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

March 11, 2008

California Spaceport First-Responders Honored in Sacramento (Source: Bakersfield Californian)
There were far more unknowns than knowns when an explosion rocked the Mojave Air & Space Port last summer. They knew two people were dead and others were critically injured. They didn't know whether another explosion would happen. Entering that chaotic situation were employees from Hall Ambulance. They treated and transported the injured and did their jobs like any other call. Those employees, as well as two others who also excelled at emergency responder work throughout the year, were honored at the California Ambulance Association's Stars of Life program at the state Capitol in Sacramento.

Calling all Space Enterprise Advocates! (Source: CSA)

California Explorer School Opens Doors to Hundreds for Discovery Night on March 12 (Source: NASA)
Edward Harris Jr. Middle School, Elk Grove, California, will transform itself into an epicenter of discovery and science activities next week and invites community members and news media to join the fun. Participants can enjoy building and launching rockets, making "goop," playing math and science games, and entering a raffle for a chance to win prizes." Visit http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=24934 for information.

California Space Week a Success in Washington (Source: CSA)

More than 50 members of the California space enterprise community educated public officials in Washington, D.C. during the 10th Annual California Space Week.  The members discussed 5 issues of strategic importance with Congressional members and staffers as well as key executive branch officials.  The issues included full funding for NASA, support for DoD space programs, export controls, space venturing as well as education and workforce.  The CA Space Week included a Capitol Hill reception which included participation by Space Florida and the New Mexico Spaceport.  Corporate sponsors of Space Week included: Aerojet, AIAA, ATK, AirLaunch, The Boeing Co., Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Scitor, Southern California Edison, SpaceX, Stellar Solutions, Trimble, and Wyle Labs.

Editorial: Shooting for North Carolina's Space Potential (Source: News Observer)
Have you heard of the following companies? Bigelow Aerospace - developing commercial space stations (Imagine the Triangle's universities forming a consortium to buy, own and operate one of these stations. In effect, they would have the world's first orbiting campus.); Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) - manufactures launch vehicles and crew and cargo capsules for commercial delivery to orbital destinations; Virgin Galactic - the world's first commercial "spaceline."

While NASA struggles to field a space shuttle replacement and prepare for its moon and Mars missions, "NewSpace" firms like these are quietly yet steadily becoming a key contributor to the overall U.S. economy. New jobs and economic development await those who look beyond traditional civil and military aerospace and position themselves now to participate in the NewSpace industry. According to a Council on Competitiveness report, the Research Triangle can seize on under-realized potential by developing "... new opportunities at the intersection of clusters, including environmental sciences, biotechnology and information technology, telecommunications and medicine, and biotechnology and agribusiness."

All these clusters intersect with NewSpace. According to reactions I have encountered when giving presentations to students at N.C. State, Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill, while some would like to work at NASA, even more would prefer to work at NewSpace companies. Visit http://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/columns/story/982548.html to view the article.

Virginia Governor Signs Space Tax Incentive (Source: Spaceports Blog)
Virginia Governor Tim Kaine signed into law the so-called 'Zero Gravity, Zero Tax' measure Monday at the state capitol in Richmond. Virginia will levy no income tax on business earnings that relate to human spaceflight training or actual space flights launched from Virginia. The measure becomes effective July 1, 2008 for the tax year beginning January 1, 2009. Governor Kaine also signed the nation's first Spaceflight Laibility and Immunity law last year. Florida is now seeking to duplicate Virginia's informed consent law with other states expected to follow.

Hawaiian Spaceport Bill Advances (Sources: Space Politics, Res Communis)
Hawaii's House of Representatives approved unanimously HB-2259, legislation that supports work to develop a commercial spaceport in the state. Specifically, the legislation appropriates an unspecified sum to the state’s Office of Aerospace Development “to conduct feasibility studies for a spaceport and to pay for consultation and other expenses incurred in applying to the FAA for a commercial space transportation license.” The bill now goes to the Hawaii Senate.

Among the bill's findings: "The legislature finds that outer space is the next frontier and an industry in its infancy for the united States. Four decades after the courageous efforts that put human beings on the moon, advances in manufacturing are making it possible for others to experience the thrill and joy of being “weekend astronauts.” Space tourism is a potential billion dollar global industry. As a new industry, it holds tremendous economic potential for Hawaii while preserving our precious environment. Besides expanding our sources of revenue, space tourism will provide Hawaii residents the opportunity of highly skilled aerospace jobs without leaving home for the mainland. The Federal Aviation Administration is expected to issue a limited number of licenses for space ports, and accordingly, the legislature finds that it is incumbent on the State to position Hawaii for the economic advantages a license can bring."

Colorado Expertise Delivers Amazing Mars Avalanche Photos (Source: Rocky Mountain News)
The camera that took the amazing photos of avalanches on Mars was built in Boulder, and the orbiter on which the camera sits was built in Jefferson County. Pictures sent back from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter show graphic images of an avalanche carrying snow down what looks like a rocky cliff. The images are among the nation's and the world's favorite Internet downloads today. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter was built at Lockheed-Martin's Waterton Canyon facility near Denver. It launched in 2005 on a Lockheed-Martin Atlas Rocket. The camera, called the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment, was built in Boulder at Ball Aerospace, and has such high resolution that it can interpret images on the surface that are the size of a small beach ball.

Will Arizona Lose its Role as Space Science Leader? (Source: Arizona Republic)
For example, with broad support from political, business and philanthropic leaders, investments are being made through Science Foundation Arizona to improve our state's competitive position in biosciences, information communication technologies and fields related to sustainability. Largely overlooked in coverage of these exciting developments, however, has been the fact that, in certain areas of science and technology, Arizona is already widely recognized as a national leader. Astronomy and space science are clearly in this category.

Lowell Observatory was founded in Flagstaff in 1894. Then came Steward Observatory at the University of Arizona. Steward populated the mountains around Tucson with telescopes, and the associated UA Astronomy Department has become one of the largest and most respected in the nation. Strong programs also were developed at Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University. The National Optical Astronomy Observatory and the National Solar Observatory were established in Tucson and built major telescopes on Kitt Peak. The MMT and Whipple Observatories came into being on Mount Hopkins south of Tucson, while the WIYN, MDM and SARA Observatories added to the growing population of telescopes on Kitt Peak.

