Delta IV | Bill Housley

The Privatizing of Human Spaceflight

• January 23, 2016 • Leave a Comment

Posted in Commercial Space, General, Human Space Flight, In The News
Tags: Astronaut, Atlas V, Barack Obama, Blue Origin, Commercial Crew Development, Delta IV, Dulles, Earth, Elon Musk, Europa Orbiter, Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, International Space Station, John McCain, NASA, Obama administration, Orion (spacecraft), RD-180, Richard Shelby, Space Launch System, SpaceX, United Launch Alliance, United States, United States Air Force, United States Congress, Virginia

How Worms Turn

• November 20, 2015 • Leave a Comment

Posted in Commercial Space, General, Politics, space
Tags: Atlas V, Boeing, Delta IV, Elon Musk, Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle, Falcon 9, Global Positioning System, SpaceX, United Launch Alliance, United States Air Force

Orion Flies

• December 6, 2014 • Leave a Comment

Posted in Commercial Space, Current Events, General, Human Space Flight, Politics, space, Spaceship Earth, Technology
Tags: Apollo program, Barack Obama, Cape Canaveral, Constellation program, Delta IV, Delta IV Heavy, Florida, International Space Station, low-Earth Orbit, NASA, Orion (spacecraft), Space Launch System, Space Shuttle program, United States

Bill’s Recent Tweets

Take a virtual reality stroll on the surface of Mars! fb.me/71qunEVBa 17 hours ago
Scholarship application time! Here's one! fb.me/1v65hDiRK 1 week ago
@Nextlaunch @janwoerner @esa Now be nice. ;-) 1 week ago
@Nextlaunch "Second stage engine is still burning happily." Lol! 1 week ago
Is FEMA on this natural disaster? @POTUS foxnews.com/us/2017/10/10/… 1 week ago
Having unprotected sex without telling partner about HIV-positive status no longer would be a felony under new bill fb.me/Pjo9ShnB 2 weeks ago
@Nextlaunch Launches= 4 Successes= 4 Scrubs= 2 (1 weather) Failures= 0 2 weeks ago
NASA Provides Coverage for First Meeting of the National Space Council fb.me/3sJc7Z0H8 2 weeks ago
RT @ThatEricAlper: Gas station worker takes the only step after customer refused to put out his cigarette https://t.co/31JyzJTYn1 2 weeks ago
@SpaceX Let it fly! https://t.co/qxSNbF4aIK 2 weeks ago
Question: Puerto Rico Answer: It's about the victims right now. Question: Los Vegas Answer: It's about the... fb.me/8hrc3m9vJ 2 weeks ago
@cacodaemonia youtu.be/fFnOfpIJL0M 3 weeks ago
Happy Astronomy Day, everyone. Tonight, if the clouds allow it, celebrate by taking a little time and enjoying... fb.me/2iSDnvBZ9 3 weeks ago
Figure out Trump? Good luck with that. If they were to ask me, I'd say that bilateral trade agreements (once... fb.me/3voH49xSV 3 weeks ago
@WilliamShatner @startrekcbs Lots of complaints about the new ST only being available on a subscription streaming service. 4 weeks ago
#Tweet others the way you would like to be Tweeted 1 month ago
A NASA spin-off that helps save lives. fb.me/6BETHr2DN 1 month ago
This is the kind of achievement that our kids in STEM can aspire to. fb.me/y7W4nzmP 1 month ago
Some details into China's work on the #emdrive #tmro youtu.be/Mdcer1QQLrA 1 month ago
Sorry @richardbranson, but current warming has only lifted hurricanes by an unmeasurable 1 knot of wind speed. cnn.com/2017/09/19/us/… 1 month ago

