March 13 News Items

NASA Optimistic About Space Shuttle Tank Repair (Source: Reuters)
The hail-damaged fuel tank on space shuttle Atlantis likely will be repaired at the Florida launch site, minimizing the delay for NASA's first mission of the year, officials said on Monday. NASA is hoping the fuel tank will be repaired in time for a late April or early May launch. A freak storm on February 26 dropped hailstones as big as golf balls on the shuttle, damaging the thermal insulation on the ship's fuel tank. Managers decided to return the ship to a processing hangar for detailed inspections and repairs to or replacement of the tank. If the tank could not be repaired at the launch site, the flight would have to be delayed to June, when a replacement tank would be ready to fly.

Lawmaker Says White House Shortchanges NASA (Source: Space News)
U.S. Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-W.Va.), chairman of the House Appropriations commerce, justice, science subcommittee, said that NASA needs more money, but put the onus on the White House to request a bigger budget for the space agency.

Boeing Studying Europe-Based Interceptor (Source: Space News)
Boeing is studying a two-stage variant of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense System interceptor that would be used as a part of a Europe-based missile shield, a company official said.

Telesat to Advise Pakistan on Satellite Purchase (Source: Space News)
Telesat Canada will advise Pakistan’s space agency on the purchase of a Paksat-1R telecommunications satellite, to be launched in 2010, under a contract that Ottawa-based Telesat announced March 13.

Ares Tests To Go On Despite Budget Woes (Source: Flight International)
NASA is pressing ahead with testing for the first stage of the Ares I crew launch vehicle despite ongoing budget concerns. Milestones include ensuring the avionics can withstand shock loads from the 12 pyrotechnic events during the booster's launch. NASA also plans to restage a drop test of the parachute recovery system for the first stage, after the February failure of a prototype pilot parachute. Tests of the main parachute are planned for June. A decision is also expected this month on whether the weight of the first-stage forward structure can be reduced using composite materials or if it will be made of aluminium for performance reasons.

Hermes Could Herald In-Orbit Satellite Refuelling (Source: Flight International)
Funding for a satellite servicing spacecraft program called Hermes is being discussed by the European Space Agency. Hermes includes a 350kg (770lb) "utility agent" vehicle that would transfer station-keeping fuel to a communications satellite in geostationary orbit or attach a rocket motor to reboost its orbit. The refuelling service would cost up to $13 million per 50kg of propellant, and Kosmas says the utility agent could refuel up to three satellites. Satellite refuelling would require a special coupling costing €5,000. One part would be fitted to the fuel valve of the customer satellite before launch and the utility agent would carry a second part.