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July 14, 2008
America Losing its Lead in the
Space Race
(Source: Telegraph)
America is losing its lead in the
space race as other countries challenge its dominance on the "final
frontier", the head of NASA has warned. The more obvious rivals such as
Russia and Europe have been joined by countries as diverse as Brazil,
Israel and India, which are all launching their own space programs. A
recent report on international space competitiveness by Futron, an
American technology consultancy, concluded that "systemic and
competitive forces threaten US space leadership". America had failed to
keep track of how quickly the "globalization" of space was occurring,
the study said. Meanwhile, as Asians and Europeans became increasingly
enthusiastic about manned space exploration, public interest in the US
was "limited", said the study. In 1998, the US launched 121 new
satellites but that number had fallen to 53 - about 50 per cent of the
total - by 2007. (7/10)
U.S. Dominance in Space Slips as Other Nations Step Up Efforts
(Source: Washington Post)
Space, like Earth below, is globalizing. And as it does, America's
long-held superiority in exploring, exploiting and commercializing "the
final frontier" is slipping away, many experts believe. Although the
United States remains dominant in most space-related fields -- and owns
half the military satellites currently orbiting Earth -- experts say
the nation's superiority is diminishing, and many other nations are
expanding their civilian and commercial space capabilities at a far
faster pace. Visit http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/08/AR2008070803185.html to view the article. (7/9)
Editorial: NASA Needs Steady Budget Allocations (Source:
Florida Today)
He's the boss of NASA's Constellation program, charged with building a
new fleet of spacecraft to take astronauts back the moon, and he cut to
the chase during a recent luncheon talk. He said a current move in
Congress to boost NASA's funding $2 billion next year is great. But it
won't close the five-year gap between the last shuttle flight in 2010
and Constellation's start in 2015 because budget shortfalls have
already slowed the project. And it's too large and complex an animal to
be sped-up with the same ease as pushing your foot down harder on the
gas pedal. Click here to view the article.
(7/10)
CSA Provides Status of Federal Aerospace Legislation
(Source: CSA)
The California Space Authority provides information regarding pending
federal legislation and policy of interest to the space enterprise
community that has been introduced during the 110th session of Congress
which began in January 2007 and will conclude in December 2008. A brief
summary of the legislation, including current status, is posted at http://www.californiaspaceauthority.org/html/government_pages/fed-agenda-bills_080709.html. (7/11)
House Passes Bills
Commemorating NASA's 50th Anniversary, First Woman in Space (Source: CSA)
The House of Representatives today passed bills commemorating the 50th
Anniversary of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA), and honoring the first American woman to go into space.
Committee Member, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), offered H.Res. 1315,
commemorating the 50th anniversary of NASA, which was established on
July 29, 1958. Specifically, the resolution honors the dedicated
workforce at NASA, acknowledges the value of NASA's many discoveries
and accomplishments, and pledges to maintain America's position as the
world leader in aeronautics and space exploration and technology. (6/18)
NASA and ESA Complete Comparative Exploration Architecture
Study (Source: NASA)
Over the last 6 months, representatives from NASA and the European
Space Agency, or ESA, have been engaged in a detailed assessment of
potential programs and technologies that when conducted cooperatively
could one day support a human outpost on the moon. Findings from the
study included a significant mutual interest in the potential
development of lunar cargo landing systems, communication and
navigation systems, lunar orbital infrastructures, and lunar surface
systems, such as habitats or mobility systems. The study also
identified the significant value gained from redundant human crew
transportation capability. (7/10)
Study: Mars Sample Return
Would Take 10 Years, Cost $5 Billion-Plus (Source: Space News)
An international assessment of what it will take to mount a Mars sample
return mission concluded that it will take at least 10 years of
preparation once the mission is decided and roughly $5 billion to $8
billion or more to carry it out. Designing and selecting sites for
sample return facilities, creating a rocket to blast off from Mars to
return the samples, technology-transfer barriers and politically
motivated national pride add to the financial issues to make such a
mission a challenge, the members of the International Mars Architecture
for the Return of Samples (iMARS) Working Group concluded. (7/12)
Before Mars We Should Remember Wasted Efforts Finding North
Pole (Source: History News Network)
A century ago, the North Pole remained one of the last unknown regions
of the planet, a place that burned in the hearts of dozens of
explorers. Walter Wellman’s heart burned brighter than most. In the
1890s, this Chicago newspaperman led two ill-fated expeditions in the
Arctic, where ice crushed his ships, killed his dogs, and fractured his
leg so badly it turned gangrenous. These disasters capped a series of
tragic American expeditions to the Arctic, two of which resulted in the
deaths of 37 men.
