July 3 News Items

Rosetta Awakes From Hibernation for Asteroid Encounter (Source: ESA)
Spacecraft controllers have awoken Rosetta from hibernation to prepare for its encounter with asteroid (2867) Steins on 5 September. ESA’s comet chaser will study the relatively rare asteroid as it flies by on its way to comet 67/P Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Launched in March 2004, Rosetta will reach its final destination only in 2014, after travelling a total of about 6500 million km. The distance between the spacecraft and the Sun as it approaches the comet will be about 600 million or 4 AU (1 AU or 1 Astronomical Unit is equal to 150 million km, the mean distance between Earth and the Sun). (7/3)

Instrument Concerns Accelerate Mars Sample Analysis Plans (Source: SpaceToday.net)
The possibility of a short circuit in a key instrument on NASA's Mars Phoenix Lander has led scientists to accelerate the analysis of a sample of ice-rich soil, project officials said Wednesday. Engineers are concerned about the lander's Thermal and Evolved-Gas Analyzer (TEGA), one of its key instruments, after it suffered a short circuit during operation last month. Taking a conservative approach, scientists opted to move ahead and use a soil sample thought to be rich in ice in the instrument next, in case the problem worsens and prevents future use of TEGA. (7/3)

NASA Unveils Analysis Of Alternate Moon Rocket (Source: Florida Today)
A launch system some claim would take America back to the moon faster and cheaper than Ares rockets would lack the propulsive oomph to get the job done and in the end would delay an effort to send U.S. astronauts back to the lunar surface, internal NASA documents show. The contention that the so-called DIRECT architecture would save money and be safer "lack supporting data and analysis" and the transportation system developed for Project Constellation is more suitable for NASA's envisioned lunar missions, the agency documents say.

NASA's analysis "shows that the DIRECT proposal would cost more than the Ares family in the near-term and also on a recurring launch basis," the report says. "Finally, the DIRECT proposal would take longer to develop when compared to the Ares vehicles when factoring in the extensive core stage development effort and associated acquisitions." Visit http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/256922main_Direct_vs_%20Ares%20_FINAL_62508.pdf to view NASA's documentation. (7/3)

ATK Wins $250M Air Force Contract (Source: Minneapolis Business Journal)
Alliant Techsystems has been awarded a $250 million contract from the U.S. Air Force to supply launch vehicles and services for rockets. ATK will provide suborbital, solid-fuel rockets, as well as related engineering and integration services. The rockets will be used by the Department of Defense and NASA. (7/3)

Lack of Cracks May Explain Peru Meteorite Mystery (Source: New Scientist)
It'S the Superman of space rocks. A mysterious meteorite that crashed to Earth last year may have been the toughest of its kind. The Carancas meteorite struck the town of that name in Peru last September, blowing a hole in the ground 13 meters wide. The fact that locals saw a single object strike suggests a meteorite made of iron, because stony meteorites normally fragment high above the Earth and spread relatively harmlessly over a wide area. However, the debris found by investigators was stone.

One explanation for this conundrum, though at odds with the eyewitness accounts, is that the object broke into smaller pieces which hit the ground together. Another theory is that the meteorite was one of many chunks from a larger, slow-moving object which broke up when it met the atmosphere at a glancing angle. Yet all these chunks would probably have been traveling too slowly to create the Carancas crater.

Now some researchers suggest the object could have survived the descent intact if, by a one-in-a-million chance, it lacked internal cracks and irregularities. They built a computer model showing that an object around 1 meter across could enter the atmosphere at a relatively fast 20 kilometers per second and survive the descent if it was free of cracks. (7/3)

UND Unveils New Space Flight Simulator (Source: Grand Forks Herald)
The first set of University of North Dakota (UND) space flight simulation students will have a couple of options when they begin their class in late August — facing forward or flat on their backs. The school’s space studies department unveiled its first space flight simulator in December, modeled on NASA’s Apollo series, essentially a pod where students lie on their backs staring at a flat screen in the roof and guiding the ship on missions that range from docking at the International Space Station to orbiting the Earth or landing on the moon. The second simulator, unveiled at a press conference Wednesday, models SpaceShipOne, the craft that made the first privately funded space flight in 2004. (7/3)

France Plans Revolution in Space (Source: BBC)
Ambitious plans for European missions to the Moon and Mars are being considered by the French government. It wants to kick-start a revolution in space by letting EU politicians not bureaucrats decide on priorities for the European Space Agency (ESA). The French say that if Europe fails to change its approach to space, it will fall behind Japan, China and India. Paris is seeking an alliance with the UK to drive the agenda forward during the French presidency of the EU.

