http://www.thespacebuff.com/mars/newsweek-on-private-space-flight-nasa/ On the human and robotic adventures beyond Earth. Fri, 21 Oct 2011 19:45:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.thespacebuff.com/mars/newsweek-on-private-space-flight-nasa/#comment-311 Richard Wolfe Sun, 01 Nov 2009 07:15:34 +0000 http://www.thespacebuff.com/?p=2757#comment-311 In another article, I saw where the Russians plan to use a reactor to power an ion drive. Fortunately for the US, former astronaut Chang-Diaz invented the electrodeless VASIMR ion rocket using his company Ad Astra. It is slated to be tested on the ISS in 2013 to maintain and boost the ISS in orbit. This will save 120 million per year!!! It will be powered by the solar panels on the ISS, but on a trip to Mars, it will need a reactor like the Russians are planning. The Russians have experience with ion rockets and use them in satelites, so they are definitely a contender. Here is a really neat computer animation of the VASIMR on a Mar mission at Ad Astra: http://www.adastrarocket.com/ToMars.html In another article, I saw where the Russians plan to use a reactor to power an ion drive. Fortunately for the US, former astronaut Chang-Diaz invented the electrodeless VASIMR ion rocket using his company Ad Astra. It is slated to be tested on the ISS in 2013 to maintain and boost the ISS in orbit. This will save 120 million per year!!! It will be powered by the solar panels on the ISS, but on a trip to Mars, it will need a reactor like the Russians are planning. The Russians have experience with ion rockets and use them in satelites, so they are definitely a contender. Here is a really neat computer animation of the VASIMR on a Mar mission at Ad Astra: http://www.adastrarocket.com/ToMars.html

]]> http://www.thespacebuff.com/mars/newsweek-on-private-space-flight-nasa/#comment-310 Richard Wolfe Sun, 01 Nov 2009 07:12:34 +0000 http://www.thespacebuff.com/?p=2757#comment-310 Private companies haven't even gotten a cargo rocket online, let alone manned rocket. They haven't even developed anything else. If we cede the space program to them we lose all of NASA's expertise in building lunar landers & LEO/moon rockets. If we cut NASA out of the picture we will lose decades of legacy knowlege. It may take 40-50 years for the private sector to reinvent the wheels so to speak. Unless China does it first and we just outsource everything to them like we are already with the Russians for 5-7 years before the Ares I comes online (if, Obama doesn't kill that like he is has killed the moon base & Altair lander). Private companies haven’t even gotten a cargo rocket online, let alone manned rocket. They haven’t even developed anything else. If we cede the space program to them we lose all of NASA’s expertise in building lunar landers & LEO/moon rockets. If we cut NASA out of the picture we will lose decades of legacy knowlege. It may take 40-50 years for the private sector to reinvent the wheels so to speak. Unless China does it first and we just outsource everything to them like we are already with the Russians for 5-7 years before the Ares I comes online (if, Obama doesn’t kill that like he is has killed the moon base & Altair lander).

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