May 22 News Items

How NASA Screwed Up (And Four Ways to Fix It) (Source: WIRED)
Here is a set of rational priorities for NASA, in descending order of importance: (1) Conduct research, particularly environmental research, on Earth, the sun, and Venus, the most Earth-like planet. (2) Locate asteroids and comets that might strike Earth, and devise a practical means of deflecting them. (3) Increase humanity's store of knowledge by studying the distant universe. (4) Figure out a way to replace today's chemical rockets with a much cheaper way to reach Earth orbit. Here are NASA's apparent current priorities: (1) Maintain a pointless space station. (2) Build a pointless Motel 6 on the moon. (3) Increase humanity's store of knowledge by studying the distant universe. (4) Keep money flowing to favored aerospace contractors and congressional districts.

Only one priority of four correct! Worse, NASA's to-do list neglects the two things that are actually of tangible value to the taxpayers who foot its bills — research relevant to environmental policymaking and asteroid-strike protection. NASA has recently been canceling or postponing "Earth observation" missions intended to generate environmental information about our world. For instance, a year and a half ago the agency decided not to fund Hydros, a satellite that would have provided the first global data on soil moisture trends. NASA focuses its planetary research on frigid Mars rather than Venus, which suffers a runaway greenhouse effect. The agency is conducting only a few sun-study missions — even though all life depends on the sun, and knowing more about it might clarify the global-warming debate. Visit http://www.wired.com/science/space/magazine/15-06/ff_space_nasato view the article.

House Advances Major U.S. Competitiveness, Science/Math Education Package (Source: U.S. House of Reps)
The U.S. House of Representatives followed through on a commitment to ensure U.S. students, teachers, businesses and workers are prepared to continue leading the world in innovation, research and technology - well into the future. Six competitiveness-enhancing bills have been passed as part of the House Democrats' "Innovation Agenda." The bills were authored and steered by the House Committee on Science and Technology.

The House legislative package authorizes a total of $23.6 billion in 2008 - 2010, including $21 billion for research and education programs at the National Science Foundation (NSF), $2.5 billion for the research labs, the Manufacturing Extension Partnership and other activities at the National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST), and $96 million for early career awards and teacher professional development programs at the Department of Energy (DOE). An additional $70 million is authorized for these programs at DOE for fiscal years 2011-2012. Click here for more information.

Europe Gets a Space Policy - Defense or Exploration? (Source: The Register)
The European Union has officially got a space policy, an essential item for any aspiring superpower. The document talks a lot about the importance of space as an inspirational tool to get youngsters into science and engineering, and it mentions the need for pan-European coordination of space efforts to maximize research gains. The policy makes several references to the importance of emerging satellite communications and navigation technologies, (independent of the US GPS system). As for access to space, the Council of Ministers says it is vitally important that Europe "maintain an independent, reliable and cost-effective access to space".

In terms of space technology, the council stresses the importance of "a targeted approach for the development of strategic components, for which the dependency of European Industry on international suppliers should be avoided". Of course, it is about exploration too. It also emphasises the importance of "proactive" ESA involvement in the international space station, and gives ESA a pat on the back for the work it has done over the last 30 years. Click here to view a copy of the policy.

Jacksonville Spaceport Closer to Lifting Off (Source: Jacksonville.com)
Cecil Field is a step closer to having space craft launch from its runway following the FAA's review of an environmental assessment examining its suitability as a spaceport. With the FAA's comments in hand, the Jacksonville Aviation Authority can move ahead with the licensing process. That will require the FAA to review a number of details about the site, including making sure the site wouldn't violate any federal policies and evaluating safety issues. No major issues came up during the review, although there were a number of items that must be addressed or answered. The review considered a number of environmental issues, including the affects of noise. Noise is a major issue for the area around the former military base. Among the next steps that must be taken before the site could be licensed will be public workshops, which could occur over the summer.

The authority began considering turning Cecil into a spaceport last year, when the airfield's name surfaced in a Florida Space Authority report that said Cecil Field is "the best airport for aircraft-like launch vehicles." At that time, it looked like the Space Authority would select some site to serve as the state's first commercial spaceport, a facility that would handle horizontal flights for tourists and other commercial purposes. While Cape Canaveral has long been the home of U.S. launch operations, the space center there comes with a raft of restrictions on private operations, limiting its appeal to businesses. Other states have been quick to jump on that opening, with New Mexico and other states moving to set up their own launch facilities. Meanwhile, Florida's efforts appeared to have stalled, with changes in the structure of the state's space agency - which is reorientating itself after being combined with other agencies last year - taking precedent. This led the Aviation Authority to strike out on its own rather than waiting for the state to lead them into space.

Oklahoma Fosters Future Space Commerce (Source: Edmond Sun)
Within the next several centuries, when colonization of other planets begins, there may be a monument situated at the Oklahoma Space Industry Development Authority’s facility in Burns Flat in Washita County to commemorate those who left earth to begin new lives on other planets. That authority was created by the Oklahoma Legislature for the purpose of creating a spaceport in Oklahoma and to encourage both space commerce and education about space in the state. In accordance with those goals, the authority acquired title to what had been the Clinton Industrial Park in Burns Flat. That site initially was created by in 1942 as the 5,000-acre Clinton Naval Air Station where the Navy trained its pilots.

Late last year, the Oklahoma Space Industry Development Authority was awarded by the Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation a Launch Site Operator License that will allow it to begin private travel into space. Oklahoma-based Rocketplane Kistler was selected by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce and the Oklahoma Tax Commission as the firm most qualified to receive state-issued investment tax credits allowed for construction of a vehicle capable of space travel, and is now in the process of constructing a suborbital transporter for that purpose. Rocketplane Kistler currently is leasing several hangars at Burns Flat to prepare the vehicle, and has entered into an agreement with the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute for space flight training, and has signed contracts with several out-of-state aerospace companies who wish to utilize the Burns Flat site.