October 17 News Items

Orbital Reports Profitable Third Quarter (Source: SpaceToday.net)
Orbital Sciences Corp. reported a profit in its fiscal third quarter, although net income was down slightly from the same quarter of 2007. Orbital reported a net income of $12.1 million on $278.6 million in revenues for the quarter, compared to a net income of $15.7 million on $275.6 million in revenues for the same quarter in 2007. The decreased net income was due in part to increased research and development expenses associated with the company's work on its new Taurus 2 launch vehicle. The company reported increased revenue in its launch vehicles and advanced programs units, offsetting decreased revenues from its satellite unit. (10/17)

Do The Candidates' Voting Histories Support Their Science Debate Answers About Space? (Source: PopSci)
After a year of winnowing down questions from 38,000 scientists and citizens, Science Debate 2008 sent 14 covering health, research, the environment and science to the presidential candidates. Both McCain and Senator Obama answered the questions, and their answers can be read here. However, it’s easy for a politician to make promises, so PopSci investigated both senators' voting records to see if their history matched up with their promises for the future. We'll present an analysis of the candidate’s voting records as compared with their answers to the ScienceDebate2008 questions at http://popsci.com/election. (10/17)

McCain Pledges NASA Budget Hike (Source: Florida Today)
Senator John McCain visited the Space Coast Friday and reiterated that he too would support a $2 billion increase in NASA's budget to help shorten the gap between retirement of the space shuttles and the first piloted flights of a replacement system. The pledge, made during a speech in Melbourne, matches a similar pledge made by Democrat Barack Obama. To date, both candidates have issued space policies that commit to missions to Mars and to reducing the scheduled five-year hiatus in U.S. human space launches.

The two candidates have been going at each other over the issue. Obama's camp recently attacked McCain because of Republican Party promise to freeze all spending except money for national security and veterans, even though McCain already had said he would support the $2 billion increase in NASA's budget in an interview with Florida Today earlier this year while visiting the Space Coast. McCain, likewise, attacked Obama's months-old and long-since retracted plan to delay the NASA moon-shot project in order to fund his education plan. Obama's amended space policy, based on strong lobbying from U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida, instead calls for increased funding, cutting the gap and aiming for Mars.

The short space-related part of McCain's Friday speech was the latest in a series of unprecedented attention for NASA by presidential candidates. The campaigns have repeatedly touched on space policy during the campaign. "We've got to stay ahead. We will be the first nation to Mars. We will continue to lead in space. I've always been a strong supporter of manned space flight," said McCain. (10/17)

Lunar Lander Teams to Compete for $2 Million NASA Prize (Source: NASA)
Nine teams with rocket-powered vehicles will compete for $2 million in NASA prize money during the 2008 Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge, Oct. 24-25, at Las Cruces International Airport in New Mexico. Teams must fly their vehicle, simulating a takeoff and landing on the moon, and repeat the task in a limited period of time. The competition provides a demanding test of navigation and control for the vehicles, as well as a demonstration of reusable rocket engine technology. (10/17)

Space Florida Releases RFP for Launch Complex (Source: Space Florida)
Space Florida has issued a Request for Proposals for the conversion of Launch Complex 36 at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. The purpose is to identify and contract with a firm with the expertise to provide the architectural and engineering services necessary to develop LC-36 into a purpose-built launch complex capable of serving civil, military, and commercial customers, with NASA's Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) integrated within the design, and the Launch Complex 36 integrated within a commercial launch zone. The immediate requirements are to assist Space Florida in completing the Air Force requirements for licensing LC-36 to Space Florida and coordinating with NASA and the Air Force to produce the architectural and engineering design for moving the ATDC from LC 20 to LC 36 based on a Space Act Agreement currently under negotiation with NASA. Visit http://www.spaceflorida.gov/rfp_view.php?id=3 for information. (10/15)

Battle for Space Coast Votes Heats Up (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
With less than three weeks to go before Election Day, the Presidential candidates are dueling for Florida's space vote. Republican Candidate John McCain held a rally in Melbourne on Friday at which he is attempted to woo Space Coast voters by announcing that NASA is exempt from his call for a budget freeze on all government programs. It was unclear initially if he was going to give space a pass on the freeze or not. Now his campaign is touting a more bullish policy on additional funding for NASA.

Not to be outdone, the Obama campaign, which vowed weeks ago to increase NASA funding, released on Thursday a new radio ad highlighting the contrast between Obama’s space policy and McCain’s. That produced an angry GOP rebuttal, recalling that earlier this year Obama's campaign was calling for NASA spending to be frozen or reduced to free up more money for education.

