In Murky Pentagon Deal with Russia,
Big Profit for a Tiny Florida Firm (Source: Reuters)
The Air Force relies on rocket engines made by a company overseen by
associates of Vladimir Putin. Documents show a U.S.-Russian middleman
stands to make $93 million on the contract. A tiny Florida-based
company, acting as a middleman in the deal, is marking up the price by
millions of dollars per engine.
That five-person company, RD Amross, is a joint venture of Russian
engine maker NPO Energomash and a U.S. partner, aerospace giant United
Technologies. According to internal company documents that lay out the
contract, Amross stands to collect $93 million in cost mark-ups under
its current multi-year deal to supply the RD-180 rocket engine. Click here.
(11/18)
Philae Managers Say Recovery Possible
as Comet Approaches Sun (Source: Space News)
Managers of Europe’s Philae comet lander, which went into hibernation
Nov. 15 after its battery drained 56 hours after touchdown, made a
virtue of a necessity in saying Philae’s overly shadowed location will
be an advantage as Comet 67P approaches the sun in the coming months.
At that point, they said, it is “probable” that the increased doses of
solar power will warm the lander, permitting its secondary battery to
power up sufficiently to renew communications. (11/18)
CACI Wins Digital Mapping Contract
From NGA (Source: SpaceRef)
CACI International Inc. has been awarded a $32 million contract to
provide digital mapping and charting services to the National
Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) under the GEOINT Data Services
(GDS) Maritime Atlantic Region program. (11/18)
Object 2014-28E – Space Junk or
Russian Satellite Killer? (Source: Financial Times)
It is a tale that could have come from the cold war. A mysterious
object launched by the Russian military is being tracked by western
space agencies, stoking fears over the revival of a defunct Kremlin
project to destroy satellites. For the past few weeks, amateur
astronomers and satellite-trackers in Russia and the west have followed
the unusual maneuvers of Object 2014-28E, watching it guide itself
towards other Russian space objects.
The pattern appeared to culminate last weekend in a rendezvous with the
remains of the rocket stage that launched it. The object had originally
been classed as space debris, propelled into orbit as part of a Russian
rocket launch in May to add three Rodnik communications satellites to
an existing military constellation. The US military is now tracking it
under the Norad designation 39765. (11/18)
No Easy Way (Source: Huffington
Post)
Would-be private astronauts will continue to buy advanced tickets with
Virgin, XCOR and other "New Space firms." These buyers are more than
customers. They feel vested in a mission that go far beyond the
excitement of their own brief journey into space. New Space is a
community working on something much bigger than building high-tech toys
for wealthy thrill-seekers.
While these firms, while working hard to earn a return for their
investors, they are also doing their part to expand the potential of
the entire human race. They are moving our vantage point one step
beyond humanity's zero sum squabbles over Earthly resources. (11/18)
Medvedev: Russia's Vostochny Spaceport
Has Construction Problems (Source: Sputnik)
Actual problems exist in the construction of Russia’s Vostochny
Cosmodrome in the country’s Far East will be discussed with the
leadership of Roscosmos space agency, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry
Medvedev said. He reminded the ministers that the construction of the
cosmodrome is "in its active phase", although works are behind
schedule.
He also stressed that Vostochny Cosmodrome will be of significant
importance for advancing science and the economy of Russia's Far East
region, as well as for developing its geopolitical clout. The
cosmodrome’s construction began in January 2011 and is expected to be
completed by 2018. The first launch was scheduled to take place in July
2015, and the first launch of a piloted spacecraft is expected in 2018.
(11/10)
Medvedev Orders to Speed Pp Vostochny
Construction (Source: Itar-Tass)
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has ordered to speed up the
Vostochny space center construction not to be behind schedule. “The
active phase of the construction is underway, but as I understand, it
is behind schedule, and certainly it is bad. It must be made up for,”
the premier told his deputies during a meeting. The work must go on
according to schedule if possible, he added. (11/17)
SpaceX Laying the Groundwork for
Falcon Heavy Debut in Florida (Source: NasaSpaceFlight.com)
SpaceX has confirmed it is now into the construction phase of
converting Kennedy Space Center’s Pad 39A for its Falcon Heavy debut,
with a large amount of work now taking place to build a new vehicle
facility at the complex. The former Apollo and Space Shuttle pad is
being re-purposed to host the maiden flight of SpaceX’s new rocket, set
to launch as early as next summer. (11/17)
Sex in Space: What Does Future Hold
When Space Tourism Catches On (Source: GLP)
Evidence for normal post-spaceflight pregnancy dates back as early as
1963, when cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in
space. After spending nearly 71 hours in orbit age 26, Tereshkova
returned to Earth. Five months later, she married another cosmonaut,
Andrian Nikolayev, who had spent more than 94 hours in orbit. The next
year, in 1964, Tereshkova gave birth to a healthy infant girl after a
normal pregnancy.