The UA Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, the ASU School of Earth and Space Exploration (SESE) and the USGS Astrogeology Team in Flagstaff have all filled important leadership roles in NASA missions. Tucson's Planetary Science Institute is also a significant contributor. The bottom line: Research in astronomy, planetary science and space science annually brings more than a quarter of a billion dollars and more than 3,300 jobs to Arizona. Visit http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/viewpoints/articles/0302vip-millis0302.html to view the article.

Promoters Talk Space at Florida Capitol (Source: Florida Today)
A coalition of about 20 space-related businesses and interests came together Thursday during the annual Space Day in Tallahassee to promote the space industry's value as an economic engine. More than 70 individuals walked House and Senate hallways, buttonholing legislators to make the case that the state needs to step up if Florida is to maintain its role as a national leader in space technology, commercial ventures and exploration. Aerospace industries exist in 46 of the state's 67 counties. About $44 billion is distributed across Florida.

To help keep space industry in Florida, the group is pushing several bills that would help create increased job and workforce training, develop new or improved spaceport infrastructure, recruit and retain related businesses through tax incentives, and fund education programs to provide an employment base. Several of the space-related bills have multi-million dollar price tags attached even though legislators expect deep cuts in next year's spending plans and intense competition for funding. Click here to view the article.

Florida Space Legislation Roundup (Source: ERAU)
The Space Shuttle's upcoming retirement, coupled with aggressive competition from other states, has made space a high-profile topic at this year's Legislative Session in Tallahassee. Among the space-related items before the Florida Legislature this year are the following: a $3.6M space workforce development package; an "informed consent" bill to mitigate spaceflight liability; a space contractor tax refund bill; a space research diversification bill seeking $20.2M over three years; a $45M Space Florida infrastructure, workforce, and education programs bill; a $10M Space Florida operations appropriation; a $20M reusable space vehicle prize bill; a bill and resolution to advance plans for a Governor's School for Space Science and Technology; and a "Mile Marker 1" bill to place a mile marker near the beginning of the highway to space at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport.

Embry-Riddle Officials Discuss Space in Washington and Tallahassee (Source: ERAU)
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University officials, including its president, provost and vice president for research, met in Washington DC last week with alumni from Capitol Hill and various agencies. They held a reception honoring Rep. John Mica, and attended a joint California/Florida Space Week function, and discussed space transportation issues with officials at the FAA. Meanwhile, the university's space policy analyst attended Space Day legislative meetings in Tallahassee during the opening week of the Florida Legislative Session.

Endeavour To Launch March 11 (Source: Aerospace Daily)
NASA has approved space shuttle Endeavour to launch March 11 on STS-123, a 16-day mission that will mark the longest International Space Station (ISS) visit by the orbiter to date. If Endeavour can't launch March 11 or 12, it will have to stand down until March 17 to deconflict with a Delta II rocket launch planned from Cape Canaveral. Complicating the mission somewhat is the expected arrival in orbit of Europe's Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV).

Having the shuttle, station and ATV in orbit at once means that each of the vehicles will experience pre-planned communications blackouts while NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellites (TDRS) service the others. If necessary, however, the TDRS system could serve all three vehicles at the same time. The ATV will place itself in a parking orbit approximately 2 kilometers from the station and shuttle. It will not approach the station until the end of March, following the shuttle's departure, when it will perform two demonstration dockings and then its first actual docking.

ATV, Cygnus, and Dragon (Source: Space Review)
The European Space Agency (ESA) plans to launch the first Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) resupply ship from French Guyana to the International Space Station (ISS) this month. It’s been a long wait. The ATV was once planed to launch towards the end of 2004, but, like so many space projects, has suffered from numerous delays and misjudgments. Once operational, it will be the Rolls Royce of space delivery vans. An ESA press release describes it as “a multi-functional spacecraft, combining the fully automatic capabilities of an unmanned vehicle with the safety requirements of a crewed vehicle.”

Meanwhile NASA's COTS program is moving ahead. SpaceX already has a full-scale engineering model of their Dragon capsule. The early version of the Dragon is designed to carry cargo, both pressurized and unpressurized, to the ISS. The great difference between ATV and Dragon is that, right from the start, the US capsule was designed to be used to carry people into orbit. The Dragon will be able to evolve rapidly and at minimal cost from a purely cargo-carrying system into a human-rated vehicle. This means that while the ATV will come into service years before Dragon, Dragon will be able to carry paying human customers into orbit long before the European vehicle.

A possible newcomer to this competition is Orbital Sciences Corporation’s Cygnus vehicle. Orbital won a COTS award last month to build a Cygnus cargo carrier with similar payload capacity to the Dragon and to be launched from their new Taurus 2 rocket. As far as we know, however, the company has no plans to turn Cygnus into a human-rated system. It’s much too early to know if Orbital’s Cygnus will have any significant advantages over either ATV or Dragon.

Europe's Freighter Makes Maiden Flight to Space Station (Source: Guardian)
The 20-ton ATV robotic space freighter, crammed with fuel, food and spare parts, will deliver much-needed supplies to the international space station more than 200 miles overhead. It is the first spacecraft with a built-in homing system that allows it to find its own way to the space station, without being directed from the ground or by astronauts on board the orbiting station. Once docked, it will be able to re-boost the outpost, which loses altitude over time, or lift it out of the way of dangerous space debris.

The spacecraft is so complex, the operating manual runs to 28 volumes. Named Jules Verne after the visionary French science fiction author, it is the first of many ATVs due to be launched at 18-month intervals until 2015. Each will dock with the space station for up to six months, before being filled up with waste and jettisoned to burn up in the Earth's atmosphere. Tucked into the hold of the space freighter is an original 1900 hardback edition of Verne's science fiction novel From the Earth to the Moon, the story of three gun club members who build a giant cannon to blast themselves to the moon. The book will be kept on board the ISS and brought back by a future shuttle mission.

NASA Wary of Relying on Russia as Lone Carrier of Astronauts to Station (Source: Washington Post)
For NASA, the launch of the ESA Jules Verne Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) highlights a stark reality: In 2 1/2 years, just as the station gets fully assembled, the United States will no longer have any spacecraft of its own capable of carrying astronauts and cargo to the station, in which roughly $100 billion is being invested. The three space shuttles will be retired by then, because of their high cost and questionable safety, and NASA will have nothing ready to replace them until 2015 at the earliest.

For five years or more, the United States will be dependent on the technology of others to reach the station, which American taxpayers largely paid for. To complicate things further, the only nation now capable of flying humans to the station is Russia, giving it a strong bargaining position to decide what it wants to charge for the flights at a time when U.S.-Russian relations are becoming increasingly testy.

