Episode 18 – Space Space Space

LASER: Materials Science Podcast

Can’t really tell which is the 3-d printer and which is the espresso machine… Images from Lavazza and Made In Space

We’re finally back from our long hiatus! Sorry about the wait, both Cameron and Emily were busy getting their masters degrees, and right after he submitted his thesis, Cameron’s laptop got fried!

This week we discuss Space X and Boeing contracts to transport NASA astronauts to the International Space Station by 2018, and some new luxuries that will soon be available on the ISS; a 3-D printer, and an espresso machine!

2:00 First story today is about the recent announcement that NASA will have contracts with SpaceX and Boeing to deliver astronauts to the international space station by 2018! http://www.space.com/27169-nasa-picks-spacex-boeing-spaceships.html

15:00 we wonder about the nomenclature for spaceships/vehicles/shuttles/capsules

24:00 we start our discussion on coffee with a unrelated mention that Starbucks is working on a coffee drink that is supposed to taste like beer?

26:00 the ISS-Presso is an espresso machine planned to go to the space station at the end of 2014.
https://twitter.com/AstroSamantha/status/478219649721839616/photo/1
http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-06/14/isspresso

40:00 on to 3-D printing in space!!! The company “Made In Space” is working with NASA to send one of their fillament-extrusion 3-D printers onto the ISS for an experiment to show that the additive manufacturing technique works in space without modification. http://www.madeinspace.us/
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/1115.html

44:00 technology readiness levels, whatever those are.

Links to the music used in this week’s episode:
Intro: Intro – Crying (Return to Olde World)
Outro: Dreams are Maps – The Wild (Dreams are Maps)