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Image via Wikipedia

Have you ever wanted a chance to have all the data that the folks at ISS control have? Well, now it’s possible with ISS Live. NASA is releasing this information as part of an initiative for a more “open” government. ISS Live has been out of beta for the past month and I got to say, It’s awesome!

ISS Live includes live mission control console information:

• Console Handbook – Embedded PDF files that give information regarding console-related systems on board the International Space Station.
• OPS Planner – What the crew is doing at the present moment.
• Crew Timelines – A look at the crew’s individual schedules for the day.
• CAPCOM – Live audio from the capsule communicator. Live audio feed of the communications from the International Space Station to the ground.
• EVA – Spacewalking information. Information includes Spacesuit equipment information. Only available during spacewalks.
• ADCO – Attitude Determination and  Control Officer.  Various telemetry data.
• CRONUS – Communication Radio Frequency Onboard Network Utilization Specialist. includes various onboard computer and radio information.
• ETHOS –  Environmental and Thermal Operating Systems. Life support system information.
• SPARTON – Power system information.
• TOPO – Trajectory Operations Officer. Orbital Position information.
• VVO – Visiting Vehicle Officer. Docking information.

The website also has a lot of information regarding the building and operation of the International Space Station. According to the website, Iphone, Ipad, and Android apps are coming soon. I think this would work pretty well on an Ipad. One thing that I can recommend to them is to make the website easier to find. It took me almost an hour to find the site again. I guess I won’t torment them any more at the moment since this service is still in beta phase.

Heres the Link: NASA: ISS LIve!

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The New Heavy Lift Vehicle (NASA)

On Wednesday, NASA announced that they are developing a heavy-lift vehicle that will start launching in 2017. The Space Launch System (SLS) will be able to carry the Orion Multipurpose Launch Vehicle and will be able to launch crew to and from the International Space Station and eventually carry humans to a near-Earth asteroid and even Mars.

NASA says the rocket will use a liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen propulsion system like the Space Shuttle and will use Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB) on the initial flights. The rocket will be able to carry a little more than 154,000 pounds of cargo with the capability to go to 286,600 pounds.

NASA originally got the idea of this rocket from DIRECT, which was an idea developed by a bunch of space enthusiasts and costs much less than the cancelled Project Constellation because it uses many of the technologies used by the Space Shuttle. This launch vehicle basically uses the External Tank and attached Solid Rocket Boosters but instead of using the shuttle, they put the Orion crew capsule on the top with launch pad abort system.

The Shuttle With The White External Tank

Although the concept shows the whole vehicle painted white (which makes it look a lot like a Saturn V), I think the white paint will be eliminated just like it was for the shuttle program. The paint adds a good amount of weight and costs a bit of money to use.

DIRECT's version of the rocket gives us a clear look at what the rocket looks like without white paint.

This was the project I was cheering for because It’s much more cheaper to create because It uses existing parts and it looks much more attractive than the proposed Ares 1 vehicle, but I just hope that Obama doesn’t decide to cancel this one.

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Image Credits:
First Image: NASA
Second Image: NASA
Third Image: DIRECT artwork from Philip Metschan

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Photo: SpaceX

SpaceX and NASA came to an agreement on the first Dragon cargo delivery for the International Space Station. The target date as of Thursday July 22,2011 is November 30th with the target docking date of December 7th. Currently, SpaceX and NASA are trying to sort out how to launch two satellites on the same rocket without causing an impact hazard for the International Space Station. This flight will be a combination of the second and third COTS demonstration for the Dragon capsule.