Virgin Galactic Unveils Launcher One

Virgin Galactic Launcher One
Virgin Galactic, 11 July 2012
http://www.virgingalactic.com/launcherone

Now, we are leveraging that background to build and operate a new vehicle designed to give satellite operators a radically better option for carrying their small satellites into orbit. By using much of the same infrastructure originally created to support SpaceShipTwo—in particular, our unique, high-performance mothership, the WhiteKnightTwo –we can keep prices low while accommodating customer needs for launch availability and flexibility. It’s a winning combination, and we are thrilled to bring it to market.

Raspberry Pi in space: Putting the Linux PC into orbit

Raspberry Pi in space: Putting the Linux PC into orbit ZDNet, 13 July 2012
http://www.zdnet.com/raspberry-pi-in-space-putting-the-linux-pc-into-orbit-7000000577/

A thriving home-brew community is already putting the credit card-sized PC to use in drones and robots. The device's designer, Eben Upton, wants to see it in rockets and satellites, too.

Extraterrestrial Mining Could Reap Riches & Spur Exploration

Extraterrestrial Mining Could Reap Riches & Spur Exploration
Space.com, 25 June 2012
http://www.space.com/16273-extraterrestrial-mining-asteroids-moon.html

Mining the plentiful resources of the moon and near-Earth asteroids could alter the course of human history, adding trillions of dollars to the world economy and spurring our species' spread out into the solar system, a new breed of space enterpreneur says.

NRL Scientists Propose Mitigation Concept of LEO Debris

NRL Scientists Propose Mitigation Concept of LEO Debris
Naval Research Lab, 20 June 2012
http://www.nrl.navy.mil/media/news-releases/2012/nrl-scientists-propose-mitigation-concept-of-leo-debris

Physicist and Engineers at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory Plasma Physics Division and Naval Center for Space Technology are researching a technique to 'sweep' Low Earth Orbit (LEO) debris from space using an Active Debris Removal (ADR) system of deployed micron-scale dust.

Project aims to dock cubesats for modular space structures

Project aims to dock cubesats for modular space structures
The Engineer, 31 May 2012
http://www.theengineer.co.uk/sectors/aerospace/news/project-aims-to-dock-cubesats-for-modular-space-structures/1012793.article

A project at the Surrey Space Centre (SSC) is aiming to dock two cubesats in orbit, with a view to eventually enabling mission upgrades and construction of modular devices.

Boeing Unveils Air-Launched Space-Access Concept

Boeing Unveils Air-Launched Space-Access Concept
AviationWeek, 21 May 2012
http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/AW_05_21_2012_p25-458597.xml&p=1

Piece by piece, parts of the puzzle that may conceivably drive down costs to as low as $300,000 per launch, are falling into place, according to hypersonic researchers at Boeing. Building on these pieces, the company has unveiled a small launch vehicle (SLV) concept aimed at the smallsat market, and it could be in service as early as 2020.

A Day At FAR

A Day At FAR
Flickr, 5 May 2012
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neutronium/sets/72157629979117049/

I went out to FAR on 5 May 2012 and took a bunch of pictures of the goings-on.

Friends of Amateur Rocketry, FAR, is a place to test and launch high power, amateur and experimental rockets.