[CSA] CSA: SpotBeam California, August 4, 2008

SpotBeam California

Voice, Visibility, Edge

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

August 4, 2008

California Items

NASA Prize Elusive as Moon Excavators Struggle in Sandbox (Source: CSA)
Eight teams competing in the 2008 Regolith Excavation Challenge came up short in winning the NASA purse of $750,000, but more determined to compete in a rematch for 2009. The regolith event, co-hosted by the California Space Education Workforce Institute (CSEWI), California Space Authority (CSA), and California Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo required teams to build autonomous lunar excavators capable of digging 150 kg of simulant, place it in a collector, within 30 minutes. More stories and pictures may be found on the CSA What’s New web page: http://www.californiaspaceauthority.org/html/whatsnew.html (8/2/08)

Space Shuttle's Birthplace is Getting Demolished (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
It is but a taste of the ending to come; a symbol that the space shuttle program - adored by some, loathed by others - is fast coming to a dramatic close. The six-story maintenance stand once used to build and repair the orbiters at Palmdale, California, was demolished on July 14. The stand was destroyed as efforts to dispose of surplus shuttle equipment and facilities around the country are stepped up. It is just the beginning. NASA and external tank contractor Lockheed Martin are preparing to lay off workers and rip out tooling equipment at the tank manufacturing plant at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans sometime next year. Some of the demolition work in New Orleans could start this fall, according to NASA officials. (7/30)

NASA Lunar Science Institute Names First International Partner (Source: NASA)
NASA's Lunar Science Institute at Moffett Field, Calif., has announced its first international affiliate partner for conducting lunar science activities. Canada's University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, will represent the Canadian lunar science community as part of the newly established Canadian Network for Lunar Science and Exploration. (7/30)

Virgin Galactic Rolls Out Mother Ship (Source: Popular Science)
Virgin Group head Sir Richard Branson unveiled the latest addition to his air- and spaceline fleet at the Mojave Spaceport in California, accompanied by the craft's chief designer, Burt Rutan. The White Knight 2 is a four-engine jet that will carry an 8-seat spaceship called SpaceShipTwo to an altitude of 48,000 feet so that the spaceship can drop off and fire its rocket engine for a brief run to suborbital space. Branson's Virgin Galactic hopes to begin regularly scheduled passenger service to space in 2010. (7/29)

California Continues to Make Space Enterprise History (Source: CSA)
In the early morning, on a quiet and empty airstrip in the vast and expansive Mojave Desert plain, 300 scientists, engineers, technicians and space enthusiasts gathered for another of many California Firsts. WhiteKnightTwo, the twin-fuselaged mother plane of the futuristic SpaceShipTwo, sits patiently in the morning sun waiting its unveiling. The crowd is excited by the thriving potential represented in this new launch platform. Designer Burt Rutan and Sir Richard Branson, along with his Virgin Galcatic team, are on hand for this exciting event.

"Today we see the tangible evidence of a dream coming true," noted Andrea Seastrand, Executive Director of the California Space Authority. "It's even more exciting to be able to say that this vehicle and the fleet to follow are being built by California hands." Scaled Composites is a California-based company located in Mojave at America's first inland spaceport. Much of the celebration was focused on the dedicated and energetic workforce who built WhiteKnightTwo and who are currently building SpaceShipTwo. (7/28)

Editorial: Eating Dust - California Unveiling Shows Florida Getting Left Behind (Source: Florida Today)
With a healthy dose of razzle-dazzle, British entrepreneur Richard Branson on Monday pulled the cover off his space tourism "mother ship." The unveiling happened in Mojave, Calif. -- not Cape Canaveral -- in another example of how Florida is still eating dust in attracting the 21st century barnstormers who are striving to create commercial space ventures. Branson says 100 people have already paid $200,000 each for a seat with countless more possible if the price could drop to $40,000-$50,000. He hopes to start flights in a few years and the Cape will again lose out with the missions staged from New Mexico.

Florida officials dropped the ball on Branson's project a long time ago, showing neither the hustle or imagination to bring it to fruition. But the future holds more possibilities, which they should pursue with a vengeance. That means loosening the government red tape that prevents entrepreneurs from putting down roots at the Cape and making the spaceport far more business friendly. It also means using the shuttle runway at Kennedy Space Center for commercial start-ups after the shuttles retire. Florida can't afford to miss another boat like Branson's. (8/1)

Scaled Composites Releases Update on Fatal Accident Investigation (Source: Scaled Composites)
The rocket oxidizer cold-flow test accident of 26 July 2007 at Scaled Composites was a devastating event. It caused the death of three co-workers and serious injuries to three more... The body of knowledge about nitrous oxide (N2O) used as a rocket motor oxidizer did not indicate to us even the possibility of such an event. However, because this serious and unanticipated accident had occurred, we had to look back at what had happened and where we go from there.

Cal OSHA took through the end of January this year to complete its investigation. The agency did not determine a cause for the accident. We are continuing to work with Cal OSHA. In addition to the OSHA investigation, we put in place our own Accident Investigation team, composed of 11 members from the industry and from Scaled, with a collective rocket development and testing experience of over 200 years. Scaled also worked with NASA to conduct basic materials incompatibility testing. Based on the findings of this Accident Investigation team, Scaled has implemented a variety of improvements to enhance the safety of the N2O hybrid rocket motor. Visit http://www.scaled.com/news/airelease_8_1_08.pdf to view the news release. (8/2)

California Optimistic for Regolith Competition Victory (Source: CSA)
The 2008 Regolith Excavation Challenge (held Aug. 2-3), is a NASA-supported prize competition with $750,000 up for grabs. The competition is co-hosted by the California Space Authority, CSEWI, and California Polytechnic State University. Sponsors include the California's Business, Transportation, and Housing Agency (BTH), Diani Building Corporation, and Empirical Systems Aerospace. The challenge requires each team to build an autonomous lunar excavator running on no more than 150 watts of power (less energy than a color TV) that can dig 150 kilograms of simulant and place it in a collector within 30 minutes. Last year's competition produced no winners, but high team registration has substantially raised the expectation that a winner will break out from the competitive pack. (7/30)

Colonel Buck is Vandenberg's New Space Wing Commander (Source: Santa Barbara Independent)
The new commander of Vandenberg Air Force Base, Colonel David Buck, is a very busy man. On July 30 alone, he met with a delegation of officials from the Parliament of the Czech Republic concerning the missile defense sites that were recently slated for construction within that country’s borders. Later that same day, Lompoc Mayor Dick DeWees came in for a meeting with the man whom many consider the mayor of Vandenberg. Clad in a green flight suit and flanked by a number of people needing his time, Buck wore a purposeful look on his face in between meetings as he strode down the corridors of the base’s command center. "For my money, this is the command to get," he said. It's a big base, a great mission — it doesn't get any more visible than putting satellites into orbit." (8/3)

National / International Items

White House Briefed On Potential For Mars Life (Source: Aviation Week)
The White House has been alerted by NASA about plans to make an announcement soon on major new Phoenix lander discoveries concerning the "potential for life" on Mars. Sources say the new data do not indicate the discovery of existing or past life on Mars. Rather the data relate to habitability--the "potential" for Mars to support life--at the Phoenix arctic landing site, sources say. (8/2)

NASA Spacecraft Confirms Martian Water, Mission Extended (Source: NASA)
Laboratory tests aboard NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander have identified water in a soil sample. The lander's robotic arm delivered the sample Wednesday to an instrument that identifies vapors produced by the heating of samples. "We have water," a University of Arizona scientist. "We've seen evidence for this water ice before in observations by the Mars Odyssey orbiter and in disappearing chunks observed by Phoenix last month, but this is the first time Martian water has been touched and tasted." (7/31)

