August 23 News Items

Astronomers Find Enormous Hole in the Universe (Source: NRAO)
Astronomers have found an enormous hole in the Universe, nearly a billion light-years across, empty of both normal matter such as stars, galaxies, and gas, and the mysterious, unseen "dark matter." While earlier studies have shown holes, or voids, in the large-scale structure of the Universe, this new discovery dwarfs them all. Astronomers have known for years that, on large scales, the Universe has voids largely empty of matter. However, most of these voids are much smaller than this one. In addition, the number of discovered voids decreases as the size increases.

Stennis To Be Site Of New Rocket Test Stand (Source: WDSU)
Leaders at NASA's Stennis Space Center broke ground Thursday morning on a test stand to be used for the next generation of shuttle engines. Stennis is the space program's primary center for rocket propulsion testing, and because of the new stand, leaders said the Gulf Coast will continue to benefit. "There are construction jobs as part of building the stand, and also we have approximately 30 percent of our work force here at Stennis comes from Louisiana in support of the engine testing that we do currently with the space shuttle main engine. So, this will bridge us into the next generation vehicle and will continue our rich heritage of testing rocket engines here at Stennis Space Center," Robert Ross said.

SpaceX to Expand Work Force (Source: Los Angeles Business Journal)
Space Exploration Technologies, the El Segundo-based developer of experimental low-cost rockets, says it plans to add another 150-250 people to its work force by December 2008 as part of an expansion plan that parallels the company's strong revenue picture. "At current growth rates, I expect the personnel count will be between 500 and 600 by the end of 2008," company founder Elon Musk wrote. SpaceX employs about 350 workers, mostly at the El Segundo headquarters. However, a growing number of employees are located at the company's engine and structural development site in Texas, the Kwajalein Atoll island launch complex, a launch complex at Cape Canaveral and a Washington, D.C., office, Musk wrote. In March 2003, SpaceX had only 20 employees.

Rocketplane Cuts Workforce As Financial Woes Mount (Source: Wall Street Journal)
Rocketplane Kistler Inc., once in the vanguard of innovative, privately funded space-exploration ventures, is laying off some employees and has told certain suppliers to stop working on a proposed reusable rocket to serve the International Space Station, according to industry and company officials. Despite months of effort, the closely held Oklahoma City firm has failed to raise the hundreds of millions of dollars required to keep the project on track and remain eligible for further U.S. government assistance. The move is a dramatic setback for nascent efforts to secure mainstream commercial funding for various space endeavors.

British Company Signs Commercial Agreement for Chang's Plasma Rocket Engine (Tico Times)
The British company Excalibur Exploration signed an agreement this week that will allow it to use a plasma rocket being developed by Costa Rican astronaut Franklin Chang to transport its lab materials in space. Chang is building this engine, called Vasimr, at his Ad Astra lab in the city of Liberia. Excalibur works on commercial space exploration and hopes to establish a base on the moon. Excalibur plans to do a study to determine how exactly the research will be carried out. “Vasimr is a technological key for the future of these space flights. We believe this is a great step for both (companies) and we hope it will be the first of many,” said Excalibur Exploration president Art Dula.

Search on for Homans' Replacement (Source: Las Cruces Sun-News)
The New Mexico Spaceport Authority is moving forward without former director Rick Homans, who left in late July after three months on the job. The authority voted Tuesday to conduct a nationwide search for his replacement and will ask legislators next year for an increase in the agency's operating budget that once tried to stay "lean" on staff but now looks to expand to handle the magnitude of the $198 million Spaceport America project. "The individual who we are looking for is a unique individual," New Mexico Spaceport Authority chairwoman Kelly O'Donnell said. One option being considered is for a current university executive or laboratory executive to be loaned to the authority to serve as its director. O'Donnell said the search could take "a couple of months."

Uncertainty Over Site of NM Spaceport Visitor Center (Source: Las Cruces Sun-News)
The location of a planned $1 million Spaceport America welcome center — initially announced for the village of Hatch — is not set in stone, but Hatch officials are making sure the village is in the running when the location is finalized. Included in the $198 million for the spaceport are funds for two welcome centers, one in Hatch and another in Truth or Consequences. But according to one Doña Ana County legislator, the location of the Hatch center was questioned by three other local lawmakers. Hatch officials have provided the NMSA with a preliminary feasibility study conducted free of charge by the New Mexico State University Arrowhead Center that examines the benefits of a Hatch location.

Despite Lack, Rocketplane Confident of Funding as Deadline Nears (Source: News OK)
Although Rocketplane Kistler has failed to secure additional funding for its K-1 orbital vehicle, company officials said the project still is headed toward success. The Oklahoma City company received a $207 million contract from NASA to help finance a demonstration flight at the International Space Station in 2009, but it still needs to secure millions more before the year is over. CEO George French said a declining market is to blame for the aerospace company's lack of private funding. He would not specify how much private funding the company needs to secure for the K-1 project but said it's "hundreds of millions.” French said the company is making headway in securing investors for the project. He said though the deadline for the funds is fast approaching, he's confident Rocketplane will get the funding it needs.

XCOR Rockets Onto Inc.'s '500 Fastest Growing Companies' (Source: XCOR)
Like the rocket-powered aircraft it builds, Mojave-based XCOR Aerospace's business has taken off, earning it a spot on the prestigious Inc. 500 list of fastest growing private companies, based on the percentage increase of revenue over a three-year period. The small, privately-held California C-Corporation was ranked No. 446 overall with 646 percent three-year revenue growth from 2003 through 2006.

The breakthrough came when the team decided to modify a pusher-propeller-powered Long EZ airplane and replace its conventional piston engine with XCOR-designed and built rocket engines. This demonstrated XCOR's re-usable and re-startable rocket motors on actual flying hardware. The rocket plane not only proved the reliability of XCOR's technology, it generated publicity and helped raise the firm's profile in the aerospace industry. This attracted serious investors, including Esther Dyson and the investment group, Boston Harbor Angels.

Operationally Responsive Space is Moving Forward (Source: USAF)
Just a few months after its May 21 stand-up, the joint service Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) Office is moving forward on the guidance to focus its efforts on a tiered approach to enhance responsiveness of space capabilities to joint force commanders. This three-tiered approach will improve the ability to develop, acquire, field and employ space capabilities in shortened timeframes and in more affordable ways. The approach was set forth in the report, Plan for Operationally Responsive Space, which was signed by Undersecretary of the Air Force Dr. Ron Sega and U.S. Strategic Command Commander Marine Corps Gen. James Cartwright. Visit http://www.afspc.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123065153to read the news release.

SpaceX Falcon 9's Rocket Engine's First Flight in January (Source: Flight International)
Space Exploration Technologies' (SpaceX) first- and second-stage Merlin 1C engine, designed for its 1,000,000lb-thrust in vacuum (4,450kN) Falcon 9 rocket, will be flight tested in January powering the first stage of the company's smaller 102,000lb-thrust Falcon 1e, the latest variant of this launcher. The Merlin 1C-powered Falcon 1e arrives at the company's Kwajalein atoll launch complex at the Ronald Reagan ballistic missile test site in the Pacific Ocean in December for the January launch.