DOD: Missile Interceptor
Test Successful (Source: Bloomberg)
The U.S. ground-based missile defense system successfully intercepted a
test target, the Pentagon has announced, a milestone that paves the way
for additional 14 interceptors to be installed in Alaska. The test took
place over the Pacific using an Orbital Sciences interceptor missile
and a Raytheon conventional warhead. (6/23)
Orbital: Close to
Decision on Russian Engine for Rocket (Source: Wall Street
Journal)
Orbital Sciences, based in the U.S., is considering buying a
Russian-made rocket engine despite concerns over strained relations
between the two countries. Orbital could purchase an RD-180 engine for
its Antares rocket. "We are getting close [to a decision]," said a
spokesman for Orbital Sciences. (6/23)
SpaceX Delays Orbcomm
Launch to July (Source: SpaceFlight Now)
SpaceX said in a statement: "SpaceX will stand down Tuesday while our
engineering teams evaluate further, which will also allow the Range to
move forward with previously scheduled maintenance. We are currently
targeting the first week of July and will work with the Range to
confirm the next available launch opportunities." SpaceX has not
disclosed any information on the problem, but sources said the issue
was with the Falcon 9 launcher. (6/23)
Indie Galactic Space Jam
Planned in Orlando on July 25-27 (Source: SPACErePORT)
This Central Florida event brings together for the first time Game
Developers & The Space Industry to make amazing, fun, inspiring
games about Space Travel and Exploration. This is the ultimate creative
collaboration, all happening in a single high paced weekend. There is
no other place quite like Orlando with our professional resources. So
what better place to build and showcase our collective scientific and
creative impact in humanity's final frontier ...with games!
Here's what Elon Musk says about hiring game industry people: “We actually hire a lot of our
best software engineers out of the gaming industry. In gaming there’s a
lot of smart engineering talent doing really complex things. [Compared
to] a lot of the algorithms involved in massive multiplayer online
games…a docking sequence [between spacecraft] is actually relatively
straightforward. So I’d encourage people in the gaming industry to
think about creating the next generation of spacecraft and rockets.”
Everyone is welcome to participate throughout the 48 hour Jam, artists,
programmers, game designers, UI & UX designers, musicians,
writers, poets, interpretive dancers, people excited about games,
people excited about space, people who like to eat pizza, and people
like you. Click here.
(6/23)
ULA Set to Upgrade Atlas
V Pad for Human Launches of Boeing CST-100 (Source:
AmericaSpace)
United Launch Alliance (ULA) is nearly set to upgrade their Atlas V pad
to support human launches from the Florida Space Coast “starting in
September” as part of an exhaustive integrated effort with Boeing to
launch the firm’s CST-100 “space taxi“ and thereby restore U.S. ability
to transport our astronauts to the space station under the auspices of
NASA’s Commercial Crew Program (CCP).
ULA is gearing up to break ground on the modifications required to the
existing pad at Launch Complex 41 needed to initiate launches of the
human-rated version of their extremely reliable Atlas V rocket,
including construction of a huge new crew access tower. “We [ULA] start
work in September [2014] with about a 30 day mobilization plan with the
contractors office,” said ULA’s Human Launch Services Lead.
Of course, ULA has already expended an extensive effort in designing
the required Atlas V pad and rocket modifications so they can hit the
ground running when given the go-ahead. There is just no time to waste
if we seriously want to get our astronauts back to space from U.S. soil
as soon as possible. “From start to finish its roughly about 18 months
of work.” (6/22)
NASA has a Problem with
Unauthorized Access to it's Technologies (Source:
LaunchSpace)
A few days ago the GAO released its findings related to unauthorized
access to NASA's technologies by foreign entities. Auditors found
weaknesses in NASA's export control policy and implementation of
foreign-national-access procedures at some centers. While NASA policies
allow Center Directors wide latitude in implementing export controls at
their centers, federal internal control standards call for clearly
defined areas of authority and establishment of appropriate lines of
reporting.
However, NASA procedures do not clearly define the level of Center
Export Administrator (CEA) authority and organizational placement,
leaving it to the discretion of the Center Director. GAO found that
seven of the 10 CEAs have organizational positions that are at least
three levels removed from the Center Director. Three of these seven
CEAs stated that their organizational placement detracted from their
ability to implement export control policies, because such positioning
makes it difficult to maintain visibility to staff, communicate
concerns to the Center Director and obtain needed resources. (6/23)
Midland to Pay $1.5M for
XCOR Improvements (Source: Midland Reporter-Telegram)
In preparation of Midland’s spaceport license and subsequently XCOR
Aerospace’s arrival, Midland Development Corp. approved $1.5 million to
refurbish thr company’s Midland hangar. The funds will be used to
refurbish the roof, air conditioning system and electrical system. “The
building was old enough that a lot of the electrical items in there are
no longer UL approved, and you can’t get replacement parts,” said
Robert Rendall, MDC board chairman. “So we’re going to do some
upgrading to the electrical system.” (6/22)
Humans Headed to Mars by
2026? (Source: CFL News 13)
But Earth's neighbor is the future of space exploration — and not just
for NASA. Elon Musk, CEO and founder of SpaceX, predicted on CNBC last
week that landing humans on Mars might not be too far away. "I'm
hopeful that the first people could be taken to Mars in 10, 12 years,"
Musk said in the interview. Musk hopes to establish a self-sustaining
city on Mars.
