Obama's Message to Private Sector: You Have Lift-Off (Source: The Independent)
The US has agreed a $1.61 billion down-payment on the development of a private-sector space program, as part of a revamp of NASA designed to outsource much of the day-to-day business of travel to the stars. After months of wrangling, Congress has approved a $58.4 billion three-year budget plan for the US space agency, which will funnel huge subsidies to a host of private companies engaged in a 21st-century space race – to make profits beyond the Earth's atmosphere. (9/30)
NASA Shuttle Program Extended for One Year (Source: MyFoxHouston)
Houston Mayor Annise Parker is applauding a new plan laid out for NASA by lawmakers last night. The shuttle program would be extended by one year - adding another flight to the two that were remaining. International Space Station operations would continue for an additional 5 years through 2020. And in a big morale boost, NASA would be able to go back to planning manned deep-space exploration that had been cut by the Obama Administration early this year. Editor's Note: Sorry Fox News, the Obama Administration did not cut planning for manned deep-space exploration.
Moon Exploration Is Not Dead, NASA Official Says (Source: Space.com)
NASA's new space exploration program may be skewed toward sending astronauts to an asteroid and onto Mars, but a return to Earth's moon is not completely lost, NASA's deputy chief told reporters. NASA deputy administrator Lori Garver, the space agency's second-in-command, said the moon has a role to play in the new space exploration plan set by President Obama and approved by Congress this week. NASA, she added, won't turn its back on Earth's nearest neighbor. (9/30)
Hundreds Are Laid Off At Michoud (Source: WGNO)
Hundreds of Lockheed Martin employees at the NASA Michoud facility were laid off today. But, they may not be out of a job for long. Congress just passed a bill that will keep the space program alive and could bring hundreds of jobs back to Michoud. 600. That's how many Lockheed Martin employees are left at the NASA Michoud facility. Since January, 838 people have been laid off. But these men and women knew this was coming. President Bush announced in 2004 that September 30th, 2010 would be the day the program shut down. (9/30)
NASA Plan OK for Hampton's Langley (Source: DailyPress.com)
Congress ended a month's long stalemate Wednesday by approving a NASA policy that promotes the commercial space industry and adds an extra shuttle flight. The agreement, which also supports a heavy-lift rocket to send people to asteroids and Mars, will have little effect on staffing at Langley Research Center in Hampton. "There's nothing in there that's detrimental to Langley," said Bruce Hoogstraten, chairman of the Virginia Aerospace Advisory Council. (9/30)
NASA Bill Passes Despite Worries it Will Hurt Glenn Research Center (Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer)
Ohio GOP Rep. Steve LaTourette said he'd oppose the NASA bill because it will lead to job losses at Glenn Research Center, reduce research funding and force NASA to completely depend on the commercial sector for crew and cargo transportation to the Space Station. "I am concerned that the language in the underlying bill sends the agency on a path toward privatization, and privatization undermines the agency and its workers," agreed Cleveland Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich.
The measure passed 304-118, with Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy of Columbus, and Republicans Steve Austria of Beavercreek, John Boehner of West Chester, Jim Jordan of Urbana, Bob Latta of Bowling Green, Jean Schmidt of Clermont County, Patrick Tiberi of Genoa Township, and Mike Turner of Dayton joining the opposition. (9/30)
Retired Space Shuttle May Come to Manhattan, After All (Source: New York Times)
The campaign to bring a retired space shuttle to a pier in Manhattan appeared to be fizzling out until one of New York’s senators slipped a phrase into a bill that Congress passed just before midnight on Wednesday. The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum on the West Side has been lobbying to land one of the orbiters. Last month, the Intrepid appeared to be out of the running because an earlier version of the bill limited the contenders to sites that had a historical relationship with the shuttle program.
Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand, a Democrat, managed to amend the qualifications to include applicants that had been involved in “the retrieval of NASA manned space vehicles.” Back in the 1960s when the Intrepid was an operating aircraft carrier, its crews plucked a few astronauts from the sea after they hit the ocean in space capsules. (9/30)
Obama Expected to Sign NASA Budget Soon (Source: Reuters)
President Barack Obama is expected early next month to sign into law a new NASA budget that adds a space shuttle mission, begins work on a new deep-space rocket and seeds development of commercial space taxis, the agency's deputy administrator said. "The President is expected to sign this," NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver told reporters, adding that the signing would likely occur within 10 days. (9/30)
New Direction From Congress Doesn't Avert NASA's Near-Term Challenges (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
Despite passage of the NASA Authorization bill, the future of the space agency remains bleak -- at least in the near term. A number of fault lines are already apparent: To build a new heavy-lift rocket and its Orion capsule, Congress recommended that NASA receive about $11 billion over the next three years -- less money than Constellation would have received over the same period.
Also, as mandated by the bill, engineers at KSC are looking to build a Shuttle-derived rocket for a test flight in 2014. But program managers in NASA headquarters are looking at flying the Orion capsule aboard a commercial Delta IV rocket as early as 2013. And the bill does little to stem the brain drain within NASA, though its addition of a third shuttle flight next year extends the life of perhaps 1,500 jobs at KSC. Still, about 1,100 space shuttle workers lost their jobs Thursday – and a total of at least 7,000 will be gone within a year. (9/30)
Russia Sends Military Satellite Into Space (Source: Xinhua)
Russia on Thursday successfully launched a military satellite, said spokesman for Russian Space Forces Alexei Zolotukhin. A "Molniya-M" carrier rocket blasted off from the Plesetsk spaceport in northern Russia, carrying a military satellite of the "Cosmos" series. (9/30)
Eshoo: Ames Wins With NASA Authorization (Source: Silicon Valley Business Journal)
Rep. Anna Eshoo on Wednesday called the passage by the House of Representatives of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010 "a win for NASA and a win for our state and work force." Eshoo (D-Palo Alto) said S. 3729 is designed to reauthorize America’s space programs, reinvest in science and technology research and education, and encourage the development of the commercial space industry. (9/30)
NASA Reauthorization Takes Solid Rocket Industry Off Life Support (Source: Main Street Journal)
The House’s passage late Wednesday of the Senate version of the NASA Reauthorization Bill helps ensure the book is not closed on northern Utah’s storied solid rocket motor industry, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) said. “Though we will have hurdles to face in the future, the House passage of the Senate bill builds a foundation for the future of the civilian solid rocket motor industry in Utah,” Hatch said. (9/30)
ATK Laying Off 426 Workers in Utah, Florida and Alabama (Source: KSL.com)
The Utah company that makes rocket boosters for the soon-to-be-retired space shuttle laid off 426 employees Thursday because of uncertainty over the future of the U.S. space program. An ATK spokesman said the company dismissed 414 engineers, factory workers and others at three northern Utah locations. Another dozen ATK workers are being laid off at Florida's Kennedy Space Center and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.
Company spokeswoman Trina Patterson told KSL 66 employees volunteered to be laid off. All of those being let go will receive severance packages -- up to 26 weeks in some cases -- based on their employment with the company. Officially, the last day for those losing their jobs is Oct. 5, though many chose to make Thursday their final day. (9/30)
Grounding Shuttle Costs Lockheed Martin Jobs (Source: Washington Business Journal)
Bethesda-based Lockheed Martin Corp. has built external fuel tanks for NASA’s space shuttles since the first launch, but with the Space Shuttle program coming to an end, there is no longer a need for tanks to fuel them. After 37 years and the production of 136 external tanks, Lockheed delivered its final space shuttle tank to Kennedy Center this week. Lockheed won its first contract to produce the tanks in 1973. (9/30)
Michoud Declares End of External Tank Production (Source: Florida Today)
Lockheed Martin declared the end of shuttle external tank production at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility near New Orleans. Lockheed's external tank, or ET, contract began Sept. 5, 1973. The last flight-ready tank, numbered ET-122, arrived at Kennedy Space Center this week and was offloaded into the Vehicle Assembly Building on Tuesday. In total, Lockheed built 136 tanks for what is expected to be 135 shuttle missions before the shuttle program retires. Each tank measures 154 feet tall and 27 feet around and holds 535,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen fuel. (9/30)
Symbol of Russia's Space Power Found Rusting Outside Moscow (Source: Pravda)
Russia's space shuttle Buran, which used to be the symbol of the nation's space power, has recently been found in Moscow. The model of the legendary shuttle is currently on display in Moscow's Gorky Park, but the one that has been found on the outskirts of the city is unfinished. It is a real shuttle that was built for space flights, the Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper said.
Journalists found the shuttle on Lodochnaya Street, not far from the water reservoir in Khimki, a town in the Moscow region. The found construction looked like a thick short aircraft, without the tail part. The construction of the Buran was frozen after the shuttle was nearly 50 percent ready. The works on the spacecraft stopped after the USSR collapsed and the funding of the project was suspended. Click here for photos. (9/30)
Lightning Strikes Near Shuttle Launch Pad (Source: Aviation Week)
Kennedy Space Center engineers plan to meet Sept. 29 to evaluate data collected after five lightning strikes hit within 5 mi. of the space shuttle launch pad. Preliminary sensor readings indicate no damage to Launch Pad 39A or shuttle Discovery, which is at the pad in preparation for its last flight. Liftoff is targeted for Nov. 1. (9/30)
Looking for E.T.? Try His Artificial Intelligence Instead, Astronomer Says (Source: Space.com)
People have always held a biased view of the world around them. It's an aspect of being human. It took until the 17th century for us to reject Aristotle's vision of a universe where our sun and the stars revolved around the Earth. SETI senior astronomer Seth Shostak points out that up until a century ago, the scientific community believed a vast engineering society was responsible for building an irrigation system on the surface of Mars.
Our idea of extraterrestrial life has changed drastically in 100 years, but our search strategies have not kept up. Shostak argues that SETI might be more successful if it shifts the search away from biology and focuses squarely on artificial intelligence. Shostak sees a clear distinction between life and intelligence: he says we should be searching for extraterrestrial machines. (9/30)
NASA Authorization Bill Benefits Florida (Source: Space Florida)
The newly passed NASA Authorization Bill holds numerous benefits for Florida, including: Extension of ISS utilization through 2020; A focus on commercial crew and cargo; Investment in robotics and other advanced technologies; An additional Shuttle launch in 2011 will extend employment opportunities for Florida’s KSC workforce; and 21st Century Spaceport Infrastructure Funding. In addition to these Florida-related benefits, the new bill authorizes increased overall funding for NASA at $19 Billion, a 14.7% increase from FY2010 funding. (9/30)
Germany First European Nation To Commit to Space Station Extension (Source: Space News)
Germany has committed to paying a 38 percent share of an estimated 3.8 billion euros ($5.2 billion) that European governments will need to continue their work on the International Space Station in the next 10 years, the head of Germany’s space agency said Sept. 29. (9/30)
Cecil Field Spaceport Among Winners of FAA Space Transportation Grants (Source: FAA)
The FAA has made its first awards under a new grant program designed to fund projects that develop and expand commercial space transportation infrastructure. The Space Transportation Infrastructure Matching Grants will be awarded to four separate projects located in Alaska, California, Florida, and New Mexico.
The grants include: $43,000 for the New Mexico Spaceport Authority to provide an Automated Weather Observing System; $227,195 to the Alaska Aerospace Corporation for a Rocket Motor Storage Facility; $125,000 to the East Kern Airport District in Mojave, Calif., for an emergency response vehicle; and, $104,805 to the Jacksonville Aviation Authority in Florida to develop a Spaceport Master Plan for Cecil Field. (9/30)
Russia: Existing Propulsion Technology is Close to Reaching its Limits (Source: Roscosmos)
The attempts to improve parameters of the existing rocket propulsion systems are unreasonable, Roscosmos Head Anatoly Perminov says. “No matter how many experts in the world, and no matter how much they work, they would provide maximum improvement of any existing propulsion...measured in a fraction of percent only. The most has been made of the available propulsions – liquid or solid-propellant. Any attempt to [significantly] improve the thrust or momentum is hopeless,” he said.
On the other hand, he believes, nuclear propulsion is able to improve these parameters significantly: “To make an example of a mission to Mars. With the current propulsion it takes 1.5-2 years, with the nuclear one it would be 2-4 months.” According to Perminov, an alternative option may appear in the future, but the current technologies do not provide it. (9/30)
DIRECT Team Claims Victory with Passage of Senate Bill (Source: SPACErePORT)
The DIRECT Team that has coordinated and advocated the design of a Jupiter family of Shuttle-derived heavy-lift rockets is thanking their supporters in the wake of Congress' passage of the Senate's version of the new NASA Authorization Bill. The bill directs NASA to develop a Shuttle-derived rocket that could closely resemble the Jupiter design. Editor's Note: While it's true that the Senate-prescribed rocket is similar to Jupiter, Constellation advocates are also saying it is similar to the Ares-5 rocket. In my view, there's nothing wrong with everyone taking credit, if it helps get the job done! (9/30)
Florida (and Alabama) Members Vote Overwhelmingly to Pass NASA Bill (Source: SPACErePORT)
All but two of Florida's House members voted "Yea" on the NASA bill last night. Connie Mack (R) voted no and Bill Young (R) didn't vote. Interestingly, every member of the Alabama delegation voted for the bill, despite the vocal opposition of former NASA Administrator Mike Griffin to the bill. Griffin is now an Alabama resident who has lobbied hard against the cancellation of Constellation. Click here to view the state-by-state vote tally. (9/30)
NASA Legislation Averts Potential Gutting of Nation’s Space Agency (Source: Rep. Bill Posey)
“Had the House had failed to pass a NASA bill this week, the Administration, whose NASA plan failed to keep the promise of closing the gap and keeping us first in space, would have been empowered to dismantle key exploration programs even further and shift the program money elsewhere. I wasn’t willing to let that happen. I think that would have created a worst case scenario. So while the bill falls short of legislation that I authored last year which closes the human space flight gap, the good news is that this final bill is at least somewhat of a departure from the plan outlined by the Administration in February." (9/30)
EDA Awards $400,000 Grant to Space Florida (Source: Space Florida)
The Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA) awarded Space Florida $400,000 for development of a strategic economic development strategy for Florida’s Space Coast Region, to include Brevard and surrounding counties. Space Florida will provide an additional $100,000 in matching funds to the project. Grant funds cover a 12 month period, allowing the agency to conduct a "Cluster Analysis" and develop a "Flagship Florida Capital Resource Program". Click here for details. (9/30)
House Passes NASA Authorization Bill (Source: SpaceToday.net)
The House of Representatives approved a NASA authorization bill Wednesday night that previously passed the Senate. The House approved the bill, S. 3729, by a 304-118 margin, more than the two-thirds majority needed to approve the bill. The bill, identical to the one the Senate passed in early August, authorizes funding for NASA for the next three years, including $19 billion in the 2011 fiscal year that starts Friday. The bill includes a number of policy provisions, including calling for one additional shuttle flight and immediate development of a heavy-lift launch vehicle. The bill does not itself provide any funding for the agency; that will come in appropriations bills to be considered by Congress after the November elections. For the time being NASA and other federal government agencies will operate under a stopgap funding bill through at least early December.
ATK Bill Passes Congress (Source: Standard-Examiner)
A federal plan supporting the development of a heavy lift rocket for the U.S. space program, similar to the Ares vehicle being partially built in the Top of Utah, is on its way to President Barack Obama. The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation late Wednesday night that reauthorizes the NASA budget -- which includes the launch vehicle specifications -- and will send the plan to the White House for approval.
But the legislation, already approved by the Senate, may not help more than 1,000 shuttle employees Congressional leaders expect to be laid off nationwide this week after ongoing aerospace cutbacks in the shuttle program. Work force levels in Utah for the Alliant Techsystems Aerospace Division also have been a constant concern in the last two years. More than 2,000 people in Northern Utah are employed by ATK to build the Ares motor. (9/30)
House Passes Legislation To Protect Space Coast Jobs (Source: WESH)
A new hope is within NASA's grasp as the U.S. House voted Wednesday night to pass legislation helping thousands of workers on the Space Coast hang on to their jobs. U.S. House members passed that legislation, and local lawmakers said the bill will minimize the spaceflight gap, protect jobs and provide much-needed direction for NASA and its workers. Editor's Note: Congresswoman Suzanne Kosmas (D-FL), Congressman Kendrick Meek (D-FL), and Congressman Bill Posey (R-FL) spoke on the House floor in favor of the bill. (9/30)
NASA Private Spaceflight Funding Approved by House (Source: Bloomberg)
The House of Representatives approved $1.61 billion in funding through the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for private companies to send astronauts, cargo and space tourists into orbit. The House today passed a $58.4 billion bill that authorizes funding for NASA through 2013 and includes the allocation for commercial spaceflight companies. The bill, approved by the Senate in August, will go to President Barack Obama for his signature. Of the commercial funding, $1.31 billion will be used for NASA’s commercial crew program and $300 million will go to its commercial cargo program. (9/30)
Budget Deal Propels NASA on New Path (Source: Wall Street Journal)
In unusual bipartisan fashion, the House on Wednesday approved a three-year $58-billion compromise bill intended to revive NASA's manned-exploration programs while funding plans for pioneering private rockets able to blast astronauts into orbit. Capping nearly a year of intense industry turmoil, agency uncertainty and congressional debate, the vote reflected last-minute decisions by House leaders from both parties to embrace a previously-passed Senate blueprint for NASA, though it doesn't completely satisfy any of the rival interest groups or regional factions maneuvering to shape the agency's future.
