January 12 News Items

Falcon 9 Up, Then Down, at LC 40 (Source: Florida Today)
After only a few days on the launch pad, the first Falcon 9 will leave Launch Complex 40 in pieces. Having tested and proven the technique for raising the rocket to vertical, SpaceX workers will disassemble the 188-foot rocket and ship it back to California and Texas for testing. SpaceX plans to reassemble the rocket for a wet dress rehearsal in March, when the rocket will be fueled. Also, an engine test firing is possible. The first launch from Cape Canaveral is scheduled for the summer, with a NASA demonstration launch to follow two months later.

When launch operations begin after successful test flights, SpaceX will increase its 35-member workforce to about 150 at the Cape, Brian Mosdell, SpaceX's director of Florida launch operations, said. If a program to recover and recycle rocket stages works out, SpaceX could hire up to 1,000 workers, he added. By the time the rocket parts return to the Cape, a hangar for the rocket will be complete. The rocket will be assembled in the hangar and rolled to the launch pad via a railroad track. The Falcon 9 can be raised and lowered quickly, so the company's hurricane plan is to roll it into the hangar if a storm approaches. The hangar is built to withstand winds up to 135 mph. (1/12)

Falcon 9 Assembled on Pad at Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: SpaceX)
A SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle was successfully raised to vertical on Jan. 10 at Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport — two days ahead of schedule. This operation was a critical step in validating a variety of system interfaces and launch processes in preparation for the maiden flight of Falcon 9 later this year. (1/12)

A Final Defense of Constellation (Source: Space Review)
It's widely believed that Mike Griffin is nearing the end of his tenure as NASA administrator, which made a speech he gave last week about Constellation likely one of his last public addresses in that role. Jeff Foust reports on what Griffin said about the various alternatives to Constellation, and what its future prospects might be. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1285/1 to view the article. (1/12)

License to Change: Will NASA? (Source: Space Review)
The change in administrations offers an opportunity for change throughout government, including NASA. Joan Vernikos and Kathleen M. Connell write that the space agency shouldn't squander this opportunity by making only superficial changes to its programs. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1284/1 to view the article. (1/12)

Rethinking TSAT: Survivability First (Source: Space Review)
The military's TSAT communication satellite program has suffered from budget cuts and schedule delays, and is in the process of being radically revised. Taylor Dinerman argues that a new TSAT program should place a preference on ensuring the spacecraft can survive any potential attack. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1282/1 to view the article. (1/12)

A Possible Source of the Five-Year Delay Policy (Source: Space Review)
As Barack Obama prepares to take office, some recall when the president-elect first proposed to delay Constellation by five years to fund his education programs. Michael Huang identifies a potential source for that original proposal, and its implications for the administration's policies. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1281/1 to view the article. (1/12)

Response to "The Problems With 'The Future of Human Spaceflight'" (Source: Space Review)
David Mindell, the director of MIT's Space, Policy, and Society Research Group, responds to a recent critique of his group's report on human spaceflight. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1280/1 to view the article. (1/12)

AIA Report Recommends Space Policies for New Administration (Source: AIA)
A new report from the Aerospace Industries Association concludes that the nation can no longer afford to treat its national security, civil and commercial space capabilities separately. The report, “The Role of Space in Addressing America’s National Priorities,” recommends the new administration develop a mechanism to look at our space capabilities as a single enterprise consistent with national goals and objectives.

“Space assets are critical to our environmental stewardship, human exploration and national security,” said AIA's president. “Given our dependence on space assets and increasing international competition, it is critical that space issues be seamlessly integrated into national policy.” The report was prepared by AIA’s Space Council to inform the new administration about the challenges facing the U.S. space sector.

