CSA SpotBeam California, August 23, 2010

• From: Dianna Minor <dianna.minor@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
• To: csa@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
• Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2010 14:48:24 -0700

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 <mailto:jamie.foster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=SpotBeam%20REMOVE%20FROM%20DISTRIBUTION> Subscribe <mailto:jamie.foster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=SpotBeam%20SUBSCRIBE>

*August 23, 2010*



*California** Items*

*Stanford Supports New FAA Center of Excellence for Commercial Space Transportation* (Source: FAA) U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has selected New Mexico State University (NMSU), Las Cruces, NM, to lead a new Air Transportation Center of Excellence for Commercial Space Transportation. The center is a partnership of academia, industry, and government, developed for the purpose of creating a world-class consortium that will address current and future challenges for commercial space transportation.

The new Center includes Stanford, California Space Authority, University of Colorado at Boulder, the University of Texas, Florida State University, Florida Institute of Technology, and the Florida Center for Advanced Aero-Propulsion. Click _here <http://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsId=11737>_ to see the FAA news Release. (8/18)

*Best Practices At Leading Universities, Industry Detailed* (Source: Aviation Week) U.S. universities are acutely aware of the challenges faced by the aerospace and defense industry because they have a front-row seat to students' shifting interests. This year's top schools, as identified by the Aviation Week Workforce Study, are implementing aggressive plans to align themselves and their students with industry. This year's top schools, in order, are: California Polytechnic State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Pennsylvania State University, Virginia Tech, MIT, and Purdue University. (8/17)

*Third and Fourth SBIRS Satellites Pass Design Review: *Air Force space officials and their industry partners have successfully completed the critical design review for the third and fourth Space Based Infrared Systems geosynchronous satellites. This means that the Air Force has approved the design of GEO-3/GEO-4 and that prime contractor Lockheed Martin may begin transitioning its work on these two satellites to production. "We are ready to start producing the next set of satellites," said Col Scott Larrimore, SBIRS Space Group commander at Los Angeles AFB, Calif. GEO-3 and GEO-4 will be "near clones" of the first two SBIRS satellites, GEO-1 and GEO-2, which are not yet on orbit <http://r.listpilot.net/c/afa/5jp2lbn/23m17>. There will be minor changes, such as a different star tracker and components to replace now-obsolete parts in the GEO-1/GEO-2 design. The launch of GEO-3 is anticipated in late 2014. The CDR for the GEO-3/GEO-4 payloads took place last November <http://r.listpilot.net/c/afa/5jp2lbn/2dquk>. (Los Angeles release <http://r.listpilot.net/c/afa/5jp2lbn/2dqvl>)

*SpaceX's Dragon Spacecraft Successfully Completes High Altitude Drop Test* (Source: SpaceX) SpaceX on Aug. 12 successfully completed a high altitude drop test ot their Dragon spacecraft - meeting 100% of test objectives. This is the last in a series of tests to validate parachute deployment systems and recovery operations before the craft's first launch. An Erikson S-64F Air-Crane helicopter dropped a test article of the spacecraft from a height of 14,000 feet, roughly nine miles off the coast of Morro Bay, California.

In a carefully timed sequence of events, dual redundant drogue parachutes deployed first to stabilize and gently slow the craft before three main parachutes, 116 feet in diameter, further slowed the craft to a picture perfect landing. From there, recovery ships successfully returned the Dragon and parachutes to shore. Click _here <http://www.spacex.com/updates.php>_ to view video and photos. (8/20)

*Aerospace Company ATK Dazzles with Innovation Site* (Source: Daily Sound)

National aerospace company ATK Space Systems and The Towbes Group on Thursday unveiled their new building in Goleta -- a site that the company believes will be home to some revolutionary innovations. "Just about anything our ATK engineers can dream up whether it be solar arrays for the Orion capsule or large deployable space structures for earth monitoring systems that measure the health and climate of our planet, they can all be designed and manufactured here in Goleta using our homegrown talent and expertise," Dave Messner, Vice President and General Manager of ATK, said in a speech in front of the newly finished building. (8/20)

*SpaceX: Dragon Testing Will Determine Launch Schedule* (Source: SpaceFlightNow.com) SpaceX delivered the first space-worthy Dragon capsule to Florida in early August as engineers dropped a replica of the craft in the Pacific Ocean to simulate the ship's return from orbit. The Dragon arrived Aug. 4 inside SpaceX's hangar at Cape Canaveral's launch pad 40, according to a company spokesperson. The milestone followed deliveries of the Falcon 9 rocket's first and second stages on July 15 and July 31.

Officials won't discuss target launch dates due to uncertainties in preparation schedules, especially for a first-time vehicle like Dragon. "Dragon will launch as soon as it is ready, but it is unlikely to be September," Musk told Spaceflight Now on Friday. (8/20)

*Is the Merlin Engine the Workhorse of Future Spaceflight?* (Source: Space Review) All eyes are on SpaceX as it seeks to lower the cost of space access and open up new markets. Stewart Money argues that the company's most important innovation may not be its launch vehicles or spacecraft but a rocket engine that could be for space what another engine was for the automotive industry. Visit _http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1682/1_ to view the article. (8/16)

*Virgin Galactic Spaceship-Launching Jet Damaged in 'Minor' Runway Accident* (Source: Space.com) The huge mothership jet built to launch suborbital spaceships for Virgin Galactic suffered landing gear damage Thursday during a test in California's Mojave Desert, the aircraft's builders said. No injuries have been reported. A mechanical problem with the left-side landing gear on the WhiteKnightTwo jet caused the "minor incident," officials with Scaled Composites -- the Mojave-based company that built the twin-fuselage carrier plane -- said in a Thursday statement.

"Further information will be posted in due course," Scaled officials said in the statement. FAA officials have said the left-side landing gear collapsed. The runway incident at the Mojave Air and Space Port did not involve Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo, the suborbital passenger-carrying spacecraft designed to be carried into launch position by WhiteKnightTwo. SpaceShipTwo is also built by Scaled Composites. (8/20)

*NASA Plans Green Aviation Summit at Ames on Sep. 8-9* (Source: NASA)

NASA will host a Green Aviation Summit Sept. 8-9 to highlight the agency's work to develop environmentally responsible aviation technologies. The two-day meeting at NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., will bring together experts from NASA, other federal government organizations, industry and academia. They will discuss groundbreaking solutions that NASA and its research partners are developing to reduce aircraft noise, emissions and fuel consumption, and to ensure the safe and manageable growth of the aviation system. (8/18)

*San Diego Air and Space Museum Wants a Shuttle* (Source: San Diego Union-Tribune) The San Diego Air & Space Museum wants to land a space shuttle. It's an ambitious, exciting plan, but... "Houston, we have a problem." Actually, the museum has several of them: For one thing, the shuttle's price tag is a cool $29 million. Just a few years ago, the Balboa Park-based museum was operating in the red. (8/22)

*Is Space the Silicon Valley's Next Frontier?* (Source Tech Crunch)

The idea that space could be a serious growth opportunity for Silicon Valley was laughable ten years ago. But while rockets aren't a mass market---they're a lucrative one. Ask Musk who got a $2 billion contract from NASA for SpaceX. Are we really on the cusp of settling the galaxy and will the same people who settled the virtual world be the ones who take us there? Worden thinks that idea isn't such a joke anymore.

If this new world is possible there are a million questions. We're basically talking about colonizing space and last time a group of nations decided to "carve up" a new world, there were a lot of political, environmental and economic implications with which countries in South America, Africa, and South East Asia are still grappling. Will we do better with space? Click _here <http://www.pressheretv.com/default.asp?cat=1&subcat=1>_ to see a TechCrunch interview with Pete Worden of NASA Ames. (8/19)

*Air Force Association and Dean Davis Recognized For Achievement in Aerospace Education* (Source: CSA) The Air Force Association and Dean Davis have each been selected to receive the 2010 Crown Circle Award in recognition of their outstanding achievements in the field of aerospace education. The awards will be presented at this year's EAA AirVenture Teacher Day on July 26th in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The Crown Circle Award was established in 1979, recognizing performance and outstanding leadership in aerospace education. The award is one of the highest honors available in aerospace education.

Mr. Davis is a former Board member of the California Space Educational Workforce Institute (CSEWI). At the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) he supports regional and national aerospace education STEM activities. He promotes aerospace education and STEM internationally as Vice President of the Satellite Educators Association (SEA) which teaches STEM to students by providing information regarding meteorology, oceanography, earth resources, and GPS topics. Dean is the aerospace education and STEM consultant to the international high school Conrad Foundation, Space Solar Power, and Human Space Colonization contests. (8/20)

*NRC Recommends Astronomy / Astrophysics Projects with Potential Caltech Roles* (Source: Caltech) The National Research Council (NRC) recommended three space- and ground-based astronomy and astrophysics projects with potential major roles for researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech): CCAT, a submillimeter telescope to be erected in the Chilean Andes, which will help unravel the cosmic origins of stars, planets, and galaxies; the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA), designed to detect gravitational waves, ripples in the fabric of space and time formed by the most violent events in the universe; and the development of a Giant Segmented Mirrored Telescope (GSMT)---the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) being one of two such telescopes under development---which will yield the clearest and deepest view of the universe. (8/19)

*National & International Items*



*Astronauts Replace Failed Cooling Equipment on Space Station* (Source: CNN)

The repairs performed on the International Space Station's cooling system Monday morning appear to be working. NASA astronauts Doug Wheelock and Tracy Caldwell Dyson installed a spare 780-pound ammonia pump module to replace a broken unit that they removed last Wednesday, NASA said on its website. Wheelock attached four bolts and Caldwell Dyson mated five electrical connectors, then ground controllers confirmed the module was in healthy condition when it began receiving power. After a pressure check and more fluid cable connections, ammonia began to flow into the module, NASA said. (8/16)

*ISS Could Last Another Decade* (Source: RIA Novosti)

The International Space Station (ISS), which has been in orbit for 10 years, could continue work for another decade, the head of the Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) said on Monday. The service life of the ISS ends in 2015 but participants of the project are currently discussing ways to extend its operation until 2020. "It has great potential," Anatoly Perminov said in an interview with Golos Rossii radio station, adding that the ISS had not yet fulfilled all of its missions. (8/16)

*NASA Jump-Starts Space Technology Program* (Source: Space News)

Senior NASA officials are so eager to jump-start advanced technology efforts that they sought and won congressional approval to devote $36.5 million in 2010 funding to eight high-priority research projects. Those projects, which include joint efforts with the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to investigate horizontal launch capabilities, in-orbit satellite servicing and power-beam propulsion, are set to begin immediately, said Robert Braun, NASA chief technologist. (8/20)

*Report Provides Once-a-Decade Guidance for U.S. Space Science* (Source: AIA) The National Research Council released a once-a-decade study on Friday outlining the top priorities for the direction of U.S. space science over the next 10 years. The report has historically served as a guideline for federal agencies such as NASA, the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy for formulating their astronomy and astrophysics budget requests, and the new plan includes factors such as increased support for projects that can be fielded quickly in response to discoveries and new ground- and space-based telescopes. (8/16)

*NASA Moves Ahead with Asteroid Plans* (Source: AIA)

NASA is moving ahead with plans to achieve President Barack Obama's goal of sending astronauts to visit an asteroid by 2025. The agency has narrowed down the possible list of near Earth objects that could be accessible with a heavy-lift rocket to just three, and it plans to begin development of robotic missions to the asteroid next year, even if an ideal asteroid has yet to be identified. (8/19)

*NASA Institute Seeks Lunar Research* (Source: Aviation Week)

NASA's Lunar Science Institute at Ames Research Center brings the same interdisciplinary approach that the center's Astrobiology Institute has pursued over the past decade as it seeks to understand the origin, evolution, distribution and future of life in the universe. This is a broadly based research agency that largely exists in cyberspace with collaboration among academia, NASA centers and researchers in industry. It's director is an astrophysicist who was formerly deputy associate center director at Ames who has recently immersed herself in lunar studies. She says she is surprised at how fascinating the Moon is. (8/16)

*NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Reveals 'Incredible Shrinking Moon'* (Source: NASA Watch) Newly discovered cliffs in the lunar crust indicate the moon shrank globally in the geologically recent past and might still be shrinking today, according to a team analyzing new images from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft. The results provide important clues to the moon's recent geologic and tectonic evolution. (8/19)

*Wanted: A Solar Space Robot That Roves By Night* (Source: Space.com)

NASA is getting serious about its latest challenge to space-minded engineers: Design a solar-powered night rover for exploring other worlds. Unlike the solar-powered exploration vehicles being deployed on Mars, which have to bed down once the sun sets, the new rovers must function at a high level during the night as well as the day, NASA says.