Space.com Top Stories

Comets: Facts About The 'Dirty Snowballs' of Space October 23, 2017
Learn about the composition and orbit of comets, as well as the history of their discovery, famous comets and space missions to analyze them.
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Here are the best telescopes for the money. Our top picks include recommendations for city dwellers, hobbyists and gift -givers, as well as budget picks. Our editors have selected a few of the best options in each of five categories.
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Here are the best portable telescopes for the money. These grab-and-go scopes are ideal for travelers, city dwellers escaping light pollution, and anyone with limited storage space.
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Here are the best inexpensive telescopes (sub-$200). These high-quality scopes are light on features but big on value. Each will make a great gift and a fine first telescope.
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Here are the best hobbyist telescopes for the money, including Go-To scopes. From fully automatic to totally hand-driven, these fine instruments will reward you each night out.
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Here are the best beginner telescopes for the money; a computerized ‘GoTo’ scope driven by your smartphone or tablet, as well as a manually operated scope that comes fully assembled.
'Others Will Follow': Behind-the-Scenes Photos of a Mars Film Short October 23, 2017
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One World, One Orbit: Space Station Astronauts Request Photos from Earth October 23, 2017
As the International Space Station completed one orbit around the Earth this morning (Oct. 23), people all over the planet beamed photos of their ground-based views up to the orbiting laboratory.
Demand for Stephen Hawking's Doctoral Thesis Crashes Website October 23, 2017
The University of Cambridge made famed cosmologist Stephen Hawking's 1966 Ph.D. thesis freely available to the public today (Oct. 23), and demand for the document has been so intense that it crashed the download website.
Buzz Aldrin, Other Space Celebrities Write About Love of Reading October 23, 2017
To celebrate their love of reading, space celebrities ranging from moonwalker Buzz Aldrin to space tourist Anousheh Ansari join dozens of others in a book being published for a children's charity.
'Star Trek: Discovery' Renewed for Season 2 October 23, 2017
"Star Trek: Discovery" will be back for a second season next year, CBS All Access announced today (Oct. 23).
A New Theory Explains Why the Universe Is Three Dimensional October 23, 2017
Physicists have a new scenario of the universe's expansion at the Big Bang that may explain why our universe has three large spatial dimensions.
Asteroid Thriller 'Salvation' Will Return for Season 2 October 23, 2017
The fictional asteroid is still streaking toward Earth in the world of "Salvation," and luckily, the show gets a second season to save humanity.
'Supergirl' Goes to Mars in 'Far From the Tree' Episode Tonight! October 23, 2017
One of our favorite comic book aliens, Supergirl, is headed to Mars tonight (Oct. 23) and it looks like a Mars rover will make a quick cameo.
'Star Trek: Discovery' Shows Logic at Its Prettiest and Ugliest in Episode 6 October 23, 2017
The Vulcans are one of the most beloved races of "Star Trek" because they show us that eternal fight between logic and emotion that each human has. In this episode, we get to see the nasty side of this fight.
Astronaut Scott Kelly Shares Mission of 'Endurance' in New Book October 23, 2017
Scott Kelly left a copy of "Endurance" on the International Space Station — but it wasn't his new book, of the same name, which describes his 340 days on board the space station.
Space Calendar 2017: Launches, Sky Events & More October 23, 2017
Here's a guide to the major astronomical events of the next year, as well as space launches and milestones for spacecrafts already in travel.
Image of the Day October 23, 2017
The sun spews out a bright stream of plasma in this image captured by NASA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) last Wednesday (Oct. 18).
Sun-Like Star May Have Devoured 15 Alien Planets October 23, 2017
A distant sun-like star may have devoured a dozen or more of its own Earth-size planets, new research shows.