Editorial: Russian Space Program Still Plagued by Numerous Problems (Source: RIA Novosti)
The development of Russia's high-tech sector, primarily the national space program, resembles a Camel Trophy race, while official reports do not always reflect the real situation. In late February, Anatoly Perminov, director of the Federal Space Agency (Roskosmos) said he positively assessed the results of Russia's space exploration in 2007. He said that all projects had been financed in line with official programs. According to him, successful efforts were made to implement the federal space program until 2006-2015, to deploy the Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) and to expand national space centers under federal target programs.

With the exception of two mere trifles, the 2007 space program has yielded mostly positive results. In late November, First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov, who oversees the space program and the high-tech sector, severely criticized the work of Roskosmos. He said the agency had completed all Soviet-era projects and was no longer able to manufacture up-to-date and competitive products. On New Year's Eve, Ivanov told a meeting of the Roskosmos board that the agency had failed to fulfil the GLONASS program. Visit http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20080303/100475822.html to view the article.

Is Britain Lost in Space? (Source: Guardian)
The British role in the ATV, as with any mission related to human spaceflight, is precisely zero. We played no part in its conception, design or construction, and will gain none of the expertise accrued by engineers in Germany, France, Italy and elsewhere who developed the technology. When I was hunting for anyone in Britain with any meaningful involvement in the ATV, the best I came across were two engineers from Stevenage who helped pump it full of fuel.

Coming to watch the ATV launch feels like crashing someone else's party. While Britain huffs about human spaceflight being unprofitable and cobbles together plans for its own ESA facility, there's an overwhelming feeling here that everyone else is cracking on with the job and learning an enormous amount in the process. Britain could still arrive fashionably late, but we're in danger of turning up to find that all is left are crumbs on the tables. Even if we do turn up before the lights go out, will anyone want to talk to such a chronically uninspiring guest?

Britain's contribution to the European Space Agency will be 265m Euros towards the 2.4bn Euros the agency will receive in contributions from members and other states. It's less than half that given by France and Germany, and about two thirds of the contribution from Italy. The expertise those nations have gained from the ATV, Columbus and other missions will surely boost their chances of securing the plum contracts of the future.

Britain Urged to Become a Satellite Nation (Source: The Guardian)
Britain can play an important role in space exploration by exploiting its skills in the satellite sector rather than joining the competition in manned space flights, according to David Williams, head of Avanti, a satellite communications company. "There aren't unlimited resources - we have to prioritize in areas where we have an economic advantage," he said.

Britain should be creating the communications infrastructure that will be needed as exploration expands deeper into space, he said. Countries such as the US, China, India and Russia, as well as the European Space Agency, are working on deep-space exploration. "If mankind is going to exploit the resources of the solar system, you are going to have to travel over very long distances and you are going to have to communicate over very long distances and you will need a network of data-relay satellites. The UK has a big advantage. We have the opportunity to control the space internet, which is going to be this network of data-relay satellites."

Italy and US Agree: European Manned Spaceflight is Needed (Source: Flight International)
Italian and US space agencies have agreed that an autonomous European space access capability with human crews is a necessity for the proposed global lunar exploration strategy. They have also agreed that studies for the in-orbit assembly of a Mars ship and development of its nuclear propulsion are needed. Italian Space Agency (ASI) president Giovanni Fabrizio Bignami has met NASA administrator Michael Griffin to discuss the global exploration strategy, which has been drawn up by 14 of the world's space agencies over the past year.

ESA Proposes Public-Private Partnership on Three Data Relay Satellites (Source: Space News)
The European Space Agency (ESA) will begin negotiations in the coming weeks with European satellite operators on a joint investment in three geostationary-orbiting data-relay satellites that also would carry payloads selected by private-sector operators, ESA Telecommunications Director Giuseppe Viriglio said.

Europe Presses for More Info on Chinese Satellite Navigation Project (Source: Space News)
European government officials said they are increasingly frustrated at China's refusal to provide clear information about its Beidou/Compass satellite navigation project, which poses strategic and technical problems for Europe's Galileo system. These officials said they hope China will clarify matters during a scheduled late April visit to Europe by a Chinese government delegation.

China Manned Space Flight Set for Late 2008 (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
The launch of China's third manned space flight, the Shenzhou VII, has been set for late September or early October. "Preparations for the mission are in full swing, and we're confident in its success," Zhang Yulin, director of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre, said. The mission would include three "taikonauts" or astronauts, who would perform China's first spacewalk, said Zhang, speaking on the sidelines of the ongoing meeting of the National People's Congress, or parliament.

China May Try to Limit Opponents’ Satellites (Source: MSNBC)
China is developing the ability to limit or prevent the use of satellites by potential adversaries during times of crisis, the Pentagon said Monday in a report to Congress. The report, the latest in a series of annual assessments of China's military power, highlights developments in China's commercial space program and asserts that some can be of military use. And it says Chinese leaders have been silent on the question of a military motivation for their space programs. The Chinese military, known as the People's Liberation Army, is acquiring technologies to improve its ability to operate in space and is "developing the ability to attack an adversary's space assets," the report said. "PLA writings emphasize the necessity of 'destroying, damaging, and interfering with the enemy's reconnaissance/observation and communications satellites,' suggesting that such systems, as well as navigation and early warning satellites, could be among initial targets of attack to 'blind and deafen the enemy," the report said.

China and the US: Space Race or Miscommunication? (Source: Space Review)
The rise of China as a major space power is seen by some in the US as a threat to American prestige, if not national security. Jeff Foust reports that, for some experts, the real concern is the misperceptions that exist in the two countries about each other's projects and intents. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1075/1 to view the article.

Editorial: America’s Space Lunacy and Africa’s Poverty (Source: Nigerian Tribune)
Recently, President George Bush made and signed a declaration, saying that hence forth,“America will view with concern the exploration and exploitation of space by countries that are not its allies”. Is this not a brazen display of space imperialism? What gives America the exclusive rights to determine the activities of other nations in space? Who made America the singular sentinel at the gates of space? Is this not space colonization carried too far? Will Russia and China sit idly by? How will the world react and is this America’s coup de grace stroke on the world? Whither Africa? Visit http://www.tribune.com.ng/07032008/opinion.html to view the editorial.

