August 5 News Items

Scotty's Ashes Missing in Crash (Source: BBC)
Some of the ashes of actor James Doohan, who played Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in Star Trek have gone missing. The remains were being sent into orbit by a company that offers a space burial service when the rocket carrying them malfunctioned minutes after take-off. This is the second unsuccessful attempt to launch a portion of Canadian-born Doohan's remains into space - an act he requested in his will. The actor's ashes were among those of 208 people who had paid to have their remains fired into space aboard Falcon 1. The craft failed around two minutes into the launch from Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. (8/5)

Martian Soil Shows Traces of Unexpected Chlorine Compound (Source: Science News)
One of the Phoenix Mars Lander’s instruments has “tasted” an unexpected compound in the soil of the Red Planet. The chemical compound, perchlorate, is an oxidizing agent found in rocket fuel and is often considered a contaminant hazardous to human health. Still to be confirmed, the finding does not rule out the possibility that Mars could harbor some form of life, scientists said at an August 5 press briefing. “These compounds are quite stable,” said Peter Smith of the University of Arizona in Tucson and the principal investigator of the mission. “They are not likely to tear apart organic material, and so their presence does not limit the search for habitability in the icy soil of Mars.”

This response comes after a weekend of speculative media reports on the perchlorate find, suggesting that Mars could not harbor life because of the chemical’s presence. But the discovery is neither good nor bad for the prospects for life on Mars, Smith said, pointing out that in Chile's Atacama Desert, some microbes use oxygen from naturally occurring perchlorate for energy. Traces of perchlorate were detected in the lander’s Microscopy, Electrochemistry and Conductivity Analyzer’s wet chemistry labs. Two tests confirmed the existence of the chlorine-oxygen compound, which commonly exists in salt form with iron, calcium or magnesium. Trying to confirm the result, the scientists looked for signatures of oxygen and chlorine when baking a soil sample in the lander’s Thermal and Evolved-Gas Analyzer. One sample did show traces of oxygen. But so far the instrument has yet to get a whiff of chlorine. (8/5)

Malaysia To Reconsider Satellite Launch Pad (Source: Bernama)
The government will reconsider the possibility of building a satellite launch pad in the country if it benefited the nation. "The proposal to build one was made in the Eighth Malaysia Plan and identified Kudat in Sabah as the most appropriate location," Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili said. Ongkili said the proposal for the pad had been put on hold. "We actually have the expertise with the cooperation of international bodies to build it given the vast extent of the South China Sea. That was the opinion of international experts. (8/5)

Orbital Sciences Expands California Workforce for Taurus II (Source: Washington Business Journal)
Orbital Sciences Corp. will expand its southern California presence and hire dozens of new engineers as part of its development of a new launch rocket for NASA. The Dulles-based company is leasing offices in Huntington Beach and will initially hire 30 to 40 new engineers, bringing Orbital’s California workforce to about 150. It already has employees working at Vandenberg Air Force Base and at NASA’s Ames Research Center.

The new engineers will initially support Orbital’s Taurus II program, a launch vehicle it is developing for sending supplies to the International Space Station. Orbital said growth in southern California will eventually be fueled by its expanding presence in the national security and interplanetary space systems markets. Orbital has about 1,400 Washington area employees and more than 3,000 companywide. (8/5)

Surrey Satellite Technology US Opens for Business (Source: BCM)
Leading small satellite manufacturer, Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL), has set up a new subsidiary in the United States to take advantage of the growing international demand for economical, responsive and highly capable spacecraft for a broad range of applications. The new company, Surrey Satellite Technology US LLC (SST-US), has opened an office in Colorado and will eventually have centers in California and Washington DC enabling SSTL to work much closer and more efficiently with its customers. SSTL’s Commercial Director, Dr John Paffett, has been appointed CEO of the new company and can see great potential: “The US is the world’s largest satellite market and presents a great opportunity for us. Surrey Satellite Technology strives to improve and increase the application and utility of small satellites that address the need for operationally responsive space." (8/5)

We've Found Water on Mars...But May Have Contaminated the Soil, says NASA (Source: Daily Mail)
NASA announced that its Phoenix spacecraft may have detected perchlorate, a potentially toxic substance, in soil samples taken from the red planet. However, they fear Phoenix itself may be the culprit, having unwittingly transported it from Earth. The discovery has so far stumped scientists. [If the perchlorate is a naturally occurring substance on Mars and its presence is widespread, it] could devastate hopes that Mars may one day become a new world for man to set up self-sustaining communities living off their own lush vegetable patches. (8/5)

Europe's Ariane Rocket Must Develop or Die: Ex-CEO (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
Europe's Ariane rocket is headed for oblivion without new investment to increase its power, the honorary chairman and ex-CEO of Arianespace warned. "For the first time, Ariane is clearly at risk of decline through a lack of anticipation and strong will," Frederic d'Allest wrote. "No one today can seriously question the urgent need to lift the performance of Ariane 5 from nine tonnes to 12 tonnes," he said. In 2005, EADS shelved plans for a bigger 12-tonne version of Ariane, citing a lack of demand. (8/5)