By adopting the measure, the House sought to end the agency's drift and pave the way for some of the exploration and research initiatives proposed by the White House. If congressional appropriators end up following that path after the November elections, it could result in saving thousands of aerospace jobs in Alabama, Utah, Florida, Texas and elsewhere that likely would have been lost under President Barack Obama's initial proposals. (9/30)
UC Santa Cruz Scientists Help Identify Planet in Perfect Position to Foster Life (Source: Santa Cruz Sentinel)
After 11 years of detailed research, a team of astronomers and astrophysicists, led by UC Santa Cruz's Steven Vogt and the Carnegie Institute of Washington's Paul Butler, say they have discovered the most Earth-like planet outside of our solar system yet. Vogt and Butler announced their findings Wednesday, but rather than a culmination, the event was seen as more of the initial spark that would lead to the discovery of many other extrasolar planets with the right conditions to sustain life. (9/30)
NASA Craft Reveals Unexpected Unpredictability of Our Protective Bubble (Source: National Geographic)
It's cold, dusty, and bereft of planets, but the outskirts of our solar system are anything but dull, according to increasing evidence from NASA's Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) craft. As charged particles flow out from the sun, they eventually bump up against interstellar medium—the relatively empty areas between stars. These interactions "inflate" a protective bubble that shields Earth and the entire solar system from potentially harmful cosmic rays. Now IBEX has surprised astronomers by showing that this force field-like structure, the heliosphere, is an unexpectedly dynamic, unpredictable boundary. (9/30)
UTMB Experts Researching Commercial Space Guidelines (Source: Bay Area Citizen)
Healthy, fit astronauts make up the vast majority of space travelers to date. But as commercial space travel zooms closer to reality, the next generation of space travelers — namely, tourists — may not be so fit. “The joke is, ‘you give up your youth and health to earn enough to buy a ticket,’" said Dr. James M. Vanderploeg, associate professor of aerospace medicine in the UTMB Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health. Actually, even people with health issues can safely fly in space. It’s just a matter of understanding and controlling their medical conditions, Vanderploeg said. (9/30)
Did The Stuxnet Worm Kill India’s INSAT-4B Satellite? (Source: Forbes)
On July 7, 2010, a power glitch in the solar panels of India’s INSAT-4B satellite resulted in 12 of its 24 transponders shutting down. As a result, an estimated 70% of India’s Direct-To-Home (DTH) companies’ customers were without service. India’s DTH operators include Sun TV and state-run Doordarshan and data services of Tata VSNL.
What does this have to do with the Stuxnet worm that’s infected thousands of computer systems, mostly in India and Iran? India’s Space Research Organization is a Siemens customer. According to the resumes of two former engineers who worked at the ISRO’s Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, the Siemens software in use is Siemens S7-400 PLC and SIMATIC WinCC, both of which will activate the Stuxnet worm. (9/30)
Common Exploration Plan will be Slow in the Making (Source: Space News)
The world’s principal space-faring nations, which have spent the past three years talking about a common exploration strategy, are committed to producing, by June, a document setting out specific measures to enable an international program to take shape, space agency representatives said. Members of the 14-agency International Space Exploration Coordinating Group (ISECG) reported little concrete results from their three years’ labors. They stressed that the mere fact the space agencies of the United States, China, Russia, India, Europe, Japan, South Korea and others are able to talk about exploration strategy with a view to coordinating efforts should be seen as a signal achievement. (9/30)
September 29, 2010
Atmosphere Checked, One Mars Year Before a Landing (Source: JPL)
What will the Martian atmosphere be like when the next Mars rover descends through it for landing in August of 2012? An instrument studying the Martian atmosphere from orbit has begun a four-week campaign to characterize daily atmosphere changes, one Mars year before the arrival of the Mars Science Laboratory rover, Curiosity. A Mars year equals 687 Earth days.
The planet's thin atmosphere of carbon dioxide is highly repeatable from year to year at the same time of day and seasonal date during northern spring and summer on Mars. The Mars Climate Sounder instrument on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter maps the distribution of temperature, dust, and water ice in the atmosphere. Temperature variations with height indicate how fast air density changes and thus the rates at which the incoming spacecraft slows down and heats up during its descent. (9/29)
LaTourette, Kucinich Come Out Against Senate Bill (Source: Crains Cleveland Business)
Some prominent voices in Northeast Ohio have come out against the Senate version of the NASA budget bill, saying it will hurt NASA Glenn Research Center. U.S. Reps. Steve LaTourette and Dennis Kucinich are circulating a letter that asks other Ohio members of the House of Representatives to oppose the Senate version of the bill, and Greater Cleveland Partnership president Joseph Roman also has sent a letter opposing the Senate version of the bill to Congress. (9/29)
Repairing Science Gear Takes Big Fraction of Space Station Research Time (Source: Space News)
Astronauts at the international space station spend nearly one-quarter of the time they allot to conducting experiments to repairing or performing routine maintenance on the payload canisters that house the scientific gear, European and Japanese space station officials said. Data is still preliminary, but indications are that between 20 and 25 percent of the time astronauts devote to scientific experiments is spent performing preventive or corrective maintenance on the payload racks.
More than a year after the orbital complex reached its full permanent-crew complement of six astronauts, officials said they have noticed the sharp increase in astronaut time given over to conducting the experiments that are one of the station’s principal reasons for being. (9/29)
Researchers Find First Potentially Habitable Exoplanet (Source: NASA)
A team of planet hunters from the University of California (UC) Santa Cruz, and the Carnegie Institution of Washington has announced the discovery of a planet with three times the mass of Earth orbiting a nearby star at a distance that places it squarely in the middle of the star's "habitable zone."
This discovery was the result of more than a decade of observations using the W. M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii, one of the world's largest optical telescopes. The research, sponsored by NASA and the National Science Foundation, placed the planet in an area where liquid water could exist on the planet's surface. If confirmed, this would be the most Earth-like exoplanet yet discovered and the first strong case for a potentially habitable one. (9/29)
NASA Extends Space Shuttle Main Engine Contract (Source: NASA)
NASA has signed a $60.3 million contract modification to space shuttle main engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Inc. of Canoga Park, Calif., to provide continued space shuttle main engine prelaunch, launch and landing support from Oct. 1, 2010, through March 31, 2011. This action is based on an extension to the current Space Shuttle Program flight manifest launch schedule, which shifted the last two scheduled launch dates into fiscal year 2011. This modification brings the total potential value of the contract to $2.25 billion. (9/29)
What Aliens Would See When Spying On Our Solar System (Source: Space.com)
Alien astronomers searching for planets in our solar system would at least be able to see Neptune inside the dusty disk that surrounds our planetary neighborhood, a new study suggests. The method used in the study could be a new tool for astronomers on Earth seeking out strange new worlds, since the dust rings around other stars could be used to find their outer planets, too. Our solar system has one of these dust clouds out beyond the orbit of Neptune, researchers said. (9/29)
NASA and Optimus Prime Collaborate to Educate Youth (Source: NASA)
NASA has developed a contest to raise students' awareness of technology transfer efforts and how NASA technologies contribute to our everyday lives. NASA is collaborating with Hasbro using the correlation between the popular TRANSFORMERS brand, featuring its leader Optimus Prime, and spinoffs from NASA technologies created for aeronautics and space missions that are used here on Earth. (9/29)
Analysis of Hayabusa Samples Will Wait Until 2011 (Source: SpaceFlightNow.com)
Scientists won't know whether Japan's Hayabusa probe actually returned asteroid dust until at least February or March, when researchers finish extracting microscopic particles from the craft's return capsule and complete an exhaustive analysis to verify their origin.
In a presentation at the 61st International Astronautical Congress here, Hayabusa's project manager said he is optimistic the hard-luck $200 million mission returned at least some traces of asteroid material from the surface of Itokawa, the potato-shaped rubble pile object the probe visited in late 2005. The trick is distinguishing the precious samples from contamination from Earth. (9/29)
Friedman: Too Much Pork, Not Enough Exploration (Source: Planetary Society)
The NASA Authorization bills barely mention exploration. They contain heavy prescriptions for how to build things, pointing to specific contractors. Having politicians design our rockets, propulsion systems, crew vehicles and payloads is a prescription for spending lots of money and accomplishing little. When President Kennedy told NASA to get to the Moon, Congress didn’t prescribe the payload capacity of Saturn or its choice of fuel. Nor did they prescribe Earth orbit rendezvous or Moon orbit rendezvous. They left those designs to engineers and scientists. The same needs to happen now. That’s why I personally oppose both Authorization bills. I am putting my hopes in the Appropriations Committees.
Editor's Note: This has been a situation where very smart people disagree and there is more than one right answer. The passionate partisans on both sides have dug in their heels and no real compromise was forthcoming. In this case, the arguments had to be made to Congress so they could make the final call, micro-managing a solution that otherwise would not have been reached. (9/29)
Bolden Likes Senate Bill (Source: Space Politics)
NASA released a statement from administrator Charles Bolden expressing his support for S. 3729. Bolden said he was “hopeful” that the bill “will receive strong support in the House and be sent onto the President for his signature.” He adds at the end of the statement: “There is still a lot of work ahead, especially as the 2011 appropriations process moves forward, but the continuing support for NASA ensures America’s space program will remain at the forefront of pioneering new frontiers in science, technology, and exploration.” (9/29)
UN Denies Naming 'Point of Contact' for Aliens (Source: Space Daily)
The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs on Tuesday dismissed as "nonsense" a newspaper report which said it had appointed a new ambassador as a point of contact for extra-terrestrials. The report said the UN was to appoint Malaysian astrophysicist, Mazlan Othman, to be the first contact for any aliens.
Othman heads UNOOSA, a little-known department of the UN based in Vienna with a staff of 27. Under a mandate defined by the UN General Assembly, UNOOSA's task is to promote international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space and strengthen the use of space science and technology applications. "There are no plans to change the current mandate," the statement said. (9/29)
Supreme Court to Take 19-Year-Old Stealth-Fighter Case (Source: AIA)
The Supreme Court has agreed to take the case of a 19-year-old legal dispute over the Pentagon's 1991 termination of the A-12 Avenger stealth-fighter aircraft program. In the case, the government canceled the contract on the grounds that Boeing and General Dynamics were not living up to their obligations, and it is requiring that they return $1.35 billion in payments, plus interest that has accrued over two decades. A victory in the case for Boeing and General Dynamics could affect the government's ability to use the state secrets privilege, which Boeing and General Dynamics say unfairly prevented them from defending themselves in the case. (9/29)
Pentagon Vows to "Do No Harm" to Solid Rocket Industry (Source: AIA)
The Pentagon has adopted a motto of "First, do no harm to industry" as it moves into the purchase of rocket motors during the next decade. According to Brett Lambert, the Pentagon's director of industrial policy, the Pentagon will be committed to doing what needs to be done to maintain skilled engineers to develop the next generation of solid rockets and avoid any actions that will cause the industry to shrink to the point of being unable to reconstitute. (9/29)
Russia to Launch Commercial Space Station by 2016 (Source: AP)
A private Russian space firm and a state-controlled spacecraft manufacturer are planning to build and operate the world's first commercial space station and expect it to be launched by 2016. Sergey Kostenko, chief executive of the Moscow-based Orbital Technologies, said the station will cater to space tourists and researchers. The station will initially be equipped to host seven people but will be capable of significant expansion.
The Russian state space agency, which stands to benefit from the proposed station by leasing launching pads for service modules, says it could be used as a safety back-up for the International Space Station in emergencies. (9/29)
Editorial: Congress's Budget Battle Leaves NASA Without a Clear Mission (Source: Washington Post)
America's spaceflight program is about to enter a vacuum: a vacuum of vision. Even with expected passage of a resolution to provide NASA with its annual operating budget, it appears increasingly unlikely that Congress will be able to provide a guiding mission for NASA before it adjourns.
The flawed Senate bill only proves that the biggest challenges now facing NASA are on the ground. Members of Congress, hoping to protect jobs in their districts, have fought against the shutdown of the Constellation manned spaceflight program, which a blue-ribbon commission on the future of human spaceflight found to be doomed by excessive ambition and insufficient funds.
There is little logic to support an ambitious -- and ambitiously underfunded -- plan for NASA that continues its heavy-lift rocket programs, allocates a limited amount of funding for commercial spaceflight and keeps NASA's eyes lifted to the dream of manned flight beyond low-Earth orbit. A better compromise would allow NASA to invest in research and aeronautics and to salvage technology, expertise and resources from the Constellation program, and use them to develop capacity for a time when America is in a better position to aim upward. (9/29)
Two Embry-Riddle Alumni to Launch on Discovery’s Final Mission (Source: ERAU)
Space shuttle Discovery’s final launch will be a landmark event for Embry-Riddle – the first time that two of its alumni will serve together in space. U.S. Air Force Col. B. Alvin Drew Jr. and Nicole P. Stott are assigned as mission specialists on the STS-133 flight to the International Space Station (ISS), the second space flight for both of them. Discovery’s launch is currently scheduled for 4:40 p.m. EDT on Nov. 1, 2010, from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (9/29)
What will the Martian atmosphere be like when the next Mars rover descends through it for landing in August of 2012? An instrument studying the Martian atmosphere from orbit has begun a four-week campaign to characterize daily atmosphere changes, one Mars year before the arrival of the Mars Science Laboratory rover, Curiosity. A Mars year equals 687 Earth days.
The planet's thin atmosphere of carbon dioxide is highly repeatable from year to year at the same time of day and seasonal date during northern spring and summer on Mars. The Mars Climate Sounder instrument on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter maps the distribution of temperature, dust, and water ice in the atmosphere. Temperature variations with height indicate how fast air density changes and thus the rates at which the incoming spacecraft slows down and heats up during its descent. (9/29)
LaTourette, Kucinich Come Out Against Senate Bill (Source: Crains Cleveland Business)
Some prominent voices in Northeast Ohio have come out against the Senate version of the NASA budget bill, saying it will hurt NASA Glenn Research Center. U.S. Reps. Steve LaTourette and Dennis Kucinich are circulating a letter that asks other Ohio members of the House of Representatives to oppose the Senate version of the bill, and Greater Cleveland Partnership president Joseph Roman also has sent a letter opposing the Senate version of the bill to Congress. (9/29)
Repairing Science Gear Takes Big Fraction of Space Station Research Time (Source: Space News)
Astronauts at the international space station spend nearly one-quarter of the time they allot to conducting experiments to repairing or performing routine maintenance on the payload canisters that house the scientific gear, European and Japanese space station officials said. Data is still preliminary, but indications are that between 20 and 25 percent of the time astronauts devote to scientific experiments is spent performing preventive or corrective maintenance on the payload racks.
More than a year after the orbital complex reached its full permanent-crew complement of six astronauts, officials said they have noticed the sharp increase in astronaut time given over to conducting the experiments that are one of the station’s principal reasons for being. (9/29)
Researchers Find First Potentially Habitable Exoplanet (Source: NASA)
A team of planet hunters from the University of California (UC) Santa Cruz, and the Carnegie Institution of Washington has announced the discovery of a planet with three times the mass of Earth orbiting a nearby star at a distance that places it squarely in the middle of the star's "habitable zone."
This discovery was the result of more than a decade of observations using the W. M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii, one of the world's largest optical telescopes. The research, sponsored by NASA and the National Science Foundation, placed the planet in an area where liquid water could exist on the planet's surface. If confirmed, this would be the most Earth-like exoplanet yet discovered and the first strong case for a potentially habitable one. (9/29)
NASA Extends Space Shuttle Main Engine Contract (Source: NASA)
NASA has signed a $60.3 million contract modification to space shuttle main engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Inc. of Canoga Park, Calif., to provide continued space shuttle main engine prelaunch, launch and landing support from Oct. 1, 2010, through March 31, 2011. This action is based on an extension to the current Space Shuttle Program flight manifest launch schedule, which shifted the last two scheduled launch dates into fiscal year 2011. This modification brings the total potential value of the contract to $2.25 billion. (9/29)
What Aliens Would See When Spying On Our Solar System (Source: Space.com)
Alien astronomers searching for planets in our solar system would at least be able to see Neptune inside the dusty disk that surrounds our planetary neighborhood, a new study suggests. The method used in the study could be a new tool for astronomers on Earth seeking out strange new worlds, since the dust rings around other stars could be used to find their outer planets, too. Our solar system has one of these dust clouds out beyond the orbit of Neptune, researchers said. (9/29)
NASA and Optimus Prime Collaborate to Educate Youth (Source: NASA)
NASA has developed a contest to raise students' awareness of technology transfer efforts and how NASA technologies contribute to our everyday lives. NASA is collaborating with Hasbro using the correlation between the popular TRANSFORMERS brand, featuring its leader Optimus Prime, and spinoffs from NASA technologies created for aeronautics and space missions that are used here on Earth. (9/29)
Analysis of Hayabusa Samples Will Wait Until 2011 (Source: SpaceFlightNow.com)
Scientists won't know whether Japan's Hayabusa probe actually returned asteroid dust until at least February or March, when researchers finish extracting microscopic particles from the craft's return capsule and complete an exhaustive analysis to verify their origin.