President Nicolas Sarkozy's well-known admiration for all things American now extends to space exploration. Speaking to the BBC, a senior official involved in French space policy said that it was time to shake up the European Space Agency and make it more like NASA by giving it a new, politically-led direction. The French take over the rotating presidency of the European Union on 1 July and are planning to make space policy a key area for reform. (7/2)

NASA Reveals New Discoveries from Mercury (Source: NASA)
Analyses of data from the January 2008 flyby of the planet by the Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft have shown that volcanoes were involved in plains formation and suggest that its magnetic field is actively produced in the planet's core. Scientists additionally took their first look at the chemical composition of the planet's surface. The tiny craft probed the composition of Mercury's thin atmosphere, sampled charged particles (ions) near the planet, and demonstrated new links between both sets of observations and materials on Mercury's surface. (7/3)

China Makes Breakthrough in Developing Next-Generation Long March Rocket (Source: Xinhua)
China has made a breakthrough in developing its next generation of space-launch vehicle Long March V, which is scheduled for operation by 2014. Significant progress has been made on the rocket engine and the building of a production plant. The rocket's 120-ton liquid oxygen-kerosene engine had passed initial tests and would be put into field tests by the year end. With four boosters, the 59.5-meter-high environmentally friendly rocket's launching weight would reach 643 tons. It would be able to deliver a 25-ton payload to an LEO, compared with the present 10 tons, and a 14-ton payload to a GEO, compared with 5.5 tons now. (7/3)

Arianespace Launch Set for July 7 (Source: Arianespace)
Due to an anomaly identified on the electrical interface between the Ariane 5 launcher and the launch table, Arianespace has decided to replace the equipment unit concerned. As a result, the ProtoStar I – BADR-6 Flight has been postponed from Friday, July 4 to Monday, July 7. (7/3)

Exploding Asteroid Theory Strengthened by New Evidence in Ohio, Indiana (Source: University of Cincinnati)
Was the course of life on the planet altered 12,900 years ago by a giant comet exploding over Canada? New evidence found by UC suggests the answer is affirmative. Geological evidence found in Ohio and Indiana in recent weeks is strengthening the case to attribute what happened 12,900 years ago in North America -- when the end of the last Ice Age unexpectedly turned into a phase of extinction for animals and humans – to a cataclysmic comet or asteroid explosion over top of Canada.

A comet/asteroid theory advanced by Arizona-based geophysicist Allen West in the past two years says that an object from space exploded just above the earth’s surface at that time over modern-day Canada, sparking a massive shock wave and heat-generating event that set large parts of the northern hemisphere ablaze, setting the stage for the extinctions. (7/2)

University of Delaware Researcher Receives NASA New Investigator Award (Source: UDelaware)
With their unequaled view of the globe's surface, satellites have revolutionized scientists' understanding of the ocean. They have allowed researchers to do things such as map the world's waters and study ocean currents. A new project by the University of Delaware's Matt Oliver could help take the use of satellites to a new level. Oliver has received a NASA New Investigator Award in Earth Sciences for a project aimed at allowing satellites to estimate the three-dimensional structure of environments beneath the ocean's surface. He is just one of 18 recipients of the award, which emphasizes research and education in the early development of scientists' and engineers' careers. (7/2)

Virginia Company Wins Slice of KSC Work (Source: Florida Today)
The unbundling of the single contract that has covered base operations at Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station for the past decade is continuing as an estimated 3,000 workers enter a transition that will take most from the incumbent company to a new employer. QinetiQ North America announced today that its Mission Solutions Group has been awarded a contract by Abacus Technology Corp., which last week won a NASA-KSC Information Management and Communications Support contract that could be worth almost $900 million over nine years. Based in Fairfax, Va., QinetiQ North America will provide systems engineering, sustaining engineering and imaging and timing services as a subcontractor to Abacus. (7/2)