Lockheed-Built Vietnamese Satellite Approaching Launch Pad (Source: VietNamNet)
Vietnam's first telecom satellite, Vinasat 1, left the manufacturing site to the launching pad at the Kourou Spaceport in Guyana in South America. The manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, and the French launching service provider, Arianespace, will check and test the satellite within 4-5 weeks before it is launched. Vinasat 1 will be launched on April 12.

Sea Launch to Launch U.S. Satellite on March 17 (Source: RIA Novosti)
The launch of a Zenit-3SL carrier rocket with the DirecTV 11 broadcast satellite on board has been scheduled for March 17. The satellite, with mass of approximately 6 metric tons, is designed to deliver national high-definition (HD) programming and local HD channels to subscribers throughout the United States. Lifting off from the Odyssey Launch Platform in the Pacific Ocean, the Zenit-3SL rocket will place the DirecTV 11 satellite, with a designed lifetime of 12 years, into geosynchronous transfer orbit.

SpaceX Announces New Manifest, Falcon 9 Delivery to Cape Canaveral On-Schedule (Source: SpaceX)
SpaceX announced its newly revised mission manifest listing twelve flights of its Falcon 1 and Falcon 9 launch vehicles. “We are on track to deliver our first Falcon 9 vehicle to Cape Canaveral by the end of 2008,” said Gwynne Shotwell, Vice President of Business Development for SpaceX. “In addition, we’are very pleased to have signed a significant new US government customer for our next Falcon 1 flight, and will be releasing details shortly.” The full SpaceX mission manifest extends into 2011 and lists nine customers on twelve flights, including three demonstration flights of SpaceX’s new Dragon spacecraft for NASA, as part of the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) competition. Click here to view the manifest.

Interorbital Releases Neptune Rocket Design (Source: Interorbital)
Interorbital Systems (IOS) has released the design of its manned orbital launch vehicle, Neptune, and passed a major milestone by completing the propellant tank construction of its Sea Star MSLV (microsatellite launch vehicle). Sea Star is a subscale version of and testbed for the Neptune six-passenger orbital tourism ship. Both vehicles employ a novel modular, pressure-fed, two-stage-and-a-half-to-orbit configuration.

Neptune will be the first of a new generation of low-cost and highly reliable manned orbital launch vehicles. It is designed for minimum cost and maximum reliability. Unnecessary expensive, complex, failure-prone, and sometimes performance-limiting systems such as wings, ignition systems, and turbopumps have been eliminated from the design. Both the Sea Star and Neptune vehicles are partially reusable, and are deployed by a reusable canister ocean-launch system. Visit http://www.californiaspaceauthority.org/images/press-releases/pr080304-1.pdf for information.

Interorbital Taps Destiny Space to Book Space Tourism and Satellite Launches (Source: CSA)
DestinySpace Enterprises (DSE) has formed a strategic alliance with Mojave-based rocket manufacturer and launch provider Interorbital Systems (IOS) to market IOS’ low-cost commercial orbital space tourism and satellite launch services. DSE’s subsidiary Orbital Expeditions (Orbex) will act as an official booking agent for IOS’ orbital payload launch services and week-long orbital spaceflight expeditions. Augmenting the sales force of Astro Expeditions LLC, IOS’ in-house marketing arm, DSE will provide a ‘reservations portal’ for orbital crew and cargo spaceflight services to a wider customer base. Clients will include government, academia, commercial firms, and space tourists. Visit http://www.californiaspaceauthority.org/images/press-releases/pr080304-2.pdf for information.

Xtraordinary Adventures Announces "World's First Space Cruise" Week (Source: Xtraordinary Adventures)
Xtraordinary Adventures is bringing a few famous astronauts aboard the yacht Sea Dream to select several passengers for a future sub-orbital spaceflight. Participants will experience weightlessness on a Zero-G flight from the Kennedy Space Center and G forces during space training. The 'Space Cruise' week event will be held in April 2009. According to company Director Mitchell J Schultz, “ninety-six possible participants from around the globe are expected to register and become a part of space history...With chances no greater than one out of sixteen and with a week full of stimulating space related events, participants will thrill to the experience of a lifetime as they schmooze with others of similar interests and mingle with U S Hall of Fame Astronauts that are all part of the festivities.”

In addition, Xtraordinary Adventures will bring participants to Kennedy Space Center for a variety of special events including a chartered Zero-G flight, where each person will receive a personalized flight suit along with photos and a DVD of their experience. Participants will also receive a special two day space training program at NASTAR, near Philadelphia. With costs ranging from $98,000 to $250,000 for a seat, Xtraordinary Adventures has put together a program for $35,000 that Schultz claims “will allow all our participants an opportunity to not only taste the flavors of a space trip...but will also send up to six lucky participants on a future sub-orbital spaceflight with an authorized FAA licensed carrier or provide for a payment of $150,000 to each of the six if there are no scheduled flights or departures by April 30, 2012.” Visit http://www.XtraOrdinaryAdventures.com.

Billionaires In Space (Source: Forbes)
In the world of gamers, Richard Garriott answers to the name "Lord British." But what about in space? Call him a "space tourist," and Garriott will grimace. Instead the lanky, 46-year-old computer gaming tycoon thinks of himself as a "private astronaut"--and he's hoping that hundreds of other people will want to earn the same title, too. Garriott's ambitions stretch beyond merely reaching space. He wants to reinvent the way Americans view and, eventually, experience space travel. "I grew up listening to criticisms of space exploration," says Garriott. "My mission is to show that this is a useful, profitable activity." Click here to view the article.

Pentagon: Predicting TSAT Launch Premature (Source: Aerospace Daily)
U.S. defense officials continue to back off any launch date for Transformational Satellites (TSAT) and have told lawmakers they are essentially re-evaluating the program to shore it up. During a March 4 hearing, an Air Force official called any launch prediction “premature.” He said an ongoing analysis through spring is looking at “rephasing ... re-architecting” TSAT to make sure it provides the most important strategic communications capabilities to the most important users first. “That is a new bit of information,” Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) said in response.

Alternatives could include buying more Wideband Global Satcom (WGS) spacecraft, a planned predecessor to TSAT, to make up any gaps. A congressional auditor appearing at the same Senate Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee hearing said a TSAT delay could be good to shore up the program. But any reassesment must be done in light of other major defense efforts that would rely on TSAT. Specifically, she noted the Army’s Future Combat Systems – which also faces more potential delays – and said officials there would have to respond in their program to changes to TSAT plans.

