Spaceflight – The Science Shed

Space Tourism

After months of being stuck at home, most of us would just be happy to get a sunny beach in Spain for a week or even to a European city for a weekend. How would you feel about planning your next holiday to space? Several companies are trying to make this possible, including Blue Origin.Continue reading “Space Tourism”

Want to be an Astronaut?

How many kids have you heard say, “When I grow up I want to be an astronaut!”? Maybe you said it yourself. Well now could be your chance, as the European Space Agency (ESA) have announced that they are recruiting the next group to Join European Astronaut Corps. This is the first time since 2008Continue reading “Want to be an Astronaut?”

Perseverance’s 7 Minutes of Terror

This Thursday (18th Feb), if everything goes smoothly, NASA’s Perseverance Rover will touch down on the surface of Mars. The landing sequence required to get it safely to the surface is like something from science fiction. It is a complex landing sequence, made all the more difficult by the fact that real time communication withContinue reading “Perseverance’s 7 Minutes of Terror”

What is an Orbit?

We often talk about things being in orbit. The Sun orbits the galaxy, the Earth orbits the Sun, the Moon orbits the Earth and so on. But what is an orbit? In the 1600s, an English scientist named Isaac Newton came up with three laws of motion. The first of Newton’s laws state that anContinue reading “What is an Orbit?”

5 Biggest Space Missions of 2021

With the first week of 2021 behind us, let’s look forward to the coming year and see what the major space missions are and what we can expect to see in 2021. Artemis 1 Artemis is NASA’s programme to land the first woman and next man on the Moon and create a permanent presence there.Continue reading “5 Biggest Space Missions of 2021”

The Year of Science 2020

Now that we are coming to the end of 2020 I thought I would do a quick review of what has happened in the past year in science and technology. Despite everything else that has happened, 2020 has been an extremely busy year for science. COVID 19 – Research and Vaccine There is no doubtContinue reading “The Year of Science 2020”

Astronauts to Launch from US Soil for the First Time in Nearly 9 Years

This Wednesday evening, if everything goes to plan, astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley will be the first US astronauts to launch from US soil since the retirement of the Space Shuttle in 2011. The Space Shuttle, which had been ferrying astronauts to space since 1981, was retired as the design was proven to beContinue reading “Astronauts to Launch from US Soil for the First Time in Nearly 9 Years”