All Questions
18,613
questions
12
votes
1
answer
750
views
What engineering challenges would be posed by a manned mission to Ceres?
I have read a lot of literature concerning manned missions to the Moon, Mars, and the Jovian moons. Something I have not heard much about, despite it's relative distance and interesting composition, ...
- 1,123
20
votes
1
answer
3k
views
At what approximate distance will the New Horizons spacecraft resolve Pluto better than the Hubble Space Telescope?
As of July 2013, the New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) can resolve Pluto and Charon as separate objects. From what I've read, it will still be some time until the spacecraft is ...
- 1,123
19
votes
1
answer
513
views
How will Curiosity manage its power when its nuclear power starts to run low?
As we've already determined, Curiosity should last about 14 years on its nuclear power.
What happens near that timeframe? Will NASA start to manage the rover's use of power by shutting down unused ...
- 18k
24
votes
1
answer
2k
views
What problems led to the use of the Sky Crane system used by Curiosity?
We all know about the fancy 'sky crane' system used on NASA's Curiosity rover.
The rockets slow the descent to 1 ½ mph and power a sideways parry to avoid the faster falling chute. As Sky Crane ...
- 18k
18
votes
1
answer
901
views
What was the space-worthiness determination procedure for STS-1?
I am specifically interested in on-ground tests that were conducted after the full shuttle was pieced together (orbiter, tank, engine, boosters) for the first time (before STS-1).
Of course the ...
user40
36
votes
3
answers
25k
views
About how long will Curiosity last on its nuclear power?
Curiosity, we know, has no little nuclear reactor, it has a RTG. Great! But how long will it last? For how many years will our little 1-ton friend be roaming around another planet?
- 18k
15
votes
3
answers
2k
views
What types of items are prohibited on space missions?
What items are not allowed to be brought aboard space exploration missions?
What can't be brought back from a space mission (without prior authorization)?
Why were these regulations originally put ...
- 561
12
votes
2
answers
956
views
How do people drink from cups in Space?
How do people drink from cups (an activity which heavily relies on the presence of gravity) in space?
I know they could try to wait for the liquid to 'split up' and try to catch a chunk, but is there ...
- 1,127
17
votes
3
answers
5k
views
Would wearing heavy clothing be enough to solve the health effects of reduced gravity on other planets?
One of the most often cited drawbacks to settlement of other planets and satellites is the negative health effects of reduced gravity. Among the most severe of these is loss of bone density, reduced ...
- 2,917
7
votes
6
answers
2k
views
What are the effects of body building on heavy planets?
This answer suggests that outer planets are very heavy and that lifting things on it is very energy expensive.
If someone was to workout on a planet that is considered 'heavy' (whatever that means) ...
- 1,108
16
votes
2
answers
940
views
What specifically makes launching objects from Earth into space expensive?
I always wondered about this. Is it because the fuel is too costly? Because the equipment will be trashed?
- 297
20
votes
2
answers
10k
views
How would an astronaut's hand react to a hard vacuum?
What would happen if an astronaut took his/her glove off in space but had the rest of their body completely sealed off?
My guess is that the hand would start to boil or freeze depending on location.
- 1,108
15
votes
2
answers
442
views
What, if any, plans have been made for handling events like a geomagnetic reversal?
Although a substantial changes in the Earth's magnetic field (e.g., as associated with a geomagnetic reversal where the magnetic field strength may be reduced to 5% of the current strength) are rare ...
user56
12
votes
2
answers
619
views
What is the status of concentrated solar energy (CSE) in space exploration?
The Cassini Environmental Impact Statement, Chapter 2 (page 53–54) describes the status of Concentrated Solar Energy in space:
A 1981 conceptual study of the system impacts of using a concentrated
...
- 11.5k
15
votes
5
answers
2k
views
Are Mercury/Apollo/Gemini capsules visible in any museum?
Is it possible to visit some of the famous American capsules in any museum?
user55
11
votes
2
answers
361
views
Have there been any official feasability studies into descending balloons into outer planetary atmospheres?
The Vega program included a balloon floating in the Venus atmosphere. It seems no more balloons have been used on other planets since then. The Wikipedia article on Aerobots mentions JPL feasibility ...
- 11.5k
13
votes
2
answers
25k
views
"Failure is not an option" is really a quote of flight director Gene Kranz?
