Falcon-9 Launch Scrubbed Due to Range
Radar Issue (Source: SPACErePORT)
SpaceX could not launch the DISCOVR satellite as planned on Sunday
evening due to problems with an Eastern Range radar. The vehicle had
another problem with a first-stage video transmitter but it was not
needed for the launch. Another attempt is possible at 6:07 p.m. on
Monday, but weather conditions are expected to be unfavorable (60%
probability of weather constraint). (2/8)
Virginia Lawmakers Flirt with Sci-Fi
Future at Wallops Island Spaceport (Source: Daily Press)
NASA astronauts blasting off from Virginia? Tourists cruising into
space and back again from Wallops Island? Some state lawmakers took a
baby step this week toward turning fiction into fact. Virginia's House
of Delegates unanimously passed a resolution urging NASA to conduct an
environmental impact study in hopes of one day launching and landing
reusable rockets and spacecraft from the state-owned spaceport located
at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on the Eastern Shore.
Del. Terry Kilgore warns that the Air Force is already conducting such
a study at Cape Canaveral in anticipation of landing SpaceX's Falcon 9
rockets "in the near future." As private firms such as SpaceX and
Bigelow Aerospace expand even further into the commercial space
business, the demand on U.S.-based space launch infrastructure will
only increase, Kilgore said.
On Friday, the Senate version of the resolution died in committee, but
the matter itself isn't dead. Later in the session, the House version
will still move to the Senate for consideration. And Senate sponsor A.
Benton "Ben" Chafin Jr., R-Lebanon, said in place of a resolution the
Senate will send a letter requesting the environmental impact study.
(2/8)
Virginia Bill Would Expand Funding for
Spaceport (Source: Daily Press)
A bill working its way through Virginia's General Assembly would extend
funding for the state's Space Flight Fund through fiscal 2021-22.
That's five years longer than the current mandate, at $9.5 million per
year. Yet another bill would extend through fiscal 2016 any income tax
revenues from the sale of commercial human spaceflights or associated
training to the state's space flight authority. (2/8)
Iran’s Space Program—Still Cancelled
(Source: Medium)
On Jan. 9, the Iranian government passed a new law disbanding its main
space agency, eliminating the agency’s budget line and dissolving four
of its main sub-institutions … for cost-saving reasons, mostly. Other
agencies absorbed many of the space program’s technology and staff.
At the time of announcement—first reported by Mehr News—we explained
that Tehran would probably launch a few of the space agency’s remaining
rockets, mostly for propaganda purposes. Sure enough, on Feb. 1 an old
Safir-class rocket boosted an ultra-light, low-altitude Fajr satellite
into orbit.
The launch doesn’t mean the Iranian space program is un-cancelled. Not
too long ago, Tehran aimed to send Iranian astronauts into space and
place one-ton satellites in high orbits. Those grand ambitions have
faded with the space agency’s disbanding. (2/7)
NASA Glenn's Rising Budget Includes
Cuts (Source: Crain's Cleveland Business)
Funding for NASA Glenn Research Center appears to be on the way up, and
the center has secured a key solar power project it had been coveting.
Even so, the center might have to eliminate the equivalent of 22
federal employees through attrition and buyouts.
The union that represents NASA Glenn scientists and engineers is trying
to fight the proposed cuts, which would affect less than 1% of the
3,000-plus federal and contract positions at Glenn. The space agency is
slated to give NASA Glenn a total of $581 million for fiscal year 2015,
which ends on Sept. 30 of this year.
That's $14 million more than the $567 million the initial allotment
Glenn received from NASA last year — which was not a great year for
NASA Glenn's budget. The Greater Cleveland Partnership has been working
with Ohio's congressional delegation to secure money for projects and
Glenn as a whole. (2/8)
UAE, Russia Space Cooperation Reaching
New Heights (Source: The National)
Russia and the UAE are taking space technology cooperation to new
heights, according to the Russian ambassador. The country is now one of
the UAE’s major partners in this field, primarily regarding the
delivery of Emirati satellites to space.
“The establishment of the UAE Space Agency and the announcement of some
ambitious projects like the Mars probe in 2021 for sure will contribute
to bringing the cooperation in this field to a new height,” Alexander
Efimov, the ambassador, said. “The bilateral relations between Russia
and the UAE are witnessing dynamic growth and steady trend for
diversification.” (2/8)
New Challenges for Latest SpaceX
Landing Attempt (Source: SpaceFlight Now)
The particulars of Sunday’s launch mean SpaceX has to forego one of the
three braking burns employed on the Falcon 9’s usual descent profile.
Instead of re-firing a subset of the first stage’s nine kerosene-fueled
Merlin engines three times, there will be two ignitions on the way back
to Earth on Sunday.
“There are a couple of differences in the trajectory,” Koenigsmann
said. “We will perform an entry burn and a landing burn. The speed of
the stage coming in to entry is actually higher, and that … makes it a
little less likely to succeed.” The initial “boost-back” burn designed
to drive the rocket back toward Florida has been omitted for Sunday’s
mission. “We had an early burn originally,” Koenigsmann said. “That
burn is what we can’t do this time because all the propellant goes to
the primary mission."
Virgin Galactic Gears Up for Building
Third SpaceShipTwo (Source: NBC)
Last October's fatal crash of Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo rocket
plane is still under investigation — but the company's founder says
that the second SpaceShipTwo is on track to go into flight testing and
that engineers will start building a third SpaceShipTwo by the end of
the year.
In addition to building spaceships, Virgin Galactic will "work on our
fit-out of Spaceport America; astronaut training program; commercial
operational readiness; LauncherOne program to launch small satellites;
and much more," British billionaire Richard Branson said in a Thursday
blog posting. (2/8)
Canada, Israel Plan Joint Satellite
Technology Effort (Source: Commercial Space Blog)
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) will sponsor joint study in conjunction
with the Israeli Space Agency (ISA) focused around the "innovation and
commercial potential" of a variety of satellite technologies. Up to two
contracts will be awarded worth up to $300,000 CDN. (2/4)
Virginia Resolution Seeks Study for
Wallops Rocket Landing Site (Source: NASA Watch)
A House Joint Resolution offered by state legislator Terry Kilgore (R)
encourages NASA to conduct an environmental impact study for landing
SpaceX and Blue Origin rockets at the Wallops Island spaceport. Click here.
(2/5)
No comments:
Post a Comment