In a presentation at the 61st International Astronautical Congress here, Hayabusa's project manager said he is optimistic the hard-luck $200 million mission returned at least some traces of asteroid material from the surface of Itokawa, the potato-shaped rubble pile object the probe visited in late 2005. The trick is distinguishing the precious samples from contamination from Earth. (9/29)
Friedman: Too Much Pork, Not Enough Exploration (Source: Planetary Society)
The NASA Authorization bills barely mention exploration. They contain heavy prescriptions for how to build things, pointing to specific contractors. Having politicians design our rockets, propulsion systems, crew vehicles and payloads is a prescription for spending lots of money and accomplishing little. When President Kennedy told NASA to get to the Moon, Congress didn’t prescribe the payload capacity of Saturn or its choice of fuel. Nor did they prescribe Earth orbit rendezvous or Moon orbit rendezvous. They left those designs to engineers and scientists. The same needs to happen now. That’s why I personally oppose both Authorization bills. I am putting my hopes in the Appropriations Committees.
Editor's Note: This has been a situation where very smart people disagree and there is more than one right answer. The passionate partisans on both sides have dug in their heels and no real compromise was forthcoming. In this case, the arguments had to be made to Congress so they could make the final call, micro-managing a solution that otherwise would not have been reached. (9/29)
Bolden Likes Senate Bill (Source: Space Politics)
NASA released a statement from administrator Charles Bolden expressing his support for S. 3729. Bolden said he was “hopeful” that the bill “will receive strong support in the House and be sent onto the President for his signature.” He adds at the end of the statement: “There is still a lot of work ahead, especially as the 2011 appropriations process moves forward, but the continuing support for NASA ensures America’s space program will remain at the forefront of pioneering new frontiers in science, technology, and exploration.” (9/29)
UN Denies Naming 'Point of Contact' for Aliens (Source: Space Daily)
The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs on Tuesday dismissed as "nonsense" a newspaper report which said it had appointed a new ambassador as a point of contact for extra-terrestrials. The report said the UN was to appoint Malaysian astrophysicist, Mazlan Othman, to be the first contact for any aliens.
Othman heads UNOOSA, a little-known department of the UN based in Vienna with a staff of 27. Under a mandate defined by the UN General Assembly, UNOOSA's task is to promote international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space and strengthen the use of space science and technology applications. "There are no plans to change the current mandate," the statement said. (9/29)
Supreme Court to Take 19-Year-Old Stealth-Fighter Case (Source: AIA)
The Supreme Court has agreed to take the case of a 19-year-old legal dispute over the Pentagon's 1991 termination of the A-12 Avenger stealth-fighter aircraft program. In the case, the government canceled the contract on the grounds that Boeing and General Dynamics were not living up to their obligations, and it is requiring that they return $1.35 billion in payments, plus interest that has accrued over two decades. A victory in the case for Boeing and General Dynamics could affect the government's ability to use the state secrets privilege, which Boeing and General Dynamics say unfairly prevented them from defending themselves in the case. (9/29)
Pentagon Vows to "Do No Harm" to Solid Rocket Industry (Source: AIA)
The Pentagon has adopted a motto of "First, do no harm to industry" as it moves into the purchase of rocket motors during the next decade. According to Brett Lambert, the Pentagon's director of industrial policy, the Pentagon will be committed to doing what needs to be done to maintain skilled engineers to develop the next generation of solid rockets and avoid any actions that will cause the industry to shrink to the point of being unable to reconstitute. (9/29)
Russia to Launch Commercial Space Station by 2016 (Source: AP)
A private Russian space firm and a state-controlled spacecraft manufacturer are planning to build and operate the world's first commercial space station and expect it to be launched by 2016. Sergey Kostenko, chief executive of the Moscow-based Orbital Technologies, said the station will cater to space tourists and researchers. The station will initially be equipped to host seven people but will be capable of significant expansion.
The Russian state space agency, which stands to benefit from the proposed station by leasing launching pads for service modules, says it could be used as a safety back-up for the International Space Station in emergencies. (9/29)
Editorial: Congress's Budget Battle Leaves NASA Without a Clear Mission (Source: Washington Post)
America's spaceflight program is about to enter a vacuum: a vacuum of vision. Even with expected passage of a resolution to provide NASA with its annual operating budget, it appears increasingly unlikely that Congress will be able to provide a guiding mission for NASA before it adjourns.
The flawed Senate bill only proves that the biggest challenges now facing NASA are on the ground. Members of Congress, hoping to protect jobs in their districts, have fought against the shutdown of the Constellation manned spaceflight program, which a blue-ribbon commission on the future of human spaceflight found to be doomed by excessive ambition and insufficient funds.
There is little logic to support an ambitious -- and ambitiously underfunded -- plan for NASA that continues its heavy-lift rocket programs, allocates a limited amount of funding for commercial spaceflight and keeps NASA's eyes lifted to the dream of manned flight beyond low-Earth orbit. A better compromise would allow NASA to invest in research and aeronautics and to salvage technology, expertise and resources from the Constellation program, and use them to develop capacity for a time when America is in a better position to aim upward. (9/29)
Two Embry-Riddle Alumni to Launch on Discovery’s Final Mission (Source: ERAU)
Space shuttle Discovery’s final launch will be a landmark event for Embry-Riddle – the first time that two of its alumni will serve together in space. U.S. Air Force Col. B. Alvin Drew Jr. and Nicole P. Stott are assigned as mission specialists on the STS-133 flight to the International Space Station (ISS), the second space flight for both of them. Discovery’s launch is currently scheduled for 4:40 p.m. EDT on Nov. 1, 2010, from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (9/29)
September 28, 2010
Who Will Vote Against the Senate Bill? (Sources: Space Politics, SPACErePORT)
One person who hasn’t decided how to vote on the NASA Authorization Bill is Rep. Bill Posey (R-FL). His spokesman tells Florida Today that neither the Senate nor the House bills do enough to close the post-Shuttle gap and that Posey was “still evaluating the details of both the proposals”. Meanwhile, Ohio Congressmen Steve LaTourette (R) and Dennis Kucinich (D) are apparently urging other Ohio representatives to vote against the bill. The vote is expected to be a close one, and groups like the Commercial Spaceflight Federation are urging their members to reach out to their elected officials to recommend "yes" votes. (9/28)
ESA Previews Next Year's Budget Amid Tight Economy (Source: SpaceFlightNow.com)
Europe's top space official says his space agency is preparing for the same budget next year as this year, telling reporters he has received no indications that member states will reduce their contributions during an ongoing financial crisis. Jean-Jacques Dordain also said ESA's 18 member states have not said they need to cut their space funding beyond the levels agreed to in a spending freeze announced early this year. (9/28)
6 Hard Facts About NASA's Next Mars Rover (Source: Space.com)
NASA's next Mars rover, the car-size Curiosity, is coming together piece by piece. The Mars rover Curiosity, also known as the Mars Science Laboratory, will launch in late 2011 and land on the Red Planet in August 2012. Its main goal is to assess whether Mars ever had an environment capable of supporting microbial life, NASA officials have said. Click here to see six basic facts from NASA about Curiosity and its $2.3 billion mission. (9/28)
Finding E.T. May Become Harder If Aliens Go Digital (Source: Space.com)
Scientists may have an extra challenge when it comes to detecting alien civilizations: a time limit. A new study suggests that intelligent aliens, if their technological progression is similar to that of humanity's, are likely to have moved away from noisy radio transmissions to harder-to-hear digital signals within a 100-year time frame. That offers Earth just a narrow window in which to pick up any signals from extraterrestrial civilizations. (9/28)
Chinese Lunar Probe Ready for Lift-off in October (Source: China Daily)
China's second lunar probe, the Chang'e-2, is set to blast off from Xichang, Sichuan province, with the launch possibly taking place on the National Day, media reports have said. The launch rocket, CZ-3C, has been erected with the Chang'e-2 on top, totaling nearly 80 meters in length. As of Saturday, the whole launch system had gone through three pre-launch maneuvers, Guangzhou Daily reported.The probe is likely to blast off from the No 2 launch pad on Oct 1 at the earliest. (9/28)
NASA Modifies Contract for Shared Services Center (Source: NASA)
NASA has awarded Computer Services Corporation (CSC) of Falls Church, Va., a modification to exercise the first option year under its existing contract. This is a one-year option period for the continuation of financial management, human resources, procurement and information technology support services to NASA. (9/28)
Griffin Urges House to Vote "No" on Senate NASA Authorization Bill (Source: Space Policy Online)
Former NASA Administrator Mike Griffin disagrees with Rep. Bart Gordon that a flawed NASA authorization bill is better than no bill at all. In an email, Dr. Griffin argues that although the Senate bill is somewhat better than the Obama Administration's plan for NASA, "it is not enough better to warrant its support in law." His bottom line is that "If we cannot do better than that, then I believe we have reached the point where it is better to allow the damage which has been brought about by the administration's actions to play out to its conclusion than to accept half-measures in an attempt at remediation." (9/28)
UK 'Should Seek New Space Partners' (Source: ITN)
The UK should broaden its co-operation in space policy beyond Europe, according to a new report. The Commonwealth states, such as Australia, Canada and India, all have areas of space expertise which the UK could successfully co-operate on, says author Jim Bennett, a space expert with more than 30 years of experience in the industry. Australia has extensive launch ranges, Canada has expertise in radar imaging satellites, and India has across-the-board capabilities including launch vehicles, satellites and now interplanetary probes, said a UK space official. (9/28)
Space Florida Launch Pad Among Recipients of Florida Defense Grants (Sources: SPACErePORT, EOG)
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist awarded $5.85 million in defense grants for projects to improve Florida’s defense economy for military installations and activities. Among the projects to be funded is an effort by Space Florida to refurbish Launch Complex 46 at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport for new launch systems. A $500,000 grant will flow to Space Florida through the Economic Development Commission of Florida's Space Coast.
LC-46 is a U.S. Navy facility, developed originally for the Trident missile program. Space Florida plans to accommodate new solid-fueled rockets like the Air Force's Minotaur family of vehicles, and the new Athena-3 rocket being developed by Lockheed Martin and ATK. (9/28)
Northrop Grumman to Drop 500 Jobs on Expectation of Pentagon Cuts (Source: AIA)
Northrop Grumman announced Monday its plans to eliminate 500 jobs in its aerospace division, with most cuts taking place at its facilities in Redondo Beach and El Segundo, Calif. The layoffs come as the company braces for Pentagon spending cuts, and analysts say further job losses can be expected. (9/28)
NASA Compromise Could Spare Layoffs in Houston (Source: AIA)
A compromise between the White House and Congress over the future of NASA's manned space program, expected this week, would be crucial to Houston's Johnson Space Center and would likely prevent some of the estimated 1,100 aerospace layoffs that NASA contractors forecast before a deal was reached. The deal would affect NASA's moon program, add one shuttle flight and extend operations of the orbiting space station, while delivering 75% of the $812 million the White House wanted to support commercial spacecraft. (9/28)
AIA Offers Recommendations for National Security Space Industrial Base (Source: AIA)
Aggressive actions are needed now to retain the ability of our national security space industrial base to sustain and modernize the space systems that assure American pre-eminence in space and help guarantee our national security. AIA released a report that outlines recommendations to avoid a crisis and maintain a healthy U.S. space industry. Click here to download the report. (9/28)
UK Urged to Expand Cooperation on Space Policy (Source: The Independent)
The UK should broaden its co-operation in space policy beyond Europe, according to a new report. The UK Space Agency must seek to take advantage of NASA's international co-operative programs, which the UK has failed to do in the past, according to the study for the Economic Policy Center. The Commonwealth states, such as Australia, Canada and India, all have areas of space expertise which the UK could successfully co-operate on, says author Jim Bennett, a space expert with more than 30 years of experience in the industry. (9/28)
Santa Rosa Start-Up Wins Hylas 2 Satellite Job (Source: Press Democrat)
A Santa Rosa tech startup is supplying key technology for a $435 million communications satellite that will beam wireless broadband to Europe, Africa and the Middle East. “It's really fantastic,” said Simi Ghiasvand, president of SenarioTek, a small test-and-measurement business located near Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport. It's a big win for a group of ex-Agilent engineers who formed their own company six years ago. SenarioTek won the Hylas 2 satellite contract in an open bid competition with several larger rivals. (9/28)
SpaceX Rocket Demo Delayed (Source: Florida Today)
SpaceX’s first Falcon 9 demonstration flight for NASA is being pushed back to early November to give technicians, engineers and managers additional time to prepare for the launch. The Falcon 9 and a Dragon cargo carrier are being targeted for liftoff Nov. 8 or Nov. 9 at Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The mission had been scheduled to blast off Sept. 23.
Originally slated to fly in 2008, the demonstration flight is being carried out under a $1.6 billion NASA contract aimed at developing a commercial sector option for launching supplies and equipment to the International Space Station. The contract calls for three test flights and 12 missions to deliver cargo to the station. Editor's Note: Given SpaceX's use of a Shuttle SRB retrieval ship to recover the Falcon-9 first stage, the Falcon-9 mission would experience a day-for-day slip if the Space Shuttle's Nov. 1 mission is delayed. (9/28)
Lawmakers Vote on NASA's Direction Tomorrow (Source: Florida Today)
A U.S. House vote expected Wednesday could spare NASA months of confusion as a new fiscal year starts Friday without an approved budget. Lawmakers likely will vote on the NASA authorization act already approved by the Senate, said the chairman of the House committee overseeing NASA policy. "For the sake of providing certainty, stability and clarity to the NASA work force and larger space community, I felt it was better to consider a flawed bill than no bill at all as the new fiscal year begins," said Rep. Bart Gordon, D-Tenn. (9/28)
British Satellite Fleet to be Launched Into Space (Source: Telegraph)
The three spacecraft, which are built in Surrey, will be sent into orbit in 2013 to map the surface of the Earth in a project worth £100m. Cameras on board will show the planet in images down to the last meter, meaning individual trees, manhole covers and individual footballs should be visible from space.
Surrey Satellite Technology Limited, which is making the 300kg 'craft with its data processing subsidiary DMCii, will make money by selling time on the cameras to countries or organizations which do cannot afford their own satellite program. Sir Martin Sweeting, executive chairman of SSTL, said "This constellation of three satellites will be owned and operated from the UK but the capacity on the spacecraft will be leased to different international customers. (9/28)
Matrix Composites Achieves AS9100 Certification (Source: Matrix)
Matrix Composites has been certified to ISO 9001:2008 and AS9100:2004 Rev B. following a comprehensive assessment of the Company’s Quality Management System and operations supporting the Design, Development, Fabrication, and Assembly of Precision Composite Structures. “Certification to the highest quality standards set for the aerospace industry is another important milestone in our growth strategy” said President and CEO David Nesbitt. (9/27)
One person who hasn’t decided how to vote on the NASA Authorization Bill is Rep. Bill Posey (R-FL). His spokesman tells Florida Today that neither the Senate nor the House bills do enough to close the post-Shuttle gap and that Posey was “still evaluating the details of both the proposals”. Meanwhile, Ohio Congressmen Steve LaTourette (R) and Dennis Kucinich (D) are apparently urging other Ohio representatives to vote against the bill. The vote is expected to be a close one, and groups like the Commercial Spaceflight Federation are urging their members to reach out to their elected officials to recommend "yes" votes. (9/28)
ESA Previews Next Year's Budget Amid Tight Economy (Source: SpaceFlightNow.com)
Europe's top space official says his space agency is preparing for the same budget next year as this year, telling reporters he has received no indications that member states will reduce their contributions during an ongoing financial crisis. Jean-Jacques Dordain also said ESA's 18 member states have not said they need to cut their space funding beyond the levels agreed to in a spending freeze announced early this year. (9/28)
6 Hard Facts About NASA's Next Mars Rover (Source: Space.com)
NASA's next Mars rover, the car-size Curiosity, is coming together piece by piece. The Mars rover Curiosity, also known as the Mars Science Laboratory, will launch in late 2011 and land on the Red Planet in August 2012. Its main goal is to assess whether Mars ever had an environment capable of supporting microbial life, NASA officials have said. Click here to see six basic facts from NASA about Curiosity and its $2.3 billion mission. (9/28)
Finding E.T. May Become Harder If Aliens Go Digital (Source: Space.com)
Scientists may have an extra challenge when it comes to detecting alien civilizations: a time limit. A new study suggests that intelligent aliens, if their technological progression is similar to that of humanity's, are likely to have moved away from noisy radio transmissions to harder-to-hear digital signals within a 100-year time frame. That offers Earth just a narrow window in which to pick up any signals from extraterrestrial civilizations. (9/28)
Chinese Lunar Probe Ready for Lift-off in October (Source: China Daily)
China's second lunar probe, the Chang'e-2, is set to blast off from Xichang, Sichuan province, with the launch possibly taking place on the National Day, media reports have said. The launch rocket, CZ-3C, has been erected with the Chang'e-2 on top, totaling nearly 80 meters in length. As of Saturday, the whole launch system had gone through three pre-launch maneuvers, Guangzhou Daily reported.The probe is likely to blast off from the No 2 launch pad on Oct 1 at the earliest. (9/28)
NASA Modifies Contract for Shared Services Center (Source: NASA)
NASA has awarded Computer Services Corporation (CSC) of Falls Church, Va., a modification to exercise the first option year under its existing contract. This is a one-year option period for the continuation of financial management, human resources, procurement and information technology support services to NASA. (9/28)
Griffin Urges House to Vote "No" on Senate NASA Authorization Bill (Source: Space Policy Online)
Former NASA Administrator Mike Griffin disagrees with Rep. Bart Gordon that a flawed NASA authorization bill is better than no bill at all. In an email, Dr. Griffin argues that although the Senate bill is somewhat better than the Obama Administration's plan for NASA, "it is not enough better to warrant its support in law." His bottom line is that "If we cannot do better than that, then I believe we have reached the point where it is better to allow the damage which has been brought about by the administration's actions to play out to its conclusion than to accept half-measures in an attempt at remediation." (9/28)
UK 'Should Seek New Space Partners' (Source: ITN)
The UK should broaden its co-operation in space policy beyond Europe, according to a new report. The Commonwealth states, such as Australia, Canada and India, all have areas of space expertise which the UK could successfully co-operate on, says author Jim Bennett, a space expert with more than 30 years of experience in the industry. Australia has extensive launch ranges, Canada has expertise in radar imaging satellites, and India has across-the-board capabilities including launch vehicles, satellites and now interplanetary probes, said a UK space official. (9/28)
Space Florida Launch Pad Among Recipients of Florida Defense Grants (Sources: SPACErePORT, EOG)
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist awarded $5.85 million in defense grants for projects to improve Florida’s defense economy for military installations and activities. Among the projects to be funded is an effort by Space Florida to refurbish Launch Complex 46 at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport for new launch systems. A $500,000 grant will flow to Space Florida through the Economic Development Commission of Florida's Space Coast.