"Failure is not an option" is attributed to Gene Kranz, flight director of Gemini, Apollo and Space Shuttle missions. In the movie Apollo 13, Ed Harris says it but IMDB trivia states that it was not ...
user55
13
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Is the Nudelman-Rikhter gun installed on Zvezda module?
By having a gun on board, one can conduct military kinds of experiments. Exploring armoring approaches for spacecraft, warning systems for the personnel, orbital ballistic studies for the multi-body ...
user54
25
votes
4
answers
1k
views
Could any life from Earth survive in Enceladus' oceans?
Enceladus, the sixth-largest moon of Saturn, is probably unique in being the only body in our solar system besides Earth (and possibly Europa) to have significant amounts of liquid water. Most of this ...
- 2,917
15
votes
2
answers
325
views
To what extent are the US modules of ISS based on the Spacelab design?
Various sources, for example the Spacelab wikipedia page, report that several modules used in American sector of the ISS are based on the Spacelab legacy.
To what extent has its legacy been used? ...
user54
20
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Why is it that during reentry phase a capsule cannot communicate with mission control?
During reentry phase into the Earth's atmosphere the heat produced by air friction does not allow any communication with the surface. Why does the heat interfere with electronic frequencies and ...
user55
7
votes
1
answer
297
views
What research has been done into using virtual reality to counteract the psychological effects of extended space travel?
One of the biggest challenges in long space flight is the psychological impact it has on the crew. I've seen a lot of research into preventing the effects, but what about "preventing" the cause ...
- 186
36
votes
5
answers
9k
views
What is the total mass sent into orbit over all history?
I would like to find a good estimate of the sum total amount of payload that humans have put into space, that is, over all years, all space programs, and all types of payload that reached orbit. ...
- 16.2k
18
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Is there any reason why American spacesuits color changed over years?
From Mercury silver suits to orange Space Shuttle ones, color of space suits have changed over years. Is there any reason for it?
user55
21
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Could a spacecraft be made out of lunar materials?
Would it be possible to construct a working spacecraft using only materials extracted from the lunar surface? If not, what materials would we have to be ferried from Earth for this purpose?
- 2,917
18
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Is it more efficient to assemble spacecraft in orbit, or assemble on the ground and launch?
My friends and I were trying to figure this out a while ago.
I was thinking that by transporting smaller pieces into space via a lighter re-entry spacecraft, there would be overall less fuel used ...
- 838
20
votes
1
answer
775
views
How much of the Interplanetary Transport Network is currently known?
The Interplanetary Transport Network is a network of mathematically-defined paths through our solar system that would require little to no energy for a spacecraft to follow them, albeit at very low ...
- 2,917
13
votes
3
answers
429
views
What is the jurisdiction for contracts signed in space?
What would be the jurisdiction for contracts signed in space?
Let's say, an american citizen runs company registered on Cyprus, and operates a space station launched from the territory of Kazakhstan....
user43
46
votes
2
answers
6k
views
Why does the International Space Station produce so much methane?
According to NASA, roughly "1,000 pounds of methane are produced on International Space Station and dumped overboard as waste gas every year"[1].
It seems like an awful waste to just get rid of it. ...
- 2,174
13
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Are there international regulations for launching objects into space?
In the United States access to space is restricted by the FCC / FAA, which licenses private, commercial, and government entities for potential launches into space.
Is there any international ...
- 958
26
votes
2
answers
2k
views
What are the possible legal consequences of an unauthorized launch of a satellite?
Consider the situation, where the private company (let's say, registered on some Caribbean country, but owned by the citizen of United States) does the unauthorized launch of satellite or other ...
user43
13
votes
3
answers
737
views
Is there any research going on launching into orbit with "space guns"? Why (not)?
Many have said that rocket launches are an outdated and inefficient technology and have predicted that other technologies will take over, yet to date, it's still the only thing we have to launch into ...
- 11.5k
25
votes
2
answers
5k
views
What medical conditions can impede someone from going into space?
Are there any physical, mental, or health-related medical conditions that could permanently exclude someone from going into space?
Do the criteria differ from one country's (government sponsored or ...
- 561
15
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Is it possible that a giant 10th planet exists in our solar system? [closed]
It seems that some people maintain the existence of a "planet X" is all but science fiction, while others claim that its existence is a possibility, even if that's relatively a remote one. ...
