How Did SpaceX Convert Two Oil Rigs into Launch Pads?
As space travel evolves, so too will its launch sites. Instead of building stationary launch pads like the ones that NASA and other space agencies have used traditionally, SpaceX is working to convert two floating oil rigs into off-shore launch pads. How is SpaceX turning oil rigs into launch pads?
How Do Spacecraft Withstand Re-Entry into Earth’s Atmosphere?
If you’re lucky when you look up in the sky at night, you might see a shooting star. As you’re making your wish, what you’re actually seeing is a small piece of rock or space junk burning up in the atmosphere. The friction of re-entry causes the shooting star to ignite and burn, which is why you see a brief flash of light. This begs the question: How do our spacecraft withstand that level of heat and friction to return our astronauts safely home? Friction = Drag The fireball you see when something re-enters Earth’s atmosphere is caused by friction. As the spacecraft moves through the air molecules that make…
The Next Cybersecurity Weapon: Self-Driving Cars
A new report shows that the fastest growing crime in the world is cyber-crime. Commenting on the Hiscox Cyber Readiness Report 2017, Hiscox CEO Steve Langan said that in 2016 “cybercrime cost the global economy over $450 billion, over 2 billion personal records were stolen and in the U.S. alone over 100 million Americans had their medical records stolen,” reports CNBC. That’s a big number, but Ernst & Young’s 2016-17 Global Information Security Survey reports that cyber crime damage could reach costs of $6 trillion annually by 2021. If 2017 has been any indicator, we’re absolutely on the path toward even more disruptive cyber futures. This year’s recent WannaCry Ransomware…
Why Your Kids Will Live on Mars
Mars has a daytime temperature of 73 ºF, but a nighttime temperature of -100 ºF. Nearly 95% of the martian atmosphere is carbon dioxide, and the planet is constantly exposed to intense radiation. So why are humans so eager to go to Mars, and how would we ever make it habitable? In short, establishing a human settlement on Mars and making humans a multi-planetary species would be an astronomical (pun intended) step for humankind, and there are innovators making this dream a reality. The Spirit of Human Curiosity First of all, humans want (and need) to go to Mars for the spirit of adventure and exploration. Throughout all of history,…
Tesla’s Powerwall and the Future of Energy
Tesla Motors, Elon Musk’s luxury electric vehicle company, might be the world’s most prominent producer of fully electric and efficient automobiles. Recently however, Musk has moved the company forward in a new direction by introducing an energy storage system as a part of the new “Tesla Energy” division. This battery unit stores 10 kilowatt hours of power and can supply an average of two kilowatts of power continuously. While this may seem minuscule in the grand scheme of average household use, the potential for future development is great – as are the sales of the product. The New Face of Energy Efficiency Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors, has been a strong…
Go Away, Gravity! – The Ventures of Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic
Elon Musk has a net worth of $11.9 billion while Richard Branson has a net worth of $4.8 billion. If they stacked their respective fortunes in $1 bills atop each other, the tower would reach six million miles, almost 25 times the distance between the earth and the moon. And that is, in a metaphorical way, exactly what the two plan to do.
Tesla Model 3 Announced: What Should we Expect?
Elon Musk, the electric car evangelist and the owner of Tesla Motors, recently teased the public with the new car model which is expected to see the light of day sometimes in 2016 – the Model 3. We tried to find out as much as possible about it and here is what we think should be its main selling points. Fans of Tesla will notice one peculiarity about the name of the announced car. The number three would suggest that the model comes third in line, but it is actually the fourth model to come from the famous manufacturer, after Models S and X which are already available, and the…
