June 6 News Items

Defense Ministry to Mothball Spaceport in Russia's Far East (Source: RIA Novosti)
The Russian defense minister and a group of military inspectors arrived Wednesday at the Svobodny space center in Russia's Far East, slated to be put out of operation later this year. The commander of Russia's Space Forces said on January 22 that the Svobodny space center would be mothballed completely in 2007 as it has no perspectives for further development. "The only launch of a Start-1 rocket this year will be conducted in the interests of Israel," Colonel General Vladimir Popovkin said at the time.

Astrium To Build Amazonas-2 for Hispasat Satellites (Source: Space News)
Satellite-fleet operator Hispasat of Spain has contracted with Astrium Satellites to build a large Amazonas-2 telecommunications spacecraft to be placed into orbit in 2009, which will add capacity to Hispasat's South American market, Astrium announced June 6.

NASA Head Regrets Global Warming Comments (Source: Space News)
The head of NASA told scientists and engineers that he regrets airing his personal doubts about global warming during a recent radio interview. "Unfortunately, this is an issue which has become far more political than technical and it would have been well for me to have stayed out of it," he said.

Amnesty International To Use Satellites To Monitor Darfur (Source: Space News)
A leading international human rights group will use satellite cameras to keep watch over imperiled villages in Sudan's Darfur region where four years of fighting between pro-government militias and ethnic African rebels has left more than 200,000 people dead.

Bad-Food Complaints 'Hard to Believe,' KSC Says (Source: Florida Today)
NASA isn't giving much credence to reports that cafeteria diners at KSC were served spoiled, outdated food, in part by a worker referred to in a lawsuit as "Dirty Finger Al." Space agency spokesman Bill Johnson responded to earlier reports by saying Kennedy Space Center cafeterias are held to more stringent standards than regular area restaurants. Cafeteria workers are inspected each day before they work, he said. The allegations of bad food are contained in a federal lawsuit by former culinary worker Carolyn Vargas who says she was fired after she reported problems with spoiled, outdated meat and other food, served by contractor Lackmann Culinary Services to space center workers. In a statement, a Lackmann official defended the company's record and employees, saying it follows healthful practices.

Spacehab Positioned to Support NASA Plan to Maximize ISS Utilization (Source: SpaceHab)
Spacehab has endorsed NASA's recently released Report to Congress Regarding a Plan for the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory. "This is one of the most exciting and welcome announcements NASA could have made at this time," said Spacehab President and CEO, Thomas B. Pickens, III. "Spacehab is positioned to be the world leader in on-orbit manufacturing, science, and education accurately reflecting NASA's goals. This report provides the framework for Spacehab, and other private entities, to more effectively execute plans that will deliver products and knowledge that will improve our lives for generations to come," concluded Pickens.

Poll: Europeans want GPS rival to U.S. (Source: Business Week)
GPS is a handy technology, but in Europe it's become a political football. That explains why a new poll found that while only 20 percent of Europeans use satellite navigation devices, 80 percent want the EU to set up an independent "Galileo" service to rival the U.S.-run Global Positioning System -- and use taxpayer money to complete it. This week's release of the poll came just days ahead of key talks between EU governments on whether they should invest an extra $3.25 billion in public funds to salvage Galileo. The EU has abandoned plans to share the cost with business.

Spacewalkers Discover Meteorite Damage on Space Station (Source: Florida Today)
"This is a dent from a meteorite," said one of the spacewalking cosmonauts through a translator. "Looks like a bullet hole." A pair of cosmonauts completed the installation of an ethernet cable, which will allow remote commanding of the Russian section of the space station. They have now turned their attention to installing 12 panels that weigh between 15 and 20 pounds and are 2 feet by 3 feet. The panels will protect the station from other meteorite strikes, which could breach the station causing a potentially deadly situation.

The Moon's Unwelcome Mat: Radiation, Toxic Dust and More (Source: Star-Ledger)
Before volunteering to become a lunar settler, you might want to read up on scurvy. An estimated 2 million sailors suffered excruciating deaths over the centuries until Britain's Royal Navy discovered that citrus fruits ward off that dreadful disease. Colonists on the moon almost certainly will face similarly baffling and potentially lethal health hazards, a medical expert from NASA warned yesterday. "We have just finished the 'pre-scurvy phase' of long-duration space flight. And we may just be entering the scurvy phase," said James Logan, a physician who has served as NASA's chief of medical operations and now is a consultant.

Prolonged exposure to radiation, low gravity or lunar dust could be "show-stoppers" that make NASA consider sending robots instead. Although human spaceflight dates to 1961, astronauts have spent less than 600 hours on the moon. And they have ventured outside their lunar modules for only about 162 hours -- not enough time to draw many conclusions about health effects, Logan said. Nor have long-term health studies been a top priority for the space agency. Earth's atmosphere and magnetic field protect us from getting fried by ionizing radiation, which a doctor described as "turbo-charged premature aging." The moon offers no such shielding. Lunar habitats probably will require thick layers of lunar soil, called regolith. Yet particles of moon dust cling to everything and are tiny enough to be inhaled. Click here to view the article.

Firms Compete to Build NM Spaceport Terminal, Hangars (Source: Las Cruces Sun-News)
New Mexico announced Tuesday the short list of architectural and engineering firms in the running to design and build terminal and hangar facilities at Spaceport America. HKS of Dallas; URS of San Francisco; and Gensler, also of San Francisco, were selected out of 11 firms that bid for the project, and will go on to compete in Phase II. Each firm will provide concept drawings and detailed cost information for the project. The winner will be named July 26. Each of the finalists will receive a $40,000 stipend as reimbursement for participating in the competition. To the winner will go the rights to design the estimated $28 million, 100,000-square-foot terminal and hangars for the spaceport, scheduled to open in 2009 or 2010 at a remote site in southern Sierra County. The entire spaceport project, including runways, roads and other infrastructure, is estimated at $198 million.

Italian Satellite to Lift Off from Vandenberg (Source: Santa Maria Times)
A party atmosphere surrounds a seemingly routine Delta 2 rocket that is poised to launch an Earth imaging satellite Thursday from Vandenberg Air Force Base on a mission for the Italian Space Agency. The commercial launch will carry the first of four satellites that will make up the Constellation of Small Satellites for Mediterranean basin Observation (COSMO) SkyMed.