Who would have thought that a space odyssey could begin with an announcement of a new rocket ride “thrill trip” venture and end up in an underwear collection?
Space travel
Is there any money in space tourism?
Last month Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic made history in the international space tourism industry. Tickets aren’t cheap (US $200,000) but neither are the costs: it’s estimated that sending things into space costs around US $20,000 per pound, writes Frances Perraudin.
Washington, we have a problem
The space race is over and NASA now struggles to justify its existence. Instead of moon landings, diplomacy with Muslim majority countries has become of its main aims.
The Japanese asteroid probe returns in a blaze of fire
Japan’s asteroid probe Hayabusa has crashed back down to Earth and it may contain traces of material from the surface of an asteroid that could collide with us in the future, explains Ben Sandilands.
Australia’s biggest UFO sighting: actually, it’s the future of space travel
When the Dragon atop a Falcon 9 rocket crossed the pre-dawn coast at about 300 kilometres above south-east Queensland on Saturday morning, it caused Australia’s biggest UFO sighting yet.
Star wars! Fare war breaks out in space
It’s official. A fare war in space has started in the sub orbital rocket rides market, and Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic is being undercut by half by upstart Armadillo Aerospace, writes Ben Sandilands.
Armstrong: Obama has surrendered the space race
In an open letter, astronauts Neil Armstrong, James Lovell and Eugene Cernan attack Obama’s new moon-snubbing plans for NASA: America will no longer be the best at something!
The pointy shape of things to come
What comes after the A380s and Dreamliners have gone to the aircraft graveyards? Well, whatever comes will probably pay tribute to the brand new Virgin Galactic’s Spaceship Two, the new space rocket unveiled this week.
The road to rocket rides is now paved
The reality of ‘joy flight’ rocket rides into space is getting closer, with the world’s first commercial spaceport now taking shape and Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShip Two expected to begin test flights in the New Year, reports Ben Sandilands.
PHOTO GALLERY: A spectacular Saturn at equinox
NASA’s Cassini spacecraft sent back some amazing photos of Saturn and its moons during equinox (when the sun crosses the celestial equator), including close ups of moon craters and Saturn’s famous rings.
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Visualising 50 years of space travel
An amazing interactive infographic displaying every mission into space for the last 50 years. Poor lonely Pluto.
Space snacks: creating a menu for Mars
Freeze-dried shrimp cocktail and irradiated beef fajitas: modern space food has gotten pretty sophisticated. The LA Times meets the scientists-cum-chefs responsible for packing 6570 meals for NASA’s next trip to Mars.
Let’s invite China to the space party
China has spaceships, scientific know-how, money and man-power. Could bringing them into orbit with the US’s space program build a base for better relations between the two countries?
Guy Rundle: Stuff the Moon, stuff Mars, let’s go to the stars
Mars? We’d barely notice we’d got to Mars. The Moon? A commuter jump. Guy Rundle sets his sights higher.
What really happened to Russia’s missing cosmonauts?
An incredible tale of space hacking, espionage and death in the lonely reaches of space.
Flannery’s new gig is far out
Environmentalist Tim Flannery has come under fire after accepting a role as Richard Branson’s “environmental consultant” on green space travel.
Scientists shoot for the far-flung stars
A small group of scientists are attempting to use the sun’s light to power a spacecraft far enough to explore deep into outer space.