NASA Now Looking for Life's Building Blocks on Mars (Source: Space.com)
NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander may have found water ice on the red planet, but it still has a lot of work left to do to answer the question that has been on scientists' minds for decades: Has Mars ever been capable of harboring life? Phoenix scientists announced yesterday that the mission finally confirmed the presence of subsurface water ice in the north polar regions of Mars — first detected by NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter in 2002 — about two months after touching down on the Martian surface on May 25. The lander is now analyzing the ice to see if it was ever a liquid and if it contains organic materials, the building blocks of life. The ice, collected from below the surface at the lander's site in the Martian arctic, could have acted like a freezer, protecting any organics that may have formed there. (8/1)

4Frontiers Interns Work Toward Mars Colonization (Source: St. Petersburg Times)
In the summer, some college students work. Others volunteer, travel or take classes. Graduate students Tara Allen, Alex Stimpson and John Truett took a different path. For the past two months, they've thought about how humans might live on Mars. All three intern at 4Frontiers, a local company that focuses on settlement of the Red Planet. "Mars has all the resources of a permanent destination," said company CEO Mark Homnick. "What you do when you get there is just as important as how you get there in the first place."

Inside 4Frontiers' one-story offices on Grand Boulevard, the three interns help Homnick and vice president Joseph Palaia IV with designs for a Mars settlement. Allen, who graduated in May from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, uses a computer to design futuristic homes on the Red Planet, complete with couches, game systems and flat-screen TVs. Stimpson and Truett, both 2007 graduates of the University of Florida, work on building a greenhouse fit for Mars. "Our generation is saying, 'Yeah, going back to the moon is cool, but we've already been there,' " Stimpson said. "Let's take the next step." Click here to view the article. (8/2)

John Glenn Blasts Moonbase-to-Mars NASA Roadmap (Source: The Register)
Famed US astronaut and politician John Glenn has said that that NASA's planned return to the Moon will be of no use to a future manned Mars mission. "It seems to me the Moon is questionable as a way station," the former space ace and Senator told congressmen. He said that there was no advantage to be gained by moving the personnel and equipment for a Mars mission down and then up again through the lunar gravity well. Glenn contended that it would be better and easier to assemble an interplanetary craft above Earth. Visit http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/08/01/john_glenn_says_moonbase_ploy_questionable/ to view the article. (8/2)

NASA: Moon Expeditions by 2020, Mars in 25 Years (Source: The Northwestern)
Following its 50th anniversary, NASA is looking at more expeditions to the Moon and Mars. That's what NASA Administrator Michael Griffin said at the AirVenture grounds in Oshkosh. "If we can stay on track and on target with our elected leaders...within the next 15 years, we can have a base on the Moon," he said. Griffin said he sees NASA working on the moon in the early 2020s, as long as the space agency can maintain its current budgets and policy. He said bases similar to those in Antarctica could be feasible. He added that a Mars expedition could be feasible in 25 years. (7/30)

NASA Awards Lunar Surface System Concept Contracts (Source: NASA)
NASA's Constellation Program has selected 11 companies and one university to independently develop concepts that contribute to how astronauts will live and work on the moon. Each organization will conduct a 180-day study focused on a topic relevant to lunar surface systems. Selected organizations and topics are: Alternative Packaging Options--Oceaneering Space Systems; Avionics--Honeywell International; Energy Storage--ATK Space Systems Group, Battelle Memorial Institute, and Hamilton Sundstrand; Minimum Habitation Functions--Boeing, ILC Dover, and University of Maryland; Regolith Moving Methods--Astrobotic Technology Inc., and Honeybee Robotics; Software--Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, and United Space Alliance. The awards total approximately $2 million, with a maximum individual award of $250,000. (7/28)

Korea to Take Part in US Lunar Project (Source: KBS)
Korea will participate in NASA’s joint project to build science bases on the surface of the moon. NASA said that it signed an agreement Tuesday with eight countries for its joint exploration project. NASA said in a statement that it discussed the details of the space collaboration in a meeting last year in which it set principles for next-generation lunar exploration. The project called the “International Lunar Network” will build between six and eight scientific bases on the surface of the moon. NASA will set up two lunar modules in 2013 and 2014 as part of the endeavor. The project was created after the National Research Council affirmed that the moon offers "profound scientific value" and "lunar activities apply to broad scientific and exploration concerns." (7/30)

NASA's Altair Lunar Engine Faces Landing Abort Challenge (Source: Flight International)
NASA's Altair lunar lander ascent engine is facing the challenges of not having enough propellant tank pressure for an emergency start if the astronauts decide to abort a landing, but too much pressure long before the end of the planned 210 day lunar base missions. The engine, expected to be a development of the Apollo program's Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RS-18, uses liquid methane (LCH4) and liquid oxygen that is fed at about 22.4bar (325lb/in2). Click here to view the article. (7/30)

Lunar Robotic Mission Delayed (Source: Aviation Week)
Launch of NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), the first robotic precursor mission under President Bush's plan for moving human space exploration beyond Earth orbit, will be delayed until after Bush leaves office. Also delayed until late February or early March 2009 is the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS), a piggyback payload added by Ames Research Center when LRO was upgraded to an Atlas V-class mission. Launching in place of the NASA missions on an Atlas V from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., will be a classified DOD spacecraft, sources say. That mission will go in the November time frame originally targeted for LRO/LCROSS. Project officials at Ames and at Goddard Space Flight Center, where LRO is on schedule in the final stage of integration and testing, have been notified of the change, but NASA declines to confirm the shift.

Northrop Grumman has finished testing the LCROSS spacecraft, with a science payload provided by Ames, and is storing it at its facility in Redondo Beach, Calif. The orbiter is set to provide mapping and mineralogy data for use by future human explorers on the ground. LCROSS is designed to send the mission's spent upper stage into a deep crater at one of the moon's poles and analyze the debris plume that results from the impact for evidence of water ice that may have accumulated there. (7/28)

NASA Langley Gives Moon-Return Project Big Lift (Source: Newport News Daily Press)
HFlying to the moon again and building permanent lunar colonies, as NASA plans to do starting in 2020, won't require just the design of habitats, vehicles and life-support systems. It'll require a way to unload, unpack and build those things. Engineers and researchers at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton have successfully completed trials that showed their prototype could do just that. The cranelike device folds up into itself for easy Earth-moon travel. Unfolded and extended, it can reach and grab objects at a height of about 40 feet — the estimated height at which the payload of the next-generation lunar lander will be unloaded. (8/2)

John Glenn Pushes for Money to Extend Shuttle Operations (Source: Houston Chronicle)
The White House blueprint, Glenn said, forced NASA to "cannibalize" existing programs such as the shuttle to finance the new direction. Chris Shank, a senior official at NASA, acknowledged in a telephone interview that NASA had not received additional funding to cover the president's blueprint. NASA also had shouldered unforeseen return-to-flight costs after the loss of the shuttle Columbia on re-entry in 2003. Shank declined to discuss the agency's reaction to Glenn's appeal or apparent effort to shape the space agenda for the next administration. (7/31)

Lockheed Martin Notifies Michoud Workers of Layoffs (Source: Space News)
Lockheed Martin informed its Michoud Operations workforce Aug. 1 that an unspecified number of layoffs would begin in October and continue through September 2010 as assembly of space shuttle external tanks phases out as NASA prepares to retire the shuttle fleet. The reductions are expected to impact operations in Huntsville, Ala., Florida's Kennedy Space Center and the New Orleans-based NASA Michoud Assembly Facility where the shuttle external tanks are designed and assembled.

