May 10 News Items

Space Club Seeks Nominations for Lifetime Achievement (Source: NSC)
The National Space Club's Florida Committee invites nominations for their annual Lifetime Achievement Award. Eligibility is limited to persons who are long-term contributors to our nation’s space program, either at Kennedy Space Center or at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station; have been in civil service or served with a contractor in operations associated with launch vehicles, spacecraft, ground systems, the range, or related involvement; retired from or currently employed with active involvement in the aerospace industry; and resident of the Florida Space Coast. Submit your nomination by June 13 to Charlie Mars, National Space Club, P.O. Box 21243, Kennedy Space Center, 32815-0243. You may also fax a nomination to 321-383-2895. (5/10)

Utah University Team Wins Four Awards at NASA Event (Source: Utah Statesman)
A group of Utah State University engineering students took home four awards out of seven at the NASA rocketry competition in Alabama April 19. The students received "Best Manufacturing and Quality Control," "Most Innovative Payload Design," "Best Design Documentation and Presentation" and "Best Team Spirit." The USU team has until May 12 to submit a final report that includes conclusions from its science experiment and the overall flight performance. The preliminary design review, critical design review and flight readiness review are conducted by panels of scientists and engineers from NASA and from NASA contactors and external partners. The overall winner of the competition will be announced on May 26. (5/10)

Aerospace Trade Group Spent $200,000 to Lobby in 1Q (Source: AIA)
The Aerospace Industries Association spent $200,000 in the first quarter to lobby on a range of issues critical to aerospace and defense sector, according to a disclosure report filed April 18. The trade group lobbied on NASA funding and legislation to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration. It also represented its members' stance on security clearance procedures, proposals to overhaul export control rules and legislation designed to address a coming shortage of skilled technical workers. AIA represents manufacturers of civil aircraft and aircraft components as well as defense contractors. Members include Boeing, BAE Systems, Honeywell, Rockwell, and Lockheed Martin Corp.

Among those registered to lobby for the organization are the group's president and chief executive, Marion Blakey, a former FAA administrator; J.P. Stevens, an aide to former Sen. John Glenn, D-Ohio; Sterling Cord, a former staffer on the Senate Armed Services Committee and former aide to Sen. John Warner, R-Va.; Patrick McCartan, a former aide to Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine; and J.J. Gertler, a former staffer on the House Armed Services Committee. During the first three months of the year, AIA's lobbying efforts were mostly directed to Congress, NASA, the White House, the FAA, the Transportation Security Administration and the departments of Defense, State, Commerce and Transportation. (5/10)

COMPETES Funding Blown Away in Gathering Storm (Source: What's New)
In 2005 the National Academies rang the alarm: the U.S. was beginning to fall behind other nations in the physical sciences, even as the world faced new challenges. The report of the Academies, "Rising Above the Gathering Storm" was just what the nation needed. Washington science representatives began working together as never before, passing COMPETES, a $33 billion authorization bill. The President signed it, and Congress left town for a vacation after its hard work.

The science policy wonks were throwing each other high fives celebrating the victory. But when it came time to appropriate money, the White House sent Jack Marburger to Congress to make the case for science. Congress just divided up the money into pork-barrel projects. Who could be surprised? An editorial in this week’s Nature pointed out that constituents have many pressing issues. Ultimately, science must persuade the public. (5/10)

Space Florida to Endure Cuts (Source: Florida Today)
The state's primary aerospace economic development agency will lose almost 43 percent of its budget this year. But officials with Space Florida don't expect layoffs or pay cuts. Gov. Charlie Crist requested $8.5 million for Space Florida in his 2008-09 spending plan, which would have been a $1.5 million increase over the agency's $7 million budget in 2007-08. But the budget passed by the Florida Legislature last week will funnel only $4 million to Space Florida, an organization created to promote and develop the state's aerospace industry.

Deb Spicer, director of communications with Space Florida, said the organization does not expect a reduction in the size of its staff, which includes about 24 people, according to a contact list on the agency's Web site. Spicer also said the organization does not anticipate having to ask staff members to take pay cuts. Instead, the agency will look at reducing the number of trade shows it attends, and the group might not be able to sponsor education, business development and other programs at the level it has in the past. The Florida Legislature last week passed a $66.2 billion budget for 2008-09 -- a $5 billion decrease from the previous year. (5/10)

New Mexico Moves Ahead on Spaceport (Source: Washington Post)
Undaunted by widespread skepticism, New Mexico's effort to build the world's first commercial spaceport is nearly on schedule to open in late 2010. Its intended prime tenant, Virgin Galactic, says the startup will also be ready for business by then, with more than 275 customers who have already paid $35 million total to book seats on spaceships that would launch from the high desert site and fly to the edge of space. Many hurdles remain -- including environmental approvals and certifying the space-worthiness of Virgin Galactic's radical White Knight Two and SpaceShipTwo.

The spaceport, to be located just east of the town of Truth or Consequences, appears to have the jump on other ventures proposing facilities in Virginia, Oklahoma, California, Alaska, Florida and other states to support the next generation of air travel. Other nations are also getting into the act -- with Australia, Singapore, New Zealand, Dubai and Sweden all in some stage of planning spaceports. (5/10)

A Manned Mission to Asteroid 2000 SG344? (Source: Daily Galaxy)
There is a lot of discussion as to where man will head next, in its continuing journey into space. Bush wants us to head back to the Moon in 2020, and set up a lunar outpost. Some experts want us to forget the Moon and head straight to Mars. But a new report out of NASA is looking at sending a two man crew to rendezvous with 2000 SG344, an asteroid discovered in 1999 and with a diameter of 40 meters. The asteroid has been identified as a potential landing site for astronauts. However, more than just the next step in our outward journey, this mission would also provide experts with invaluable data about long term journeys.

The journey, approximately three months in total, would provide scientists with information on the psychological effect of a long term journey. In addition, it would give the astronauts the chance to test kits to convert subsurface ice in to drinking water, breathable oxygen, and possibly even hydrogen to top up the rocket fuel. All of these would greatly benefit NASA in their quest to eventually send man to Mars. (5/10)

University-Industry Partnership Results in First LOX-Methane Rocket Flight (Source: CSA)
In the California desert on April 12 the first powered flight of a rocket fueled by liquid oxygen and methane took place. The Prospector 14LM (P-14LM) rocket, built by Garvey Spacecraft Corporation (GSC) and California State University Long Beach (CSULB), flew to an altitude of 5,500 feet under 1,000 pounds of thrust. The P-14LM was recovered after a parachute-aided landing. Visit http://www.californiaspaceauthority.org/html/press-releasesandletters/pr080506-1.html to view the article. (5/9)

Bipartisan Coalition Seeks $2 Billion More for NASA Programs (Source: CSA)
A bipartisan group of 30 representatives is urging the House leadership to add $2 billion in funding for NASA, with a primary goal of closing the five-year gap in U.S. manned space flight capability between the planned retirement of the space shuttles and the Ares-Orion replacement system. Visit http://www.californiaspaceauthority.org/html/government_pages/pr080505-1.html to view the article. (5/9)