McCain’s campaign attracted space industry officials to the rally, including some who met him during a visit to Cocoa last month to discuss the region's space concerns. The appearance of space industry leaders at the rally could give the impression that the officials endorse McCain. Nelson hoped to blunt the rally by holding a press conference on Friday morning to denounce the Republican’s space stance. (10/17)

United Technologies Sees Sales, Income Rise in Q3 (Source: AIA)
United Technologies reported a 6% rise in third-quarter profits on Thursday, driven largely by aviation and commercial construction. The maker of Pratt & Whitney rocket and jet engines and Sikorsky helicopters said revenues swelled to $14.81 billion for the quarter despite continued weakness in the housing market that hurt some units. (10/17)

X Prize Cup '08 Shrinks (Source: Las Cruces Sun-News)
X Prize Cup, an event that in past years has drawn thousands to Las Cruces and Alamogordo, will be scaled down significantly with no public access to the one competitive event this year. Officials hope a full-blown Space Week will be back next year. The X Prize Cup was planned for this week at Holloman Air Force Base in Alamogordo to coincide with the International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight in Las Cruces.

"The Cup as it has traditionally been held is not (going to happen this year) because of funding levels it takes to run a massive public event," New Mexico Spaceport Authority Executive Director Steve Landeene said. "And the fact that the air show at Holloman is not on this year ... that was part of the decision-making process that went into saying, "Hey, we don't have the funds to have a massive public event.' So what we're doing this year is kind of a hybrid." (10/17)

Mistaken on Delta 2s, NASA Advisers Back Virginia-Based Alternative (Source: Florida Today)
The NASA Advisory Council urged the agency to buy Orbital Sciences Corp.'s Minotaur rockets for space science missions, a move that would divert vital launch business from Florida to Virginia. It also would be a blow to United Launch Alliance and its Delta 2 rockets, frequent fliers from Launch Complex 17 at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. The highly reliable Delta 2s -- which now are riding a world-record 82 consecutive launch successes -- long have been NASA space science workhorses.

The recommendation was made on the glaring misconception that the Delta 2 fleet is being phased out. United Launch Alliance intends to launch no fewer than one to two Delta 2 missions a year after its last current booking -- a 2011 NASA space science mission -- is carried out. But Jack Burns, the chairman of the council's science committee, told members that the retirement of the Delta 2 fleet is creating a near-term shortage of medium-class rockets to launch NASA space science payloads.

Burns noted that NASA already arranged to launch a robotic moon mission in 2011 aboard a Minotaur rocket at the Wallops Island spaceport in Virginia. "So two things are very exciting about this. One is that we have a gap filler...and, secondly, we have a new (launch) site, as far as space science is concerned." He claimed it cost less, and said launch opportunities are limited in Florida. (10/17)

NASA Council Backs Ares and Warns Against Change (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
The NASA Advisory Council endorsed the agency's divisive Constellation program, saying it offered a "solid baseline and foundation" for its plans to return astronauts to the moon. The chairman of the NAC's Exploration Committee said the Council "is confident that the current plan is viable and represents a well-considered approach given the constraints on budget, schedule and achievable technology."

He said that NASA considered more than 1,000 different rocketship designs before settling on the Ares rockets and Orion capsule which are at the heart of the Constellation program. Any attempt to rethink the plan, he said, would be bad for America's space program. "There is always going to be other groups making other suggestions," he warned. "But Ares has a solid baseline and foundation for Constellation ... If change is made, even well-meaning change, it is only going to hurt support [for the program]."

The Council's endorsement comes at a time of growing criticism of NASA's next generation moon program amid growing technical problems, slipping schedules and soaring costs in the design of the Ares I rocket and Orion capsule. One Washington-based space policy consultant said: “The NAC’s endorsement of Ares I reminds me of the so-called independent rating firms that kept saying that Lehman Brothers, Wachovia, and AIG were just fine." (10/17)

FAA Approves Rocket Races (Source: Space.com)
Rocket-powered racers received the go-ahead this week from the FAA to soar at over 20 venues across the United States. This certification marks the first time ever that the FAA has approved a production-scale rocket-powered aircraft for exhibition flights. The league formed in 2005 to promote aerial NASCAR-style racing, and currently has a roster of six teams under title sponsor DKNY, a New York City-based men's sportswear line that is also backing the Bridenstine Rocket Racing Team headed by former U.S. Navy jet pilot Jim Bridenstine.

An earlier debut of the rocket-powered racers used a liquid oxygen and kerosene engine designed by XCOR Aerospace. However, the DKNY Bridenstine Rocket Racer that received recent FAA approval for public demonstrations is equipped with liquid oxygen and alcohol engines produced by Armadillo Aerospace. "I would like to personally thank the FAA for their assistance through this process." said Granger Whitelaw, Rocket Racing League co-founder and CEO. (10/17)

Ohio's Link to the Latest Space Vehicle (Source: WTAP)
Experts from the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland were at the plumbers and pipe fitters union building Thursday to talk about NASA's new space vehicles. Eleven steel segments of the Ares I rocket were manufactured at the NASA Glenn Research Center. Next week these parts will be shipped down the Ohio River to the Kennedy Space Center where the spacecraft will be assembled. A test launch to the moon is set for this spring or summer. (10/17)