India Launches Third Navigation Satellite, IRNSS-1C

As reported by GPS World: India has successfully launched IRNSS-1C, the third satellite in the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), early on October 16. The satellite was launched aboard the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) C26 at 2002 GMT (4:02 p.m. EDT) from Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota.

After the lift-off of PSLV-C26 with the ignition of the first stage, the important flight events — namely, stage and strap-on ignitions, heat-shield separation, stage and strap-on separations and satellite injection — took place as planned, according to the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). After a flight of about 20 minutes, 18 seconds, the IRNSS-1C satellite, weighing 1425 kg, was injected to an elliptical orbit of 282.56 km x 20,670 km, which is very close to the intended orbit.

 
After injection, the solar panels of IRNSS-1C were deployed automatically. ISRO’s Master Control Facility (at Hassan, Karnataka) assumed the control of the satellite. In the coming days, four orbit maneuvers will be conducted from the Master Control Facility to position the satellite in the geostationary orbit at 83 degrees East longitude. 

IRNSS-1C is the third of the seven satellites constituting the space segment of the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System. IRNSS-1A and IRNSS-1B, the first two satellites of the constellation, were successfully launched by PSLV on July 02, 2013, and April 04, 2014, respectively. Both IRNSS-1A and 1B are functioning satisfactorily from their designated geosynchronous orbital positions. 

IRNSS is an independent regional navigation satellite system designed to provide position information in the Indian region and 1,500 kilometers around the Indian mainland. IRNSS will provide two types of services, namely, Standard Positioning Services (SPS) — provided to all users — and Restricted Services (RS), provided to authorized users.

A number of ground stations responsible for the generation and transmission of navigation parameters, satellite control, satellite ranging and monitoring, etc., have been established in as many as 15 locations across the country.

This is the 27th consecutively successful mission of the PSLV, which used the XL configuration of PSLV for the seventh time. Honorable Minister of State (Space) Jitendra Singh, witnessed the launch from the Mission Control Centre at SDSC, Sriharikota.

The next satellite of this constellation, IRNSS-1D, is scheduled to be launched by PSLV in the coming months. The entire IRNSS constellation of seven satellites is planned to be completed by 2015.

Below is a slideshow with images from the launch preparations and launch.

Nozzle end segment of PSLV-C26 being hoisted for assembly.

Nozzle end segment of PSLV-C26 being hoisted for assembly with launch pedestal.

IRNSS-1C being assembled with PSLV-C26 in the mobile service tower.

PSLV-C26 inside the mobile service tower prior to satellite integration.

IRNSS-1C being assembled with PSLV-C26.

The PSLV-C26, carrying IRNSS-1C, lifts off.

Assembly of PSLV-C26, third and fourth Stages.

The third IRNSS satellite heads into orbit.

After Two Years in Orbit, the Air Force's X-37B Robotic Space Plane is Back

As reported by The Daily Mail: A top-secret space plane has landed safely on the Southern California coast.

Officials at Vandenberg Air Force Base said the plane, which spent nearly two years orbiting Earth on a classified mission, touched down at 9:24 a.m. Friday.

The X-37B space drone, otherwise known as the Orbital Test Vehicle, has been in flight since December 2012 on a secret mission.

The plane, known as the X-37B, resembles a mini space shuttle.

Just what the plane was doing has been the subject of sometimes spectacular speculation.

Several experts have theorized it carried a payload of spy gear in its cargo bay.

Other theories sound straight out of a James Bond film, including that the spacecraft would be able to capture the satellites of other nations or shadow China's space lab. 

The X-37B program has bounced between several federal agencies, NASA among them, since 1999.

The plane has been in space for a total of 674 days, far more than its two previous flights which lasted 225 and 469 days.

The program's first mission launched in April 2010 and landed in December that year. 

The second space plane took off on March 2011 and came back to Earth in June 2012.

According to X-37B manufacturer Boeing, the space plane operates in low-earth orbit, between 110 and 500 miles above earth. 

By comparison, the International Space Station orbits at about 220 miles. 

