Local Leaders Push for Energy and UAS Programs at KSC (Source: SPACErePORT)
The Space Coast Energy Consortium (SCEC) last week held a clean energy jobs event in Cocoa, intended to link space industry workers with employment opportunities in the clean energy sector. Members of the group also appealed to senior officials from NASA and other federal agencies during a different meeting to urge transitioning the unique capabilities at Kennedy Space Center toward clean energy technology development.
NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver responded affirmatively, saying this is exactly the kind of transition envisioned by the agency's leadership. SCEC officials then met briefly with the other agency officials to discuss their ideas.
Also discussed during the multi-agency meeting were ideas for increasing the number and variety of Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) programs at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, for the military, NASA, NOAA, and DHS. There is also an emerging requirement at the FAA for establishing new UAS Test Ranges in collaboration with NASA and the Air Force. (4/30)
FAA Commercial Space Issues Get Hearing (Source: Space Politics)
The space subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee is holding a hearing on May 5 to consider the FY2012 budget request of the FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST). The FAA requests $26.6 million for the office in 2012, up considerably from the $15.2 million it got in FY2010.
The increase is largely due to the planned creation of the Commercial Spaceflight Technical Center at the Kennedy Space Center, as well as a proposed $5-million Low Cost Access to Space Initiative prize announced by FAA/AST in February. In addition to the budget, there are moves afoot in industry to adjust existing law regarding commercial spaceflight that could come up at the hearing.
Some industry advocates want to extend a current moratorium on new FAA spaceflight regulations that is set to expire in Dec. 2012. They propose revising the moratorium to expire eight years after the first U.S. commercial human spaceflight. This change might be rolled up into another proposal to include third-party indemnification for spaceflight participants, similar to existing indemnification for commercial satellite launches. (4/28)
Shuttle Delay Doesn't Stop Obama Visit to KSC (Source: Florida Today)
President Barack Obama came and went Friday, but shuttle Endeavour stayed put on the Space Coast. "I bet you were hoping to see a rocket launch today," shuttle Commander Mark Kelly told Obama, who flew into the Cape with his family planning to see Endeavour off on its mission to the International Space Station.
Obama, his wife Michelle, daughters Sasha and Malia and mother-in-law Marian Robinson were to view the launch from the roof of the Launch Control Center but instead toured the building and met with Endeavour's crew, their families and NASA officials. That followed a tour of KSC's Orbiter Processing Facility, where shuttle Atlantis is being prepared for the final mission in program history on June 28. (4/30)
Gabrielle Giffords Meets with Obamas at KSC (Source: Arizona Republic)
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords didn't get to see her husband blast off into space on Friday, but she met privately with him and President Barack Obama at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. Giffords has been in Florida since Wednesday. It is her first trip away from the Houston facility where she has been undergoing rehabilitation since an assassination attempt in late January. (4/30)
Asteroids Collide at 11,000 Miles Per Hour; Scientists Study Debris (Source: UCLA)
Scientists have captured and studied the collision of two asteroids for only the second time in the history of astronomy. UCLA's David Jewitt and colleagues reported on observations from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope of a large asteroid that was hit by a much smaller one.
On Dec. 11, 2010, astronomers noticed that an asteroid known as Scheila had unexpectedly brightened and was sporting short-lived dust plumes. Data from NASA's Swift satellite and Hubble Space Telescope showed that these changes likely occurred after Scheila was struck by a much smaller asteroid, probably in late November or early December. The shape, evolution and content of the plumes enabled the scientists to reconstruct what occurred. (4/30)
Former Planet May Have Grown a Tail (Source: Science News)
Just like Mickey’s dog, the former planet Pluto has a tail — or at least a hint of one. Scientists have detected a wisp of carbon monoxide in Pluto’s thin upper atmosphere, extending a quarter of the way to its largest moon, Charon, or about 3,400 kilometers above Pluto’s surface. To the astronomers who detected it, the cloud appears to have properties resembling a comet’s gas tail. (4/30)
Groupthink Not a Problem in Simulated Mars Mission (Source: WIRED)
Getting along with your fellow astronauts can be dangerous. Too much consensus — what some psychologists call “groupthink” — can keep crews from being creative in a crisis. But a new study found that six “cosmonauts” on a simulated Mars mission emerged from 105 days in a replica spacecraft with their quirks intact.
The study was the first to directly tackle the possible downside of harmony, rather than antagonism, in a space mission. “Earlier, we had been focusing on how tension increases over time,” said social psychologist Gro Sandal of the University of Bergen in Norway. “This paper has more or less the opposite focus: whether people start to think more and more similar while they are isolated.”
Groupthink is still a controversial concept: Not all social psychologists think it exists. But those who believe in it think it tends to happen when people isolated in an extreme situation — a war zone, for instance, or a ship in the Arctic — start thinking in lockstep and avoiding outward disagreement. Groupthinkers also often feel like they’re united against a common enemy — on a space mission, this could be Mission Control. (4/30)
China Astronaut Calls for U.S. Cooperation (Source: Reuters)
China's most renowned astronaut said on Friday his country and the U.S. should make good on their presidents' promises to cooperate in space. "I think the two countries should proactively implement the intent expressed in the joint communique to eliminate obstacles and promote exchange and cooperation in our space programs," Yang Liwei, now the vice director of the country's Manned Space Engineering Office, said.
Efforts at U.S.-China cooperation in space have failed in the past decade, stymied by economic, diplomatic and security tensions, despite a 2009 attempt by President Obama and his Chinese counterpart, Hu Jintao, to launch collaboration. Obama and Hu, in a statement in November 2009, called for "the initiation of a joint dialogue on human spaceflight and space exploration, based on the principles of transparency, reciprocity and mutual benefit." (4/30)
Government Officials Meet with Space Industry Leaders (Source: Florida Today)
In town for the Endeavour launch, officials from NASA, the Office of Personnel Management, NOAA and other federal agencies met for an hour with about 100 space industry officials Friday in Cape Canaveral. No new programs or additional funding was announced, but continued support of Brevard and its space programs was reiterated.
The meeting comes after the loss of a $40 million grant to help laid-off shuttle workers, which was promised by the Obama administration but was cut during budget negotiations. A $15 million award, however, has been delivered to help retrain thousands of engineers and technicians. "We are really focused on our future," Space Florida President Frank DiBello said. "We recognize it's in our hands, not Washington's." (4/30)
Shuttle Tourist Dies in Auto Accident (Source: Florida Today)
A shuttle launch-viewing trip turned fatal for a pedestrian who was struck by a vehicle when he was crossing U.S. 1 in Titusville with family and friends Friday. Titusville Police said John V. Devoles, 70, of The Villages, Florida, died shortly after 5 p.m. at Holmes Regional Medical Center, where he was flown following the 11:30 a.m. accident. (4/30)
Scaled Composites Ramps Up SS2 Test Rate (Source: Aviation Week)
Scaled Composites marked a dramatic increase in the test rate of Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo (SS2) by completing two glide tests over five days, including a 16-min. 7-sec. glide on April 27 that represents the longest flight to date. Back-to-back flights tested minor aerodynamic and control system improvements to the 60-ft.-long, 42-ft.-wingspan vehicle.
The sudden surge in testing follows several weeks of weather-related delays, and has seen release altitudes from the WhiteKnightTwo mothership raised to 51,000 ft. and beyond. The higher altitudes provide more time to continue the flutter envelope expansion that began with the third flight in November 2010.
The flights also evaluated stability and control, and provided pilot training for the Scaled test team. Glide testing is being used to refine the vehicle’s aerodynamics and low-speed handling qualities. The next test phase will involve higher-speed subsonic flight with a short burst of thrust from the Sierra Nevada-developed RM2 rocket engine. (4/30)
John Glenn Talks End Of NASA Space Shuttle Program (Source: NBC4i)
Ohio's own John Glenn believes it's a mistake for NASA to abandon the shuttle program and as a result, cut its access to the $100 billion space station, which he calls the most unique laboratory ever designed. "We need the basic research and innovation that is provided not just by the ability to go farther into space, but by all of the research that we can do within earth's orbit here," Glenn said. (4/30)
Japanese Space Entrepreneur Heads to Jail (Source: NTD)
Once touted as a symbol of a new, dynamic Japan, 38-year-old entrepreneur Takafumi Horie is now heading to jail. Known for his celebrity lifestyle and aggressive takeover bids, Horie rattled corporate Japan, as he expanded Internet Company Livedoor into a conglomerate worth $6 billion at its peak. But this week, he lost his final appeal in a fraud case, and is resigned to doing time.
The two-and-a-half year prison term is unusually harsh by Japanese standards, as most white-collar criminals are often able to avoid jail time. Horie is vowing to return to his current business in space tourism once he gets out of prison. (4/30)
Raytheon Plans to Move Some California Operations Out of State (Source: Noozhawk)
Raytheon employees in Goleta were informed Wednesday that one of the company’s divisions will see layoffs and be moving its operations to other states. The company’s Tactical Airborne Systems and Electronic Warfare division, or TAS-EW, learned that the move eventually will directly affect 114 employees, as well as some support employees.
Layoffs are expected to begin as early as June and continue through the rest of the year. Moving production to sites in Dallas, Texas, and Forest, Miss., is expected to be completed by the end of 2011. The company recently laid off nearly 50 employees in its Vision Systems department. Despite that, the company is committed to a strong presence in Goleta, as well as the future of the TAS-EW division. (4/27)
Republican Dilemma: Reduce Federal Spending, But Not My Special Interests (Source: Daily Caller)
George LeMieux wants to cut government spending and shrink the federal government. That is, unless you’re talking about paying for space ships that fly to asteroids. The former Florida Republican senator, who recently launched his campaign to unseat current Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, vowed Tuesday to increase spending for the nation’s space exploration program while simultaneously touting his record on limited government.
“There are very few things the federal government should be doing,” LeMieux said during a conference call with reporters Tuesday. “But one of the few things the federal government can only do is space exploration. We are seeing good private sector folks that are trying to go into low- Earth orbit and that’s great and we should encourage them, but the only folks that are going to go to an asteroid or go to Mars is going to be NASA.”
Space ships are to the Sunshine State what farm subsidies are to Iowa. And for Republican candidates straining to out-Tea Party fellow conservatives, the massive federal spending on the behalf of the nation’s farmers and rocket scientists can be a real dilemma. LeMieux, who doesn’t support Obama’s economic “stimulus” program, made a passionate case for how, at least in the case of space exploration, government spending creates jobs. (4/27)
Space Adventures Circumlunar Mission Teleconference on May 5 (Source: Parabolic Arc)
Space Adventures Board Chairman Eric Anderson and Vice-Chairman Richard Garriott will outline the future of private exploration and announce new developments regarding the company’s circumlunar mission during a teleconference on May 5 at 2:30 p.m. Space Adventures has already sold one seat reservation for a circumlunar mission aboard a Russian soyuz spacecraft. One remaining seat must be sold to make the mission a reality. The third seat would be for the Russian cosmonaut mission commander. (4/30)
April 29, 2011
Space Florida Pleased With Outcome in Tallahassee (Source: SPACErePORT)
After negotiations among House and Senate lawmakers in Tallahassee, Space Florida's FY-12 budget has been finalized at $10.4 million (non-recurring). The agency will also have access to $16 million for spaceport infrastructure projects.
The House and Senate agreed to provide $10 million in non-recurring tax credits for space-related business expansion/relocation under the Space Business Incentives Act, and $7.1 million in recurring tax credits for R&D expenditures. The Spaceflight Informed Consent bill appears to be a done deal, but a Jobs and Tuition Tax Credit was not included in a House/Senate conference package and will not become law. Governor Scott is expected to approve the bills. (4/29)
NASA Wary of Bid Protests in Developing Heavy-lift Approach (Source: Space News)
As NASA hashes out an acquisition strategy for building a congressionally mandated heavy-lift launch vehicle that leverages space shuttle and Ares rocket technologies, agency officials are hoping to minimize the potential for a formal protest from industry. In addition to settling on a final design, the agency is sorting through different contracting mechanisms for procuring the heavy-lift vehicle.
Congress expects NASA to make the most of billions of dollars already invested in rocket hardware, including the space shuttle’s RS-25 main engine and solid-rocket boosters, and the Ares-1 J-2X upper-stage engine. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne is prime contractor for the RS-25 and J-2X, while ATK builds the solid-rocket boosters, which were to be modified for Ares-1.
However, if NASA chooses to leverage this hardware under existing contracts for the heavy-lift rocket, as directed in the NASA Authorization Act of 2010, it could face a challenge from companies that are not currently in the mix. Propulsion provider Aerojet of Sacramento, Calif., for example, has made clear its desire for a competition to build elements of the Space Launch System. (4/29)
Boeing, ULA Wrangle with Air Force Over Delta 4 Launch Contract Prices (Source: Space News)
Boeing and United Launch Alliance (ULA) have filed a second complaint to a U.S. government contract-appeals body to get the U.S. Air Force to reprice three Delta 4 rocket launch contracts that expose the hazards of Air Force contracting practices, industry officials said.
The contracts also lay bare what industry officials agreed is a hard-to-explain loophole that Boeing allowed the Air Force and which may turn out to be costly for the company. Boeing said ULA in March filed a complaint with the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals to compel the Air Force to adjust the prices of three Delta 4 launch contracts signed in the late 1990s.
Boeing said if it cannot win a price adjustment on the three launches, it could book a pretax loss of $285 million — $95 million per launch. With the low-end versions of the Delta 4 generally costing no more than around $200 million, it would appear that Boeing signed firm, fixed-price contracts with the Air Force that were 40 percent or more below cost. The Air Force has already refused to accept a price adjustment, in effect saying that a contract is a contract. (4/29)
Manx Company to Offer Holidays in Space (Source: BBC)
The Isle of Man may not be the first place you think of when pondering space exploration, but an island based company is planning to become the world leader in space tourism. Director of Economic Development Tim Craine told the BBC: "Excalibur Almaz is a full orbital space tourism company. "They have acquired four Russian space capsules and two Russian space stations, which they intend to refurbish in Jurby." The company plans to offer holidays in space and claims it could run possible trips around the moon and back, by 2015. (4/29)
Fill 'Er Up at an Orbital Gas Station (Source: CNET)
A spaceship isn't much use if it doesn't have the juice to go somewhere. And if you're an astronaut bouncing around destinations like the moon, random asteroids, Lagrange points, and Mars, you'll probably need an interstellar gas station.
NASA has launched an "In-Space Cryogenic Propellant Storage and Transfer Demonstration Mission Concept (PDF)" study, which is essentially a call for scientific institutions around the globe to help create a space gas station. Those wishing to build a fueling stop in the sky have until May 23 to submit their proposals.
However, there are many challenges to creating a gas station in the stars. The primary objectives of the study are to address key elements including a fail-safe way to transfer the propellants from a storage container to a ship. The difficulty is high since hydrogen tends to leak (it's the smallest element), and can eventually deteriorate the container it's stored in. (4/29)
NSU Researcher: Experiments Like Those on Shuttles Critical to U.S. (Source: TC Palm)
In the last half-century of U.S.-manned spaceflights, NASA has reached milestones by landing men on the moon and helping to establish the International Space Station. One of the lesser-known achievements of the space program, however, is the opportunity for students to participate in experiments flown into space.
One of them, involving the growth of pure tin crystals, will be onboard the Space Shuttle Endeavor as it makes its final voyage into space, scheduled for Friday. Under the auspices of Nova Southeastern University's Emil Buehler Research Center, two undergraduate honors chemistry students in the Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences, Heidi Mederos and Richard Sung, will study the effects of zero gravity on the formation of crystals in space. (4/29)
Gabrielle Giffords May Be Key to Future of Florida's Space Coast (Source: Arizona Republic)
As Florida's Space Coast braces for the onslaught of Shuttle launch guests, its residents will be hoping for a successful launch and a successful recovery for U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. They don't know her as people in Arizona do. But they need her because this area is, in many ways, a company town.
As the federal government tightened its funding for NASA over the past two years, Giffords remained one of the strongest advocates for more programming. In January 2009, she was appointed chairwoman of the House Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics. Giffords had a pulpit, and she used it.
"The Obama administration and Congress have a singular opportunity to ensure that America remains a pre-eminent spacefaring nation over the coming decades," she said. "The rest of the world is watching, and my hope is that we step up to the challenge." Those beliefs make one Arizona congresswoman important to the future of this stretch of coastline in Florida. For people here, she can't recover fast enough. (4/28)
Portland State Aerospace Society Wants to Launch a Micro Satellite (Source: Oregonian)
In terms of sophistication, the rockets built by the Portland State Aerospace Society fit right between amateur rocketry and NASA. In other words, these guys aren't just some oddballs blowing things up in the desert. And this group of community members and students has a pretty lofty goal: shooting a miniature satellite into orbit.
The society builds low-cost, open-source rockets that feature sophisticated electrical, navigational and communication systems. Even though shooting a nanosatellite into orbit verges on crackpot, it holds a special place in the imaginations of society members and guides each project as they make small steps toward outer space.