LC-46 is a U.S. Navy facility, developed originally for the Trident missile program. Space Florida plans to accommodate new solid-fueled rockets like the Air Force's Minotaur family of vehicles, and the new Athena-3 rocket being developed by Lockheed Martin and ATK. (9/28)
Northrop Grumman to Drop 500 Jobs on Expectation of Pentagon Cuts (Source: AIA)
Northrop Grumman announced Monday its plans to eliminate 500 jobs in its aerospace division, with most cuts taking place at its facilities in Redondo Beach and El Segundo, Calif. The layoffs come as the company braces for Pentagon spending cuts, and analysts say further job losses can be expected. (9/28)
NASA Compromise Could Spare Layoffs in Houston (Source: AIA)
A compromise between the White House and Congress over the future of NASA's manned space program, expected this week, would be crucial to Houston's Johnson Space Center and would likely prevent some of the estimated 1,100 aerospace layoffs that NASA contractors forecast before a deal was reached. The deal would affect NASA's moon program, add one shuttle flight and extend operations of the orbiting space station, while delivering 75% of the $812 million the White House wanted to support commercial spacecraft. (9/28)
AIA Offers Recommendations for National Security Space Industrial Base (Source: AIA)
Aggressive actions are needed now to retain the ability of our national security space industrial base to sustain and modernize the space systems that assure American pre-eminence in space and help guarantee our national security. AIA released a report that outlines recommendations to avoid a crisis and maintain a healthy U.S. space industry. Click here to download the report. (9/28)
UK Urged to Expand Cooperation on Space Policy (Source: The Independent)
The UK should broaden its co-operation in space policy beyond Europe, according to a new report. The UK Space Agency must seek to take advantage of NASA's international co-operative programs, which the UK has failed to do in the past, according to the study for the Economic Policy Center. The Commonwealth states, such as Australia, Canada and India, all have areas of space expertise which the UK could successfully co-operate on, says author Jim Bennett, a space expert with more than 30 years of experience in the industry. (9/28)
Santa Rosa Start-Up Wins Hylas 2 Satellite Job (Source: Press Democrat)
A Santa Rosa tech startup is supplying key technology for a $435 million communications satellite that will beam wireless broadband to Europe, Africa and the Middle East. “It's really fantastic,” said Simi Ghiasvand, president of SenarioTek, a small test-and-measurement business located near Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport. It's a big win for a group of ex-Agilent engineers who formed their own company six years ago. SenarioTek won the Hylas 2 satellite contract in an open bid competition with several larger rivals. (9/28)
SpaceX Rocket Demo Delayed (Source: Florida Today)
SpaceX’s first Falcon 9 demonstration flight for NASA is being pushed back to early November to give technicians, engineers and managers additional time to prepare for the launch. The Falcon 9 and a Dragon cargo carrier are being targeted for liftoff Nov. 8 or Nov. 9 at Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The mission had been scheduled to blast off Sept. 23.
Originally slated to fly in 2008, the demonstration flight is being carried out under a $1.6 billion NASA contract aimed at developing a commercial sector option for launching supplies and equipment to the International Space Station. The contract calls for three test flights and 12 missions to deliver cargo to the station. Editor's Note: Given SpaceX's use of a Shuttle SRB retrieval ship to recover the Falcon-9 first stage, the Falcon-9 mission would experience a day-for-day slip if the Space Shuttle's Nov. 1 mission is delayed. (9/28)
Lawmakers Vote on NASA's Direction Tomorrow (Source: Florida Today)
A U.S. House vote expected Wednesday could spare NASA months of confusion as a new fiscal year starts Friday without an approved budget. Lawmakers likely will vote on the NASA authorization act already approved by the Senate, said the chairman of the House committee overseeing NASA policy. "For the sake of providing certainty, stability and clarity to the NASA work force and larger space community, I felt it was better to consider a flawed bill than no bill at all as the new fiscal year begins," said Rep. Bart Gordon, D-Tenn. (9/28)
British Satellite Fleet to be Launched Into Space (Source: Telegraph)
The three spacecraft, which are built in Surrey, will be sent into orbit in 2013 to map the surface of the Earth in a project worth £100m. Cameras on board will show the planet in images down to the last meter, meaning individual trees, manhole covers and individual footballs should be visible from space.
Surrey Satellite Technology Limited, which is making the 300kg 'craft with its data processing subsidiary DMCii, will make money by selling time on the cameras to countries or organizations which do cannot afford their own satellite program. Sir Martin Sweeting, executive chairman of SSTL, said "This constellation of three satellites will be owned and operated from the UK but the capacity on the spacecraft will be leased to different international customers. (9/28)
Matrix Composites Achieves AS9100 Certification (Source: Matrix)
Matrix Composites has been certified to ISO 9001:2008 and AS9100:2004 Rev B. following a comprehensive assessment of the Company’s Quality Management System and operations supporting the Design, Development, Fabrication, and Assembly of Precision Composite Structures. “Certification to the highest quality standards set for the aerospace industry is another important milestone in our growth strategy” said President and CEO David Nesbitt. (9/27)
September 27, 2010
China's Mystery Moon Rocket (Source: Space Daily)
As we approach the launch of China's second Moon mission on October 1, some major questions about the spacecraft and its launch vehicle remain unanswered. China's media has been generally low-key about covering the upcoming flight. There has been little recent talk in China's major newspapers, despite the supposed impending launch. That's a bit strange for a nation that loves to trumpet its spaceflight achievements.
Coverage was better for the Chang'e 1 mission, China's first Moon orbiter, in 2007. Admittedly, doing a similar mission again isn't as historically significant, but we should still expect more coverage. There's another mystery that goes against the previous expectations of this reporter, and others in the aerospace community. For years, we expected that the Chang'e 2 probe would be launched aboard a Long March 3A rocket, just like its predecessor.
These Chinese themselves supported this conclusion for some time. But things have changed. Photographs posted to the Internet of the upcoming launch show that this is not the case, and muddled reporting in China's People's Daily newspaper also suggests a new rocket. Internet photographs suggest that the Chang'e 2 orbiter will be launched by a Long March 3C rocket, a more powerful launch vehicle. Why has China made this change, when the spacecraft itself is supposedly almost identical? (9/27)
Be Careful What You Do With Space Garbage (Source: Space Daily)
Everyone has heard about the problems with space debris, but few are aware of what will happen when we have human space tourism and orbiting hotels. As an example, let's review a story about a cook on a future hotel/space station. It appears that this future space hotel was designed such that all guests have rooms with Earth views. The kitchen, storage and trash/garbage facilities are all in the back of the hotel. The captain has given strict orders to all staff that nothing is to be released to open space.
Resupply ships periodically replace fresh food and other consumables, and pick up the disposables. Unfortunately, the supply ship was a week late and all storage facilities were overflowing. The head cook was desperate to make room for more trash. So, he thought no one would ever know if he were to release some of the excess garbage through the rear airlock.
Unfortunately, the cook did not understand orbital mechanics. Objects released from a satellite go into orbit with the satellite. The cook assumed that by using air pressure in the airlock, the garbage would be forced away from the station. Exactly one orbit later, all those orange bags came back to the hotel. However, the equations of motion tell us that these bags all hit the front of the station, in effect polluting the view of Earth with floating "space fill." (9/27)
Lockheed Martin Gets $13 Million NASA Contract Extension (Source: AP)
Lockheed Martin has received a six-month, $13 million extension from NASA for cargo mission services to the International Space Station. The work includes planning, processing and analyzing cargo for delivery and return on a NASA shuttle, as well as vehicles for Japanese, Russian and European space agencies. The extension brings the value of Lockheed Martin's cargo mission services contract with NASA to $405 million. The contract started in November 2003 and is scheduled to end in March 2011. (9/27)
Space Program Must Remain National Priority, Symposium Speakers Say (Source: UCF)
As Congress debates NASA’s uncertain future and more than 7,000 Floridians’ space-related jobs are in jeopardy, political leaders and policy experts say the United States must make space exploration a national priority. U.S. Senator Bill Nelson opened a Lou Frey Institute of Politics and Government symposium at UCF by urging the House of Representatives to act immediately. He lobbied for approval of a Senate bill that he said would preserve about 4,000 Florida jobs connected with the space program and keep the U.S. involved with the International Space Station at least through 2020. (9/27)
Space Needle to Support Space Shuttle Effort (Source: Puget Sound Business Journal)
What will be flying up on the Space Needle Wednesday? That would be a flag that symbolizes the city’s effort to attract one of three retiring space shuttles to Seattle’s Museum of Flight. On Wednesday, tourism officials will hoist the flag to the top of the Space Needle, showing support for the museum’s effort to attract a space shuttle. NASA expects to make a decision on what three U.S. museums will get Space Shuttles by the end of this year.
In June, the Museum of Flight broke ground on a $12 million glass gallery to display one of three available space shuttles — even before NASA decides which museums will get one of the famous 122-foot-long shuttles with their 56-foot-tall tails. (9/27)
NASA Expectations Are Not Being Met by Education (Source: Examiner)
Since July criticism of the policy directives concerning NASA’s manned program have been the focus of articles at this site. Politicians and their motivations or lack thereof are not the only concerns for the space agency if there is to be a future in space exploration. What America’s educational system is producing is just as important to NASA and the rest of society if we are to be as productive as in the past. Despite the delusions that educational improvement is occurring, America’s international ranking is slipping to the bottom of all major surveys.
Despite the economic downturn and budgetary restraint, there has long been little desire for any major research and development projects that would benefit this nation. This lack of investment has resulted in a diminished need for educated students for NASA and other science oriented agencies and businesses. This also means that students have little incentive to pursue math or science degrees. (9/27)
Gordon Hopes to Fix Senate Authorization Bill Flaws in Appropriations Bill (Source: Space Politics)
House Science and Technology Committee chairman Bart Gordon has given in to pressure to pass the Senate's version of a NASA Authorization Bill, though, made it clear he wasn’t happy with elements of it. He is displeased with an “unfunded mandate” for an additional shuttle mission, the “overly prescriptive” language for a heavy-lift vehicle, and the lack of a timetable for development a government backup capability to commercial providers for ISS access. He suggested that he’s not done fighting about those issues. “I will continue to advocate to the Appropriators for the provisions in the Compromise language,” he said. (9/27)
Europe's Re-Entry Vehicle Tied to Station Extension (Source: Space News)
The European Space Agency (ESA) will be seeking the approval of is member states late this year to extend its participation in the international space station to 2020, a decision that will bind participating nations to preset budget contributions. ESA officials hope to use their member governments’ approval of the extension to win endorsement for development of a reusable version of Europe’s Automated Transfer Vehicle, an unmanned freighter that delivers supplies to the station and reboosts the station’s orbit before being filled with garbage and burned up on a controlled re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere.
If the station’s service life is extended to 2020, the agency has a greater incentive to replace the Automated Transfer Vehicle with an Advanced Re-entry Vehicle (ARV) that would return cargo to Earth. ESA will propose to its governments to spend some 150 million euros ($200 million) on preparations for an ARV. Full development would cost considerably more. (9/27)
NASA Chief Goes to Beijing In October (Source: Aviation Week)
Plans are well along for NASA Administrator Charles Bolden to make a delayed trip to Beijing for what may be the opening round of talks leading to closer international cooperation in human spaceflight. NASA officials stressed that there has been no final invitation for Bolden to visit China at a specific time. However, officials in Beijing already are preparing for the visit, amid suggestions at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) here that it could come in October. (9/27)
Charting a Flexible Path (Source: Space Review)
The Augustine Committee introduced the concept of "Flexible Path" exploration last year, and NASA is taking steps to implement that approach. Jeff Foust examines what approaches NASA is considering as well as some alternative concepts for near Earth asteroid and other missions. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1702/1 to view the article. (9/27)
(Anti-)Socialism in Space (Source: Space Review)
The Obama Administration is often criticized for policies that, to some, are synonymous with socialism. Jonathan Coopersmith argues that such critics need to pay closer attention to the administration's space program, which hardly fits that categorization. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1701/1 to view the article. (9/27)
Senate’s NASA Authorization Bill Headed for House Floor (Source: Space News)
House Science and Technology Committee Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) said he anticipates the NASA authorization bill passed by the Senate last month will come to the House floor Sept. 29. Last week Gordon unveiled a revamped version of the House NASA authorization bill, but it sparked criticism from commercial space advocates who said despite more funding for commercial crew, Gordon’s compromise would place onerous restrictions on private space taxi development.
With House lawmakers expected to hit the campaign trail this week after approving a stopgap spending measure to keep the government running at current spending levels past Sept. 30, when the current fiscal year ends, Gordon said time is running out to complete work on a NASA bill. The Senate bill is expected to come to the House floor under a suspension of the rules, which would limit debate on the measure and require a two-thirds majority of members present and voting in order to pass. (9/27)
Virgin to Launch Space Tourism in 18 Months (Source: AFP)
Billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson said Monday that Virgin Galactic is on track to offer commercial space travel within 18 months, and that space hotels are next on the drawing board. The project's SpaceshipTwo, an aircraft built by aviation engineer Burt Rutan and designed to carry paying customers into suborbital space, had its maiden flight in the California desert in March.
Virgin Galactic has already collected $45 million in deposits from more than 330 people who have reserved seats aboard the six-person craft. Branson also has visions of establishing hotels in space, which well-heeled tourists can use as a base for shuttle flights over the moon. "We are looking at hotels in space. We love the moon," the tycoon said, adding that he was also interested in launching "small satellites into space" for the benefit of schools and universities. (9/27)
Australia Urged to Enter Space Race (Source: ABC)
Space scientists are calling on Australia's government to invest more than $100 million to help safeguard from the effects of severe space weather and political obstruction. Members of the Canberra-based Australian Academy of Science and other space researchers have been working on the blueprint for four years. The plan includes a mission to the sun, launching Australian satellites and training young scientists and engineers. Academy fellow Professor Malcolm Walter says Australia is one of the few western nations that does not have a space program. (9/27)
Orion's Future Still Up in the Air (Source: Florida Today)
In the past four weeks, there's been a lot of buzz about progress being made on the space capsule once envisioned to replace the retiring space shuttles and someday carry astronauts beyond Earth's orbit. Lockheed Martin is now working in the newly renovated Operations & Checkout Facility at KSC, which the state and federal government spent at least $50 million to transform into what's being dubbed the "spacecraft factory of the future."
The Lockheed Martin team is practicing new "lean manufacturing" methods in the modernized facility using a full-sized model of the spacecraft. The company's goal is to assemble the first Orion capsule in the facility as early as 2012 for a first flight as early as 2013. There's just one question: what's Orion's future? Click here to read the article. (9/26)
As we approach the launch of China's second Moon mission on October 1, some major questions about the spacecraft and its launch vehicle remain unanswered. China's media has been generally low-key about covering the upcoming flight. There has been little recent talk in China's major newspapers, despite the supposed impending launch. That's a bit strange for a nation that loves to trumpet its spaceflight achievements.
Coverage was better for the Chang'e 1 mission, China's first Moon orbiter, in 2007. Admittedly, doing a similar mission again isn't as historically significant, but we should still expect more coverage. There's another mystery that goes against the previous expectations of this reporter, and others in the aerospace community. For years, we expected that the Chang'e 2 probe would be launched aboard a Long March 3A rocket, just like its predecessor.
