[CSA] CSA: SpotBeam California, August 11, 2008

SpotBeam California

Voice, Visibility, Edge

An e-publication of the California Space Authority (CSA).  SpotBeam items do not necessarily reflect the policy or opinions of CSA or its members and stakeholders.  Unsubscribe   Subscribe

August 11, 2008

California Items

California Space Authority Invites Annual Award Nominees (Source: CSA)
Nominations for the California Space Enterprise SpotBeam Awards will close August 15 at 5:00pm PDT. Nominations should include contact information for the person or organization nominated, contact information for the person submitting the nomination, and a concise explanation of why the person or organization is deserving of a SpotBeam Award. Achievements should be outstanding contributions to California Space Enterprise voice, visibility, and/or competitive edge. Complete information on categories, past winners, etc. is posted at http://www.californiaspaceauthority.org/awards.html. There is no special application form. Just get the above requested information to Jamie Foster (mailto:jamie.foster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx) in whatever form is convenient. (8/7)

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)

NASA-Sponsored Regolith Challenge: Digging In for the Prestige (Source: Santa Maria Times)
NASA prize money totaling $750,000 eluded inventors hoping to develop a robot that could collect fake moon dirt during the 2008 Regolith Excavation Challenge at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Eight teams actually put their inventions to the test during the competition, but none met the challenge of digging 330 pounds of simulated moon dirt, called regolith, putting it into a collector and completing the task within 30 minutes. Organizers said 25 teams had registered for the event, but only 16 traveled to the Central Coast. Half of those ended up dropping out due to mechanical or logistical problems. Click here to view photos of the event. (8/4)

White Knight Good for More Than Personal Spaceflight (Source: Space Review)
WhiteKnightTwo is still a stunning aircraft. The unusual twin-fuselage design, connected by a wing over 40 meters long, has enough room in the middle for SS2, allowing it to connect directly to the wing rather than suspend it under the fuselage, as was the case for SS1 and the original White Knight aircraft. The pilots will fly the aircraft from the right-side fuselage, with room for passengers, such as people training for their own suborbital flights, in both fuselages.

The vision for WhiteKnightTwo "was of a launch system that could be part of a longer-term development program...with an open architecture which would allow other people to develop other vehicles capable of doing other things.” Among those applications would be as a platform for expendable or even reusable boosters for launching small satellites, in much the same way Orbital Sciences Corporation’s Pegasus rocket is air-launched from an L-1011 aircraft. WK2 could become a high-altitude aircraft for research and other terrestrial applications. WK2’s status as the largest all-composite aircraft, Virgin officials believe, could also help drive development in aviation of other composite aircraft that could offer greater fuel efficiency. (8/4)

Boeing Opens New Satellite Mission Control Center (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
Boeing has announced the completion of a $10 million, 20,500-square-foot satellite Mission Control Center (MCC) in El Segundo, Calif. The MCC can manage up to four commercial or government satellite missions at the same time. The MCC replaces another Boeing facility in El Segundo that was smaller and had limited capacity. (8/4)

Lockheed Martin Completes On-Orbit Handover of SBIRS Payload to Air Force (Source: CSA)
Lockheed Martin announced the successful on-orbit handover of the first Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) Highly Elliptical Orbit (HEO-1) payload and ground system to the Air Force in preparation for the start of certified operations later this year. SBIRS is designed to provide early warning of missile launches, and simultaneously support other missions including missile defense, technical intelligence and battlespace characterization. (8/9)

National / International Items

Air Force Space Command Proposes Transfer of Launch Complex to Florida (Source: AFSPC)
The Air Force Space Command announced a proposed action to make Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station available for operational use by the State of Florida, subject to completion of an environmental impact analysis. The proposed action would grant the state access to the property under a real-estate license for an initial term of five years. AFSPC Commander, Gen. C. Robert Kehler, stated support for the assignment because it makes it easier for commercial launch providers to launch from the U.S. "The proposal encourages, facilitates, and harnesses entrepreneurial space achievement. Enabling a dynamic, globally competitive commercial space sector is in line with national policy and is mutually beneficial to the Air Force and the state." Kehler said.

According to 45th Space Wing Commander Brig. Gen. Susan Helms, "Through its Space Florida organization, the state will be the broker for the complex to commercial space launch companies, setting user priorities and schedules to ensure that commercial users have an ability to use existing launch base and range capabilities without the need to make large investments or long-term commitments." The launch complex is a former Atlas launch vehicle facility and is capable of accommodating light- to medium-lift vehicles.

Space Florida would be responsible for developing, managing and paying for operations and maintenance of the facility, being the broker for the facility, complying with all required real property, environmental, safety, security, and all other tenant requirements, and reimbursing the Air Force for the services Space Florida uses. (8/7)

Florida Plans Launch Pad Investment, Commercial Launch Zone (Source: Space Florida)
Space Florida plans to use initial state-provided funding of $14.5 million to begin infrastructure design and construction at Launch Complex 36. According to Space Florida's Steve Kohler, "One of Space Florida's next objectives is to establish a Commercial Launch Zone (CLZ) for commercial customers wishing to operate from the Eastern Range. The creation of a CLZ expands our ability to support commercial payload launch services, re-supply missions to the International Space Station, and aggressively diversify aerospace business development." In addition to supporting a greater number of launch customers, the CLZ may attract other segments of the aerospace industry necessary to support flight operations that will benefit the entire state of Florida. (8/7)

Editorial: Florida's Aerospace Industry Has the Right Stuff (Source: Florida Today)
In an editorial last week headlined "Eating dust," Florida Today noted the unveiling of Sir Richard Branson's space tourism ship WhiteKnightTwo and criticized Florida officials for not doing enough to lure those kind of ventures to our state. Branson's vehicle represents another milestone for his company Virgin Galactic, but in no way precludes Florida from continuing its work of establishing and building aerospace businesses that include space tourism flights and enabling aerospace industries here.

