August 9 News Items

Embry-Riddle Plans Melbourne Open House for New Management Degree (Source: ERAU)
Embry-Riddle's Space Coast campus will begin a Master of Science in Technical Management (MSTM) program for aerospace/defense industry professionals. The university will sponsor an MSTM open house on Aug. 14, from 3:00 - 8:00 p.m. in their branch classroom at 2112 Sarno Road in Melbourne. No RSVP is required. A formal presentation is planned for 6:30 p.m. Email our Space Coast campus at mailto:Space.Coast.Center@erau.edu for information.

What Will Future Lunar Bases Look Like? (Source: New Scientist)
What will future lunar bases look like? NASA's Lunar Architecture Team is looking for the answer - the design must be able to weather a rocket launch and the brutalities of life on the Moon. The team is now weighing several options: an inflatable home that could be packed for launch and then inflated on the Moon's surface using oxygen transported in tanks, a rigid structure, or a combination of both. NASA is expected to make a public announcement about the group's work within the next few weeks. Astronauts could be back on the Moon in 2020. Initially they won't stay for more than a week, but the agency's ultimate goal is to have them spend six-month stints on the Moon. Visit http://space.newscientist.com/article/dn12454-what-will-future-lunar-bases-look-like.html to view the article.

DirecTV 2Q Profit Slips 2 Percent (Source: Philadelphia Enquirer)
Satellite broadcaster DirecTV said second-quarter earnings fell 2 percent on a sharp rise in operating costs, although demand for its high-definition services increased. Net income slipped to $448 million, from $459 million a year ago. Net income slipped to $448 million, from $459 million a year ago. Revenue rose 17 percent to $4.14 billion from $3.52 billion last year. The company's total subscribers stood at 16.3 million at the end of the second quarter, up 5 percent from the same period last year.

Mojave Airport to Review Policies After Fatal Blast (Source: Bakersfield.com)
A consulting firm is reviewing policies at Mojave Air & Space Port after an explosion there killed three people last month. The airport has hired Advance Survey Design, LLC, to assess the airport's plans when tenants conduct hazardous tests and its procedures when an incident happens. The airport is paying $40,000 for the firm's work. A three-member team from Advance Survey Design is scheduled to give a final report at the end of August.

Galileo to Support Global Search and Rescue (Source: ESA)
The detection of emergency beacons will be greatly improved by the introduction of Europe's satellite positioning system, Galileo. The Galileo satellites will carry transponders to relay distress signals to search and rescue organizations. In connection with this, representatives of the Galileo project attended the recent 21st annual Joint Committee Meeting of COSPAS-SARSAT, the international program for satellite-aided search and rescue. The partners in Galileo are committed to developing the Galileo search and rescue component as an integral part of MEOSAR, the future worldwide search and rescue satellite system.

WUSTL Students Excel in National Satellite Competition (Source: WUSTL)
A Washington University in St. Loluis (WUSTL) team took fifth place in the national CanSat competition June 8 in Amarillo, Texas. The competition was for students to design and build a soda-can-sized payload for a large model rocket; the rocket blasted up to about 3,000 feet, where the payload was released and supposed to gently return to Earth. Bonus points were awarded for landing closest to a designated target and for returning panoramic images of the descent. Twenty-seven teams submitted designs for the competition, and 13 showed up with working hardware (plus one high-school team, graded separately).

Space Shuttle Endeavour Blasts Off From Florida (Source: Reuters)
The U.S. space shuttle Endeavour blasted off on a pillar of flames on Wednesday, sending a deep rumble across Florida marshlands and carrying among its crew a former teacher who trained for the ill-fated Challenger mission. It was Endeavour's first space mission since before the February 1, 2003 Columbia accident and the second of four missions NASA plans to carry out this year to the $100 billion International Space Station.

Governor Crist Appoints Space Florida Board Members (Source: EOG)
Governor Charlie Crist announced eight appointments to the Space Florida Board of Directors. The board appointments include: Dr. Michael Hickey of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Volusia County; Jimmie Davis Jr. of MITRE Corp. in Leon County; Lloyd Newton, a consultant in Hillsborough County; John H. Walker of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers in Brevard County; Silas Baker Jr., a retired aerospace executive from Brevard County; Van Bogan of Florida Bank of Commerce in Orange County; Gary Kompothecras of Physicians Group LLC in Sarasota County; and Graham Webb of Pratt & Whitney in Palm Beach County.

NASA Sponsors Engineering Design Challenge for Lunar Plant Growth Chamber (Source: NASA)
As space shuttle Endeavour and 10 million cinnamon basil seeds are set to launch on a mission to the International Space Station, NASA has opened registration for the K-12 Lunar Plant Growth Chamber challenge. Students participating in the challenge will design and build their own greenhouse chambers to analyze and study plant growth from the space-flown seeds following their return to Earth. Students will conduct classroom experiments that may help NASA find new ways to grow and sustain plants in space and on the moon - a critical need for future space exploration. Educators may learn more and register for the challenge at http://www.nasa.gov/education/plantchallenge.

India Approves $67.5 Million Arianespace Satellite Launch Deal (Source: Reuters)
India's cabinet approved on Thursday the placing of a contract worth up to $67.5 million with European space launch company Arianespace for launching satellites. "This will facilitate the timely launch of GSAT-8/INSAT-4G in 2008/09," Information Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi said.

Endeavour Fulfills NASA's Goal of Sending Educator into Space (Source: AIA)
The U.S. space program has finally fulfilled its goal of sending a teacher into orbit. Teacher-astronaut Barbara Morgan and the other crew members of Endeavour reached orbit Thursday and are scheduled to dock at the International Space Station Friday afternoon. Morgan will speak with students in Idaho halfway through the flight.

Wallops Research Park Plans Progressing (Source: DelMarVaNow.com)
Accomack County took the first step Wednesday toward completing requirements to obtain a grant for a workforce training center and business incubator at Wallops Research Park, near the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport. A sparsely attended informational meeting was the first of seven activities to be completed before Sept. 7 in order to obtain a Virginia Community Development Block Grant to pay for a feasibility study for the training center. There are two buildings on the premises already -- NASA's Payload Processing Facility and the Marine Science Consortium's cafeteria. Additional structures already planned for the park include an office building for Northrop Grumman -- a contractor for the U.S. Navy -- and a building for BaySys Technologies, a local aircraft design and engineering company.

Polk Teacher Is Shooting for the Stars (Source: Lakeland Ledger)
An empty bulletin board gives Janice Katz another opportunity to educate her students about a favorite subject of hers - space. Katz, 29, a kindergarten teacher at Davenport School of the Arts, knows it can be difficult to get students interested in subjects such as space. To get students involved, "I think we have to expose them to it," said Katz. The launch Endeavour with former teacher Barbara R. Morgan on board was exciting and inspirational to Katz, her husband Jason and to June High, all Polk County teachers who have attended space camp. All three watched the launch first hand and all three want to incorporate space travel into their work with students.

Loral Reports Financial Results (Source: Loral)
Loral's total consolidated revenue for the second quarter of 2007 rose 17 percent to $226 million from $193 million in the same period last year. For the first half of 2007, Loral's revenue totaled $447 million, a 22 percent increase over the $365 million reported in the first six months of 2006. Loral's second quarter. Loral's operating loss for the second quarter was $15 million, compared to $0.5 million in the second quarter of 2006. For the first six months of 2007, Loral reported an operating loss of $27 million, versus $7 million for the same period in 2006. Loral reported net income of $21 million in the second quarter and $4 million for the six months ending June 30, 2007. Loral reported a net loss of $11 million and $27 million for the second quarter and first six months of 2006, respectively.