Space Florida Approves Workforce, Diversification Projects (Source: ERAU)
The Space Florida Board of Directors, during their public meeting in Jacksonville on Tuesday, approved the allocation of $250K from their budget to expand an ongoing scoping initiative by the Brevard Workforce Development Board (BWDB) in advance of the Space Shuttle's retirement in 2010. The board's endorsement of a statewide $18M workforce-focused request will be considered after near-term discussions with the state's workforce agency. The board endorsed a $20M Space Technology Research Diversification (STRD) initiative that will expand multi-university involvement in strategic space R&D focus areas. Also endorsed was a launch liability legislative initiative and the expansion of an existing financial incentive program to include space-related business. These items will be considered by Governor Charlie Crist and the Florida Legislature during the 2008 Legislative Session.
Embry-Riddle and Zero-G Collaborate on Weightless Flights (Source: ERAU)
Embry-Riddle and Zero-G will work together to integrate weightless flights and space science workshops for K-12 teachers, develop experiment programs for high school and college students, and expand microgravity, lunar gravity, and Mars gravity research opportunities aboard Zero-G's G-Force One aircraft. The collaboration will include Embry-Riddle's support for development of the Stephen Hawking Microgravity Education and Research Center. The Hawking Center is an initiative of Space Florida, conceived after the renowned astrophysicist flew aboard G-Force One earlier this year. Embry-Riddle's student researchers are frequent flyers on NASA's microgravity educational flights, making the university well qualified to work with Zero-G and Space Florida to develop Hawking Center research projects.
Embry-Riddle Agreement with SpaceTEC Supports Shuttle Workforce Transition (Source: ERAU)
As NASA's Space Shuttle program moves toward its last mission in 2010, an agreement between Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and SpaceTEC will provide new education and training opportunities for workers who may be displaced during the space agency's transition to the new Ares family of launch vehicles. Under the new agreement, Embry-Riddle will provide up to 24 hours of college credit for workers who obtain a SpaceTEC core certification, giving them a head-start toward an undergraduate degree or other Embry-Riddle aviation/aerospace training.
The SpaceTEC certification is designed for the aerospace technical workforce and is similar in scope to the FAA's Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) certification, which is required of workers who maintain and repair commercial aircraft systems. Technical workers who pass the SpaceTEC core certification exam will be eligible for the Embry-Riddle credits, regardless of their prior enrollment in a college or university.
Headquartered at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport and hosted by Brevard Community College, SpaceTEC is an aerospace technical training and certification center sponsored by the National Science Foundation, with support from the Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Air Force. Embry-Riddle is one of 11 postsecondary institutions, and the only four-year university, partnered with SpaceTEC.
October 31 News Items
Workers' Comp Success Story for Florida Aerospace (Source: Florida Senate)
Legislation passed by the Florida Legislature has succeeded in reducing statewide costs for Workers' Compensation premiums. Just this week, the state's Office of Insurance Regulation approved another 18.4 percent decrease in the statewide Workers' Compensation Insurance rate level. Over the four years since the bill passed, and there have been about $2.8 billion in premiums freed up for other uses. Workers' Compensation rates had previously been among the concerns raised by the aerospace industry in Florida and other states.
SPACErePORT Poll Online (Source: ERAU)
Cast your vote for the presidential candidate who will best support space issues. Visit http://www.spacereport.blogspot.com.
Satellite Service Providers See Soaring Q3 Profits (Source: Ottawa Citizen)
Satellite companies EMS Technologies and Telesat Canada said sales and profits soared in the third quarter compared to a year earlier. Profits at the EMS Satcom division in Ottawa rose almost three-fold to $3.5 million in the quarter. Combined sales of the company rose 13 percent to $73.1 million and operating profits surged 93 per cent to $5.2 million. Telesat Canada said sales rose 15 percent to $16.9 million in the third quarter on strong demand from Latin American phone companies, U.S. direct-to-home satellite services and business clients. Profits surged $6.6 million or 34 percent compared to a year earlier.
NASA Langley to Prepare for Life on the Moon (Source: DailyPress.com)
If NASA Administrator Michael Griffin's vision to "build towns on the moon" is fulfilled, the structures in a lunar village will likely have been designed at Langley Research Center in Hampton. NASA headquarters on Tuesday laid out new space exploration work for its 10 research centers around the country. And one of Langley's assignments is to develop a habitat capable of sheltering astronauts for extended stays on the lunar surface. NASA's outline of new projects both solidifies the agency's intent to follow through on manned missions to the moon and Mars in the next decades and clarifies what role Langley will play.
NASA Hatches Daunting Solar Wing Repair Plan (Source: Florida Today)
In what will be an unprecedented orbital fix-it attempt, a spacewalking astronaut will try to save a damaged International Space Station solar wing this week by mending a torn blanket while anchored to a makeshift scaffold. Discovery mission specialist Scott Parazynski will attempt to stitch up a ripped and rippled section with a series of up to seven straps -- restoring full structural integrity to the solar wing while preventing further damage. Made of lengthy wires with tabs attached either end, the straps will be strung through existing, reinforced holes that are spaced evenly across the 15-foot width of the blanket. The holes were designed for lengthy pins that secured folded up blanket panels in the rectangular boxes they were launched in.
China Developing New Heavy-Duty Carrier Rockets (Source: Xinhua)
China is building a new range of carrier rockets designed to send heavyweight satellites into space, boosting the current carrying capacity by nearly three times. The Long March 5 rockets will be able to carry payloads of up to 25 tons for low earth orbit satellites, up from the current limit of 9.2 tons. In addition to bigger capacity, the Long March 5 rockets will be designed using pollution-free technologies.
Texas Firm to Help Design Spaceport (Source: MySA.com)
San Antonio-based Exploration Architecture Corp. is part of a team that won the design contract for a new spaceport planned for New Mexico. The terminal and hangar facility are projected to cost $31 million and are a project of the New Mexico Spaceport Authority. Leading the project are URS Corp. of the United States and Foster + Partners of Great Britain.
Cape Conference Aims to Attract Space Industry (Source: Florida Today)
About 100 members of the commercial space industry will attend a conference Thursday sponsored by Space Florida. They range from investors to members of the government who are trying to encourage private groups to build rockets. "I think we're getting some serious people here," said Space Florida President Steve Kohler, who helped bring 33,000 jobs to Pennsylvania through a program of government incentives. "It's an indication to the rest of the marketplace that Florida can be serious," Kohler said. The conference will bring several experts to speak.
Brig. Gen. Susan Helms, commander of the 45th Space Wing, will deliver the keynote address. A veteran of five space flights, Helms has logged 211 days in space, including a spacewalk of eight hours and 56 minutes, a world record. Kennedy Space Center Director William Parsons will deliver a welcome message. Group sessions include panel discussions of facilities and the workforce, regulatory perspectives and the commercial possibilities in the space industry. Presenters include Elon Musk, Space Exploration Technologies; Michael Gold, corporate counsel, Bigelow Aerospace; Jeff Greason, XCOR Aerospace; and Dr. Peter Diamandis, chief executive officer of Zero G and founder of the X Prize Foundation.
KSC Keeps Launch Role, But Jobs in Doubt (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
KSC appears almost certain to face job cuts next decade but will hang on to its role as NASA's launchpad and take on the task of assembling the lunar lander under a broad strategy the space agency outlined Tuesday. As space shuttle Discovery orbited the Earth, thousands of KSC workers who helped put it there learned what role the agency plans for the spaceport after the shuttle program is mothballed. Each of NASA's 10 centers would get a piece of its fledgling Constellation program, which aims to develop new rockets and spacecraft to return astronauts to the moon by 2020. But the agency would not provide exact figures on the number of jobs each assignment will carry.
For years, KSC workers have worried whether there will be enough work for them under Constellation. Tuesday's announcement brought a mixed reaction. The center's new role, which will include researching ways astronauts can harvest moon resources, likely won't be enough to offset as many as 5,000 lost jobs expected at KSC when NASA retires the shuttle. "There's nothing in here on the scale of work for the shuttle crew," said Doug Campbell, space adviser for U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla. "I still think we have a real workforce challenge at Kennedy Space Center." NASA wants to use Constellation to reduce operating costs by 60 percent from the shuttle program. As part of those cuts, NASA also wants to make launches easier -- which means reducing parts and the personnel needed to maintain them.
Legislation passed by the Florida Legislature has succeeded in reducing statewide costs for Workers' Compensation premiums. Just this week, the state's Office of Insurance Regulation approved another 18.4 percent decrease in the statewide Workers' Compensation Insurance rate level. Over the four years since the bill passed, and there have been about $2.8 billion in premiums freed up for other uses. Workers' Compensation rates had previously been among the concerns raised by the aerospace industry in Florida and other states.
SPACErePORT Poll Online (Source: ERAU)
Cast your vote for the presidential candidate who will best support space issues. Visit http://www.spacereport.blogspot.com.
Satellite Service Providers See Soaring Q3 Profits (Source: Ottawa Citizen)
Satellite companies EMS Technologies and Telesat Canada said sales and profits soared in the third quarter compared to a year earlier. Profits at the EMS Satcom division in Ottawa rose almost three-fold to $3.5 million in the quarter. Combined sales of the company rose 13 percent to $73.1 million and operating profits surged 93 per cent to $5.2 million. Telesat Canada said sales rose 15 percent to $16.9 million in the third quarter on strong demand from Latin American phone companies, U.S. direct-to-home satellite services and business clients. Profits surged $6.6 million or 34 percent compared to a year earlier.
NASA Langley to Prepare for Life on the Moon (Source: DailyPress.com)
If NASA Administrator Michael Griffin's vision to "build towns on the moon" is fulfilled, the structures in a lunar village will likely have been designed at Langley Research Center in Hampton. NASA headquarters on Tuesday laid out new space exploration work for its 10 research centers around the country. And one of Langley's assignments is to develop a habitat capable of sheltering astronauts for extended stays on the lunar surface. NASA's outline of new projects both solidifies the agency's intent to follow through on manned missions to the moon and Mars in the next decades and clarifies what role Langley will play.
NASA Hatches Daunting Solar Wing Repair Plan (Source: Florida Today)
In what will be an unprecedented orbital fix-it attempt, a spacewalking astronaut will try to save a damaged International Space Station solar wing this week by mending a torn blanket while anchored to a makeshift scaffold. Discovery mission specialist Scott Parazynski will attempt to stitch up a ripped and rippled section with a series of up to seven straps -- restoring full structural integrity to the solar wing while preventing further damage. Made of lengthy wires with tabs attached either end, the straps will be strung through existing, reinforced holes that are spaced evenly across the 15-foot width of the blanket. The holes were designed for lengthy pins that secured folded up blanket panels in the rectangular boxes they were launched in.
China Developing New Heavy-Duty Carrier Rockets (Source: Xinhua)
China is building a new range of carrier rockets designed to send heavyweight satellites into space, boosting the current carrying capacity by nearly three times. The Long March 5 rockets will be able to carry payloads of up to 25 tons for low earth orbit satellites, up from the current limit of 9.2 tons. In addition to bigger capacity, the Long March 5 rockets will be designed using pollution-free technologies.
Texas Firm to Help Design Spaceport (Source: MySA.com)
San Antonio-based Exploration Architecture Corp. is part of a team that won the design contract for a new spaceport planned for New Mexico. The terminal and hangar facility are projected to cost $31 million and are a project of the New Mexico Spaceport Authority. Leading the project are URS Corp. of the United States and Foster + Partners of Great Britain.
Cape Conference Aims to Attract Space Industry (Source: Florida Today)
About 100 members of the commercial space industry will attend a conference Thursday sponsored by Space Florida. They range from investors to members of the government who are trying to encourage private groups to build rockets. "I think we're getting some serious people here," said Space Florida President Steve Kohler, who helped bring 33,000 jobs to Pennsylvania through a program of government incentives. "It's an indication to the rest of the marketplace that Florida can be serious," Kohler said. The conference will bring several experts to speak.
Brig. Gen. Susan Helms, commander of the 45th Space Wing, will deliver the keynote address. A veteran of five space flights, Helms has logged 211 days in space, including a spacewalk of eight hours and 56 minutes, a world record. Kennedy Space Center Director William Parsons will deliver a welcome message. Group sessions include panel discussions of facilities and the workforce, regulatory perspectives and the commercial possibilities in the space industry. Presenters include Elon Musk, Space Exploration Technologies; Michael Gold, corporate counsel, Bigelow Aerospace; Jeff Greason, XCOR Aerospace; and Dr. Peter Diamandis, chief executive officer of Zero G and founder of the X Prize Foundation.
KSC Keeps Launch Role, But Jobs in Doubt (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
KSC appears almost certain to face job cuts next decade but will hang on to its role as NASA's launchpad and take on the task of assembling the lunar lander under a broad strategy the space agency outlined Tuesday. As space shuttle Discovery orbited the Earth, thousands of KSC workers who helped put it there learned what role the agency plans for the spaceport after the shuttle program is mothballed. Each of NASA's 10 centers would get a piece of its fledgling Constellation program, which aims to develop new rockets and spacecraft to return astronauts to the moon by 2020. But the agency would not provide exact figures on the number of jobs each assignment will carry.
For years, KSC workers have worried whether there will be enough work for them under Constellation. Tuesday's announcement brought a mixed reaction. The center's new role, which will include researching ways astronauts can harvest moon resources, likely won't be enough to offset as many as 5,000 lost jobs expected at KSC when NASA retires the shuttle. "There's nothing in here on the scale of work for the shuttle crew," said Doug Campbell, space adviser for U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla. "I still think we have a real workforce challenge at Kennedy Space Center." NASA wants to use Constellation to reduce operating costs by 60 percent from the shuttle program. As part of those cuts, NASA also wants to make launches easier -- which means reducing parts and the personnel needed to maintain them.
October 30 News Items
Solar Panel Ripped on Space Station (Source: AP)
A giant solar wing ripped as it was being unfurled by astronauts aboard the international space station on Tuesday, creating another problem for NASA at the orbiting outpost. The next shuttle flight could be delayed if this latest problem isn't resolved quickly, said NASA's space station program manager. Atlantis is supposed to lift off in early December with a European laboratory. The astronauts immediately halted the wing extension when they spotted the damage. By then, the solar panel was already extended 90 feet of its 115 feet. Space station commander Peggy Whitson said the sun angle prevented her and the others from seeing the 2 1/2-foot tear sooner.
In The Air Or On The Ground, DOT's Peters Favors Tolls Over Taxes (Source: AIA)
Transportation Secretary Mary Peters is on a mission to overhaul how the U.S. pays for its transportation infrastructure. She favors tolls based on use rather than flat fuel taxes, and that philosophy extends from highways on the ground to flight patterns in the air. Editor's Note: Will this include commercial space transportation?
Aviation Week and Embry-Riddle Align to Strengthen Continuing Education (Source: Aviation Week)
Aviation Week, the largest multimedia information and services provider to the global aviation, aerospace and defense industries, has signed an agreement with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University that enables attendees of qualified Aviation Week conferences and forums to earn continuing education credits through Embry-Riddle.
Alliant Techsystems Aims High (Source: Wall Street Journal)
Alliant Techsystems Inc. was for years a staid supplier of rocket motors, content to ride along as aerospace giants like Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp. guided prestigious, multibillion-dollar space projects. But as the U.S. embarks on a new push for manned exploration of space, the midsize company hopes to play a central role in charting the course. Alliant Techsystems beat out its bigger competitors this year to snare high-profile contracts valued at more than $1.8 billion over the next few years -- and probably billions more down the road -- to build big chunks of the proposed rockets planned by NASA for future exploration.
Canine Pioneer: Soviet Mutt Was First Earthling in Space (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
Paris (AFP) Oct 30, 2007 - Fifty years ago Saturday, a perky-eared mutt named Laika, scooped up from the streets of Moscow, became the first earthling to breach our planet's atmosphere and enter space. It was a short and painful voyage for the docile little stray, which died within hours after launch, but a crowning coup for the Soviet Union.
South Korean Rocket to Make First Launch in 2008 (Source: RIA Novosti)
The first launch of a South Korean rocket from the Naro space center, 450 km south of Seoul, built with Russia's participation is set to go ahead in 2008, the Russian Space Agency said. Russian and South Korean space companies are also developing a Korean launch vehicle. In addition, the two countries are also involved in manned space flight cooperation. A contract was signed in December 2006 for a Korean astronaut to fly to the International Space Station (ISS) next spring. South Korea has held a national competition to select the first Korean astronaut. Several possible candidates are currently training at the Gagarin center in Russia under a separate contract.
SpaceX Plans Ground Breaking for Cape Canaveral Spaceport Launch Pad (Source: Space Florida)
SpaceX plans to begin its conversion of Launch Complex 40 with a ground breaking ceremony on Nov. 1 at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. The event coincides with a commercial space conference and the World Space Expo at the Cape.
20 Things You Didn't Know About Living In Space (Source: Discover)
1) Nearly every astronaut experiences some space sickness, caused by the wildly confusing information reaching their inner ears. In addition to nausea, symptoms include headaches and trouble locating your own limbs; 2) And those are the least of your worries. In weightlessness, fluids shift upward, causing nasal congestion and a puffy face; bones lose calcium, forming kidney stones; and muscles atrophy, slowing the bowels and shrinking the heart; 3) At least you’ll be tall: The decreased pressure on the spine in zero-g causes most space travelers to grow about two inches. Click here to view the article.
Lunar Lander to be Assembled at Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: Florida Today)
The next lunar lander will be assembled at Kennedy Space Center, helping alleviate possible job losses after the shuttle program ends in 2010. Funding for the Constellation program, however, won't reach NASA's ten centers until 2011, so NASA officials still worry about losing key personnel. The Tuesday announcement was clearly good news for KSC, said U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, a veteran of a 1986 shuttle flight and a long-time proponent of human and unmanned space exploration.
KSC Wins Lunar Work (Source: Florida Today)
According to NASA, new Constellation work for KSC will include: Support lunar architecture work for Constellation Program system engineer; Ground operations and assembly for Orion Block 1 and Ares I low Earth orbit operations phase; Ares V ground processing, launch operations and recovery support during design, development, test and engineering; Final assembly of and ground processing support for human lunar lander; Lunar surface habitat management and integration; Lead for lunar surface in-situ resource utilization systems; Support surface systems logistics concepts.
85,000 Attend X Prize/Air Force Event in New Mexico (Source: Alamagordo News)
Officials estimated 85,000 guests attended events showcasing the 60th anniversary of the U.S. Air Force and commemorating 50 years of space flight. The Air and Space Expo kicked off Friday with an Education Day offering students from southern New Mexico a chance to run experiments, participate in science competitions, listen to NASA astronauts talk about their experiences and meet with airmen who described their roles when deployed to places like Iraq and Afghanistan.
Japan's Lunar Exploration Mission Lacks Perspective (Source: Daily Yomiuri)
The launch of Japan's lunar orbit explorer Kaguya in September was quickly followed by a Chinese lunar orbiter the following month, exemplifying the fact that exploring the moon is at the forefront of space development. Under such circumstances, the Space Activities Commission (SAC) of the Education, Science and Technology Ministry compiled a draft strategy for lunar exploration Friday. Japan had no concrete space exploration strategy in place to follow the launch of Kaguya--also known as Selene--until a working group of the Space Activities Commission drafted the so-called strategy Friday.
The draft contains a plan to land an unmanned probe on the moon and is set roughly for sometime before the middle of the 2010s. As regards plans after this, the draft only says that Japan will "seek to establish a lunar exploration vision after following developments in other countries." The draft is not fully deserving of being called a strategy as it lacks a firm vision. One key element in the draft was was the consideration of landing Japanese astronauts on the moon. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has put forth a policy to "ask the United States to take Japanese astronauts to the moon." In the process of discussing the draft, JAXA called for an early decision on whether to have Japanese astronauts take part in the U.S. manned lunar exploration program.
Sirius Satellite Radio Narrows 3Q Loss (Source: AP)
Sirius Satellite Radio narrowed its loss in the third quarter as it continued to add subscribers and said it still hopes to close its deal to combine with XM Satellite Radio by the end of the year. The New York-based company lost $120.1 million in the three months ended Sep. 30, compared with a loss of $162.9 million in the same period a year ago. Revenues rose 45 percent to $241.8 million from $167 million a year ago, slightly short of analysts' estimates of $244.3 million.
Harris Appeal of Terminal Contract Denied (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has denied Harris Corp.'s protest of a billion-dollar U.S. Navy satellite communications terminal contract that went to Raytheon earlier this year.
SES to Order More Satellites Amid Soaring Projections (Source: Space News)
Satellite-fleet operator SES expects its global business to grow by more than 6 percent per year on average between 2008 and 2010 with continued high gross profit margins in its core satellite-lease business, the Luxembourg-based company said Oct. 29.
NASA: Cloudsat Was Moved to Avoid Iranian Satellite (Source: Space News)
NASA reports that less than two weeks after maneuvering its Terra Earth-observing satellite to avoid a possible collision with debris created by China's anti-satellite weapon test, the U.S. space agency had to move its Cloudsat out of the way of an Iranian satellite.
NASA to Establish Nationwide Lunar Science Institute (Source: NASA)
NASA has announced its intent to establish a new lunar science institute. This effort, with dispersed teams across the nation, will help lead the agency's research activities for future lunar science missions related to NASA's exploration goals. Named the NASA Lunar Science Institute (NLSI), the effort will be managed from NASA's Ames Research Center. Ames currently manages a similar distributed NASA Astrobiology Institute.
A giant solar wing ripped as it was being unfurled by astronauts aboard the international space station on Tuesday, creating another problem for NASA at the orbiting outpost. The next shuttle flight could be delayed if this latest problem isn't resolved quickly, said NASA's space station program manager. Atlantis is supposed to lift off in early December with a European laboratory. The astronauts immediately halted the wing extension when they spotted the damage. By then, the solar panel was already extended 90 feet of its 115 feet. Space station commander Peggy Whitson said the sun angle prevented her and the others from seeing the 2 1/2-foot tear sooner.
In The Air Or On The Ground, DOT's Peters Favors Tolls Over Taxes (Source: AIA)
Transportation Secretary Mary Peters is on a mission to overhaul how the U.S. pays for its transportation infrastructure. She favors tolls based on use rather than flat fuel taxes, and that philosophy extends from highways on the ground to flight patterns in the air. Editor's Note: Will this include commercial space transportation?
Aviation Week and Embry-Riddle Align to Strengthen Continuing Education (Source: Aviation Week)
Aviation Week, the largest multimedia information and services provider to the global aviation, aerospace and defense industries, has signed an agreement with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University that enables attendees of qualified Aviation Week conferences and forums to earn continuing education credits through Embry-Riddle.
Alliant Techsystems Aims High (Source: Wall Street Journal)
Alliant Techsystems Inc. was for years a staid supplier of rocket motors, content to ride along as aerospace giants like Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp. guided prestigious, multibillion-dollar space projects. But as the U.S. embarks on a new push for manned exploration of space, the midsize company hopes to play a central role in charting the course. Alliant Techsystems beat out its bigger competitors this year to snare high-profile contracts valued at more than $1.8 billion over the next few years -- and probably billions more down the road -- to build big chunks of the proposed rockets planned by NASA for future exploration.
Canine Pioneer: Soviet Mutt Was First Earthling in Space (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
Paris (AFP) Oct 30, 2007 - Fifty years ago Saturday, a perky-eared mutt named Laika, scooped up from the streets of Moscow, became the first earthling to breach our planet's atmosphere and enter space. It was a short and painful voyage for the docile little stray, which died within hours after launch, but a crowning coup for the Soviet Union.
South Korean Rocket to Make First Launch in 2008 (Source: RIA Novosti)
The first launch of a South Korean rocket from the Naro space center, 450 km south of Seoul, built with Russia's participation is set to go ahead in 2008, the Russian Space Agency said. Russian and South Korean space companies are also developing a Korean launch vehicle. In addition, the two countries are also involved in manned space flight cooperation. A contract was signed in December 2006 for a Korean astronaut to fly to the International Space Station (ISS) next spring. South Korea has held a national competition to select the first Korean astronaut. Several possible candidates are currently training at the Gagarin center in Russia under a separate contract.
SpaceX Plans Ground Breaking for Cape Canaveral Spaceport Launch Pad (Source: Space Florida)
SpaceX plans to begin its conversion of Launch Complex 40 with a ground breaking ceremony on Nov. 1 at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. The event coincides with a commercial space conference and the World Space Expo at the Cape.
20 Things You Didn't Know About Living In Space (Source: Discover)
1) Nearly every astronaut experiences some space sickness, caused by the wildly confusing information reaching their inner ears. In addition to nausea, symptoms include headaches and trouble locating your own limbs; 2) And those are the least of your worries. In weightlessness, fluids shift upward, causing nasal congestion and a puffy face; bones lose calcium, forming kidney stones; and muscles atrophy, slowing the bowels and shrinking the heart; 3) At least you’ll be tall: The decreased pressure on the spine in zero-g causes most space travelers to grow about two inches. Click here to view the article.
Lunar Lander to be Assembled at Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: Florida Today)
The next lunar lander will be assembled at Kennedy Space Center, helping alleviate possible job losses after the shuttle program ends in 2010. Funding for the Constellation program, however, won't reach NASA's ten centers until 2011, so NASA officials still worry about losing key personnel. The Tuesday announcement was clearly good news for KSC, said U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, a veteran of a 1986 shuttle flight and a long-time proponent of human and unmanned space exploration.
KSC Wins Lunar Work (Source: Florida Today)
According to NASA, new Constellation work for KSC will include: Support lunar architecture work for Constellation Program system engineer; Ground operations and assembly for Orion Block 1 and Ares I low Earth orbit operations phase; Ares V ground processing, launch operations and recovery support during design, development, test and engineering; Final assembly of and ground processing support for human lunar lander; Lunar surface habitat management and integration; Lead for lunar surface in-situ resource utilization systems; Support surface systems logistics concepts.
85,000 Attend X Prize/Air Force Event in New Mexico (Source: Alamagordo News)
Officials estimated 85,000 guests attended events showcasing the 60th anniversary of the U.S. Air Force and commemorating 50 years of space flight. The Air and Space Expo kicked off Friday with an Education Day offering students from southern New Mexico a chance to run experiments, participate in science competitions, listen to NASA astronauts talk about their experiences and meet with airmen who described their roles when deployed to places like Iraq and Afghanistan.
Japan's Lunar Exploration Mission Lacks Perspective (Source: Daily Yomiuri)
The launch of Japan's lunar orbit explorer Kaguya in September was quickly followed by a Chinese lunar orbiter the following month, exemplifying the fact that exploring the moon is at the forefront of space development. Under such circumstances, the Space Activities Commission (SAC) of the Education, Science and Technology Ministry compiled a draft strategy for lunar exploration Friday. Japan had no concrete space exploration strategy in place to follow the launch of Kaguya--also known as Selene--until a working group of the Space Activities Commission drafted the so-called strategy Friday.
The draft contains a plan to land an unmanned probe on the moon and is set roughly for sometime before the middle of the 2010s. As regards plans after this, the draft only says that Japan will "seek to establish a lunar exploration vision after following developments in other countries." The draft is not fully deserving of being called a strategy as it lacks a firm vision. One key element in the draft was was the consideration of landing Japanese astronauts on the moon. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has put forth a policy to "ask the United States to take Japanese astronauts to the moon." In the process of discussing the draft, JAXA called for an early decision on whether to have Japanese astronauts take part in the U.S. manned lunar exploration program.
Sirius Satellite Radio Narrows 3Q Loss (Source: AP)
Sirius Satellite Radio narrowed its loss in the third quarter as it continued to add subscribers and said it still hopes to close its deal to combine with XM Satellite Radio by the end of the year. The New York-based company lost $120.1 million in the three months ended Sep. 30, compared with a loss of $162.9 million in the same period a year ago. Revenues rose 45 percent to $241.8 million from $167 million a year ago, slightly short of analysts' estimates of $244.3 million.
Harris Appeal of Terminal Contract Denied (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has denied Harris Corp.'s protest of a billion-dollar U.S. Navy satellite communications terminal contract that went to Raytheon earlier this year.
SES to Order More Satellites Amid Soaring Projections (Source: Space News)
Satellite-fleet operator SES expects its global business to grow by more than 6 percent per year on average between 2008 and 2010 with continued high gross profit margins in its core satellite-lease business, the Luxembourg-based company said Oct. 29.
NASA: Cloudsat Was Moved to Avoid Iranian Satellite (Source: Space News)
NASA reports that less than two weeks after maneuvering its Terra Earth-observing satellite to avoid a possible collision with debris created by China's anti-satellite weapon test, the U.S. space agency had to move its Cloudsat out of the way of an Iranian satellite.
NASA to Establish Nationwide Lunar Science Institute (Source: NASA)
NASA has announced its intent to establish a new lunar science institute. This effort, with dispersed teams across the nation, will help lead the agency's research activities for future lunar science missions related to NASA's exploration goals. Named the NASA Lunar Science Institute (NLSI), the effort will be managed from NASA's Ames Research Center. Ames currently manages a similar distributed NASA Astrobiology Institute.
October 29 News Items
OCP Suborbital Space Pilot Trainer/Simulator at World Space Expo (Source: OCP)
Orbital Commerce Project, under an agreement with Spaceport Florida, will bring a suborbital spaceflight trainer/simulator to the World Space Expo at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. OCP’s goal is educating or interesting participants in the sciences involved in the exploration, utilization, and colonization of space. During the Space Expo, OCP will conduct a contest in its simulators to test the skills of future pilots. Winners will have three opportunities to “fly” to the highest maximum altitude they can achieve, on limited fuel, and land safely back at the spaceport within three minutes. The contest is open to students ages 12-21 and/or teachers. Space Florida will award a certificate for one ZERO-G flight opportunity each day during the World Space Expo.
Space Style 2007 (Source: 62 Mile Club)
Interplanetary nightclub gear, rocket crew uniforms, and pulsing electronic music will join the scene at the California Space Authority's annual Transforming Space conference on Nov. 6. "Space fashion" will be one of fastest growing new markets in the fashion industry. "With upcoming space tourist suborbital and orbital flights, hotels in space, and plans to return and settle on the Moon, people will need clothes that are functional and fashionable," said a JPL consultant. Set in a futuristic theme complete with runway walks and fashion tableaus.
Raytheon: Profits Surge on Continued Operations (Source: AIA)
Excluding income drawn from businesses from which Raytheon posted profits in 2006 but no longer owns, the contractor posted a 39% jump in third-quarter earnings over last year. Sales and income in most of the company's segments increased over last year, but overall income fell 7% due to profits recorded last year from the company's aircraft business, which has been sold.
DARPA Readies Demonstration of Radically New In-Space Propulsion (Source: Space News)
Small satellites could soon get a boost from a novel in-space propulsion system under development at DARPA. Called the High Delta-V Experiment, or HiDVE for short, the program aims within the next year or so to complete a ground demonstration of an unconventional propulsion system that uses the heat of the sun to produce enough thrust to push a 10-15 kilogram satellite into a new orbit. If the ground demo goes well, DARPA would look to press on with an in-space demonstration on a dedicated microsatellite.
Report: ITAR Hurting Remote Sensing Industry (Source: Space News)
A newly released report commissioned by the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and National Reconnaissance Office says the current International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) governing satellite technology exports are hurting the global competitiveness of the U.S. satellite remote sensing industry. The regulations restrict the ability of U.S. vendors to sell certain types of satellites and components to foreign countries or companies, and U.S. government business alone is not enough to keep these suppliers "economically healthy," said the report.
Boeing and Lockheed Both Take 3Q Writeoffs on ULA (Source: Space News)
Boeing and Lockheed Martin both reported increased revenue in their space divisions for the nine months ending Sept. 30 compared to 2006, but both also said their earnings were reduced by write-downs of the value of Delta 2 rocket assets held by United Launch Alliance (ULA), which the two companies own jointly. Indications from the U.S. Air Force are that it will discontinue the use of Delta 2 after 2008 in favor of the heavier Delta 4 and Atlas 5 rockets. If that decision holds, an industry source said, it will sharply increase the cost of Delta 2 vehicles, because the cost of manufacturing the vehicle and maintaining two launch sites will be spread over a smaller population of customers.
Bigelow Aerospace to Offer $760 Million for Spaceship (Source: New Scientist)
Bigelow Aerospace intends to spur development of a commercial space vehicle to take people into Earth orbit by offering to sign a contract worth $760 million with any company that can meet their criteria. Bigelow said the offer is meant to head off a crisis over the lack of transportation options available to get people to the large inflatable space stations it plans to launch by early 2010. Bigelow hopes to rent out space on future stations to astronauts of some of the world's space agencies, as well as to companies that wish to carry out research or other activities in space. The company plans to break ground in less than a year on a factory to mass-produce its inflatable space stations, but they are worried that without an affordable commercial crew launch vehicle, none of its potential customers will be able to pay to get to these space stations.
The contract or purchase agreement would be worth $760 million in total for eight launches. To show that Bigelow Aerospace is serious, it will deposit $100 million in an escrow bank account up front if the plan goes forward. The potential offer tops the $500 million NASA has budgeted for its Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) programme, which is part of the agency's own effort to spur development of commercial orbital crew launch capabilities.
Six Thousand People to be Resettled for New Chinese Spaceport (Source: (Xinhua)
More than 6,000 people will be relocated in China's southern island province of Hainan to make way for a new space launch center. Mayor Yan Zheng of Wenchang city, on Hainan's northeastern coast, said at a meeting on land acquisition on Monday that 1,200 hectares would be obtained for the center. The city's Party chief, Xie Mingzhong, promised they would properly handle issues concerning those to be resettled, such as employment, medical care and education. The new launch center is expected to be completed in 2012 and formally put into use in 2013. A space themed park, with a budget of $875 million and occupying an area of 407 hectares, will also be constructed near the launch center. It is envisioned to create jobs for resettlers.
EU Space Research Sees Four-Month Delay Behind Aeronautics (Source: Flight International)
Despite the fact that the European Union's Seventh Framework Program's (FP7) aeronautical studies started in January, FP7-funded space research is not expected to begin until after April 2008, while the start of Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) program-related work will be three months after that. According to the European Commission, the delay between submission and starting research is due to contractual processes between the EU, industrial and academic partners and ESA. The EC says: "Contracts for space research projects are expected to be signed at least six months from now - probably nine months for the large GMES projects." The research is to develop technologies for space transport, in-orbit telescopes, satellite observation, GMES services, biomedicine and the life and physical sciences, and encourage European Space Agency and inter-EU member state national space agency collaboration.
Damaged Component Could Thwart Space Station Plans (Source: USA Today)
Debris has jammed a key part of the International Space Station, which could delay completion of the station and at least temporarily limit scientific research there, NASA managers said Sunday. The crisis so worries space agency officials that they may ask a space shuttle crew visiting the station to skip crucial work to inspect the malfunctioning part. The extra inspection could be conducted Thursday or Friday, according to NASA. The damaged component is a huge wheel with solar panels attached to it. Normally, the wheel spins freely to point the panels at the sun and to protect the panels from buffeting, functions that are "very important to us," deputy station program manager Kirk Shireman said. Starting last month, engineers saw signs that the wheel was being slowed by an unknown source of friction. NASA sent an astronaut to eyeball the wheel during a spacewalk Sunday.
Orbital Commerce Project, under an agreement with Spaceport Florida, will bring a suborbital spaceflight trainer/simulator to the World Space Expo at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. OCP’s goal is educating or interesting participants in the sciences involved in the exploration, utilization, and colonization of space. During the Space Expo, OCP will conduct a contest in its simulators to test the skills of future pilots. Winners will have three opportunities to “fly” to the highest maximum altitude they can achieve, on limited fuel, and land safely back at the spaceport within three minutes. The contest is open to students ages 12-21 and/or teachers. Space Florida will award a certificate for one ZERO-G flight opportunity each day during the World Space Expo.
Space Style 2007 (Source: 62 Mile Club)
Interplanetary nightclub gear, rocket crew uniforms, and pulsing electronic music will join the scene at the California Space Authority's annual Transforming Space conference on Nov. 6. "Space fashion" will be one of fastest growing new markets in the fashion industry. "With upcoming space tourist suborbital and orbital flights, hotels in space, and plans to return and settle on the Moon, people will need clothes that are functional and fashionable," said a JPL consultant. Set in a futuristic theme complete with runway walks and fashion tableaus.
Raytheon: Profits Surge on Continued Operations (Source: AIA)
Excluding income drawn from businesses from which Raytheon posted profits in 2006 but no longer owns, the contractor posted a 39% jump in third-quarter earnings over last year. Sales and income in most of the company's segments increased over last year, but overall income fell 7% due to profits recorded last year from the company's aircraft business, which has been sold.
DARPA Readies Demonstration of Radically New In-Space Propulsion (Source: Space News)
Small satellites could soon get a boost from a novel in-space propulsion system under development at DARPA. Called the High Delta-V Experiment, or HiDVE for short, the program aims within the next year or so to complete a ground demonstration of an unconventional propulsion system that uses the heat of the sun to produce enough thrust to push a 10-15 kilogram satellite into a new orbit. If the ground demo goes well, DARPA would look to press on with an in-space demonstration on a dedicated microsatellite.
Report: ITAR Hurting Remote Sensing Industry (Source: Space News)
A newly released report commissioned by the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and National Reconnaissance Office says the current International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) governing satellite technology exports are hurting the global competitiveness of the U.S. satellite remote sensing industry. The regulations restrict the ability of U.S. vendors to sell certain types of satellites and components to foreign countries or companies, and U.S. government business alone is not enough to keep these suppliers "economically healthy," said the report.
Boeing and Lockheed Both Take 3Q Writeoffs on ULA (Source: Space News)
Boeing and Lockheed Martin both reported increased revenue in their space divisions for the nine months ending Sept. 30 compared to 2006, but both also said their earnings were reduced by write-downs of the value of Delta 2 rocket assets held by United Launch Alliance (ULA), which the two companies own jointly. Indications from the U.S. Air Force are that it will discontinue the use of Delta 2 after 2008 in favor of the heavier Delta 4 and Atlas 5 rockets. If that decision holds, an industry source said, it will sharply increase the cost of Delta 2 vehicles, because the cost of manufacturing the vehicle and maintaining two launch sites will be spread over a smaller population of customers.
Bigelow Aerospace to Offer $760 Million for Spaceship (Source: New Scientist)
Bigelow Aerospace intends to spur development of a commercial space vehicle to take people into Earth orbit by offering to sign a contract worth $760 million with any company that can meet their criteria. Bigelow said the offer is meant to head off a crisis over the lack of transportation options available to get people to the large inflatable space stations it plans to launch by early 2010. Bigelow hopes to rent out space on future stations to astronauts of some of the world's space agencies, as well as to companies that wish to carry out research or other activities in space. The company plans to break ground in less than a year on a factory to mass-produce its inflatable space stations, but they are worried that without an affordable commercial crew launch vehicle, none of its potential customers will be able to pay to get to these space stations.
The contract or purchase agreement would be worth $760 million in total for eight launches. To show that Bigelow Aerospace is serious, it will deposit $100 million in an escrow bank account up front if the plan goes forward. The potential offer tops the $500 million NASA has budgeted for its Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) programme, which is part of the agency's own effort to spur development of commercial orbital crew launch capabilities.
Six Thousand People to be Resettled for New Chinese Spaceport (Source: (Xinhua)
More than 6,000 people will be relocated in China's southern island province of Hainan to make way for a new space launch center. Mayor Yan Zheng of Wenchang city, on Hainan's northeastern coast, said at a meeting on land acquisition on Monday that 1,200 hectares would be obtained for the center. The city's Party chief, Xie Mingzhong, promised they would properly handle issues concerning those to be resettled, such as employment, medical care and education. The new launch center is expected to be completed in 2012 and formally put into use in 2013. A space themed park, with a budget of $875 million and occupying an area of 407 hectares, will also be constructed near the launch center. It is envisioned to create jobs for resettlers.
EU Space Research Sees Four-Month Delay Behind Aeronautics (Source: Flight International)
Despite the fact that the European Union's Seventh Framework Program's (FP7) aeronautical studies started in January, FP7-funded space research is not expected to begin until after April 2008, while the start of Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) program-related work will be three months after that. According to the European Commission, the delay between submission and starting research is due to contractual processes between the EU, industrial and academic partners and ESA. The EC says: "Contracts for space research projects are expected to be signed at least six months from now - probably nine months for the large GMES projects." The research is to develop technologies for space transport, in-orbit telescopes, satellite observation, GMES services, biomedicine and the life and physical sciences, and encourage European Space Agency and inter-EU member state national space agency collaboration.
Damaged Component Could Thwart Space Station Plans (Source: USA Today)
Debris has jammed a key part of the International Space Station, which could delay completion of the station and at least temporarily limit scientific research there, NASA managers said Sunday. The crisis so worries space agency officials that they may ask a space shuttle crew visiting the station to skip crucial work to inspect the malfunctioning part. The extra inspection could be conducted Thursday or Friday, according to NASA. The damaged component is a huge wheel with solar panels attached to it. Normally, the wheel spins freely to point the panels at the sun and to protect the panels from buffeting, functions that are "very important to us," deputy station program manager Kirk Shireman said. Starting last month, engineers saw signs that the wheel was being slowed by an unknown source of friction. NASA sent an astronaut to eyeball the wheel during a spacewalk Sunday.
October 28 News Items
Cliffhanger at New Mexico Rocket Fest (Source: MSNBC)
Armadillo Aerospace demonstrated how alluring rocket science is - and how damnably difficult it can be - on the first day of the X Prize Cup in New Mexico. The alluring part came when the thousands who thronged to the base watched Armadillo's alien-looking "Mod" rocket ship rise into the crisp desert sky on a tongue of flame. The difficulty was brought home when the Mod tumbled to the ground, missing out by just a few seconds on a $350,000 NASA-funded prize in the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge. Until the crash, Mod had hit every mark on the checklist for winning the $350,000 Level 1 prize: It lifted off from its starting pad, rose to at least 50 meters in altitude, eased back down and across to another pad 100 meters away and touched down safely, staying in the air for 90 seconds.
The good news for Armadillo is that the Mod can be overhauled overnight, and that there will be at least two more chances to win NASA's money on Sunday, the second and final day of the X Prize Cup air and rocket expo. Even before Mod's tragic tumble, Armadillo had been struggling with a fuel-line clog - a glitch that bedeviled them in the morning as well as the afternoon. Led by video-game whiz John Carmack, the team tinkered with the fuel system - at one point reportedly using a bent paper clip to clear the blockage. But this year's tumble - like Armadillo's tumble at last year's Lunar Lander Challenge - just goes to show why rocket science is the quintessential difficult thing to do, and why space entrepreneurs are notoriously bad at predicting when their snazzy spaceships will be good to go.
Florida Universities Eye Space Programs (Source: ERAU)
Multiple Florida universities are pursuing the opportunity to win state funding for research “Centers of Excellence”, with about $100 million available overall. At least two space-focused centers will be proposed, with decisions expected in June 2008. Meanwhile, officials developing recommendations for mitigating post-Shuttle economic impacts in Florida are considering a diversification initiative that would include university space research and technology programs.
Ohio State University Gets $20 Million Donation for Space Research (Source: Columbus Dispatch)
Ohio State University received $20 million for space research from a donor who didn't want to be named. The money will let Ohio State hire an expert in space propulsion and power systems and another expert whose work will focus on finding other planets in the galaxy with the potential to support life. The $20 million will be split among Ohio State's College of Engineering and its College of Mathematical and Physical Sciences. It will pay for two faculty members, one for each school, and provide fellowships for students who can assist in their research efforts. OSU's senior vice president for research, said he hopes the money will help attract the nation's best minds in these fields to help plumb the mysteries of the universe from Columbus.
University of Cincinnati Gets $20 Million Donation for Space Research (Source: Cincinnati Enquirer)
The University of Cincinnati is flying high. UC has received a $20 million bequest from an anonymous donor to study space exploration. It's the largest bequest from a single individual in UC history and will establish two endowed chairs plus a Space Exploration Research Fund. Ohio State University announced an identical gift Friday. For the two endowed chairs, UC will consider candidates currently on campus and conduct an international search. Departments ranging from astrophysics to surgery to cosmology could benefit from the gift.
Rocketplane's Design Unveiled (Source: NewsOK.com)
Keeping quiet about what is happening behind the doors at Rocketplane Global has not won the company much public praise — and that's no secret to Rocketplane leaders. "We've been our own worst enemy because we've been quiet,” program manager David Faulkner said. Rocketplane took a step toward openness Friday when the Oklahoma City company revealed the new design of the XP, the spacecraft that is scheduled to take tourists beyond the Earth in 2010. The new airframe is based on Rocketplane's own design, unlike the original, which was a modification of a Learjet.
"We looked at the costs and it was almost as much to modify a Learjet as it was to build a Rocketplane,” Faulkner said. Other changes to the spacecraft are the tail — now a T-tail instead of V-tail — new jet engines and increased capacity. Rocketplane's initial design held four people, including the pilot. The new XP will hold six people. "We needed to increase the capacity so we could better address the market,” Faulkner said. The change in tail design will help reduce weight on the spacecraft, while the new J-85 afterburning engines will increase performance thrust, Faulkner said. "We'll get up to 40,000 feet before the rocket is lit,” he said. "Before, it would get up to 25,000 feet.”
Space Tourism Plan Not in Line for Canadian Cash (Source: Globe & Mail)
Industry Minister Jim Prentice aborted plans yesterday to approve a project to blast tourists into space under Ottawa's regional development program. Mr. Prentice stepped in after The Globe and Mail reported that PlanetSpace was in line for a $45 million share of the regional benefits flowing from a major purchase of military planes from U.S.-based manufacturer Lockheed Martin. Sources said the Lockheed Martin had won initial approvals to spend $45 million over six years on PlanetSpace's project.
"There have been no discussions between Industry Minister Prentice or any member of his staff regarding Lockheed Martin investing $45 million of its own money in the so-called PlanetSpace space-tourism project in Cape Breton. Nor will there be any such discussions," Bill Rodgers, Mr. Prentice's director of communications, said. To get the contract to sell 17 Hercules C130Js to the Canadian Forces, Lockheed Martin has to promise to spend the equivalent of the $3.2 billion purchase price in the form of regional benefits in Canada. "Space tourism does not qualify as an IRB [Industrial Regional Benefit] under the Government of Canada's procurement policies and Minister Prentice has absolutely no intention of changing that. Space tourism will be left to tourists," Mr. Rodgers said.
A spokesman for Lockheed Martin said it is up to Industry Canada to approve the company's regional-benefits plan. The spokesman added that Lockheed Martin will "not have a problem meeting its IRB obligations," under which the company must lock in 60 percent of investments before the contract is signed. Editor's Note: PlanetSpace is one of several companies with current "Space Act" agreements with NASA to potentially provide cargo and crew transport services for the International Space Station. These services would probably not fall under the "space tourism" categorization identified by Mr. Rodgers.
Reports: Japan Plans an Unmanned Moon Landing by 2015 (Source: International Herald Tribune)
Japan plans to follow up its first lunar satellite orbit this month by sending an unmanned probe to land on the moon by 2015. The Space Activities Commission decided Friday to aim to land a SELENE-2 probe on the moon's surface. The landing would be a follow-up to the launch on Sept. 14 of the Selenological and Engineering Explorer — or SELENE — probe for what officials call the largest mission to the moon since the U.S. Apollo project. The 2015 moon probe — expected to cost about 50 billion yen ($437 million) — would consist of an unmanned lander, a rover to study the lunar surface and a small satellite to transfer data.
Neil Armstrong Gets Purdue University Engineering Building (Source: Journal Gazette)
Purdue University has named a new classroom and research building after an ex-student who took more than seven years to graduate. But then Neil Armstrong’s plans always were up in the air. The first person to set foot on Earth’s moon stepped back onto the Purdue campus Friday for dedication ceremonies at the new $53.2 million Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering. “For me, this is particularly special, on this homecoming with my family here, this gathering of Purdue astronauts … a full moon … everything is in the lineup,” Armstrong told a dinner audience of more than 500 people – including 15 other astronauts who are Purdue alumni. The media-shy Armstrong did not attend the morning ceremony, but a couple hundred students, faculty, alumni and media did.
Space Teachers Wanted (Source: MSNBC)
Space activists took one small step toward bringing more teachers to the final frontier today, by opening up the application process for a privately backed "Teachers in Space" project. Organizers plan to award seats on a suborbital spacecraft to one science/tech teacher and another teacher in any subject area. Speaking amid the buildup to this weekend's X Prize Cup air and rocket expo, project manager Edward Wright noted that schoolteachers were among the first on the frontier during America's infancy. "We believe that teachers have the right stuff for opening the space frontier and playing the same role today," he told reporters at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico. Visit http://www.teachersinspace.org/apply.htm to apply.
