April 26 News Items

Candidates and the Space Race (Source: CNN)
The presidential candidates are not talking about future space exploration, but some say they should. Click here to view a CNN report. The initial video is not space-related. Click on the space video item below the video player.

Obama Picks Up New Space/Tech Endorsements (Source: WIRED)
The International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, an AFL-CIO affiliated labor union whose membership includes engineers, scientists and technicians at the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, NASA and Boeing, has endorsed Barack Obama. The 85,000-member organization, represented by its Executive Council voted without opposition to endorse the Senator.

In Obama's response to the endorsement he said, "I’ll support vigorous reinvestment in our federal research and development agencies, including NASA, to maintain America’s leadership in Science and Technology and to foster economic competitiveness." Obama also picked up an endorsement today from Super Delegate and Congressman David Wu (D-OR). Wu represents the "Silicon Forest" area (which includes the southwest part of Portland) and is the Chair of the Technology and Innovation Subcommittee as well as a member of the Space Subcommittee of the House of Representative. This puts Obama at 240 Super Delegates and 291 delegates away from capturing the democratic nomination.

Many people in the space community are still concerned about Obama's statements about delaying NASA's Constellation program five years (sending humans to the moon), a move that could have serious consequences for the future of human space exploration. Perhaps getting more people supporting the Obama campaign who support human space exploration will bring in some new thinking on how the United States can use its human spaceflight program to support education, the economy, the environment and help foster international cooperation.

Ethics and Space Issues as Dems Try to Unseat Feeney (Source: AP)
Republican Congressman Tom Feeney wants voters in his district to know about his work on space issues. Democrats want them to know about his play on the golf course with a criminal lobbyist. In his first serious challenge since carving out his own district six years ago, Feeney believes he will win re-election based on issues, while Democrats are constantly reminding voters he is linked to a Washington corruption scandal.

Feeney dismisses the attacks, and instead says he has the experience and knowledge needed to protect the space industry that is so vital to the district that stretches from Orlando's sprawling eastern suburbs to the Kennedy Space Center. Democrats are making Feeney their top Florida target, giving their backing to Suzanne Kosmas, 64, a former state representative from New Smyrna Beach who owns a real estate business. Kosmas had already raised $665,000 through the first three months of this year. That compares to Feeney's $982,000. (4/26)

Editorial: Soyuz Mishap Increases Urgency for New U.S. Space Vehicle (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
Chalk up last week's Soyuz space capsule malfunction as another reason for Congress to find the money to make the gap between the 2010 grounding of shuttles and the launch of NASA's next manned vehicle as short as possible. At this point, U.S. astronauts have no options during the gap but Russian spacecraft for trips to and from the station. Stingy budgets from Congress have stretched the gap to at least five years. Congress could cut the gap from five to three years with $2 billion. If a brain drain and losing ground to strategic rivals isn't enough, what about reducing the risks for U.S. astronauts? (4/26)

United Launch Alliance to be 'Classroom' for Teachers (Source: Denver Business Journal)
United Launch Alliance and a group of Colorado business and education leaders say they'll create an internship program at the space company to prepare high school teachers to train the rocket scientists of tomorrow. It's a new effort to bring the math and science skills taught in Colorado schools closer to the needs of high-tech businesses. ULA and the Denver-based Public Education & Business Coalition (PEBC) will initiate the program in 2009. Science and math teachers will spend four weeks during the summer working side by side with ULA's scientists and engineers, giving them a first-hand look at how those skills come into play at a high-tech business. (4/26)