It is popularly believed that the Spanish know just how to make the most of crammed up spaces. And that said, it is high time we took pointers from these experts for isn’t space shortage the biggest obstacle in the modern times! Well, a Spanish bathroom design company that goes by the name of Roca has designed something truly extraordinary. The product we are so excited about is called Transtube 360 degree shower stall.

This one really is a frameless glass enclosure that surrounds you shower in a curve. The glass door opens and closes automatically. We think the Transtube 360 degree makes for a great bathroom option in tight space. The minimalist effect would work wonders.
The clear shower stall comes equipped with a rotating door that has no hinges or screws or handles. Trust us, you won’t be complaining either for it works automatically thanks to the motion sensors. The innards of the stall have a sleek chrome column. A thermostatic stainless steel tower is great way to save water and energy. A very stylised item, that deserves a second look.

Via trendir

It’s not an easy decision to install a fireplace in our modern homes, because space is always an issue. But we have one very well-thought of fireplace concept that will fit perfectly in your homes without cramping up any space. Called the Vulcan Stove Fireplace, this beauty is a hearth that comes attached with a whole number of shelves.

So you can well imagine the multiple uses you can put this one to. The designer behind this very practical and useful fireplace is Arthur Senant. Again, the very interesting and unusual design will definitely make the firplace an intrinsic part of your modern home decor which forever strives to be unique and clutter free.

It runs on wood (so we are not very sure of the eco-friendly bit) and promises to keep you cosy all those chilly days head while keeping your aesthetics intact with that white metal finishing.

Via yankodesign

The landing of Apollo 11 on the moon has just become an excuse now to dole out one luxe item after another, in commemoration of the historic event. Not that we are complaining! This once is the famous brand Fisher Space Pen Co. which has decided to launch a limited edition of AG7-40LE Space Pens. With only 1000 units in production, this pen is trying its best to justify its exclusivity. We are told that it is the replica of the historic anti-gravity model pen.

There is a piece of ‘Kapton’ foil floating in its water-clear acrylic dome sealed into the pen’s cap. For the uninitiated, this foil was used as a protective thermal insulation on the Apollo 11 Command module. Boy, and if that wasn’t enough for the space die-hards, this rare pen is finished with blac titanium nitride and also has detailed engravings of the pen’s serial number as well as the names of the Apollo 11 crew in 24-K gold.

Not to forget is the magnetic pedestal that lets the pen to sit comfy in  its own launch pad when the lid is closed. The gorgeous presentation case tells the story of the Apollo 11 mission. The price tag says $800.

Via businesswire

Space has become the talk of the town what withe the 40th anniversary of man’s first landing on the moon just going past us. And of course, how can we forget the zest for space tourism and even holding marriages in zero gravity. Taking full advantage of this current trend, a rare chunk of space debris has been put up for sale. This one fell on the Earth near Thirsk in North Yorkshire in August 2005.

Named the Hambleton Meteorite, this one is expected to go for some $148,000 at an auction that will be held in the coming month. As per famous meteorite hunter and dealer Rob Elliott, this rock has been named after the district in which it was found. Again, the rock has been classified as a pallasite, which is a technical term for something that is composed of a certain type of stone and iron.

Elliott also informs that so far only one per cent of all discovered meteorites are pallasites; thereby, making the Hambletone Meteorite quite a rare type. And we assume, that very fact must have justified the huge price tag to you space enthusiasts out there.

Via thenorthernecho

The historic landing of the Apollo 11 on the  moon 40 years ago is a moment of celebration all over the world. The television busies itself presenting programmes based on the achievement while movie channels showcase films of similar genre. And guess what Louis Vuitton does? Well, it creates a custom-order trunk called Malle Mars. Now we do wonder, why they didn’t think of a more appropriate Moonie Moon, but that’s a different issue altogether.

Coming back to Malle Mars, we are told that it looks like somethings that comes straight from the sets of ‘Star Trek’. It is an aerodynamic trunk with several compartments to meet all sorts of space requirements when one is on the go, which even includesdrawers for dishware and a folding chair.

LV is celebrating the anniversary at the Rose Center for Earth and Space at the American Museum of Natural History today. The trunk along with some NASA pics, space toys etc will be showcased there. Astronauts Buzz Aldrin, Jim Lovell and Sally Ride will be in attendance.And on the same occasion, we ae told, LV is giving away an undisclosed sum to Al Gore’s Climate Project.