What about actually getting pregnant in orbit? Traditionally, two
issues are suggested as obstacles against fertilization of an ovum and
implantation of the resulting blastocyst in the wall of the uterus.
These two issues are space radiation and weightlessness, although other
factors such as stress and disrupted circadian rhythms also may come
into play.
On Earth, moderate to high doses of ionizing radiation, encountered in
the context of cancer treatment are known to reduce fertility in both
genders. In males, this is due to effects both on the quantity of sperm
cells and the quality (for instance, how well they swim). In women,
ionizing radiation is thought to harm ova before they are fertilized,
but also to interfere with implantation, even should exposure occur
subsequent to fertilization. (11/18)
Meteor? UFO? Flash Over Russia May
Have Earthly Origin (Source: NBC)
Video of the sky lighting up over Russia's Sverdlovsk region last
Friday calls to mind the enormous fireballs that fell over Chelyabinsk
in early 2013 and Murmansk in April. But at least one expert seems sure
that this particular phenomenon may not be celestial in origin. A
meteor-watching blog quotes Marco Langbroek of the Dutch Meteor
Society: "I doubt this one is a meteor."
He points out that the onlookers already seemed to be aware of a red
glow in the sky before the flare-up — and that when the light does
appear, it's stationary. "To me, it looks like a fire or series of
small explosions and subsequent large explosion or flash fire
reflecting on a cloud deck," he concluded. Click here.
(11/18)
China's Space Law Ready for Lift Off (Source:
Asia One)
China will speed up legislation covering activities in space to make
better use of the nation's assets and boost space-related industries,
according to senior officials. "As China puts more and more assets into
space, conflicts involving our increasing number of activities, limited
resources and space debris have become noticeable," said Tian Yulong,
secretary-general of the China National Space Administration.
"The safety of our assets in space depends largely on the enforcement
of international space law and our domestic law that governs space
activities," Tian said, adding that the laws also play an important
role in managing and fostering space-related industries, which have
been enjoying rapid growth in China. "The market for space-related
technologies, data and intellectual property is expanding very fast and
has a promising future, so now is the right time for us to make and
implement a space law to regulate the market," Tian said. (11/18)
UK Space Agency Opens £32 Million Kitty
(Source: WIRED)
A new multi-million pound grant has been announced to bolster the UK's
space industry following the phenomenal success of the European Space
Agency Rosetta mission. Grants will be awarded to British companies
working with international partners developing satellite technology for
humanitarian causes.
A total of £32 million will be made available by the UK Space Agency
with match funding also provided by industry. More than 5,000 jobs have
been created in the UK space industry in the last two years, with over
34,000 people now directly employed.
Running over the next two years, the International Partnership Space
Programme (IPSP) will support UK companies in an attempt to further
grow the country's space sector. It is hoped that the money will
encourage development of new satellite technology to tackle flooding,
deforestation and humanitarian crises in the developing world. (11/18)
The Revolving Door of Canadian Space
Agency Presidents (Source: SpaceRef)
Presidents of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) can serve a term of five
years which can be renewed. The problem however is that since its
foundation, only one president has completed one full term. In fact,
under the current government, which has been in power for nearly 9
years, there have been four interim presidents and a total of seven
presidents.
Why has there been a revolving door at the head of Canada's space
agency since the Conservatives took power in 2006? Bad luck? Poor
selection? Or something else? Click here.
(11/18)
Hotel Sales Boom as NASA's Orion Sets
for Launch (Source: Orlando Business Journal)
NASA's Orion spacecraft launch is bringing in plenty of tourists for
the Space Coast, and hoteliers couldn't be happier. News 13 reports
that almost all hotels in Cocoa Beach and Titusville area are sold out
for most of the days surrounding the Dec. 4 launch. (11/17)
Industry Doesn’t Expect Consolidation
of Commercial Space Regulation (Source: Space News)
As the U.S. Congress considers proposals to grant government agencies
with additional commercial space regulatory authority, industry and
government officials believe it is unlikely those efforts will lead to
a broader consolidation of regulatory power.