The contest comes with a prize of $1.5 million and is open to private companies, student teams and independent inventors. It is one of three additions to NASA's Centennial Challenges competitions to spur innovation and interest in space technology and exploration. (8/17)

*A Hop, Skip and a Jump on the Moon --- and Beyond* (Source: MIT)

Although unmanned, wheeled rovers have explored the surfaces of the moon and Mars for decades, these vehicles have limits --- they can't crawl inside craters, scale cliffs or travel long distances. For more than two years, a team of students led by Professor of the Practice of Astronautics and former NASA astronaut Jeffrey Hoffman in MIT's Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics has been collaborating with engineers from the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory to design and build a prototype for a new type of robotic explorer that would hop over, rather than traverse, a planetary surface. Hopping, they believe, would make it easier for an explorer to access tricky sites and travel greater distances, and thus collect more data during a mission. (8/18)

*NASA Hurricane Program Gears Up in Florida* (Source: NASA)

The Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes (GRIP) experiment is a NASA Earth science field experiment in 2010 that is being conducted to better understand how tropical storms form and develop into major hurricanes. Researchers from NASA's Langley Research Center are supporting the program aboard a NASA DC-8 research aircraft at Fort Lauderdale International Airport. (8/16)

*NASA Releases New Image Of Massive Greenland Iceberg* (Source: Space Daily)

On Aug. 5, 2010, an enormous chunk of ice, about 251 square kilometers (97 square miles) in size, or roughly four times the size of Manhattan, broke off the Petermann Glacier along the northwestern coast of Greenland. The Petermann Glacier lost about one-quarter of its 70-kilometer-long (40-miles) floating ice shelf, according to researchers at the University of Delaware. The recently calved iceberg is the largest to form in the Arctic in 50 years. Click _here <http://www.spacemart.com/reports/NASA_Releases_New_Image_Of_Massive_Greenland_Iceberg_999.html>_ for more. (8/16)

*Can NASA Launch a Rocket with a Laser?* (Source: Good)

Launching rockets into space takes a lot of fuel and costs a lot of money. Will a theoretical plan to use lasers to beam enough energy to launch things into space ever take off? Low earth orbits don't even begin until you get about 100 miles up, and a geostationary orbit is 22,000 miles high. Traditional chemical rockets have hit a wall: Currently, it costs about $10,000 a pound to get something into orbit. For a large communications satellite on the order of 5 tons, that's more than a $100 million in launch costs alone.

That amount hasn't changed in decades. Companies like Elon Musk's SpaceX claim they'll be able to launch satellites for $1,000 a pound just by streamlining operations----basically, replacing government red tape with ruthless entrepreneurial efficiency----but there are no near-term technological breakthroughs that promise to fundamentally change how we get things away from the pull of Earth's gravity.

One radical solution to the problem is to leave most of the energy-containing stuff required to get a rocket into space on the ground. Ninety percent of the weight of a rocket on a launch pad is fuel, after all, leaving only a tiny sliver of usable mass left over for cargo. The notion, first proposed in 1972 by inventor Arthur Kantrowitz, is called beamed energy. The idea is simple: A massive power plant on the surface of the Earth sends energy to a rocket via an improbably huge laser or "maser"---which operates on the same principle as a laser, but involves microwaves. (8/18)

*Editorial: Our Economy Needs a Robust Space Program* (Source: Houston Chronicle) As the end of the space shuttle program nears, where and how America next travels into space appears unclear. America's leadership in space exploration is at risk of being set adrift into an uncertain future, cluttered with program cancellations, budget cuts and conflicting directives for government and commercial spaceflight development.

In addition to the need to retain the unique technical expertise of tens of thousands of workers, the future of the space program is vital to the economic future of our nation. No other government program can match the economic impact of space program spin-offs that include applications in medicine, computer technology, communications, public safety, food, power generation and transportation. (8/22)

*Aerospace Must Revive Its Spirit* (Source: Aviation Week)

On June 4, Falcon 9 achieved orbit, and I won a number of bets. In most cases, the people I bet against were predicting failure for reasons related to SpaceX's lack of experience and heritage hardware. The young crew at the heart of SpaceX, and their leader, Elon Musk, sure don't look like their peers at Lockheed Martin, Boeing or Orbital Sciences! They do lack experience and definitely lack heritage hardware. Yet, I won my bets because I strongly believe there are things more important than experience and heritage, such as an entrepreneurial culture and talent. And this is where SpaceX is currently head and shoulders above its competitors.

I helped build and run one of the U.S.'s leading space engineering graduate programs at the University of Michigan, home of the nation's first collegiate aeronautics program with graduates such as Clarence "Kelly" Johnson, astronaut James McDivitt and many leaders of the U.S. aerospace industry. And each year, we see hundreds of Michigan students enter the aerospace workforce---young people who aspire to make a mark, just like these heroes before them.

I recently performed an analysis of the very best students in my space engineering programs over the past decade, based on their scholarly, leadership and entrepreneurial performance at Michigan. To my amazement, I found that of my top 10 students, five work at SpaceX. No other company or lab has attracted more than two of these top students. (8/16)

*Lori Garver Thinks Stalemate Between Congress and White House is Over* (Source: Huntsville Times) NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver said Friday that she believes the Washington stalemate over NASA's future is over, and Marshall Space Flight Center will lead development of NASA's new heavy-lift rocket. "I do not feel like we are in a stalemate anymore," Garver said of the White House and Congress. "We are talking." What NASA wants now is "robust" work on a new heavy-lift rocket starting next year, Garver said. If Congress agrees with that priority, Marshall will lead the program. "Many things are still uncertain, but one thing is not uncertain," Garver said. "Marshall will lead the heavy-lift launch program." (8/20)

*NASA Learns to Stop Worrying and Love Heavy Lift* (Source: Space Politics)

When the administration released its FY2011 budget proposal in February, development of a heavy-lift launch vehicle was not a high priority: the proposal deferred a decision on an HLV design to as late as 2015. Instead, the proposal called for technology development for an HLV, including a new hydrocarbon rocket engine. That hasn't set well in Congress, and the Senate's NASA authorization bill calls for development of a HLV starting in FY11. NASA, it seems, is now willing to support that approach.

"NASA wants to start heavy-lift work in 2011 'in a very robust way,'" the Huntsville Times reported Lori Garver as saying. And what about the need to study various HLV designs? "We don't need to study it anymore," said Marshall director Robert Lightfoot, whose center would lead any HLV program.

Garver said "We had not well explained the issues with Constellation," and she complemented Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL), one of the most vociferous critics of the administration's NASA policies, saying "One of the reasons we are as far as we are (in space) is because of Sen. Shelby." (8/21)

*NASA and ATK Plan Five-Segment Rocket Motor Test on Aug. 31* (Source: NASA)

NASA and Alliant Techsystems Inc. (ATK) will conduct a full-scale test of a five-segment, first-stage solid rocket motor at 11:05 a.m. EDT, Tuesday, Aug. 31. The test at the ATK Aerospace Systems test facility in Promontory, Utah will assess motor performance at low temperatures. (8/18)

*NASA Seeks To Ease Doubts About Commercial Crew Support* (Source: Space News) NASA is reassuring commercial space firms that it will be a supportive customer for privately built space taxis even as it cautions that Congress could stymie efforts to foster development of such vehicles. Agency officials said 35 companies had responded to a May 21 NASA solicitation seeking input on the fledgling commercial crew initiative that U.S. President Obama has proposed for a $5.8 billion investment over the next five years.

"We believe that we can fund up to four providers with that $5.8 billion," said a NASA official. Commercial space advocates --- including the companies aiming to build the private space taxis and launchers NASA says it needs --- remain upbeat despite a series of legislative setbacks. The NASA official said if NASA is directed to invest less money in commercial crew than the nearly $6 billion it has requested, it will have to re-evaluate its plans. (8/20)

*Decatur Company Hopes to Build Rockets for Astronauts* (Source: WAFF)

The recent launch of the Atlas V rocket was deemed a success, and not only for the United States, but also for the Decatur United Launch Alliance plant. "Our ULA Decatur employees played a very important role in the recent launch," said ULA's Doug Shores. Hopes are high that the 670 ULA workers will be building rockets transporting astronauts into space, and that's just one reason why the recent Saturday morning launch was so important. "It's one of many we hope to roll through the factory, down to the launch sites in coming years," said Shores. (8/18)

*Will Sen. Shelby Now Remember There's a Commercial Launch Company in Decatur?* (Source: Parabolic Arc) The United Launch Alliance plant in Decatur, Ala. has been all but invisible over the last six months as the Obama Administration and Congress battled it out over plans to commercialize human spaceflight to orbit. NASA officials mentioned the possibility of using Atlas V and Delta IV vehicles built at the plant from time to time, but they never pushed it very hard. (Probably because the program would be competitively bid and they legally couldn't endorse any one option.) Meanwhile, Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby seemed to forget that the ULA facility even existed at all as he fought tooth and nail against the plan. (8/19)

*Space Policy and Topsy-Turvy Political Philosophy* (Source: Space Politics)

Conventional wisdom has it that Democrats are pro-big government and Republicans are pro-big business; oversimplistic, perhaps, but illustrative nonetheless of one of the major differences between the country's two major political parties. Two Congressional races in Florida are showing that, when it comes to space policy, those philosophies are reversed.

In Florida's 15th Congressional District, immediately south of the Kennedy Space Center, Rep. Bill Posey (R) is running for reelection and making space a major issue in his campaign. As for creating jobs from commercial space ventures, he sounds skeptical: "(The Obama administration) keeps talking about this great commercial space market, but... there are no specific plans for exploration." By contrast, his likely Democratic challenger, Shannon Roberts, is more positive about the prospects for commercial human spaceflight. "(Private companies) are really ready to take this on. I think it's very timely," she said.