NASA Considers Development of Student-Led Satellite Initiative (Source: NASA)
NASA is considering the development of a university-based, student-led satellite development initiative to begin passing the space exploration torch to a new generation. The American Student Moon Orbiter, or ASMO, concept invites students, faculty and industry leaders in the U.S. with experience in university-based, student-led spaceflight projects to respond to a Request for Information which is planned for release this month and will remain open for at least 90 days. The orbiter will be a small satellite that could orbit the moon and carry scientific instruments designed and developed by students. It is aligned with NASA's lunar exploration agenda. (7/2)

Moon Dust: Astronaut Health Hazard? (Source: Discovery)
Astronauts heading to the moon have more to worry about than rocket rides and radiation exposure. Researchers have discovered that breathing on the lunar surface could be hazardous to their health. The problem is dust. On the moon, it's sharp-edged, chemically active and ubiquitous. "The dust is electrostatic -- it just sticks to everything," explained University of California San Diego researcher Chantal Darquenne, who is working under a NASA grant to study how moon dust lodges in the lungs. (7/2)

Passenger Space Rocket Fueled by Old Tires (Source: Mirror)
Britain's biggest passenger space rocket is set for its first flight - fuelled by old car tires. Nova 2 is designed to carry three passengers more than 60 miles above the Earth for 20-minute trips. And to make it more environmentally friendly it will use rocket fuel partly made from recycled tires. Scientist Steve Bennett, 43, unveiled the rocket at Salford University where he is head of the space technology lab. Click here to view the article. (7/2)

NASA Goddard Has More Than a Dozen Exciting Missions in Next Year (Source: NASA)
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, located in Greenbelt, Maryland, has the lead on many exciting space missions launching in the next year. These missions include a final repair trip to upgrade the famous Hubble Space Telescope and spacecraft to study powerful gamma-rays, the moon, the Sun, and Earth's weather and pollution. "This is one of the busiest periods in the history of Goddard," said Rick Obenschain, acting director of Goddard. Click here to view the announcement. (7/1)

3000 Jobs to be Cut at the Cape in September (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
A major NASA contractor is expected to notify nearly 3,000 workers today that their jobs at Cape Canaveral will be eliminated in September, although many may be rehired by new companies coming to the Space Coast. Space Gateway Support plans to inform 1,800 full-time employees and about 1,100 contract workers that the company's lucrative base operations deal with Kennedy Space Center and the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station is expiring Sept. 30. (7/2)

Intelsat's Galaxy 26 Suffers Partial Failure (Source: Satellite Today)
Intelsat confirmed that its Galaxy 26 satellite suffered a partial failure June 29, losing 15 watts out of its possible 37-watt capacity. Slightly more than half of the satellite's payload was lost, according to a spokeswoman. "We do not expect to recover what was lost," she said. Galaxy 26 (formerly known as Intelsat Americas 6 and Telstar 6) was built by Loral and placed in orbit in 1999. Customers that lost service have been redirected to other satellites. (7/1)

Russian Deal Paves Way for Space Tourism (Source: AFP)
The Russian space agency has sealed a deal with a private investor to build a Soyuz spacecraft specially for tourist hire to be operational in 2011. "We have concluded an agreement with an investor to begin financing such a Soyuz vessel with an anticipated launch date of 2011," Roskosmos stated. The craft, piloted by a professional astronaut, is designed to carry two so-called space adventurers. A Roskosmos spokesman refused to identify the investor despite the agency having signed a deal in June with private American company Space Adventures for a commercial flight to the International Space Station. (7/2)

Cry Havoc (Source: Space Review)
Did you know that NASA is a fascist organization? How about the Constellation program—did you realize that it was fascist too? Or the Apollo program? What about the philosophical/spiritual observation that Arthur C. Clarke defined as “the Overview Effect” whereby from space, Earth’s political borders and squabbles disappear? Did you realize that this philosophy—perhaps even Arthur C. Clarke himself—is fascist?

You can learn this by reading the libertarian space blogosphere where it’s now silly season, and smart, well-educated people have decided to start using “fascist” for anything and everything that they disagree with, particularly in the government’s space program. Just Google “fascist NASA” and see what pops up. It’s not all ranting by kooks and madmen alleging that Free Masons and Nazis command shuttle launches, it’s people who have long criticized NASA and have now gone off the deep end. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1159/1 to view the article. (6/30)

How to Know When an Engineering Project is Failing (Source: Space Review)
The media has, over the last several months, devoted some coverage to the thrust oscillation problems and other issues with the Ares 1. That brings to mind two questions about projects like these. How does an outside observer know if a project like this is succeeding or failing? How does an engineering team communicate with interested and influential observers the status of a project effectively?