Wellman’s story is worth taking seriously, especially as the United
States gears up to replace the aging shuttle fleet. NASA’s course, like
Wellman’s, has been shaped by tragic events. The destruction of
Challenger in 1986 and Columbia in 2003 brought about much soul
searching, and strengthened the agency’s commitment to safety. Yet NASA
has focused most of its attention on improving the methods of
exploration, rather than assessing its merits. Visit http://www.hnn.us/articles/51386.html to view the article. (7/7)
Mars Lander Runs Into Tough Digging (Source: Space.com)
NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander has hit a roadblock while trying to scoop a
sample of dirt into one of its ovens. For the past day, Phoenix has
been using its robotic arm to scrape away at a hard icy surface on the
red planet, trying to claw enough dirt out to pour into its onboard
instrument. So far, it has only accumulated small piles of shavings,
which it has not been able to scoop into the oven. (7/10)
UK Mars Rover Hopes Face Set-Back (Source: BBC)
Has a wheel just come off Britain's participation in the biggest
European space mission of the next decade? Funding for UK-led
experiments on the ExoMars rover and lander is to be cut by 25% in
their key development phase. The one-billion-euro mission to search for
life on the Red Planet has always been touted as the one project that
plays to all of Britain's strengths. Now, unless researchers can find
extra funds or reduce costs, some of them are certain to miss the
flagship mission. (7/7)
Scientists Pondering
Capacity for Critters on Red Planet (Source: Journal Gazette)
“Is there life on Mars?” future rock star David Bowie asked in a 1971
song. Probably not, came the resounding chorus of scientists. No water,
they said. No oxygen. Too cold. They are starting to change their tune.
In recent years, U.S. and European spacecraft cameras spied ice on
Mars. This summer, NASA’s scoot-around lab known as the Phoenix lander
is digging near the Red Planet’s north pole in search of possible signs
that life might have existed in the past. Evidence, even if ancient,
would certainly astonish Mars’ human neighbors, many of whom have
suspected that Earth alone in our solar system – and perhaps the
universe – can nurture life forms. (7/13)
NASA Must Iron Out the Kinks in Space Sex to Settle on Mars
(Source: Telegraph)
Dr Jason Kring said astronauts might have to emulate polar explorers
and take a colleague as a lover for the duration of their three-year
mission, to minimize sexual frustration. Dr Kring, who is studying the
best sex balance of crews for the next wave of space travel, is an
assistant professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida.
The university counts several astronauts and fighter pilots among its
former students. His findings are due to be published by NASA’s history
division. Click here to view the article.
(7/12)
For Better or Worse, Sex in Space Is Inevitable (Source:
Space.com)
Weddings in space could be right around the corner, and experts figure
the inevitable cosmic consummation will be just around the next corner.
The Japanese firm First Advantage and the U.S.-based private
spaceflight firm Rocketplane Global, Inc., announced last week they
will host weddings in space for about $2.3 million (240 million yen)
apiece. For all we know, sex in space has already taken place. But NASA
officials aren't talking about that much. (7/7)
Space Foods (Source: Discovery Channel)
These days, eating food in space is not only an art form, but a
science. Aside from canned goods, most items are dehydrated to extend
shelf life and can be revived with a special machine -- nothing you'd
find in Star Trek, but it gets the job done. With no refrigerator and
no freezer aboard the International Space Station, space cuisine is a
bit of a challenge. Not that anyone's complaining -- the ambiance of
orbital dining apparently more than compensates for lackluster meals.
But astronauts have a few standby favorites as well as the occasional
special treat. Visit http://dsc.discovery.com/space/top-10/space-10-space-food.html to view the article.
(7/8)
The Moonbots Have Landed (Source: New Scientist)
In 1976, four years after the final Apollo mission, a 6-ton spacecraft
landed on the moon in the Mare Crisium. Over the course of a single
day, it sent back spectacular pictures of the lunar surface, gathered
rock samples and then blasted off for the journey home. Luna 24 was an
uncrewed Russian sample-return mission, the last of only three to make
it safely home. In the bizarre logic of cold war politics, the Luna
missions were seen as a defeat for Russia in the battle to reach the
moon because they were mere robots. In reality, Luna was a stupendous
technical achievement. Luna 17 and 21 deployed the first automated
extraterrestrial rovers, and they survived for months and traveled for
several kilometers across the lunar surface. Luna 16, 20 and 24 are
still the only robotic missions to have brought back soil samples from
the Moon. (7/11)
Could Hubble Photograph Lunar Footprints? (Source: Popular
Science)
Snug in Earth’s orbit, Hubble is free from the background glare that
earthly telescopes must fight to see the stars. This allows its
supersensitive camera to take better photos of galaxies farther
away—and thus much dimmer—than any optical telescope on the ground can.
