This is really just the latest manifestation of the administration’s crony capitalism as their green energy buddies benefit from this atrocious waste of taxpayer money. Americans really need to get outraged by these wasteful ventures. As we’ve seen time and time again, We the People are always stuck subsidizing the left’s “losers.”

Palin’s criticisms echo other conservative commentators, who have been criticizing the U.S. Department of Energy’s clean energy loan program in recent weeks. She went on to make fun of a popular recent target, electric car company Tesla Motors. She stated that Tesla’s “Obama-subsidized” vehicles brick when the battery completely discharges, costing $40,000 to repair.

Tesla Motors announced earlier this month that it expects to finally turn a profit in the first quarter of 2013. Tesla co-founder and CEO, Elon Musk, took to Twitter to sarcastically state that he was hurt by Palin’s words, and to point out that the Tesla Model S warranty covers battery bricking:

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Elon Musk
@elonmusk

Sarah Palin calls Tesla a loser. Am deeply wounded. http://t.co/eOGT80Ut4L Btw, Model S warranty does cover “bricking”.

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2 days ago via web · powered by @socialditto

Musk is, of course, the type of entrepreneur that many conservatives idolize. In addition to co-founding Tesla and PayPal, Musk is on the forefront of privatizing the space industry as the founder of SpaceX. Taking advantage of a government incentive, whether it’s a tax break or (as is the case with Tesla) a loan, is simply a part of business.

Though the launch was successful, a problem with three of the capsule’s four thruster pods delayed the opening of its solar arrays. SpaceX engineers had to wait until the capsule was over its Australia-based ground station to “command inhibit override” and reactivate enough of the thruster pods to deploy the arrays. While only one of the thruster pods was reactivated, it was enough to successfully deploy the arrays.

SpaceX spent hours trying to reactivate the two thruster pods that were still malfunctioning. At around 3 pm EST Space X founder Elon Musk tweeted that the thruster pods were back online and that the capsule is no longer drifting:

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Elon Musk
@elonmusk

Pods 1 and 4 now online and thrusters engaged. Dragon transitioned from free drift to active control. Yes!!

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11 minutes ago via Twitter for iPhone · powered by @socialditto

The problems caused the capsule to miss one of its scheduled burns that would take it toward its scheduled docking with the ISS. As a result, the docking could be delayed.

SpaceX and NASA have scheduled a teleconference for 3 pm EST. More details about the Dragon capsule and its docking schedule should be revealed during the call.

The Dragon capsule is carrying 1,200 pounds of cargo and science equipment that will be delivered to the ISS’s crew of six international astronauts. The capsule is scheduled to return with refuse and used equipment on March 25. SpaceX successfully completed its first resupply mission to the ISS back in October 2012 when it delivered 882 pounds of supplies to the satellite.

The launch of the capsule can be seen in the video below, which NASA released earlier today:

The Boeing Company, Sierra Nevada Corporation Space System, and Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) were all contracted for around $10 million. The companies will begin developing integrated crew transportation systems that will launch American astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). These programs will end NASA’s recent reliance on Russia for transportation to and from the ISS.

“These contracts represent important progress in restoring human spaceflight capabilities to the United States,” said Phil McAlister, director of the Commercial Spaceflight Development Division at NASA Headquarters. “NASA and its industry partners are committed to the goal of safely and cost-effectively launching astronauts from home within the next five years.”

Starting next year, the companies will work with NASA’s Commercial Crew Program (CCP) to develop spacecrafts, launch vehicles, and ground & mission operations that meet the agency’s safety and performance requirements. In mid-2014, the companies will begin competing with one another to test and verify their systems for crewed demonstration flights to the ISS.

SpaceX could have a leg up on its competition. The company in October of this year completed the first privatized resupply of the ISS using its Dragon capsule. The capsule carried 882 pounds of supplies to the ISS and brought back 1,673 pounds of used material in a successful mission.

(Image courtesy SpaceX)

Hours before docking, the Dragon was captured by the Canadian-made, 17.6-meter robotic arm of the space station and maneuvered into position for berthing. “Looks like we’ve tamed the Dragon,” said Suni Williams, ISS Expedition 33 commander.

The official NASA Twitter account announced the Dragon was guided onto the Earth-facing side of the ISS’s Harmony module this morning, stating that the docking took place at exactly 9:03 am EDT:

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NASA
@NASA

The @SpaceX#Dragon was secured to the #ISS at 9:03amET. Hatch opening tomorrow. Dragon will spend 18 days attached: http://t.co/djBi1hv4

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2 hours ago via SocialEngage · powered by @socialditto

The event was livestreamed on the SpaceX CRS-1 Mission livestream page.

The Dragon capsule will now be bolted into place for its 18-day stay aboard the ISS. Tomorrow the crew will pressurize the vestibule between the ISS and Dragon, then open the hatch and proceed with the mission.

Over the next two and a half weeks the crew will unload the 882 pounds of supplies the Dragon is carrying, which includes 390 pounds of scientific research materials. For the trip back, the capsule will be loaded down with 1,673 pounds of used scientific research materials, vehicle hardware, and crew supplies.

This SpaceX mission is NASA’s first privatized cargo and resupply mission under its Commercial Resupply Services contract. SpaceX is contracted to fly 12 more cargo missions to the International Space Station from now until 2016.

“Just over one year after the retirement of the space shuttle, we have returned space station cargo resupply missions to U.S. soil and are bringing the jobs associated with this work back to America,” said Charles Bolden, NASA Administrator. “The SpaceX launch tonight marks the official start of commercial resupply missions by American companies operating out of U.S. spaceports like the one right here in Florida.”

