Questions tagged [uncrewed-spaceflight]
Questions about space flight activities without humans onboard.
59 questions
26
votes
1
answer
4k
views
If Voyager is still an active NASA spacecraft, does it have a flight director? Is that a part time job?
I guess this is the first space mission that doesn't have any consoles or even a desk with a little sign saying "Voyager Flight Control."
Does it at least have a P.O. box at NASA?
8
votes
1
answer
435
views
What other crewed spacecraft returned uncrewed before Starliner Boe-CFT?
Tonight's (September 6, 2024) return of Starliner (Boe-CFT or Boeing Crew Flight Test) from the ISS was made without the crew that launched with it (Suny Williams, Butch Wilmore). What other ...
0
votes
0
answers
151
views
Was Starship 28 equipped with a "black box" designed to enable the recovery of flight data after a RUD during reentry?
Other terms used to describe a "black box" include Flight Data Recorder (FDR), Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), MADS (Modular Auxiliary Data System), and OEX (Orbiter EXperiments) recorder. ...
- 9,190
14
votes
1
answer
2k
views
How likely is it that the Voyager spacecrafts haven't yet been damaged by micrometeoroids?
Both Voyagers have been traveling at over $60,000$ km/h for well over four decades and still seem to function properly, taking into account the slowly dropping power and warmth available from their ...
- 243
0
votes
1
answer
100
views
Are most launches for science missions?
Are most space missions launched for scientific purposes?
I had thought so, but during a group discussion, someone suggested most are actually for commercial purposes. Are they correct?
Thanks!
- 403
1
vote
1
answer
207
views
What is that cone-shaped thingy on most orbiters?
Whether you're Looking at MRO, Odyssey, Juno, or MAVEN, you might notice it. That odd cone on the top or bottom of the spacecraft. Does anyone know what it is?
user47287
11
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Will SLS be launched as often as the space shuttle was?
Again, I did some research, and again, the results aren't that impressive.
I was able to find that SLS is to become the " successor to the retired Space Shuttle, and the primary launch vehicle of ...
user47287
0
votes
2
answers
281
views
Why did Curiosity perform TCMs?
Why did Curiosity perform TCM (Trajectory Correction Maneuver)s 1 through 5? 6 makes sense since it needed to adjust course to actually once in the SOI, but the others don't. I understand that this ...
- 6,710
2
votes
3
answers
275
views
Pre-deorbit explosive disassembly of the ISS is possible using propellant. Is this a useful way to reduce smaller debris impacts?
The ISS could be explosively disassembled post retro-burn to provide smaller pieces for burn-up. If the hull space were filled with a stoichiometric mix of propellant from the deorbiting "tug&...
- 27.4k
2
votes
0
answers
111
views
how to soft-kill or soft-deny a target satellite?
Thanks to the rapid growth of commercial space technologies, the use of space by new players is increasing. To prevent outlaw or problematic new spacecraft let's suppose there is a "space police&...
- 73
8
votes
2
answers
307
views
Is it possible to perform powered flight on the upper atmospheres of gas giants?
After reading about Ingenuity, whose main challenge I heard was dealing with the relatively thin atmosphere of Mars, I wondered if the thicker atmospheres of gas giants could allow for powered flight ...
- 193
6
votes
0
answers
118
views
Challenges to constructing a "building" in Earth orbit (something like a hotel) 100% robotically?
Today my younger brother and I, while discussing the idea of building any commercial building (something like a hotel) in the Earth orbit, got into some debate with the assembling of the building in ...
- 61
17
votes
2
answers
2k
views
When was the last time that an incandescent light bulb was launched into space?
Certainly the first crewed spacecraft had some incandescent light bulbs for indicators, though for cabin illumination the higher efficiency of fluorescent lights was often exploited. The question ...
- 151k
5
votes
1
answer
296
views
Was the Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle supposed to be crewed?
NASA studied another space tug design, termed the Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle (OMV), along with its plans for Space Station Freedom. The OMV's role would have been a reusable space vehicle that would ...
- 48.3k
23
votes
4
answers
4k
views
What is "mission design"? What do mission designers do (if such a designation exists)?
The question in meta Is the mission-design tag description wrong? Should the trajectory-design tag be somehow nixed? needs some attention, so I thought I'd turn to our "panel of experts" ...
- 151k
3
votes
1
answer
96
views
NASA design handbooks and specifications
Does anybody know the designations, publication names, etc. for the design standards which NASA uses for space flight hardware? I’d like to add these resources into my engineering library.
- 393
4
votes
2
answers
2k
views
First use of an incandescent light in an un-crewed spacecraft?
