DailyDirt: Launching Rockets And Satellites

Getting into space is getting cheaper as more countries and more companies are able to launch space-worthy rockets. The space shuttle may be retiring, but unmanned missions seem to be (mostly) progressing nicely. It might be inspiring to see humans in space, but it seems far more practical to get more missions up and to explore with robots -- as long as the robots obey us. Usually, they do.

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket successfully put its Dragon spacecraft into space. The privately-owned spaceship also made it back to Earth. Rinse. Lather. Repeat... And profit? [url]

NASA launches a nanosatellite from a microsatellite. I wonder if the Russians ever put a matryoshka doll in space... [url]

Schools can request a space shuttle heat shield tile from NASA. And it's only a matter of time before these tiles are auctioned off on eBay for school fundraisers. [url]

A malfunctioning satellite is taking out US weather services and could strike again. Remotely rebooting satellites ain't easy. [url]

Japan's Akatsuki probe missed Venus orbit, and now JAXA will have to wait 6 more years to try again. Betcha can't add 6 years to a human space mission as easily. [url]

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