As the Portland State Aerospace Society moves into more and more complex territory, its funding needs grow. Members keep costs low by building pieces of equipment rather than purchasing them new. Each launch costs about $3,000, and the group is still in debt to past members for the last launch. The next launch is scheduled for the end of summer, and members are trying to raise $30,000 for the launch, other expenses and to build an improved rocket. (4/29)
Raytheon Reports Quarterly Income of $384 Million (Source: AIA)
Raytheon reduced its full-year forecast after reporting lower first-quarter profit. Sales at the defense contractor were little changed at $6.1 billion. The quarterly results include an $80 million charge related to a contract dispute with Britain's Border Agency. Dave Wajsgras, chief financial officer at Raytheon, said that sales were hindered by delays related to U.S. defense appropriations legislation. (4/29)
Breaking Out of Low Earth Orbit Presents Challenges, Experts Say (Source: AIA)
Witnesses who testified before a National Research Council panel said that efforts to explore deep space face technical as well as financial challenges. The hurdles will likely force NASA to partner with the Department of Defense, international entities, the aerospace industry and academia. However, such alliances could raise concerns about security and other issues, according to the experts. (4/29)
NASA Counts on Private Companies to Fill Spaceflight Void (Source: AIA)
NASA has granted four companies -- Boeing, Sierra Nevada Corp., SpaceX and Blue Origin -- a total of $269.3 million to return the U.S. to space. The program could help protect spaceflight from government budget decisions, according to NASA managers. "Both NASA and our industry partners are going to have to change the way we do business in order for this program to succeed, but the benefits of this new approach are clear and compelling," said Phil McAlister, acting director of commercial spaceflight at NASA. (4/29)
Scientists Itching for Suborbital Space Research (Source: Space.com)
When private companies like Virgin Galactic and XCOR Aerospace start regularly flying passengers to the edge of space, thrill seekers and space fanatics won't be the only ones standing in line. The commercial spaceflight industry's potential to provide frequent and relatively inexpensive trips to the upper reaches of the atmosphere could revolutionize the science and research community. (4/29)
China to Attempt First Space Rendezvous (Source: AFP)
China will attempt its first space docking between two unmanned vehicles this year, the first step in efforts to build a Chinese space station, a senior official said. The maneuver will involve the Tiangong 1 module and the Shenzhou 8 rocket. The eight-ton orbiter is on a two-year mission that will see it rendezvous in 2012 with the Shenzhou 9 and 10 rockets, both of which will have astronauts on board. (4/29)
Air Force Officer Upbeat on Florida Launches (Source: Florida Today)
After the shuttle takes its final flight, the Space Coast will still hear the familiar rocket rumble -- and reap some economic benefits -- thanks to unmanned space launches. That's the outlook from Col. James Ross, vice commander of the 45th Space Wing at Patrick Air Force Base.
Ross was a guest speaker at the annual Florida's Space Coast Tourism Day Luncheon, which drew about 300 hospitality workers and tourism officials to the Radisson Resort at the Port. Ross said unmanned launches have brought as much as $1.1 billion in annual revenue into the county. (4/29)
LeMieux Blasts Nelson and Obama for 'Decimating' Space Coast (Source: Sunshine State News)
U.S. Senate candidate George LeMieux launched an attack on Sen. Bill Nelson. "America’s leadership in manned space exploration is nearing its end and Floridians need to be mindful that the demise of the space program came on the watch of President Barack Obama and Senator Bill Nelson," LeMieux said in a statement.
"Directionless, underfunded and without mission, America stands at risk to ceding its leadership in space to the Russians and Chinese. "Here at home, 23,000 of Florida’s best and brightest will lose their jobs, decimating the Space Coast region and a substantial portion of our state’s intellectual capital," said LeMieux, who is vying for the Republican nomination. (4/29)
Space Companies Bullish on Future (Source: BBC)
The four companies that recently won NASA funds to develop astronaut "taxis" say they are convinced there will be a market to sustain their businesses. They plan eventually to sell seats in these ships to NASA and other agencies wanting to put humans in orbit. But the firms believe further NASA seed funds are critical to that outcome.
Three of the companies confidently predict they will have people in orbit in 2014 or 2015. Only Blue Origin is reluctant at this stage to discuss timelines. It is giving payments to the four companies to help them mature their vehicle concepts. The firms will only get the funds if they meet set milestones, and they also have to invest their own money towards the projects. (4/29)
Building Tourism Momentum at New Mexico Spaceport (Source: New Mexico Business Weekly)
The road to Spaceport America offers a unique view of New Mexico’s past and future. Cattle ranches dot the vast landscape, framed by the San Andres Mountains. Nearby is the Camino Real Trail, where earlier explorers and settlers trekked from what is now Mexico to the capital in Santa Fe.
And rising out of the high desert floor is the iconic curved building that will one day house a new generation of vehicles headed for the stars. Only a handful of people have been able to see these contrasting views, but starting in May, there will be regular tours to the spaceport. (4/29)
Payload Rockets Take Flight at Spaceport America (Source: New Mexico Business Weekly)
Tourists might have to wait another couple of years, but rockets are already flying at the New Mexico Spaceport. In May, UP Aerospace will launch its third suborbital rocket with experiments from nearly 1,000 students. In December, UP will fly more payloads for the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). Armadillo Aerospace plans multiple low-altitude launches in May with a new test vehicle it’s using to gather data for the construction and launch of passenger rockets to space. (4/29)
Putin Fires Russia Space Chief After Mishaps (Source: AFP)
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Friday fired the Russian space agency chief after a series of high-profile setbacks cast a shadow on the 50th anniversary year of Yuri Gagarin's first space flight. Anatoly Perminov will be replaced as head of Roskosmos by First Deputy Defense Minister Vladimir Popovkin.
Putin's order said Perminov had reached the maximum age for state employees but there have been clear indications for some time of growing frustration in the government with Roskosmos' performance. (4/29)
Barack Obama’s Shuttle Diplomacy (Source: Politico)
President Obama told Floridians more than a year ago that no one was more committed to human space flight than he, an aficionado who appreciates Tang orange drink, Sputnik references and the program’s place in the American imagination. But Florida still feels a bit lost in his orbit.
Obama returned Friday to the state, in part to ease the political damage of job losses in the space industry and reaffirm his commitment to space exploration, which looms large in a high-unemployment battleground state that looks to the skies for its future, self-image and economic well-being. His trip follows the loss of a promised $40 million grant to help laid-off shuttle workers find jobs, a casualty of the recent federal budget deal between the White House and Congress.
Two weeks ago, NASA’s prime shuttle contractor announced an additional 2,000 layoffs as the agency winds down the 30-year-old program. And over the past week, a parade of high-profile Florida Republicans has signaled that they will use the agency’s challenges as a wedge issue in the 2012 elections, vowing to protect NASA funding even as they call for greater fiscal restraint. (4/29)
Florida Moves in Anticipation of Future Base Closures (Source: FLDC)
The Florida House met the Senate's position to fund the Florida Council on Military Base and Mission Support with $5 million for the purpose of BRAC-proofing the state's military installations. The Council was created a few years ago with the mission to protect the state's installations in the future against adverse realignments and/or base closures; however, it was not provided direct funding. (4/29)
Agreement Paves Way for Gov. Scott to Focus on Space Coast (Source: Gannett)
Gov. Rick Scott would have greater control over economic development along the Space Coast - where the direct loss of 8,000 jobs will follow the retirement of the space shuttle later this year --- under a tentative budget agreement reached in Tallahassee.
Space Florida would remain a separate entity with the power to issue tax-free bonds, but it would answer to the board of directors of Enterprise Florida, the statewide economic development agency. Enterprise Florida would be headed by a secretary of commerce appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate.
Space Florida would receive $10 million a year from the state, but under the new arrangement, it would have greater access to a $72 million "seed fund" controlled by Enterprise Florida and Scott. Space Florida president Frank DiBello expressed concerns earlier this week about Space Florida getting mired in another layer of state bureaucracy. But a Space Florida spokesman said this morning he was encouraged. (4/29)
Endeavour Launch Scrubbed At Least 72 Hours (Source: Florida Today)
The launch of Endeavour on the next-to-last mission in America’s space shuttle program was delayed at least 72 hours due to a problem in one of the craft's auxiliary power units. Auxiliary power unit No. 1, one of the three units which supply hydraulic power to steer the shuttle's main engines in flight and control flight surfaces and other critical functions during re-entry, developed a problem managers believed could not be resolved in time for the scheduled 3:47 p.m. liftoff. Two heaters, required to keep the unit's turbine engine thermally conditioned, failed. (4/29)
New Consolidated Florida Agency Takes Shape (Source: Florida Current)
State lawmakers are expected to sign off on a new agency that will guide Florida’s economic development efforts. While the name has been kicked back and forth, it appears that legislators will wind up calling it the Department of Economic Opportunity as opposed to the Department of Commerce.
The new agency will fold together elements of the Agency for Workforce Innovation, the Department of Community Affairs and the Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development into one agency. Gov. Rick Scott pushed for the centralization of the state’s economic development efforts earlier this year, saying he wanted someone “two doors down” who would help to attract new businesses to the state.
The legislation would also consolidate several public-private partnerships, although Space Florida would retain a level of independence and Visit Florida would be under contract to Enterprise Florida. Lawmakers must also figure out if they will go along with creating a consolidated fund to help pay for economic development efforts in the future. The House proposal would create the fund in 2012 by taking money from the state’s road-building fund and from a surcharge placed on rental cars. (4/29)
A4H Member Supports Experiments on Final Shuttle Endeavour Flight (Source: A4H)
Flying aboard Endeavour will be student experiments bound for the International Space Station through the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP). The 16 experiments selected for flight include studies of cell biology, life cycles, seed germination, food preservation, and crystal growth. During the 14-day mission, A4H co-founder Veronica Ann Zabala-Aliberto will monitor the experiments from the Kennedy Space Center, where she also helped prepare them for integration into the payload before the launch. (4/29)
After negotiations among House and Senate lawmakers in Tallahassee, Space Florida's FY-12 budget has been finalized at $10.4 million (non-recurring). The agency will also have access to $16 million for spaceport infrastructure projects.
The House and Senate agreed to provide $10 million in non-recurring tax credits for space-related business expansion/relocation under the Space Business Incentives Act, and $7.1 million in recurring tax credits for R&D expenditures. The Spaceflight Informed Consent bill appears to be a done deal, but a Jobs and Tuition Tax Credit was not included in a House/Senate conference package and will not become law. Governor Scott is expected to approve the bills. (4/29)
NASA Wary of Bid Protests in Developing Heavy-lift Approach (Source: Space News)
As NASA hashes out an acquisition strategy for building a congressionally mandated heavy-lift launch vehicle that leverages space shuttle and Ares rocket technologies, agency officials are hoping to minimize the potential for a formal protest from industry. In addition to settling on a final design, the agency is sorting through different contracting mechanisms for procuring the heavy-lift vehicle.
Congress expects NASA to make the most of billions of dollars already invested in rocket hardware, including the space shuttle’s RS-25 main engine and solid-rocket boosters, and the Ares-1 J-2X upper-stage engine. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne is prime contractor for the RS-25 and J-2X, while ATK builds the solid-rocket boosters, which were to be modified for Ares-1.
However, if NASA chooses to leverage this hardware under existing contracts for the heavy-lift rocket, as directed in the NASA Authorization Act of 2010, it could face a challenge from companies that are not currently in the mix. Propulsion provider Aerojet of Sacramento, Calif., for example, has made clear its desire for a competition to build elements of the Space Launch System. (4/29)
Boeing, ULA Wrangle with Air Force Over Delta 4 Launch Contract Prices (Source: Space News)
Boeing and United Launch Alliance (ULA) have filed a second complaint to a U.S. government contract-appeals body to get the U.S. Air Force to reprice three Delta 4 rocket launch contracts that expose the hazards of Air Force contracting practices, industry officials said.
The contracts also lay bare what industry officials agreed is a hard-to-explain loophole that Boeing allowed the Air Force and which may turn out to be costly for the company. Boeing said ULA in March filed a complaint with the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals to compel the Air Force to adjust the prices of three Delta 4 launch contracts signed in the late 1990s.
Boeing said if it cannot win a price adjustment on the three launches, it could book a pretax loss of $285 million — $95 million per launch. With the low-end versions of the Delta 4 generally costing no more than around $200 million, it would appear that Boeing signed firm, fixed-price contracts with the Air Force that were 40 percent or more below cost. The Air Force has already refused to accept a price adjustment, in effect saying that a contract is a contract. (4/29)
Manx Company to Offer Holidays in Space (Source: BBC)
The Isle of Man may not be the first place you think of when pondering space exploration, but an island based company is planning to become the world leader in space tourism. Director of Economic Development Tim Craine told the BBC: "Excalibur Almaz is a full orbital space tourism company. "They have acquired four Russian space capsules and two Russian space stations, which they intend to refurbish in Jurby." The company plans to offer holidays in space and claims it could run possible trips around the moon and back, by 2015. (4/29)
Fill 'Er Up at an Orbital Gas Station (Source: CNET)
A spaceship isn't much use if it doesn't have the juice to go somewhere. And if you're an astronaut bouncing around destinations like the moon, random asteroids, Lagrange points, and Mars, you'll probably need an interstellar gas station.
NASA has launched an "In-Space Cryogenic Propellant Storage and Transfer Demonstration Mission Concept (PDF)" study, which is essentially a call for scientific institutions around the globe to help create a space gas station. Those wishing to build a fueling stop in the sky have until May 23 to submit their proposals.
However, there are many challenges to creating a gas station in the stars. The primary objectives of the study are to address key elements including a fail-safe way to transfer the propellants from a storage container to a ship. The difficulty is high since hydrogen tends to leak (it's the smallest element), and can eventually deteriorate the container it's stored in. (4/29)
NSU Researcher: Experiments Like Those on Shuttles Critical to U.S. (Source: TC Palm)
In the last half-century of U.S.-manned spaceflights, NASA has reached milestones by landing men on the moon and helping to establish the International Space Station. One of the lesser-known achievements of the space program, however, is the opportunity for students to participate in experiments flown into space.
One of them, involving the growth of pure tin crystals, will be onboard the Space Shuttle Endeavor as it makes its final voyage into space, scheduled for Friday. Under the auspices of Nova Southeastern University's Emil Buehler Research Center, two undergraduate honors chemistry students in the Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences, Heidi Mederos and Richard Sung, will study the effects of zero gravity on the formation of crystals in space. (4/29)
Gabrielle Giffords May Be Key to Future of Florida's Space Coast (Source: Arizona Republic)
As Florida's Space Coast braces for the onslaught of Shuttle launch guests, its residents will be hoping for a successful launch and a successful recovery for U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. They don't know her as people in Arizona do. But they need her because this area is, in many ways, a company town.
As the federal government tightened its funding for NASA over the past two years, Giffords remained one of the strongest advocates for more programming. In January 2009, she was appointed chairwoman of the House Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics. Giffords had a pulpit, and she used it.
"The Obama administration and Congress have a singular opportunity to ensure that America remains a pre-eminent spacefaring nation over the coming decades," she said. "The rest of the world is watching, and my hope is that we step up to the challenge." Those beliefs make one Arizona congresswoman important to the future of this stretch of coastline in Florida. For people here, she can't recover fast enough. (4/28)
Portland State Aerospace Society Wants to Launch a Micro Satellite (Source: Oregonian)
In terms of sophistication, the rockets built by the Portland State Aerospace Society fit right between amateur rocketry and NASA. In other words, these guys aren't just some oddballs blowing things up in the desert. And this group of community members and students has a pretty lofty goal: shooting a miniature satellite into orbit.
The society builds low-cost, open-source rockets that feature sophisticated electrical, navigational and communication systems. Even though shooting a nanosatellite into orbit verges on crackpot, it holds a special place in the imaginations of society members and guides each project as they make small steps toward outer space.
As the Portland State Aerospace Society moves into more and more complex territory, its funding needs grow. Members keep costs low by building pieces of equipment rather than purchasing them new. Each launch costs about $3,000, and the group is still in debt to past members for the last launch. The next launch is scheduled for the end of summer, and members are trying to raise $30,000 for the launch, other expenses and to build an improved rocket. (4/29)
Raytheon Reports Quarterly Income of $384 Million (Source: AIA)
Raytheon reduced its full-year forecast after reporting lower first-quarter profit. Sales at the defense contractor were little changed at $6.1 billion. The quarterly results include an $80 million charge related to a contract dispute with Britain's Border Agency. Dave Wajsgras, chief financial officer at Raytheon, said that sales were hindered by delays related to U.S. defense appropriations legislation. (4/29)
Breaking Out of Low Earth Orbit Presents Challenges, Experts Say (Source: AIA)
Witnesses who testified before a National Research Council panel said that efforts to explore deep space face technical as well as financial challenges. The hurdles will likely force NASA to partner with the Department of Defense, international entities, the aerospace industry and academia. However, such alliances could raise concerns about security and other issues, according to the experts. (4/29)
NASA Counts on Private Companies to Fill Spaceflight Void (Source: AIA)
NASA has granted four companies -- Boeing, Sierra Nevada Corp., SpaceX and Blue Origin -- a total of $269.3 million to return the U.S. to space. The program could help protect spaceflight from government budget decisions, according to NASA managers. "Both NASA and our industry partners are going to have to change the way we do business in order for this program to succeed, but the benefits of this new approach are clear and compelling," said Phil McAlister, acting director of commercial spaceflight at NASA. (4/29)
Scientists Itching for Suborbital Space Research (Source: Space.com)
When private companies like Virgin Galactic and XCOR Aerospace start regularly flying passengers to the edge of space, thrill seekers and space fanatics won't be the only ones standing in line. The commercial spaceflight industry's potential to provide frequent and relatively inexpensive trips to the upper reaches of the atmosphere could revolutionize the science and research community. (4/29)
China to Attempt First Space Rendezvous (Source: AFP)
China will attempt its first space docking between two unmanned vehicles this year, the first step in efforts to build a Chinese space station, a senior official said. The maneuver will involve the Tiangong 1 module and the Shenzhou 8 rocket. The eight-ton orbiter is on a two-year mission that will see it rendezvous in 2012 with the Shenzhou 9 and 10 rockets, both of which will have astronauts on board. (4/29)
Air Force Officer Upbeat on Florida Launches (Source: Florida Today)
After the shuttle takes its final flight, the Space Coast will still hear the familiar rocket rumble -- and reap some economic benefits -- thanks to unmanned space launches. That's the outlook from Col. James Ross, vice commander of the 45th Space Wing at Patrick Air Force Base.
Ross was a guest speaker at the annual Florida's Space Coast Tourism Day Luncheon, which drew about 300 hospitality workers and tourism officials to the Radisson Resort at the Port. Ross said unmanned launches have brought as much as $1.1 billion in annual revenue into the county. (4/29)
LeMieux Blasts Nelson and Obama for 'Decimating' Space Coast (Source: Sunshine State News)
U.S. Senate candidate George LeMieux launched an attack on Sen. Bill Nelson. "America’s leadership in manned space exploration is nearing its end and Floridians need to be mindful that the demise of the space program came on the watch of President Barack Obama and Senator Bill Nelson," LeMieux said in a statement.