While the ongoing business building through a number of processes has been quiet in the public arena, it does not mean Florida will not be a significant leader in the nation and in the world as the "new space" emerging industry is being shaped and launched. Space Florida, the state of Florida's space-recruiting arm, continues its aggressive work building and supporting aerospace businesses with long-term, sustainable and viable business models. At the same time it is fulfilling its obligations under non-disclosure agreements that provide individual companies the support they need until they successfully traverse timelines and unpredictable bumps-in-the-road typical of nascent ventures and currently complicated by entering the new aerospace industry that is still taking form.

The editorial was right in saying the future holds more possibilities, and much progress has been made to build those foundations to that future. Space Florida is concurrently actively pursuing and building a commercial launch zone that includes the capabilities for multiple sized vehicles to launch from the Cape, has invested in and continues to support non-traditional aerospace start-up ventures that will serve fundamental and new roles in the emerging aerospace industry, and continues its support for safe, successful, and well-funded NASA programs through the shuttle's retirement. Click here to read the entire guest column by Space Florida's president. (8/6)

New Mexico’s Spaceport Promoter Touts Industry, Growth Possibilities (Source: Alamogordo Daily News)
Whatever direction Otero County voters take on a gross receipts tax will determine what power Otero County has when it comes to decision-making in regards to Spaceport America, said Executive Director Steve Landeene. "Space is just the vehicle," Landeene said. "The spaceport is the catalyst for development." Doña Ana and Sierra counties have already approved a one quarter of 1 percent gross receipts tax to help fund construction of Spaceport America. Those counties will start collecting the tax in January.

The Otero County Commission will be discussing the spaceport during their regular next meeting Aug. 19. That's when they will decide whether to bring the GRT issue to the voters. The spaceport is not just about launching high-paying customers into space, Landeene said. Space industry, entertainment industry, tourism and education opportunities are coming to southern New Mexico with the spaceport. (8/7)

Sportsmen Dispute Results of New Mexico Spaceport Impact Study (Source: Las Cruces Sun-News)
Sportsmen in Doña Ana County said a draft environmental study for a proposed spaceport is problematic because it fails to adequately consider impacts to wildlife. Members of four sportsmen and wildlife groups spoke up at public hearing hosted by the FAA. The session was meant to solicit feedback on a draft environmental study completed last month by the agency.

"The big disagreement is they find there's no significant impact," said Angel Montoya, representing the Doña Ana County Associated Sportsmen. "I'd like to see a plan of mitigation for wildlife, and there is no plan of mitigation there." (8/9)

Rockets, Satellites Push Arizona's Economy (Source: Arizona Republic)
A ramp-up in government spending on space exploration and high-tech missile-defense systems is turning space into the next frontier for Arizona companies looking for a lucrative source of new business during these challenging economic times. Space programs already fuel thousands of jobs and generate billions of dollars for Arizona businesses, and they promise to provide even more as the Arizona Department of Commerce has made expanding the state's aerospace industry a top priority.

The space programs also have become an important source of general-fund revenue for the state's universities, which are facing budget cutbacks. NASA funding for the University of Arizona-led Phoenix Mars Mission provided more than $17 million to the school's general fund. Equipment made by Honeywell Aerospace in Phoenix helped guide Phoenix Mars Lander. And satellites made in Gilbert by General Dynamics are peering into deep space looking for clues about the origins of universe. Eventually, equipment made in Arizona could help carry astronauts to the moon and then on to Mars and other reaches of the galaxy.

The state has all the components in place to become a leader in planetary exploration. Indeed, companies in Arizona now build rockets and satellites used in space exploration in addition to the systems that guide the spacecraft and the instruments that help glean scientific information from the missions. Lauretta would like the state to become supportive of its space industry and help fund research, much the same way it does for the biosciences. "Once the Mars mission ends, our funding declines," he said. "State support could help us get through the slow time, so we don't lose the expertise." (8/9)

Colorado’s Aerospace Industry Watching Presidential Race (Source: Denver Business Journal)
Colorado’s aerospace industry is expected to win no matter who voters send to the White House this November. Both U.S. Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain have pledged to revitalize NASA and, though each promises more careful and lean military contracting, neither is expected to slash spending on Department of Defense space programs. That’s good news for Colorado, which, with an estimated 26,650 employees, has the nation’s second-largest concentration of space industry workers. A change at the White House should improve the prospects of Colorado space companies and NASA, even though President George W. Bush backed missions to Mars and the moon. Click here to view the article. (8/8)

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)

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)

Huntsville Space Agency Workforce Glad To Be Neighbor (Source: Redstone Rocket)
The U.S. space program was born at Redstone Arsenal. The rocket program began by the Army has grown dramatically since the first Redstone rocket took to the skies 50 years ago. Nonetheless, the space business continues on post in the form of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. Marshall has not forgotten its Army roots. The partnership Marshall and Redstone Arsenal has continued and is alive and well today. The installation provides support services for Marshall, much like any other post tenant. Components from both sides regularly partner for testing and other projects.

Marshall occupies 237 buildings at Redstone on 1,841 acres. Many of its 6,700 employees come from similar backgrounds and fields as the Army's civilian and contractor workforce. Pulling from the same skill pool will present a few challenges as Base Realignment and Closure moves more organizations onto the installation. (8/8)

Ohio Museum Vies for NASA Shuttle, Space Exhibit (Source: Dayton Business Journal)
Though the three remaining NASA shuttles are slated for space travel until 2010, an effort is quietly underway to house one of them post-retirement at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. The museum, at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, is currently in fundraising mode to stockpile $40 million toward the construction of a new hangar for a space exhibit. The museum has identified the exhibit as its most important priority, and the U.S. Air Force has made a formal request to NASA for one of the three shuttles for display at the museum. The Air Force Museum Foundation hopes to raise the funds as soon as possible and has collected $14 million thus far. (8/8)