Representatives from companies and agencies, speaking at a forum on the
topic of on-orbit jurisdiction organized by the University of Nebraska
College of Law here Nov. 3, agreed that while there is a need to
address issues such as space traffic management and property rights, it
is unlikely overall regulation of commercial space activities will soon
be consolidated into a single agency. Click here.
(11/18)
NASA ‘Capability Leaders’ Coming in
Latest Attempt at Right-Sizing (Source: Space News)
In February, NASA will appoint at least five “capability leaders” to
help steer the agency’s latest bid to trim costs and reduce duplication
of effort across its 10 regional field centers, NASA Associate
Administrator Robert Lightfoot said in a Nov. 3 interview.
It will be a big step for the Technical Capabilities Assessment Team
(TCAT) that since April 2012 has been studying ways to make NASA more
efficient at a time when its budget is trending flat, major programs
such as the James Webb Space Telescope and Space Launch System are
hitting peak spending years, and the agency has been barred by Congress
from laying off civil servants.
Lightfoot said the team’s ongoing review is about finding efficiencies,
not consolidation. However, he acknowledged some NASA infrastructure
“could be closed or moved” as a result of the effort. As examples,
Lightfoot cited the demolition of wind tunnels at NASA’s Langley
Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, earlier this decade and an April
decision to cease NASA-operated parabolic jet flights for microgravity
research and astronaut training and instead rely on contractor Zero
Gravity Corp. of Arlington, Virginia, for that service. (11/18)
ATK, Orbital Sciences Postpone Merger
Vote to Late January (Source: Space News)
ATK on Nov. 17 said its special due-diligence assessment of Orbital
Sciences following the Oct. 28 failure of Orbital’s Antares rocket has
concluded that the merger of ATK’s Aerospace and Defense group with
Orbital remained a good idea. Orbital and ATK jointly announced that
they are nonetheless giving their shareholders additional time to
evaluate the merger, and that the planned Dec. 9 votes by both
companies had been rescheduled for Jan. 27. (11/18)
NASA Extends Commercial Crew Agreement
with Blue Origin (Source: Space News)
NASA announced Nov. 14 that it has extended its unfunded agreement with
Blue Origin to support to that company’s effort to develop a commercial
crew spacecraft, even though the company is not competing for a NASA
contract to provide transportation to the international space station.
NASA and Blue Origin signed an extension Oct. 31 of their existing
Space Act Agreement, originally part of the agency’s Commercial Crew
Development Round 2 (CCDev2) award made in April 2011. This extension,
like previous ones dating back to February 2013, is an unfunded one
where NASA provides technical guidance but no money to Blue Origin.
One milestone covers an in-flight test of a “pusher” escape system,
where rocket engines at the base of the vehicle would push the
spacecraft away from its launch vehicle in the event of an abort. Under
the CCDev2 milestone, NASA personnel would review data and video from
the test, which would use an unspecified subscale booster. (11/18)
Germany Agrees to Forgo Ariane 5
Upgrade in Favor of Ariane 6 (Source: Space News)
The German government has agreed to drop its demand that Europe develop
a long-planned upgrade of today’s Ariane 5 rocket and instead proceed
with a new-generation Ariane 6 that borrows heavily on Ariane 5
technology, Germany’s space minister said.
The decision ends an impasse that has bedeviled the European Space
Agency for more than two years as it prepares for a Dec. 2 conference
of its governments. While noting that certain funding details and a
clarification of industry’s risk-taking guarantee remain to be ironed
out, Brigitte Zypries said Germany and France now agree to back Ariane
6 and to scrap the Ariane 5 Midlife Evolution (ME) rocket that European
governments have been developing for several years. (11/17)
Satellite Internet From SpaceX Coming
Soon? (Source: Nasdaq)
SpaceX's upcoming satellite announcement holds any number of
implications for SpaceX's competitors. For example, Musk's tweet didn't
specifically confirm the assertion that the satellites will provide
Internet service. But if that's Musk's goal, then cheap, ubiquitous
satellite Internet service from SpaceX could threaten the expensive
terrestrial Internet businesses built up over years by Comcast and
other Internet giants.
If SpaceX both launches satellites, and also builds them, then this
gives the company's launch business a built-in customer.
Simultaneously, it diversifies SpaceX's business. In addition to
existing revenue streams from rocket building and rocket launching,
SpaceX will add a third revenue stream from satellite building -- and
potentially from satellite Internet streaming as well.