"Directionless, underfunded and without mission, America stands at risk to ceding its leadership in space to the Russians and Chinese. "Here at home, 23,000 of Florida’s best and brightest will lose their jobs, decimating the Space Coast region and a substantial portion of our state’s intellectual capital," said LeMieux, who is vying for the Republican nomination. (4/29)
Space Companies Bullish on Future (Source: BBC)
The four companies that recently won NASA funds to develop astronaut "taxis" say they are convinced there will be a market to sustain their businesses. They plan eventually to sell seats in these ships to NASA and other agencies wanting to put humans in orbit. But the firms believe further NASA seed funds are critical to that outcome.
Three of the companies confidently predict they will have people in orbit in 2014 or 2015. Only Blue Origin is reluctant at this stage to discuss timelines. It is giving payments to the four companies to help them mature their vehicle concepts. The firms will only get the funds if they meet set milestones, and they also have to invest their own money towards the projects. (4/29)
Building Tourism Momentum at New Mexico Spaceport (Source: New Mexico Business Weekly)
The road to Spaceport America offers a unique view of New Mexico’s past and future. Cattle ranches dot the vast landscape, framed by the San Andres Mountains. Nearby is the Camino Real Trail, where earlier explorers and settlers trekked from what is now Mexico to the capital in Santa Fe.
And rising out of the high desert floor is the iconic curved building that will one day house a new generation of vehicles headed for the stars. Only a handful of people have been able to see these contrasting views, but starting in May, there will be regular tours to the spaceport. (4/29)
Payload Rockets Take Flight at Spaceport America (Source: New Mexico Business Weekly)
Tourists might have to wait another couple of years, but rockets are already flying at the New Mexico Spaceport. In May, UP Aerospace will launch its third suborbital rocket with experiments from nearly 1,000 students. In December, UP will fly more payloads for the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). Armadillo Aerospace plans multiple low-altitude launches in May with a new test vehicle it’s using to gather data for the construction and launch of passenger rockets to space. (4/29)
Putin Fires Russia Space Chief After Mishaps (Source: AFP)
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Friday fired the Russian space agency chief after a series of high-profile setbacks cast a shadow on the 50th anniversary year of Yuri Gagarin's first space flight. Anatoly Perminov will be replaced as head of Roskosmos by First Deputy Defense Minister Vladimir Popovkin.
Putin's order said Perminov had reached the maximum age for state employees but there have been clear indications for some time of growing frustration in the government with Roskosmos' performance. (4/29)
Barack Obama’s Shuttle Diplomacy (Source: Politico)
President Obama told Floridians more than a year ago that no one was more committed to human space flight than he, an aficionado who appreciates Tang orange drink, Sputnik references and the program’s place in the American imagination. But Florida still feels a bit lost in his orbit.
Obama returned Friday to the state, in part to ease the political damage of job losses in the space industry and reaffirm his commitment to space exploration, which looms large in a high-unemployment battleground state that looks to the skies for its future, self-image and economic well-being. His trip follows the loss of a promised $40 million grant to help laid-off shuttle workers find jobs, a casualty of the recent federal budget deal between the White House and Congress.
Two weeks ago, NASA’s prime shuttle contractor announced an additional 2,000 layoffs as the agency winds down the 30-year-old program. And over the past week, a parade of high-profile Florida Republicans has signaled that they will use the agency’s challenges as a wedge issue in the 2012 elections, vowing to protect NASA funding even as they call for greater fiscal restraint. (4/29)
Florida Moves in Anticipation of Future Base Closures (Source: FLDC)
The Florida House met the Senate's position to fund the Florida Council on Military Base and Mission Support with $5 million for the purpose of BRAC-proofing the state's military installations. The Council was created a few years ago with the mission to protect the state's installations in the future against adverse realignments and/or base closures; however, it was not provided direct funding. (4/29)
Agreement Paves Way for Gov. Scott to Focus on Space Coast (Source: Gannett)
Gov. Rick Scott would have greater control over economic development along the Space Coast - where the direct loss of 8,000 jobs will follow the retirement of the space shuttle later this year --- under a tentative budget agreement reached in Tallahassee.
Space Florida would remain a separate entity with the power to issue tax-free bonds, but it would answer to the board of directors of Enterprise Florida, the statewide economic development agency. Enterprise Florida would be headed by a secretary of commerce appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate.
Space Florida would receive $10 million a year from the state, but under the new arrangement, it would have greater access to a $72 million "seed fund" controlled by Enterprise Florida and Scott. Space Florida president Frank DiBello expressed concerns earlier this week about Space Florida getting mired in another layer of state bureaucracy. But a Space Florida spokesman said this morning he was encouraged. (4/29)
Endeavour Launch Scrubbed At Least 72 Hours (Source: Florida Today)
The launch of Endeavour on the next-to-last mission in America’s space shuttle program was delayed at least 72 hours due to a problem in one of the craft's auxiliary power units. Auxiliary power unit No. 1, one of the three units which supply hydraulic power to steer the shuttle's main engines in flight and control flight surfaces and other critical functions during re-entry, developed a problem managers believed could not be resolved in time for the scheduled 3:47 p.m. liftoff. Two heaters, required to keep the unit's turbine engine thermally conditioned, failed. (4/29)
New Consolidated Florida Agency Takes Shape (Source: Florida Current)
State lawmakers are expected to sign off on a new agency that will guide Florida’s economic development efforts. While the name has been kicked back and forth, it appears that legislators will wind up calling it the Department of Economic Opportunity as opposed to the Department of Commerce.
The new agency will fold together elements of the Agency for Workforce Innovation, the Department of Community Affairs and the Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development into one agency. Gov. Rick Scott pushed for the centralization of the state’s economic development efforts earlier this year, saying he wanted someone “two doors down” who would help to attract new businesses to the state.
The legislation would also consolidate several public-private partnerships, although Space Florida would retain a level of independence and Visit Florida would be under contract to Enterprise Florida. Lawmakers must also figure out if they will go along with creating a consolidated fund to help pay for economic development efforts in the future. The House proposal would create the fund in 2012 by taking money from the state’s road-building fund and from a surcharge placed on rental cars. (4/29)
A4H Member Supports Experiments on Final Shuttle Endeavour Flight (Source: A4H)
Flying aboard Endeavour will be student experiments bound for the International Space Station through the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP). The 16 experiments selected for flight include studies of cell biology, life cycles, seed germination, food preservation, and crystal growth. During the 14-day mission, A4H co-founder Veronica Ann Zabala-Aliberto will monitor the experiments from the Kennedy Space Center, where she also helped prepare them for integration into the payload before the launch. (4/29)
April 28, 2011
Media Inspects Commercial Space Stations (Source: Manx Radio)
It may not be NASA, but to a local space tourism company Jurby is 'out of this world' as it shows off some of its craft. Excalibur Almaz brought two space stations to the Isle of Man earlier this year and they are now being turned into space hotels in a hangar. The craft, which look like giant ice cream cones, are nearly 15 metres long and five wide, and the company hopes to send them into orbit to provide accommodation for tourists and researchers.
There will be an opportunity for members of the public to see the space stations when they are put on display in June. Click here to hear an interview with Russian Cosmonaut Valeri Tokarev as he explains why it was decided to modify the Soviet-era stations on the Island. (4/28)
Astronaut Nicole Stott Wows Tarpon High Students (Source: St. Pete Times)
When astronaut Nicole Stott flew the final mission of space shuttle Discovery in February, more than 46,000 people followed her via a social networking site. Thursday, more than 400 Tarpon Springs High School students got to meet her face to face, and they were clearly in awe. Stott was at the school early to eat breakfast (a mushroom and cheese omelet) with the student officers of the science and math honor societies, but as students seated at other tables finished their breakfasts, the crowd around Stott's table grew. (4/28)
Blastoff Obscures NASA's Troubles (Source: Wall Street Journal)
Space shuttle Endeavour's scheduled launch Friday recalls sunny spectacles that marked NASA's former glory. But the sense of excitement surrounding the event masks the uncertain future of America's manned exploration program. Lawmakers, contractors and NASA leaders continue to squabble over how to divvy up shrinking space budgets.
And with the final shuttle countdown expected this summer, no consensus has emerged on how to meet the administration's goals of exploring an asteroid around 2025, and eventually sending astronauts to Mars. "NASA's fundamental problem is a lack of clear-cut direction and goals," said Scott Pace, a former senior NASA official who now teaches at George Washington University. "The current path is a very risky one, and time is quickly running out to correct course." (4/28)
Here's What We're Really Giving Up with the Shuttle's Retirement (Source: Houston Chronicle)
On Friday space shuttle Endeavour will probably launch, ferrying a fantastic science experiment known as the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer to the International Space Station. This is quite a large science experiment, weighing 15,000 pounds, standing 11 feet tall and with a width of 15 feet. Now imagine trying to get something like that into space.
The experiment itself is too large and needs too much power to feasibly be a standalone satellite, so it needs to be attached to the International Space Station. Fortunately, we have the space shuttle, which was built just for such purposes, to carry large objects into orbit.
A lot of people are concerned about the shuttle's retirement because the United States will have to rely on the Russians to transport our astronauts to orbit, and that's a valid concern. But equally worrisome, and perhaps moreso, is losing our ability to safely launch big stuff to the station. (4/28)
A Book Store. That’s Right. Book, Singular. (Source: New York Times)
At first glance, it looks like a charming independent bookstore, a West Village gem with a window display featuring artful stacks of gleaming hardcovers. But, wait a minute. Is that one book? Like, many, many copies of the same book? Selection isn’t the strong suit of Ed’s Martian Book, but 3,000 or so copies of “Martian Summer: Robot Arms, Cowboy Spacemen, and My 90 Days With the Phoenix Mars Mission”, by a 32-year-old Brooklyn author named Andrew Kessler, are available for $27.95 each.
The book is Mr. Kessler’s account of NASA’s 2008 Phoenix Mars Lander mission, reported during 90 days inside mission control, in Tucson, alongside 130 lead
ing scientists and engineers. Publishers Weekly calls the book a “slightly offbeat firsthand account of scientific determination and stubborn intellect” that “delivers a fascinating journey of discovery peppered with humor.” (4/28)
Still Searching: SETI Pioneer Jill Tarter Talks Shutdown, Aliens (Source: WIRED)
For many alien enthusiasts, Jill Tarter is synonymous with the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. As the SETI Institute’s research director — and the inspiration for Jodie Foster’s character in Contact — she’s done more than anyone to raise the search for cosmic company from a fringe effort to serious science.
After receiving a TED prize in 2009, Tarter had grand plans for the Allen Telescope Array, a proposed field of 350 big-nosed radio dishes that would be the world’s only dedicated SETI telescope, as well as its most sensitive. But this week, budget cuts forced the ATA’s existing 42 dishes into hibernation mode. The rest are now just a dream. Click here for the Q&A. (4/28)
European Space Agency Prepares Soyuz for Dry Roll-Out (Source: RIA Novosti)
The first Russian Soyuz ST rocket built for launch from the European Space Agency's site at Kourou in French Guyana will be rolled out to the launch pad for dry systems tests on April 29, the Russian Space Agency said on Thursday. The rocket, including a Fregat SB upper stage produced by Russia's NPO Lavochkin, is due to be launched from Kourou for the first time on August 31. (4/28)
Voyager Set to Enter Interstellar Space (Source: NASA)
More than 30 years after they left Earth, NASA's twin Voyager probes are now at the edge of the solar system. Not only that, they're still working. And with each passing day they are beaming back a message that, to scientists, is both unsettling and thrilling. The message is, "Expect the unexpected." Click here to learn more about the program's discoveries. (4/28)
In Shuttle’s Waning Days, One of the Last Reasons to Cheer (Source: New York Times)
As it has many times before, sometime Friday afternoon the stretch of Route 1 in front of Chris Galorneau’s restaurant will turn into a parking lot. Drivers will abandon their cars, and customers will pour out of the Village Inn, where Mr. Galorneau is the general manager, as they will at businesses up and down Route 1, which serves as a main street for this city of 45,000.
The main draw is the fact that after this liftoff, and the launching of the Atlantis in two months, there will be no more space shuttle voyages. After three decades, the program has just about reached the end of the line. “You’re not going to see another one — this is going to be it,” said Truman Scarborough, who was Titusville’s mayor in the 1980s and served as a Brevard County commissioner for 20 years.
Mr. Scarborough and others said that for the past three or four launchings, the crowds have been getting larger as the program nears its end. Officials were forecasting perhaps a million or more for the Atlantis launch, a crowd that would rival the glory days of the space program. (4/28)
Space Coast Relaunches (Source: Wall Street Journal)
Rivian Automotive hopes the sleek, 60 miles-per-gallon sports car it is developing with help from NASA engineers will eventually deliver 1,200 jobs here along Florida's Space Coast. That would be welcome news for a region expected to lose 9,000 jobs with the space-shuttle program's end. The Space Coast has long built its identity and economy around the space program and the thousands of scientists, engineers and technicians it employed.
Now, economic-development officials are intent on luring new aerospace-related businesses, and there have been successes: Commercial launch company SpaceX and Brazilian aircraft maker Embraer SA are among those hiring. "Here, there's a huge untapped technical work force that can support us," said Rivian Chief Executive R.J. Scaringe.
But there is still a long way to go to fill the void left by the shuttle program, and the mood among the space community's workers ranges from somber to angry. "It's gut-wrenching," said Lisa Rice, president of Brevard Workforce, a county agency helping place the unemployed. "It's the ending of an era." (4/28)
Shuttle Era Fades Into Space; NASA's Plans Up in the Air (Source: Sunshine State News)
“It will be bittersweet to watch as Endeavor makes its final launch after just 25 missions," said U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, whose district encompasses part of the Kennedy Space Center. Space Florida is working to stay in the game by recruiting commercial launch companies to locate near the Kennedy Space Center.
Frank DiBello, head of Space Florida, remains optimistic that commercial crew and cargo programs will bridge the gap to the next generation of deep-space exploration. Earlier this year, his agency signed a memorandum of understanding with Bigelow Aerospace, which intends to launch its first Orbital Space Complex from Cape Canaveral in 2014.
"The next vehicle to carry astronauts into space from Florida’s Space Coast will be a commercial spacecraft -- and this marks a historic change, perhaps the biggest in NASA's 50-year history,” said Bretton Alexander, president of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, a Washington, D.C.-based consortium of space companies. (4/28)
Analysis: Panetta Would Oversee Reduced Pentagon Spending (Source: AIA)
President Barack Obama is poised to nominate Leon Panetta -- formerly a White House budget director and House Budget Committee chairman -- as the next defense secretary, replacing Robert Gates. Panetta would have the Pentagon steadily decrease its spending to help lower the deficit. Panetta "would undoubtedly result in a faster pace of cuts to the defense budget in future years," according to Loren Thompson, a defense consultant. (4/28)
General Dynamics and Northrop Grumman Deliver Solid Profits (Source: AIA)
Northrop Grumman reported a 13% increase in earnings on higher operating margins. General Dynamics posted a 3.5% rise on higher overall revenue and margins. Analysts praised Northrop's decision to spin off its shipbuilding unit, while General Dynamics CEO Jay Johnson cited the Gulfstream unit as GD's "growth engine." (4/28)
Defense Firms Profit Despite Budget Woes (Source: AIA)
U.S. budget woes, along with President Barack Obama's call to rein in defense spending by $400 billion over the next decade, have hindered sales and caused uncertainty among defense contractors. "The trouble for the defense stocks has got more to do with the direction of the defense budget because of pressures from federal spending than with who is in charge at this point," said Anil Daka, an analyst at Morningstar. (4/28)
Babbitt Raises Concerns About Reauthorization Bill (Source: AIA)
FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said the reauthorization bill approved by the House inadequately funds the agency, which could "degrade" safety and efficiency. Rep. John Mica, R-FL, chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said the four-year $59.7 billion bill "saves $4 billion by streamlining and consolidating FAA programs and facilities, increasing the use of cost-effective programs, and responsibly increasing the role of the private sector in facility operations." Babbitt is urging lawmakers to pass legislation that adequately funds the FAA. (4/28)
Space Day Celebration Planned at San Diego Museum on May 28 (Source: San Diego Air & Space Museum)
Enjoy demonstrations, giveaways, the opportunity to meet a real astronaut, and hands-on activities with local and national space experts! Invited Presenters include NASA, Deep Space Network, JPL, The Mars Society, SETI, San Diego Astronomy Association, UCSD EarthKAM and others. Kids 17 and under are FREE with a paid adult! Click here. (4/28)
Space Tourism for the Rest of Us (Source: CBC)
Dennis Tito made history on April 28, 2001, when he blasted off for the International Space Station and became the world's first space tourist. Several have followed him, although none are "ordinary citizens" — they're people able to spend millions for an off-world vacation — but 10 years after Tito's trip, cheaper ways to experience space are starting to appear. Click here to read the article. (4/28)
USTR Report Cites Continued Satellite Market Protectionism in China, India (Source: Space News)
The U.S. government has again singled out China and India as nations that maintain barriers to foreign satellite service providers in order to protect domestic, government-owned satellite operators. In a new report, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) pays special attention to the state of the satellite services markets in the world’s two most populous nations, both of which are fast expanding their satellite telecommunications sectors.
The report concludes that not much has changed in either nation despite regular promises from their government agencies that trade barriers would be eased. The USTR report says U.S.organizations asked to provide an update on the situation in China and India found a continued “lack of transparency in rules governing the provision of satellite capacity” in both nations. “The requirement to sell capacity only through government-owned satellite operators is problematic.” (4/28)
India Joins Bid to Clean Space Debris (Source: Express News Service)
Space agencies are starting off in a small way to clean up man-made clutter in space. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has joined sister agencies abroad to identify methods to pluck out at least three to five large junk objects from space every year. (4/28)
San Francisco Space Enthusiast Invited to Watch Shuttle Launch (Source: San Francisco Examiner)
Kathryn Hill, the 38-year-old Web art director and San Francisco resident, was one of 150 @NASA Twitter followers randomly invited to witness the final launch of space shuttle Endeavor as part of a Tweet-up sponsored by NASA. (4/28)
Haridopolos: President is Letting the Space Workforce Down (Source: Florida Today)
Tomorrow, Florida hosts President Obama and his family as they witness first-hand the launch of Endeavour, one of America’s final space shuttle missions. It’s been a little over a year since we last welcomed the president to KSC. He came to assure Floridians, especially the shuttle workforce, that his administration would help the state’s aerospace sector mitigate the impacts of the pending close of NASA’s premier program.