Satellites Help Brazil Reduce Amazon Deforestation (Source: INPE)
The Brazilian National Institute for Space Research (INPE) has placed a contract for a third year with DMC International Imaging (DMCii) to acquire high-resolution satellite images of the entire 5 million square kilometres of the Amazon rainforest. Since 2004 INPE’s program to monitor deforestation has dramatically reduced the rate of logging from 27,000 sq.km. per year to about 10,000 sq.km. in 2007. DMC imagery is provided by the five-satellite international Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC). The DMC small satellites, built by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL), use wide area cameras to capture the high-resolution images. The latest satellite, built for China, was launched into the DMC on 27 October 2005. Two new DMC satellites will be launched in 2008 and a third in 2009.
ISU Launches International Institute of Space Commerce in the Isle of Man (Source: ISU)
The International Space University (ISU) has launched the International Institute of Space Commerce (IISC) as the world's leading authority on space commerce. It is located at the International Business School (IBS) in the Isle of Man to capitalize on the island's growing importance as a space industry jurisdiction. "We created the IISC to focus on the business of space, the policy and regulatory issues facing it," said Walter Peeters, dean of International Space University and director of the IISC. By agreement with the ISU, the Isle of Man Government has made a five-year commitment to establish and host the IISC. Both ISU and the IBS are working together to strengthen links between the two institutions with the longer term goal of facilitating both academic and student exchanges to the benefit of both groups.
First Commercial Spacesuit Debuts at X Prize Cup (Source: Space.com)
Being a well-dressed suborbital space traveler translates into style as well as safety. Orbital Outfitters strutted out the world's first commercial spacesuit here at the X Prize Cup festivities – their approach to solving the engineering, safety and marketing appeal of an emergency crew suit. Dubbed the Industrial Suborbital Space Suit-Crew (or IS3C for short), the garment was presented in catwalk-like fashion, a first generation prototype that Orbital Outfitters envision as the new free-fall collection of apparel. The idea is to create a high quality IS3C system for space flight crews. Orbital Outfitters is implementing a leasing arrangement for the suit to help contain up-front costs for customers.
Trouble Found on Space Station Device (Source: AP)
Spacewalking astronauts doing construction work outside the space station Sunday made a disturbing discovery: what appear to be metal shavings inside a joint that is needed to turn a set of solar power panels. The rotary joint, 10 feet in diameter, has experienced intermittent vibrations and power spikes for nearly two months. Space station managers were hoping a thermal cover or bolt might be hanging up the mechanism, which would have been relatively easy to fix, and were disheartened when Daniel Tani radioed down that metal shavings were everywhere. The astronaut used tape to dab up some of the shavings. It will be returned to Earth aboard Discovery next week for analysis. NASA is uncertain whether the flecks are actually metallic, possibly from the aluminum foil lining the thermal covers, or some other material.
OW! for Four: Armadillo Catches Fire (Source: WIRED)
Armadillo's fourth and final shot at winning the $350,000 portion of the $2 million Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge ended Sunday in flames. After a loud explosion, a pool of fire spread approximately 30 feet away from the rocket, according to one photographer. The dwindling crowd gave Armadillo and its team leader, software icon John Carmack, a better-than-tepid round of applause. "Today is officially a bad day," Carmack told an X Prize representative. It looks like the $2 million purse, a portion of which insiders predicted Carmack would be taking home, will carry over until the 2008 X Prize Cup, which may allow more teams to compete.
Armadillo Aerospace demonstrated how alluring rocket science is - and how damnably difficult it can be - on the first day of the X Prize Cup in New Mexico. The alluring part came when the thousands who thronged to the base watched Armadillo's alien-looking "Mod" rocket ship rise into the crisp desert sky on a tongue of flame. The difficulty was brought home when the Mod tumbled to the ground, missing out by just a few seconds on a $350,000 NASA-funded prize in the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge. Until the crash, Mod had hit every mark on the checklist for winning the $350,000 Level 1 prize: It lifted off from its starting pad, rose to at least 50 meters in altitude, eased back down and across to another pad 100 meters away and touched down safely, staying in the air for 90 seconds.
The good news for Armadillo is that the Mod can be overhauled overnight, and that there will be at least two more chances to win NASA's money on Sunday, the second and final day of the X Prize Cup air and rocket expo. Even before Mod's tragic tumble, Armadillo had been struggling with a fuel-line clog - a glitch that bedeviled them in the morning as well as the afternoon. Led by video-game whiz John Carmack, the team tinkered with the fuel system - at one point reportedly using a bent paper clip to clear the blockage. But this year's tumble - like Armadillo's tumble at last year's Lunar Lander Challenge - just goes to show why rocket science is the quintessential difficult thing to do, and why space entrepreneurs are notoriously bad at predicting when their snazzy spaceships will be good to go.
Florida Universities Eye Space Programs (Source: ERAU)
Multiple Florida universities are pursuing the opportunity to win state funding for research “Centers of Excellence”, with about $100 million available overall. At least two space-focused centers will be proposed, with decisions expected in June 2008. Meanwhile, officials developing recommendations for mitigating post-Shuttle economic impacts in Florida are considering a diversification initiative that would include university space research and technology programs.
Ohio State University Gets $20 Million Donation for Space Research (Source: Columbus Dispatch)
Ohio State University received $20 million for space research from a donor who didn't want to be named. The money will let Ohio State hire an expert in space propulsion and power systems and another expert whose work will focus on finding other planets in the galaxy with the potential to support life. The $20 million will be split among Ohio State's College of Engineering and its College of Mathematical and Physical Sciences. It will pay for two faculty members, one for each school, and provide fellowships for students who can assist in their research efforts. OSU's senior vice president for research, said he hopes the money will help attract the nation's best minds in these fields to help plumb the mysteries of the universe from Columbus.
University of Cincinnati Gets $20 Million Donation for Space Research (Source: Cincinnati Enquirer)
The University of Cincinnati is flying high. UC has received a $20 million bequest from an anonymous donor to study space exploration. It's the largest bequest from a single individual in UC history and will establish two endowed chairs plus a Space Exploration Research Fund. Ohio State University announced an identical gift Friday. For the two endowed chairs, UC will consider candidates currently on campus and conduct an international search. Departments ranging from astrophysics to surgery to cosmology could benefit from the gift.
Rocketplane's Design Unveiled (Source: NewsOK.com)
Keeping quiet about what is happening behind the doors at Rocketplane Global has not won the company much public praise — and that's no secret to Rocketplane leaders. "We've been our own worst enemy because we've been quiet,” program manager David Faulkner said. Rocketplane took a step toward openness Friday when the Oklahoma City company revealed the new design of the XP, the spacecraft that is scheduled to take tourists beyond the Earth in 2010. The new airframe is based on Rocketplane's own design, unlike the original, which was a modification of a Learjet.
"We looked at the costs and it was almost as much to modify a Learjet as it was to build a Rocketplane,” Faulkner said. Other changes to the spacecraft are the tail — now a T-tail instead of V-tail — new jet engines and increased capacity. Rocketplane's initial design held four people, including the pilot. The new XP will hold six people. "We needed to increase the capacity so we could better address the market,” Faulkner said. The change in tail design will help reduce weight on the spacecraft, while the new J-85 afterburning engines will increase performance thrust, Faulkner said. "We'll get up to 40,000 feet before the rocket is lit,” he said. "Before, it would get up to 25,000 feet.”
Space Tourism Plan Not in Line for Canadian Cash (Source: Globe & Mail)
Industry Minister Jim Prentice aborted plans yesterday to approve a project to blast tourists into space under Ottawa's regional development program. Mr. Prentice stepped in after The Globe and Mail reported that PlanetSpace was in line for a $45 million share of the regional benefits flowing from a major purchase of military planes from U.S.-based manufacturer Lockheed Martin. Sources said the Lockheed Martin had won initial approvals to spend $45 million over six years on PlanetSpace's project.
"There have been no discussions between Industry Minister Prentice or any member of his staff regarding Lockheed Martin investing $45 million of its own money in the so-called PlanetSpace space-tourism project in Cape Breton. Nor will there be any such discussions," Bill Rodgers, Mr. Prentice's director of communications, said. To get the contract to sell 17 Hercules C130Js to the Canadian Forces, Lockheed Martin has to promise to spend the equivalent of the $3.2 billion purchase price in the form of regional benefits in Canada. "Space tourism does not qualify as an IRB [Industrial Regional Benefit] under the Government of Canada's procurement policies and Minister Prentice has absolutely no intention of changing that. Space tourism will be left to tourists," Mr. Rodgers said.
A spokesman for Lockheed Martin said it is up to Industry Canada to approve the company's regional-benefits plan. The spokesman added that Lockheed Martin will "not have a problem meeting its IRB obligations," under which the company must lock in 60 percent of investments before the contract is signed. Editor's Note: PlanetSpace is one of several companies with current "Space Act" agreements with NASA to potentially provide cargo and crew transport services for the International Space Station. These services would probably not fall under the "space tourism" categorization identified by Mr. Rodgers.
Reports: Japan Plans an Unmanned Moon Landing by 2015 (Source: International Herald Tribune)
Japan plans to follow up its first lunar satellite orbit this month by sending an unmanned probe to land on the moon by 2015. The Space Activities Commission decided Friday to aim to land a SELENE-2 probe on the moon's surface. The landing would be a follow-up to the launch on Sept. 14 of the Selenological and Engineering Explorer — or SELENE — probe for what officials call the largest mission to the moon since the U.S. Apollo project. The 2015 moon probe — expected to cost about 50 billion yen ($437 million) — would consist of an unmanned lander, a rover to study the lunar surface and a small satellite to transfer data.
Neil Armstrong Gets Purdue University Engineering Building (Source: Journal Gazette)
Purdue University has named a new classroom and research building after an ex-student who took more than seven years to graduate. But then Neil Armstrong’s plans always were up in the air. The first person to set foot on Earth’s moon stepped back onto the Purdue campus Friday for dedication ceremonies at the new $53.2 million Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering. “For me, this is particularly special, on this homecoming with my family here, this gathering of Purdue astronauts … a full moon … everything is in the lineup,” Armstrong told a dinner audience of more than 500 people – including 15 other astronauts who are Purdue alumni. The media-shy Armstrong did not attend the morning ceremony, but a couple hundred students, faculty, alumni and media did.
Space Teachers Wanted (Source: MSNBC)
Space activists took one small step toward bringing more teachers to the final frontier today, by opening up the application process for a privately backed "Teachers in Space" project. Organizers plan to award seats on a suborbital spacecraft to one science/tech teacher and another teacher in any subject area. Speaking amid the buildup to this weekend's X Prize Cup air and rocket expo, project manager Edward Wright noted that schoolteachers were among the first on the frontier during America's infancy. "We believe that teachers have the right stuff for opening the space frontier and playing the same role today," he told reporters at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico. Visit http://www.teachersinspace.org/apply.htm to apply.
Satellites Help Brazil Reduce Amazon Deforestation (Source: INPE)
The Brazilian National Institute for Space Research (INPE) has placed a contract for a third year with DMC International Imaging (DMCii) to acquire high-resolution satellite images of the entire 5 million square kilometres of the Amazon rainforest. Since 2004 INPE’s program to monitor deforestation has dramatically reduced the rate of logging from 27,000 sq.km. per year to about 10,000 sq.km. in 2007. DMC imagery is provided by the five-satellite international Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC). The DMC small satellites, built by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL), use wide area cameras to capture the high-resolution images. The latest satellite, built for China, was launched into the DMC on 27 October 2005. Two new DMC satellites will be launched in 2008 and a third in 2009.
ISU Launches International Institute of Space Commerce in the Isle of Man (Source: ISU)
The International Space University (ISU) has launched the International Institute of Space Commerce (IISC) as the world's leading authority on space commerce. It is located at the International Business School (IBS) in the Isle of Man to capitalize on the island's growing importance as a space industry jurisdiction. "We created the IISC to focus on the business of space, the policy and regulatory issues facing it," said Walter Peeters, dean of International Space University and director of the IISC. By agreement with the ISU, the Isle of Man Government has made a five-year commitment to establish and host the IISC. Both ISU and the IBS are working together to strengthen links between the two institutions with the longer term goal of facilitating both academic and student exchanges to the benefit of both groups.
First Commercial Spacesuit Debuts at X Prize Cup (Source: Space.com)
Being a well-dressed suborbital space traveler translates into style as well as safety. Orbital Outfitters strutted out the world's first commercial spacesuit here at the X Prize Cup festivities – their approach to solving the engineering, safety and marketing appeal of an emergency crew suit. Dubbed the Industrial Suborbital Space Suit-Crew (or IS3C for short), the garment was presented in catwalk-like fashion, a first generation prototype that Orbital Outfitters envision as the new free-fall collection of apparel. The idea is to create a high quality IS3C system for space flight crews. Orbital Outfitters is implementing a leasing arrangement for the suit to help contain up-front costs for customers.
Trouble Found on Space Station Device (Source: AP)
Spacewalking astronauts doing construction work outside the space station Sunday made a disturbing discovery: what appear to be metal shavings inside a joint that is needed to turn a set of solar power panels. The rotary joint, 10 feet in diameter, has experienced intermittent vibrations and power spikes for nearly two months. Space station managers were hoping a thermal cover or bolt might be hanging up the mechanism, which would have been relatively easy to fix, and were disheartened when Daniel Tani radioed down that metal shavings were everywhere. The astronaut used tape to dab up some of the shavings. It will be returned to Earth aboard Discovery next week for analysis. NASA is uncertain whether the flecks are actually metallic, possibly from the aluminum foil lining the thermal covers, or some other material.
OW! for Four: Armadillo Catches Fire (Source: WIRED)
Armadillo's fourth and final shot at winning the $350,000 portion of the $2 million Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge ended Sunday in flames. After a loud explosion, a pool of fire spread approximately 30 feet away from the rocket, according to one photographer. The dwindling crowd gave Armadillo and its team leader, software icon John Carmack, a better-than-tepid round of applause. "Today is officially a bad day," Carmack told an X Prize representative. It looks like the $2 million purse, a portion of which insiders predicted Carmack would be taking home, will carry over until the 2008 X Prize Cup, which may allow more teams to compete.
October 26 News Items
Honeywell Profit Up 14.2 Percent (Source: AIA)
Honeywell said its profit rose 14.2 percent amid continued strong demand from the aerospace and commercial construction sectors, but results were slightly below Wall Street's expectations. The world's largest maker of cockpit electronics reported a third-quarter profit of $618 million, compared with $541 million a year earlier. Revenue came to $8.74 billion, up 9.8 percent from $7.95 billion a year earlier. Results at Honeywell, which also makes automation systems for large commercial buildings, have also been driven by strong spending on infrastructure, particularly outside the United States.
Eutelsat Projects 5.5 Percent Annual Growth Through 2010 (Source: Space News)
Satellite-fleet operator Eutelsat expects its revenue to grow by more than 5.5 percent per year on average between now and 2010, a period during which its capital spending on new satellites will average 420 million euros ($598.93 million) per year, Eutelsat said Oct. 23.
Commission Addresses Intelligence Agencies' Use of Commercial Imagery (Source: Space News)
The U.S. government must not become dependent on external sources for the provision of critical satellite intelligence data, a newly released report commissioned by a pair of intelligence agencies concludes.
NOAA Says Cost of Environmental Satellite Still Going Up (Source: Space News)
The projected cost of the U.S. government's next generation of geostationary orbiting weather satellites will likely rise again, according to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) official.
Bugs on the Menu for Long Space Missions in Future? (Source: Pravda)
First there was astronaut ice cream. Now insects may become the next food frontier for space cuisine. The Space Agriculture Task Force, affiliated with the Japanese space agency, is looking for ways to feed astronauts on extended missions, like on a stint to Mars. A long stay on the Red Planet would require travelers to grow their own food, but a vegetable- and grain-based diet doesn’t efficiently supply fats and amino acids. Bugs reproduce rapidly, so small farms could produce a steady stream of food for humans or other animals. They also efficiently convert material that is inedible to humans—mulberry leaves, wood, waste—into body mass. So bugs like silkworms, drugstore beetles, termites, or hornworms could help fill in nutritional gaps. Japanese researchers have already made cookies from silkworms, a commonly domesticated species.
Union, USA Labor Talks to Resume (Source: Florida Today)
After more than four months on the picket lines, representatives of the Machinists union at Kennedy Space Center and United Space Alliance will head back to the bargaining table. At the behest of a federal mediator, representatives for the company and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District Lodge 2061 are scheduled to resume negotiations Monday and Tuesday in Cape Canaveral. "We feel the resumption of these negotiations are due to discussions between IAM International President Tom Buffenbarger and United Space Alliance CEO Richard Covey," the union said Thursday on its strike update Web site.
NASA Still Sitting on Union Lawsuit (Source: Florida Today)
The Machinists union is undecided on what will happen with its lawsuit against NASA, calling it "a separate issue that has to be dealt with." The lawsuit, filed in August, charges NASA with interfering in the contract negotiations between the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local 2061 and United Space Alliance, NASA's main space shuttle contractor. The suit also accuses NASA of pressuring the company to take hard-line bargaining positions that led to and has continued the union's strike. A federal judge has granted NASA extra time to file a response to the lawsuit, said a union spokesman. NASA representatives declined to comment on the litigation.
EU's Galileo Satnav Scheme Needs Millions More Next Year (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
The EU's troubled Galileo satellite navigation network, meant to rival the US Global Positioning System (GPS), needs millions more euros next year than planned, European MPs warned. Last July, under the European Union's 2008 budget proposals, the amount to be given to the ambitious project was set at 151 million euros ($216 million). But deputies in the EU Parliament, who share budgetary control with the 27 EU member states, deemed this sum grossly insufficient. The problem is that the extra 739 million euros needed would bust the scheme's projected EU funding for the entire 2007-2013 period, thereby requiring some difficult revisions of the bloc's financial plans for the period.
Russia’s Proton Rocket 328th Flight (Source: Khrunichev)
A Khrunichev–made Proton K launch vehicle, carrying three satellites of the Russian government’s GLONASS constellation, was launched from Baikonur on Oct. 26. The launch marks the 328th Proton mission. The rocket performed normally. The launcher has high power capacity and remarkable operational capabilities. Proton is currently used for implementation of national programs and commercial launches of satellites for customers worldwide. The next Proton launch with GLONASS spacecrafts is scheduled for the third quarter of this year.
Three New Race Teams Join Rocket Racing League (Source: RRL)
The playing field of the Rocket Racing League doubles in size and goes international as three new teams announce their acceptance into the League, bringing a total of six teams primed to compete in the Rocket Racing League's inaugural season. Rocket Star Racing, Team Extreme Rocket Racing and Canada-based Beyond Gravity Rocket Racing join existing teams Bridenstine Rocket Racing, Santa Fe Racing and Thunderhawk Rocket Racing. "Our goal has been to bring diverse international teams to the League with highly skilled world-class pilots and flight crews coming from both civilian and military backgrounds," said company co-founder and CEO Granger Whitelaw. "These guys will be competing with each other even on their drive to the quarterly League picnic."
Editorial: Countdown for Shuttle Program Worries Brevard (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
There's a palpable tension at Cape Canaveral, and it has nothing to do with space shuttle Discovery's impending trip back to Earth after its successful launch this week. The stress is linked to the scheduled end of the shuttle program altogether, just three years and 13 missions away in 2010. No one knows for sure what the full extent of the impact of the shuttle's retirement will be on the local and state economies. NASA has yet to reveal how many jobs will be lost -- though estimates put the figure at about 3,000. The second big unknown is how the next phase of human space exploration will play out, which depends more on politics than science as we watch who wins the White House next year and decisions by Congress about NASA's budget.
Ottawa Eyes Funding Cape Breton Space Venture (Source: Globe and Mail)
The Harper government is considering a $45 million boost to a space-tourism project in Cape Breton as one of the regional benefits flowing from a major purchase of military planes. PlanetSpace, the firm that would benefit, has hired Fred Doucet, a senior Conservative official from the Mulroney era, to help seal the deal. The project is related to the Canadian Forces' purchase of 17 Hercules C130J cargo planes from U.S.-based manufacturer Lockheed Martin Corp. To get the plane contract, Lockheed Martin had to promise to spend the equivalent of the $3.2-billion purchase price in the form of regional benefits.
Sources said Lockheed Martin's proposed list of investments, which was submitted to Industry Canada and is awaiting cabinet approval, includes a promise to spend $45 million over six years on PlanetSpace's project. According to its website, PlanetSpace wants to send 2,000 people into suborbital space flights over five years, even though the company has not started accepting reservations for the $250,000 trips. The company has estimated it will cost about $150 million to build a launch pad and rocket on its site in Nova Scotia. It's not clear how much money the company already has or where its funding comes from. The $45 million investment in PlanetSpace would not be a federal subsidy, but it would be the direct result of federal approval of Lockheed Martin's mandatory plan to provide regional benefits from the aircraft sale.
For the First Time, Women Rule in Space (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
Altogether 46 women from around the world have been in space in the 50-year history of space exploration. Breaking new ground in the history of space exploration, women are at the helm of the International Space Station and the space shuttle at the same time, as they orbit the Earth. Pamela Melroy, a 46-year-old retired US Air Force colonel, was in the commander's seat when shuttle Discovery blasted off. She is only the second woman in the shuttle program's 26-year history to command the spacecraft. Meanwhile, the ISS crew is led by another American, Peggy Whitson, a 47-year-old scientist and the first woman in charge of the station.
Discovery Docks with International Space Station (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
The US shuttle Discovery docked with the International Space Station on Thursday for a complex construction mission to pave the way for the installation of European and Japanese laboratories. The mission is also making space exploration history as shuttle Commander Pam Melroy, 46, and the station's crew chief, Peggy Whitson, 47, became the first women to hold the reins of the two spacecraft at the same time.
Aerospace Firm Plans 150 New Jobs at Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: Florida Today)
While many aerospace companies dread the end of the shuttle program in 2010, ASRC Aerospace Corp. is gearing up for the next phase of U.S. space flight. The company this year plans to add about 150 people to its work force of 450 in Brevard County. "We have been hiring electrical engineers," said Pedro Medelius, ASRC Aerospace's associate program manager and chief scientist. Medelius declined to give a total payroll figure. However, he said that with the new positions, ASRC would inject an additional $10 million into the Brevard economy. The company has about 100 projects at Kennedy Space Center.
Honeywell said its profit rose 14.2 percent amid continued strong demand from the aerospace and commercial construction sectors, but results were slightly below Wall Street's expectations. The world's largest maker of cockpit electronics reported a third-quarter profit of $618 million, compared with $541 million a year earlier. Revenue came to $8.74 billion, up 9.8 percent from $7.95 billion a year earlier. Results at Honeywell, which also makes automation systems for large commercial buildings, have also been driven by strong spending on infrastructure, particularly outside the United States.
Eutelsat Projects 5.5 Percent Annual Growth Through 2010 (Source: Space News)
Satellite-fleet operator Eutelsat expects its revenue to grow by more than 5.5 percent per year on average between now and 2010, a period during which its capital spending on new satellites will average 420 million euros ($598.93 million) per year, Eutelsat said Oct. 23.
Commission Addresses Intelligence Agencies' Use of Commercial Imagery (Source: Space News)
The U.S. government must not become dependent on external sources for the provision of critical satellite intelligence data, a newly released report commissioned by a pair of intelligence agencies concludes.
NOAA Says Cost of Environmental Satellite Still Going Up (Source: Space News)
The projected cost of the U.S. government's next generation of geostationary orbiting weather satellites will likely rise again, according to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) official.
Bugs on the Menu for Long Space Missions in Future? (Source: Pravda)
First there was astronaut ice cream. Now insects may become the next food frontier for space cuisine. The Space Agriculture Task Force, affiliated with the Japanese space agency, is looking for ways to feed astronauts on extended missions, like on a stint to Mars. A long stay on the Red Planet would require travelers to grow their own food, but a vegetable- and grain-based diet doesn’t efficiently supply fats and amino acids. Bugs reproduce rapidly, so small farms could produce a steady stream of food for humans or other animals. They also efficiently convert material that is inedible to humans—mulberry leaves, wood, waste—into body mass. So bugs like silkworms, drugstore beetles, termites, or hornworms could help fill in nutritional gaps. Japanese researchers have already made cookies from silkworms, a commonly domesticated species.
Union, USA Labor Talks to Resume (Source: Florida Today)
After more than four months on the picket lines, representatives of the Machinists union at Kennedy Space Center and United Space Alliance will head back to the bargaining table. At the behest of a federal mediator, representatives for the company and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District Lodge 2061 are scheduled to resume negotiations Monday and Tuesday in Cape Canaveral. "We feel the resumption of these negotiations are due to discussions between IAM International President Tom Buffenbarger and United Space Alliance CEO Richard Covey," the union said Thursday on its strike update Web site.
NASA Still Sitting on Union Lawsuit (Source: Florida Today)
The Machinists union is undecided on what will happen with its lawsuit against NASA, calling it "a separate issue that has to be dealt with." The lawsuit, filed in August, charges NASA with interfering in the contract negotiations between the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local 2061 and United Space Alliance, NASA's main space shuttle contractor. The suit also accuses NASA of pressuring the company to take hard-line bargaining positions that led to and has continued the union's strike. A federal judge has granted NASA extra time to file a response to the lawsuit, said a union spokesman. NASA representatives declined to comment on the litigation.
EU's Galileo Satnav Scheme Needs Millions More Next Year (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
The EU's troubled Galileo satellite navigation network, meant to rival the US Global Positioning System (GPS), needs millions more euros next year than planned, European MPs warned. Last July, under the European Union's 2008 budget proposals, the amount to be given to the ambitious project was set at 151 million euros ($216 million). But deputies in the EU Parliament, who share budgetary control with the 27 EU member states, deemed this sum grossly insufficient. The problem is that the extra 739 million euros needed would bust the scheme's projected EU funding for the entire 2007-2013 period, thereby requiring some difficult revisions of the bloc's financial plans for the period.
Russia’s Proton Rocket 328th Flight (Source: Khrunichev)
A Khrunichev–made Proton K launch vehicle, carrying three satellites of the Russian government’s GLONASS constellation, was launched from Baikonur on Oct. 26. The launch marks the 328th Proton mission. The rocket performed normally. The launcher has high power capacity and remarkable operational capabilities. Proton is currently used for implementation of national programs and commercial launches of satellites for customers worldwide. The next Proton launch with GLONASS spacecrafts is scheduled for the third quarter of this year.
Three New Race Teams Join Rocket Racing League (Source: RRL)
The playing field of the Rocket Racing League doubles in size and goes international as three new teams announce their acceptance into the League, bringing a total of six teams primed to compete in the Rocket Racing League's inaugural season. Rocket Star Racing, Team Extreme Rocket Racing and Canada-based Beyond Gravity Rocket Racing join existing teams Bridenstine Rocket Racing, Santa Fe Racing and Thunderhawk Rocket Racing. "Our goal has been to bring diverse international teams to the League with highly skilled world-class pilots and flight crews coming from both civilian and military backgrounds," said company co-founder and CEO Granger Whitelaw. "These guys will be competing with each other even on their drive to the quarterly League picnic."
Editorial: Countdown for Shuttle Program Worries Brevard (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
There's a palpable tension at Cape Canaveral, and it has nothing to do with space shuttle Discovery's impending trip back to Earth after its successful launch this week. The stress is linked to the scheduled end of the shuttle program altogether, just three years and 13 missions away in 2010. No one knows for sure what the full extent of the impact of the shuttle's retirement will be on the local and state economies. NASA has yet to reveal how many jobs will be lost -- though estimates put the figure at about 3,000. The second big unknown is how the next phase of human space exploration will play out, which depends more on politics than science as we watch who wins the White House next year and decisions by Congress about NASA's budget.
Ottawa Eyes Funding Cape Breton Space Venture (Source: Globe and Mail)
The Harper government is considering a $45 million boost to a space-tourism project in Cape Breton as one of the regional benefits flowing from a major purchase of military planes. PlanetSpace, the firm that would benefit, has hired Fred Doucet, a senior Conservative official from the Mulroney era, to help seal the deal. The project is related to the Canadian Forces' purchase of 17 Hercules C130J cargo planes from U.S.-based manufacturer Lockheed Martin Corp. To get the plane contract, Lockheed Martin had to promise to spend the equivalent of the $3.2-billion purchase price in the form of regional benefits.
Sources said Lockheed Martin's proposed list of investments, which was submitted to Industry Canada and is awaiting cabinet approval, includes a promise to spend $45 million over six years on PlanetSpace's project. According to its website, PlanetSpace wants to send 2,000 people into suborbital space flights over five years, even though the company has not started accepting reservations for the $250,000 trips. The company has estimated it will cost about $150 million to build a launch pad and rocket on its site in Nova Scotia. It's not clear how much money the company already has or where its funding comes from. The $45 million investment in PlanetSpace would not be a federal subsidy, but it would be the direct result of federal approval of Lockheed Martin's mandatory plan to provide regional benefits from the aircraft sale.
For the First Time, Women Rule in Space (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
Altogether 46 women from around the world have been in space in the 50-year history of space exploration. Breaking new ground in the history of space exploration, women are at the helm of the International Space Station and the space shuttle at the same time, as they orbit the Earth. Pamela Melroy, a 46-year-old retired US Air Force colonel, was in the commander's seat when shuttle Discovery blasted off. She is only the second woman in the shuttle program's 26-year history to command the spacecraft. Meanwhile, the ISS crew is led by another American, Peggy Whitson, a 47-year-old scientist and the first woman in charge of the station.
Discovery Docks with International Space Station (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
The US shuttle Discovery docked with the International Space Station on Thursday for a complex construction mission to pave the way for the installation of European and Japanese laboratories. The mission is also making space exploration history as shuttle Commander Pam Melroy, 46, and the station's crew chief, Peggy Whitson, 47, became the first women to hold the reins of the two spacecraft at the same time.
Aerospace Firm Plans 150 New Jobs at Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: Florida Today)
While many aerospace companies dread the end of the shuttle program in 2010, ASRC Aerospace Corp. is gearing up for the next phase of U.S. space flight. The company this year plans to add about 150 people to its work force of 450 in Brevard County. "We have been hiring electrical engineers," said Pedro Medelius, ASRC Aerospace's associate program manager and chief scientist. Medelius declined to give a total payroll figure. However, he said that with the new positions, ASRC would inject an additional $10 million into the Brevard economy. The company has about 100 projects at Kennedy Space Center.
October 25 News Items
Astronaut Foundation Auctions Miami Dolphins Package with Apollo Legends (Source: ASF)
Miami Dolphins’ fans can bid on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend the Nov. 11 Dolphins/Buffalo Bills Veterans Day game with legendary astronauts, Apollo 14 Moonwalker Edgar Mitchell and Apollo 15 Command Module Pilot Al Worden. The ASF, in partnership with the Miami Dolphins, is auctioning four VIP packages to include two tickets in a sideline suite, pre-game field passes, a VIP parking pass, food and beverages, one night hotel stay and the opportunity to enjoy the game with two of only 24 men that have traveled to the moon. Online bidding begins Oct. 26 at 9:00 a.m. EDT and concludes Nov. 1 at 10:00 p.m. EDT. The auction site is http://www.astronautscholarship.org/dolphins.pl.
Embry-Riddle Partners with Pratt & Whitney (Source: ERAU)
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's "Worldwide Campus" and Pratt & Whitney signed an agreement earlier this year to work together to provide aviation and aerospace higher education opportunities to customers and students. Embry-Riddle leaders are collaborating with the Pratt & Whitney Customer Training Center team to expand the scope and availability of aviation and aerospace education and provide other services. The partnership includes the opportunity to establish an Embry-Riddle satellite location at Pratt & Whitney's Connecticut campus, with a core curriculum connecting Embry-Riddle programs with employee interests and needs throughout the Pratt & Whitney network.
Northrop Grumman Earnings Increase 62% (Source: Florida Today)
Military and aerospace contractor Northrop Grumman Corp. reported increased sales and profit in the third quarter, but the company's growth plans for Melbourne depend on some big pending contracts. Third-quarter profit rose 62 percent to $489 million, from $302 million in the third quarter last year. Also, sales rose 7 percent to $7.93 billion for the quarter ended Sept. 30, compared with $7.43 billion a year ago.
Proton Rocket to Launch Glonass Satellites Friday (Source: RIA Novosti)
The delayed launch of three Glonass satellites on board a Proton rocket is set to go ahead on Friday from the Baikonur spaceport. The Proton K rocket has been on the launch pad in Kazakhstan since Monday. Astana lifted a ban Wednesday on Proton launches from the Baikonur space center, which Russia rents from the ex-Soviet Central Asian country. The ban was imposed following a September 6 crash of a Proton-M rocket for which Kazakhstan is seeking 1.5 billion rubles ($60 million) in compensation.
Personal Spaceflight: The Business Case for 'New Space' (Source: Space.com)
The business of commercial space travel is now far more than a promissory note – but significant challenges and dedicated work are ahead in shaping passenger spaceflight as profitable venture. Experts outlined the coming years in public space travel, speaking at the 2007 International Symposium for Personal Spaceflight (ISPS). The key action item now is to create an economic engine behind personal space travel, said Peter Diamandis, Chief Executive Officer of the X Prize Foundation. "That's what we're trying to shoot for. We're not there yet. We are in this very critical phase that, if we stop ... it stops."
China Sets Proper, Historic Position for Space Exploration (Source: People's Daily)
China launched its first lunar probe on Oct. 24, the first step into its ambitious three-stage moon mission, signifying a new milestone in its space exploration history with a giant, substantial leap of quality attained in spaceflight technology. The Chinese nation is one of those first nations on earth looking up to the outer planets. Such popular legends as "Chang'e, a legendary Chinese goddess, flying into the moon" and Emperor Minghuang or Xuanzhong of Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.) touring the (splendid) moon palace", give expressions to the earliest human aspiration to ascend the moon.
China has developed space technology by leaps and bounds at a amazing speed since the founding of new China in 1949 and the subsequent launch of reform and opening up in the late 1970s. The manned spaceflight of October 2005, in particular, shows to the world that the country has a fairly great capability for spaceflight. It represents a common objective as well as a pursuit of humanity to venture into outer space and explore its mystery. The U.S., Russia and a few other nations have carried out more than 100 moon exploring probes. So China should, too, contribute to the explorations into the moon and outer space naturally. And it should merge its space program into the global spaceflight setup and involve itself directly into the activities of humanity to probe the secrets of the universe.
Chinese Propaganda Reaches New Heights (Source: Canada National Post)
Fifty years after the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, and just hours after the U.S. space shuttle Discovery thundered into orbit to work on the International Space Station, China took the next step in a new space race yesterday, sending aloft its first lunar orbiter. Chang'e 1 was launched with a fanfare of patriotic propaganda from the Xichang spaceport in southwestern China. If all goes as planned, it will beam back its first images of the moon in the second half of November. Perfectly timed for a live broadcast on Chinese television's national news, the event could have been a tribute to the just-completed Chinese Communist Party's 17th Congress in Beijing, during which President Hu Jintao unveiled a new lineup of top leaders along with a plan for his country's "scientific development" over the next five years.
Initial Inspection Finds No Shuttle Damage (Source: SpaceToday.net)
An inspection of the exterior of the shuttle Discovery on Wednesday turned up no evidence of damage to the orbiter, while mission managers said very little foam fell off the external tank during Tuesday's launch. The STS-120 crew performed the inspection during the first full day on orbit, and found no evidence of any damage to the orbiter's tiles or panels caused by impacts with debris during launch. Of particular concern were the panels on the leading edge of the wings, after engineers recommended before the launch that some panels be replaced because of evidence of degradation of an outer coating; the panels appeared to be in normal condition on Wednesday.
Miami Dolphins’ fans can bid on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend the Nov. 11 Dolphins/Buffalo Bills Veterans Day game with legendary astronauts, Apollo 14 Moonwalker Edgar Mitchell and Apollo 15 Command Module Pilot Al Worden. The ASF, in partnership with the Miami Dolphins, is auctioning four VIP packages to include two tickets in a sideline suite, pre-game field passes, a VIP parking pass, food and beverages, one night hotel stay and the opportunity to enjoy the game with two of only 24 men that have traveled to the moon. Online bidding begins Oct. 26 at 9:00 a.m. EDT and concludes Nov. 1 at 10:00 p.m. EDT. The auction site is http://www.astronautscholarship.org/dolphins.pl.
Embry-Riddle Partners with Pratt & Whitney (Source: ERAU)
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's "Worldwide Campus" and Pratt & Whitney signed an agreement earlier this year to work together to provide aviation and aerospace higher education opportunities to customers and students. Embry-Riddle leaders are collaborating with the Pratt & Whitney Customer Training Center team to expand the scope and availability of aviation and aerospace education and provide other services. The partnership includes the opportunity to establish an Embry-Riddle satellite location at Pratt & Whitney's Connecticut campus, with a core curriculum connecting Embry-Riddle programs with employee interests and needs throughout the Pratt & Whitney network.
Northrop Grumman Earnings Increase 62% (Source: Florida Today)
Military and aerospace contractor Northrop Grumman Corp. reported increased sales and profit in the third quarter, but the company's growth plans for Melbourne depend on some big pending contracts. Third-quarter profit rose 62 percent to $489 million, from $302 million in the third quarter last year. Also, sales rose 7 percent to $7.93 billion for the quarter ended Sept. 30, compared with $7.43 billion a year ago.
Proton Rocket to Launch Glonass Satellites Friday (Source: RIA Novosti)
The delayed launch of three Glonass satellites on board a Proton rocket is set to go ahead on Friday from the Baikonur spaceport. The Proton K rocket has been on the launch pad in Kazakhstan since Monday. Astana lifted a ban Wednesday on Proton launches from the Baikonur space center, which Russia rents from the ex-Soviet Central Asian country. The ban was imposed following a September 6 crash of a Proton-M rocket for which Kazakhstan is seeking 1.5 billion rubles ($60 million) in compensation.
Personal Spaceflight: The Business Case for 'New Space' (Source: Space.com)
The business of commercial space travel is now far more than a promissory note – but significant challenges and dedicated work are ahead in shaping passenger spaceflight as profitable venture. Experts outlined the coming years in public space travel, speaking at the 2007 International Symposium for Personal Spaceflight (ISPS). The key action item now is to create an economic engine behind personal space travel, said Peter Diamandis, Chief Executive Officer of the X Prize Foundation. "That's what we're trying to shoot for. We're not there yet. We are in this very critical phase that, if we stop ... it stops."
China Sets Proper, Historic Position for Space Exploration (Source: People's Daily)
China launched its first lunar probe on Oct. 24, the first step into its ambitious three-stage moon mission, signifying a new milestone in its space exploration history with a giant, substantial leap of quality attained in spaceflight technology. The Chinese nation is one of those first nations on earth looking up to the outer planets. Such popular legends as "Chang'e, a legendary Chinese goddess, flying into the moon" and Emperor Minghuang or Xuanzhong of Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.) touring the (splendid) moon palace", give expressions to the earliest human aspiration to ascend the moon.
China has developed space technology by leaps and bounds at a amazing speed since the founding of new China in 1949 and the subsequent launch of reform and opening up in the late 1970s. The manned spaceflight of October 2005, in particular, shows to the world that the country has a fairly great capability for spaceflight. It represents a common objective as well as a pursuit of humanity to venture into outer space and explore its mystery. The U.S., Russia and a few other nations have carried out more than 100 moon exploring probes. So China should, too, contribute to the explorations into the moon and outer space naturally. And it should merge its space program into the global spaceflight setup and involve itself directly into the activities of humanity to probe the secrets of the universe.
Chinese Propaganda Reaches New Heights (Source: Canada National Post)
Fifty years after the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, and just hours after the U.S. space shuttle Discovery thundered into orbit to work on the International Space Station, China took the next step in a new space race yesterday, sending aloft its first lunar orbiter. Chang'e 1 was launched with a fanfare of patriotic propaganda from the Xichang spaceport in southwestern China. If all goes as planned, it will beam back its first images of the moon in the second half of November. Perfectly timed for a live broadcast on Chinese television's national news, the event could have been a tribute to the just-completed Chinese Communist Party's 17th Congress in Beijing, during which President Hu Jintao unveiled a new lineup of top leaders along with a plan for his country's "scientific development" over the next five years.
Initial Inspection Finds No Shuttle Damage (Source: SpaceToday.net)
An inspection of the exterior of the shuttle Discovery on Wednesday turned up no evidence of damage to the orbiter, while mission managers said very little foam fell off the external tank during Tuesday's launch. The STS-120 crew performed the inspection during the first full day on orbit, and found no evidence of any damage to the orbiter's tiles or panels caused by impacts with debris during launch. Of particular concern were the panels on the leading edge of the wings, after engineers recommended before the launch that some panels be replaced because of evidence of degradation of an outer coating; the panels appeared to be in normal condition on Wednesday.
October 24 News Items
China Launches First Lunar Probe (Source: SpaceToday.net)
Long March 3A launch of Change-1 (Xinhua) China successfully launched its first lunar orbiter mission on Wednesday. A Long March 3A rocket lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern China at 6:05 am EDT (1005 GMT, 6:05 pm Beijing time) and placed the Chang'e-1 spacecraft an elliptical Earth parking orbit shortly thereafter. Chang'e-1 is scheduled to remain in that parking orbit until October 31, when it will go into a translunar trajectory and enter lunar orbit on November 5. Chang'e-1 carries a number of cameras and other sensors to study the Moon's surface and composition. The mission, highly anticipated within China, is the first in a three-stage robotic exploration plan that also includes a lander with rover and a sample return mission. Chang'e-1 is the second spacecraft launched to the Moon in as many months, after Japan's launch of the Kaguya lunar orbiter in September.
FAA: NASA Study Methodology Questionable (Source: AIA)
The FAA weighed in on the controversy surrounding the NASA study that purportedly shows a greater prevalence of aviation safety issues than generally is reported. FAA officials have not seen the study, which NASA has declined to release, but say they have questions about its methodology and whether the data collected actually are usable.
Lockheed Space Systems Unit Sees Increased Sales, Profit (Source: SpaceToday.net)
Lockheed Martin Lockheed Martin's space division reported increased revenues and profits in the fiscal third quarter of 2007. The Space Systems division reported net sales of $2.21 billion and an operating profit of $222 million for the quarter, compared to net sales of $1.85 billion and operating profit of $176 million for the same quarter of 2006. The company said that increases in its satellites product line, both commercial and government, as well as missile systems, were largely responsible for the increase, offsetting declines in space transportation caused by Lockheed's divestiture of its stake in International Launch Services and the creation of United Launch Alliance. The company did warn, though, that it anticipates commercial satellite sales to slow in in 2008. The company overall reported net sales of $11.1 billion and an net earnings of $766 million for the quarter.
Boeing 3Q Profit Up, Warns on Revenue (Source: AP)
Boeing posted its best profit in nearly four years as its third-quarter earnings climbed 61 percent because of higher commercial airplane deliveries and growth in its defense business. The results beat Wall Street expectations, but the company warned that delays in the launch of its new 787 "Dreamliner" plane would lower its 2008 revenue. For the quarter ending Sep. 30, Boeing's profit rose to $1.1 billion, up from $694 million a year ago. Revenue rose 12 percent to $16.5 billion from $14.7 billion a year ago. Boeing said its backlog reached another record, climbing to $295 million.
A Piece of the Moon Lands in Broward County Library (Source: Miami Herald)
In Susan Eisele Black's life there have been what she calls "moments when the whole world stops and watches." "Two of them were very sad -- when President Kennedy was shot and the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001," she said. "Then there's when Buzz [Aldrin] and Neil [Armstrong] walked on the moon." Eisele Black was part of that memorable moment. "It was incredible," she said. "They didn't just get on a space shuttle and land on the moon. It took years of planning." Her late husband was astronaut and Ret. Air Force Col. Donn Eisele, the command module pilot for the 11-day flight of Apollo 7 in 1968.
NASA is honoring the astronaut's involvement in the space program by presenting Eisele Black with a small piece of history -- a moon rock encased in Lucite, called the Ambassador of Exploration Award. The rock is part of the 842 pounds of lunar samples collected during the six Apollo lunar expeditions from 1969 to 1972. Eisele Black accepted the award Tuesday at the Broward County Main Library, which she chose as the place to display her piece of history.
Gov. Crist Shows Support for Space Program (Source: Florida Today)
Wowed by the launch of shuttle Discovery, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist said NASA and the space program are vital to the state's economic future. "NASA in Florida is a huge economic engine and creates tremendous vibrancy for the state, and so we have to show the appreciation for what this program does for our state," Crist said. Crist and an entourage traveled to Kennedy Space Center for the launch, which was the third of four planned this year. It was the fifth time Crist has been to KSC for a shuttle launch. "I know the economic import, particularly to the Space Coast. I get it," he said.
NASA business resulted in a total economic impact of $3.6 billion in 2006. The agency managed some 1,731 contracts in the state, and the 13,630 people working at Kennedy Space Center earned an average of $72,000. Crist said the state government already is looking for ways to offset any job loss that might come in the wake of the shutdown of the shuttle program in September 2010.
Science Award Winners Inspired by Discovery (Source: Florida Today)
Lucie Guo and Xianlin Li got to watch Tuesday's launch from the coveted Banana River grandstands, next to the Saturn-Apollo Museum. "We thought it was awesome!" said Guo. "We both thought it was actually really moving." The women are the Siemens Westinghouse Science and Technology 2004-2005 Competition winners. They put their $100,000 scholarships to use at Harvard, where they are both undergraduates. Guo said her weekend at Kennedy Space Center, sponsored by Siemens, and viewing of the launch has inspired her to return to her childhood love of space and astrology. While she is considering taking a break after graduation to participate in Teach for America, she said she might also pursue a graduate degree in astrobiology. They were just two among more than 10,000 people at Kennedy Space Center's Visitor Complex for launch day.
Heat Shield Has Astronauts Wary (Source: USA Today)
The astronauts aboard space shuttle Discovery will do a routine inspection Wednesday of their ship's heat shield, taking extra care because of worries that some heat shield panels may be defective. Three of the panels contain possible weaknesses hidden deep below the surface. NASA's engineers don't have enough data to rule out a catastrophic "burn through" of the panels when the shuttle endures searing heat as it re-enters the Earth's atmosphere. A preliminary analysis showed no worrisome debris during the shuttle's launch Tuesday, said a NASA manager.
Malaysia to Build Own Communications Satellite (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
Malaysia's government will build its own communications satellite, to be used for internal security and defence purposes. Science and Technology Minister Jamaludin Jarjis told the official Bernama news agency that the satellite project was a natural progression after Malaysia entered the space age this month. Its first astronaut, Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, blasted off aboard a Soyuz space craft and visited the International Space Station in a program linked to the billion-dollar purchase of Russian fighter jets.
Spaceflight Symposium Takes Off in New Mexico (Source: Las Cruces Sun-News)
The general public got a history lesson, an update and a chance to ask questions about Spaceport America as the first of almost a week's worth of New Mexico space-related activities kicked off Tuesday. Spaceport officials gave a presentation to several dozen at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum, site of the third annual International Symposium for Personal Spaceflight, which began Wednesday. Those in attendance received a full overview of the spaceport project from its origins more than two decades ago to today, only months away from a groundbreaking ceremony at a remote site in southern Sierra County.
Long March 3A launch of Change-1 (Xinhua) China successfully launched its first lunar orbiter mission on Wednesday. A Long March 3A rocket lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern China at 6:05 am EDT (1005 GMT, 6:05 pm Beijing time) and placed the Chang'e-1 spacecraft an elliptical Earth parking orbit shortly thereafter. Chang'e-1 is scheduled to remain in that parking orbit until October 31, when it will go into a translunar trajectory and enter lunar orbit on November 5. Chang'e-1 carries a number of cameras and other sensors to study the Moon's surface and composition. The mission, highly anticipated within China, is the first in a three-stage robotic exploration plan that also includes a lander with rover and a sample return mission. Chang'e-1 is the second spacecraft launched to the Moon in as many months, after Japan's launch of the Kaguya lunar orbiter in September.
FAA: NASA Study Methodology Questionable (Source: AIA)
The FAA weighed in on the controversy surrounding the NASA study that purportedly shows a greater prevalence of aviation safety issues than generally is reported. FAA officials have not seen the study, which NASA has declined to release, but say they have questions about its methodology and whether the data collected actually are usable.
Lockheed Space Systems Unit Sees Increased Sales, Profit (Source: SpaceToday.net)
Lockheed Martin Lockheed Martin's space division reported increased revenues and profits in the fiscal third quarter of 2007. The Space Systems division reported net sales of $2.21 billion and an operating profit of $222 million for the quarter, compared to net sales of $1.85 billion and operating profit of $176 million for the same quarter of 2006. The company said that increases in its satellites product line, both commercial and government, as well as missile systems, were largely responsible for the increase, offsetting declines in space transportation caused by Lockheed's divestiture of its stake in International Launch Services and the creation of United Launch Alliance. The company did warn, though, that it anticipates commercial satellite sales to slow in in 2008. The company overall reported net sales of $11.1 billion and an net earnings of $766 million for the quarter.
