One small sip for mankind...

UPDATE: The first espresso machine is finally 'up and operational' in space. The custom lavazza espresso machine finally made its way to the international space station, and has served its first cup.

Read more about it via Lavazzo:

m.lavazza.com

Hitching a ride...

DARPA is cooking up a plan to use fighter jets as launch delivery tools for satellites. The goal is to be able to put a satellite into orbit with 24 hour notice, and for less than a million dollars.

Watch the DARPA concept video via YouTube:

youtu.be/BOaJWoVLhAc

The big drop...

Paul Allen's Stratolaunch System is taking shape in the Mojave dessert. The world's largest aircraft will release its payload in high altitude, where it will continue on into orbit.

Read more about it via AviationWeek:

aviationweek.com/blog/inside-rocs-lair

Reusable...

The SpaceX Corp. released an animation of how the new Falcon Heavy launch system is supposed to work. Spoiler: It's pretty amazing.

The Falcon Heavy via SpaceX and YouTube:

youtu.be/4Ca6x4QbpoM

Warped...

Harold 'Sonny' White is working on quite a garage project in Omaha, Nebraska - A warp drive for interstellar travel. Funny thing is that NASA thinks he's doing a pretty good job of it.

Read more about it via Omaha.com:

www.omaha.com

Space blimps...

NASA researchers have been thinking about Venus lately. One of their ideas is the HAVOC system (High Altitude Venus Operational Concept) - basically a fancy blimp where astronauts could float around the atmosphere of Venus for a month or so...

Read more about it via NASA:

sacd.larc.nasa.gov

Valet parking...

The SpaceX group has an interesting plan for where to land their reusable rockets - Autonomous Seafaring Spaceport Drones. Landing pad ships that would position themselves in the ocean and wait for the rocket to land.

Read more about it via TechCrunch:

techcrunch.com

Printing a new home...

The European Space Agency has been experimenting with 'printing' a moon base. The idea is to use native moon materials to load a 3D printer, then print/build on top of an inflatable central core.

Read more about it via the ESA:

www.esa.int

Welcome back...

The secretive unmanned X-37B Space Plane has been on mission for a record breaking 665 days in orbit doing... well, secret stuff. It should be landing in California during the next couple of days.

Read more about it via Techly:

www.techly.com.au

Shrink wrapped...

The smart people at MIT are working on the next generation of spacesuits. Their idea is to go away from a gas pressurized model to a more mechanical 'shrink wrap' using coiled springs to hug things into place.

Read more about it via MIT:

newsoffice.mit.edu

Hooked...

In the old days, spy satellites didn't transmit data - it dropped information in 'buckets' with parachutes attached. During the descent, an airplane would fly past and snag it mid-air.

Spy Satellite Drop via Petapixel:

petapixel.com

Plane truth...

Northrop Grumman is working on a spaceplane prototype based on specifications from DARPA. The 'XS1' would ideally launch without much equipment or ground crew - similar to a regular takeoff and landing of airplane.

Read more about it via Northrop Grumman:

www.northropgrumman.com

Highlander...

The UK will be getting a commercial spaceport within the next four years. Signs seem to point to northern Scotland as the most likely site - 4 of the 8 proposed sites are in that area.

Read more about it via The Guardian:

www.theguardian.com

Take your time...

Rather than a quick rocket into space, 'WorldView' has another, slower idea. They're working on tourist balloons wandering up to the edge of space.

Read more about it via Wired:

www.wired.com

Coffee in space...

One of the biggest problems with space travel is getting a decent cup of coffee. Finally, this will be solved as the first espresso machine designed for use in orbit will be available. The Italian company Lavazza will be sending the first 'Zero G' machine to the International Space Station.

Read more about it via Lavazza:

www.lavazza.com

Forward thinking...

As we stand at the brink of a new age in Space Tourism, an important question needs to be asked - 'how will we drink cocktails in zero gravity?' The Cosmic LifeStyle group has the answer - The zero gravity cocktail project.

Read more about it via Cosmic LifeStyle:

www.cosmiclifestyle.com/new-page-1-1

What goes up...

The Dragon V2 Spacecraft was formally announced by SpaceX this week. The reusable capsule system currently supplies the International Spacestation - the newer version will shuttle astronauts as well. Up to seven crew members will softly touch down using tightly controlled rockets.

Read more and watch the animation via CNN:

www.cnn.com/2014/05/29/us/spacex-new-spacecraft

Traveling light...

Swiss Space Systems would like to offer you a weightless experience at a discount rate. Starting at about 2,700 USD, you can take a parabolic flight with a group. There are premium classes on the same flight, with smaller groups and more perks.

Read more about it via Swiss Space Systems:

zerog.s-3.ch

High style...

UPDATE: Nasa continues to refine the design for future space suits. Exploring the Mars doesn't have to be a drab affair, and the newest crop of prototypes prove it.

Read more about it via Wired:

www.wired.com

Just a hop away...

The 'Morpheus' vehicle completed another test successfully at the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility - and, no, that photo is not fake.

Watch the video via Sploid:

sploid.gizmodo.com