University of Central Florida space expert Dale Ketcham said it's
probably a bit too optimistic to think any human could be on Mars
within a decade. "Things usually end up costing and taking more time
than Mr. Musk anticipates," Ketcham said. "But, he still does a lot
better than the government does — up until now." While SpaceX is
targeting the next decade, NASA officials said it will likely take them
twice as long for them to get ready for a mission to the red planet.
NASA plans to launch humans from Florida to an asteroid in the 2020s.
NASA said the technology and procedures learned on the asteroid mission
will act as a stepping stone to Mars. And whether it's SpaceX in the
2020s or NASA in the 2030s, Florida's Space Coast can expect to be the
gateway to the red planet. "Mars is distant, but in distance only,"
Charles Bolden said. "Not in time." (6/22)
Waves Discovered on
Saturn’s Moon Titan? (Source: National Geographic)
Surfers rejoice! Fresh waves are still out there to conquer—on Saturn’s
moon Titan. There, astronomers report a first sighting of waves rolling
on an alien sea. Using its cloud penetrating radar, the international
Cassini spacecraft team mapped the frigid surface of Titan, the
planet’s largest moon. Titan is the only other planetary body in the
Solar System with seas of stable liquid on its surface. However with
surface temperatures averaging around -292 degrees Fahrenheit (−180
°C), it’s not water that fills its many, giant lakes, but liquid
methane. (6/22)
Ten Years Later, Still
Waiting for the Future to Arrive (Source: Space Review)
This month marks the tenth anniversary of the first flight to space by
SpaceShipOne, an event at the time that appeared to mark a new era in
human spaceflight. Jeff Foust looks back at the event and the progress,
or seemingly lack thereof, in commercial human suborbital spaceflight.
http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2540/1
to view the article. (6/23)
Manned Orbiting
Laboratory Emerges from the Shadows (Source: Space Review)
In 1969, the Nixon Administration cancelled the Manned Orbiting
Laboratory, focusing its resources on other reconnaissance satellites.
Dwayne Day describes new insights into the MOL program from
recently released documents. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2539/1
to view the article. (6/23)
Boeing Displays CST-100
Progress at Kennedy Space Center (Source: Space Review)
As NASA reviews proposals for the next phase of the commercial crew
program, companies continue to show off the progress they have made and
their future plans. Anthony Young reports on a Boeing event earlier
this month in Florida, where the company plans to assemble its CST-100
spacecraft. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2538/1
to view the article. (6/23)
It's Time for NASA to
Abandon the Apollo Mission Model (Source: Space Review)
Both the National Research Council's human space exploration and a
separate internal NASA study lay out a path of missions and
destinations for human spaceflight beyond Earth orbit. John Strickland
argues that they fail, though, by following an Apollo-era paradigm of
standalone missions. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2537/1
to view the article. (6/23)
Planetary Orbit Insertion
Failures (Source: Space Review)
In the conclusion of his two-part examination of planetary missions
that failed to enter orbit as planned, Andrew LePage reviews four Mars
missions by the US and former Soviet Union that failed to enter orbit
as planned. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2536/1
to view the article. (6/23)
Mysterious 'Magic Island'
Appears on Saturn Moon (Source: Cornell University)
Now you don't see it. Now, you do. And now you don't see it again.
Astronomers have discovered a bright, mysterious geologic object –
where one never existed – on Cassini mission radar images of Ligeia
Mare, the second-largest sea on Saturn's moon Titan. Scientifically
speaking, this spot is considered a "transient feature," but the
astronomers have playfully dubbed it "Magic Island."
The scientists say this may be the first observation of dynamic,
geological processes in Titan's northern hemisphere. "This discovery
tells us that the liquids in Titan's northern hemisphere are not simply
stagnant and unchanging, but rather that changes do occur," said Jason
Hofgartner, a Cornell University graduate student in the field of
planetary sciences, and the paper's lead author. "We don't know
precisely what caused this 'magic island' to appear, but we'd like to
study it further." (6/22)
That It's Like to Work
for Elon Musk (Source: Parbolic Arc)
Quora.com has some interesting input from Space.com and Tesla employees
on what it’s like to work for Elon Musk. From the responses, it sounds
awesome, challenging, demanding, inspiring and all measures of other
superlatives. And it’s clearly not for everyone. Click here.
(6/22)
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