Ohio Group Fights Razing of Historic Spacesuit Lab (Source: Guardian)
Preservationists are squaring off with the Air Force over the fate of a World War II-era building where researchers developed the first antigravity suits for pilots and early NASA spacesuits. The Air Force is moving to demolish Building 55 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base because it cannot find a use for it, doesn't have the money to maintain it and needs to remove contaminated soil under it. But the Ohio Historic Preservation Office feels the building is worth listing in the National Register of Historic Places. (8/9)

Is the Space Race Still On? (Source: Money Week)
As the US government has already run up a $500 billion deficit, you’d think the future was bleak for NASA. But the agency has become something of an election issue, as up to 6,400 jobs could go when the Shuttle stops flying. “In a dramatic reversal of policy,” says Robert Block in the Orlando Sentinel, Barack Obama has just told Florida supporters that he no longer wants to slash NASA’s budget in favor of education programs, saying the US “cannot cede our leadership in space”. He said nothing specific about moon missions, but was more publicly supportive of the agency than ever before: “under my watch, NASA will inspire the world, make America stronger and help grow the economy here in Florida”. John McCain has said he supports going to the moon by 2020.

Is it all worth it? Critics say not – scanning the universe from the ISS may be fascinating, but it’s being funded by taxpayers’ cash at the expense of this planet’s social programs. Still, private enterprise is increasingly taking an interest in the space race. Visit http://www.moneyweek.com/file/51892/is-the-space-race-still-on.html to view the article. (8/8)

More Rumblings Over Ares I; Is the Stick Dying? (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
There are rumblings of discord in the NASA family over the agency's troubled Ares I moon rocket. According to well-placed sources inside NASA, the astronaut office is deeply unhappy with the design of Ares as it emerges from an important review that is in the process of being finished up now. The concern is so great, the sources say, that there is some talk at the highest levels of NASA about the possibility of ditching the Ares, with its unconventional stick-like solid rocket booster first stage, in favor of a more conventional rocket design - one that sounds like the shuttle launch system without the shuttle. (8/8)

The Battle Goes On for NASA's Ares Rockets (Source: Flight International)
For NASA's Constellation program, using 25-year-old Space Shuttle flight-proven systems seemed like a good idea for the agency's new Moon rockets. Since their proposal in 2005, however, the launchers' development progress has seen Shuttle-derived design options dropped while others have caused additional problems.

Beyond the much publicized CLV solid-rocket motor oscillation problem, other issues for Ares I include pocket buckling in its upper-stage liquid hydrogen (LH2) tank, an immature first-stage forward skirt avionics box design, protection for parachutes against the interstage's shaped linear charge separation system and first-stage thrust vector control (TVC) changes. These outstanding issues did not stop NASA from declaring preliminary design review completion for the Ares I first-stage in June, while the upper stage review was to conclude this week.

NASA likes to promote the progress of Ares I upper-stage and instrument-unit mock-ups, manufacturing technology testing, launch abort system motor firings, parachute drops, 6,000h of CLV windtunnel tests, first-stage development motor fabrication and facility upgrades for future integrated vehicle ground vibration testing. The CLV vehicle stack preliminary design review started in July, with completion planned for September, but the agency also expects to have what it calls a first-stage "delta PDR" to address the oscillation solution and its impact on the vehicle. (8/8)

NASA Orion Parachute Test Vehicle Fails Drop Test (Source: NASA Watch)
"All but one of the 18 parachutes inflated. Although all other parts of the test and the system itself performed as intended, the parachute responsible for getting the mockup to the correct test conditions - called a programmer chute - did not inflate during the test. As a result, the test failed. The engineering team will be studying the hardware and the parachutes, as well as analyzing computer models and imagery, to determine what caused the problem." (8/6)

Soyuz Glitch Remains a Mystery: NASA Chief (Source: AFP)
Russian engineers have yet to discover what has caused the Soyuz capsule to experience troublesome descents in its last two trips back to Earth carrying astronauts. "The problem is that with all the great minds that focus on the issue, none can figure out what the problem is," NASA Administrator Michael Griffin said. "We don't know when we will know. Smart people are working on it," he said. After leaving the International Space Station on April 19, the Russian capsule went off track, landing 420 kilometers (261 miles) from its target in the steppes of Kazakhstan. (8/6)

Lockheed Ships Tank for Standby Rescue Shuttle (Source: Space News)
A space shuttle external tank bound for NASA's Kennedy Space Center shipped out Aug. 6 from the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans via an enclosed barge. The tank, ET-129, was expected to reach Kennedy around Aug. 11 and be mated with the Space Shuttle Endeavour, which will be on standby to rescue the crew of Space Shuttle Atlantis should they become stranded on orbit during the upcoming Hubble Space Telescope repair mission scheduled to launch Oct. 8. Assuming no rescue is needed, Endeavour will be readied to launch on a mission to the international space station Nov. 10. (8/9)

Spaceflight Training Company Wins 'Vision to Reality' Award (Source: CNN)
Environmental Tectonics Corp.'s National AeroSpace Training and Research (NASTAR) Center was honored with an award from the Space Frontier Foundation. The "Vision to Reality" Award was presented to the NASTAR Center for their success in creating their Space Training programs, both for Virgin Galactic’s ’Future Astronaut’ trainees, and for NASTAR Center’s Air and Space Adventure Program Training courses available for any and all space enthusiasts who wish to sign up for a realistic Space launch experience. "The NASTAR Center continues to develop and implement unique space training programs to provide authentic space flight training for space travelers and those who wish to fly into space." (8/6)

4Frontiers Gets Grant to Investigate Mars Greenhouse Materials (Source: 4Frontiers)
4Frontiers Corporation, a NewSpace technology, entertainment & education company, has been awarded a $25,000 research grant from the Florida Space Grant Consortium (FSGC), as part of the Florida Space Research & Education Grant Program. This grant will assist 4Frontiers in pursuing its technology roadmap for Mars settlement technologies. The project’s goal is to study the performance of various transparent materials which have been selected as potential candidates for use in future Mars greenhouses. The research will involve the construction of small chambers that incorporate these materials, simulating a Mars greenhouse. The chambers will then be placed within a larger chamber which will simulate the environmental conditions found on the Martian surface. The project will investigate heat transfer and stress performance of these materials under the unique conditions specific to the red planet. (8/4)

