KSC-Based World Space Expo on YouTube Channel (Source: WSE)
The World Space Expo, planned for Nov. 1-4 at Kennedy Space Center, is featured on a YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/wse2007. Videos will be posted throughout the next few weeks leading up to the event. For more info and to purchase tickets to WSE visit http://www.worldspaceexpo.com.
Big Dreams, Few Results in Private Space Exploration (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
A dusty launchpad in a remote region of New Mexico could become one of the first gateways to the heavens for private individuals clamoring to be the pioneer generation of space tourists. "I think they [Virgin Galactic] will get two or three missions a day, five days a week, around 700, 800 flights a year," Ben Woods, a member of the New Mexico Spaceport Authority said. Woods said New Mexico authorities hope to regenerate the region through commercial space travel, denying it will merely become a folly of the super-rich.
"If you look at this strictly as saying 'Well we're going to have some rich people come up to take a joyride' you can misinterpret what we are actually doing, what the real endgame is here," Woods said. "The intention from the very beginning was to undertake this as part of an economic development impact for the entire community in New Mexico," he adds. Burt Rutan believes the launch of the first commercial spaceflights will lead to the mushrooming of other private operators.
Are Human Missions Needed to Explore Mars and Beyond? (Source: AFP)
The United States has pledged to colonize the Moon by 2020 and send astronauts to Mars, but many scientists say dangerous and costly manned space missions should be a thing of the past, not the future. Intelligent robots and satellites such as those already exploring the Red Planet, they say, do a good job and are a lot less fragile than human organisms too easily stranded millions of miles from home. No one expected that Apollo 11 would remain the fulcrum of human space exploration for nearly four decades and counting. "Apollo gave us a false sense of security, it showed us what could be done," said an official at the Science Museum in London. "But all we have managed to do since then -- no matter how magnificent it might be -- is to send humans round and round in orbit around Earth."
"We are many decades from robots that can match humans, even in the lab, and laboratory robotics is about 20 years ahead of space robotics," Steve Squyres, an astronomy professor at Cornell University and principal investigator of the Mars Exploration Rover Mission, recently told a science forum. Mike Griffin predicts that human footprints will grace Mars by 2037. But many space experts are skeptical. "I would be surprised if we do it this century," said Millard. "Going to the Moon was almost like going out for a little swim with a snorkel. Going to Mars is a totally different order of magnitude," he added, citing at least three serious constraints.
One is how to protect human beings from the hazards, many of them poorly understood, of long term space travel. Cosmic radiation, weightlessness, psychological stress -- no one knows what it will feel like to watch one's home planet dwindle into invisibility -- all pose serious challenges to any future Mars mission. And adding a human being to an exploratory space mission boosts the cost roughly a hundred fold, said Millard. "You can now put together a pretty decent unmanned mission for a few hundred million euros (dollars), but you are usually talking about many billions for a manned mission," especially if it is something new, Millard said.
USA to Replace Striking Space Center Workers (Source: Florida Today)
United Space Alliance said it plans to hire hundreds of workers to replace members of the Machinists union on strike at Kennedy Space Center since June over failed contract negotiations. Meanwhile, a letter dated Friday from 23 members of Congress to USA's CEO encourages the company "to reach an agreement in a timely manner." The "nation is counting on a continuation" of the productive partnership between the union and the company to "ensure that the remaining shuttle missions are carried out safely and successfully," the letter states. "If we are to transition smoothly from the space shuttle program to the Ares/Orion program, we will need the talents and experience of this workforce."
USA spokeswoman Tracy Yates said the company's hiring plan "is not an effort to replace" the strikers permanently "at this time." Yates said the replacement workers will be hired as subcontractors or temporary company employees, but converting them to permanent employees "is an option that USA could exercise at any time." Working with a federal mediator, the two sides returned to the bargaining table Sep. 20 for the first time in more than three months, but negotiations broke down after one day. In a Florida Today advertisement, USA invites people to apply for "hundreds of opportunities" in a variety of jobs, from painters and welders to machinists and crane operators. Already, USA has hired about 130 temporary workers as subcontractors, and more than 100 workers who are part of the union's bargaining unit are not striking and are working for the company, Yates said.
Union representatives traveled to Washington, D.C., in advance of a meeting Monday with federal mediators, in hopes of getting the company back to the bargaining table. "USA is as eager to resolve this as these members of Congress are," Yates said, referring to the letter. All of the Congressional members who signed the letter are Democrats, and most are members of the House Committee on Science and Technology, and the House Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, according to a union spokesman. The two members of Congress who represent Brevard County -- Reps. Tom Feeney of Oviedo and Dave Weldon of Indialantic, both Republicans -- did not sign the letter.
VSAT Market Expands Rapidly Despite Land-Based Competition (Source: Space News)
The global market for very small aperture satellite terminals, or VSATs, used by businesses is expanding just about everywhere despite the continued advance of DSL and fiber-optic lines. In the enterprise market alone, more than 1.6 million VSAT units have been shipped worldwide in the last 20 years, with more than one-third of these being delivered in the past two years. These 1.6 million enterprise VSAT terminals accounted for $4.5 billion in service revenue in 2006, a 10 percent increase over 2005, which was a 10 percent increase from 2004.
Satellite Shortages Hit Asia, Africa, Maritime Users (Source: Space News)
Satellite users in South Asia, Central Asia and Africa, plus those with maritime operations, will have to live with a shortage of capacity and rising prices for the little capacity that comes onto the market for another two years or so, according to satellite operators and satellite network operators. It will take that long for spacecraft now on order to be put into service, or for satellite-fleet operators to reshuffle their current businesses to free up space on existing satellites. In the meantime, demand for C-band and, in some cases, Ku-band will outstrip supply, forcing satellite-service providers to sell the idea of higher transmission costs to customers accustomed to prices going in the other direction.
U.S. Senate Set to Vote on Defense, Civil Space Bills (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Senate intends to vote the week of Oct. 1 on a pair of bills funding the U.S. Defense Department, NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for 2008. The NASA and NOAA money is included in the Commerce, Justice, Science spending bill (HR 3093), which cleared the Senate Appropriations Committee in July with $17.46 billion carved out for the U.S. space agency and $4.2 billion for NOAA. Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) said at the time that she intended to wait until the bill moved to the Senate floor to introduce an amendment seeking an additional $1 billion to help offset costs NASA incurred to recover from the 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia accident.
Kazakhs Seek Damages Following Proton Rocket Failure (Source: Space News)
Authorities in Kazakhstan will seek more than $8 million in compensation from Russia following the crash of a Russian Proton-M rocket that was launched Sept. 6 from the Central Asian republic's Baikonur spaceport. "Preliminary calculations demonstrate that the fines will exceed 1 billion tenge ($8.4 million) by far, and this sum will be presented to the Russian side after finalizing the costs related to liquidation of the consequences of the fall of the rocket," Viktor Khrapunov, Kazakhstan's minister of emergency situations, said. The debris fell 50 kilometers southwest of the Kazakh city of Dzhezkagan with no injuries or destruction of property reported.
Sen. Hutchison: U.S. Must be Committed to Being a Leader (Source: Ft. Lauderdale Sun Sentinel)
Since it was founded in 1958, America's space program has been enormously successful. The research that has gone into the program has spurred innovations that have greatly improved our lives, from car phones to heart monitors, from ultrasound scanners to laser surgery. Recently, NASA has begun implementing my plan to use the U.S. segment of the International Space Station (ISS) as a National Laboratory, which means that even more exciting breakthroughs can be expected in the next few years.
The ISS provides our scientists with a unique environment where they can conduct many experiments not possible on Earth. For example, biologists can study the growth of human cells without the influence of gravity, learning details that they would not be able to detect on Earth. By seeing how fire and water behave in outer space, they have discovered better ways of spraying water to put out a fire. There have also been discussions about placing a sophisticated particle detector on the space station to learn more about cosmic rays. The planned research on cosmic rays may provide researchers with vital insights in understanding and using dark matter. As much as 70 percent of the universe is made up of dark matter, but at the present time, scientists know very little about it. Those insights could directly advance our knowledge of using superconducting magnet technology for propulsion and radiation shielding. Click here to view the article.
Asia Could Win Next 'Space Race', US Scientists Fear (Source: AFP)
Fifty years after the launch of Sputnik left the United States scrambling to play catch-up in the first Space Race, US scientists fear history may be repeating itself as Asia emerges as the rising force in space exploration. While the achievements of space programs run by China, Japan and India are modest in comparison to the milestones set by the United States and former Soviet Union, some experts believe it is only a matter of time before Asia leads the field. Many astrophysicists, space engineers and other high-ranking US scientists do not share Mike Griffin's optimism, pointing to waning interest in space exploration amongst young Americans and a lack of government investment in developing elite scientists.
"In America, contrary to our self-image, we are no longer leaders but simply players," said Neil DeGrasse Tyson, the director of the Hayden Planetarium in a recent editorial. "We've moved backward just by standing still." The numbers of new scientists in Asian countries are eclipsing those in the United States. In 2004, around 500,000 engineers graduated in China, 200,000 in India and only 70,000 in the US, according to a report from the National Academy of Sciences released this year.
Ben Bova: Stumbling into the Space Age (Source: Naples Daily News)
Thursday marks the 50th anniversary of the Space Age. On Oct. 4, 1957, Soviet Russia launched the first artificial satellite of Earth, Sputnik I. I was working on the American satellite program, Vanguard, at the time. The experience taught me a lot about how politics interacts with science and technology. In the early 1950s, both the U.S. and the USSR agreed to participate in the International Geophysical Year, an 18-month-long international scientific study in which geophysicists from all over the world would study our planet in all its aspects, including its relationship with the sun. Both the U.S. and the USSR announced intentions to launch one or more artificial satellites to help the IGY studies. No one paid much attention to the Soviet announcement — although American intelligence knew that the Russians were test-flying ballistic missiles over 5,000-mile ranges.
Dwight Eisenhower was president, and for some reason the White House decided that Vanguard would be a “peaceful” program. Vanguard would not be allowed to use the rockets the armed services were developing for military use, even though the Vanguard program would be managed by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), a scientific offshoot of the U.S. Navy. Wernher von Braun, architect of Nazi Germany’s V-2 rocket, which bombarded London during World War II, was now working for the U.S. Army at Redstone Arsenal, in Alabama. His team had developed the Jupiter rocket, a medium-range ballistic missile, and wanted to use it as a satellite launcher. No, said the White House. Von Braun’s team launched a Jupiter variation to show that they could put a payload into orbit, even though they were forced to refrain from actually orbiting anything. Click here to view the article.
September 29 News Items
European Firm Plans Space Tourism Flights Beginning in 2012 (Source: Asian Age)
Europe's EADS Astrium has unveiled a revolutionary new vehicle for space tourism. It can carry four passengers to space every week. The spacecraft is a size of a business jet and is designed to carry passengers up to 100 km above the earth into space and give passengers more than three minutes of weightlessness. The altitude of 100 km is officially recognized as space. Astrium plans to open commercial service in 2012. As many as 40 similar projects are going on worldwide to take tourists to space including the most well-known competitor, Virgin Galactic. The market is expected to have 15,000 passengers in a year by 2020.
The space journey begins with a regular aeroplane-like 45-minute cruise to an altitude of 12 km (about 40,000 feet). Then a rocket takes over, firing for 80 seconds and taking the spacecraft to an altitude of 60 km. The rocket is shut down and the momentum takes the vehicle to over 100 km, or space. As the spacecraft falls back to earth, jet engines take over again at 12 km. From there, it is a 30-minute descent to earth.
Spacehab Announces NASDAQ Deficiency Notice and Going Concern Qualification (Source: Spacehab)
Texas-based Spacehab announced its receipt of a notice from NASDAQ on Sep. 25 stating that the company does not comply with Marketplace Rule 4310(c)(3). Marketplace Rule 4310(c)(3) requires the Company to have $500,000 of net income from continuing operations for the most recently completed fiscal year or two of the three most recently completed fiscal years; or $35,000,000 market value of listed securities; or $2,500,000 in stockholders’ equity. Spacehab had previously announced a Tender Offer to exchange its outstanding convertible notes into common and preferred Spacehab stock. The Tender Offer is slated to close on Oct. 1, 2007. If the Tender Offer is successful, the Company anticipates it will regain compliance with Rule 4310(c)(3).
Bigelow Space Modules: Sky High Plans Face Transportation Concerns (Source: Space News)
Two Bigelow Aerospace privately-built prototype modules are circuiting the Earth – a prelude to far larger modules that will support human occupants. But the company faces significant challenges in attaining their sky-high goals. While Bigelow's Sundancer module is already taking shape – with 2010 eyed as the time period for launch – it also brings about some bad news. According to the company's attorney: "Our schedule is so aggressive and our progress has been so good, it is creating some significant concerns in terms of transportation."
He urged launch companies to recognize the fact that the International Space Station is not the only destination target out there. While there are rockets, both domestic and foreign, to loft the large and heavier Sundancer module, affordable, reliable, and safe transportation of crews to the private outpost is missing right now, he said. Why not utilize the Russian Soyuz spacecraft to send crews to Sundancer? From a simple financial perspective, he responded, "we don't know if it can support the business case" of Bigelow Aerospace. "It's probably not a financially viable choice for us."
Europe's EADS Astrium has unveiled a revolutionary new vehicle for space tourism. It can carry four passengers to space every week. The spacecraft is a size of a business jet and is designed to carry passengers up to 100 km above the earth into space and give passengers more than three minutes of weightlessness. The altitude of 100 km is officially recognized as space. Astrium plans to open commercial service in 2012. As many as 40 similar projects are going on worldwide to take tourists to space including the most well-known competitor, Virgin Galactic. The market is expected to have 15,000 passengers in a year by 2020.
The space journey begins with a regular aeroplane-like 45-minute cruise to an altitude of 12 km (about 40,000 feet). Then a rocket takes over, firing for 80 seconds and taking the spacecraft to an altitude of 60 km. The rocket is shut down and the momentum takes the vehicle to over 100 km, or space. As the spacecraft falls back to earth, jet engines take over again at 12 km. From there, it is a 30-minute descent to earth.
Spacehab Announces NASDAQ Deficiency Notice and Going Concern Qualification (Source: Spacehab)
Texas-based Spacehab announced its receipt of a notice from NASDAQ on Sep. 25 stating that the company does not comply with Marketplace Rule 4310(c)(3). Marketplace Rule 4310(c)(3) requires the Company to have $500,000 of net income from continuing operations for the most recently completed fiscal year or two of the three most recently completed fiscal years; or $35,000,000 market value of listed securities; or $2,500,000 in stockholders’ equity. Spacehab had previously announced a Tender Offer to exchange its outstanding convertible notes into common and preferred Spacehab stock. The Tender Offer is slated to close on Oct. 1, 2007. If the Tender Offer is successful, the Company anticipates it will regain compliance with Rule 4310(c)(3).
Bigelow Space Modules: Sky High Plans Face Transportation Concerns (Source: Space News)
Two Bigelow Aerospace privately-built prototype modules are circuiting the Earth – a prelude to far larger modules that will support human occupants. But the company faces significant challenges in attaining their sky-high goals. While Bigelow's Sundancer module is already taking shape – with 2010 eyed as the time period for launch – it also brings about some bad news. According to the company's attorney: "Our schedule is so aggressive and our progress has been so good, it is creating some significant concerns in terms of transportation."
He urged launch companies to recognize the fact that the International Space Station is not the only destination target out there. While there are rockets, both domestic and foreign, to loft the large and heavier Sundancer module, affordable, reliable, and safe transportation of crews to the private outpost is missing right now, he said. Why not utilize the Russian Soyuz spacecraft to send crews to Sundancer? From a simple financial perspective, he responded, "we don't know if it can support the business case" of Bigelow Aerospace. "It's probably not a financially viable choice for us."
September 28 News Items
NASA Blocks Release Of Galileo Jovian Spacecraft Drawings on ITAR Grounds (Source: NASA Watch)
I give up. We're talking about a 15 year old spacecraft - one which was destroyed years ago - of which high resolution images are readily available - and have been in the public domain for decades. And the drawings are ITAR-controlled? NASA's denial to share the information--requested through a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request sent to NASA JPL--was based on a finding that it might be useful for the the design, development, production, manufacture, assembly, operation, repair, testing, maintenance or modification of defense articles. This includes information in the form of blueprints. drawings, photographs, plans, instructions and documentation.
Space Adventures Announces 1st Second Generation Astronaut (Source: Space Adventures)
Space Adventures announced that famed game developer Richard Garriott, son of former NASA astronaut Owen Garriott, has begun preparations for a "commercially active" mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Mr. Garriott's spaceflight, currently planned for October 2008, will be the first in a series of missions that will accommodate commercial activity aboard the ISS. Involvement from the private sector can include scientific and environmental research and educational outreach programming.
Astronomers Find Mysterious Radio Burst (Source: Space.com)
A new and intense type of radio burst has been discovered in archived views of the cosmos, astronomers revealed today. The single, short-lived blast of radio waves likely occurred some 3 billion light-years from Earth, and it may signal a cosmic car crash of two neutron stars, the death throes of a black hole—or something else. "This is something that's completely unprecedented," said Duncan Lorimer, an astrophysicist at West Virginia University in Morgantown and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory who led the discovery-making team. He noted that radio-emitting pulsars send out similar emissions, but repeat them every few hours. "We're confused and excited, but it could open up a whole new research field," Lorimer said.