Boeing 3Q Profit Up, Warns on Revenue (Source: AP)
Boeing posted its best profit in nearly four years as its third-quarter earnings climbed 61 percent because of higher commercial airplane deliveries and growth in its defense business. The results beat Wall Street expectations, but the company warned that delays in the launch of its new 787 "Dreamliner" plane would lower its 2008 revenue. For the quarter ending Sep. 30, Boeing's profit rose to $1.1 billion, up from $694 million a year ago. Revenue rose 12 percent to $16.5 billion from $14.7 billion a year ago. Boeing said its backlog reached another record, climbing to $295 million.
A Piece of the Moon Lands in Broward County Library (Source: Miami Herald)
In Susan Eisele Black's life there have been what she calls "moments when the whole world stops and watches." "Two of them were very sad -- when President Kennedy was shot and the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001," she said. "Then there's when Buzz [Aldrin] and Neil [Armstrong] walked on the moon." Eisele Black was part of that memorable moment. "It was incredible," she said. "They didn't just get on a space shuttle and land on the moon. It took years of planning." Her late husband was astronaut and Ret. Air Force Col. Donn Eisele, the command module pilot for the 11-day flight of Apollo 7 in 1968.
NASA is honoring the astronaut's involvement in the space program by presenting Eisele Black with a small piece of history -- a moon rock encased in Lucite, called the Ambassador of Exploration Award. The rock is part of the 842 pounds of lunar samples collected during the six Apollo lunar expeditions from 1969 to 1972. Eisele Black accepted the award Tuesday at the Broward County Main Library, which she chose as the place to display her piece of history.
Gov. Crist Shows Support for Space Program (Source: Florida Today)
Wowed by the launch of shuttle Discovery, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist said NASA and the space program are vital to the state's economic future. "NASA in Florida is a huge economic engine and creates tremendous vibrancy for the state, and so we have to show the appreciation for what this program does for our state," Crist said. Crist and an entourage traveled to Kennedy Space Center for the launch, which was the third of four planned this year. It was the fifth time Crist has been to KSC for a shuttle launch. "I know the economic import, particularly to the Space Coast. I get it," he said.
NASA business resulted in a total economic impact of $3.6 billion in 2006. The agency managed some 1,731 contracts in the state, and the 13,630 people working at Kennedy Space Center earned an average of $72,000. Crist said the state government already is looking for ways to offset any job loss that might come in the wake of the shutdown of the shuttle program in September 2010.
Science Award Winners Inspired by Discovery (Source: Florida Today)
Lucie Guo and Xianlin Li got to watch Tuesday's launch from the coveted Banana River grandstands, next to the Saturn-Apollo Museum. "We thought it was awesome!" said Guo. "We both thought it was actually really moving." The women are the Siemens Westinghouse Science and Technology 2004-2005 Competition winners. They put their $100,000 scholarships to use at Harvard, where they are both undergraduates. Guo said her weekend at Kennedy Space Center, sponsored by Siemens, and viewing of the launch has inspired her to return to her childhood love of space and astrology. While she is considering taking a break after graduation to participate in Teach for America, she said she might also pursue a graduate degree in astrobiology. They were just two among more than 10,000 people at Kennedy Space Center's Visitor Complex for launch day.
Heat Shield Has Astronauts Wary (Source: USA Today)
The astronauts aboard space shuttle Discovery will do a routine inspection Wednesday of their ship's heat shield, taking extra care because of worries that some heat shield panels may be defective. Three of the panels contain possible weaknesses hidden deep below the surface. NASA's engineers don't have enough data to rule out a catastrophic "burn through" of the panels when the shuttle endures searing heat as it re-enters the Earth's atmosphere. A preliminary analysis showed no worrisome debris during the shuttle's launch Tuesday, said a NASA manager.
Malaysia to Build Own Communications Satellite (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
Malaysia's government will build its own communications satellite, to be used for internal security and defence purposes. Science and Technology Minister Jamaludin Jarjis told the official Bernama news agency that the satellite project was a natural progression after Malaysia entered the space age this month. Its first astronaut, Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, blasted off aboard a Soyuz space craft and visited the International Space Station in a program linked to the billion-dollar purchase of Russian fighter jets.
Spaceflight Symposium Takes Off in New Mexico (Source: Las Cruces Sun-News)
The general public got a history lesson, an update and a chance to ask questions about Spaceport America as the first of almost a week's worth of New Mexico space-related activities kicked off Tuesday. Spaceport officials gave a presentation to several dozen at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum, site of the third annual International Symposium for Personal Spaceflight, which began Wednesday. Those in attendance received a full overview of the spaceport project from its origins more than two decades ago to today, only months away from a groundbreaking ceremony at a remote site in southern Sierra County.
October 23 News Items
Ares 1 Launch Plans Announced (Source: Florida Today)
With a series of tests, NASA's new rocket is on track for a 2013 trip to the International Space Station. NASA officials unveiled an ambitious testing schedule that potentially narrows the gap between the end of the shuttle program and the introduction of the Ares I rocket carrying humans. The Ares I possibly will carry a test crew to the International Space Station in Sep. 2013, only three years after the shuttle program ends in 2010. The third and final Ares I test flight will be in September of 2014. Flights before 2015 are test flights, but the tests at least give the U.S. only a three-year gap without a vehicle capable of flight to the ISS.
China to Test Space Weapon in Launching Moon Satellite (Source: AP)
A Chinese submarine will send test signals that could change the course of a satellite when China launches its first moon orbiter, as part of the country's effort to develop space war technology, a human rights watchdog said Tuesday. The Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy said two survey ships are deployed in the South Pacific Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean to send signals to maneuver the lunar exploration satellite, expected to be launched Wednesday. At the same time, a nuclear-powered submarine will send simulated signals to the satellite as a test, it said in a statement.
Once the satellite-maneuvering technology matures, the group said, China would have the know-how to destroy other satellites in space in wartime. China could launch cheaply-made weapon-carrying objects into space and change their courses to destroy or damage satellites of other countries by sending signals from submarines, the center said.
Rocketplane Kistler Appeals NASA COTS Decision (Source: Space News)
Rocketplane Kistler (RpK) is not going down without a fight. Less than 24 hours after being notified that NASA was pulling the plug on a 14-month-old agreement to help finance the company's effort to develop a commercial transportation service to and from the international space station, RpK appealed the decision. An attorney for RpK of Oklahoma City, sent NASA a letter Oct. 19 asking the agency to either reconsider the termination or give the company $10 million for progress it made toward its unmet milestones. Under the terms of its Space Act Agreement, RpK cannot appeal its termination to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, which normally referees government contracting disputes.
RpK can, however, sue NASA in federal court. But the company first must exhaust a three-step appeals process that begins with NASA's COTS contracting officer and ends with the agency's associate administrator for exploration systems, Rich Gilbrech, who signed off on RpK's termination. RpK's attorney calls NASA's actions "arbitrary, capricious, and an abuse of discretion that will not withstand judicial scrutiny should this matter remain unresolved after the three NASA levels of review."
China's Long March to the Moon - Beijing Heats Up Space Race (Source: New York Times)
Fifty years after the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the world's first man-made satellite, and jolted the U.S. into a race for space, China is ramping up a new space contest -- with an eye on rival Japan. The China National Space Administration is scheduled to fire a "Long March" rocket to propel a satellite into lunar orbit, an important step toward China's goal of beating Japan to become the first Asian nation to put a man on the moon.
On the southern resort island of Hainan, where China is constructing its fourth space-launch center, officials are also planning to build a space-exploration theme park, with a grandstand for viewing rocket launches and shuttle buses that would ferry tourists around the rocket assembly plant, launch tower and other facilities. Much of what China has been doing is reinventing the wheel -- essentially replicating decades-old accomplishments by the U.S., Soviet Union and other nations. But, Chinese scientists, say, they are making advancements of their own.
Russia Launches Military Satellite (Source: SpaceToday.net)
A Molniya rocket launched a Russian military satellite early Tuesday, according to Russian media reports. THe Molniya-M rocket lifted off from the Plesetsk spaceport in northern Russia Tuesday and placed its payload into an elliptical orbit about an hour later. No details about the satellite, other than that it was for the Russian military, were released, and the launch had not been announced in advance.
Gordon, Miller, Udall Direct NASA to Halt Destruction of Aviation Study Records (Source: NASA Watch)
"By this letter, we are directing NASA to halt any destruction of records relating to the NAOMS project, whether in the possession of the agency or its contractors, and as defined in the attached Appendix. Destruction of documents requested as part of a Congressional inquiry is a violation of criminal federal law 18 U.S.C. 1505."
Space Shuttle Discovery Blasts Off From Florida Spaceport (Source: Reuters)
The U.S. space shuttle Discovery blasted off on a pillar of flames on Tuesday, soaring above Florida marshlands toward a rendezvous in two days with the International Space Station. Discovery's 14-day mission kicks off a refurbishment of the space outpost that will prepare the way for Europe to have its first permanent laboratory in orbit.
NASA Points to Foreign Competition to Spark Support (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
With Discovery on the launchpad ready for liftoff today and only 13 flights left until the three shuttles are mothballed, NASA's top officials are clamoring about a new space race to help push the agency into the future. Their effort, expressed in speeches and interviews during the past several months, is fueled by a fear that unless something sparks a public outcry for an invigorated space-exploration program, the U.S. could lose its global leadership in the quest for the stars. That fear in large part has been created by NASA's own plans for the future, including retiring the shuttle to make way for the $100 billion Constellation Program.
But three years after President Bush charged NASA to return to the moon by 2020, Constellation exists only on engineers' drawing boards and in dreams. There's a five-year gap between the last shuttle launch in 2010 and Constellation's first orbital flight. And there's no assurance that the new president who takes office in 2009 -- let alone the American public -- will endorse a repeat trip to the moon. Aides acknowledge that Griffin -- like the rest of the space community -- is hoping for some kind of a "Sputnik moment," an event capable of driving public demand for space exploration as the Soviet Union's launch of the first satellite did 50 years ago. And recently, he has been warning that America is already falling behind China's aggressive space program.
Not everyone wants to see the shuttle disappear so fast. U.S. Rep. Dave Weldon, R-Indialantic, is pushing to get NASA $1 billion more a year for a limited number of shuttle flights -- perhaps two a year -- until Constellation is ready to go. His aim, he says, is to maintain America's prestige as well as jobs at Kennedy Space Center. Visit http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/orl-shuttle2307oct23,0,6120181.story to view the article.
Marshall Role is Key to Ares Work (Source: Huntsville Times)
If America is to return to the moon, beat the determined Chinese and recapture a majority of the space business, it's going to have to rely on "The New Rocket Team" at Marshall Space Flight Center, the head of NASA said during a special ceremony Monday night at the Von Braun Center. Comparing Marshall's ongoing efforts to design and test the Ares I and Ares V rockets to the work of Dr. Wernher von Braun and his Army and NASA rocket teams, NASA Administrator Mike Griffin said the space agency would rely heavily on Huntsville's rocket engineers. That help is needed not only to return America to the moon but also to cut NASA reliance on the Russian Space Agency for crew and supply flights to the International Space Station, Griffin said.
Space Elevator Isn't Going Anywhere Yet (Source: CNET)
Turns out it's not so easy to build and race a space elevator. Who knew? For the third time in three years, no team has claimed the prize money in two NASA-sponsored technology challenges to build a robotic climber and a vertical tether that could one day comprise a workable space elevator. In theory, that elevator would transport supplies from the ground to space without expensive fuel or batteries. Despite the letdown, proponents of the technology were hopeful, and the roughly $1 million in prize money will roll over to next year's events. The contests are part of NASA's Centennial Challenges, a series of government-sponsored competitions that support space exploration by encouraging private industry and universities to develop related technologies for cash prizes.
Brazil to Make $385 Million Bid for Orbit Concession (Source: Xinhua)
The Brazilian government is to bid $385 million for the concession of a space orbit slot strategic to South America. "We need that orbital position," said Helio Costa, Brazil's Minister of Telecommunications. Costa will have a meeting Tuesday in Geneva, Switzerland, with representatives from Colombia, Bolivia and Peru to solve the impasse concerning the concession of the so-called orbit 68. The exploitation of the orbital slot was conceded to the Andean countries seven years ago. However, they had to launch a satellite by Sept. 2007 in order to keep the concession, which they failed to accomplish. According to international rules, other countries could bid for the orbital slot if the deadline expires.
Space Station Addition Should Boost Science (Source: Discovery Channel)
Before the 2003 Columbia accident, NASA used the launch date of the cargo currently loaded into shuttle Discovery as a computer screen-saver. So relentless was the march to install what will be the final U.S. component to the International Space Station, that managers overlooked blatant safety issues, investigators determined after the shuttle's demise. NASA insists it has absorbed the bitter lessons of Columbia and despite a presidential directive to be finished with space station construction in three years, feels no compunction to be driven by the calendar.
Discovery is delivering the space station's final linchpin: the school bus-sized Harmony module, which will attach to new laboratories owned by Europe and Japan. If the 14-day flight unfolds with few delays and no major problems, NASA plans to launch the first of its partners' laboratories on Dec. 6. The flight can't happen soon enough for the European Space Agency, which has weathered launch delays with compassion and patience even while its bank accounts dwindled. ESA's Columbus laboratory was supposed to fly in 2002. Delays with the station's Russian-owned living quarters cost ESA two years' time, which managers handled by slowing development and payments to its contractors.
ESA has a full slate of basic science and technology programs planned for its module, which will become the second of four planned laboratories on the station. Already aboard is the U.S. Destiny module. Japan's Kibo complex is slated for launch next year. Russia is expected to build and fly the station's last lab, though no launch date has been set. Visit http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2007/10/22/space-station-science-02.html to view the article.
With a series of tests, NASA's new rocket is on track for a 2013 trip to the International Space Station. NASA officials unveiled an ambitious testing schedule that potentially narrows the gap between the end of the shuttle program and the introduction of the Ares I rocket carrying humans. The Ares I possibly will carry a test crew to the International Space Station in Sep. 2013, only three years after the shuttle program ends in 2010. The third and final Ares I test flight will be in September of 2014. Flights before 2015 are test flights, but the tests at least give the U.S. only a three-year gap without a vehicle capable of flight to the ISS.
China to Test Space Weapon in Launching Moon Satellite (Source: AP)
A Chinese submarine will send test signals that could change the course of a satellite when China launches its first moon orbiter, as part of the country's effort to develop space war technology, a human rights watchdog said Tuesday. The Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy said two survey ships are deployed in the South Pacific Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean to send signals to maneuver the lunar exploration satellite, expected to be launched Wednesday. At the same time, a nuclear-powered submarine will send simulated signals to the satellite as a test, it said in a statement.
Once the satellite-maneuvering technology matures, the group said, China would have the know-how to destroy other satellites in space in wartime. China could launch cheaply-made weapon-carrying objects into space and change their courses to destroy or damage satellites of other countries by sending signals from submarines, the center said.
Rocketplane Kistler Appeals NASA COTS Decision (Source: Space News)
Rocketplane Kistler (RpK) is not going down without a fight. Less than 24 hours after being notified that NASA was pulling the plug on a 14-month-old agreement to help finance the company's effort to develop a commercial transportation service to and from the international space station, RpK appealed the decision. An attorney for RpK of Oklahoma City, sent NASA a letter Oct. 19 asking the agency to either reconsider the termination or give the company $10 million for progress it made toward its unmet milestones. Under the terms of its Space Act Agreement, RpK cannot appeal its termination to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, which normally referees government contracting disputes.
RpK can, however, sue NASA in federal court. But the company first must exhaust a three-step appeals process that begins with NASA's COTS contracting officer and ends with the agency's associate administrator for exploration systems, Rich Gilbrech, who signed off on RpK's termination. RpK's attorney calls NASA's actions "arbitrary, capricious, and an abuse of discretion that will not withstand judicial scrutiny should this matter remain unresolved after the three NASA levels of review."
China's Long March to the Moon - Beijing Heats Up Space Race (Source: New York Times)
Fifty years after the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the world's first man-made satellite, and jolted the U.S. into a race for space, China is ramping up a new space contest -- with an eye on rival Japan. The China National Space Administration is scheduled to fire a "Long March" rocket to propel a satellite into lunar orbit, an important step toward China's goal of beating Japan to become the first Asian nation to put a man on the moon.
On the southern resort island of Hainan, where China is constructing its fourth space-launch center, officials are also planning to build a space-exploration theme park, with a grandstand for viewing rocket launches and shuttle buses that would ferry tourists around the rocket assembly plant, launch tower and other facilities. Much of what China has been doing is reinventing the wheel -- essentially replicating decades-old accomplishments by the U.S., Soviet Union and other nations. But, Chinese scientists, say, they are making advancements of their own.
Russia Launches Military Satellite (Source: SpaceToday.net)
A Molniya rocket launched a Russian military satellite early Tuesday, according to Russian media reports. THe Molniya-M rocket lifted off from the Plesetsk spaceport in northern Russia Tuesday and placed its payload into an elliptical orbit about an hour later. No details about the satellite, other than that it was for the Russian military, were released, and the launch had not been announced in advance.
Gordon, Miller, Udall Direct NASA to Halt Destruction of Aviation Study Records (Source: NASA Watch)
"By this letter, we are directing NASA to halt any destruction of records relating to the NAOMS project, whether in the possession of the agency or its contractors, and as defined in the attached Appendix. Destruction of documents requested as part of a Congressional inquiry is a violation of criminal federal law 18 U.S.C. 1505."
Space Shuttle Discovery Blasts Off From Florida Spaceport (Source: Reuters)
The U.S. space shuttle Discovery blasted off on a pillar of flames on Tuesday, soaring above Florida marshlands toward a rendezvous in two days with the International Space Station. Discovery's 14-day mission kicks off a refurbishment of the space outpost that will prepare the way for Europe to have its first permanent laboratory in orbit.
NASA Points to Foreign Competition to Spark Support (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
With Discovery on the launchpad ready for liftoff today and only 13 flights left until the three shuttles are mothballed, NASA's top officials are clamoring about a new space race to help push the agency into the future. Their effort, expressed in speeches and interviews during the past several months, is fueled by a fear that unless something sparks a public outcry for an invigorated space-exploration program, the U.S. could lose its global leadership in the quest for the stars. That fear in large part has been created by NASA's own plans for the future, including retiring the shuttle to make way for the $100 billion Constellation Program.
But three years after President Bush charged NASA to return to the moon by 2020, Constellation exists only on engineers' drawing boards and in dreams. There's a five-year gap between the last shuttle launch in 2010 and Constellation's first orbital flight. And there's no assurance that the new president who takes office in 2009 -- let alone the American public -- will endorse a repeat trip to the moon. Aides acknowledge that Griffin -- like the rest of the space community -- is hoping for some kind of a "Sputnik moment," an event capable of driving public demand for space exploration as the Soviet Union's launch of the first satellite did 50 years ago. And recently, he has been warning that America is already falling behind China's aggressive space program.
Not everyone wants to see the shuttle disappear so fast. U.S. Rep. Dave Weldon, R-Indialantic, is pushing to get NASA $1 billion more a year for a limited number of shuttle flights -- perhaps two a year -- until Constellation is ready to go. His aim, he says, is to maintain America's prestige as well as jobs at Kennedy Space Center. Visit http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/orl-shuttle2307oct23,0,6120181.story to view the article.
Marshall Role is Key to Ares Work (Source: Huntsville Times)
If America is to return to the moon, beat the determined Chinese and recapture a majority of the space business, it's going to have to rely on "The New Rocket Team" at Marshall Space Flight Center, the head of NASA said during a special ceremony Monday night at the Von Braun Center. Comparing Marshall's ongoing efforts to design and test the Ares I and Ares V rockets to the work of Dr. Wernher von Braun and his Army and NASA rocket teams, NASA Administrator Mike Griffin said the space agency would rely heavily on Huntsville's rocket engineers. That help is needed not only to return America to the moon but also to cut NASA reliance on the Russian Space Agency for crew and supply flights to the International Space Station, Griffin said.
Space Elevator Isn't Going Anywhere Yet (Source: CNET)
Turns out it's not so easy to build and race a space elevator. Who knew? For the third time in three years, no team has claimed the prize money in two NASA-sponsored technology challenges to build a robotic climber and a vertical tether that could one day comprise a workable space elevator. In theory, that elevator would transport supplies from the ground to space without expensive fuel or batteries. Despite the letdown, proponents of the technology were hopeful, and the roughly $1 million in prize money will roll over to next year's events. The contests are part of NASA's Centennial Challenges, a series of government-sponsored competitions that support space exploration by encouraging private industry and universities to develop related technologies for cash prizes.
Brazil to Make $385 Million Bid for Orbit Concession (Source: Xinhua)
The Brazilian government is to bid $385 million for the concession of a space orbit slot strategic to South America. "We need that orbital position," said Helio Costa, Brazil's Minister of Telecommunications. Costa will have a meeting Tuesday in Geneva, Switzerland, with representatives from Colombia, Bolivia and Peru to solve the impasse concerning the concession of the so-called orbit 68. The exploitation of the orbital slot was conceded to the Andean countries seven years ago. However, they had to launch a satellite by Sept. 2007 in order to keep the concession, which they failed to accomplish. According to international rules, other countries could bid for the orbital slot if the deadline expires.
Space Station Addition Should Boost Science (Source: Discovery Channel)
Before the 2003 Columbia accident, NASA used the launch date of the cargo currently loaded into shuttle Discovery as a computer screen-saver. So relentless was the march to install what will be the final U.S. component to the International Space Station, that managers overlooked blatant safety issues, investigators determined after the shuttle's demise. NASA insists it has absorbed the bitter lessons of Columbia and despite a presidential directive to be finished with space station construction in three years, feels no compunction to be driven by the calendar.
Discovery is delivering the space station's final linchpin: the school bus-sized Harmony module, which will attach to new laboratories owned by Europe and Japan. If the 14-day flight unfolds with few delays and no major problems, NASA plans to launch the first of its partners' laboratories on Dec. 6. The flight can't happen soon enough for the European Space Agency, which has weathered launch delays with compassion and patience even while its bank accounts dwindled. ESA's Columbus laboratory was supposed to fly in 2002. Delays with the station's Russian-owned living quarters cost ESA two years' time, which managers handled by slowing development and payments to its contractors.
ESA has a full slate of basic science and technology programs planned for its module, which will become the second of four planned laboratories on the station. Already aboard is the U.S. Destiny module. Japan's Kibo complex is slated for launch next year. Russia is expected to build and fly the station's last lab, though no launch date has been set. Visit http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2007/10/22/space-station-science-02.html to view the article.
October 22 News Items
Safety Concerns Aside, Discovery to Launch as Planned (Source: Palm Beach Post)
NASA engineers are evenly split over whether Discovery should fly its next mission without having repairs made to three of its 44 heat panels. "There was a great deal of evidence presented, and the preponderance of evidence in my mind says that we have an acceptable risk to go fly," shuttle program manager Wayne Hale said Tuesday. "And let me make sure you understand that. I didn't say it's safe to go fly and I wouldn't say that. We have an acceptable risk to go fly."
Entrepreneurs Envision a Sea Change in Commercial Space (Source: Space.com)
Entrepreneurial companies are determined to reshape the commercial space industry in the years ahead with ventures designed to reduce the cost of access to space. The wide scope of projects includes the development of vehicles for suborbital tourism, eventually leading to orbital vehicles that could provide transportation to and from lower cost habitats and laboratories in space and even take advantage of one of the planned orbiting fuel depots.
But bullish predictions such as these must be tempered by the realities of a gauntlet of policy, technology, finance and regulatory issues facing all of the entrepreneurs trying to provide public access across the space frontier. Jason Andrews, president of Andrews Space, in Seattle, predicted that vehicles capable of horizontal takeoff and airplane-like operations not only will reduce launch costs, but also stimulate new business in low Earth orbit and ultimately out to the Moon. Visit http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/071022-busmon-entrepreneurs.html to view the article.
Florida Teacher-Astronauts Assigned to 2008 Mission (Source: Houston Chronicle)
Two more of NASA's classroom teachers turned astronauts have been assigned to their first spaceflights. Ricky Arnold and Joe Acaba, who left teaching posts three years ago to join NASA's astronaut corps, are among seven astronauts assigned to the same assembly mission to the Space Station. Scheduled for the fall of 2008, the mission will deliver the last of four solar power modules to the orbital outpost. Acaba joined the space agency after five years of teaching high school and middle school math and science in Florida.
A Guggenheim Fund for Spaceflight (Source: Space Review)
Early aviation benefited from a private foundation that endowed research programs that improved the state of the art of key technologies. Pat Bahn makes the case for creating a similar fund to support the emerging commercial suborbital spaceflight industry. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/986/1 to view the article.
China, The US, and Space Solar Power (Source: Space Review)
A new study has concluded that space solar power is feasible, but leaves unanswered who should proceed and how. Taylor Dinerman argues that China, with its voracious appetite for energy, can play a role as both a customer and co-developer. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/985/1 to view the article.
Space War and Futurehype (Source: Space Review)
Projecting the future of space utilization, including the weaponization of space, is fraught with peril. Nader Elhefnawy looks back at one particularly alarmist prediction and what it means for current concerns about military activities in space. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/984/1 to view the article.
China Considers Commercial Shenzhou Flights (Source: Flight International)
In the second quarter of 2008 a legal bill may be introduced into China's legislative upper chamber, the National People's Congress, to enable public private partnerships (PPP) for the use of the nation's spaceports and its manned spacecraft Shenzhou. The legislation will at the very least update the country's law covering its space transport assets. This information adds detail to a pro-commercial spaceflight statement made earlier this year by the head of the China National Space Administration, Sun Laiyan. The PPP commercial options could include, private management of existing spaceports, China's rockets launching other country's low-Earth orbit microgravity experiments, its spaceports used by third parties' rockets for orbiting similar experiments, or even manned flights and LEO science missions using Shenzhou.
20,000 Fragments of Space Debris Circling the Earth (Source: InterFax)
"Space litter" may hamper future exploration projects, deputy representative of the Federal Space Agency to the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) Vladimir Priklonsky said. "There are 20,000 registered pieces of space debris in orbit alongside fragments invisible from the Earth," Priklonsky said. The space debris, including dead satellites, rocket stages and their fragments, is moving at various orbits, at heights from several hundreds of kilometers to 36,000 kilometers. Most of the space debris has been traced on low circumterrestrial orbits at a height lower than 2,000 kilometers.
Alabama Space Club Chapter Honors Filmmakers (Source: Huntsville Times)
The man who created the megasuccessful "Star Wars" franchise was honored in Huntsville by the National Space Club. Legendary movie director George Lucas received the National Space Club media award. The club also presented awards in space flight, astronautics, community service, aerospace education and scholarship. Previous media winners have included the HBO series "From the Earth to the Moon"; Discovery Channel founder John S. Hendricks, who grew up in Huntsville; producer/director Ron Howard and CNN's Lou Dobbs.
NASA Withholds Survey on Air Safety (Source: AP)
Anxious to avoid upsetting air travelers, NASA is withholding results from an unprecedented national survey of pilots that found safety problems like near collisions and runway interference occur far more frequently than the government previously recognized. NASA gathered the information under an $8.5 million safety project, through telephone interviews with roughly 24,000 commercial and general aviation pilots over nearly four years. Since ending the interviews at the beginning of 2005 and shutting down the project completely more than one year ago, the space agency has refused to divulge the results publicly.
Last week, NASA ordered the contractor that conducted the survey to purge all related data from its computers. A NASA official said revealing the findings could damage the public's confidence in airlines and affect airline profits. NASA also cited pilot confidentiality as a reason, although no airlines were identified in the survey, nor were the identities of pilots, all of whom were promised anonymity. Among other results, the pilots reported at least twice as many bird strikes, near mid-air collisions and runway incursions as other government monitoring systems show, according to a person familiar with the results who was not authorized to discuss them publicly.
The survey also revealed higher-than-expected numbers of pilots who experienced "in-close approach changes" - potentially dangerous, last-minute instructions to alter landing plans. Officials at the NASA Ames Research Center in California have said they want to publish their own report on the project by year's end. Discussing NASA's decision not to release the survey data, Congressman Brad Miller said: "There is a faint odor about it all."
NASA engineers are evenly split over whether Discovery should fly its next mission without having repairs made to three of its 44 heat panels. "There was a great deal of evidence presented, and the preponderance of evidence in my mind says that we have an acceptable risk to go fly," shuttle program manager Wayne Hale said Tuesday. "And let me make sure you understand that. I didn't say it's safe to go fly and I wouldn't say that. We have an acceptable risk to go fly."
Entrepreneurs Envision a Sea Change in Commercial Space (Source: Space.com)
Entrepreneurial companies are determined to reshape the commercial space industry in the years ahead with ventures designed to reduce the cost of access to space. The wide scope of projects includes the development of vehicles for suborbital tourism, eventually leading to orbital vehicles that could provide transportation to and from lower cost habitats and laboratories in space and even take advantage of one of the planned orbiting fuel depots.
But bullish predictions such as these must be tempered by the realities of a gauntlet of policy, technology, finance and regulatory issues facing all of the entrepreneurs trying to provide public access across the space frontier. Jason Andrews, president of Andrews Space, in Seattle, predicted that vehicles capable of horizontal takeoff and airplane-like operations not only will reduce launch costs, but also stimulate new business in low Earth orbit and ultimately out to the Moon. Visit http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/071022-busmon-entrepreneurs.html to view the article.
Florida Teacher-Astronauts Assigned to 2008 Mission (Source: Houston Chronicle)
Two more of NASA's classroom teachers turned astronauts have been assigned to their first spaceflights. Ricky Arnold and Joe Acaba, who left teaching posts three years ago to join NASA's astronaut corps, are among seven astronauts assigned to the same assembly mission to the Space Station. Scheduled for the fall of 2008, the mission will deliver the last of four solar power modules to the orbital outpost. Acaba joined the space agency after five years of teaching high school and middle school math and science in Florida.
A Guggenheim Fund for Spaceflight (Source: Space Review)
Early aviation benefited from a private foundation that endowed research programs that improved the state of the art of key technologies. Pat Bahn makes the case for creating a similar fund to support the emerging commercial suborbital spaceflight industry. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/986/1 to view the article.
China, The US, and Space Solar Power (Source: Space Review)
A new study has concluded that space solar power is feasible, but leaves unanswered who should proceed and how. Taylor Dinerman argues that China, with its voracious appetite for energy, can play a role as both a customer and co-developer. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/985/1 to view the article.
Space War and Futurehype (Source: Space Review)
Projecting the future of space utilization, including the weaponization of space, is fraught with peril. Nader Elhefnawy looks back at one particularly alarmist prediction and what it means for current concerns about military activities in space. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/984/1 to view the article.
China Considers Commercial Shenzhou Flights (Source: Flight International)
In the second quarter of 2008 a legal bill may be introduced into China's legislative upper chamber, the National People's Congress, to enable public private partnerships (PPP) for the use of the nation's spaceports and its manned spacecraft Shenzhou. The legislation will at the very least update the country's law covering its space transport assets. This information adds detail to a pro-commercial spaceflight statement made earlier this year by the head of the China National Space Administration, Sun Laiyan. The PPP commercial options could include, private management of existing spaceports, China's rockets launching other country's low-Earth orbit microgravity experiments, its spaceports used by third parties' rockets for orbiting similar experiments, or even manned flights and LEO science missions using Shenzhou.
20,000 Fragments of Space Debris Circling the Earth (Source: InterFax)
"Space litter" may hamper future exploration projects, deputy representative of the Federal Space Agency to the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) Vladimir Priklonsky said. "There are 20,000 registered pieces of space debris in orbit alongside fragments invisible from the Earth," Priklonsky said. The space debris, including dead satellites, rocket stages and their fragments, is moving at various orbits, at heights from several hundreds of kilometers to 36,000 kilometers. Most of the space debris has been traced on low circumterrestrial orbits at a height lower than 2,000 kilometers.
Alabama Space Club Chapter Honors Filmmakers (Source: Huntsville Times)
The man who created the megasuccessful "Star Wars" franchise was honored in Huntsville by the National Space Club. Legendary movie director George Lucas received the National Space Club media award. The club also presented awards in space flight, astronautics, community service, aerospace education and scholarship. Previous media winners have included the HBO series "From the Earth to the Moon"; Discovery Channel founder John S. Hendricks, who grew up in Huntsville; producer/director Ron Howard and CNN's Lou Dobbs.
NASA Withholds Survey on Air Safety (Source: AP)
Anxious to avoid upsetting air travelers, NASA is withholding results from an unprecedented national survey of pilots that found safety problems like near collisions and runway interference occur far more frequently than the government previously recognized. NASA gathered the information under an $8.5 million safety project, through telephone interviews with roughly 24,000 commercial and general aviation pilots over nearly four years. Since ending the interviews at the beginning of 2005 and shutting down the project completely more than one year ago, the space agency has refused to divulge the results publicly.
Last week, NASA ordered the contractor that conducted the survey to purge all related data from its computers. A NASA official said revealing the findings could damage the public's confidence in airlines and affect airline profits. NASA also cited pilot confidentiality as a reason, although no airlines were identified in the survey, nor were the identities of pilots, all of whom were promised anonymity. Among other results, the pilots reported at least twice as many bird strikes, near mid-air collisions and runway incursions as other government monitoring systems show, according to a person familiar with the results who was not authorized to discuss them publicly.
The survey also revealed higher-than-expected numbers of pilots who experienced "in-close approach changes" - potentially dangerous, last-minute instructions to alter landing plans. Officials at the NASA Ames Research Center in California have said they want to publish their own report on the project by year's end. Discussing NASA's decision not to release the survey data, Congressman Brad Miller said: "There is a faint odor about it all."
October 21 News Items
Four Globalstar Satellites Put Into Orbit by Russian Rocket (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
Four Globalstar telecommunications satellites blasted off Sunday from the Baikonur spaceport in Kazakhstan atop a Russian Soyuz rocket and were successfully placed into orbit, an Arianespace spokesman said. The first generation of these satellites were launched in 1999 by Starsem, the Russian-European subsidiary of Arianespace from Baikonur. Four more satellites were put in orbit in May this year. A second constellation of 24 telecommunications satellites is expected to go into orbit starting in 2009, using Russian Soyuz rockets but launched from a South American space center in French Guiana.
Space Station: A Modest Proposal to Solve the Problem (Source: What's New)
Remember the scary incident in June when the Russian computers that control ISS orientation crashed while Atlantis was docked? They found a way around it, but not the cause. James Oberg in IEEE Spectrum explains what happened: a cable connector corroded. It’s a swamp up there. Meanwhile, an opportunity presents itself. Tom Pickens, a Texas investor who amassed his billions by shrewd inheritance, believes Big Pharma should run ISS and reap big profits from – well, protein crystals grown in zero gravity - gasp! In the past I’ve suggested giving the ISS to China, but they don’t seem to want it. Why not give it to Tom Pickens instead?
NASA Jet Hits Tree (Source: Florida Today)
A NASA jet used to train astronauts to land the shuttle clipped a tree during landing Saturday. The Gulfstream jet had minor damage on the left wingtip, including a broken position light and strobe light. The plane is a business jet that's been modified to act like the shuttle. An instructor pilot was behind the controls at the time of the accident. Three other people were on board the plane. No one was injured.
Soyuz Capsule Returns ISS Crewmembers to Earth (Source: SpaceflightNow.com)
A Soyuz TMA-10 spacecraft landed in Kazakhstan Sunday, bringing outgoing space station commander Fyodor Yurchikhin, flight engineer Oleg Kotov and Malaysia's first man in space, Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, safely back to Earth after a steeper-than-usual descent that left the ship well short of its intended landing site.
Department of Labor: Inspiring a New Generation of Aerospace Engineers (Source: Challenger Centers)
On Oct. 18, the Department of Labor (DOL) invited the Challenger Center for Space Science to participate in a conference with state lieutenant governors, NASA and leaders in aerospace education and industry. Discussions sparked by keynote speaker Dr. Eric Jolly, President of the Science Museum of Minnesota focused on the need for innovative solutions to inspire and motivate today's youth in the core subject areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to meet a critical shortfall of engineers in the workforce as baby boomers begin leaving the workforce. General consensus of the roundtable participants was that middle school hands-on laboratory experiences were a particularly successful way of impacting the pre-high school students to choose to study STEM-disciplines.
Personal Spaceflight Bigwigs Will Be in Las Cruces This Week (Source: Las Cruces Sun-News)
Southern New Mexico becomes the center of the universe for the personal spaceflight industry this week as many of the young industry's heavyweights gather for the International Symposium for Personal Spaceflight and the Wirefly X Prize Cup. The symposium begins Tuesday with a public forum and continues through Thursday with a who's who of industry experts and pioneers. Among them will be Elon Musk, founder of PayPal and launch vehicle developer SpaceX; Alex Tai of Virgin Galactic, the company planning to base part of its operations at Spaceport America; and "space tourist" Anoushe Ansari, who in 2006 boarded a Soyuz spacecraft and spent two weeks aboard the international space station. The symposium strives to foster growth in the commercial space industry by bringing some of its biggest names together in one place.
Enjoy Space Expo,Air Show for $28 (Source: Florida Today)
The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex will be the center of the universe for space buffs during the first weekend in November when it marks 50 years of spaceflight and hosts the World Space Expo with astronauts, air shows and a time-warp barbecue. Visit http://www.worldspaceexpo.com for information.
Four Globalstar telecommunications satellites blasted off Sunday from the Baikonur spaceport in Kazakhstan atop a Russian Soyuz rocket and were successfully placed into orbit, an Arianespace spokesman said. The first generation of these satellites were launched in 1999 by Starsem, the Russian-European subsidiary of Arianespace from Baikonur. Four more satellites were put in orbit in May this year. A second constellation of 24 telecommunications satellites is expected to go into orbit starting in 2009, using Russian Soyuz rockets but launched from a South American space center in French Guiana.
Space Station: A Modest Proposal to Solve the Problem (Source: What's New)
Remember the scary incident in June when the Russian computers that control ISS orientation crashed while Atlantis was docked? They found a way around it, but not the cause. James Oberg in IEEE Spectrum explains what happened: a cable connector corroded. It’s a swamp up there. Meanwhile, an opportunity presents itself. Tom Pickens, a Texas investor who amassed his billions by shrewd inheritance, believes Big Pharma should run ISS and reap big profits from – well, protein crystals grown in zero gravity - gasp! In the past I’ve suggested giving the ISS to China, but they don’t seem to want it. Why not give it to Tom Pickens instead?
NASA Jet Hits Tree (Source: Florida Today)
A NASA jet used to train astronauts to land the shuttle clipped a tree during landing Saturday. The Gulfstream jet had minor damage on the left wingtip, including a broken position light and strobe light. The plane is a business jet that's been modified to act like the shuttle. An instructor pilot was behind the controls at the time of the accident. Three other people were on board the plane. No one was injured.
Soyuz Capsule Returns ISS Crewmembers to Earth (Source: SpaceflightNow.com)
A Soyuz TMA-10 spacecraft landed in Kazakhstan Sunday, bringing outgoing space station commander Fyodor Yurchikhin, flight engineer Oleg Kotov and Malaysia's first man in space, Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, safely back to Earth after a steeper-than-usual descent that left the ship well short of its intended landing site.
Department of Labor: Inspiring a New Generation of Aerospace Engineers (Source: Challenger Centers)
On Oct. 18, the Department of Labor (DOL) invited the Challenger Center for Space Science to participate in a conference with state lieutenant governors, NASA and leaders in aerospace education and industry. Discussions sparked by keynote speaker Dr. Eric Jolly, President of the Science Museum of Minnesota focused on the need for innovative solutions to inspire and motivate today's youth in the core subject areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to meet a critical shortfall of engineers in the workforce as baby boomers begin leaving the workforce. General consensus of the roundtable participants was that middle school hands-on laboratory experiences were a particularly successful way of impacting the pre-high school students to choose to study STEM-disciplines.
Personal Spaceflight Bigwigs Will Be in Las Cruces This Week (Source: Las Cruces Sun-News)
Southern New Mexico becomes the center of the universe for the personal spaceflight industry this week as many of the young industry's heavyweights gather for the International Symposium for Personal Spaceflight and the Wirefly X Prize Cup. The symposium begins Tuesday with a public forum and continues through Thursday with a who's who of industry experts and pioneers. Among them will be Elon Musk, founder of PayPal and launch vehicle developer SpaceX; Alex Tai of Virgin Galactic, the company planning to base part of its operations at Spaceport America; and "space tourist" Anoushe Ansari, who in 2006 boarded a Soyuz spacecraft and spent two weeks aboard the international space station. The symposium strives to foster growth in the commercial space industry by bringing some of its biggest names together in one place.
Enjoy Space Expo,Air Show for $28 (Source: Florida Today)
The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex will be the center of the universe for space buffs during the first weekend in November when it marks 50 years of spaceflight and hosts the World Space Expo with astronauts, air shows and a time-warp barbecue. Visit http://www.worldspaceexpo.com for information.
October 20 News Items
Rocketplane to Focus on Space Tourism (Source: NewsOK)
Rocketplane's recent loss of a multimillion-dollar contract with NASA may concern outsiders about the company's future in space tourism. But the concern stops there. Instead, company officials say the halt on the NASA project means Rocketplane will be able to turn its focus to another project: getting tourists into space. "We're looking at a stronger focus on the XP,” said George French, chairman and chief executive officer. The XP is Rocketplane Global's tourism spacecraft.
Although Rocketplane Kistler was unable to raise enough funds to keep its NASA contract, Rocketplane Global is attempting to raise funds for the XP spacecraft; a task French said will be more successful. "XP requires lower levels of funding to move forward,” he said. Rocketplane Global will release the latest designs for the XP next week at the X Prize cup in New Mexico. French said although Rocketplane Kistler and Rocketplane Global are operated by the same parent company, Rocketplane Inc., the two subsidiaries are separate. He said a backslide for one company does not equal a backslide for the other. French said though the loss of the NASA contract may also make it look as if Rocketplane Kistler has abandoned its K-1 project, that is not the case. "We've always had a business plan for the K-1,” he said. "We have other customers in mind. We are looking at all of our options.”
Authority Provides SBIR/STTR "Boot Camp" (Source: TRDA)
Florida's Technological Research & Development Authority (TRDA) is sponsoring a Nov. 8-9 "boot camp" for small businesses interested in pursuing federal SBIR and STTR research grants. Increasing the number of SBIR/STTR awards to Florida businesses has been an important goal for the state as it attempts to diversify its high tech economy. The event will be held at the new TRDA Business Innovation Center in Melbourne. To register or for more information, contact Bonnie O'Regan at 321-872-1050 ext. 107, or mailto:Boregan@trda.org. Also ask about TRDA's six-week "Roadmap to Success" workshop series for emerging businesses.
NASA Readies Shuttle for Tuesday Flight (Source: WESH)
The astronauts who will fly aboard space shuttle Discovery next week arrived at Kennedy Space Center on Friday. The crew took part in training exercises last week, but they took a week off leading up to their arrival in Central Florida. The countdown to launch begins on Saturday at 2 p.m. Discovery will carry parts for the International Space Station and is scheduled to liftoff on Tuesday at 11:38 a.m.
C-Band Fight Tops Agenda at World Radio Conference (Source: Space News)
The world's major satellite-fleet operators — and some of their biggest customers like the U.S. Department of Defense — will begin a four-week battle Oct. 22 to protect their access to 800 megahertz of precious radio spectrum that has been the exclusive preserve of the satellite industry for years, but now is coveted by terrestrial wireless broadband companies. At stake, satellite industry officials say, is the continued functioning of hundreds of thousands of satellite transmission networks that currently enjoy unencumbered use of the C-band radio spectrum from 3.4 to 4.2 GHz. Claiming that their expected growth rates justify the demand for more spectrum, backers of WiMax and other terrestrial wireless broadband technologies want the rights to enter that spectrum even though they concede that coexistence with satellite signals is impractical in many cases.
Chinese Military Space Plans Fuel Concern in Washington (Source: Space News)
Growing concern over U.S. satellite vulnerability was highlighted recently by a report on Chinese space warfare plans and a U.S. lawmaker's call for open hearings on space security. "The Chinese People's Liberation Army and Space Warfare," a report released Oct. 17 by the American Enterprise Institute, concludes that China is preparing for war in space and considers the United States a likely adversary. "They're very serious about developing means to attack targets in the atmosphere and on the Earth's surface from space," Larry Wortzel, the report's author, said.
Orbital Decision Near on Taurus 2 (Source: Space News)
Orbital Sciences Corp. is more optimistic than ever about building a medium-lift rocket, called Taurus 2, which would replace the Boeing-built Delta 2 launch vehicle for U.S. government and commercial customers. Delta 2 is scheduled to be retired around 2010. Orbital Sciences plans a preliminary design review of its Taurus 2 project in December. If the technical and financial assessments remain positive, the company will proceed with early development until a final decision is made in August or September 2008 on whether to proceed with production.
Congressman Pushes NRO, Air Force Space Consolidation (Source: Space News)
The top Republican on the House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee, Rep. Terry Everett (R-Ala) plans to ask for White House support to once again consolidate coordination of classified and unclassified space efforts under one leader. Everett said combining those positions, which previously had been done between late 2001 and 2005, would improve coordination of military and intelligence community space work on issues including protecting satellites. The Commission to Assess United States National Security Space Management and Organization, headed by Donald Rumsfeld from 1998 to 2000, the year before his selection as U.S. Defense Secretary, strongly had recommended combining the two jobs. Opponents of combining the two roles have argued that the two jobs combined are too much responsibility for a single official.
Rocketplane's recent loss of a multimillion-dollar contract with NASA may concern outsiders about the company's future in space tourism. But the concern stops there. Instead, company officials say the halt on the NASA project means Rocketplane will be able to turn its focus to another project: getting tourists into space. "We're looking at a stronger focus on the XP,” said George French, chairman and chief executive officer. The XP is Rocketplane Global's tourism spacecraft.
Although Rocketplane Kistler was unable to raise enough funds to keep its NASA contract, Rocketplane Global is attempting to raise funds for the XP spacecraft; a task French said will be more successful. "XP requires lower levels of funding to move forward,” he said. Rocketplane Global will release the latest designs for the XP next week at the X Prize cup in New Mexico. French said although Rocketplane Kistler and Rocketplane Global are operated by the same parent company, Rocketplane Inc., the two subsidiaries are separate. He said a backslide for one company does not equal a backslide for the other. French said though the loss of the NASA contract may also make it look as if Rocketplane Kistler has abandoned its K-1 project, that is not the case. "We've always had a business plan for the K-1,” he said. "We have other customers in mind. We are looking at all of our options.”
Authority Provides SBIR/STTR "Boot Camp" (Source: TRDA)
Florida's Technological Research & Development Authority (TRDA) is sponsoring a Nov. 8-9 "boot camp" for small businesses interested in pursuing federal SBIR and STTR research grants. Increasing the number of SBIR/STTR awards to Florida businesses has been an important goal for the state as it attempts to diversify its high tech economy. The event will be held at the new TRDA Business Innovation Center in Melbourne. To register or for more information, contact Bonnie O'Regan at 321-872-1050 ext. 107, or mailto:Boregan@trda.org. Also ask about TRDA's six-week "Roadmap to Success" workshop series for emerging businesses.
NASA Readies Shuttle for Tuesday Flight (Source: WESH)
The astronauts who will fly aboard space shuttle Discovery next week arrived at Kennedy Space Center on Friday. The crew took part in training exercises last week, but they took a week off leading up to their arrival in Central Florida. The countdown to launch begins on Saturday at 2 p.m. Discovery will carry parts for the International Space Station and is scheduled to liftoff on Tuesday at 11:38 a.m.
C-Band Fight Tops Agenda at World Radio Conference (Source: Space News)
The world's major satellite-fleet operators — and some of their biggest customers like the U.S. Department of Defense — will begin a four-week battle Oct. 22 to protect their access to 800 megahertz of precious radio spectrum that has been the exclusive preserve of the satellite industry for years, but now is coveted by terrestrial wireless broadband companies. At stake, satellite industry officials say, is the continued functioning of hundreds of thousands of satellite transmission networks that currently enjoy unencumbered use of the C-band radio spectrum from 3.4 to 4.2 GHz. Claiming that their expected growth rates justify the demand for more spectrum, backers of WiMax and other terrestrial wireless broadband technologies want the rights to enter that spectrum even though they concede that coexistence with satellite signals is impractical in many cases.
Chinese Military Space Plans Fuel Concern in Washington (Source: Space News)
Growing concern over U.S. satellite vulnerability was highlighted recently by a report on Chinese space warfare plans and a U.S. lawmaker's call for open hearings on space security. "The Chinese People's Liberation Army and Space Warfare," a report released Oct. 17 by the American Enterprise Institute, concludes that China is preparing for war in space and considers the United States a likely adversary. "They're very serious about developing means to attack targets in the atmosphere and on the Earth's surface from space," Larry Wortzel, the report's author, said.
Orbital Decision Near on Taurus 2 (Source: Space News)
Orbital Sciences Corp. is more optimistic than ever about building a medium-lift rocket, called Taurus 2, which would replace the Boeing-built Delta 2 launch vehicle for U.S. government and commercial customers. Delta 2 is scheduled to be retired around 2010. Orbital Sciences plans a preliminary design review of its Taurus 2 project in December. If the technical and financial assessments remain positive, the company will proceed with early development until a final decision is made in August or September 2008 on whether to proceed with production.