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)

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)

Scientist Claims Mars Has 'Contemporary' Life (Source: NDTV)
A leading international space scientist says there is now clear evidence of life on Mars but that American authorities are hesitating from announcing it for political reasons. "The discovery of liquid water on Mars combined with earlier discoveries of organic substances in a meteorite that came from Mars, and also of methane in the Martian atmosphere all point to the existence of life -- contemporary life -- on the Red Planet," said Chandra Wickramasinghe, a globally renowned astrobiologist. "I am not speaking of fossilized life but contemporary life," emphasised Wickramasinghe, who is professor of applied mathematics and astronomy at the University of Cardiff in Wales. (8/10)

First Contact: Interstellar Mission to an Inhabited Planet (Source: Astrobio.net)
The discovery of planets around other stars is going through an “inflation era” of rapidly expanding new knowledge. Beginning in 1995, the first decade of exoplanet observations involved simply doing an inventory. In the second decade we are rapidly characterizing the physical properties of these remote worlds, and by the third decade well will be cataloging inhabited Earth-like planets. Click here to view the article. (8/4)

Aerospace Medical Association Releases "Call for Papers" for May 3-7 Conference (Source: CSA)
The 80th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Aerospace Medical Association will be held May 3-7, 2009, at the Westin Bonaventure hotel in Los Angeles. For questions about the meeting, please contact Gloria (703-739-2240 x 106) or Sheryl (703-739-2240 x 107). Click here to view the "Call for Papers" for the event. (8/9)

Invisible Clumps in the Galaxy (Source: Science News)
Clumps of invisible “dark matter” lurk in the same galactic neighborhood as the solar system, a powerful new computer simulation shows. The finding, reported in the Aug. 7 Nature, could help scientists determine what the unseen material is made of. Surrounding every galaxy is a halo of mysterious dark matter that can only be detected through its gravitational tug on stars and galaxies. This invisible halo is more spherical and much larger than the visible galaxy it encapsulates. Past computer simulations suggested that relatively dense concentrations of dark matter would form in gravitationally bound “subhalos” within the galactic halo. But in those simulations, subhalos did not show up in the inner regions of a galaxy. (8/6)

Jupiter and Saturn Full of Liquid Metal Helium (Source: UC Berkeley)
A strange, metal brew lies buried deep within Jupiter and Saturn, according to a new study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, and in London. The study demonstrates that metallic helium is less rare than was previously thought and is produced under the kinds of conditions present at the centers of giant, gaseous planets, mixing with metal hydrogen and forming a liquid metal alloy. (8/6)

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)

NASA Awards Medical and Environmental Support Contract (Source: NASA)
NASA has selected Innovative Health Applications, LLC , or IHA, to provide medical services, environmental health services, environmental services, and agency occupational health program support at Kennedy Space Center. The contract begins on Oct. 1, with a five-year base period, followed by two one-year options. It is a cost plus award fee contract. The maximum potential value of this contract is approximately $163.5 million. (8/4)

Air Force Ready To Launch First Spaceplane Demonstrator Mission (Source: Aviation Week)
The Air Force is preparing for the Atlas V launch in December of the first U.S. robotic military spaceplane mission into orbit. The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle flight will mark a fundamental technology milestone for the Air Force. It will carry on winged hypersonic space vehicle technology as the space shuttle is canceled. This work is designed to propel the Air Force mission more rapidly using a reusable hypersonic craft serviced on the ground just like an airplane.

In the future, this could lead to military spaceplane capability for the same kind of rapid access to the blackness of space that the Air Force already has to the blue sky - for the same offensive and defensive missions, including intelligence, strike and communications services to the military as a whole. The 11,000-lb. Boeing Phantom Works vehicle is about 29 ft. long with a roughly 15-ft. wingspan; the vehicle height is 9.6 ft. Its 205-ft.-tall Atlas V 501 booster will lift off from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport.

Once in orbit, the spacecraft will open a small payload bay and deploy a gallium arsenide solar array to power its flight. The exact mission duration is classified. The X-37B is designed for multiple missions, moving X-plane flight testing into space from the ground. The touchdown will involve a steep 20-deg., 170-190-kt. diving shuttle-type approach similar to that used in helicopter drop tests with a subscale X-40 vehicle and the more complex X-37A. (8/4)

United Launch Alliance Gets $1.1 Billion Air Force Deal (Source: Rocky Mountain News)
The Air Force allocated $1.1 billion to extend a support and maintenance contract for Colorado-based United Launch Alliance through at least fiscal year 2009. The contract involves ULA's Delta IV booster rocket. The rocket is used under the Air Force's "Evolved Expendable Launch Capability" rocket- launch program. The work involves maintaining launch pads, personnel, program management and other duties linked to launching rockets that ferry government satellites into space. (8/9)

SpaceX Traces Third Rocket Failure to Timing Error (Source: Space.com)
A timing error that caused two segments of a privately built Falcon 1 rocket to collide after liftoff doomed the booster's third flight. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said his engineers have traced the cause of the Aug. 2 launch failure to a timing error between the shutdown of the low-cost Falcon 1 rocket's first stage engine and the separation of its upper stage, leading the two segments to bump into one another instead of separating harmlessly. The timing error was on the order of seconds. "If we were to increase that gap by even a second or two, this problem would not have arisen," said Elon Musk.

Musk said SpaceX would be releasing video of the staging event that clearly shows that the first and second stages separated as planned about 2 minutes and 20 seconds into the flight, but that unanticipated residual thrust from the redesigned Merlin engine caused the first stage to bump the second stage just as it began to fire. (8/6)

SpaceX Launch Failure Doesn't Diminish Company's, Supporters' Enthusiasm (Source: Florida Today)
The loss of a third SpaceX Falcon 1 rocket this weekend won't slow the company's bid to launch a bigger rocket from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport next year, CEO Elon Musk said. Additionally, SpaceX plans to go forward with the fourth and fifth planned Falcon 1 launches. With positive cash flow, the company has booked 13 launch customers, including three NASA missions.

