliver cargo to the ISS and other outer space targets. Space Systems/Loral has submitted proposals for $175 million in Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) demonstration money, following NASA's decision to withdraw support from Rocketplane Kistler's stalled K-1 reusable launcher program. NASA is offering a total of $500 million to companies who can show potential ideas for space delivery systems. SpaceX already is entitled to $278 million in grants for it's Dragon rocket system. The Space System/Loral team would use the company's proven 1300-series satellite bus as a refuelable space tug that would remain in orbit for as long as 10 years. After docking with and escorting an essentially dumb cargo vessel to the station, the vehicle would remove it from the station and allow it to be de-orbited over an ocean. The technology is almost all there it is simply a new concept that may be very workable in the end. I think NASA will like this because it is all American made and possible reliable and reusable. Only time will tell.

The Fool

Solar System Squashed, Classified USA Rocket launched

New studies show theory that our solar system is slightly dented and even squashed on the southern heliosphere. An interesting little story, I just thought I would mention it to you, if you want to read some more http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22186054/ there you go.

Today United Launch Alliance launched a classified USA intelligence satellite into orbit today and it seems that it was a very successful launch aboard the ULA's reliable Atlas 5 rocket, there will obviously be little news about this satellite because it is classified but if I learn anything of interest I will of course pass it along.

The Fool

More Problems Plague NASA Shuttles

Well we may as get right into the thick of it.

As you may know NASA's scheduled launch of the Atlantis shuttle on Thursday had to be scrubbed due to the failure of a pair of fuel gauges on the external tank. NASA had originally only delayed the launch by a few day but now launch engineers plan the next possible launch date to be January 2, 2008, so that they can decide exactly how to fix the problem. The fuel gauges monitor the levels of super-chilled liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellant in Atlantis' external tank. They serve as a backup system to shut down the shuttle's three main engines during flight before the fuel tank runs dry. On Thursday two of the four gauges were malfunctioning. Ever since 2005 NASA has been plagued by engine shut-offs and many other problems. Don't you think they should have just built a more reliable machine to begin with? But anyway, hopefully Atlantis will get off the ground in January and complete its 11 day run which included at least three spacewalks to attach the $2 billion Columbus lab to the ISS.

The Fool