These Chinese themselves supported this conclusion for some time. But things have changed. Photographs posted to the Internet of the upcoming launch show that this is not the case, and muddled reporting in China's People's Daily newspaper also suggests a new rocket. Internet photographs suggest that the Chang'e 2 orbiter will be launched by a Long March 3C rocket, a more powerful launch vehicle. Why has China made this change, when the spacecraft itself is supposedly almost identical? (9/27)
Be Careful What You Do With Space Garbage (Source: Space Daily)
Everyone has heard about the problems with space debris, but few are aware of what will happen when we have human space tourism and orbiting hotels. As an example, let's review a story about a cook on a future hotel/space station. It appears that this future space hotel was designed such that all guests have rooms with Earth views. The kitchen, storage and trash/garbage facilities are all in the back of the hotel. The captain has given strict orders to all staff that nothing is to be released to open space.
Resupply ships periodically replace fresh food and other consumables, and pick up the disposables. Unfortunately, the supply ship was a week late and all storage facilities were overflowing. The head cook was desperate to make room for more trash. So, he thought no one would ever know if he were to release some of the excess garbage through the rear airlock.
Unfortunately, the cook did not understand orbital mechanics. Objects released from a satellite go into orbit with the satellite. The cook assumed that by using air pressure in the airlock, the garbage would be forced away from the station. Exactly one orbit later, all those orange bags came back to the hotel. However, the equations of motion tell us that these bags all hit the front of the station, in effect polluting the view of Earth with floating "space fill." (9/27)
Lockheed Martin Gets $13 Million NASA Contract Extension (Source: AP)
Lockheed Martin has received a six-month, $13 million extension from NASA for cargo mission services to the International Space Station. The work includes planning, processing and analyzing cargo for delivery and return on a NASA shuttle, as well as vehicles for Japanese, Russian and European space agencies. The extension brings the value of Lockheed Martin's cargo mission services contract with NASA to $405 million. The contract started in November 2003 and is scheduled to end in March 2011. (9/27)
Space Program Must Remain National Priority, Symposium Speakers Say (Source: UCF)
As Congress debates NASA’s uncertain future and more than 7,000 Floridians’ space-related jobs are in jeopardy, political leaders and policy experts say the United States must make space exploration a national priority. U.S. Senator Bill Nelson opened a Lou Frey Institute of Politics and Government symposium at UCF by urging the House of Representatives to act immediately. He lobbied for approval of a Senate bill that he said would preserve about 4,000 Florida jobs connected with the space program and keep the U.S. involved with the International Space Station at least through 2020. (9/27)
Space Needle to Support Space Shuttle Effort (Source: Puget Sound Business Journal)
What will be flying up on the Space Needle Wednesday? That would be a flag that symbolizes the city’s effort to attract one of three retiring space shuttles to Seattle’s Museum of Flight. On Wednesday, tourism officials will hoist the flag to the top of the Space Needle, showing support for the museum’s effort to attract a space shuttle. NASA expects to make a decision on what three U.S. museums will get Space Shuttles by the end of this year.
In June, the Museum of Flight broke ground on a $12 million glass gallery to display one of three available space shuttles — even before NASA decides which museums will get one of the famous 122-foot-long shuttles with their 56-foot-tall tails. (9/27)
NASA Expectations Are Not Being Met by Education (Source: Examiner)
Since July criticism of the policy directives concerning NASA’s manned program have been the focus of articles at this site. Politicians and their motivations or lack thereof are not the only concerns for the space agency if there is to be a future in space exploration. What America’s educational system is producing is just as important to NASA and the rest of society if we are to be as productive as in the past. Despite the delusions that educational improvement is occurring, America’s international ranking is slipping to the bottom of all major surveys.
Despite the economic downturn and budgetary restraint, there has long been little desire for any major research and development projects that would benefit this nation. This lack of investment has resulted in a diminished need for educated students for NASA and other science oriented agencies and businesses. This also means that students have little incentive to pursue math or science degrees. (9/27)
Gordon Hopes to Fix Senate Authorization Bill Flaws in Appropriations Bill (Source: Space Politics)
House Science and Technology Committee chairman Bart Gordon has given in to pressure to pass the Senate's version of a NASA Authorization Bill, though, made it clear he wasn’t happy with elements of it. He is displeased with an “unfunded mandate” for an additional shuttle mission, the “overly prescriptive” language for a heavy-lift vehicle, and the lack of a timetable for development a government backup capability to commercial providers for ISS access. He suggested that he’s not done fighting about those issues. “I will continue to advocate to the Appropriators for the provisions in the Compromise language,” he said. (9/27)
Europe's Re-Entry Vehicle Tied to Station Extension (Source: Space News)
The European Space Agency (ESA) will be seeking the approval of is member states late this year to extend its participation in the international space station to 2020, a decision that will bind participating nations to preset budget contributions. ESA officials hope to use their member governments’ approval of the extension to win endorsement for development of a reusable version of Europe’s Automated Transfer Vehicle, an unmanned freighter that delivers supplies to the station and reboosts the station’s orbit before being filled with garbage and burned up on a controlled re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere.
If the station’s service life is extended to 2020, the agency has a greater incentive to replace the Automated Transfer Vehicle with an Advanced Re-entry Vehicle (ARV) that would return cargo to Earth. ESA will propose to its governments to spend some 150 million euros ($200 million) on preparations for an ARV. Full development would cost considerably more. (9/27)
NASA Chief Goes to Beijing In October (Source: Aviation Week)
Plans are well along for NASA Administrator Charles Bolden to make a delayed trip to Beijing for what may be the opening round of talks leading to closer international cooperation in human spaceflight. NASA officials stressed that there has been no final invitation for Bolden to visit China at a specific time. However, officials in Beijing already are preparing for the visit, amid suggestions at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) here that it could come in October. (9/27)
Charting a Flexible Path (Source: Space Review)
The Augustine Committee introduced the concept of "Flexible Path" exploration last year, and NASA is taking steps to implement that approach. Jeff Foust examines what approaches NASA is considering as well as some alternative concepts for near Earth asteroid and other missions. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1702/1 to view the article. (9/27)
(Anti-)Socialism in Space (Source: Space Review)
The Obama Administration is often criticized for policies that, to some, are synonymous with socialism. Jonathan Coopersmith argues that such critics need to pay closer attention to the administration's space program, which hardly fits that categorization. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1701/1 to view the article. (9/27)
Senate’s NASA Authorization Bill Headed for House Floor (Source: Space News)
House Science and Technology Committee Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) said he anticipates the NASA authorization bill passed by the Senate last month will come to the House floor Sept. 29. Last week Gordon unveiled a revamped version of the House NASA authorization bill, but it sparked criticism from commercial space advocates who said despite more funding for commercial crew, Gordon’s compromise would place onerous restrictions on private space taxi development.
With House lawmakers expected to hit the campaign trail this week after approving a stopgap spending measure to keep the government running at current spending levels past Sept. 30, when the current fiscal year ends, Gordon said time is running out to complete work on a NASA bill. The Senate bill is expected to come to the House floor under a suspension of the rules, which would limit debate on the measure and require a two-thirds majority of members present and voting in order to pass. (9/27)
Virgin to Launch Space Tourism in 18 Months (Source: AFP)
Billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson said Monday that Virgin Galactic is on track to offer commercial space travel within 18 months, and that space hotels are next on the drawing board. The project's SpaceshipTwo, an aircraft built by aviation engineer Burt Rutan and designed to carry paying customers into suborbital space, had its maiden flight in the California desert in March.
Virgin Galactic has already collected $45 million in deposits from more than 330 people who have reserved seats aboard the six-person craft. Branson also has visions of establishing hotels in space, which well-heeled tourists can use as a base for shuttle flights over the moon. "We are looking at hotels in space. We love the moon," the tycoon said, adding that he was also interested in launching "small satellites into space" for the benefit of schools and universities. (9/27)
Australia Urged to Enter Space Race (Source: ABC)
Space scientists are calling on Australia's government to invest more than $100 million to help safeguard from the effects of severe space weather and political obstruction. Members of the Canberra-based Australian Academy of Science and other space researchers have been working on the blueprint for four years. The plan includes a mission to the sun, launching Australian satellites and training young scientists and engineers. Academy fellow Professor Malcolm Walter says Australia is one of the few western nations that does not have a space program. (9/27)
Orion's Future Still Up in the Air (Source: Florida Today)
In the past four weeks, there's been a lot of buzz about progress being made on the space capsule once envisioned to replace the retiring space shuttles and someday carry astronauts beyond Earth's orbit. Lockheed Martin is now working in the newly renovated Operations & Checkout Facility at KSC, which the state and federal government spent at least $50 million to transform into what's being dubbed the "spacecraft factory of the future."
The Lockheed Martin team is practicing new "lean manufacturing" methods in the modernized facility using a full-sized model of the spacecraft. The company's goal is to assemble the first Orion capsule in the facility as early as 2012 for a first flight as early as 2013. There's just one question: what's Orion's future? Click here to read the article. (9/26)
September 26, 2010
Space Surveillance Project Successfully Blasts Off (Source: SpaceFlightNow.com)
Leaving behind the earthly limitations imposed on reconnoitering space, a telescope-laden sleuth was launched Saturday night to survey the dangers of orbital debris and monitor nefarious threats against vital national security satellites. The Space Based Space Surveillance mission streaked into a sun-synchronous orbit 336 miles above the planet following a successful boost provided by the Minotaur 4 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base.
The initial three-and-a-half minutes of flight were powered by left-over motor stages from decommissioned Peacekeeper intercontinental ballistic missiles. The three stages propelled the SBSS satellite into a suborbital arc while traveling southward over the Pacific Ocean. A commercial Orion 38 solid-fuel motor serving at the Minotaur's fourth stage. It marked a flawless maiden mission for the Minotaur 4 in its satellite-launching configuration, giving the Air Force a new proven rocket to launch mid-sized cargos weighing as much as two tons. (9/26)
Spy Agency Plans String of Launches (Source: Santa Maria Times)
An Atlas 5 rocket that blasted off last week from Vandenberg Air Force Base signaled the start of a busy string of missions carrying critical national security payloads for the U.S. spy satellite agency, officials said. “This is the first of six launches in the next seven months,” said NRO spokesman Rick Oborn. “It’s the most aggressive launch campaign NRO has had in at least 20 years.” (9/26)
UN 'to Appoint Space Ambassador to Greet Alien Visitors' (Source: Telegraph)
Mazlan Othman, a Malaysian astrophysicist, is set to be tasked with co-ordinating humanity’s response if and when extraterrestrials make contact. Aliens who landed on earth and asked: “Take me to your leader” would be directed to Mrs. Othman. She will set out the details of her proposed new role at a Royal Society conference in Buckinghamshire next week. The 58-year-old is expected to tell delegates that the proposal has been prompted by the recent discovery of hundreds of planets orbiting other starts, which is thought to make the discovery of extraterrestrial life more probable than ever before. (9/26)
British Firm Seeks to Become First to Put Tourists in Space (Source: Daily Mail)
A team of British rocketeers plan to open the door to the stars by becoming the first private firm to put tourists in space. Starchaser boss Steve Bennett and astronaut Matt Shrewbridge hope to loft the first paying passengers into the cosmos by 2015. But before they can do that the Manchester-based firm, must carry out a series of trials.
The first ‘milestone’ in November will be testing their 20ft Launch Escape System (LES) – a rescue pod that separates from the rocket if the spacecraft fails. And next year they plan a manned launch test, firing the already-built 70ft 'Starchaser 4 off the ground in Morecambe Bay, Lancashire. (9/27)
First Major Wave of KSC Space Worker Layoffs Strikes Friday (Source: Florida Today)
When the first of several large groups of United Space Alliance employees dined at El Leoncito on U.S. 1 earlier this month, Michael Sanchez initially saw it as an encouraging sign for the family business. Then, at the Mexican and Cuban restaurant with a direct view of Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building and launch pads, he learned the occasion: It was a going-away party for employees being laid off or retiring Oct. 1.
This week, the reality of long-anticipated shuttle program job losses hits the Space Coast as nearly 900 local employees of Houston-based USA, NASA's lead shuttle contractor, prepare for their last day of work Friday. Local workforce officials believe subcontractors will cut another 200 positions, bringing the total to about 1,100. (9/27)
Bishop: Congress Needs to get Moving to Save Utah Jobs (Source: Standard-Examiner)
A frustrated Rep. Rob Bishop left Washington, D.C., for Utah on Friday afternoon, taking time only to call the Standard-Examiner from the airport and lambaste House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for not holding a vote on a bill he thinks is the best compromise yet to save jobs at ATK Space Systems. "We voted on virtually nothing, we moved nothing," he said. "That's part of the frustration."
Bishop is one of a number of congressmen from states that build rocket parts for NASA who are working to keep the Constellation moon rocket program from being taken out of NASA's budget, as President Barack Obama's proposed budget calls for. Part of Constellation is the Ares rocket, whose motor is built at ATK Space Systems in Utah.
Both the Senate and the House are working on bills that keep the program from being canceled outright. Congressmen from Utah, Texas, Alabama and Florida are trying to craft language that requires NASA to continue to build and buy the type of heavy-lift rocket motors needed for manned space flight. All those states would lose thousands of jobs and billions of dollars if Constellation is canceled. (9/27)
Leaving behind the earthly limitations imposed on reconnoitering space, a telescope-laden sleuth was launched Saturday night to survey the dangers of orbital debris and monitor nefarious threats against vital national security satellites. The Space Based Space Surveillance mission streaked into a sun-synchronous orbit 336 miles above the planet following a successful boost provided by the Minotaur 4 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base.
The initial three-and-a-half minutes of flight were powered by left-over motor stages from decommissioned Peacekeeper intercontinental ballistic missiles. The three stages propelled the SBSS satellite into a suborbital arc while traveling southward over the Pacific Ocean. A commercial Orion 38 solid-fuel motor serving at the Minotaur's fourth stage. It marked a flawless maiden mission for the Minotaur 4 in its satellite-launching configuration, giving the Air Force a new proven rocket to launch mid-sized cargos weighing as much as two tons. (9/26)
Spy Agency Plans String of Launches (Source: Santa Maria Times)
An Atlas 5 rocket that blasted off last week from Vandenberg Air Force Base signaled the start of a busy string of missions carrying critical national security payloads for the U.S. spy satellite agency, officials said. “This is the first of six launches in the next seven months,” said NRO spokesman Rick Oborn. “It’s the most aggressive launch campaign NRO has had in at least 20 years.” (9/26)
UN 'to Appoint Space Ambassador to Greet Alien Visitors' (Source: Telegraph)
Mazlan Othman, a Malaysian astrophysicist, is set to be tasked with co-ordinating humanity’s response if and when extraterrestrials make contact. Aliens who landed on earth and asked: “Take me to your leader” would be directed to Mrs. Othman. She will set out the details of her proposed new role at a Royal Society conference in Buckinghamshire next week. The 58-year-old is expected to tell delegates that the proposal has been prompted by the recent discovery of hundreds of planets orbiting other starts, which is thought to make the discovery of extraterrestrial life more probable than ever before. (9/26)
British Firm Seeks to Become First to Put Tourists in Space (Source: Daily Mail)
A team of British rocketeers plan to open the door to the stars by becoming the first private firm to put tourists in space. Starchaser boss Steve Bennett and astronaut Matt Shrewbridge hope to loft the first paying passengers into the cosmos by 2015. But before they can do that the Manchester-based firm, must carry out a series of trials.
The first ‘milestone’ in November will be testing their 20ft Launch Escape System (LES) – a rescue pod that separates from the rocket if the spacecraft fails. And next year they plan a manned launch test, firing the already-built 70ft 'Starchaser 4 off the ground in Morecambe Bay, Lancashire. (9/27)
First Major Wave of KSC Space Worker Layoffs Strikes Friday (Source: Florida Today)
When the first of several large groups of United Space Alliance employees dined at El Leoncito on U.S. 1 earlier this month, Michael Sanchez initially saw it as an encouraging sign for the family business. Then, at the Mexican and Cuban restaurant with a direct view of Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building and launch pads, he learned the occasion: It was a going-away party for employees being laid off or retiring Oct. 1.
This week, the reality of long-anticipated shuttle program job losses hits the Space Coast as nearly 900 local employees of Houston-based USA, NASA's lead shuttle contractor, prepare for their last day of work Friday. Local workforce officials believe subcontractors will cut another 200 positions, bringing the total to about 1,100. (9/27)
Bishop: Congress Needs to get Moving to Save Utah Jobs (Source: Standard-Examiner)
A frustrated Rep. Rob Bishop left Washington, D.C., for Utah on Friday afternoon, taking time only to call the Standard-Examiner from the airport and lambaste House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for not holding a vote on a bill he thinks is the best compromise yet to save jobs at ATK Space Systems. "We voted on virtually nothing, we moved nothing," he said. "That's part of the frustration."
Bishop is one of a number of congressmen from states that build rocket parts for NASA who are working to keep the Constellation moon rocket program from being taken out of NASA's budget, as President Barack Obama's proposed budget calls for. Part of Constellation is the Ares rocket, whose motor is built at ATK Space Systems in Utah.