Rocketplane in Trouble, Still Forging Ahead (Source: MSNBC)
Rocketplane Global six years ago made a splash in the aerospace market by pledging to offer suborbital flights to anyone who could pay for a $200,000 ticket. Funding and technical problems have dogged the concern, along with its subsidiary Rocketplane Kistler. Still, company officials are confident and forging ahead. "We're doing fine," Rocketplane Chairman and CEO George French Jr. said. "We have not given up, and we are heavily committed."
US Regulations Restrict Space Industry Growth (Source: India PRwire)
International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) of the US are a major hurdle in the growth of new space industry actors in the global market, said speakers from emerging space nations at the 58th International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2007). They also made a strong case for change in the rules to facilitate cooperation and healthy competition in the global space industry. The speakers were unanimous that both cooperation and competition were necessary to ensure growth of the space industry, especially among emerging nations and new players.
While China said US policy was the biggest hurdle in growth of new actors, India said there was more risk to non-US players because of ITAR rules, which govern the space industry, among other sectors. 'The US policy is the biggest hurdle and it needs to be changed,' said Hua Changzhi, vice president, China Great Wall Corp. Pointing out that US satellite manufacturers had lost market share in recent years, he remarked, 'This is the price paid by US policy'. 'ITAR is the most challenging and difficult regulation we have to contend with. On the issue of licences, there is more risk to non-US players,' said K.R. Sridhara Murthy, executive director, Antrix Corp., the commercial arm of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).
India and China Battle for Launch Market (Source: Wall Street Journal)
The global satellite manufacturing and launch industry is expected to grow to $145 billion for the next decade from $116 billion in the last decade. Demand will come largely from the US, European nations, Russia, Japan, China and India. Asian space rivals India and China are wooing nations in Europe, Asia and Latin America to build and launch satellites aboard their homegrown rockets, as they aim for a larger share of the market. India is offering its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) at nearly 75% of the price charged by companies such as International Launch Services (ILS), which offers Russian Proton rockets.
China Great Wall Industry Group, the marketing arm for China’s space industry, said customers from Africa and Latin America are looking to China to build, launch and operate satellites for up to 15 years. “We are cheaper compared to Europe’s Arianespace,” said Hua Chongzi, Great Wall’s vice-president, but did not divulge financial details. China has launched 33 foreign satellites in 27 rocket missions since 1980.
India to Develop Own Technology for Space Travel (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
India will develop its own technology to launch an astronaut into space rather than rely on outside support, the head of the country's space agency said. India's space program suffered in the past from sanctions imposed by the West, barring access to space material and technology transfers, after the country tested nuclear weapons in 1974 and in 1998. "We have learned the hard way that we should have indigenous capability," said ISRO's chairman. "Only then will anyone respect you."
Japan Plans Two More Moon Missions (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
Japan plans to carry out two more missions to the moon and then collaborate internationally to put a man on the lunar surface, a Japanese space scientist said. Asia's biggest economy this month successfully launched Kaguya (or Selene), its first lunar orbiter, in advance of China and India which are planning unmanned missions of their own to the moon. Japan's next mission in 2012 will aim at landing a robot on the moon's surface, followed by one in 2018 that will seek to return successfully to earth. "We are also discussing human exploration but we expect international collaboration" in a manned mission. Human exploration could be followed by human colonies on the moon, he said. Cooperation between nations for lunar exploration should be modelled on the international space station, he said.
I give up. We're talking about a 15 year old spacecraft - one which was destroyed years ago - of which high resolution images are readily available - and have been in the public domain for decades. And the drawings are ITAR-controlled? NASA's denial to share the information--requested through a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request sent to NASA JPL--was based on a finding that it might be useful for the the design, development, production, manufacture, assembly, operation, repair, testing, maintenance or modification of defense articles. This includes information in the form of blueprints. drawings, photographs, plans, instructions and documentation.
Space Adventures Announces 1st Second Generation Astronaut (Source: Space Adventures)
Space Adventures announced that famed game developer Richard Garriott, son of former NASA astronaut Owen Garriott, has begun preparations for a "commercially active" mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Mr. Garriott's spaceflight, currently planned for October 2008, will be the first in a series of missions that will accommodate commercial activity aboard the ISS. Involvement from the private sector can include scientific and environmental research and educational outreach programming.
Astronomers Find Mysterious Radio Burst (Source: Space.com)
A new and intense type of radio burst has been discovered in archived views of the cosmos, astronomers revealed today. The single, short-lived blast of radio waves likely occurred some 3 billion light-years from Earth, and it may signal a cosmic car crash of two neutron stars, the death throes of a black hole—or something else. "This is something that's completely unprecedented," said Duncan Lorimer, an astrophysicist at West Virginia University in Morgantown and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory who led the discovery-making team. He noted that radio-emitting pulsars send out similar emissions, but repeat them every few hours. "We're confused and excited, but it could open up a whole new research field," Lorimer said.
Rocketplane in Trouble, Still Forging Ahead (Source: MSNBC)
Rocketplane Global six years ago made a splash in the aerospace market by pledging to offer suborbital flights to anyone who could pay for a $200,000 ticket. Funding and technical problems have dogged the concern, along with its subsidiary Rocketplane Kistler. Still, company officials are confident and forging ahead. "We're doing fine," Rocketplane Chairman and CEO George French Jr. said. "We have not given up, and we are heavily committed."
US Regulations Restrict Space Industry Growth (Source: India PRwire)
International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) of the US are a major hurdle in the growth of new space industry actors in the global market, said speakers from emerging space nations at the 58th International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2007). They also made a strong case for change in the rules to facilitate cooperation and healthy competition in the global space industry. The speakers were unanimous that both cooperation and competition were necessary to ensure growth of the space industry, especially among emerging nations and new players.
While China said US policy was the biggest hurdle in growth of new actors, India said there was more risk to non-US players because of ITAR rules, which govern the space industry, among other sectors. 'The US policy is the biggest hurdle and it needs to be changed,' said Hua Changzhi, vice president, China Great Wall Corp. Pointing out that US satellite manufacturers had lost market share in recent years, he remarked, 'This is the price paid by US policy'. 'ITAR is the most challenging and difficult regulation we have to contend with. On the issue of licences, there is more risk to non-US players,' said K.R. Sridhara Murthy, executive director, Antrix Corp., the commercial arm of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).
India and China Battle for Launch Market (Source: Wall Street Journal)
The global satellite manufacturing and launch industry is expected to grow to $145 billion for the next decade from $116 billion in the last decade. Demand will come largely from the US, European nations, Russia, Japan, China and India. Asian space rivals India and China are wooing nations in Europe, Asia and Latin America to build and launch satellites aboard their homegrown rockets, as they aim for a larger share of the market. India is offering its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) at nearly 75% of the price charged by companies such as International Launch Services (ILS), which offers Russian Proton rockets.
China Great Wall Industry Group, the marketing arm for China’s space industry, said customers from Africa and Latin America are looking to China to build, launch and operate satellites for up to 15 years. “We are cheaper compared to Europe’s Arianespace,” said Hua Chongzi, Great Wall’s vice-president, but did not divulge financial details. China has launched 33 foreign satellites in 27 rocket missions since 1980.
India to Develop Own Technology for Space Travel (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
India will develop its own technology to launch an astronaut into space rather than rely on outside support, the head of the country's space agency said. India's space program suffered in the past from sanctions imposed by the West, barring access to space material and technology transfers, after the country tested nuclear weapons in 1974 and in 1998. "We have learned the hard way that we should have indigenous capability," said ISRO's chairman. "Only then will anyone respect you."
Japan Plans Two More Moon Missions (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
Japan plans to carry out two more missions to the moon and then collaborate internationally to put a man on the lunar surface, a Japanese space scientist said. Asia's biggest economy this month successfully launched Kaguya (or Selene), its first lunar orbiter, in advance of China and India which are planning unmanned missions of their own to the moon. Japan's next mission in 2012 will aim at landing a robot on the moon's surface, followed by one in 2018 that will seek to return successfully to earth. "We are also discussing human exploration but we expect international collaboration" in a manned mission. Human exploration could be followed by human colonies on the moon, he said. Cooperation between nations for lunar exploration should be modelled on the international space station, he said.
September 27 News Items
Arianespace to Market Indian Launch Services (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
Arianespace plans to market two Indian space rockets in a potential boost to the South Asian nation offering commercial satellite launch services. India has developed two launch systems -- the PSLV capable of putting satellites of up to 1.6 tonnes in orbit and the GSLV that can launch payloads weighing between two tons and three tons.
India to Develop its Version of GPS (Source: DNA India)
India will develop its own version of the Global Positioning System by launching seven satellites in the next six years. The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), expected to be functional by 2012, will be used for surveying, telecommunications, transport, identifying disaster areas and public safety among others. The satellites will be placed at a higher orbit to have a larger signal footprint and lower number of satellites to map the region. The first satellite of the proposed constellation is expected to be launched in 2009.
Eleven Mars Missions Equal One Iraq War (Source: BurtonMackenzie.com)
NewScientist reported that the cost of President Bush's proposed mission to Mars was "expected to cost $40 billion to $80 billion." That really seemed like a lot of money. It is believed that as of Sep. 2007, the war in Iraq has cost the United States a $454 billion dollars. If the original Mars estimate was accurate, that means the U.S. could have funded somewhere between 5 and 11 independent human missions to Mars with the funds spent in Iraq.
Defense Secretary Asks Congress for $190 Billion in War Funds (Source: AIA)
Defense Secretary Robert Gates has asked Congress for nearly $190 billion for the war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some of the money -- $11 billion -- would be used to pay for additional armored vehicles needed to protect troops from roadside bombs. The request adds another $42 billion to the administration's initial budget request of $142 billion plus $5.3 billion allotted over the summer for the purchase of armored vehicles.
Russia Promises Retaliation if Weapons Deployed in Space (Source: RIA Novosti)
Russia is ready to take appropriate measures if weapons are deployed in space, the commander of the Russian Space Forces said. "Should any country deploy weapons in space, then the laws of armed warfare are such that retaliatory weapons are certain to appear," Col. Gen. Vladimir Popovkin said. He said Russia and China have drafted an international declaration on the non-deployment of weapons in space and sent it to the UN.
"It is necessary to establish the rules of the game in space," he said, adding that the deployment of weapons in space could have unpredictable consequences, since such weapons are "very complex systems." "A sizable war could break out," the commander said. He said space must not be the sphere of interests of any one country. "We do not want to fight in space, and we do not want to call the shots there either, but we will not permit any other country to do so," he said.
Space Station Partners Bicker Over Closure Date (Source: AFP)
NASA administrator Michael Griffin has told space station partners that the US agency has no plans for "utilisation and exploitation" of the science research lab for more than five years after it is completed, [European Space Agency (ESA) chief Jean-Jacques] Dordain said. "ESA is not prepared to pay NASA's share when NASA has left the space station," Dordain told reporters Tuesday night on the sidelines of the space summit. "If NASA is staying, we are ready to follow," he added. "If NASA is quitting, I shall not propose to ESA to pay part of the cost that NASA is covering today."
NASTAR Spaceflight Training Center Opens in Pennsylvania (Source: ETC)
The National Aerospace Training and Research (NASTAR) Center will open on Oct. 3 in Southampton, Pennsylvania. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University will attend the opening ceremony, which will feature Buzz Aldrin and private space travelers Anousheh Ansari and Greg Olsen. NASTAR has been selected by Virgin Galactic to provide training for the company's first 100 suborbital spaceflight passengers. Visit www.nastarcenter.com/launch for information.
NASA's Launch Starts 3Billion-Mile Trip to Asteroids (Source: Houston Chronicle)
NASA's Dawn spacecraft began an unprecedented, eight-year mission to the asteroid belt with a liftoff from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport on Thursday morning. The unmanned probe was developed to circle two of the largest objects in the asteroid belt, Vesta and Ceres, for closeup studies. The orbital scrutiny should provide scientists with new clues about the collection of rocky materials that were left over from the formation of the planets. Thousands of asteroids orbit the sun between Mars and Jupiter.
After separating from the Delta II rocket, the spacecraft will rely on a novel ion propulsion system to gradually achieve the velocity required for a mission estimated to span 3.2 billion miles. The propulsion drive, popularized on a grander scale in the Star Trek television and Star Wars film series, relies on solar power to heat xenon fuel. The heat fractures xenon atoms into electrically-charged sub-atomic particles called ions. As the ions are accelerated across an electrical field aboard the spacecraft, they exit as a gentle but continuiously accelerating thrust.
On 50th Anniversary of Space Age, Students From 9 Countries Will Fly With ZERO-G (Source: SpaceRef.com)
On October 6, nine exceptional students from around the world will commemorate the 50th anniversary of space age and experience weightlessness for the first time on a zero-gravity flight from McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. This flight will serve to inspire students worldwide to excel in education, demonstrate international cooperation and visibly launch humankind's next 50 years in space. The flight is part of the global celebration of United Nations-declared World Space Week, October 4-10.
NASA KSC Provides Inventions for Licensing (Source: NASA)
NASA Kennedy Space Center has filed several KSC-developed technologies with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and they are available for licensing. They include: KSC-12848: Foam/Aerogel Composite Materials for Thermal and Acoustic Insulation and Cryogen Storage; KSC-12890: Aerogel/Polymer Composite Materials; KSC-12978: Mechanical Alloying of a Hydrogenation Catalyst Used for the Remediation of Contaminated Compounds; and KSC-13100: Ice Adhesion Mitigation. For more information contact Randy Heald, Patent Counsel, Kennedy Space Center, Mail Code CC-A, Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899; telephone (321) 867-7214; fax (321) 867-1817.
GenCorp Earns $15.6 Million in Third Quarter (Source: Sacramento Bee)
GenCorp Inc. reported its third-consecutive profitable quarter, boosted by gains in the company's defense and aerospace business. For the third quarter, the company earned $15.6 million, a sharp improvement over the loss of $13.1 million in the same period a year earlier. Revenue soared 25.4 percent to $198.5 million, largely on the strength of higher sales in space and defense programs, including NASA's Orion program and missile programs. "Our strategy to focus on space propulsion and missile defense ... has driven our success."
Seven Nations Planning Missions to the Moon (Source: Hindustan Times)
Seven nations, including India, the US and China, are planning to launch lunar missions in the near future, even as experts have sounded a word of caution about the impact these missions would have on moon's environment. Japan, Germany, Britain and Italy are the other countries whose delegates made their countries' plans clear at the 58th Astronautical Congress. "There is need for increased cooperation and coordination among countries to ensure that there is no pollution of lunar environment," said Roger-Maurice Bonnet, President, Committee on Space Research (COPSAR), France.
Arianespace plans to market two Indian space rockets in a potential boost to the South Asian nation offering commercial satellite launch services. India has developed two launch systems -- the PSLV capable of putting satellites of up to 1.6 tonnes in orbit and the GSLV that can launch payloads weighing between two tons and three tons.
India to Develop its Version of GPS (Source: DNA India)
India will develop its own version of the Global Positioning System by launching seven satellites in the next six years. The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), expected to be functional by 2012, will be used for surveying, telecommunications, transport, identifying disaster areas and public safety among others. The satellites will be placed at a higher orbit to have a larger signal footprint and lower number of satellites to map the region. The first satellite of the proposed constellation is expected to be launched in 2009.
Eleven Mars Missions Equal One Iraq War (Source: BurtonMackenzie.com)
NewScientist reported that the cost of President Bush's proposed mission to Mars was "expected to cost $40 billion to $80 billion." That really seemed like a lot of money. It is believed that as of Sep. 2007, the war in Iraq has cost the United States a $454 billion dollars. If the original Mars estimate was accurate, that means the U.S. could have funded somewhere between 5 and 11 independent human missions to Mars with the funds spent in Iraq.
Defense Secretary Asks Congress for $190 Billion in War Funds (Source: AIA)
Defense Secretary Robert Gates has asked Congress for nearly $190 billion for the war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some of the money -- $11 billion -- would be used to pay for additional armored vehicles needed to protect troops from roadside bombs. The request adds another $42 billion to the administration's initial budget request of $142 billion plus $5.3 billion allotted over the summer for the purchase of armored vehicles.
Russia Promises Retaliation if Weapons Deployed in Space (Source: RIA Novosti)
Russia is ready to take appropriate measures if weapons are deployed in space, the commander of the Russian Space Forces said. "Should any country deploy weapons in space, then the laws of armed warfare are such that retaliatory weapons are certain to appear," Col. Gen. Vladimir Popovkin said. He said Russia and China have drafted an international declaration on the non-deployment of weapons in space and sent it to the UN.
"It is necessary to establish the rules of the game in space," he said, adding that the deployment of weapons in space could have unpredictable consequences, since such weapons are "very complex systems." "A sizable war could break out," the commander said. He said space must not be the sphere of interests of any one country. "We do not want to fight in space, and we do not want to call the shots there either, but we will not permit any other country to do so," he said.
Space Station Partners Bicker Over Closure Date (Source: AFP)
NASA administrator Michael Griffin has told space station partners that the US agency has no plans for "utilisation and exploitation" of the science research lab for more than five years after it is completed, [European Space Agency (ESA) chief Jean-Jacques] Dordain said. "ESA is not prepared to pay NASA's share when NASA has left the space station," Dordain told reporters Tuesday night on the sidelines of the space summit. "If NASA is staying, we are ready to follow," he added. "If NASA is quitting, I shall not propose to ESA to pay part of the cost that NASA is covering today."
NASTAR Spaceflight Training Center Opens in Pennsylvania (Source: ETC)
The National Aerospace Training and Research (NASTAR) Center will open on Oct. 3 in Southampton, Pennsylvania. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University will attend the opening ceremony, which will feature Buzz Aldrin and private space travelers Anousheh Ansari and Greg Olsen. NASTAR has been selected by Virgin Galactic to provide training for the company's first 100 suborbital spaceflight passengers. Visit www.nastarcenter.com/launch for information.