- 2,043
14
votes
4
answers
874
views
What are the actual legal prerequisites for extracting natural resources from asteroids by private entities?
The Moon Treaty states that no extraterrestrial property can be owned by any organization or person, with the exception of international and governmental organization.
So, taking the current state of ...
user43
9
votes
2
answers
373
views
Are there any significant differences in launch failure rates between different agencies/countries?
NASA, ESA, Roscosmos, and others, all have somewhat different cultures and attitudes when it comes to building and launching spacecraft. I don't have a source, but one anecdote I heard from someone ...
- 11.5k
14
votes
3
answers
6k
views
What advantages do manned missions have over robot missions? [closed]
With robots that can run for years on nuclear batteries, and in some cases even perform basic repairs to themselves, they seem like pretty capable instruments for space exploration. Aside from the ...
- 2,043
29
votes
2
answers
14k
views
How long does a CubeSat last?
If I were to launch a CubeSat, how long would it last before falling out of orbit and burning up in the atmosphere?
- 2,043
28
votes
4
answers
4k
views
What will be NASA's successor to the Saturn V rocket?
The Saturn V rockets were the "tallest, heaviest, and most powerful rocket ever brought to operational status and still holds the record for heaviest payload launched and heaviest payload capacity to ...
- 2,174
18
votes
2
answers
2k
views
How can I derive an mass/size estimate of an asteroid from JPL parameters?
I'm looking for a list of objects with a semi-major axis between 0.95 AU and 1.05 AU that are probably larger than 1 km in diameter. For this, the JPL Small-Body Database Search Engine seems to be ...
- 16.2k
14
votes
4
answers
6k
views
How feasible is it to harvest isotopes of Helium or Hydrogen from the gas giants?
The gas giants in our solar system have abundant quantities of Helium and Hydrogen. Is it possible to harvest these resources there? Does NASA have any plans to build some permanent base in space for ...
- 889
11
votes
2
answers
274
views
How much adjustment of position is required when making long flights through the solar system?
It is hard enough to exactly aim a rocket when you know all the forces on it, but on a long journey there must be any number of minor gravitational attractions to rocks and other mass in space, and ...
- 13.7k
21
votes
1
answer
827
views
Is there any ongoing research in nuclear pulse propulsion?
Nuclear pulse propulsion seemed to be quite actively researched up until the 1990's, with a few projects that saw some rather promising results (some that could theoretically reach over 4% light speed....
- 2,043
16
votes
2
answers
829
views
How does the launch risk posed by plutonium compare to the launch risk posed by propellants?
For outer solar system exploration, virtually the only feasible power subsystem are Radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs). These include plutonium, which may carry considerable risks (see ...
- 11.5k
12
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Have any countries laid claim to territory in space?
Have there ever been any cases of any countries or constituencies laying claim to any space territory? Is there any legal framework in place for such a claim (or indeed, to nullify such claims?)
- 2,043
22
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Is it possible to build a Dyson sphere or its variant in our solar system based on our current technology?
Dyson sphere, a concept coined by the physicist Freeman Dyson, is a solar megastructure built around our Sun to harvests most of the radiated energy from it.
While this sounds impossible for now, ...
- 889
19
votes
3
answers
2k
views
How much of a problem is space junk, and how can we clean it up?
A lot is heard about space junk these days, but how much of a problem is it really to orbiting satellites? Are there many cases of spacecraft being damaged by it, or is it a bit overhyped?
Following ...
- 2,043
9
votes
1
answer
529
views
What spaceship materials could naturally experience radioactive decay and transmute on a million year interstellar journey? [closed]
For extremely long journeys, deterioration of spaceship materials becomes a concern beyond mere rust or corrosion.
Assuming a ship is sufficiently protected against radiation and other colliding ...
- 398
28
votes
4
answers
3k
views
Are there any safe-to-launch alternatives to RTG's for outer solar system exploration?
In the past two decades, NASA has launched at least three missions that use RTG's:
Cassini
Mars Science Laboratory
New Horizons
Those launches include plutonium, which is a reason for some to oppose ...
- 11.5k
22
votes
2
answers
502
views
Is converting moon dust into oxygen a viable option for sustainability?
On the about page for Project Morpheus, the possibility of converting moon dust into oxygen is mentioned:
It was manufactured and assembled at JSC and Armadillo Aerospace. Morpheus is large enough ...
- 2,174