What Are The Benefits of 3D Printing in Space?
3D printing has moved from a hobbyist’s best friend to one of the most useful tools in nearly every industry. With a computer and a bit of heat, you can turn strings of plastic filament into nearly anything. More advanced types of 3D printers can even lay down layers of metal, glass, or cement. There is even a 3D printer in orbit above the Earth on the International Space Station. What are the benefits of 3D printing in space and will we see more of it in the future? Keeping Rocket Weight Low That same gravity that keeps you from floating away from the Earth’s surface also makes it difficult…
What Experiments Did Scientists Conduct on the ISS?
Humanity has watched the International Space Station orbit this little blue marble for the last 20 years, as of November 2020. This modern marvel has seen hundreds of astronauts and been home to thousands of scientific experiments. The ISS provides a unique laboratory that allows researchers to carry out their experiments in microgravity. So how, exactly, is the ISS outfitted to support this scientific research? What sorts of experiments are astronauts and scientists conducting on the ISS? Microgravity Experimentation Laboratories might be controlled environments on Earth, but even the most advanced lab on the planet doesn’t hold a candle to the International Space Station. How is the ISS kitted out…
How Solar Energy Keeps the International Space Station Going
Solar energy is a big deal on planet Earth right now. People around the world have discovered its benefits. Its clean, renewable, and affordable. Once you have an array in place, you can power your home or business for decades. Connect Electric wants to also share how solar helps us off-planet just as much as it does at home. The sun is our most plentiful power source, and scientists and researchers have found ways to tap into it on the International Space Station. The Sun is the Answer The International Space Station (ISS) orbits 220 miles above the surface of our planet. That’s a great distance to run a wire…
Did You Know Polyurethane Foam Made the Space Shuttle Possible?
Sometimes it’s all in the details. Something as simple as polyurethane (PU) foam made the modern space shuttle a possibility. This crucial material opened up a range of new options for spacecraft, as well as everyday objects. Polyurethane is a polymer, or a molecule made up of multiple subunits, containing different organic materials that urethane compounds join together. When in foam form, it acts as an invaluable tool for everyday objects. However, researchers later found that it’s the perfect substance for space shuttles. But how exactly did polyurethane become such an essential tool in the space industry? Well, you’re about to find out! The Foam for Space Shuttles In 2016,…
NASA Commissions a New Module for the Space Station
The International Space Station has been in orbit since the first component was launched in 1998, with the first crew arriving in 2000. It’s been in orbit for nearly 22 years and until recently, it seemed like the funding that supports what is currently one of our only platforms in orbit was going to run out. The renewed push to get human beings back into outer space has brought new attention to the space station. NASA has commissioned a new module for the space station. Who is building this new module, what will it do and when will it be heading into orbit? The End of The ISS? The International…
Why Does the Advisory Committee Want a Smaller ISS Crew?
There are currently six astronauts on the International Space Station right now — three from the United States, two from Russia and one from Japan. You can use this website to see who they are and how many days they’ve been in space. There are even informational profiles for each astronaut, so you can learn more about them. A total of six astronauts doesn’t sound like a lot in the grand scheme of things, but that hasn’t stopped the Advisory Committee from recommending smaller ISS crews going forward. Why does the committee want smaller teams on the International Space Station, and what will this mean for the future of the…
Does Space Tourism Have Health Risks?
Until recently, the idea of traveling to space was restricted to highly trained, healthy and strong individuals called astronauts. If you had any health problems, even something simple like flat feet or glasses could keep you out of the space program and stuck on the ground. Recently, space billionaires like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos have started to expand the list of people who can travel to space — and it doesn’t require any sort of training at all. There’s one question that hasn’t been asked, even as Tesla, Boeing and others start building their space planes — does this push toward space tourism have any health risks we should…
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.
Evolution of the Space Suit [Infographic]
Two types of pressurized suits are in use today: "escape suits" worn inside the craft during launch and landing, and full "EVA" suits worn for working in the vacuum of space. NASA escape suits are colored International Orange for easy spotting by rescuers in the event of an emergency landing.
Could Space Junk Be a Threat to Our Hi-Tech Way of Life?
Space waste, space junk, orbital debris…whatever you call this orbiting mass of objects, they are a big issue. Space waste doesn’t just make earth’s orbital corridors look untidy, it poses a very real threat to the future of space exploration and our way of life. Read on to find out more… What is Space Junk? For over 50 years humankind has been launching objects into space without thinking about how to clear up their space junk afterwards. Space debris is made up of decommissioned satellites, collision shrapnel, bits of booster rocket and even space tools, gloves, bags, nuts and bolts that a careless spaceman has let slip from their fingers.…