Congressman Pushes NRO, Air Force Space Consolidation (Source: Space News)
The top Republican on the House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee, Rep. Terry Everett (R-Ala) plans to ask for White House support to once again consolidate coordination of classified and unclassified space efforts under one leader. Everett said combining those positions, which previously had been done between late 2001 and 2005, would improve coordination of military and intelligence community space work on issues including protecting satellites. The Commission to Assess United States National Security Space Management and Organization, headed by Donald Rumsfeld from 1998 to 2000, the year before his selection as U.S. Defense Secretary, strongly had recommended combining the two jobs. Opponents of combining the two roles have argued that the two jobs combined are too much responsibility for a single official.
October 19 News Items
Google, Amazon CEOs Invest in Manned Space Flights (Source: CNBC)
While NASA seems to be flying in orbital circles, with manned flight still stuck on the space shuttle, the private sector has been dumping millions into its own space ventures. "We're trying to move the industry to a point where people believe what we say," said Jeff Greason, a former Intel computer genius who now runs XCOR, one of a half dozen companies in the Mojave desert of California trying to get ordinary citizens into space. Jeff Bezos of Amazon.com has already tested a vertical takeoff and landing craft, which may someday carry people just beyond the atmosphere. Hotel entrepreneur Robert Bigelow already has a couple of unmanned craft in orbit.
Bigelow is offering $50 million to any American venture that can fly a fully loaded five-passenger craft into orbit by 2010. The most visible effort has been Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic, already selling tickets for $200,000. But test flights won't happen for 18 months, pushed back after a fatal explosion at the Mojave company building his spacecraft: Scaled Composites, run by X Prize-winning Burt Rutan. Three men died in a fuel flow test in July. It hit the community here hard, but it did not stop the inflow of investor money. Now, even bigger things are planned. Google is using some of its profit to encourage innovation to get to the moon as "Earth's offshore island." It is putting up a $30 million Lunar X prize, and most of the money will go to the first private group which can launch, land, and operate a robotic rover on the Moon's surface.
Back in Mojave, Rutan's company became wholly owned by Northrop Grumman and other private ventures are waiting to see if ownership by a traditional, large aerospace company is a good thing or not. Rutan says he wants to build 50 spacecraft, and not just for Branson. He has reportedly been talking to an unnamed established airline. Greason says it's hard to tell who will succeed, and who will never get off the launchpad. But, to Greason, it's not about being first. It's about being able to last. For those investors who tell him they fear it's already "too late to get in," he points to the Wright Brothers. Yeah, they were first, but nobody's flying airplanes made by the Wright Aircraft Company.
China Mulls Communist Branch for Space (Source: AP)
China might not have a permanent presence in space yet, but the country's rocket men are already thinking about setting up a Communist Party branch in the outer reaches. Now 14-strong, the Chinese astronaut corps more than meets the party's minimum requirement of at least three members for a branch, the official Xinhua News Agency said Thursday.
Nigerian Space Program Isn't a 419 Scam (Source: WIRED)
Nigeria, a country whose best-known technological export is probably the flowery e-mail output of its "419 scam" artists, is ramping up a scrappy space program that's working wonders with a relatively small investment. Robert Boroffice, leader of Nigeria's National Space Research and Development Agency, or NASRDA, looks to the sky to solve his country's earthly problems of hunger and disease. The country has launched satellites on the cheap to aid agricultural and medical initiatives and is seriously contemplating building an international spaceport. These are just some of the grand plans kicking around in the mind of Boroffice. His defense to charges of misplaced priorities -- wasting money on space technology when Nigeria faces so many other pressing problems -- is as disarming as it is forward-thinking: Space is one of the smartest micro-investments a developing nation can make, he said.
While NASA seems to be flying in orbital circles, with manned flight still stuck on the space shuttle, the private sector has been dumping millions into its own space ventures. "We're trying to move the industry to a point where people believe what we say," said Jeff Greason, a former Intel computer genius who now runs XCOR, one of a half dozen companies in the Mojave desert of California trying to get ordinary citizens into space. Jeff Bezos of Amazon.com has already tested a vertical takeoff and landing craft, which may someday carry people just beyond the atmosphere. Hotel entrepreneur Robert Bigelow already has a couple of unmanned craft in orbit.
Bigelow is offering $50 million to any American venture that can fly a fully loaded five-passenger craft into orbit by 2010. The most visible effort has been Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic, already selling tickets for $200,000. But test flights won't happen for 18 months, pushed back after a fatal explosion at the Mojave company building his spacecraft: Scaled Composites, run by X Prize-winning Burt Rutan. Three men died in a fuel flow test in July. It hit the community here hard, but it did not stop the inflow of investor money. Now, even bigger things are planned. Google is using some of its profit to encourage innovation to get to the moon as "Earth's offshore island." It is putting up a $30 million Lunar X prize, and most of the money will go to the first private group which can launch, land, and operate a robotic rover on the Moon's surface.
Back in Mojave, Rutan's company became wholly owned by Northrop Grumman and other private ventures are waiting to see if ownership by a traditional, large aerospace company is a good thing or not. Rutan says he wants to build 50 spacecraft, and not just for Branson. He has reportedly been talking to an unnamed established airline. Greason says it's hard to tell who will succeed, and who will never get off the launchpad. But, to Greason, it's not about being first. It's about being able to last. For those investors who tell him they fear it's already "too late to get in," he points to the Wright Brothers. Yeah, they were first, but nobody's flying airplanes made by the Wright Aircraft Company.
China Mulls Communist Branch for Space (Source: AP)
China might not have a permanent presence in space yet, but the country's rocket men are already thinking about setting up a Communist Party branch in the outer reaches. Now 14-strong, the Chinese astronaut corps more than meets the party's minimum requirement of at least three members for a branch, the official Xinhua News Agency said Thursday.
Nigerian Space Program Isn't a 419 Scam (Source: WIRED)
Nigeria, a country whose best-known technological export is probably the flowery e-mail output of its "419 scam" artists, is ramping up a scrappy space program that's working wonders with a relatively small investment. Robert Boroffice, leader of Nigeria's National Space Research and Development Agency, or NASRDA, looks to the sky to solve his country's earthly problems of hunger and disease. The country has launched satellites on the cheap to aid agricultural and medical initiatives and is seriously contemplating building an international spaceport. These are just some of the grand plans kicking around in the mind of Boroffice. His defense to charges of misplaced priorities -- wasting money on space technology when Nigeria faces so many other pressing problems -- is as disarming as it is forward-thinking: Space is one of the smartest micro-investments a developing nation can make, he said.
October 18 News Items
ATK Seeks Growth Through $2.5 Billion Foreign Buyout (Source: AP)
Alliant Techsystems Inc., a maker of weapons and ammunition, is considering at least eight companies as potential acquisition targets in order to expand into the satellite, alternative energy or commercial aerospace markets. Alliant CEO Daniel J. Murphy did not disclose the names of the buyout targets, but said one potential deal to expand the company's foreign operations in commercial aerospace and advanced materials could be valued at up to $2.5 billion. The remaining acquisitions will be valued around $500 million apiece and will be integrated into the company's three main business segments: ammunition, weapons and satellite launch systems.
Designing a Rocket Ride Into Suborbit (Source: CNET News)
Before Virgin Group mogul Richard Branson hired him to design a futuristic tourist rocket ship, Richard Seymour's only experience in the market was dreaming up spacecraft for the movies. Seymour said that his U.K. design company Seymourpowell, is designing the interior of the craft and the space suits that tourists will wear on their two-hour suborbital flights with Virgin Galactic. Having already sold out its first flight at $200,000 per passenger, Branson's company is planning its first commercial launch for 2008. Seymour said that tourists will actually spend four of five days on the holiday, at Spaceport America (the launch hub). People must train in the spaceship White Knight for at least two days, learning things like "how to keep your breakfast down" at 5 Gs. Rocketing into space and back takes only a few minutes each way in the two-hour trip, a jarring experience if you're not used to it, he said.
NASA to Open New Competition for Space Transportation Seed Money (Source: NASA)
NASA will conduct a new competition for funding that remains in NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Project, known as COTS. The new competition follows NASA's decision to terminate its funded agreement with aerospace firm Rocketplane Kistler. "NASA remains fully committed to the COTS Project," said Alan Lindenmoyer, who as manager of the Commercial Crew and Cargo Program Office oversees the COTS Project. "We'll be releasing a synopsis for the new competition Friday and the full announcement for a new round of industry proposals on Monday."
Companies will have 30 days to respond to Monday's announcement, and NASA intends to enter into one or more new COTS agreements early next year. Companies that are U.S. commercial providers will be eligible. COTS provides seed money to companies when they reach performance milestones to help them design and develop space transportation capabilities that could pave the way for private cargo deliveries to the International Space Station. Of the $206.8 million NASA agreed to invest in Rocketplane Kistler, the company received a total of $32.1 million. The remaining $174.7 million will be offered to aerospace firms in a new competition. NASA's current funded COTS partner, SpaceX, is current on all of its financial and technical milestones. NASA also has unfunded COTS agreements with five other companies. Visit http://www.nasa.gov/directorates/esmd/ccc for information.
Two Florida Teams Are Finalists for Award at X-Prize Cup (Source: NSS)
Two student-led Florida teams are among ten finalists for the Pete Conrad Spirit of Innovation Award, to be presented at the X-Prize Cup in New Mexico next week. Their ideas will be on display at the event. The award is for teams of high school students who develop ideas that could accelerate the personal spaceflight industry. Winners will be chosen by popular vote and announced at the closing ceremonies on Oct. 28. The first place team will receive a $5,000 grant, followed by $2,500 for second place and $1,500 for third. The two Florida teams include: SEDS-UCF of Orlando and their conceptualized a permanent space settlement to support all other space missions, through manufacturing and research; and Three Tekna Theos Girls of Orange Park for their designs for a device to accurately chronicle the journey of a space traveler. Good luck!
Florida Teachers to Attend Embry-Riddle "TeachSpace" Workshop at Spaceport (Source: ERAU)
Thirty science/math teachers from Volusia, Seminole, Osceola, and Manatee Counties will attend a TeachSpace workshop at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, as part of the lead-up to the World Space Expo. The workshop is supported by SpaceTEC, with sponsorship by the Florida Space Grant Consortium and Space Florida. Some of the participating teachers will be selected for upcoming "Hawking Center" weightless flights aboard ZERO-G's G-Force One aircraft.
Space Florida Making Progress (Source: Florida Today)
Space Florida, the Brevard-based public agency charged with developing the state's space business, has submitted an annual performance report detailing progress on important initiatives, including advocay for more state spending on space activities; agreements with NASA and the Air Force for launch/landing studies and facility access; reviews of potential alternative horizontal-launch spaceport sites in Florida; and grants for workforce, education and research programs.
SpaceTEC Unveils New Website with Certification Info (Source: SpaceTEC)
In advance of a national partners meeting at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport next week, the SpaceTEC center for aerospace technical training and certification has unveiled its new website, including information on obtaining a SpaceTEC certification. Visit http://www.spacetec.org for information.
China Reveals Space Plans (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
China has revealed its plans for space -- including space walking, spacecraft docking and the setting up of a space laboratory before 2010. The government would also give priority to developing an earth observation system using satellites, aircraft and airships, according to a blueprint approved by the State Council, or the cabinet. The document, part of China's 11th five-year plan for space development, said China would improve a navigation system that is based on plans to launch dozens of satellites. Apart from launching the country's first lunar orbiter at the end of this month, China would also study the second and third stages of its moon exploration projects. Officials earlier said China is also planning to land a human on the moon and to make a series of robotic missions with a view to building a base there after 2020.
Orbital Reports Third Quarter 2007 Financial Results (Source: Orbital)
Orbital Sciences Corporation's third quarter revenues increased 46% to $289.5 million in 2007, compared to $197.8 million in 2006. The company's third quarter operating income rose 54% to $23.2 million in 2007, compared to $15.1 million in 2006. Third quarter net income increased 84% to $15.7 million in 2007, compared to $8.5 million in 2006.
Spaceflight Participant or Astronaut? (Source: Electric New Paper)
Ask any patriotic Malaysian and he would say his countryman now orbiting the Earth is truly an astronaut or angkasawan, the Malay word for astronaut. But ever since the US space agency NASA described Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor as a spaceflight participant, the blogs have been buzzing. The NASA comment riled many Malaysians. Malaysia's Science, Techology and Innovations Minister, Datuk Seri Jamaludin Jarjis, told Bernama that Dr Muszaphar would be recognized as a cosmonaut - the Russian equivalent of the astronaut - next month. NASA described the Malaysian as a 'spaceflight participant... flying under contract with the Russian Federal Space Agency'. The Malaysian minister told journalists: 'The Russians themselves had told our man that he is a cosmonaut, and that's the end of the story.'
Water on Mars: Look Just Below the Surface (Source: The Star)
Ingenious detective work by University of Guelph researchers has uncovered the strongest evidence yet of large reservoirs of water today at the Martian surface. The water isn't a liquid, but is chemically bound up in a white layer of mineral salts located only a penny's thickness below the planet's characteristic red surface. The iron and sulphur compound that makes up this white layer contains as much as 18 per cent water by weight, says Iain Campbell, a retired University of Guelph physics professor who led the research. The chemically trapped water is most likely what's left from surface water pools that evaporated, the researchers speculate.
SpaceX Successfully Completes NASA Design Review Space Station Support (Source: SpaceX)
SpaceX has successfully completed the Critical Design Review (CDR) for its first Falcon 9 / Dragon mission as part of the NASA Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) demonstration program. SpaceX hosted a group of over forty top level NASA representatives and key SpaceX customers for a review of the design of the Falcon 9 rocket, Dragon spacecraft and associated ground systems for the first COTS demonstration mission.
Three weeks prior to the review, SpaceX submitted more than 480 design documents to NASA for detailed review by its experts. At the review, twenty six speakers gave thirty two presentations on over two dozen different topics including aerodynamics, propulsion, communication, ground processing, flight operations, recovery and more. The event was held in the 60 ft tall high bay at SpaceX's new 550,000 square foot (51,000 sq. m.) headquarters in Hawthorne, California, a facility formerly used to build Boeing 747 fuselage sections. On display were several pieces of Falcon 9 hardware and tooling, a full sized engineering model of the Dragon spacecraft, and the new Merlin 1C engine developed by SpaceX.
Alliant Techsystems Inc., a maker of weapons and ammunition, is considering at least eight companies as potential acquisition targets in order to expand into the satellite, alternative energy or commercial aerospace markets. Alliant CEO Daniel J. Murphy did not disclose the names of the buyout targets, but said one potential deal to expand the company's foreign operations in commercial aerospace and advanced materials could be valued at up to $2.5 billion. The remaining acquisitions will be valued around $500 million apiece and will be integrated into the company's three main business segments: ammunition, weapons and satellite launch systems.
Designing a Rocket Ride Into Suborbit (Source: CNET News)
Before Virgin Group mogul Richard Branson hired him to design a futuristic tourist rocket ship, Richard Seymour's only experience in the market was dreaming up spacecraft for the movies. Seymour said that his U.K. design company Seymourpowell, is designing the interior of the craft and the space suits that tourists will wear on their two-hour suborbital flights with Virgin Galactic. Having already sold out its first flight at $200,000 per passenger, Branson's company is planning its first commercial launch for 2008. Seymour said that tourists will actually spend four of five days on the holiday, at Spaceport America (the launch hub). People must train in the spaceship White Knight for at least two days, learning things like "how to keep your breakfast down" at 5 Gs. Rocketing into space and back takes only a few minutes each way in the two-hour trip, a jarring experience if you're not used to it, he said.
NASA to Open New Competition for Space Transportation Seed Money (Source: NASA)
NASA will conduct a new competition for funding that remains in NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Project, known as COTS. The new competition follows NASA's decision to terminate its funded agreement with aerospace firm Rocketplane Kistler. "NASA remains fully committed to the COTS Project," said Alan Lindenmoyer, who as manager of the Commercial Crew and Cargo Program Office oversees the COTS Project. "We'll be releasing a synopsis for the new competition Friday and the full announcement for a new round of industry proposals on Monday."
Companies will have 30 days to respond to Monday's announcement, and NASA intends to enter into one or more new COTS agreements early next year. Companies that are U.S. commercial providers will be eligible. COTS provides seed money to companies when they reach performance milestones to help them design and develop space transportation capabilities that could pave the way for private cargo deliveries to the International Space Station. Of the $206.8 million NASA agreed to invest in Rocketplane Kistler, the company received a total of $32.1 million. The remaining $174.7 million will be offered to aerospace firms in a new competition. NASA's current funded COTS partner, SpaceX, is current on all of its financial and technical milestones. NASA also has unfunded COTS agreements with five other companies. Visit http://www.nasa.gov/directorates/esmd/ccc for information.
Two Florida Teams Are Finalists for Award at X-Prize Cup (Source: NSS)
Two student-led Florida teams are among ten finalists for the Pete Conrad Spirit of Innovation Award, to be presented at the X-Prize Cup in New Mexico next week. Their ideas will be on display at the event. The award is for teams of high school students who develop ideas that could accelerate the personal spaceflight industry. Winners will be chosen by popular vote and announced at the closing ceremonies on Oct. 28. The first place team will receive a $5,000 grant, followed by $2,500 for second place and $1,500 for third. The two Florida teams include: SEDS-UCF of Orlando and their conceptualized a permanent space settlement to support all other space missions, through manufacturing and research; and Three Tekna Theos Girls of Orange Park for their designs for a device to accurately chronicle the journey of a space traveler. Good luck!
Florida Teachers to Attend Embry-Riddle "TeachSpace" Workshop at Spaceport (Source: ERAU)
Thirty science/math teachers from Volusia, Seminole, Osceola, and Manatee Counties will attend a TeachSpace workshop at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, as part of the lead-up to the World Space Expo. The workshop is supported by SpaceTEC, with sponsorship by the Florida Space Grant Consortium and Space Florida. Some of the participating teachers will be selected for upcoming "Hawking Center" weightless flights aboard ZERO-G's G-Force One aircraft.
Space Florida Making Progress (Source: Florida Today)
Space Florida, the Brevard-based public agency charged with developing the state's space business, has submitted an annual performance report detailing progress on important initiatives, including advocay for more state spending on space activities; agreements with NASA and the Air Force for launch/landing studies and facility access; reviews of potential alternative horizontal-launch spaceport sites in Florida; and grants for workforce, education and research programs.
SpaceTEC Unveils New Website with Certification Info (Source: SpaceTEC)
In advance of a national partners meeting at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport next week, the SpaceTEC center for aerospace technical training and certification has unveiled its new website, including information on obtaining a SpaceTEC certification. Visit http://www.spacetec.org for information.
China Reveals Space Plans (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
China has revealed its plans for space -- including space walking, spacecraft docking and the setting up of a space laboratory before 2010. The government would also give priority to developing an earth observation system using satellites, aircraft and airships, according to a blueprint approved by the State Council, or the cabinet. The document, part of China's 11th five-year plan for space development, said China would improve a navigation system that is based on plans to launch dozens of satellites. Apart from launching the country's first lunar orbiter at the end of this month, China would also study the second and third stages of its moon exploration projects. Officials earlier said China is also planning to land a human on the moon and to make a series of robotic missions with a view to building a base there after 2020.
Orbital Reports Third Quarter 2007 Financial Results (Source: Orbital)
Orbital Sciences Corporation's third quarter revenues increased 46% to $289.5 million in 2007, compared to $197.8 million in 2006. The company's third quarter operating income rose 54% to $23.2 million in 2007, compared to $15.1 million in 2006. Third quarter net income increased 84% to $15.7 million in 2007, compared to $8.5 million in 2006.
Spaceflight Participant or Astronaut? (Source: Electric New Paper)
Ask any patriotic Malaysian and he would say his countryman now orbiting the Earth is truly an astronaut or angkasawan, the Malay word for astronaut. But ever since the US space agency NASA described Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor as a spaceflight participant, the blogs have been buzzing. The NASA comment riled many Malaysians. Malaysia's Science, Techology and Innovations Minister, Datuk Seri Jamaludin Jarjis, told Bernama that Dr Muszaphar would be recognized as a cosmonaut - the Russian equivalent of the astronaut - next month. NASA described the Malaysian as a 'spaceflight participant... flying under contract with the Russian Federal Space Agency'. The Malaysian minister told journalists: 'The Russians themselves had told our man that he is a cosmonaut, and that's the end of the story.'
Water on Mars: Look Just Below the Surface (Source: The Star)
Ingenious detective work by University of Guelph researchers has uncovered the strongest evidence yet of large reservoirs of water today at the Martian surface. The water isn't a liquid, but is chemically bound up in a white layer of mineral salts located only a penny's thickness below the planet's characteristic red surface. The iron and sulphur compound that makes up this white layer contains as much as 18 per cent water by weight, says Iain Campbell, a retired University of Guelph physics professor who led the research. The chemically trapped water is most likely what's left from surface water pools that evaporated, the researchers speculate.
SpaceX Successfully Completes NASA Design Review Space Station Support (Source: SpaceX)
SpaceX has successfully completed the Critical Design Review (CDR) for its first Falcon 9 / Dragon mission as part of the NASA Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) demonstration program. SpaceX hosted a group of over forty top level NASA representatives and key SpaceX customers for a review of the design of the Falcon 9 rocket, Dragon spacecraft and associated ground systems for the first COTS demonstration mission.
Three weeks prior to the review, SpaceX submitted more than 480 design documents to NASA for detailed review by its experts. At the review, twenty six speakers gave thirty two presentations on over two dozen different topics including aerodynamics, propulsion, communication, ground processing, flight operations, recovery and more. The event was held in the 60 ft tall high bay at SpaceX's new 550,000 square foot (51,000 sq. m.) headquarters in Hawthorne, California, a facility formerly used to build Boeing 747 fuselage sections. On display were several pieces of Falcon 9 hardware and tooling, a full sized engineering model of the Dragon spacecraft, and the new Merlin 1C engine developed by SpaceX.
October 17 News Items
Discovery Gets OK to Launch (Source: Florida Today)
Discovery and seven astronauts got a green light Tuesday to launch next week despite a safety panel's concerns about slight defects in three shuttle heat shield panels. Liftoff is scheduled for 11:38 a.m. Tuesday, midway through a 10-minute opportunity to put the shuttle on course for a high-flying hook-up with the International Space Station. Discovery's crew was cleared for flight after senior agency managers decided small cracks in a protective silicon carbide coating on the panels would not pose an undue risk to the astronauts during atmospheric re-entry.
Delta II Launches GPS Satellite from Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: Florida Today)
A Delta II rocket carrying an Air Force GPS satelltie launched at 8:23 a.m. Wednesday from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. This was the 77th consecutive Delta 2 rocket to deliver its payload. At least 25 Delta 2 rockets remain to fly during the next few years.
Celestis Plans Memorial Spaceflight with SpaceX (Source: Celestis)
Celestis Corp. has integrated two flight canisters containing cremated remains onto the Falcon 1 launch vehicle at SpaceX headquarters in El Segundo. The "Explorers Flight" will be launched into Earth orbit from the SpaceX Marshall Islands facility no earlier than Feb. 2008. The canister includes 208 participants from 14 nations.
Shuttle Strike Becomes Longest Ever at KSC (Source: Florida Today)
The contract standoff between a Machinists union and NASA contractor United Space Alliance has turned into the union's longest strike ever at Kennedy Space Center. The strike, which began June 14, has lasted 126 days as of Wednesday. That's longer than several Machinists union strikes at the Space Center from the 1970s to the 1990s, according to union officials. Both sides have not returned to the bargaining table since last month, when a scheduled two-day negotiating session arranged with the help of a federal mediator broke down after one day and the second day was canceled.
Back in the Space Race: Russian Revival Raises New Questions (Source: AFP)
The Soyuz rocket, carrying an American, a Malaysian and a Russian, was a study in world peace as it thundered toward the stars on the latest mission to the International Space Station. "The more people in space the better it is for human beings," declared American reserve astronaut Michael Fincke as he drank toasts with Russian colleagues at a dilapidated viewing platform at Baikonur spaceport. But while American officials sang their Russian counterparts' praises after the October 10 blast-off, some experts are questioning Russia's future role in space.
Experts warn that US-Russian post-Cold War space cooperation could crumble as Moscow recovers its economic and diplomatic strength, while tensions grow over Washington's missile defence plans in eastern Europe. Some also feel time may be running out for the iconic Baikonur spaceport, which has been at the center of Moscow's space program for half a century and saw the first ever satellite launch and the first human space launch. Click here to view the article.
Risky Space Tourism Gets a Boost From a Hands-Off FAA (Source: USA Today)
In the latest space race — to lift paying customers out of Earth's atmosphere — aviation safety regulators occupy a new niche: They are promoting an industry expected to suffer deadly accidents instead of applying strict safety rules. FAA officials detailed their unique relationship with the emerging space-tourism industry for a gathering of air and space lawyers this month. Several firms are racing to serve people willing to pay a steep price for the privilege of floating briefly in space, perhaps in as little as two years. Some scientists believe commercial competition will fuel rapid development of space travel technology.
In the Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004, Congress told the FAA to treat the industry more like an adventure business than an air carrier. The law protects the rights of those who wish to be among the first private citizens to go into space — likening them to visionaries and adventurers who knowingly take other risks like climbing mountains — while giving the people who operate the new types of unproven spacecraft the scientific latitude to learn from their first fatal mistakes. "This is an ultra-hazardous business," Patti Grace Smith, the FAA's associate administrator for Commercial Space Transportation told attendees at an American Bar Association forum on air and space law. She said part of the agency's effort to promote the industry's success means giving it room to fail. Visit http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/space/2007-10-16-space-tourism_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip to view the article.
Russia to Develop New Carrier Rocket for Manned Spaceflight (Source: RIA Novosti)
Russia's space agency will soon announce a tender to develop a new carrier rocket, to ensure successful implementation of its manned-flight program. "A special commission will determine the design criteria [for the new space vehicle] and the domestic companies eligible for participation in the tender," said Anatoly Perminov, the head of the Federal Space Agency. The Federal Space Program for 2006-2015 stipulates the construction of a reusable "Clipper" spacecraft jointly with European partners, and two carrier rockets, the Angara and the Soyuz-2. While the family of Soyuz-2 launch vehicles is already operational, Russia is still developing the entire range of Angara boosters. The Khrunichev State Research and Production Center, the Angara designer and manufacturer, will exhibit mock-up models of Angara boosters at the Dubai AirShow 2007 on Nov. 11-15.
Internet Preparing To Go Into Outer Space (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
After expanding across Earth, the Internet is now set to spread into outer space to reach parts no network has gone before, one of its co-creators predicted. Vinton Cerf said the proposed "interplanetary" Internet would allow people an ability "to access information and to control experiments taking place far away" from Earth. Expanding into the solar system would bring new rules and regulations too, he told an annual Seoul forum, saying he and other experts were working on a set of standards designed to guide space-era Internet communications. "Finally, the Internet can take us where no network has gone before," said Cerf, who is Google's vice president and chief internet evangelist, Cerf told a separate news conference that new standards were needed because of the huge distances and time delays involved in communication across space.
Senate Approves NASA Budget (Source: SpaceToday.net)
The US Senate passed an appropriations bill Tuesday that gives NASA $1 billion more than originally requested, after fending off a last-minute bid to divert some of that money to another program. The Senate passed the Commerce, Justice, and Science appropriations bill on a 75-19 vote on Tuesday after debating a number of amendments to the bill. One of the amendments debated Tuesday would have diverted $150 million from the agency to fund the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program, which reimburses states for the costs of jailing illegal immigrants, but the amendment was shot down by a wide margin. The overall bill gives $18.5 billion for NASA, thanks in part to an amendment the Senate approved earlier this month that adds $1 billion to the agency's budget. The Senate version of the bill must be reconciled with the House version, which lacks the extra $1 billion, and also faces a threatened veto from the president.
Discovery and seven astronauts got a green light Tuesday to launch next week despite a safety panel's concerns about slight defects in three shuttle heat shield panels. Liftoff is scheduled for 11:38 a.m. Tuesday, midway through a 10-minute opportunity to put the shuttle on course for a high-flying hook-up with the International Space Station. Discovery's crew was cleared for flight after senior agency managers decided small cracks in a protective silicon carbide coating on the panels would not pose an undue risk to the astronauts during atmospheric re-entry.
Delta II Launches GPS Satellite from Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: Florida Today)
A Delta II rocket carrying an Air Force GPS satelltie launched at 8:23 a.m. Wednesday from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. This was the 77th consecutive Delta 2 rocket to deliver its payload. At least 25 Delta 2 rockets remain to fly during the next few years.
Celestis Plans Memorial Spaceflight with SpaceX (Source: Celestis)
Celestis Corp. has integrated two flight canisters containing cremated remains onto the Falcon 1 launch vehicle at SpaceX headquarters in El Segundo. The "Explorers Flight" will be launched into Earth orbit from the SpaceX Marshall Islands facility no earlier than Feb. 2008. The canister includes 208 participants from 14 nations.
Shuttle Strike Becomes Longest Ever at KSC (Source: Florida Today)
The contract standoff between a Machinists union and NASA contractor United Space Alliance has turned into the union's longest strike ever at Kennedy Space Center. The strike, which began June 14, has lasted 126 days as of Wednesday. That's longer than several Machinists union strikes at the Space Center from the 1970s to the 1990s, according to union officials. Both sides have not returned to the bargaining table since last month, when a scheduled two-day negotiating session arranged with the help of a federal mediator broke down after one day and the second day was canceled.
Back in the Space Race: Russian Revival Raises New Questions (Source: AFP)
The Soyuz rocket, carrying an American, a Malaysian and a Russian, was a study in world peace as it thundered toward the stars on the latest mission to the International Space Station. "The more people in space the better it is for human beings," declared American reserve astronaut Michael Fincke as he drank toasts with Russian colleagues at a dilapidated viewing platform at Baikonur spaceport. But while American officials sang their Russian counterparts' praises after the October 10 blast-off, some experts are questioning Russia's future role in space.
Experts warn that US-Russian post-Cold War space cooperation could crumble as Moscow recovers its economic and diplomatic strength, while tensions grow over Washington's missile defence plans in eastern Europe. Some also feel time may be running out for the iconic Baikonur spaceport, which has been at the center of Moscow's space program for half a century and saw the first ever satellite launch and the first human space launch. Click here to view the article.
Risky Space Tourism Gets a Boost From a Hands-Off FAA (Source: USA Today)
In the latest space race — to lift paying customers out of Earth's atmosphere — aviation safety regulators occupy a new niche: They are promoting an industry expected to suffer deadly accidents instead of applying strict safety rules. FAA officials detailed their unique relationship with the emerging space-tourism industry for a gathering of air and space lawyers this month. Several firms are racing to serve people willing to pay a steep price for the privilege of floating briefly in space, perhaps in as little as two years. Some scientists believe commercial competition will fuel rapid development of space travel technology.
In the Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004, Congress told the FAA to treat the industry more like an adventure business than an air carrier. The law protects the rights of those who wish to be among the first private citizens to go into space — likening them to visionaries and adventurers who knowingly take other risks like climbing mountains — while giving the people who operate the new types of unproven spacecraft the scientific latitude to learn from their first fatal mistakes. "This is an ultra-hazardous business," Patti Grace Smith, the FAA's associate administrator for Commercial Space Transportation told attendees at an American Bar Association forum on air and space law. She said part of the agency's effort to promote the industry's success means giving it room to fail. Visit http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/space/2007-10-16-space-tourism_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip to view the article.
Russia to Develop New Carrier Rocket for Manned Spaceflight (Source: RIA Novosti)
Russia's space agency will soon announce a tender to develop a new carrier rocket, to ensure successful implementation of its manned-flight program. "A special commission will determine the design criteria [for the new space vehicle] and the domestic companies eligible for participation in the tender," said Anatoly Perminov, the head of the Federal Space Agency. The Federal Space Program for 2006-2015 stipulates the construction of a reusable "Clipper" spacecraft jointly with European partners, and two carrier rockets, the Angara and the Soyuz-2. While the family of Soyuz-2 launch vehicles is already operational, Russia is still developing the entire range of Angara boosters. The Khrunichev State Research and Production Center, the Angara designer and manufacturer, will exhibit mock-up models of Angara boosters at the Dubai AirShow 2007 on Nov. 11-15.
Internet Preparing To Go Into Outer Space (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
After expanding across Earth, the Internet is now set to spread into outer space to reach parts no network has gone before, one of its co-creators predicted. Vinton Cerf said the proposed "interplanetary" Internet would allow people an ability "to access information and to control experiments taking place far away" from Earth. Expanding into the solar system would bring new rules and regulations too, he told an annual Seoul forum, saying he and other experts were working on a set of standards designed to guide space-era Internet communications. "Finally, the Internet can take us where no network has gone before," said Cerf, who is Google's vice president and chief internet evangelist, Cerf told a separate news conference that new standards were needed because of the huge distances and time delays involved in communication across space.
Senate Approves NASA Budget (Source: SpaceToday.net)
The US Senate passed an appropriations bill Tuesday that gives NASA $1 billion more than originally requested, after fending off a last-minute bid to divert some of that money to another program. The Senate passed the Commerce, Justice, and Science appropriations bill on a 75-19 vote on Tuesday after debating a number of amendments to the bill. One of the amendments debated Tuesday would have diverted $150 million from the agency to fund the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program, which reimburses states for the costs of jailing illegal immigrants, but the amendment was shot down by a wide margin. The overall bill gives $18.5 billion for NASA, thanks in part to an amendment the Senate approved earlier this month that adds $1 billion to the agency's budget. The Senate version of the bill must be reconciled with the House version, which lacks the extra $1 billion, and also faces a threatened veto from the president.
October 16 News Items
NASA Extends Operations For Its Long-Lived Mars Rovers (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
Washington DC (SPX) Oct 16, 2007 - NASA is extending, for a fifth time, the activities of the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. The decision keeps the trailblazing mobile robotic pioneers active on opposite sides of Mars, possibly through 2009. This extended mission and the associated science are dependent upon the continued productivity and operability of the rovers.
China to Launch First Lunar Satellite Next Week (Source: Shanghai Daily)
China's first lunar satellite is scheduled to blast off next week from the Xichang spaceport in southwest China's Sichuan Province. "October 22 to 25 is the best period for the launch according to an analysis of weather, but the detailed time can't be revealed now," an official with the center said. The satellite, named "Chang'e" after the legendary Chinese goddess who flew to the moon, will orbit the Earth five to seven times before heading to the moon within 12 days. The satellite will orbit the moon for a year to conduct a string of tasks, such as obtaining 3D images of the lunar surface, analyzing the content of useful elements and materials and probing the depth of lunar soil.
SAIC Awarded NASA Moon Mission Facilities Contract (Source: SAIC)
SAIC subsidiary Benham Companies LLC has been awarded a $51.4 million contract by NASA to design, engineer and build two testing facilities. Both facilities will support development of the Orion spacecraft that will carry astronauts to the Space Station and the Moon in the next decade, and will be among the largest such facilities ever built. The period of performance of the contract is 18 months, with an additional six months of post-commissioning technical support. The two projects will be developed at the Space Power Facility at Plum Brook Station in Ohio, which is operated by NASA's Glenn Research Center.
China Hopes to Join Space Station Project (Source: Xinhua)
China hopes to become the 17th nation joining the International Space Station (ISS) project, Vice Minister of Science and Technology Li Xueyong said. "China sincerely wants to cooperate with the United States in space exploration and join the International Space Station project that has already involved 16 nations," said Li, a delegate to the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC). The Chinese government has been pursuing a policy of peaceful use of airspace, Li said.
Royal Air Force Chief backs Call for UK Astronauts (Source: Flight International)
The head of the Royal Air Force has lent his support to calls for the UK to enter the world of manned spaceflight, identifying the sector as a key aspect of the second century of manned flight and a means of inspiring young people to join his service. “I would like to see an RAF astronaut in the not-too-distant future,” chief of the air staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy said. “Space is an area where the UK needs more focus,” he added.
Amateurs Discover a Transiting Exoplanet (Source: Sky & Telescope)
An international network of astronomers has announced one of the most impressive discoveries ever made that involves amateurs. The group has found an extrasolar planet that crosses the face of its host star, an event known as a transit. Better yet, this object is unlike any of the 28 other known transiting exoplanets. The planet orbits the 8th-magnitude Sun-like star HD 17156, located 250 light-years away in northern Cassiopeia. It smashes not one, but two records for transiting exoplanets. It goes around its star every 21.2 days, much longer than the previous record holder at 5.66 days. It also has by far the most highly elongated orbit, with an eccentricity of 0.67.
Scarce Jobs in Astronomy: A Cosmic Shame? (Source: Fox News)
It's easy to wish upon a star — but if you want to make a living studying them, things get quite a bit tougher. Take a look at any astronomy-themed Web site, or tune in to a science television program, and you're sure to be dazzled by the wonders of the universe. Black holes! Dark matter! Colliding galaxies! What you won't hear is what many graduate and post-doctoral students in astronomy today know all too well — permanent, tenure-track jobs in the field are rare. The American Astronomical Society has a membership of 6,500, a modest figure to begin with. But, as its Web site states, that number "includes physicists, mathematicians, geologists, engineers and others whose research interests lie within the broad spectrum of subjects now comprising contemporary astronomy." Each year, American universities graduate around 125 new Ph.D. astronomers into a job market, with a considerably lower number of tenure-track positions.
Delta Launch Team Relies on Experience (Source: Florida Today)
When Chris Bruce isn't keeping his 19-year-old daughter's car running, he's using his considerable mechanical ability to lead the team of technicians preparing the third stage of Delta 2 rockets for launch. The GPS IIR-17 launch from Complex 17A on Wednesday morning will be the latest of nearly 50 rockets on which the 45-year-old Mims resident has worked. Working conditions are tough. The good-natured ribbing between his colleagues at United Launch Alliance, who also are his golfing buddies, often rises to a level of nastiness that only the thick-skinned and steel-nerved can bear. There is one consolation. "What goes around comes around," he said, showing a good-natured grin. "What you've dished out the day before, you're receiving the next day." The constant needling and trading of verbal jabs keeps the crew on their toes, he added. Oddly, it also makes for a good work environment.
NASA KSC Manager Talks Space in Arkansas (Source: NWAnews.com)
Joe Dowdy, special operations manager for NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, encouraged an audience at the University of Arkansas on Monday to watch the next space shuttle launch “with a sense of childlike wonder.” He advised them to travel to Florida, to witness a launch in person, to feel the air pulse and to see the waters ripple as the shuttle propels toward space. “It hits you in your chest — to your very core,” he said. “There’s nothing like it.” Dowdy, a Little Rock native, spoke about the future of the U. S. space program to students, faculty and staff in the Willard J. Walker Hall auditorium on the Fayetteville campus.
Washington DC (SPX) Oct 16, 2007 - NASA is extending, for a fifth time, the activities of the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. The decision keeps the trailblazing mobile robotic pioneers active on opposite sides of Mars, possibly through 2009. This extended mission and the associated science are dependent upon the continued productivity and operability of the rovers.
China to Launch First Lunar Satellite Next Week (Source: Shanghai Daily)
China's first lunar satellite is scheduled to blast off next week from the Xichang spaceport in southwest China's Sichuan Province. "October 22 to 25 is the best period for the launch according to an analysis of weather, but the detailed time can't be revealed now," an official with the center said. The satellite, named "Chang'e" after the legendary Chinese goddess who flew to the moon, will orbit the Earth five to seven times before heading to the moon within 12 days. The satellite will orbit the moon for a year to conduct a string of tasks, such as obtaining 3D images of the lunar surface, analyzing the content of useful elements and materials and probing the depth of lunar soil.
SAIC Awarded NASA Moon Mission Facilities Contract (Source: SAIC)
SAIC subsidiary Benham Companies LLC has been awarded a $51.4 million contract by NASA to design, engineer and build two testing facilities. Both facilities will support development of the Orion spacecraft that will carry astronauts to the Space Station and the Moon in the next decade, and will be among the largest such facilities ever built. The period of performance of the contract is 18 months, with an additional six months of post-commissioning technical support. The two projects will be developed at the Space Power Facility at Plum Brook Station in Ohio, which is operated by NASA's Glenn Research Center.
China Hopes to Join Space Station Project (Source: Xinhua)
China hopes to become the 17th nation joining the International Space Station (ISS) project, Vice Minister of Science and Technology Li Xueyong said. "China sincerely wants to cooperate with the United States in space exploration and join the International Space Station project that has already involved 16 nations," said Li, a delegate to the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC). The Chinese government has been pursuing a policy of peaceful use of airspace, Li said.
Royal Air Force Chief backs Call for UK Astronauts (Source: Flight International)
The head of the Royal Air Force has lent his support to calls for the UK to enter the world of manned spaceflight, identifying the sector as a key aspect of the second century of manned flight and a means of inspiring young people to join his service. “I would like to see an RAF astronaut in the not-too-distant future,” chief of the air staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy said. “Space is an area where the UK needs more focus,” he added.
Amateurs Discover a Transiting Exoplanet (Source: Sky & Telescope)
An international network of astronomers has announced one of the most impressive discoveries ever made that involves amateurs. The group has found an extrasolar planet that crosses the face of its host star, an event known as a transit. Better yet, this object is unlike any of the 28 other known transiting exoplanets. The planet orbits the 8th-magnitude Sun-like star HD 17156, located 250 light-years away in northern Cassiopeia. It smashes not one, but two records for transiting exoplanets. It goes around its star every 21.2 days, much longer than the previous record holder at 5.66 days. It also has by far the most highly elongated orbit, with an eccentricity of 0.67.
Scarce Jobs in Astronomy: A Cosmic Shame? (Source: Fox News)
It's easy to wish upon a star — but if you want to make a living studying them, things get quite a bit tougher. Take a look at any astronomy-themed Web site, or tune in to a science television program, and you're sure to be dazzled by the wonders of the universe. Black holes! Dark matter! Colliding galaxies! What you won't hear is what many graduate and post-doctoral students in astronomy today know all too well — permanent, tenure-track jobs in the field are rare. The American Astronomical Society has a membership of 6,500, a modest figure to begin with. But, as its Web site states, that number "includes physicists, mathematicians, geologists, engineers and others whose research interests lie within the broad spectrum of subjects now comprising contemporary astronomy." Each year, American universities graduate around 125 new Ph.D. astronomers into a job market, with a considerably lower number of tenure-track positions.
Delta Launch Team Relies on Experience (Source: Florida Today)
When Chris Bruce isn't keeping his 19-year-old daughter's car running, he's using his considerable mechanical ability to lead the team of technicians preparing the third stage of Delta 2 rockets for launch. The GPS IIR-17 launch from Complex 17A on Wednesday morning will be the latest of nearly 50 rockets on which the 45-year-old Mims resident has worked. Working conditions are tough. The good-natured ribbing between his colleagues at United Launch Alliance, who also are his golfing buddies, often rises to a level of nastiness that only the thick-skinned and steel-nerved can bear. There is one consolation. "What goes around comes around," he said, showing a good-natured grin. "What you've dished out the day before, you're receiving the next day." The constant needling and trading of verbal jabs keeps the crew on their toes, he added. Oddly, it also makes for a good work environment.
NASA KSC Manager Talks Space in Arkansas (Source: NWAnews.com)
Joe Dowdy, special operations manager for NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, encouraged an audience at the University of Arkansas on Monday to watch the next space shuttle launch “with a sense of childlike wonder.” He advised them to travel to Florida, to witness a launch in person, to feel the air pulse and to see the waters ripple as the shuttle propels toward space. “It hits you in your chest — to your very core,” he said. “There’s nothing like it.” Dowdy, a Little Rock native, spoke about the future of the U. S. space program to students, faculty and staff in the Willard J. Walker Hall auditorium on the Fayetteville campus.
October 15 News Items
Asteroid is 'Practice Case' for Potential Hazards (Source: MIT)
In research that could aid decisions about future asteroids on a collision course with Earth, MIT scientists have for the first time determined the composition of a near-Earth asteroid that has a very slight possibility of someday hitting our planet. That information could be useful in planning any future space mission to explore the asteroid, called Apophis. And if the time ever were to come when this object or another turned out to be on its way toward an impact on Earth, knowing what it's made of could be one important factor in deciding what to do about it.
Don't Wreck the Mars Program (Source: Scientific American)
In the mid-1990s the U.S. embarked on a new strategy for exploring the Red Planet. In response to the 1993 failure of the Mars Observer mission—a billion-dollar, decade-in-the-making probe that mysteriously lost contact with ground controllers just before it was scheduled to go into orbit around Mars—NASA decided to shift to smaller, less expensive spacecraft and create a sustained exploration campaign by sending one or two probes to Mars at every launch opportunity. The new strategy spread out the risk and ensured that the engineering experience and scientific data acquired by one mission could be rapidly used by the next. The approach has proved a brilliant success, putting three NASA spacecraft into orbit around Mars and three rovers on the planet’s surface. The Phoenix Mars Lander is expected to reach the Red Planet next May, and NASA plans to launch the Mars Science Lab in 2009.
Subsequent missions are in jeopardy, however. NASA warned in July that at least one of the future Mars probes may have to be scrapped to free up funding for a much costlier mission, tentatively scheduled for the 2018–2020 period, that would collect samples of Martian rock and bring them to Earth. Moreover, highly placed scientists and program leaders report that the new plan may actually require the sacrifice of all other Mars spacecraft after 2009. Putting aside the question of whether the redirected funds would actually be devoted to the Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission, such a reorganization would be a very bad idea. A one-shot mission to bring Martian rocks to Earth for laboratory analysis is not really a good way to address the central question of Mars science. The Red Planet is a critical test bed for the hypothesis that life is likely to arise wherever the appropriate physical conditions—notably, the presence of liquid water—prevail on a planet for a sufficiently long time. Scientists now know that Mars probably had standing bodies of water on its surface between three billion and four billion years ago, when there was already plentiful microbial life on Earth.
Because asteroid and comet impacts facilitate the transfer of rocks between Mars and Earth, the discovery of microfossils on the Martian surface would not in itself prove that life arose independently on Mars. To settle the question, researchers would need to find living organisms on the planet and examine their biochemistry. These organisms, if they exist, are most likely to be found in groundwater. Thus, the most important goal of the exploration program is to identify sites on Mars where groundwater is within practical drilling distance of the surface. This task can best be done not with an MSR mission but with a comprehensive scouting program involving orbiters, rovers, drillers and robotic aircraft with ground-penetrating radar.
Students Help Astronauts to Breathe Easier on the Moon (Source: Challenger Center)
In the future, astronauts will use plants to provide food, oxygen, clean water and waste recycling while living on the Moon. Join the Challenger Center for Space Science Education and NASA’s K-12 Engineering Design Challenge and design a mini-greenhouse for use by future astronauts living and working on the moon. Challenger Center is pleased to announce a series of live interactive chats with NASA expert space farmers on Oct. 16th, 23rd, and 30th at 2:00 (ET) giving students and teachers the opportunity to discuss their ideas for growing plants on a future lunar base. Dr. Gary Stutte, John Gruener and Dr. Raymond Wheeler will answer questions such as, When will we return to the Moon? How will the astronauts live and work in reduced gravity? What are the benefits of growing plants on the Moon? The web casts are free and open to the public. To register for the webcasts, and learn more about Challenger Center for Space Science Education’s network of 50 Challenger Learning Centers across the country, visit http://www.challenger.org.
NASA 50th Anniversary Essay Contest for Students (Source: NASA)
The NASA 50th Anniversary Essay Competition for middle and junior high school students is now accepting entries. The competition consists of two separate topics, each with a limit of 500 words. The first topic challenges students to describe how they benefit in their everyday lives from space technologies built by NASA over the last 50 years. The second topic requires students to imagine how their everyday lives will have changed because of NASA space technology in the next 50 years. Students may submit two separate essays, each responding to a separate topic. Participants must be U.S. students in grades 5-9 and under the age of 15. An optional notice of intent is due on Dec. 7, 2007. Final entries are due on or before Jan. 7, 2008. For more information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/5-8/features/F_Essay_Competition.html.
NASA Undergraduate Student Research Program Spring 2008 Internship Session (Source: NASA)
NASA's Undergraduate Student Research Program is currently accepting applications for 15-week spring 2008 internships. These internships offer students the opportunity to work alongside NASA scientists and engineers at NASA's centers, laboratories and test facilities. Applicants must be U.S. college sophomores, juniors or seniors with majors or course work concentration in engineering, mathematics, computer science, or physical or life sciences. Applicants must be U.S. citizens. The application deadline for the spring 2008 session is Oct. 22, 2007. For more information, visit: http://education.nasa.gov/usrp.
