August 17 News Items

Iran Launches Home-Built Satellite Rocket (Source: AFP)
Iran said it had launched a rocket carrying a test-satellite into space on Sunday, in a move that could further exacerbate tensions with the West over its nuclear drive. "The Safir (Ambassador) rocket was successfully launched. All its systems...are Iranian made," Reza Taghipour, head of Iran's space agency, said, adding that a "test satellite was put into orbit." Western governments, which suspect Iran is trying to build an atomic weapon, have voiced concern that the Islamic republic's space program could be put to military use. (8/17)

Obama: Let's Go to Moon, and Maybe Mars (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
Sen. Barack Obama released a comprehensive space policy Saturday that endorsed sending astronauts back to the moon by 2020 as a possible precursor for going to Mars -- the first time he has committed to that goal -- and said the reach for the stars should be a U.S.-led international effort. "Human exploration beyond low-earth orbit should be a long-term goal and investment for all space-faring countries, with America in the lead," the policy paper said.

It was notably silent on what role might be played by Kennedy Space Center, which faces the loss of as many as 6,500 jobs when the shuttle stops flying. Obama did promise to "work with the space industry to ensure retention of workforce and technical capabilities" during the gap. Obama's campaign released the seven-page paper to four Florida newspapers Saturday, 24 hours ahead of its national unveiling. It showed a clear effort to seize the initiative on space policy in Florida from his Republican rival, Sen. John McCain, who is scheduled to meet privately with aerospace industry officials in Cocoa on Monday. (8/17)

Final Frontier ... Future Boom (Source: Canberra Times)
In THE not-too-distant future you could fly from Sydney to London and the trip would take three hours about the length of a decent in-flight movie or the time taken to check-in. Add a few more years and you could honeymoon in hotels in zero-gravity or take a holiday to the moon. These are some of the possibilities Cosmos magazine editor-in-chief Wilson da Silva predicts will be born out of advancements in space travel, and it will happen sooner than many might think.

Speaking to the Sunday Canberra Times in the lead-up to a talk at the Australian National University on Friday as part of National Science Week, da Silva said we were on the cusp of a new era in travel with the next 20 years likely to see a boom in the development of high frontier space. It would be led by joy flights into sub-orbital space before more "useful" flights to other destinations in the world were created. This would be followed by advancements in orbital travel which if demand was there would lead to development such as hotels in space. Like the boom and advancement in aviation in the 1920s it would again be driven by the private sector. (8/17)

Obama Campaign Releases Space Policy Plan (Source: Obama Campaign)
Following a series of meetings with space industry leaders, the Obama campaign has finalized a space policy document titled: Advancing the Frontiers of Space Exploration. The document contains sections dealing with Space Science and Exploration; Earth-Oriented Research; Promoting International Cooperation and Keeping Space Secure; Developing New Technologies; and Educating the Public. The document is posted at http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/policy/Space_Fact_Sheet_FINAL.pdf. (8/16)

Florida Banking on Candidates' Space Promises (Source: Florida Today)
When Sen. John McCain comes to the Space Coast on Monday, he might not realize that his visit resulted from a year-long effort by members of the aerospace industry in Brevard County. Facing a loss of thousands of jobs when the space shuttle stops flying in 2010, county leaders last year mounted a far-reaching lobbying effort and used all their political contacts to elevate the future of America's human space flight program to a national issue. The diligence has begun to pay off, as both presidential candidates have made promises that Floridians plan to make sure they keep.

"As a community, we would expect those to be followed through," said Lynda Weatherman, president and chief executive officer of the Economic Development Commission (EDC) of Florida's Space Coast. McCain's newest policy statement promises more funding and an effort to minimize the gap. But those are just promises made on the campaign trail so far, and local officials say they are pushing for more.

McCain is the fourth presidential candidate to visit Brevard County this year. Republicans Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani campaigned here during the pri mary season, and Obama hosted a town hall meeting two weeks ago in Titusville. McCain and Obama have realized that Central Florida has a lot of votes up for grabs, and saying the right things about the space industry is a way to grab some of them. "It's an issue you can speak to that will get the attention of tens of thousands of families," said Dale Ketcham. "We intend to keep this issue front and center through November," Ketcham said. "I would be surprised if that's the last we see of them." (8/17)