Additional Satellite Pushes DOD Program Over Budget (Source: AIA)
The Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite program is now running 15% over its baseline budget, Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne said. He cited the DOD's decision to restart the production line and add a fourth spacecraft for the higher costs. Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman are running the program.

NRO Space Radar Program is Canceled (Source: Space News)
The Space Radar, a U.S. military and NRO satellite surveillance program whose cost estimates have ranged upwards of $20 billion, has been canceled. Lockheed Martin Space Systems and Northrop Grumman Space Technology have been developing competing designs for the Space Radar under contracts that in January 2007 were extended through April 2009. The extensions were worth $49 million apiece. "The Government will continue to vigorously pursue alternatives to meet the DOD and IC requirements for radar capabilities from space," an official said. The House Armed Services Committee was told a new plan for the Space Radar should be ready for presentation to Congress in 45 days.

NRO Loses Decision Authority on Basic Imaging Satellite Program (Source: Space News)
Senior U.S. defense and intelligence leaders have stripped the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) of its authority to make key decisions on a planned imaging satellite procurement and are poised to do the same for others managed by the spy satellite agency, according to current and former intelligence officials. The step was taken amid concern that the NRO, which has suffered numerous setbacks in recent years including program cancellations and on-orbit failures, was in danger of running afoul of White House policy with a program dubbed BASIC, or Broad Area Satellite Imagery Collection. Questions have been raised about how BASIC, still in the planning stages, squares with a provision in the policy directing the military and intelligence community to rely on commercial satellites for general mapping purposes.

Air Force Reserve Establishes First Space Wing (Source: USAF)
Air Force Reserve Command officials are expanding the critical role reservists play in space operations by establishing AFRC's first space wing at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado. Command officials will activate the 310th Space Wing March 7. The new organization is an expansion of the existing 310th Space Group, based at Schriever AFB.

Plutonium Shortage Could Thwart Future NASA Missions (Source: Space News)
NASA is facing the prospect of having to explore deep space without the aid of the long-lasting nuclear batteries it has relied upon for decades to send spacecraft to destinations where sunlight is in short supply. The United States stopped producing plutonium-238 in 1988 and since then has relied upon a dwindling stockpile supplemented since 1992 by periodic purchases of the material from Russia. Industry sources said they had been told that the United States has a total of just over 11 kilograms on order to meet NASA's projected demand through the middle of the next decade. The U.S. has 4.9 kilograms on order for delivery from Russia this year.

"In the future, in some future year not too far from now, we will have used the last U.S. kilogram of plutonium-238," Griffin said. "And if we want more plutonium-238 we will have to buy it from Russia...I think it's appalling." Russia has advised the United States "that they are down to their last 10 kilograms of plutonium." "We are now foreseeing the end of that Russian line," Griffin said. Griffin said absent a national decision to restart production, NASA's planetary science program "would be severely hampered."

Wanted: Einstein Junior (Source: The Economist)
In the 1840s an astronomer called Urbain Le Verrier noticed there was something wrong with the orbit of Mercury. The main axis of the planet's orbital ellipse shifts each time it goes round the sun. That was well known, and is caused by the gravitational pull of Venus. Le Verrier, however, realised that the orbit was shifting too fast. The excess was a tiny fraction of a degree. But it was a disturbing departure from the purity of Newton's majestic clockwork—-a departure that was explained only 70 years later, when Einstein's general theory of relativity swept Newton away by showing that gravity operates by distorting space itself.

Even Einstein, however, may not have got it right. Modern instruments have shown a departure from his predictions, too. In 1990 mission controllers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, which operates America's unmanned interplanetary space probes, noticed something odd happen to a Jupiter-bound craft, called Galileo. As it was flung around the Earth in what is known as a slingshot maneuver (designed to speed it on its way to the outer solar system), Galileo picked up more velocity than expected. Not much. Four millimetres a second, to be precise. But well within the range that can reliably be detected.

Once might be happenstance. But this strange extra acceleration was seen subsequently with two other craft. So a team from JPL has got together to analyze all of the slingshot maneuvers that have been carried out over the years, to see if they really do involve a small but systematic extra boost. The answer is that they do. Visit http://www.economist.com/science/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10804075 to view the article.

Nearby Star Should Harbor Detectable, Earth-Like Planets (Source: UC Santa Cruz)
A rocky planet similar to Earth may be orbiting one of our nearest stellar neighbors and could be detected using existing techniques, according to a new study led by astronomers at the University of California, Santa Cruz. The closest stars to our Sun are in the three-star system called Alpha Centauri, a popular destination for interstellar travel in works of science fiction. UCSC graduate student Javiera Guedes used computer simulations of planet formation to show that terrestrial planets are likely to have formed around the star Alpha Centauri B and to be orbiting in the "habitable zone" where liquid water can exist on the planet's surface. The researchers then showed that such planets could be observed using a dedicated telescope.

Astronomers: Humans Will Make Contact with Aliens Within Two Decades (Source: Daily Mail)
Mankind will make contact with intelligent alien life within two decades, leading astronomers claim. The recent discovery of Earth-like planets outside our solar system and the launch of a major NASA mission in 2009 has brought extra-terrestrial contact a dramatic step closer. The American astrophysicist Dr Frank Drake said: "Everything has caused us to become more optimistic." The 76-year-old - who founded the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence project (SETI) in 1961 - added: "We really believe that in the next 20 years or so, we are going to learn a great deal more about life beyond Earth and very likely we will have detected that life and perhaps even intelligent life elsewhere in the galaxy."

Telescopes on Moon Would Allow Deep Look Into Universe (Source: AIA)
Washington Post science writer Marc Kaufman recently discussed NASA's preliminary plans to place arrays of radio antennas on the far side of the moon during an online chat with readers. He noted that the radio antennas would allow astronomers to look far back into the past of the universe.

NASA May Consider Moon's South Pole for Human Outpost (Source: AIA)
Images of the moon's south pole suggest it might be ideal for a future human landing, NASA scientists say. The images were obtained with a NASA radar based in Goldstone, Calif., and show mountain peaks higher than 20,000 feet near impact craters up to six miles deep.

Space Society Sponsors Lunar Short Story Contest (Source: SpaceRef.com)
The National Space Society is sponsoring Return to Luna: A Short Story Science Fiction Contest. The contest seeks Science Fiction stories that show the adventure of lunar settlement. We want to feel the romance of life there, the wonder of the lunar frontier, of its magnificent desolation. We prefer near future (50 to 150 years from now), realistic stories about human lunar settlement. We want good characterization and well-written, tight prose. We want to feel what it's like to live on the Moon. Visit http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=24910 for information.