In early, pre-LED spacecraft indicator lights were incandescent I assume. For larger volumes of crewed areas of spacecraft fluorescent lights were often used.
But what is the first use of an ...
- 151k
21
votes
7
answers
4k
views
Why don't we build standardized space probes?
Why is each space probe is so different? This increase costs. Wouldn't it be beneficial to design one probe that can be sent in many different directions? Or maybe a set of probes, or maybe design a ...
- 321
6
votes
1
answer
114
views
Are there any differences in docking procedures between ISS and manned capsules vs. unmanned capsules?
The Russian Soyuz has an extensive history in docking with ISS with both manned and unmanned capsules. SpaceX just recently demonstrated manned-capsule docking with ISS with a history of unmanned ...
- 463
-3
votes
1
answer
304
views
What does it take to send a probe into a primordial black hole near the Oort cloud?
Since Sept 2019 there's been some speculation1 whether the hypothetical planet far beyond the Kuiper belt is actually a primordial black hole. It would be the closest black hole to the Earth (500 au ...
user35272
4
votes
0
answers
90
views
Could a rotorcraft fly on Triton?
Mars 2020 will use a drone to fly within Mars' atmosphere. Although it's thin, Mars also has a lower surface gravity which makes airflight possible on Mars. What about Neptune's moon Triton? Triton ...
user35272
13
votes
4
answers
6k
views
Did any spacecraft ever use the Sun's gravity for acceleration?
Space probes often use planets to accelerate onto a trajectory towards their goal(s) without having to consume too much fuel. But the fastest acceleration would be made through the Sun's gravity if ...
user35272
28
votes
1
answer
5k
views
Why not explore Cruithne?
Cruithne (3753 Cruithne) is in a near Earth orbit. Technically, a horseshoe orbit, because it orbits the sun so close to Earth's orbit that it almost, but never, passes us. When visible, which is ...
- 421
18
votes
2
answers
5k
views
Are fans ever used in un-crewed spacecraft?
The question For a Venus bound space probe could could a fan be used to prevent overheating? got me thinking.
Most if not all crewed spacecraft have had fans to move air for one reason or another.
...
- 151k
2
votes
1
answer
161
views
Has SpaceX said much publicly about uncrewed landings on the surface of the Moon or Mars?
It seems like this would be very good publicity as well as a necessary proof of concept, and SpaceX certainly has some experience with robotic/automated landings on Earth.
I'm assuming this will be ...
- 337
21
votes
2
answers
7k
views
Has any object launched from Earth gone into the Sun?
I've seen a lot of questions about the $\Delta V$ required to reach the Sun from the Earth (~22-30 km/s if I remember correctly), firing a bullet into the sun, etc.
But has this ever happened? Has ...
- 653
3
votes
3
answers
232
views
Where in the solar system could a nuke be tested without anybody noticing?
Testing nuclear weapons is difficult on earth because of the large number of parties that want to prevent such tests from happening. Say that a country with a space program wants to test a nuclear ...
- 133
26
votes
2
answers
6k
views
Were there any unmanned expeditions to the moon that returned to Earth prior to Apollo?
Apollo 8 orbited the moon, and obviously Apollo 11 landed. I'm wondering if there were any test missions to get unmanned ships to the moon and safely back to Earth? It seems like a big jump to ...
- 291
2
votes
1
answer
240
views
How much less fuel do rockets burn with higher G force?
How does G force at launch differ between spacecraft when it comes to efficiency between crewed and uncrewed space flight? Does less time in the atmosphere equate to a savings in fuel for an ...
- 1
8
votes
1
answer
121
views
Has JPL been affected by the November 2018 California wildfires?
The Deep Space Network Now page shows no activity at all. Two hours ago, there was only testing on two of the Madrid dishes (so it's more than a faulty webpage). I've never seen anything like it ...
- 48.3k
4
votes
3
answers
787
views
Have "QR" or other 2D barcodes been used in spaceflight?
Wikipedia:
QR code (abbreviated from Quick Response Code) is the trademark for a type of matrix barcode (or two-dimensional barcode) first designed in 1994 for the automotive industry in Japan.
...
- 151k
6
votes
3
answers
2k
views
How would the International Space Station be maintained unmanned?
Russia's lunch to the ISS failed and the crew may have to leave it unmanned. How would the ISS run without a crew? Could some one else take it over or squat in it?
https://www.npr.org/2018/10/11/...
- 1
38
votes
7
answers
27k
views
Why do we not fly to space with helicopters? What are the practical altitude limits?
People will tell that there is no air, and this is why we cannot. But if I read on the internet, there is air in space, much less, but still something.