LiveScience.com – Top Stories

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Humans have five basic senses: touch, sight, hearing, smell and taste. Other senses also help us understand and perceive the world around us.
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Potatoes are often thought of as a comfort food — richly mashed or crisply fried — but when prepared the right ways, these vegetables are actually quite nutritious.
Demand for Stephen Hawking's Doctoral Thesis Crashes Website October 23, 2017
The University of Cambridge made famed cosmologist Stephen Hawking's 1966 Ph.D. thesis freely available to the public today (Oct. 23), and demand for the document has been so intense that it crashed the download website.
Low-Fat Bacon? Scientists Use CRISPR to Breed Petite Piglets October 23, 2017
A group of scientists in China has successfully modified the genes of pigs to create a slimmer swine.
Best Educational Toys & Games for 7- to 10-Year-Olds October 23, 2017
Elementary school kids are naturally curious about their world. Help them explore it with educational science toys that need to be pieced together, figured out and investigated with hands-on experiments.
Primordial Fossils of Earth's 1st Trees Reveal Their Bizarre Structure October 23, 2017
Earth's first trees had hundreds of tree-like structures within them, making them exceedingly more intricate than the insides of modern trees, a new study finds.
Woman's Rare Condition Causes Her to Sweat Blood, Doctors Report October 23, 2017
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Why Does Our Universe Have 3 Dimensions? October 23, 2017
Physicists have a new scenario of the universe's expansion at the Big Bang that may explain why our universe has three large spatial dimensions.
Scared? Your Sleep Quality Could Be to Blame October 23, 2017
The quality of your sleep could play a role in how your brain responds to fear, which, in turn, could determine how likely you are to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a small, new study suggests.
Shrews' Heads (and Brains) Shrink As Seasons Change October 23, 2017
In winter, something happens to the skulls of adult red-toothed shrews that is exceedingly rare among vertebrates.
Happy Mole Day! Mayors Celebrate Scientific Date with Research Push October 23, 2017
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450-Year-Old Book Reveals What to Name a Baby Samurai October 23, 2017
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Teen Astronomer's 1886 Sketch Reveals Rare White Solar Flare October 23, 2017
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Sea Lilies on Twitter Are Mesmerizing … And Not What They Seem October 20, 2017
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Woman's 'Missing' IUD Turns Up in Her Bladder October 20, 2017
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City-Size Lunar Lava Tube Could House Future Astronaut Residents October 20, 2017
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Masten-space.com Blog updates–X-Prize winner!

Masten Achieves First Hot-Fire of Broadsword Rocket Engine May 11, 2017
Mojave, CA – On September 30, 2016, Masten Space Systems successfully concluded the 13-month design, build, and test period for the first development unit of the Broadsword 25 rocket engine, funded as a technology demonstration under the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)’s Experimental Spaceplane (XS-1) program. This first phase of the engine […]
What’s the Point? April 27, 2017
That is a question that comes up from time to time when people see Xaero-B and Xodiac. Both vehicles seem to be doing what other rocket companies have already *demonstrated* and to greater lengths at that. The underlying premise of the question is this: you are not seeing anything that hasn’t already been done. And
Masten’s Green Bipropellant: MXP-351 March 23, 2017
As part of our partnership with NASA through the Lunar CATALYST (Lunar Cargo Transportation and Landing by Soft Touchdown) program, we have been actively developing a proprietary new bipropellant – MXP-351. This propellant is intended to be flown on our XL-1 lunar lander which is capable of bringing up to 100 kg (221 lb) softly
Summer 2017 Internship December 5, 2016
Masten is now accepting intern applications for the Summer of 2017. If you’ve followed us you know we’ve had a great history of outstanding interns working with us. There are few places like us that can deliver an internship with this level of responsibility and hands on work. We’re not looking for gophers, we’re looking for
Introducing Xodiac and XaeroB June 7, 2016
Introducing the next generation of reusable rockets – Masten’s Xodiac and XaeroB. These two new rockets are designed and built on the success of their predecessors – Xombie, Xoie, and Xaero. For those who have followed us, you will see the obvious connection to our previous vehicles. With this new iteration, we are bringing greater capability
Masten Space Systems selected by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency for XS-1 Program July 23, 2014
Mojave, CA (July 23, 2014) — Masten Space Systems, Inc. (Masten) announced today that the company has been awarded a contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) as part of Phase 1 of the Experimental Spaceplane (XS-1) program to develop a reusable launch vehicle. Over the last decade, Masten has built three highly
Astrobotic Technology And Masten Space Systems Perform Visually Guided Precision Landing June 30, 2014
Contact John Thornton contact@astrobotic.com Sean Mahoney smahoney@masten.aero FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ASTROBOTIC TECHNOLOGY AND MASTEN SPACE SYSTEMS PERFORM VISUALLY GUIDED PRECISION LANDING Groundbreaking effort integrates two privately developed technology platforms to validate performance of autonomous precision landing capability Mojave, CA: Astrobotic Te […]
Project Prometheus May 19, 2014
A lot has been going on in the past year, and while we have been busy with clients and flying customer payloads, the Masten Team has also been thinking about ways we could engage the broader community and increase accessibility to our VTVL vehicles. One of the largest barriers to entry for any technology developer
NASA Partners with Masten for Lunar CATALYST April 30, 2014
We’re excited to be part of opening the moon to commercial enterprises. Masten has been investing private money for years building core technologies to open the Moon for business. The CATALYST program is a great step towards unlocking the Moon’s potential. (Source: NASA)
Masten featured on PBS documentary December 2, 2013
We get asked on a regular basis what life is like working at Masten. Well, the good folks at KQED (San Francisco Bay Area PBS affiliate) came out in May to capture a slice of Mojave with a healthy dose of Masten rockets. Watch for Masten to appear around time marker 13:47. We really enjoyed hosting