In the neighboring 24th Congressional District, incumbent Rep. Suzanne Kosmas (D) supports something like the compromise NASA authorization bill the Senate passed earlier this month, providing some funding for commercial crew development while pushing NASA to start immediate development of a heavy-lift vehicle. Most of the Republicans who are vying to run against her in the general election, though, are either quiet on the subject of commercial spaceflight or opposed to it. In the words of one candidate, Tom Garcia: "I don't think you can just turn it into a commercial industry. It needs to stay under government control." (8/19)

*Move Over, NASA, The Entrepreneurs Are Coming* (Source: Discovery)

In the 1960s and 1970s, NASA was the space program. Gemini, Apollo, men on the moon. Things have changed. Today, on Engineering Works! Listen to the podcast. Those of us of a certain age remember when a launch from Cape Canaveral was exciting. Everything stopped so we could watch. Things are different now. The space program is still important, but budget deficits and different priorities threaten. And NASA's not the only game in town anymore.

Private companies are pushing to take over pieces of what used to be NASA's exclusive turf. Everything from building innovative inflatable space stations to developing rockets to put them into orbit. It's too early to tell if space entrepreneurs like this are going to be able to carve out niches for themselves in space, but it seems to be working. A small-scale inflatable space station is in orbit now around the earth. You can use the company's onboard video system to check it out. And they have several other versions of the habitat ready to go. Almost.

Another company has used its own rocket to put a model of its own space vehicle into orbit. Other versions of the rocket, all the way to a massive three-engine heavy-lift rocket are on the drawing board. These companies want to make space more accessible than it seems to when NASA was the only option. And they think they can do it as well as NASA and cheaper. (8/16)

*Editorial: Can We Turn Over America's Space Program to a "Space Cadet"?* (Source: The Hill) The New York Times describes SpaceX as a bunch of 20- and 30-somethings who are launching rockets while soaking up $1.6 billion from NASA. My work in this area makes me think that this is a risky gamble with someone like Musk, who promises the sky, the moon and the stars. He is out there at best --- writing a 1,500-plus word piece on the Huffington Post titled "Correcting the Record About My Divorce," and a 2,200-plus word defense of his role in Pay Pal on a high-tech blog. Somehow this does not seem like the right style for a company and a CEO that we should entrust with our space program and the effort to build the electric car. Certainly not such a large investment of our tax dollars --- high-risk to be sure. (8/20)

*Ping-Pong Balls to Float Crew Capsule Simulator* (Source: NASA)

If ping-pong balls can float a sunken boat, they should be able to keep an uncrewed space capsule simulator from sinking. That's what a team of summer students and engineers think at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va. Langley is fabricating a proposed design of an astronaut crew module simulator for uncrewed flight-testing as part of the agency's effort to build a vehicle to replace the space shuttle.

Because the crew module will not be pressurized during the test, it will not have the buoyancy of a pressurized spacecraft. This puts the simulated crew module at risk of sinking to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean after splashdown. To save the valuable test article for analysis and possible reuse, Langley called on a team of creative minds for a solution. (8/17)

*US Only Rule for Virgin Passengers?* (Source: Independent)

Millionaire businessman Bill Cullen's dreams of becoming Ireland's first space tourist may be at an end because he is not a US citizen. He was one of two Irish people who paid EUR200,000 to become part of Virgin's dream of space tourism. Irish Psychics Live boss Tom Higgins and Mr Cullen are both hoping to be named the first Irishman in space. However, another Irishman learnt this weekend that he had been excluded on security grounds. Cyril Bennis received a legal notice from Virgin Galactic stating that at present only US citizens can be considered for inclusion. (8/22)

*Commercial Astronauts Answer Your Questions* (Source: Scienceblogs.com)

The results are back from Astronauts4Hire, and they have generously provided both video and written answers for us! These answers are not just well-thought-out and professional -- although they do come from the pros -- but I'm impressed by how personal they are; they give me a real insight as to who these commercial astronauts are as people, as scientists, and as explorers.

They were gracious enough to share not only their expertise, but also their motivations and their personal goals. So without further delay, let's dive in and see what they've got to say! Question 1.) What's a Commercial Astronaut, and how does the "commercial" Astronaut differ from other Astronauts, from Cosmonauts and Space Tourists? Click _here <http://scienceblogs.com/startswithabang/2010/08/commercial_astronauts_answer_y.php?utm_source=networkbanner&utm_medium=link>_ to read the article. (8/22)

*$5 Million FAA Center at KSC Would Support Commercial Rockets *(Source: Orlando Sentinel) A new facility to support the fledgling commercial spaceflight industry could be coming to the Space Coast under a plan announced Monday by a team of White House advisors asked to find ways to help the Florida economy recover from the 2011 retirement of the space shuttle.

The proposed FAA office would get $5 million of the $40 million that President Barack Obama pledged to the state when he visited Kennedy Space Center in April, with the other $35 million going to a grant program. The administration has said it wants to significantly increase commercial rocket flights at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport.

The administration's proposal to build a new FAA facility for commercial spaceflight dovetails with new legislation that U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson plans to sponsor. The legislation aims to grow the commercial space industry with major tax breaks. (8/16)

*NASA** KSC Supports New FAA Commercial Space Transportation Center* (Source: NASA) "Kennedy Space Center is pleased to participate in the FAA's new Center of Excellence," said Kennedy Center Director Bob Cabana. "We look forward to active involvement in these research and development initiatives. This collaborative effort initiated by the FAA aligns perfectly with NASA's evolving relationship and support for a vital U.S. commercial space industry and with our vision of a 21st Century Space Launch Complex."

Kennedy is prepared to serve as a flight test center for COE research efforts as they evolve through cooperative agreements among the partner institutions. The COE's research and development will be targeted on focus areas defined by the FAA. "The FAA's new Center of Excellence will help build the nation's future space transportation capabilities," said Jim Ball, Kennedy's program manager for Strategic Partnerships. (8/20)

*FAA Starts Considering Private Space Travel Rules* (Source: Mercury News)

Private space travel is expected to take off in the next couple of years, and aviation officials and industry officials hope to have figured out by then how to keep a space rocket out of the way of an airline jet, how to prepare passengers for flight and other logistical matters. The Federal Aviation Administration announced this week a partnership with universities and industry groups to address those challenges facing commercial space transportation. (8/22)

*Nelson Wants Tax Breaks for Commercial Space Industry* (Source: MSNBC)

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., wants to create five business enterprise zones around the country, including one possibly at the Kennedy Space Center, where investors who put their money in commercial space ventures would get major tax breaks. Nelson plans to sponsor legislation that would give tax breaks worth 20 percent of their outlays to investors in private space-related businesses. The _Commercial Space Jobs and Investment Act <http://bit.ly/drHbt1>_ would help attract engineers and scientists to these enterprise zones and create jobs in a space industry facing uncertainty, Nelson said.

"What we're doing now is everything we can to ensure KSC's continued importance to our nation's space exploration effort, while also broadening the economic opportunities along our Space Coast," Nelson said in a statement. The U.S. space program is undergoing its biggest transformation in a generation with the last space shuttle flight scheduled for next year. Thousands of workers are expected to lose their jobs when the shuttle program ends. The Obama administration has pledged $40 million to Florida's Space Coast to help ease the transition. Another $60 million has been proposed for other regions around the nation affected by the end of the program. (8/17)

*Obama Task Force Delivers Florida Economic Strategies Report* (Source: NASA) The President's Task Force on Space Industry Workforce and Economic Development, co-chaired by NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden, Jr. and U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, today released its report to President Barack Obama with recommendations to enhance economic development strategies along Florida's Space Coast. The task force was charged with developing a plan for how best to invest $40 million in transition assistance from the federal government in the Space Coast region as the space shuttle program winds down. Click _here <http://www.nasa.gov/spacecoasttaskforce>_ to read the report. (8/17)

*$40 Million on Launching Pad for Florida* (Source: Houston Chronicle)

The White House on Tuesday spelled out $40 million in emergency economic adjustment assistance to help Florida's hard-hit Space Coast recover from the end of space shuttle operations and changes in the moon program, prompting yet more criticism from Texans in Congress about why the Lone Star State got nothing.

"I am disappointed that the administration has yet to detail plans of assistance for Texas," said Rep. Gene Green, D-Houston, a lawmaker who has been working behind the scenes to rescue parts of NASA's back-to-the-moon Constellation program which is crucial to Houston's Johnson Space Center. "Other cities and states provide essential support and thousands of jobs in local economies tied into NASA." The Obama administration has promised another $60 million in unspecified help for other areas across the country that will be affected by changes to the nation's space policy, including $15 million in job retraining. (8/16)

*Editorial: Task Force & Nelson Bill Lay Groundwork for Jobs* (Aug. 19)

The outlook for rebuilding the Space Coast's post-shuttle economy finally is coming into clearer view. The transition will be extremely difficult as thousands lose their jobs. But new policies and proposals coming together in Washington suggest the long-term prospects won't be as bleak as pessimists fear, providing that our community embraces change and innovation, and runs with it.

The past week has seen a key Senate panel pass a compromise NASA plan that calls for adding one last shuttle flight next year, having NASA immediately start developing a new, heavy-lift rocket and manned spacecraft, and providing funds to grow the commercial space industry. The measure has White House support but still needs full congressional approval, which it deserves. (8/19)

*Space Florida Board Discusses Projects and Priorities* (Source: SPACErePORT) Space Florida chief Frank DiBello on Tuesday presented a list of new projects and priorities for the agency, including three code-named projects that could have a major impact on Florida aerospace employment, a plan for sponsoring multiple high-profile aerospace conferences in the state, and plans for sponsoring university-oriented centers focused on micro-satellites, hybrid air vehicles, and International Space Station research.

Space Florida is looking to build a leadership role for the state in operating the International Space Station as a National Laboratory. They will continue efforts to expand launch operations at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, including the potential use of LC-36 as a test site for launch system components (while concurrently serving as an active launch site).

The Space Florida board approved the following investments: up to $1M in financial support for a reusable launch vehicle company; up to 30% of the estimated $2.9 million cost for Starfighters Aerospace to procure multiple F-104 jet aircraft from Italy; and $2 million over three years to match the FAA's investment in research at a proposed Center of Excellence for Commercial Space Transportation (this was originally proposed in support of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Center of Excellence bid). (8/17)

*National Center for Simulation Plans Space Modeling & Simulation Initiative* (Source: SPACErePORT) Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Thomas Baptiste, president of the Orlando-based National Center for Simulation, presented to the Space Florida board his plans to establish a Space Modeling & Simulation program in Florida, with support from Space Florida, Kennedy Space Center, and various universities. The initiative would focus on space mission analysis, planning, test & evaluation, logistics, and training & operations. (8/17)

*Massive Fuel Tank Arrives at Virginia Spaceport* (Source: Salisbury Daily Times) A 162-foot-long, 56-wheeled vehicle transporting the largest tank of the fuel farm needed to launch Orbital Sciences Corp.'s Taurus II rocket arrived Monday at Wallops Island after a three-month journey from Mexico. The empty 80,000 gallon liquid oxygen tank, which is 124 feet long and 13 feet in diameter and weighs 230,000 pounds, spent three months in transit from a manufacturing facility in Mexico City. (8/21)

*New Mexico** Spaceport Board OKs Road Agreement* (Source: Las Cruces Sun-News) The New Mexico Spaceport Authority board on Friday OK'd an agreement that's a first step toward paving a southern road to Spaceport America. Two other entities - the Dona Ana County and Sierra County commissions - also must approve the document before it becomes final. Officials have said paving a southern route to the spaceport will improve access to the facility from Do-a Ana County, by shortening the overall driving time. (8/21)

*Our View: Spaceport Road Next Step in Path to Success* (Source: Las Cruces Sun-News) If we build it they will come ... but we've got to pave the road first. On Tuesday, the Doña Ana County Commission will be asked to sign an agreement with the Spaceport Authority for construction and maintenance of a southern access road to Spaceport America. We see the road as absolutely critical for Doña Ana County to enjoy the full economic development benefits from Spaceport America, and strongly urge commissioners to sign the agreement Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the selection of New Mexico State University by the Federal Aviation Administration to lead a new Air Transportation Center of Excellence for Commercial Space Transportation continues an outstanding synergy between the university and the spaceport. NMSU will head a national consortium that will guide the development of commercial space flight in the United States. (8/22)

*Indiana Firm Gets Thrust from Stimulus* (Source: South Bend Tribune)

In October the worst recession since the Great Depression forced South Bend-based Manufacturing Technology Inc. to deliver some grim news to employees. It laid off about 20 of its 115 workers, and a second similarly sized round of cuts loomed on the horizon.

