I was thinking...while I am here...
- Thread starter afeustel
- Start date
m_thompson
Well-Known Member
Are ion thrusters the future of propulsion?
What will power them?
What will power them?
Possibly and/or probably for travel once inserted into a microgravity environment. The power probably needs to come from a small nuclear reactor. They (ion engines) require a significant amount of electrical current.
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Any more space walks planned? I keep tracking my app to see when you are over SoCal in the evenings.
How much do you worry about space junk and do you get adequate warning when they come close to colliding w/the space station et al.?
Spacewalk planned for Sept 20.
Your brain accommodates pretty quickly. We treat the deck of the ISS as the floor similar to how we train on earth but it’s pretty easy to just flip orientation and treat the overhead as the floor. That said, things look differently when you are upside down. Even the overall lighting seems very different.
Depends. There are tracking stations for large objects (inches in size). For smaller stuff, not so much. We can change orbital altitude with a reboost to miss things if needed.
Wondering about those many, many dials and gauges to read up there. Does it ever happen, I mean, does one dial, ever, say, show a puzzling or incorrect reading, and you just tap on it and then it works fine and reads normal? Mike
Some of us don't FB... Peter tells me someone placed a Roundel on the station? ...any pics? 
When the 2000CS is finished I have a mission sticker for it...maybe by Christmas.
I understand you've befriended the F1 crowd with pics of the tracks. Nice. We just got word today that IndyCar is coming to COTA next Spring.
Hope we see you safely back in Texas soon. Give us a jingle when you come to Austin. Thanks for including us mere mortals in this adventure.
Ed Z
here's a couple softballs... What's the thing you're craving most? and, What will be the thing you'll miss most after your back home?
When the 2000CS is finished I have a mission sticker for it...maybe by Christmas.
I understand you've befriended the F1 crowd with pics of the tracks. Nice. We just got word today that IndyCar is coming to COTA next Spring.
Hope we see you safely back in Texas soon. Give us a jingle when you come to Austin. Thanks for including us mere mortals in this adventure.
Ed Z
here's a couple softballs... What's the thing you're craving most? and, What will be the thing you'll miss most after your back home?
Um, no not really. Actually on ISS, we interface the vehicle through computer screen telemetry so no steam gauges or anything like that. We do get faulty sensors from time to time.
Hi Drew,
I am forwarding you a question from Ms. Connell’s 4th grade class at Warfield Elementary in Indiantown, Florida. They are currently studying Earth/Space Science and find it fascinating that you can answer their question all the way from space. Here it is: “What has been your favorite experiment while on the space station, and was that experiment successful?”
Thank you!
I am forwarding you a question from Ms. Connell’s 4th grade class at Warfield Elementary in Indiantown, Florida. They are currently studying Earth/Space Science and find it fascinating that you can answer their question all the way from space. Here it is: “What has been your favorite experiment while on the space station, and was that experiment successful?”
Thank you!
Where you the guy who fixed the small hole. I wish we had thought to send an E9 Driven badge up with you. Might have been the perfect size to cover the damage!
1. What is the most surprising thing you have experienced in space?
2. What has been your favorite science experiment?
3. Do you believe in the possibility of time travel?
2. What has been your favorite science experiment?
3. Do you believe in the possibility of time travel?
Hi Drew - when I was a kid, fascination with space was everywhere and as Americans we were hugely proud of our space exploits. Cars had fins with red tail lights made to look like exhaust plumes coming from rocket motors; news anchors talked about space missions on the nightly news; we assembled plastic rocket models and later launched cardboard model rockets into the air. I got into reading big time when my second grade teacher introduced me to science fiction. I also watched Star Trek on TV religiously.
From your perspective, do you feel there is a lot of enthusiasm for what you are doing?
From your perspective, do you feel there is a lot of enthusiasm for what you are doing?
There have been several interesting experiments but the one I liked the best was growing lettuce. The best part was that we got to eat it.
1. That floating ALL THE TIME is not as relaxing as it seems
2. See my answer to Peter
3. Well, not really. That said, if worm holes exist in space/time it may be possible.
I have never, in 18 years, met an individual who was not enthusiastic about space exploration. In the words of John Young, single planet species do not last. So if for no other reason, what we do is important for the simple reason of continued existence. Further than that, everything we do off the earth is for the earth. And at less than 0.5 % of the annual federal budget, NASA is really giving great return on tax payer investment.
What ever become of the space mission T shirts?