December 10 News Items

Galileo and Trident: Britain’s Incompatible Bedfellows (Source: Space Review)
Now that Gordon Brown’s Labour government has been thoroughly humiliated on the satellite navigation issue—-voting to fund Galileo out of the EU budget with no private sector involvement and none of Britain’s objections being taken into account—-it’s time to take a close look at what this means for the badly ailing so-called “special relationship” between the US and the UK. After repeatedly claiming that they would insist that Galileo not be financed directly by the EU, Britain has surrendered unconditionally on this and on every other issue involving the system.

The UK’s access to American space assets has allowed them to concentrate their efforts in other areas. They have been able to leverage off the massive and sustained US military space effort for decades. This advantageous position may soon come to an end. If Europe goes ahead with Galileo and its own military space force, then the need for NATO and for the special relationship will end. It is only in the area of nuclear weapons that the US role in Europe’s security will be truly unique. Yet that, too, is undermined by the Galileo decision. The establishment of a European military space force will invariably lead to the establishment of a European nuclear weapons force.

After the successful test of their first new generation M-51 submarine-launched missile, France offered to give their future nuclear force a “European dimension”. It represents the logical end state of current process. However, Britain has committed themselves to replacing their current force of US-built Trident submarine-launched missiles with something similar. However, if Britain’s nuclear deterrent were to become part of a European nuclear force, then the whole basis on which the US sold them the Tridents would cease to exist.

Earth Could Shield Moon Colonists from Radiation (Source: Cosmos)
For about seven days a month, the Moon’s orbit carries it inside the protective cocoon of Earth’s magnetic field, where it is partially shielded from the Solar System’s turbulent space weather. Could future colonists use this to their advantage? A new study suggests that space agencies could use this natural radiation screen when constructing lunar bases or planning the moonwalks of future astronauts.

Space Launch Evolution and Revolution (Source: Space Review)
If the next administration or two and the next several Congresses continue developing the Constellation program as currently envisioned, the cost of lifting a person and cargo into orbit will not drop radically. The Holy Grail of low per passenger cost launcher concepts is scramjet engines. India’s space agency, ISRO, says they want to create a reusable air-breathing launcher by 2020. Earlier this year Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, along with their partners, successfully tested their X-1 scramjet engine at NASA Langley. Scramjet propulsion theoretically has the advantage of increasing a vehicle’s mass fraction for payload by reducing the oxidizer load it has to carry. The big question is, can this theoretical advantage be turned into a practical advantage with a solid, sustained research and development effort? I think it’s time we find out.

Spacehab Realigns Corporation (Source: Spacehab)
Spacehab announced an initiative to align the corporate structure and personnel toward its strategic direction of winning the NASA Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) funded Space Act Agreement, due to be awarded February 2008, and to process and manufacture products in microgravity on the International Space Station (ISS). Leveraging the Company’s 23-year heritage of supporting NASA’s space cargo needs, Spacehab is realigning its current business structure to better serve NASA’s future logistics needs.

NASA On Target for Return to Moon by 2020 (Source: AFP)
Despite funding uncertainty, NASA is on track to return humans to the moon by 2020 and set up a lunar outpost to serve as a springboard to explore Mars, officials said Monday. "Our job is to build towns on the moon and eventually put tire prints on Mars," NASA's Rick Gilbrech said, one year after NASA unveiled an ambitious plan to site a solar-powered, manned outpost on the south pole of the moon. "We're making plans to be ready for any and all scenarios. The (budget proposal) we put in keeps our program on track for the March 2015 initial operating capability... and full operating capability a year later," said Gilbrech, who leads new spacecraft development at NASA. "That will enable the human-moon return by the 2020 date that the president envisioned."

Atlas-NRO Mission Declared a Success (Source: Florida Today)
A classified National Reconnaissance Office spacecraft is winging its way around the planet after a roaring rocket launch from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. With the clandestine cargo nestled in its protective nosecone, a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket blasted off Launch Complex 41 and then arced out over the Atlantic Ocean. The Atlas appeared to fly on a northerly trajectory, and officials with the NRO declared victory about 90 minutes after launch. "We have had a totally successful launch," NRO spokesman Rick Oborn said.