But a month later came some brighter news. The specialty welding firm had been subcontracted by Boeing, aided by about $11 million in federal stimulus money, to build three giant welding machines for NASA's Constellation space program. MTI is designing and assembling the machines that will use friction stir welding to join sections of 70-foot-tall fuel tanks for the Ares 1 rocket. (8/16)

*With Shuttles Becoming Museum Pieces, Cities Vie to Land One* (Source: Orlando Sentinel) They've racked up a lot of mileage, and their $28.8-million price --- sans engine --- should be enough to cause sticker shock. But that isn't stopping institutions from Los Angeles to New York from engaging in a new space race to land one of the soon-to-be-retired shuttles. Twenty-one institutions are in fierce competition for what one museum director called the rarest of space artifacts. They've enlisted former astronauts and high-flying officials to back their bids for one of three orbiters. Lawmakers have even tried to use congressional legislation to give their states a leg up.

"Like anything rare, the orbiters will be hugely popular attractions," said Valerie Neal, spaceflight history curator at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. She called them the most significant space artifacts to become available since the Apollo and Skylab command modules in the 1970s. Florida, where the shuttle is launched, and Texas, home to mission control, both say they deserve one. Ohio says it should get one because it was the home of the Wright brothers. New York City says it should get one because it can draw the biggest crowds.

At least three museums in Southern California, with its aerospace heritage, say they have the right stuff. Chicago's Adler Planetarium is competing, as are institutions in Seattle; Tulsa, Okla.; Huntsville, Ala.; and McMinnville, Ore.; home of another big flying machine --- the Spruce Goose, formerly of Long Beach. No date has been set for a decision, but the shuttle, workhorse of the space program for three decades, is scheduled to make its final flight next year. (8/16)

*Shuttle Diplomacy: Museums Launch Bids for Retiring Space Planes* (Source: Wall Street Journal) The space shuttle fleet's looming retirement ends an era---and launches a new space race. This one is on the ground, among museums scrambling to land one of the three orbiters. NASA says it has received expressions of interest from 21 institutions. The competition has sparked intensive lobbying campaigns, massive fund-raising drives and a sprint for letters of support from astronauts, politicians and the public.

Because NASA has agreed to give the shuttle Discovery to the Smithsonian, one of the museums not selected for the newly retired shuttles will get the Enterprise, a shuttle prototype and a museum centerpiece. NASA is offering the space planes free to qualified institutions as long as they pay for shipping and handling. The catch: those costs add up to $28.8 million per shuttle, including post-flight repairs and strapping the orbiters to a special 747 jumbo jet. The shuttles also must be displayed indoors, which for most museums means building a giant new structure. (8/20)

*A Tale of Two Museums* (Source: Space Review)

The quest to land one of the space shuttles upon their retirement continues, pitting museums across the country against once another. Jeff Foust pays a visit to a pair of Ohio museums, one a leading candidate for a shuttle and one simply struggling to stay alive. Visit _http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1681/1_ to view the article. (8/16)

*Queens Assemblyman Nudges NASA to Land Shuttle at Intrepid* (Source: NY Daily News) NASA still hasn't decided where three retiring space shuttles will end up, but New York pols who want one for the Intrepid aren't taking a wait-and-see approach. In the latest instance of shuttle diplomacy, Queens Assemblyman Michael DenDekker is sending to Cape Canaveral a copy of a unanimous Assembly resolution supporting the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum's bid for one.

NASA originally promised to make a decision by last month; the space agency now plans to announce where the shuttles are headed by the end of the year. "We're very patient," DenDekker said. "But we are going to be diligently pushing to get one for the city of New York." (8/18)

*Adler in Race for a Space Shuttle* (Source: Chicago Tribune)

Chicago's Adler Planetarium is launched against 20 other institutions in a new space race, seeking the right to pay $28.8 million for one of the three soon-to-be-retired space shuttles. Adler sees its qualifications as obvious. "Chicago is the largest population center --- and worldwide tourism destination --- in the middle of the country," Adler Planetarium President Paul Knappenberger Jr. said in a statement.

He added that landing a shuttle would support Adler's mission "to inspire the next generation of explorers" and "serve as inspiration for math and science education." Adler's competitors in the fierce LeBron-style competition have enlisted former astronauts and officials high in political orbit to back their bids. Lawmakers have even tried to use congressional legislation to give their states a leg up. (8/22)

*Executive Director Of Tulsa Air And Space Museum Resigns* (Source: NewsOn6)

The Executive Director of the Tulsa Air and Space Museum resigned Wednesday, according to a statement from the museum. Jim Bridenstine is leaving TASM to pursue his love of flying. He rejoined the Navy as a pilot in the reserves in March. Bridenstine called the museum a "wonderful institution" for Tulsa. During his time at TASM, Bridenstine spearheaded the effort that put Tulsa in the running to land one of NASA's retiring space shuttles, a project he said he will continue to support. (8/18)

*Space Shuttle Trainer Coming to Seattle's Museum of Flight* (Source: Seattle PI) NASA's space shuttle full fuselage trainer is coming to Seattle's Museum of Flight, which is also vying to win a real shuttle orbiter. "We will, in fact, be awarded the full fuselage trainer -- in which all the shuttle astronauts have trained -- when the program is discontinued," Museum of Flight Marketing Director Mike Bush said Wednesday. "It's important to note that this has nothing to do with whether or not we're awarded an actual shuttle." The trainer now lives at the Johnson Space Center, in Houston, where astronauts train. It replicates a real orbiter, although it doesn't have wings. (8/18)

*Air** Force History Center Opens* (Source: Orlando Business Journal)

The Air Force Space & Missile History Center celebrated its grand opening this week in Cape Canaveral. The new 3,200-square-foot history center, located at 100 Space Port Way, is free to the public and includes a variety of exhibits from the 1950s through today. "As we move forward into the future of space operations, this center provides everyone with a detailed history of where the Air Force's space launch program started and how much it has progressed in relatively very little time," said Brig. Gen. Ed Wilson, 45th Space Wing commander. The center features information on every launch complex on Cape Canaveral, as well as other artifacts, displays and presentations, including nose cones, rocket engines, static displays, launch consoles and launch vehicles. (8/18)

*Huntsville Space Center Offers First Hand Look at Space Race* (Source: Russia Times) Huntsville, Alabama, located in the deep south of the US, is a city dedicated entirely to the space race. "This was the beginning of our man spaceflight program," said historian and author Ed Buckbee, referring to Huntsville's role in the beginning of the space race. Huntsville is where one man's special vision became reality. (8/17)

*Space Tourism: KSC Gears Up For Final Shuttle Launches With New Attractions* (Source: PR Web) With only two missions left before the US space shuttle is retired, the Kennedy Space Center has developed a range of new attractions to welcome visitors. After nearly thirty years of service, the US space shuttle fleet is finally being retired by NASA, with two final launches in November 2010 and February 2010. To celebrate, the Kennedy Space Center has launched a number of new attractions -- including Star Trek Live, the dramatic IMAX film Hubble 3D, and the Family Astronaut Training Experience, which gives families the chance to train for a shuttle launch, all under the watchful eye of a veteran astronaut. (8/18)

*Former NASA Worker Admits Stealing Space Suit* (Source: Miami Herald)

A former NASA contract employee has pleaded guilty to stealing machine equipment and a space flight suit worn by the first U.S. female astronaut in space. The U.S. Attorney's Office statement issued Tuesday says 56-year-old Calvin Smith faces up to 10 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines at his sentencing scheduled for November.

Smith had been charged with having stolen and concealed property belonging to NASA. The flight suit bearing the name patch Sally Ride for the first U.S. woman astronaut in space is valued at more than $1,000. The machine parts Smith admitted stealing are worth around $7,400. Smith's estranged wife contacted authorities after finding the items in a suitcase. (8/17)

*Love Scorned Astronaut Faces Military Justice in Jacksonville Courtroom* (Source: WOKV) The NASA astronaut who made international headlines after attacking a romantic rival with pepper spray at the Orlando International Airport in 2007 spent Thursday in a military courtroom at Naval Air Station Jacksonville. The government is asking a Navy review board to recommend discharging Captain Lisa Nowak and reduce her rank and pay grade. Nowak pleaded guilty last year to burglary and battery in a plea deal that dropped more serious charges of kidnapping. She was not sentenced to any jail time and has continued her career as a Navy aviator, despite being booted from the Astronaut program. (8/19)

*Board Recommends Former Astronaut Nowak Retires* (Source: WOKV)

A military board of inquiry is recommending a former astronaut retire from position with the Navy and accept a lower retirement package. The hearing at Naval Air Station Jacksonville focussed on Lisa Nowak, the NASA astronaut who plead guilty to felony burglary and misdemeanor battery charges in November. The charges stem from her February 2007 attack on Colleen Shipman, her romantic rival for another NASA astronaut, at Orlando International Airport. (8/19)

*Former NASA Official to Plead Guilty in Contracts Case* (Source: AP)

Federal court records show that NASA's former chief of staff plans to plead guilty in a case stemming from a $600,000 contract awarded to Mississippi State University, a client of his consulting firm. Courtney Stadd faces nine charges, including conspiracy. Court documents didn't indicate to which charges he would plead during a hearing scheduled for Wednesday in Gulfport.

Prosecutors say Stadd conspired with Liam Sarsfield, NASA's former chief deputy engineer, to guide contracts where they wanted. Sarsfield pleaded guilty in November to one count. Stadd was NASA's chief and White House liaison from 2001 to 2003. Stadd was convicted in 2009 and sentenced to probation in a different case for steering a $10 million contract to MSU. (8/18)

*NASA Gives Glimpse of World's Most Realistic Flight Simulator *(Mercury News) It's called NASA's Vertical Motion Simulator. In layman's terms, it's perhaps the most realistic flight simulator in the world, a video-gamer's dream. On Friday, NASA celebrated the 30th anniversary of the simulator, which is keeping a busy schedule despite the approaching end of one of its most famous uses -- allowing astronauts to simulate space shuttle flights before their missions.