I have no personal knowledge of what is going on inside of the Ares 1 development program. I have worked on a number of development projects that have had their challenges during their development. There have been times when customers have had doubts about the successful outcome. The first one of these was on a project at company I worked for shortly out of college. I was on a team developing software to control automated material handling cranes and shuttle cars for a project at two large parts stamping plants for an auto company. It was a strange lesson in how some projects in industry are managed.

There is one surefire way to know that the Ares 1 development has problems: look at the size of the budget. Virtually every project anywhere near this size has major challenges along the way. That’s one of the reasons it’s worth being part of a project like this. Without tough challenges to overcome there wouldn’t be a great sense of satisfaction when success finally comes. These are the types of projects that could have a number of major critical problems to overcome. The fact that it may have a number of major problems does not mean that they won’t all be over come. On the flip side of a project like this is that it’s possible to solve all the major problems but one—and fail. Click here to view the article. (6/30)

Regolith Excavation Challenge Moon Diggers Get Space Water (Source: CSA)
The California Space Education Workforce Institute (CSEWI) and the California Space Authority (CSA) announced that Microgravity Enterprises, Inc. (MEI) will provide Space2O, a bottled space water product, for participating teams in the 2008 Regolith Excavation Challenge, a national competition involving 25 teams from across the U.S. The event requires teams to build an effective roving lunar excavator that collects and places into a collector 150 kg of lunar simulant within 30 minutes for eligibility in winning NASA’s $750,000. Space2O—is an innovative bottled water product that uses ingredients launched and retrieved from space. (7/3)

Senate Committee Approves $20.21 Billion NASA Authorization To Hasten Orion-Ares (Source: CSA)
The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee wrote and sent the full Senate a $20.35 billion NASA authorization measure that would enable a possible $1 billion outlay to speed development of the next-generation Orion-Ares spacecraft system. The committee moved the bill in a portion of a meeting open to the public that was marked by little comment and no opposition by senators. Further, the bill orders NASA "to plan and conduct" an added space shuttle mission to fly the $1.5 billion Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer experiment for addition to the International Space Station, along with other scientific payloads. Click here for more. (7/1) http://www.californiaspaceauthority.org/html/government_pages/pr080701-1.html

Summer Edition of CSA's SpaceBound! (Source: CSA)
The Summer 2008 edition of the California Space Authority's SpaceBound! publication is now available online. Visit http://www.californiaspaceauthority.org/spacebound-08-v24/index.html to download your copy. (7/3)

Governor Promotes Beale AFB as Future Home of Air Force Cyber Command (Source: CSA)
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger sent information to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force William Anderson today identifying the many reasons for establishing the new Air Force Cyber Command at Beale Air Force Base in Yuba City. The Air Force is currently considering various locations across the country. Visit http://www.californiaspaceauthority.org/html/government_pages/pr080702-1.html to view the article. (6/30)

Japanese Firm Offers Weddings in Space (Source: vnunet)
A Japanese firm is offering couples the chance to get hitched in space. The firm will provide the happy couple with a rocket capable of taking them, a priest and two witnesses 100km up to get married in freefall. Most of the service will be conducted on the ground and then the vows exchanged while the couple enjoy a few minutes of weightlessness. The capsule then returns to earth and they can get on with the honeymoon.

The wedding package costs $2.4 million and the Japanese firm First Advantage says it expects the package to be popular with wealthy couples from Asia and the Middle East. The package is being organized with US space tourism company Rocket Plane, based in Oklahoma. The offering is part of a boom in space tourism, which many firms believe is now viable. Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic is already taking deposits for its first flight, as too is a Spanish space hotel, and the US government has prepared regulations for space tourists. (7/3)

Richardson Appoints Native Las Cruces Woman to Spaceport Authority (Source: KVIA)
Governor Bill Richardson has appointed Daniela Glick as chairwoman for the Spaceport Authority. Glick serves as the Deputy Cabinet Secretary for the Economic Development Department. She is a native of Las Cruces. Glick recently managed a successful, grassroots campaign to convince voters in Sierra County to support a local investment in Spaceport America , which is expected to create hundreds of good paying jobs for Southern New Mexico. Before Governor Richardson appointed Glick as Deputy Secretary of Economic Development, Glick served several roles in the Governor's Office, including Director of Cabinet Affairs and Deputy Director of Political, Policy and Legislative Affairs. (7/3)

Physics and Fitness Meld for Space Tourist, NFL Player (Source: Space.com)
Richard Garriott, the next civilian to fly in space, will be teaming up with Ken Harvey, former NFL player and four-time pro bowler, to create this activity that tries to involve students in space while getting them fit on Earth. Space Sportilization is a series of fitness activities that students can do on Earth and then predict what similar moves would look like in free fall on the ISS.