NASA's Launch Starts 3Billion-Mile Trip to Asteroids (Source: Houston Chronicle)
NASA's Dawn spacecraft began an unprecedented, eight-year mission to the asteroid belt with a liftoff from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport on Thursday morning. The unmanned probe was developed to circle two of the largest objects in the asteroid belt, Vesta and Ceres, for closeup studies. The orbital scrutiny should provide scientists with new clues about the collection of rocky materials that were left over from the formation of the planets. Thousands of asteroids orbit the sun between Mars and Jupiter.
After separating from the Delta II rocket, the spacecraft will rely on a novel ion propulsion system to gradually achieve the velocity required for a mission estimated to span 3.2 billion miles. The propulsion drive, popularized on a grander scale in the Star Trek television and Star Wars film series, relies on solar power to heat xenon fuel. The heat fractures xenon atoms into electrically-charged sub-atomic particles called ions. As the ions are accelerated across an electrical field aboard the spacecraft, they exit as a gentle but continuiously accelerating thrust.
On 50th Anniversary of Space Age, Students From 9 Countries Will Fly With ZERO-G (Source: SpaceRef.com)
On October 6, nine exceptional students from around the world will commemorate the 50th anniversary of space age and experience weightlessness for the first time on a zero-gravity flight from McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. This flight will serve to inspire students worldwide to excel in education, demonstrate international cooperation and visibly launch humankind's next 50 years in space. The flight is part of the global celebration of United Nations-declared World Space Week, October 4-10.
NASA KSC Provides Inventions for Licensing (Source: NASA)
NASA Kennedy Space Center has filed several KSC-developed technologies with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and they are available for licensing. They include: KSC-12848: Foam/Aerogel Composite Materials for Thermal and Acoustic Insulation and Cryogen Storage; KSC-12890: Aerogel/Polymer Composite Materials; KSC-12978: Mechanical Alloying of a Hydrogenation Catalyst Used for the Remediation of Contaminated Compounds; and KSC-13100: Ice Adhesion Mitigation. For more information contact Randy Heald, Patent Counsel, Kennedy Space Center, Mail Code CC-A, Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899; telephone (321) 867-7214; fax (321) 867-1817.
GenCorp Earns $15.6 Million in Third Quarter (Source: Sacramento Bee)
GenCorp Inc. reported its third-consecutive profitable quarter, boosted by gains in the company's defense and aerospace business. For the third quarter, the company earned $15.6 million, a sharp improvement over the loss of $13.1 million in the same period a year earlier. Revenue soared 25.4 percent to $198.5 million, largely on the strength of higher sales in space and defense programs, including NASA's Orion program and missile programs. "Our strategy to focus on space propulsion and missile defense ... has driven our success."
Seven Nations Planning Missions to the Moon (Source: Hindustan Times)
Seven nations, including India, the US and China, are planning to launch lunar missions in the near future, even as experts have sounded a word of caution about the impact these missions would have on moon's environment. Japan, Germany, Britain and Italy are the other countries whose delegates made their countries' plans clear at the 58th Astronautical Congress. "There is need for increased cooperation and coordination among countries to ensure that there is no pollution of lunar environment," said Roger-Maurice Bonnet, President, Committee on Space Research (COPSAR), France.
September 26 News Items
From 4 Key Players, A Sense of Regret and A Call to Action (Source: USA Today)
USA Today interviews Konrad Dannenberg, Michael Griffin, Elon Musk, and Tom Stafford to get their take on the history and future of space exploration. Visit http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/space/2007-09-25-sputnik-4-players_N.htm to view the article.
Space Junk Threat to Earth (Source: Geelong Advertiser)
Space junk, comets crashing through our atmosphere, extra-terrestrial micro-organisms that survive in appalling cold or searing heat, bacteria that grow more virulent in the gravity-free vacuum of space. What happens when fate conspires to bring such creatures and creations to earth? There's no shortage of speculation of what the future might hold, what with holes in the ozone admitting cosmic radiation and comets, meteorites, space junks -- and all the microscopic hitchhikers they might be carrying -- hurtling towards us at mind-boggling speeds. Now there's a new kid on the inter-planetary catastrophist's block: superbugs. Super spacebugs. Scientists working on and with the space shuttle have found certain bugs, dangerous enough when earth-bound, will grow more powerful in space.
A Man, A Plan, A Planet: Mars Direct (Source: The Varsity)
Dr. Robert Zubrin is an ambitious man with an equally ambitious idea: he not only wants to see humans on Mars in seven years, he also has a workable plan to make it a reality. With its apparently dry riverbeds and ice-capped poles, Mars has remained a tantalizing target for space programs and the governments that fund them. What happened? Why aren’t we there yet? As far as Zubrin is concerned, we should be able to get there soon. He expressed the nature of the problem using a simple analogy: “In principle, it can take any amount of rope to connect two posts separated by 10 metres. The issue is whether you want to connect the posts or sell rope.”
In other words, a bare-bones mission designed to keep costs low while still sending people to Mars is feasible but unappealing to the numerous corporations contracted by NASA to design and manufacture the necessary equipment. Politicians also complicate the issue. Bush has declared that before America goes to Mars, there must first be a launch pad on the moon. A not-so- subtle land grab, the lunar base also carries a huge price tag of U.S. $450 billion. But there’s another problem with Bush’s plan: it just doesn’t make sense. “Flying to the moon before going to Mars is like flying to Saskatoon on your way to Chicago,” said Zubrin. Visit http://www.thevarsity.ca/article/438 to view the article.
Scientists Warn Against Colonisation in Space (Source: The Statesman)
A top Indian scientist today warned the international space community against colonization of Moon and Mars and said any knowledge gained by such expeditions should be shared among all countries without discrimination. “All resources on the Moon and Mars should be used for the common good of mankind. Nobody can claim ownership on celestial bodies because of their technology or because they reached there first”, said an ISRO deputy director. "The biggest ethical question before the space-faring nations is whether mankind is looking at ‘habitation or colonization’ of Moon and Mars. The construction and occupation of bases should be fundamentally treated as habitations rather than colonies in the conventional sense,” he said.
NASA's Griffin Ready to Cooperate with India (Source: The Hindu)
Michael Griffin reiterated that NASA “will be open to the idea of cooperating with India in human space flights for our efforts beyond the [International] Space Station, which could again be taking people back to the moon and establishing a research station there.” NASA was also “open to discussions [with India] for Chandrayaan-II or other missions,” he said. The U.S. was already on Chandrayaan-I mission and exchange of scientific data.
“The centrepiece of our programme right now is the Space Station. We hope that when we return to the moon, it will be done with our space station partners and others may be India.” But he made it clear that the Government of India had not made any specific proposal on these lines. “You have a capable organization in ISRO and a capable chairman and I am pleased to have the opportunity to know him and may be the opportunity to work with ISRO. At this point, the discussions are in an exploratory stage,” he said.
To Save Humanity (Source: UPI)
The official reasons for renewing the human space flight program usually start with scientific research and end with national prestige, but they never mention the fact that humanity will one day be wiped out unless it has found a habitat beyond the Earth. Mars is by far the most congenial candidate, with potential to eventually be "terraformed" into a planet where pressure suits and airtight structures will no longer be needed to sustain human beings. That's a long way off, and it may never happen at the rate our current space efforts are progressing. But whenever you hear about other ways we might spend money set aside for the human space flight program, you ought to think about the big rock that is out there somewhere, destined to destroy everything we have created unless human beings have found another place to live.
Space Tether Experiment Hits Major Snag (Source: SpaceFlightNow.com)
A small capsule the size of a beach ball was stranded in Earth orbit early Tuesday after an attempt to return the craft from space via a revolutionary technique using a nearly 20-mile-long tether. The 12-pound Fotino re-entry capsule was to be released from the tether to parachute to a landing in Kazakhstan Tuesday, but the deployment procedure apparently hit a snag, according to the European Space Agency. The Young Engineers' Satellite 2 test mission was sponsored by ESA as part of its experiment package on the Russian Foton M3 microgravity research mission. Delta-Utec, a Dutch contractor specializing in tether systems, provided the technology and solicited the help of about 450 students from across Europe.
NASA Extends European Space Station Engineering Services Contract (Source: NASA)
NASA has awarded a contract modification to the European Space Agency's Space Technology Center for additional engineering services for the International Space Station Node 2 and 3 modules. The modification is valued at $27.5 million. The contract modification extends the current contract to reflect adjustments made to the station's assembly manifest and to meet increased contract requirements through June 30, 2011. The two-year extension increases the value of the $22 million fixed price contract to $49.5 million.
Asteroid Defense Possible Career Field (Source: Aerospace Daily)
A growing awareness of the threat to Earth posed by even relatively small asteroids and comet chunks suggests a potential career path for budding engineers. William Ailor, an engineer who directs the Center for Orbital and Reentry Debris Studies at The Aerospace Corp., told the International Astronautical Congress here Sept. 24 that the possibility of another event the size of the one that leveled a Siberian forest in 1908 with an airburst estimated as the equivalent of 10-15 megatons of high explosive is about one in 10 in any given century. Had it happened near Manhattan instead of the isolated Tunguska River, it would have been an unprecedented disaster.
The chance of an actual civilization-threatening impact - caused by an asteroid a kilometer across - is about one in 1,000 over a century, while an extinction-level event like the one that wiped out the dinosaurs has a one-in-a-million chance of happening over a century, he said. NASA's goal is to identify 90 percent of the 1-kilometer near-Earth objects by the end of next year. Tracking an object after it is spotted with enough accuracy and lead time to justify and accomplish a multibillion international attempt to deflect it is very tricky, and the methods for doing so are uncertain at best. "If you're a young person and you're just getting into the space field, it is not unlikely that you might get involved in actually doing some serious planning for a deflection mission," Ailor said. "This is not something that is many generations off. It's something that we really should be preparing for."
USA Today interviews Konrad Dannenberg, Michael Griffin, Elon Musk, and Tom Stafford to get their take on the history and future of space exploration. Visit http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/space/2007-09-25-sputnik-4-players_N.htm to view the article.
Space Junk Threat to Earth (Source: Geelong Advertiser)
Space junk, comets crashing through our atmosphere, extra-terrestrial micro-organisms that survive in appalling cold or searing heat, bacteria that grow more virulent in the gravity-free vacuum of space. What happens when fate conspires to bring such creatures and creations to earth? There's no shortage of speculation of what the future might hold, what with holes in the ozone admitting cosmic radiation and comets, meteorites, space junks -- and all the microscopic hitchhikers they might be carrying -- hurtling towards us at mind-boggling speeds. Now there's a new kid on the inter-planetary catastrophist's block: superbugs. Super spacebugs. Scientists working on and with the space shuttle have found certain bugs, dangerous enough when earth-bound, will grow more powerful in space.
A Man, A Plan, A Planet: Mars Direct (Source: The Varsity)
Dr. Robert Zubrin is an ambitious man with an equally ambitious idea: he not only wants to see humans on Mars in seven years, he also has a workable plan to make it a reality. With its apparently dry riverbeds and ice-capped poles, Mars has remained a tantalizing target for space programs and the governments that fund them. What happened? Why aren’t we there yet? As far as Zubrin is concerned, we should be able to get there soon. He expressed the nature of the problem using a simple analogy: “In principle, it can take any amount of rope to connect two posts separated by 10 metres. The issue is whether you want to connect the posts or sell rope.”
In other words, a bare-bones mission designed to keep costs low while still sending people to Mars is feasible but unappealing to the numerous corporations contracted by NASA to design and manufacture the necessary equipment. Politicians also complicate the issue. Bush has declared that before America goes to Mars, there must first be a launch pad on the moon. A not-so- subtle land grab, the lunar base also carries a huge price tag of U.S. $450 billion. But there’s another problem with Bush’s plan: it just doesn’t make sense. “Flying to the moon before going to Mars is like flying to Saskatoon on your way to Chicago,” said Zubrin. Visit http://www.thevarsity.ca/article/438 to view the article.
Scientists Warn Against Colonisation in Space (Source: The Statesman)
A top Indian scientist today warned the international space community against colonization of Moon and Mars and said any knowledge gained by such expeditions should be shared among all countries without discrimination. “All resources on the Moon and Mars should be used for the common good of mankind. Nobody can claim ownership on celestial bodies because of their technology or because they reached there first”, said an ISRO deputy director. "The biggest ethical question before the space-faring nations is whether mankind is looking at ‘habitation or colonization’ of Moon and Mars. The construction and occupation of bases should be fundamentally treated as habitations rather than colonies in the conventional sense,” he said.
NASA's Griffin Ready to Cooperate with India (Source: The Hindu)
Michael Griffin reiterated that NASA “will be open to the idea of cooperating with India in human space flights for our efforts beyond the [International] Space Station, which could again be taking people back to the moon and establishing a research station there.” NASA was also “open to discussions [with India] for Chandrayaan-II or other missions,” he said. The U.S. was already on Chandrayaan-I mission and exchange of scientific data.
“The centrepiece of our programme right now is the Space Station. We hope that when we return to the moon, it will be done with our space station partners and others may be India.” But he made it clear that the Government of India had not made any specific proposal on these lines. “You have a capable organization in ISRO and a capable chairman and I am pleased to have the opportunity to know him and may be the opportunity to work with ISRO. At this point, the discussions are in an exploratory stage,” he said.
To Save Humanity (Source: UPI)
The official reasons for renewing the human space flight program usually start with scientific research and end with national prestige, but they never mention the fact that humanity will one day be wiped out unless it has found a habitat beyond the Earth. Mars is by far the most congenial candidate, with potential to eventually be "terraformed" into a planet where pressure suits and airtight structures will no longer be needed to sustain human beings. That's a long way off, and it may never happen at the rate our current space efforts are progressing. But whenever you hear about other ways we might spend money set aside for the human space flight program, you ought to think about the big rock that is out there somewhere, destined to destroy everything we have created unless human beings have found another place to live.
Space Tether Experiment Hits Major Snag (Source: SpaceFlightNow.com)
A small capsule the size of a beach ball was stranded in Earth orbit early Tuesday after an attempt to return the craft from space via a revolutionary technique using a nearly 20-mile-long tether. The 12-pound Fotino re-entry capsule was to be released from the tether to parachute to a landing in Kazakhstan Tuesday, but the deployment procedure apparently hit a snag, according to the European Space Agency. The Young Engineers' Satellite 2 test mission was sponsored by ESA as part of its experiment package on the Russian Foton M3 microgravity research mission. Delta-Utec, a Dutch contractor specializing in tether systems, provided the technology and solicited the help of about 450 students from across Europe.
NASA Extends European Space Station Engineering Services Contract (Source: NASA)
NASA has awarded a contract modification to the European Space Agency's Space Technology Center for additional engineering services for the International Space Station Node 2 and 3 modules. The modification is valued at $27.5 million. The contract modification extends the current contract to reflect adjustments made to the station's assembly manifest and to meet increased contract requirements through June 30, 2011. The two-year extension increases the value of the $22 million fixed price contract to $49.5 million.
Asteroid Defense Possible Career Field (Source: Aerospace Daily)
A growing awareness of the threat to Earth posed by even relatively small asteroids and comet chunks suggests a potential career path for budding engineers. William Ailor, an engineer who directs the Center for Orbital and Reentry Debris Studies at The Aerospace Corp., told the International Astronautical Congress here Sept. 24 that the possibility of another event the size of the one that leveled a Siberian forest in 1908 with an airburst estimated as the equivalent of 10-15 megatons of high explosive is about one in 10 in any given century. Had it happened near Manhattan instead of the isolated Tunguska River, it would have been an unprecedented disaster.
The chance of an actual civilization-threatening impact - caused by an asteroid a kilometer across - is about one in 1,000 over a century, while an extinction-level event like the one that wiped out the dinosaurs has a one-in-a-million chance of happening over a century, he said. NASA's goal is to identify 90 percent of the 1-kilometer near-Earth objects by the end of next year. Tracking an object after it is spotted with enough accuracy and lead time to justify and accomplish a multibillion international attempt to deflect it is very tricky, and the methods for doing so are uncertain at best. "If you're a young person and you're just getting into the space field, it is not unlikely that you might get involved in actually doing some serious planning for a deflection mission," Ailor said. "This is not something that is many generations off. It's something that we really should be preparing for."
September 25 News Items
Embry-Riddle Names New Dormitory for Apollo Program (Source: ERAU)
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has completed a new residence hall for students and will christen it Apollo Hall in honor of NASA's historic lunar exploration program. The new facility will open in October at the university's Daytona Beach campus.
Astrium Ties Up with India's Space Agency (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
Astrium, a unit of Europe's EADS conglomerate, announced that India's space agency will assemble satellites for some launch customers under a new partnership. The Bangalore, southern India-based Indian Space Research Organisation will build two satellites, one for France-based Eutelsat to be launched by Astrium in the last quarter of 2008, and the other for Britain's Avanti due for lift-off in 2009. "These satellites will be integrated, assembled and tested in Bangalore," Astrium's chief executive officer Francois Auque told reporters on the sidelines of the astronautics congress under way in Hyderabad, southern India. The company will also market India's "cost-effective platforms" to other launch customers in Europe, and offer India's earth observation services to its clients in the US, Auque said.
Wanted: Billionaire Risk-Takers Seeking Eternal Renown (Source: New York Times)
This is a once-in-a-planet’s-lifetime opportunity to win eternal renown — and perform a lasting public service that won’t be done anytime soon by any public agency. Politicians are understandably leery of a Mars mission, and not only because the payoff would come decades after the next election. It’s hard to make a moral case for cutting social programs and science research (like climatology or unmanned space probes) to spend tens or hundreds of billions of dollars to put a human on Mars. But a billionaire doesn’t have to answer to voters. It’s not a public scandal when private explorers make fatal mistakes.