The fourth Falcon 1 could launch as soon as next month. A Malaysian satellite, set for flight four, will move to the fifth flight. "It would be crazy to abandon it," Musk said of the Falcon project. Musk said he expects the first Falcon 9 to arrive at Cape Canaveral before year's end, with the test launch to come next year. The company is building propellant tanks, laying data cables and erecting a hangar at Pad 40. Musk predicts that in six to seven years he could be launching 30 rockets a year from Florida.

"I don't think he's being unduly optimistic," said Steve Kohler, president of Space Florida, the state agency set up to support the space industry. Space Florida has contributed more than $500,000 in infrastructure and buildings to help SpaceX create jobs in Brevard County as NASA faces the end of the space shuttle program in 2010. "It creates a competitive position that is important not only to the space industry but to the nation," Kohler said. (8/7)

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)

Scotty's Ashes Missing in SpaceX 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)

NASA Hopes Entrepreneur Can Fill Launch Gap, Boost Jobs (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
Space enthusiasts in Florida are hoping that Musk's company, SpaceX, can fill NASA's flight gap and help stem the hemorrhage of space jobs at Kennedy Space Center when the shuttle is retired. Musk plans to launch his rockets from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. But his rocket for NASA -- called Falcon 9 -- would be 180 feet high, twice as long as Falcon 1 and much heavier. It's to be powered by nine first-stage engines, as opposed to just one aboard Falcon 1.

"If you can't launch the little guy, how can you believe that you can launch successfully the big guy?" asked Peter Wilson, a space expert with the RAND Corp., a global policy think tank. "You would have to be a fool to invest in this corporation." But Musk said the Falcon 9 is on track. Its nine engines were successfully test-fired July 30, two months ahead of schedule. "We're moving forward, full-steam ahead," he said. (8/10)

Next Falcon 1 Rocket Could Launch as Early as September (Source: Space News)
SpaceX expects to have another Falcon 1 rocket on the launch pad within weeks of a disappointing third flight attempt Aug. 2, which ended in failure when the rocket's first stage re-contacted the second stage after separation. The California-based rocket start-up says avoiding a repeat of that scenario should be as easy as inserting an extra couple of seconds between main engine cut off and stage separation. "We have quite a definitive understanding of what went wrong on the last flight," SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk said.

Malaysia's ATSB — whose RazakSat satellite is next in line on the Falcon 1 manifest — wants to see at least one successful launch before entrusting the vehicle with its payload, so SpaceX is approaching flight four as a demonstration. Although he did not rule out having a paying customer aboard the next flight, Musk said SpaceX previously promised ATSB, which is wholly owned by Malaysia's Ministry of Finance, that it would prove Falcon 1's ability to reach orbit before launching RazakSat. (8/9)

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)

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)

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)

Japan's Transport Vehicle Eyed as Replacement for U.S. Space Shuttle (Source: Daily Yomiuri)
With the scheduled retirement of the U.S. space shuttle program in 2010, Japan's H-2 Transfer Vehicle (HTV) is attracting attention as a potential candidate to take over the role of transporting goods to the International Space Station. The HTV's first model is scheduled to be launched in autumn next year--more than 10 years after the development project started. The ISS, which orbits the Earth at an altitude of 400 kilometers, currently is manned by three astronauts.

Necessities such as food and fresh supplies of oxygen are transported to the spacecraft by transfer vehicles. Japan started its HTV project based on an agreement signed with Russia, Europe and the United States--which jointly operate the ISS--to individually develop a cargo transfer spacecraft. The HTV's cylindrical body, which measures 10 meters long and 4.4 meters in diameter, is designed to load goods weighing up to 6 tons. (8/4)

India Moon Launch Delayed (Source: The Hindu)
The launch of Chandrayaan, India’s moon mission project, will be delayed past the scheduled date of September 18 to mid-October, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman G. Madhavan Nair said. He said that the systems had already been fully integrated and that thermo-vacuum tests would be conducted soon. The launch would be possible about 45 to 60 days after that. Alignments were the key to a successful launch along with climate conditions. Only about three days each month would provide favourable alignments, he said. (8/6)

Russian Launch of Satellite on Converted 'Satan' ICBM Postponed (Source: RIA Novosti)
The launch of a converted RS-20 Voyevoda intercontinental ballistic missile to put a Thai earth observation satellite in orbit has been postponed. The launch, from a silo in the southern Urals, had been scheduled for August 6 under a contract with Kosmotras, a Russian-Ukrainian joint venture that acquires RS-20 (SS-18 Satan) intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) scrapped by Russia's Strategic Missile Forces and converts them into Dnepr launch vehicles. (8/6)

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)

Thai Satellite Launch Held Up by Kazakhstan (Source: Bangkok Post)
The launch of Thailand's first natural resources survey satellite, THEOS, aboard a Russian rocket has again been postponed after Kazakhstan suddenly withdrew permission for the first-stage booster to fall within its borders. It was the second such setback for the project. The first planned launch was cancelled under similar circumstances late last year. The satellite was to have been placed in a sun-synchronous near-circular orbit yesterday by the Russian company ISC Kosmotras from the Dombarovskiy spaceport in southeast Russia. (8/7)

Kazakhstan at Crossroads in Space (Source: Moscow Times)
The politics of space are frequently eclipsed by the politics of energy, and yet disruptions in the satellite world can often have unforeseen consequences. There is a certain danger whenever you take either pipelines or satellites for granted. In early June, all contact was lost with Kazsat 1, Kazakhstan's first communication satellite. Now Kazakhstan's space agency must await the already scheduled launch of the Kazsat 2 satellite in 2009 to help fill the void.