Europe Set for Major Space Campaign (Source: BBC)
Europe is on the cusp of a renaissance in space, with its first permanently tended orbital laboratory, a cargo transporter and other gear about to make their debuts. After more than a decade of preparation, 45 tons of European hardware is heading into space over the next four months, including the crown jewel of European space efforts, the Columbus laboratory, which is to become part of the International Space Station (ISS). Europe's direct participation in the station has taken much longer than expected and the costs have been dear.
Classified Satellite Failure Led To Latest SBIRS Delay (Source: Aviation Week)
The loss of a classified satellite after only 7 seconds on orbit prompted the review of software and processors that has caused the most recent delay and a potential $1 billion overrun in Lockheed Martin's Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS). The classified satellite went into a "safe hold," mode, which is initiated when a major anomaly disrupts its operation, and the failure of the safe-hold software made it impossible for ground-control to recover the spacecraft. An official refers to it as a useless "ice cube." Industry officials say Lockheed Martin designed the safe-hold software and architecture for both the failed satellite and SBIRS. This classified spacecraft has some similar architectural qualities to that of the upcoming SBIRS geosynchronous spacecraft, which is what triggered a review of its processors and architecture this summer.
Editorial: Don't Take the Risk (Source: Florida Today)
Human spaceflight involves great risk. The question for NASA is how to carefully manage that risk so the thin line that makes the difference between life and death for astronauts is not crossed. Agency managers will confront the issue again Tuesday, when they gather at Kennedy Space Center to review shuttle Discovery before its planned Oct. 23 liftoff to the International Space Station. What they should do is clear: Heed the warnings of an independent safety panel and replace panels in the ship's wings that contain tiny cracks that could fail and trigger a repeat of the shuttle Columbia disaster.
In research that could aid decisions about future asteroids on a collision course with Earth, MIT scientists have for the first time determined the composition of a near-Earth asteroid that has a very slight possibility of someday hitting our planet. That information could be useful in planning any future space mission to explore the asteroid, called Apophis. And if the time ever were to come when this object or another turned out to be on its way toward an impact on Earth, knowing what it's made of could be one important factor in deciding what to do about it.
Don't Wreck the Mars Program (Source: Scientific American)
In the mid-1990s the U.S. embarked on a new strategy for exploring the Red Planet. In response to the 1993 failure of the Mars Observer mission—a billion-dollar, decade-in-the-making probe that mysteriously lost contact with ground controllers just before it was scheduled to go into orbit around Mars—NASA decided to shift to smaller, less expensive spacecraft and create a sustained exploration campaign by sending one or two probes to Mars at every launch opportunity. The new strategy spread out the risk and ensured that the engineering experience and scientific data acquired by one mission could be rapidly used by the next. The approach has proved a brilliant success, putting three NASA spacecraft into orbit around Mars and three rovers on the planet’s surface. The Phoenix Mars Lander is expected to reach the Red Planet next May, and NASA plans to launch the Mars Science Lab in 2009.
Subsequent missions are in jeopardy, however. NASA warned in July that at least one of the future Mars probes may have to be scrapped to free up funding for a much costlier mission, tentatively scheduled for the 2018–2020 period, that would collect samples of Martian rock and bring them to Earth. Moreover, highly placed scientists and program leaders report that the new plan may actually require the sacrifice of all other Mars spacecraft after 2009. Putting aside the question of whether the redirected funds would actually be devoted to the Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission, such a reorganization would be a very bad idea. A one-shot mission to bring Martian rocks to Earth for laboratory analysis is not really a good way to address the central question of Mars science. The Red Planet is a critical test bed for the hypothesis that life is likely to arise wherever the appropriate physical conditions—notably, the presence of liquid water—prevail on a planet for a sufficiently long time. Scientists now know that Mars probably had standing bodies of water on its surface between three billion and four billion years ago, when there was already plentiful microbial life on Earth.
Because asteroid and comet impacts facilitate the transfer of rocks between Mars and Earth, the discovery of microfossils on the Martian surface would not in itself prove that life arose independently on Mars. To settle the question, researchers would need to find living organisms on the planet and examine their biochemistry. These organisms, if they exist, are most likely to be found in groundwater. Thus, the most important goal of the exploration program is to identify sites on Mars where groundwater is within practical drilling distance of the surface. This task can best be done not with an MSR mission but with a comprehensive scouting program involving orbiters, rovers, drillers and robotic aircraft with ground-penetrating radar.
Students Help Astronauts to Breathe Easier on the Moon (Source: Challenger Center)
In the future, astronauts will use plants to provide food, oxygen, clean water and waste recycling while living on the Moon. Join the Challenger Center for Space Science Education and NASA’s K-12 Engineering Design Challenge and design a mini-greenhouse for use by future astronauts living and working on the moon. Challenger Center is pleased to announce a series of live interactive chats with NASA expert space farmers on Oct. 16th, 23rd, and 30th at 2:00 (ET) giving students and teachers the opportunity to discuss their ideas for growing plants on a future lunar base. Dr. Gary Stutte, John Gruener and Dr. Raymond Wheeler will answer questions such as, When will we return to the Moon? How will the astronauts live and work in reduced gravity? What are the benefits of growing plants on the Moon? The web casts are free and open to the public. To register for the webcasts, and learn more about Challenger Center for Space Science Education’s network of 50 Challenger Learning Centers across the country, visit http://www.challenger.org.
NASA 50th Anniversary Essay Contest for Students (Source: NASA)
The NASA 50th Anniversary Essay Competition for middle and junior high school students is now accepting entries. The competition consists of two separate topics, each with a limit of 500 words. The first topic challenges students to describe how they benefit in their everyday lives from space technologies built by NASA over the last 50 years. The second topic requires students to imagine how their everyday lives will have changed because of NASA space technology in the next 50 years. Students may submit two separate essays, each responding to a separate topic. Participants must be U.S. students in grades 5-9 and under the age of 15. An optional notice of intent is due on Dec. 7, 2007. Final entries are due on or before Jan. 7, 2008. For more information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/5-8/features/F_Essay_Competition.html.
NASA Undergraduate Student Research Program Spring 2008 Internship Session (Source: NASA)
NASA's Undergraduate Student Research Program is currently accepting applications for 15-week spring 2008 internships. These internships offer students the opportunity to work alongside NASA scientists and engineers at NASA's centers, laboratories and test facilities. Applicants must be U.S. college sophomores, juniors or seniors with majors or course work concentration in engineering, mathematics, computer science, or physical or life sciences. Applicants must be U.S. citizens. The application deadline for the spring 2008 session is Oct. 22, 2007. For more information, visit: http://education.nasa.gov/usrp.
Europe Set for Major Space Campaign (Source: BBC)
Europe is on the cusp of a renaissance in space, with its first permanently tended orbital laboratory, a cargo transporter and other gear about to make their debuts. After more than a decade of preparation, 45 tons of European hardware is heading into space over the next four months, including the crown jewel of European space efforts, the Columbus laboratory, which is to become part of the International Space Station (ISS). Europe's direct participation in the station has taken much longer than expected and the costs have been dear.
Classified Satellite Failure Led To Latest SBIRS Delay (Source: Aviation Week)
The loss of a classified satellite after only 7 seconds on orbit prompted the review of software and processors that has caused the most recent delay and a potential $1 billion overrun in Lockheed Martin's Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS). The classified satellite went into a "safe hold," mode, which is initiated when a major anomaly disrupts its operation, and the failure of the safe-hold software made it impossible for ground-control to recover the spacecraft. An official refers to it as a useless "ice cube." Industry officials say Lockheed Martin designed the safe-hold software and architecture for both the failed satellite and SBIRS. This classified spacecraft has some similar architectural qualities to that of the upcoming SBIRS geosynchronous spacecraft, which is what triggered a review of its processors and architecture this summer.
Editorial: Don't Take the Risk (Source: Florida Today)
Human spaceflight involves great risk. The question for NASA is how to carefully manage that risk so the thin line that makes the difference between life and death for astronauts is not crossed. Agency managers will confront the issue again Tuesday, when they gather at Kennedy Space Center to review shuttle Discovery before its planned Oct. 23 liftoff to the International Space Station. What they should do is clear: Heed the warnings of an independent safety panel and replace panels in the ship's wings that contain tiny cracks that could fail and trigger a repeat of the shuttle Columbia disaster.
October 14 News Items
Florida Space Workforce, Advocacy Groups Meet This Week (Source: ERAU)
An advisory board for the SpaceTEC aerospace technician certification/training program at Brevard Community College will meet on Monday morning to discuss the program's progress and future plans as the Space Shuttle's retirement approaches. Also meeting later in the week will be a task force assembled to develop statewide space-related policy and funding recommendations to mitigate the Shuttle retirement impacts.
Asia Ripe for Satellite TV (Source: Space News)
Asian satellite operators expressed optimism about the near-term growth of direct-broadcast television as regional economic growth and lower-cost satellite receivers make the service more affordable, and techniques to minimize signal degradation from heavy rains improve reliability. These companies said the growth prospects help explain why new satellite operators were appearing on the scene despite concerns that the market already is overcrowded. Protostar Ltd. of Bermuda, Asia Broadcast Satellite of Hong Kong and Vietnam Telecom International — three new operators with spacecraft in orbit or expected to be in 2008 — are entering a market that still suffers from occasional below-cost pricing practices.
Space Sick: Are our Astronauts Safe? (Source: ABC News)
When astronaut Peggy Whitson moves into the orbiting laboratory today for a six-month stay, she'll have two human roommates — as well as countless ones invisible to the naked eye, from microbes that can corrode metal to germs that can cause serious infections in people. Outer space is a cold and sterile place, but spaceships are not. As the 9-year-old space station ages, it's likely to grow more micro-organisms that could pose a risk to its human residents and the station itself. Adding an extra worry, scientists have seen signs that the human immune system weakens during space trips. "Wherever man goes, microbes go," says Cheryl Nickerson of Arizona State University, who studies disease-causing micro-organisms. Most of the bugs in orbit aren't dangerous, she says, but "there's absolutely a risk … to the crew."
GPS Launch Planned Wednesday from Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: Florida Today)
A Delta 2 rocket carrying a Global Positioning Satellite is on schedule for liftoff Wednesday in a launch window between 8:23 and 8:38 a.m. EDT. Riding a Delta 2 rocket with nine strap-on solid rocket boosters, the satellite will enter an orbit 11,000 miles above the Earth. This could be the 77th consecutive Delta 2 rocket to deliver its payload safely. In 130 Delta flights since 1989, 128 have been successful. The last failure was January 1997, when a Delta II rocket exploded shortly after launch from Cape Canaveral, due to a cracked solid rocket motor. At least 25 Delta 2 rockets are scheduled to fly during the next several years before the vehicle is retired.
ISRO Staff Demands Probe Into Land Scam (Source: India World)
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) staff association Saturday demanded a probe into the controversial land purchase by the organization, saying its credibility was at stake. Addressing the annual meeting of the association here, general secretary D. Murugan said: 'Of late ISRO's credibility is at stake on account of several unhealthy practices. The top officials of the organization are giving out contracts to make money. Also, reappointment of certain officials after their superannuation is a cause of concern.' ISRO purchased 82 acres of land in Ponmudi, 75 km from here, from businessman Savy Mano Mathew in March. The opposition alleges that the land belongs to the forest department and was sold in connivance with state Forest Minister Binoy Viswom who belongs to the Communist Party of India (CPI).
Rocket-Maker SpaceX Makes Some Noise in Texas Town (Source: Waco Tribune)
SpaceX knows how to shake things up in McGregor. Founded by billionaire Elon Musk, SpaceX has been making a racket in McGregor’s industrial park since January 2003. It leases nearly 300 acres there and test-fires engines for its Falcon 1 and Falcon 9 rockets. Company spokeswoman Lauren Dreyer said SpaceX, headquartered in El Segundo, Calif., has averaged one test-firing a day since it began operating in McGregor, “for a total of 1,800 hot-fire tests.” The company knows it has piqued the interest of its neighbors, so it hosted a community picnic on Saturday that got hundreds of reservations.
Virgin Galactic Woos Indian Space Tourists (Source: Economic Times)
So you own a yacht, drive a Ferrari and spend your weekends on the most exotic locales. Its time to move on... If you haven’t yet donned a spacesuit, you are way behind your global peers. Space tourism is a reality which is all set to make its presence felt in India. And spending a cool Rs 80 lakh can put you into the leagues of Dennis Tito, Mark Shuttleworth, Gregory Olsen, Anousheh Ansari and Charles Simonyi — all non-professional astronauts. Richard Branson’s, Virgin Galactic, the world’s first spaceline will be soon opening its India office in collaboration with Deluxe Travel and GD Goenka World Travel. The first office in India will be located in New Delhi.
Chinese Move From AsiaSat Over Signal Piracy Concerns (Source: Space News)
Chinese television broadcasters have pulled all their programming from Asiasat's satellites in favor of the Sinosat-3 and Chinasat 6B spacecraft, which both carry anti-jamming technologies. Jackson said the move, which was expected, reflects the determination of Chinese authorities to avoid a repeat of the signal piracy that in the past has disturbed Chinese television broadcasts on behalf of groups protesting Chinese government policy. He said the Chinese had no programming-control or other reasons beyond signal-piracy and jamming for switching satellites.
An advisory board for the SpaceTEC aerospace technician certification/training program at Brevard Community College will meet on Monday morning to discuss the program's progress and future plans as the Space Shuttle's retirement approaches. Also meeting later in the week will be a task force assembled to develop statewide space-related policy and funding recommendations to mitigate the Shuttle retirement impacts.
Asia Ripe for Satellite TV (Source: Space News)
Asian satellite operators expressed optimism about the near-term growth of direct-broadcast television as regional economic growth and lower-cost satellite receivers make the service more affordable, and techniques to minimize signal degradation from heavy rains improve reliability. These companies said the growth prospects help explain why new satellite operators were appearing on the scene despite concerns that the market already is overcrowded. Protostar Ltd. of Bermuda, Asia Broadcast Satellite of Hong Kong and Vietnam Telecom International — three new operators with spacecraft in orbit or expected to be in 2008 — are entering a market that still suffers from occasional below-cost pricing practices.
Space Sick: Are our Astronauts Safe? (Source: ABC News)
When astronaut Peggy Whitson moves into the orbiting laboratory today for a six-month stay, she'll have two human roommates — as well as countless ones invisible to the naked eye, from microbes that can corrode metal to germs that can cause serious infections in people. Outer space is a cold and sterile place, but spaceships are not. As the 9-year-old space station ages, it's likely to grow more micro-organisms that could pose a risk to its human residents and the station itself. Adding an extra worry, scientists have seen signs that the human immune system weakens during space trips. "Wherever man goes, microbes go," says Cheryl Nickerson of Arizona State University, who studies disease-causing micro-organisms. Most of the bugs in orbit aren't dangerous, she says, but "there's absolutely a risk … to the crew."
GPS Launch Planned Wednesday from Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: Florida Today)
A Delta 2 rocket carrying a Global Positioning Satellite is on schedule for liftoff Wednesday in a launch window between 8:23 and 8:38 a.m. EDT. Riding a Delta 2 rocket with nine strap-on solid rocket boosters, the satellite will enter an orbit 11,000 miles above the Earth. This could be the 77th consecutive Delta 2 rocket to deliver its payload safely. In 130 Delta flights since 1989, 128 have been successful. The last failure was January 1997, when a Delta II rocket exploded shortly after launch from Cape Canaveral, due to a cracked solid rocket motor. At least 25 Delta 2 rockets are scheduled to fly during the next several years before the vehicle is retired.
ISRO Staff Demands Probe Into Land Scam (Source: India World)
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) staff association Saturday demanded a probe into the controversial land purchase by the organization, saying its credibility was at stake. Addressing the annual meeting of the association here, general secretary D. Murugan said: 'Of late ISRO's credibility is at stake on account of several unhealthy practices. The top officials of the organization are giving out contracts to make money. Also, reappointment of certain officials after their superannuation is a cause of concern.' ISRO purchased 82 acres of land in Ponmudi, 75 km from here, from businessman Savy Mano Mathew in March. The opposition alleges that the land belongs to the forest department and was sold in connivance with state Forest Minister Binoy Viswom who belongs to the Communist Party of India (CPI).
Rocket-Maker SpaceX Makes Some Noise in Texas Town (Source: Waco Tribune)
SpaceX knows how to shake things up in McGregor. Founded by billionaire Elon Musk, SpaceX has been making a racket in McGregor’s industrial park since January 2003. It leases nearly 300 acres there and test-fires engines for its Falcon 1 and Falcon 9 rockets. Company spokeswoman Lauren Dreyer said SpaceX, headquartered in El Segundo, Calif., has averaged one test-firing a day since it began operating in McGregor, “for a total of 1,800 hot-fire tests.” The company knows it has piqued the interest of its neighbors, so it hosted a community picnic on Saturday that got hundreds of reservations.
Virgin Galactic Woos Indian Space Tourists (Source: Economic Times)
So you own a yacht, drive a Ferrari and spend your weekends on the most exotic locales. Its time to move on... If you haven’t yet donned a spacesuit, you are way behind your global peers. Space tourism is a reality which is all set to make its presence felt in India. And spending a cool Rs 80 lakh can put you into the leagues of Dennis Tito, Mark Shuttleworth, Gregory Olsen, Anousheh Ansari and Charles Simonyi — all non-professional astronauts. Richard Branson’s, Virgin Galactic, the world’s first spaceline will be soon opening its India office in collaboration with Deluxe Travel and GD Goenka World Travel. The first office in India will be located in New Delhi.
Chinese Move From AsiaSat Over Signal Piracy Concerns (Source: Space News)
Chinese television broadcasters have pulled all their programming from Asiasat's satellites in favor of the Sinosat-3 and Chinasat 6B spacecraft, which both carry anti-jamming technologies. Jackson said the move, which was expected, reflects the determination of Chinese authorities to avoid a repeat of the signal piracy that in the past has disturbed Chinese television broadcasts on behalf of groups protesting Chinese government policy. He said the Chinese had no programming-control or other reasons beyond signal-piracy and jamming for switching satellites.
October 13 News Items
Three Florida Firms Win NASA SBIR Phase Two Grants (Source: NASA)
Three Florida-based small businesses have been selected for NASA Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase Two grant awards. They include: Summation Research of Melbourne for Programmable High-Rate Multi-Mission Receiver for Space Communications; Soneticom of Melbourne for Remote EMI Field Strength Mapping; and APECOR of Orlando for Integrated Three-Port Converters for Compact and Efficient Power Management. Congratulations!
Planetary Clues Tantalize Scientists (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
Lightning on Jupiter's poles, exploding geysers on one of Saturn's moons and an Earth-like planet likely forming hundreds of light-years away. It sounds like the stuff of science fiction, but to the hundreds of scientists who met this week in Orlando, such discoveries are pieces of a galactic puzzle. The American Astronomical Society's Division of Planetary Sciences on Friday wrapped up its annual conference in Orlando. Sponsored by the University of Central Florida, the weeklong conference highlighted several key findings this year. Click here to view the article.
Space Launch: Deciding When it's 'Safe Enough' (Source: Ottawa Citizen)
NASA managers have decided to launch their next shuttle mission Oct. 23 despite the advice of their own safety experts, who wanted a two-month delay to repair tiny cracks on the surface of some wing panels. The cracks are like slight scratches on the paint of a car. They are found in the coatings of three of the 44 carbon panels that shield the main wing structures from heat. NASA's safety panel, appointed after the Columbia disaster, is worried they could grow into a big problem under the intense heat and pressure of re-entry. Next week, the shuttle managers and the safety experts will have their final discussions. But top shuttle boss Wayne Hale has already let his troops know he wants an immediate launch of Discovery, now on the launch pad. He's under pressure to fly 13 more shuttle missions by 2010, to finish building the International Space Station.
Judges Extend Block of Background Checks at JPL (Source: Pasadena Star-News)
A panel of three federal judges has extended its temporary injunction blocking NASA from requiring background checks of all JPL employees. Without an injunction, JPL employees who did not complete the necessary paperwork would have been "voluntarily terminated" Oct. 27. The decision is pending appeal, a hearing for which is to be scheduled for the week of Dec. 2. It was based on a lawsuit filed by 28 Jet Propulsion Laboratory staff members against Caltech, NASA, and the Department of Commerce over invasion-of-privacy concerns. The ruling "essentially has placed the burden on the government to show what its rationale is, why it needs this information and why this is the most narrowly tailored method of getting this information," Dan Stormer, attorney for the plaintiffs, said.
New Mexico Spaceport Won't be Delayed, State Says (Source: Las Cruces Sun-News)
The state won't allow Doña Ana County to delay the collection of a spaceport sales tax, county officials said. There's a chance the county could take legal action to keep the tax from being collected. The county commission passed a resolution Wednesday to delay collecting the tax until proper framework was in place to spend it. But the state taxation and revenue department notified the county Friday that the action wasn't valid, despite saying earlier that it was. Now the state is requiring that the county amend or repeal the ordinance that calls for the tax, "and there's not time to do that before the tax starts being collected, so we're going to have to figure out another option," said a commissioner. Commissioners will discuss their next step in a closed meeting on Monday.
The commission is attempting to delay the tax because of a hurdle it has encountered in state law dealing with the spaceport. According to statute, tax revenue can't be spent until a spaceport tax district has been created, but a spaceport tax district can't be formed until at least two cities or counties approve a spaceport tax. So far, Doña Ana County is the only local government to have authorized a tax. The one-quarter of 1 percent tax is expected to generate some $49 million toward the $198 million cost of Spaceport America.
Soyuz Docks At ISS (Source: WESH)
An American, a Russian and a Malaysian cosmonaut have made it safely to the International Space Station and docked late Friday morning. American Peggy Whitson will be the first woman commander. The space shuttle Discovery will arrive at the ISS in two weeks if all stays on schedule, bringing up the third member of Whitson's crew.
Military Sats May Focus on U.S. Homes for Homeland Security (Source: LA Times)
The U.S. has a strong and well-founded aversion to the use of military force within its own borders. There have been exceptions -- President Eisenhower's deployment of the 101st Airborne to enforce desegregation in Little Rock, Ark., was perhaps the most vivid -- but for the most part the nation has prospered by the separation of its police and military, which has helped protect the public from suppression and the military from distraction. The underlying principle is enshrined in the Posse Comitatus Act, enacted soon after the Civil War and intended to bar the military from acting as a domestic police force.
But the "war on terror," which reaches inside American borders as well as outside, inevitably has caused some to ask whether the military should fight it at home too. Specifically, the Department of Homeland Security, without so much as a phone call to Congress, has developed a program to draw on military surveillance satellites to help local police. Under the program as envisioned, police or sheriff's departments could request targets -- a suspected drug dealer's house, say. A National Applications Office in the Homeland Security Department would consider the requests and, on approval, attempt to deliver the information to local law enforcement, which it refers to as its "customers."
Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Could Launch Lunar Landers (Source: Spaceports Blog)
Virginia's Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport is reviewing the possibility of supporting a NASA lunar lander using the Orbital Sciences' five stage Minotaur V launch vehicle in the near future. According to a briefing by NASA Wallops Flight Facility Director John H. Campbell to members of the Virginia Joint Commission on Science & Technology Aerospace Advisory Committee Tuesday at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility, such a lunar launch program from Virginia is desirable and feasible to achieve low cost lunar missions.
Space Club Honors Media/Public Affairs Officials (Source: NSF)
The Florida Committee of the National Space Club will hold its next monthly luncheon at the Doubletree Hotel in Cocoa Beach on Nov. 13. This event will feature the Harry Kolcum Memorial News & Communication Award, to be presented to two professionals responsible for exceptional media and public affairs work at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. Contact LaDonna Netterer at mailto:ladonna.j.neterer@boeing.com to RSVP (by Nov. 8) and for information.
Three Florida-based small businesses have been selected for NASA Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase Two grant awards. They include: Summation Research of Melbourne for Programmable High-Rate Multi-Mission Receiver for Space Communications; Soneticom of Melbourne for Remote EMI Field Strength Mapping; and APECOR of Orlando for Integrated Three-Port Converters for Compact and Efficient Power Management. Congratulations!
Planetary Clues Tantalize Scientists (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
Lightning on Jupiter's poles, exploding geysers on one of Saturn's moons and an Earth-like planet likely forming hundreds of light-years away. It sounds like the stuff of science fiction, but to the hundreds of scientists who met this week in Orlando, such discoveries are pieces of a galactic puzzle. The American Astronomical Society's Division of Planetary Sciences on Friday wrapped up its annual conference in Orlando. Sponsored by the University of Central Florida, the weeklong conference highlighted several key findings this year. Click here to view the article.
Space Launch: Deciding When it's 'Safe Enough' (Source: Ottawa Citizen)
NASA managers have decided to launch their next shuttle mission Oct. 23 despite the advice of their own safety experts, who wanted a two-month delay to repair tiny cracks on the surface of some wing panels. The cracks are like slight scratches on the paint of a car. They are found in the coatings of three of the 44 carbon panels that shield the main wing structures from heat. NASA's safety panel, appointed after the Columbia disaster, is worried they could grow into a big problem under the intense heat and pressure of re-entry. Next week, the shuttle managers and the safety experts will have their final discussions. But top shuttle boss Wayne Hale has already let his troops know he wants an immediate launch of Discovery, now on the launch pad. He's under pressure to fly 13 more shuttle missions by 2010, to finish building the International Space Station.
Judges Extend Block of Background Checks at JPL (Source: Pasadena Star-News)
A panel of three federal judges has extended its temporary injunction blocking NASA from requiring background checks of all JPL employees. Without an injunction, JPL employees who did not complete the necessary paperwork would have been "voluntarily terminated" Oct. 27. The decision is pending appeal, a hearing for which is to be scheduled for the week of Dec. 2. It was based on a lawsuit filed by 28 Jet Propulsion Laboratory staff members against Caltech, NASA, and the Department of Commerce over invasion-of-privacy concerns. The ruling "essentially has placed the burden on the government to show what its rationale is, why it needs this information and why this is the most narrowly tailored method of getting this information," Dan Stormer, attorney for the plaintiffs, said.
New Mexico Spaceport Won't be Delayed, State Says (Source: Las Cruces Sun-News)
The state won't allow Doña Ana County to delay the collection of a spaceport sales tax, county officials said. There's a chance the county could take legal action to keep the tax from being collected. The county commission passed a resolution Wednesday to delay collecting the tax until proper framework was in place to spend it. But the state taxation and revenue department notified the county Friday that the action wasn't valid, despite saying earlier that it was. Now the state is requiring that the county amend or repeal the ordinance that calls for the tax, "and there's not time to do that before the tax starts being collected, so we're going to have to figure out another option," said a commissioner. Commissioners will discuss their next step in a closed meeting on Monday.
The commission is attempting to delay the tax because of a hurdle it has encountered in state law dealing with the spaceport. According to statute, tax revenue can't be spent until a spaceport tax district has been created, but a spaceport tax district can't be formed until at least two cities or counties approve a spaceport tax. So far, Doña Ana County is the only local government to have authorized a tax. The one-quarter of 1 percent tax is expected to generate some $49 million toward the $198 million cost of Spaceport America.
Soyuz Docks At ISS (Source: WESH)
An American, a Russian and a Malaysian cosmonaut have made it safely to the International Space Station and docked late Friday morning. American Peggy Whitson will be the first woman commander. The space shuttle Discovery will arrive at the ISS in two weeks if all stays on schedule, bringing up the third member of Whitson's crew.
Military Sats May Focus on U.S. Homes for Homeland Security (Source: LA Times)
The U.S. has a strong and well-founded aversion to the use of military force within its own borders. There have been exceptions -- President Eisenhower's deployment of the 101st Airborne to enforce desegregation in Little Rock, Ark., was perhaps the most vivid -- but for the most part the nation has prospered by the separation of its police and military, which has helped protect the public from suppression and the military from distraction. The underlying principle is enshrined in the Posse Comitatus Act, enacted soon after the Civil War and intended to bar the military from acting as a domestic police force.
But the "war on terror," which reaches inside American borders as well as outside, inevitably has caused some to ask whether the military should fight it at home too. Specifically, the Department of Homeland Security, without so much as a phone call to Congress, has developed a program to draw on military surveillance satellites to help local police. Under the program as envisioned, police or sheriff's departments could request targets -- a suspected drug dealer's house, say. A National Applications Office in the Homeland Security Department would consider the requests and, on approval, attempt to deliver the information to local law enforcement, which it refers to as its "customers."
Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Could Launch Lunar Landers (Source: Spaceports Blog)
Virginia's Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport is reviewing the possibility of supporting a NASA lunar lander using the Orbital Sciences' five stage Minotaur V launch vehicle in the near future. According to a briefing by NASA Wallops Flight Facility Director John H. Campbell to members of the Virginia Joint Commission on Science & Technology Aerospace Advisory Committee Tuesday at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility, such a lunar launch program from Virginia is desirable and feasible to achieve low cost lunar missions.
Space Club Honors Media/Public Affairs Officials (Source: NSF)
The Florida Committee of the National Space Club will hold its next monthly luncheon at the Doubletree Hotel in Cocoa Beach on Nov. 13. This event will feature the Harry Kolcum Memorial News & Communication Award, to be presented to two professionals responsible for exceptional media and public affairs work at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. Contact LaDonna Netterer at mailto:ladonna.j.neterer@boeing.com to RSVP (by Nov. 8) and for information.
October 12 News Items
Space Florida Plans Commercial Space Day During World Space Expo (Source: Space Florida)
Space Florida will sponsor a Nov. 1 meeting during the World Space Expo designed for space industry representatives doing or looking to do business in Florida. Lieutenant Governor Jeff Kottkamp is expected to attend.
Space Florida Sponsors Dec. 13-18 Space Academy (Source: Space Florida)
Florida undergraduates who are U.S. citizens are invited to apply to participate in a free Space Academy. The Academy is sponsored by Space Florida and the NASA/Florida Space Grant Consortium. Participants will engage in a variety of educational space projects, including robotics, balloon payload launches, GPS educational projects, and other activities at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. Visit http://www.spaceflorida.gov/Education/ to apply before November 30.
What is the "Cape Canaveral Spaceport"? (Source: ERAU)
The FLORIDA SPACErePORT frequently refers to the "Cape Canaveral Spaceport" and I have been asked recently whether it refers to Kennedy Space Center, the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, or both. The Florida Legislature a few years ago placed the following language in Section 331.304(1), Florida Statutes: "The territory consisting of areas within the John F. Kennedy Space Center and the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station may be referred to as the "Cape Canaveral Spaceport." The "Cape Canaveral Spaceport" therefore is a legally established state designation. This purpose of this designation was twofold. First, it was intended to facilitate treatment of the spaceport as a state transportation facility, to facilitate the investment of state transportation dollars in spaceport infrastructure. Second, it was intended to simplify the marketing of the Cape to prospective new users. Ultimately, it was envisioned that the FAA would provide a three-letter designation (CCS) to the spaceport, like it does for airports nationwide.
FLORIDA SPACErePORT Turns One (Source: ERAU)
It has been one year since the FLORIDA SPACErePORT began publication as an email newsletter (with accompanying blog). The email publication was previously distributed as the Florida Aerospace News Update & Calendar, with sponsorship by the now-dissolved Florida Space Research Institute. Prior to FSRI's sponsorship, it was known as the Florida Spacegram and was originally distributed as a fax by the Spaceport Florida Authority (click here for a short history). It originated in the early 1990s as a bi-weekly summary briefing to the Governor's Office in Tallahassee. These days, every item in every weekly newsletter is archived at the FLORIDA SPACErePORT blog and is searchable via a Google tool. I would appreciate your feedback on the newsletter. Click here to send me a note.
New Russian Angara Rocket to be Launched in 2011 (Source: Itar-Tass)
The first launches of new light and heavy-class Angara rockets are planned for 2011 as scheduled, and there will be no schedule revision, Vice-Premier Sergei Ivanov told the military and industrial commission. Angara launches were repeatedly postponed since 2005 because of financial problems, including the insufficient financing for the launch pad construction. Ivanov has emphasised that Angara was planned to launch military-purpose and double-purpose spacecraft only from Russian territory. Ivanov described the Angara rocket development as a particularly important state task. It will ensure a guaranteed access for the country to the space without dependence on any political or economic situation. The Angara family of rockets is thought to be similar to the U.S. Air Force's Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) concept, with multiple configurations designed to launch both heavy and medium payloads.
Vietnam to Launch First Satellite Next Year (Source: Thanh Nien Daily)
Vietnam will launch its first telecommunications satellite next year, said the vice chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Physics Society. VINASAT-1 was designed and built by Lockheed Martin under a deal signed by the Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT). VINASAT-1 is expected to improve Vietnam’s telecommunications, enabling 100 percent of the country’s land area to obtain access to telephone and television signals. Doctor Triet also said Vietnam’s second satellite, VINASAT-2, is slated for launch in 2011. Under the plan, the second satellite would help facilitate natural resources research. The Vietnam Institute of Science and Technology established its space technology department early this year.
Space Florida Plans Next Generation Explorers Program on Nov. 1-2 (Source: Space Florida)
The Next Generation Explorers Program, sponsored by Space Florida, will immerse 3,000 Florida sixth through eighth grade students in interactive, informative and inspiring experiences designed to motivate them to study math and science. Students will rotate through the following activities: Tour of the Universe program, Science on a Sphere, Cool Space Careers question and answer sessions with astronauts, scientists and engineers, participate in a weather balloon release and the new Shuttle Launch Experience attraction at the Visitor Complex.
Space Florida Plans Weather Balloon Launches at World Space Expo (Source: Space Florida)
Under the direction of Space Florida, six student teams from around the state are designing and assembling payloads for a series of high-altitude weather balloons to be launched from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. The payloads will consist of ‘live’ cameras and Global Positioning Systems. As the balloons climb to a planned altitude of about 20 miles, the students will be able to track the flight path across the State of Florida or Atlantic Ocean, (depending on wind currents), while the camera on board relays pictures to a Jumbo Screen at the Visitor Complex. Visitors and students alike will have the opportunity to view the curvature of the Earth and the blackness of space.
Orbital Commerce Project Brings Flight Simulator to Embry-Riddle (Source: ERAU)
Florida-based Orbital Commerce Project (OCP) visited Embry-Riddle's Daytona Beach campus with their high-fidelity flight simulator system for rocket-powered aircraft. OCP provided rides to student and faculty to acquaint them with the type of flight operations now planned by companies like Virgin Galactic.
NASA Sponsors Polar Palooza Science Education Event in Tampa (Source: NASA)
NASA is sponsoring a Nov. 8-10 polar science event at the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) in Tampa. MOSI plans to have about 1,000 elementary students to interact with the "Polar Palooza" travelers, see an IMAX, and explore exhibits. There will also be special programs for middle and high schoolers, multiple events for families and the general public, and briefings for community leaders and museum trustees. MOSI plans both large public presentations and smaller groups where all six Polar Palooza presenters have time for face-to-face encounters with youngsters. Visit http://passporttoknowledge.com/polar-palooza/pp04k.php for information.
E'Prime Court Date in Orlando (Source: ERAU)
The legal saga between current and past presidents of E'Prime Aerospace continues, with an Oct. 16 court date in Orlando for both Bobby Davis and James Oldham. E'Prime hopes to develop a family of launch vehicles based on military Peacekeeper missile designs, and they plan initial launches from Virginia's Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport.
Space Florida will sponsor a Nov. 1 meeting during the World Space Expo designed for space industry representatives doing or looking to do business in Florida. Lieutenant Governor Jeff Kottkamp is expected to attend.
Space Florida Sponsors Dec. 13-18 Space Academy (Source: Space Florida)
Florida undergraduates who are U.S. citizens are invited to apply to participate in a free Space Academy. The Academy is sponsored by Space Florida and the NASA/Florida Space Grant Consortium. Participants will engage in a variety of educational space projects, including robotics, balloon payload launches, GPS educational projects, and other activities at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. Visit http://www.spaceflorida.gov/Education/ to apply before November 30.
What is the "Cape Canaveral Spaceport"? (Source: ERAU)
The FLORIDA SPACErePORT frequently refers to the "Cape Canaveral Spaceport" and I have been asked recently whether it refers to Kennedy Space Center, the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, or both. The Florida Legislature a few years ago placed the following language in Section 331.304(1), Florida Statutes: "The territory consisting of areas within the John F. Kennedy Space Center and the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station may be referred to as the "Cape Canaveral Spaceport." The "Cape Canaveral Spaceport" therefore is a legally established state designation. This purpose of this designation was twofold. First, it was intended to facilitate treatment of the spaceport as a state transportation facility, to facilitate the investment of state transportation dollars in spaceport infrastructure. Second, it was intended to simplify the marketing of the Cape to prospective new users. Ultimately, it was envisioned that the FAA would provide a three-letter designation (CCS) to the spaceport, like it does for airports nationwide.
FLORIDA SPACErePORT Turns One (Source: ERAU)
It has been one year since the FLORIDA SPACErePORT began publication as an email newsletter (with accompanying blog). The email publication was previously distributed as the Florida Aerospace News Update & Calendar, with sponsorship by the now-dissolved Florida Space Research Institute. Prior to FSRI's sponsorship, it was known as the Florida Spacegram and was originally distributed as a fax by the Spaceport Florida Authority (click here for a short history). It originated in the early 1990s as a bi-weekly summary briefing to the Governor's Office in Tallahassee. These days, every item in every weekly newsletter is archived at the FLORIDA SPACErePORT blog and is searchable via a Google tool. I would appreciate your feedback on the newsletter. Click here to send me a note.
New Russian Angara Rocket to be Launched in 2011 (Source: Itar-Tass)
The first launches of new light and heavy-class Angara rockets are planned for 2011 as scheduled, and there will be no schedule revision, Vice-Premier Sergei Ivanov told the military and industrial commission. Angara launches were repeatedly postponed since 2005 because of financial problems, including the insufficient financing for the launch pad construction. Ivanov has emphasised that Angara was planned to launch military-purpose and double-purpose spacecraft only from Russian territory. Ivanov described the Angara rocket development as a particularly important state task. It will ensure a guaranteed access for the country to the space without dependence on any political or economic situation. The Angara family of rockets is thought to be similar to the U.S. Air Force's Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) concept, with multiple configurations designed to launch both heavy and medium payloads.
Vietnam to Launch First Satellite Next Year (Source: Thanh Nien Daily)
Vietnam will launch its first telecommunications satellite next year, said the vice chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Physics Society. VINASAT-1 was designed and built by Lockheed Martin under a deal signed by the Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT). VINASAT-1 is expected to improve Vietnam’s telecommunications, enabling 100 percent of the country’s land area to obtain access to telephone and television signals. Doctor Triet also said Vietnam’s second satellite, VINASAT-2, is slated for launch in 2011. Under the plan, the second satellite would help facilitate natural resources research. The Vietnam Institute of Science and Technology established its space technology department early this year.
Space Florida Plans Next Generation Explorers Program on Nov. 1-2 (Source: Space Florida)
The Next Generation Explorers Program, sponsored by Space Florida, will immerse 3,000 Florida sixth through eighth grade students in interactive, informative and inspiring experiences designed to motivate them to study math and science. Students will rotate through the following activities: Tour of the Universe program, Science on a Sphere, Cool Space Careers question and answer sessions with astronauts, scientists and engineers, participate in a weather balloon release and the new Shuttle Launch Experience attraction at the Visitor Complex.
Space Florida Plans Weather Balloon Launches at World Space Expo (Source: Space Florida)
Under the direction of Space Florida, six student teams from around the state are designing and assembling payloads for a series of high-altitude weather balloons to be launched from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. The payloads will consist of ‘live’ cameras and Global Positioning Systems. As the balloons climb to a planned altitude of about 20 miles, the students will be able to track the flight path across the State of Florida or Atlantic Ocean, (depending on wind currents), while the camera on board relays pictures to a Jumbo Screen at the Visitor Complex. Visitors and students alike will have the opportunity to view the curvature of the Earth and the blackness of space.
Orbital Commerce Project Brings Flight Simulator to Embry-Riddle (Source: ERAU)
Florida-based Orbital Commerce Project (OCP) visited Embry-Riddle's Daytona Beach campus with their high-fidelity flight simulator system for rocket-powered aircraft. OCP provided rides to student and faculty to acquaint them with the type of flight operations now planned by companies like Virgin Galactic.
NASA Sponsors Polar Palooza Science Education Event in Tampa (Source: NASA)
NASA is sponsoring a Nov. 8-10 polar science event at the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) in Tampa. MOSI plans to have about 1,000 elementary students to interact with the "Polar Palooza" travelers, see an IMAX, and explore exhibits. There will also be special programs for middle and high schoolers, multiple events for families and the general public, and briefings for community leaders and museum trustees. MOSI plans both large public presentations and smaller groups where all six Polar Palooza presenters have time for face-to-face encounters with youngsters. Visit http://passporttoknowledge.com/polar-palooza/pp04k.php for information.
E'Prime Court Date in Orlando (Source: ERAU)
The legal saga between current and past presidents of E'Prime Aerospace continues, with an Oct. 16 court date in Orlando for both Bobby Davis and James Oldham. E'Prime hopes to develop a family of launch vehicles based on military Peacekeeper missile designs, and they plan initial launches from Virginia's Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport.
October 11 News Items
Space-Based Solar Power Report to be Published on Oct. 10 (Source: NSS)
A National Security Space Office (NSSO)-led study group, which has been investigating space-based solar power (SBSP) as a way to reduce our dependence on foreign-controlled energy supplies as well as a clean, renewable and carbon-neutral solution to the possibility of global warming, is set to announce the study results on Oct. 10. The study also examined the feasibility of SBSP as a source of energy to be transmitted to military forces deployed overseas.
Two Huntsville Firms are Ares I Finalists (Source: Huntsville Times)
NASA has chosen two leading aerospace companies here as finalists for work on the Ares I Instrument Unit, a complex computer guidance and navigation system used to set the rocket on course after launch. Teams led by Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. and the Boeing Co. have been chosen by Marshall Space Flight Center managers as contenders for the Ares Instrument Unit contract expected to be awarded in early December.
NM County Delays Start of Spaceport Tax (Source: Las Cruces Sun-News)
The collection of a spaceport sales tax in Doña Ana County will be delayed because of an action by the Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners. Instead of being collected Jan. 1, as was previously planned, the tax will be delayed until a spaceport district has been created. The entity must be in place to spend the money, according to state law. Commissioners repeated concerns they've voiced in recent weeks about collecting the tax without having a way to spend the money. Some have said they want more certainty that Sierra and Otero counties plan to hold spaceport tax elections of their own. At least one other county or city must pass a spaceport tax to form a spaceport district and spend tax dollars.
New Space Solar Power Organization Announced (Source: NSS)
The Space Solar Alliance for Future Energy (SSAFE), a new organization advocating investment in space-based solar power technologies to address the planet's future energy needs, has been created. The coalition of thirteen leading research organizations and space advocacy groups focused their inaugural event on the announcement of a new study of space-based solar power led by the National Security Space Office (NSSO). The study concludes that space-based solar power deserves substantial national investment as a path towards addressing America's future energy needs via a renewable energy source with no carbon emissions or hazardous waste. In the Space Solar Power concept, developed in the late nineteen-sixties by Dr. Peter Glaser, energy from sunlight is collected in space and transmitted wirelessly for use on Earth.
The founding members of SSAFE are the National Space Society, Space Frontier Foundation, Space Power Association, Aerospace Technology Working Group, Marshall Institute, Moon Society, ShareSpace Foundation, Space Studies Institute, Spaceward Foundation, AIAA Space Colonization Technical Committee, ProSpace, Space Enterprise Council, and Space Generation Foundation.
Wyle Achieves One Million Hours at KSC Without Lost Time (Source: Wyle)
Wyle’s operations at Kennedy Space Center have surpassed the one million hour milestone without having a lost time injury. The milestone, which took more than two years to achieve for the 250-plus Wyle employees at Kennedy Space Center, was passed in the mid day on Wednesday, Oct. 10, as many employees were preparing for the launch of the STS-120 Space Shuttle mission scheduled for Oct. 23. AT KSC, Wyle is responsible for laboratories, propellants and life support services as well as for the systems engineering, operation, maintenance and utilization of the largest and most diverse fleet of specialized aerospace chemical and personal protective equipment in the world.
Atlas Launches Military Communications Satellite (Source: SpaceToday.net)
An Atlas 5 launched the first in a new series of military communications satellites from Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. The WGS-1 satellite, built by Boeing, carries X- and Ka-band transponders, with 10 times the capacity of older DSCS-series military communications satellites. The spacecraft is the first of six planned for the system, formerly known as Wideband Gapfiller Satellite; the sixth was added to the system just last week as part of an agreement with Australia, who will fund the satellite in exchange for access to the satellite network. The launch was the first for the Atlas 5 since a June mission deemed a partial failure when a leaky valve caused the booster's upper stage to shut down prematurely and place a pair of classified spacecraft in a lower-than-planned orbit.
Texas Investor Eyes Space Station as Orbiting Pharma Lab (Source: WIRED)
A swaggering Texas investor with a famous name wants Big Pharma to pick up the tab for the International Space Station when NASA eases off. Spacehab Chairman Thomas Pickens III thinks the pharmaceutical industry and the space station need each other. Drug discovery is an arduous and extremely expensive project. But in space, disease-causing proteins crystallize so well -- growing larger and clearer -- that finding a drug to stop the protein's damaging activities could happen months, if not years, faster. Scientists have known for decades that some science works better in space -- but it hasn't been easy to get experiments up there. Now, with NASA planning to reduce its $2.6 billion annual investment beginning in 2015, the agency is throwing the space station open for private enterprise. And the Texas financial scion and multimillionaire is ready to transform space science with an injection of capitalism.
"If people knew what I already know, the International Space Station would be considered one of the most valuable resources our world possesses," Pickens said at the ISS National Laboratory Workshop last week. "There are things you can only do in microgravity that will eventually lead to products that could save millions of lives." Pickens, who also manages a $100 million nanotechnology fund, believes that getting paid to grow proteins in space will be the killer app for keeping the $130 billion International Space Station alive. Increased traffic to the ISS could drive down the cost of space flight and open up the station to all kinds of commercial applications, which would come in handy as NASA's financial support wanes.
Spacehab recruited Pickens earlier this year to turn the company around. The 20-year-old penny stock firm has a market cap of about $5 million. You'd never imagine his company's modest finances watching Pickens interact with scientists at the ISS workshop. Pickens is a tall, charismatic Texan. He talks as if every period is a walk-off homerun. The scientists seemed wary of him, which is perhaps appropriate. After all, he is prone to saying, "I am Wall Street." But they are transfixed when he talks about bringing big money into outer space. They're listening, because Pickens and other businessmen are the new variables in the space equation. The science has been there; the salesmanship has been missing.
2006 Space Expenditures of $220 Billion Show 18% Increase (Source: EETimes.com)
Revised figures compiled by the U.S. Space Foundation show an 18 percent growth in combined civilian and military space expenditures worldwide in 2006, with an aggregate figure of $220 billion in total space industry revenues. Space Foundation chief executive Elliot Pulham said some of the most impressive growth rates had come in global positioning system end-user systems, satellite-television services, and XM and Sirius satellite radio.
The Space Foundation compiled early revenues from commercial space transportation services of $30 million: $20 million for the International Space Station trip made by telecom entrepreneur Anousheh Ansari, and $10 million in advance bookings by customers for Virgin Galactic spaceflights out of New Mexico. While a raft of startup space-launch companies are preparing for launches from New Mexico and the Mojave Desert, the commercial-launch business currently is dominated by traditional aerospace companies. The one player attempting commercial launches in 2006, Space-X, did not have a revenue-generating flight last year.
Wing Panel Defects Could Delay Discovery Launch (Source: Florida Today)
A safety group chartered after the 2003 Columbia accident is recommending NASA replace three wing panels on Discovery, a move that would force the agency to roll the shuttle back to its hangar and delay its upcoming mission by at least a couple of months. Slight defects in the composite carbon panels could allow hot gasses to burn through the wing, potentially leading to damage that could doom the Discovery during atmospheric re-entry, the safety group says. The NASA Safety and Engineering Center group said NASA "should change these three panels rather than take the risk." said a JSC spokesman. A separate group of shuttle engineers who specialize in wing leading edge systems said the small cracks in the panels would not jeopardize the Discovery astronauts and recommended NASA proceed with the planned launch, scheduled to blast off Oct. 23. The issue will be taken up again next week during a traditional Flight Readiness Review at KSC.
Rock Band Kansas to Perform at KSC in November (Source: Florida Today)
The rock band Kansas will mark the 30th anniversary of its album “Point of Know Return” with a performance Nov. 10 that launches the inaugural fall concert series at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. The concert series comes on the heels of the World Space Expo, to be held at the Visitor Complex from Nov. 1 through Nov. 4. The concerts will take place at the KSC Rocket Garden.
A National Security Space Office (NSSO)-led study group, which has been investigating space-based solar power (SBSP) as a way to reduce our dependence on foreign-controlled energy supplies as well as a clean, renewable and carbon-neutral solution to the possibility of global warming, is set to announce the study results on Oct. 10. The study also examined the feasibility of SBSP as a source of energy to be transmitted to military forces deployed overseas.