“I’m proposing a $40 million initiative led by a high-level team from the White House, NASA and other agencies to develop a plan for regional economic growth and job creation,” he said in his address. He called for a swift plan of action. State and local leaders quickly accommodated him by coordinating meetings, partnering on job-creation concepts and providing input for a strategy.
The Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast advertised a grant program for $35 million for multiple projects with a very aggressive deadline. That was then. Tomorrow, he visits with similar fanfare, minus the mention of assistance. Now, with the disappearance of his economic task force, and most notably the nonexistence of the promised $40 million, there still are no federal efforts to help diversify our local economy. (4/28)
Budding Space Tourists Given Help to Take Off From UK (Source: Telegraph)
At present, would be space travelers are bound by the rules relating to commercial air travel, making it difficult for operators to launch rockets from this country. David Willetts, the Science Minister, announced that the space industry would no longer come under the responsibility of the Civil Aviation Authority.
He ordered the UK Space Agency to: “Develop reforms which will remove restrictions which put UK operators at a competitive disadvantage, and prepare proposals for new regulation for space vehicles to promote tourism in the UK.” A spokesman said that the Government would work with the European Aviation Safety Authority to ensure that the next generation of space planes were safe for tourists to travel in. (4/28)
Spaceport America Budget Cut 57 Percent (Source: Las Cruces Sun-News)
Spaceport America's operating budget was slashed 57 percent in this year's legislative session, spaceport officials heard for the first time Wednesday. The agency received about $1.17 million in the current fiscal year that ends June 30, according to spaceport Director Christine Anderson. But it's slated to get about $500,000 next year, she said.
The state budget assumed that the spaceport would receive, in addition to the half-million dollars, about $200,000 as part of the first lease payments from Virgin Galactic, the main tenant at Spaceport America, Anderson said. But she said those payments hinge upon the company moving into the under-construction terminal-hangar building in the coming year, which isn't guaranteed. (4/28)
New Mexico Spaceport Lacking 'Visitor Experience' (Source: Albuquerque Journal)
The Spaceport Authority plans to seek bids in the weeks ahead for a contract to design what is called the tourist "visitor experience" at the state-financed spaceport, but staffers acknowledge the effort is at least eight months behind the curve. "We're very late on this," Spaceport Authority executive director Christine Anderson, who started her job in early March, told the authority board.
She said requests for proposals should have been issued in September for the agency to be able to open a visitor center at the spaceport, 30 miles southeast of Truth or Consequences, by the first quarter of 2013. That is when Virgin Galactic is now projected to begin its first commercial suborbital flights. The cost of the visitor centers is estimated at $15 million, but Spaceport Authority board Chairman Rick Holdridge said at that price the project is "underfunded... That's why it's really important to find some investors," Holdridge said. (4/28)
Satellite Launch From Wallops This Summer (Source: Baltimore Sun)
The Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport is preparing for another Minotaur rocket launch down on Wallops Island, Va., the fourth since 2006. The 70-foot rocket will carry an ORS-1 satellite for the Pentagon. It’s designed to provide “multi-spectral” imaging for combatants on the ground. The launch date remains uncertain, but liftoff should occur sometime this summer. When skies are clear, orbital launches from Wallops can be seen for hundreds of miles. Watch this space. (4/28)
Space Tourism Travel Comes Closer to Fruition (Source: USA Today)
For years, when John Spencer talked about tourists taking forays into space, he often was met with giggles or a blank stare. "The laugh factor on this was really intense," says Spencer, founder of the Space Tourism Society, an advocacy group based in West Los Angeles. But with corporate visionaries pouring millions of dollars into the building blocks of such an industry, Spencer says, few people are laughing now.
"It's happening," he says. "There's a market. There's a waiting line. … Our ultimate goal is: Tens of thousands of space tourists actually leave Earth, go to orbital cruise ships, lunar ships, lunar resorts, and have a great time." (4/27)
United Space Alliance Repositions Itself for Survival (Source: AIA)
USA, the main contractor for space shuttle operations, is making changes to deal with the uncertainty of the post-space shuttle times. "We've known the shuttle program was going to be ending for some time, and we've been planning and working for an orderly transition for over two years now," said Daniel Brandenstein, chief operating officer. "The goal that we've been working toward is to retain the critical skills that we have in our organization, so that when the next program is better defined and moves into reality we will have not have lost all those skills." (4/27)
Lawmakers Indicate More Cuts to Defense Budget Possible (Source: AIA)
Lawmakers in the House and Senate have been discussing the idea of reducing or freezing the defense budget as they consider ways to deal with the deficit. The situation is expected to come to a head in May when lawmakers must decide whether to raise the debt ceiling or face a new crisis. (4/26)
NASA Tests Fuel Made From Chicken and Beef Fat (Source: AIA)
NASA said that in late March and early April it tested jet fuel made from animal fat. "The test results seem to support the idea that biofuels for jet engines are indeed cleaner-burning and release fewer pollutants into the air," according to Ruben Del Rosario, manager of the Subsonic Fixed Wing Project at NASA. (4/26)
It may not be NASA, but to a local space tourism company Jurby is 'out of this world' as it shows off some of its craft. Excalibur Almaz brought two space stations to the Isle of Man earlier this year and they are now being turned into space hotels in a hangar. The craft, which look like giant ice cream cones, are nearly 15 metres long and five wide, and the company hopes to send them into orbit to provide accommodation for tourists and researchers.
There will be an opportunity for members of the public to see the space stations when they are put on display in June. Click here to hear an interview with Russian Cosmonaut Valeri Tokarev as he explains why it was decided to modify the Soviet-era stations on the Island. (4/28)
Astronaut Nicole Stott Wows Tarpon High Students (Source: St. Pete Times)
When astronaut Nicole Stott flew the final mission of space shuttle Discovery in February, more than 46,000 people followed her via a social networking site. Thursday, more than 400 Tarpon Springs High School students got to meet her face to face, and they were clearly in awe. Stott was at the school early to eat breakfast (a mushroom and cheese omelet) with the student officers of the science and math honor societies, but as students seated at other tables finished their breakfasts, the crowd around Stott's table grew. (4/28)
Blastoff Obscures NASA's Troubles (Source: Wall Street Journal)
Space shuttle Endeavour's scheduled launch Friday recalls sunny spectacles that marked NASA's former glory. But the sense of excitement surrounding the event masks the uncertain future of America's manned exploration program. Lawmakers, contractors and NASA leaders continue to squabble over how to divvy up shrinking space budgets.
And with the final shuttle countdown expected this summer, no consensus has emerged on how to meet the administration's goals of exploring an asteroid around 2025, and eventually sending astronauts to Mars. "NASA's fundamental problem is a lack of clear-cut direction and goals," said Scott Pace, a former senior NASA official who now teaches at George Washington University. "The current path is a very risky one, and time is quickly running out to correct course." (4/28)
Here's What We're Really Giving Up with the Shuttle's Retirement (Source: Houston Chronicle)
On Friday space shuttle Endeavour will probably launch, ferrying a fantastic science experiment known as the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer to the International Space Station. This is quite a large science experiment, weighing 15,000 pounds, standing 11 feet tall and with a width of 15 feet. Now imagine trying to get something like that into space.
The experiment itself is too large and needs too much power to feasibly be a standalone satellite, so it needs to be attached to the International Space Station. Fortunately, we have the space shuttle, which was built just for such purposes, to carry large objects into orbit.
A lot of people are concerned about the shuttle's retirement because the United States will have to rely on the Russians to transport our astronauts to orbit, and that's a valid concern. But equally worrisome, and perhaps moreso, is losing our ability to safely launch big stuff to the station. (4/28)
A Book Store. That’s Right. Book, Singular. (Source: New York Times)
At first glance, it looks like a charming independent bookstore, a West Village gem with a window display featuring artful stacks of gleaming hardcovers. But, wait a minute. Is that one book? Like, many, many copies of the same book? Selection isn’t the strong suit of Ed’s Martian Book, but 3,000 or so copies of “Martian Summer: Robot Arms, Cowboy Spacemen, and My 90 Days With the Phoenix Mars Mission”, by a 32-year-old Brooklyn author named Andrew Kessler, are available for $27.95 each.
The book is Mr. Kessler’s account of NASA’s 2008 Phoenix Mars Lander mission, reported during 90 days inside mission control, in Tucson, alongside 130 lead
ing scientists and engineers. Publishers Weekly calls the book a “slightly offbeat firsthand account of scientific determination and stubborn intellect” that “delivers a fascinating journey of discovery peppered with humor.” (4/28)Still Searching: SETI Pioneer Jill Tarter Talks Shutdown, Aliens (Source: WIRED)
For many alien enthusiasts, Jill Tarter is synonymous with the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. As the SETI Institute’s research director — and the inspiration for Jodie Foster’s character in Contact — she’s done more than anyone to raise the search for cosmic company from a fringe effort to serious science.
After receiving a TED prize in 2009, Tarter had grand plans for the Allen Telescope Array, a proposed field of 350 big-nosed radio dishes that would be the world’s only dedicated SETI telescope, as well as its most sensitive. But this week, budget cuts forced the ATA’s existing 42 dishes into hibernation mode. The rest are now just a dream. Click here for the Q&A. (4/28)
European Space Agency Prepares Soyuz for Dry Roll-Out (Source: RIA Novosti)
The first Russian Soyuz ST rocket built for launch from the European Space Agency's site at Kourou in French Guyana will be rolled out to the launch pad for dry systems tests on April 29, the Russian Space Agency said on Thursday. The rocket, including a Fregat SB upper stage produced by Russia's NPO Lavochkin, is due to be launched from Kourou for the first time on August 31. (4/28)
Voyager Set to Enter Interstellar Space (Source: NASA)
More than 30 years after they left Earth, NASA's twin Voyager probes are now at the edge of the solar system. Not only that, they're still working. And with each passing day they are beaming back a message that, to scientists, is both unsettling and thrilling. The message is, "Expect the unexpected." Click here to learn more about the program's discoveries. (4/28)
In Shuttle’s Waning Days, One of the Last Reasons to Cheer (Source: New York Times)
As it has many times before, sometime Friday afternoon the stretch of Route 1 in front of Chris Galorneau’s restaurant will turn into a parking lot. Drivers will abandon their cars, and customers will pour out of the Village Inn, where Mr. Galorneau is the general manager, as they will at businesses up and down Route 1, which serves as a main street for this city of 45,000.
The main draw is the fact that after this liftoff, and the launching of the Atlantis in two months, there will be no more space shuttle voyages. After three decades, the program has just about reached the end of the line. “You’re not going to see another one — this is going to be it,” said Truman Scarborough, who was Titusville’s mayor in the 1980s and served as a Brevard County commissioner for 20 years.
Mr. Scarborough and others said that for the past three or four launchings, the crowds have been getting larger as the program nears its end. Officials were forecasting perhaps a million or more for the Atlantis launch, a crowd that would rival the glory days of the space program. (4/28)
Space Coast Relaunches (Source: Wall Street Journal)
Rivian Automotive hopes the sleek, 60 miles-per-gallon sports car it is developing with help from NASA engineers will eventually deliver 1,200 jobs here along Florida's Space Coast. That would be welcome news for a region expected to lose 9,000 jobs with the space-shuttle program's end. The Space Coast has long built its identity and economy around the space program and the thousands of scientists, engineers and technicians it employed.
Now, economic-development officials are intent on luring new aerospace-related businesses, and there have been successes: Commercial launch company SpaceX and Brazilian aircraft maker Embraer SA are among those hiring. "Here, there's a huge untapped technical work force that can support us," said Rivian Chief Executive R.J. Scaringe.
But there is still a long way to go to fill the void left by the shuttle program, and the mood among the space community's workers ranges from somber to angry. "It's gut-wrenching," said Lisa Rice, president of Brevard Workforce, a county agency helping place the unemployed. "It's the ending of an era." (4/28)
Shuttle Era Fades Into Space; NASA's Plans Up in the Air (Source: Sunshine State News)
“It will be bittersweet to watch as Endeavor makes its final launch after just 25 missions," said U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, whose district encompasses part of the Kennedy Space Center. Space Florida is working to stay in the game by recruiting commercial launch companies to locate near the Kennedy Space Center.
Frank DiBello, head of Space Florida, remains optimistic that commercial crew and cargo programs will bridge the gap to the next generation of deep-space exploration. Earlier this year, his agency signed a memorandum of understanding with Bigelow Aerospace, which intends to launch its first Orbital Space Complex from Cape Canaveral in 2014.
"The next vehicle to carry astronauts into space from Florida’s Space Coast will be a commercial spacecraft -- and this marks a historic change, perhaps the biggest in NASA's 50-year history,” said Bretton Alexander, president of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, a Washington, D.C.-based consortium of space companies. (4/28)
Analysis: Panetta Would Oversee Reduced Pentagon Spending (Source: AIA)
President Barack Obama is poised to nominate Leon Panetta -- formerly a White House budget director and House Budget Committee chairman -- as the next defense secretary, replacing Robert Gates. Panetta would have the Pentagon steadily decrease its spending to help lower the deficit. Panetta "would undoubtedly result in a faster pace of cuts to the defense budget in future years," according to Loren Thompson, a defense consultant. (4/28)
General Dynamics and Northrop Grumman Deliver Solid Profits (Source: AIA)
Northrop Grumman reported a 13% increase in earnings on higher operating margins. General Dynamics posted a 3.5% rise on higher overall revenue and margins. Analysts praised Northrop's decision to spin off its shipbuilding unit, while General Dynamics CEO Jay Johnson cited the Gulfstream unit as GD's "growth engine." (4/28)
Defense Firms Profit Despite Budget Woes (Source: AIA)
U.S. budget woes, along with President Barack Obama's call to rein in defense spending by $400 billion over the next decade, have hindered sales and caused uncertainty among defense contractors. "The trouble for the defense stocks has got more to do with the direction of the defense budget because of pressures from federal spending than with who is in charge at this point," said Anil Daka, an analyst at Morningstar. (4/28)
Babbitt Raises Concerns About Reauthorization Bill (Source: AIA)
FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said the reauthorization bill approved by the House inadequately funds the agency, which could "degrade" safety and efficiency. Rep. John Mica, R-FL, chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said the four-year $59.7 billion bill "saves $4 billion by streamlining and consolidating FAA programs and facilities, increasing the use of cost-effective programs, and responsibly increasing the role of the private sector in facility operations." Babbitt is urging lawmakers to pass legislation that adequately funds the FAA. (4/28)
Space Day Celebration Planned at San Diego Museum on May 28 (Source: San Diego Air & Space Museum)
Enjoy demonstrations, giveaways, the opportunity to meet a real astronaut, and hands-on activities with local and national space experts! Invited Presenters include NASA, Deep Space Network, JPL, The Mars Society, SETI, San Diego Astronomy Association, UCSD EarthKAM and others. Kids 17 and under are FREE with a paid adult! Click here. (4/28)
Space Tourism for the Rest of Us (Source: CBC)
Dennis Tito made history on April 28, 2001, when he blasted off for the International Space Station and became the world's first space tourist. Several have followed him, although none are "ordinary citizens" — they're people able to spend millions for an off-world vacation — but 10 years after Tito's trip, cheaper ways to experience space are starting to appear. Click here to read the article. (4/28)
USTR Report Cites Continued Satellite Market Protectionism in China, India (Source: Space News)
The U.S. government has again singled out China and India as nations that maintain barriers to foreign satellite service providers in order to protect domestic, government-owned satellite operators. In a new report, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) pays special attention to the state of the satellite services markets in the world’s two most populous nations, both of which are fast expanding their satellite telecommunications sectors.
The report concludes that not much has changed in either nation despite regular promises from their government agencies that trade barriers would be eased. The USTR report says U.S.organizations asked to provide an update on the situation in China and India found a continued “lack of transparency in rules governing the provision of satellite capacity” in both nations. “The requirement to sell capacity only through government-owned satellite operators is problematic.” (4/28)
India Joins Bid to Clean Space Debris (Source: Express News Service)
Space agencies are starting off in a small way to clean up man-made clutter in space. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has joined sister agencies abroad to identify methods to pluck out at least three to five large junk objects from space every year. (4/28)
San Francisco Space Enthusiast Invited to Watch Shuttle Launch (Source: San Francisco Examiner)
Kathryn Hill, the 38-year-old Web art director and San Francisco resident, was one of 150 @NASA Twitter followers randomly invited to witness the final launch of space shuttle Endeavor as part of a Tweet-up sponsored by NASA. (4/28)
Haridopolos: President is Letting the Space Workforce Down (Source: Florida Today)
Tomorrow, Florida hosts President Obama and his family as they witness first-hand the launch of Endeavour, one of America’s final space shuttle missions. It’s been a little over a year since we last welcomed the president to KSC. He came to assure Floridians, especially the shuttle workforce, that his administration would help the state’s aerospace sector mitigate the impacts of the pending close of NASA’s premier program.
“I’m proposing a $40 million initiative led by a high-level team from the White House, NASA and other agencies to develop a plan for regional economic growth and job creation,” he said in his address. He called for a swift plan of action. State and local leaders quickly accommodated him by coordinating meetings, partnering on job-creation concepts and providing input for a strategy.
The Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast advertised a grant program for $35 million for multiple projects with a very aggressive deadline. That was then. Tomorrow, he visits with similar fanfare, minus the mention of assistance. Now, with the disappearance of his economic task force, and most notably the nonexistence of the promised $40 million, there still are no federal efforts to help diversify our local economy. (4/28)
Budding Space Tourists Given Help to Take Off From UK (Source: Telegraph)
At present, would be space travelers are bound by the rules relating to commercial air travel, making it difficult for operators to launch rockets from this country. David Willetts, the Science Minister, announced that the space industry would no longer come under the responsibility of the Civil Aviation Authority.