Harvey stated, "With this activity, that we call, Space Sportilization, we hope to combine sports and space together to help students learn what science principles are at work when we play sports. Kids will help me work on a set of football drills that we will give to Richard Garriott to practice as he travels among the stars." (7/3)

Bidding Starts to Put EU's Galileo System Into Space (Source: Independent)
The European Commission kicked off plans yesterday for a rival to the United States' global positioning system (GPS) with calls for suppliers for €3.4bn-worth (£2.7bn) of hi-tech space-technology deals. The Galileo program's network of 30 satellites is designed to give Europe strategic independence from the US, steal a march on the nascent market for mobile location-based services and boost the region's hi-tech and engineering sectors.

But squabbles in Brussels have already pushed the scheme years behind schedule and British MPs warned last year it could become an "orbiting RailTrack" costing up to £10bn. The five-year project is split into six parts, including hardware, complex ground-control and navigation systems and systems integration work. Key players that are likely to put themselves into the running include Thales Alenia Space, EADS Astrium and Logica, but the scheme could also attract non-European firms and Boeing has expressed some interest. (7/2)

Details of International Mars Sample Return Mission Emerge (Source: Flight International)
Details of the international Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission architecture include a number of launch dates from 2018 for the MSR mission, the overall concept is an orbiter to be launched up to two years before the lander, which has a rover and a Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) that will return samples to Earth. Click here to view the article. (7/3)

Eight Teams Taking up ESA’s Lunar Robotics Challenge (Source: ESA)
As interest in exploration of the Moon soars among the world’s space agencies, ESA, through its General Studies Programme, has challenged university students to develop a robotic vehicle that is capable of working in difficult terrain, comparable to that found at the lunar poles. Eight university teams have been selected to proceed to the design stage of ESA’s Lunar Robotics Challenge. Visit http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMGAASHKHF_index_0.html to view the article. (7/3)

Survey of Distant Galaxies Sets Limit on Cosmic Strings (Source: Physics World)
Physicists in the US and Singapore are the first to use light from distant galaxies to perform a systematic search for cosmic strings — massive structures that may have been created just after the Big Bang. Although the team has found no evidence of cosmic strings in the small patch of sky they surveyed, they have been able to set an upper limit on the mass per unit length of the strings. The team is now working to improve their results by looking at larger patches of the sky. (7/2)

Impact Earth: Could We Divert a Giant Asteroid? (Source: Independent)
A hundred years ago this week a man was sitting in the wooden porch of a trading post in the village of Vanavara in deepest Siberia when a blinding flash of light, followed by a huge blast of sound threw him to the ground. Several years later, he recounted the terrifying moment to an inquisitive Russian scientist from St Petersburg who was on an expedition to find out what had caused such a massive explosion in one of the remotest regions on Earth. "Suddenly, in the north sky... the sky was split in two, and high above the forest the whole northern part of the sky appeared covered with fire," the man told the scientist. "There was a bang in the sky and a mighty crash... The crash was followed by a noise like stones falling from the sky, or of guns firing. The earth trembled," he said.

If the asteroid had collided just a few hours later, or had come in on a slightly different trajectory, it could easily have exploded over Paris, London, New York or Moscow, with devastating consequences. Scientists calculate that if something of similar size exploded over London today, little within the M25 would remain standing. It would be as if a large thermonuclear bomb equivalent to 20 million tons of high explosives had been set off in the heart of the city. Click here to view the article. (7/2)

Bidding Starts to Put EU's Galileo Navigation System Into Space (Source: Independent)
The European Commission kicked off plans for a rival to the United States' global positioning system (GPS) with calls for suppliers for €3.4bn-worth (£2.7bn) of hi-tech space-technology deals. The Galileo program's network of 30 satellites is designed to give Europe strategic independence from the US, steal a march on the nascent market for mobile location-based services and boost the region's hi-tech and engineering sectors.

