EXPLICIT MATERIAL POSSIBLE

The Sierra Nevada Corporation Dream Chaser flight vehicle is readied for 60 mph tow tests at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center on Aug. 2, 2013

Credit: NASA/Ken Ulbrich

Alex talks about the postponing of SpaceX's CRS-5 mission to resupply the ISS and also talks about some other private companies and what they are doing to help bring the cost down for space travel and help make it safer. The companies discussed are Sierra Nevada Corporations (SNC) Space Systems and Blue Origins, LLC.

Blue Origin's pusher escape system rockets the Crew Capsule away from the launch pad, demonstrating a key safety system for both suborbital and orbital flights.

Credit: Jeff Bezos, Blue Origins, LLC.

Dream Chaser launches on an Atlas V rocket in this artist's conception.

Credit: Mark Maxwell

Over=head view comparison of the Space Shuttle (Right) and the Dream Chaser aircraft (Left)

In the spirit of Christmas, Alex also demonstrates how the "horse-whinny" is done in that Christmas song - "Sleigh Ride", and what instrument actually makes that sound.

TOPICS ON TODAY'S EP:

The Holidays (the good, the bad & the ugly), SpaceX CRS-5, static fire test, beta angles, Sierra Nevada Corporations Space Systems (SNC), Dream Chaser, SpaceShipOne & SpaceShipTwo hybrid rocket engine, Launch America, Commercial Crew Program, NASA, Blue Origins, Beta Cutoff, "rotisserie mode", What instrument plays the horse call in "Sleigh Ride" & how is it done.

Space Links:

• New F9R Rocket Get Static Fire Test | SpaceX Space HD – YOUTUBE.COM

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsMNrhz5Nh

• "Back Then...In Space" - NASA's HL-20

  http://www.nasa.gov/centers/langley/news/factsheets/HL-20.html#.VJhsu0AACU

• SNC Space System Links (DreamChaser)

  http://www.sncspace.com/ss_about_dreamchaser.php

  https://www.youtube.com/user/SNCspacesystems

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgdFotAkUEU

• Blue Origins, LLC.

  http://www.blueorigin.com/

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5l8aQ3hQyVs