News Summaries for November 13

Gully Gazing: Scientists Search for Flowing Water on Mars (Source: Space.com)
Thanks to a flotilla of Mars orbiters, there’s been a steady flow of information streaming in from that puzzling world. Scientists are piecing together a far more coherent view of “real time” versus “geological time” in dealing with the whole of Mars today. One of the more perplexing finds on Mars are features that look like the product of groundwater seeping to the surface. These gullies could be formed by flowing water—perhaps fed by a groundwater supply. Deposits of soil and rocks transported by these flows have been found too. More importantly, gully features appear to be young. So young, in fact, they might be forming today. Clearly, gullies may well be areas of astrobiologial interest—a niche for life that could be present and accounted for on Mars.

Mars Group Launches Satellite Fundraiser (Source: MIT)
Those who cannot afford the million-dollar price tag attached to space tourism will be happy to learn that at least their names--and their logos--will be able to travel into space for a much smaller fee, thanks to a group of MIT students working on the design of a small research spacecraft. For the past five years, students from MIT's Mars Gravity Biosatellite Program and from around the world have worked together to create a satellite design that, when built, will be able to simulate a trip to Mars by sending mice into orbit around the Earth.

They hope their work will pave the way for future manned missions to Mars. Thus far, the program has received funding from partner universities, NASA and many corporations. But the program needs a lot of money to continue, especially if the students want to meet their goal of launching from Earth in 2010. The satellite will remain in orbit for five weeks. The students need to raise an estimated $30 million to design, implement, launch and operate the mission. Visit http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2006/spacename.html to view the article.

JP Aerospace Flies Two High Altitude Balloon Test Missions (Source: JP Aerospace)
JP Aerospace flew two balloon platforms last week. Flying two missions on the same morning was a real challenge for the team. Managing two vehicles at once is a critical step toward future operations in the upper atmosphere. A high wind launch system was used for both liftoffs. The system consists of giant envelopes containing the balloons and tear panels to release them. The seven to twelve knot winds would have meant a scrubbed flight without the new system. We are improving the system with each flight. We hope to achieve all-weather balloon operations.

The platforms were the twenty-ninth and thirtieth in the Away series of missions. Each platform is carried aloft by two large weather balloons. Away 29 carried one hundred and ten PongSat student experiments. It also took 2640 photographs of sponsor logos with the Earth in the background. Six cameras were on short booms looking back at billboards mounted on the vehicle. Away 29 reached a peak altitude of 95,100 feet. It landed ninety-six miles downrange. Visit http://www.jpaerospace.com/ to view the article.

Russia to Add 3 Satellites to GLONASS Navigation System (Source: Itar Tass)
The preparations began at the Baikonur spaceport on Monday for launching a Proton-K rocket that is to deliver in orbit three satellites of the global navigation satellite system (GLONASS) on December 25. Russia also announced plans to lift all limitations on precision of determining coordinates of objects from space beginning from Jan. 1, 2007, allowing GLONASS to "work for development of the economy and transport.” Russia will speed up the formation of GLONASS. “By the end of 2007, the whole system covering Russia’s territory in full will be started up, for which it will be necessary to have 18 spacecraft in orbit.”

Congress to Address Global Warming, NASA (Source: UPI)
Washington's view of global warming, alternative energy and the future of the space program may change under the new Democrat-controlled Congress. The U.S. space policy may get more funding to live up to U.S. President George Bush's Vision for Space Exploration. Bush called for the space program to return to the moon by 2008, explore Mars and complete the International Space Station and retire the space shuttle by 2010. But with the presidential election two years away, it may be unrealistic to expect large-scale changes in science or environmental policies. Instead, analysts expect oversight hearings to be more robust than in recent years.

GCC Imaging Satellite Project Tests Export Limits (Source: Space News)
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has selected two finalists — one U.S.-Canadian, the other French-Italian — for a two-satellite military Earth observation system whose technical specifications will test the limits of what Western nations are willing to export, U.S. and European industry officials said. The winner will take home a contract roughly estimated at about $700 million.