With the loss of Kazsat 1, a Russian-built satellite, the Kazakh government now finds itself at a crossroads -- in space. For one thing, Russia let Kazakhstan down in this instance. At the same time, Moscow's seeming indifference to Astana's demands that Russian engineers and space companies drastically change launch procedures at Baikonur for public safety and environmental reasons does not help matters either. (8/4)

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)

OHB Joins Competition for Galileo Satellite Contract (Source: Space News)
OHB Technology has entered the competitive bidding to build all 26 Galileo navigation and positioning satellites in direct competition with a consortium of Europe's two largest satellite prime contractors, Astrium Satellites and Thales Alenia Space. (8/9)

European Commission Soliciting Bids for S-Band Mobile Satellite Services (Source: Space News)
The European Commission Aug. 7 launched a competition to provide S-band mobile satellite services in Europe and set an Oct. 7 deadline for bids from industry. (8/9)

Yahsat Raises $1.2 billion for Two-Satellite Program (Source: Space News)
Al Yah Satellite Communications Co. (Yahsat) has secured commitments for $1.2 billion, mainly in bank loans, to finance its two-satellite civil-military telecommunications system, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates-based Yahsat announced Aug. 6. (8/6)

Hughes Preparing to Order New Satellite (Source: Space News)
Satellite broadband service provider Hughes Communications expects to order a large, all-Ka-band satellite by September to complement capacity on the company's Spaceway 3 satellite serving consumers in the United States. The new satellite will take about 3.5 years to build and will not feature Spaceway 3's elaborate on-board processing technology. (8/9)

EchoStar Faces Challenge of Unused Satellite Capacity (Source: Space News)
EchoStar Corp. warned investors that it may be forced to write down the value of its satellite assets if it is unable to sell unused capacity in the open market. The Colorado-based company, which was separated from satellite-television provider Dish Network early this year, also said it views the advent of the MPEG-4 digital-compression technology as a two-edged sword for satellite-fleet operators like EchoStar.

MPEG-4, which Dish and other satellite-television broadcasters are adopting, permits more data to be beamed from a given amount of satellite transponder capacity, in principle reducing demand for transponders. But EchoStar Chief Executive Charlie Ergen said MPEG-4, by freeing up capacity on satellites, could reduce the price of transponders and thus increase demand for satellite services from broadcasters who now view satellites as beyond their financial reach. (8/9)

Lockheed Martin, Thales Alenia Are Finalists for Iridium Next Contract (Source: Space News)
Mobile satellite services fleet operator Iridium Satellite LLC has selected two finalists — Lockheed Martin of the United States and Thales Alenia Space of Europe — to compete to build Iridium's second-generation constellation of low-orbiting spacecraft. A decision on a winner will be made, and a contract signed, by mid-2009, Iridium announced Aug. 4. (8/5)

Iridium Announces Q2 2008 Results (Source: Iridium)
Iridium Satellite LLC its fifth consecutive quarter of double-digit increases for all the important metrics -- revenue, earnings and subscriber gains. Total revenue in the second quarter 2008 was $81.7 million versus $66.7 million in the same quarter last year, a 22 percent increase. For the six-month period that ended June 30, 2008, Iridium posted $156 million in revenue, a 31 percent increase over the first half of 2007. (8/6)

SES Predicts 5% Annual Revenue Growth Through 2010 (Source: Space News)
While the growth of satellite demand in North America may be slowing with the economic downturn, satellite fleet operator SES is telling investors the company's businesses in Europe, Africa and South Asia are in robust health and will assure the company overall revenue growth of 5 percent or more through 2010. The Luxembourg-based company, which is the world's largest commercial satellite operator by revenue, also reiterated to investors that while the decline of the U.S. dollar is a drag on SES's top-line revenue, it has almost no effect on bottom-line profit. (8/9)

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)

Alliant Techsystems 1Q Profit Rises (Source: AP)
Alliant Techsystems reported that fiscal first-quarter profit rose 10 percent on sales growth at all of its divisions. For the quarter ended June 29, ATK earned $57.9 million, compared with $52.4 million in the same quarter last year. The recent quarter's results included charges of about $9 million related to program performance in the company's spacecraft structures business. Sales rose 17 percent to $1.12 billion from $958.4 million in the year-ago period. (8/7)

Space Solar Power Workshop Planned in Orlando on Oct. 2-3 (Source: AFRL)
The Air Force Research Laboratory is planning a two-day conference titled "State of Space Solar Power Technology" at Disney's Shades of Green hotel in Orlando. The conference is intended to be a forum where technologies can be examined--especially those of interest to the Department of Defense--that could lead to space-based beamed power systems. Registration is FREE and limited to 200 persons, with slots filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. When capacity is met, registration will be closed. Visit http://www.upcomingevents.ctc.com/sbsp/sbsp.html to register and for information. (8/4)

Joint Lunar Conferences Planned at Cape Canaveral on Oct 28-31 (Source: NSSFL)
The annual meetings of the Lunar Exploration Analysis Group (LEAG), International Lunar Conference 2008, the ICEUM ILEWG Conference on Exploration and Utilization of the Moon , and the Space Resources Roundtable (SRR X) will be combined and held October 28–31, 2008, at the Radisson Resort at the Port, in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Visit http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/leagilewg2008/leagilewg20082nd.shtml for information. (8/4)

California Aerospace Events Calendar

Two Teacher Workshops Planned on Aug. 11-14

The U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Defense Education Activity are sponsoring a free Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative workshop on the Marine Corps Base in Twentynine Palms, Calif. This workshop provides opportunities to learn reading and math strategies from prominent teachers and district officials who will share research-based practices they have successfully applied in their schools and classrooms. This event will be held on Aug. 11-12. Visit https://www.t2tweb.us/Workshops/EventInfo.asp?EventID=88 for information.

A second workshop is planned for Aug. 13-14 in Los Angeles by the Office of Charter Schools at the U.S. Department of Education and the California Charter Schools Association. This free Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative workshop will be held at the Pacific Palisades Charter High School in Pacific Palisades. This workshop provides opportunities to learn reading, science, history and math strategies from prominent teachers and district officials who will share research-based practices they have successfully applied in their schools and classrooms. Visit https://www.t2tweb.us/Workshops/EventInfo.asp?EventID=87 for information.