Lockheed Martin Michoud Operations currently employs 2,445 people across the three sites. Lockheed Martin said in a press release that the exact timing and number of reductions would depend on production schedules and the company's ability to find other work for the affected employees. Michoud spokesman Marion LaNasa said as many as 200 positions could be eliminated as work on the 10 final external tanks comes to an end. (8/1)

Will Iran Help Doom $100B Space Station? (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
The international space station, a $100 billion symbol of global cooperation, might become a casualty of U.S. opposition to Iran's nuclear ambitions. A little-known law intended to prevent the sale of nuclear technology to Iran would also bar NASA from buying Russian Soyuz spacecraft after 2011. With the space shuttle slated to retire in 2010 and its replacement not scheduled to fly before 2015, the agency would have no way to send astronauts to the space station. Station supporters say that without a crew, the station could become little more than an expensive piece of state-of-the-art space junk.

At issue is legislation passed in 2000 and now called the Iran, North Korea and Syria Nonproliferation Act. It prohibits U.S. purchases of Russian space technology -- including Soyuz spacecraft -- as long as Russia is exporting nuclear or missile technology to Iran. Congress granted NASA a waiver of the ban in 2005, and the agency has since spent more than $700 million on Russian spaceships to transport crew and cargo to the orbiting complex. But the contract with Russia expires in 2011, and the Russian company that makes the Soyuz says it needs three years of lead time to ensure there is no interruption in manufacture and supply. Adding to the pressure is that the station crew is scheduled to double to six next year, increasing the need for Soyuz lifeboats. (8/2)

NASA Reaches 50 With Pioneer Spirit Lost (Source: Financial Times)
NASA is celebrating its 50th birthday this summer with an eclectic series of events. They range from air shows to gala dinners, from family picnics at NASA Centers to astronauts throwing ceremonial pitches at baseball games. But sadly NASA can offer no space spectacular to mark the anniversary of its formation in 1958 – in shocked response to the Soviet Union’s launch of Sputnik, the world’s first artificial satellite.

Yes, the Phoenix Lander is scratching around on the surface of Mars and may make an important discovery about the biochemistry of the red planet. Yes, more Shuttle launches are due, including a potentially perilous autumn mission to service the Hubble space telescope. But NASA has little to offer in the near future that is likely to thrill the public. Forget about matching the excitement of the 1960s Apollo program. There is nothing to match even the pioneering planetary missions such as the 1976 Viking landings on Mars and the Galileo spacecraft that orbited Jupiter in the 1990s. (7/31)

Editorial: Lost in Orbit (Calcutta Telegraph)
NASA’s silver jubilee might pose different kinds of challenges than the conquest of space. The agency currently receives $17 billion from the U.S. government. Reports suggest that at current funding levels, NASA would be unable to meet some of its important goals by 2013. The lack of funds will be specially galling with the rising demand to fly people to the moon. To do this, NASA will need a new rocket, to pay for which the agency must cancel all future space shuttle flights. From 2010, NASA will actually be dependent on the Russian Soyuz to get into space. Somewhere — in outer space perhaps — the spirit that drove NASA and its pioneering conquest of space has been lost. (8/2)

NASA Still our Best Space Hope (Source: Huntsville Times)
Late-comers are unlikely to get us to the moon. NASA's plans to use the new Ares launch vehicles to return to the moon and on to Mars have some questioning this decision. Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 11 astronaut and moon walker, is the most recent to question NASA's plans for the future. I have been reminded recently by other Apollo astronauts and moon walkers that this is shades of the Saturn Apollo era. NASA Marshall had to add an additional F-1 engine to the Saturn V booster to lift the necessary payload to the moon's surface. As Gene Cernan mentioned in his book, "Last Man to Walk on the Moon," they had pogo problems in the Saturn V (that means the spacecraft is shaking so much the astronauts can barely read the instruments) on Apollo 10, but Huntsville fixed it. (7/30)

Infrastructure Needed for Future Space Exploration (Source: Space Review)
The Constellation program has come under criticism from several quarters for its cost, schedule, and potential technical issues. David L. Christensen argues that what's needed is a more robust approach that makes better use of shuttle and EELV hardware. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1177/1 to view the article. (7/28)

NASA's Constellation Rockets Could be Used Commercially (Source: Flight International)
NASA's Constellation rockets Ares I crew launch vehicle and the cargo carrying Ares V could be modified for future commercial use if proposals were made to the agency. NASA's administrator Michael Griffin raised the prospect of Ares boosters being used for commercial purposes when answering an audience member’s question at the 2008 Experimental Aircraft Association's AirVenture air show held in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The question referred to the late US president Ronald Reagan’s policy that the Space Shuttle’s external tank (ET) could be used for commercial purposes once it separated from the orbiter and asked if that would be applied to the new Ares rockets. Griffin replied: "The question was can modifications be put in early [for the Ares rockets] to enable re-qualification [for commercial purposes]. In principle yes but only if some one comes forward with a plan." (7/31)

The COTS Conundrum (Source: Space Review)
NASA has decided to focus the COTS program on vehicles that can deliver only cargo to the ISS, not people. However, Jeff Foust reports that many in the industry and Congress think that a COTS crewed capability is essential to not only the long-term success of the program but also for the Vision for Space Exploration. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1179/1 to view the article. (7/28)

NASA to Study Old Sites for Launches (Source: Florida Today)
Within a month, NASA will announce how it will study some of the 30 or more vacant launch sites at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station that could be considered for a commercial launch pad. NASA looked to launch sites at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station after hearings in February when citizens protested against development of two proposed commercial launch sites at Kennedy Space Center that would disturb pristine areas. The direction of the study will be refined next month, but NASA won't decide which unused launch sites at Cape Canaveral are acceptable for development.

In the search for a commercial launch site, NASA is working with state agency Space Florida, which holds $14.5 million in state-appropriated money for building the complex, and which has bonding authority to help private enterprise borrow money for the site. No launch company, however, is publicly urging NASA to build a site to launch commercial rockets. (7/30)

Let Us Be 'Dazzled' by NASA, Says Nelson (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
The 50th birthday wishes keep on coming for NASA. Here's the latest from U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Florida: "Mr. President, it was Ronald Reagan who, in his 1986 Challenger address to a mourning nation, noted that we are accustomed to wonders in this country. He rightly observed: 'It’s hard to dazzle us… But, Mr. President, America’s space program has been doing just that – and, for 50 years now; even in times of loss, even in times of tragedy. It’s hard to believe, but it was 50 years ago today that Dwight Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act, creating America’s space agency, NASA. It’s equally hard to believe, but it was just a few short years after that - that John F. Kennedy presented a bold challenge before a joint session of Congress: Send a man to the moon and return him safely to Earth by the end of the decade." Click here to view the article. (7/30)

McCain: Explore Space and Not Just by ‘Hitching a Ride’ (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
U.S. Sen. John McCain took one small step -- but not a giant leap -- toward outlining his NASA policy by announcing his support for the agency’s moon-Mars program in a release that commended NASA on its 50th birthday. “As President, I will act to make ensure our astronauts will continue to explore space, and not just by hitching a ride with someone else. I intend to make sure that the NASA constellation program has the resources it needs so that we can begin a new era of human space exploration,” said the Republican presidential candidate in a statement.