India’s Space Agency Seeks Government Approval of Manned Spaceflight Program (Source: Space News)
The Indian Space Research Agency (ISRO) has proposed starting a human spaceflight program, with the first manned flight taking place by 2014 leading up to landing an Indian national on the Moon by 2020, ahead of China.

Boeing Nabs Contract for Fourth WGS Satellite (Source: Space News)
Boeing Integrated Defense Systems of St. Louis will build the fourth Wideband Gapfiller Satellite (WGS) for the U.S. Air Force under a contract option valued at $299.8 million, the company announced in a press release Nov. 9.

Northrop Gets Sole-Source Deal for Missile Defense Satellites (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) will forgo competition for a new set of missile tracking satellites, and will award that work on a sole-source basis to Northrop Grumman Corp., according to a Nov. 4 announcement posted on the Federal Business Opportunities Web site. However, Northrop Grumman will conduct a competition for the payload for the Space Tracking and Surveillance Satellites (STSS) Block 12.

U.S. Satellite Radio Firms Narrow Losses in 3rd Quarter (Source: Space News)
While Sirius Satellite Radio continued to gain on competitor XM Satellite Radio in terms of subscriber gains, a strong showing by XM in the third quarter may mark the beginning of stability for the company after its recent struggles. Washington-based XM reported $240 million in revenue during the quarter ending Sept. 30, up from $153 million in the third quarter of 2005. Sirius of New York brought in $155 million in revenue, compared to $64 million during the third quarter of 2005.

Surrey Signs Deal To Build Nigeriasat-2 (Source: Space News)
Britain's Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. (SSTL) will build an optical Earth observation satellite for the Nigerian government that the small-satellite specialist says will demonstrate the growing capabilities and potential of small satellites. The Nigeriasat-2 satellite, contracted by Nigeria’s National Space Research and Development Agency, is scheduled for launch in 2009, SSTL announced Nov. 6.

Kennedy Space Center Perfect Start to Family Trip (Source: Sun Media)
"Florida again?" That was the collective groan from my family once I announced our next vacation would be enjoyed in a state we have visited often in the past. "We are going to the Space Coast. I promise, it's going to be a blast." No pun intended, but we were going to have the time of our lives. With rockets, surf and sand dotting over 100 km of shoreline, the Space Coast, 90 minutes east of Orlando, is the perfect setting for a family vacation. The Space Coast gets its name for being the only place in North America where rockets are launched to explore worlds beyond our own. By offering the chance for the average person to explore and even train on the same grounds where NASA is located, the Kennedy Space Center brings the exciting world of space to everyone. Visit http://travel.canoe.ca/Travel/Activities/Families/2006/11/05/2253567-sun.html to view the article.

KT Engineering's RSLV Progress - Potential VSE Bonus (Source: NasaSpaceFlight.com)
KT Engineering's Radially Segmented Launch Vehicle (RSLV) project is picking up the pace, with the manufacter of the stainless steel tanks now selected. The vehicle, which is being developed for low cost commerical and science payload lauches, will use a Liquid Methane/Liquid Oxygen engine that may play a role in developments for NASA's Vision for Space Exploration (VSE) plans. A 'pathfinder' version of the tank will be revealed at the end of the year, with structural and mechanical testing of the tanks commencing at Marshall in spring 2007, followed by hot-fire tests of LOX-methane engines mated with pathfinder tanks. Visit http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/content/?cid=4905 to view the article.

China to Launch 2 Satellites for Compass Navigation System (Source: Xinhua)
China is expected to launch two navigation satellites early next year as part of a plan to build a global navigation positioning network. The launch of the two "Beidou" (Compass) satellites, scheduled for the beginning of 2007, is expected to cover China and parts of neighbouring countries by 2008, before being expanded into a global system. The planned network will be a constellation of 35 satellites, including five geo-stationary Earth orbit satellites and 30 medium Earth orbit satellites. The system will provide public positioning accuracy within 10 meters, speed accuracy within 0.2 meters per second and timing accuracy within 50 nanoseconds.