Category Archives: Space

Space

As Discovery launches, word shuttle program may be extended

The space shuttle Discovery launched August 28,  to deliver, among other things, a new room for the International Space Station and a humorously-named treadmill.   As the shuttle prepared to launch, it was getting a boost from a report commissioned by the president, The Observer reports:

The US space shuttle, scheduled to be scrapped next year, could be thrown a last-minute lifeline this week. A reprieve is to be included as an option for rejuvenating America’s beleaguered space programme in a report commissioned by President Barack Obama.

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Coalition/Allies, Space, tech

South Korean satellite fails to orbit

YONHAP NEWS reports that South Korea’s first attempt to put its own satellite into orbit has failed.  One of the two fairings — the aerodynamic covers for the satellite–failed to detach, resulting in it not achieving enough lift to make orbit.  The satellite is suspected to have re-entered and burned up.
“Only one fairing was ejected 216 seconds after launch with the other section remaining in place until the Science and Technology Satellite-2 (STSAT-2) separated from the second stage rocket 540 seconds into the flight, the ministry in charge of the country’s science and technology policies said. ‘The fairings weigh 300kg or three times more than the scientific satellite, making it effectively impossible for the second stage rocket to generate the necessary thrust to keep the satellite in orbit,’ said Vice Science and Technology Minister Kim Jung-hyun.”

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