Both top secret missions ended at Vandenberg base, but this may soon change as Boeing, which built the shuttles, is working to renovate a Nasa hangar at the Kennedy Space Center, which could become X-37B's new home.

Nasa last week said it has entered into an agreement with the Air Force's X-37B program for use of the Kennedy Space Center's Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) Bays 1 and 2 -- former space shuttle hangars.

Boeing is performing construction upgrades in those facilities that are targeted to be complete in December.

All missions so far have launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

While the airplane looks like NASA's retired space shuttles, it has its own identity.

An infrared view of the X-37B unmanned spacecraft landing at Vandenberg Air Force Base. The purpose of the U.S. military's space plane is classified, only fueling speculation about why it has been orbiting Earth for nearly two years on this, its third mission.

Like a shuttle, it is blasted into orbit by a rocket. 

However, it lands using a runway like a normal aircraft.

The X-37B is too small to carry people on-board, but does have a cargo bay similar to that of a pickup truck, which is just large enough to carry a small satellite. 

'I'm extremely proud of our team for coming together to execute this third safe and successful landing,' Col. Keith Balts, commander of the 30th Space Wing that is headquartered at Vandenberg, said in a statement. 

'Everyone from our on-console space operators to our airfield managers and civil engineers take pride in this unique mission and exemplify excellence during its execution.'

This Dec. 3, 2010, file image provided by the Vandenberg Air Force Base shows technicians examining the X-37B unmanned spaceplane shortly after landing at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.

Tesla S Teardown Reveals It's More Like a Smartphone than a Car

As reported by ComputerWorld: 

High-end electronics

IHS Technology is dismantling a Tesla S sedan, and started with the cabin and its electronics. IHS found an infotainment and instrumentation system custom-designed and built with state-of-the-art technology, as well as a supply chain methodology that more closely resembles Apple's build model for an iPhone or iPad than that of a traditional automobile maker.

"That’s a big difference between Tesla and, for the most part, the rest of the automotive manufacturer space. Most [car makers] turn everything over -- lock, stock and barrel -- to third parties," said Andrew Rassweiler, senior director of cost benchmarking services at IHS.

In the traditional model, a car maker would set certain parameters for its infotainment system, but then send it off to Panasonic, Alpine or Harmon to be designed and built using a long supply chain. Tesla, in contrast, designs the infotainment system and then sends it off to be built like Foxconn would build an iPhone for Apple, Rassweiler said.

Two NVIDIA Tegra processor modules are at the heart of the electronic components in the Model S, which "command a sizable price tag," according to Rassweiler. Here is a look at how they work.

Premium Media Control Unit - front view

Tesla's 17-in. center display is 10-in. larger than the average infotainment system (also called a head unit) screen.

IHS called the entertainment head unit "the most complex...design ever seen by the IHS Teardown Analysis Service."

The head unit has more than 5,000 discrete components, around 1,000 more than the highest-end infotainment unit IHS previously analyzed. Likewise, a bill of materials for the virtual instrument cluster and the premium media control unit is roughly twice the cost of the highest-end infotainment unit examined by IHS.

The touch screen is made by TPK Holdings, which also was the first touch-screen supplier to Apple for the initial models of the iPhone, according to IHS. 

Premium Media Control Unit - rear view

The unit is built by Innolux Corp. in Taiwan. The separate audio amplifier module for the sound system is built by S1nn GmbH in Germany.

The DRAM and NAND flash used with the NVIDIA Visual Computing Modules come from SK Hynix.

The head unit also contains a field-programmable gate array from Altera Corp.

 Premium Media Control Unit - interior view

An interior view of the Tesla 2013 Model S Premium Media Control Unit.
The use of an NVIDIA Corp. Tegra 3, 1.4Ghz quad-core processor provides computing power in the same league with recent smartphone and tablet designs.

Other microcontrollers used in the unit come from Freescale Semiconductor and Texas Instruments (including the assorted analog, logic and specialized IC content in multiple modules).

The wireless chipset module is built by Sierra Wireless and Qualcomm. Parrot built the Model S's combination BT and WLAN Wi-Fi hotspot module.