Both the Senate and the House are working on bills that keep the program from being canceled outright. Congressmen from Utah, Texas, Alabama and Florida are trying to craft language that requires NASA to continue to build and buy the type of heavy-lift rocket motors needed for manned space flight. All those states would lose thousands of jobs and billions of dollars if Constellation is canceled. (9/27)
September 25, 2010
Local Schools to Help Parents after NASA Layoffs (Source: KTRK)
Hundreds of layoffs in the Clear Lake area are expected to begin October 1, and an area school district is doing its best to make affected students continue their days at school without interruption. To meet the increased demand of students' needs, the district is getting the word out about its care program as more layoffs hit. Under Clear Creek ISD's care program, lunches are subsidized as well as extracurricular activities. For any parents who must move out of the district because of mortgage problems, an exemption will be made to still attend their school within the district. It's already helped some Space Center Intermediate students. (9/25)
KSC Family Day Scheduled to Accommodate Departing Workforce (Source: SPACErePORT)
Thousands of KSC workers, their family members and guests visited the spaceport on Saturday for a "Family Day" open house. Not quite an annual event, I was told that KSC leaders scheduled this year's event prior to the October workforce layoffs, to allow the workers to share the experience with their families and friends before they lose access to the spaceport. (9/25)
Russian Spacecraft From ISS Lands Safely (Source: AFP)
A Russian Soyuz capsule with three crew landed safely back on Earth from the International Space Station on Saturday after unprecedented problems undocking kept astronauts an extra day in orbit. "The landing was without incident. The crew feels normal," said a spokesman. Russia's space agency said the craft carrying US astronaut Tracy Caldwell Dyson and Russian cosmonauts Alexander Skvortsov and Mikhail Kornienko had landed on time of 9:23 am (0523 GMT) and exactly at the planned site in the Kazakh steppes. (9/25)
Dear Mr. President: I'm Writing to Volunteer My Services (Source: What's New)
Boeing announced that it’s going into the space-tourism business with Space Adventures to take astronauts, who seem to have little else to do, to the ISS along with tourists who have way too much disposable income. The story in the NYT said this would "bolster the Obama vision for NASA." That part of the story must be wrong Mr. President, your vision is grander than that. Since the space race is long over, you may be worrying about what to do with the astronaut corps, as well as that goofy pile of hardware we put in low-Earth orbit for reasons now forgotten.
To help, I skipped lunch today to make you a things-to-do list: 1) send DSCOVER to the L1 point, it's way past time; 2) drop the ISS in the Philippine trench before someone else gets hurt; 3) commit a number of large telescopes to identifying potentially Earth-crossing objects and to refining their trajectories; 4) forbid astronauts to go near Mars, although a robotic sample-return mission would be nice; 5) install a sonar on Europa to look beneath its frozen ocean; 6) start putting together a giant segmented telescope at the L2 point to study extrasolar planets. (9/25)
Rep. Olson: Congress Must Fulfill Duty to Clarify NASA’s Future (Source: Houston Chronicle)
Russia, China and now India and Japan know that the future is still in human space flight. The mission of NASA must ensure that the U.S. remains the global leader. To that end, Congress has a duty to ultimately provide the necessary resources for NASA to accomplish this mission. The last two Congresses — one controlled by Republicans, the other by Democrats - endorsed NASA's current path. Unfortunately, they failed to provide the necessary funding. This Congress must meet our commitment to NASA.
President Barack Obama rejected this path and instead offered a budget that would walk away from the $9 billion we've invested in the next generation exploration vehicle system known as Constellation. He would divert $6 billion in taxpayer dollars, much to companies that have no track record of putting a human in space, let alone ferrying cargo. That is not only wasteful, but potentially reckless. NASA has a nearly 50-year record of human space endeavor.
Editor's Note: This doesn't make much sense. Companies like Boeing and Lockheed Martin--as NASA contractors--have decades of experience putting humans in space. And they have even more experience sending cargo into space. Why do some in Congress continue to dismiss the capability of U.S. companies in favor of continuing to fund Russian contractors to do this job, until a hugely expensive U.S. government-operated system is developed. Let NASA focus on bigger things! (9/25)
Roscosmos to Send Two Space Tourists to ISS After 2013 (Source: RIA Novosti)
The Russian Federal Space Agency Roscosmos plans to send Soyuz spacecraft with two space tourists to the International Space station (ISS) after 2013. Two tourists will be joined by a Russian professional space crew commander. Russia stopped sending tourists to space last year because the Space Station crew has increased from three to six, and all the places on board the spacecraft have been reserved for Russian and foreign astronauts.
Russia's RSC Energia corporation recently said it had the capacity to build five Soyuz spacecraft per year instead of four, meaning that at least one Soyuz spacecraft could be used for space tourism purposes in the future. (9/25)
Hundreds of layoffs in the Clear Lake area are expected to begin October 1, and an area school district is doing its best to make affected students continue their days at school without interruption. To meet the increased demand of students' needs, the district is getting the word out about its care program as more layoffs hit. Under Clear Creek ISD's care program, lunches are subsidized as well as extracurricular activities. For any parents who must move out of the district because of mortgage problems, an exemption will be made to still attend their school within the district. It's already helped some Space Center Intermediate students. (9/25)
KSC Family Day Scheduled to Accommodate Departing Workforce (Source: SPACErePORT)
Thousands of KSC workers, their family members and guests visited the spaceport on Saturday for a "Family Day" open house. Not quite an annual event, I was told that KSC leaders scheduled this year's event prior to the October workforce layoffs, to allow the workers to share the experience with their families and friends before they lose access to the spaceport. (9/25)
Russian Spacecraft From ISS Lands Safely (Source: AFP)
A Russian Soyuz capsule with three crew landed safely back on Earth from the International Space Station on Saturday after unprecedented problems undocking kept astronauts an extra day in orbit. "The landing was without incident. The crew feels normal," said a spokesman. Russia's space agency said the craft carrying US astronaut Tracy Caldwell Dyson and Russian cosmonauts Alexander Skvortsov and Mikhail Kornienko had landed on time of 9:23 am (0523 GMT) and exactly at the planned site in the Kazakh steppes. (9/25)
Dear Mr. President: I'm Writing to Volunteer My Services (Source: What's New)
Boeing announced that it’s going into the space-tourism business with Space Adventures to take astronauts, who seem to have little else to do, to the ISS along with tourists who have way too much disposable income. The story in the NYT said this would "bolster the Obama vision for NASA." That part of the story must be wrong Mr. President, your vision is grander than that. Since the space race is long over, you may be worrying about what to do with the astronaut corps, as well as that goofy pile of hardware we put in low-Earth orbit for reasons now forgotten.
To help, I skipped lunch today to make you a things-to-do list: 1) send DSCOVER to the L1 point, it's way past time; 2) drop the ISS in the Philippine trench before someone else gets hurt; 3) commit a number of large telescopes to identifying potentially Earth-crossing objects and to refining their trajectories; 4) forbid astronauts to go near Mars, although a robotic sample-return mission would be nice; 5) install a sonar on Europa to look beneath its frozen ocean; 6) start putting together a giant segmented telescope at the L2 point to study extrasolar planets. (9/25)
Rep. Olson: Congress Must Fulfill Duty to Clarify NASA’s Future (Source: Houston Chronicle)
Russia, China and now India and Japan know that the future is still in human space flight. The mission of NASA must ensure that the U.S. remains the global leader. To that end, Congress has a duty to ultimately provide the necessary resources for NASA to accomplish this mission. The last two Congresses — one controlled by Republicans, the other by Democrats - endorsed NASA's current path. Unfortunately, they failed to provide the necessary funding. This Congress must meet our commitment to NASA.
President Barack Obama rejected this path and instead offered a budget that would walk away from the $9 billion we've invested in the next generation exploration vehicle system known as Constellation. He would divert $6 billion in taxpayer dollars, much to companies that have no track record of putting a human in space, let alone ferrying cargo. That is not only wasteful, but potentially reckless. NASA has a nearly 50-year record of human space endeavor.
Editor's Note: This doesn't make much sense. Companies like Boeing and Lockheed Martin--as NASA contractors--have decades of experience putting humans in space. And they have even more experience sending cargo into space. Why do some in Congress continue to dismiss the capability of U.S. companies in favor of continuing to fund Russian contractors to do this job, until a hugely expensive U.S. government-operated system is developed. Let NASA focus on bigger things! (9/25)
Roscosmos to Send Two Space Tourists to ISS After 2013 (Source: RIA Novosti)
The Russian Federal Space Agency Roscosmos plans to send Soyuz spacecraft with two space tourists to the International Space station (ISS) after 2013. Two tourists will be joined by a Russian professional space crew commander. Russia stopped sending tourists to space last year because the Space Station crew has increased from three to six, and all the places on board the spacecraft have been reserved for Russian and foreign astronauts.
Russia's RSC Energia corporation recently said it had the capacity to build five Soyuz spacecraft per year instead of four, meaning that at least one Soyuz spacecraft could be used for space tourism purposes in the future. (9/25)
September 24, 2010
Aerojet Continues Orion Motor Work (Source: Aerojet)
Aerojet has successfully conducted a static firing of the third nozzle risk reduction motor in support of the Orion jettison motor, a critical component of the launch abort system (LAS) for NASA’s Orion crew exploration vehicle. This successful test firing validates several nozzle design changes implemented to enhance the safety and reliability of the jettison motor. (9/24)
U.S. Military Wants To Streamline Hosted Payload Process (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Defense Department in the coming months plans to unveil a new website that will serve as the central node for matching government payloads with potential commercial host spacecraft. The concept of hosting government payloads on commercial satellite platforms has received much attention in recent years as a way for governments to acquire capabilities more cheaply while helping industry to maximize returns on spacecraft investments. (9/24)
White House Objects to Imagery Provision in Bill (Source: Space News)
The administration of President Obama has objected to a provision in a Senate defense bill that would place restrictions on the kinds of commercial satellite imagery the Pentagon could purchase in the future. The provision bars the Pentagon from entering into new imagery purchase contracts after 2010 unless the satellites in question have 1.5-meter telescopes. “Since the commercial satellite industry does not currently build 1.5-meter satellites, this provision would require considerable additional government investment, and is not required to meet defense or intelligence requirements,” according to the White House.
“Further, by stipulating a predetermined commercial solution, this provision could negatively impact the commercial data providers, limit innovation in commercial technology, and increase the risks on future government contracts for commercial data services.” (9/24)
House Breaks Without Action on NASA Bill (Source: Space News)
The U.S. House recessed Sept. 24 without taking up a three-year NASA authorization bill, dimming prospects for passage of the nearly $50 billion measure before midterm elections Nov. 2. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said votes on all bills were postponed until Sept. 29, when the chamber hopes to take up a stopgap spending measure, known as a continuing resolution. Editor's Note: There's some potential for a vote in the House on Wednesday or Thursday. (9/24)
Where Will Next Mars Rover Land? (Source: WIRED)
WIRED Magazine has produced an assessment of various candidate Mars landing sites. Click here to view them. (9/24)
Out-of-This-World Proposal for Solar Wind Power (Source: New Scientist)
Forget wind power or conventional solar power, the world's energy needs could be met 100 billion times over using a satellite to harness the solar wind and beam the energy to Earth – though focusing the beam could be tricky. The concept for the so-called Dyson-Harrop satellite begins with a long metal wire loop pointed at the sun. This wire is charged to generate a cylindrical magnetic field that snags the electrons that make up half the solar wind.
These electrons get funneled into a metal spherical receiver to produce a current, which generates the wire's magnetic field – making the system self-sustaining. Any current not needed for the magnetic field powers an infrared laser trained on satellite dishes back on Earth, designed to collect the energy. Air is transparent to infrared so Earth's atmosphere won't suck up energy from the beam before it reaches the ground. (9/24)
Commercial Space Transportation Lessons Learned System (Sources: FAA, Space Politics)
To ensure safe and successful commercial launch and reentry activities, it is necessary for all involved to learn from past experiences and to share that knowledge with others. The Commercial Space Transportation Lessons Learned System (CSTLLS) is an FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST) program designed to facilitate the sharing of lessons learned resulting from positive and negative experiences. Click here for more. (9/24)
Stuck in Orbit: ISS Astronauts Remain One Extra Day (Source: Space.com)
Three astronauts on the International Space Station were set to return to Earth on Sep. 23, but equipment problems kept them aloft. The problem was not with their Soyuz landing capsule; it was a set of stuck hooks on the station. But how did the unprecedented undocking glitch happen in the first place? Russian engineers narrowed the list of electronic suspects to a faulty microswitch may have caused an open circuit in the docking port's wiring.
At the core of the malfunction is a set of hooks and latches on the space station's Russian Poisk docking port, which refused to release the astronauts' Soyuz capsule last night. The glitch was fixed overnight, clearing the way for a Soyuz landing early Saturday on the steppes of Kazakhstan in Central Asia. (9/24)
DigitalGlobe Forecasts Faster Revenue Growth (Source: Space News)
Commercial Earth imaging provider DigitalGlobe on Sep. 23 said its 10-year, $3.55 billion contract to provide satellite imagery to the U.S. government likely will enable the company to surpass its promise to double revenue within five years. Satellite imagery and services sales to governments in Asia, Latin America and elsewhere, plus an expanding consumer business with location-based services, are expected to grow even faster than its revenue from the U.S. government. DigitalGlobe, which reported revenue of $281.9 million in 2009, expects that figure to double within three to five years. The commercial segment, which accounted for just $52.8 million of revenue in 2009, will at least double and may triple during the same period. (9/24)
Orbital Set to Launch Minotaur from California (Source: Orbital)
Orbital Sciences Corp. will launch the first orbital mission of the Minotaur IV rocket in support of the Air Force’s Space Based Space Surveillance (SBSS) satellite on Saturday night. The Minotaur IV is the latest in the family of Minotaur launchers that Orbital has developed for the Air Force. The SBSS mission will be the 18th to be carried out by Orbital’s family of Minotaur vehicles over the last 10 years. The previous 17 missions have all been successful. The Minotaur IV launch vehicle is based on decommissioned Peacekeeper rocket motors that Orbital has upgraded and integrated with modern avionics and other subsystems. (9/24)
Mars Methane Mystery: What's Making the Gas? (Source: Discovery)
A six-year study of methane in Mars' atmosphere shows the planet is far from dead, though whether it is merely geologically active or host to microbial life is unknown. An Italy-based team of researchers combed through billions of measurements taken by NASA's Mars Global Surveyor to compile seasonal maps of the gas, a simple chemical compound that appears in minute quantities in Mars' carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere.
Methane breaks down in ultraviolet light from the sun, so scientists know it is being replenished in some way from the planet itself. The speed at which the methane is being depleted -- less than a year -- is as great a mystery as what's causing it. There are three regions in the planet's northern hemisphere with consistently higher concentrations of methane -- Tharsis, Elysium and Arabia Terrae. Tharsis and Elysium are home to Mars' most massive volcanoes and Arabia Terrae has large quantities of subterranean frozen water. (9/24)
Animal Defenders Advance Campaign Against NASA Primate Experiments (Source: ADI)
Animal Defenders International (ADI) launched a major U.S. educational and legislative campaign to secure public and government support to prevent NASA from proceeding with irradiating squirrel monkeys to study adverse effects of space radiation.
The centerpiece of the legislative campaign is a compelling 4-minute video entitled ‘Space Experiments on Monkeys - One Giant Leap Backwards’ which recaps the prior use of animals in space research, cites reasons NASA’s irradiation experiments are flawed and premature, and presents viable alternatives to primate testing. (9/24)
House Plan Edges Toward Extra Shuttle Flight (Source: Florida Today)
The latest House proposal for NASA's future edges closer to President Obama's plan to develop a commercial rocket program and would provide the extra space shuttle flight sought by shuttle advocates in Florida. But it's not clear the three-year bill released Thursday will satisfy NASA advocates in the Senate. House and Senate lawmakers may continue haggling over their differences after the election. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Orlando, who has led negotiations with Gordon, said he still hopes the two chambers will come together and approve a compromise on NASA policy by the end of next week. (9/24)
Magnetic Anomalies Shield the Moon (Source: Astronomy Now)
Evidence for magnetic anomalies strongly deflecting the solar wind from the lunar surface was presented at the European Planetary Science Congress. Unlike the Earth, which has a magnetic field to carve out its protective magnetosphere that shields us from the influx of the solar wind, airless bodies such as the Moon have surfaces exposed directly to the bombardment of solar wind particles. Combined with the Moon's lack of atmosphere – which would normally filter out micro-meteorite impacts – this results in a heavily weathered surface known as the lunar regolith.
Until recently, the solar wind was thought to be absorbed by the regolith, but new data provided by the recent fleet of lunar orbiters – Chang'E-1, Kaguya and Chandrayaan-1– have revealed that there is more to the story. In particular, Chandrayaan-1 mapped for the first time the energetic hydrogen atoms emanating from the Moon, finding that up to one fifth of the solar wind protons reaching the lunar surface are reflected back to space. (9/4)
About Bolden’s Saudi Trip (Source: National Review)
NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden raised eyebrows last month when he said his “foremost” goal was to help Muslim nations “feel good about their historic contribution to science.” He raised them further when he recently scheduled a trip to Saudi Arabia “to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the first Arab astronaut’s shuttle flight.”