He ordered the UK Space Agency to: “Develop reforms which will remove restrictions which put UK operators at a competitive disadvantage, and prepare proposals for new regulation for space vehicles to promote tourism in the UK.” A spokesman said that the Government would work with the European Aviation Safety Authority to ensure that the next generation of space planes were safe for tourists to travel in. (4/28)
Spaceport America Budget Cut 57 Percent (Source: Las Cruces Sun-News)
Spaceport America's operating budget was slashed 57 percent in this year's legislative session, spaceport officials heard for the first time Wednesday. The agency received about $1.17 million in the current fiscal year that ends June 30, according to spaceport Director Christine Anderson. But it's slated to get about $500,000 next year, she said.
The state budget assumed that the spaceport would receive, in addition to the half-million dollars, about $200,000 as part of the first lease payments from Virgin Galactic, the main tenant at Spaceport America, Anderson said. But she said those payments hinge upon the company moving into the under-construction terminal-hangar building in the coming year, which isn't guaranteed. (4/28)
New Mexico Spaceport Lacking 'Visitor Experience' (Source: Albuquerque Journal)
The Spaceport Authority plans to seek bids in the weeks ahead for a contract to design what is called the tourist "visitor experience" at the state-financed spaceport, but staffers acknowledge the effort is at least eight months behind the curve. "We're very late on this," Spaceport Authority executive director Christine Anderson, who started her job in early March, told the authority board.
She said requests for proposals should have been issued in September for the agency to be able to open a visitor center at the spaceport, 30 miles southeast of Truth or Consequences, by the first quarter of 2013. That is when Virgin Galactic is now projected to begin its first commercial suborbital flights. The cost of the visitor centers is estimated at $15 million, but Spaceport Authority board Chairman Rick Holdridge said at that price the project is "underfunded... That's why it's really important to find some investors," Holdridge said. (4/28)
Satellite Launch From Wallops This Summer (Source: Baltimore Sun)
The Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport is preparing for another Minotaur rocket launch down on Wallops Island, Va., the fourth since 2006. The 70-foot rocket will carry an ORS-1 satellite for the Pentagon. It’s designed to provide “multi-spectral” imaging for combatants on the ground. The launch date remains uncertain, but liftoff should occur sometime this summer. When skies are clear, orbital launches from Wallops can be seen for hundreds of miles. Watch this space. (4/28)
Space Tourism Travel Comes Closer to Fruition (Source: USA Today)
For years, when John Spencer talked about tourists taking forays into space, he often was met with giggles or a blank stare. "The laugh factor on this was really intense," says Spencer, founder of the Space Tourism Society, an advocacy group based in West Los Angeles. But with corporate visionaries pouring millions of dollars into the building blocks of such an industry, Spencer says, few people are laughing now.
"It's happening," he says. "There's a market. There's a waiting line. … Our ultimate goal is: Tens of thousands of space tourists actually leave Earth, go to orbital cruise ships, lunar ships, lunar resorts, and have a great time." (4/27)
United Space Alliance Repositions Itself for Survival (Source: AIA)
USA, the main contractor for space shuttle operations, is making changes to deal with the uncertainty of the post-space shuttle times. "We've known the shuttle program was going to be ending for some time, and we've been planning and working for an orderly transition for over two years now," said Daniel Brandenstein, chief operating officer. "The goal that we've been working toward is to retain the critical skills that we have in our organization, so that when the next program is better defined and moves into reality we will have not have lost all those skills." (4/27)
Lawmakers Indicate More Cuts to Defense Budget Possible (Source: AIA)
Lawmakers in the House and Senate have been discussing the idea of reducing or freezing the defense budget as they consider ways to deal with the deficit. The situation is expected to come to a head in May when lawmakers must decide whether to raise the debt ceiling or face a new crisis. (4/26)
NASA Tests Fuel Made From Chicken and Beef Fat (Source: AIA)
NASA said that in late March and early April it tested jet fuel made from animal fat. "The test results seem to support the idea that biofuels for jet engines are indeed cleaner-burning and release fewer pollutants into the air," according to Ruben Del Rosario, manager of the Subsonic Fixed Wing Project at NASA. (4/26)
April 27, 2011
Virgin Galactic Touts Spaceport Business (Source: KRQE)
Building new hotels, restaurants, homes and stores in the middle of the Jornada del Muerto, an iconic New Mexico desert. It might sound like a reach to some, but Virgin Galactic says there are lots of opportunities for developers to cash in on the creation of a shimmering space city around New Mexico’s Spaceport America in the Jornada east of Truth or Consequences.
Addressing the New Mexico Commercial Real Estate Development Association, NAIOP, Virgin Galactic Vice President Will Pomeranz said each space tourist who comes here will bring an entourage that will need a complete spectrum of travel and tourist destination services. (4/27)
Can Canada Afford the Final Frontier? (Source: Canada.com)
Here’s a question for you: how many Canadian astronauts can you name? Marc Garneau and Roberta Bondar, yes. Chris Hadfield would make the list too, since he’s about to command the International Space Station in a couple of years. If you’re from Quebec, you’ll probably add Julie Payette. But is that all of them?
Well, if you go to the Canadian Space Agency’s Astronauts page, you’ll see biographies of 11 Canadian astronauts. However, bear in mind that most – Cdr. Garneau and Dr. Bondar included – were selected in 1983, 28 years ago. Col. Hadfield was selected in 1992. As things stand right now, only three Canadians – Col. Hadfield, Ms. Payette and Dr. Robert Thirsk – are active and qualified for space flight, though two more astronauts recruited in 2009 are now in training.
The cost for these five people? About $6.3 million. This is the amount reported by the Canadian Space Agency, in its planning and priorities report for 2010-11, for “human space flight mission – operations.” It’s meant to cover not just salaries, but training, medical support and maintenance, skills plan development (i.e. working out how to teach the skills the astronauts need in a standardized, effective process), and so on. (4/27)
Huntsville Shuttle Team Nearing the End of Long Journey (Source: Huntsville Times)
They've known the end of NASA's space shuttle program was coming this summer, but knowing it and feeling it are different things. "I had to go down to Florida (last) week for a flight readiness review, and driving off the center it hit me," said Johnny Heflin of Huntsville, leader of the design engineering team in the Space Shuttle Main Engine Project Office.
"You know, I'll get to do this a few more times, and then I'll have KSC in the rear-view mirror as I'm leaving," Heflin said last week. "And I don't know if I'll get to go back and see those guys again and be part of another launch." Heflin is one of about 1,500 people working on the shuttle at Huntsville's Marshall Space Flight Center. Not all of them are in Florida for Friday's liftoff of America's next-to-last shuttle mission. (4/27)
U.S. Astronauts Not Sure Where They Go Next (Source: CNN)
As the space shuttle program winds down with the last launch scheduled this summer, many in the astronaut corps are wrestling with what to do next. For the foreseeable future, Russian rockets will be the only way for U.S. astronauts to get to space. Mike Fincke, an Endeavour mission specialist, has spent a year in space but is flying on a shuttle for the first time.
"I think all of us with all the changes that going on with our country's space program and NASA, all of us professional astronauts are looking into our hearts to see what we're gonna do next," Fincke said. "I really want to stay. I want to stay here at NASA. I believe in what we are doing." (4/27)
New Stamp honors First U.S. Astronaut in Space (Source: Washington Post)
The U.S. Postal Service’s recent stamp rollout continues today with two new stamps honoring America’s space program. Postal and NASA officials will unveil images honoring former astronaut Alan Shepard, who piloted the first U.S. manned space flight on May 5, 1961. Another image commemorates the Messenger unmanned spacecraft currently orbiting the planet Mercury. The formal dedication of the stamps will occur May 4 at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (4/27)
50-Acre Brush Fire Burns 3 Miles From Endeavour Launch Pad (Source: CNN)
A 50-acre brush fire burned Wednesday about three miles from a launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center, but the fire posed no danger to the countdown for Friday's launch of the space shuttle Endeavour, NASA said. The fire was being fought by the fire department of the Merritt Island National Refuge on space center property. (4/27)
NASA Langley to Test New Docking System (Source: Daily Press)
If it works on the Ford Escape, why not a spaceship? That's the theory behind NASA's newest gadget, which engineers say may eventually lead to hands-free parking at the International Space Station and other destinations. The gadget is called STORRM, which stands for Sensor Test for Orion Relative Navigation Risk Mitigation. Essentially, it is a high-powered laser and camera that provides real-time, three-dimensional images as a spacecraft approaches its destination. It will be tested in space for the first time on the shuttle Endeavour. (4/27)
Astronaut Flew on Atlantis 2 Years After Parkinson's Diagnosis (Source: KHOU)
It’s been 15 years since astronaut Rich Clifford boarded the shuttle Atlantis with a secret – a secret he’s now willing to share. Clifford had a problem with his shoulder, but the doctors had missed it. More than once, in fact. So finally, in 1994, he got an answer that would change his life. "I asked him to look at my shoulder because my right arm wasn’t swinging naturally," Clifford recalled.
First thing the next morning, Clifford and his flight surgeon arrived at the Texas Medical Center to see Dr. Joseph Jankovic. "It was the standard neurological stuff. You tap your toes, and you touch your nose. And he said it all looked pretty normal. Then he said, ‘I want you to walk down the hall for me,’" Clifford said of his first meeting with Jankovic. A walk down the hall was all it took to diagnose a progressive degenerative disease for which there is no known cure. Clifford had Parkinson’s.
What surprised Clifford then was how the doctors – including Jankovic – regarded his diagnosis as good news. "He said, ‘I know you’ve got Parkinson’s, but I’ve got to prove to NASA that it’s not something else. Something worse, like ALS or MS,’" Clifford recalled. By the time an astronaut is ready to fly, NASA has invested anywhere from $10 million to $20 million in each crew member. They’ve already been pilots in the military, been to test pilot school, gotten a master’s in engineering and have been at NASA for 10 years. (4/27)
Final Poker Flat Rocket Launch of the Season Set (Source: Fairbanks News Miner)
The last launch of the season was scheduled for midnight on April 26 at Poker Flat Research Range, if skies are clear and the weather is good. A Terrier Black Brant will be launched so NASA scientists can study the rocket's performance in the upper atmosphere and test recovery aids packed into the rocket's 22.5-foot payload. The rocket is expected to reach a peak altitude of 183 vertical miles. Chuck Brodell, from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility, says this rocket launch provides NASA an opportunity to learn what recovery mechanisms, such as strobe lights and streamers, work best in the Alaska terrain. (4/27)
Space Coast Loses Federal Job-Development Grants (Source: Florida Today)
A $40 million plan to help Space Coast workers find jobs after the shuttle program retires has become a casualty of recent congressional spending cuts. The plan depended on congressional approval of President Obama's plan to expand NASA's budget. Instead, Congress cut the agency's budget. Obama had proposed $35 million in Commerce Department grants to spur creation of high-paying jobs in fields such as aeronautics and medical research, to replace some of the thousands of lost shuttle jobs.
Commerce officials had reviewed grant applications and were prepared to act on them months ago. Obama also proposed giving the FAA $5 million to develop a commercial spaceflight "Tech Center" at Kennedy Space Center, another source of regional jobs. Meanwhile, Obama has proposed spending $850 million in FY-2012 to develop private rockets, but that amount remains contentious in Congress. Obama also proposed spending $550 million in fiscal 2012 to fully fund the retirement program for 10,000 past and present shuttle workers, and $5 million for the FAA tech center.
Editor's Note: In addition to the $35 million for Florida grant projects, President Obama last year requested $60 million for similar assistance to other states affected by the Space Shuttle's retirement. It seems this money is gone too. (4/27)
Obama, Air Force One Will Arrive At Spaceport's "Skid Strip" (Source: Florida Today)
President Barack Obama will fly in Air Force One to the Skid Strip at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, tour an Orbiter Processing Facility and view the 25th and final flight of shuttle Endeavour Friday at Kennedy Space Center. The First Lady, Michelle Obama, and their two daughters, Sasha and Malia, will attend the penultimate shuttle launch. The arrival time of Air Force One: 2:10 p.m. The Obama Family will depart the Skid Strip at 4:40 p.m. President Obama is delivering the commencement address at Miami Dade College early Friday evening. (4/27)
Russian Cargo Spacecraft Takes Off for ISS (Source: Xinhua)
A Russian cargo spaceship was launched into space Wednesday from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The launch was this year's second Russian resupply Progress M-10M spacecraft to the Space Station, which delivers about 2.6 tons of cargo. Besides water, food, fuel and oxygen, the vessel also brought drosophilas and plant seeds for scientific experiments. The cargo ship is scheduled to dock automatically with the ISS on April 29. (4/27)
Russia, Sweden to Boost Space Cooperation (Source: RIA Novosti)
Russia and Sweden agreed on Wednesday to improve cooperation in the space industry, including their intention to launch Swedish satellites using Russian carrier rockets. The two countries signed a relevant declaration during Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's visit to Stockholm. The sides also agreed to jointly use ground facilities to gather information for operating their own orbital objects and those of third countries.
Sweden and Russia will also cooperate within a Russian space research project to monitor the Earth's polar regions. The project envisions using a new satellite cluster, called Arktika, to provide environmental monitoring data for accurate weather forecasts and to aid national socio-economic development. The system is scheduled to begin operating in 2015. The cost of the project is estimated at 30 billion rubles ($1.23 billion). (4/27)
NASA Explorer Schools Symposium Showcases Student Research (Source: NASA)
Students from across the nation will gather at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida May 4-7 for the NASA Explorer Schools symposium. Future leaders in science, technology, education and math, or STEM, will present their work to NASA scientists, engineers, fellow students and educators.
The competitively selected group of fourth through 12th-graders consists of 58 students and 29 educators. The various research projects were designed to improve teaching and bolster interest in STEM disciplines. The students were required to complete an original investigation focused on existing NASA missions or research interests. Participants presented their work to experts at virtual regional symposia held January through March at NASA centers using the agency's Digital Learning Network. (4/27)
Boulder, Huntsville are "Final Two" in National Solar Observatory Competition (Source: NSO)
The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA Inc.) has elected to pursue advanced negotiations with the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Alabama in Huntsville for selection of a new home to host the National Solar Observatory (NSO). NSO is operated by AURA under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation for the benefit of the astronomical community.
NSO comprises offices and observatories in Sunspot, Sacramento Peak, NM; Tucson and Kitt Peak, AZ; and a global network. NSO has started building a 4-meter Advanced Technology Solar Telescope to go on Haleakala, Maui, HI, and is merging two existing facilities into a new worldwide Synoptic Observing Network. Seven organizations from Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Montana, and New Mexico responded to the opportunity. (4/27)
Simberg: NASA Over a Russian Barrel (Source: Washington Examiner)
Russians are trying to maintain their monopoly on providing lifeboats and (after we retire the Shuttle later this year) crew transportation for the International Space Station. SpaceX could compete with them, starting later this year, at least for provisioning cargo, once they demonstrate that their Dragon capsule can rendezvous and dock with the station.
With the addition of a life-support system (currently under development), SpaceX could take over lifeboat duties, with a system that can return seven instead of three (as the Russian Soyuz does), potentially allowing an increase in station crew size. That could be done in as little as a year. With the addition of a launch abort system (also under development), they could offer rides to orbit for $20 million a seat, instead of the $63 million that the Russians now charge, knowing that they will have a monopoly with the upcoming end of the Shuttle program. Click here. (4/27)
Russia to Build Aerospace Defense Shield (Source: Voice of Russia)
Russia will build a national aerospace defense shield by the end of 2011, Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security Viktor Ozerov said. He believes that a combined aerospace defense force will cooperate more effectively with NATO’s European anti-missile defense system.
Last year, President Medvedev approved a plan to merge the Space Forces created in 2001, the Air Defense Forces and also the missile attack warning and space surveillance systems into a single military force. (4/27)
Rocket Escape Systems Go From Tractors to Pushers (Source: New Scientist)
Looks like its time to say goodbye to the traditional "pointy bit" we're used to seeing on US space rockets. The wunderkind space flight outfit SpaceX is following Boeing's lead by developing a launch escape system (LAS) for its forthcoming human-rated rockets that does not require a clunky booster tower to be mounted on top of the crew capsule.
Rockets like Russia's Soyuz, China's Shenzhou and NASA's Saturn V have large rocket motors on top of the capsule. If any rocket stages below the crew exploded on the launch pad, four solid rockets in the tower would loft the capsule well clear of the mayhem and allow it to parachute to the ground a safe distance away. But the tower's weight slows the launch and, if it's not needed, dumps a perfectly good set of rocket motors in the ocean. So it's a big waste of resources. And there are better ways to do it in any case, say US experts. Click here. (4/27)
Penn State Alumni Astronauts Not Pleased with Space Policy (Source: PennLive)
Three Penn State alumni astronauts are not all pleased with how the transition away from the shuttle is being handled. Originally, NASA had a plan for a new vehicle system that would be ready to replace the shuttles. Then, missions changed and budgets were cut. Now, it might be five years before the United States can put a person in orbit without renting space on a Russian rocket.
“I think that’s shameful,” Pawelczyk said. “I think that’s a violation of our national policy.” Our nation’s reputation for scientific exploration will get seriously damaged as Russia and China continue sending rockets up, Weitz said. The lack of a defined goal — Mars, the moon, an asteroid, a fixed point in space — makes it harder for the public to get behind the space program, Pawelczyk said.
Editor's Note: The Shuttle retirement plan put forward by President Bush included a multi-year gap and reliance on the Russians. (4/27)
Space Adventures and Virgin Galactic Make Waves in Munich (Source: NewSpace Journal)
On Sunday afternoon Eric Anderson of Space Adventures, and George Whitesides of Virgin Galactic appeared on a panel in Munich. The panel’s moderator, Spencer Reiss of Wired, introduced Anderson as the person would sell you a ticket for a trip around the Moon, “and there’s only one ticket left, and it’s $150 million.” When Space Adventures announced its circumlunar flight plans in 2005, they said they would sell two seats for $100 million each.
Anderson indicated a short time later that the price apparently had gone up, but, “we have sold one of those.” Reiss asked Anderson who the purchaser was, but Anderson didn’t give a name: “When we tell you, you’ll know who it is. You’ll recognize the name.” Anderson said “we’ve got people we’re finalizing with right now” for the second seat on the flight, which he said would take place around 2015. (4/26)
Marco Rubio: Manned Spaceflight Vital to U.S. Interests (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
Thirty years ago, the United States launched the first space shuttle mission from Kennedy Space Center. It marked a new era of American leadership in space and showed that Americans would be committed to being first in space and on the cutting edge of scientific progress to improve our lives.