Bring on the infotainment

Tesla's Model S infotainment system has been highly rated by consumers. At the Detroit Telematics Show this past June, for example, automotive market research firm SBD presented survey results from 46 consumers who had purchased any new car over the past year. The owners overwhelmingly chose two primary functions that they wanted in a car's infotainment system -- navigation and music. Google search and Pandora also ranked high among the drivers.

The new car owners chose Tesla's infotainment system over similar systems in the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, the Porsche PCM, the Dodge Ram 1500, the Nissan Altima and the Honda Civic.

Those surveyed said they liked the Tesla S's infotainment system's large screen size, and the big, easy-to-find icons and intuitive interface that made it simple to use.

Instrument Cluster - front view

Here we see a front view of Tesla's virtual instrument cluster, which contains functions such as the digital speedometer, tachometer and vehicle alert system.

Prior to the Tesla teardown, IHS dismantled Cadillac's virtual instrument cluster, which was similar in size, resolution and functionality.

Tesla’s version is a 12.3-in. diagonal, 1280 x 480-resolution LCD from Japan Display Inc., which is also a supplier for Apple’s iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.

As with the infotainment system, the virtual instrument display is among the single largest costs from an electronics perspective, according to IHS.

Instrument Cluster - rear view

It's powered by an NVIDIA Visual Computing Module, which has "an unexpected and impressive show of computing power that features a Tegra 2 processor," IHS said.

"Considering there is also an NVIDIA Tegra 3 in the Premium Media Control Unit, this is a notable array of computing horsepower in a single automobile," IHS stated.


Teardown highlights

In this video, IHS's senior director of Teardown Services, Andrew Rassweiler, talks about the highlights of his team’s dismantling of the Tesla Model S.

Air Traffic Control for Drones

As reported by MIT Technology Review: How do you keep small drone aircraft safe in the world’s busiest national airspace? One idea is to have them use cellphone networks to feed data back to an air traffic control system made just for drones.

A startup called Airware is working with NASA on a project exploring how to manage the swarms of commercial drones expected to start appearing in U.S. skies. The four-year program will create a series of prototype air traffic management systems and could shape how widely commercial drones can be used. Airware’s main business is selling control software and hardware to drone manufacturers and operators.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has yet to propose rules to govern the use of commercial robotic aircraft in U.S. skies. But it predicts that 7,500 unmanned craft weighing 55 pounds (25 kilograms) or less will be operating in the U.S. by 2018. There is strong interest from agriculture, mining, and infrastructure companies in using drones for tasks like inspecting crops or gathering geospatial data (see “10 Breakthrough Technologies 2014: Agricultural Drones”).

That could mean gridlock in the skies, or at least increasingly unsafe traffic patterns. “You will have competing interests trying to use the same space,” says Jesse Kallman, head of business development and regulatory affairs at Airware. “Imagine Amazon trying to deliver packages in an area that an energy company is trying to survey their power lines.”

The first prototype to be developed under NASA’s project will be an Internet-based system. Drone operators will file flight plans for approval. The system will use what it knows about other drone flights, weather forecasts, and physical obstacles such as radio masts to give the go-ahead.

Later phases of the project will build more sophisticated systems that can actively manage drone traffic by sending out commands to drones in flight. That could mean directing them to spread out when craft from multiple operators are flying in the same area, or taking action when something goes wrong, such as a drone losing contact with its operator, says Jonathan Downey, CEO of Airware.

If a drone strayed out of its approved area, for example, the system might automatically send a command that made it return to its assigned area, or land immediately. The commands could vary depending on the situation—such as how close the drone is to a populated area—or the size and weight of the aircraft, says Downey. Ultimately, NASA wants its system to do things like automatically steer drones out of the way of a crewed helicopter that unexpectedly passes through.

Getting that to work will require a reliable way for drones to communicate with the traffic system. Airware believes that equipping drones with cellular data connections could be the best option. The equipment that conventional aircraft use to communicate or send digital data to air traffic control systems is too bulky for use on drones.