NASA's Latest Lunar Concept Vehicle Features Six-Wheel Drive (Source: AIA)
The latest lunar concept vehicle has six wheels able to turn individually in any direction, a feature that will allow astronauts to drive into a lunar crater sideways. The vehicle, which was built at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, has no seats, doors or windows.

The Cadillac of Mars Rovers (Source: LA Times)
Wider than a Hummer, tall enough to roll over boulders and toting a laser "ray gun" that can zap rocks at 30 feet, NASA's next-generation Mars rover looks like something you would paint a skull and crossbones on and enter in a demolition derby. Compared to Sojourner, the dowdy little robot that tooled around on Mars for three months in 1997, the atomic-powered Mars Science Laboratory rover being built at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory is an interplanetary beast. "Nothing like this has ever been sent to Mars before," said Joy Crisp, 49, deputy project scientist for the new mission. But then, this new rover has a big job: settling once and for all whether the conditions on ancient Mars were suitable for life. Click here to view the article.

Water on Mars Theory Debunked? (Source: Discovery News)
With great excitement, scientists in 2006 unveiled photographs of recently carved gullies on Mars, believing that a burst of underground water may have left its mark. Not so, say researchers with the University of Arizona, who have been using topographical data derived from new images of Mars and running them through computer models. In December 2006, Michael Malin, with San Diego-based Malin Space Science Systems, and colleagues published an article in Science theorizing that bright streaks found in two Martian gullies which appeared since 1999 "suggest that liquid water flowed on the surface of Mars in the past decade." Turns out the gullies bear more similarity to channels carved from dry granular debris, such as sand or gravel, said Jon Pelletier, a lead author of a paper on the findings appearing in this month's issue of Geology. "It rules out pure liquid water," Pelletier said.

Ancient Lakebed Found on Mars (Source: SpaceToday.net)
NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) spacecraft has taken images of what scientists believe is an ancient lakebed that could have once supported life. Images of Holden Crater show old conglomerations of rocks, called megabreccia, topped by a layer of clay sediment. Planetary scientists believe that the clay was deposited over a period of thousands of years when the crater was a lake; that clay could preserve any evidence of a past habitable environment there. The crater wall was later breached in a flood, exposing those lower layers as well as boulder-strewn upper layers. The crater is one of six candidate landing sites for NASA's Mars Science Laboratory rover, scheduled for launch in 2009, and could be considered for future sample return missions.

NASA Offers Microgravity Rides for SBIR/STTR Projects (Source: Zero Gravity Corp.)
NASA's Innovative Partnerships Program (IPP) and Strategic Capabilities Assets Program (SCAP) are offering an opportunity for companies with NASA SBIR/STTR Phase I and II contracts to conduct reduced-gravity testing of their technology aboard parabolic aircraft flights. Technologies must be within the TRL 4-6 range and should be ready for microgravity environment testing. This is an initial capability demonstration of parabolic aircraft flights to support technology demonstration activities. The FAST project in IPP will be offering opportunities for technology demonstration subsequent to this activity. Funding has been allocated for one flight week to demonstrate this capability, and there is opportunity during this week for SBIR/STTR technology demonstrations. Therefore, NASA SBIR/STTR companies selected will NOT be responsible for the cost of the parabolic aircraft flights. However, companies will be responsible for all other costs. Responses are due by March 28. Visit http://spacereport.blogspot.com/2008/03/parabolic-flight-opportunity-notice.html for information.

Ecliptic Enterprises and NASA Ames Collaboration in Full Swing (Source: Ecliptic)
A collaboration between entrepreneurial space firm Ecliptic Enterprises and the NASA Ames Research Center reached a notable milestone with final acceptance of the Ames-developed science payload for the LCROSS lunar mission and its shipment to Northrop Grumman for integration and testing with the LCROSS spacecraft. Ecliptic supplied the core avionics control unit -- the Data Handling Unit (DHU) -- that will be used during the LCROSS mission to control and route data from all nine onboard remote-sensing science instruments, including one of Ecliptic's RocketCam color video cameras.

ATK Progresses NASA’s Ares I First-Stage Development (Source: Flight International)
Alliant Techsystem's development work on the first stage of NASA's Ares I crew launch vehicle is progressing, with segments for the ground vibration test article already fabricated. Preparations are under way to ship hardware for the analog test flight Ares I-X to Kennedy Space Center by July. Ares I's first stage is a five-segment solid rocket boster (SRB). For ground vibration testing, ATK is to supply two five-segment stacks: one empty of the solid fuel, the other an inert version of a fuelled stack. These will be tested at Marshall Spaceflight Center in 2010. ATK has produced three of the inert stack's five segments, using them as manufacturing process pathfinders.

NASA's Popularity Rises as Vote Nears (Source: Houston Chronicle)
In the countdown to Tuesday's Texas primary, the candidates still in the race are positioning themselves as astronauts' best friends — but what they would actually do for manned space travel once elected remains up in the air. Under President Bush's current plan, the space shuttle will be retired in 2010. The new Orion moonship, developed under what is called the Constellation program, won't be ready until 2015, leaving a gap of five years. And with every candidate coming to Texas and professing devotion to NASA, space-watchers are trying to determine what the candidates actually will do when faced with a reeling economy and a record federal debt.

Clinton Statement in Support of U.S. Aerospace and Aviation (Source: SpaceRef.com)
"Our aerospace and aviation workforce is the best in the world, powered by hundreds of thousands of workers across the country, including more than 60,000 in Ohio and 180,000 in Texas. American aerospace is a flagship industry - producing an annual positive trade balance of close to $60 billion. Hillary will double NASA's and FAA's aeronautics R&D budgets as part of her plan to reverse the Bush administration's war on science. She will pursue a balanced strategy of robust human spaceflight, expanded robotic spaceflight, and enhanced space and Earth science activities. She will speed development, testing, and deployment of next-generation launch and crew exploration vehicles to replace the aging Space Shuttle program. At the same time, Hillary's innovation agenda calls for stimulating in-house research and commercial development by making the R&D tax credit permanent. She will also double federal investment in basic research, which is critical for ensuring that America is at the forefront of new ideas."