This week, President Obama will attend the launch of the Space Shuttle Endeavour's last mission. While it is an opportunity to celebrate Endeavour's history and the brave people who have made it a proud one, it is also a bittersweet occasion. The president's space policy is jeopardizing America's longstanding commitment to manned space exploration. This has serious consequences for Florida.
The Constellation program's cancellation will close off what has been our most reliable path to low-earth orbit, endanger thousands of jobs and force us to rely on the Russian Soyuz vehicle to continue our work on the International Space Station. Although America once led the way to the moon, we now face the unacceptable prospect of limited options to simply get a human into space. (4/26)
Thirty Schools Will Close Early on Shuttle Launch Day (Source: Florida Today)
Thirty schools will close early Friday in anticipation of traffic snarls expected with Endeavor's last shuttle launch – a first for the Space Coast's public school district. Brevard Public Schools officials announced the decision Tuesday at the urging of Titusville Police and the Emergency Operations Center. "We've never done this before for a shuttle launch," District Spokeswoman Christine Davis said. "They’ve never pressed us to close schools before." (4/26)
Building new hotels, restaurants, homes and stores in the middle of the Jornada del Muerto, an iconic New Mexico desert. It might sound like a reach to some, but Virgin Galactic says there are lots of opportunities for developers to cash in on the creation of a shimmering space city around New Mexico’s Spaceport America in the Jornada east of Truth or Consequences.
Addressing the New Mexico Commercial Real Estate Development Association, NAIOP, Virgin Galactic Vice President Will Pomeranz said each space tourist who comes here will bring an entourage that will need a complete spectrum of travel and tourist destination services. (4/27)
Can Canada Afford the Final Frontier? (Source: Canada.com)
Here’s a question for you: how many Canadian astronauts can you name? Marc Garneau and Roberta Bondar, yes. Chris Hadfield would make the list too, since he’s about to command the International Space Station in a couple of years. If you’re from Quebec, you’ll probably add Julie Payette. But is that all of them?
Well, if you go to the Canadian Space Agency’s Astronauts page, you’ll see biographies of 11 Canadian astronauts. However, bear in mind that most – Cdr. Garneau and Dr. Bondar included – were selected in 1983, 28 years ago. Col. Hadfield was selected in 1992. As things stand right now, only three Canadians – Col. Hadfield, Ms. Payette and Dr. Robert Thirsk – are active and qualified for space flight, though two more astronauts recruited in 2009 are now in training.
The cost for these five people? About $6.3 million. This is the amount reported by the Canadian Space Agency, in its planning and priorities report for 2010-11, for “human space flight mission – operations.” It’s meant to cover not just salaries, but training, medical support and maintenance, skills plan development (i.e. working out how to teach the skills the astronauts need in a standardized, effective process), and so on. (4/27)
Huntsville Shuttle Team Nearing the End of Long Journey (Source: Huntsville Times)
They've known the end of NASA's space shuttle program was coming this summer, but knowing it and feeling it are different things. "I had to go down to Florida (last) week for a flight readiness review, and driving off the center it hit me," said Johnny Heflin of Huntsville, leader of the design engineering team in the Space Shuttle Main Engine Project Office.
"You know, I'll get to do this a few more times, and then I'll have KSC in the rear-view mirror as I'm leaving," Heflin said last week. "And I don't know if I'll get to go back and see those guys again and be part of another launch." Heflin is one of about 1,500 people working on the shuttle at Huntsville's Marshall Space Flight Center. Not all of them are in Florida for Friday's liftoff of America's next-to-last shuttle mission. (4/27)
U.S. Astronauts Not Sure Where They Go Next (Source: CNN)
As the space shuttle program winds down with the last launch scheduled this summer, many in the astronaut corps are wrestling with what to do next. For the foreseeable future, Russian rockets will be the only way for U.S. astronauts to get to space. Mike Fincke, an Endeavour mission specialist, has spent a year in space but is flying on a shuttle for the first time.
"I think all of us with all the changes that going on with our country's space program and NASA, all of us professional astronauts are looking into our hearts to see what we're gonna do next," Fincke said. "I really want to stay. I want to stay here at NASA. I believe in what we are doing." (4/27)
New Stamp honors First U.S. Astronaut in Space (Source: Washington Post)
The U.S. Postal Service’s recent stamp rollout continues today with two new stamps honoring America’s space program. Postal and NASA officials will unveil images honoring former astronaut Alan Shepard, who piloted the first U.S. manned space flight on May 5, 1961. Another image commemorates the Messenger unmanned spacecraft currently orbiting the planet Mercury. The formal dedication of the stamps will occur May 4 at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (4/27)
50-Acre Brush Fire Burns 3 Miles From Endeavour Launch Pad (Source: CNN)
A 50-acre brush fire burned Wednesday about three miles from a launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center, but the fire posed no danger to the countdown for Friday's launch of the space shuttle Endeavour, NASA said. The fire was being fought by the fire department of the Merritt Island National Refuge on space center property. (4/27)
NASA Langley to Test New Docking System (Source: Daily Press)
If it works on the Ford Escape, why not a spaceship? That's the theory behind NASA's newest gadget, which engineers say may eventually lead to hands-free parking at the International Space Station and other destinations. The gadget is called STORRM, which stands for Sensor Test for Orion Relative Navigation Risk Mitigation. Essentially, it is a high-powered laser and camera that provides real-time, three-dimensional images as a spacecraft approaches its destination. It will be tested in space for the first time on the shuttle Endeavour. (4/27)
Astronaut Flew on Atlantis 2 Years After Parkinson's Diagnosis (Source: KHOU)
It’s been 15 years since astronaut Rich Clifford boarded the shuttle Atlantis with a secret – a secret he’s now willing to share. Clifford had a problem with his shoulder, but the doctors had missed it. More than once, in fact. So finally, in 1994, he got an answer that would change his life. "I asked him to look at my shoulder because my right arm wasn’t swinging naturally," Clifford recalled.
First thing the next morning, Clifford and his flight surgeon arrived at the Texas Medical Center to see Dr. Joseph Jankovic. "It was the standard neurological stuff. You tap your toes, and you touch your nose. And he said it all looked pretty normal. Then he said, ‘I want you to walk down the hall for me,’" Clifford said of his first meeting with Jankovic. A walk down the hall was all it took to diagnose a progressive degenerative disease for which there is no known cure. Clifford had Parkinson’s.
What surprised Clifford then was how the doctors – including Jankovic – regarded his diagnosis as good news. "He said, ‘I know you’ve got Parkinson’s, but I’ve got to prove to NASA that it’s not something else. Something worse, like ALS or MS,’" Clifford recalled. By the time an astronaut is ready to fly, NASA has invested anywhere from $10 million to $20 million in each crew member. They’ve already been pilots in the military, been to test pilot school, gotten a master’s in engineering and have been at NASA for 10 years. (4/27)
Final Poker Flat Rocket Launch of the Season Set (Source: Fairbanks News Miner)
The last launch of the season was scheduled for midnight on April 26 at Poker Flat Research Range, if skies are clear and the weather is good. A Terrier Black Brant will be launched so NASA scientists can study the rocket's performance in the upper atmosphere and test recovery aids packed into the rocket's 22.5-foot payload. The rocket is expected to reach a peak altitude of 183 vertical miles. Chuck Brodell, from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility, says this rocket launch provides NASA an opportunity to learn what recovery mechanisms, such as strobe lights and streamers, work best in the Alaska terrain. (4/27)
Space Coast Loses Federal Job-Development Grants (Source: Florida Today)
A $40 million plan to help Space Coast workers find jobs after the shuttle program retires has become a casualty of recent congressional spending cuts. The plan depended on congressional approval of President Obama's plan to expand NASA's budget. Instead, Congress cut the agency's budget. Obama had proposed $35 million in Commerce Department grants to spur creation of high-paying jobs in fields such as aeronautics and medical research, to replace some of the thousands of lost shuttle jobs.
Commerce officials had reviewed grant applications and were prepared to act on them months ago. Obama also proposed giving the FAA $5 million to develop a commercial spaceflight "Tech Center" at Kennedy Space Center, another source of regional jobs. Meanwhile, Obama has proposed spending $850 million in FY-2012 to develop private rockets, but that amount remains contentious in Congress. Obama also proposed spending $550 million in fiscal 2012 to fully fund the retirement program for 10,000 past and present shuttle workers, and $5 million for the FAA tech center.
Editor's Note: In addition to the $35 million for Florida grant projects, President Obama last year requested $60 million for similar assistance to other states affected by the Space Shuttle's retirement. It seems this money is gone too. (4/27)
Obama, Air Force One Will Arrive At Spaceport's "Skid Strip" (Source: Florida Today)
President Barack Obama will fly in Air Force One to the Skid Strip at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, tour an Orbiter Processing Facility and view the 25th and final flight of shuttle Endeavour Friday at Kennedy Space Center. The First Lady, Michelle Obama, and their two daughters, Sasha and Malia, will attend the penultimate shuttle launch. The arrival time of Air Force One: 2:10 p.m. The Obama Family will depart the Skid Strip at 4:40 p.m. President Obama is delivering the commencement address at Miami Dade College early Friday evening. (4/27)
Russian Cargo Spacecraft Takes Off for ISS (Source: Xinhua)
A Russian cargo spaceship was launched into space Wednesday from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The launch was this year's second Russian resupply Progress M-10M spacecraft to the Space Station, which delivers about 2.6 tons of cargo. Besides water, food, fuel and oxygen, the vessel also brought drosophilas and plant seeds for scientific experiments. The cargo ship is scheduled to dock automatically with the ISS on April 29. (4/27)
Russia, Sweden to Boost Space Cooperation (Source: RIA Novosti)
Russia and Sweden agreed on Wednesday to improve cooperation in the space industry, including their intention to launch Swedish satellites using Russian carrier rockets. The two countries signed a relevant declaration during Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's visit to Stockholm. The sides also agreed to jointly use ground facilities to gather information for operating their own orbital objects and those of third countries.
Sweden and Russia will also cooperate within a Russian space research project to monitor the Earth's polar regions. The project envisions using a new satellite cluster, called Arktika, to provide environmental monitoring data for accurate weather forecasts and to aid national socio-economic development. The system is scheduled to begin operating in 2015. The cost of the project is estimated at 30 billion rubles ($1.23 billion). (4/27)
NASA Explorer Schools Symposium Showcases Student Research (Source: NASA)
Students from across the nation will gather at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida May 4-7 for the NASA Explorer Schools symposium. Future leaders in science, technology, education and math, or STEM, will present their work to NASA scientists, engineers, fellow students and educators.
The competitively selected group of fourth through 12th-graders consists of 58 students and 29 educators. The various research projects were designed to improve teaching and bolster interest in STEM disciplines. The students were required to complete an original investigation focused on existing NASA missions or research interests. Participants presented their work to experts at virtual regional symposia held January through March at NASA centers using the agency's Digital Learning Network. (4/27)
Boulder, Huntsville are "Final Two" in National Solar Observatory Competition (Source: NSO)
The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA Inc.) has elected to pursue advanced negotiations with the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Alabama in Huntsville for selection of a new home to host the National Solar Observatory (NSO). NSO is operated by AURA under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation for the benefit of the astronomical community.
NSO comprises offices and observatories in Sunspot, Sacramento Peak, NM; Tucson and Kitt Peak, AZ; and a global network. NSO has started building a 4-meter Advanced Technology Solar Telescope to go on Haleakala, Maui, HI, and is merging two existing facilities into a new worldwide Synoptic Observing Network. Seven organizations from Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Montana, and New Mexico responded to the opportunity. (4/27)
Simberg: NASA Over a Russian Barrel (Source: Washington Examiner)
Russians are trying to maintain their monopoly on providing lifeboats and (after we retire the Shuttle later this year) crew transportation for the International Space Station. SpaceX could compete with them, starting later this year, at least for provisioning cargo, once they demonstrate that their Dragon capsule can rendezvous and dock with the station.
With the addition of a life-support system (currently under development), SpaceX could take over lifeboat duties, with a system that can return seven instead of three (as the Russian Soyuz does), potentially allowing an increase in station crew size. That could be done in as little as a year. With the addition of a launch abort system (also under development), they could offer rides to orbit for $20 million a seat, instead of the $63 million that the Russians now charge, knowing that they will have a monopoly with the upcoming end of the Shuttle program. Click here. (4/27)
Russia to Build Aerospace Defense Shield (Source: Voice of Russia)
Russia will build a national aerospace defense shield by the end of 2011, Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security Viktor Ozerov said. He believes that a combined aerospace defense force will cooperate more effectively with NATO’s European anti-missile defense system.
Last year, President Medvedev approved a plan to merge the Space Forces created in 2001, the Air Defense Forces and also the missile attack warning and space surveillance systems into a single military force. (4/27)
Rocket Escape Systems Go From Tractors to Pushers (Source: New Scientist)
Looks like its time to say goodbye to the traditional "pointy bit" we're used to seeing on US space rockets. The wunderkind space flight outfit SpaceX is following Boeing's lead by developing a launch escape system (LAS) for its forthcoming human-rated rockets that does not require a clunky booster tower to be mounted on top of the crew capsule.
Rockets like Russia's Soyuz, China's Shenzhou and NASA's Saturn V have large rocket motors on top of the capsule. If any rocket stages below the crew exploded on the launch pad, four solid rockets in the tower would loft the capsule well clear of the mayhem and allow it to parachute to the ground a safe distance away. But the tower's weight slows the launch and, if it's not needed, dumps a perfectly good set of rocket motors in the ocean. So it's a big waste of resources. And there are better ways to do it in any case, say US experts. Click here. (4/27)
Penn State Alumni Astronauts Not Pleased with Space Policy (Source: PennLive)
Three Penn State alumni astronauts are not all pleased with how the transition away from the shuttle is being handled. Originally, NASA had a plan for a new vehicle system that would be ready to replace the shuttles. Then, missions changed and budgets were cut. Now, it might be five years before the United States can put a person in orbit without renting space on a Russian rocket.
“I think that’s shameful,” Pawelczyk said. “I think that’s a violation of our national policy.” Our nation’s reputation for scientific exploration will get seriously damaged as Russia and China continue sending rockets up, Weitz said. The lack of a defined goal — Mars, the moon, an asteroid, a fixed point in space — makes it harder for the public to get behind the space program, Pawelczyk said.
Editor's Note: The Shuttle retirement plan put forward by President Bush included a multi-year gap and reliance on the Russians. (4/27)
Space Adventures and Virgin Galactic Make Waves in Munich (Source: NewSpace Journal)
On Sunday afternoon Eric Anderson of Space Adventures, and George Whitesides of Virgin Galactic appeared on a panel in Munich. The panel’s moderator, Spencer Reiss of Wired, introduced Anderson as the person would sell you a ticket for a trip around the Moon, “and there’s only one ticket left, and it’s $150 million.” When Space Adventures announced its circumlunar flight plans in 2005, they said they would sell two seats for $100 million each.
Anderson indicated a short time later that the price apparently had gone up, but, “we have sold one of those.” Reiss asked Anderson who the purchaser was, but Anderson didn’t give a name: “When we tell you, you’ll know who it is. You’ll recognize the name.” Anderson said “we’ve got people we’re finalizing with right now” for the second seat on the flight, which he said would take place around 2015. (4/26)
Marco Rubio: Manned Spaceflight Vital to U.S. Interests (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
Thirty years ago, the United States launched the first space shuttle mission from Kennedy Space Center. It marked a new era of American leadership in space and showed that Americans would be committed to being first in space and on the cutting edge of scientific progress to improve our lives.
This week, President Obama will attend the launch of the Space Shuttle Endeavour's last mission. While it is an opportunity to celebrate Endeavour's history and the brave people who have made it a proud one, it is also a bittersweet occasion. The president's space policy is jeopardizing America's longstanding commitment to manned space exploration. This has serious consequences for Florida.
The Constellation program's cancellation will close off what has been our most reliable path to low-earth orbit, endanger thousands of jobs and force us to rely on the Russian Soyuz vehicle to continue our work on the International Space Station. Although America once led the way to the moon, we now face the unacceptable prospect of limited options to simply get a human into space. (4/26)
Thirty Schools Will Close Early on Shuttle Launch Day (Source: Florida Today)
Thirty schools will close early Friday in anticipation of traffic snarls expected with Endeavor's last shuttle launch – a first for the Space Coast's public school district. Brevard Public Schools officials announced the decision Tuesday at the urging of Titusville Police and the Emergency Operations Center. "We've never done this before for a shuttle launch," District Spokeswoman Christine Davis said. "They’ve never pressed us to close schools before." (4/26)
April 26, 2011
Tallahassee Space Update (Source: Space Florida)
The 2011 Florida Legislative Session is scheduled to end on May 6, and Space Florida is working closely with other stakeholders to complete legislative action on multiple space-related issues. The state space agency's budget allocation remains in flux, with $10.04 offered by the Senate and only $7.84 by the House. The flagship "Space Business Incentives Act" appears destined for passage, but with a reduction (to $20 million) in the incentives available.
Making good progress is a proposed update to the process by which transportation funding would be available for spaceports in the state. Rather than applying airport definitions to spaceports, this would allow FDOT to use a federal spaceport definition to identify the types of infrastructure that would be eligible for FDOT funding. The measure could also remove a 50/50 match requirement for accessing up to $16 million in FDOT funding for spaceport infrastructure.