UC Santa Barbara Plans Outreach Event on Aug. 14

Join the College of Engineering and Science Departments and various research focused companies on August 14 from 2:00 - 4:00 pm to find out how to make the most of UC Santa Barbara's world class research and students. RSVP to Jan Adelson at 805-893-4602 or mailto:jadelson@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Navy Gold Coast Conference Planned on August 27-28

The San Diego Chapter of NDIA (National Defense Industrial Association) is proud to present the 2008 "Navy Small Business Opportunity Conference." It has also come to be known as simply the "Gold Coast" Conference. The Navy Co-Sponsors of this event are NAVSEA, NAVAIR, SPAWAR, NAVSUP, NAVFAC and the Navy's Office of Small Business Programs. Visit http://2008goldcoast.ndia-sd.org for information.

Supply Chain Event Planned in Lockheed Martin, Palmdale and Antelope Valley College on Sep. 2-4

CSA is supporting three upcoming supply chain events, all providing opportunities for suppliers to network with their customers, partners and service providers, to attend production tours and to learn concepts to increase global competitiveness: The Introduction to 21st Century Supply Chain Management Seminar is designed to provide a competitive edge & opportunities for aerospace & related industry suppliers. The Department of Labor, LMCO, Boeing, Raytheon and NGC sponsorship have enabled CSA to offer these events without fee; space is limited. Registration will open on August 15 at http://www.innovatecalifornia.net. Contact Christine Purcell at 310.283.7323 or email mailto:christine.purcell@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

AIAA Space 2008 Conference & Exposition Planned in San Diego Sep. 9-11

The San Diego Convention Center will host Space 2008 on Sep. 9-11. This AIAA sponsored event will focus on space as an underpinning our commercial, civil, and military sectors. Three of the top issues in the upcoming election—-economic competitiveness, the global war on terror, and the need for increased global climate change monitoring—-are all dependent on our technological and operational achievements in space. Visit http://www.aiaa.org for information.

APSCC 2008 Satellite Conference & Exhibition Planned in Korea on Sept. 22-25

The satellite industry's premier conference for business and networking opportunities in Asia is planned for September 22-25 at the Hotel Lotte, Jeju, Korea. To register visit http://www.apscc.or.kr/event/apscc2008.asp. Registration Discount to CSA Members!

Space Angels Network Issues a Call for Applicant Companies for Sep. 26 Event

Space Angels Network, LLC, a national network of seed- and early-stage investors focused on aerospace-related ventures, has issued a Call for Applicant Companies to its first Aerospace Venture Forum to be held in Los Angeles on September 26, 2008. The Forum will be a full-day event that showcases promising aerospace ventures and allows entrepreneurs to present their investment opportunities to an exclusive audience of active accredited investors. Visit http://www.spaceangelsnetwork.com for information.

3rd Annual Supplier Transformation Forum Planned at Northrop Grumman Space Park on Oct. 7

The 3rd annual Supplier Transportation Forum is planned at Northrop Grumman Corp. Space Park on Oct. 7. The event will include multiple primes, agencies and their supply chains. The Department of Labor, LMCO, Boeing, Raytheon and NGC sponsorship have enabled CSA to offer these events without fee; space is limited. Registration will open on August 15 at http://www.innovatecalifornia.net. Contact Christine Purcell at 310.283.7323 or email mailto:christine.purcell@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

Supply Chain Event Planned in Boeing, Huntington Beach on Oct. 27-29

CSA is supporting three upcoming supply chain events, all providing opportunities for suppliers to network with their customers, partners and service providers, to attend production tours and to learn concepts to increase global competitiveness: The Introduction to 21st Century Supply Chain Management Seminar is designed to provide a competitive edge & opportunities for aerospace & related industry suppliers. The Department of Labor, LMCO, Boeing, Raytheon and NGC sponsorship have enabled CSA to offer these events without fee; space is limited. Registration will open on August 15 at http://www.innovatecalifornia.net. Contact Christine Purcell at 310.283.7323 or email mailto:christine.purcell@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

AEi Systems 2008 WCCA Workshop Planned in Los Angeles on Nov. 13-14

A two-day intensive Worst Case Circuit Analysis Training Workshop will focuses on the fundamental skills required to perform a WCCA. Seats are limited. For additional information visit www.aeng.com/wccaclass.asp or call 310-216-1144.

Air Force Week in Los Angeles November 14-21

A number of events are planned throughout Los Angeles County showcasing the Air Force.  The Air Force Week program is part of a proactive initiative to increase communication with the public. Each Air Force week may include community visits and talks by Air Force officials, flight demonstration team performances and displays providing an up close and personal look at the Air Force men and women serving on the front lines. For a complete schedule of events visit: http://www.losangeles.af.mil/airforceweekinla.asp

California Space Enterprise SpotBeam Awards Dinner Planned Nov. 19
The California Space Authority is now accepting nominations from its members and partners for this year's California Space Enterprise SpotBeam Awards. The SpotBeam Awards dinner is scheduled for November 19 in Los Angeles. Visit http://www.californiaspaceauthority.org/awards.html for information.

