Posted Jun 30, 2011, by J VanDomelen
I’ll admit it. I, like other geeks in the mil/aero market, have a fascination with space. It’s a passionate subject, and one about which many people have a strong opinion. Tempers are flaring around the privatization of space exploration. The Obama Administration has called for NASA to focus funds elsewhere, and partner with private industry (commercial companies) when it comes to space exploration. … Read More
Tags:
Sir Richard Charles Branson,
Milaero,
spacex,
Elon Musk,
Geek,
Aerospace,
Virgin Galactic,
Mentor.com,
Mil-Aero,
Mentor,
Mentor Graphics
Posted Jun 28, 2011, by J VanDomelen
Elon Musk is an innovator and entrepreneur who, at the young age of just 40, has enjoyed an impressive career. In fact, today (June 28) is Musk’s birthday, and perhaps the opportune time to look back at his innovations and illustrious career.
What has Musk done to date? Oh, he has founded a few ventures—including a couple mild successes, such as PayPal and Tesla Motors. (Color this geek impressed!) … Read More
Tags:
Milaero,
Mil-Aero,
PayPal,
asia,
Elon Musk,
Aerospace,
spacex,
Mentor Graphics,
Tesla Motors,
Mentor.com,
Geek,
Thailand,
Mentor
Posted Jun 27, 2011, by J VanDomelen
Space Exploration Technologies, better known as SpaceX is a leading American space transport company, advancing the boundaries of space technology through its Falcon launch vehicles and Dragon spacecraft. Following the retirement of NASA’s Space Shuttle Program, the Falcon 9/Dragon system will take over the delivery of cargo initially, and later astronauts, to the International Space Station.
In April … Read More
Tags:
Elon Musk,
Falcon 9,
Milaero,
Falcon Heavy,
Mentor Graphics,
Geek,
Mentor.com,
Military,
Aerospace,
Mil-Aero,
spacex,
Mentor
Posted Apr 26, 2011, by J VanDomelen
When the Space Shuttle retires as scheduled in June, NASA will be dependent on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft to ferry astronauts to and from the International Space Station (ISS). Based on a recent $753 million contract NASA awarded to the Russian Federal Space Agency, these outsourced services cost U.S. taxpayers roughly $63 million per seat.
It’s doubtless a hefty price tag, but NASA lacks U.S.-based … Read More
Tags:
Aerospace,
nasa,
Virgin Galactic,
Soyuz,
Milaero,
Geek,
Mentor.com,
Mil-Aero,
ISS,
Elon Musk,
rad-hard,
spacex,
Mentor,
Boeing,
Russian Federal Space Agency,
Space Shuttle,
Mentor Graphics
Posted Apr 19, 2011, by J VanDomelen
This geek is in love with the developing private space flight industry. If you haven’t been an avid follower, my previous blogs on the President’s 2012 Budget Request for NASA and the latest announcements from X Prize, SpaceX, and Virgin Galactic can get you up to speed.
It is terribly exciting to witness technological advancements stemming from private investment, commercial successes pioneering research … Read More
Tags:
nasa,
Military,
Obama,
Geek,
US,
Mentor,
Virgin Galactic,
x prize,
Aerospace,
Russia,
Mil-Aero,
Space Race,
Milaero,
spacex,
Mentor Graphics,
U.S.S.R.,
Mentor.com
Posted Mar 30, 2011, by J VanDomelen
The President’s Budget for Fiscal Year 2012, if approved, will revert NASA’s spending to 2010 levels overall. This geek wonders if, as federal funds for space exploration shrink, commercial investment in space innovations will grow. If the previous couple years are any indication, the private space race is likely to heat up and reach new heights (hopefully low Earth orbit, most often referred … Read More
Tags:
Milaero,
Mil-Aero,
Military,
Aerospace,
Geek,
Add new tag,
Mentor Graphics,
nasa,
Sir Richard Charles Branson,
Mentor.com,
LEO,
spacex,
Mentor,
Virgin Galactic
Posted Jan 10, 2011, by J VanDomelen
The President’s budget request for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in fiscal year 2011, released 1 Feb. 2010, added $6 billion over five years. The $6 billion increase was accompanied by instructions as to how the money should be invested, which was hotly criticized at the time. Looking back nearly a year later, it’s evident that the additional funding has been a boon … Read More
Tags:
Military,
Milaero,
Mentor,
Aviation,
Computer,
Mentor Graphics,
Mentor.com,
Mil-Aero,
Aerospace,
Design,
Geek,
DoD,
George W. Bush,
Hardware,
Constellation,
Mars,
COTS,
Embedded Systems,
Electronic,
Engineer,
Moon,
spacex,
Virgin Galactic,
nasa,
Obama
Posted Sep 16, 2010, by J VanDomelen
Part 1 explored Boeing and Space Adventures’ new memorandum outlining a partnership to further increase the growing industry of commercial space flight. Part 2 aims to answer some pressing questions: What is Space Adventures’ background? Who is funding the effort? When is the Boeing Crew Space Transport-100 (CST-100) scheduled to be completed? And who are the players involved in this competitive game … Read More
Tags:
Mentor.com,
Mentor Graphics,
Mil-Aero,
Boeing,
Space Adventures,
commercial spaceflight,
Space Shuttle,
spacex,
Aerospace,
Virgin Galactic,
Milaero,
International Space Station,
Military,
Mentor,
nasa,
CST-100,
Scaled Composites,
Geek
Posted Sep 16, 2010, by J VanDomelen
With NASA’s Space Shuttle program coming to an end, the private space transportation industry is heating up. Many players are making plans to provide out-of-this-world service in the not too distant future. As I have discussed in previous blogs, a growing number of companies (such as SpaceX and Scaled Composites) and private incentive programs (such as Ansari X Prize) have been encouraging the privately … Read More
Tags:
Space Adventures,
Scaled Composites,
Mil-Aero,
Ansari X Prize,
Aviation,
Milaero,
nasa,
Richard Branson,
Aerospace,
commercial spaceflight,
Low Earth Orbit,
Mentor,
CST-100,
Mentor Graphics,
Boeing,
Mentor.com,
Brewster Shaw,
Hardware,
Geek,
LEO,
spacex,
Virgin Galactic,
x prize
Posted Sep 1, 2010, by J VanDomelen
In recent years, privately funded companies have made many efforts to develop and test space-capable vehicles. One of the most well-known, prize-based technology encouragement activities is the Ansari X Prize, founded in 2004 by the non-profit organization the X Prize Foundation. The competition’s rules were simple: The first privately funded, non-government organization to develop a reusable, manned … Read More
Tags:
Mentor Graphics,
Mentor,
spacex,
x prize,
Aerospace,
Engineer,
Ansari,
Falcon,
Geek,
Hardware,
2001,
Burt Rutan,
Dragon,
Computer,
EDA,
Arthur C. Clarke,
Electronic,
Aviation,
Elon Musk,
Design,
COTS,
Design Automation,
Scaled Composites,
Mentor.com,
paul allen,
PayPal,
nasa,
Obama,
Milaero,
Military,
Microsoft,
Mil-Aero
Jim Martens
Harry Foster
John Day
Paul Johnston
Robin Bornoff
Dennis Brophy
Mike Jensen
Colin Walls
Jay Gorajia
Mark Olen
Travis Mikjaniec
Per Viklund