Two Huntsville Firms are Ares I Finalists (Source: Huntsville Times)
NASA has chosen two leading aerospace companies here as finalists for work on the Ares I Instrument Unit, a complex computer guidance and navigation system used to set the rocket on course after launch. Teams led by Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. and the Boeing Co. have been chosen by Marshall Space Flight Center managers as contenders for the Ares Instrument Unit contract expected to be awarded in early December.
NM County Delays Start of Spaceport Tax (Source: Las Cruces Sun-News)
The collection of a spaceport sales tax in Doña Ana County will be delayed because of an action by the Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners. Instead of being collected Jan. 1, as was previously planned, the tax will be delayed until a spaceport district has been created. The entity must be in place to spend the money, according to state law. Commissioners repeated concerns they've voiced in recent weeks about collecting the tax without having a way to spend the money. Some have said they want more certainty that Sierra and Otero counties plan to hold spaceport tax elections of their own. At least one other county or city must pass a spaceport tax to form a spaceport district and spend tax dollars.
New Space Solar Power Organization Announced (Source: NSS)
The Space Solar Alliance for Future Energy (SSAFE), a new organization advocating investment in space-based solar power technologies to address the planet's future energy needs, has been created. The coalition of thirteen leading research organizations and space advocacy groups focused their inaugural event on the announcement of a new study of space-based solar power led by the National Security Space Office (NSSO). The study concludes that space-based solar power deserves substantial national investment as a path towards addressing America's future energy needs via a renewable energy source with no carbon emissions or hazardous waste. In the Space Solar Power concept, developed in the late nineteen-sixties by Dr. Peter Glaser, energy from sunlight is collected in space and transmitted wirelessly for use on Earth.
The founding members of SSAFE are the National Space Society, Space Frontier Foundation, Space Power Association, Aerospace Technology Working Group, Marshall Institute, Moon Society, ShareSpace Foundation, Space Studies Institute, Spaceward Foundation, AIAA Space Colonization Technical Committee, ProSpace, Space Enterprise Council, and Space Generation Foundation.
Wyle Achieves One Million Hours at KSC Without Lost Time (Source: Wyle)
Wyle’s operations at Kennedy Space Center have surpassed the one million hour milestone without having a lost time injury. The milestone, which took more than two years to achieve for the 250-plus Wyle employees at Kennedy Space Center, was passed in the mid day on Wednesday, Oct. 10, as many employees were preparing for the launch of the STS-120 Space Shuttle mission scheduled for Oct. 23. AT KSC, Wyle is responsible for laboratories, propellants and life support services as well as for the systems engineering, operation, maintenance and utilization of the largest and most diverse fleet of specialized aerospace chemical and personal protective equipment in the world.
Atlas Launches Military Communications Satellite (Source: SpaceToday.net)
An Atlas 5 launched the first in a new series of military communications satellites from Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. The WGS-1 satellite, built by Boeing, carries X- and Ka-band transponders, with 10 times the capacity of older DSCS-series military communications satellites. The spacecraft is the first of six planned for the system, formerly known as Wideband Gapfiller Satellite; the sixth was added to the system just last week as part of an agreement with Australia, who will fund the satellite in exchange for access to the satellite network. The launch was the first for the Atlas 5 since a June mission deemed a partial failure when a leaky valve caused the booster's upper stage to shut down prematurely and place a pair of classified spacecraft in a lower-than-planned orbit.
Texas Investor Eyes Space Station as Orbiting Pharma Lab (Source: WIRED)
A swaggering Texas investor with a famous name wants Big Pharma to pick up the tab for the International Space Station when NASA eases off. Spacehab Chairman Thomas Pickens III thinks the pharmaceutical industry and the space station need each other. Drug discovery is an arduous and extremely expensive project. But in space, disease-causing proteins crystallize so well -- growing larger and clearer -- that finding a drug to stop the protein's damaging activities could happen months, if not years, faster. Scientists have known for decades that some science works better in space -- but it hasn't been easy to get experiments up there. Now, with NASA planning to reduce its $2.6 billion annual investment beginning in 2015, the agency is throwing the space station open for private enterprise. And the Texas financial scion and multimillionaire is ready to transform space science with an injection of capitalism.
"If people knew what I already know, the International Space Station would be considered one of the most valuable resources our world possesses," Pickens said at the ISS National Laboratory Workshop last week. "There are things you can only do in microgravity that will eventually lead to products that could save millions of lives." Pickens, who also manages a $100 million nanotechnology fund, believes that getting paid to grow proteins in space will be the killer app for keeping the $130 billion International Space Station alive. Increased traffic to the ISS could drive down the cost of space flight and open up the station to all kinds of commercial applications, which would come in handy as NASA's financial support wanes.
Spacehab recruited Pickens earlier this year to turn the company around. The 20-year-old penny stock firm has a market cap of about $5 million. You'd never imagine his company's modest finances watching Pickens interact with scientists at the ISS workshop. Pickens is a tall, charismatic Texan. He talks as if every period is a walk-off homerun. The scientists seemed wary of him, which is perhaps appropriate. After all, he is prone to saying, "I am Wall Street." But they are transfixed when he talks about bringing big money into outer space. They're listening, because Pickens and other businessmen are the new variables in the space equation. The science has been there; the salesmanship has been missing.
2006 Space Expenditures of $220 Billion Show 18% Increase (Source: EETimes.com)
Revised figures compiled by the U.S. Space Foundation show an 18 percent growth in combined civilian and military space expenditures worldwide in 2006, with an aggregate figure of $220 billion in total space industry revenues. Space Foundation chief executive Elliot Pulham said some of the most impressive growth rates had come in global positioning system end-user systems, satellite-television services, and XM and Sirius satellite radio.
The Space Foundation compiled early revenues from commercial space transportation services of $30 million: $20 million for the International Space Station trip made by telecom entrepreneur Anousheh Ansari, and $10 million in advance bookings by customers for Virgin Galactic spaceflights out of New Mexico. While a raft of startup space-launch companies are preparing for launches from New Mexico and the Mojave Desert, the commercial-launch business currently is dominated by traditional aerospace companies. The one player attempting commercial launches in 2006, Space-X, did not have a revenue-generating flight last year.
Wing Panel Defects Could Delay Discovery Launch (Source: Florida Today)
A safety group chartered after the 2003 Columbia accident is recommending NASA replace three wing panels on Discovery, a move that would force the agency to roll the shuttle back to its hangar and delay its upcoming mission by at least a couple of months. Slight defects in the composite carbon panels could allow hot gasses to burn through the wing, potentially leading to damage that could doom the Discovery during atmospheric re-entry, the safety group says. The NASA Safety and Engineering Center group said NASA "should change these three panels rather than take the risk." said a JSC spokesman. A separate group of shuttle engineers who specialize in wing leading edge systems said the small cracks in the panels would not jeopardize the Discovery astronauts and recommended NASA proceed with the planned launch, scheduled to blast off Oct. 23. The issue will be taken up again next week during a traditional Flight Readiness Review at KSC.
Rock Band Kansas to Perform at KSC in November (Source: Florida Today)
The rock band Kansas will mark the 30th anniversary of its album “Point of Know Return” with a performance Nov. 10 that launches the inaugural fall concert series at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. The concert series comes on the heels of the World Space Expo, to be held at the Visitor Complex from Nov. 1 through Nov. 4. The concerts will take place at the KSC Rocket Garden.
October 10 News Items
Sen. Obama, I Love Mars and I Vote (Source: WIRED)
Obama's speech ended to rapturous applause, and the rock-star candidate began working the line, shaking hands and signing books across the barricade. Carberry was in position. Over the Stevie Wonder song blasting from the sound system, Carberry blurted out his question. "I'm with a group called the Mars Society, and we'd like to know: Do you support the policy of journeying back to the moon and going on to Mars?" Without a blink, Obama was ready. "I'm inspired by the idea of going to Mars," he replied, projecting friendly sincerity. "I'm also mindful of the budgetary constraints. So I won't give you an answer right now." Carberry followed up -- could he give him some reading material, and make an appointment to speak with someone from his policy team? "Absolutely." The folder was passed off to one of Obama's staff, and the candidate moved on. Visit http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2007/10/mars_voter to view the article.
Annual NASA-Sponsored Business Expo Set for Oct. 16 (Source: NASA)
Business leaders who want to better understand how to contract with the government can attend Business EXPO 2007 on Oct. 16 at Port Canaveral's Cruise Terminal No. 4. Admission is free and open to the public. The annual trade show, which is sponsored by the NASA Kennedy Space Center Small Business Council, 45th Space Wing and Canaveral Port Authority, will feature more than 175 business and government exhibitors from Brevard County and across the country. Government purchasing agents also may want to attend the EXPO to learn what local and national vendors have to offer.
Exhibitors will include vendors from a variety of product and service areas, including computer technology, communication equipment and services, construction and safety products. Representatives of NASA, the 45th Space Wing, Kennedy Space Center prime contractors, local chambers of commerce, and others will be available to give out information and answer specific questions about doing business with their respective organizations. For more information about the EXPO and points of contact, visit http://expo.ksc.nasa.gov.
Wiring Blamed for Proton Failure (Source: SpaceToday.net)
Russian investigators have identified faulty wiring as the cause of the launch failure of a Proton rocket last month. Anatoly Perminov, head of the Russian space agency Roskosmos, said a "faulty control wire" prevented the second stage of the Proton from separating properly from the first stage, causing the vehicle to plummet to Earth, crashing 40 kilometers from the Kazakh town of Zhezkazgan. Perminov said engineers have developed a way to prevent the problem from occurring in future launches. Russia plans to use a Proton to launch three GLONASS navigation satellites in late October, depending on the ability of Russia to work out compensation to Kazakhstan for the failure; the Kazakh government is asking for $60 million in reparations for the accident. It is not certain when the Proton will resume commercial missions. The September 6 failure destroyed a US-built Japanese communications satellite, JCSAT-11.
FUSE Mission to End This Month (Source: SpaceToday.net)
An orbiting ultraviolet observatory will shut down later this month after more than eight years of observations, project officials announced this week. The Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) spacecraft was launched into Earth orbit in 1999 on a mission to study everything from planets to distant galaxies at far ultraviolet wavelengths. the spacecraft has weathered a number of technical malfunctions that started in 2001 when two of its four momentum wheels, needed to point the spacecraft, failed. Engineers created modified control systems to allow the spacecraft to operate with two and, later, only one control wheel, but the last control wheel on the spacecraft failed in July and could not be restored. FUSE will be formally decommissioned on October 18 after engineers complete work to shut down the spacecraft.
Germany Questions Satellite Funding (Source: Business Week)
The EU finance ministers reported no progress Tuesday in salvaging Europe's Galileo satellite navigation project -- a rival to the U.S.-run Global Positioning System -- with Germany questioning the final price tag. Germany opposes a European Commission proposal to use $3.4 billion in unspent EU agricultural and administrative funds after private money for Galileo dried up when eight companies disagreed on how to share the work. Britain and the Netherlands also oppose using the EU budget to bail out the Galileo project but say the money should come from the EU's research and development program. The EU has already spent $1.4 billion on Galileo.
Editorial: Congress Should Give NASA What it Needs as the Space Race Heats Up (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
Now, with other nations set to challenge U.S. space leadership, senators have taken an important step toward maintaining it. Last week the Senate voted to add $1 billion to next year's budget for NASA, which would raise its overall funding to $18.5 billion. The additional money would replenish, belatedly, accounts the agency had to tap in the costly process of rehabilitating the space-shuttle program after the Columbia disaster in 2003. Co-sponsors of the bipartisan bid to reimburse NASA included Florida's two senators, Democrat Bill Nelson and Republican Mel Martinez. Advocates of the $1 billion boost will need first to persuade the House to go along, and then the increase faces a veto threat from President Bush. He has finally decided to hold the line on spending now that Democrats are in charge in Congress.
Mr. Bush reportedly objects to the boost for the space agency as well as the overall cost of the measure in which it's included, which also has money for the Justice and Commerce departments. Congress could blunt that threat and be more fiscally responsible by cutting spending on lower-priority programs to cover the NASA increase, or by raising the additional funds by eliminating tax loopholes. Keeping the United States ahead in space exploration is a smart investment in science, technology and economic growth.
Hawaii's Space Race (Source: KHNL)
While Hawaii observatories look up to the skies, things are also looking up for space partnerships and development here in the islands. In addition to NASA showing interest in the state, by setting up 5 centers for research, aerospace companies are also taking a look at Hawaii as they expand around the pacific. And the islands could also become a player in the latest space race. Under the state's ambitious plan, Honolulu International Airport would become a spaceport. And that would have more than just jets taking off, it would allow space planes to take off and land. "I think aerospace could be one of the biggest drivers for the state's economy for years to come. I believe our destiny is in space and Hawaii has a lot to contribute." adds Crisafulli. In addition to the economic benefits from an expanded space program, there could also be additional education opportunities for students. Who would not only get access to top scientists, but also see science and technology at work, in a very exciting field.
Space Florida Misses Progress Report (Source: Florida Today)
Heard much about Space Florida, lately? No? Neither has anybody else. Including Gov. Crist. Space Florida is a public-private partnership launched last year to replace the state's three existing space agencies. Since then, there has been no shortage of critics of the group. The latest salvo: Space Florida has yet to file a report on its activities that was due to the governor and the legislature Sep. 1. A spokesman from the governor's office said the report hadn't made it to Tallahassee yet, but they expect it soon.
State Sen. Bill Posey, a Space Florida board member, said criticism of the agency is unfounded. "I think they are really making more headway than any of the other groups did." Posey added that much of the criticism is coming from those who were knocked from power when Space Florida took over the what had been three separate agencies.
Lost Shuttle Program, Lost Jobs (Source: Tallahassee Democrat)
Warning that Florida faces a recession with national-security implications when the shuttle program ends, U.S. Rep. Tom Feeney asked Gov. Charlie Crist Tuesday to use his influence with visiting presidential candidates to make sure the Space Coast stays in the technology forefront. "The Brevard County folks are really attentive to this - I don't want to say panicked, but they are very concerned," Feeney said. Crist said his administration will support workforce training and business incentives to keep and attract companies for the region, as well as impressing the importance of space on presidential contenders.
State Rep. Thad Altman said the area could lose 5,000 jobs directly, with a ''multiplier'' of 2.5 in businesses dependent on spending by those employees. "You could see 20,000 jobs lost in the state," he said. Lt. Gov. Kottkamp expressed confidence that many new or expanding high-tech industries will want the engineering and technological work force that is available around the Space Coast. "I really believe we'll be able to keep every job we have in the Space Coast and actually expand the job market with some of the opportunities that are coming down the road."
After Delay, Atlas 5 Ready at Launch From Florida Spaceport (Source: Florida Today)
Today's Atlas 5 launch is on schedule to loft a military communications satellite in a launch window from 8:22 to 9:33 p.m. EDT. "We are working no issues and the weather forecast is still 80 percent go for launch," said a ULA spokesman. If successful, the launch will orbit the first of five advanced military communications satellites. The first Wideband Global SATCOM satellite will provide as much communication power as the military's entire present system of ten satellites. U.S. tactical forces around the world will rely on WGS, which will provide computer information and video information from Predator drones.
Our View: Hillary Goes Cosmic (Source: Florida Today)
If Space Coast residents are looking for a presidential candidate who promises to rev up America's space program, one may have just emerged: Hillary Clinton. The Democratic contender became the first -- and only -- White House hopeful to stake out a strong pro-space position in a major policy statement last week. This is no small matter, with the U.S. facing increasing orbital competition from countries such as China, and with it serious national security concerns about whether America will cede the high ground it has dominated for a half-century.
In the statement, Clinton said "enhancing American leadership in space through investments in exploration, earth sciences, and aeronautics research" would be among her top scientific priorities. She cited these details on her Web site: 1) Pursuing an ambitious 21st-century strategy that includes robust human spaceflight and expanded robotic missions; 2) Full funding for NASA's Earth sciences program, with special emphasis on global warming; 3) Promoting American leadership in aeronautics by reversing funding cuts to NASA's aeronautics research and development budget.
Importantly, Clinton says she would speed the development, testing and launch of the new manned Orion moonship and Ares rocket fleet that will replace the shuttles, but won't start flying until 2015. She also says she would "capitalize on the expertise of the current shuttle program workforce" and "not allow a repeat of the brain drain" that occurred between the Apollo program's end and start of the shuttle. Both of those points are critical to Florida and the Space Coast, which will lose 3,000 to 5,000 [direct] jobs at Kennedy Space Center when the shuttles are retired in 2010. The economic hit could be $1 billion. Hopefully, Clinton's stance will cause more candidates to come forward with their ideas. That's particularly necessary in the key battleground state of Florida, which has so much to gain or lose from the choices the next president makes about space.
Feeney: Candidates Must Embrace Space (Source: Florida Today)
U.S. Rep. Tom Feeney urged Gov. Charlie Crist to get commitments from every visiting presidential candidate for support of space exploration. Feeney and state Rep. Thad Altman, R-Melbourne, visited with the governor to discuss state preparations for economic activity in the Space Coast area after the shuttle program concludes. They earlier met separately with legislative leaders. Crist and Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp said the state administration will do all it can to keep federal programs going in the Central Florida and Atlantic coastal areas in the post-shuttle era. Feeney said national-defense uses of space technology are especially important, in view of China's development of new systems.
The Granddaddy of Space Colonization? (Source: Discover)
If Burt Rutan ever read science fiction, he might recognize himself. A strong-willed, technically skilled, maverick spaceship builder with a healthy disdain for bureaucracy and a libertarian streak a mile wide, the 64-year-old Rutan could have stepped from the pages of a Robert Heinlein novel. Rutan first came to fame in 1986 as the revolutionary designer of Voyager, the first airplane to circle the globe nonstop without refueling. No fewer than six Rutan-designed craft are in the Smithsonian’s aerospace collection, including his most famous design to date: SpaceShipOne. In 2004, SpaceShipOne was the first—and so far only—private manned spacecraft to fly above Earth’s atmosphere in a suborbital arc. Visit http://discovermagazine.com/2007/oct/the-granddaddy-of-space-colonization to view the article.
New Station Crew Blasts Off in Kazakhstan (Source: Florida Today)
A new crew is speeding toward the International Space Station after launch Wednesday aboard a Soyuz rocket at Baikonur spaceport in Kazakhstan. American astronaut Peggy Whitson, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Melenchenko and Shiekh Muszaphar Sukor, the first Malaysian to fly in space, are due to arrive at the outpost at 10:52 a.m. Friday.
Africans To Deploy Microsats (Source: Aviation Week)
The growing availability of inexpensive, high-performance satellite-based imaging systems is allowing an increasing number of small nations to acquire and leverage an independent remote sensing capability, and may even allow some to envision accessing more sensitive technologies that for now remain largely the purview of the U.S. and Israel. A case in point was an announcement at the International Astronautical Congress that four African nations plan to deploy a constellation of microsatellites to monitor water/land use, agriculture, forestry and other sustainable development parameters. The African Resource Management (ARM) network will be set up by Algeria, Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya. Each nation will contribute its own space and ground segment and agree to share data with the others.
Obama's speech ended to rapturous applause, and the rock-star candidate began working the line, shaking hands and signing books across the barricade. Carberry was in position. Over the Stevie Wonder song blasting from the sound system, Carberry blurted out his question. "I'm with a group called the Mars Society, and we'd like to know: Do you support the policy of journeying back to the moon and going on to Mars?" Without a blink, Obama was ready. "I'm inspired by the idea of going to Mars," he replied, projecting friendly sincerity. "I'm also mindful of the budgetary constraints. So I won't give you an answer right now." Carberry followed up -- could he give him some reading material, and make an appointment to speak with someone from his policy team? "Absolutely." The folder was passed off to one of Obama's staff, and the candidate moved on. Visit http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2007/10/mars_voter to view the article.
Annual NASA-Sponsored Business Expo Set for Oct. 16 (Source: NASA)
Business leaders who want to better understand how to contract with the government can attend Business EXPO 2007 on Oct. 16 at Port Canaveral's Cruise Terminal No. 4. Admission is free and open to the public. The annual trade show, which is sponsored by the NASA Kennedy Space Center Small Business Council, 45th Space Wing and Canaveral Port Authority, will feature more than 175 business and government exhibitors from Brevard County and across the country. Government purchasing agents also may want to attend the EXPO to learn what local and national vendors have to offer.
Exhibitors will include vendors from a variety of product and service areas, including computer technology, communication equipment and services, construction and safety products. Representatives of NASA, the 45th Space Wing, Kennedy Space Center prime contractors, local chambers of commerce, and others will be available to give out information and answer specific questions about doing business with their respective organizations. For more information about the EXPO and points of contact, visit http://expo.ksc.nasa.gov.
Wiring Blamed for Proton Failure (Source: SpaceToday.net)
Russian investigators have identified faulty wiring as the cause of the launch failure of a Proton rocket last month. Anatoly Perminov, head of the Russian space agency Roskosmos, said a "faulty control wire" prevented the second stage of the Proton from separating properly from the first stage, causing the vehicle to plummet to Earth, crashing 40 kilometers from the Kazakh town of Zhezkazgan. Perminov said engineers have developed a way to prevent the problem from occurring in future launches. Russia plans to use a Proton to launch three GLONASS navigation satellites in late October, depending on the ability of Russia to work out compensation to Kazakhstan for the failure; the Kazakh government is asking for $60 million in reparations for the accident. It is not certain when the Proton will resume commercial missions. The September 6 failure destroyed a US-built Japanese communications satellite, JCSAT-11.
FUSE Mission to End This Month (Source: SpaceToday.net)
An orbiting ultraviolet observatory will shut down later this month after more than eight years of observations, project officials announced this week. The Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) spacecraft was launched into Earth orbit in 1999 on a mission to study everything from planets to distant galaxies at far ultraviolet wavelengths. the spacecraft has weathered a number of technical malfunctions that started in 2001 when two of its four momentum wheels, needed to point the spacecraft, failed. Engineers created modified control systems to allow the spacecraft to operate with two and, later, only one control wheel, but the last control wheel on the spacecraft failed in July and could not be restored. FUSE will be formally decommissioned on October 18 after engineers complete work to shut down the spacecraft.
Germany Questions Satellite Funding (Source: Business Week)
The EU finance ministers reported no progress Tuesday in salvaging Europe's Galileo satellite navigation project -- a rival to the U.S.-run Global Positioning System -- with Germany questioning the final price tag. Germany opposes a European Commission proposal to use $3.4 billion in unspent EU agricultural and administrative funds after private money for Galileo dried up when eight companies disagreed on how to share the work. Britain and the Netherlands also oppose using the EU budget to bail out the Galileo project but say the money should come from the EU's research and development program. The EU has already spent $1.4 billion on Galileo.
Editorial: Congress Should Give NASA What it Needs as the Space Race Heats Up (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
Now, with other nations set to challenge U.S. space leadership, senators have taken an important step toward maintaining it. Last week the Senate voted to add $1 billion to next year's budget for NASA, which would raise its overall funding to $18.5 billion. The additional money would replenish, belatedly, accounts the agency had to tap in the costly process of rehabilitating the space-shuttle program after the Columbia disaster in 2003. Co-sponsors of the bipartisan bid to reimburse NASA included Florida's two senators, Democrat Bill Nelson and Republican Mel Martinez. Advocates of the $1 billion boost will need first to persuade the House to go along, and then the increase faces a veto threat from President Bush. He has finally decided to hold the line on spending now that Democrats are in charge in Congress.
Mr. Bush reportedly objects to the boost for the space agency as well as the overall cost of the measure in which it's included, which also has money for the Justice and Commerce departments. Congress could blunt that threat and be more fiscally responsible by cutting spending on lower-priority programs to cover the NASA increase, or by raising the additional funds by eliminating tax loopholes. Keeping the United States ahead in space exploration is a smart investment in science, technology and economic growth.
Hawaii's Space Race (Source: KHNL)
While Hawaii observatories look up to the skies, things are also looking up for space partnerships and development here in the islands. In addition to NASA showing interest in the state, by setting up 5 centers for research, aerospace companies are also taking a look at Hawaii as they expand around the pacific. And the islands could also become a player in the latest space race. Under the state's ambitious plan, Honolulu International Airport would become a spaceport. And that would have more than just jets taking off, it would allow space planes to take off and land. "I think aerospace could be one of the biggest drivers for the state's economy for years to come. I believe our destiny is in space and Hawaii has a lot to contribute." adds Crisafulli. In addition to the economic benefits from an expanded space program, there could also be additional education opportunities for students. Who would not only get access to top scientists, but also see science and technology at work, in a very exciting field.
Space Florida Misses Progress Report (Source: Florida Today)
Heard much about Space Florida, lately? No? Neither has anybody else. Including Gov. Crist. Space Florida is a public-private partnership launched last year to replace the state's three existing space agencies. Since then, there has been no shortage of critics of the group. The latest salvo: Space Florida has yet to file a report on its activities that was due to the governor and the legislature Sep. 1. A spokesman from the governor's office said the report hadn't made it to Tallahassee yet, but they expect it soon.
State Sen. Bill Posey, a Space Florida board member, said criticism of the agency is unfounded. "I think they are really making more headway than any of the other groups did." Posey added that much of the criticism is coming from those who were knocked from power when Space Florida took over the what had been three separate agencies.
Lost Shuttle Program, Lost Jobs (Source: Tallahassee Democrat)
Warning that Florida faces a recession with national-security implications when the shuttle program ends, U.S. Rep. Tom Feeney asked Gov. Charlie Crist Tuesday to use his influence with visiting presidential candidates to make sure the Space Coast stays in the technology forefront. "The Brevard County folks are really attentive to this - I don't want to say panicked, but they are very concerned," Feeney said. Crist said his administration will support workforce training and business incentives to keep and attract companies for the region, as well as impressing the importance of space on presidential contenders.
State Rep. Thad Altman said the area could lose 5,000 jobs directly, with a ''multiplier'' of 2.5 in businesses dependent on spending by those employees. "You could see 20,000 jobs lost in the state," he said. Lt. Gov. Kottkamp expressed confidence that many new or expanding high-tech industries will want the engineering and technological work force that is available around the Space Coast. "I really believe we'll be able to keep every job we have in the Space Coast and actually expand the job market with some of the opportunities that are coming down the road."
After Delay, Atlas 5 Ready at Launch From Florida Spaceport (Source: Florida Today)
Today's Atlas 5 launch is on schedule to loft a military communications satellite in a launch window from 8:22 to 9:33 p.m. EDT. "We are working no issues and the weather forecast is still 80 percent go for launch," said a ULA spokesman. If successful, the launch will orbit the first of five advanced military communications satellites. The first Wideband Global SATCOM satellite will provide as much communication power as the military's entire present system of ten satellites. U.S. tactical forces around the world will rely on WGS, which will provide computer information and video information from Predator drones.
Our View: Hillary Goes Cosmic (Source: Florida Today)
If Space Coast residents are looking for a presidential candidate who promises to rev up America's space program, one may have just emerged: Hillary Clinton. The Democratic contender became the first -- and only -- White House hopeful to stake out a strong pro-space position in a major policy statement last week. This is no small matter, with the U.S. facing increasing orbital competition from countries such as China, and with it serious national security concerns about whether America will cede the high ground it has dominated for a half-century.
In the statement, Clinton said "enhancing American leadership in space through investments in exploration, earth sciences, and aeronautics research" would be among her top scientific priorities. She cited these details on her Web site: 1) Pursuing an ambitious 21st-century strategy that includes robust human spaceflight and expanded robotic missions; 2) Full funding for NASA's Earth sciences program, with special emphasis on global warming; 3) Promoting American leadership in aeronautics by reversing funding cuts to NASA's aeronautics research and development budget.
Importantly, Clinton says she would speed the development, testing and launch of the new manned Orion moonship and Ares rocket fleet that will replace the shuttles, but won't start flying until 2015. She also says she would "capitalize on the expertise of the current shuttle program workforce" and "not allow a repeat of the brain drain" that occurred between the Apollo program's end and start of the shuttle. Both of those points are critical to Florida and the Space Coast, which will lose 3,000 to 5,000 [direct] jobs at Kennedy Space Center when the shuttles are retired in 2010. The economic hit could be $1 billion. Hopefully, Clinton's stance will cause more candidates to come forward with their ideas. That's particularly necessary in the key battleground state of Florida, which has so much to gain or lose from the choices the next president makes about space.
Feeney: Candidates Must Embrace Space (Source: Florida Today)
U.S. Rep. Tom Feeney urged Gov. Charlie Crist to get commitments from every visiting presidential candidate for support of space exploration. Feeney and state Rep. Thad Altman, R-Melbourne, visited with the governor to discuss state preparations for economic activity in the Space Coast area after the shuttle program concludes. They earlier met separately with legislative leaders. Crist and Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp said the state administration will do all it can to keep federal programs going in the Central Florida and Atlantic coastal areas in the post-shuttle era. Feeney said national-defense uses of space technology are especially important, in view of China's development of new systems.
The Granddaddy of Space Colonization? (Source: Discover)
If Burt Rutan ever read science fiction, he might recognize himself. A strong-willed, technically skilled, maverick spaceship builder with a healthy disdain for bureaucracy and a libertarian streak a mile wide, the 64-year-old Rutan could have stepped from the pages of a Robert Heinlein novel. Rutan first came to fame in 1986 as the revolutionary designer of Voyager, the first airplane to circle the globe nonstop without refueling. No fewer than six Rutan-designed craft are in the Smithsonian’s aerospace collection, including his most famous design to date: SpaceShipOne. In 2004, SpaceShipOne was the first—and so far only—private manned spacecraft to fly above Earth’s atmosphere in a suborbital arc. Visit http://discovermagazine.com/2007/oct/the-granddaddy-of-space-colonization to view the article.
New Station Crew Blasts Off in Kazakhstan (Source: Florida Today)
A new crew is speeding toward the International Space Station after launch Wednesday aboard a Soyuz rocket at Baikonur spaceport in Kazakhstan. American astronaut Peggy Whitson, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Melenchenko and Shiekh Muszaphar Sukor, the first Malaysian to fly in space, are due to arrive at the outpost at 10:52 a.m. Friday.
Africans To Deploy Microsats (Source: Aviation Week)
The growing availability of inexpensive, high-performance satellite-based imaging systems is allowing an increasing number of small nations to acquire and leverage an independent remote sensing capability, and may even allow some to envision accessing more sensitive technologies that for now remain largely the purview of the U.S. and Israel. A case in point was an announcement at the International Astronautical Congress that four African nations plan to deploy a constellation of microsatellites to monitor water/land use, agriculture, forestry and other sustainable development parameters. The African Resource Management (ARM) network will be set up by Algeria, Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya. Each nation will contribute its own space and ground segment and agree to share data with the others.
October 9 News Items
Self-Sufficient Space Habitat Designed (Source: Cosmos)
Australian-led scientists have designed a new space habitat that might one day allow astronauts on the Moon or Mars to be 90 to 95 per cent self-sufficient. The development of such as system could save billions of dollars in shuttle trips to re-supply lunar or space colonies and brings closer the vision of a human habitat on Mars. The technology could also have applications on Earth to develop more sustainable farming techniques and improve recycling processes. Visit http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/node/1646 to view the article.
NM Spaceport Authority Votes to Place Welcome Center in Hatch (Source: Las Cruces Sun-News)
The New Mexico Spaceport Authority approved a resolution Friday that favors placing a Spaceport America welcome/visitor's center in the village of Hatch. NMSA Chairwoman Kelly O'Donnell said the vote taken during the authority's meeting in Truth or Consequences does not ensure the town of 1,600 will get the center but it makes it far more likely. The resolution means that the visitor's center in Hatch will be "a budget priority for us," O'Donnell said. Spaceport America is expected to be built in southern Sierra County at a cost of $198 million. As part of the project, officials have included plans for up to two visitor's center, with Doña Ana and Sierra counties as the potential hosts.
In NASA’s Sterile Areas, Plenty of Robust Bacteria (Source: New York Times)
Researchers have found a surprising diversity of hardy bacteria in a seemingly unlikely place — the so-called sterile clean rooms where NASA assembles its spacecraft and prepares them for launching. Samples of air and surfaces in the clean rooms at three NASA centers revealed surprising numbers and types of robust bacteria that appear to resist normal sterilization procedures. The findings are significant, the researchers report, because they can help reduce the chances of stowaway microbes contaminating planets and other bodies visited by the spacecraft and confounding efforts to discover new life elsewhere.
Microbes Can Survive 'Deep Freeze' for 100,000 Years (Source: New Scientist)
Microbes can survive trapped inside ice crystals, under 3 kilometres of snow, for more than 100,000 years, a new study suggests. The study bolsters the case that life may exist on distant, icy worlds in our own solar system. Living bacteria have been found in ice cores sampled at depths of 4 kilometres in Antarctica, though some scientists have argued that those microbes were contaminants from the drilling and testing of the samples in labs. And in 2005, researchers revived a bacterium that sat dormant in a frozen pond in Alaska for 32,000 years (see Ice age bacteria brought back to life). Now, physicist Buford Price and graduate student Robert Rohde, both at University of California in Berkeley, US, have found a mechanism to explain how microbes could survive such extreme conditions.
Rebutting the Regulatory Myth (Source: Space Review)
In his “Space Myths” essay, Wayne Eleazer brings up some interesting points about the regulation of the commercial airline industry and compares it to the regulation of space launches. He suggests that airlines are regulated in everything while space missions have only one issue to deal with. While I appreciate the differences in regulating both industries, I wish to correct some of the misconceptions that his article presents. Perhaps the US Air Force does not need to worry about anything other than hurting the uninvolved public. I can tell you that from a commercial side I have plenty of regulations to deal with, thank you, and from a myriad of governmental agencies. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/975/1 to view the article.
Weaponization of Space: Who’s to Blame? (Source: Space Review)
Like children drawing glee in poking a stick into an anthill to see the turmoil they can cause, some elements of the Western news media seem to evince diabolical delight in seeing just how they can inflame good old fashioned Russian paranoia about “enemy threats”, especially from the United States. Regardless of the rationale, such exercises leave measurable scars on the international diplomatic scene. In Moscow, Colonel General Vladimir Popovkin, commander of the Russian “Space Troops”, has warned that US plans to base weapons in space might lead to war.
Accuracy and consistency has never been a hallmark of this kind of space journalism. It’s been a year now since a White House space policy paper announced the US intention to “deny use” of foreign space assets to interfere in US freedom of action in space, but from the very beginning, major Western media (and the outraged Russian officials who echoed them) have shrieked about an American declaration to “deny access to space” for anybody the US doesn’t like. (Nevermind that the policy makes it clear to anyone who actually reads it that the US has no problem with any other country doing the same things in space the US reserves for itself also to do.) Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/976/1 to view the article.
Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo Plans Held Up by Testing Accident (Source: Flight International)
Work on Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo (SS2) is in a hiatus while the investigation into July's fatal Scaled Composites accident continues. A California Occupational Safety and Health report is expected by Jan. 26. The Mojave, California accident involving nitrous oxide, which was Scaled Composites' SpaceShipOne's (SS1) oxidizer, killed three employees of SS2 designer Scaled Composites and injured three more. SS2 work had reached the stage where the prototype has been partially assembled and was ready for on-board systems to be fitted. But instead of work continuing with that, development of the SS2's carrier aircraft White Knight II is moving ahead.
Virgin Galactic's chief operating officer Alex Tai said "we are waiting for the [accident investigation] report. We are still a few years away from operations." Although work on the rocket glider is suspended, automatic main propulsion cut-off in case of non-nominal trajectories and an auto pilot are under consideration. Tai added that the SS2 simulator is now working and said that it had "stunning visuals". A launch and entry suit is also being designed, but there is no final decision on whether cabin crew and passengers will wear them. Tai explained that the customer's training is to be considered part of an "informed consent package" and that at different stages the passengers' ability to cope with the flight conditions would be measured. Under US law spaceflight participants must give informed consent before they fly.
NASA Plans To Form New Lunar Science Institute (Source: NASA Watch)
On Tuesday night NASA Science Mission Directorate Associate Administrator Alan Stern announced that NASA plans to form a NASA Lunar Science Institute (NLSI) patterned on the NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI). Speaking at the Division for Planetary Sciences meeting in Orlando, Stern said that the initial selection would be done of 4 to 5 lead teams at a cost of $1-2 million each. As is the case with the NAI, the NSLI would be managed by NASA Ames Research Center.
Russian Banks May Finance Would-Be Space Tourists (Source: Interfax)
Russian banks could offer low- interest loans to people wishing to go into space as tourists, Roman Popov, the president of the First Russian-Czech Bank, said. "If space tourism develops, we are prepared to combine efforts of three or more banks to issue five-year low-interest loans to a future space tourist," Popov said at a press conference dealing with prospects of space exploration.
Roscosmos Hopes for Resumption of Proton Launches After Oct 10 (Source: Interfax)
Head of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) Anatoly Perminov hopes that the Kazakh government will permit the launch of Proton rockets from Baikonur space center in the near future. At a Tuesday press conference in Astana he predicted that Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Masimov may make such a decision after visiting Baikonur on Wednesday.
Australian-led scientists have designed a new space habitat that might one day allow astronauts on the Moon or Mars to be 90 to 95 per cent self-sufficient. The development of such as system could save billions of dollars in shuttle trips to re-supply lunar or space colonies and brings closer the vision of a human habitat on Mars. The technology could also have applications on Earth to develop more sustainable farming techniques and improve recycling processes. Visit http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/node/1646 to view the article.
NM Spaceport Authority Votes to Place Welcome Center in Hatch (Source: Las Cruces Sun-News)
The New Mexico Spaceport Authority approved a resolution Friday that favors placing a Spaceport America welcome/visitor's center in the village of Hatch. NMSA Chairwoman Kelly O'Donnell said the vote taken during the authority's meeting in Truth or Consequences does not ensure the town of 1,600 will get the center but it makes it far more likely. The resolution means that the visitor's center in Hatch will be "a budget priority for us," O'Donnell said. Spaceport America is expected to be built in southern Sierra County at a cost of $198 million. As part of the project, officials have included plans for up to two visitor's center, with Doña Ana and Sierra counties as the potential hosts.
In NASA’s Sterile Areas, Plenty of Robust Bacteria (Source: New York Times)
Researchers have found a surprising diversity of hardy bacteria in a seemingly unlikely place — the so-called sterile clean rooms where NASA assembles its spacecraft and prepares them for launching. Samples of air and surfaces in the clean rooms at three NASA centers revealed surprising numbers and types of robust bacteria that appear to resist normal sterilization procedures. The findings are significant, the researchers report, because they can help reduce the chances of stowaway microbes contaminating planets and other bodies visited by the spacecraft and confounding efforts to discover new life elsewhere.
Microbes Can Survive 'Deep Freeze' for 100,000 Years (Source: New Scientist)
Microbes can survive trapped inside ice crystals, under 3 kilometres of snow, for more than 100,000 years, a new study suggests. The study bolsters the case that life may exist on distant, icy worlds in our own solar system. Living bacteria have been found in ice cores sampled at depths of 4 kilometres in Antarctica, though some scientists have argued that those microbes were contaminants from the drilling and testing of the samples in labs. And in 2005, researchers revived a bacterium that sat dormant in a frozen pond in Alaska for 32,000 years (see Ice age bacteria brought back to life). Now, physicist Buford Price and graduate student Robert Rohde, both at University of California in Berkeley, US, have found a mechanism to explain how microbes could survive such extreme conditions.
Rebutting the Regulatory Myth (Source: Space Review)
In his “Space Myths” essay, Wayne Eleazer brings up some interesting points about the regulation of the commercial airline industry and compares it to the regulation of space launches. He suggests that airlines are regulated in everything while space missions have only one issue to deal with. While I appreciate the differences in regulating both industries, I wish to correct some of the misconceptions that his article presents. Perhaps the US Air Force does not need to worry about anything other than hurting the uninvolved public. I can tell you that from a commercial side I have plenty of regulations to deal with, thank you, and from a myriad of governmental agencies. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/975/1 to view the article.
Weaponization of Space: Who’s to Blame? (Source: Space Review)
Like children drawing glee in poking a stick into an anthill to see the turmoil they can cause, some elements of the Western news media seem to evince diabolical delight in seeing just how they can inflame good old fashioned Russian paranoia about “enemy threats”, especially from the United States. Regardless of the rationale, such exercises leave measurable scars on the international diplomatic scene. In Moscow, Colonel General Vladimir Popovkin, commander of the Russian “Space Troops”, has warned that US plans to base weapons in space might lead to war.
Accuracy and consistency has never been a hallmark of this kind of space journalism. It’s been a year now since a White House space policy paper announced the US intention to “deny use” of foreign space assets to interfere in US freedom of action in space, but from the very beginning, major Western media (and the outraged Russian officials who echoed them) have shrieked about an American declaration to “deny access to space” for anybody the US doesn’t like. (Nevermind that the policy makes it clear to anyone who actually reads it that the US has no problem with any other country doing the same things in space the US reserves for itself also to do.) Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/976/1 to view the article.
Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo Plans Held Up by Testing Accident (Source: Flight International)
Work on Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo (SS2) is in a hiatus while the investigation into July's fatal Scaled Composites accident continues. A California Occupational Safety and Health report is expected by Jan. 26. The Mojave, California accident involving nitrous oxide, which was Scaled Composites' SpaceShipOne's (SS1) oxidizer, killed three employees of SS2 designer Scaled Composites and injured three more. SS2 work had reached the stage where the prototype has been partially assembled and was ready for on-board systems to be fitted. But instead of work continuing with that, development of the SS2's carrier aircraft White Knight II is moving ahead.
Virgin Galactic's chief operating officer Alex Tai said "we are waiting for the [accident investigation] report. We are still a few years away from operations." Although work on the rocket glider is suspended, automatic main propulsion cut-off in case of non-nominal trajectories and an auto pilot are under consideration. Tai added that the SS2 simulator is now working and said that it had "stunning visuals". A launch and entry suit is also being designed, but there is no final decision on whether cabin crew and passengers will wear them. Tai explained that the customer's training is to be considered part of an "informed consent package" and that at different stages the passengers' ability to cope with the flight conditions would be measured. Under US law spaceflight participants must give informed consent before they fly.
NASA Plans To Form New Lunar Science Institute (Source: NASA Watch)
On Tuesday night NASA Science Mission Directorate Associate Administrator Alan Stern announced that NASA plans to form a NASA Lunar Science Institute (NLSI) patterned on the NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI). Speaking at the Division for Planetary Sciences meeting in Orlando, Stern said that the initial selection would be done of 4 to 5 lead teams at a cost of $1-2 million each. As is the case with the NAI, the NSLI would be managed by NASA Ames Research Center.
Russian Banks May Finance Would-Be Space Tourists (Source: Interfax)
Russian banks could offer low- interest loans to people wishing to go into space as tourists, Roman Popov, the president of the First Russian-Czech Bank, said. "If space tourism develops, we are prepared to combine efforts of three or more banks to issue five-year low-interest loans to a future space tourist," Popov said at a press conference dealing with prospects of space exploration.
Roscosmos Hopes for Resumption of Proton Launches After Oct 10 (Source: Interfax)
Head of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) Anatoly Perminov hopes that the Kazakh government will permit the launch of Proton rockets from Baikonur space center in the near future. At a Tuesday press conference in Astana he predicted that Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Masimov may make such a decision after visiting Baikonur on Wednesday.
October 8 News Items
Future of Pharmaceuticals Could be in Space (Source: AIA)
The future of the International Space Station may be in the hands of private investors after 2015, when NASA plans to cut its funding to the orbiting facility. One industry that could benefit from having more time to perform experiments in space is pharmaceuticals.
NASA Contract Underscores NM Area's Space Connections (Source: Las Cruces Sun-News)
Denco, Inc., a Las Cruces firm, last week won a $3.1 million contract from the NASA. Denco will build launch site facilities for NASA's Orion Launch Abort System. The announcement is positive on several local fronts. It's great a local firm won the contract. More work, more business. The facility will be built at Launch Complex 32 at White Sands Missile Range. This demonstrates again the value and versatility of WSMR. NASA's White Sands Test Facility will supervise the Pad Abort 1 program, which the Denco-constructed facilities will support. WSTF continually flies under the radar, but the people there do important, high-tech, work right in our backyard.
NASA Narrows Ares 1 Avionics Field to Two (Source: Space News)
NASA selected Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. and Boeing Space Exploration as the finalists for a contract to build the instrumented avionics ring for the agency's planned Ares 1 crew launch vehicle, the companies said.
Hispasat Reports Strong Financial Performance (Source: Space News)
Spanish satellite-fleet operator Hispasat reported sharp increases in profit and revenues for the six months ending June 30 and said it expects profit to grow at double-digit rates annually until at least 2013.
Dnepr to Loft Three Earth Observing Satellites in Late 2008 (Source: Space News)
Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. (SSTL) will launch two of its 100-kilogram-class Earth observation satellites, Britain's UK-DMC2 and Spain's Deimos-1, aboard a Russian-Ukrainian Dnepr rocket in late 2008, SSTL announced Oct. 8. The same rocket is expected to carry the 200-kilogram DubaiSat-1 optical Earth observation satellite now under construction in South Korea as the principal payload.
European Firms Launch Dual-Use Sat Laser Project (Source: Defense News)
France’s Astrium Satellites, in parallel with its subsidiary, Tesat-Spacecom of Germany, plans to use two satellite-laser technologies the companies developed separately to stitch together a civil-military program that ultimately would include a satellite data-relay payload in geostationary orbit. Astrium is using the success of the technologies to pitch four applications to civil and military authorities: 1) Links between a low-orbiting satellite, a UAV and a geostationary satellite; 2) Inter-satellite transmissions between geostationary satellites, or between low-orbiting spacecraft; 3) Transmissions between low-orbiting observation satellites and their ground control stations to replace what could be a congestion in X-band telemetry transmissions; and 4) Communications from deep-space missions.
Confident Atlas Rocket Team Ready to Launch Again (Source: SpaceFlightNow.com)
The Atlas rocket program looks to return to its successful ways this week, launching a powerful U.S. military communications satellite Wednesday night with a tried-and-true engine valve instead of a newer design blamed for creating serious problems during the last ascent four months ago. Atlas enjoyed a spotless 14-year consecutive success record covering 80 flights, but that score card was hit with a major blemish June 15 when a leaky fuel valve caused an Atlas 5 rocket to fall short of its intended altitude.
The future of the International Space Station may be in the hands of private investors after 2015, when NASA plans to cut its funding to the orbiting facility. One industry that could benefit from having more time to perform experiments in space is pharmaceuticals.
NASA Contract Underscores NM Area's Space Connections (Source: Las Cruces Sun-News)
Denco, Inc., a Las Cruces firm, last week won a $3.1 million contract from the NASA. Denco will build launch site facilities for NASA's Orion Launch Abort System. The announcement is positive on several local fronts. It's great a local firm won the contract. More work, more business. The facility will be built at Launch Complex 32 at White Sands Missile Range. This demonstrates again the value and versatility of WSMR. NASA's White Sands Test Facility will supervise the Pad Abort 1 program, which the Denco-constructed facilities will support. WSTF continually flies under the radar, but the people there do important, high-tech, work right in our backyard.
NASA Narrows Ares 1 Avionics Field to Two (Source: Space News)
NASA selected Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. and Boeing Space Exploration as the finalists for a contract to build the instrumented avionics ring for the agency's planned Ares 1 crew launch vehicle, the companies said.
Hispasat Reports Strong Financial Performance (Source: Space News)
Spanish satellite-fleet operator Hispasat reported sharp increases in profit and revenues for the six months ending June 30 and said it expects profit to grow at double-digit rates annually until at least 2013.
Dnepr to Loft Three Earth Observing Satellites in Late 2008 (Source: Space News)
Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. (SSTL) will launch two of its 100-kilogram-class Earth observation satellites, Britain's UK-DMC2 and Spain's Deimos-1, aboard a Russian-Ukrainian Dnepr rocket in late 2008, SSTL announced Oct. 8. The same rocket is expected to carry the 200-kilogram DubaiSat-1 optical Earth observation satellite now under construction in South Korea as the principal payload.
European Firms Launch Dual-Use Sat Laser Project (Source: Defense News)
France’s Astrium Satellites, in parallel with its subsidiary, Tesat-Spacecom of Germany, plans to use two satellite-laser technologies the companies developed separately to stitch together a civil-military program that ultimately would include a satellite data-relay payload in geostationary orbit. Astrium is using the success of the technologies to pitch four applications to civil and military authorities: 1) Links between a low-orbiting satellite, a UAV and a geostationary satellite; 2) Inter-satellite transmissions between geostationary satellites, or between low-orbiting spacecraft; 3) Transmissions between low-orbiting observation satellites and their ground control stations to replace what could be a congestion in X-band telemetry transmissions; and 4) Communications from deep-space missions.
Confident Atlas Rocket Team Ready to Launch Again (Source: SpaceFlightNow.com)
The Atlas rocket program looks to return to its successful ways this week, launching a powerful U.S. military communications satellite Wednesday night with a tried-and-true engine valve instead of a newer design blamed for creating serious problems during the last ascent four months ago. Atlas enjoyed a spotless 14-year consecutive success record covering 80 flights, but that score card was hit with a major blemish June 15 when a leaky fuel valve caused an Atlas 5 rocket to fall short of its intended altitude.
