CASIS to Induct Four New
Board of Director Members (Source: CASIS)
The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), the
nonprofit organization promoting and managing research onboard the International
Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory, announced it will induct
four new members to the organization’s Board of Directors. They include
Lt. General James A. Abrahamson (USAF Retired); Joseph Formichelli;
Ioannis (Yannis) Miaoulis, Ph.D.; and Philip Schein, M.D. (1/6)
Britain's First Astronaut
Hails 'Exciting Times' for UK's Place in Spaceflight
(Source: The Guardian)
The man who will become Britain's first official astronaut experienced
"a wild mix of emotions – elation, excitement, shock and trepidation"
on learning that he had beaten 10,000 other applicants to win a place
next year in the International Space Station.
Major Tim Peake, a former British army air corps helicopter pilot, said
he never seriously contemplated a career as an astronaut, since the
chances of becoming one were so limited – particularly since the UK had
opted out of the European program for human space flight. Click here.
(1/5)
Sriharikota to Get Third
Launch Pad (Source: Business Standard)
India has lined up around 50 missions in the next five years. To
support these, the organisation was planning to set up a “high-tech”
third launch pad at the Sriharikota space station, near Chennai, before
2016. K Radhakrishnan, ISRO chairman, said: “We require one more launch
pad to carry heavy payloads and that would come up here in two years.”
(1/6)
The Artists Who Own the
Moon (Source: The Guardian)
With China sending the Jade Rabbit rover and Google egging on private
companies to make their own landings, the race for lunar ownership is
hotting up. But has a group of artists got there first? With as much
land as Africa, the moon is a new frontier. Lured by its natural
resources, China sent the Jade Rabbit rover there last month.
Meanwhile, Google is sponsoring a competition to spur private companies
into landing similar vehicles by 31 December 2015. Yet the question of
who owns the moon and its exploitation rights is a vexed one.
In law, there may be nothing to stop the competitors from claiming the
moon, or at least part of it, for their own commercial exploitation. It
could be the start of corporate imperialism in space. With nations
hamstrung from competing, this would inevitably lead to private
companies holding power over national governments.
This situation has emboldened a group of artists to trump everyone and
claim the moon for themselves. On Friday, the Arts Catalyst opens The
Republic of the Moon, an exhibition in London's Bargehouse. The
exhibition is their Earthbound embassy and the artworks are their
celebration of this new territory. (1/5)
What's a Space
Exploration Program For? (Source: Space Review)
As heads of space agencies meet in Washington this week for a space
exploration conference, some in the US call for a change in direction
in NASA's human spaceflight program. Jeff Foust reports on
several views of what NASA should be doing, as proposed in a new book.
Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2430/1 to view the article.
(1/6)
Interview with Mark E. Brender of the DigitalGlobe Foundation (Source:
Space Review)
The news media has become one of the major users of imagery from
commercial satellites. Dwayne Day interviews one of the pioneers of
such use of commercial imagery, offering his perspectives as someone
who worked first in the media and then for one of the commercial remote
sensing companies. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2429/1
to view the article. (1/6)
GSLV-D5 Success: A Major "Booster" to India's Space Program (Source:
Space Review)
On Sunday, India launched successfully for the first time a version of
its large GSLV rocket with an indigenously-developed cryogenic upper
stage. Ajey Lele discusses the significance of this milestone for
India's space program and its future plans. Visit
http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2428/1 to view the article. (1/6)
First West, Then East (Source: Space Review)
Government agencies and companies have struggled for decades to develop
feasible one- or two-stage reusable launch vehicles (RLVs). Ronald
Menich describes how a three-stage RLV, while seemingly more complex,
could be done today without any major technological breakthroughs.
Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2427/1 to view the article.
(1/6)
US Citizens: Demand Maximum Support for NASA's Commercial Crew Program
(Source: Space Review)
This is a key year for NASA's commercial crew efforts, and funding
decisions in the coming weeks could determine the future of the
program. Rick Boozer argues why the program deserves full funding.
Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2426/1 to view the article.
(1/6)
French-UAE Intel
Satellite Deal in Doubt (Source: Defense News)
A United Arab Emirates (UAE) deal to purchase two intelligence
satellites from France worth almost 3.4 billion dirhams ($930 million)
is in jeopardy after the discovery of what was described as “security
compromising components.” A high-level UAE source said the two
high-resolution Pleiades-type Falcon Eye military observation
satellites contained two specific US-supplied components that provide a
back door to the highly secure data transmitted to the ground station.
(1/5)
Indian Launch Group
Expects 15 % Growth in Turnover (Source: Business Standard)
Antrix Corporation Limited, the commercial arm of the Indian Space
Research Organization (ISRO), said it was expecting around 15 percent
growth in turnover as more countries were using ISRO’s infrastructure
and expertise to launch satellites. Antrix Corporation said in 2012-13
the corporation clocked a revenue of Rs 1,300 crore and expects about
15 percent growth in 2014-15. Contracts have been signed to launch
large satellites for France, Germany and the UK. (1/6)
Triple Star System 'Can
Reveal Secrets of Gravity' (Source: BBC)
Astronomers have discovered a unique triple star system which could
reveal the true nature of gravity. They found a pulsar with two white
dwarfs all packed in a space smaller than Earth's orbit of the Sun. The
trio's unusually close orbits allow precise measurements of gravity and
could resolve difficulties with Einstein's theories.
"This triple system gives us a natural cosmic laboratory far better
than anything found before for learning exactly how such three-body
systems work and potentially for detecting problems with general
relativity that physicists expect to see under extreme conditions,"
said Scott Ransom. (1/5)
Jet in 'Near Miss' With
UFO (Source: The Telegraph)
It was certainly a close encounter, but with precisely what remains a
mystery. An airline pilot has reported a near miss in which a “rugby
ball”-shaped UFO passed within a few feet of his passenger jet while
flying near Heathrow Airport. The captain told the aviation authorities
who have investigated the incident that he was certain the object was
going to crash into his aircraft and ducked as it headed towards him.
The investigation has been unable to establish any earthly identity for
the mysterious craft, which left the aircrew with no time to take
evasive action. The incident occurred while the A320 Airbus was
cruising at 34,000ft, around 20 miles west of the airport, over the
Berkshire countryside. (1/5)
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