"To meet the aerospace industry's need for scientists, engineers and technicians, Hillary has called for tripling the number of NSF fellowships and other incentives for bringing more people, particularly women and minorities, into the fields of mathematics, science and engineering. Hillary will reward teachers that enter math and science disciplines and strengthen our K-12 education system to ensure we are producing the best future scientists and engineers in the world. Hillary will appoint an FAA director whose chief responsibility will be to speed a smooth transition to a Next Generation Air Transportation System. Hillary sees the Next Generation system as vital to accommodating the growth in air travel, to enhancing the safety and competitiveness of American aviation, and to improving air travel for consumers."

Some House Members Want to Increase NASA's Budget (Source: Daily Press)
House budget writers signaled Wednesday they will try to increase NASA's budget for next year, warning that President Bush's spending request would leave the aerospace agency unable to fully conduct its missions. Democratic and Republican leaders of a key House panel told NASA Administrator Michael Griffin they were uneasy with a budget that they said fails even to keep up with inflation. "You're cash-strapped," said Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-W.Va., chairman of the House Appropriations subcommittee that funds NASA. "The budget is categorized as staying the course. It doesn't seem adequate anymore."

NASA Gets Early Support for More '09 Funds (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
The federal budget process is a long and winding road that usually ends in a flurry of last-minute deals right before Christmas egg nog is passed around. With that in mind, NASA has a small reason to raise a pint on St. Patrick's Day. The Senate Budget Committee today recommended the space agency recieve $18.7 billion in 2009 funding, about $1 billion more than the $17.6 billion advocated by President Bush. Pushed by U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., the extra money would be used to partially reimburse NASA for costs it incurred after the 2003 Columbia accident. But don't hold your breath. The committee's proposal is only a guide and NASA's budget still must survive multiple committees and votes. Even then, Congress has killed efforts the last two years to add another $1 billion to NASA's budget.

Congress Comes to KSC (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
In an effort to boost NASA funding, U.S. Rep. Nick Lampson, D-Texas, will lead a congressional trip to Kennedy Space Center next week to watch the scheduled launch of space shuttle Endeavour on March 11. A Lampson aide said the congressman had recruited at least 16 members for the trip, including U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon, the Tennessee Democrat who heads the House Committee on Science and Technology. Lampson -- whose district includes the Johnson Space Center -- serves as a subcommittee chairman under Gordon.

Generation Y Seeks NASA's Embrace (Source: WIRED)
At the recent NASA Next Generation Exploration Conference at NASA Ames, two young NASA employees gave a powerful presentation called "The Gen Y Perspective"-- a set of charts they had delivered to their center management the week before that made it all the way up to the Administrator's desk. Now they were presenting it at a conference of their peers, with special guest moon walker Buzz Aldrin listening. Visit http://images.spaceref.com/news/2008/NASA.gen.y.pdf to view their presentation.

Aerospace Industry Faces Shortage of Workers (Source: AIA)
Some officials in the aerospace industry are concerned that a shortage of new workers could hurt national security or limit the industry's ability to convert military technology into commercial products. Aerospace Industries Association Chief Executive Marion Blakey said the space program could encourage young people to enter the field. "The question is: how do you encourage young kids to think of themselves as potential scientists and engineers," Blakey said. "We hope that a return to the moon and Mars will help inspire them."

Lockheed Martin Addresses Worker Shortage by Funding High School Programs (Source: AIA)
Some companies facing a shortage of workers are paying for materials and lesson plans in high schools as part of a plan to create a pipeline for new workers. Two years ago, Lockheed Martin began funding engineering courses at schools near its aircraft facility in Palmdale, California. "We're already within the window of criticality to get tomorrow's engineers in the classroom today," said Jim Knotts, Lockheed director of corporate citizenship. "We want to address a national need to develop the next generation of engineers -- but with some affinity toward Lockheed Martin."

NDIA Sponsors Survey on Security Clearances (Source: NDIA)
The National Defense Industry Association is sponsoring an online survey on security clearances for the industry's workforce. Visit http://is-nri.com/take/?i=126136&h=6KBwXArnKTK4yzqHx3-5VQ to take the confidential survey.

Lockheed Martin Completes Test of Advanced Military Communications Satellite (Source: Lockheed Martin)
Lockheed Martin has successfully completed acoustic testing of the first Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) military communications satellite. The Advanced EHF system will provide survivable, highly secure, protected, global communications for all warfighters serving under the U.S. Department of Defense. During the test, the fully integrated spacecraft was subjected to the sound and vibration levels expected during launch into orbit. The successful test was conducted at Lockheed Martin's Space Systems facilities in Sunnyvale, California. Click here for information.

Northrop, Loral Hook Up To Get U.S. Satellite Work (Source: Wall Street Journal)
Seeking to create a potentially powerful new competitor for building future U.S. government satellites, Northrop Grumman and Loral announced a strategic partnership to share certain technology and production assets. The venture aims to shake up the satellite industry by combining Northrop's history providing advanced sensors and spy-satellite systems to military, intelligence and other federal customers with Loral's track record of manufacturing lower-cost commercial satellites. If successful, the arrangement announced yesterday could cut production costs and make Northrop a more effective rival against Boeing and Lockheed Martin, the perennial top U.S. government satellite suppliers.

Lawsuit Could Delay Inmarsat Phone Service in U.S. (Source: Space News)
Inmarsat's plans to introduce a global satellite-telephone service late this year might exclude the United States because of a patent dispute with a small U.S. company, according to Inmarsat and its distribution partner, Stratos Global Corp.

Com Dev Expects Multiple Gains from MDA Sale (Source: Space News)
Satellite-component builder Com Dev of Canada expects to profit from both the sale of Canada's MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) to Alliant Techsystems (ATK) of the United States and from the Canadian protests objecting to that same deal, Com Dev Chief Executive John Keating said March 6.

One Small Step for Man, one Giant Message to the Universe (Source: PRNewswire)
The world's first ever advert is to be broadcast to extra-terrestrial life, Doritos announced today. Doritos, as part of its new 'You Make It, We Play It' initiative, is asking the British public to shoot a 30-second ad that will be beamed past the Earth's atmosphere and into the Universe, to anyone 'out there' that may be watching. The winning ad will also be aired on the more conventional medium of British television. The Doritos Broadcast Project is being undertaken in association with expert astronomers and academics from Leicester University and is also being supported by EISCAT (The European Incoherent SCATter Scientific Association), which studies solar-planetary interactions and operate a series of radar systems, including the Svalbard based transmitter.

