News Summaries for December 21

Florida to Get More Aggressive in Recruiting Business (Source: St. Petersburg Times)
After scoring this year with a bevy of research-and-development firms - think SRI International's recent decision to help develop underwater sensors at USF St. Petersburg - Florida wants to keep the good times rolling. Enterprise Florida, the state's business recruitment agency, is embarking on its first direct-mail campaign urging R&D bigwigs to take a second look at the Sunshine State. Visit http://www.sptimes.com/2006/12/20/Business/State_gets_direct_in_.shtml to view the article.

NASA Needs R&D Funding Boost, Romanowski tells Congress (Source: AIA)
AIA Civil Aviation Vice President Mike Romanowski told members of the House Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee that Congress must add funding to the depleted aeronautics research and development effort within NASA.

President Signs National Aeronautics R&D Policy (Source: NASA Watch)
President Bush signed an Executive Order (EO) establishing the nation’s first Aeronautics Research and Development Policy. The EO was accompanied by release of a supporting Policy document developed by the Aeronautics Science and Technology (S&T) Subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC). The overarching goal of the Policy is to advance U.S. technological leadership in aeronautics by fostering a vibrant and dynamic aeronautics research and development (R&D) community that includes government, industry, and academia. Visit http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=21520 for information.

NASA KSC Providing Assistance to Santa on Christmas Eve (Source: NASA)
The Debris Imaging Radar System, used during the night launch of NASA's space shuttle mission STS-116, is a new system at Kennedy Space Center in Florida that will now be made available to Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. Based on its success in identifying even the smallest amount of debris coming off the orbiter or the external tank, NASA has strong confidence the system will provide assistance in observing Santa's sleigh. Since the elves have the packages piled high, NASA can determine with great accuracy if any gifts planned for delivery fall off the sleigh. The radar has an auto-track mode so that it can be left unattended on Christmas Eve and still perform its intended function. The system will be automatically activated once NASA's air traffic control radar located on north KSC has made radar contact with Santa's sleigh.

Eutelsat Selects Alcatel Alenia to Build Satellite (Source: Alcatel)
Eutelsat Communications has selected Alcatel Alenia Space to manufacture and deliver Eutelsat’s W7 communications satellite. To be launched in second quarter 2009, W7 will double the capacity currently available at a key neighborhood in the Group’s fleet of geostationary satellites. Through a configuration of high-performance fixed and steerable beams, W7 will also boost coverage and flexibility for addressing growing markets, notably in central Asia and Africa.

Florida Space Grant Consortium Sponsors 2007 Programs (Source: FSGC)
The NASA-sponsored Florida Space Grant Consortium is soliciting applications for its 2007 Fellowship Program, and has released the solicitation for its 2007 Florida Space Research & Education Grant Program. The Fellowship Program attracts and rewards the best and the brightest of US citizens to space related masters and doctoral studies and careers. Each Fellow will receive a stipend of $20,000 for full-time doctoral study and $12,000 for full time masters study. The Research & Education Grant Program funds university projects that are consistent with Florida's space industry goals. Visit http://fsgc.engr.ucf.edu/programs/fellowships/rfp.html for information on the grant program, and http://fsgc.engr.ucf.edu/programs/fellowships/sgfp2007rfp-word.doc for information on the Fellowship Program.

Shuttle Returns to Earth on Dec. 22 (Source: NASA)
Discovery will complete its 13-day mission to the International Space Station on Dec. 22 with a landing at one of three sites based on weather conditions. The different landing opportunities are (all times Eastern): Cape Canaveral Spaceport: 3:56 p.m. or 5:32 p.m.; Edwards Air Force Base, California: 5:27 p.m., 7 p.m. or 8:36 p.m.; and White Sands Space Harbor, New Mexico: 5:27 p.m. or 7:02 p.m.