June 2015
Beagle 2: discovering the lost Mars lander
... surface. All in all, Beagle 2 survived a 400g impact shock. Finally the probe released the lander clamp band before handing over to the on-surface operations software, enabling the deployment sequence to proceed. Surface Operation The...
October 2015
Japan’s H-IIA rocket: beautiful, accurate, and on-time
... use of electric propulsion systems. Under current plans, the H3 rocket will accommodate demand by launching a broad band of satellite masses. Three vehicle configurations will carry satellites weighing from 2.5 tons to 7 tons into geostationary...
October 2015
Growing space businesses in the UK: from incubation centres to public funding
... funding network for space business innovations. Quantum satellites can be changed in space to alter their coverage, frequency bands and even orbital positions The continuing success of the UK space industry has created a number of new opportunities...
February 2016
Nuclear Flashlamps in Space
... puny compared to a star Both the Sun and the nuclear explosion emit radiation over a broad wavelength band, as well as particle radiation. Unlike the Sun, it is conceivable to engineer the radiation output from a nuclear explosion to make...
March 2016
Why We Need Space Artists
On the BBC six o’clock news of 15 July 2015, as a result of the first New Horizons images, several paintings of Pluto were shown (some by myself) with the statement, ‘There is no longer any need for artists’ impressions.’ This comment was of course ...
August 2016
Are the days of innovation in global space over - or just beginning?
... astronaut Chris Hadfield strums his guitar in the ISS Cupola in 2012. Hadfield, a long-time member of an astronaut band called Max Q, re-popularised David Bowie’s space musings for another new generation whilst in orbit. Canadian astronaut...