Robert Zubrin, the head of the Mars Society, figures a private explorer could get there within a decade for $8 billion to $10 billion, and a good chunk of that cost — maybe all of it — could be offset with revenues from media rights and marketing tie-ins. Elon Musk of SpaceX guesses it could be done for just $5 billion. “It would be neat to have a one-time $5 billion mission to Mars,” he told me, “but $5 billion is still far too much. There’s no way that we could establish any kind of base on Mars or any kind of self-sustaining biology there. We need to get that first mission to under $1 billion, and then the later missions down to under $100 million.” Mr. Musk says his goal is to help establish a colony on Mars by lowering the cost of launching payloads into space, but his company’s not ready to go up there until the venture looks profitable. Click here to view the article.
Arms in Space (Source: New York Times)
The push into space has always been, in part, a push to stay ahead militarily. Successive administrations have explored the possibilities of weaponry that often sounded like science fiction but sometimes lead to breakthroughs -- like lasers, for example. Space weapons are "still definitely part of the program," said Philip E. Coyle III, a former director of weapon testing at the Pentagon. "But they don't emphasize it because the arms-control people come out of the woodwork."
NASA Ames to Co-Sponsor International Space Station Workshop (Source: NASA)
Researchers, educators, venture capitalists and NASA officials will convene at NASA Ames Research Center on Oct. 2-4 to begin identifying and crafting pioneering research opportunities for the International Space Station. Chaired by Nobel Laureate Baruch S. Blumberg of the Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pa., the International Space Station National Laboratory Workshop will feature panel discussions, presentations and remarks by a variety of space exploration experts. "This major workshop affords an opportunity to bring together some of the best minds in the business of space exploration to discuss future research opportunities for the International Space Station," said S. Pete Worden, director, NASA Ames Research Center. "We're delighted to be a co-sponsor of this conference and look forward to some engaging discussions," he added. The workshop is hosted by the Alliance for Commercial Enterprises in Space.
Space Business Commits to New Mexico (Source: Las Cruces Sun-News)
The Sierra County Economic Development Organization has landed its first space-related company, a British firm specializing in being "random." British firm Yuzoz Ltd. has made a commitment to base its "mission control" center somewhere in Sierra County, the location of Spaceport America, which is expected to open by 2010. Yuzoz will provide space-themed entertainment and promises to offer a new way of interacting with the solar system. With its Generator-I, the company plans to use satellites and observatories to capture impulses from space that can be converted into random data and applied to general numbers. Those numbers can be used for everyday decisions, including what movie to watch, choosing names and what color shirt to wear, according to the company's Web site. "We're not about hardware," Yuzoz CEO Jeff Manber said. "We're the first company that's about emotion. There is a renaissance of interest in our connection to space and space explorations. We're the first to come in and say, "we know the power of space, we want to provide that emotional link.'"
India Not Interested in Space Station (Source: DNA)
The International space station (ISS) is perhaps the most important project as far as space exploration is concerned. In fact, for ISS members it is a launchpad for lunar and interplanetary missions. However, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists seem to be least interested in becoming a member of this prestigious project. This was revealed by ISRO chief G Madhavan Nair during an interaction with the media. About reports that India had approached Russia for membership of the exclusive group, Nair said ISRO had not initiated any dialogue with the Russians. “There is no such proposal from the scientific community,” he said.
Space Makes Bacteria More Dangerous (Source: ASU)
A germ that causes food poisoning and other illnesses can be three times more dangerous in space than on the ground, an experiment has shown. The finding spells out tougher challenges for astronauts taking trips to the moon or Mars, as recent work also hints that the body's immune system weakens during extended stays in space. "Space flight alters cellular and physiological responses in astronauts including the immune response," said Cheryl Nickerson, a microbiologist at Arizona State University and leader of the experiment. "However, relatively little was known about microbial changes to infectious disease risk in response to space flight." Bacteria express different sets of genes in different environments to ensure their survival. Inhospitable conditions, for example, can turn on a "master switch" in some bacteria and allow the microbes to form tough spores that can survive the extreme conditions of space.
E'Prime Judgement Not Final (Source: ERAU)
A report last week on competing lawsuits related to E'Prime Aerospace Corp. relayed that an Orlando judge ordered the company's new president to pay its previous president over $4.3 million. The judgement was not final and is still pending a judicial review of a recommendation filed by the plaintiff in the Orlando lawsuit.
NASA Awards Lockheed Martin $178M Deal (Source: AP)
NASA on Monday awarded Lockheed Martin a solar instrument contract worth up $178 million. The pact is for one solar ultraviolet imager that will fly on the next generation of geostationary satellites, the first of which is scheduled to launch in December 2014. The deal also includes three options for additional instruments. The imager will help monitor dynamic features on the sun, including flares, and provide better direct measurements of those features, according to NASA.
Constellation Services and United Launch Alliance Study Atlas V Cargo Missions (Source: CSI)
Constellation Services International (CSI) and United Launch Alliance (ULA) will study the potential of launching LEO Express cargo canisters on Atlas V rockets. Destinations could include the International Space Station and other commercial orbital destinations. The CSI LEO Express cargo service uses low-risk systems including the ISS-certified Progress “spacetug” along with a Progress-derived cargo Canister, each launched separately. In the first step, the standardized canister would be launched by an Atlas V launch vehicle. Next, the proven Progress spacecraft would leave ISS and act as a reusable tug to dock with the cargo canister and return it to ISS. This low-risk approach could be implemented as early as 2009, and would eliminate any potential gap in ISS cargo delivery after the Shuttle is retired.
Editorial: Moon Base Project Sucks Up Potential Climate Research Dollars (Source: Grist)
In the annals of self-delusion, NASA's Moon-Mars mission ranks right at the top. Let me be clear. There is a 0 percent chance that NASA's Moon base or anything like it will ever be built, for the following reason: the moon missions in the '60s and early '70s cost something like $100 billion in today's dollars. There is no way that setting up a semipermanent lunar base will be anything other than many times more expensive. That would put the total cost at one to a few trillion dollars. NASA, however, is spending a few billion dollars each year on this -- something like 1 percent of the money they would need to spend each year to actually accomplish this task, well short of the $100 billion or so actually required.
NASA Imagines Earth-Like Worlds (Source: Space.com)
Astronomers have yet to find an Earth-size planet beyond our solar system, but that hasn't stopped them from modeling what these worlds might look like. A new catalog of 14 types of such planets, some fantastical, could help planet hunters spot what has until now remained fictional. The computer models provide specs for 14 planet types, varying according to mass, diameter, composition and where the worlds could be found in our galaxy. Some are made mostly of pure water ice, carbon, iron, silicate, carbon monoxide or silicon carbide, while others are mixtures of these various compounds.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has completed a new residence hall for students and will christen it Apollo Hall in honor of NASA's historic lunar exploration program. The new facility will open in October at the university's Daytona Beach campus.
Astrium Ties Up with India's Space Agency (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
Astrium, a unit of Europe's EADS conglomerate, announced that India's space agency will assemble satellites for some launch customers under a new partnership. The Bangalore, southern India-based Indian Space Research Organisation will build two satellites, one for France-based Eutelsat to be launched by Astrium in the last quarter of 2008, and the other for Britain's Avanti due for lift-off in 2009. "These satellites will be integrated, assembled and tested in Bangalore," Astrium's chief executive officer Francois Auque told reporters on the sidelines of the astronautics congress under way in Hyderabad, southern India. The company will also market India's "cost-effective platforms" to other launch customers in Europe, and offer India's earth observation services to its clients in the US, Auque said.
Wanted: Billionaire Risk-Takers Seeking Eternal Renown (Source: New York Times)
This is a once-in-a-planet’s-lifetime opportunity to win eternal renown — and perform a lasting public service that won’t be done anytime soon by any public agency. Politicians are understandably leery of a Mars mission, and not only because the payoff would come decades after the next election. It’s hard to make a moral case for cutting social programs and science research (like climatology or unmanned space probes) to spend tens or hundreds of billions of dollars to put a human on Mars. But a billionaire doesn’t have to answer to voters. It’s not a public scandal when private explorers make fatal mistakes.
Robert Zubrin, the head of the Mars Society, figures a private explorer could get there within a decade for $8 billion to $10 billion, and a good chunk of that cost — maybe all of it — could be offset with revenues from media rights and marketing tie-ins. Elon Musk of SpaceX guesses it could be done for just $5 billion. “It would be neat to have a one-time $5 billion mission to Mars,” he told me, “but $5 billion is still far too much. There’s no way that we could establish any kind of base on Mars or any kind of self-sustaining biology there. We need to get that first mission to under $1 billion, and then the later missions down to under $100 million.” Mr. Musk says his goal is to help establish a colony on Mars by lowering the cost of launching payloads into space, but his company’s not ready to go up there until the venture looks profitable. Click here to view the article.
Arms in Space (Source: New York Times)
The push into space has always been, in part, a push to stay ahead militarily. Successive administrations have explored the possibilities of weaponry that often sounded like science fiction but sometimes lead to breakthroughs -- like lasers, for example. Space weapons are "still definitely part of the program," said Philip E. Coyle III, a former director of weapon testing at the Pentagon. "But they don't emphasize it because the arms-control people come out of the woodwork."
NASA Ames to Co-Sponsor International Space Station Workshop (Source: NASA)
Researchers, educators, venture capitalists and NASA officials will convene at NASA Ames Research Center on Oct. 2-4 to begin identifying and crafting pioneering research opportunities for the International Space Station. Chaired by Nobel Laureate Baruch S. Blumberg of the Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pa., the International Space Station National Laboratory Workshop will feature panel discussions, presentations and remarks by a variety of space exploration experts. "This major workshop affords an opportunity to bring together some of the best minds in the business of space exploration to discuss future research opportunities for the International Space Station," said S. Pete Worden, director, NASA Ames Research Center. "We're delighted to be a co-sponsor of this conference and look forward to some engaging discussions," he added. The workshop is hosted by the Alliance for Commercial Enterprises in Space.
Space Business Commits to New Mexico (Source: Las Cruces Sun-News)
The Sierra County Economic Development Organization has landed its first space-related company, a British firm specializing in being "random." British firm Yuzoz Ltd. has made a commitment to base its "mission control" center somewhere in Sierra County, the location of Spaceport America, which is expected to open by 2010. Yuzoz will provide space-themed entertainment and promises to offer a new way of interacting with the solar system. With its Generator-I, the company plans to use satellites and observatories to capture impulses from space that can be converted into random data and applied to general numbers. Those numbers can be used for everyday decisions, including what movie to watch, choosing names and what color shirt to wear, according to the company's Web site. "We're not about hardware," Yuzoz CEO Jeff Manber said. "We're the first company that's about emotion. There is a renaissance of interest in our connection to space and space explorations. We're the first to come in and say, "we know the power of space, we want to provide that emotional link.'"
India Not Interested in Space Station (Source: DNA)
The International space station (ISS) is perhaps the most important project as far as space exploration is concerned. In fact, for ISS members it is a launchpad for lunar and interplanetary missions. However, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists seem to be least interested in becoming a member of this prestigious project. This was revealed by ISRO chief G Madhavan Nair during an interaction with the media. About reports that India had approached Russia for membership of the exclusive group, Nair said ISRO had not initiated any dialogue with the Russians. “There is no such proposal from the scientific community,” he said.
Space Makes Bacteria More Dangerous (Source: ASU)
A germ that causes food poisoning and other illnesses can be three times more dangerous in space than on the ground, an experiment has shown. The finding spells out tougher challenges for astronauts taking trips to the moon or Mars, as recent work also hints that the body's immune system weakens during extended stays in space. "Space flight alters cellular and physiological responses in astronauts including the immune response," said Cheryl Nickerson, a microbiologist at Arizona State University and leader of the experiment. "However, relatively little was known about microbial changes to infectious disease risk in response to space flight." Bacteria express different sets of genes in different environments to ensure their survival. Inhospitable conditions, for example, can turn on a "master switch" in some bacteria and allow the microbes to form tough spores that can survive the extreme conditions of space.
E'Prime Judgement Not Final (Source: ERAU)
A report last week on competing lawsuits related to E'Prime Aerospace Corp. relayed that an Orlando judge ordered the company's new president to pay its previous president over $4.3 million. The judgement was not final and is still pending a judicial review of a recommendation filed by the plaintiff in the Orlando lawsuit.
NASA Awards Lockheed Martin $178M Deal (Source: AP)
NASA on Monday awarded Lockheed Martin a solar instrument contract worth up $178 million. The pact is for one solar ultraviolet imager that will fly on the next generation of geostationary satellites, the first of which is scheduled to launch in December 2014. The deal also includes three options for additional instruments. The imager will help monitor dynamic features on the sun, including flares, and provide better direct measurements of those features, according to NASA.
Constellation Services and United Launch Alliance Study Atlas V Cargo Missions (Source: CSI)
Constellation Services International (CSI) and United Launch Alliance (ULA) will study the potential of launching LEO Express cargo canisters on Atlas V rockets. Destinations could include the International Space Station and other commercial orbital destinations. The CSI LEO Express cargo service uses low-risk systems including the ISS-certified Progress “spacetug” along with a Progress-derived cargo Canister, each launched separately. In the first step, the standardized canister would be launched by an Atlas V launch vehicle. Next, the proven Progress spacecraft would leave ISS and act as a reusable tug to dock with the cargo canister and return it to ISS. This low-risk approach could be implemented as early as 2009, and would eliminate any potential gap in ISS cargo delivery after the Shuttle is retired.
Editorial: Moon Base Project Sucks Up Potential Climate Research Dollars (Source: Grist)
In the annals of self-delusion, NASA's Moon-Mars mission ranks right at the top. Let me be clear. There is a 0 percent chance that NASA's Moon base or anything like it will ever be built, for the following reason: the moon missions in the '60s and early '70s cost something like $100 billion in today's dollars. There is no way that setting up a semipermanent lunar base will be anything other than many times more expensive. That would put the total cost at one to a few trillion dollars. NASA, however, is spending a few billion dollars each year on this -- something like 1 percent of the money they would need to spend each year to actually accomplish this task, well short of the $100 billion or so actually required.
NASA Imagines Earth-Like Worlds (Source: Space.com)
Astronomers have yet to find an Earth-size planet beyond our solar system, but that hasn't stopped them from modeling what these worlds might look like. A new catalog of 14 types of such planets, some fantastical, could help planet hunters spot what has until now remained fictional. The computer models provide specs for 14 planet types, varying according to mass, diameter, composition and where the worlds could be found in our galaxy. Some are made mostly of pure water ice, carbon, iron, silicate, carbon monoxide or silicon carbide, while others are mixtures of these various compounds.
September 24 News Items
NASA Quest Announces the Student HiRISE Image Targeting Challenge (Source: NASA)
The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera now orbiting Mars is helping NASA search for signs of water on Mars. Students are invited to help choose regions of Mars for HiRISE to image. The HiRISE team will pick several suggestions and image them with the camera in the coming months. The participants will represent the first people on Earth to see the resulting image and will have the chance to search for signs of water in the image. Background information, teacher guides, student activity books and tutorials are available online to help students choose a region. Visit http://quest.nasa.gov/challenges/hirise/ for information.
Dawn Launch Slips a Day (Source: SpaceToday.net)
NASA announced Monday that the launch of a mission to the main asteroid belt will be delayed a day after weather hampered launch preparations. The Dawn mission, which had been scheduled for launch Wednesday on a Delta 2 from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, will now launch between 7:20 and 7:49 am EDT Thursday. Once launched, Dawn will fly to the main asteroid belt and visit the large asteroids Ceres and Vesta. The launch had been scheduled for earlier this summer, but was postponed by a number of problems, and the launch team stood down in July so that NASA could focus on the time-critical August launch of the Phoenix mission to Mars.
Second Galileo Satellite Delayed to 2008 (Source: The Register)
Media reports suggest the Giove-B satellite, second in a series of testbed and validation platforms preceding the main Galileo birds, will not now be launched until next year. Giove B, which has already suffered delays, was to be orbited aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket in December. Now, however, a spokesman from launch company Arianespace said it will now be held in March 2008. Problems with the launch rocket rather than the satellite were blamed for the delay.
NASA Means Business Student Competition 2008 (Source: SGC)
The NASA Means Business Student Competition program invites undergraduate and graduate students to employ their skills to help NASA articulate the contributions of space exploration to everyday life. This year¹s challenge is: Help NASA to increase the number of corporate researchers, university researchers, entrepreneurs, and investors who utilize the Nation's investment in spaceflight to grow their investments in knowledge and commerce. Specifically, participating teams will compete by designing and preparing a NASA Spaceflight Promotion Plan and illustrative flagship promotion projects including a fully implemented Internet Solution with a 20-second promotional video and other concept design/media elements. Visit http://www.tsgc.utexas.edu/nmb/ for information.
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West Oakland, California, Space Academies Close (Source: Alameda Timmes-Star)
In September 2006, two space-themed charter academies opened in West Oakland with a lofty vision and support from NASA and the University of California, Berkeley. Less than a year later, the Space Exploration Academies are gone, and the families that bought into the dream now must find new schools, weeks into the semester. The junior high and high schools, which had a combined enrollment of about 75 children, closed last week after losing an appeal to the state board of education. The Oakland school district revoked the schools' charters in February, citing low enrollment and substandard instruction, but the academies appealed the decision.