Via ilvoelv & hypebeast

A group of brilliant Masters Students from IDE, which is run jointly by Imperial College London and the Royal College of Art, have come up with phenomenal plans to build a hotel in space, which can then be fitted to the International Space Station. Indeed, this will be very cool in case the plans work successfully. The enthusiastic students have already unveiled a 12 meter-long replica of the hotel interior, besides the animated computer designs.

The students really worked hard to design the project, which could function in a zero gravity environment. The students worked with Daniele Badini, who is a renowned visiting lecturer and space architecture expert. The whole thing was a challenging task and the students really worked hard. The toilets were specially designed small in order to save space.

As there cannot be washing machines o wash clothes, the students settled the scores by designing the clothes that can enable the skin to breathe, which reduces sweating, smells and the need for clothes to be washed. The major challenge faced by the students was to design the sleeping method in zero gravity. They came up with single and double sleeping bags with soft elastic covers. One of the outstanding creations of the students was creating a floating camera to capture the trip for the couple.

Via: ScienceDaily

So at a price of £10,000, the couple had a Boeing 727 jet converted into a weightless space. The flight duration was 90 minutes and it made 16 roller coaster-type dives. British-born space tourist Richard Garriott officiated the marriage ceremony.

We are told that both Fulmor and Finnegan are die hard sci-fi fans and so always wanted that stamp on the  most important day of their lives. Even the wedding rings were made from precious metal fragments of meteorite that hit Namibia some 30,000 years ago.

Via dailymail

So much for the talk about the economic downturn, enthusiasts of space tourism seem to be rather unaffected by the ruling atmosphere across the globe. In fact, they are wiling to go a step further. Yes, get married in zero gravity. If the buzz is to be believed then a NY coupe, Noah Fulmor and Erin Finnegan will exchange their vows floating mid-air in the presence of their near and dear ones.

The ceremony will be officiated by Richard Garriott, who is the sixth private explorer to go to space. Others promoting space tourism are Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic with a grand plan to conduct marriages 70 miles above the earth while a Japanese company Rocketplane Global Inc offers the same at 60 miles for $2.3 million. However, Fulmor and Finnegan might not have to shell out so much money. The official word at zerogravitywedding tells that plane rental shall cost between $32,400 and $64,800. But the cost can be brought down to $5,400 per person in case they are willing to share space with another couple getting married at the same time.

Well, the lovebirds in reference are doing their best to make their W-Day a memorable one. The bride is to wear a bridal gown in white designed by Japanese designer Eri Matsui while the groom shall sport a tux with tapered tails. The wedding is fixed for June 20 aboard a modified Boeing 727-200 that shall depart from the Kennedy Space Center. Lasting 90 minutes, the flight includes 15 drops from 36,000 feet to 24,000 feet creating 30 seconds of zero gravity.

Via telegraph

One thing that the new age of technology has always remembered to focus on is the projection screen. The latest addition to the already so long list is called Beamax. This one is an M-Tensioned-In-Ceiling motorized projection screen. What the screen does is to offer a very flat and smooth projection surface that has the special ability to retract into the ceiling when not in use. So, you can enjoy a very clutter-free environment at home.

Well, it does come with the standard switch but also with an IR remote, RF remote, 12 V trigger, power sensing trigger, key switch and a combination of any of the two with the Beamax bridge. Also, you will be happy to choose your favorite screen fabric.

Beamax has a viewable width of up to 3.65 meters, which is equal to a 165-inch diagonal in 16:9 format. The screen is also custom-made in standard 4:3, 16:9 or 1:2:35 widescreen formats. So, you have nothing to worry about that high ceiling in your house. Then there is the black top border which goes up to 1 meter that enhances the movie watching experience. Price starts at $2,263.

Via prweb & beamax

Can you recall the Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic Mothership? News is today Virgin Founder, Sir Richard Branson and SpaceShipOne designer, Burt Rutan, hauled back the barn doors on the novel WhiteKnightTwo (WK2) carrier airliner. Touted as the world’s largest all carbon fused jumbo jet, the vehicle can ride at an utmost elevation of 50,000 ft and its U.S. coast-to-coast assortment will enable the spacecraft to be send out on long interval voyage. Driven by four Pratt and Whitney PW308A engines, the WhiteKnight2 is an airplane that will commence SpaceShipTwo into suborbital space.

The flight for WK2 will commence once it reaches an apposite juncture in a broad test program that has by now begun with ground tests. The flight test program will be all-inclusive even prior to SpaceShipTwo is approved as a consignment for the first time in 2009. It is being told that Richard Branson and his family will be the first one to bore the flight that will last 2.5-hours with five minutes of weightlessness before the craft reaches back to Earth.

Via Wired / CrunchGear