But squabbles in Brussels have already pushed the scheme years behind schedule and British MPs warned last year it could become an "orbiting RailTrack" costing up to £10bn. The five-year project is split into six parts, including hardware, complex ground-control and navigation systems and systems integration work. Key players that are likely to put themselves into the running include Thales Alenia Space, EADS Astrium and Logica, but the scheme could also attract non-European firms and Boeing has expressed some interest. (7/2)

Aviation Week Explores McCain's and Obama's Aerospace and Aviation Plans (Source: Aviation Week)
Last week's Aviation Week & Space Technology zeros in on Senators John McCain and Barack Obama and where they stand on aviation, aerospace and defense issues. "For many aerospace and aviation interests, McCain is a known but feared quantity, while Obama is a blank slate." AW&ST's discussions with political advisers and reviews of public records provide the backdrop for a thorough analysis of the aviation, aerospace and defense industry under the next president. Visit http://www.AviationWeek.com/extra for more. (7/2)

Britain's Biggest Rocket Unveiled (Source: UKpress)
Britain's biggest ever space rocket has been unveiled, the latest step on the way to sending tourists into space by 2013. The 58ft long, Nova 2, was revealed at Salford University by Steve Bennett, head of the university's Space Technology Laboratory. The academic, who also runs a private company, Starchaser Industries, plans to launch Nova 2 in September 2009, to test a safety system which, if successful, will form the design of an even bigger rocket to carry visitors into space. If successful, Mr Bennett's space tourism initiative will enable the public to purchase flights where they will spend 20 minutes in the air and experience three to four minutes of weightlessness, travelling at 3,500 miles per hour. (7/1)

Indian Space Institute Planned to Grow Space Workforce (Source: Frontline)
The Indian Institute of Space Technology is expected to meet ISRO’s demand for quality manpower to launch its ambitious programs. The IIST is the world’s first space university to offer undergraduate programmes. From this academic year, it will start three post-graduate programmes in areas of specific interest to the ISRO. One student has registered for Ph.D. If things go according to plan, the institute will move to its own spacious campus at Valiamala, 23 kilometres from Thiruvananthapuram, in September 2009. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will lay the foundation stone for the campus in July or August. (7/1)

Japan's First Advantage Offers Space Weddings in 2011 (Source: RIA Novosti)
A Japanese company that arranges weddings has teamed up with a U.S. commercial space transportation firm to offer marriage ceremonies in space from 2011. First Advantage and Rocket Plane will charge couples around $2.3 million for an hour-long flight to an altitude of around 100 km, which should give several minutes of weightlessness. The bride and groom will be allowed to take a priest and two guests onboard, and their ceremony will be beamed live back to Earth. (7/1)

Lyndon LaRouche Fully Endorses Buzz Aldrin's Call for Funding NASA (Source: EIR)
In an interview published today in London's Sunday Telegraph, Buzz Aldrin, the second man on the Moon said he intends to lobby Barack Obama and John McCain to ensure they fund NASA's goal to establish a permanent base on the Moon and then send a manned mission to Mars. After the Space Shuttle makes its last flight in 2010, it will be five years before its replacement is ready. In that time U.S. astronauts will have to be flown to the Space Station on Russian vehicles.

Lyndon LaRouche today gave his full endorsement to Aldrin's statement. During his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for President in 1984, Lyndon LaRouche prepared and aired a half-hour show on national network TV entitled "Woman on Mars." (7/1)

Pentagon Will Buy Satellites To Do More Spying (Source: AP)
The Pentagon will buy and operate one or two commercial imagery satellites and plans to design and build another with more sophisticated spying capabilities, according to government and private industry officials. The satellites could spy on enemy troop movements, spot construction at suspected nuclear sites and alert commanders to new militant training camps. The Broad Area Surveillance Intelligence Capability (BASIC) satellite system will cost between $2 billion and $4 billion. It would add to the secret constellation of satellites that now circle the Earth, producing still images that are pieced together into one large mosaic. (7/1)

Cernan Calls for Shuttle Extension Over Gap Concerns (Source: NasaSpaceFlight.com)
Captain Eugene (Gene) Cernan, the last man to walk on the moon, has called for the shuttle to be extended past 2010 - so long as it doesn't damage Constellation's manifest - in order to reduce the gap in US manned space flight capability. In an inspiring interview, Captain Cernan spoke on a variety of topics, ranging from his concerns about presidential candidate Barrack Obama's plans for NASA, to his wish that he had flown the space shuttle. (6/30)