"We were railroaded, and that's the bottom line," said co-founder Camron Gorguinpour, a doctoral physics and astronomy student at UC Berkeley. George Gagnon, director of pre-engineering partnerships at UC Berkeley and a board member of SSOAR, a nonprofit organization that runs the schools, said he believed the appeals process was deeply flawed. As an Oakland public school parent as well as an educator, Gagnon said, he also found it troubling the school district would try to close the academies just months after they opened.
Please, Mr. Bezos (Source: Space Review)
So far, all we really know about Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin reusable launch vehicle (RLV) project, is that they flew a test vehicle to an altitude of less than 100 meters in Nov. 2006 from their private Texas spaceport. That test item, called “Goddard”, is a precursor to a suborbital vehicle called the New Shepard that may fly sometime around 2010. Beyond this, we know from their web site that they want to hire people “with turbopump or propulsion experience on large, modern, cryogenic engines such as the RS-68.” That leaves us with lots of room to speculate about what they are up to.
A suborbital vehicle that will be able to take tourists up to the edge of space and compete with Scaled Composites’ SpaceShipTwo will be a welcome addition to the suborbital market: may the best rocket win. But why all the secrecy if that is all there is to it? Why build a craft that can almost reach orbit unless, eventually, one wants to go all the way? So are we going to see a New Shepard 2? Will it be single stage to orbit (SSTO) or will it need two stages? Will it use plug aerospike engines or something more conventional?
The team that Bezos has built has no obligation to provide the public with any information on its plans other than what it has to give to the FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation in order to get a license to operate. Thanks to Jeff Bezos’ money they do not have to seduce investors or satisfy politicians or bureaucrats. They can just get on with the job with no distractions or pressure. In many ways it’s an ideal situation. Yet for the space industry, and in the long term for Blue Origin itself, it might be wise for them to be a bit more forthcoming about their long-term plans. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/959/1 to view the article.
The Case for Withdrawing From the 1967 Outer Space Treaty (Source: Space Review)
This year is the 40th anniversary of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration of Outer Space Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, more commonly known as the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. Born out of anxiety about the Cold War and excitement about the Space Age, the agreement is a tribute to the ability of diplomats to draft international law that is simultaneously effective but bad. Successful in preventing states from claiming sovereign territory in outer space the treaty also hobbled space exploration and development. Today, human activity in outer space is confined to low Earth orbit and unmanned space exploration of the solar system proceeds at a leisurely pace. The Space Age has sputtered to a crawl and the 1967 Outer Space Treaty deserves a large measure of the blame.
The core legal principle of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty declared that everywhere beyond the atmosphere to be res communis, an international commons rather akin to the “international waters” of the open oceans on Earth, rather than terra nullius, the sort of territory that is unclaimed yet claimable by states as sovereign territory. In what was then stirring, and today preposterous, language of the agreement, all of outer space was declared the “Common Home of Mankind” to be explored and exploited by all countries and for the benefit of all humanity. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/960/1 to view the article.
The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera now orbiting Mars is helping NASA search for signs of water on Mars. Students are invited to help choose regions of Mars for HiRISE to image. The HiRISE team will pick several suggestions and image them with the camera in the coming months. The participants will represent the first people on Earth to see the resulting image and will have the chance to search for signs of water in the image. Background information, teacher guides, student activity books and tutorials are available online to help students choose a region. Visit http://quest.nasa.gov/challenges/hirise/ for information.
Dawn Launch Slips a Day (Source: SpaceToday.net)
NASA announced Monday that the launch of a mission to the main asteroid belt will be delayed a day after weather hampered launch preparations. The Dawn mission, which had been scheduled for launch Wednesday on a Delta 2 from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, will now launch between 7:20 and 7:49 am EDT Thursday. Once launched, Dawn will fly to the main asteroid belt and visit the large asteroids Ceres and Vesta. The launch had been scheduled for earlier this summer, but was postponed by a number of problems, and the launch team stood down in July so that NASA could focus on the time-critical August launch of the Phoenix mission to Mars.
Second Galileo Satellite Delayed to 2008 (Source: The Register)
Media reports suggest the Giove-B satellite, second in a series of testbed and validation platforms preceding the main Galileo birds, will not now be launched until next year. Giove B, which has already suffered delays, was to be orbited aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket in December. Now, however, a spokesman from launch company Arianespace said it will now be held in March 2008. Problems with the launch rocket rather than the satellite were blamed for the delay.
NASA Means Business Student Competition 2008 (Source: SGC)
The NASA Means Business Student Competition program invites undergraduate and graduate students to employ their skills to help NASA articulate the contributions of space exploration to everyday life. This year¹s challenge is: Help NASA to increase the number of corporate researchers, university researchers, entrepreneurs, and investors who utilize the Nation's investment in spaceflight to grow their investments in knowledge and commerce. Specifically, participating teams will compete by designing and preparing a NASA Spaceflight Promotion Plan and illustrative flagship promotion projects including a fully implemented Internet Solution with a 20-second promotional video and other concept design/media elements. Visit http://www.tsgc.utexas.edu/nmb/ for information.
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West Oakland, California, Space Academies Close (Source: Alameda Timmes-Star)
In September 2006, two space-themed charter academies opened in West Oakland with a lofty vision and support from NASA and the University of California, Berkeley. Less than a year later, the Space Exploration Academies are gone, and the families that bought into the dream now must find new schools, weeks into the semester. The junior high and high schools, which had a combined enrollment of about 75 children, closed last week after losing an appeal to the state board of education. The Oakland school district revoked the schools' charters in February, citing low enrollment and substandard instruction, but the academies appealed the decision.
"We were railroaded, and that's the bottom line," said co-founder Camron Gorguinpour, a doctoral physics and astronomy student at UC Berkeley. George Gagnon, director of pre-engineering partnerships at UC Berkeley and a board member of SSOAR, a nonprofit organization that runs the schools, said he believed the appeals process was deeply flawed. As an Oakland public school parent as well as an educator, Gagnon said, he also found it troubling the school district would try to close the academies just months after they opened.
Please, Mr. Bezos (Source: Space Review)
So far, all we really know about Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin reusable launch vehicle (RLV) project, is that they flew a test vehicle to an altitude of less than 100 meters in Nov. 2006 from their private Texas spaceport. That test item, called “Goddard”, is a precursor to a suborbital vehicle called the New Shepard that may fly sometime around 2010. Beyond this, we know from their web site that they want to hire people “with turbopump or propulsion experience on large, modern, cryogenic engines such as the RS-68.” That leaves us with lots of room to speculate about what they are up to.
A suborbital vehicle that will be able to take tourists up to the edge of space and compete with Scaled Composites’ SpaceShipTwo will be a welcome addition to the suborbital market: may the best rocket win. But why all the secrecy if that is all there is to it? Why build a craft that can almost reach orbit unless, eventually, one wants to go all the way? So are we going to see a New Shepard 2? Will it be single stage to orbit (SSTO) or will it need two stages? Will it use plug aerospike engines or something more conventional?
The team that Bezos has built has no obligation to provide the public with any information on its plans other than what it has to give to the FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation in order to get a license to operate. Thanks to Jeff Bezos’ money they do not have to seduce investors or satisfy politicians or bureaucrats. They can just get on with the job with no distractions or pressure. In many ways it’s an ideal situation. Yet for the space industry, and in the long term for Blue Origin itself, it might be wise for them to be a bit more forthcoming about their long-term plans. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/959/1 to view the article.
The Case for Withdrawing From the 1967 Outer Space Treaty (Source: Space Review)
This year is the 40th anniversary of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration of Outer Space Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, more commonly known as the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. Born out of anxiety about the Cold War and excitement about the Space Age, the agreement is a tribute to the ability of diplomats to draft international law that is simultaneously effective but bad. Successful in preventing states from claiming sovereign territory in outer space the treaty also hobbled space exploration and development. Today, human activity in outer space is confined to low Earth orbit and unmanned space exploration of the solar system proceeds at a leisurely pace. The Space Age has sputtered to a crawl and the 1967 Outer Space Treaty deserves a large measure of the blame.
The core legal principle of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty declared that everywhere beyond the atmosphere to be res communis, an international commons rather akin to the “international waters” of the open oceans on Earth, rather than terra nullius, the sort of territory that is unclaimed yet claimable by states as sovereign territory. In what was then stirring, and today preposterous, language of the agreement, all of outer space was declared the “Common Home of Mankind” to be explored and exploited by all countries and for the benefit of all humanity. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/960/1 to view the article.
September 23 News Items
Texas Space Ventures Rocket Into Reality (Source: Dallas Morning News)
Construction is to begin next year on Spaceport America, a commercial spaceport in New Mexico (in rendering above). In Van Horn, Texas - 120 miles southeast of El Paso - a private spaceport built by Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon.com, is already testing rockets for his Blue Origin venture. This spaceward expansion involves scores of rival start-up firms and aerospace outfits, including some in the North Texas area, prospecting on the final frontier. The companies are working on a slew of space-related projects, from building lunar landers for NASA's proposed moon and Mars missions to constructing inflatable orbital hotels to pitch to wealthy tourists eager to wake up to a sunrise in space.
While the pursuit may sound quixotic – how long have we been dreaming of jet-setting like the Jetsons? – the work is far more advanced than you might imagine. Firms have launched prototypes into orbit, secured funding for their spaceports and taken deposits for their first commercial flights. The most prominent local firm is probably Dallas-based Armadillo Aerospace. The company, founded by John Carmack, the wealthy genius programmer who created the popular Quake and Doom computer games, is focused on building vertical takeoff and landing modules for a lunar explorer. But it will soon turn its attention to building a reusable suborbital launch vehicle for space tourists.
Bigelow Aerospace, which operates out of Houston and Las Vegas, launched the Genesis II, an experimental inflatable space habitat, into low Earth orbit in June. The company hopes to have space hotels in business by 2012. And it has some experience in the hospitality industry behind it - Robert Bigelow, who built his fortune from Budget Suites of America, is its founder. Eventually, Armadillo – which has eight employees, most of them part-time – expects to build longer-range vehicles that can make it into orbit and even venture on to the moon. Click here to view the article.
Space Businesses Still Wait for Countdown (Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
After SpaceShipOne pierced the heavens high over California in the first private manned spaceflight, many expected the event would immediately ignite a new era of commercial space businesses. But three years after that historic flight, the private space industry has still barely left the ground. Several commercial space projects that were supposed to take off by now have been delayed. Recent high-profile problems — including an explosion that killed three researchers at SpaceShipOne's parent company and the crashes of two unmanned rockets at another private space company — sent shudders through the industry.
Together, the setbacks reinforce what most in the fledgling industry already knew: Rocket science isn't easy, and success in space doesn't come quickly. To be sure, few if any in the space business intend to give up until they either succeed or run out of money. Like test pilots in the early days after the Wright brothers, most consider delays and mistakes part of the learning experience. Click here to view the article.
China to Build New Spaceport (Source: AP)
China is planning to build a new spaceport — the country's fourth — to boost its burgeoning space program, state media reported Sunday. The facility will be located in Wenchang on the southern island province of Hainan, about 38 miles away from the provincial capital Haikou. The site is close to the equator which makes it well suited for launches because lower latitudes have stronger centrifugal forces, reducing the amount of energy required to launch rockets. The plan has been approved by the State Council, China's Cabinet, and the Central Military Commission, it said, without giving any details on construction or a completion date.
Construction is to begin next year on Spaceport America, a commercial spaceport in New Mexico (in rendering above). In Van Horn, Texas - 120 miles southeast of El Paso - a private spaceport built by Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon.com, is already testing rockets for his Blue Origin venture. This spaceward expansion involves scores of rival start-up firms and aerospace outfits, including some in the North Texas area, prospecting on the final frontier. The companies are working on a slew of space-related projects, from building lunar landers for NASA's proposed moon and Mars missions to constructing inflatable orbital hotels to pitch to wealthy tourists eager to wake up to a sunrise in space.
While the pursuit may sound quixotic – how long have we been dreaming of jet-setting like the Jetsons? – the work is far more advanced than you might imagine. Firms have launched prototypes into orbit, secured funding for their spaceports and taken deposits for their first commercial flights. The most prominent local firm is probably Dallas-based Armadillo Aerospace. The company, founded by John Carmack, the wealthy genius programmer who created the popular Quake and Doom computer games, is focused on building vertical takeoff and landing modules for a lunar explorer. But it will soon turn its attention to building a reusable suborbital launch vehicle for space tourists.
Bigelow Aerospace, which operates out of Houston and Las Vegas, launched the Genesis II, an experimental inflatable space habitat, into low Earth orbit in June. The company hopes to have space hotels in business by 2012. And it has some experience in the hospitality industry behind it - Robert Bigelow, who built his fortune from Budget Suites of America, is its founder. Eventually, Armadillo – which has eight employees, most of them part-time – expects to build longer-range vehicles that can make it into orbit and even venture on to the moon. Click here to view the article.
Space Businesses Still Wait for Countdown (Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
After SpaceShipOne pierced the heavens high over California in the first private manned spaceflight, many expected the event would immediately ignite a new era of commercial space businesses. But three years after that historic flight, the private space industry has still barely left the ground. Several commercial space projects that were supposed to take off by now have been delayed. Recent high-profile problems — including an explosion that killed three researchers at SpaceShipOne's parent company and the crashes of two unmanned rockets at another private space company — sent shudders through the industry.
Together, the setbacks reinforce what most in the fledgling industry already knew: Rocket science isn't easy, and success in space doesn't come quickly. To be sure, few if any in the space business intend to give up until they either succeed or run out of money. Like test pilots in the early days after the Wright brothers, most consider delays and mistakes part of the learning experience. Click here to view the article.
China to Build New Spaceport (Source: AP)
China is planning to build a new spaceport — the country's fourth — to boost its burgeoning space program, state media reported Sunday. The facility will be located in Wenchang on the southern island province of Hainan, about 38 miles away from the provincial capital Haikou. The site is close to the equator which makes it well suited for launches because lower latitudes have stronger centrifugal forces, reducing the amount of energy required to launch rockets. The plan has been approved by the State Council, China's Cabinet, and the Central Military Commission, it said, without giving any details on construction or a completion date.
September 22 News Items
SpaceX Reports Milestone, Details Future Plans (Source: CNET News)
SpaceX reached a milestone Thursday by finishing the primary engine for Falcon 9, its larger rocket launcher with which it will conduct a few operational lift-offs with satellites next year. Musk reportedly said earlier in the week that Falcon 9 could launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station next fall.
Late Payload Delays Sea Launch's Return to Flight (Source: Space News)
Sea Launch Co.'s planned late October return to flight has been postponed until mid November because the payload, the Boeing-built Thuraya 3 mobile telecommunications satellite, has been delayed, Sea Launch and Boeing officials said.
Taurus 2 Coming Into Focus (Source: Space News)
Orbital Sciences Corp. considered taking over Delta 2 rocket operations from Boeing before finally deciding to pursue development of its own solution for orbiting medium-sized payloads, which are becoming increasingly expensive to launch and a lower priority for the major launch services companies. Orbital's solution, dubbed the Taurus 2, would take advantage of surplus Russian engines and other cost-saving measures to deliver a launch service priced more in line with what NASA and other U.S. government customers historically have paid to loft medium-sized payloads.
TacSat-3 Launch from Virginia Delayed Due to Component Issues (Source: Space News)
Component problems have delayed the launch of the U.S. Air Force's experimental TacSat-3 satellite until June 25. TacSat-3, one of a series of small spacecraft designed to bring information to the battlefield rapidly, is slated to launch from Virginia's Wallops Island aboard a Minotaur 1 rocket built by Orbital Sciences Corp. As of this past May, the launch was supposed to take place in December. The delay was due to thermal issues with the optical link between the spacecraft's sensor processor and communications system. Another factor was the need to upgrade mirror mounts on TacSat-3's Artemis hyperspectral imaging payload to better handle launch vibration, he said.
Orbital Sciences Ready to Expand in Virginia (Source: BizJournals.com)
Orbital Sciences Corp. is planning a major expansion of its Dulles, Virginia, campus and will add 600 jobs during the next four years. The satellite design and manufacturing company wants to build 140,000 square feet of office space at its headquarters. The new facilities would house a variety of engineering, laboratory and manufacturing operations. Work on the first office building will start in early 2008. The expansion is expected to help Orbital keep pace with a backlog of about $4 billion in current contracts. Orbital, which has been in Dulles since 1992, has a 77-acre campus with about 1,500 employees. When the expansion is completed sometime in 2011, Orbital will have 700,000 square feet of operations at the Dulles campus.
Orbcomm is Target of Class-Action Lawsuits (Source: Space News)
Two U.S. law firms are seeking clients for class-action lawsuits against satellite-messaging service provider Orbcomm Inc., alleging that Orbcomm misled investors about its revenue outlook as it prepared the company's initial public offering of stock last November. Orbcomm's stock, traded since November on the U.S. Nasdaq exchange, tumbled this summer when the company said new contracts that had been expected this year likely would be delayed, forcing a downward revision of its full-year revenue forecast. Company officials said the issue was only one of contract timing and that they still expected the business to be booked.
ESA Eyes European Space Surveillance Network (Source: Space News)
The European Space Agency (ESA) is investigating the creation of a quasi-commercial body that would operate a network of ground- and space-based sensors to forecast space weather and provide, to a restricted audience, a space-surveillance service to track satellites and debris in orbit, according to ESA and European industry officials. The idea would be to offset part of the cost of establishing a space-surveillance network by selling space-weather data to governments and other subscribers, much as some meteorological data is commercialized in Europe today.