Event Calendar

West Coast Venture Capital Conference, March 10-11

http://www.goldencapital.net/Entrepreneurs/ExecSumm_and_Slideset_Guide.asp

ASA Hearing on Export Controls, Mar 11

http://www.californiaspaceauthority.org/images/pdfs/080311-ASA-Hearing-export-controls.pdf

Lean for the Supply Chain, March 11–13

http://www.sme.org/

Small Business Fair and Conference Vandenberg AFB, March 19-20

Contact Dee Perry at 805-605-7265.

Basics of System Engineering (BASE), Apr 1-3

http://www.csewi.org/programs.html#CIC

SMC Industry Days, Apr 15-17

http://www.SMCIndustryDays.org

NASA Future Forum, April 18
http://www.regonline.com/futureforum-miami

RS6 Responsive Space Conference, Apr 28 - May 1

http://www.responsivespace.com

Responsive Access to Space Conference, May 19-23
http://www.usasymposium.com/raste/RASTEexhibitreminder.html

International Space Development Conference, May 29 - June 1
http://isdc.nss.org/2008/ -. Discount Registration to CSA Members!

Last Week’s DOD Contract Awards in California

Thales-Raytheon Systems Co. LLC, Fullerton, Calif., was awarded on March 6, 2008, a $39,725,937 firm-fixed price contract for sixteen AN/TPQ-46 antenna transceiver group and 15 each Spare AN/TPQ-36 Antenna Array Assemblies for the FIREFINDER radar program. Work will be performed in Fullerton, Calif., and is expected to be completed by Nov. 30, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. There was one bid solicited on Aug. 7, 2007, and one bid was received. The CECOM Acquisition Center, Fort Monmouth, N.J., is the contracting activity.

Science Applications International Corp. of San Diego, Calif., is being awarded an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract for $60,000,000. This action is for the follow-on architect-engineer (A-E) services for perform Title I, Title II, and other A-E services. These services are required to support Tinker Air Force Base Civil Engineer’s environmental and real property sustainment, restoration, and construction programs. Primary services include: Title I: all aspects of real property facilities, infrastructure, and environmental design and activities to support those designs including value engineering and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design analysis. Title II: all aspects of construction quality assurance and oversight of environmental, facility, and infrastructure construction projects. Other A-E Services: support for base environmental restoration, conservation and planning, and environmental quality programs including compliance and pollution prevention.   At this time $32,906.06 (SAIC), $81,781.48 (CH2M Hill), $24,854.80 (URS Group) and $55,146.21 (Cherokee CRC) has been obligated.  72nd Contracting Squadron, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., is the contracting activity.

Pacific Ship Repair & Fabrication, San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $10,979,089 firm-fixed-price contract for a post shipyard availability of Military Sealift Fleet Support Command dry cargo/ammunition ship USNS Richard E. Byrd (T-AKE 4).  This availability primarily accomplishes post-construction alterations, including conversions to the bakery, galley and scullery, as well as modifications to the second deck cargo hold and bow thruster chilled-water piping system. The ship is expected to deploy on its first operational mission this summer and will deliver ammunition, provisions, stores, spare parts, potable water and petroleum products to the Navy’s carrier strike groups and other naval forces worldwide. The contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the total contract value to $12,736,666. Work will be performed by Pacific Ship Repair & Fabrication at the General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard in San Diego, Calif., and work is expected to be completed by June 2008. Contract funds will expire at the end of the fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with three offers received. The U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Fleet Support Command, a field activity of Military Sealift Command, is the contracting authority.

Rogers-Quinn Construction, Inc., Bonsall, Calif., is being awarded a $14,793,600 firm-fixed-price contract to design and build a temporary lodging facility at Area 20, Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton. The new multiple story facility will include 48 guest rooms and 21 suites, with outdoor patios/balconies, main entrance, a reception area with guest services counter, a small sundry store, administration offices, a combined breakfast/lounge/ business center area with service pantry and outdoor patio, an exercise room, guest laundry facilities, commercial laundry, furniture and collateral equipment, parking, exterior amenities such as a children’s playground and landscaping, and will include all services, labor, materials and equipment necessary to complete the work as described in the request for proposal. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed by May 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured using a selected bidders list with five offers solicited and three proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Ft. Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $57,775,399 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-award-fee contract (N00019-02-C-3002). This modification exercises an option for the Electronic Warfare Verification Station for the U.S. Reprogramming Laboratory (USRL) at Eglin Air Force Base. This option provides for the development, integration, installation, and training for an electronic warfare mission data validation/verification capability under the Joint Strike Fighter System Development and Demonstration Program. Work will be performed in Ft. Worth, Texas, (68 percent); Orlando, Fla., (24 percent); and El Segundo, Calif., (8 percent), and is expected to be completed in Oct. 2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.

Thales-Raytheon Systems Co., LLC, Fullerton, Calif., was awarded on Feb. 29, 2008, a $68,280,383.00 a firm-fixed prices/cost-plus fixed fee contract for the implementation of the Sentinel life cycle contractor support. Work will be performed in Fullerton, Calif., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. There was one bid solicited on Aug. 9, 2007, and one bid was received. The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, San Diego, Calif., was awarded on Feb. 28, 2008, an $18,666,000 cost-plus incentive fee contract for incremental funding for system development and demonstration for the extended range/multi-purpose unmanned aerial vehicle. Work will be performed in San Diego, Adelanto, Calif., Palmdale, Calif., Salt Lake City, Hunt Valley, Md., and Huntsville, Ala., and is expected to be completed by Aug. 31, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. There were 120 bids solicited on Sep. 1, 2004, and three bids were received. The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity.

Innovative Technical Solutions, Inc., Walnut Creek, Calif., was awarded on Feb. 29, 2008, a $13,408,475 firm-fixed price-best value contract for renovation of dormitories at FE Warren AFB, Wyo. Work will be performed at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo. and is expected to be completed by Jun. 15, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Bids were solicited on the web on Oct. 19, 2008, and seven bids were received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District, Omaha, Neb., is the contracting activity.

Science Applications International Corp., of San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a contract modification for $47,596,653. The purpose of this modification is to exercise option one, CLIN 0004 entitled, “Global Positioning Systems Wing System Engineering and Integration.” At this time $33,958,284 has been obligated. SMC/GPK, El Segundo, Calif., is the contracting activity.