NASA, Space Council,
Shelby Get Shout-Outs From Trump in Alabama (Source: Space
Policy Online)
President Trump gave shout-outs to NASA and the National Space Council
during a political speech in Huntsville, AL last night, and credited
Sen. Richard Shelby (R) for bringing billions of NASA dollars to the
city. In a lengthy speech whose main purpose was to build support for
Sen. Luther Strange (R) in a run-off election that will take place on
Tuesday, Trump covered a lot of ground.
The space program got only a few seconds of attention, but the fact
that it was mentioned at all is a sign of the importance that it has in
Huntsville, home to the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC).
The speech was held in the city’s Von Braun Center named after
legendary rocket engineer and visionary Wernher Von Braun who was the
first director of MSFC (1960-1970). (9/23)
Musk May Have Bigger
Plans for Boca Chica (Source: Rio Grande Guardian)
Eduardo A. Campirano, port director and CEO of the Port of Brownsville,
says he would not be surprised to see Elon Musk announce even bigger
plans for SpaceX’s rocket-launching site at Boca Chica. Campirano was
asked to give an update on SpaceX’s plans for Boca Chica when chairing
a Rio South Texas Economic Council meeting earlier this week.
“I know Elon Musk is expected to speak on the 29th and everyone holds
their breath to see what he says. I think he has made some indications
that there may be some bigger plans for Boca Chica than initially
anticipated,” Campirano said, in response to a question from Mike
Willis on the South Texas Manufacturers Association. (9/24)
'To Donald Trump,' by
Leland Melvin, Former NASA Astronaut and NFL Player
(Source: Boing Boing)
I served my country not in the military, but as 1 of 362 American
Astronauts that have explored the universe to help advance our
civilization. Not just Americans, but all humans. I also was briefly in
the NFL and stood for the National Anthem with my hand over my heart.
What makes us great is our differences and respecting that we are all
created equally even if not always treated that way.
Donald Trump, I listened to your Alabama rally rant and could not
believe how easily you say what you say. We have become numb to your
outlandish acts, tweets and recent retweet of you knocking down Hillary
Clinton with a golf ball. Donald Trump, your boorish and disgusting
actions are not funny. They actually promote violence when your
followers act out what you say.
Today, you called Colin Kaepernick “a son-of-a-bitch.” You said he
should be fired. You are calling his white mother a bitch. The strong
contrast in [your] language for a black man and a Nazi is very telling.
Do you have any sense of decency or shame in what you say to the
American people? ...you are supposed to be a unifier and a
compassionate and empathetic leader. Click here.
(9/23)
An Accident On The Moon,
Young Lawyers To The Rescue (Source: NPR)
When Alexia Boggs was applying to law school, she initially considered
all the big specialties, but none of them seemed quite right. "I was
looking for a field of law where none of my family could ever seek my
help," she says, sarcastic but also not really joking.
She found what she was looking for in space law, and enrolled at the
University of Mississippi School of Law, one of the two big space and
aeronautical law programs in the U.S. This year's intercollegiate
competition case is, in the broadest terms, about a traffic accident on
the moon.
In the case, "there are two countries, Perovsk and Titan," says Boggs.
"They're bordering countries. They share a common language and a common
history." Both have space programs — in fact, they helped each other
get to space, developing complimentary expertise in much the same way
Russia and the U.S. work together to put astronauts in orbit. Click here.
(9/22)
A New Way of Propelling
Spacecraft May Open Up the Asteroid Belt (Source: The
Economist)
In a paper presented to the European Planetary Science Congress on Sep.
19, they proposed that spacecraft equipped with their new propulsion
system could make a round trip to the asteroid belt in little more than
three years. A fleet of 50 such craft, weighing about 5kg each and thus
capable of being launched by a single rocket, could visit 300
asteroids, survey them and return to Earth for a thrifty €60m ($72m) or
so, including the cost of launch. Click here.
(9/22)
Classified US Spy
Satellite Launched from California by ULA (Source:
Washington Post)
A spy satellite for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office has been
launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. A United Launch
Alliance Atlas 5 rocket carrying the classified NROL-42 satellite
lifted off at 10:49 p.m. PDT Saturday. All systems were going well when
the launch webcast concluded about three minutes into the flight. (9/24)
Scientists Urge Europe to Stick With "Armageddon"-style Asteroid
Mission (Source: Universe Today)
For decades, scientists have known that in near-Earth space there are
thousands of comets and asteroids that periodically cross Earth’s
orbit. These Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) are routinely tracked by NASA’s
Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) to make sure that none
pose a risk of collision with our planet. Various programs and missions
have also been proposed to divert or destroy any asteroids that might
pass too closely to Earth in the future.