California Space Authority (CSA) Annual Membership Meeting Planned for December 4

3:30 pm - 5:00 pm at The Sheraton Gateway LAX in the California Room. Join us for cocktails and appetizers while networking with the CSA Board of Directors and fellow CSA members.  The Annual Membership Meeting is hosted by CSA. RSVP to mailto:Elizabeth.Burkhead@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Aerospace Medical Association Meeting in Los Angeles on May 3-7

The 80th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Aerospace Medical Association will be held May 3-7, 2009, at the Westin Bonaventure hotel in Los Angeles. For questions about the meeting, please contact Gloria (703-739-2240 x 106) or Sheryl (703-739-2240 x 107). Click here to view the "Call for Papers" for the event. http://www.asma.org/pdf/meeting/2009-call-for-papers.pdf

Last Week’s DOD Contract Awards in California

The Air Force is modifying a cost plus award fee contract with the Boeing Launch Services of Huntington Beach, Calif., for $1,655,545,303. This action included in the face value of this action is the previously disclosed NTE in the amount of $582,297,350 and an additional $516,147,820 to extend the period of performance to maintain critical engineering and integration skills and the infrastructure necessary to support the Delta IV Program and our nation’s space assets through the end of FY09. In addition this action has added an option for FY10 in the amount of $557,100,133 for continuation of the same effort. At this time no funds have been obligated. Space and Missile Systems Center, Space Launch and Range Systems Material Wing (LR), Los Angeles Air Force Base, El Segundo, Calif.

Hydraulics International Inc. of Chatsworth, Calif., is being awarded a firm fixed price contract for $5,660,848. This action is in the production of nine each electric and 21 each diesel hydraulic test stands for use on the AC-130U, C-17, and F-22 aircraft. This effort is a sole source procurement to I-III for three units. HII is the only source that has manufactured the hydraulic tests stands proven to be compatible with the aircrafts. 642 CBSG/GBKBB is the contracting activity.

EDO Communications & Countermeasures Systems, Thousand Oaks, Calif., is being awarded a $187,354,324 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-6311) for the production and support of 2,873 JCREW 2.1 Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device (RCIED) Electronic Warfare (CREW) systems to meet urgent Department of Defense (DoD) requirements in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Vehicle Mounted CREW systems are one element of the DoD’s Joint Counter RCIED Electronic Warfare program. Spiral 2.1 CREW systems are vehicle mounted electronic jammers designed to prevent the initiation of RCIEDs. This contract modification is for the urgent procurement and support of CREW systems, to be used by forces in each of the military services of the U.S. Central Command Area of Responsibility.  The Navy manages the joint CREW program for the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s Joint IED Defeat Organization (JIEDDO).  Work will be performed in Thousand Oaks, Calif., and is expected to be completed by Apr. 2009.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Bethpage, N.Y., is being awarded a $48,548,251 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for engineering and software services in support of EA-6B and EA-18G aircraft. Services to be provided include design, development, integration, test and distribution of the Operational Flight Programs, flight test and aircraft integration support, and engineering support to transition the EA-6Bs mission to the EA-18G. Work will be performed at the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWC WD), Point Mugu, Calif. (80 percent); NAWC WD, China Lake, Calif., (5 percent); the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Md., (5 percent); Naval Air Station, Whidbey Island, Wash., (5 percent); and the Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Pt., N.C., (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in Aug. 2012. Contract funds in the amount of $960,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, Point Mugu, Calif., is the contracting activity.

Halbert Construction Co., Inc., El Cajon, Calif., is being awarded $5,978,902 for firm-fixed price task order #0008 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N62473-07-D-2014) for design and construction of a fuel station and mini mall at Marine Corps Air Ground Center Twentynine Plams. The work to be performed provides for the construction of a new fuel station complex that will contain a mini mall with a convenience store, laundromat and barbershop. The goal of this project is to address both the new Enhanced Vapor Recovery regulatory requirements for fuel stations, as well provide much-needed service facilities for military personnel. Work will be performed in Twenty-nine Palms, Calif., and is expected to be completed by Jun. 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One proposal was received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.

The Air Force is modifying a firm fixed price contract for $7,278,700 with Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Navigation Systems Division, of Woodland Hills, Calif. This action will provide for one hundred thirty EGI Production Units for the USAF F-16. The Embedded GPS/INS (EGI) Units is a non-development item (NDI) being procured to meet the navigation requirements for tri-service and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) platforms. This is a modification to exercise options for the aforementioned efforts. At this time all funds have been obligated. 647 AESS/PK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.

McDonnell Douglas Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., is being awarded a $659,237,888 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-04-C-0014) to exercise the option for the procurement of 13 F/A-18Fs and 3 E/A-18G aircraft for the U.S. Navy. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Mo. (28.7 percent); El Segundo, Calif. (25 percent); Goleta, Calif. (8.6 percent); Clearwater, Fla. (2.3 percent); Greenlawn, N.Y. (2.1 percent); Burnsville, Minn. (2.1 percent); Johnson City, N.Y. (2.1 percent); Brooklyn Heights, Ohio (2 percent); Vandalia, Ohio (2 percent); Grand Rapids, Mich. (2 percent); South Bend, Ind. (2 percent); Mesa, Ariz. (1.8 percent); Fort Worth, Texas (1.8 percent); and at various locations across the United States (17.5 percent), and is expected to be completed in January 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.

Science Applications International Corp., San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $9,068,457 modification to previously awarded contract (N00178-04-C-2004) to exercise an option for continuing engineering support for engineering expertise to support Research and Development (R&D), Total Ship System Engineering, and Combat System Engineering (CSE) initiatives for the introduction of advanced technology into advanced combat systems, and for the modernization of current combat systems for surface ship combatants.   Work will be performed in Dahlgren, Va. (90 percent), and Virginia Beach, Va. (10 percent) and is expected to be completed by August 2009. Contract funds in the amount of $542,553 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, Dahlgren, Dahlgren, Va., is the contracting activity.

L-3 Services, Inc., San Leandro, Calif., is being awarded a $7,438,904 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the design, development, integration and production of a form, fit and function, environmentally sealed, state-of-the-art Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Pulser and its associated control system. Work will be performed in San Leandro, Calif., and is expected to be completed in August 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $1,250,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured under an electronic request for proposals, with two offers received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.

Innovative Technical Solutions, Inc., Walnut Creek, Calif. is being awarded $6,273,910 for firm-fixed price Task Order #0003 under a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity environmental multiple award contract (N62473-08-D-8813) for transportation and removal of contaminated soil at Hunters Point Shipyard. Work will be performed in San Francisco, Calif., and is expected to be completed by July 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Three proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.