"There's nothing like this anywhere else," said Kathleen Starmer, a contractor working with NASA as the Ames Research Center's deputy director of outreach. A shuttle will likely fly for the last time in 2011, but members of the center say that research, not training, has been at the heart of the simulator's duties, and they have no plans to ramp down its use. (8/21)

*NASA Considering June 2011 for Possible Shuttle Flight* (Source: SpaceFlightNow.com) Awaiting word on whether one additional shuttle flight will be approved by Congress and the Obama administration, NASA managers are protectively considering June 28, 2011, for launch of shuttle Atlantis on a rescue mission if a major problem threatens the crew of the final planned shuttle flight in late February. If not, and if NASA gets the required funding, the agency would launch Atlantis on an actual space station resupply mission to close out the shuttle program. (8/20)

*Layoff Anxiety Top Risk to Space Shuttle* (Source: Florida Today)

As NASA marches toward its final shuttle flights, the safety of the crew rests with workers who know every bolt they turn, every heat-shield tile they inspect, brings them closer to the unemployment line. Here at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, more than 900 people will turn in their identification badges on Oct. 1, a month before Discovery is set for launch on its grand finale. Another 3,000 people, at least, will be out of work in April unless NASA gets the money for an additional flight beyond the two final missions remaining on its schedule. And as it stands, an extra shuttle mission would only provide a reprieve until late July or August. (8/22)

*Recession Slows Wave of Retiring Aerospace, Defense Workers* (Source: AIA)

With large numbers of aerospace and defense workers in the baby-boom generation reaching retirement age, many have feared a major wave of attrition and loss of experienced workers. But the recession appears to have changed all of that, and the retirement rate in aerospace in fact declined from 5.7% of eligible workers to just 2% in 2009, with 33% of workers eligible for retirement indicating that they were staying on because they were upside down on their 401(k)plans. (8/20)

*Aerospace/Defense Industry Seeks Talent, Diversity* (Source: Aviation Week)

What has changed dramatically is that the new generation of workers grew up in intensely diverse environments -- fellow students hailing from all over the globe, friends with differing sexual orientations, and varying cultures and ethnicities within their own families. They expect the workplace to look more like what they grew up with, and Aerospace/Defense (A&D) has not yet caught up.

Thirty percent of today's young professionals are female, and yet the A&D industry figure hovers around 17%. Job categories such as finance and enterprise information have seen definite improvement. Others, such as engineering and test and evaluation, post much lower numbers.

More African-American university students are seeking degrees in sports management than in engineering. It is a situation that has university leaders struggling to find answers, and the A&D industry reaching deep into the nation's classrooms to encourage young people of every background to go into science, engineering, math and technology. (8/17)

*Defense Companies Still Hiring in Key Areas, Despite Declines in 2009* (Source: AIA) Despite defense budget belt-tightening and economic indicators, the jobs outlook in the aerospace and defense industry looks relatively strong, and companies expect to hire in areas such as acquisitions and cyber-security. The Aerospace Industries Association reports that 2009 represented the first time in seven years that the level of aerospace employment declined, however most companies continued to hire for critical jobs. (8/16)

*Demand For Talent Grows Despite Shrinking Economy* (Source: Aviation Week)

The U.S. aerospace and defense industry is anxiously anticipating a wave of retirements that has been looming for years, and wishing that the restless, ambitious group of 20-somethings looking for more exciting opportunities would come up with an "app" to model what the next five years will bring.

If "there's an app for that" sounds like a foreign phrase, then you probably belong to the demographic the aerospace and defense (A&D) industry has been concerned about losing. Forecasts in the past several years spelled doom, foretelling of a mass exodus of "baby boomer" talent and leadership. But the global recession forced older workers to make very different plans in 2009 and 2010, and the landscape changed unexpectedly. Or rather, it stayed the same.

The 2010 Aviation Week Workforce Study found that approximately 33% of those eligible for retirement cited upside down 401(K) investments as the reason for putting off their exits. Between last year and 2010, the retirement rate dropped from 5.7% to 2% of eligible baby boomers. Click _here <http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=defense&id=news/talgrow_wkf10.xml>_ to read the article. (8/17)

*Eager Talent* (Source: Aviation Week)

There is mutual concern among industry leaders and young professionals about whether uncertainty surrounding NASA's human spaceflight strategy could deter students from pursuing a career in the field. Although salary is important to young professionals, a challenging work environment with interesting and varied assignments was higher up on the list of criteria in making a career decision. (8/17)

*Study Encourages Postgraduate Degrees in Space Sciences* (Source: Astronomy & Geophysics) Academics in the field have long thought that postgraduate degrees in astronomy, astrophysics and planetary science and particle physics are a good bet for careers. But now a survey has confirmed that they bring excellent long-term employment prospects and above-average salaries, within sciences and elsewhere, boosting the case for funding studentships in order to support science and industry. (8/20)

*U.S. Aerospace Companies Boost Technical Education* (Source: Reuters)

U.S. aerospace and defense companies are stepping up support for educational programs in hope of encouraging students to pursue technical careers to help replace an expected flood of worker retirements. Companies are sponsoring student robotics competitions, forming partnerships with technical schools and calling for higher national education standards in an effort to bring new urgency to the coming U.S. shortage of workers trained in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). "If we can work on retention and we can work on the excitement of STEM or engineering, then we can change the equation," William Swanson, chief executive of Raytheon Co, said. (8/17)

*Companies Step Up to Build Interest in Aerospace Careers* (Source: AIA)

As a generation of aerospace and defense workers in the U.S. reaches retirement age, companies are increasingly investing in educational programs to motivate students to pursue careers to replace those workers. Companies are taking measures such as partnering with technical schools and sponsoring student robotic competitions in order to boost enrollment in engineering programs and help build the workforce. According to an Aerospace Industries Association report, just 5% of U.S. bachelor's degrees are in engineering, compared with 20% in Asia. (8/18)

*Embry-Riddle's Aerospace Engineering Named Best in Nation for 11th Straight Year* (Source: ERAU) For the 11th year in a row, the annual "America's Best Colleges" guide published by U.S. News Media Group has ranked Embry-Riddle's aerospace engineering program #1 in the nation and has also named Embry-Riddle to the top tier of universities granting mainly bachelor's and master's degrees. In the specialty category of "Best Undergraduate Aerospace/Aeronautical/Astronautical Engineering Programs at Schools Whose Highest Degree is a Bachelor's or Master's," Embry-Riddle's Daytona Beach, Fla., campus took first place and the University's Prescott, Ariz., campus was #3.

Additionally, in the broader category of "Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs at Schools Whose Highest Degree is a Bachelor's or Master's," Embry-Riddle's Daytona Beach campus was ranked #11, up one spot compared to last year, and the Prescott campus climbed from #34 to #17. Among the 118 schools in the category of "Best Regional Universities (South)," Embry-Riddle's Daytona Beach campus was ranked #10, up two notches this year. (8/17)

*James Cameron Wants to "Get People Excited About [Space] Exploration"* (Source: MTV) For Oscar-winning director James Cameron, whose box-office clout at this point seems unmatchable, making mega-blockbusters like "Avatar" and "Titanic" might not be enough. So next year, Cameron is taking his filmmaking expertise to the final frontier. In April, it was announced that Cameron had partnered with NASA to help build a 3-D camera mounted atop the Mars rover Curiosity for a mission planned for launch next year. When MTV News caught up with the filmmaker, we asked if, in addition to sending 3-D cameras to Mars, he's thinking about how to send humans there. Click here to read the article. (8/17)

*NASA and Mary J. Blige Encourage Science Careers for Women* (Source: NASA)

NASA is collaborating with award-winning recording artist Mary J. Blige to encourage young women to pursue exciting experiences and career choices by studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). A public service announcement featuring veteran NASA space shuttle astronaut Leland Melvin and Blige debuts this week on NASA TV and the agency's website at: _http://www.nasa.gov_. (8/18)

*NASA Astronaut Brought Religious Artifact Into Orbit* (Source: The Jewish Chronicle) On May 14, Garrett Reisman got out of bed, brushed his teeth and got into an old Airstream motorhome that took him, along with five other astronauts, to the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center. Then they boarded the shuttle, strapped themselves into their seats and, at 2.30pm, were, quite literally, blasted off the face of the earth. Within nine minutes, they reached 17,500 miles per hour.

When Reisman spent his three months aboard the Space Station in 2008, he famously fixed a mezuzah above his bunk. Was it out of religious conviction - the astronaut went to Hebrew school as a child and was barmitzvahed in a Reform synaogue? "It was probably more that I wanted to acknowledge my Jewish heritage and represent the Jewish people," he says, noting that he has a mezuzah on his home in Houston too. "I was looking for a way to connect to my Jewish roots." (8/19)

*Former NASA Engineer Releases Book on Spirituality and Spaceflight* (Source: SPACErePORT) Mike O'Neal weaves together an intriguing mix of spirituality, space, and angels in his new book, "An Angel's View: Encountering God through the Stories of the Heavenly Hosts." Combining a deep knowledge of Scripture with personal experiences from his 31-year career at NASA, the author offers fresh and unique insights into the stories of God's angels. Click _here <http://bit.ly/d4tB7H>_ for information on the author and his book.

*/Editor's Note/*: O'Neal spent about a year on sabbatical from NASA studying spirituality and space. As a result of his work, NASA has considered establishing a pluralistic chaplaincy to support astronauts who will take part in long-duration space missions. The concept was backed by key members of the Astronaut Office in Houston. O'Neal found that astronauts on long-duration space missions would face profound personal challenges similar to some of the extreme isolation environments that military personnel were subjected to. (8/18)

*What is Space Weather?* (Source: Why Files)

Space weather describes the conditions in space that affect Earth and its technological systems. Space weather storms originate from the sun and occur in space near Earth or in the atmosphere. Space weather, like weather here on Earth, is continually moving and changing. Space weather phenomena include the Northern Lights and solar radiation storms.

Northern Lights are caused when charged particles get trapped by Earth's magnetic field and flow toward the poles, accelerating as they move through Earth's magnetic field. The most energetic of the electrons penetrate the atmosphere and collide with the nitrogen and oxygen atoms, charging the atom. When the excited atom returns to its normal energy state, it gives off red or green light. Near the South Pole, the same phenomenon is called Aurora Australis, the southern lights.

Solar radiation storms occur when the sun suddenly emits large amounts of energetic particles. These storms can affect communication on aircraft flying polar routes, where the storms are strongest. Strong X-ray emissions from the sun can also disturb the upper regions of our atmosphere and cause larger radio blackouts. (8/16)

*Solving the Mystery of the Long Solar Minimum* (Source: Astronomy Now)

A team of researchers led by Mausumi Dikpati from the National Centre for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and Roger Ulrich from the University of California, Los Angeles have suggested a cause for the unusually long lull in solar activity in the last decade. Our Sun is constantly changing, differing in the number of sunspots and solar flares over an 11 year cycle. The changes in the level of the activity of the Sun can have wide ranging effects here on Earth, such as communication satellite blackouts and power grid failures. (8/16)

*Editorial: The Sun Also Surprises* (Source: New York Times)

Despite warnings that New Orleans was unprepared for a severe hit by a hurricane, America was blindsided by Hurricane Katrina, a once-in-a-lifetime storm that made landfall five years ago this month. We are similarly unready for another potential natural disaster: solar storms, bursts of gas on the sun's surface that release tremendous energy pulses.

Occasionally, a large solar storm can rain energy down on the earth, overpowering electrical grids. About once a century, a giant pulse can knock out worldwide power systems for months or even years. It's been 90 years since the last super storm, but scientists say we are on the verge of another period of high solar activity. Though less frequent than large hurricanes, significant storms have hit earth several times over the last 150 years, most notably in 1859 and 1921. Those occurred before the development of the modern power grid; recovering from a storm that size today would cost up to $2 trillion a year for several years. (8/16)

*Researchers Quantify How Earth's Magnetosphere Protects Us From the Solar Wind* (Source: Lockheed Martin) It has long been known that the Earth's magnetic field provides a protective barrier for life on Earth. As energetic particles stream outward from the Sun in the form of the solar wind, they are deflected by a "force field" created by the Earth's magnetosphere. Now, a team of scientists from the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), Lockheed Martin, and several other institutions have used data from NASA's Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) to understand precisely how the process works.

