March 2, 2010

Gov. Crist's State-of-The-State Address Urges Space Support (Source: SPACErePORT)
"2010 marks the 50th year of manned space flights leaving from Cape Canaveral. The shuttle fleet has almost completed its 30-year mission, leaving in question the future of nearly 7,000 Floridians affected by this change. These are truly the best and the brightest, and Florida would be ill-served if their many talents would leave the state.

I recently convened a Space Summit to chart a new course for Florida’s aerospace industry. I would like to thank Representative Steve Crisafulli and Senator Thad Altman for sponsoring the Space Transition and Revitalization Act that will begin to marshal the resources needed to create jobs for the talented professionals affected by the federal government’s disappointing change of direction. I also call on you to invest $32.6 million toward the next generation of space exploration missions.

Florida is once again leading the way, and to keep the momentum moving forward, I will meet with Florida’s Congressional delegation and other national leaders in Washington, D.C., later this month to explain the benefits of their continued investment in Florida as the gateway to space. This is something we must do." (3/2)

Aldrin: Mars Is Within Our Reach -- Here's How (Source: AOL)
In his recent testimony before Congress, NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden told lawmakers the goal of the U.S. space program under President Barack Obama was Mars. But he also warned that getting to Mars would require a step-by-step evolution, because NASA lacked the technology to safely send astronauts so deep into space. The Obama budget contained the down payment on a Mars mission, with billions set aside for research and testing of advanced, cutting-edge technologies that could be employed to make a mission to Mars a reality.

I believe we can be well on our way to Mars by July 20, 2019 -- which just happens to be the 50th anniversary of my Apollo 11 flight to the moon. The plan I've designed, called a unified space vision, contains ideas for the development of a deep-space craft that I call the Exploration Module, and development of a true heavy lift space booster evolved from the existing space shuttle. Click here to view the article. (3/2)

Delta Rocket Prepped For Thursday Evening Florida Launch (Source: Florida Today)
A Delta IV rocket is being readied at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport for a Thursday evening launch on a mission to deliver a new national weather satellite to orbit. The 238-foot-tall rocket and its payload -- a Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite -- are scheduled to blast off during an hour-long window that will open at 6:17 p.m. Thursday. The weather forecast for launch is nearly perfect. (3/2)

Robot Avatars Suggested for Exploring Celestial Bodies (Source: NBC)
President Obama reversed a Bush administration effort to try another moon landing with the ultimate goal of putting a man on Mars, arguing amidst a budget crisis that NASA should scale back its lunar landing efforts. However, that doesn't rule out sending robots on extraterrestrial vacations -- and bringing some meatbag human friends along for the ride. The idea is to send humans and robots together to the moon or to Mars, with the humans staying in orbit and the robots touching down for a closer look. (3/2)