The impact was perhaps diminished somewhat by the statement's failure to capitalize "Constellation." Meant to replace the space shuttle, set to retire in 2010, the Constellation program aims to send astronauts to the Moon, and eventually Mars, aboard a series of new rockets and capsules. Its first mission is scheduled for 2015, but financial and technical concerns have raised questions about the feasibility of that date. (7/30)

McCain Voices Support for Constellation (Source: Tampa Tribune)

Campaign aides to Republican presidential candidate John McCain on Friday were noting that the Arizona senator has voiced solid support for the Constellation program. "While my opponent seems content to retreating from American exploration of space for a decade, I am not," McCain said in a comment on this week's 50th anniversary of NASA. "As president, I will act to make ensure our astronauts will continue to explore space, and not just by hitching a ride with someone else," he said. "I intend to make sure that the NASA Constellation program has the resources it needs so that we can begin a new era of human space exploration." (8/2)

Obama Pledges Space Advocacy (Source: Florida Today)
Obama has changed an earlier position, in which he planned to delay the Constellation program five years and use up to $5 billion from the NASA budget for education. "Here's what I'm committing to: Continue Constellation. We're going to close the gap (between the end of shuttle flight and the next program, Constellation). We may have additional shuttle flights...My commitment is to seamless transition, where we're utilizing the space station in an intelligent way, and we're preparing for the next generation of space travel."

In an interview after his speech, Obama would not detail whether he plans to change President Bush's vision of returning to the moon and going to Mars. Obama also would not pledge to sign a $2 billion increase to NASA's $17 billion budget. The proposal might save some of the 3,400 jobs that are expected to be lost at Kennedy Space Center. "I don't want to give clear figures yet. I want to have a thorough evaluation of a combination of manned and unmanned missions, what kind of exploration would be the most appropriate, and I want the budget to follow the plan. I'd want to see the proposal first," he said. (8/3)

Obama Speech Touches on Space (Source: ERAU)
"One of the areas where we are in danger of losing our competitive edge is our space program. When I was growing up, NASA inspired the world with achievements we are still proud of. Today, we have an administration that has set ambitious goals for NASA without giving NASA the support it needs to reach them. As a result, they’ve had to cut back on research, and trim their programs, [...] We cannot cede our leadership in space. That’s why I will help close the gap and ensure that our space program doesn’t suffer when the Shuttle goes out of service by working with Senator Bill Nelson to add at least one additional Space Shuttle flight beyond 2010; by supporting continued funding for NASA; by speeding the development of the Shuttle’s successor; and by making sure that all those who work in the space industry in Florida do not lose their jobs when the Shuttle is retired – because we cannot afford to lose their expertise."

"More broadly, we need a real vision for space exploration. To help formulate this vision, I’ll reestablish the National Aeronautics and Space Council so that we can develop a plan to explore the solar system – a plan that involves both human and robotic missions, and enlists both international partners and the private sector. And as America leads the world to long-term exploration of the moon, Mars, and beyond, let’s also tap NASA’s ingenuity to build the airplanes of tomorrow and to study our own planet so we can combat global climate change." (8/2)

Obama's Thirst To Explore Space Will Be Measured (Source: Tampa Tribune)
Obama may have come to Florida to tout his economic stimulus initiatives, but Robert Jordan and others say the candidate's talk of delaying NASA's next generation of manned space vehicles will not hurt just the U.S. space program. Obama's proposal, which would delay the Constellation program by at least 5 years to 2020 or later, could represent another major blow to the economy, opponents say.

Obama's "Plan for Lifetime Success Through Education" remained posted Friday on his campaign Web site - specifying that his $10 billion-a-year early education plan will be paid, in part, by "delaying the NASA Constellation program for five years." Asked about that, Obama spokeswoman Adrianne Marsh would say only that the Illinois senator "is committed to a strong, robust space program." There is speculation that Obama may be planning to unveil - perhaps today - a new "white paper" further spelling out his positions on NASA and future U.S. space programs. (8/2)

Space a Potential Fracture Line at Democratic National Convention? (Source: Examiner.com)
When the Democratic National Convention rolls into the Mile-High City, two leaders with widely-varying views on space will symbolize a potential fracture in the Democratic party over space. On the one hand, there's senior party member Sen. Bill Nelson. On the other hand, there's Sen. Barack Obama, who's widely regarded as anti-space, despite this week's spin. Nelson and other space supporters have a tough job ahead as the Space Shuttle phases out in 2010 and new vehicles are developed. Internationally, other nations are creating their own space presence, as America's space program shudders under increasing financial stress.

Into that environment strides Sen. Barack Obama, widely known as not quite a space kind of guy. Six months ago, Obama said that he would chop a third of NASA's budget and move it into education. Now, however, Obama decided to get into the public relations spin of the NASA anniversary. Does Obama's pro-space statement signal a sudden reversal of his position? Space insiders aren't so sure that one small PR step equals a giant leap for potential Obama support of NASA's space program. (7/31)

Gov. Kaine Veep Speculation and the Prospects for Launch Industry (Source: Spaceports Blog)
Commercial space advocates may be pondering the prospects of having a United States Vice-President that signed into state law the nation's first Space Flight Liability and Immunity Act and the first state 'ZeroGravity, ZeroTax Act' if Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama picks Virginia Governor Tim Kaine as his running mate for the November election. From recent media attention, Kaine appears to be on the 'very, very' short list to be on the 2008 Democratic national ticket as a vice-presidential candidate. The 50 year old Virginia governor has been a strong backer of development of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport and he has supported commercial space launch efforts in Virginia during his tenure. Both Obama and Kaine are Harvard University law graduates. (7/31)

Space Tourism is Nigh, But a New Space Age is Not (Source: Crosscut Seattle)
Four years after Paul Allen won the X Prize with SpaceShipOne, Virgin Galactic has unveiled WhiteKnightTwo, bringing space tourism closer to reality. But in terms of achievement and fundamental technologies, we're merely watching a glitzy remake of the 1960s with private funding. The first flights are expected in late 2009 or 2010. Should you pack your bags for a new era in human history? The grand vision encompasses far more than joy rides for the mass affluent. Space tourism hitches the wagon of rocket science to the star of market forces. In computing, technological advances have increased computing power while reducing cost in a steady, self-reinforcing cycle, a phenomenon known as "Moore's Law." The question is whether the dynamic behind cheap laptops might eventuate in full-blown, interplanetary space travel.

The answer is: not likely. SpaceShipTwo actually will only barely scrape space, eking out a scant 68 vertical miles before succumbing to the gravitational dominance of Earth. The craft musters only about 1/16 the energy needed to reach even low orbit 100 miles up. Attaining orbit requires enormous energy; thus rockets are very tall and almost all fuel. We are accustomed to thinking that technology advances across a very broad front, often in a revolutionary fashion. For propulsion, however, there has been no next technology. Since the dawn of rocketry, engine designers have employed different designs and used different fuels in an exhaustive search for a clever, inexpensive way to escape the planet. They have come up empty. (8/1)

UAE Hooked by Space Tourism Flights (Source: The Peninsula)
"The Middle East is a very exciting market for Virgin Galactic," Sharon Garrett, head of space marketing and PR at the Virgin Galactic Accredited Space Office, said. "Already we have one booking for a private charter by a Dubai-headquartered company and several bookings by individuals," she added. According to Garrett, the UAE is the country in this region where people have shown the maximum interest in space travel. In fact, she has been quoted in the media as saying that this Gulf nation has regularly been the top sales performer globally as residents signed up to take part. But Virgin Galactic has realized that the whole region has potential. In May this year, the company invited bids from travel agents across the region to "sell Space". (8/2)

Top US Astronaut Welcomes Space Tourism (Source: AFP)
The commander of the latest US shuttle mission welcomed the advent of space tourism, predicting that such travel is on the brink of the massive growth seen a century ago with airplanes. "The private sector can go out and make money doing something that only governments now do. You really are going to see an expansion of the industry," Discovery commander Mark Kelly said. "I personally think it's great," he said. Kelly's comments came hours after Virgin Galactic, owned by British tycoon Sir Richard Branson, unveiled in the California desert a futuristic aircraft dubbed WhiteKnightTwo that will ferry tourists into suborbital space. (7/29)