A "Jobs and Tuition Tax Credit" measure is making questionable progress and would provide $2 million in recurring tax credits. Meanwhile, versions of the legislative package aimed at restructuring the state's economic development agencies are substantially different between the House and Senate. Space Florida favors the House version that protects the agency's autonomy. (4/26)
Florida Spaceflight Liability Bill Making Progress in Tallahassee (Source: Space Florida)
A bill moving through the Florida Legislature would remove a 2018 sunset provision for Florida's existing spaceflight "informed consent" law. The law limits the liability exposure of commercial spaceflight companies that would carry human passengers and crew from Florida spaceports. The bill now under consideration would also extend the liability protection to spaceflight subcontractors. (4/26)
Florida Educational Experiments Flying on Endeavour (Source: FSGC)
The Florida Space Grant Consortium is sponsoring two student-led payloads that will be launching on space shuttle Endeavour’s final mission, STS-134. Under the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP), Crystal Lake Middle School's Apples in Space project compare the growth of a planted apple seed germinated in space to that of one germinated here on earth. The other experiment is from Maitland Middle School and will test the effect of microgravity on the ability of ethanol to kill E.Coli bacteria. Click here for details. (4/26)
Alabama Rep: NASA Has No Friend in White House (Source: Space Politics)
Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) complained about a lack of support for NASA from the White House. “I am afraid that NASA does not have a friend in the White House,” he said when asked whether NASA will push to have the new Space Launch System (SLS) heavy-lifter in service by 2016.
Brooks added that Bolden “did nothing to fight a $300 million budget cut to the space agency.” What budget cut he’s referring to isn’t clear: the final FY11 continuing resolution (which Brooks voted for earlier this month) funded NASA at about $240 million below FY10 levels, and more than $500 million below the FY11 request. (4/26)
Weather Day Before Launch Could Delay Liftoff (Source: WFTV)
KSC officials announced that the shuttle Endeavour has an 80 percent chance for a go on Friday. They are concerned, however, about the weather on Thursday. At approximately 7:00pm Thursday, the launch team is planning to roll the rotating service structure back away from Endeavour. The gray service structure shields the shuttle from the elements and allows workers access to the orbiter and its payload bay.
Workers can't perform the task if there is lightning or heavy rain, which is forecast for Thursday. NASA said the rules are in place to protect the shuttle and the people out at the pad. However, they do have some contingency time in the launch countdown to make up for a few hours if there is lightning on Thursday and they can't roll the service structure back. But they can't fuel the shuttle until the service structure is moved back and the pad is cleared. (4/26)
Funding Manned Space Exploration is Not Rocket Science (Source: Big Think)
After the space shuttle Endeavour lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center this week, there will only be one more space shuttle mission left before the era of NASA's manned space exploration comes to a close. Yes, nearly 50 years to the day that President John F. Kennedy called for a brave new era of space exploration, and 30 years after the launch of the space shuttle program, the U.S. is turning over the future of space exploration to the private sector.
By the end of 2011, NASA will no longer own, operate or develop its own spacecraft. In fact, until commercial space exploration takes off, the U.S. will pay as much as $50 million to the Russians each time we fly our astronauts to the International Space Station. So who lost this Sputnik Moment? The problem is, it’s probably not anyone’s fault. Take a look at the burgeoning U.S. deficit – there’s your culprit. It takes bucks to be Buck Rogers.
The all-out privatization of the space exploration program is simply the latest sign that the U.S. government no longer has the budgetary wherewithal to fund "non-core" programs (Beltway speak) -- like manned space travel. At a time when tax cuts pile up for the wealthy and billions of dollars are siphoned off to pay for healthcare and other government benefits, there’s just no longer room in the federal budget for space travel. (4/26)
Want to Travel to Space? It'll Cost You (Source: El Paso Times)
Space travel will soon be within the reach of ordinary people, provided that they have extraordinary bank accounts. A two-hour flight from New Mexico's Spaceport America will cost $200,000 per traveler. Test flights are still being conducted, and the first suborbital launch with passengers may not occur until 2013, said Will Pomerantz, a vice president of the company. But Virgin Galactic sees a ready market for high-dollar commercial space travel, Pomerantz said. About 400 people already have made deposits for flights. (4/26)
Search for Alien Life Put on Hold (Source: CNN)
Interstellar radio has lost one of its most avid and high-profile listeners. A collection of sophisticated radio telescopes in California that scan the heavens for extraterrestrial signals has suspended operations because of lack of funding.
The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute operates the Allen Telescope Array, the field of dish-like scopes some 300 miles north of San Francisco. The telescopes are a joint effort of SETI and University of California-Berkeley's Radio Astronomy Lab and have been funded largely by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, who donated more than $25 million to the project.
A state budget crisis and reduced federal dollars have choked the project of funding, said Karen Randall, SETI's director of special projects. SETI put the Allen Telescope Array on hold a week ago -- a situation publicly revealed by Franck Marchis, a principal investigator for SETI who doesn't work on the affected project, on his blog. (4/25)
Giffords Attending Space Launch to Aid Recovery, Doctors Say (Source: Arizona Republic)
Doctors announced Monday that Rep. Gabrielle Giffords is not only "medically able" to attend the Friday launch of the space shuttle Endeavour but that traveling to Florida would be an essential step in her recovery. The family has used the launch as a goal in the congresswoman's recovery from being shot in the head at point-blank range at a town-hall event outside Tucson on Jan. 8.
"Obviously, this is something very important for her. This is something important for her family. It's important for her staff," said C.J. Karamargin, spokesman for Giffords' office. "It represents another significant milestone in her recovery." (4/26)
Missing Matter: Where Did Half the Universe Go? (Source: New Scientist)
Forget dark matter – a vast amount of normal matter visible in ancient gas clouds has gone AWOL. Now astronomers are finding clues to where it's hiding. When Isabelle Grenier surveys our galaxy, she sees things that aren't there. Atoms, specifically. Atoms that are present when she looks into deep space, to regions seen as they were just a billion or so years after the big bang.
They should still be in our cosmic neighborhood today. Except they aren't. "We lose them," says Grenier. "We see all this atomic matter in the past, but not around us now." Forget dark matter, dark energy or any other hypothetical substance postulated to plug gaping holes in the fabric of the universe. Here is a tangible scandal of cosmic bookkeeping right on our doorstep.
When we tot up all the everyday atoms in our galaxy - the sort that make up its stars, planets and people - about half of what we expect to see is missing. Grenier and others have started to see some of the missing matter: hidden pockets of extremely cold matter all but invisible to conventional telescopes. Problem solved? Not a bit of it. The new entries in the cosmic ledger leave us a long way from balancing the books, and are raising questions of their own. (4/26)
Astronauts' Families Arrive for Launch (Source: Florida Today)
With television cameras trained on them and journalists waiting by the side of the runway, the Endeavour crew is expected to fly their T-38 jets into Kennedy Space Center today to prepare for Friday's launch. Also arriving this week -- but largely without fanfare or publicity -- are the wives and children of the crew.
Endeavour's six-man crew are all husbands and fathers. Between them, they have about a dozen children ranging from school-age to adults. Other than shuttle Commander Mark Kelly's wife, U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was given the go-ahead by her doctors to attend the launch, none is a household name, and so can quietly slip into town, courtesy of a NASA plane. (4/26)
Countdown Begins for China's Space Station Program (Source: China Daily)
Authorities in charge of the manned space program unveiled plans on Monday to build a 60-ton space station, made up of three capsules, and develop a cargo spaceship to transport supplies. The China Manned Space Engineering Office said at a news conference that it also wants the public to get involved by suggesting names for the space station, due to completed around 2020.
According to documents provided by the office, the space station, weighing about 60 tons, is composed of a core module and two others where experiments will be conducted. A cargo spaceship to transport supplies will also be developed. Click here to see the article and an artist's rendering of the station. (4/26)
The 2011 Florida Legislative Session is scheduled to end on May 6, and Space Florida is working closely with other stakeholders to complete legislative action on multiple space-related issues. The state space agency's budget allocation remains in flux, with $10.04 offered by the Senate and only $7.84 by the House. The flagship "Space Business Incentives Act" appears destined for passage, but with a reduction (to $20 million) in the incentives available.
Making good progress is a proposed update to the process by which transportation funding would be available for spaceports in the state. Rather than applying airport definitions to spaceports, this would allow FDOT to use a federal spaceport definition to identify the types of infrastructure that would be eligible for FDOT funding. The measure could also remove a 50/50 match requirement for accessing up to $16 million in FDOT funding for spaceport infrastructure.
A "Jobs and Tuition Tax Credit" measure is making questionable progress and would provide $2 million in recurring tax credits. Meanwhile, versions of the legislative package aimed at restructuring the state's economic development agencies are substantially different between the House and Senate. Space Florida favors the House version that protects the agency's autonomy. (4/26)
Florida Spaceflight Liability Bill Making Progress in Tallahassee (Source: Space Florida)
A bill moving through the Florida Legislature would remove a 2018 sunset provision for Florida's existing spaceflight "informed consent" law. The law limits the liability exposure of commercial spaceflight companies that would carry human passengers and crew from Florida spaceports. The bill now under consideration would also extend the liability protection to spaceflight subcontractors. (4/26)
Florida Educational Experiments Flying on Endeavour (Source: FSGC)
The Florida Space Grant Consortium is sponsoring two student-led payloads that will be launching on space shuttle Endeavour’s final mission, STS-134. Under the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP), Crystal Lake Middle School's Apples in Space project compare the growth of a planted apple seed germinated in space to that of one germinated here on earth. The other experiment is from Maitland Middle School and will test the effect of microgravity on the ability of ethanol to kill E.Coli bacteria. Click here for details. (4/26)
Alabama Rep: NASA Has No Friend in White House (Source: Space Politics)
Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) complained about a lack of support for NASA from the White House. “I am afraid that NASA does not have a friend in the White House,” he said when asked whether NASA will push to have the new Space Launch System (SLS) heavy-lifter in service by 2016.
Brooks added that Bolden “did nothing to fight a $300 million budget cut to the space agency.” What budget cut he’s referring to isn’t clear: the final FY11 continuing resolution (which Brooks voted for earlier this month) funded NASA at about $240 million below FY10 levels, and more than $500 million below the FY11 request. (4/26)
Weather Day Before Launch Could Delay Liftoff (Source: WFTV)
KSC officials announced that the shuttle Endeavour has an 80 percent chance for a go on Friday. They are concerned, however, about the weather on Thursday. At approximately 7:00pm Thursday, the launch team is planning to roll the rotating service structure back away from Endeavour. The gray service structure shields the shuttle from the elements and allows workers access to the orbiter and its payload bay.
Workers can't perform the task if there is lightning or heavy rain, which is forecast for Thursday. NASA said the rules are in place to protect the shuttle and the people out at the pad. However, they do have some contingency time in the launch countdown to make up for a few hours if there is lightning on Thursday and they can't roll the service structure back. But they can't fuel the shuttle until the service structure is moved back and the pad is cleared. (4/26)
Funding Manned Space Exploration is Not Rocket Science (Source: Big Think)
After the space shuttle Endeavour lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center this week, there will only be one more space shuttle mission left before the era of NASA's manned space exploration comes to a close. Yes, nearly 50 years to the day that President John F. Kennedy called for a brave new era of space exploration, and 30 years after the launch of the space shuttle program, the U.S. is turning over the future of space exploration to the private sector.
By the end of 2011, NASA will no longer own, operate or develop its own spacecraft. In fact, until commercial space exploration takes off, the U.S. will pay as much as $50 million to the Russians each time we fly our astronauts to the International Space Station. So who lost this Sputnik Moment? The problem is, it’s probably not anyone’s fault. Take a look at the burgeoning U.S. deficit – there’s your culprit. It takes bucks to be Buck Rogers.
The all-out privatization of the space exploration program is simply the latest sign that the U.S. government no longer has the budgetary wherewithal to fund "non-core" programs (Beltway speak) -- like manned space travel. At a time when tax cuts pile up for the wealthy and billions of dollars are siphoned off to pay for healthcare and other government benefits, there’s just no longer room in the federal budget for space travel. (4/26)
Want to Travel to Space? It'll Cost You (Source: El Paso Times)
Space travel will soon be within the reach of ordinary people, provided that they have extraordinary bank accounts. A two-hour flight from New Mexico's Spaceport America will cost $200,000 per traveler. Test flights are still being conducted, and the first suborbital launch with passengers may not occur until 2013, said Will Pomerantz, a vice president of the company. But Virgin Galactic sees a ready market for high-dollar commercial space travel, Pomerantz said. About 400 people already have made deposits for flights. (4/26)
Search for Alien Life Put on Hold (Source: CNN)
Interstellar radio has lost one of its most avid and high-profile listeners. A collection of sophisticated radio telescopes in California that scan the heavens for extraterrestrial signals has suspended operations because of lack of funding.
The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute operates the Allen Telescope Array, the field of dish-like scopes some 300 miles north of San Francisco. The telescopes are a joint effort of SETI and University of California-Berkeley's Radio Astronomy Lab and have been funded largely by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, who donated more than $25 million to the project.
A state budget crisis and reduced federal dollars have choked the project of funding, said Karen Randall, SETI's director of special projects. SETI put the Allen Telescope Array on hold a week ago -- a situation publicly revealed by Franck Marchis, a principal investigator for SETI who doesn't work on the affected project, on his blog. (4/25)
Giffords Attending Space Launch to Aid Recovery, Doctors Say (Source: Arizona Republic)
Doctors announced Monday that Rep. Gabrielle Giffords is not only "medically able" to attend the Friday launch of the space shuttle Endeavour but that traveling to Florida would be an essential step in her recovery. The family has used the launch as a goal in the congresswoman's recovery from being shot in the head at point-blank range at a town-hall event outside Tucson on Jan. 8.
"Obviously, this is something very important for her. This is something important for her family. It's important for her staff," said C.J. Karamargin, spokesman for Giffords' office. "It represents another significant milestone in her recovery." (4/26)
Missing Matter: Where Did Half the Universe Go? (Source: New Scientist)
Forget dark matter – a vast amount of normal matter visible in ancient gas clouds has gone AWOL. Now astronomers are finding clues to where it's hiding. When Isabelle Grenier surveys our galaxy, she sees things that aren't there. Atoms, specifically. Atoms that are present when she looks into deep space, to regions seen as they were just a billion or so years after the big bang.
They should still be in our cosmic neighborhood today. Except they aren't. "We lose them," says Grenier. "We see all this atomic matter in the past, but not around us now." Forget dark matter, dark energy or any other hypothetical substance postulated to plug gaping holes in the fabric of the universe. Here is a tangible scandal of cosmic bookkeeping right on our doorstep.
When we tot up all the everyday atoms in our galaxy - the sort that make up its stars, planets and people - about half of what we expect to see is missing. Grenier and others have started to see some of the missing matter: hidden pockets of extremely cold matter all but invisible to conventional telescopes. Problem solved? Not a bit of it. The new entries in the cosmic ledger leave us a long way from balancing the books, and are raising questions of their own. (4/26)
Astronauts' Families Arrive for Launch (Source: Florida Today)
With television cameras trained on them and journalists waiting by the side of the runway, the Endeavour crew is expected to fly their T-38 jets into Kennedy Space Center today to prepare for Friday's launch. Also arriving this week -- but largely without fanfare or publicity -- are the wives and children of the crew.
Endeavour's six-man crew are all husbands and fathers. Between them, they have about a dozen children ranging from school-age to adults. Other than shuttle Commander Mark Kelly's wife, U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was given the go-ahead by her doctors to attend the launch, none is a household name, and so can quietly slip into town, courtesy of a NASA plane. (4/26)
Countdown Begins for China's Space Station Program (Source: China Daily)
Authorities in charge of the manned space program unveiled plans on Monday to build a 60-ton space station, made up of three capsules, and develop a cargo spaceship to transport supplies. The China Manned Space Engineering Office said at a news conference that it also wants the public to get involved by suggesting names for the space station, due to completed around 2020.
According to documents provided by the office, the space station, weighing about 60 tons, is composed of a core module and two others where experiments will be conducted. A cargo spaceship to transport supplies will also be developed. Click here to see the article and an artist's rendering of the station. (4/26)
April 25, 2011
Future of Space Tourism: Who's Offering What (Source: Space.com)
Fifty years after Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to experience the wonders of spaceflight, commercial companies appear to be on the cusp of a breakthrough industry -- space tourism. In a bid to open up the final frontier to an expanding group of people, private firms are racing to provide paying customers with unique orbital and suborbital experiences.
Suborbital spaceships would take passengers up to space at an altitude of about 62 miles (100 kilometers) -- commonly known as the edge of space -- before returning to Earth. These passengers would get a glimpse of the edge of our planet and the blackness of space while experiencing several minutes of weightlessness.
On orbital flights, only those who can afford the multimillion dollar ride will have the chance to rocket into low-Earth orbit and visit the International Space Station. But, as the space tourism industry expands and more vehicles are able to take customers into space, these trips could go down in price. Click here to read the article. (4/25)
SpaceX Says It Can Do Commercial Manned Flight in 2014 (Source: Satellite Spotlight)
Fresh off its win under NASA’s CCDev awards this week, upstart rocket manufacturer SpaceX says it will be prepared to transport the first astronauts up to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2014, a scant 3 years from now. (4/25)
NASA and USAID Advance International Development With Science And Technology (Source: NASA)
NASA and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) have agreed to expand their joint efforts to overcome international development challenges such as food security, climate change, and energy and environmental management. The agencies signed a five-year MOU that formalizes ongoing agency collaborations that use Earth science data to address developmental challenges, and to assist in disaster mitigation and humanitarian responses. (4/25)
Bill Introduced Directing NASA to Establish a Moon Base (Source: Ars Technica)
Assuming that Congressman Posey's bill could clear the full House and Senate (and survive an Obama veto), the impact may be much less than its supporters hope. As its text notes, a return to the Moon has been a Congressional priority several times before; that didn't stop Obama from dismissing it with "We've been there." And, more significantly, it clearly didn't ensure that the NASA budget was sufficient to actually accomplish that goal.
Simply stating that NASA's budget will be "consistent" with achieving it by 2020 leaves open a lot of room for different definitions of consistent, and allows the current Congress to shift the burden of finding money onto future ones, which may not be inclined to do so. Thus, on its own, the bill would accomplish nearly nothing and is sufficiently vague that it probably won't even be viewed as providing direction to NASA, at least within NASA.
And, given how contentious budget issues have been in the current Congress, any attempt to turn it into something concrete would probably make it a non-starter. (4/25)
The Ugly Truth for Constellation, and What's Next (Source: Ars Technica)
During the Bush administration, NASA was given the goal of preparing for long-duration missions in space, first to the Moon and then Mars. The Obama administration performed a detailed analysis of NASA's priorities and budget, which revealed some ugly truths: NASA didn't have the money to build the systems needed to accomplish any of this, and even if it were to get a budget infusion, the schedule was unworkable.