The Dragon is scheduled to be grappled by the ISS on Wednesday at 7:22 am. ISS crew members Sunita Williams of NASA and Aki Hoshide of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency will use the station’s robotic arm to dock the Dragon, which will spend 18 days docked to the station.

The Dragon capsule carries 882 pounds of supplies, including 390 pounds of material for scientific research. When it returns to earth, splashing into the Pacific Ocean, it will be holding 1,673 pounds of used crew supplies, scientific research, and vehicle hardware.

The launch of the SpaceX CRS-1, or “Dragon”, spacecraft will take place on Sunday, October 7th at 8:35 pm EDT. If that launch window is not met, there are backup launch windows available on October 8th and October 9th.

On Sunday, SpaceX conducted a successful static fire test of the Falcon 9 rocket that will carry Dragon into space. Meanwhile, NASA is preparing a series of tests for Orbital Sciences Corporation’s Antares rocket, which will carry the Cygnus cargo spacecraft into orbit during a demonstration mission “in the coming months.” Orbital Sciences is also part of NASA’s CRS contract, and will also be resupplying the ISS in the future.

This launch is one of 12 that have been contracted by NASA to resupply the ISS. NASA states that the Dragon will be filled with around 1,000 pounds of supplies, including materials to support the investigations planned for the ISS crew. The vehicle will also return around 734 pounds of scientific materials and an estimated 504 pounds of ISS hardware.

A Dragon spacecraft has already visited the ISS once, during a successful test mission in May of this year. The photo above is from the launch of that mission.

(Photo courtesy SpaceX)

A new start-up called Uwingu is hoping to fund the future of space exploration through selling educational software and other space related products. Through these sales, they will set up the Wingu fund. The fund will be put toward the next generation of private space exploration, research and education.

Like any start-up, they need some help to get off the ground. SpaceX had the advantage of being funded by the founder of PayPal. Uwingu has no such luck, and has therefore turned to the increasingly lucrative crowdsourcing model.

The Uwingu Indiegogo campaign has raised over $63,000 so far, but requires $75,000 in up front capital to keep going. The campaign only has four more days to go, but they remain confident that they’ll be able to hit their target.

If successful, this may be the first crowdfunded scientific endeavor. Advances in science and technology are usually funded by governments, corporations or private investors. A lot of people obviously love the idea of space travel, and would happily give money to make it happen. I’m honestly surprised that somebody hasn’t tried to appeal to the public before this.

All of this only proves that NASA needs to host a Kickstarter campaign. Nerds love NASA and the Internet is full of them. Riding off the momentum of the successful Mars Rover landing would ensure crowdfunding success.

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SpaceX
@SpaceX

SpaceX Selected by @NASA to Return Americans to Space! http://t.co/1yvIHDqO

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1 hour ago via HootSuite · powered by @socialditto

The company became the first private company to send a spacecraft to the International Space Station in May, and now NASA has chosen SpaceX (via a $440 million contract) to complete final modifications to prepare its Dragon spacecraft for human transport.

“This is a decisive milestone in human spaceflight and sets an exciting course for the next phase of American space exploration,” said Musk. “SpaceX, along with our partners at NASA, will continue to push the boundaries of space technology to develop the safest, most advanced crew vehicle ever flown.”

Modifications that SpaceX will make to Dragon, include making room for 7 astronauts, a “breakthrough” propulsive landing system for gental ground touchdowns on legs, refinements/testing of “essential aspects” of the craft’s design (such as life support systems and an advanced cockpit design), and what the company calls “the most technically advanced launch escape system ever developed”. That system would include “powered abort possibilities from launch pad to orbit.”

The company expects its first manned flight to happen in 2015.

NASA has also reached agreements with Sierra Nevada and Boeing as part of its Commercial Crew Integrated Capability (CCiCap) initiative, which has the goal of making commercial human spaceflight available. The deal with Sierra Nevada is for $212.5 million, and the Boeing deal is worth $460 million.

“This is another important milestone in our efforts to push the boundaries of space technology,” said SpaceX CEO and Chief Designer Elon Musk. “With the Merlin 1D powering the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets, SpaceX will be capable of carrying a full range of payloads to orbit.” The Merlin 1D will indeed knock out 2 birds with 1 stone. It will offer the pure power that the Falcon Heavy needs to do its missions, but it will also offer performance improvements to the Falcon 9.

With nine Merlins on the first stage, the Falcon 9 rocket will produce nearly 1.5 million pounds of thrust in a vacuum. An enhanced design makes the Merlin 1D the most efficient booster engine ever built, with a vacuum thrust-to-weight ratio exceeding 150, while still maintaining the structural and thermal safety margins needed to carry astronauts. All of this is important going forward because SpaceX really wants the NASA contract to put astronauts on the ISS and maybe even the moon one day.

The new design of the Merlin also will fulfill an extensive manifest of launches and the new engine is designed for improved manufacturability by using higher efficiency processes. It also has increased robotic construction and reduced parts count. Look for SpaceX to continue to push forward and try to cut costs through improved technology in only the way that a private company can. This is why it is important for the private sector to get involved in things that are extremely expensive like the space program.

SpaceX19 hours ago

Firing of the SpaceX Merlin 1D engine! 
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photo and video courtesy of SpaceX

The problem of inconvenience will disappear, but the high price will continue to be a problem. For years the Russians charged people $25 million to launch into low Earth orbit, recently it went up to $35 million. A company named Excalibur Almaz has announced that it is selling tickets to lunar orbit for the low rate of only $100 million! I understand that it is expensive, but for an upstart it really seems like they are just trying to fund their company that hasn’t even had a single launch yet.

When will the launch happen? there is no info yet. As of right now, Excalibur Almaz isn’t even doing flight tests of its capsule until next year. So I could see them being prepared to actually launch a human by 2015-2016.