October 30 News Items

Solar Panel Ripped on Space Station (Source: AP)
A giant solar wing ripped as it was being unfurled by astronauts aboard the international space station on Tuesday, creating another problem for NASA at the orbiting outpost. The next shuttle flight could be delayed if this latest problem isn't resolved quickly, said NASA's space station program manager. Atlantis is supposed to lift off in early December with a European laboratory. The astronauts immediately halted the wing extension when they spotted the damage. By then, the solar panel was already extended 90 feet of its 115 feet. Space station commander Peggy Whitson said the sun angle prevented her and the others from seeing the 2 1/2-foot tear sooner.

In The Air Or On The Ground, DOT's Peters Favors Tolls Over Taxes (Source: AIA)
Transportation Secretary Mary Peters is on a mission to overhaul how the U.S. pays for its transportation infrastructure. She favors tolls based on use rather than flat fuel taxes, and that philosophy extends from highways on the ground to flight patterns in the air. Editor's Note: Will this include commercial space transportation?

Aviation Week and Embry-Riddle Align to Strengthen Continuing Education (Source: Aviation Week)
Aviation Week, the largest multimedia information and services provider to the global aviation, aerospace and defense industries, has signed an agreement with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University that enables attendees of qualified Aviation Week conferences and forums to earn continuing education credits through Embry-Riddle.

Alliant Techsystems Aims High (Source: Wall Street Journal)
Alliant Techsystems Inc. was for years a staid supplier of rocket motors, content to ride along as aerospace giants like Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp. guided prestigious, multibillion-dollar space projects. But as the U.S. embarks on a new push for manned exploration of space, the midsize company hopes to play a central role in charting the course. Alliant Techsystems beat out its bigger competitors this year to snare high-profile contracts valued at more than $1.8 billion over the next few years -- and probably billions more down the road -- to build big chunks of the proposed rockets planned by NASA for future exploration.

Canine Pioneer: Soviet Mutt Was First Earthling in Space (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
Paris (AFP) Oct 30, 2007 - Fifty years ago Saturday, a perky-eared mutt named Laika, scooped up from the streets of Moscow, became the first earthling to breach our planet's atmosphere and enter space. It was a short and painful voyage for the docile little stray, which died within hours after launch, but a crowning coup for the Soviet Union.

South Korean Rocket to Make First Launch in 2008 (Source: RIA Novosti)
The first launch of a South Korean rocket from the Naro space center, 450 km south of Seoul, built with Russia's participation is set to go ahead in 2008, the Russian Space Agency said. Russian and South Korean space companies are also developing a Korean launch vehicle. In addition, the two countries are also involved in manned space flight cooperation. A contract was signed in December 2006 for a Korean astronaut to fly to the International Space Station (ISS) next spring. South Korea has held a national competition to select the first Korean astronaut. Several possible candidates are currently training at the Gagarin center in Russia under a separate contract.

SpaceX Plans Ground Breaking for Cape Canaveral Spaceport Launch Pad (Source: Space Florida)
SpaceX plans to begin its conversion of Launch Complex 40 with a ground breaking ceremony on Nov. 1 at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. The event coincides with a commercial space conference and the World Space Expo at the Cape.

20 Things You Didn't Know About Living In Space (Source: Discover)
1) Nearly every astronaut experiences some space sickness, caused by the wildly confusing information reaching their inner ears. In addition to nausea, symptoms include headaches and trouble locating your own limbs; 2) And those are the least of your worries. In weightlessness, fluids shift upward, causing nasal congestion and a puffy face; bones lose calcium, forming kidney stones; and muscles atrophy, slowing the bowels and shrinking the heart; 3) At least you’ll be tall: The decreased pressure on the spine in zero-g causes most space travelers to grow about two inches. Click here to view the article.

Lunar Lander to be Assembled at Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: Florida Today)
The next lunar lander will be assembled at Kennedy Space Center, helping alleviate possible job losses after the shuttle program ends in 2010. Funding for the Constellation program, however, won't reach NASA's ten centers until 2011, so NASA officials still worry about losing key personnel. The Tuesday announcement was clearly good news for KSC, said U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, a veteran of a 1986 shuttle flight and a long-time proponent of human and unmanned space exploration.

