June 18 News Items

NASA Awards Kennedy Space Center Institutional Services Contract (Source: NASA)
NASA has selected EG&G Technical Services to provide institutional services at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The contract begins Oct. 1, 2008, with a five-year base period, followed by five one-year options. It is a cost-plus-award-fee contract. The maximum potential value of the contract is approximately $1.5 billion. EG&G Technical Services will perform facilities operations, maintenance and engineering; propellants and life support operations; logistics; transportation; and laboratory management for KSC. (6/18)

No Signs of Water Yet from Mars Lander (Source: LA Times)
In its first chemical analysis of soil from Mars' northern plains, NASA's Phoenix lander has turned up no evidence of water, scientists said Monday. Still, researchers remained confident that the craft is in the right place to uncover veins of ice believed to lie only inches beneath the surface. The goal of the $420-million Phoenix mission is to find out whether Mars is, or ever was, suitable for rudimentary life forms. Phoenix landed near Mars' north pole May 25. (6/18)

Virginia Spaceport Plan 'Once in a Lifetime' for County (Source: Eastern Shore News)
Orbital Sciences Corporation's announcement last week that it will locate its new space launch vehicle project at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport here comes at a good time for Accomack County as it nears agreements necessary to develop the Wallops Research Park, an official said last week. The county also is anticipating completion of a $12,500 study it commissioned to analyze Bay Coast Railroad's impact on Accomack's economy. That study at the county's request will include analysis of the economic impact a railroad spur to the research park area would have. (6/18)

Voters Remain Wary of Higher Taxes to Support NASA (Source: AIA)
A new poll found that boosting taxes to increase funding for NASA is not popular with the public even though voters strongly approve of NASA's work. The House is expected to vote on adding $2.9 billion to NASA's budget this week. Meanwhile, lawmakers who support boosting spending on NASA say public opinion should not be a guiding force for funding. (6/18)

Japan Appoints First Space Development Minister (Source: Space Daily)
Japan on Tuesday appointed its first ever minister of space development after the pacifist nation scrapped a decades-old ban on the use of space programs for defense. Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda picked Fumio Kishida, the science policy minister, to take on the additional role, government officials said. The appointment was in line with last month's passing of a new law allowing the use of outer space for defense, breaking a decades-old taboo amid increasing concern about military threats in the region. (6/18)

Poll: Americans Support Space Exploration, Believe it Inspires Younger Generation (Source: NASA Watch)
As America prepares to celebrate the 50th anniversary of NASA later this year, a new Gallup Poll shows strong support for the U.S. Space Exploration Program. The most recent poll, conducted in May 2008, is the latest in a series of four polls commissioned by the Coalition for Space Exploration in an effort to better understand the extent of support and public attitudes toward America's space program. The first three polls were conducted in June 2005, March 2006 and August 2006. (6/17)

Report: Pentagon Misled Congress on Threat an Attack Would Pose on NORAD Headquarters (Source: Space News)
The Pentagon understated the vulnerability faced by the nation's air and space defense command before it relocated to Colorado's Peterson Air Force Base, a newspaper reported Monday. (6/17)

Sarkozy Announces Plan for Massive Military Space Spending (Source: Space News)
French President Nicolas Sarkozy on June 17 committed his administration to "a massive investment" in space-based intelligence and the creation of a Joint Space Command for military space oversight to be managed by the French air force and placed under the authority of the Joint Defense Staff. (6/17)

Extreme Makeover: Outer Space Style (Source: ABC News)
The defining image of space exploration is set for a facelift as the spacesuit prepares for its first update since the late 1970s. The Constellation Program mission requires two spacesuit system configurations to meet the requirements of Orion missions to the space station and to the moon. Current suits, called extravehicular mobility units, like the ones used on the International Space Station and on shuttle missions, were "built for a completely different set of problems," and not for exploring the moon, said a NASA manager. (6/17)