International Space Station contains pathogenic bacteria!

Scientists using a high tech white glove in the International Space Station found a tremendous amount of bacteria present in the space station. The bacteria present in the space station is believed to be bacterial pathogens that while innocuous on Earth could become active in space under extreme conditions. Since astronauts spend many months on short trips in the space station, NASA needs to make sure that they are safe enough to handle a longer trip into space especially so they can maintain safety precautions on increasingly more complex missions.

The real question that remains a mystery is how did specific pathogens make it into space? The answer appears to be humans that enter and leave the space station can bring millions of bacteria. With the inventiveness of the high tech white glove, we now know that bacteria needs to be better sanitized for safer trips.

Small satellites to launch from Kennedy Space Center beginning 2018

Florida’s space coast is about to be making many headlines for small satellite launches. NASA announced that it has selected three companies to receive grants in order to help the agency deliver small satellites into space. NASA has been following the trend of designing technology that can make launching faster than just designing satellites to launch alone. The advancement for building the technology to actually launch the satellites has led to designs and innovations towards customer service specifically for buyers who want quality launches. It’s a very unique trend considering how small satellites are now just starting to gain momentum.

According to the NASA release:

Firefly Space Systems plans to test suborbital flights from new launch pad 39C at Kennedy Space Center in 2017. The Texas-based company is building a two-stage rocket named "Alpha."

NASA is awarding Firefly $5.5 million to launch small satellites, and $6.9 million to a second company, Los Angeles-based Rocket Lab USA.

Rocket Lab is developing the Electron rocket to send small satellites, called CubeSats, to space. The company is also considering using pad 39C, which KSC opened over the summer.

The third company, Virgin Galactic, is flexible because it will launch its LauncherOne rocket from an aircraft. The company will start with launches from Mojave Air and Space Port in California.

Virgin Galactic's president said they do have the ability to fly from KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility in the future.

The three companies plan to launch their rockets with NASA satellites on board by April 2018

NASA Small Satellite phones home!

The first of NASA’s radio miniature satellite that was launched last week has radioed back to confirm that it’s in orbit and operational. NASA and The Aerospace Corporation, California, received confirmation that the Optical Communications and Sensor Demonstration (OCSD) CubeSat spacecraft is in orbit and operational.

Last week the OCSD had an Atlas V rocket was launched from the Vandenberg Air Force base in California. The OCSD is one of NASA’s six managed technology demonstration missions that are set to launch during the coming months. Using CubeSats to test technologies that can enable more uses for the satellites, themselves.

This is intended to help boost use within the public sector such as government agencies who need to launch projects and it also includes those who are in academia to provide more scholarships for students who are aiming to further their careers in the field of aerospace.

NASA is Set To Announce the Winners of it's VCLS Competition.

According to prnewswire.com, NASA will host a news conference at 1 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, Oct. 14, at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to announce the outcome of the Venture Class Launch Service (VCLS) competition. The news conference will air live on NASA Television and the agency's website.

This event is not just announcing the winners, but it’s also revealing the vehicles that met the VCLS requirements. The vehicles that met the requirements will represent the emerging class of commercial launch services for small satellites. This is interesting as NASA typically works with more government funded projects, but it seems like they are starting to make more commercially viable products that can be utilized by the private sector.

This contract will also increase the efficiency of NASA being able to launch small satellites. This is useful as it’s further proof of the legitimacy of the small satellite industry that is arriving in both the private and the public sector. It’s allowing for greater innovation and development. Tune in for more details at NASA.Gov

India’s first astronomy satellite launched into space

Recently, an Indian astronomical observatory was launched into space. This astronomy satellite was sent out for the purpose of researching black holes and neuron stars. According to Spaceflightnow.com, The Astrosat spacecraft — joined by six smaller secondary payloads from Indonesia, Canada and the United States — lifted off at 0430 GMT (12:30 a.m. EDT) on top of a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle.

              Six strap-on rocket motors and a solid-fueled first stage combined to push the 145-foot-tall rocket off the launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Center on India’s east coast with 2 million pounds of thrust.

Liquid-fueled and solid-fueled engines took turns firing to propel the PSLV’s payloads into space, and a twin-engine hydrazine-fed fourth stage guided Astrosat and its companions into a nearly perfect orbit with a high point of 404 miles (651 kilometers) and a low point of 400 miles (644 kilometers).

This is the third consecutive launch in three months for India and shows that it’s on track to bring in information from space and make India a global competitor in the space race. The United States and Europe have had many space observatories launched into space, but this one is the first space observatory for India. While this one may be smaller, it’s geared towards understanding the processes behind neuron stars and black holes. A press kit by the Indian Space Organization reads, ““Astrosat’s five payloads are chosen to facilitate a deeper insight into the various astrophysical processes occurring in the various types of astronomical objects constituting our universe.”

To conclude, small satellites continue to showcase their use through arenas of the public and private sector in many versatile ways. Their costs and effectiveness has now gone from allowing nonprofits and schools to enter the space race to new countries as well.