KSC Wins Lunar Work (Source: Florida Today)
According to NASA, new Constellation work for KSC will include: Support lunar architecture work for Constellation Program system engineer; Ground operations and assembly for Orion Block 1 and Ares I low Earth orbit operations phase; Ares V ground processing, launch operations and recovery support during design, development, test and engineering; Final assembly of and ground processing support for human lunar lander; Lunar surface habitat management and integration; Lead for lunar surface in-situ resource utilization systems; Support surface systems logistics concepts.

85,000 Attend X Prize/Air Force Event in New Mexico (Source: Alamagordo News)
Officials estimated 85,000 guests attended events showcasing the 60th anniversary of the U.S. Air Force and commemorating 50 years of space flight. The Air and Space Expo kicked off Friday with an Education Day offering students from southern New Mexico a chance to run experiments, participate in science competitions, listen to NASA astronauts talk about their experiences and meet with airmen who described their roles when deployed to places like Iraq and Afghanistan.

Japan's Lunar Exploration Mission Lacks Perspective (Source: Daily Yomiuri)
The launch of Japan's lunar orbit explorer Kaguya in September was quickly followed by a Chinese lunar orbiter the following month, exemplifying the fact that exploring the moon is at the forefront of space development. Under such circumstances, the Space Activities Commission (SAC) of the Education, Science and Technology Ministry compiled a draft strategy for lunar exploration Friday. Japan had no concrete space exploration strategy in place to follow the launch of Kaguya--also known as Selene--until a working group of the Space Activities Commission drafted the so-called strategy Friday.

The draft contains a plan to land an unmanned probe on the moon and is set roughly for sometime before the middle of the 2010s. As regards plans after this, the draft only says that Japan will "seek to establish a lunar exploration vision after following developments in other countries." The draft is not fully deserving of being called a strategy as it lacks a firm vision. One key element in the draft was was the consideration of landing Japanese astronauts on the moon. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has put forth a policy to "ask the United States to take Japanese astronauts to the moon." In the process of discussing the draft, JAXA called for an early decision on whether to have Japanese astronauts take part in the U.S. manned lunar exploration program.

Sirius Satellite Radio Narrows 3Q Loss (Source: AP)
Sirius Satellite Radio narrowed its loss in the third quarter as it continued to add subscribers and said it still hopes to close its deal to combine with XM Satellite Radio by the end of the year. The New York-based company lost $120.1 million in the three months ended Sep. 30, compared with a loss of $162.9 million in the same period a year ago. Revenues rose 45 percent to $241.8 million from $167 million a year ago, slightly short of analysts' estimates of $244.3 million.

Harris Appeal of Terminal Contract Denied (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has denied Harris Corp.'s protest of a billion-dollar U.S. Navy satellite communications terminal contract that went to Raytheon earlier this year.

SES to Order More Satellites Amid Soaring Projections (Source: Space News)
Satellite-fleet operator SES expects its global business to grow by more than 6 percent per year on average between 2008 and 2010 with continued high gross profit margins in its core satellite-lease business, the Luxembourg-based company said Oct. 29.

NASA: Cloudsat Was Moved to Avoid Iranian Satellite (Source: Space News)
NASA reports that less than two weeks after maneuvering its Terra Earth-observing satellite to avoid a possible collision with debris created by China's anti-satellite weapon test, the U.S. space agency had to move its Cloudsat out of the way of an Iranian satellite.

NASA to Establish Nationwide Lunar Science Institute (Source: NASA)
NASA has announced its intent to establish a new lunar science institute. This effort, with dispersed teams across the nation, will help lead the agency's research activities for future lunar science missions related to NASA's exploration goals. Named the NASA Lunar Science Institute (NLSI), the effort will be managed from NASA's Ames Research Center. Ames currently manages a similar distributed NASA Astrobiology Institute.