For example:
100 km: $6\ \cdot 10^{-7}$ times ...
- 519
87
votes
7
answers
24k
views
What can the KSP game actually teach about spaceflight and orbital mechanics, and what are its limitations?
I have seen at least several different users mention that they've found Kerbal Space Program helpful to understand issues of spaceflight and orbital mechanics.
According to Wikipedia:
While the game ...
- 151k
11
votes
1
answer
675
views
How much manual flying is done in a modern manned spacecraft?
Considering we live in an age of unmanned spacecrafts, with computers more than capable of managing everything from attitude control, burns, to docking and insanely precise powered landings; how much ...
- 695
21
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Could an Apollo LM land uncrewed?
I believe that Apollo mission control had the ability to upload data and commands to the LM's guidance computer as long as they had an operational communications link. I'm wondering if, from the point ...
- 172k
8
votes
3
answers
621
views
Are SpaceX competitors planning to create reusable vehicles
Although I know programs and visions of many space companies, I'd like to ask, does anybody knows if there is any competitor to SpaceX that wants to create a reusable rocket in the future?
Let's ...
- 613
5
votes
1
answer
349
views
Deep space craft antenna aiming
In order to aim an antenna at Earth, how do unmanned spacecraft find their own orientation (xyz position in space, what direction it is flying and which direction the antenna is pointing)? Are they ...
- 153
0
votes
1
answer
216
views
Help me build a space shotgun so I can shoot Venus from Jupiter
If one wants to move an object from orbit around one planet in the solar system and have it collide with another, what information is needed, and how would one go about calculating such a thing?
For ...
- 221
6
votes
1
answer
237
views
How does the Dream Chaser manned differ from Dream Chaser cargo?
The CRS (Cargo Resupply Services) 2 contract was announced with three winners, SpaceX for Dragon, Orbital for Cygnus, and SNC for Dream Chaser.
How will the cargo version of Dream Chaser differ from ...
- 80.5k
7
votes
1
answer
342
views
What is the problem with pressure?
Among other reasons, the high pressure of Venus and the gas giants atmospheres are often stated as one of the major problems for an unmanned lander. They say the pressure will "crush" the probe. Why ...
25
votes
2
answers
38k
views
Launch Accelerations: Values, history
This topic: What G-forces do different launchers cause? indicates that current satellite launchers are limiting peak acceleration to about 4g. I'm pretty sure the STS (Shuttle) did the same. My ...
- 1,778
9
votes
6
answers
1k
views
Technology for unmanned spacecraft to exoplanets
I am interested in the possibility of sending unmanned reconnaisance spacecraft to study exoplanets, especially Earth-like ones with the ultimate goal of detecting alien life.
Certainly earth-based ...
- 463
37
votes
3
answers
6k
views
Is the "airship to orbit" mission profile feasible?
By one of those weird coincidences, I had been on JP Aerospace's site mere hours before reading this question about space dirigibles here. Their mission plan seems too good to be true.
They are ...
- 7,541
13
votes
4
answers
1k
views
What is the least energetic trajectory design to send uncrewed supplies to Mars?
Both Mars One and NASA have suggested sending uncrewed supply ships to Mars as part of a manned mission or colonization. These payloads can take all the time they like, not being constrained by human ...
- 7,541
3
votes
0
answers
163
views
Could electrodynamic tethers power long-term unmanned satellites around the Sun, Jupiter, or Saturn?
Assuming you have the budget to research electrodynamic tether powered unmanned satellites, and you had a cheap way of getting them in to earth low earth orbit, would they be able to use electricity ...
- 157
25
votes
5
answers
19k
views
Olympus Mons - viable Mars landing site?
I'm becoming interested in how Mars missions are planning their landings. One aspect I see brought up time and again is Mars' awkward atmosphere - 'just enough there that you have to care about it'. ...
- 533
6
votes
1
answer
202
views
What time of events is given for probes a long way away from Earth?
Philae is to land on 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko today at 17:02 CET. The comet is currently 3.409AU away from Earth. That means signals from the lander take a little over 28 minutes to reach Earth. Does ...
- 56k
17
votes
1
answer
772
views
What could the X-37 be useful for?
While U.S. Air Force doesn't disclose the tasks and roles for the X-37 Orbital Test Vehicle class spacecrafts, there are many things known about the vessel, such as its delta-v budget, its cargo bay ...
user54
20
votes
1
answer
731
views
Extending Use of ISS Beyond End of Mission
Given that the ISS will eventually come to the end of its mission (currently extended to 2020 (source)), would it be possible to re-purpose it for non-human space flight?
To clarify: does the ...
- 859