Tag Archives: rocket

Watch Virgin Galactic test fire its satellite launching rocket

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On top of doing space tourism, Virgin Galactic aims to launch small satellites under 200 kilograms (440 pounds) into standard orbit via its LauncherOne program by the end of 2016. To achieve that (and hit the $10 mllion target price) Branson's outf...

This web game shows that landing a Falcon 9 rocket is pretty much impossible

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You thought the carrier landing stage in Top Gun was a nightmare to pull off? Then get ready to scream obscenities you didn't know you knew at MIT Media Lab's SpaceX Falcon 9 Lander. This 8-bit web-game combines all of the pulse pounding excitement...

SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Exploded During Liftoff

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Late last week, I talked a bit about SpaceX and why it was trying to land the first stage of its rocket on a drone ship in the Pacific. SpaceX planned the third attempt at landing the rocket over the weekend, but things didn’t go to plan.

spacex_explosion_1zoom in

This time out, rather than the rocket crashing or exploding on the drone ship in the ocean, the rocket never made it into space in the first place. About two minutes after liftoff, the Falcon 9 exploded (you can see what happened about 3:15 into the video below.)

The explosion took the attached Dragon capsule and all the supplies and experiments inside the capsule with it. What we know now is that on June 28 during liftoff there was some sort of overpressure event in the upper stage liquid oxygen tank leading to explosion. SpaceX has promised more updates.

This should serve as a reminder that space travel is a hard, expensive and dangerous endeavor.

[via Gizmodo]

The Reason SpaceX Keeps Trying to Land Its Rockets

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Elon Musk is a seriously cool dude. Not only does he lead Tesla in making some of the coolest EVs on the market, he is also at the helm of SpaceX, and has lots of success with sending capsules of supplies to the ISS. He even owns the James Bond Lotus that turns into a submarine. That’s one cool dude.

SpaceX has been working hard to land its Falcon 9 first stage rockets used to push its Dragon capsules into space, though it hasn’t had much luck yet.

loveuzoom in

The reason the company wants to reuse those rockets is because they are the bulk of the cost of a launch mission. SpaceX says that the first stage rockets cost about as much as a jumbo jet – yikes. Sunday marks another Falcon 9 launch mission to resupply the ISS, and along with that launch will come another attempt at landing the first stage rocket on a drone barge called “Of Course I Still Love You.”

The rocket has been tweaked with more hydraulic fluid to keep the control fins working during descent, and the valve that stuck for a few seconds leading to the crash during the last attempt has been upgraded. I hope they are successful, I want to visit the moon one day, and SpaceX will probably be the company taking us there.

[via SpaceX]

SpaceX GoPro Video Is the Most Serene Thing You’ll See All Day

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SpaceX has never been shy about offering up HD video of both its successes and failures. One of my favorite SpaceX videos is the one of the rocket exploding while trying to land. SpaceX has offered up a new video that lacks explosions, but is very beautiful and serene instead.

space-x-rocketzoom in

The video was shot using a GoPro camera that was attached to a fairing used to protect cargo during launch. The composite fairing is used for low earth orbit insertions and other launch types.

While the rocket rumbles its way back home, you can see the Earth, our incredibly bright sun, and other planets and stars against the darkness of space.

[via Mashable]

Rocket Salt and Pepper Mills: 3… 2… 1… Fresha Peppa!

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These rocket-shaped salt and pepper mills perfect kitchen accessories for astronauts. After all, I’ve heard that the food they serve on the International Space Station isn’t very tasty, and could probably use a bit of seasoning.

rocket_salt_pepper_1zoom in

Each mill is crafted from solid beech wood, measures 14″ tall and is ready to blast off with a plume of salt or pepper instead of explosive gasses. You wouldn’t want that anyhow – unless you wanted to burn your food. On the other hand, it might be neat to had one that doubled as a torch for caramelizing sugar on the top of your crème brûlée. But I digress. Damn, now I want dessert.

rocket_salt_peppper_2zoom in

Set coordinates and blast off to Suck UK, where you can grab your own rocket salt/pepper grinder for $100(USD).

Guardian Of Your Galaxy: Rocket Raccoon Tank Top is Outasight!

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Rocket Raccoon tank top

Save the raccoon, save the galaxy. Not that Rocket one-handedly saved the galaxy in Guardians of the Galaxy–because he did have a little help from his friends. But he was instrumental to their success and pretty darn adorable, too. So adorable that Her Universe decided to make a tank top-slash-costume for women who love and adore Rocket.

The hooded tank top gives you instant furry ears (once you pull the hood up) and a tail (which comes sewn onto the top, so you can’t go tail-less unless you cut it off. But then, why would you?)

It’s available online for $32.

[ Product Page ] VIA [ C|NET ]

The post Guardian Of Your Galaxy: Rocket Raccoon Tank Top is Outasight! appeared first on OhGizmo!.

DIY Iron Man Gauntlet with Rocket: Tiny Tanning Machine

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Patrick Priebe is at it again. The prop maker’s latest toy is a step up from his usual laser-emitting or flame-spewing gizmos. It’s an Iron Man-themed gauntlet with a built-in model rocket launcher. It also has a palm-mounted laser, because Patrick doesn’t mess around when it comes to messing around.

iron man gauntlet with model rocket by patrick priebe 620x373magnify

As usual, Patrick didn’t provide a detailed breakdown of how he made the gauntlet for fear that you’d hurt yourself trying to copy his work. And unless you like using your arm as a launch platform, I suggest you follow the old bit about not trying this at home. Skip to 5:17 to see gauntlet in action. Then keep watching to see why you really shouldn’t do this.

Do you like to play with fire?! Check out Patrick’s website for more of his commissions.

[via Gadgetify]

11 Sweetest Artworks of Rocket & Groot

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Matching Outfits

Now that Guardians of the Galaxy has become a mainstream thing and not just for comic book fans, the world can enjoy the wonderful partnership of Rockets and Groot, and appreciate the awesome art to celebrate this friendship between a potty mouth raccoon and a sweet, bodyguard tree.

As Calvin and Hobbes

Huggin’ means Lovin’

Matching outfits are cute too

Groot can be scary without wanting to sometimes

Nurturing of Nature

Something weird about the scale in this one

Crayon Style

 

The Raccoon Version of Al Pacino

The Otis Frampton Version

 

A book, not a comic book

A Bird Joins Them

 

Hat tip

For more awesome fan art, check out the best of 2012 and 2013 which as you can expect has plenty of other Marvel superheroes.

Chris Pratt Leads Guardians of the Galaxy To Interstellar Hit

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Guardians of the Galaxy's already eclipsing other films.Variety's Brent Lang reports that Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy’s already made $11.2 million on the Thursday, July 31, late night screenings...