Discovery Space News

Huge Tsunamis May Have Ravaged Ancient Mars May 25, 2016
When Mars was a wet world, did its oceans experience powerful tsunamis spawned by meteorite impacts?
Collapsing Cosmic Clouds Birth Black Hole Monsters May 24, 2016
Supermassive black holes occupy all known galaxies, but astronomers have little idea how they formed. Now space telescopes have found a clue.
Mystery Plumes: Did the Sun Bruise Mars? May 24, 2016
Strange plumes have been spotted high in the Martian atmosphere that have, so far, defied explanation. Now scientists think space weather is to blame.
NASA Probe Tracks Object in Solar System's Badlands May 23, 2016
While coasting through the outer solar system, NASA's New Horizons is busying itself with astronomical observations of a distant Kuiper Belt Object.
Solar Superflares Set Stage for Life on Earth May 23, 2016
Earth could have grown warm enough for liquid water as far back as 4 billion years ago thanks to massive and frequent solar flares.
See the Red Planet with Your Own Eyes This Weekend May 21, 2016
Mars reaches opposition this weekend, making Saturday and Sunday (May 21 and 22) an opportune time to see the Red Planet with your own eyes.
Extreme Exoplanets Reveal Migration Mystery May 20, 2016
A star hosting 4 massive gas giant exoplanets has been spotted -- is this how our solar system looked in its ancient past?
How to Form Io's Mountains? Just Squeeze! May 20, 2016
On Earth, mountains form along tectonic boundaries, but Io, Jupiter's volcanic moon, is awash with molten rock and dotted with solitary mountains -- how did they form?
DNews: Meet a Black Hole 17 Billion Times the Sun's Mass May 20, 2016
DNews sits down with U.C. Berkeley astronomy professor Chung-Pei Ma to learn all about supermassive black holes, including one nearby that's just honking huge.
LHC Opens the Quantum Physics Floodgates May 20, 2016
As it restarts its mission to discover weird and exotic things about our universe, the Large Hadron Collider is about to become a firehose of quantum data.

New Scientist

Possible exomoon may be an ocean-covered world as big as Saturn October 23, 2017
The exomoon candidate found in July is a real oddity – early calculations suggest it’s huge and doesn’t fit any moon formation processes we currently know
Dark energy survives neutron star crash test while rivals fail October 23, 2017
We saw gravitational waves and light at the same moment from a neutron star merger, which means Einstein was right and some alternative theories are dead
Volcanoes that spew stretchy ice could make dwarf planets bright October 20, 2017
Something strange is happening on dwarf planets Eris and Makemake. They’re tiny and cold, but they still show surprising signs of geologic activity, like real planets
Hiding in plain sight: The mystery of the sun’s missing matter October 20, 2017
A mass equivalent to 1500 Earths has vanished from the sun. Tracking it down could transform how we see the stars
Why our ‘freakish’ galaxy has got cosmologists seriously worried October 19, 2017
In the grand club of galaxies, the Milky Way is increasingly looking like an outlier. This is a looming challenge for cosmology, says Geraint Lewis