"Without the Earth's magnetosphere, which extends outward into space, the highly energetic charged particles carried by the solar wind could strip away some of Earth's atmosphere," said Lockheed Martin's Stephen A. Fuselier, lead investigator for the IBEX-Lo sensor. "The exchange of electrical charges between the solar wind and the outer reaches of the Earth's atmosphere is one of the causes of atmospheric loss, but the Earth's magnetosphere blocks the solar wind from penetrating close to the planet. (8/16)

*Russia Proposes Launch of Arktika Space Monitoring Project in 2014* (Source: RIA Novosti) The Russian Economic Development Ministry has proposed launching the Arktika (Arctic) satellite system from 2014, the head of the Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) said on Monday. The system, which is worth around 70 billion rubles ($2.5 billion), will monitor climatic changes and survey energy resources in the Arctic region.

Arktika could become an international project. "It is a purely civilian system, comprised of six satellites," the Roscosmos chief said. "Canada is working along the same lines and would like to cooperate with us." He said Italy and a number of Asian countries were also interested in the project. The system, , will monitor the weather and environment of the North Pole, pinpoint hydrocarbon deposits on the Arctic shelf, provide telecommunications over the hard-to-access areas and ensure safe air traffic and commercial shipping in the region. (8/16)

*Russia Marks 50th Anniversary of Space Dogs Flight* (Source: Silicon Valley Mercury News) Russia is marking the 50th anniversary of the space flight of two mongrel dogs---Belka and Strelka---who became the first living creatures to circle the Earth and come back alive. The August 1960 mission helped test the equipment which was used to carry the first human, Yuri Gagarin, into space on April 12, 1961. Belka and Strelka were part of a Soviet program of animal tests intended to pave the way for human space flight. They followed Laika, a dog that flew into space on Nov. 3, 1957 but wasn't meant to survive and died. (8/18)

*When Moscow Stands In for Mars* (Source: CNET)

A little over a year ago, six men emerged from an isolation facility at Russia's Institute for Biomedical Problems, apparently none the worse for their 105 days locked together in close quarters. In fact, they were relentlessly chirpy throughout the three-and-a-half-month sequestration, in spite of square footage that was probably less than that of your first apartment out of college, where you probably had fewer roommates. And many more windows.

But that was just the warm-up act. In early June, another sextet of 20- and 30-something males ducked their heads through soon-to-be-sealed hatches in the Moscow facility for the main attraction in the Mars500 project: a simulation exercise of a full-length trip to Mars and back that will last 520 days, or about 17 months. Alexey, Diego, Romain, and the three others will next see the natural light of day on November 6, 2011. (8/20)

*Pre-Launch Preparation of Russian Rokot Rocket Nearly Complete* (Source: RIA Novosti) The Plesetsk space center in northern Russia is about to complete pre-launch preparations of the Rokot carrier rocket, scheduled to blast off in early September. The rocket is expected to deliver into orbit the Gonets-M satellite to be used in Russia's Glonass satellite navigation project. Glonass - the Global Navigation Satellite System - is the Russian equivalent of the U.S. Global Positioning System, or GPS, and is designed for both military and civilian use. Both systems enable users to determine their positions to within a few meters. (8/18)

*China** Finishes Construction of First Unmanned Space Module* (Source: Xinhua) China has finished construction of its first unmanned space module, Tiangong-1, and it is testing the module's electronic, mechanical and thermal properties, a military source said here Tuesday. The 8.5-tonne Tiangong-1 will be put into preset orbit in 2011, the source added. The space module is expected to carry out China's first space docking, with the Shenzhou-8 spacecraft, which will be launched in the second half of 2011 after Tiangong-1. The source said experts are currently building the Shenzhou-8 and testing the Long March II-F carrier rocket on which the Tiangong-1 is expected to be launched. (8/17)

*Argentina** Plans to Space Program, Including Spaceport* (Source: Space Daily) Argentina is developing satellite-launching capability with the hope of garnering some of the new business currently going to China. Several of Argentina's neighbors are in the process of launching satellites with Chinese help, and others are actively considering an early entry into the Space Age. Although Argentina, too, has signed up for space cooperation with China, officials said the satellite program would be launched with the nation's own resources.

Analysts said Argentina could see satellite technology development not only as a new line of business but also as a way of bolstering defense capability amid a continuing row with Britain over a sovereignty claim on the Falkland Islands, a British overseas territory. Exactly how debt-ridden Argentina will finance its satellite program remains unclear. Argentina has set 2013 as the target date for joining the club of countries currently able to launch satellites for their own use or for clients. Aside from the United States, Russia and the European Union, the list includes Japan and Israel.

Conrado Varotto, chief executive officer of Argentina's National Committee of Space Activities, told the media Argentina expects to build and launch its satellite at a fourth of the going cost "anywhere else." Varotto indicated Argentina was tired of begging other countries to help it with putting its own satellites into orbit. "With the needed resources, we estimate that by 2013 we could be launching the first space vehicle," he said. Varotto said Argentina's satellite program would have the capacity to put into orbit satellites weighing 550-900 pounds. (8/16)

*China Helps Developing Nations Become Space Players* (Sources: Space Daily)

Several of Argentina's neighbors are in the process of launching satellites with Chinese help, and others are actively considering an early entry into the Space Age. Bolivia, Brazil, Peru and Venezuela have received Chinese aid for their satellite launch programs. Although Argentina, too, has signed up for space cooperation with China, Argentine officials said its new satellite program would be launched with the nation's own resources.

*/Editor's Note/*: President Obama was pilloried for proposing that NASA should reach out to Muslim nations. Meanwhile, China (and Russia) are creating win-win revenue-generating alliances with nations that once looked to the U.S. for leadership and support.

*NASA Officials Perk Up Philippine Interest in Space Science* (Source: Manila Business World) A team from NASA visited Sarangani province early last week to promote interest in outer space science among the youth as the United States continues to push the ambitious "Men on Mars" project in 2035. The team, headed by Adam Gilmore, NASA division chief engineer for space shuttle program, visited the Malapatan Central Elementary School on Monday and gave a lecture on basics of space science.

"We want them to see something different and to dream bigger things. We are here to tell you guys that you are the future," he said. "NASA is building an International Space Station and we will be proud to see Sarangani astronauts one day," Mr. Gilmore added. For her part, Sabrina Singh, space suit system engineer and astronaut trainer, shared expertise and experiences to encourage students to love Science and Mathematics as an initial step to become astronauts. (8/22)

*Africa Considers a Continent-Wide Space Agency* (Source: All Africa)

Africa is a step closer to setting up its own space agency, with the approval of a planned feasibility study by the 53 member states of the African Union earlier this month. The African Space Agency, as it would be known, would be intended to help ensure the continent becomes an important player in the global space program. The agreement was made at the close of the third African Union Conference for Ministers in charge of Communications and Information Technologies meeting in Abuja last week.

Ministers said that the feasibility study would also draft a common space policy for the continent, taking into account various existing space technology initiatives. They added that the continent-wide policy would be developed in collaboration with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. (8/22)

*Canadian Scientists Help Search for Life on Mars by Looking for Methane Gas* (Source: KBS Radio) The latest hunt for signs of life on Mars will involve a team of Canadian scientists searching for gas. The researchers are part of an international team that will work on an instrument known as MATMOS --- or Mars Atmospheric Trace Molecule Occultation Spectrometer. The mission is designed to take one approach to looking at life on Mars by examining the composition of the atmosphere. (8/16)

*Space Travel or Astronomical Lie?* (Source: WRS)

Barbara Burtscher has been the toast of Switzerland: a twenty-five-year old poised to become the country's first female astronaut. Except that she wasn't. Since last summer there's been a flurry of interest in Burtscher, with articles in newspapers and magazines claiming she'd been at something called the Nasa Education Center where she'd been encouraged to sign up for the official astronaut programme. But earlier this week the physics teacher from Toggenburg in St Gallen was brought back down to earth after some tardy fact-checking revealed a few holes in the story. (8/19)

*Analysis - UK Space Sector Takes Off* (Source: Reuters)

Britain's fast-growing space sector is confident it is just the sort of high-tech industry needed to rebalance the nation's fragile economy, but more state involvement is vital for it to flourish on the world stage. Driven by the private sector, the UK space industry supports about 68,000 jobs and generated a turnover of 5.8 billion pounds in 2006-2007, the last year for which data is available, on a tiny government spend of 218 million pounds. Britain has captured about 6.5 percent of the global space business despite state investment being a fraction of that spent by India, Germany, Canada and many other countries, but analysts warn of British complacency as competition mounts. (8/18)

*Can the UK Aerospace Base Drive Human Space Efforts Forward?* (Source: Space Review) The UK is reconsidering its approach to space exploration with a new government and the formation of a space agency. Andrew Weston examines how the country's rich aerospace heritage might provide the support for a reinvigorated space program. Visit _http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1680/1_ to view the article. (8/16)

*Danish Plan to Launch Space Mission* (Source: Metro)

Two amateur astronauts are planning to make Denmark the fourth country to launch into space after the former Soviet Union, the US and China. Kristian von Bengtson and Peter Madsen plan to launch their HEAT rocket into space from the Baltic Sea near Bornholm, in Denmark. But von Bengtson and Madsen's ambitious plans to oversee the successful launch of the world's first ever amateur-built rocket for manned space travel are not exactly likely to have NASA bosses quaking in their boots.

They have so far raised almost £39,000 of the £41,000 they asked for before a test launch with a crash test dummy in a week. The average cost of a NASA space mission is a little steeper -- at £290million. Eventually, they hope to send Mr Madsen into space, although with room for only one astronaut, he will be in for a lonely mission in the nine-meter long rocket called HEAT-1X/Tycho Brahe. (8/22)

*Asteroid Probe, Rocket Get Nod from Japanese Panel* (Source: Space.com)

The board governing Japan's space program last week formally approved a successor to the Hayabusa asteroid explorer and the Epsilon small satellite launch vehicle to continue development. The Space Activities Commission decision gives the Japanese government authority to request funding for the programs in its budget for the next fiscal year, which begins in April. The government space panel, which has oversight of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, only gave the go-ahead for preliminary design work on Hayabusa 2, a mission projected to cost nearly $200 million. (8/20)

*Space Tracking Surveillance System Shows Some Successes* (Source: AIA)

The two Space Tracking and Surveillance System satellites launched by the Missile Defense Agency above Earth in September are finally showing some achievements, despite initial problems in transmitting data. One of the satellite's tracking sensors detected and tracked a U.S.-owned satellite in June, and in another trial in July, the satellite detected a ground-based laser source from the Starfire Optical Range in New Mexico. (8/20)

*What's On Mercury?* (Source: Discovery)

The solar system's innermost planet is not a pleasant place. Solar storms constantly bombard its surface, and intense daytime heat sizzles everything except its permanently shaded polar craters. NASA's Mariner 10 flew by Mercury three times in 1974 and 1975, but it has taken NASA 33 years to launch a return trip. By planetary standards, Mercury is small. Signs of compression in the planet's plate tectonics even suggest that cooling has actually caused it to shrink over time. What it lacks in size, however, it more than makes up in density.