Entrepreneur in Space (Source: Entrepreneur.com)
Sir Richard and Burt Rutan said testing for the WhiteKnightTwo and SpaceShipTwo will take roughly 18 months to three years. When that is complete, they hope to be ready to start conducting private, suborbital flights with paying passengers. Within the next 10 to 15 years, it is their vision to have more than a dozen spaceports conducting regular launches for suborbital flights for the public on a continuous basis. Rutan believes the cost for space flights can be cut to a fraction of the current price tag once the program is fully in place. In addition, he said that eventually Virgin Galactic wants to have a space hotel, with spaceships shuttling guests from earth into outer space. The long term vision is for private space trips from the earth to the moon and back. (7/31)

id Software's John Carmack Stays in the Rocket Game (Source: Dallas Business News)
In addition to the highly successful game company id Software, John Carmack runs Armadillo Aerospace, which is developing a variety of rockets and space travel gear. He spends about 20 hours a week at Armadillo (and about 40 at id), and said Armadillo is finally generating a small profit after "eight years of being a money pit." With Armadillo turning into a profitable company, Mr. Carmack said, he will need to hire a full-time chief executive for it soon. (8/2)

For Gaming Guru Richard Garriott, Space Trip Will be a Working Vacation (Source: Statesman.com)
For Austin computer gaming guru Richard Garriott, almost every vacation is a working one. He won't be taking a BlackBerry and fax machine with him when he goes on his most adventurous trip yet this fall: a 10-day jaunt to the International Space Station. But Garriott, who helped start the Austin video gaming industry, is using his once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel aboard a Russian Soyuz spaceship to do much more than just sight-seeing. He'll be conducting experiments for research institutions, working with a nonprofit to mimic the pictures of Earth his astronaut father took in 1973 aboard Skylab, communicating with students around the world and marketing his latest computer game. (8/2)

New Mexico Spaceport Input Hearings Planned (Source: Las Cruces Sun-News)
Public input hearings about the potential environmental impact of Spaceport America are slated to begin next week. The FAA will conduct the first of three days of hearings Tuesday in Alamogordo. Hearings in Truth or Consequences are scheduled for Wednesday and the final round will happen Thursday in Las Cruces. The FAA scheduled the meetings after issuing a draft of an Environmental Impact Study that addressed the potential effects of the spaceport on southern Sierra County where the state plans to build the facility next year. The 500-page study found that the spaceport would have little to no impact on the area. But the study had one caveat — the impact on the historical resources of the area. That includes the famed El Camino Real Trail, which runs through the western edge of the spaceport property. But the statement added that the effects on the trail and other cultural resources could be mitigated. (8/1)

New Mexico Tax Exec Talks Spaceport (Source: Alamogordo Daily News)
The head of New Mexico's tax and revenue office was in Alamogordo Friday talking Spaceport America and other issues. Formerly the state's secretary of economic development, Homans spoke about Gov. Bill Richardson's proposed tax credit, rebate and holiday, offered amid a state budget surplus. Homans said that although Spaceport America would be built in another county, the local impact could be compared to that of the relationship between Alamogordo and Holloman Air Force Base. "We're talking about new industry. We're talking about a new development."

"As economic development secretary, I was pushing the whole space development idea forward," Homans said of his work on the project before he took the tax and revenue post. "I think it's critical for the future of southern New Mexico and Otero County to be a part of Spaceport America." Doña Ana County and Sierra County have already approved a one quarter of 1 percent gross receipts tax to help fund construction of Spaceport America. Those counties will start collecting the tax in January. The Otero County Commission has set a public hearing on the issue for Aug. 21. If approved, the county would join the tax district to help pay for the construction of the $198 million Spaceport America. (8/2)

New Mexico Space Harbor Could Close (Source: Las Cruces Sun-News)
The fate of a back-up space shuttle landing site north of Las Cruces is up in the air in advance of a NASA plan to retire its space shuttle program. The site — called White Sands Space Harbor — is an alternative for shuttle landings in the case of bad weather at two other, preferred locations. On most weekdays, shuttle pilots use the site for flight training exercises. But NASA is in the midst of phasing out its shuttle program. It's not yet known what will happen to the harbor, said a NASA official. Options include turning over the harbor to White Sands Missile Range — overseen by the U.S. Department of Defense — or demolishing the buildings and possibly the runways. "The decision at this point is really in the hands of WSMR as to whether they need those facilities," he said. The space harbor is about 50 miles to the northeast of Las Cruces. (8/3)

Rocket League Makes Test Run at Several Hundred Feet (Source: New York Times)
A small rocket-powered plane streaked across the sky Tuesday, trailing a bright yellow plume of flame and kicking off what its sponsors hope will be the next Nascar — but with its tracks in the sky. The demonstration of the first plane at the EAA AirVenture air show was a debut of sorts for the fledgling Rocket Racing League, which will fly its racer several times this week. It plans to hold further demonstrations and the first exhibition races at air shows later this year in Nevada and in New Mexico. (7/30)

Aviation Innovators Compete for NASA Technology Prizes (Source: NASA)
The 2008 General Aviation Technology Challenge will be held Aug. 4-10 at the Sonoma County Airport in California. Competitors will demonstrate innovations resulting in aircraft that are safer, less expensive and easier to operate, while having fewer negative impacts on the environment and communities surrounding airports. This year's competition will feature the first Green Prize for aviation. The highlight of the week-long event will occur Saturday, Aug. 9, with the CAFE 400 - a 400-mile, cross-country air race that requires speed and efficiency. (7/28)

'Gravity Tractor' Could Deflect Asteroids (Source: New Scientist)
A "gravity tractor" could deflect an Earth-threatening asteroid if it was deployed when the asteroid was more than one orbit away from the potential impact, according to a new study. If the space rock was found heading straight for Earth, a combination of techniques – including a gravity tractor – might save the day. The study, carried out by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, shows that the weak gravitational pull of a nearby spacecraft could deflect a hypothetical asteroid 140 metres across, big enough to cause regional devastation if it hit Earth. (7/28)

Giant Lake Confirmed on Saturn's Moon Titan (Source: Space.com)
A giant, glassy lake larger than North America's Lake Ontario graces the south pole of Saturn's largest moon Titan, new research confirms. "This is the first observation that really pins down that Titan has a surface lake filled with liquid," said lead researcher Robert Brown of the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory in Tucson. Called Ontario Lacus, the lake extends 150 miles (235 kilometers) and covers an area of about 7,800 square miles (20,000 square kilometers). The lake structure is filled mostly with methane and ethane, hydrocarbons that are gases on Earth but liquid on the bone-chilling surface of Titan. (7/30)

Colonizing Venus With Floating Cities (Source: Universe Today)
Geoffrey Landis, a scientist at NASA's Glenn Research Center who writes science fiction in his spare time, recently shared his ideas about colonizing Venus. Yes, Venus, our hot, greenhouse-effect-gone-mad neighboring planet with a crushing surface pressure that has doomed the few spacecraft that have attempted to reach its surface. Venus' surface itself is pretty much out of the question for human habitation, but about 50 kilometers above the surface, Landis says the atmosphere is the most Earth-like environment, other than Earth itself, in the solar system. What Landis proposes is creating floating cities on Venus where people could live and work, as well as study the planet below.

50 km above the surface, Venus has air pressure of approximately 1 bar and temperatures in the 0°C-50°C range, a quite comfortable environment for humans. Humans wouldn't require pressurized suits when outside, but it wouldn't quite be a shirtsleeves environment. We'd need air to breathe and protection from the sulfuric acid in the atmosphere. "Because the atmosphere of Venus is CO2, the gases that we live in all the time, nitrogen and oxygen, would be a lifting gas," he said.