In addition to recommending the establishment of a national coordinating body to develop and execute a national space strategy, the report suggests the administration provide the necessary budgets to continue critical, multi-year space programs. It is available on AIA’s Web site at http://www.aia-aerospace.org/industry_information/reports_white_papers/. (1/12)

Editorial: One of the Shuttles Has to Rest in Dayton (Source: Dayton Daily News)
If the Air Force museum doesn't get one of the three space shuttles that are slated to be retired in 2010, the Dayton community, the area's politicians and the Air Force itself will have fallen down on the job. Considering the role that the Air Force has played in the space program, how can one of the sleek ships not be on display at the Air Force's premier and official museum? (1/12)

Musk Ambition: SpaceX Aims for Fully Reusable Falcon 9 (Source: NasaSpaceFlight.com)
SpaceX chief Elon Musk has spoke of his desire to make Falcon 9 the first fully reusable launch vehicle, which he would “love” to include a flyback first stage. Musk also noted he is aiming for Falcon 9 to launch in under 60 minutes from the moment they leave their hangers. Musk was speaking to an audience at the AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting a few days ago, in a speech entitled “The Future of Space Launch: Where We’re Going and How to Get There.” (1/12)

India's Manned Moon Mission by 2020 (Source: PTI)
India proposes to undertake the country's first manned moon mission by 2020, following the success of Chandrayaan-I. The successful launch of Chandrayaan-I in October last year has given space scientists the confidence to undertake manned mission to moon. The Chandrayaan-II mission is expected to be undertaken within a couple of years followed by Chandrayaan-III. Several countries have approached India to set up a common lunar research center for conducting various studies. (1/12)

Aerospace Industry Report: U.S. Lead in Space 'Perishable' (Source: Wall Street Journal)
Seeking to raise the profile and funding of U.S. activities in space, the Aerospace Industries Association warned that sweeping policy, budget and institutional changes are necessary to protect what it called America's "perishable" lead in satellites, rockets and exploration efforts. AIA urged the incoming Obama Administration to end long-standing turf battles over control of satellite projects by mandating government-wide cooperation between the military and various spy agencies. The study also calls for creation of a new, high-level office to oversee the effort, which would report directly to the White House.

Concluding that America's "lead is perishable" and a number of countries have the "vision and resources to equal or even supplant our dominance" in space endeavors, the study recommends significantly closer coordination of federal and commercial initiatives in imaging, collection of weather data and human space flight. "In a very real sense the 'space race' is far from over," according to a cover letter from Marion Blakey, the association's president and chief executive. "We might not be racing, but our global competitors certainly are." (1/12)

Boeing to Slash Administrative Payroll by 4,500 (Source: AIA)
Boeing will cut employment in its aircraft division by 6.6%, or 4,500 workers. Most of the positions cut will be administrative, and production jobs are expected to remain virtually untouched as the company tries to work through its backlog of 3,700 orders. The company said it has hired cautiously in recent years, seeking to avoid the "boom and bust" employment typical of the industry. "We are taking prudent actions to make sure Boeing remains well positioned in today's difficult economic environment," said Scott Carson, CEO of Boeing Commercial Aviation. (1/12)

Pentagon Budget to Remain Sketchy for Months (Source: AIA)
The Pentagon's detailed 2010 budget will likely be delayed about two months as the incoming administration puts its own stamp on defense spending. On Feb. 2, lawmakers will get only a brief outline version of the budget, including President George W. Bush's $587 billion "top line" spending proposal. President-elect Barack Obama will then have several weeks to fine-tune the details before sending his budget to Congress in April, according to staffers. (1/12)

GAO Blasts Lax Oversight by NASA Inspector General (Source: AIA)
The Government Accountability Office on Friday criticized NASA's inspector general for failing to save taxpayer money. While other inspectors general average returns of $9.49 for every dollar spent, NASA's IG, Robert Cobb, squeezed out just 36 cents in savings for every dollar in his $34 million budget, according to the GAO. Cobb said the report relied on "selective and incomplete data and flawed characterizations of the work, processes and accomplishments of the NASA OIG." (1/12)

Japan's H-2A Rocket To Loft Korea's Kompsat-3 (Source: Space News)
South Korea's Kompsat-3 optical Earth observation satellite will be launched by Japan's H-2A rocket in 2011 in a contract that marks the first major export win for the Japanese vehicle, H-2A prime contractor Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (MHI) announced Jan. 12. (1/12)

Russia Prepares for Launch of U.S. Satellite (Source: RIA Novosti)
Russia has delivered a U.S. Telstar telecom satellite to the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan in preparation for a scheduled launch aboard a Zenit rocket on February 26. (1/12)