Russia Develops Mini-Vehicle for Space Travel (Source: Russia IC)
A mini spacecraft *Oduvanchik, designed specifically for space travel, is expected to appear in Russia by 2012, according to Igor Bulanov - vice principal of the Moscow State Technical University n.a. N.E. Bauman. The specialized spacecraft is being developed by the university fellows and students. As the university vice-principle marks, Oduvanchik can hardly be compared to any similar solution in the world due to it is going to be “much cheaper and more effective than the majority of the other offers”. Supposedly, Oduvanchik will be able to take one pilot and four passengers or 600 kilos of cargo aboard and to carry out orbital and suborbital flights. (6/30)

Angara Rocket Engine Test Planned for 15 July (Source: Flight International)
Cold flow tests of a rocket engine for the Khrunichev space centre's new Angara booster are to take place on 15 July in preparation for hot firings later this year. Russia's Federal Space Agency head Anatoly Perminov visited the Peresvet City-based Russian federal state unitary enterprise Scientific Research Institute of Chemical Machine Building (NIIKhimmash) to discuss the test's progress and the planned creation of the SIC RKP research and test centre. This will be achieved through the merger of NIIKhimmash with another Russian space company. (6/30)

Abu Dhabi to stage Global Space Technology Forum (Source: AMEinfo)
Abu Dhabi will stage a global space technology exhibition and conference in 2008, providing a first class platform to examine the latest space technology and emerging commercial and investment opportunities. The conference and exhibition comes at a time when the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the Middle East region is stepping up efforts to become a serious aviation and aerospace commercial, technical and services hub. (6/30)

Editorial: End Debate and Go to the Moon (Source: Huntsville Times)
With a presidential election campaign in full swing and congressional hearings about the transition of the space shuttle workforce taking place this week, NASA's Constellation program for planetary exploration is spurring debate whether NASA is on the right path. After 22 years working in the space industry and currently supporting the International Space Station program, let me offer a resounding "yes." Growing up in the shadow of Apollo and Shuttle on the Florida Space Coast and being privileged to be a part of the Boeing teams supporting NASA's many efforts in space, I understand first-hand the importance of the space program to Florida, Alabama and to our nation. And I understand the importance of staying committed to our vision. (6/30)

Rocketeers Try, Try Again (Source: MSNBC)
PlanetSpace may not have kept up with the ambitious spaceship-building schedule it set out three years ago, but the U.S.-Canadian venture says it's moving ahead with concepts for a new suborbital craft as well as an orbital launch system. On the suborbital front, the company is working on a quarter-scale, turbojet-powered version of its Silver Dart hypersonic glider that will be tested as an unpiloted aerial vehicle. Meanwhile, on the orbital front, PlanetSpace says it has teamed up once again with Lockheed Martin and ATK to repitch a proposal for resupplying the international space station. (6/30)

Loral To Build Hispasat 1E Satellite (Source: Space News)
Satellite-fleet operator Hispasat of Spain has selected Space Systems/Loral to build the Hispasat 1E telecommunications satellite in what will be Hispasat's first satellite purchase outside of Europe, industry officials said. A formal announcement of the contract is expected within days. (7/3)

Lockheed Gets DMSP Contract Modification (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin Space Systems of Sunnyvale, Calif., a contract modification worth up to $9.4 million to make upgrades to the final two Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellites, which are scheduled for launch in 2010 and 2012, according to a July 2 Defense Department press release. (7/3)

SRA International Buys Ground Systems Company (Source: Space News)
Government consulting firm SRA International of Fairfax, Va., has acquired satellite and ground systems software company Interface & Control Systems of Columbia, Md., a July 2 SRA press release said. Interface & Control Systems' software products are used in U.S. military and civil space systems, including NASA's Constellation project and the Defense Department's TacSat-series satellites. The company will become a part of SRA International's intelligence and space strategic business unit within the national security sector. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. (7/3)

Civil Space Officials Prepare for Likelihood of Continuing Resolution (Source: Space News)
Managers of U.S. civil space programs are bracing for the near certainty they will start the new budget year in October without the funding increases they are seeking for 2009 or the ability to move forward with new programs. The most immediate problem is a budget standoff between Congress and President Bush that seems certain to result in a continuing budget resolution that freezes 2009 spending at 2008 budget levels. (7/3)