Russia Aims for New Far East Space Launch Pad by 2020 (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
Anatoly Perminov, head of the Russian space agency Roskosmos, said he hoped a new spaceport would be built in the Russian far east by 2020 to supplement the Baikonur spaceport in Kazakhstan. Perminov said that Russia would need a new launch site partly so it can launch a new type of manned spacecraft, which is still to be developed. "I'm absolutely sure that a new cosmodrome should exist in the far east and be developed for launches of various space vehicles for civilian use and also launches for manned space exploration," Perminov said.
SpaceX reached a milestone Thursday by finishing the primary engine for Falcon 9, its larger rocket launcher with which it will conduct a few operational lift-offs with satellites next year. Musk reportedly said earlier in the week that Falcon 9 could launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station next fall.
Late Payload Delays Sea Launch's Return to Flight (Source: Space News)
Sea Launch Co.'s planned late October return to flight has been postponed until mid November because the payload, the Boeing-built Thuraya 3 mobile telecommunications satellite, has been delayed, Sea Launch and Boeing officials said.
Taurus 2 Coming Into Focus (Source: Space News)
Orbital Sciences Corp. considered taking over Delta 2 rocket operations from Boeing before finally deciding to pursue development of its own solution for orbiting medium-sized payloads, which are becoming increasingly expensive to launch and a lower priority for the major launch services companies. Orbital's solution, dubbed the Taurus 2, would take advantage of surplus Russian engines and other cost-saving measures to deliver a launch service priced more in line with what NASA and other U.S. government customers historically have paid to loft medium-sized payloads.
TacSat-3 Launch from Virginia Delayed Due to Component Issues (Source: Space News)
Component problems have delayed the launch of the U.S. Air Force's experimental TacSat-3 satellite until June 25. TacSat-3, one of a series of small spacecraft designed to bring information to the battlefield rapidly, is slated to launch from Virginia's Wallops Island aboard a Minotaur 1 rocket built by Orbital Sciences Corp. As of this past May, the launch was supposed to take place in December. The delay was due to thermal issues with the optical link between the spacecraft's sensor processor and communications system. Another factor was the need to upgrade mirror mounts on TacSat-3's Artemis hyperspectral imaging payload to better handle launch vibration, he said.
Orbital Sciences Ready to Expand in Virginia (Source: BizJournals.com)
Orbital Sciences Corp. is planning a major expansion of its Dulles, Virginia, campus and will add 600 jobs during the next four years. The satellite design and manufacturing company wants to build 140,000 square feet of office space at its headquarters. The new facilities would house a variety of engineering, laboratory and manufacturing operations. Work on the first office building will start in early 2008. The expansion is expected to help Orbital keep pace with a backlog of about $4 billion in current contracts. Orbital, which has been in Dulles since 1992, has a 77-acre campus with about 1,500 employees. When the expansion is completed sometime in 2011, Orbital will have 700,000 square feet of operations at the Dulles campus.
Orbcomm is Target of Class-Action Lawsuits (Source: Space News)
Two U.S. law firms are seeking clients for class-action lawsuits against satellite-messaging service provider Orbcomm Inc., alleging that Orbcomm misled investors about its revenue outlook as it prepared the company's initial public offering of stock last November. Orbcomm's stock, traded since November on the U.S. Nasdaq exchange, tumbled this summer when the company said new contracts that had been expected this year likely would be delayed, forcing a downward revision of its full-year revenue forecast. Company officials said the issue was only one of contract timing and that they still expected the business to be booked.
ESA Eyes European Space Surveillance Network (Source: Space News)
The European Space Agency (ESA) is investigating the creation of a quasi-commercial body that would operate a network of ground- and space-based sensors to forecast space weather and provide, to a restricted audience, a space-surveillance service to track satellites and debris in orbit, according to ESA and European industry officials. The idea would be to offset part of the cost of establishing a space-surveillance network by selling space-weather data to governments and other subscribers, much as some meteorological data is commercialized in Europe today.
Russia Aims for New Far East Space Launch Pad by 2020 (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
Anatoly Perminov, head of the Russian space agency Roskosmos, said he hoped a new spaceport would be built in the Russian far east by 2020 to supplement the Baikonur spaceport in Kazakhstan. Perminov said that Russia would need a new launch site partly so it can launch a new type of manned spacecraft, which is still to be developed. "I'm absolutely sure that a new cosmodrome should exist in the far east and be developed for launches of various space vehicles for civilian use and also launches for manned space exploration," Perminov said.
September 21 News Items
Lawmakers, Bidders Threaten New Satellite Work (Source: Wall Street Journal)
A pair of multibillion-dollar, next-generation military satellite projects appear to be jeopardized by congressional budget cuts and jockeying by rivals Boeing and Lockheed Martin to extend existing programs. The latest problems are serious enough that the military's most-advanced satellite programs may be significantly delayed or put off indefinitely, said Gary Payton, the Air Force's top space acquisition official. If lawmakers continue to funnel funds toward current versions of communications and navigation satellites, "that's a death spiral for both" of the new programs, he said.
Weldon Hosts House Aerospace Caucus (Source: AIA)
Rep. Dave Weldon (R-Fla.), co-chairman of the House Aerospace Caucus, co-hosted a meeting with AIA last week and delivered opening remarks underlining the importance of long-term funding for aerospace programs. NASA Administrator Michael Griffin participate and stressed the national security and economic benefits of space exploration. Boeing Integrated Defense Systems President and CEO James Albaugh applauded NASA's historical record in engineering process and technology innovation, noting that defense contractors rely on many of these breakthroughs in supporting today's war fighting requirements.
NASA Unveils Pressurized Rover (Source: Florida Today)
NASA officials say the agency's new rover will allow astronauts to putter around the Moon in the comfort of their shirtsleeves, requiring them to don spacesuits only if they need to leave the vehicle. "I call it a cross between a sports car and a spacesuit," said NASA astronaut Mike Gernhardt. Officials say the vehicles will allow researchers to explore the Moon without worrying about how far they are from an established base.
NASA Mars Odyssey Finds Possible Cave Skylights on Mars (Source: SpaceRef.com)
NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft has discovered entrances to seven possible caves on the slopes of a Martian volcano. The find is fueling interest in potential underground habitats and sparking searches for caverns elsewhere on the Red Planet.
Colorado Company Earns NOAA Contract (Source: The Coloradoan)
Riverside Technology Inc., a Colorado engineering and consulting firm, was awarded a $115 million contract by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to support NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service. Riverside will manage and operate environmental satellite programs. The satellites provide uninterrupted flow of data about the Earth's weather, atmosphere and oceans, which is used to monitor hurricanes and rainstorms around the world.
Beast of a Fight Ahead Over Galileo Funding (Source: EE Times)
Differences between member states could scupper the European Union's plans to salvage funding for the ill fated Galileo satellite navigation system after private companies earlier this year decided not to back the project as originally intended. French plans, backed by some other countries, to bail out the Galileo project with a $3 billion raid on the EU farming budget are being strongly resisted by other countries, notably the U.K. and Germany. The European Commission said it could move money within the bloc's 2007-2013 budget to come up with $3.3 billion needed to bail out Galileo, as well as $427 million to start up the planned European Institute of Technology.
But critics fear the attempt to seize spare taxpayers' cash after private investors pulled out would break every budgetary rule in the book and set an alarming precedent. Galileo was conceived seven years ago as a rival to the U.S. operated Global Positioning S system and touted as a key high-technology venture for the EU. But it stalled earlier this year after a group of eight companies charged with developing the system disagreed on how to share out work and failed to make headway.
NASA Helps Wipe Away Worries About Germs (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
Fresh fruits and vegetables have been in demand by orbiting astronauts since the early days of the space shuttle. But fresh produce can create a queasy bouquet in a closed space environment as it ages past its prime. NASA has helped develop a product that thoroughly cleanses fruits and vegetables being sent into space, helping to increase their shelf life. Meanwhile, this product is ripe for the picking for consumers on Earth. NASA teamed with Microcide, Inc., of Michigan, to develop a nontoxic, biodegradable, microbicidal product to disinfect fresh fruit and vegetables for Space Shuttle crews. The product -- PRO-SAN -- is safe, stable and biodegradable for use in space. To offset the challenges of zero gravity, NASA and Microcide created the powder concentrate as a water-soluble package. Once dropped in water, the packet dissolves and creates a ready-to-use sanitizer.
India Seeking Russian Help to Join ISS Project (Source: Hindu News)
India has sought the help of Russia to join the orbital International Space Station (ISS) project in the face of "objection by some other project partners", a top Russian space agency official said. "India has approached us, this (India) is a serious space power and would like to join ISS project. However, objection by some other project partners has put a question mark on this issue," Russia's Federal Space Agency (RKA) Chief Anatoly Perminov said responding to a question about the expansion of the ISS project participants. Besides Russian RKA, the ambitious ISS project includes the NASA of the USA, Canada, Japan and European Space Agency (ESA). "I won't identify, who is concretely blocking India's entry, but they argue that the number of participants of the project is set by the international treaties and is enough to complete the construction of the orbital station," Perminov told reporters at a news conference.
Sierra County Commission Takes Step Toward Spaceport District (Source: Las Cruces Sun-News)
Sierra County commissioners approved a resolution allowing the county manager to work toward a spaceport tax district, an entity that must be in place under state law to spend any spaceport tax dollars. The commission's decision, however, might have limited weight, considering the county hasn't yet held a spaceport sales tax election. Some have contended state law doesn't allow counties to join a spaceport tax district until their voters approve a spaceport sales tax. But, the New Mexico Spaceport Authority has argued the statute allows a county to join a spaceport district before an election, though voters eventually would have to approve a tax to remain in the district. State law requires that a district be made up of at least two counties, but so far, only Doña Ana County has held and election and approved a spaceport tax.
Space Integral To Military, General Says (Source: Aerospace Daily)
As U.S. dependence and reliance on space grows, the development community has a "serious obligation" to deliver on its commitments, an Air Force lieutenant general said. "Truly space has become integral to every aspect of what we do in military operations today," Lt. Gen. Michael Hamel said. The ability of U.S. forces to know what's happening in space is "critical" to having assured mission capability, he said. "Space situational awareness (SSA) is now the means by which we intend to knit all those capabilities Air Force Space Command has been conducting a review of space situational awareness assets, many of which are a legacy of the Cold War, particularly in terms of sensors.
E'Prime Legal Problems Put Company Control in Limbo (Source: ERAU)
Lawsuits filed over a funding dispute surrounding the sale of Titusville-based E'Prime Aerospace Corp. are clouding an already fuzzy outlook for the aspiring launch service provider. A Tennessee lawsuit filed by James Oldham, who took control of the company from Bobby Davis in a stock purchase deal, was filed in response to an Orlando lawsuit filed by Davis. Oldham seeks to cancel certain payments to Davis on the grounds that Davis misrepresented the company's competitive and legal viability, and services Davis claimed to have provided for the company and its subsidiaries. Davis' lawsuit seeks payment beyond the amount originally agreed upon in the Oldham purchase deal. Oldham failed to appear for an Orlando court date and was ordered to pay Davis a total of $4,385,260.46. The outcome of the Tennessee lawsuit is still pending.
E'Prime in the 1980s launched what was then referred to as the first commercial launch from the Cape Canaveral spaceport. The small suborbital rocket carried mementos and items that were offered for sale. The company later gained access to deactivated Peacekeeper missile production hardware and has attempted to develop a family of "Eagle" launch vehicles based on the Peacekeeper system. Among the complaints against Bobby Davis is that he claimed to have Federal approval to commercially market the missile-derived launch vehicle technology when he in fact did not. Under Oldham, the company has relocated offices to the Washington DC area and is working to gain Federal clearance, attract customers, and obtain financing. E'Prime recently announced a partnership with a propulsion company and plans to launch from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport.
A pair of multibillion-dollar, next-generation military satellite projects appear to be jeopardized by congressional budget cuts and jockeying by rivals Boeing and Lockheed Martin to extend existing programs. The latest problems are serious enough that the military's most-advanced satellite programs may be significantly delayed or put off indefinitely, said Gary Payton, the Air Force's top space acquisition official. If lawmakers continue to funnel funds toward current versions of communications and navigation satellites, "that's a death spiral for both" of the new programs, he said.
Weldon Hosts House Aerospace Caucus (Source: AIA)
Rep. Dave Weldon (R-Fla.), co-chairman of the House Aerospace Caucus, co-hosted a meeting with AIA last week and delivered opening remarks underlining the importance of long-term funding for aerospace programs. NASA Administrator Michael Griffin participate and stressed the national security and economic benefits of space exploration. Boeing Integrated Defense Systems President and CEO James Albaugh applauded NASA's historical record in engineering process and technology innovation, noting that defense contractors rely on many of these breakthroughs in supporting today's war fighting requirements.
NASA Unveils Pressurized Rover (Source: Florida Today)
NASA officials say the agency's new rover will allow astronauts to putter around the Moon in the comfort of their shirtsleeves, requiring them to don spacesuits only if they need to leave the vehicle. "I call it a cross between a sports car and a spacesuit," said NASA astronaut Mike Gernhardt. Officials say the vehicles will allow researchers to explore the Moon without worrying about how far they are from an established base.
NASA Mars Odyssey Finds Possible Cave Skylights on Mars (Source: SpaceRef.com)
NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft has discovered entrances to seven possible caves on the slopes of a Martian volcano. The find is fueling interest in potential underground habitats and sparking searches for caverns elsewhere on the Red Planet.
Colorado Company Earns NOAA Contract (Source: The Coloradoan)
Riverside Technology Inc., a Colorado engineering and consulting firm, was awarded a $115 million contract by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to support NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service. Riverside will manage and operate environmental satellite programs. The satellites provide uninterrupted flow of data about the Earth's weather, atmosphere and oceans, which is used to monitor hurricanes and rainstorms around the world.
Beast of a Fight Ahead Over Galileo Funding (Source: EE Times)
Differences between member states could scupper the European Union's plans to salvage funding for the ill fated Galileo satellite navigation system after private companies earlier this year decided not to back the project as originally intended. French plans, backed by some other countries, to bail out the Galileo project with a $3 billion raid on the EU farming budget are being strongly resisted by other countries, notably the U.K. and Germany. The European Commission said it could move money within the bloc's 2007-2013 budget to come up with $3.3 billion needed to bail out Galileo, as well as $427 million to start up the planned European Institute of Technology.
But critics fear the attempt to seize spare taxpayers' cash after private investors pulled out would break every budgetary rule in the book and set an alarming precedent. Galileo was conceived seven years ago as a rival to the U.S. operated Global Positioning S system and touted as a key high-technology venture for the EU. But it stalled earlier this year after a group of eight companies charged with developing the system disagreed on how to share out work and failed to make headway.
NASA Helps Wipe Away Worries About Germs (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
Fresh fruits and vegetables have been in demand by orbiting astronauts since the early days of the space shuttle. But fresh produce can create a queasy bouquet in a closed space environment as it ages past its prime. NASA has helped develop a product that thoroughly cleanses fruits and vegetables being sent into space, helping to increase their shelf life. Meanwhile, this product is ripe for the picking for consumers on Earth. NASA teamed with Microcide, Inc., of Michigan, to develop a nontoxic, biodegradable, microbicidal product to disinfect fresh fruit and vegetables for Space Shuttle crews. The product -- PRO-SAN -- is safe, stable and biodegradable for use in space. To offset the challenges of zero gravity, NASA and Microcide created the powder concentrate as a water-soluble package. Once dropped in water, the packet dissolves and creates a ready-to-use sanitizer.
India Seeking Russian Help to Join ISS Project (Source: Hindu News)
India has sought the help of Russia to join the orbital International Space Station (ISS) project in the face of "objection by some other project partners", a top Russian space agency official said. "India has approached us, this (India) is a serious space power and would like to join ISS project. However, objection by some other project partners has put a question mark on this issue," Russia's Federal Space Agency (RKA) Chief Anatoly Perminov said responding to a question about the expansion of the ISS project participants. Besides Russian RKA, the ambitious ISS project includes the NASA of the USA, Canada, Japan and European Space Agency (ESA). "I won't identify, who is concretely blocking India's entry, but they argue that the number of participants of the project is set by the international treaties and is enough to complete the construction of the orbital station," Perminov told reporters at a news conference.
Sierra County Commission Takes Step Toward Spaceport District (Source: Las Cruces Sun-News)
Sierra County commissioners approved a resolution allowing the county manager to work toward a spaceport tax district, an entity that must be in place under state law to spend any spaceport tax dollars. The commission's decision, however, might have limited weight, considering the county hasn't yet held a spaceport sales tax election. Some have contended state law doesn't allow counties to join a spaceport tax district until their voters approve a spaceport sales tax. But, the New Mexico Spaceport Authority has argued the statute allows a county to join a spaceport district before an election, though voters eventually would have to approve a tax to remain in the district. State law requires that a district be made up of at least two counties, but so far, only Doña Ana County has held and election and approved a spaceport tax.
Space Integral To Military, General Says (Source: Aerospace Daily)
As U.S. dependence and reliance on space grows, the development community has a "serious obligation" to deliver on its commitments, an Air Force lieutenant general said. "Truly space has become integral to every aspect of what we do in military operations today," Lt. Gen. Michael Hamel said. The ability of U.S. forces to know what's happening in space is "critical" to having assured mission capability, he said. "Space situational awareness (SSA) is now the means by which we intend to knit all those capabilities Air Force Space Command has been conducting a review of space situational awareness assets, many of which are a legacy of the Cold War, particularly in terms of sensors.