So, create a bubble, fill it with Earth-like atmosphere, and it would float on Venus. The biggest challenge would be using a substance resistant to sulfuric acid to form the outer layer of the bubble; ceramics or metal sulfates could possibly serve in this role, but of course, you'd want to be able to see outside, as well. "Just think of the great pictures you could get," said Landis. (7/16)

SpaceX Head Vows To Push On As Third Rocket Launch Fails (Sources: Wall Street Journal, SpaceToday.net)
For the third time in an as many tries, the most prominent privately-funded U.S. rocket suffered a launch failure, raising new questions not only about the fate of the project but what Pentagon brass and civilian government space officials will do if they can't depend on the planned family of low-cost Falcon launchers. Elon Musk, the founder and head of closely-held Space Exploration Technologies Corp., said "it was obviously a big disappointment."

Musk said a problem occurred during stage separation, causing the failure. The rocket was carrying a small satellite, Trailblazer, built by SpaceDev for the Operationally Responsive Space Office of the Defense Department, as well as two small NASA secondary payloads and a Malaysian payload adapter. In the statement, Musk said that SpaceX would press on with the next two Falcon 1 launches, and that the company had received a sizable investment recently to fund continued development of the company's vehicles. (8/3)

NASA Nanosatellites Catch Ride on SpaceX Rocket, Demonstrate Technology (Source: NASA)
NASA flew two nanosatellites as secondary payloads aboard the SpaceX Falcon 1. Spaceflight engineers and project managers at NASA's Ames Research Center, and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, teamed to arrange a fast-paced, low-cost mission. The mission was to provide an opportunity to demonstrate NASA-developed spaceflight technologies and the Ames-developed modular approach to constructing the PharmaSat Risk Evaluation (or PRESat) and NanoSail-D satellites. (8/1)

SpaceX Conducts Full Thrust Firing of Falcon 9 Rocket (Source: SpaceX)
SpaceX conducted the first nine engine firing of its Falcon 9 launch vehicle at its Texas Test Facility on July 31. A second firing on August 1 completed a major NASA Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) milestone almost two months early. At full power, the nine engines consumed 3,200 lbs of fuel and liquid oxygen per second, and generated 832,000 pounds of force (lbf) – four times the maximum thrust of a 747 aircraft. This marks the first firing of a Falcon 9 first stage with its full complement of nine Merlin 1C engines . Once a near-term Merlin 1C fuel pump upgrade is complete, the sea level thrust will increase to 950,000 lbf, making Falcon 9 the most powerful single core vehicle in the United States.

“This was the most difficult milestone in development of the Falcon 9 launch vehicle and it also constitutes a significant achievement in US space vehicle development. Not since the final flight of the Saturn 1B rocket in 1975, has a rocket had the ability to lose any engine or motor and still successfully complete its mission,” said Elon Musk, CEO and CTO of SpaceX. “Much like a commercial airliner, our multi-engine design has the potential to provide significantly higher reliability than single engine competitors.” (8/2)

Russian Rocket to Orbit European GOCE Satellite on Sept. 10 (Source: RIA Novosti)
The launch of a Russian Rockot carrier rocket bearing Europe's first GOCE satellite has been scheduled for September 10. The Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer satellite will measure the Earth's gravitational field. The Rockot launch vehicle is a modified version of the Russian RS-18 (SS-19 Stiletto) intercontinental ballistic missile. It uses the two original lower stages of the ICBM in conjunction with a Breeze-KM upper-stage for commercial payloads. The launch will be carried out by Russia's Space Forces from the Plesetsk spaceport in northwest Russia and will put the GOCE satellite into a low earth orbit (LEO) of 270-300 km (170-186 miles). (7/30)

Europe's Space Ambitions in Context (Source: Space Review)
France is leading an effort to create a unified European Union space policy. Taylor Dinerman examines the reasons why the EU desires a more robust space policy and its implications for cooperation with the US and other nations. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1178/1 to view the article. (7/28)

India to Soon Get Global Navigation System for ISRO, Airports (Source: The Hindu)
India will soon acquire a comprehensive global navigation satellite system to meet the requirements of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and Airports Authority of India (AAI). "India has tied up recently with US aerospace major Raytheon Company for the final phase of its ambitious Global Positioning Satellite-Aided Geosynchronous Augmented Navigation System (GAGAN)," said a Raytheon official. GAGAN will provide satellite-based navigation for civil aviation across South and East Asia, which will provide India with "the most accurate, flexible and efficient" air navigation system deployed. (8/3)

Boeing, Air Force Will Launch Unmanned Space Plane in November (Source: Aviation Week)
The Air Force and Boeing are preparing for the first flight test of an unmanned military space plane. Launch of the first mission of the USAF/Boeing X-37B space maneuvering vehicle is scheduled for liftoff from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport in November on an Atlas V Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle. A landing at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., would follow. The mission concept has been under development for decades as a way to broaden U.S. military space access with a winged vehicle that could perform a multitude of missions before returning to Earth for a runway landing. The vehicle is about 27 feet long with a 15-foot wingspan. (7/30)

Lockheed Martin Wins Contract Modification for Global Strike Reentry Vehicle (Source: DOD)
Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company has been awarded a $16,709,000 unpriced modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide support to the Prompt Global Strike Medium Lift Reentry Body development effort. The work will be performed in Sunnyvale, Calif., and various other locations yet to be determined, and work is expected to be completed in June 2009. (7/11)

Air Force Accelerates Work on Satellite Imaging Radar (Source: Aerospace Daily)
The Air Force Space Command is speeding up upgrade work for the Haystack Ultra-wideband Satellite Imaging Radar. The upgrade, which would be completed in fiscal 2012, will give the DOD the ability to characterize microsatellites earlier than previously planned. An additional $10 million requested in fiscal 2008 would allow for the accelerated work on the project. (7/30)

U.S. Air Force Opts to Move Ahead on T-Sat (Source: Space News)
After evaluating potential alternatives to its Transformational Satellite (T-Sat) communications system, the U.S. Defense Department has opted to go forward with the program as planned and intends to award a $15 billion prime contract to Boeing or Lockheed Martin by this winter, according to a U.S. Air Force spokesman. (7/30)

4th Air Force Satellite Spurs Cost Spike (Source: Aerospace Daily)
The addition of a fourth satellite in the U.S. Air Force's Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) portfolio will likely prompt a program cost breach of more than 25 percent, triggering a rigorous series of reviews under the Nunn-McCurdy law before a way forward is decided. The program is not, however, experiencing new technical or cost management issues, says Gary Payton, deputy under secretary of the Air Force for space programs. The additional funding is needed to restart Lockheed Martin's AEHF production line. Congress directed the purchase of the additional AEHF spacecraft, Air Force officials have been stressing all year - especially as they try to explain changes to their plans for the successor to AEHF, the Transformational Satellite (TSAT) program. The AEHF supply chain was brought to a halt after the Pentagon opted to end the buy at three satellites. The AEHF buy was truncated to shift to TSAT, which has since been delayed due to bureaucratic discussions at the Pentagon. (8/2)

Defense Support Program Satellite Decommissioned (Source: SpaceRef.com)
The Air Force's Defense Support Program (DSP) Flight 19 satellite, built by Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC), was decommissioned today following nine years of service. Northrop Grumman personnel stationed at the company's Telemetry and Orbital Test Station in Redondo Beach, Calif., terminated the downlink to Flight 19 at the Air Force's command. (8/1)

Boeing Wins $4.1 Million DARPA Phase 1 Contract on FAST (Source: Space News)
DARPA has awarded Boeing a $4.9 million contract to design a new high-power spacecraft propulsion system. The first phase of DARPA's Fast Access Spacecraft Testbed (FAST) program is for the design of an ultra-lightweight electric propulsion system. The second phase of the program, if it is authorized by DARPA, would include fabrication and ground testing of the propulsion system. Hamilton Sundstrand Corp. was also awarded an eight-month, $4.1 million Phase One contract under the FAST program. (8/1)