Shuttle 'Oversold'--Even According to Astronauts (Source: ABC News)
Sunday's month-long delay of the launch of Atlantis was not that big a deal in itself, but it could become one if they can't get a handle on those troublesome Engine Cut-Off Sensors. They've been a problem on four of the last seven launches. NASA only has to get through thirteen more launches before it retires the shuttles in the middle of 2010. This year it's managed only three. So perhaps it shouldn't be that surprising to read what Stan Love, one of the spacewalking astronauts on the current crew, had to say when we asked him how the space shuttle ought to go down in history.

"It will be remembered as--dare I say it--oversold," he said in a preflight interview. "To begin with, they thought we would be flying 50 flights a year; we are not even close to that. "It will be remembered as too expensive to support. That’s the reason why we can’t keep flying it forever. However, when it’s gone, we will be begging to get it back, because for all of it’s faults, for all of the advertising that was done to get it flying, the enormous cost of keeping it flying, it is probably the most capable machine we will have for a hundred years.

Another Google Lunar X Prize Team Forms (Source: Interplanetary Ventures)
InterPlanetary Ventures has formed an international team to compete in the Google Lunar X Prize race to the moon, which includes $30,000,000 in prizes for competition winners. The InterPlanetary Ventures team includes working groups in Sweden, India, Sri Lanka and the United States, and individuals in several other countries, promoting international cooperation in space exploration and development. Visit http://www.interplanetaryventures.org for information.

AIA Releases Priority Issues for Presidential Election (Source: AIA)
Robust funding for defense modernization, strong support for space programs and modernizing and transformation of the air transportation system are among the aerospace priorities AIA urges for next year's presidential campaign. Ensuring a commitment to research and development, taking steps to foster a qualified aerospace workforce and reducing aviation's impact on the environment were also included in a package of 10 high-importance election issues. The election issues are being distributed to officials with both the Democratic and Republican campaigns. Officials with several campaigns have expressed positive feedback on the issues, which are increasingly part of the public discussion. AIA's Board of Governors approves a slate of priority issues for each calendar year. The issues are available at www.aia-aerospace.org/issues/election2008/index.cfm.

Space Entrepreneurs Launch Ideas at Investors (Source: LA Times)
Peter Diamandis, leader of a new generation of rocketeers determined to turn space into a paying business, opened the Space Investment Summit that drew scores of rocket entrepreneurs. It was one of the first business events in the budding field of private commercial space travel. Attendees pitched such equipment as new spacesuits, inflatable launch vehicles and NASCAR-styled rocket racers to an admittedly modest -- and skeptical -- group of venture capitalists. The rocketeers were confident their Sputnik Moment was near, believing it's just a matter of time before venture capital billionaires realize that space is not just a place, but also a cash register. "For the first time ever the ability to build and operate space systems is in the hands of small companies," said Diamandis. Judging by the grim looks on the faces of investors at the event, the Sputnik Moment is still a long way off.

There was no shortage of ideas. Digital Solid State Propulsion pitched its concept of electrically controllable rocket propellant. Orbital Outfitters pitched a safety suit for suborbital passengers. Managed Energy Technologies was seeking support for a network of space-based solar power satellites that could supply consumers on Earth. Such blue-sky imaginings drove investor Shubber Ali crazy. "They're smoking crack," he said. He mentioned one popular idea in the space community, to mine an asteroid for its resources, specifically platinum. Even if it could be done, "when you increase supply, the price drops through the floor," Ali said. "There's no such thing as a trillion-dollar asteroid." Those who talked about building cheaper rockets to launch satellites were likewise off-base. Satellite factories are already underutilized, he said.

Even though Virgin Galactic has collected millions of dollars from tourists wanting to fly into space aboard their SpaceShipTwo, the big-money guys want to know if it's only a "one-shot deal," said another investor. "They want to see billions of dollars in revenue." Remigius Shatas, a partner in RNR Ventures, said he had invested as much as $10 million in the space business and had yet to make money. "Maybe the killer app hasn't been invented yet," he said. Visit http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-fi-space10dec10,1,3346935.story?page=2&coll=la-news-science to view the article.