Airware is set to perform a series of flight and lab tests on different drone craft, ranging from quadcopters to helicopters to fixed wing planes, on a NASA base in California, perhaps as soon as this year. The first stage of testing is aimed at understanding how different craft could respond to commands from a traffic control system.

Ella Atkins, an associate professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Michigan, says that so-called general aviation—unscheduled private flights—pose the most difficulty to integrating drone traffic into U.S. airspace. “The most challenging thing would be to combine a large fleet of Amazon Prime drones carrying packages and the Piper Clubs that just want to punch a hole in the sky on the weekend,” she says.

Atkins says that is as much a regulatory issue as a technological one, and suggests it may be time to reconsider FAA rules written for when only crewed craft took to the skies. Giving drones relatively free reign below an altitude of a few hundred feet, except in the vicinity of airports, would mostly remove conflict between drones and general aviation, she suggests.

Such major changes to FAA rules appear unlikely. People in the nascent commercial drone industry often point out that the U.S. regulator has been slower than its counterparts in other countries to clear the way for commercial drone flights, even just for research. Airware already has customers using its control systems on drones flying over mining operations in France, and inspecting oil rigs in Australia, for example.

However, those countries have not so far begun work on drone traffic control systems. “I’m not familiar with any other system,” says Downey. “This is an area the U.S. has an opportunity to take the lead on.” 

Boeing Hands Over Seventh GPS 2F Satellite to U.S. Air Force

As reported by SpaceNews: Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems of El Segundo, California, has handed over the seventh in the GPS 2F series of positioning, navigation and timing satellites to the U.S. Air Force, according to an Oct. 13 press release from the company.

The satellite launched Aug. 1 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Florida. Initial activation and checkout took five days, the release said, and the Air Force took control of the satellite Aug. 8.

“Handover to the 50th Space Wing is a huge milestone in a GPS satellite’s journey, confirming that it’s been put through its paces and all looks good,” Dan Hart, vice president of government space systems at Boeing Network & Space Systems, said in a prepared statement.

The GPS 2F satellites provide better accuracy and resistance to jamming than the previous generation of GPS satellites, most of which are still in operation. The next satellite in the series, the GPS 2F-8, is expected to launch Oct. 29 from Cape Canaveral aboard an Atlas 5 rocket.

Roam the Arabian desert with Google Street View

Imagine sitting atop a camel looking across a vast expanse of desert dunes. A glimmer of green flashes in the distance. It could be a mirage or a bountiful oasis just awaiting your discovery. Now with Google Maps, you can see for yourself and journey across the sands of the Liwa Desert, one of the most breathtaking landscapes in the world. 

On your virtual trip through the desert, you’ll find sand dunes that reach an astounding height of 25-40 meters. These rolling sandy hills were home to early settlers back in the Late Stone Age, making Liwa one of the oldest sites in the United Arab Emirates.

Liwa Desert, UAE

Some of the richest history in this desert lies in the Liwa Oasis—the largest oasis in the Arabian peninsula. Many people across the UAE can trace their origins to the first tribes that settled there and established the region as a trade center. The oasis is also home to date farms, whose trees and fruit are important cultural symbols—the trunks of the palms were used to weave the walls of Bedouin tents, baskets and more, while the fruit was a treasured treat for the locals. Now, the oasis is a sought out location for tourists around the world and those who live in the area.

Liwa Oasis, UAE

To bring this stunning desert to Street View, we fashioned the Trekker to rest on a camel, which gathered imagery as it walked. Using camels for the collection allowed us to collect authentic imagery and minimize our disruption of this fragile environment.

Street View Trekker mounted on a camel

We hope this collection gives you a glimpse of what it may be like to travel the desert as caravan merchants have for the past 3000 years. Should you make the journey here in person, who knows—you may meet some new friends. To see more, visit the Street View gallery.

Tesla’s Most Advanced and Powerful Car Ever

As reported by Wired: Tesla’s next car, the P85D, will have two motors and all-wheel drive. It will match the 3.2 second 0 to 60 mph time of the McLaren F1, one of the fastest cars ever made. And it will be even more efficient than the current, already terrific, Model S.