According to NASA, the Saudi visit is part of a larger itinerary that includes the Czech Republic and Nepal. While in Saudi Arabia, he will lead a NASA delegation at an aerospace conference and an event in honor of the 25th anniversary of space shuttle flight that carried Sultan Salman Al-Saud.
"This trip including the visit to Saudi Arabia is driven by specific, appropriate agency-level objectives. It was not initiated by the White House, State Department or any other entity and has no objective other than those identified above. However, all such activities are coordinated through established State Department channels." (9/24)
‘Smaller is Better’ as Israel Launches Itself as Space Contender (Source: Jewish Herald Voice)
The State of Israel is hoping to carve out a niche in the world space market while, at the same time, grow its space-related collaborations with the United States. Israeli-pioneered “mini satellites” – which are comparatively small, lightweight and durable, yet inexpensive – are key to these efforts. The Netanyahu administration reportedly is placing a major thrust on spaceR&D. The aim is to boost sales of Israel’s miniaturized space platforms to nearly $8 billion a year over the next several years, and to secure a small but significant percentage of the $250-billion-a-year international space market. (9/24)
Former El Paso Astronaut Finds New Job In Southern California (Source: KVIA)
Former NASA astronaut John "Danny" Olivas wasn't without a job for long. He left NASA in May to become the director of engineering for Raytheon's Space and Airborne Systems in El Segundo, Calif. He started his new job in June. He and his staff will focus on satellite sensor technology that can do such things as document gases in the atmosphere, wind speeds and directions, and detect changes in the polar ice caps. (9/23)
India to Replace Two Ageing Satellites in December (Source: IANS)
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) plans to replace two of its ageing satellites with new ones by December. The agency is planning to send in space two rockets for the purpose. First to fly towards the heavens will be ISRO's heavy rocket - the geosynchronous satellite launch vehicle (GSLV) - sometime during the second week of December carrying a communication satellite GSAT 5 - intended to replace the ageing INSAT 2E.
After the GSLV, it will be turn of ISRO's lighter rocket, the polar satellite launch vehicle (PSLV), which will be carrying a remote sensing satellite - Resourcesat-2. Piggy-backing on it will be two small satellites made in Singapore and Russia. (9/24)
"Trends in New Space Meet Up" Planned in L.A. on Oct. 12 (Source: CSA)
Join us on October 12 as a part of the ongoing Trends in New Space Meet Up. We'll be featuring guest presenters Amaresh Kollipara on commercial space markets and Andy Cochrane on The Mars Project. RSVP is required. Click here for details. (9/24)
Tech Brew Meg Mixer Includes California Space Authority Presentation on Oct. 18 (Source: CSA)
A Special TECH BREW MEGA MIXER will feature a Mini Business Seminar at 4:30 p.m. on Internet marketing, and a special announcements/presentation by the California Space Center. TECH BREW is the Region's Premier Networking Event for High Technology Professionals, Cutting Edge Entrepreneurs and Innovators, Business Leaders, Government officials, related Non Profits, Educational Institutions and Resources for Sustainable Economic Development. Visit www.smallbizentrepcntr.org for information. (9/24)
Mojave Air and Space Port Celebrates Diamond Anniversary (Source: Tehachapi News)
On Sep. 18, the 75th anniversary of the Mojave Air and Space Port was celebrated at the airport. The airport was founded in 1935, the first year the Douglas DC-3 flew. (9/24)
Diamandis Featured at Roundtable Event in Santa Clara on Oct. 20 (Source: CSA)
The Silicon Valley Space Business Roundtable partnering with CSA invites you to an Oct. 20 reception and presentation with Dr. Peter Diamandis, Chairman and CEO of the X PRIZE Foundation. The Foundation leads the world in designing and launching large incentive prizes to drive radical breakthroughs for the benefit of humanity. The event will be held in Santa Clara at the Hyatt Hotel from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now at www.svsbr.org.
AIA Launches New Web-Based State-by-State Aerospace Database (Source: AIA)
AIA has launched a new tool on its website that provides a one-stop source for information on employment, payroll, average wages and the number of aerospace establishments in all 50 states and selected metropolitan areas. Get state data here. (9/24)
House Passes Critical Bonus Depreciation Legislation (Source: GAMA)
The House of Representatives has passed the final version of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 which allows businesses to take advantage of the bonus depreciation tax incentive for general aviation aircraft purchases and components, including engines and avionics. This critically important legislation will help drive new sales for manufacturers as they continue to recover from the recession.
The bonus depreciation provision allows a business that purchases a general aviation aircraft to deduct the normal depreciation allowance as well as an additional 50 percent of the depreciable value of the aircraft in the first year after delivery, instead of spreading it out evenly over five years. This tax incentive is a proven way to help increase aircraft sales. One general aviation manufacturer reported that bonus depreciation accounted for 55 percent of all piston airplane sales in 2009. (9/24)
Aerojet has successfully conducted a static firing of the third nozzle risk reduction motor in support of the Orion jettison motor, a critical component of the launch abort system (LAS) for NASA’s Orion crew exploration vehicle. This successful test firing validates several nozzle design changes implemented to enhance the safety and reliability of the jettison motor. (9/24)
U.S. Military Wants To Streamline Hosted Payload Process (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Defense Department in the coming months plans to unveil a new website that will serve as the central node for matching government payloads with potential commercial host spacecraft. The concept of hosting government payloads on commercial satellite platforms has received much attention in recent years as a way for governments to acquire capabilities more cheaply while helping industry to maximize returns on spacecraft investments. (9/24)
White House Objects to Imagery Provision in Bill (Source: Space News)
The administration of President Obama has objected to a provision in a Senate defense bill that would place restrictions on the kinds of commercial satellite imagery the Pentagon could purchase in the future. The provision bars the Pentagon from entering into new imagery purchase contracts after 2010 unless the satellites in question have 1.5-meter telescopes. “Since the commercial satellite industry does not currently build 1.5-meter satellites, this provision would require considerable additional government investment, and is not required to meet defense or intelligence requirements,” according to the White House.
“Further, by stipulating a predetermined commercial solution, this provision could negatively impact the commercial data providers, limit innovation in commercial technology, and increase the risks on future government contracts for commercial data services.” (9/24)
House Breaks Without Action on NASA Bill (Source: Space News)
The U.S. House recessed Sept. 24 without taking up a three-year NASA authorization bill, dimming prospects for passage of the nearly $50 billion measure before midterm elections Nov. 2. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said votes on all bills were postponed until Sept. 29, when the chamber hopes to take up a stopgap spending measure, known as a continuing resolution. Editor's Note: There's some potential for a vote in the House on Wednesday or Thursday. (9/24)
Where Will Next Mars Rover Land? (Source: WIRED)
WIRED Magazine has produced an assessment of various candidate Mars landing sites. Click here to view them. (9/24)
Out-of-This-World Proposal for Solar Wind Power (Source: New Scientist)
Forget wind power or conventional solar power, the world's energy needs could be met 100 billion times over using a satellite to harness the solar wind and beam the energy to Earth – though focusing the beam could be tricky. The concept for the so-called Dyson-Harrop satellite begins with a long metal wire loop pointed at the sun. This wire is charged to generate a cylindrical magnetic field that snags the electrons that make up half the solar wind.
These electrons get funneled into a metal spherical receiver to produce a current, which generates the wire's magnetic field – making the system self-sustaining. Any current not needed for the magnetic field powers an infrared laser trained on satellite dishes back on Earth, designed to collect the energy. Air is transparent to infrared so Earth's atmosphere won't suck up energy from the beam before it reaches the ground. (9/24)
Commercial Space Transportation Lessons Learned System (Sources: FAA, Space Politics)
To ensure safe and successful commercial launch and reentry activities, it is necessary for all involved to learn from past experiences and to share that knowledge with others. The Commercial Space Transportation Lessons Learned System (CSTLLS) is an FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST) program designed to facilitate the sharing of lessons learned resulting from positive and negative experiences. Click here for more. (9/24)
Stuck in Orbit: ISS Astronauts Remain One Extra Day (Source: Space.com)
Three astronauts on the International Space Station were set to return to Earth on Sep. 23, but equipment problems kept them aloft. The problem was not with their Soyuz landing capsule; it was a set of stuck hooks on the station. But how did the unprecedented undocking glitch happen in the first place? Russian engineers narrowed the list of electronic suspects to a faulty microswitch may have caused an open circuit in the docking port's wiring.
At the core of the malfunction is a set of hooks and latches on the space station's Russian Poisk docking port, which refused to release the astronauts' Soyuz capsule last night. The glitch was fixed overnight, clearing the way for a Soyuz landing early Saturday on the steppes of Kazakhstan in Central Asia. (9/24)
DigitalGlobe Forecasts Faster Revenue Growth (Source: Space News)
Commercial Earth imaging provider DigitalGlobe on Sep. 23 said its 10-year, $3.55 billion contract to provide satellite imagery to the U.S. government likely will enable the company to surpass its promise to double revenue within five years. Satellite imagery and services sales to governments in Asia, Latin America and elsewhere, plus an expanding consumer business with location-based services, are expected to grow even faster than its revenue from the U.S. government. DigitalGlobe, which reported revenue of $281.9 million in 2009, expects that figure to double within three to five years. The commercial segment, which accounted for just $52.8 million of revenue in 2009, will at least double and may triple during the same period. (9/24)
Orbital Set to Launch Minotaur from California (Source: Orbital)
Orbital Sciences Corp. will launch the first orbital mission of the Minotaur IV rocket in support of the Air Force’s Space Based Space Surveillance (SBSS) satellite on Saturday night. The Minotaur IV is the latest in the family of Minotaur launchers that Orbital has developed for the Air Force. The SBSS mission will be the 18th to be carried out by Orbital’s family of Minotaur vehicles over the last 10 years. The previous 17 missions have all been successful. The Minotaur IV launch vehicle is based on decommissioned Peacekeeper rocket motors that Orbital has upgraded and integrated with modern avionics and other subsystems. (9/24)
Mars Methane Mystery: What's Making the Gas? (Source: Discovery)
A six-year study of methane in Mars' atmosphere shows the planet is far from dead, though whether it is merely geologically active or host to microbial life is unknown. An Italy-based team of researchers combed through billions of measurements taken by NASA's Mars Global Surveyor to compile seasonal maps of the gas, a simple chemical compound that appears in minute quantities in Mars' carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere.
Methane breaks down in ultraviolet light from the sun, so scientists know it is being replenished in some way from the planet itself. The speed at which the methane is being depleted -- less than a year -- is as great a mystery as what's causing it. There are three regions in the planet's northern hemisphere with consistently higher concentrations of methane -- Tharsis, Elysium and Arabia Terrae. Tharsis and Elysium are home to Mars' most massive volcanoes and Arabia Terrae has large quantities of subterranean frozen water. (9/24)
Animal Defenders Advance Campaign Against NASA Primate Experiments (Source: ADI)
Animal Defenders International (ADI) launched a major U.S. educational and legislative campaign to secure public and government support to prevent NASA from proceeding with irradiating squirrel monkeys to study adverse effects of space radiation.
The centerpiece of the legislative campaign is a compelling 4-minute video entitled ‘Space Experiments on Monkeys - One Giant Leap Backwards’ which recaps the prior use of animals in space research, cites reasons NASA’s irradiation experiments are flawed and premature, and presents viable alternatives to primate testing. (9/24)
House Plan Edges Toward Extra Shuttle Flight (Source: Florida Today)
The latest House proposal for NASA's future edges closer to President Obama's plan to develop a commercial rocket program and would provide the extra space shuttle flight sought by shuttle advocates in Florida. But it's not clear the three-year bill released Thursday will satisfy NASA advocates in the Senate. House and Senate lawmakers may continue haggling over their differences after the election. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Orlando, who has led negotiations with Gordon, said he still hopes the two chambers will come together and approve a compromise on NASA policy by the end of next week. (9/24)
Magnetic Anomalies Shield the Moon (Source: Astronomy Now)
Evidence for magnetic anomalies strongly deflecting the solar wind from the lunar surface was presented at the European Planetary Science Congress. Unlike the Earth, which has a magnetic field to carve out its protective magnetosphere that shields us from the influx of the solar wind, airless bodies such as the Moon have surfaces exposed directly to the bombardment of solar wind particles. Combined with the Moon's lack of atmosphere – which would normally filter out micro-meteorite impacts – this results in a heavily weathered surface known as the lunar regolith.
Until recently, the solar wind was thought to be absorbed by the regolith, but new data provided by the recent fleet of lunar orbiters – Chang'E-1, Kaguya and Chandrayaan-1– have revealed that there is more to the story. In particular, Chandrayaan-1 mapped for the first time the energetic hydrogen atoms emanating from the Moon, finding that up to one fifth of the solar wind protons reaching the lunar surface are reflected back to space. (9/4)
About Bolden’s Saudi Trip (Source: National Review)
NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden raised eyebrows last month when he said his “foremost” goal was to help Muslim nations “feel good about their historic contribution to science.” He raised them further when he recently scheduled a trip to Saudi Arabia “to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the first Arab astronaut’s shuttle flight.”
According to NASA, the Saudi visit is part of a larger itinerary that includes the Czech Republic and Nepal. While in Saudi Arabia, he will lead a NASA delegation at an aerospace conference and an event in honor of the 25th anniversary of space shuttle flight that carried Sultan Salman Al-Saud.
"This trip including the visit to Saudi Arabia is driven by specific, appropriate agency-level objectives. It was not initiated by the White House, State Department or any other entity and has no objective other than those identified above. However, all such activities are coordinated through established State Department channels." (9/24)
‘Smaller is Better’ as Israel Launches Itself as Space Contender (Source: Jewish Herald Voice)
The State of Israel is hoping to carve out a niche in the world space market while, at the same time, grow its space-related collaborations with the United States. Israeli-pioneered “mini satellites” – which are comparatively small, lightweight and durable, yet inexpensive – are key to these efforts. The Netanyahu administration reportedly is placing a major thrust on spaceR&D. The aim is to boost sales of Israel’s miniaturized space platforms to nearly $8 billion a year over the next several years, and to secure a small but significant percentage of the $250-billion-a-year international space market. (9/24)
Former El Paso Astronaut Finds New Job In Southern California (Source: KVIA)
Former NASA astronaut John "Danny" Olivas wasn't without a job for long. He left NASA in May to become the director of engineering for Raytheon's Space and Airborne Systems in El Segundo, Calif. He started his new job in June. He and his staff will focus on satellite sensor technology that can do such things as document gases in the atmosphere, wind speeds and directions, and detect changes in the polar ice caps. (9/23)
India to Replace Two Ageing Satellites in December (Source: IANS)
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) plans to replace two of its ageing satellites with new ones by December. The agency is planning to send in space two rockets for the purpose. First to fly towards the heavens will be ISRO's heavy rocket - the geosynchronous satellite launch vehicle (GSLV) - sometime during the second week of December carrying a communication satellite GSAT 5 - intended to replace the ageing INSAT 2E.
After the GSLV, it will be turn of ISRO's lighter rocket, the polar satellite launch vehicle (PSLV), which will be carrying a remote sensing satellite - Resourcesat-2. Piggy-backing on it will be two small satellites made in Singapore and Russia. (9/24)
"Trends in New Space Meet Up" Planned in L.A. on Oct. 12 (Source: CSA)
Join us on October 12 as a part of the ongoing Trends in New Space Meet Up. We'll be featuring guest presenters Amaresh Kollipara on commercial space markets and Andy Cochrane on The Mars Project. RSVP is required. Click here for details. (9/24)
Tech Brew Meg Mixer Includes California Space Authority Presentation on Oct. 18 (Source: CSA)
A Special TECH BREW MEGA MIXER will feature a Mini Business Seminar at 4:30 p.m. on Internet marketing, and a special announcements/presentation by the California Space Center. TECH BREW is the Region's Premier Networking Event for High Technology Professionals, Cutting Edge Entrepreneurs and Innovators, Business Leaders, Government officials, related Non Profits, Educational Institutions and Resources for Sustainable Economic Development. Visit www.smallbizentrepcntr.org for information. (9/24)
Mojave Air and Space Port Celebrates Diamond Anniversary (Source: Tehachapi News)
On Sep. 18, the 75th anniversary of the Mojave Air and Space Port was celebrated at the airport. The airport was founded in 1935, the first year the Douglas DC-3 flew. (9/24)
Diamandis Featured at Roundtable Event in Santa Clara on Oct. 20 (Source: CSA)
The Silicon Valley Space Business Roundtable partnering with CSA invites you to an Oct. 20 reception and presentation with Dr. Peter Diamandis, Chairman and CEO of the X PRIZE Foundation. The Foundation leads the world in designing and launching large incentive prizes to drive radical breakthroughs for the benefit of humanity. The event will be held in Santa Clara at the Hyatt Hotel from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now at www.svsbr.org.
AIA Launches New Web-Based State-by-State Aerospace Database (Source: AIA)
AIA has launched a new tool on its website that provides a one-stop source for information on employment, payroll, average wages and the number of aerospace establishments in all 50 states and selected metropolitan areas. Get state data here. (9/24)
House Passes Critical Bonus Depreciation Legislation (Source: GAMA)
The House of Representatives has passed the final version of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 which allows businesses to take advantage of the bonus depreciation tax incentive for general aviation aircraft purchases and components, including engines and avionics. This critically important legislation will help drive new sales for manufacturers as they continue to recover from the recession.