E'Prime Legal Problems Put Company Control in Limbo (Source: ERAU)
Lawsuits filed over a funding dispute surrounding the sale of Titusville-based E'Prime Aerospace Corp. are clouding an already fuzzy outlook for the aspiring launch service provider. A Tennessee lawsuit filed by James Oldham, who took control of the company from Bobby Davis in a stock purchase deal, was filed in response to an Orlando lawsuit filed by Davis. Oldham seeks to cancel certain payments to Davis on the grounds that Davis misrepresented the company's competitive and legal viability, and services Davis claimed to have provided for the company and its subsidiaries. Davis' lawsuit seeks payment beyond the amount originally agreed upon in the Oldham purchase deal. Oldham failed to appear for an Orlando court date and was ordered to pay Davis a total of $4,385,260.46. The outcome of the Tennessee lawsuit is still pending.
E'Prime in the 1980s launched what was then referred to as the first commercial launch from the Cape Canaveral spaceport. The small suborbital rocket carried mementos and items that were offered for sale. The company later gained access to deactivated Peacekeeper missile production hardware and has attempted to develop a family of "Eagle" launch vehicles based on the Peacekeeper system. Among the complaints against Bobby Davis is that he claimed to have Federal approval to commercially market the missile-derived launch vehicle technology when he in fact did not. Under Oldham, the company has relocated offices to the Washington DC area and is working to gain Federal clearance, attract customers, and obtain financing. E'Prime recently announced a partnership with a propulsion company and plans to launch from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport.
September 20 News Items
Boeing Wins Delta-2 Launch Contract for Italian Satellite (Source: Boeing)
Boeing has been awarded a contract to launch the third COSMO-Skymed commercial satellite for Thales Alenia Space Italia, the prime contractor of the Italian Space Agency. A Delta-2 7420-10 launch vehicle will loft the satellite in 2008 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Boeing will procure the launch vehicle and related support from United Launch Alliance, a Boeing/Lockheed Martin joint venture.
NASA Researchers Find Snowmelt in Antarctica Creeping Inland (Source: SpaceRef.com)
On the world's coldest continent of Antarctica, the landscape is so vast and varied that only satellites can fully capture the extent of changes in the snow melting across its valleys, mountains, glaciers and ice shelves. In a new NASA study, researchers using 20 years of data from space-based sensors have confirmed that Antarctic snow is melting farther inland from the coast over time, melting at higher altitudes than ever and increasingly melting on Antarctica's largest ice shelf.
Space Based Solar Power Fuels Vision of Global Energy Security (Source: Space News)
The deployment of space platforms that capture sunlight for beaming down electrical power to Earth is under review by the Pentagon, as a way to offer global energy and security benefits – including the prospect of short-circuiting future resource wars between increasingly energy-starved nations. A proposal is being vetted by U.S. military space strategists that 10 percent of the U.S. baseload of energy by 2050, perhaps sooner, could be produced by space based solar power (SBSP). Furthermore, a demonstration of the concept is being eyed to occur within the next five to seven years. Visit http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/070919_sps_airforce.html to view the article.
Dealing with Threatening Space Rocks (Source: ESA)
Every now and then a space rock hits the world's media – sometimes almost literally. Threatening asteroids that zoom past the Earth, fireballs in the sky seen by hundreds of people and mysterious craters which may have been caused by impacting meteorites; all make ESA's planned mission Don Quijote look increasingly timely. ESA has always been interested in such endeavours and conducted a number of studies into how it might best help. Those studies showed that it is probably the smaller pieces of rock, at most a few hundred metres across, rather than the larger ones that we should be more worried about for the time being. A worldwide network of astronomers is currently cataloguing most of the larger objects, those above 1 km in diameter. A number of survey telescopes have taken up the challenge to detect as many as 90 percent of all near Earth objects down to a size of 140 metres by around 2020. Only after this time will we know whether space-based observatories will be needed to find the rest.
Islamic Body Rules on How to Pray, Wash and Die in Space (Source: Space Daily)
Malaysia's first astronaut will blast off into space armed with guidelines from Muslim authorities on how to pray, wash and even be "buried" in space. Other Muslims have ventured into space, but none during the fasting month of Ramadan, and Malaysia's Department of Islamic Development (JAKIM) is hopeful the astronaut will choose to fast during his voyage. "Conditions at the International Space Station...are not a hindrance for the astronaut to fulfil his obligations as a Muslim," it said in a 20-page booklet. Because the space station circles the Earth 16 times a day, theoretically a Muslim would have to pray 80 times a day while staying there. But the guidelines stipulate that the astronaut need only pray five times a day, just as on Earth.
The booklet covers Islamic washing rituals required before prayer, saying that if water is not available the astronaut can symbolically "sweep holy dust" onto the face and hands "even if there is no dust" in the space station. In the unlikely event the Muslim astronaut dies in space, the religious directives said his body should be brought back to Earth for the usual burial rituals. If that's not possible, he should be "interred" in Space after a brief ceremony, though the guidelines failed to explain how that should be done. Visit http://www.spacedaily.com/2006/070920054704.4yrxlpq1.html to view the article.
Rocket Gap Could Keep U.S. Earthbound (Source: WIRED)
Space industry executives lamented Wednesday that the United States will likely have to rely on other countries to send men, women and materials into space. The nation's most visible launch vehicle, the space shuttle, will have its wings clipped in 2010, and current plans for a successor rocket to lift cargo and crew into orbit won't come to fruition until at least 2015, when the first manned Ares rockets make it to the launch pad.
"Frankly, as a nation, it is stupid," said John Douglass, president and CEO of the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), at the Space 2007 conference Tuesday. "For the four years that we are sitting around watching other people and nations put vehicles in space, there (are) going to be questions about how we got there." The U.S. military has long used other means of getting payloads to orbit, so "the gap" -- as executives here referred to the five-year delay -- will not likely affect national security.
Discovery Repair Ahead of Schedule (Source: AIA)
Discovery might still make its launch on schedule, as technicians repairing faulty seals on the orbiter's landing gear were able to complete the work faster than expected. "Right now, we're still targeting Oct. 23. That's not off the table," NASA spokesman Allard Beutel said. "We didn't encounter any glitches while we were putting it back together. There's nothing else we think would pop up."
Nobel Laureate Disses Manned Spaceflight (Source: MSNBC)
While praising NASA's robotic missions such as the Mars Exploration Rovers, Nobel laureate Steven Weinberg said the manned part of the space program has contributed essentially nothing to science. The physics Nobel Laureate issued a scathing critique of NASA's manned spaceflight program and questioned the scientific usefulness of the international space station. "The international space station is an orbital turkey," said Weinberg. "No important science has come out of it. I could almost say no science has come out of it. And I would go beyond that and say that the whole manned spaceflight program, which is so enormously expensive, has produced nothing of scientific value." Weinberg made the comments while speaking at a dark energy workshop at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore. Visit http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20869407/ to view the article.
Israel to Launch Spy Satellite in India (Source: Jerusalem Post)
Israeli space capabilities will take a giant leap this week when an Indian rocket launches the IDF's most-advanced satellite to date, capable of transmitting tiny images in all weather conditions. The takeoff from India follow's the June launch of the Ofek-7 spy satellite. The satellite to be placed in orbit this week is called Tecsar and was developed and manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries. It will be the first Israeli satellite with Synthetic Aperture Radar capabilities, allowing the camera to take pictures of targets under cloudy and foggy conditions, a capability not available in Israel's Ofek satellite series.
Florida Governor Names New Economic Development Chief (Source: Tallahassee Democrat)
Gov. Charlie Crist named a former Florida State University professor as the man responsible for leading Florida's Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development (OTTED). Dale Brill takes over at OTTED on Oct. 1. Brill told reporters that he has already met with executives of one of the state's signature industries, space. He said he was aware of the intense competition from other states that are already developing aerospace industries, but he said he's still optimistic. Crist praised Brill's public- and private-sector background, and pledged that Brill would ''nurture an economic climate that encourages diverse, high-wage business to expand and relocate to Florida.'' His new job pays $120,000 a year.
Iridium Sets Record Summer Numbers (Source: Iridium)
Iridium Satellite announces a record-breaking summer with unprecedented worldwide growth in both subscribers and airtime. In August, Iridium added 8,150 total subscribers -- the most ever in a single month. Over the past three months, Iridium has added a combined total of 22,000 net subscribers compared to 9,000 and 7,000 during the same period in 2006 and 2005 respectively.
Falcon 9 Could Soar from Cape Next Year (Source: Florida Today)
A heavier-lift version of a new American-made rocket could launch from a former Titan pad at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport as early as next year. The first Falcon 9, which is similar in scale to United Launch Alliance's Delta 4 and Atlas 5 rockets, is scheduled to be erected on dormant pad 40 next fall. A launch could come within months, according to SpaceX chief executive officer Elon Musk.
Editorial: NASA Should Dump RpK in COTS Competition (Source: Florida Today)
When the space shuttle fleet retires in three years, NASA will be grounded and must rely on Russian rockets, at least through 2011. That's why NASA is rightly poised to dump a company that has gotten government seed money to develop a new privately operated rocket that could ship the station supplies and crews. The company, Rocketplane Kistler, has failed to meet financial and technical benchmarks, earning it a default letter from NASA. It's time for NASA to quickly move on and determine if the other company involved -- California-based SpaceX -- can deliver a rocket that could do the job.
The project's importance is underscored by its potential to boost the local space industry at a time when thousands of Kennedy Space Center jobs will be lost after the shuttle program ends in 2010. That's because the private rockets, if developed, would likely be launched from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. NASA deserves credit for launching the innovative competition at a time when the nation's space program is speeding toward a massive transition. No one knows if the project will work, but the only way to find out is pressing ahead toward the competition's 2010 deadline with the company with the best chance of success. And right now, that looks like SpaceX.
Galileo Gets Funding Kiss of Life (Source: VNUnet.com)
The European Commission will meet the €2.4 billion funding shortfall for the Galileo European satellite navigation system by reshuffling resources. Additional taxpayer funds will not be needed. Instead money will be transferred from agriculture, administration and research budgets. The project hit delays when eight companies from France, Germany, Spain, Britain and Italy clashed over the development of the system. EU member states must now decide whether to accept the Commission proposal and carry on with the project.
Colorado No. 2 in Private Aerospace Jobs (Source: Denver Post)
The Metro Denver Economic Development Corp. released a report today confirming that Colorado's aerospace industry is the second-largest nationwide when ranked by total private employment. Colorado has total private aerospace employment of 26,650 workers, an increase of 12.9 percent from 2006 to 2007, according to the report. With direct and indirect employment, Colorado's aerospace industry totals 171,200 workers. California has the largest aerospace industry in the nation. Colorado moved ahead of Texas to become second-largest.
Aerospace companies look to Colorado for expansion because of its large aerospace industry with well-trained employees and cheaper costs than California. New projects and operations have been fueling the growth. The United Launch Alliance started operations in December 2006 and now has about 1,600 employees here. Lockheed Martin's work on an $8.2 billion NASA contract for the Orion crew-exploration vehicle that it won last year also has given the industry a huge boost, with nearly 500 employees here. Another 600 Orion-related jobs could be added in Colorado by 2009.
10 Things You Didn't Know About Space Exploration (Source: US News & World Report)
The Soviet Union's launch of Sputnik I in 1957 is credited with launching the U.S. space program. In the past 20 years, the space shuttle has launched 3 million pounds of cargo, transported more than 600 passengers and pilots, cumulatively spent more than three years in flight, and logged more than 366 million miles. Click here to learn some other interesting facts about the U.S. space program.
Experts Confirm Meteorite Crash in Peru (Source: AP)
A fiery meteorite crashed into southern Peru over the weekend, experts confirmed on Wednesday. But they were still puzzling over claims that it gave off fumes that sickened 200 people. A geologist confirmed that it was a "rocky meteorite," based on the fragments analyzed. He said water in the meteorite's muddy crater boiled for maybe 10 minutes from the heat and could have given off a vapor that sickened people, and scientists were taking water samples.
Jorge Lopez, director of the health department in the state where the meteorite crashed, said that 200 people suffered headaches, nausea and respiratory problems caused by "toxic" fumes emanating from the crater, which is some 65 feet wide and 15 feet deep. But a team of doctors who reached the isolated site said Wednesday they found no evidence the meteorite had sickened people. Peasants living near the crater said they had smelled a sulfurous odor for at least an hour after the meteorite struck and that it had provoked upset stomachs and headaches. A member of the medical team said fear may have provoked psychosomatic ailments.
Spacehab Swings to Fourth-Quarter Loss (Source: BizJournals)
Spacehab reported a net loss of $13.2 million, on revenue of $12.8 million, for the period ended June 30, 2007. That compared with net income of $48,000, on revenue of $14.6 million, for the same period in 2006. For the full year, Spacehab reported a net loss of $16.3 million, on revenue of $52.8 million, compared with a net loss of $12.4 million, on revenue of $50.7 million, for 2006. Spacehab has until Oct. 3 to regain compliance with NASDAQ's $1 per share minimum bid price requirement. For the past year, the company's stock has traded between 39 cents and $1.23 a share.
SpaceDev Attracts European Aerospace Strategic Partner (Source: MarketWire)
SpaceDev has entered into a strategic relationship with the OHB Technology Group, a leading European Aerospace company with operations in satellite, space hardware manufacturing and advanced space payload systems development. The companies will establish a mutual high level management team to actively explore manufacturing, systems development, and program opportunities in Europe as well as in the US. As part of this effort, OHB and its subsidiary, MT Aerospace, has made an investment of approximately $4.4 million into SpaceDev. The investment will be used by SpaceDev for growth capital, to expand its research and to retire previous interest bearing preferred stock.
Arianespace to Launch Japanese Satellite JCSAT-12 (Source: Arianespace)
Japanese operator JSAT Corporation has chosen Arianespace to launch its JCSAT-12 communications satellite. This is the 24th launch contract won by Arianespace in Japan out of 33 commercial contracts in the competitive market. JCSAT-12 will be launched by an Ariane 5 during the summer of 2009 from the Guiana Space Center, Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. This satellite replaces the one lost recently in a Proton launch failure in Kazakhstan.
Universal Space Network Expands Satellite Ground Stations (Source: USN)
Universal Space Network, Inc. (USN), a provider of commercial space operations and ground station services, is dramatically expanding its network of satellite ground stations in Hawaii and Australia in response to USN's record backlog and growing customer demand for low-latitude ground station services. In addition to added capacity, each of the new full-motion antennas will provide a new capability for USN's customers--an X-band uplink service--and USN is one of the first in the industry to provide this service to its customers.
Boeing has been awarded a contract to launch the third COSMO-Skymed commercial satellite for Thales Alenia Space Italia, the prime contractor of the Italian Space Agency. A Delta-2 7420-10 launch vehicle will loft the satellite in 2008 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Boeing will procure the launch vehicle and related support from United Launch Alliance, a Boeing/Lockheed Martin joint venture.
NASA Researchers Find Snowmelt in Antarctica Creeping Inland (Source: SpaceRef.com)
On the world's coldest continent of Antarctica, the landscape is so vast and varied that only satellites can fully capture the extent of changes in the snow melting across its valleys, mountains, glaciers and ice shelves. In a new NASA study, researchers using 20 years of data from space-based sensors have confirmed that Antarctic snow is melting farther inland from the coast over time, melting at higher altitudes than ever and increasingly melting on Antarctica's largest ice shelf.
Space Based Solar Power Fuels Vision of Global Energy Security (Source: Space News)
The deployment of space platforms that capture sunlight for beaming down electrical power to Earth is under review by the Pentagon, as a way to offer global energy and security benefits – including the prospect of short-circuiting future resource wars between increasingly energy-starved nations. A proposal is being vetted by U.S. military space strategists that 10 percent of the U.S. baseload of energy by 2050, perhaps sooner, could be produced by space based solar power (SBSP). Furthermore, a demonstration of the concept is being eyed to occur within the next five to seven years. Visit http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/070919_sps_airforce.html to view the article.
Dealing with Threatening Space Rocks (Source: ESA)
Every now and then a space rock hits the world's media – sometimes almost literally. Threatening asteroids that zoom past the Earth, fireballs in the sky seen by hundreds of people and mysterious craters which may have been caused by impacting meteorites; all make ESA's planned mission Don Quijote look increasingly timely. ESA has always been interested in such endeavours and conducted a number of studies into how it might best help. Those studies showed that it is probably the smaller pieces of rock, at most a few hundred metres across, rather than the larger ones that we should be more worried about for the time being. A worldwide network of astronomers is currently cataloguing most of the larger objects, those above 1 km in diameter. A number of survey telescopes have taken up the challenge to detect as many as 90 percent of all near Earth objects down to a size of 140 metres by around 2020. Only after this time will we know whether space-based observatories will be needed to find the rest.
Islamic Body Rules on How to Pray, Wash and Die in Space (Source: Space Daily)
Malaysia's first astronaut will blast off into space armed with guidelines from Muslim authorities on how to pray, wash and even be "buried" in space. Other Muslims have ventured into space, but none during the fasting month of Ramadan, and Malaysia's Department of Islamic Development (JAKIM) is hopeful the astronaut will choose to fast during his voyage. "Conditions at the International Space Station...are not a hindrance for the astronaut to fulfil his obligations as a Muslim," it said in a 20-page booklet. Because the space station circles the Earth 16 times a day, theoretically a Muslim would have to pray 80 times a day while staying there. But the guidelines stipulate that the astronaut need only pray five times a day, just as on Earth.
The booklet covers Islamic washing rituals required before prayer, saying that if water is not available the astronaut can symbolically "sweep holy dust" onto the face and hands "even if there is no dust" in the space station. In the unlikely event the Muslim astronaut dies in space, the religious directives said his body should be brought back to Earth for the usual burial rituals. If that's not possible, he should be "interred" in Space after a brief ceremony, though the guidelines failed to explain how that should be done. Visit http://www.spacedaily.com/2006/070920054704.4yrxlpq1.html to view the article.
