September 5, 2010

Nobel Prize Winners Back Obama Space Plan (Source: Whats New)
In recent years NASA's programs for advanced technology has been cut by more than 50%, robotic exploration precursor missions were eliminated, commercial spaceflight, student research and robotic exploration were scaled back or postponed, and University research was sharply curtailed.

In a letter to Rep. Bart Gordon (D-TN), chair of the House Science Committee, 14 Nobel laureates, joined by leaders in the space program, endorsed Pres. Obama’s strategy of restoring these programs by abandoning the Constellation program that would return astronauts to the moon for no apparent purpose. The Obama plan would position NASA to shift its focus to astrobiology, which has emerged as the most exciting field of space research. (9/4)

National Aerospace Week Coming Sep. 12-18 (Source: AIA)
Celebrate the achievements of the U.S. aerospace industry on September 12-18 during National Aerospace Week. Visit www.NationalAerospaceWeek.org to learn about aerospace and check out events going on throughout the U.S. (9/3)

China Launches Satellite (Source: AFP)
China successfully launched a satellite for radio and television broadcasts early on Sunday. The SinoSat-6 satellite was sent up from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan Province in south-west China. The satellite was carried on the Long March 3B carrier rocket. SinoSat-6 is intended to serve as a substitute for SinoSat-3, which was launched in June 2007 but failed to deploy its solar panels and communication antennae. (9/5)

KSC Workers Refocus as Cuts Creep Closer (Source: Florida Today)
Jaci Remrey woke up early one morning and thought, "Five weeks. That's all that's left of my job." Remrey, 59, of Cocoa Beach, was recently notified she was being let go from Wiltech Corp. of Florida based at Kennedy Space Center. Her last day is Oct. 1. News such as this could easily send anyone into the throes of depression.

But Remrey, who's not married and has adult children in another state, still walks into work the way she did the first day more than a decade ago: with a smile and a "good morning." Even her supervisor is surprised at how well she is taking the news. Her positive attitude is helping her coworkers remain upbeat.

Losing a job is one of life's most stressful events, and on Oct. 1, more than 900 workers will leave KSC for what could be the last time. The overall loss of aerospace jobs as the space shuttle program ends next year is expected to surpass 8,000. (9/5)

Danish Rocketeers Postpone Launch (Source: BBC)
A group of Danish rocket enthusiasts trying to launch a dummy 30km into the sky had to abort the mission when a valve on their rocket jammed. The Copenhagen Suborbitals group is attempting to fly its DIY vehicle from a restricted military test area near Bornholm island in the Baltic Sea. The man-sized dummy is strapped inside a pressurised, tubular capsule.

When Sunday's countdown reached zero, a puff of smoke was seen from the rocket but nothing happened. A subsequent inspection found a valve controlling the flow of very cold, liquid oxygen to the motor had frozen up. No further attempt to would be made to launch on Sunday, the rocketeers said. The Danish government has given Copenhagen Suborbitals the use of its ESD139 test range until Sep. 17. If the Heat-1X booster cannot fly before that date, the team will have to wait until 2011 for another chance to launch. (9/5)