"Mercury has an extremely high density," Strom says. "In fact, the uncompressed density of Mercury is higher than any other planet or satellite in the solar system: 5.44 grams per cubic centimeter (5.78 grams per cubic inch)." Scientists believe that Mercury's core -- an immense iron body that accounts for roughly 75 percent of the entire planet's mass -- has helped the planet to win the density prize. They also suspect a fluid outer core generates the planet's magnetic field though convection. Of all the inner planets, only Mercury and Earth boast such a field. (8/20)

*Neptune Finally Makes First Orbit Around the Sun Since Discovery In 1846* (Source: Space.com) The planet Neptune will be in opposition --- when the sun, Earth, and a planet fall in a straight line on Aug. 20. The planet will be exactly opposite the sun in the sky, being highest in the sky at local midnight. Usually this is also the point where the planet is closest to the Earth. This opposition is special because Neptune will be returning close to the spot where it was discovered in 1846, marking its first complete trip around the sun since its discovery. (8/18)

*Spaceflight Can Cause Astronauts' Muscle Tissue to Waste Away by Nearly Half* (Source: Daily Mail) The muscles of astronauts waste away on long space flights and reduce their capacity for physical work by nearly a half, a new university report has revealed. Damage caused to the tissue is such that it is equivalent to a 30- to 50-year-old crew member's muscles deteriorating to that of an 80-year-old. Despite in-flight exercise, the report warns that the destructive effects of extended weightlessness to skeletal muscle poses a significant safety risk for future manned missions to Mars and further afield.

NASA currently estimates it would take a crew 10 months to reach Mars, with a one year stay, or a total mission of approximately three years. If astronauts travelled to Mars today their ability to perform work would be compromised and, with the most affected muscles such as the calf, the decline could approach 50 percent. (8/18)

*Astronaut Muscles Waste in Space* (Source: Psychology)

Astronaut muscles waste away on long space flights reducing their capacity for physical work by more than 40%, according to research published online in the Journal of Physiology. This is the equivalent of a 30- to 50-year-old crew member's muscles deteriorating to that of an 80-year-old. The destructive effects of extended weightlessness to skeletal muscle -- despite in-flight exercise -- pose a significant safety risk for future manned missions to Mars and elsewhere in the Universe.

An American study, led by Robert Fitts of Marquette University suggests that if astronauts were to travel to Mars today their ability to perform work would be compromised and, with the most affected muscles such as the calf, the decline could approach 50%. Crew members would fatigue more rapidly and have difficulty performing even routine work in a space suit. Even more dangerous would be their return to Earth, where they'd be physically incapable of evacuating quickly in case of an emergency landing.

The study -- the first cellular analysis of the effects of long duration space flight on human muscle -- took calf biopsies of nine astronauts and cosmonauts before and immediately following 180 days on the International Space Station (ISS). The findings show substantial loss of fibre mass, force and power in this muscle group. Unfortunately starting the journey in better physical condition did not help. Ironically, one of the study's findings was that crew members who began with the biggest muscles also showed the greatest decline. (8/17)

*Space Spectacles: NASA Evaluates Adjustable Astronaut Eyewear* (Source: Scientific American) Middle age is often accompanied by the onset of presbyopia, a condition whereby the eye's crystalline lens loses some of the youthful elasticity that enabled it to focus on nearby objects. The remedy for most people has been reading glasses or, for those already wearing prescription lenses, bifocals. For the handful of humans who work in the topsy-turvy environs of the space station or a spacecraft, presbyopia can be a bit more problematic because reading can take place at any number of odd angles, not to mention in microgravity, which tends to degrade vision.

Add to this the fact that many astronauts today are either at or approaching the age when presbyopia sets in, and it is not surprising that NASA is evaluating a new type of adjustable eyeglass lens called TruFocals for use during training and on missions. For the past six months NASA has been taking TruFocals through a detailed certification process to ensure they are not only a better option than other types of eyeglasses but that the materials used to make them will not pose a hazard to astronauts in their enclosed work environs, says C. Robert Gibson, a senior optometrist at the NASA Johnson Space Center. (8/16)

*The Decade When Health Trumped Space Ambitions* (Source: Houston Chronicle)

A new article in 'PLoS One' provides a "state of the union" of sorts for scientific research in the United States. There are few surprises in the report. In the aggregate, U.S. funding for science is sound although our research enterprises face rising competition from around the world, particularly Asia. One graphic stood out amid the dozens in the report. It shows the budgets for NASA and NIH as a percent of US federal discretionary spending during the last six decades.

It's interesting that federal funding for biomedical research has only outstripped NASA for about a decade. If the nation were polled I have little doubt they would want more money spent on health research than space research. I think that's reflected in the fact that, in less than a decade, NIH went from trailing NASA to more than doubling its share. Click _here <http://www.plosone.org/article/slideshow.action?uri=info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0012203&imageURI=info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0012203.g004>_ to see the chart, which shows NIH surpassing NASA in the late 1990s. (8/18)

*Do We Dare Let Aliens Know We're Here?* (Source: Space.com)

Even if humanity could reach out to an intelligent alien civilization, scientists are polarized over whether we should. Famed astrophysicist Stephen Hawking has argued that the extraterrestrials we contacted would be likely to harm us, a view that divided the experts here at the SETIcon convention. "No one can say that there is no risk to transmitting," John Billingham, former chairman of the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Committee of the International Academy of Astronautics, said. "Personally, I agree with Hawking and think it may be unwise to transmit." (8/17)

*Proof of Aliens Could Come Within 25 Years, Scientist Says* (Source: Space.com) Proof of extraterrestrial intelligence could come within 25 years, an astronomer who works on the search said Sunday. "I actually think the chances that we'll find ET are pretty good," said Seth Shostak, senior astronomer at the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute in Mountain View, Calif., here at the SETI con convention. "Young people in the audience, I think there's a really good chance you're going to see this happen."

Shostak bases this estimation on the Drake Equation, a formula conceived by SETI pioneer Frank Drake to calculate the number (N) of alien civilizations with whom we might be able to communicate. That equation takes into account a variety of factors, including the rate of star formation in the galaxy, the fraction of stars that have planets, the fraction of planets that are habitable, the percent of those that actually develop life, the percent of those that develop intelligent life, the fraction of civilizations that have a technology that can broadcast their presence into space, and the length of time those signals would be broadcasted. (8/16)

*DARPA Eyes Small Satellite Development* (Source: Information Week)

The Department of Defense's research arm is modifying a program to build a wirelessly connected small-satellite network to provide a more scalable set of technologies that can be integrated through open standards. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) said it's changing the focus of its System F6 program to "emphasize development of an open and ubiquitous space architecture," according to a press statement. To facilitate this, DARPA aims to "democratize" the process for building the system and allow an open community of researchers and developers to have more input, it said. (8/20)

*Pentagon OKs New Weather Satellite* (Source: DOD Buzz)

The Pentagon's head of acquisition signed an Acquisition Decision Memorandum last week telling the Air Force to plow ahead and develop plans for a new weather satellite, one replacing the ill-fated NPOESS program. Ironically, the requirements for the new satellite --- to be known as the Defense Weather Satellite --- are the same as they were for NPOESS, according to a congressional aide. This means that the main difference from NPOESS will be that there will a Defense Department satellite containing sensors that meet the military's requirements instead of a single satellite that meets the requirements of DoD, as well as its former NPOESS partners, NOAA and NASA. (8/16)

*Closures of Overseas Air Force Bases Examined in Savings Effort* (Source: AIA) A Pentagon advisory board is looking at the potential cost savings and the effect on national security if some U.S. Air Force installations overseas were closed. A Congressional task force has already given a positive assessment of the scenario, but the closures would mean the loss of thousands of jobs. The assessments are the result of an order from Defense Secretary Robert Gates to find $102 billion in savings over the next five years to shift funds to the war-fighting effort. (8/16)

*Oil and Gas Exploration Benefit from Space Tech* (Source: ESA)

A special kind of titanium and a manufacturing technique used to build the Ariane 5 rocket could become the next successful spin-offs from Europe's space program, benefiting the oil and gas industry. Together with space sensor technology that could be used in new offshore drilling tools, these exciting developments are the result of several technology demonstrator projects just completed for ESA's Technology Transfer Program. The wider use in the coming years of unmanned autonomous underwater vehicles in the offshore oil and gas industry calls for new technologies and advanced materials that can handle extremely harsh environments. (8/18)

*Iridium Merges Science with Communications Mission* (Source: SpaceFlightNow.com) Working under a U.S. government grant, researchers are calling upon the Iridium satellite constellation for the first real-time global space weather observations from low Earth orbit. Led by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, the new space weather research program will help forecasters predict the onset of sun-triggered geomagnetic storms that could cause power outages and communications blackouts. (8/18)

*Inmarsat Says New Satellites Will Cost $1.2 Billion* (Source: AP)

British satellite-telecommunications provider Inmarsat said on Wednesday that it will spend $1.2 billion for three Boeing Co. communications satellites and associated ground costs. Boeing disclosed the satellite deal earlier this month, but without a price tag. Inmarsat said it would spend the money over about four-and-a-half years. The satellites will provide mobile broadband. The satellites are expected to begin operating in 2014. (8/18)

*ASRC Wins NASA Glenn Contract Extension* (Source: NASA)

NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland has awarded a one-year contract option to ASRC Aerospace Corporation of Greenbelt, Md., for engineering and scientific services. The option has a value that will not exceed $50 million. (8/18)

*Four U.S. Satellite Providers Win Federal Broadband Grants* (Source: Space News) Four satellite-broadband providers have been awarded a combined $100 million in U.S government grants to provide links to rural areas of the United States under the government's broadband stimulus program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service announced Aug. 18. Three of the four companies were awarded grants to provide two-way satellite broadband to specific regions. The fourth, Hughes Network Systems of Germantown, Md., was given more than half the grant total, $58.8 million, for use in nationwide rural-broadband projects. (8/19)

*Private Equity Firms Emerge as Interested Buyers in Aerospace* (Source: AIA) Aerospace and defense firms that go on the auction block are finding that private equity firms are often the leading, and sometimes only, interested takers. Several buyout firms have shown interest in the auction of aerospace parts maker McKechnie Aerospace, and private equity firms may also be considering commercial satellite maker Loral, which announced in June its plans to raise $100 million through an initial public offering. (8/19)

*California** Aerospace Events Calendar***

*Panel Discussion on NASA Flexible Path Human Space Exploration Plan in Downy on Aug. 23*

"What is the NASA Flexible Path for human space exploration and why are we doing it?" This panel discussion event will be part of a series of AIAA events being held nationwide, known as August is for Aerospace. This is sponsored by the Los Angeles and Orange County Sections of the AIAA at the Columbia Memorial Space Center in Downy. Visit http://aiaa-la-oc-spaceexplorationpanel.eventbrite.com/

*AIAA Space 2010 Conference/Exhibition & 28th International Communications Satellite Systems Conference in Anaheim on Aug. 31 - Sep. 3*

This joint conference will be attended by leaders from all corners of the space community, including key government and industry decision-makers. Visit _http://www.aiaa.org/events/space/10-0008_SPACE_CFP_FINAL.pdf_

* *

*NDIA Greater Los Angeles "GLA" and Rocky Mountain Chapters Small Business Committees*

September 8, 2010 -- 8:00 AM -- 5:00 PM -- The Boeing Company, 2020 E. Imperial Highway, El Segundo, CA -- Cost $30 includes Morning & Afternoon Breaks & Box Lunch

*Register Now! Registrations close Aug. 31*

Workshop on Improving Small Business Contracting Competitiveness within Department of Defense and Locally with the Air Force Space and Missile Center. A discussion and exchange with the government, Industry primes, and Small Business on how to improve the opportunities and assist the DoD to achieve the mandated Small Business Awards.

