Sunday, January 13, 2019

SpaceX Starhopper launch by Owen Egan

Concept images of SpaceX's stainless steel Starship test vehicle (Starhopper) by British graphic designer Owen Egan (known on NASASpaceFlight.com forum as "tea monster"). The Starhopper is not shy of its wrinkles :) More of Owen's art here.

The SpaceX's Starship test vehicle (being a bit shorter, ~40 meters, than the full-scale Starship) is built in Boca Chica, Texas and scheduled to fly first test flights on March/April 2019.

SpaceX Starhopper launch by Owen Egan

SpaceX Starhopper launch by Owen EganSpaceX Starhopper by Owen Egan

Friday, January 11, 2019

Retro style Mars rover by David A. Hardy

Picture of the Day 11/1/2019 - a small ATV type, retro style Mars rover in front of NASA's lander (1981) by classical space artist David A. Hardy. More of his Mars art here.

Retro style Mars rover by David A. Hardy

Thursday, January 10, 2019

Photo of SpaceX's Starhopper (official)

Today Elon Musk tweeted the photo of the actual Starhopper (the shorter test vehicle of SpaceX's stainless steel Starship) built in SpaceX's Boca Chica launch facility in South Texas and sheduled to fly first test flights in March/April.

SpaceX real Starhopper (photo from Elon Musk)

Wednesday, January 9, 2019

SpaceX Starhopper, Starship, Super Heavy, Falcon 9 and BFR comparison by Kimi Talvitie

After making some of the best model renders of SpaceX's stainless steel Starship to date, Finnish 3D artist Kimi Talvitie has made another image, comparing the models of Starhopper (the shorter test vehicle of Starship), Starship, Super Heavy booster, Falcon 9 and full stack Starship + Super Heavy.
(Open link in new tab to view ⇩ in full resolution)
SpaceX Starhopper, Starship, Super Heavy, Falcon 9 and Big Falcon Rocket model comparison by Kimi Talvitie

Mars colony apartment block

British The Sun has published an article what the human residences on Mars could look like by 2050 with architects and scientists prototyping several possible types of homes for would-be Martian colonists. All the designs are meant "to protect interplanetary homeowners from hazardous cosmic rays, space radiation and Mars' severe dust storms, as well as insulate them from the cold."

Here are images for the 2nd design - apartment block covered with Martian regolith.
Open link in new tab to view image in full resolution.

Mars colony apartment block covered with regolith (The Sun)
Interior of one of the apartments:
Mars apartment interior (The Sun)

Tuesday, January 8, 2019

SpaceX Starhopper, Starship and Super Heavy model comparison by Kimi Talvitie

Finnish 3D artist Kimi Talvitie has made some impressive 3D models of SpaceX's stainless steel Starhopper (the shorter test vehicle of Starship), Starship and Super Heavy booster. Here are some comparative renders of them. Open link in new tab to view image in full resolution.

SpaceX Starhopper, Starship and Super Heavy model comparison with height by Kimi Talvitie

Mars base by Bryan Versteeg

Picture of the Day 8/1/2019 - Mars base by Canadian concept artist Bryan Versteeg. More of his space art here.
(Open link in new tab to view ⇩ in full resolution)
Mars base by Bryan Versteeg

Sunday, January 6, 2019

Mars mansions in a crater community

British The Sun has published an article what the human residences on Mars could look like by 2050 with architects and scientists prototyping several possible types of homes for would-be Martian colonists. All the designs are meant "to protect interplanetary homeowners from hazardous cosmic rays, space radiation and Mars' severe dust storms, as well as insulate them from the cold."

Here are images for the 1st design - mansions in a crater community. Open link in new tab to view image in full resolution.

Mars mansions in a crater community (The Sun)
Interior of the mansion:
Mars mansion interior (The Sun)

Thursday, January 3, 2019

Concept art from "Dome City" - cancelled VR adventure game set on Mars

"Dome City" was a space adventure video game project with multiplayer (rarely seen in adventure games) and virtual reality support. It was developed by a small indie game developer "Overon Station", relaying on a (unsuccessful) crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter, and never left past the pre-Alpha stage. In the game three young characters would be stranded fighting for survival in a domed city on Mars abandoned for 100 years. Sad the game didn't saw its release; the concept was interesting.

Here are some concept art images and a teaser for the game project:

Dome City on Mars