October 7 News Items
Oklahoma's Burns Flat Looks to the Stars (Source: The Oklahoman)
The biggest dream in rural Oklahoma might also be the toughest sell — The Oklahoma Spaceport. Yet if successful, experts think the spaceport won't simply change the sleepy community of Burns Flat (population 1,782), but Oklahoma's entire western region. Oklahoma Space Industry Development Authority executive director Bill Khourie saw the potential impact three years ago when he traveled to the Mojave Desert in California. Khourie witnessed American aerospace engineer Burt Rutan sending a privately funded craft into space at the X-Prize Cup Challenge.
The Oklahoma Spaceport has already achieved some major milestones, none more important than its licensing as an official launch site by the Commercial Space Transportation Division of the FAA. The Oklahoma Spaceport, however, will only succeed ultimately if the commercial space industry does. To date, two private companies have partnered with the Burns Flat facility — the Oklahoma City-based Rocketplane Limited, Inc. and the Mesquite, Texas,-based Armadillo Aerospace. Both companies hope to send private aircraft into space from Burns Flat.
From Earth to ... Arizona (Source: Chicago Tribune)
It looks, for all the world, like someplace out of this world, which is pretty much why NASA scientists and engineers recently journeyed here to a remote volcanic cinder field in northern Arizona. In this barren, black moonscape of a place just outside Flagstaff, where NASA's Apollo astronauts trained for the first moon landings more than 40 years ago, history is repeating itself as the nation's space agency tests out concepts for the next generation of systems needed to send Americans back to the moon as soon as 2020. An entirely new inventory of comfortable, flexible spacesuits, as well as remote-controlled vehicles and intelligent robots, must be designed from the nuts and bolts up. And it has to be done quickly. Given the long lead times necessary to allow for production and testing of new space equipment, space agency engineers figure they have only a couple of years to finalize new designs.
JAXA Invites Private Sector to Use ISS Module (Source: Daily Yomiuri)
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency is inviting the private sector to utilize the nation's first manned space module, Kibo, the assembly of which is scheduled to start next year on the International Space Station. For a fee, companies, organizations or individuals will have the right to ask astronauts to operate equipment carried on the module for purposes such as shooting movies and TV commercials or offering classes, the agency said. JAXA will start accepting applications for private sector usage from next month.
The module will mainly be used for scientific experiments by the agency and other institutions, such as universities. But the agency also wants to encourage wider use of the module. By inviting the private sector to make use of it, the agency hopes to cover some of the module's operation costs. The agency will accept applications from Japanese companies, organizations and nationals only. The module will be available for private sector use from June 2008 to March 2009. Astronauts will work for up to two hours each day on missions commissioned by the private sector, using cameras and equipment for experiments installed in the Japanese module.
Will We Make it to Mars? (Source: The Star)
First words of advice about Mars Rising, the new six-part documentary series on the challenges involved in making a future mission to the Red Planet possible: you must try to forget the equally splendid dramatic miniseries Race to Mars that just concluded on Discovery. Narrated by William Shatner, Mars Rising stands on its own as a pretty tremendous series on science. Unlike a lot of these types of series, this ambitious exploration of the technology being tested and developed today, and the challenges involved, is relatively easy to digest with few talking heads.
'Black-Hole Universe' Might Explain Dark Energy (Source: New Scientist)
Imagine that we live inside a black hole. That could be the key to understanding the origin of dark energy, the mysterious force widely thought to be causing the expansion of the universe to accelerate. Some physicists have previously suggested that dark energy could arise from the quantum bubbling of virtual particles in empty space, but it wasn't clear how. Now Jae-Weon Lee at the Korea Institute for Advanced Study in Seoul and his colleagues are proposing that dark energy is created as pairs of these virtual particles are ripped apart from each other by the expanding edge of our universe. According to quantum theory, even the perfect vacuum of space isn't empty: it is a sea of virtual particles, created as entangled pairs of particles and antiparticles which exist only fleetingly and then annihilate each other.
Commercial Lunar Development Premature - Russian Expert (Source: Interfax)
There is no urgent necessity today to extract helium 3, or other minerals on the Moon, a Russian expert said. "There are no mineral resources, whose commercial delivery from the Moon would be effective, except helium 3. But we have no capabilities right now to enable nuclear fusion - even simpler nuclear fusion than that involving helium 3. Therefore, delivering helium from the Moon would be needless for the next several hundred years," Lev Zelyony, the director of the Russian Academy of Sciences' Space Research Institute, said.
Zelyony said he opposed hasty plans to launch commercial development of the Moon. "Many of the American corporations have announced plans to start developing the Moon commercially. But the Moon is a very fragile object. A cloud that formed after a stage from the Apollo spaceship fell on it, remained suspended above the Moon for 20 years," he said. "Anyway, Man will some day return to the Moon and fly to Mars, which would be an act of self-assertion rather than a scientific endeavor," Zelyony said.
Court Bars New Background Checks for JPL Workers (Source: LA Times)
The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday issued a temporary injunction blocking a federal government directive that would require new background checks for employees at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. A group of 28 JPL scientists to stop the investigations, which they said amounted to a blank check for the federal government to look into such areas as their sexual orientation and consumer histories. The employees had been facing the potential loss of their jobs unless they met a Friday deadline to comply with the directive by filling out questionnaires and signing a waiver allowing the investigations. A U.S. District Court had upheld the background checks Wednesday. "This ruling shows we're not going to let hysterical fear and innuendo undermine the Constitution," said attorney Dan Stormer, who represented the JPL scientists.
Ares I Moving From the Drawing Board to Testing (Source: Huntsville Times)
The next NASA rocket - the Ares I - is moving from computer design drawings to hands-on test hardware being used to gather information about the rocket NASA hopes will carry astronauts to the International Space Station and on to the moon, Marshall Space Flight Center managers said last week. NASA and aerospace industry managers and engineers are working on advanced tests for booster parachute recovery systems and updated engines. They are also working on integrating the Ares I's two stages with the Orion astronaut capsule.
The biggest dream in rural Oklahoma might also be the toughest sell — The Oklahoma Spaceport. Yet if successful, experts think the spaceport won't simply change the sleepy community of Burns Flat (population 1,782), but Oklahoma's entire western region. Oklahoma Space Industry Development Authority executive director Bill Khourie saw the potential impact three years ago when he traveled to the Mojave Desert in California. Khourie witnessed American aerospace engineer Burt Rutan sending a privately funded craft into space at the X-Prize Cup Challenge.
The Oklahoma Spaceport has already achieved some major milestones, none more important than its licensing as an official launch site by the Commercial Space Transportation Division of the FAA. The Oklahoma Spaceport, however, will only succeed ultimately if the commercial space industry does. To date, two private companies have partnered with the Burns Flat facility — the Oklahoma City-based Rocketplane Limited, Inc. and the Mesquite, Texas,-based Armadillo Aerospace. Both companies hope to send private aircraft into space from Burns Flat.
From Earth to ... Arizona (Source: Chicago Tribune)
It looks, for all the world, like someplace out of this world, which is pretty much why NASA scientists and engineers recently journeyed here to a remote volcanic cinder field in northern Arizona. In this barren, black moonscape of a place just outside Flagstaff, where NASA's Apollo astronauts trained for the first moon landings more than 40 years ago, history is repeating itself as the nation's space agency tests out concepts for the next generation of systems needed to send Americans back to the moon as soon as 2020. An entirely new inventory of comfortable, flexible spacesuits, as well as remote-controlled vehicles and intelligent robots, must be designed from the nuts and bolts up. And it has to be done quickly. Given the long lead times necessary to allow for production and testing of new space equipment, space agency engineers figure they have only a couple of years to finalize new designs.
JAXA Invites Private Sector to Use ISS Module (Source: Daily Yomiuri)
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency is inviting the private sector to utilize the nation's first manned space module, Kibo, the assembly of which is scheduled to start next year on the International Space Station. For a fee, companies, organizations or individuals will have the right to ask astronauts to operate equipment carried on the module for purposes such as shooting movies and TV commercials or offering classes, the agency said. JAXA will start accepting applications for private sector usage from next month.
The module will mainly be used for scientific experiments by the agency and other institutions, such as universities. But the agency also wants to encourage wider use of the module. By inviting the private sector to make use of it, the agency hopes to cover some of the module's operation costs. The agency will accept applications from Japanese companies, organizations and nationals only. The module will be available for private sector use from June 2008 to March 2009. Astronauts will work for up to two hours each day on missions commissioned by the private sector, using cameras and equipment for experiments installed in the Japanese module.
Will We Make it to Mars? (Source: The Star)
First words of advice about Mars Rising, the new six-part documentary series on the challenges involved in making a future mission to the Red Planet possible: you must try to forget the equally splendid dramatic miniseries Race to Mars that just concluded on Discovery. Narrated by William Shatner, Mars Rising stands on its own as a pretty tremendous series on science. Unlike a lot of these types of series, this ambitious exploration of the technology being tested and developed today, and the challenges involved, is relatively easy to digest with few talking heads.
'Black-Hole Universe' Might Explain Dark Energy (Source: New Scientist)
Imagine that we live inside a black hole. That could be the key to understanding the origin of dark energy, the mysterious force widely thought to be causing the expansion of the universe to accelerate. Some physicists have previously suggested that dark energy could arise from the quantum bubbling of virtual particles in empty space, but it wasn't clear how. Now Jae-Weon Lee at the Korea Institute for Advanced Study in Seoul and his colleagues are proposing that dark energy is created as pairs of these virtual particles are ripped apart from each other by the expanding edge of our universe. According to quantum theory, even the perfect vacuum of space isn't empty: it is a sea of virtual particles, created as entangled pairs of particles and antiparticles which exist only fleetingly and then annihilate each other.
Commercial Lunar Development Premature - Russian Expert (Source: Interfax)
There is no urgent necessity today to extract helium 3, or other minerals on the Moon, a Russian expert said. "There are no mineral resources, whose commercial delivery from the Moon would be effective, except helium 3. But we have no capabilities right now to enable nuclear fusion - even simpler nuclear fusion than that involving helium 3. Therefore, delivering helium from the Moon would be needless for the next several hundred years," Lev Zelyony, the director of the Russian Academy of Sciences' Space Research Institute, said.
Zelyony said he opposed hasty plans to launch commercial development of the Moon. "Many of the American corporations have announced plans to start developing the Moon commercially. But the Moon is a very fragile object. A cloud that formed after a stage from the Apollo spaceship fell on it, remained suspended above the Moon for 20 years," he said. "Anyway, Man will some day return to the Moon and fly to Mars, which would be an act of self-assertion rather than a scientific endeavor," Zelyony said.
Court Bars New Background Checks for JPL Workers (Source: LA Times)
The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday issued a temporary injunction blocking a federal government directive that would require new background checks for employees at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. A group of 28 JPL scientists to stop the investigations, which they said amounted to a blank check for the federal government to look into such areas as their sexual orientation and consumer histories. The employees had been facing the potential loss of their jobs unless they met a Friday deadline to comply with the directive by filling out questionnaires and signing a waiver allowing the investigations. A U.S. District Court had upheld the background checks Wednesday. "This ruling shows we're not going to let hysterical fear and innuendo undermine the Constitution," said attorney Dan Stormer, who represented the JPL scientists.
Ares I Moving From the Drawing Board to Testing (Source: Huntsville Times)
The next NASA rocket - the Ares I - is moving from computer design drawings to hands-on test hardware being used to gather information about the rocket NASA hopes will carry astronauts to the International Space Station and on to the moon, Marshall Space Flight Center managers said last week. NASA and aerospace industry managers and engineers are working on advanced tests for booster parachute recovery systems and updated engines. They are also working on integrating the Ares I's two stages with the Orion astronaut capsule.
October 6 News Items
Ariane Launches Two Satellites (Source: SpaceToday.net)
An Ariane 5 launched two communications satellites for customers in the US and Australia on Friday. The Ariane 5 GS lifted off from the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana. The two payloads, Intelsat 11 and Optus D2, were released into geosynchronous transfer orbit about a half-hour after liftoff. The launch also tested the reignition sequence of the upper stage that will be required when the Ariane 5 launched the first ATV cargo spacecraft for the ISS early next year. The launch is the fourth of six Ariane 5 missions scheduled for 2007.
Russia Faces Lengthy Shortage of Satellite Communications (Source: Space News)
Russia's domestic satellite-telecommunications market is facing a supply shortage likely to be felt as early as 2008 and to last several years as business and government demand for C- and Ku-band capacity outpaces the ability of Russia's satellite operators to keep up. The supply bottleneck is almost inevitable despite the ongoing expansion plans of Gascom and Russian Satellite Communications Co., both of which are in the middle of multiyear fleet expansions, and the continued presence of non-Russian satellite operators including Eutelsat and Intelsat. Unlike most nations with established satellite telecommunications markets, Russia appears to be burning its candle at both ends: sharply rising demand at one end and, at the other, an in-orbit supply that is actually shrinking as older satellites are retired before newer, longer-lasting spacecraft are made ready.
Florida Space Advocates Visit Tallahassee (Source: ERAU)
Elected officials, local agencies, university representatives (including Embry-Riddle) will be in Tallahassee this week for meetings with Governor Charlie Crist and officials from Space Florida. The groups will discuss ongoing efforts to develop recommendations for legislative action aimed at expanding and diversifying Florida’s space industry, and protecting the large number of space-related jobs that are at risk as the Space Shuttle program moves toward retirement.
Russian Official Arrested in Energomash Extortion Scheme (Source: Space News)
A senior member of Russia's federal Audit Chamber (similar to the U.S. GAO) has been arrested on charges of attempting to extort millions of dollars from rocket-engine maker Energomash in a scheme that temporarily disrupted shipments of RD-180 main engines to the U.S. for use in the Air Force's Atlas 5 rocket. The episode began with an investigation of Energomash by the Audit Chamber, Russia's rough equivalent to the U.S. Government Accountability Office. It culminated with a sting operation in which three alleged conspirators were arrested after one of them accepted $1.4 million in cash from a senior Energomash official. In the midst of the Audit Chamber's probe, an export license that Energomash needed to ship RD-180 engines to the U.S. was inexplicably held up. Millions of dollars in contractual payments to the company were deferred as a result.
Rocketplane Kistler President Resigns (Source: Space News)
Rocketplane Kistler, on the verge of losing NASA backing for a rocket intended to carry supplies to the space station, accepted the resignation of its president just days after he sent a lengthy letter to the U.S. space agency blaming it for the company's financial problems. He has been replaced by William Byrd, a member of Rocketplane's board of directors, and a director of the Iowa Space Grant Consortium who worked on the space shuttle and space station programs for more than a decade.
Brinkley, a former president of Boeing Satellite Systems, took over Kistler Aerospace in 2004. He led the company out of bankruptcy and through its acquisition by Rocketplane in early 2006 just as proposals for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) demonstration program were coming due. Brinkley did not respond the week of Oct. 1 to multiple requests for comment.
FCC Approves Loral's Telesat Acquisition (Source: AP)
Loral said Friday it received the final required approval from U.S. regulators to complete its acquisition of Telesat Canada. The Federal Communications Commission granted Loral approval to acquire Telesat from BCE Inc. for $3.31 billion, a deal first proposed in December. Loral expects to close the acquisition before the end of October. Loral shares rose 51 cents to $42.50 in midday trading.
"Rocket NASCAR," Moon Base Part of 50-Year Space Vision (Source: National Geographic)
A new era of competition to break through the planet's atmosphere has begun, sparking visions of what human space travel will look like 50 years in the future. The governments of the United States, India, China, and Japan have each announced high-profile plans to send humans back to the moon for the first time since Apollo 17 landed there in 1972. Some of these projects involve building permanent lunar settlements that will serve as science stations as well as testing grounds for technology to send pioneering astronauts to Mars.
And renewed interest in space travel has already laid the foundations for a multibillion-U.S.-dollar entertainment and tourism industry, said Peter Diamandis, chair and CEO of the X Prize Foundation. Historians of the future might call it the second space race—although this time the competition will be among private entrepreneurs as well as government agencies. The next generations of rockets and shuttles along with tourist-friendly spaceports across the globe could eventually make space vacations as routine as a trip to Disneyland. For example, Diamandis will soon wave the starting flag for his latest venture, the Rocket Racing League.
Space Pioneers Look to Australia's Colonial Past (Source: Australian Broadcasting Corp.)
It may be a century or two, or even three, before humankind calls another planet home, but researchers say lessons learnt from the settlement of Australia will prove useful for the future colonization of other planets. A University of Queensland research team shows extraterrestrial colonies could end up resembling the worst aspects of outback mining towns. While the images from popular movies, television shows and books tend to shape most people's concept of space travel, the research team has now boldly gone where no researchers have gone before.
In an attempt to come up with scenarios for what they say is the inevitable colonization of other worlds, they have analysed attitudes toward space exploration. Doctor Toni Johnson-Woods says she and her colleagues found there is a prevailing belief that other planets and their natural resources are there simply to be exploited. "The focus is on exploitation of the minerals. Basically, it's just Australia all over again," she said. The researchers concluded that the digging up and processing of minerals is likely to be a factor driving future planetary colonization and doctor John Cokley says that is where Australia's experiences could provide valuable lessons.
An Ariane 5 launched two communications satellites for customers in the US and Australia on Friday. The Ariane 5 GS lifted off from the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana. The two payloads, Intelsat 11 and Optus D2, were released into geosynchronous transfer orbit about a half-hour after liftoff. The launch also tested the reignition sequence of the upper stage that will be required when the Ariane 5 launched the first ATV cargo spacecraft for the ISS early next year. The launch is the fourth of six Ariane 5 missions scheduled for 2007.
Russia Faces Lengthy Shortage of Satellite Communications (Source: Space News)
Russia's domestic satellite-telecommunications market is facing a supply shortage likely to be felt as early as 2008 and to last several years as business and government demand for C- and Ku-band capacity outpaces the ability of Russia's satellite operators to keep up. The supply bottleneck is almost inevitable despite the ongoing expansion plans of Gascom and Russian Satellite Communications Co., both of which are in the middle of multiyear fleet expansions, and the continued presence of non-Russian satellite operators including Eutelsat and Intelsat. Unlike most nations with established satellite telecommunications markets, Russia appears to be burning its candle at both ends: sharply rising demand at one end and, at the other, an in-orbit supply that is actually shrinking as older satellites are retired before newer, longer-lasting spacecraft are made ready.
Florida Space Advocates Visit Tallahassee (Source: ERAU)
Elected officials, local agencies, university representatives (including Embry-Riddle) will be in Tallahassee this week for meetings with Governor Charlie Crist and officials from Space Florida. The groups will discuss ongoing efforts to develop recommendations for legislative action aimed at expanding and diversifying Florida’s space industry, and protecting the large number of space-related jobs that are at risk as the Space Shuttle program moves toward retirement.
Russian Official Arrested in Energomash Extortion Scheme (Source: Space News)
A senior member of Russia's federal Audit Chamber (similar to the U.S. GAO) has been arrested on charges of attempting to extort millions of dollars from rocket-engine maker Energomash in a scheme that temporarily disrupted shipments of RD-180 main engines to the U.S. for use in the Air Force's Atlas 5 rocket. The episode began with an investigation of Energomash by the Audit Chamber, Russia's rough equivalent to the U.S. Government Accountability Office. It culminated with a sting operation in which three alleged conspirators were arrested after one of them accepted $1.4 million in cash from a senior Energomash official. In the midst of the Audit Chamber's probe, an export license that Energomash needed to ship RD-180 engines to the U.S. was inexplicably held up. Millions of dollars in contractual payments to the company were deferred as a result.
Rocketplane Kistler President Resigns (Source: Space News)
Rocketplane Kistler, on the verge of losing NASA backing for a rocket intended to carry supplies to the space station, accepted the resignation of its president just days after he sent a lengthy letter to the U.S. space agency blaming it for the company's financial problems. He has been replaced by William Byrd, a member of Rocketplane's board of directors, and a director of the Iowa Space Grant Consortium who worked on the space shuttle and space station programs for more than a decade.
Brinkley, a former president of Boeing Satellite Systems, took over Kistler Aerospace in 2004. He led the company out of bankruptcy and through its acquisition by Rocketplane in early 2006 just as proposals for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) demonstration program were coming due. Brinkley did not respond the week of Oct. 1 to multiple requests for comment.
FCC Approves Loral's Telesat Acquisition (Source: AP)
Loral said Friday it received the final required approval from U.S. regulators to complete its acquisition of Telesat Canada. The Federal Communications Commission granted Loral approval to acquire Telesat from BCE Inc. for $3.31 billion, a deal first proposed in December. Loral expects to close the acquisition before the end of October. Loral shares rose 51 cents to $42.50 in midday trading.
"Rocket NASCAR," Moon Base Part of 50-Year Space Vision (Source: National Geographic)
A new era of competition to break through the planet's atmosphere has begun, sparking visions of what human space travel will look like 50 years in the future. The governments of the United States, India, China, and Japan have each announced high-profile plans to send humans back to the moon for the first time since Apollo 17 landed there in 1972. Some of these projects involve building permanent lunar settlements that will serve as science stations as well as testing grounds for technology to send pioneering astronauts to Mars.
And renewed interest in space travel has already laid the foundations for a multibillion-U.S.-dollar entertainment and tourism industry, said Peter Diamandis, chair and CEO of the X Prize Foundation. Historians of the future might call it the second space race—although this time the competition will be among private entrepreneurs as well as government agencies. The next generations of rockets and shuttles along with tourist-friendly spaceports across the globe could eventually make space vacations as routine as a trip to Disneyland. For example, Diamandis will soon wave the starting flag for his latest venture, the Rocket Racing League.
Space Pioneers Look to Australia's Colonial Past (Source: Australian Broadcasting Corp.)
It may be a century or two, or even three, before humankind calls another planet home, but researchers say lessons learnt from the settlement of Australia will prove useful for the future colonization of other planets. A University of Queensland research team shows extraterrestrial colonies could end up resembling the worst aspects of outback mining towns. While the images from popular movies, television shows and books tend to shape most people's concept of space travel, the research team has now boldly gone where no researchers have gone before.
In an attempt to come up with scenarios for what they say is the inevitable colonization of other worlds, they have analysed attitudes toward space exploration. Doctor Toni Johnson-Woods says she and her colleagues found there is a prevailing belief that other planets and their natural resources are there simply to be exploited. "The focus is on exploitation of the minerals. Basically, it's just Australia all over again," she said. The researchers concluded that the digging up and processing of minerals is likely to be a factor driving future planetary colonization and doctor John Cokley says that is where Australia's experiences could provide valuable lessons.
October 5 News Items
Political Science = Science Held Hostage to Politics (Source: What's New)
How did Sputnik II miss the Van Allen belts that the U.S. Explorer-1 satellite discover, you might wonder? The data recorder on board wasn’t working. Scientists wanted to delay launch to make repairs. Khrushchev refused - he was headed to an important international conference and wanted to announce another success. Thus, at the dawn of the Space Age, science was already held hostage to politics. Yesterday at the Carnegie Institution in Washington, Hillary Clinton spoke on "Reclaiming our Commitment to Science and Innovation." Her strongest words came after the speech in an interview with the NY Times. She called for protection of research from "political pressure," including restoration of cuts in space-based climate research.
Ascendancy of Chinese Rocketry Worries U.S. Lawmakers (Source: AIA)
China's partnership with French commercial satellite manufacturer Thales SA has U.S. lawmakers concerned and calling for action. Thales also has contracts with the U.S., and critics say American technology could wind up in the hands of China and Third World customers. Thales says it has safeguards in place to prevent that and "continues to be fully transparent with U.S. government officials" regarding the company's commercial space business.
Goddard Lunar Science On A Roll (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
Pack your bags because Goddard's "suitcase science" is taking off. Coming on the heels of two Lunar Sortie Science Opportunities (LSSO) awards for Goddard are two more, this time in the field of astrophysics. As before, the awards are funded by NASA Headquarters for studies that could result in simple, automated "suitcase science" instrument packages deployed on the lunar surface by astronauts. The first proposal, "Precision Lunar Laser Ranging", could lead to suitcase-sized laser reflector arrays and/or laser transponders at various locations on the moon so the distance from Earth to the moon can be determined to the submillimeter level. The second proposal is for a Lunar X-ray Observatory (LXO).
Astronauts To Ride Rails In Emergency (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
As NASA revamps Launch Complex 39B to host the new Orion spacecraft and Ares I rocket of the Constellation Program, engineers are preparing to install a new kind of departure system to evacuate astronauts. The agency calls it the Orion Emergency Egress System, but it is fundamentally a group of multi-passenger cars on a set of rails reminiscent of a roller coaster. Its purpose is to move astronauts and ground crew quickly from the vehicle entry on the launch pad to a protective concrete bunker in case of an emergency. The rail car would stand some 380 feet above the ground. It will be at the same height as the hatch on the Orion capsule, which is where the astronaut crews enter the spacecraft before launch.
Star System Just Right For Building An Earth (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
An Earth-like planet is likely forming 424 light-years away in a star system called HD 113766, say astronomers using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. Scientists have discovered a huge belt of warm dust - enough to build a Mars-size planet or larger - swirling around a distant star that is just slightly more massive than our sun. The dust belt, which they suspect is clumping together into planets, is located in the middle of the system's terrestrial habitable zone. This is the region around a star where liquid water could exist on any rocky planets that might form. Earth is located in the middle of our sun's terrestrial habitable zone. At approximately 10 million years old, the star is also at just the right age for forming rocky planets.
ISU Sponsors Sputnik Auction (Source: ISU)
The International Space University (ISU) is conducting a 10-day auction on eBay of unusual and interesting Space-related and Sputnik/Apollo era items. Turn your office or home into a museum, dine with an astronaut, party with a movie director, attend a rocket launch, own priceless books and memorabilia, send a payload to orbit, all of these are at your finger tips through an eBay auction. Included in this auction will be a full-size, museum-quality Sputnik 1 replica, the opportunity to fly a 1-kilogram payload in space, to lunch or tour the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum with a former NASA astronaut, acquire space art, to purchase beautiful coffee-table books and other items autographed by Buzz Aldrin, and more! Proceeds from the auction will be used to create a scholarship fund in the U.S. to support deserving students seeking to attend ISU. For the auction, visit “ISU auction” under Stores on eBay.com, or link to it from the ISU website at http://www.isunet.edu.
Astronauts Open Auction of their Artifacts and Memorabilia (Source: Astronaut Scholarship Foundation)
Space fans can bid online for astronaut artifacts and personal memorabilia from some of their beloved astronauts as the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF) debuts its Semi-Annual Auction of Astronaut Artifacts and Memorabilia at http://www.astronautscholarship.org/auction_ag10.pl. Legendary astronauts have joined together to auction off their space mementos as a way to raise funds to provide scholarships for exceptional college students pursuing degrees in Science and Engineering. Highlights of the auction include: A mission patch FLOWN to the moon aboard Apollo 14 and autographed by astronaut Edgar Mitchell; a painted canvas depicting the Earth and moon signed by 27 legendary astronauts such as Buzz Aldrin and Wally Schirra; Apollo 13 insurance cover signed by the original prime crew: Fred Haise, Jim Lovell and Ken Mattingly (Mattingly was replaced three days before the mission for medical concerns) and a piece of the Apollo 11 thermal protection subsystem which covered the capsule on its flight to the moon.
Boeing Should Retract Remarks About Alabama, Lawmaker Says (Source: AIA)
Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., is asking Boeing to retract remarks that Alabama is a risky place to build a military aircraft. Boeing is competing against Northrop Grumman for a contract to build aerial refueling tankers, and Northrop plans to assemble the planes in Alabama. A Boeing spokesman said the remarks were aimed at the risk of creating a new assembly line, not the skills of Alabama workers.
China May Make it to the Moon Before U.S., Griffin Says (Source: Florida Today)
Chinese astronauts may land on the moon before the U.S. makes its return visit, NASA Administrator Mike Griffin said. The U.S. hopes to send a manned mission to the moon by 2020, and China hopes to beat that deadline. "I think when that happens, Americans will not like it," Griffin said. "But they will just have to not like it."
Japanese Spacecraft Enters Lunar Orbit (Source: SpaceToday.net)
A Japanese lunar probe launched last month has entered orbit around the Moon. The Kaguya spacecraft fired its thrusters on Thursday in a maneuver that put the spacecraft into an elliptical orbit ranging from 100 to over 11,700 km above the lunar surface. The spacecraft will circularize its orbit over the next two weeks and release two small subsatellites. The spacecraft, launched September 14, is billed as the most ambitious lunar mission since the end of the Apollo program 35 years ago. Kaguya features 15 instruments to study the lunar surface and the space environment in its vicinity, including experiments designed to look for traces of water ice thought to exist at the poles.
New Currency for Space Travelers (Source: BBC)
Scientists have come up with a new currency designed to be used by inter-planetary travelers. It is called the Quasi Universal Intergalactic Denomination, or Quid. It is designed to withstand the stresses of space travel and has no sharp edges or chemicals that could hurt space tourists. It was designed for the foreign exchange company Travelex by scientists from the National Space Centre and the University of Leicester. "None of the existing payment systems we use on earth - like cash, credit or debit cards - could be used in space," said Professor George Fraser from the University of Leicester. Visit http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7029564.stm to view the article.
Google Earth Worries ISRO Chief, Wants Dialog (Source: Hindustan Times)
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) chief has expressed concern at high-resolution satellite images offered by Google and said authorities should hold a dialog with it over the display of imagery of some of the country's sensitive locations. "...Some of the places, they have collected images from foreign satellites and that comes to one meter (resolution) and better. For example if you take Bangalore or Delhi, they have given fine pictures -- which normally one is not supposed to do," ISRO chief G Madhavan Nair said. "I think our defense agencies should be worried about it. They have to work out some method by which we can (do something)...We need not display anything," Nair remarked. Several governments, including South Korea and Thailand, have expressed similar concerns.
NASTAR Center Officially Opens on 50th Anniversary of Sputnik Launch (Source: ETC)
The NASTAR Center officially opened for business October 4th, on the 50th anniversary of Sputnik's launch. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University participated in the event. The NASTAR Center is prepared to become a significant contributor to the next fifty years of the space age, during which private space travel is projected to grow substantially. The NASTAR Center is already the leader in space traveler training, having been named the official space training provider for Virgin Galactic.
NASA Launch Control Center Evacuated (Source: Florida Today)
The Launch Control Center at Kennedy Space Center was evacuated Friday after a fire alarm rang out on an out-of-service bridge between the four-story facility and the towering Vehicle Assembly Building. Dozens of NASA and contractor workers gathered in marshaling areas outside the LCC and the VAB and the space center police force stopped all traffic -- including tour buses -- traveling on Saturn Causeway just south of the facilities. "It was not a drill," KSC spokesman George Diller said. "It was a real fire alarm, but it was a false alarm." The evacuees were able to return to their work sites within about 20 minutes.
UCF to Host Planetary Conference (Source: Florida Today)
Some 1,000 scientists will converge on Orlando next week for a conference of the Division of Planetary Sciences, hosted by the University of Central Florida, which is trying to build up its 5-year-old planetary sciences department. A group within American Astronomical Society, the DPS scientists will present scientific papers and discuss the latest developments in their fields Oct. 7-12. Held for the first time in Florida, the conference shows a growing respect for UCF, said Humberto Campins, who is also director of the planetary sciences group housed in the physics department at UCF.
India May Launch Italian Dual Use Satellites (Source: Flight International)
Italy and India have agreed to expand their space links by identifying areas for future co-operation such as earth observation systems, small satellites, networking ground stations and space-based experimentation, according to Italian Space Agency (ASI) president Giovanni Fabrizio Bignami. An Italian-built atmospheric research payload, ROSA (radio occultation sounder), will form a part of India's Oceansat-2 satellite mission, which is to be launched by PSLV sometime in 2008. Bignami also says ASI has given ISRO data from the first of the its four Cosmo-SkyMed satellites, launched in June, and that ASI will consider PSLV for launching at least two of the three remaining Cosmo-Skymed satellites.
Potentially Threatening Space Rock Rediscovered (Source: Space.com)
A recently discovered space rock that could one day threaten Earth turns out to be an object seen more than four decades ago but lost in space ever since. The object, thought to be a burned out comet that now resembles an asteroid, was catalogued as 2007 RR9 this year when found. When it was last seen, in 1960, it carried the designation 6344 P-L. It's considered a "potentially hazardous asteroid" because part of its orbit is near the path our planet takes around the sun. The object poses no specific threat to the planet any time in the foreseeable future. Over time, however, the orbit of a space rock will shift and could cause it to hit the planet.
Flying Mirrors Could Save the Earth (Source: Metro UK)
A collection of flying mirrors could be the best way to save Earth from a catastrophic asteroid collision, researchers have claimed. A fleet of up to 5,000 orbiting mirrors could reflect a beam of sunlight on to a threatening asteroid, heating it to about 2,100°C (3,800°F). This would 'melt the asteroid's surface and nudge it off course'. The announcement came after a research team at the University of Glasgow compared nine different methods of deflecting near-Earth objects such as asteroids and comets. Using nuclear bombs was another feasible option considered by the team but they raised concerns about the risk of debris from such an explosion.
Baikonur Proton Launches to Resume When Damages Claims Met (Source: RIA Novosti)
Proton launches from the Baikonur space center, suspended following a crash on September 6, can be resumed when Kazakhstan damages claims are met, said a Kazakh emergencies spokesman. Viktor Khrapunov, the Kazakh emergency situations minister, earlier said the damage estimate could come to over $8 million. The ministry statement also said the commission decided that "the ban on Proton launches from Baikonur" should be lifted when Russia takes further environmental protection measures and makes payments for the "excessive pollution of the environment" following the crash. A Proton rocket is scheduled to launch three global navigation Glonass satellites October 25 from Baikonur.
Symposium Highlights America’s Space Dependency (Source: Montgomery Advisor)
The first Space Education Symposium was held by Air University’s National Space Studies Center Sept. 25-27. In a video presentation sent to the symposium, Rep. Terry Everett, R-Ala., a senior member of the House Armed Services, Intelligence and Agriculture Committee, said space is mostly an unsecured resource, and few Americans understand their dependency on it. “Too many Americans feel the dark void above us is of little consequence, but nothing is farther from the truth,” the congressman said. He said the dependency on space goes beyond the military, government agencies, and the intelligence community to the use of space assets for weather reporting, global mapping, ATM machines, agricultural reports, global position systems, the trucking industry, communications, airlines, the scientific community, and many other areas.
NASA, NOAA Bill Faces Veto Threat (Source: Aviation Week)
The Bush administration is threatening to veto the Senate's fiscal 2008 Commerce, Justice, Science appropriations bill, which includes the budgets for NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), because the overall bill contains $3.2 billion in funding above the White House's request. "The administration has asked that Congress demonstrate a path to live within the president's topline and cover the excess spending in this bill through reductions elsewhere," the White House said in a Statement of Administration Policy released Oct. 4. "Because Congress has failed to demonstrate such a path, if S.1745 were presented to the president, he would veto the bill."
Canada Needs a Space Policy to Have a Voice in a Crowded Arena (Source: CanadaEast)
Former Canadian astronaut Marc Garneau is urging the federal government to draft a national space policy. Garneau says China, India and Brazil are developing space programs to compete with the U.S. and Russia, and space is becoming an increasingly crowded arena. He says it is important for Canada to be there to have a voice. He said that a national space policy would help Canada achieve a number of national objectives, including Arctic sovereignty. Canada became the third country to place a satellite in orbit, behind the Soviet Union and the U.S. when it launched Alouette in 1962.
How Hitler Won the Space Race (12 Years After He Died) (Source: Daily Mail)
The Officer's Club was thick with three-star generals clinking glasses when a young officer burst into the bar. Too agitated to lower his voice, he grabbed General John Medaris, the commander of the Alabama base. "General," he stammered, "it has been announced over the radio that the Russians have put up a successful satellite!" A deathly hush fell. "It's broadcasting signals on a common frequency!" the young officer added. Fifty years ago yesterday, the world's first orbiting satellite captured the world's headlines. Nowhere was it greeted with more dismay than in Huntsville, Alabama, headquarters of the U.S. Army Ballistic Missile Agency. Click here to view the article.
APT Denies Sale of Company is Imminent (Source: Space News)
The stock price of satellite-fleet operator APT Satellite Holdings Ltd. of Hong Kong has more than doubled on the New York and Hong Kong exchanges in the past two weeks for no apparent reason, forcing the company on Oct. 5 to deny that an acquisition or other deal was imminent.
Rocketplane President Resigns (Source: Space News)
Randy Brinkley has resigned as president of Rocketplane Kistler, the Oklahoma City-based firm on the verge of losing NASA financial backing for a rocket it had hoped to use to carry supplies to the international space station.
Spacehab Subsidiary Wins Space Probe Processing Contract (Source: Spacehab)
Spacehab's Astrotech subsidiary has won a fully funded task order to provide facilities and payload processing support for NASA's Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) spacecraft, scheduled for launch mid-2008 from Vandenberg Air Force Base.
Program Gaps Worry KSC Director (Source: Florida Today)
The U.S. could lose technological superiority in space during the four- to five-year gap of manned space flight between the retirement of the space shuttle and the launch of the Constellation mission, the head of KSC said. It's during that gap that competitors from China, Europe, Japan and Russian will be launching astronauts into space and gain ground on the U.S. space program, said Bill Parsons, the KSC director who is overseeing the final launches of the space shuttle, two of which are scheduled prior to year's end. "I think that takes away our technological edge in the world," Parsons said on the absence of manned-space flights between the shuttle and Constellation.
Space-Based Test Bed Falls Again As Spending Rejected (Source: Aviation Week)
Senators have argued over and ultimately rejected the Missile Defense Agency's (MDA) proposed space-based missile defense test bed once again, likely sealing the fate of efforts to begin studies in fiscal 2008. Missile defense advocates tried to resurrect MDA's request Oct. 3, but opponents claimed it was another step toward the so-called armed "Star Wars" concept. So far neither House nor Senate defense authorizers, nor House appropriators, have approved or funded MDA's request.
Senate OKs Extra Billion for NASA (Source: Houston Chronicle)
The Senate approved $1 billion in additional funding for NASA on Thursday, with Democrats and Republicans alike ignoring President Bush's threat to veto any spending bills that exceed his budget proposal. The extra money, which would increase the space agency's budget to $18.5 billion for the 2008 fiscal year that began Monday, is intended to reimburse NASA's accounts that were siphoned in order to get shuttles flying again after the 2003 Columbia disaster. It also could be used to speed up development of the new Orion spacecraft to send astronauts back to the moon, narrowing a planned five-year gap during which the United States would have no manned spacecraft flying after the aging shuttle fleet is retired in 2010. A final vote on the bill will come when the Senate returns after a weeklong break.
Clinton Lays Out Position on Space (Source: Sen. Clinton)
Senator Hillary Clinton, in hopes of gaining the Democratic nomination for President, has released a statement of her position on space exploration: "Pursue an Ambitious 21st century Space Exploration Program -- Hillary is committed to a space exploration program that involves robust human spaceflight to complete the Space Station and later human missions, expanded robotic spaceflight probes of our solar system leading to future human exploration, and enhanced space science activities. She will speed development, testing, and deployment of next-generation launch and crew exploration vehicles to replace the aging Space Shuttle. And in pursuing next-generation programs, Hillary will capitalize on the expertise of the current Shuttle program workforce and will not allow a repeat of the “brain drain” that occurred between the Apollo and shuttle missions."
How did Sputnik II miss the Van Allen belts that the U.S. Explorer-1 satellite discover, you might wonder? The data recorder on board wasn’t working. Scientists wanted to delay launch to make repairs. Khrushchev refused - he was headed to an important international conference and wanted to announce another success. Thus, at the dawn of the Space Age, science was already held hostage to politics. Yesterday at the Carnegie Institution in Washington, Hillary Clinton spoke on "Reclaiming our Commitment to Science and Innovation." Her strongest words came after the speech in an interview with the NY Times. She called for protection of research from "political pressure," including restoration of cuts in space-based climate research.
Ascendancy of Chinese Rocketry Worries U.S. Lawmakers (Source: AIA)
China's partnership with French commercial satellite manufacturer Thales SA has U.S. lawmakers concerned and calling for action. Thales also has contracts with the U.S., and critics say American technology could wind up in the hands of China and Third World customers. Thales says it has safeguards in place to prevent that and "continues to be fully transparent with U.S. government officials" regarding the company's commercial space business.
Goddard Lunar Science On A Roll (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
Pack your bags because Goddard's "suitcase science" is taking off. Coming on the heels of two Lunar Sortie Science Opportunities (LSSO) awards for Goddard are two more, this time in the field of astrophysics. As before, the awards are funded by NASA Headquarters for studies that could result in simple, automated "suitcase science" instrument packages deployed on the lunar surface by astronauts. The first proposal, "Precision Lunar Laser Ranging", could lead to suitcase-sized laser reflector arrays and/or laser transponders at various locations on the moon so the distance from Earth to the moon can be determined to the submillimeter level. The second proposal is for a Lunar X-ray Observatory (LXO).
Astronauts To Ride Rails In Emergency (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
As NASA revamps Launch Complex 39B to host the new Orion spacecraft and Ares I rocket of the Constellation Program, engineers are preparing to install a new kind of departure system to evacuate astronauts. The agency calls it the Orion Emergency Egress System, but it is fundamentally a group of multi-passenger cars on a set of rails reminiscent of a roller coaster. Its purpose is to move astronauts and ground crew quickly from the vehicle entry on the launch pad to a protective concrete bunker in case of an emergency. The rail car would stand some 380 feet above the ground. It will be at the same height as the hatch on the Orion capsule, which is where the astronaut crews enter the spacecraft before launch.
Star System Just Right For Building An Earth (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
An Earth-like planet is likely forming 424 light-years away in a star system called HD 113766, say astronomers using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. Scientists have discovered a huge belt of warm dust - enough to build a Mars-size planet or larger - swirling around a distant star that is just slightly more massive than our sun. The dust belt, which they suspect is clumping together into planets, is located in the middle of the system's terrestrial habitable zone. This is the region around a star where liquid water could exist on any rocky planets that might form. Earth is located in the middle of our sun's terrestrial habitable zone. At approximately 10 million years old, the star is also at just the right age for forming rocky planets.
ISU Sponsors Sputnik Auction (Source: ISU)
The International Space University (ISU) is conducting a 10-day auction on eBay of unusual and interesting Space-related and Sputnik/Apollo era items. Turn your office or home into a museum, dine with an astronaut, party with a movie director, attend a rocket launch, own priceless books and memorabilia, send a payload to orbit, all of these are at your finger tips through an eBay auction. Included in this auction will be a full-size, museum-quality Sputnik 1 replica, the opportunity to fly a 1-kilogram payload in space, to lunch or tour the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum with a former NASA astronaut, acquire space art, to purchase beautiful coffee-table books and other items autographed by Buzz Aldrin, and more! Proceeds from the auction will be used to create a scholarship fund in the U.S. to support deserving students seeking to attend ISU. For the auction, visit “ISU auction” under Stores on eBay.com, or link to it from the ISU website at http://www.isunet.edu.
Astronauts Open Auction of their Artifacts and Memorabilia (Source: Astronaut Scholarship Foundation)
Space fans can bid online for astronaut artifacts and personal memorabilia from some of their beloved astronauts as the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF) debuts its Semi-Annual Auction of Astronaut Artifacts and Memorabilia at http://www.astronautscholarship.org/auction_ag10.pl. Legendary astronauts have joined together to auction off their space mementos as a way to raise funds to provide scholarships for exceptional college students pursuing degrees in Science and Engineering. Highlights of the auction include: A mission patch FLOWN to the moon aboard Apollo 14 and autographed by astronaut Edgar Mitchell; a painted canvas depicting the Earth and moon signed by 27 legendary astronauts such as Buzz Aldrin and Wally Schirra; Apollo 13 insurance cover signed by the original prime crew: Fred Haise, Jim Lovell and Ken Mattingly (Mattingly was replaced three days before the mission for medical concerns) and a piece of the Apollo 11 thermal protection subsystem which covered the capsule on its flight to the moon.
Boeing Should Retract Remarks About Alabama, Lawmaker Says (Source: AIA)
Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., is asking Boeing to retract remarks that Alabama is a risky place to build a military aircraft. Boeing is competing against Northrop Grumman for a contract to build aerial refueling tankers, and Northrop plans to assemble the planes in Alabama. A Boeing spokesman said the remarks were aimed at the risk of creating a new assembly line, not the skills of Alabama workers.
China May Make it to the Moon Before U.S., Griffin Says (Source: Florida Today)
Chinese astronauts may land on the moon before the U.S. makes its return visit, NASA Administrator Mike Griffin said. The U.S. hopes to send a manned mission to the moon by 2020, and China hopes to beat that deadline. "I think when that happens, Americans will not like it," Griffin said. "But they will just have to not like it."
Japanese Spacecraft Enters Lunar Orbit (Source: SpaceToday.net)
A Japanese lunar probe launched last month has entered orbit around the Moon. The Kaguya spacecraft fired its thrusters on Thursday in a maneuver that put the spacecraft into an elliptical orbit ranging from 100 to over 11,700 km above the lunar surface. The spacecraft will circularize its orbit over the next two weeks and release two small subsatellites. The spacecraft, launched September 14, is billed as the most ambitious lunar mission since the end of the Apollo program 35 years ago. Kaguya features 15 instruments to study the lunar surface and the space environment in its vicinity, including experiments designed to look for traces of water ice thought to exist at the poles.
New Currency for Space Travelers (Source: BBC)
Scientists have come up with a new currency designed to be used by inter-planetary travelers. It is called the Quasi Universal Intergalactic Denomination, or Quid. It is designed to withstand the stresses of space travel and has no sharp edges or chemicals that could hurt space tourists. It was designed for the foreign exchange company Travelex by scientists from the National Space Centre and the University of Leicester. "None of the existing payment systems we use on earth - like cash, credit or debit cards - could be used in space," said Professor George Fraser from the University of Leicester. Visit http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7029564.stm to view the article.
Google Earth Worries ISRO Chief, Wants Dialog (Source: Hindustan Times)
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) chief has expressed concern at high-resolution satellite images offered by Google and said authorities should hold a dialog with it over the display of imagery of some of the country's sensitive locations. "...Some of the places, they have collected images from foreign satellites and that comes to one meter (resolution) and better. For example if you take Bangalore or Delhi, they have given fine pictures -- which normally one is not supposed to do," ISRO chief G Madhavan Nair said. "I think our defense agencies should be worried about it. They have to work out some method by which we can (do something)...We need not display anything," Nair remarked. Several governments, including South Korea and Thailand, have expressed similar concerns.
NASTAR Center Officially Opens on 50th Anniversary of Sputnik Launch (Source: ETC)
The NASTAR Center officially opened for business October 4th, on the 50th anniversary of Sputnik's launch. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University participated in the event. The NASTAR Center is prepared to become a significant contributor to the next fifty years of the space age, during which private space travel is projected to grow substantially. The NASTAR Center is already the leader in space traveler training, having been named the official space training provider for Virgin Galactic.
NASA Launch Control Center Evacuated (Source: Florida Today)
The Launch Control Center at Kennedy Space Center was evacuated Friday after a fire alarm rang out on an out-of-service bridge between the four-story facility and the towering Vehicle Assembly Building. Dozens of NASA and contractor workers gathered in marshaling areas outside the LCC and the VAB and the space center police force stopped all traffic -- including tour buses -- traveling on Saturn Causeway just south of the facilities. "It was not a drill," KSC spokesman George Diller said. "It was a real fire alarm, but it was a false alarm." The evacuees were able to return to their work sites within about 20 minutes.
UCF to Host Planetary Conference (Source: Florida Today)
Some 1,000 scientists will converge on Orlando next week for a conference of the Division of Planetary Sciences, hosted by the University of Central Florida, which is trying to build up its 5-year-old planetary sciences department. A group within American Astronomical Society, the DPS scientists will present scientific papers and discuss the latest developments in their fields Oct. 7-12. Held for the first time in Florida, the conference shows a growing respect for UCF, said Humberto Campins, who is also director of the planetary sciences group housed in the physics department at UCF.
India May Launch Italian Dual Use Satellites (Source: Flight International)
Italy and India have agreed to expand their space links by identifying areas for future co-operation such as earth observation systems, small satellites, networking ground stations and space-based experimentation, according to Italian Space Agency (ASI) president Giovanni Fabrizio Bignami. An Italian-built atmospheric research payload, ROSA (radio occultation sounder), will form a part of India's Oceansat-2 satellite mission, which is to be launched by PSLV sometime in 2008. Bignami also says ASI has given ISRO data from the first of the its four Cosmo-SkyMed satellites, launched in June, and that ASI will consider PSLV for launching at least two of the three remaining Cosmo-Skymed satellites.
