Osirix-Rex Asteroid Sample Return Mission

OSIRIS-REx tags Bennu! Watch the moment of impact:

 

[from https://www.asteroidmission.org/]

What's up with that name, you ask? Here is an explanation:

Links:

• Mission objectives

Speck of dust... Mostly harmless...

Space.com posted a few new images from Cassini probe that highlight our relative size/position/importance in the universe.

Note that these pictures are taken inside the solar system, basically close ups. Have you seen the moon, next to the earth?

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute

Visit the first two links below for more eye-pooping images.

Related:

• http://www.space.com/36562-earth-moon-through-saturn-rings-cassini.html
• Cassini: The Grand Finale, mission ends in September 2017
• Mostly harmless

2MASS J23062928-0502285, yeah!

Not one, not two, but seven potential planets around a single small star!
Here is a clip from NASA:

 

And, here is the info on TRAPIST-1 from Wikipedia.

Elon Musk at IAC 2016: Making Humans a Multiplanetary Species

In case you missed it, SpaceX's Elon Musk's talk titled 'Making Humans a Multiplanetary Species' is below (linked from YouTube). This is an entertaining video, packed with interesting data, lasting an hour:

Here are some random notes, in no particular order:

• 01:13: Talk starts
• Musk is a nerd, and comes off as awkward while speaking. Do not pay attention to the style, listen to him.
• There are some really interesting scientific/engineering data on some of the slides. They are very very cool!
• 8:25: Estimate of an average one-way ticket cost to Mars
• 11:04: Southwest advertisement around
• You gotta love this guy; he mentioned a few times that going to Mars at scale will be a bit 'tricky'.
• 12:10: Discussion on refueling.
• 14:25: Propellant discussion
• 16:55: Simulation of the overall system (a.k.a, movie with extremely high cheese quotient) starts. Make sure you pay attention to the numbers shown.
• Cheesy video? Yes, but you need to listen to what he is going to say around 21:35.
• 23:00: Don't skip slide shown; very interesting re-use numbers on that page.
• 24:36: Size discussion. His comment on size at 23:45 is priceless. 
• And, the comment at 27:03.
• 29:24: Nice comparison of past and current space vehicles on the slide. Pay attention to the last two on the right, and the 'white bars.'
• Engine numbers at 32:30 mark; rocket booster intro at 33:45. 
• There will be 42 engines, folks! Interesting choice of number :)
• 36:42: Raptor engine configuration at the base of booster
• 37:22: Spaceship intro starts.
• 37:43: Musk says that "liquid oxygen tank on the spaceship is probably the hardest piece of the whole vehicle, and [...] they started work on that piece."
• Cool ship capacity chart at 39:42.
• 40:10: "Mars transit times as little as 30 days in the distant future."
• 40:36: Heat shield technology info starts
• 41:15: Fly-thru of the crew compartment. (Smaller version of 'Ascension' ship; needs music.) He claims that the environment on the ship will be really fun. If it is going to be anything like the first Tesla cars, it probably will be.
• 42:47: Details of the propellant plant on Mars.
• 43:22: More details about reuse. New cost number is $140K per ton.
•  44:15: Founding sources!
• 46:35: Timelines (of SpaceX). Don't miss the pictures.
• 48:34: One of the most exciting engineering timeline in the history of human civilization. This is one fast startup!
• 53:09: "Most of our missions (60%) are commeircial geo missions."
• 53:37: Timeline for Mars launches. First development ship in 4 years. Also, potential FedEx killer (54:30 :)
• 56:30: Trying to send Dragon 2 to Mars in a couple of years; another mission in 2020.
•  58:45: Raptor engine vs Merlin; same size, 3 times operating pressure. 
• Producing 300 engines per year!
• 59:00: Raptor firing test video
• 1:00:30: Carbon fiber tank, requirements, production issues and picture (at 1:01:31)
• More cool pictures at 1:02:17 and 1:02:24
• 1:02:44: Beyond Mars! No, no, he is serious! Lotsa cool pictures; he has a plan...

Related:

• Video: First stage landing on drone ship
• Video: Falcon 9 first stage landing on drone ship 
• Video: SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch with Dragon & Successful Landing at Sea
• Gnomes episode of South Park

Falcon stage 1 landing is a bull's eye!

There are few interesting photos (and videos) at Space.com, showing Falcon 9 launch and landing on Dec 21st, 2015.  Make sure to take a look; they are beautiful.
I believe the one below shows a 'bull's eye', a bull's eye from hundreds of kilometers!

(Credit: SpaceX)