June 19 News Items

Harris Will Build Next-Generation Space Suit Radios (Source: Washington Technology)
Harris Corp. will provide the radio communications and navigation system for NASA’s next-generation spacesuit under a seven-year contract with a potential value of $58 million. Under NASA’s new Constellation Space Suit System contract, Harris will design and build a radiation-hardened radio that is software-operated, uses a voice-only contingency radio and has low-profile antennas. The software-defined radio has the flexibility and adaptability to accommodate evolving voice- and data-networking requirements on future lunar missions. (6/19)

National Space Club Luncheon Features Constellation Update on July 8 (Source: NSC)
The Florida Committee of the National Space Club has scheduled a July 8 luncheon at the Cocoa Beach DoubleTree Hotel. The featured speaker will be NASA Constellation Program Manager Jeff Hanley. He will give a progress update on the Constellation Program. The event is scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. For reservations, call LaDonna Neterer at 321-505-2037 or mailto:ladonna.j.neterer@boeing.com by July 3. (6/17)

Spacehab Hires Lance Lord to Lead Astrotech (Source: ERAU)
Amid a sustained downturn in U.S. commercial satellite launches, Spacehab has hired retired Air Force General Lance Lord to lead its Astrotech subsidiary. The company has replaced much of its commercial satellite processing business with work for government agencies. (6/19)

Helms to Transfer and be Replaced by Bolton at 45th Space Wing (Source: Florida Today)
The first woman to command America's primary East Coast rocket range soon will be replaced by the first African-American to serve in that capacity. Former NASA astronaut Susan Helms, who has served as commander of the Air Force's 45th Space Wing since June 2006, is heading to the heartland to take on a new assignment as director of plans and policy at the headquarters of U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. Helms, who also served a stint as deputy commander of the space wing, will be replaced by Brig. Gen. Edward L. "Ed" Bolton, who now is deputy director of systems engineering and integration at the National Reconnaissance Office (6/19)

Defying Bush, House Approves More for NASA (Source: Houston Chronicle)
The House of Representatives defied the White House on Wednesday by overwhelmingly approving a $20.2 billion budget for NASA — $2.9 billion more than sought by President Bush. With Houston-area lawmakers leading the way, House members crossed party lines to send a strong message to the White House by approving the measure on a vote of 409 to 15 — far exceeding the two-thirds majority that would be needed to override a possible presidential veto. A total of 181 Republicans joined 228 Democrats to approve the measure. Fifteen Republicans voted no.

The White House did not respond to Wednesday's vote. Instead, a spokesman referred questioners to an administration statement last week that it "strongly opposed" the funding plan because it was "inconsistent with the administration's fiscal policies." That argument was not persuasive on Capitol Hill. Rep. Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands, said today was "no time to be shortchanging the space program" of needed funds. House members worked across party lines to "ensure that NASA continues to be the world's premier space agency," said Rep. Gene Green, D-Houston. "The price we pay to fund NASA is a bargain." The plan now goes to the Senate. A committee hearing on the matter is scheduled for next Tuesday. (6/19)

NASA and Disney Invite Kids to Explore Space with WALL-E (Source: NASA)
An animated robot and his spacefaring companion are leading a campaign by NASA and Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures to promote interest among schoolchildren in science and technology. NASA and Disney have signed a Space Act Agreement for a series of educational and public outreach activities related to Disney-Pixar's new movie, WALL-E. This collaboration highlights the similarities between the movie's storyline and NASA's real-life work in robot technology, propulsion systems and astrophysics. Disney-Pixar's WALL-E is set 700 years in the future. The film's main character is the only rover-robot left on Earth. He meets a new robot named Eve, and together they take a journey through the universe. (6/18)

Space Angels Network Adds Founding Members (Source: Washington Business Journal)
Space Angels Network, a national organization of seed- and early-stage investors focused on aerospace-related ventures, has secured its first members from four investment firms, the group announced Wednesday. Joining the Leesburg-based organization are: Esther Dyson of EDventure Holdings in New York; Stephen Fleming of Atlanta Technology Angels in Georgia; David S. Rose of New York Angels in New York; and Ed Tuck of Falcon Fund in California. First launched in April 2007 by Guillermo Söhnlein, the group began seeking investors with a net worth of at least $1 million, who are interested in investing in commercial space businesses such as space travel and micro satellites, late last year. The new investors bring the network's total membership to 10 with a goal of reaching 25 members by the end of this year. (6/18)

URS Awarded NASA and US Air Force Support Contract (Source: Thompson Financial)
URS Corp. late Wednesday said it been awarded an institutional services contract to support NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida and U.S. Air Force programs and projects. The contract has a maximum value of $1.5 billion to URS. It has a 5-year base period and five one-year options, the San Francisco-based provider of engineering, construction and defense services said. It also includes some service at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and Patrick Air Force Base in Florida. (6/18)