The addition of one (or two) new revenue streams will significantly
strengthen SpaceX's viability as a company. It will also make SpaceX
stock much more attractive to own when the company finally does its
IPO. Which we're still waiting for, by the way. (11/18)
NASA Commercial Crew Partners Continue
System Advancements (Source: Space Daily)
NASA's industry partners continue to complete development milestones
under agreements with the agency's Commercial Crew Program. The work
performed by Blue Origin, Boeing, Sierra Nevada and SpaceX during
partnership and contract initiatives are leading a new generation of
safe, reliable and cost-effective crew space transportation systems to
low-Earth orbit destinations. Click here.
(11/17)
ESA Commissions Airbus as Contractor
For Orion Service Module (Source: Space Daily)
Airbus Defence and Space, the world's second space company, has signed
a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) for the development and
construction of the service module for Orion, the future American human
space capsule. The contract is worth around 390 million euros. The
service module will provide propulsion, power supply, thermal control
and the central elements of the life support system of the American
capsule. (11/18)
Savvy Media Use Turned Comet Mission
Into Tale of Space Heroics (Source: Space Daily)
When Rosetta was launched more than a decade ago, it was a dry-as-dust
science story -- an unmanned spacecraft and its research payload were
being launched to investigate a comet. But when the Rosetta mission
last week reached a climax, the story had changed from the humdrum to
an event that captivated the world.
It had become a tale of heroics in deep space, with the secrets of the
Solar System at stake. After a trek of 6.5 billion kilometers (four
billion miles), alone in the bitter chill of deep space, the little
robot Philae battled to survive and complete its task while its mother
ship orbited anxiously above. Drama and romance had been stitched into
the fabric of the Rosetta mission way back in 1993. That was when
European space ministers gave the risky, 1.3-billion-euro
($1.6-billion) scheme their approval.
"Rosetta marks a watershed" in ESA's strategy to connect with the
public, ESA communications chief Fernando Doblas said. "We are living
in a world where people no longer want to receive information
passively. You have to be active in your information." Slick webcasts
from mission control in Germany combined with easy-on-the-astrophysics
talks about the importance of the mission. (11/18)
Lost in Space City (Source:
Medium)
Most towns find it hard to identify the moment they lost their mojo.
Titusville, though, can pinpoint its spiral to a very specific date:
February 1, 2003. Seven astronauts were killed that day when the
Columbia space shuttle, having completed a 16-day orbital mission,
disintegrated upon re–entry over the southern United States. Just 20
miles northwest of Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Titusville used to
have a proud nickname: Space City USA.
It couldn’t help but be bolted to the dizzying boom of the 1950s and
‘60s, and the local space industry helped create myriad jobs by giving
work to nearby aerospace companies. There were so many jobs, in fact,
that the local population ballooned from around 6,000 in 1960 to just
over 30,000 in a decade. Longtime residents, however, can tell you with
acute pain exactly how their hometown has plummeted in the last few
years.
“Shoot, I don’t even know what’s going on out there anymore,” says Matt
Whiting, a 41-year-old who’s kicked around the area most of his life.
He’s watched with dismay the silencing of the once awesome “exploding
rockets.” “It’s been difficult,” admits Titusville’s mayor, Jim Tulley,
wearily, about his city’s post-shuttle economics. “Maybe not as
difficult as when the Apollo programs ended, but…we’ve certainly had to
diversify.” Click here.
(11/13)
Names in Bottles: a New Tool for
Exploration? (Source: Space Review)
It has become almost commonplace for space missions to offer to take
with them the public's names or other digital items. Dan Lester wonder
how effective this approach is for making the public feel like they're
a part of space exploration. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2643/1
to view the article. (11/17)
Almost Astronauts (Source:
Space Review)
Being an astronaut is a life-long aspiration for many, but what happens
when you apply and just miss the final cut? Jeff Foust reports on how
three people rebounded when their bids to fly in space fell short.
http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2642/1
to view the article. (11/17)
Witnesses: Space Historiography at the
Handover (Source: Space Review)
This is a critical time for historians chronicling the early Space Age,
as many of the key people from that era pass away. In the first of a
multi-part article, David Clow examines this issue from the perspective
of those who worked in mission control. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2641/1
to view the article. (11/17)
Enhancing the Field of Exoplanetary
Research (Source: Space Review)
The search for, and study of, extrasolar planets is one of the hottest
topics in astronomy, but one that is also not well coordinated among
various participants. Thomas Godard and Daniel Long make the case for
establishing an organization to help support exoplanet studies and
reach out to broader communities about its work. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2640/1
to view the article. (11/17)
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