Russia successfully launched a rocket on Tuesday carrying the last three satellites to complete a navigation system to rival America’s GPS.The military-run GLONASS mapping system works over most of Russia and is expected to cover the globe by the end of 2009, once all its 24 navigational satellites are operating.

Russia launches final satellites for its own GPS | Technology | Reuters

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Tags: Technology, GPS, Space

Virgin Airlines is to offer frequent-flyer “Space Miles” that passengers can put towards flights in space with the company’s soon-to-be-launched Virgin Galactic, boss Richard Branson revealed.

The British tycoon, in Hong Kong to promote new Virgin flights to the city, said customers who collected two million points would be entitled to be among the first commercial astronauts when his space plan takes off in two years.

“There are already 30 people in the world who have collected enough air miles to fly into space,” Branson said Tuesday.

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The first annual X Prize cup begins in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Thousands gathered for the one day space exposition centered around civilian space travel.

The X Prize has spurred such innovation that NASA is now looking towards these entrepreneurs for the future of space travel. Just as DARPA has offered up prizes for robotic car races, NASA plans partner with X Prize founders and to award $$$$ for future achievements. NASA has announced two challenges to spur suborbital rocketry.

Even as the gates were opened for Sunday’s festival, NASA announced it was partnering with the X Prize Foundation on contests that could result in multimillion-dollar payoffs. “We’re ready to undertake two new prize competitions in the arena of suborbital rocket flights,” said Brant Sponberg, program manager for NASA’s Centennial Challenges effort.

Carmack’s Armadillo conducted a vertical test launch, but landing proved to be difficult in the New Mexico sand. The craft tumbled over during landing due to the fact that three of the four legs sunk into the mud. Due to damage to the craft, there will not be a second and third test flight, as was planned.

“I’m disappointed that we didn’t get to do the other two flights on that, but at least we got to put something up in the air,” Carmack said.

California-based XCOR Aerospace was there, showing off prototypes of what will be the first generation of rocket racing. Future visitors to the show maybe entertained by rocket races, in and out of the atmosphere.

They said awarding the $10 million X-Prize would only be the beginning. They were right, in just over a week Space pioneers and enthuists will converge on Las Cruces, New Mexico for the first annual X Prize Cup. New Mexico won the right to host the annual X Prize Cup, after dedicating $9 million to the development of launch and landing facilities. The X-Prize founders imagine future X Prize Cup events will include rocket races, both in and out of the atmosphere.

John Carmack, creator of Doom and Quake series, will be showing off his rocket for the first time. In the past 5 years, Carmack dedicated $2.5 million of his own money to the development of Armadillo.

Tickets are for sale. $6 for adults and $2 for students.

Here are some highlights…

• XCOR Aerospace will fly a rocketplane called EZ-Rocket ­ attempting to break a world record right before your eyes
• Starchaser will ignite its 7,000-pound liquid rocket engine in a spectacle of twenty-foot flames.
• Armadillo will be firing its newest rocket engine concept. and much more!

The revolution in personal spaceflight continues at the Countdown to the X PRIZE CUP. Come join us on October 9th, 2005 in Las Cruces, NM!

The prospect of drinking recycled urine might sound bitter, but it taste sweet to NASA. It cost NASA $40,000 a gallon to send water to the International Space Station. To me, it sounds better than drinking Sierra Mist.

Wired has an interesting article on a company working on cheaply creating potable water in areas where fresh water is scarce. Such as on space stations, deserts, and areas suffering from natural disaster. And the cost to create his potable water will be significantly lower.

Water Security has already begun putting the technology to work in areas where freshwater is in short supply. This summer, global relief agency Concern for Kids deployed a foot-powered purification unit in northern Iraq. Robert and Roni Anderson, Concern’s founders, loaded it onto the back of a Toyota pickup and drove to dozens of villages to purify their groundwater. The unit pumps out 5 gallons per minute, and a single day of purification can sustain a village of 5,000 people for a month. The cost is about 3 cents a gallon. Iraqi water companies, by comparison, charge $4 a gallon.

The article also contains interesting facts on the problem of “draining the dragon” in the early days of space flight.

Last year Burt Rutan and his team won the X-Prize by taking SpaceShipOne over 62 miles above the Earth. Twice in a fourteen day period. Virgin Galactic has licensed the technology and is preparing for the first commercial flights to space in 2008. At a cost of $200,000 dollars (requires a $20,000 down payment) only the most wealthy will be able to take the trip. As for everyone else, including me, we will have to wait until tickets come down to say, $2,000.

From the site:

The first flights are planned to begin in 2008. We are now starting to take reservations and deposit commitments for the first year of operations. The ticket price has been set at US$200,000 and the minimum, fully refundable deposit to secure your spaceship seat is US$20,000.

If you’re ready to talk to us about making a firm reservation and paying a deposit, or would just like to be kept up to date with the Virgin Galactic space tourism programme, fill in the form below.