Rocket Gap Could Keep U.S. Earthbound (Source: WIRED)
Space industry executives lamented Wednesday that the United States will likely have to rely on other countries to send men, women and materials into space. The nation's most visible launch vehicle, the space shuttle, will have its wings clipped in 2010, and current plans for a successor rocket to lift cargo and crew into orbit won't come to fruition until at least 2015, when the first manned Ares rockets make it to the launch pad.
"Frankly, as a nation, it is stupid," said John Douglass, president and CEO of the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), at the Space 2007 conference Tuesday. "For the four years that we are sitting around watching other people and nations put vehicles in space, there (are) going to be questions about how we got there." The U.S. military has long used other means of getting payloads to orbit, so "the gap" -- as executives here referred to the five-year delay -- will not likely affect national security.
Discovery Repair Ahead of Schedule (Source: AIA)
Discovery might still make its launch on schedule, as technicians repairing faulty seals on the orbiter's landing gear were able to complete the work faster than expected. "Right now, we're still targeting Oct. 23. That's not off the table," NASA spokesman Allard Beutel said. "We didn't encounter any glitches while we were putting it back together. There's nothing else we think would pop up."
Nobel Laureate Disses Manned Spaceflight (Source: MSNBC)
While praising NASA's robotic missions such as the Mars Exploration Rovers, Nobel laureate Steven Weinberg said the manned part of the space program has contributed essentially nothing to science. The physics Nobel Laureate issued a scathing critique of NASA's manned spaceflight program and questioned the scientific usefulness of the international space station. "The international space station is an orbital turkey," said Weinberg. "No important science has come out of it. I could almost say no science has come out of it. And I would go beyond that and say that the whole manned spaceflight program, which is so enormously expensive, has produced nothing of scientific value." Weinberg made the comments while speaking at a dark energy workshop at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore. Visit http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20869407/ to view the article.
Israel to Launch Spy Satellite in India (Source: Jerusalem Post)
Israeli space capabilities will take a giant leap this week when an Indian rocket launches the IDF's most-advanced satellite to date, capable of transmitting tiny images in all weather conditions. The takeoff from India follow's the June launch of the Ofek-7 spy satellite. The satellite to be placed in orbit this week is called Tecsar and was developed and manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries. It will be the first Israeli satellite with Synthetic Aperture Radar capabilities, allowing the camera to take pictures of targets under cloudy and foggy conditions, a capability not available in Israel's Ofek satellite series.
Florida Governor Names New Economic Development Chief (Source: Tallahassee Democrat)
Gov. Charlie Crist named a former Florida State University professor as the man responsible for leading Florida's Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development (OTTED). Dale Brill takes over at OTTED on Oct. 1. Brill told reporters that he has already met with executives of one of the state's signature industries, space. He said he was aware of the intense competition from other states that are already developing aerospace industries, but he said he's still optimistic. Crist praised Brill's public- and private-sector background, and pledged that Brill would ''nurture an economic climate that encourages diverse, high-wage business to expand and relocate to Florida.'' His new job pays $120,000 a year.
Iridium Sets Record Summer Numbers (Source: Iridium)
Iridium Satellite announces a record-breaking summer with unprecedented worldwide growth in both subscribers and airtime. In August, Iridium added 8,150 total subscribers -- the most ever in a single month. Over the past three months, Iridium has added a combined total of 22,000 net subscribers compared to 9,000 and 7,000 during the same period in 2006 and 2005 respectively.
Falcon 9 Could Soar from Cape Next Year (Source: Florida Today)
A heavier-lift version of a new American-made rocket could launch from a former Titan pad at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport as early as next year. The first Falcon 9, which is similar in scale to United Launch Alliance's Delta 4 and Atlas 5 rockets, is scheduled to be erected on dormant pad 40 next fall. A launch could come within months, according to SpaceX chief executive officer Elon Musk.
Editorial: NASA Should Dump RpK in COTS Competition (Source: Florida Today)
When the space shuttle fleet retires in three years, NASA will be grounded and must rely on Russian rockets, at least through 2011. That's why NASA is rightly poised to dump a company that has gotten government seed money to develop a new privately operated rocket that could ship the station supplies and crews. The company, Rocketplane Kistler, has failed to meet financial and technical benchmarks, earning it a default letter from NASA. It's time for NASA to quickly move on and determine if the other company involved -- California-based SpaceX -- can deliver a rocket that could do the job.
The project's importance is underscored by its potential to boost the local space industry at a time when thousands of Kennedy Space Center jobs will be lost after the shuttle program ends in 2010. That's because the private rockets, if developed, would likely be launched from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. NASA deserves credit for launching the innovative competition at a time when the nation's space program is speeding toward a massive transition. No one knows if the project will work, but the only way to find out is pressing ahead toward the competition's 2010 deadline with the company with the best chance of success. And right now, that looks like SpaceX.
Galileo Gets Funding Kiss of Life (Source: VNUnet.com)
The European Commission will meet the €2.4 billion funding shortfall for the Galileo European satellite navigation system by reshuffling resources. Additional taxpayer funds will not be needed. Instead money will be transferred from agriculture, administration and research budgets. The project hit delays when eight companies from France, Germany, Spain, Britain and Italy clashed over the development of the system. EU member states must now decide whether to accept the Commission proposal and carry on with the project.
Colorado No. 2 in Private Aerospace Jobs (Source: Denver Post)
The Metro Denver Economic Development Corp. released a report today confirming that Colorado's aerospace industry is the second-largest nationwide when ranked by total private employment. Colorado has total private aerospace employment of 26,650 workers, an increase of 12.9 percent from 2006 to 2007, according to the report. With direct and indirect employment, Colorado's aerospace industry totals 171,200 workers. California has the largest aerospace industry in the nation. Colorado moved ahead of Texas to become second-largest.
Aerospace companies look to Colorado for expansion because of its large aerospace industry with well-trained employees and cheaper costs than California. New projects and operations have been fueling the growth. The United Launch Alliance started operations in December 2006 and now has about 1,600 employees here. Lockheed Martin's work on an $8.2 billion NASA contract for the Orion crew-exploration vehicle that it won last year also has given the industry a huge boost, with nearly 500 employees here. Another 600 Orion-related jobs could be added in Colorado by 2009.
10 Things You Didn't Know About Space Exploration (Source: US News & World Report)
The Soviet Union's launch of Sputnik I in 1957 is credited with launching the U.S. space program. In the past 20 years, the space shuttle has launched 3 million pounds of cargo, transported more than 600 passengers and pilots, cumulatively spent more than three years in flight, and logged more than 366 million miles. Click here to learn some other interesting facts about the U.S. space program.
Experts Confirm Meteorite Crash in Peru (Source: AP)
A fiery meteorite crashed into southern Peru over the weekend, experts confirmed on Wednesday. But they were still puzzling over claims that it gave off fumes that sickened 200 people. A geologist confirmed that it was a "rocky meteorite," based on the fragments analyzed. He said water in the meteorite's muddy crater boiled for maybe 10 minutes from the heat and could have given off a vapor that sickened people, and scientists were taking water samples.
Jorge Lopez, director of the health department in the state where the meteorite crashed, said that 200 people suffered headaches, nausea and respiratory problems caused by "toxic" fumes emanating from the crater, which is some 65 feet wide and 15 feet deep. But a team of doctors who reached the isolated site said Wednesday they found no evidence the meteorite had sickened people. Peasants living near the crater said they had smelled a sulfurous odor for at least an hour after the meteorite struck and that it had provoked upset stomachs and headaches. A member of the medical team said fear may have provoked psychosomatic ailments.
Spacehab Swings to Fourth-Quarter Loss (Source: BizJournals)
Spacehab reported a net loss of $13.2 million, on revenue of $12.8 million, for the period ended June 30, 2007. That compared with net income of $48,000, on revenue of $14.6 million, for the same period in 2006. For the full year, Spacehab reported a net loss of $16.3 million, on revenue of $52.8 million, compared with a net loss of $12.4 million, on revenue of $50.7 million, for 2006. Spacehab has until Oct. 3 to regain compliance with NASDAQ's $1 per share minimum bid price requirement. For the past year, the company's stock has traded between 39 cents and $1.23 a share.
SpaceDev Attracts European Aerospace Strategic Partner (Source: MarketWire)
SpaceDev has entered into a strategic relationship with the OHB Technology Group, a leading European Aerospace company with operations in satellite, space hardware manufacturing and advanced space payload systems development. The companies will establish a mutual high level management team to actively explore manufacturing, systems development, and program opportunities in Europe as well as in the US. As part of this effort, OHB and its subsidiary, MT Aerospace, has made an investment of approximately $4.4 million into SpaceDev. The investment will be used by SpaceDev for growth capital, to expand its research and to retire previous interest bearing preferred stock.
Arianespace to Launch Japanese Satellite JCSAT-12 (Source: Arianespace)
Japanese operator JSAT Corporation has chosen Arianespace to launch its JCSAT-12 communications satellite. This is the 24th launch contract won by Arianespace in Japan out of 33 commercial contracts in the competitive market. JCSAT-12 will be launched by an Ariane 5 during the summer of 2009 from the Guiana Space Center, Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. This satellite replaces the one lost recently in a Proton launch failure in Kazakhstan.
Universal Space Network Expands Satellite Ground Stations (Source: USN)
Universal Space Network, Inc. (USN), a provider of commercial space operations and ground station services, is dramatically expanding its network of satellite ground stations in Hawaii and Australia in response to USN's record backlog and growing customer demand for low-latitude ground station services. In addition to added capacity, each of the new full-motion antennas will provide a new capability for USN's customers--an X-band uplink service--and USN is one of the first in the industry to provide this service to its customers.
September 19 News Items
Malaysians Take Last Tests Before Blast Off Into Space (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
The two candidates to become Malaysia's first man in space underwent final exams on Tuesday before one is selected to blast off on October 10 to the International Space Station (ISS). Khaleed, a 27-year-old army dentist, and Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, a 35-year-old doctor and part-time model, were undergoing the second of two days of tests to ensure they are fully ready for their 11-day mission. One of the two will be selected to travel to the ISS alongside Russian Yury Malenchenko and American Peggy Whitson, spending about nine days there before returning to Earth with the station's current crew.
Delta Launch Begins New Era in Commercial Remote Sensing (Source: Space News)
A Delta 2 rocket placed a next-generation commercial remote sensing satellite into orbit Tuesday from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The vehicle's payload, WorldView-1, is the most powerful commercial remote sensing satellite ever launched, and is capable of taking images with a resolution of sharp as half a meter. The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) financed the satellite under its NextView program to support to development of a new generation of commercial remote sensing satellites. The launch was the 75th consecutive successful launch for the Delta 2 family, dating back over a decade.
China Launches Third Sino-Brazilian Earth Resources Satellite (Source: The Hindu)
China today successfully launched the third Sino-Brazilian earth resources satellite jointly developed by the two nations. The satellite, dubbed "02B", was lifted by a Chinese "Long March-4B" rocket which blasted off from the Taiyuan spaceport in north China's Shanxi Province. The satellite will gather earth resources information and send earth images to China, Brazil and other countries, which could be used for agricultural production, environmental protection, city planning and land resources survey. This is the third earth resources satellite launched by the two countries. The previous ones were launched in 1999 and 2003.
Local Space Tourists Get Free Access to Space Center (Source: Florida Today)
Florida's premier space tourism attraction, the KSC Visitor Complex, is providing free admission this weekend to Space Coast residents. The normal admission charge -- $38 for adults and $28 for children ages 3 through 11 -- will be waived for Brevard County residents on Sept. 21-23 as Delaware North Park Services shows its gratitude for 40 years of support from the local community. Click here for information
Spain To Build Radar Reconnaissance Satellite (Source: Space News)
The Spanish Defense Ministry has committed 112.5 million euros ($156 million) for the construction of a high-resolution radar imaging satellite to be launched in 2011 for military and civil-security applications, a decision that would bring to 10 the number of European military radar spacecraft expected to be in orbit by then, according to a Spanish Defense Ministry official.
Bush Accepts Pentagon Position on GPS (Source: AP)
President Bush on Tuesday accepted the Pentagon's decision to stop buying Global Positioning System satellites that can intentionally degrade the accuracy of civil signals used for a myriad of purposes — from tracking aircraft to finding missing skiers. In May 2000, President Clinton abandoned the practice of deliberately degrading the accuracy of civilian navigation signals, a technique known as "selective availability." This capability will no longer be present in the next generation of GPS satellites. The move coincides with the Air Force's solicitation to purchase the next generation of GPS satellites known as GPS III.
ATK Selected for Prompt Global Strike Study (Source: ATK)
Alliant Techsystems has been selected to support the U.S. Air Force's Conventional Ballistic Missile Prompt Global Strike (PGS) efforts. The company will conduct a study to evaluate options for replacing the Minotaur booster. The study effort is focused on identifying candidates to replace the Minotaur boosters that draw on a family of motors concept to reduce total system cost. Evaluation of the options includes associated cost, risk and schedule. The objective of the study is to provide affordable and executable options to transition the Minotaur replacement motors in support of the PGS missions.
Nebraska Governor Gets Surprise Call from Space (Source: Beatrice Daily Sun)
Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman is used to getting phone calls from people in high places, but not like this. Heineman got a surprise phone call from astronaut Clayton Anderson and spoke with the Ashland native for about five minutes Tuesday. Anderson is part of a NASA crew that launched into space aboard space shuttle Atlantis in June and is working on the space station. The two Nebraska natives also talked football. Heineman says they were both disappointed in the Huskers' loss to USC Saturday but think the team can still have a good season.
The two candidates to become Malaysia's first man in space underwent final exams on Tuesday before one is selected to blast off on October 10 to the International Space Station (ISS). Khaleed, a 27-year-old army dentist, and Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, a 35-year-old doctor and part-time model, were undergoing the second of two days of tests to ensure they are fully ready for their 11-day mission. One of the two will be selected to travel to the ISS alongside Russian Yury Malenchenko and American Peggy Whitson, spending about nine days there before returning to Earth with the station's current crew.
Delta Launch Begins New Era in Commercial Remote Sensing (Source: Space News)
A Delta 2 rocket placed a next-generation commercial remote sensing satellite into orbit Tuesday from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The vehicle's payload, WorldView-1, is the most powerful commercial remote sensing satellite ever launched, and is capable of taking images with a resolution of sharp as half a meter. The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) financed the satellite under its NextView program to support to development of a new generation of commercial remote sensing satellites. The launch was the 75th consecutive successful launch for the Delta 2 family, dating back over a decade.
China Launches Third Sino-Brazilian Earth Resources Satellite (Source: The Hindu)
China today successfully launched the third Sino-Brazilian earth resources satellite jointly developed by the two nations. The satellite, dubbed "02B", was lifted by a Chinese "Long March-4B" rocket which blasted off from the Taiyuan spaceport in north China's Shanxi Province. The satellite will gather earth resources information and send earth images to China, Brazil and other countries, which could be used for agricultural production, environmental protection, city planning and land resources survey. This is the third earth resources satellite launched by the two countries. The previous ones were launched in 1999 and 2003.
Local Space Tourists Get Free Access to Space Center (Source: Florida Today)
Florida's premier space tourism attraction, the KSC Visitor Complex, is providing free admission this weekend to Space Coast residents. The normal admission charge -- $38 for adults and $28 for children ages 3 through 11 -- will be waived for Brevard County residents on Sept. 21-23 as Delaware North Park Services shows its gratitude for 40 years of support from the local community. Click here for information
Spain To Build Radar Reconnaissance Satellite (Source: Space News)
The Spanish Defense Ministry has committed 112.5 million euros ($156 million) for the construction of a high-resolution radar imaging satellite to be launched in 2011 for military and civil-security applications, a decision that would bring to 10 the number of European military radar spacecraft expected to be in orbit by then, according to a Spanish Defense Ministry official.
Bush Accepts Pentagon Position on GPS (Source: AP)
President Bush on Tuesday accepted the Pentagon's decision to stop buying Global Positioning System satellites that can intentionally degrade the accuracy of civil signals used for a myriad of purposes — from tracking aircraft to finding missing skiers. In May 2000, President Clinton abandoned the practice of deliberately degrading the accuracy of civilian navigation signals, a technique known as "selective availability." This capability will no longer be present in the next generation of GPS satellites. The move coincides with the Air Force's solicitation to purchase the next generation of GPS satellites known as GPS III.
ATK Selected for Prompt Global Strike Study (Source: ATK)
Alliant Techsystems has been selected to support the U.S. Air Force's Conventional Ballistic Missile Prompt Global Strike (PGS) efforts. The company will conduct a study to evaluate options for replacing the Minotaur booster. The study effort is focused on identifying candidates to replace the Minotaur boosters that draw on a family of motors concept to reduce total system cost. Evaluation of the options includes associated cost, risk and schedule. The objective of the study is to provide affordable and executable options to transition the Minotaur replacement motors in support of the PGS missions.
Nebraska Governor Gets Surprise Call from Space (Source: Beatrice Daily Sun)
Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman is used to getting phone calls from people in high places, but not like this. Heineman got a surprise phone call from astronaut Clayton Anderson and spoke with the Ashland native for about five minutes Tuesday. Anderson is part of a NASA crew that launched into space aboard space shuttle Atlantis in June and is working on the space station. The two Nebraska natives also talked football. Heineman says they were both disappointed in the Huskers' loss to USC Saturday but think the team can still have a good season.
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