Space Exploration for All

Space exploration for all of us. Even the most humble across the world. You could be a farmer, a milkman, a care worker or a housewife, even unemployed. Take a look at Personal Spacecraft and feel enlightened. The world is getting smaller and people from across the planet are compelled to the new ideas of space exploration. Undertakings like this are becoming more attractive and they will develop because there are literally thousands of these tiny spacecraft projects getting ready to go. They even plan to send miniature CubeSats to the moon and you could invest in such projects.

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CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI.)

CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI.)

There are small remote-controlled research spacecraft known as CubeSats. They are nano-satellites. These little cube-shaped outposts get released into orbit and are no more than half the size of a shoebox. This is a U-1 CubeSat but they can be clipped together. Two or three together may contain more monitoring and comlinks. Thus we get U-2 or U-3, depending on how many are clipped together.

Multiple CubeSats are stored in a large container that is attached to the main launch vehicle when it goes into space. This holder acts like a giant candy tin called a Nanosatellite Launch Adaptor System (NLAS.) When it opens, one can imagine these small CubeSats being released like sweets from a tube. They float out over the stratosphere or where ever else the project owner might wish them to go.

CubeSats have been used to patrol around space stations or satellites. They search for malfunctions or other damage. They can gently breeze the length of solar panels and check all is well, even report minor irregularities that can be tackled promptly, in case a fault becomes more substantial.

Now NASA has a programme called CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI.) This innovative idea allows free-thinking projects within CubeSats. These projects are independent but hitch a ride, into space, upon a NASA rocket launch. A room for passengers appeals where space exploration is concerned.

Once in space, the NLAS releases its CubeSat passengers out and into orbit. Off they go on their own little adventures, leaving the NASA magic bus to do its own thing, while the little CubeSat goes about its self-indulgent quest for knowledge, in a field of its owner’s choosing. It might take photographs of Earth to study weather conditions, scan space for asteroids, survey the moon, Mars, Venus, or watch material test samples in a space vacuum. There are all sorts of things. These little undertakings can be controlled from a university classroom by students on Earth.

For a university to win the prized chance of controlling a CubeSat, they have to pass stringent tests via NASA monitors who judge each project for viability. The agency gets to filter the financially lucrative bidders for the choice of those most useful on the knowledge acquisition front. This is because NASA will have access to all information gathered before the reports go down to the students in control of the CubeSat project.

There are many CubeSats in orbit already and a growing number of projects waiting in line. NASA will be paid for getting this free information as a transport provider for independent CubeSats, which are just paying passengers on the main launch project.

Everyone wins when this experimental information starts to come in. The CubeSat can cost between $65,000 and $80,000. If there is a launch that can carry four or five CubeSats, NASA gets a little of the cost back towards the main mission and a potential amount of updated and free information. It also ensures that they have a growing and enthusiastic candidates for future space exploration technology.

These delightful little parasitical spacecraft will develop over the decades and all launches might be able to lower funding costs by accommodating CubeSat projects. NASA may find ways to lower costs of building launch projects too, especially developing re-usable craft like the Orion MPCV. Every time an Orion launch goes up it will have CubeSat minor projects paying for a lift. Depending on how many CubeSat projects at $65,000 + it can get aboard; could re-launchable MPCV claw back substantial finances against original costs of building main launch projects in the future.

Imagine the return in the shape of these four-inch cubes. Not to forget long term and constant free information updates. NASA has stumbled upon a large number of independent projects lining up to be selected and waiting to hand over their money to get a CubeSat into space.

How long before large multi-corporate organisations offer large sums of money for their own space exploration tests, lowering the cost on the US taxpayer? Space exploration will cast away all national industry commitment and begin to pay for itself. Privatisation, once again, paves the way.

CubeSat Launch Initiative projects - Wonderful nano satellite parasites

CubeSats are a class of research spacecraft that are a sort of nano-satellite. The cube-shaped satellites are approximately four inches long, have a volume of about one quart and weigh about 3 pounds. They sometimes clip two or three together to contain more monitoring and comlinks. A U-1 CubeSat is just one 3 pounds four-inch square satellite, while a U-2 or U-3 is the number of CubeSats clipped together. It is housed in a big square container at the outer side of the main launch vehicle once in space. This container acts like a sort of pea pod called a Nanosatellite Launch Adaptor System (NLAS.) When it opens, these small CubeSats are released like peas floating out over the stratosphere or where ever else the project owner’s might wish to take them. CubeSats have been used to patrol around space stations or satellites to search for malfunctions or other damage. They can gently breeze the length of solar panels and check that all is well, even report minor cracks that can be tackled more immediately in case a blemish develops and becomes more substantial.

NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative(CSLI) provides opportunities for small satellite payloads (CubeSats) to fly on rockets planned for upcoming launches. These CubeSats are flown as auxiliary and minor ventures upon previously planned and ulterior missions. They are a collection of small independent auxiliary projects that may leave the host launch and go off in search of knowledge in a number of fields. They might photograph Earth and study weather conditions, search independently for asteroids, look at the moon, Mars, Venus. Watch test samples in a space vacuum. There are all sorts of things. For a school or university to win the chance of controlling a CubeSat, they have to pass stringent tests via NASA monitors - people that judge how each project is viable, and also of use to NASA. For they will have access to all information gathered by each CubeSat before the information goes down to the school or university that wins the project.

There are already many CubeSats in orbit and a growing number of projects already in motion. NASA gets useful free information by allowing these independent CubeSats, which are really just parasite travellers on the main launch project. In return, many good things in small packages come NASA’s way. Everyone wins when this experimental information starts to come in. They can cost between $65,000 and $80,000 a CubeSat. If there is a launch that can carry four or five CubeSats, NASA gets a little of the cost back towards the main mission and a potential amount of updated and free information. It also ensures that they have growing and enthusiastic candidates for future space exploration technology.

These wonderful little parasitical spacecraft will develop over the decades and all launches might be able to lower funding costs by accommodating CubeSat projects. NASA may find ways to lower costs of building launch projects too, especially with developing re-usable craft like the Orion MPCV. Every time an Orion launch goes up it will have the main project, but depending on how many CubeSat projects at odd $65,000 + it can get aboard; I wonder if re-launchable MPCV could claw back substantial finances against original costs of building main launch projects. Imagine the return in the shape of four-inch cubes. Also not to forget long-term return and free information updates. NASA may have stumbled upon large numbers of independent projects lining up to be selected and waiting to hand over the money to get a CubeSat into space.