New Contract at KSC Affects 3,000 Workers (Source: Florida Today)
The second largest contract at Kennedy Space Center will be changing hands this fall, and the futures of 3,000 workers hang in the balance. EG&G Technical Services won a contract Wednesday worth up to $1.5 billion to provide institutional services at the nation's primary spaceport. The company will perform "most of the functions currently performed" by Space Gateway Support, the company that acts as "the city manager" at NASA's shuttle homeport. EG&G Technical Services will determine the future of the current SGS work force when the new five-year contract takes effect on Oct. 1. (6/19)

Russia Launches US Commercial Satellites (Source: AP)
Russia successfully launched six U.S. communications satellites into orbit Thursday, officials said. The Kosmos-3M booster rocket blasted off from the Kapustin Yar launchpad in southern Russia carrying the satellites, owned by ORBCOMM Inc., into orbit. ORBCOMM said the launch will enhance its satellite network performance, providing faster message delivery for the company's customers. The satellites are equipped with Automatic Identification System (AIS) payloads to receive and report transmissions from AIS-equipped ships. ORBCOMM said it intends to market this AIS data to U.S. and international coast guards and government agencies, as well as to companies whose businesses require such ship tracking and other navigational activities. (6/19)

Richardson's Presidential Campaign Donated to Spaceport Tax Effort (Source: Las Cruces Sun-News)
Gov. Bill Richardson's unsuccessful presidential campaign was the largest contributor to a political action committee that pushed for passage of a spaceport tax referendum in Sierra County last April, according to reports submitted to the New Mexico Secretary of State's office. The Richardson for President campaign gave $10,000 to People for Aerospace of Sierra County on April 8, two weeks before the April 22 vote in which Sierra residents overwhelmingly approved the tax, clearing the way for a spaceport taxation district. (6/19)

House Passes NASA Authorization Bill (Source: SpaceToday.net)
The House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a NASA authorization bill on Wednesday that would require NASA to add an additional shuttle mission to the manifest. The House passed the NASA Authorization Act of 2008 on a 409-15 vote late Wednesday after debating the bill late last week. The bill authorizes $20.2 billion for NASA in 2008, significantly above the $17.6 billion requested by the administration; however, appropriations bills currently being considered by both the House and Senate would fund NASA well below that authorized figure, at about $17.8 billion.

A provision in the authorization bill would require NASA to fly two "contingency" shuttle missions to the ISS currently on the manifest as well as add a mission that would carry the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer experiment to the station. That particular provision generated strong opposition from the administration in a statement last week because of the potential impact that additional mission would have on the retirement of the shuttle fleet and development of Constellation. The legislation will now be taken up by the Senate. (6/19)

Delta 2 Rocket Cleared for Friday Morning Launch from California (Source: Santa Maria Times)
A Delta 2 rocket and its joint NASA-French satellite that will continue a series of missions monitoring sea levels and climate around the world got the green light to proceed with countdown toward an early Friday morning blastoff. The United Launch Alliance Delta 2 rocket will carry the Ocean Surface Topography Mission or Jason 2. Liftoff is set for between 12:46 and 12:55 a.m. Friday from Space Launch Complex-2. The U.S. government and France are sharing costs for the $432 million mission. (6/19)

NASA Bill Sends Message to Presidential Candidates (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
President Bush "strongly opposes" elements of the newly passed NASA Authorization Bill -- saying it costs too much -- but its backers said the bill isn't meant for him. It's intended to show presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama that NASA has support in Congress. "We're really on to the next administration at this point. That's 99 percent of our focus," said U.S. Rep. Tom Feeney, R-Oviedo, one of the bill's sponsors. "By an overwhelming, enthusiastic and bipartisan majority, the U.S. House has endorsed an aggressive promotion of NASA in general and human spaceflight in particular." So far, neither presidential candidate has made NASA a focus of his campaign. McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, said in a recent interview that he is willing to "spend more taxpayers' dollars" on the agency and was "intrigued" by a manned mission to Mars. (6/19)

NASA to Gauge Rise of Sea Levels (Source: Florida Today)
NASA on Friday will launch a $433 million mission aimed at tracking a significant rise in sea levels that within the next century could swamp the state of Florida and low-lying cities around the world. The joint U.S.-European undertaking will get under way with the launch of the Jason 2 spacecraft. Orbiting 830 miles above the planet, Jason 2 will measure sea surface heights that are rising at twice the rate recorded by tide gauges during the past century. Global warming and melting ice in Greenland and the Antarctic are culprits. Projections show coastal zones in Florida, Pacific island nations and low-lying cities worldwide could be flooded. (6/19)