Sarasota Woman Aims for Spaceship Ride (Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune)
Diana Cloud was not allowed to see the unfinished "SpaceShipTwo" vehicle parked in its desert hangar, she did see its "White Knight 2" carrier aircraft at last week's unveiling. "It was under this big black tarp, and you could just feel the energy coming off of it," said Cloud, a Sarasota entrepreneur and philanthropist. Tickets to ride on a space flight will cost a daunting $200,000 apiece, with 10 percent down. Joining a line of luminaries that includes actress Victoria Principal, film director Bryan Singer and author James Lovelock is Cloud, who is inching up the ladder as others vacillate. I'm No. 161," said Cloud, who improved her position by tossing in more loot -- $175,000. "One year ago, I was over 1,000." (8/5)

NASA Awards Space Radiobiology Research Grants (Source: NASA)
NASA's Human Research Program will fund nine proposals from six states to investigate questions about the affects of space radiation on human explorers. The selected proposals from researchers in California, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, New York and Utah have a total value of approximately $13 million. The ground-based studies will address the impact of space radiation on astronaut health. Research areas will include risk predictions for cancer and models for potential damage to the central nervous system. (8/5)

Florida Student Team in the Google X Prize Competition (Source: Ozzie Osband)
A group of University of Central Florida (UCF) students were shocked that Google X-Prize teams have been announced in other states, and even other countries, but there was no "home-town team" from Florida. To set things right, they hope to enlist other students from other Florida based universities to join the "Omega Envoy" team. They have put considerable effort into the project, having already worked out a weight budget, and determining what commercially available rockets can get their payload safely to the Moon. They hope to recruit assistance in the actual design of their Lunar Rover, and later, its construction. Visit http://omegaenvoy.org for inrformation. (8/2)

Editorial: NASA--A National Asset in Texas (Source: Woodlands Online)
“Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.” Those famous words from Astronaut Neil Armstrong when Apollo 11 landed on the moon in 1969 captivated the world and stirred enormous pride in Texas, home of Mission Control. The Manned Spacecraft Center, now known as the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC), opened in Houston in 1963. It became home base for NASA’s astronaut corps, training space explorers for the U.S. and its partner nations in the space program. To this day, the JSC continues to serve as NASA’s Mission Control Center, while also directing all space shuttle missions, including the international space station – described as “the largest, most powerful, complex human facility to ever operate in space.”

NASA’s influence over Texas has been undeniable. Houston’s baseball team, once the Colt .45s, changed their name when NASA came to town. The Johnson Space Center employs 15,000 civil servants and contractors, and its economic impact in Texas is enormous. By maintaining America’s leadership in the world technology market, all of NASA’s facilities play a critical role in boosting the Texas economy, and the larger American economy as a whole. (8/5)

Harris Corp. Sees Q4 Revenue, Profit Growth (Source: AIA)
Harris Corp. said accounting problems at a subsidiary will not have a material effect on earnings. Last week, the company said it expected to post double-digit profit and revenue growth in the fourth quarter. The company's fourth quarter ended on June 27. (8/5)

Maine Manufacturers Take Steps to Boost Aerospace Work (Source: AIA)
Manufacturers in Maine hope to boost the amount of aerospace work performed in the state. They have formed the Aerospace Cluster Development task force to develop the aerospace sector. "It's absolutely a red-hot industry," said Steve Libby, a purchasing manager at the North Berwick plant of Pratt & Whitney. Aerospace sales in the U.S. were nearly $200 billion in 2007, according to the Aerospace Industries Association. (8/5)

SpaceX Receives $20 Million Investment from Founder's Fund (Source: SpaceRef.com)
SpaceX has received a $20 million equity investment from Founders Fund, a leading technology venture capital firm, headquartered in San Francisco. SpaceX joins Founders Fund's existing portfolio, which includes Facebook, Powerset, Slide and Quantcast. Managing Partner Luke Nosek will join the SpaceX board as part of the financing. (8/5)

Russia Puts Off Launch of Inmarsat Satellite Until Aug. 19 (Source: RIA Novosti)
The launch of a Proton-M rocket carrying an Inmarsat communications satellite has been postponed from August 14 to 19. The rocket is to be launched by the Russian-American joint venture International Launch Services (ILS) from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan. "An on-board computer failure was discovered in the Breeze M booster during prelaunch testing. Although the computer has been replaced, extra time is needed to test it. For this reason the launch has been rescheduled for August 19," a space agency representative said. (8/5)

Rocket for China's Manned Space Mission Now at Spaceport (Source: Xinhua)
The Long-March II-F rocket for the launch of China's manned spacecraft Shenzhou VII has arrived at the spaceport in northwest China's Gansu Province. The rocket is set to send the Shenzhou VII manned spacecraft into space from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Three astronauts aboard the spacecraft are expected to make the first space walk by Chinese astronauts. Chinese engineers have made 36 technical improvements with the new rocket, making it more stable and reliable and more comfortable for the pilots. (8/5)