One such mission is the Asteroid Impact & Deflection Assessment
(AIDA), a collaborative effort between NASA and the European Space
Agency (ESA). Recently, the ESA announced that it would be withdrawing
from this mission due to budget constraints. But this past Wednesday
(Sep. 20), during the European Planetary Science Conference in Riga, a
group of international scientists urged them to reconsider. (9/23)
Broward College a
Frequent Flyer in NASA Space Program (Source: Sun Sentinel)
Broward College regularly cooks up experiments that are out of this
world — literally. Students will spend this semester preparing
equipment for rocket mission sponsored by NASA, continuing what has
become two decades of tradition for the college.
“Twenty years ago they told us there was no way that a community
college would get something on the space shuttle and we didn’t believe
them,” said Professor Rolando Branly. “We worked hard and we did it.”
The college’s projects take flight about every two years, paid for by
NASA as a way to advance space exploration and stoke the private market
for rocket-powered vessels and spacecraft. (9/22)
National Space Club
Honors Florida Space Industry Workers (Source: Florida
Today)
The National Space Club Florida Committee this week recognized the
efforts of local and state workers during its monthly luncheon held in
Cape Canaveral. Three "Lifetime Achievement" awards, or recognition of
longtime Florida residents who have made significant contributions to
the space industry, were distributed. One "Rising Star" award was given
to the above-and-beyond accomplishments of a young achiever. Click here.
(9/23)
Dreams of 'Moon Village'
Shape Up at Riga Meeting (Source: The Japan Times)
By 2040, 100 people will live on the moon, melting ice for water, 3-D
printing homes and tools, eating plants grown in lunar soil, and
competing in low-gravity “flying” sports. To those who mock such talk
as science fiction, experts such as Bernard Foing, ambassador of the
European Space Agency-driven “Moon Village” project, reply the goal is
not only reasonable but feasible too.
At a European Planetary Science Congress in Riga this week, Foing
spelled out how humanity could gain a permanent foothold on Earth’s
satellite, and then expand. He likened it to the growth of the
railways, when villages grew around train stations, followed by
businesses.
By 2030, there could be an initial lunar settlement of six to 10
pioneers — scientists, technicians and engineers — which could grow to
100 by 2040, he predicted. Mere decades from now, “there may be the
possibility to have children born on the moon,” he enthused. (9/23)
Boeing May Follow
Northrop Grumman in Consolidation Space Race (Source:
Bloomberg)
The Orbital acquisition, which would launch Northrop ahead of Lockheed
Martin Corp. as the third-biggest NASA contractor, may have a ripple
effect in the space, rocket and missile markets. Northrop’s purchase
would add Orbital’s $1 billion in prime contracts at NASA and about
$13.7 million in subcontracts. Boeing is the second-biggest NASA
contractor, winning $2.1 billion in orders last year, according to data
compiled by Bloomberg Government.
Caret didn’t say which companies Boeing might be interested in
acquiring. Shares of Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings Inc., a rocket
propulsion systems provider, rose 5.2 percent on Sept. 18, the day of
Northrop’s announcement, their biggest move since Aug. 4. They
increased by 3.1 percent yesterday to $31.75 in New York.
Aerojet, NASA’s 11th-biggest contractor, had $257 million in contracts
with NASA and $180 million with DOD in fiscal 2016. The company could
be an attractive target for acquisition because of some of the products
and services it sells. (9/22)
Boeing Sees More
‘Excitement About Space’ Now Than in the Last Few Decades
(Source: CNBC)
Boeing Defense, Space and Security division CEO Leanne Caret told CNBC
that the aerospace giant is putting a new emphasis on space investment
because of the rapidly changing landscape of the industry. Caret called
the company's satellite business and space exploration two "key"
opportunities to generate more growth.
Caret says Boeing's satellite business is getting more exciting, though
she has not yet divulged details about how that part of her business is
evolving. Boeing has long developed satellites about the size of a
school bus, but the industry's push to downsize is putting new pressure
on traditional manufacturers. Microsatellites, as small as a shoebox,
are an integral part of commercial and military operators' recent push
to cut the cost and size of satellites. (9/22)
Asteroid Mining Could
Support Space Economies, Colonies (Source: CBC)
Why do we need to mine asteroids? Quite simply because the current
economics of space flight are untenable. It costs approximately $10,000
US per kilogram every time we want to send something up to the
International Space Station. Imagine $10,000 for a litre of water. Elon
Musk and Space X are trying to cut those costs down by having reusable
rockets, but still, the price is exorbitant. Click here.
(9/23)
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