“This car is nuts. It’s like taking off from a carrier deck. It’s just bananas,” said CEO Elon Musk, who unveiled the D at a crowded event, next door to the headquarters of the other company he helms, Space X.

And for those who settle for the standard Model S over the new Model S P85D, there’s something new: The cars now being produced are stuffed with high-tech safety technologies that will allow the car to automatically avoid danger and even drive itself—kind of.

The Model S P85D shares an exterior with the Model S sedan, and Musk didn’t mention any changes to the interior. What is different is what’s under the skin: A new motor between the front wheels to go along with the one in back. In addition to sending power to all four wheels, which is good news for customers in snowy climes, the system will boost the already impressive acceleration and the top speed. The P85D will get to 60 mph a full second faster than the current top of the line Tesla, the P85. It will max out at 155 mph instead of 130.  

Each of the three versions of the Model S will come as a D model. The price of the 60kWh battery model will go from $71,070 to $75,070 for the dual motor system. The 85 kWh car goes from $81,070 to $85,070, and the P85 jumps from $105,570 to $120,170. Deliveries of the less powerful D models will start in February, the P85D should hit the road in December.

What’s especially impressive is that Tesla managed to improve the car’s efficiency and range, despite the added mass of the second motor. The 85D and P85D will be able to drive 275 miles on a charge, 10 more than the 85 and P85. The range of the 60kWh version climbs from 208 to 225 miles. Musk said the added efficiency is thanks to the electronic system that will shift power between the front and rear motors from one millisecond to the next, so each is always operating at its most efficient point. Tesla has long said it will offer all-wheel drive on its next car, the Model X SUV, so it’s no surprise it’s bringing the technology to the sedan.

But the design and production of a high-performance version of the S is something of a pivot away from what Musk says is Tesla’s ultimate goal: offering a high-quality, electric car that can travel hundreds of miles without recharging, for around $35,000. That long-awaited “affordable” EV will be called the Model 3, and will follow the Model X to market. Tesla’s been quiet about when, exactly, that’ll happen.

Autopilot
In a move that most of the luxury auto market has already made, the car will offer active safety features like adaptive cruise control and the ability to read speed limit signs, stop itself if a crash is imminent, stay in its lane, and even park itself in a street spot or in your garage. (Musk seemed to decide on the spot he wanted the car’s charger to automatically plug in, but let’s give his engineers a chance to take a breath before getting to work on that one.)

These features are provided thanks to new hardware that will go into future Model S cars (and is already in every car produced in the past two weeks). Tesla is adding a radar that can see through fog and snow; a camera with image recognition capability to spot traffic signs and lights, as well as pedestrians; 360-degree ultrasonic sonar; and a system that combines all the data those produce with navigation, GPS, and real-time traffic systems.

The net result will be a car that can be put on “autopilot,” if not fully autonomous mode. Tesla isn’t ready to make the jump quite yet, Musk said, since the safety system can’t be fully relied on, and regulations to handle self-driving cars have to be figured out. But, Musk said, if you fall asleep while driving, the car should be able to get you home safely. If you try to steer into danger, the wheel will resist. Owners will also be able to summon the car to pick them up autonomously, as long as they’re on private property, where DOT and other regulations don’t apply. “The car can do almost anything,” he said.

The technology behind these systems is likely provided by Daimler, as the two companies have a partnership: Tesla provides batteries for the Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive car. In December 2013, Daimler said it “has cooperated successfully with Tesla for several years and currently intends to broaden and deepen its partnership in the coming years.” Mercedes offers many of these features on its vehicles, and is working to put a self-driving car on the market by 2020.


This pile of features fully catches Tesla up with the luxury market in the one area where it was actually behind. As impressive as the current Model S is in terms of performance, it didn’t even have any adaptive cruise control, which monitors the car’s distance from other vehicles in addition to staying at speed on its own.

So now that it’s reestablished its position as the true innovator in the auto industry, maybe Tesla can go back to work on building a wonderful electric car more of us can take home.