August 27 News Items

E'Prime Plans Launches from Virginia Spaceport (Source: E'Prime Aerospace)
E'Prime Aerospace Corporation, a U.S. company with more than 2,000 shareholders, announced the selection of Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority's Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) as E'Prime's launch site for the Canister Launch Program. the company has engaged with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA/AST) for a Launch License to operate from MARS.

"We look forward to working with E'Prime Aerospace during the development and demonstration of your (E'Prime's) space launch vehicle and support systems. We will provide our technical expertise and technologies in the areas of launch site facilities and operations and launch range operations to E'Prime's development effort...," wrote MARS Executive Director Billie Reed.

Ancient Bacteria Could Point to Life on Mars (Source: Reuters)
Ancient bacteria are able to survive nearly half a million years in harsh, frozen conditions, researchers said on Monday in a study that adds to arguments that permafrost environments on Mars could harbor life. The findings also represent the oldest independently authenticated DNA to date obtained from living cells and could offer clues to better understand ageing, said a researcher. The international team, which also included researchers from the United States, Canada, Russia and Sweden, tested the microbes living up to 10 meters deep in permafrost collected from Northern Canada, the Yukon, Siberia and Antarctica. When a cell dies, its DNA fragments into pieces but the samples the researchers studied were all very long strands -- evidence the cells were able to continuously repair genetic material and remain alive.

India to Launch Israeli Satellite (Source: The Hindu)
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is busy preparing to launch an Israeli satellite called Polaris by a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) between September 17 and 20 from the spaceport at Sriharikota. A core-alone PSLV without its six strap-on booster motors strung around its first stage will put the Polaris in orbit. It is a remote-sensing satellite that weighs about 300 kg. It can take pictures of the earth through cloud and rain, day and night.

NASA Brain Drain Could Mean Setback for Next Moon Trip (Source: FCW)
For NASA to reach the moon again, the agency needs to keep experienced employees working on Earth. However, NASA’s employee unions say the agency is not going about it the right way. NASA has begun using a variety of new information system tools to manage its human resources challenges. The agency that President Bush has tasked to send people to the moon relies mostly on a workforce that is gearing up for retirement. Visit http://www.fcw.com/article103587-08-27-07-Print to view the article.