The bonus depreciation provision allows a business that purchases a general aviation aircraft to deduct the normal depreciation allowance as well as an additional 50 percent of the depreciable value of the aircraft in the first year after delivery, instead of spreading it out evenly over five years. This tax incentive is a proven way to help increase aircraft sales. One general aviation manufacturer reported that bonus depreciation accounted for 55 percent of all piston airplane sales in 2009. (9/24)
September 23, 2010
Advocacy Groups Oppose Revised House Bill (Source: SPACErePORT)
The Space Access Society and the Space Frontier Foundation are both urging their members to call Congress to express their opposition to HR-5781, the House's revised NASA Reauthorization Act. The revised bill, described as a bipartisan compromise by Committee Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN), moves closer to the Senate's version in several ways, including a funding increase for "Commercial Crew" and provisions for a heavy-lift rocket. The advocacy groups opposed to the bill say it places crippling restrictions on Commercial Crew, and waters down the Senate's heavy-lift approach such that NASA could continue to develop Ares-1 "in a desperate ploy to continue the unsustainable Constellation program as-is." (9/23)
House Releases Compromise NASA Authorization Bill (Source: Space Politics)
The House Science and Technology Committee announced Thursday morning the release of “compromise legislative language” for a NASA authorization bill, presumably (although not explicitly stated) after negotiations with the Senate. The new bill calls for the development of a “Space Launch System” similar to what the Senate proposed; $2.67 billion for space technology development ($1.19 billion for exploration technology); $1.212 billion for commercial crew (far more than the $150 million in the previous version); $150 million for exploration robotic precursor missions; and language formally authorizing the flight of the “launch-on-need” shuttle mission (STS-135) no earlier than June 1, 2011. Click here for a comparison. (9/23)
Republican Pledge Could Cut NASA Budget (Source: Space Politics)
Is a budget cut in NASA’s future? House Republican leaders unveiled a “Pledge to America”, their platform of policy changes they seek to enact if the GOP wins a majority in the House in November’s elections. While not directly addressing space policy, the Pledge does suggest that NASA will find it difficult to retain recent budget increases, let alone get additional funding down the road. One provision of the draft platform states:
"Cut Government Spending to Pre-Stimulus, Pre-Bailout Levels: With common-sense exceptions for seniors, veterans, and our troops, we will roll back government spending to pre-stimulus, pre-bailout levels, saving us at least $100 billion in the first year alone and putting us on a path to begin paying down the debt, balancing the budget, and ending the spending spree in Washington that threatens our children’s future."
With NASA not falling into any of the listed “common-sense” exceptions, that would suggest the agency would be vulnerable to at least a modest budget cut. In FY 2009 NASA got just under $17.8 billion (plus $1 billion in stimulus funding enacted later in the year). The agency’s proposed FY11 budget is $19 billion, a topline figure that has been accepted virtually without debate in Congress, at least up to now. (9/23)
National Academies Warns Again About Science Competitiveness (Source: Space Policy Online)
Few reports from the National Academies have had as much impact as the 2005 "Rising Above the Gathering Storm." A clarion call to the country about the waning U.S. ability to compete globally because of inadequate science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education and federal funding for basic research, the report catalyzed action from both the White House and Congress. On Thursday the National Academies released a report assessing what has happened in the intervening 5 years.
The new report concludes that America's ability to compete has deteriorated since the original report was released. Editor's Note: Apparently, matters could get worse with a new crop of "anti-science" candidates seeking election to Congress. Says one blog: "The threat in November to science-based policy is very real, as a Republican surge of conspiracy theorists, polluter apologists, and anti-medicine activists plan to take back the House and the Senate."
Microscopic Hope for US-China Space Ties (Source: Asia Times)
As the summer of 2010 comes to an end, the need in China for a greater emphasis on developing basic science, and fostering scientific research in general is becoming a growing topic of interest to both senior Chinese politicians and China's scientific community as a whole. In mid-September, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao added fuel to this debate in when he told a group of entrepreneurs attending at the 4th Summer Davos forum in Tianjin - the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2010 - that China must start shifting away from "made in China" to "created in China".
Things are steadily improving, and when it comes to funding scientific research, China has now advanced to fifth position overall among all nations in the world. One recent student-led space-focused research China/U.S./Italy collaboration provides an example that can perhaps be expanded upon. Click here to read the article. (9/23)
Space-age Device to Deliver More Efficient Health Care on Earth and Above (Source: NSBRI)
On an exploration mission, an astronaut has an accident and appears to have serious injuries as the spacecraft speeds to its destination. The ensuing scene is hectic as the other crew members try to get a grasp on the situation and provide appropriate treatment. Efficient use of time and resources may be the difference between life and death.
Engineers funded by the National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) are developing a system that will provide an accurate patient history, assist in treatment, and help astronauts be more efficient when providing medical care. Even though the integrated system is being developed for use in space, it can be used in many different locations, such as the emergency room, on the battlefield or at an accident scene. (9/23)
Gemini-Titan Joins 7 Others in Kennedy Space Center Rocket Garden (Source: Florida Today)
A 109-foot Gemini-Titan rocket took its place Wednesday among the giants of the past at KSC's Visitor Complex. Another Gemini-Titan had called the garden home, but officials discovered in 2004 that it needed more structural work than anticipated. So the search began for a replacement. The rocket raised Wednesday came from the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group, a special Air Force storage facility in Tuscon, Ariz. (9/23)
Soyuz to Ferry Three Station Residents Back to Earth (Source: SpaceFlightNow.com)
Outgoing Expedition 24 commander Alexander Skvortsov handed over control of the International Space Station to Douglas Wheelock Wednesday in a change-of-command ceremony that sets the stage for the departure and return to Earth of Skvortsov, Mikhail Kornienko and Tracy Caldwell Dyson early Friday aboard a Russian Soyuz capsule. (9/23)
Cal State Fullertun Alumna Astronaut Returns to Earth (Source: Daily Titan)
Tracy Caldwell Dyson is returning today from her 5-month trip on the International Space Station. Caldwell Dyson, a Cal State Fullerton alumna, graduated in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. After graduating from CSUF she went on to study at UC Davis where she earned a doctorate degree in chemistry. When Caldwell Dyson attended CSUF, she participated in the track and field program as a sprinter and a long jumper. (9/23)
Pope's Astronomer Would Baptize Aliens (Source: Fox News)
One of the pope’s astronomers would happily baptize an alien if asked -- “no matter how many tentacles it has.” Guy Consolmagno, a trained astronomer and planetary scientist at the Vatican’s observatory, discussed a slew of topics at the British Science Festival last weekend, noting that the Vatican was more up to date with the latest scientific developments than most realized.
“You’d be surprised,” he told the Guardian. An avid science-fiction reader, Consolmagno reproached the historical treatment of Galileo, the man who discovered that the Earth indeed travels around the sun. He even complimented Stephen Hawking -- despite Hawking’s recent comments asserting that physics effectively replaced the need for God. Consolmagno called Hawking a “brilliant physicist.” Intelligent design, he also noted, was a useless compromise that’s another form of “the God of the gaps,” calling it pseudoscience and “bad theology.” (9/23)
NASA Won't Get Any New Money in Funding Resolution, Senator Says (Source: Huntsville Times)
U.S. Senate sources say Congress will adjourn next week without passing a new budget for NASA, and that could mean no new money for the Constellation program in Huntsville. It would also leave a stalemate between the Senate and House over NASA's future to be settled in a lame-duck session after the November mid-term elections. A so-called continuing resolution (CR) to fund NASA until a new budget passes has been expected for some time. (9/23)
Astronauts4Hire to Sample First Space Beers (Source: Parabolic Arc)
Astronauts4Hire’s inaugural mission as a contracted flight researcher will be testing the world’s first beer to be certified for drinking in space. The beer, produced as a joint venture between Saber Astronautics Australia and the 4-Pines Brewing Company (under the name Vostok Pty Ltd), is a recipe designed for easy drinking in both in microgravity and on Earth. It is intended to meet anticipated demand from the nascent space tourism market.
An Astronauts4Hire flight member has been hired as the primary flight operator for the non-profit organization’s first employment opportunity. Sampling the beer during weightless parabolas, the flight researcher will record both qualitative data on beverage taste and drinkability and biometric data on body temperature, heart rate, and blood alcohol content. Editor's Note: Publicity stunt, or real research? And who will "certify" this for drinking in space? (9/23)
HCI-Aero Conference Planned at Cape Canaveral on Nov. 3-5 (Source: IHMC)
The methods for description, development and evaluation of Human-Computer systems are evolving as new aeronautics and spaceflight technologies are introduced. The goal of HCI-Aero 2010 is to focus on sharing lessons learned across industry, government and academia, and the development of new methods that allow us to continue the current, unprecedented safety observed in aviation operations. Click here for information. (9/23)
The Space Access Society and the Space Frontier Foundation are both urging their members to call Congress to express their opposition to HR-5781, the House's revised NASA Reauthorization Act. The revised bill, described as a bipartisan compromise by Committee Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN), moves closer to the Senate's version in several ways, including a funding increase for "Commercial Crew" and provisions for a heavy-lift rocket. The advocacy groups opposed to the bill say it places crippling restrictions on Commercial Crew, and waters down the Senate's heavy-lift approach such that NASA could continue to develop Ares-1 "in a desperate ploy to continue the unsustainable Constellation program as-is." (9/23)
House Releases Compromise NASA Authorization Bill (Source: Space Politics)
The House Science and Technology Committee announced Thursday morning the release of “compromise legislative language” for a NASA authorization bill, presumably (although not explicitly stated) after negotiations with the Senate. The new bill calls for the development of a “Space Launch System” similar to what the Senate proposed; $2.67 billion for space technology development ($1.19 billion for exploration technology); $1.212 billion for commercial crew (far more than the $150 million in the previous version); $150 million for exploration robotic precursor missions; and language formally authorizing the flight of the “launch-on-need” shuttle mission (STS-135) no earlier than June 1, 2011. Click here for a comparison. (9/23)
Republican Pledge Could Cut NASA Budget (Source: Space Politics)
Is a budget cut in NASA’s future? House Republican leaders unveiled a “Pledge to America”, their platform of policy changes they seek to enact if the GOP wins a majority in the House in November’s elections. While not directly addressing space policy, the Pledge does suggest that NASA will find it difficult to retain recent budget increases, let alone get additional funding down the road. One provision of the draft platform states:
"Cut Government Spending to Pre-Stimulus, Pre-Bailout Levels: With common-sense exceptions for seniors, veterans, and our troops, we will roll back government spending to pre-stimulus, pre-bailout levels, saving us at least $100 billion in the first year alone and putting us on a path to begin paying down the debt, balancing the budget, and ending the spending spree in Washington that threatens our children’s future."
With NASA not falling into any of the listed “common-sense” exceptions, that would suggest the agency would be vulnerable to at least a modest budget cut. In FY 2009 NASA got just under $17.8 billion (plus $1 billion in stimulus funding enacted later in the year). The agency’s proposed FY11 budget is $19 billion, a topline figure that has been accepted virtually without debate in Congress, at least up to now. (9/23)
National Academies Warns Again About Science Competitiveness (Source: Space Policy Online)
Few reports from the National Academies have had as much impact as the 2005 "Rising Above the Gathering Storm." A clarion call to the country about the waning U.S. ability to compete globally because of inadequate science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education and federal funding for basic research, the report catalyzed action from both the White House and Congress. On Thursday the National Academies released a report assessing what has happened in the intervening 5 years.
The new report concludes that America's ability to compete has deteriorated since the original report was released. Editor's Note: Apparently, matters could get worse with a new crop of "anti-science" candidates seeking election to Congress. Says one blog: "The threat in November to science-based policy is very real, as a Republican surge of conspiracy theorists, polluter apologists, and anti-medicine activists plan to take back the House and the Senate."
Microscopic Hope for US-China Space Ties (Source: Asia Times)
As the summer of 2010 comes to an end, the need in China for a greater emphasis on developing basic science, and fostering scientific research in general is becoming a growing topic of interest to both senior Chinese politicians and China's scientific community as a whole. In mid-September, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao added fuel to this debate in when he told a group of entrepreneurs attending at the 4th Summer Davos forum in Tianjin - the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2010 - that China must start shifting away from "made in China" to "created in China".
Things are steadily improving, and when it comes to funding scientific research, China has now advanced to fifth position overall among all nations in the world. One recent student-led space-focused research China/U.S./Italy collaboration provides an example that can perhaps be expanded upon. Click here to read the article. (9/23)
Space-age Device to Deliver More Efficient Health Care on Earth and Above (Source: NSBRI)
On an exploration mission, an astronaut has an accident and appears to have serious injuries as the spacecraft speeds to its destination. The ensuing scene is hectic as the other crew members try to get a grasp on the situation and provide appropriate treatment. Efficient use of time and resources may be the difference between life and death.
Engineers funded by the National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) are developing a system that will provide an accurate patient history, assist in treatment, and help astronauts be more efficient when providing medical care. Even though the integrated system is being developed for use in space, it can be used in many different locations, such as the emergency room, on the battlefield or at an accident scene. (9/23)
Gemini-Titan Joins 7 Others in Kennedy Space Center Rocket Garden (Source: Florida Today)
A 109-foot Gemini-Titan rocket took its place Wednesday among the giants of the past at KSC's Visitor Complex. Another Gemini-Titan had called the garden home, but officials discovered in 2004 that it needed more structural work than anticipated. So the search began for a replacement. The rocket raised Wednesday came from the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group, a special Air Force storage facility in Tuscon, Ariz. (9/23)
Soyuz to Ferry Three Station Residents Back to Earth (Source: SpaceFlightNow.com)
Outgoing Expedition 24 commander Alexander Skvortsov handed over control of the International Space Station to Douglas Wheelock Wednesday in a change-of-command ceremony that sets the stage for the departure and return to Earth of Skvortsov, Mikhail Kornienko and Tracy Caldwell Dyson early Friday aboard a Russian Soyuz capsule. (9/23)
Cal State Fullertun Alumna Astronaut Returns to Earth (Source: Daily Titan)
Tracy Caldwell Dyson is returning today from her 5-month trip on the International Space Station. Caldwell Dyson, a Cal State Fullerton alumna, graduated in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. After graduating from CSUF she went on to study at UC Davis where she earned a doctorate degree in chemistry. When Caldwell Dyson attended CSUF, she participated in the track and field program as a sprinter and a long jumper. (9/23)
Pope's Astronomer Would Baptize Aliens (Source: Fox News)
One of the pope’s astronomers would happily baptize an alien if asked -- “no matter how many tentacles it has.” Guy Consolmagno, a trained astronomer and planetary scientist at the Vatican’s observatory, discussed a slew of topics at the British Science Festival last weekend, noting that the Vatican was more up to date with the latest scientific developments than most realized.
“You’d be surprised,” he told the Guardian. An avid science-fiction reader, Consolmagno reproached the historical treatment of Galileo, the man who discovered that the Earth indeed travels around the sun. He even complimented Stephen Hawking -- despite Hawking’s recent comments asserting that physics effectively replaced the need for God. Consolmagno called Hawking a “brilliant physicist.” Intelligent design, he also noted, was a useless compromise that’s another form of “the God of the gaps,” calling it pseudoscience and “bad theology.” (9/23)
NASA Won't Get Any New Money in Funding Resolution, Senator Says (Source: Huntsville Times)
U.S. Senate sources say Congress will adjourn next week without passing a new budget for NASA, and that could mean no new money for the Constellation program in Huntsville. It would also leave a stalemate between the Senate and House over NASA's future to be settled in a lame-duck session after the November mid-term elections. A so-called continuing resolution (CR) to fund NASA until a new budget passes has been expected for some time. (9/23)
Astronauts4Hire to Sample First Space Beers (Source: Parabolic Arc)
Astronauts4Hire’s inaugural mission as a contracted flight researcher will be testing the world’s first beer to be certified for drinking in space. The beer, produced as a joint venture between Saber Astronautics Australia and the 4-Pines Brewing Company (under the name Vostok Pty Ltd), is a recipe designed for easy drinking in both in microgravity and on Earth. It is intended to meet anticipated demand from the nascent space tourism market.
An Astronauts4Hire flight member has been hired as the primary flight operator for the non-profit organization’s first employment opportunity. Sampling the beer during weightless parabolas, the flight researcher will record both qualitative data on beverage taste and drinkability and biometric data on body temperature, heart rate, and blood alcohol content. Editor's Note: Publicity stunt, or real research? And who will "certify" this for drinking in space? (9/23)
HCI-Aero Conference Planned at Cape Canaveral on Nov. 3-5 (Source: IHMC)
The methods for description, development and evaluation of Human-Computer systems are evolving as new aeronautics and spaceflight technologies are introduced. The goal of HCI-Aero 2010 is to focus on sharing lessons learned across industry, government and academia, and the development of new methods that allow us to continue the current, unprecedented safety observed in aviation operations. Click here for information. (9/23)
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