View updates and agenda at

_http://ndiarmcsb.org/announcements/Sept8_Workshop_Agenda.html_

*California Governor's Trade Mission to South Korea Planned Sep. 12-16 *

/CSA Member Discount! $3,000 vs. original $5,000 rate/. To showcase California goods and services, promote tourism and expand trade relations between South Korea and California, the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce on behalf of Gov. Schwarzenegger, will be organizing a number of business opportunities throughout the trade mission for California companies to connect with key business and government decision makers. Visit http://www.lachamber.com/southkorea for information.

*"Made in California 2010 Seminar Series" - Aerospace and Defense Leadership Summit in Torrance, Oct. 6*

/CSA Member Discount! To receive your discount code email Elizabeth.Burkhead@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/. Supported by CSA, CMTC presents a manufacturing leadership seminar series. With the economic recovery forthcoming, it's not going to be "business as usual". Aerospace and Defense (A&D) suppliers in California need to prepare for the top line growth and bottom line operations improvement to remain viable and be able to compete globally. Join us at the Holiday Inn, Torrance on Wednesday, October 6, 2010 from 7:30 am - 2:00 pm. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. For additional information and registration please click here. _http://www.cmtc.com/cmtc_made_in_california_2010_AD_event_oct_06.html_

*APSCC Satellite Conference & Exhibition, October 5-7*

Hilton Hotel, Tokyo, Japan. Entering its sixteenth year, the APSCC's 13th Annual Asia-Pacific Satellite Communications, Broadcasting and Space Conference and Exhibition, APSCC 2010 will identify new business breakthroughs ahead of the industry and share the insights for the fast growing market and the social responsibility with leading speakers drawn from of the Asia-Pacific region under the theme of "Beyond Survival, It is Responsibility." Visit _http://www.apscc.or.kr/event/apscc2010.asp_

*RS2011- Reinventing Space 2011 at LAX - May 2-5 *

This year the Responsive Space Conference has become the Reinventing Space Conference in order to put a renewed emphasis on the importance of reducing cost. Most of the people working in Responsive Space have also wanted to create much lower cost space missions. At RS3, Dr. Pete Rustan urged the community to use Responsive Space developments and advancements as a means of reducing the cost of larger, more traditional space systems. The current economic crisis makes that need even more critical if we are to meet the ambitious goals of the American space program. If a solution to the prohibitively high cost of space is not found, then the shortfall in future years will require major cuts in space activity. We are already starting to see that occur. It's a problem that must be addressed and addressed quickly. Our goal for RS 2011 is to try to help. A classified session (DoD Secret) will also be held on May 6, 2011. For additional information view http://www.ResponsiveSpace.com

* *

*Last Week's DOD Contract Awards in California*

*Harlan Lee & Associates*, LLC, Falls Church, Va. (HQ0147-10-D-0030); *PeopleTec, Inc*., Huntsville, Ala. (HQ0147-10-D-0031); and *Total Solutions, Inc*., Huntsville, Ala. (HQ0147-10-D-0032) are each being awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide advisory and assistance services to the Chief of Staff Directorate, Human Resources Directorate, and Public Affairs at the Missile Defense Agency (MDA). The contractors will assist in providing support services in support of the Ballistic Missile Defense System. Each contract has a not to exceed ordering ceiling of $195,700,000. The companies will have the opportunity to bid on each individual task order. Work under these contracts will be performed in Alaska, Alabama, *California*, Colorado, New Mexico, and Virginia. The performance period is through August 2015. These contracts are being competitively awarded under the Small Business Set-Aside Request for Proposal HQ0147-09-R-0001. Obligations will be made by task orders using research, development, test and evaluation funds. This procurement is managed by the MDA Engineering and Support Services Program Office.

*EDO Communications & Countermeasures Systems*, wholly owned by ITT Force Protection Systems, *Thousand Oaks, Calif*., is being awarded a $17,714,358 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00024-07-C-6311) to exercise options for the production and support of 260 Counter Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device (RCIED) Electronic Warfare (CREW) 2.1 systems with the Band C Engineering Change Proposal upgrade to meet urgent Department of Defense requirements in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. CREW 2.1 systems are vehicle mounted electronic jammers designed to prevent the initiation of RCIED. This contract is for the urgent procurement and support of CREW systems to be used by forces in each of the military services of the Central Command Area of Responsibility. Work will be performed in *Thousand Oaks**, Calif.*, and is expected to be completed by April 2011. Contract funds in the amount of $4,708,500 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

*Hydro-Aire, Inc., Burbank, Calif., is being awarded a maximum $7,865,190 firm-fixed-price, sole-source contract for tire parts. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is Air Force. There was originally one proposal solicited with one response. The date of performance completion is Sept. 30, 2011. The Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity.*

*ITT Advanced Engineering & Sciences*, Annapolis Junction, Md., is being awarded a $455,026,747 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-only indefinite-delivery/indefinite quantity contract for production of up to 5000 Joint Counter Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device Electronic Warfare (JCREW) 3.2 mounted systems to meet urgent requirements of the Department of Defense in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Mounted JCREW systems are electronic jammers designed to prevent the initiation of radio-controlled improvised explosive devices and are critical to protecting U.S. personnel from the threat posed by improvised explosive devices. This contract is for the urgent procurement and support of JCREW systems, to be used by forces in each of the military services of the Central Command area of responsibility. Work will be performed in *Thousand Oaks**, Calif. (95.35 percent); Annapolis Junction, Md. (3 percent); Charleston, S.C. (1.09 percent); and Clifton, N.J. (0.56 percent). Work is expected to be completed by September 2014. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with two offers received. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.*

*Boeing Satellite Systems, El Segundo, Calif., was awarded an $182,177,702 contract which will provide the necessary items to begin production of Wideband Global SATCOM Satellite 7. At this time, $164,446,487 has been obligated. MCSW/PK, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., is the contracting activity.*

*Kestrel Institute, Palo Alto, Calif., was awarded a $10,734,887 contract which will develop and demonstrate new technology that provides comprehensive, automated techniques to allow end users to safely execute new software of uncertain provenance. DET 1 AFRL/PKDA, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.*

*Cardinal Health 200, Inc*., McGaw Park, Ill. is being awarded a maximum $136,282,656 firm-fixed-price, sole-source, prime vendor, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for medical surgical supplies and services. Other locations of performance include Minnesota, Nebraska, Arizona, Missouri, *California*, Washington, Colorado, Kansas, Utah and Alaska. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, federal civilian agencies and other non-DoD agencies. There was originally one proposal solicited with one response. The date of performance completion is April 19, 2012. The Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity.

*Owens & Minor*, Mechanicsville, Va., is being awarded a maximum $36,205,642 firm-fixed-price, sole-source, prime vendor, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for medical surgical supplies and services. Other locations of performance include Colorado, Missouri, *California*, Oklahoma, Arizona, Utah, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon and Washington. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, federal civilian agencies and other non-DoD agencies. There was originally one proposal solicited with one response. The date of performance completion is April 19, 2012. The Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity.

*Raito, Inc., San Leandro, Calif., was awarded on Aug. 13 a $10,831,662 firm-fixed-price contract. This contract is recovery project #12674, "Yuba River Basin, Calif. Construction to stabilize and prevent under see page at the Marysville Ring Levee Phase I." Work is to be performed at Marysville, Calif., with an estimated completion date of Nov. 15, 2012. Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web with six bids received. U.S. Army Engineer District, Sacramento, Calif., is the contracting activity.*

*San Diego Personnel, dba Good People Employment Services, San Diego, Calif., was awarded on Aug. 13, 2010 a $10,111,230 firm-fixed-price contract for technical support services to augment organic engineering capabilities. Work is to be performed in southern Afghanistan, with an estimated completion date of July 13, 2015. Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web with one bid received. Regional Contracting Center, Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, is the contracting activity.*

*Bilbro Construction Co.. Inc.*, San Diego, Calif*., is being awarded $13,165,628 for firm-fixed-price task order #0002 under a previously awarded multiple-award construction contract (N62473-09-D-1653) for design and construction of weapons and field training battalion support facilities, Edson Range, 31 Area, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. The task order also contains one planned modification which, if issued, would increase cumulative task order value to $14,625,628. Work will be performed in *Oceanside**, Calif.*, and is expected to be completed by March 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Eight proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.

*A&D GC, Inc.*, Santee, Calif*., is being awarded an $11,139,459 firm-fixed-price contract for design and construction of recruit marksmanship training facility at Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton. The program spaces include Range Company and Marksmanship Training Unit administrative offices, general storage space, modified classrooms, indoor simulated marksmanship trainer modules, and associated building support spaces. The contract also contains one option which, if exercised, would increase cumulative contract value to $11,221,296.72. Work will be performed in *Oceanside**, Calif.*, and is expected to be completed by February 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Seven proposals were received for this task order. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.

*Oroday, Inc.*, Newbury Park, Calif., is being awarded a $10,633,050 modification under previously awarded time-and-material, indefinite-delivery contract (N00244-08-D-0039) to exercise an option for instructional, administrative and academic program support services for the Naval Postgraduate School. Work will be performed in Monterey, Calif. (75 percent), and Newbury Park, Calif. (25 percent), and is expected to be completed by September 2011. Contract funds will expire before the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively awarded as a small business set-aside, with two offers received. The Fleet and Industrial Supply Center, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.*

*BAE Systems Technologies, Inc*., Rockville, Md., is being awarded an $11,656,003 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00421-07-C-0019) to exercise an option for engineering and technical products and services in support of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division's Air Traffic Control and Landing Systems. The estimated level of effort for this option is 136,000 man-hours. Work will be performed at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, St. Inigoes, Md. (80 percent), *San Diego, Calif*. (10 percent), and various shipboard locations (10 percent), and is expected to be completed in August 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, St. Inigoes, Md., is the contracting activity.

*Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co., Sunnyvale, Calif., was awarded a $90,544,706 contract modification which will provide continued sustainment of the contractor logistics support and legacy effort. At this time, no money has been obligated. ISSW/PKS, El Segundo, Calif., is the contracting activity.*

*Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co., Sunnyvale, Calif., was awarded a $15,996,804 contract which will enable continued study on the Advanced Extremely High Frequency Satellite enhancement options. At this time, $15,996,804 has been obligated. SMC/MCSW, El Segundo, Calif. is the contracting activity.*

Compiled for the California Space Authority by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University <http://www.erau.edu/>, Edward Ellegood <mailto:edward.ellegood@xxxxxxxx?subject=SpotBeam%20California>

--
Dianna Minor, Executive Assistant
California Space Authority
3201 Airpark Dr., Suite 204
Santa Maria, CA 93455

805-349-2633 http://www.CaliforniaSpaceAuthority.org/

Other related posts:

• » CSA SpotBeam California, August 23, 2010 - Dianna Minor

1. Home
2. csa
3. Archive
4. 08-2010

---

• » Previous by Date
• » Next by Date
• » Related Posts
• » View list details
• » Manage your subscription

---