A commission recommended we give up on Mars, skip the Moon, and focus on developing the technology to enable long-duration space travel. The cancellations that accompanied this change of direction have not gone over well with either space enthusiasts or those who represent the districts in which some of the hardware would be built.
The new plan also has a significant risk, in that NASA would be ordered to do technology development without having a clear goal that it would use that technology to reach. Editor's Note: The "Flexible Path" approach laid out by the Augustine Panel doesn't seem to get much attention these days, especially without an established set of destinations and dates. (4/25)
NASA Solar Sail Is the 'Little Satellite That Could' (Source: AOL)
If you gaze up at the night sky on April 26 or 27, you might catch a glimpse of a promising new technology, a cult favorite of astrogeeks and something of a taxpayer treat in one shiny package -- NASA's NanoSail-D2 cruising past Earth using the power of the sun. The 100-square-foot polymer solar sail unfurled in low Earth orbit about 400 miles out on Jan. 20, winning some surprisingly enthusiastic followers.
Not bad for a little satellite that almost wasn't -- more than once. Actually, the NanoSail currently in space was not the one intended to make it off the ground. It was supposed to stay on Earth as backup for the first one. But the commercial rocket carrying it, Falcon 1, didn't separate stages properly after takeoff and crashed into the Pacific Ocean. (4/25)
FSU Law Team Wins North American Competition in Space Law (Source: FSU)
The Florida State University College of Law Moot Court Team has won the 2011 Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition for the North American region. The competition was held April 16 in Washington, D.C., at Georgetown University Law Center. The team will represent North America in the international competition in Cape Town, South Africa, in October.
Tallahassee attorney Arthur Stern coached the team, two of whom were from Florida's Space Coast.. One of them also was named Best Oralist for the competition. Florida State defeated Georgetown in the final round of competition. The Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition is organized annually by the International Institute of Space Law. The competition is based on a hypothetical space law dispute before the International Court of Justice. (4/25)
Editorial: Space Law Not So Far Out (Source: JournalStar.com)
When University of Nebraska officials began talking about starting a new program on space and telecommunication law, some people scratched their heads in wonderment. There was a lot of snarky comment about going to infinity and beyond, and how NU was going boldly where no university had gone before. Actually, that last part is true.
The program, which accepted its first students in 2008, remains the first and only program of its kind in the United States, and the only one worldwide taught in English, according to university officials. It seems to have found a niche. The program will graduate its third class this year. Click here to read the article. (4/25)
Funding the Seed Corn of Advanced Space Technology (Source: Space Review)
The final NASA fiscal year 2011 funding bill provided no explicit funding for space technology activities, a key element of the agency's future plans. Lou Friedman says that without such investment, it will become increasingly difficult to make new advances in robotic or human space exploration. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1832/1 to view the article. (4/25)
Commercial Crew's Final Four (Source: Space Review)
Last week NASA announced that four companies would share nearly $270 million in commercial crew development awards, the next step in efforts to develop commercial vehicles to carry astronauts to orbit. Jeff Foust reports on the outcome of the competition and whether there's room for other companies to compete later in the program. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1831/1 to view the article. (4/25)
Fifty Years of Piloted Spaceflight: Where are We Going? (Source: Space Review)
It's clear to many that, half a century after the era of human spaceflight began, we have fallen fall short of our early dreams for the exploration and settlement of space. Claude Lafleur take a look at what went wrong. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1830/1 to view the article. (4/25)
An Exercise in the Art of War (Source: Space Review)
China continues to press for a treaty banning the placement of weapons in outer space, even while developing its own ASAT capability. Michael Listner examines what may be at the root of Chinese strategy regarding space weaponization. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1828/1 to view the article. (4/25)
No Shuttle? Build One, AF Museum Backer Suggests (Source: Dayton Daily News)
Supporters of the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force are suggesting that the community could get involved in helping to build the body of a space shuttle orbiter to incorporate the historic pieces that NASA intends to transfer to the museum. Mark Brown, a Dayton business executive and former shuttle astronaut, said he thinks it could be a morale booster for the community and help create excitement about the Air Force museum. He has suggested it to others, as well as museum officials. (4/25)
What Was Lost When Shuttle Missions Started to Feel Ho-Hum (Source: New York)
It is objectively no small feat, slipping the surly bonds of Earth. But somehow, over its 30 years of existence, NASA’s Space Shuttle program has become roughly as thrilling as the Delta Shuttle. Still, there’s something sad about the end of the program. It’s not so much that the program’s increasingly prosaic missions—they have amounted, in recent years, to something like space carpooling—will be missed. The sadness instead comes from the petering out of space travel’s promised transcendence.
The commonplace marvels of modern technology probably have something to do with this awe deficit—a 400-mile vertical round-trip in a less-than-sleek 1992-model vehicle may not seem as miraculous as it did in a time before one could, if booked on the right airline, stream Parks and Recreation onto an iPad mid-flight. The Shuttle program’s geopolitical moment has passed, too.
We’re no longer going to space to prove that our way of life is superior to an evil empire’s; instead, we’re going up there to do some repairs, drop off a magnetic spectrometer, and see the sights. And with deficits suddenly the Greatest Threat Our Nation Has Ever Faced, such errands now stand out as a sore thumb of a line item. (4/25)
Interview: Elon Musk (Source: Newsweek)
The electric-car (and space travel) pioneer and space prophet talks about his Hollywood reputation and why so many billionaires have intergalactic fantasies. Click here. (4/25)
TED Talk: Jeff Greason (Source: TED)
XCOR Aerospace's Jeff Greason talks about Making Space Pay and Having Fun Doing It! Click here to see the video. (4/25)
ATK Received $57 Million Contract from Orbital for Taurus II Second Stage (Source: ATK)
ATK was awarded a $57 million contract to provide the CASTOR 30XL as an upgraded second stage motor for Orbital Science Corp.'s Taurus II commercial launch vehicle, which will supply cargo for NASA to the International Space Station. The first two test flights of the Taurus II will use the original CASTOR 30A configuration, the next two flights will use a higher-performing CASTOR 30B motor, while the CASTOR 30XL will be used after the first four flights. (4/25)
Russia Prepares to Launch Space Freighter to Orbital Station (Source: RIA Novosti)
A Soyuz-U carrier rocket with the Progress M-10M cargo spacecraft has been transferred to a launch pad at the Baikonur Space Center in Kazakhstan in preparation for the April 27 launch, Russia's Federal Space Agency said on Monday. The Progress M-10M will deliver 2.5 tons of fuel and food supplies to the International Space Station (ISS). (4/25)
Lompoc Approves Agreement for California Space Center (Source: CSA)
The Lompoc City Council, in a vote of 5 to 0, approved an Exclusive Negotiation Agreement (ENA) between the City and CSA on April 19 for the California Space Center. The ENA allows the City and CSA to enter into formal negotiations expected to result in either the lease or purchase of a 96-acre site adjacent to Allan Hancock College which has sweeping views of launches at Vandenberg Air Force Base. Under terms of the ENA, CSA must provide the City with documents such as a revised master plan, pro forma, letters of intent from tenants, and evidence of financing.
In order to obtain a lease, CSA must (1) complete the state environmental process, (2) obtain city permits, and (3) request a change in zoning for the site. These processes will occur in parallel and are expected to be completed in 12 months or less. The City of Lompoc will serve as the lead agency for the environmental process, which is estimated to take 5 to 12 months. This compares to a 3 to 10 year process at the Air Force site. Upon completion of the environmental process, construction of the Center could begin.
Benefits of the Lompoc site include access to existing utilities, proximity to the college and its classrooms, as well as inclusion of an existing park with playground and picnic area. A final decision regarding relocation of the Center to the Lompoc site will be made by the CSA Board of Directors. (4/22)
Fifty years after Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to experience the wonders of spaceflight, commercial companies appear to be on the cusp of a breakthrough industry -- space tourism. In a bid to open up the final frontier to an expanding group of people, private firms are racing to provide paying customers with unique orbital and suborbital experiences.
Suborbital spaceships would take passengers up to space at an altitude of about 62 miles (100 kilometers) -- commonly known as the edge of space -- before returning to Earth. These passengers would get a glimpse of the edge of our planet and the blackness of space while experiencing several minutes of weightlessness.
On orbital flights, only those who can afford the multimillion dollar ride will have the chance to rocket into low-Earth orbit and visit the International Space Station. But, as the space tourism industry expands and more vehicles are able to take customers into space, these trips could go down in price. Click here to read the article. (4/25)
SpaceX Says It Can Do Commercial Manned Flight in 2014 (Source: Satellite Spotlight)
Fresh off its win under NASA’s CCDev awards this week, upstart rocket manufacturer SpaceX says it will be prepared to transport the first astronauts up to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2014, a scant 3 years from now. (4/25)
NASA and USAID Advance International Development With Science And Technology (Source: NASA)
NASA and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) have agreed to expand their joint efforts to overcome international development challenges such as food security, climate change, and energy and environmental management. The agencies signed a five-year MOU that formalizes ongoing agency collaborations that use Earth science data to address developmental challenges, and to assist in disaster mitigation and humanitarian responses. (4/25)
Bill Introduced Directing NASA to Establish a Moon Base (Source: Ars Technica)
Assuming that Congressman Posey's bill could clear the full House and Senate (and survive an Obama veto), the impact may be much less than its supporters hope. As its text notes, a return to the Moon has been a Congressional priority several times before; that didn't stop Obama from dismissing it with "We've been there." And, more significantly, it clearly didn't ensure that the NASA budget was sufficient to actually accomplish that goal.
Simply stating that NASA's budget will be "consistent" with achieving it by 2020 leaves open a lot of room for different definitions of consistent, and allows the current Congress to shift the burden of finding money onto future ones, which may not be inclined to do so. Thus, on its own, the bill would accomplish nearly nothing and is sufficiently vague that it probably won't even be viewed as providing direction to NASA, at least within NASA.
And, given how contentious budget issues have been in the current Congress, any attempt to turn it into something concrete would probably make it a non-starter. (4/25)
The Ugly Truth for Constellation, and What's Next (Source: Ars Technica)
During the Bush administration, NASA was given the goal of preparing for long-duration missions in space, first to the Moon and then Mars. The Obama administration performed a detailed analysis of NASA's priorities and budget, which revealed some ugly truths: NASA didn't have the money to build the systems needed to accomplish any of this, and even if it were to get a budget infusion, the schedule was unworkable.
A commission recommended we give up on Mars, skip the Moon, and focus on developing the technology to enable long-duration space travel. The cancellations that accompanied this change of direction have not gone over well with either space enthusiasts or those who represent the districts in which some of the hardware would be built.
The new plan also has a significant risk, in that NASA would be ordered to do technology development without having a clear goal that it would use that technology to reach. Editor's Note: The "Flexible Path" approach laid out by the Augustine Panel doesn't seem to get much attention these days, especially without an established set of destinations and dates. (4/25)
NASA Solar Sail Is the 'Little Satellite That Could' (Source: AOL)
If you gaze up at the night sky on April 26 or 27, you might catch a glimpse of a promising new technology, a cult favorite of astrogeeks and something of a taxpayer treat in one shiny package -- NASA's NanoSail-D2 cruising past Earth using the power of the sun. The 100-square-foot polymer solar sail unfurled in low Earth orbit about 400 miles out on Jan. 20, winning some surprisingly enthusiastic followers.
Not bad for a little satellite that almost wasn't -- more than once. Actually, the NanoSail currently in space was not the one intended to make it off the ground. It was supposed to stay on Earth as backup for the first one. But the commercial rocket carrying it, Falcon 1, didn't separate stages properly after takeoff and crashed into the Pacific Ocean. (4/25)
FSU Law Team Wins North American Competition in Space Law (Source: FSU)
The Florida State University College of Law Moot Court Team has won the 2011 Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition for the North American region. The competition was held April 16 in Washington, D.C., at Georgetown University Law Center. The team will represent North America in the international competition in Cape Town, South Africa, in October.
Tallahassee attorney Arthur Stern coached the team, two of whom were from Florida's Space Coast.. One of them also was named Best Oralist for the competition. Florida State defeated Georgetown in the final round of competition. The Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition is organized annually by the International Institute of Space Law. The competition is based on a hypothetical space law dispute before the International Court of Justice. (4/25)
Editorial: Space Law Not So Far Out (Source: JournalStar.com)
When University of Nebraska officials began talking about starting a new program on space and telecommunication law, some people scratched their heads in wonderment. There was a lot of snarky comment about going to infinity and beyond, and how NU was going boldly where no university had gone before. Actually, that last part is true.
The program, which accepted its first students in 2008, remains the first and only program of its kind in the United States, and the only one worldwide taught in English, according to university officials. It seems to have found a niche. The program will graduate its third class this year. Click here to read the article. (4/25)
Funding the Seed Corn of Advanced Space Technology (Source: Space Review)
The final NASA fiscal year 2011 funding bill provided no explicit funding for space technology activities, a key element of the agency's future plans. Lou Friedman says that without such investment, it will become increasingly difficult to make new advances in robotic or human space exploration. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1832/1 to view the article. (4/25)
Commercial Crew's Final Four (Source: Space Review)
Last week NASA announced that four companies would share nearly $270 million in commercial crew development awards, the next step in efforts to develop commercial vehicles to carry astronauts to orbit. Jeff Foust reports on the outcome of the competition and whether there's room for other companies to compete later in the program. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1831/1 to view the article. (4/25)
Fifty Years of Piloted Spaceflight: Where are We Going? (Source: Space Review)
It's clear to many that, half a century after the era of human spaceflight began, we have fallen fall short of our early dreams for the exploration and settlement of space. Claude Lafleur take a look at what went wrong. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1830/1 to view the article. (4/25)
An Exercise in the Art of War (Source: Space Review)
China continues to press for a treaty banning the placement of weapons in outer space, even while developing its own ASAT capability. Michael Listner examines what may be at the root of Chinese strategy regarding space weaponization. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1828/1 to view the article. (4/25)
No Shuttle? Build One, AF Museum Backer Suggests (Source: Dayton Daily News)
Supporters of the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force are suggesting that the community could get involved in helping to build the body of a space shuttle orbiter to incorporate the historic pieces that NASA intends to transfer to the museum. Mark Brown, a Dayton business executive and former shuttle astronaut, said he thinks it could be a morale booster for the community and help create excitement about the Air Force museum. He has suggested it to others, as well as museum officials. (4/25)
What Was Lost When Shuttle Missions Started to Feel Ho-Hum (Source: New York)
It is objectively no small feat, slipping the surly bonds of Earth. But somehow, over its 30 years of existence, NASA’s Space Shuttle program has become roughly as thrilling as the Delta Shuttle. Still, there’s something sad about the end of the program. It’s not so much that the program’s increasingly prosaic missions—they have amounted, in recent years, to something like space carpooling—will be missed. The sadness instead comes from the petering out of space travel’s promised transcendence.
The commonplace marvels of modern technology probably have something to do with this awe deficit—a 400-mile vertical round-trip in a less-than-sleek 1992-model vehicle may not seem as miraculous as it did in a time before one could, if booked on the right airline, stream Parks and Recreation onto an iPad mid-flight. The Shuttle program’s geopolitical moment has passed, too.
We’re no longer going to space to prove that our way of life is superior to an evil empire’s; instead, we’re going up there to do some repairs, drop off a magnetic spectrometer, and see the sights. And with deficits suddenly the Greatest Threat Our Nation Has Ever Faced, such errands now stand out as a sore thumb of a line item. (4/25)
Interview: Elon Musk (Source: Newsweek)
The electric-car (and space travel) pioneer and space prophet talks about his Hollywood reputation and why so many billionaires have intergalactic fantasies. Click here. (4/25)
TED Talk: Jeff Greason (Source: TED)
XCOR Aerospace's Jeff Greason talks about Making Space Pay and Having Fun Doing It! Click here to see the video. (4/25)
ATK Received $57 Million Contract from Orbital for Taurus II Second Stage (Source: ATK)
ATK was awarded a $57 million contract to provide the CASTOR 30XL as an upgraded second stage motor for Orbital Science Corp.'s Taurus II commercial launch vehicle, which will supply cargo for NASA to the International Space Station. The first two test flights of the Taurus II will use the original CASTOR 30A configuration, the next two flights will use a higher-performing CASTOR 30B motor, while the CASTOR 30XL will be used after the first four flights. (4/25)
Russia Prepares to Launch Space Freighter to Orbital Station (Source: RIA Novosti)
A Soyuz-U carrier rocket with the Progress M-10M cargo spacecraft has been transferred to a launch pad at the Baikonur Space Center in Kazakhstan in preparation for the April 27 launch, Russia's Federal Space Agency said on Monday. The Progress M-10M will deliver 2.5 tons of fuel and food supplies to the International Space Station (ISS). (4/25)
Lompoc Approves Agreement for California Space Center (Source: CSA)
The Lompoc City Council, in a vote of 5 to 0, approved an Exclusive Negotiation Agreement (ENA) between the City and CSA on April 19 for the California Space Center. The ENA allows the City and CSA to enter into formal negotiations expected to result in either the lease or purchase of a 96-acre site adjacent to Allan Hancock College which has sweeping views of launches at Vandenberg Air Force Base. Under terms of the ENA, CSA must provide the City with documents such as a revised master plan, pro forma, letters of intent from tenants, and evidence of financing.
In order to obtain a lease, CSA must (1) complete the state environmental process, (2) obtain city permits, and (3) request a change in zoning for the site. These processes will occur in parallel and are expected to be completed in 12 months or less. The City of Lompoc will serve as the lead agency for the environmental process, which is estimated to take 5 to 12 months. This compares to a 3 to 10 year process at the Air Force site. Upon completion of the environmental process, construction of the Center could begin.
Benefits of the Lompoc site include access to existing utilities, proximity to the college and its classrooms, as well as inclusion of an existing park with playground and picnic area. A final decision regarding relocation of the Center to the Lompoc site will be made by the CSA Board of Directors. (4/22)
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