Potentially Threatening Space Rock Rediscovered (Source: Space.com)
A recently discovered space rock that could one day threaten Earth turns out to be an object seen more than four decades ago but lost in space ever since. The object, thought to be a burned out comet that now resembles an asteroid, was catalogued as 2007 RR9 this year when found. When it was last seen, in 1960, it carried the designation 6344 P-L. It's considered a "potentially hazardous asteroid" because part of its orbit is near the path our planet takes around the sun. The object poses no specific threat to the planet any time in the foreseeable future. Over time, however, the orbit of a space rock will shift and could cause it to hit the planet.
Flying Mirrors Could Save the Earth (Source: Metro UK)
A collection of flying mirrors could be the best way to save Earth from a catastrophic asteroid collision, researchers have claimed. A fleet of up to 5,000 orbiting mirrors could reflect a beam of sunlight on to a threatening asteroid, heating it to about 2,100°C (3,800°F). This would 'melt the asteroid's surface and nudge it off course'. The announcement came after a research team at the University of Glasgow compared nine different methods of deflecting near-Earth objects such as asteroids and comets. Using nuclear bombs was another feasible option considered by the team but they raised concerns about the risk of debris from such an explosion.
Baikonur Proton Launches to Resume When Damages Claims Met (Source: RIA Novosti)
Proton launches from the Baikonur space center, suspended following a crash on September 6, can be resumed when Kazakhstan damages claims are met, said a Kazakh emergencies spokesman. Viktor Khrapunov, the Kazakh emergency situations minister, earlier said the damage estimate could come to over $8 million. The ministry statement also said the commission decided that "the ban on Proton launches from Baikonur" should be lifted when Russia takes further environmental protection measures and makes payments for the "excessive pollution of the environment" following the crash. A Proton rocket is scheduled to launch three global navigation Glonass satellites October 25 from Baikonur.
Symposium Highlights America’s Space Dependency (Source: Montgomery Advisor)
The first Space Education Symposium was held by Air University’s National Space Studies Center Sept. 25-27. In a video presentation sent to the symposium, Rep. Terry Everett, R-Ala., a senior member of the House Armed Services, Intelligence and Agriculture Committee, said space is mostly an unsecured resource, and few Americans understand their dependency on it. “Too many Americans feel the dark void above us is of little consequence, but nothing is farther from the truth,” the congressman said. He said the dependency on space goes beyond the military, government agencies, and the intelligence community to the use of space assets for weather reporting, global mapping, ATM machines, agricultural reports, global position systems, the trucking industry, communications, airlines, the scientific community, and many other areas.
NASA, NOAA Bill Faces Veto Threat (Source: Aviation Week)
The Bush administration is threatening to veto the Senate's fiscal 2008 Commerce, Justice, Science appropriations bill, which includes the budgets for NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), because the overall bill contains $3.2 billion in funding above the White House's request. "The administration has asked that Congress demonstrate a path to live within the president's topline and cover the excess spending in this bill through reductions elsewhere," the White House said in a Statement of Administration Policy released Oct. 4. "Because Congress has failed to demonstrate such a path, if S.1745 were presented to the president, he would veto the bill."
Canada Needs a Space Policy to Have a Voice in a Crowded Arena (Source: CanadaEast)
Former Canadian astronaut Marc Garneau is urging the federal government to draft a national space policy. Garneau says China, India and Brazil are developing space programs to compete with the U.S. and Russia, and space is becoming an increasingly crowded arena. He says it is important for Canada to be there to have a voice. He said that a national space policy would help Canada achieve a number of national objectives, including Arctic sovereignty. Canada became the third country to place a satellite in orbit, behind the Soviet Union and the U.S. when it launched Alouette in 1962.
How Hitler Won the Space Race (12 Years After He Died) (Source: Daily Mail)
The Officer's Club was thick with three-star generals clinking glasses when a young officer burst into the bar. Too agitated to lower his voice, he grabbed General John Medaris, the commander of the Alabama base. "General," he stammered, "it has been announced over the radio that the Russians have put up a successful satellite!" A deathly hush fell. "It's broadcasting signals on a common frequency!" the young officer added. Fifty years ago yesterday, the world's first orbiting satellite captured the world's headlines. Nowhere was it greeted with more dismay than in Huntsville, Alabama, headquarters of the U.S. Army Ballistic Missile Agency. Click here to view the article.
APT Denies Sale of Company is Imminent (Source: Space News)
The stock price of satellite-fleet operator APT Satellite Holdings Ltd. of Hong Kong has more than doubled on the New York and Hong Kong exchanges in the past two weeks for no apparent reason, forcing the company on Oct. 5 to deny that an acquisition or other deal was imminent.
Rocketplane President Resigns (Source: Space News)
Randy Brinkley has resigned as president of Rocketplane Kistler, the Oklahoma City-based firm on the verge of losing NASA financial backing for a rocket it had hoped to use to carry supplies to the international space station.
Spacehab Subsidiary Wins Space Probe Processing Contract (Source: Spacehab)
Spacehab's Astrotech subsidiary has won a fully funded task order to provide facilities and payload processing support for NASA's Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) spacecraft, scheduled for launch mid-2008 from Vandenberg Air Force Base.
Program Gaps Worry KSC Director (Source: Florida Today)
The U.S. could lose technological superiority in space during the four- to five-year gap of manned space flight between the retirement of the space shuttle and the launch of the Constellation mission, the head of KSC said. It's during that gap that competitors from China, Europe, Japan and Russian will be launching astronauts into space and gain ground on the U.S. space program, said Bill Parsons, the KSC director who is overseeing the final launches of the space shuttle, two of which are scheduled prior to year's end. "I think that takes away our technological edge in the world," Parsons said on the absence of manned-space flights between the shuttle and Constellation.
Space-Based Test Bed Falls Again As Spending Rejected (Source: Aviation Week)
Senators have argued over and ultimately rejected the Missile Defense Agency's (MDA) proposed space-based missile defense test bed once again, likely sealing the fate of efforts to begin studies in fiscal 2008. Missile defense advocates tried to resurrect MDA's request Oct. 3, but opponents claimed it was another step toward the so-called armed "Star Wars" concept. So far neither House nor Senate defense authorizers, nor House appropriators, have approved or funded MDA's request.
Senate OKs Extra Billion for NASA (Source: Houston Chronicle)
The Senate approved $1 billion in additional funding for NASA on Thursday, with Democrats and Republicans alike ignoring President Bush's threat to veto any spending bills that exceed his budget proposal. The extra money, which would increase the space agency's budget to $18.5 billion for the 2008 fiscal year that began Monday, is intended to reimburse NASA's accounts that were siphoned in order to get shuttles flying again after the 2003 Columbia disaster. It also could be used to speed up development of the new Orion spacecraft to send astronauts back to the moon, narrowing a planned five-year gap during which the United States would have no manned spacecraft flying after the aging shuttle fleet is retired in 2010. A final vote on the bill will come when the Senate returns after a weeklong break.
Clinton Lays Out Position on Space (Source: Sen. Clinton)
Senator Hillary Clinton, in hopes of gaining the Democratic nomination for President, has released a statement of her position on space exploration: "Pursue an Ambitious 21st century Space Exploration Program -- Hillary is committed to a space exploration program that involves robust human spaceflight to complete the Space Station and later human missions, expanded robotic spaceflight probes of our solar system leading to future human exploration, and enhanced space science activities. She will speed development, testing, and deployment of next-generation launch and crew exploration vehicles to replace the aging Space Shuttle. And in pursuing next-generation programs, Hillary will capitalize on the expertise of the current Shuttle program workforce and will not allow a repeat of the “brain drain” that occurred between the Apollo and shuttle missions."
October 4 News Items
Missile Defense Tests to Get Trickier (Source: Defense News)
The next major test of the U.S. missile defense system will incorporate countermeasures in the target vehicle, officials say. Critics have said that simple measures, such as decoy balloons, could divert missiles from their intended targets. The next test could be as early as February or March, or as late as May, according to a spokesman for the Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency.
The Age of the Satellite (Source: CNET News)
The satellite industry has grown by leaps and bounds in the 50 years since the Russian government launched Sputnik, generating more than $100 billion annually. The technology itself has improved exponentially, offering a slew of commercial communications services that were once only dreamed of. But as the satellite industry matures, it faces issues in the sky and on the ground that could dampen growth. Visit http://www.news.com/The-age-of-the-satellite/2009-1033_3-6210986.html to view the article.
Congressmen Comment on Benefits of Space Exploration (Sources: SpaceRef.com, The Hill)
According to Rep. Mark Udall: "As chairman of the House Science and Technology Committee's Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, I see the unique role [NASA] plays in supporting math and science education. NASA's inspiring science, aeronautics, and human space flight and exploration missions are a natural attraction for children and students. In addition, NASA's educational initiatives can provide direct assistance to building science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) skills in pre-kindergarten through post-doctoral students."
According to Rep. Ralph Hall: "America's manned space exploration inspired generations of students, but we are falling behind other nations in the number of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) graduates. Congress is working to improve those numbers in a host of ways, and keeping manned space exploration a top priority is one of the best motivators we could have."
Russia, US to Cooperate on Space Trips (Source: AP)
Russian and U.S. space chiefs signed agreements Wednesday to cooperate on unmanned missions that would search for potential water deposits beneath the surface of the moon and Mars. The agreements deal with putting Russian instruments on board NASA probes that would be sent to the moon and Mars. The first Russian instrument, called LEND, will be mounted on an unmanned NASA probe called Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, which is to be launched in October 2008 to search for possible sources of water under the moon's poles.
Australia to Pay $800 Million To Use New Pentagon Satellites (Source: Wall Street Journal)
Pentagon brass and Australia's military leaders have signed off on an agreement under which Australia is committing more than $800 million for a guaranteed share of the capacity of an expanded U.S. military satellite-communications system being built by Boeing Co. The pact, which had been expected, means that the proposed $1.8 billion project called Wideband Global Satcom will be expanded to at least six high-earth-orbit satellites, versus the five-satellite constellation previously under contract.
Judge Won't Block NASA Background Checks (Source: AP)
A federal judge on Wednesday denied a request by more than two dozen workers at one of NASA's research labs to block a Bush administration directive requiring background checks and access to personal information. A group of 28 employees at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena said the new security checks invaded their privacy, and sued in August to overturn the requirements. NASA maintained it was following a government-wide policy applying to millions of civil servants and contractors. JPL workers have until Friday to fill out forms authorizing the background checks. Those who don't will be barred from the 177-acre campus east of Los Angeles and be "voluntarily terminated" as of Oct. 27.
NASA Picks Atlas 5 for Juno and LDCM Launches (Source: Space News)
United Launch Alliance of Denver will launch an Earth-observing spacecraft and a planetary probe for NASA in 2011 aboard separate Atlas 5 rockets under contracts announced by the U.S. space agency Oct. 3.
Colorado's Aerospace Economy Propels to 2nd in the Nation (Source: Metro Denver EDC)
With 26,650 people employed in aerospace throughout Colorado, the state’s direct industry employment grew 12.9 percent from 2006-2007, compared to a 0.8 percent growth rate nationwide. From 2002-2007, Colorado tallied a 27.4 percent aerospace employment growth rate, compared to a national growth rate of 2.7 percent. 2006 Total Aerospace Employment included: #1 – California; #2 – Colorado; #3 – Texas; #4 – New Jersey; #5 - Florida.
The next major test of the U.S. missile defense system will incorporate countermeasures in the target vehicle, officials say. Critics have said that simple measures, such as decoy balloons, could divert missiles from their intended targets. The next test could be as early as February or March, or as late as May, according to a spokesman for the Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency.
The Age of the Satellite (Source: CNET News)
The satellite industry has grown by leaps and bounds in the 50 years since the Russian government launched Sputnik, generating more than $100 billion annually. The technology itself has improved exponentially, offering a slew of commercial communications services that were once only dreamed of. But as the satellite industry matures, it faces issues in the sky and on the ground that could dampen growth. Visit http://www.news.com/The-age-of-the-satellite/2009-1033_3-6210986.html to view the article.
Congressmen Comment on Benefits of Space Exploration (Sources: SpaceRef.com, The Hill)
According to Rep. Mark Udall: "As chairman of the House Science and Technology Committee's Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, I see the unique role [NASA] plays in supporting math and science education. NASA's inspiring science, aeronautics, and human space flight and exploration missions are a natural attraction for children and students. In addition, NASA's educational initiatives can provide direct assistance to building science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) skills in pre-kindergarten through post-doctoral students."
According to Rep. Ralph Hall: "America's manned space exploration inspired generations of students, but we are falling behind other nations in the number of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) graduates. Congress is working to improve those numbers in a host of ways, and keeping manned space exploration a top priority is one of the best motivators we could have."
Russia, US to Cooperate on Space Trips (Source: AP)
Russian and U.S. space chiefs signed agreements Wednesday to cooperate on unmanned missions that would search for potential water deposits beneath the surface of the moon and Mars. The agreements deal with putting Russian instruments on board NASA probes that would be sent to the moon and Mars. The first Russian instrument, called LEND, will be mounted on an unmanned NASA probe called Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, which is to be launched in October 2008 to search for possible sources of water under the moon's poles.
Australia to Pay $800 Million To Use New Pentagon Satellites (Source: Wall Street Journal)
Pentagon brass and Australia's military leaders have signed off on an agreement under which Australia is committing more than $800 million for a guaranteed share of the capacity of an expanded U.S. military satellite-communications system being built by Boeing Co. The pact, which had been expected, means that the proposed $1.8 billion project called Wideband Global Satcom will be expanded to at least six high-earth-orbit satellites, versus the five-satellite constellation previously under contract.
Judge Won't Block NASA Background Checks (Source: AP)
A federal judge on Wednesday denied a request by more than two dozen workers at one of NASA's research labs to block a Bush administration directive requiring background checks and access to personal information. A group of 28 employees at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena said the new security checks invaded their privacy, and sued in August to overturn the requirements. NASA maintained it was following a government-wide policy applying to millions of civil servants and contractors. JPL workers have until Friday to fill out forms authorizing the background checks. Those who don't will be barred from the 177-acre campus east of Los Angeles and be "voluntarily terminated" as of Oct. 27.
NASA Picks Atlas 5 for Juno and LDCM Launches (Source: Space News)
United Launch Alliance of Denver will launch an Earth-observing spacecraft and a planetary probe for NASA in 2011 aboard separate Atlas 5 rockets under contracts announced by the U.S. space agency Oct. 3.
Colorado's Aerospace Economy Propels to 2nd in the Nation (Source: Metro Denver EDC)
With 26,650 people employed in aerospace throughout Colorado, the state’s direct industry employment grew 12.9 percent from 2006-2007, compared to a 0.8 percent growth rate nationwide. From 2002-2007, Colorado tallied a 27.4 percent aerospace employment growth rate, compared to a national growth rate of 2.7 percent. 2006 Total Aerospace Employment included: #1 – California; #2 – Colorado; #3 – Texas; #4 – New Jersey; #5 - Florida.
October 3 News Items
FSU Physicist Shining a Light on Mysterious 'Dark Matter' (Source: FSU)
We’ve all been taught that our bodies, the Earth, and in fact all matter in the universe is composed of tiny building blocks called atoms. Now imagine if this weren’t the case. This mind-bending concept is at the core of the scientific research that one Florida State University professor -- and hundreds of his colleagues all over the world -- are pursuing. “Recent scientific breakthroughs have shown that most of the matter in the universe -- about four-fifths -- is not made up of atoms, but of something else, called ‘dark matter,’” said FSU Physics Professor Howard Baer. “The evidence for dark matter is now overwhelming, and the required amount of dark matter is becoming precisely known.” Visit http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-10/fsu-fps100207.php to view the article.
Lawmakers Launch New Probe of NASA IG’s Work (Source: Federal Times)
Two lawmakers are investigating whistleblower allegations that NASA Inspector General Robert Cobb suppressed investigations and delayed or altered reports that might make the agency look bad. The investigation was announced in letter to Cobb on Sep. 27. Cobb has been under scrutiny from Congress for retaliating against employees who questioned whether he had an inappropriately friendly relationship with former NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe.
Rep. Bart Gordon, D-Tenn., chairman of the House Science and Technology committee and Rep. Brad Miller, D-N.C., chairman of the committee’s investigations and oversight arm, are pursuing the investigation. Rep. Miller, as well as Sens. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., chairman of the Senate Science Committee, and Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., called for Cobb’s resignation in June. Cobb has said he will not resign.
Entrepreneurs Rally for New Space Age (Source: BBC)
The road to space is actually forked, with the United States planning to develop a new transportation system to replace the shuttles, which are to be retired in three years, and a commercial space transportation effort beginning to take shape. Because the new US vehicle will not be ready until at least 2015, the commercial ventures may actually get a head start. A commercial version of SpaceShipOne is expected to be unveiled next year, with suborbital passenger services to follow by 2010.
Elon Musk is working on a capsule that can carry crew to the International Space Station and at least a half-dozen other firms, many with deep pockets from previous successful internet business ventures, are designing and testing a new generation of spaceships for hire. Not to be left behind, mainstream aerospace contractors are starting to take note. Europe's EADS-Astrium announced in June it was developing a four-person spacecraft to make suborbital trips. California start-up Constellation Services International is teaming up with United Launch Alliance to explore the use of Lockheed Martin's Atlas 5 boosters to carry a commercially developed cargo canister to the station.
Europe Mired in Deadlock Over Funding for Galileo Satnav (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
The European Union struggled on Tuesday to come closer to agreeing how to fund the bloc's ambitious but troubled Galileo satellite network in the face of German opposition to using their joint budget. EU transport ministers meeting in Luxembourg set an end of the year deadline to work out just how to finance Europe's answer to the US' popular Global Positioning System after a public-private arrangement unravelled earlier this year.
Scientists Still in the Murk About 'Dark Energy' (Source: USA Today)
Nearly a decade after scientists discovered that a mysterious force is pushing the universe to expand at an ever-faster rate, they still don't understand how that is happening. University of Chicago cosmologist Michael Turner calls the acceleration "the most profound mystery in all of science." It was Turner who coined the term "dark energy" for the unknown substance that provides this cosmic push. Studies have shown that it comprises 74% of all the mass and energy of the universe. Scientists say that if they can understand dark energy, they may learn the fate of the universe — whether it will keep on expanding, tear itself apart or implode cataclysmically billions of years from now.
NASA plans to explore the question in a big way as well. The National Research Council recommended in early September that a dark-energy probe be the first spacecraft NASA launches in its delayed "Beyond Einstein" series of missions designed to explore the formation of the universe and some of its most unique features. Jointly sponsored by the Department of Energy, the series has three proposed missions, one of which would be selected and launched around 2015. "It's not very often that theorists face a situation in which they need to explain something that is 74% of everything there is and they don't have a clue," says Mario Livio, theorist for the space telescope institute.
We’ve all been taught that our bodies, the Earth, and in fact all matter in the universe is composed of tiny building blocks called atoms. Now imagine if this weren’t the case. This mind-bending concept is at the core of the scientific research that one Florida State University professor -- and hundreds of his colleagues all over the world -- are pursuing. “Recent scientific breakthroughs have shown that most of the matter in the universe -- about four-fifths -- is not made up of atoms, but of something else, called ‘dark matter,’” said FSU Physics Professor Howard Baer. “The evidence for dark matter is now overwhelming, and the required amount of dark matter is becoming precisely known.” Visit http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-10/fsu-fps100207.php to view the article.
Lawmakers Launch New Probe of NASA IG’s Work (Source: Federal Times)
Two lawmakers are investigating whistleblower allegations that NASA Inspector General Robert Cobb suppressed investigations and delayed or altered reports that might make the agency look bad. The investigation was announced in letter to Cobb on Sep. 27. Cobb has been under scrutiny from Congress for retaliating against employees who questioned whether he had an inappropriately friendly relationship with former NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe.
Rep. Bart Gordon, D-Tenn., chairman of the House Science and Technology committee and Rep. Brad Miller, D-N.C., chairman of the committee’s investigations and oversight arm, are pursuing the investigation. Rep. Miller, as well as Sens. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., chairman of the Senate Science Committee, and Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., called for Cobb’s resignation in June. Cobb has said he will not resign.
Entrepreneurs Rally for New Space Age (Source: BBC)
The road to space is actually forked, with the United States planning to develop a new transportation system to replace the shuttles, which are to be retired in three years, and a commercial space transportation effort beginning to take shape. Because the new US vehicle will not be ready until at least 2015, the commercial ventures may actually get a head start. A commercial version of SpaceShipOne is expected to be unveiled next year, with suborbital passenger services to follow by 2010.
Elon Musk is working on a capsule that can carry crew to the International Space Station and at least a half-dozen other firms, many with deep pockets from previous successful internet business ventures, are designing and testing a new generation of spaceships for hire. Not to be left behind, mainstream aerospace contractors are starting to take note. Europe's EADS-Astrium announced in June it was developing a four-person spacecraft to make suborbital trips. California start-up Constellation Services International is teaming up with United Launch Alliance to explore the use of Lockheed Martin's Atlas 5 boosters to carry a commercially developed cargo canister to the station.
Europe Mired in Deadlock Over Funding for Galileo Satnav (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
The European Union struggled on Tuesday to come closer to agreeing how to fund the bloc's ambitious but troubled Galileo satellite network in the face of German opposition to using their joint budget. EU transport ministers meeting in Luxembourg set an end of the year deadline to work out just how to finance Europe's answer to the US' popular Global Positioning System after a public-private arrangement unravelled earlier this year.
Scientists Still in the Murk About 'Dark Energy' (Source: USA Today)
Nearly a decade after scientists discovered that a mysterious force is pushing the universe to expand at an ever-faster rate, they still don't understand how that is happening. University of Chicago cosmologist Michael Turner calls the acceleration "the most profound mystery in all of science." It was Turner who coined the term "dark energy" for the unknown substance that provides this cosmic push. Studies have shown that it comprises 74% of all the mass and energy of the universe. Scientists say that if they can understand dark energy, they may learn the fate of the universe — whether it will keep on expanding, tear itself apart or implode cataclysmically billions of years from now.
NASA plans to explore the question in a big way as well. The National Research Council recommended in early September that a dark-energy probe be the first spacecraft NASA launches in its delayed "Beyond Einstein" series of missions designed to explore the formation of the universe and some of its most unique features. Jointly sponsored by the Department of Energy, the series has three proposed missions, one of which would be selected and launched around 2015. "It's not very often that theorists face a situation in which they need to explain something that is 74% of everything there is and they don't have a clue," says Mario Livio, theorist for the space telescope institute.
October 2 News Items
United Launch Alliance to Pursue COTS Funds (Source: Flight International)
United Launch Alliance's Lockheed Martin Atlas V rocket could feature in a bid for money from NASA's COTS funds if Rocketplane Kistler departs as expected in October. Constellation Services International has made a deal with ULA to explore launching CSI's LEO Express cargo cannister by an Atlas V for International Space Station resupply and other missions. The COTS program is supposed to provide ISS resupply services after NASA's shuttle fleet is retired.
Mojave: Edge of the Final Frontier (Source: LA Times)
Stuart Witt, a former test pilot who runs the air/space port in this weathered desert town, was working at his desk when he heard the explosion. His assistant suggested it was a sonic boom, a frequent occurrence in the desert airspace near Edwards Air Force Base. But Witt knew better. Sonic booms come in pairs. This was one loud explosion, so powerful it was heard in Palmdale, 30 miles away. The blast, which killed three men and injured three others, occurred during a fuel-flow test in July at Scaled Composites, the famed aerospace company that is building a suborbital rocket plane for Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic space line. For this desert hamlet of 3,700, it was a space-age wake-up call.
Fifty years after the Soviets launched the satellite Sputnik 1 into space, Mojave has found itself at the center of a private space race that boosters say is as important -- and risky -- as the nationalistic race between the Soviets and the United States. This time, a group of ambitious entrepreneurs is leading the competition to launch regular Janes and Joes into space. "Mojave is the place to be," said Jeff Greason, a co-founder of Xcor Aerospace Inc. Half a dozen companies, from big-time operations like Scaled Composites to lemonade-stand-scale business with a handful of engineers working in stifling warehouses, dot the barren landscape around the Mojave Air & Space Port. Each company has its own remote testing site in the midst of the chaparral.
"The same things bring people to Mojave that brought Orville and Wilbur to Kitty Hawk," Witt said. "Freedom from encroachment, industrial espionage, the press and a steady breeze." Dave Masten, the head of Masten Space Systems Inc., a bootstrap firm with five employees, has another explanation for the rocket boom in Mojave. The vastness of the landscape has inspired a high level of tolerance for dreamers and wayfarers. Click here to view the article.
Ultimate Leap of Faith in 2009 (Source: Spaceports Blog)
Xtreme Space is planning to launch a human to over 20-miles or 120,000 feet into the atmosphere by 2009 in an attempt to break the long-held record of USAF Captian Joseph W. Kittinger II of 102,000 feet free fall that took him over Mach 1 above the New Mexico desert. The ultimate plan is to ride a glass top rocket to over 60-miles into space and then eject and fly back to Earth in just the spacesuit and a parachute sometime in 2011 in the record breaking event.
Embry-Riddle Opens Berlin Campus (Source: ERAU)
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is launching its new Berlin Campus on Oct. 12. The campus will offer the Master of Aeronautical Science in class with other degree programs in aviation maintenance management, technical management, professional aeronautics, integrated logistics, and project management. This new campus is one of over 130 operated by the university's "Worldwide Campus" division.
European Business Ideas For Space Technology (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
The European Space Agency (ESA) is calling for proposals from entrepreneurs with new ideas on how space technology can be turned into business opportunities in non-space sectors. The deadline for the last round of proposals for this year is 31 October for the Business Incubator at ESTEC, the Netherlands. To date, more than 50 entrepreneurs have been hosted at one of ESA's three Business Incubation centers to start their companies. ESA's support has led to new businesses providing innovative solutions in non-space fields based upon space technology and satellite supplied services.
Prelim Injunction in NASA ID Case (Source: AP)
A federal judge on Monday said he planned to temporarily bar NASA from asking workers at one of its research centers during background checks whether they had ever used drugs. The drug use question was only a small part of a lawsuit filed by 28 scientists, engineers and staff at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena who claimed the new security measures invaded their privacy. U.S. District Court Judge Otis Wright said he wanted to balance workers' rights with national security. Wright's written order was expected later this week. He set an Oct. 19 hearing to decide whether to grant a broader injunction preventing NASA from asking other personal questions. JPL employees have until Friday to fill out forms authorizing the background checks. Those who don't will be barred from JPL and be "voluntarily terminated" as of Oct. 27.
United Launch Alliance's Lockheed Martin Atlas V rocket could feature in a bid for money from NASA's COTS funds if Rocketplane Kistler departs as expected in October. Constellation Services International has made a deal with ULA to explore launching CSI's LEO Express cargo cannister by an Atlas V for International Space Station resupply and other missions. The COTS program is supposed to provide ISS resupply services after NASA's shuttle fleet is retired.
Mojave: Edge of the Final Frontier (Source: LA Times)
Stuart Witt, a former test pilot who runs the air/space port in this weathered desert town, was working at his desk when he heard the explosion. His assistant suggested it was a sonic boom, a frequent occurrence in the desert airspace near Edwards Air Force Base. But Witt knew better. Sonic booms come in pairs. This was one loud explosion, so powerful it was heard in Palmdale, 30 miles away. The blast, which killed three men and injured three others, occurred during a fuel-flow test in July at Scaled Composites, the famed aerospace company that is building a suborbital rocket plane for Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic space line. For this desert hamlet of 3,700, it was a space-age wake-up call.
Fifty years after the Soviets launched the satellite Sputnik 1 into space, Mojave has found itself at the center of a private space race that boosters say is as important -- and risky -- as the nationalistic race between the Soviets and the United States. This time, a group of ambitious entrepreneurs is leading the competition to launch regular Janes and Joes into space. "Mojave is the place to be," said Jeff Greason, a co-founder of Xcor Aerospace Inc. Half a dozen companies, from big-time operations like Scaled Composites to lemonade-stand-scale business with a handful of engineers working in stifling warehouses, dot the barren landscape around the Mojave Air & Space Port. Each company has its own remote testing site in the midst of the chaparral.
"The same things bring people to Mojave that brought Orville and Wilbur to Kitty Hawk," Witt said. "Freedom from encroachment, industrial espionage, the press and a steady breeze." Dave Masten, the head of Masten Space Systems Inc., a bootstrap firm with five employees, has another explanation for the rocket boom in Mojave. The vastness of the landscape has inspired a high level of tolerance for dreamers and wayfarers. Click here to view the article.
Ultimate Leap of Faith in 2009 (Source: Spaceports Blog)
Xtreme Space is planning to launch a human to over 20-miles or 120,000 feet into the atmosphere by 2009 in an attempt to break the long-held record of USAF Captian Joseph W. Kittinger II of 102,000 feet free fall that took him over Mach 1 above the New Mexico desert. The ultimate plan is to ride a glass top rocket to over 60-miles into space and then eject and fly back to Earth in just the spacesuit and a parachute sometime in 2011 in the record breaking event.
Embry-Riddle Opens Berlin Campus (Source: ERAU)
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is launching its new Berlin Campus on Oct. 12. The campus will offer the Master of Aeronautical Science in class with other degree programs in aviation maintenance management, technical management, professional aeronautics, integrated logistics, and project management. This new campus is one of over 130 operated by the university's "Worldwide Campus" division.
European Business Ideas For Space Technology (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
The European Space Agency (ESA) is calling for proposals from entrepreneurs with new ideas on how space technology can be turned into business opportunities in non-space sectors. The deadline for the last round of proposals for this year is 31 October for the Business Incubator at ESTEC, the Netherlands. To date, more than 50 entrepreneurs have been hosted at one of ESA's three Business Incubation centers to start their companies. ESA's support has led to new businesses providing innovative solutions in non-space fields based upon space technology and satellite supplied services.
Prelim Injunction in NASA ID Case (Source: AP)
A federal judge on Monday said he planned to temporarily bar NASA from asking workers at one of its research centers during background checks whether they had ever used drugs. The drug use question was only a small part of a lawsuit filed by 28 scientists, engineers and staff at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena who claimed the new security measures invaded their privacy. U.S. District Court Judge Otis Wright said he wanted to balance workers' rights with national security. Wright's written order was expected later this week. He set an Oct. 19 hearing to decide whether to grant a broader injunction preventing NASA from asking other personal questions. JPL employees have until Friday to fill out forms authorizing the background checks. Those who don't will be barred from JPL and be "voluntarily terminated" as of Oct. 27.
October 1 News Items
KSC Staffers Keep Wary Eye on NASA Cuts (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
NASA should get enough federal dollars in 2008 to keep it on track to return astronauts to the moon by 2020 but not enough to address the threat of thousands of future job cuts at KSC. Congress and the White House so far have endorsed at least $17.3 billion for the space agency, including $3 billion to jump-start the production of new rockets and spacecraft that will take astronauts to the moon and perhaps Mars. But the fledgling Constellation program poses two problems for KSC workers. NASA's plans to make Constellation more efficient than the shuttle call for a 60% reduction in operating costs -- including personnel.
Secondly, Constellation isn't scheduled to begin launching astronauts until March 2015. With the planned retirement of the space shuttle in 2010, that leaves a four- to five-year gap. In combination, that is expected to result in job losses for as many as one-third of the 15,000 civil servants and contractors at KSC, although no one -- including NASA, Congress and the unions -- claims to know the exact number. Already there are signs of cutbacks. NASA has estimated it would reduce its pool of KSC civil-servant jobs by 200, from about 2,100 workers in 2008 to 1,900 in 2012. And despite the agency's vow not to repeat the "brain drain" that occurred during the 1975-81 gap between Apollo and the Space Shuttle, NASA has yet to clearly define how it can avoid massive layoffs at KSC.
In the short term, the agency has restricted hiring, started employee buyouts and will devote $25 million in 2008 to the transition effort. But the shuttle must keep flying until 2010 to complete space station assembly, so KSC's shuttle workforce must remain in place. U.S. Rep. Dave Weldon argues Americans are in danger when manned U.S. missions can't access space. He blasts NASA's plan to rely on other nations, especially Russia, to supply the space station during the gap. "This is poorly thought out. It's crazy," said Weldon, whose district includes many KSC workers. "No one seems to be concerned about this, so I'm ringing the bell." Weldon said he intends to introduce a plan to spend billions more to keep the shuttle flying until Constellation is ready. But he's unlikely to succeed, given the price tag and NASA's commitment to the 2010 date.
NASA To Accelerate Space Nuclear Power (Source: SpaceRef.com)
NASA will accelerate missions featuring space nuclear power, Aviation Week & Space Technology reports in its Oct. 1 issue. The decision marks a major milestone for robotic exploration, but is a controversial move among groups that oppose space nuclear power because of launch safety concerns.
NASA Solicits Space Nuclear Power Research (Source: SpaceRef.com)
NASA had amended a research announcement to establish a new program entitled "Discovery and Scout Mission Capabilities Expansion." This new program element solicits mission concept proposals for small planetary missions that require a nuclear power source, such as the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG) currently under development by NASA. Visit http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.nl.html?pid=25568 for information.
APT Research Awarded FAA Space Transportation Contract (Source: APT)
APT Research has been awarded a five-year multi-million dollar contract for technical support to the FAA’s Office of the Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation (AST). APT’s knowledge and expertise in the areas of commercial space vehicle design, operations, and engineering will be used to support system and flight safety analyses; engineering studies and assessments; risk management strategy development related to ensuring public safety; and safety regulations associated with launch, orbital and reentry hazards.
Discovery Rolled Out to Launch Pad (Source: SpaceToday.net)
NASA rolled the space shuttle Discovery out to the launch pad on Sunday in advance of a mission scheduled for launch later this month. Discovery made the five-kilometer trip to pad 39A Sunday, leaving the Vehicle Assembly Building at 6:47 am EDT (1047 GMT) and arriving at the pad six and a half hours later. The rollout was scheduled for last week but was delayed to accommodate the replacement of hydraulic seals in a landing gear strut. Despite the delay, the mission is still scheduled for launch on its original launch date, October 23, although there is now little slack in the schedule in the event of additional problems during launch preparations. The STS-120 mission will deliver a new node module, Harmony, to the International Space Station as well as move a solar panel to its permanent location on the station's truss.
India and Russia Step Up Space Cooperation (Source: India PRwire)
With joint plans for new satellites, manned space flights and missions to the moon, India and Russia are entering a new phase of bilateral cooperation in space. The chiefs of the space agencies in the two countries met during a global conference here last week to decide on a road map for future missions. The discussed cooperation between India and Russia in areas like Global Navigation Satellite System (Glonass-M and Glonass-K), manned space flights and joint participation in the lunar mission. An ISRO team will now visit Russia to finalize decisions on the launch of the Glonass-M version of the satellite that has improved antennas and a separate transmission frequency dedicated to civilian users. The two sides will also start discussions on India's participation in the Glonass-K project -- lighter, and smaller satellites with an extended service life -- that costs less to launch.
Nations Looking For a Piece of the Exploration Pie (Source: Aviation Week)
A Japanese spacecraft arriving at the Moon on the 50th anniversary of Sputnik this week marks the beginning of what may be a lucrative sweepstakes in space for generations to come. But instead of Cold War-style political prestige, the purse for this space race could be long-term market position as the world’s high-tech economy begins to move off-planet. With China, India and the U.S. planning to follow Japan’s Selene and her two piggyback “daughters” into lunar orbit by the end of 2008, lunar missions are becoming almost a fad. Those nations are already at work on follow-ons, while Germany and the U.K. are plotting their own lunar-development roles. All are among the 14 nations working out a “collaborative” human exploration model that will use the expected early deluge of lunar-orbital data to guide the construction of permanent multinational outposts where they can showcase their technologies for terrestrial markets.
China Still Considering Human Lunar Missions (Source: Aviation Week)
Sun Laiyan, Chinese National Space Administration (CNSA) chief, says China has yet to decide whether it will send its citizens to the Moon, even though NASA Administrator Michael Griffin says it’s his personal belief that the Chinese will get there first this time. Sun says the CNSA is ready to cooperate with anyone “but only as an equal,” and NASA invited CNSA to participate in the series of workshops that produced an initial “framework document” last summer. But so far, it’s an arm’s-length relationship.
ISS Model Not Right for International Exploration Plans (Source: Aviation Week)
Recent NASA-initiated workshops on international space exploration collaboration took the ISS partnership as their starting point. That may be the starting point, but the emerging approach to lunar exploration will be something very different. “The ISS model is not the right model for exploration,” says workshop member Graham Gibbs of the Canadian Space Agency. While the basic goals of lunar exploration are fairly well-understood, relations among participating nations are much more fluid. Nations will take part in some joint efforts on the lunar surface, eschew others and perhaps do some on their own. “We’re looking at, shall we say, a more nimble partnership arrangement,” Gibbs says.
Piero Messina from ESA’s exploration office agrees. He stresses that while the ultimate shape of the lunar collaboration won’t be clear for several years, it will be much more open-ended than the tight bilateral and multilateral agreements governing the ISS. “Some of the features of this new cooperative scheme would be flexibility, for example,” he says. “Participating parties in this scheme would retain control over their own elements. I think one of the things that we are looking at quite carefully is how to limit the interdependence among different elements.”
Russia's Anatoly Perminov says the possibility of a U.S. withdrawal from ISS suggests the need for “more strict rules and conditions for participation from the very beginning” of lunar collaboration to avoid a “situation when some of the participants will try to leave without taking into consideration the interests of other parties.”
Space Station Future Remains Cloudy (Source: Aviation Week)
The future of the ISS is unknown. NASA told its partners it wants to shift ISS funding to lunar exploration after 2015—but Europe and Japan are eagerly awaiting launch of their long-delayed labs in the next few months. “We are convinced that we must have something after 2015,” says ESA Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain. “We cannot just say to the scientific communities that in 2015, everything stops.” Dordain declares, “ESA is not ready to pay the share of NASA when NASA has left the space station.”
Anatoly N. Perminov, head of Russia’s Federal Space Agency, says that Russia isn’t ready to assume the burden either. “We are interested in extending this program up to 2020, but in case the U.S., the EU, Canada or any other participants decide to leave, one thing is very obvious—Russia will be not ready to carry on this project alone.” One possibility for continuing ISS operations is to allow for new partnership members. Permanov says he first raised the issue at the January 2005 ISS Heads of Agency meeting in Montreal. “This question is still pending,” he tells Aviation Week & Space Technology. “No one says yes. No one says no.”
Space Myths (Source: Space Review)
Spaceflight is an expensive, high-tech endeavor that suffers from too much government regulation, right? A lot of people might agree with that sentiment, but Wayne Eleazer busts some enduring myths. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/967/1 to view the article.
Miscalculations of Galileo: Europe's Answer to GPS is Floundering (Source: Space Review)
Galileo has gone from the one serious competitor to the American GPS satellite navigation system to one battling for its survival. Timothy Barnes reviews the history of the European program and problems it has encountered along the way. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/966/1 to view the article.
Beyond the Outer Space Treaty (Source: Space Review)
As the Outer Space Treaty turns 40, some people have criticized it as a relic from the Cold War. Taylor Dinerman explains how the treaty, like other international accords, don't reflect the state of space today. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/965/1 to view the article.
Company Offers Free Rides to Space for Education Projects (Source: MEI)
Microgravity Enterprises, Inc (MEI) has established the ACCESS for Education Foundation. Through this new 501(c)(3) foundation, MEI will provide free rides to space for K-12 and university experiments on its commercial space launches. MEI will provide funding for the ACCESS for Education Foundation through sales of their consumer products (Antimatter Energy Drink, Space2O Purified Water, and Comet’s Tail Amber Ale). The company's goal is to provide one flight per month, with multiple free experiments and educational activities on each flight. Microgravity Enterprises products are available online and in Walgreens (New Mexico locations for now).
NASA should get enough federal dollars in 2008 to keep it on track to return astronauts to the moon by 2020 but not enough to address the threat of thousands of future job cuts at KSC. Congress and the White House so far have endorsed at least $17.3 billion for the space agency, including $3 billion to jump-start the production of new rockets and spacecraft that will take astronauts to the moon and perhaps Mars. But the fledgling Constellation program poses two problems for KSC workers. NASA's plans to make Constellation more efficient than the shuttle call for a 60% reduction in operating costs -- including personnel.
Secondly, Constellation isn't scheduled to begin launching astronauts until March 2015. With the planned retirement of the space shuttle in 2010, that leaves a four- to five-year gap. In combination, that is expected to result in job losses for as many as one-third of the 15,000 civil servants and contractors at KSC, although no one -- including NASA, Congress and the unions -- claims to know the exact number. Already there are signs of cutbacks. NASA has estimated it would reduce its pool of KSC civil-servant jobs by 200, from about 2,100 workers in 2008 to 1,900 in 2012. And despite the agency's vow not to repeat the "brain drain" that occurred during the 1975-81 gap between Apollo and the Space Shuttle, NASA has yet to clearly define how it can avoid massive layoffs at KSC.
In the short term, the agency has restricted hiring, started employee buyouts and will devote $25 million in 2008 to the transition effort. But the shuttle must keep flying until 2010 to complete space station assembly, so KSC's shuttle workforce must remain in place. U.S. Rep. Dave Weldon argues Americans are in danger when manned U.S. missions can't access space. He blasts NASA's plan to rely on other nations, especially Russia, to supply the space station during the gap. "This is poorly thought out. It's crazy," said Weldon, whose district includes many KSC workers. "No one seems to be concerned about this, so I'm ringing the bell." Weldon said he intends to introduce a plan to spend billions more to keep the shuttle flying until Constellation is ready. But he's unlikely to succeed, given the price tag and NASA's commitment to the 2010 date.
NASA To Accelerate Space Nuclear Power (Source: SpaceRef.com)
NASA will accelerate missions featuring space nuclear power, Aviation Week & Space Technology reports in its Oct. 1 issue. The decision marks a major milestone for robotic exploration, but is a controversial move among groups that oppose space nuclear power because of launch safety concerns.
NASA Solicits Space Nuclear Power Research (Source: SpaceRef.com)
NASA had amended a research announcement to establish a new program entitled "Discovery and Scout Mission Capabilities Expansion." This new program element solicits mission concept proposals for small planetary missions that require a nuclear power source, such as the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG) currently under development by NASA. Visit http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.nl.html?pid=25568 for information.
APT Research Awarded FAA Space Transportation Contract (Source: APT)
APT Research has been awarded a five-year multi-million dollar contract for technical support to the FAA’s Office of the Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation (AST). APT’s knowledge and expertise in the areas of commercial space vehicle design, operations, and engineering will be used to support system and flight safety analyses; engineering studies and assessments; risk management strategy development related to ensuring public safety; and safety regulations associated with launch, orbital and reentry hazards.
Discovery Rolled Out to Launch Pad (Source: SpaceToday.net)
NASA rolled the space shuttle Discovery out to the launch pad on Sunday in advance of a mission scheduled for launch later this month. Discovery made the five-kilometer trip to pad 39A Sunday, leaving the Vehicle Assembly Building at 6:47 am EDT (1047 GMT) and arriving at the pad six and a half hours later. The rollout was scheduled for last week but was delayed to accommodate the replacement of hydraulic seals in a landing gear strut. Despite the delay, the mission is still scheduled for launch on its original launch date, October 23, although there is now little slack in the schedule in the event of additional problems during launch preparations. The STS-120 mission will deliver a new node module, Harmony, to the International Space Station as well as move a solar panel to its permanent location on the station's truss.
India and Russia Step Up Space Cooperation (Source: India PRwire)
With joint plans for new satellites, manned space flights and missions to the moon, India and Russia are entering a new phase of bilateral cooperation in space. The chiefs of the space agencies in the two countries met during a global conference here last week to decide on a road map for future missions. The discussed cooperation between India and Russia in areas like Global Navigation Satellite System (Glonass-M and Glonass-K), manned space flights and joint participation in the lunar mission. An ISRO team will now visit Russia to finalize decisions on the launch of the Glonass-M version of the satellite that has improved antennas and a separate transmission frequency dedicated to civilian users. The two sides will also start discussions on India's participation in the Glonass-K project -- lighter, and smaller satellites with an extended service life -- that costs less to launch.
Nations Looking For a Piece of the Exploration Pie (Source: Aviation Week)
A Japanese spacecraft arriving at the Moon on the 50th anniversary of Sputnik this week marks the beginning of what may be a lucrative sweepstakes in space for generations to come. But instead of Cold War-style political prestige, the purse for this space race could be long-term market position as the world’s high-tech economy begins to move off-planet. With China, India and the U.S. planning to follow Japan’s Selene and her two piggyback “daughters” into lunar orbit by the end of 2008, lunar missions are becoming almost a fad. Those nations are already at work on follow-ons, while Germany and the U.K. are plotting their own lunar-development roles. All are among the 14 nations working out a “collaborative” human exploration model that will use the expected early deluge of lunar-orbital data to guide the construction of permanent multinational outposts where they can showcase their technologies for terrestrial markets.
China Still Considering Human Lunar Missions (Source: Aviation Week)
Sun Laiyan, Chinese National Space Administration (CNSA) chief, says China has yet to decide whether it will send its citizens to the Moon, even though NASA Administrator Michael Griffin says it’s his personal belief that the Chinese will get there first this time. Sun says the CNSA is ready to cooperate with anyone “but only as an equal,” and NASA invited CNSA to participate in the series of workshops that produced an initial “framework document” last summer. But so far, it’s an arm’s-length relationship.
ISS Model Not Right for International Exploration Plans (Source: Aviation Week)
Recent NASA-initiated workshops on international space exploration collaboration took the ISS partnership as their starting point. That may be the starting point, but the emerging approach to lunar exploration will be something very different. “The ISS model is not the right model for exploration,” says workshop member Graham Gibbs of the Canadian Space Agency. While the basic goals of lunar exploration are fairly well-understood, relations among participating nations are much more fluid. Nations will take part in some joint efforts on the lunar surface, eschew others and perhaps do some on their own. “We’re looking at, shall we say, a more nimble partnership arrangement,” Gibbs says.
Piero Messina from ESA’s exploration office agrees. He stresses that while the ultimate shape of the lunar collaboration won’t be clear for several years, it will be much more open-ended than the tight bilateral and multilateral agreements governing the ISS. “Some of the features of this new cooperative scheme would be flexibility, for example,” he says. “Participating parties in this scheme would retain control over their own elements. I think one of the things that we are looking at quite carefully is how to limit the interdependence among different elements.”
Russia's Anatoly Perminov says the possibility of a U.S. withdrawal from ISS suggests the need for “more strict rules and conditions for participation from the very beginning” of lunar collaboration to avoid a “situation when some of the participants will try to leave without taking into consideration the interests of other parties.”
Space Station Future Remains Cloudy (Source: Aviation Week)
The future of the ISS is unknown. NASA told its partners it wants to shift ISS funding to lunar exploration after 2015—but Europe and Japan are eagerly awaiting launch of their long-delayed labs in the next few months. “We are convinced that we must have something after 2015,” says ESA Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain. “We cannot just say to the scientific communities that in 2015, everything stops.” Dordain declares, “ESA is not ready to pay the share of NASA when NASA has left the space station.”
Anatoly N. Perminov, head of Russia’s Federal Space Agency, says that Russia isn’t ready to assume the burden either. “We are interested in extending this program up to 2020, but in case the U.S., the EU, Canada or any other participants decide to leave, one thing is very obvious—Russia will be not ready to carry on this project alone.” One possibility for continuing ISS operations is to allow for new partnership members. Permanov says he first raised the issue at the January 2005 ISS Heads of Agency meeting in Montreal. “This question is still pending,” he tells Aviation Week & Space Technology. “No one says yes. No one says no.”
Space Myths (Source: Space Review)
Spaceflight is an expensive, high-tech endeavor that suffers from too much government regulation, right? A lot of people might agree with that sentiment, but Wayne Eleazer busts some enduring myths. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/967/1 to view the article.
Miscalculations of Galileo: Europe's Answer to GPS is Floundering (Source: Space Review)
Galileo has gone from the one serious competitor to the American GPS satellite navigation system to one battling for its survival. Timothy Barnes reviews the history of the European program and problems it has encountered along the way. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/966/1 to view the article.
Beyond the Outer Space Treaty (Source: Space Review)
As the Outer Space Treaty turns 40, some people have criticized it as a relic from the Cold War. Taylor Dinerman explains how the treaty, like other international accords, don't reflect the state of space today. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/965/1 to view the article.
Company Offers Free Rides to Space for Education Projects (Source: MEI)
Microgravity Enterprises, Inc (MEI) has established the ACCESS for Education Foundation. Through this new 501(c)(3) foundation, MEI will provide free rides to space for K-12 and university experiments on its commercial space launches. MEI will provide funding for the ACCESS for Education Foundation through sales of their consumer products (Antimatter Energy Drink, Space2O Purified Water, and Comet’s Tail Amber Ale). The company's goal is to provide one flight per month, with multiple free experiments and educational activities on each flight. Microgravity Enterprises products are available online and in Walgreens (New Mexico locations for now).
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