Conrad Foundation Launches to Support High School Entrepreneurs (Source: Conrad Foundation)
Nancy Conrad, wife of the late Apollo 12 astronaut Charles “Pete” Conrad, announced the launch of the Conrad Foundation, a non-profit organization founded with the goal to energize and inspire high school students to create and bring to market commercial products using science and technology. The Conrad Foundation partners with entrepreneurs, universities, businesses, and organizations within specific fields of study to select pioneering concepts that connect education and business. (8/2)

Lockheed Hopes Online Program Spurs Students' Interest in Space (Source: AIA)
A new online program launched by Lockheed Martin is aimed at helping students learn about NASA's mission to the moon and Mars. The program is aimed at inspiring more students to pursue careers in space and is named Orion's Path, after the spacecraft that Lockheed is designing to take astronauts to the moon. (7/29)

Embry-Riddle Wins Second Award for Online Course Design (Source: ERAU)
Blackboard Inc., a leading provider of e-Education software applications and services, presented Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with a 2008 Exemplary Course Award. The award recognized excellence in Embry-Riddle’s template-based online course design process, as demonstrated with the university's ENGL 221 Technical Report Writing course. This is the university's second national award this year for online education. Earlier this year, Embry-Riddle won the 2008 Distinguished Distance Learning Course award from the University Continuing Education Association forits WEAX 201 Meteorology I course. Embry-Riddle's courses are largely geared toward students pursuing aerospace careers. (7/31)

Interns at MSFC Work on Rocket Engines, Web Sites (Source: Huntsville Times)
It's been more than answering phones and running errands for these interns. More than 150 high school and college students at Marshall Space Flight Center spent their summer building and testing model rocket engines, creating content for NASA Web sites and learning data critical to space missions. According to Marshall, some interns helped NASA engineers lay groundwork for building the Ares I rocket. The interns came from 23 states and Puerto Rico as part of the new program called INSPIRE - the Interdisciplinary National Science Project Incorporating Research and Education Experience. The internships ended Tuesday. (8/1)

Rocket-Building Student Interns See Their "Future" Lifting Off (Source: Denver Post)
Eight weeks of meticulous designing, careful planning and hard labor by 20 budding rocket scientists were about to pay off. "I'm really excited," said Courtney Kais, one of the interns who helped build a 16-foot high-power rocket for United Launch Alliance. "Future," the name given to the rocket by the interns, zipped away at 300 mph, leaving behind a trail of white smoke, as well as enthusiastic applause and cheers from the crowd. A parachute helped the $2,000 rocket, equipped with a real-time video recorder and data-reading instruments, float to the ground, not too far from its launch site. The rocket construction and launch was a volunteer project for the interns, who worked after hours and weekends to complete it, and a first for United Launch Alliance, the joint venture created in late 2006 by Boeing and Lockheed Martin. The firm, which typically sends satellites into space for the government, plans to have 13 "real" launches under its belt by the end of the year. (8/3)

Raytheon Gets $83 Million NASA Contract (Source: AP)
Raytheon said Monday that NASA awarded it an $83 million subcontract for data and systems work at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The five-year deal is part of a contract between NASA and the California Institute of Technology. Raytheon will work on information technology, Web development and systems engineering and design for the NASA lab. (7/28)

FCC Tries to Avert Threatened Satellite Cutoff (Source: Washington Post)
The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission issued a last-minute appeal to a satellite telecommunications company yesterday, urging it to continue providing Internet and other satellite-based services to a subscriber despite a contract dispute. SES Americom had threatened to shut off satellite service to OnSat Network Communications, saying it is owed more than $4 million. Their dispute involves the delivery of Internet services to the Navajo Nation in Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. (8/2)

EADS 2Q Profit Up 46 Percent on Cost Savings (Source: AP)
EADS, the parent company of planemaker Airbus, said its profit surged in the second quarter as cost savings and higher deliveries offset a big charge for delays to its groundbreaking A380 jumbo jet and further woes from the falling dollar. Net profit for the three months to June rose 46 percent to 118 million euros ($185.32 million) compared with 81 million euros a year earlier. Revenue advanced 5 percent to 9.89 billion euros ($15.53 billion). (7/30)

Northrop Grumman 2Q Profit Beats Forecast (Source: Forbes)
Northrop Grumman Corp. said its second-quarter profit rose 8 percent as sales jumped 10 percent on strong performance in its shipbuilding and aerospace segments. The Los Angeles-based company reported net income of $495 million in the quarter ending June 30. That compares to earnings of $460 million in the year-ago period. Revenue rose nearly 10 percent to $8.63 billion from $7.88 billion, led by double-digit growth in its shipbuilding segment. The latest results beat Wall Street's forecast of $8.28 billion. (7/30)

Eutelsat Raises Future Revenue Expectations (Source: Space News)
Satellite-fleet operator Eutelsat reported increased revenue and profit from its 24 satellites and said it expects annual revenue growth of 6 percent between now and 2011, when sales should surpass 1 billion euros ($1.55 billion), the company said July 31. (8/1)

Sirius XM Cites $400 Million Savings (Source: Space News)
Sirius XM Radio said it would immediately begin to integrate operations and realize efficiencies following its July 28 formation via the merger of Sirius and XM. However, the company, which will be headquartered in New York and operate XM as a wholly owned subsidiary based in Washington, was mum on future plans to consolidate its satellite infrastructure. In a press release issued July 29, Sirius XM said it has 18.5 million subscribers and expects to realize $400 million in efficiencies in 2009 alone. (8/1)

California Aerospace Events Calendar

Satellite Educators Association Conference Planned in Los Angeles on Aug. 8-9

The California Space Education and Workforce Institute (CSEWI) is supporting the Satellite Educators Association Conference, which will be at California State University, Los Angeles, August 8 and 9, 2008. Visit http://www.sated.org/index04.htm for information.

Two Teacher Workshops Planned on Aug. 11-14

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

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

UC Santa Barbara Plans Outreach Event on Aug. 14

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

Navy Gold Coast Conference Planned on August 27-28

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Supplier Transformation Forum Set for Oct. 7

The third annual Supplier Transformation Forum is planned on Oct. 7. The event will feature multiple prime contractors, government agencies and all levels of the supply chain, at Northrop Grumman's facility in Redondo Beach. This forum will include updated information from last year's forum and have a similar format. Last year's agenda is available at http://www.innovatecalifornia.net/2_2_forum_details/ along with some of the presentations and video. Save the date for this year's forum!

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

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

Air Force Week in Los Angeles November 14-21

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

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

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

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

Last Week’s DOD Contract Awards in California

Parsons Infrastructure & Technology Group, Pasadena, Calif., was awarded on Jul. 31, 2008, a $15,072,345 cost-plus award fee, modification for balance of the closure of the Newport Chemical Agent Disposal Facility. Work will be performed in Newport, Ind., and is expected to be completed by May 31, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. There were 32 bids solicited on Mar. 9, 2008, and two bids were received. US Army Sustainment Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Rock Island, Ill., is the contracting activity.

Complex Solutions, Inc., Kailua, Hawaii, is being awarded an $18,091,192 time and materials, indefinite-delivery modification to previously awarded contract (N00244-07-D-0035) to exercise an option for technical and educational support services to the Naval Postgraduate School's Center for civil military relations education and training program. Work will be performed in Kailua, Hawaii, (6 percent); Monterey, Calif., (8 percent); various locations in the United States (24 percent); and various locations outside the Continental United States (62 percent), and work is expected to be completed by Jul. 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This offer was awarded competitively through Navy Electronic Commerce Online, with two offers received. The Fleet and Industrial Supply Center, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.

Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., is being awarded a $9,979,205 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-04-C-0569) for the procurement of 22 each Tomahawk Block IV Mid-body Range Safety System (M-RSS) kits and Flight Test Kits (FTKs) for the U.S. Navy, (20) and the United Kingdom, (2). In addition, this modification provides for one set of RSS components for the U.S. Navy. Work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz. (25 percent); San Diego, Calif., (14.5 percent); Bristol, Pa., (10.7 percent); Westminster, Colo., (10 percent); Largo, Fla. (5.8 percent); Middletown, Conn., (5.3 percent); Lancaster, Pa., (1.8 percent); Los Angeles, Calif., (1.1 percent); and various locations within the United States (25.8 percent), and is expected to be completed in Jun. 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $6,773,166 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the U.S. Navy, ($9,090,171; 91 percent) and the United Kingdom, ($889,034; 9 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.

Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), of San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a cost plus fixed fee contract for $5,913,886. The action will provide for Air Force Research laboratory/RYZT requires the use of R&D support contract to accomplish specialized research, analysis, test, and development for combat identification work. At this time $1.5 million has been obligated. AFRL/PKSR, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity.

Oshkosh Corp., Oshkosh, Wis., is being awarded an $11,750,505 modification to delivery order #0056 under their existing previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (M67854-04-D-5016) for the installation of reducible height armor kits and survivability upgrade kits on Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) variants. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wis. (70 percent); Jacksonville, N.C. (22 percent); and Oceanside, Calif. (8 percent), and work for this delivery order is expected to be completed by June 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps System Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.

Tetra Tech EC, Inc. (company’s name changed from Tetra Tech Foster Wheeler, Inc.), San Diego, Calif. is being awarded $7,495,141 for modification 42 to Task Order #0072 under a previously awarded cost-plus-award-fee contract (N68711-98-D-5713) for base-wide radiological surveys and remediation at Hunters Point Shipyard. Work will be performed in San Francisco, Calif., and is expected to be completed June 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.

The Air Force is modifying a cost plus award fee contract for $7.5 million with Northrop Grumman Mission Systems/Electromagnetic Systems Laboratory of San Jose, Calif. The purpose of this action is to award the ASIP Objective Performance Incentive. At this time all funds have been obligated. USAF/AFMC, Reconnaissance Systems Wing, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity.

Raytheon Co., of El Segundo, Calif., is being awarded an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) contract with cost plus fixed fee (completion) type task order for a shared ceiling of ID/IQ contract of $41 million. This contract action for Sensors Technology Automated Recognition is to develop technologies in a wide-range of application areas that continue to advance the technical improvements to warfighters either directly or indirectly. Examples include CID, data fusion, Ground Moving Target Indication/Airborne Moving Target Indication, Suppression of Enemy Air Defense, countermeasures, Sensor to Decision Maker processing, Targeting, Intelligence and Battle Damage Assessment and ISR. Additional examples of specific technologies that may be encountered on this program include Electro-Optical, Infrared, Radar, Multi-Spectral, Hyperspectral, Laser technology, and processors but are not limited to these. Improvement in these areas involves technical assessment, hardware and software modifications and development, systems engineering development and integration, technology and/or technology application demonstration in the laboratory or in a flight test or as a participant in a larger demonstration or exercise. The performance of the technologies developed will also be evaluated. Task Order 0001 for this contract is “Airborne Data Collection for Combat Identification.” The scope of this Task Order is to utilize an airborne CID test bid to collect data with an air-to-air (A/A) CID radar waveform. The effort will involve collection, processing and delivery of both processed and unprocessed airborne target data. At this time $533,000 has been obligated (incremental funding amount on task order 0001). AFRL/PKSR, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity.

The Air Force is modifying a fixed price incentive firm contract with Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Integrated Systems Air Combat Systems, of San Diego, Calif., not to exceed $324,600,000. This contract will provide 2 RQ-4B Block 301 Global Hawk Air Vehicles, 3 RQ-4B Block 40 Air Vehicles with MP-RTIP sensor, one Mission Element, one Launch and Recovery Element, and associated equipment; option for four EISS sensor payloads. At this time $180,351,181 has been obligated. 303 AESG/PK, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity.

Science Application International Corp., San Diego, Calif., was awarded on Jul. 28, 2008, a $19,956,974 Firm-Fixed Price contract for maintenance and sustainment for vehicle and cargo inspection systems located in southwest Asia. Work will be performed in Southwest Asia, and is expected to be completed by Aug. 4, 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. There was one bid solicited on May 23, 2008, and one bid was received. TACOM-Rock Island, AMSTA-LC-CTC, Rock Island, Ill., is the contracting activity.

Psomas and Associates, Costa Mesa, Calif., is being awarded a maximum $7,500,000 firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity architect/engineering contract for engineering services for surveying and mapping in the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southwest area of responsibility (AOR). The work to be performed provides for surveying and mapping services such as cadastral surveys, topographic surveys, aerial surveys, geodetic surveying, construction surveys, Alta surveys, hydrographic surveys, special studies, title searches, civil site improvements drawings and specifications and GIS (geographic information system) database/mapping. Work will be performed at various Navy and Marine Corps facilities and other government facilities within the NAVFAC Southwest AOR including, but not limited to Calif., (87 percent); Ariz., (5 percent), Nev., (5 percent), Colo., (1 percent), N.M., (1 percent) and Utah, (1%), and work is expected to be completed Jul. 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the NAVFAC e-solicitation websitewith 13 proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.

Akima Corp., Charlotte, N.C., is being awarded a maximum $18,701,847 firm fixed price contract for operation and maintenance services of bulk fuel facilities. Other locations of performance are Calif., Nev., Ariz., and N.M. Using service is Air Force. This proposal was originally Web solicited with nine responses.  This is a five-year multiyear contract.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  The date of performance completion is Sept., 1, 2013. The contracting activity is Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va.

The Air Force is modifying a cost plus award fee contract with The Boeing Company of Anaheim, Calif., for $53,384,031. Item Procured: In order to continue providing survivable communications for U.S. Armed Forces, the Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals (FAB-T) must update new platform requirements and advanced EHF (AEHF) system interface. At this time no funds have been obligated. Electronic Systems Center, Air Force Materiel Command, USAF, 653d ELSG/PK is the contracting activity.

L-3 Services, Inc, Advanced Products & Design, San Diego, Calif., andSerco, Inc., Reston, Va., are each being awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award contract for the production and delivery of Navigation Sensor System Interface (NAVSSI) system racks, kits, parts, and production engineering services support services. The contracts are for five one-year ordering periods. When combined, the aggregate value of all delivery orders awarded over the life of these two contracts will be approximately $16,000,000. Each contractor will be awarded a minimum $10,000 delivery order for the award. The NAVSSI system collects, processes, integrates and formats for distribution of Precise Navigation and Timing (PNT) data to weapon systems, combat support systems, C4ISR systems and other information systems aboard various ship classes. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy, (84.25 percent) and the governments of Australia, (9.50 percent) and Spain, (6.25 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and Chula Vista, Calif., and is expected to be completed by Jun. 2013 if all five ordering periods are used. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The multiple award contracts were competitively procured by full and open competition via the Commerce Business Daily’s Federal Business Opportunities, and the Space and Naval Warfare e-Commerce Central website, with four offers received. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N00039-08-D-0008, N00039-08-D-0009).   The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command awarded the contract on behalf of its organizational partner, the Navy’s Program Executive Office for Command, Control, Communication, Computers and Intelligence systems.