But despite being closer to the moon than any other telescope, there’s
no way the scope could snap a photo of that one small step man took 40
years ago. Considering the distance to the moon and the resolving power
of Hubble’s eight-foot-wide main mirror, one pixel in the
highest-resolution image that the scope can take of the moon would be
about the size of a football field, says Hubble astronomer Frank
Summers of the Space Telescope Science Institute. (7/11)
China Almost Done with Map of Moon Surface (Source: Xinhua)
China had collected all the data needed to draw its first full map of
the moon surface and was almost done with the mapping work. The Chang'e
-1 lunar probe, launched on October 24 last year, was running sound and
well. The future of the Chang'e-1, after the end of its one-year stay
on the orbit, had not been decided, and each and every system of the
orbiter is working normally. (7/7)
Online Casino Reports Bets on Lunar Gambling (Source: PR
Web)
Online Casino Reports lays a bet on the future of casino gambling, and
donates to charity on the way. The online gambling portal has taken
odds betting to a new realm entirely by placing a predictive wager on
futuristic odds betting site, Long Bets, stating that there will be a
casino on the moon by 2040. The prediction states that space tourism
will be with us sooner than we think. And as gambling is gradually
becoming more widespread and socially acceptable, it is not out of the
question to expect a casino to arrive on the moon within the next
thirty years. (7/10)
Water on the Moon (Source: Guardian)
An analysis of moon rocks collected during the Apollo missions by Brown
University researchers has found much higher levels of water than
scientists had expected. The study increases the possibility that there
are significant deposits of water trapped in rocks at the moon's poles,
which would be invaluable for astronauts setting up a future permanent
base. Finding water was a surprise because scientists believe the moon
formed when a Mars-sized planet collided with the infant Earth. (7/10)
Scientists 'Astonished' by
Signs of Water on Mercury (Source: Scripps Howard
News Service)
A flyby by a NASA probe has settled a decades-old debate among
scientists about Mercury's surface and led to a startling discovery
about the planet. The trip has provided scientists with evidence that
lava flows and other volcanic activity helped shape the planet's
surface and revealed the possible existence of water. (7/8)
Saturn Surprises Spur Cassini Mission Reprise (Source:
Space.com)
Saturn's rings and moons turned out wilder than any scientist could
have imagined, but unknowns remain as the Cassini spacecraft concludes
its primary mission and embarks on a new one. "One of the greatest
surprises about Cassini's science results is that some of the most
extreme predictions have turned out to be correct," said Bob
Pappalardo, a geologist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in
Pasadena, Calif., who recently signed on as Cassini project scientist.
(7/7)
What Makes Earth Special Compared to Other Planets?
(Source: Space.com)
Earth is one special planet. It has liquid water, plate tectonics, and
an atmosphere that shelters it from the worst of the sun's rays. But
many scientists agree our planet's most special feature might just be
us. The fact that Earth hosts not just life, but intelligent life,
makes it doubly unique. And the planet's intelligent life (humanity)
has even developed rockets that enable travel beyond the planet. Visit http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/080708-st-special-earth.html to view the article. (7/8)
Telescope Reveals Young Galaxy with Surprising Star Formation
Rate (Source: Science News)
Talk about a baby boom. Using several telescopes ranging from radio to
the infrared, astronomers have discovered that a remote galaxy, 12.3
billion light-years away, is churning out 1,000 to 4,000 newborn stars
a year. That makes the galaxy, seen as it appeared just when the cosmos
was just 1.3 billion years old, the star-forming champ among galaxies
in the early universe. In contrast, the modern Milky Way makes only
about 10 new stars a year. Dubbed Baby Boom, the galaxy is thought to
be an amalgam of galaxies that have smashed together, producing the
prodigious star formation rate. (7/10)
More Money Likely Won't Close the Gap (Source: Florida
Today)
The manager of the NASA's Constellation Program, Jeff Hanley, said he
is encouraged by a movement in Congress to increase NASA's funding,
however, he doubts increased funding can accelerate the program. Hanley
said increased appropriations would not significantly narrow the gap
between the end of the shuttle program in 2010 and the first crewed
Constellation flight in 2014, a time when the U.S. will have no manned
spaceflight program. (7/8)
NASA Sets Dates for
Remaining Shuttle Launches (Source: NASA)
Following a detailed, integrated assessment, NASA selected target
launch dates for the remaining eight space shuttle missions on the
current manifest in 2009 and 2010. The manifest includes one flight to
the Hubble Space Telescope, seven assembly flights to the International
Space Station, and two station contingency flights, planned to be
completed before the end of fiscal year 2010. The dates are: Feb. 12.
2009; May 15, 2009; July 30, 2009; Oct. 15, 2009; Dec. 10, 2009; Feb.
11, 2010; Apr. 8, 2010; and May 31, 2010. (7/7)
Pad 39A Repairs on Schedule (Source: Florida Today)
The 25-foot by 70-foot gash in the flame trench has been expanded to
make repair easier. The gash in the aging protective wall at Pad 39A
was caused by the six million pounds of thrust that came from the
shuttle during the last launch. Some 5,200 bricks were blown loose and
scattered up to and beyond the 1,800-foot perimeter fence.
A complete segment of the protective wall below the launch pad has been
cleared of fire brick. Girders with wire mesh will be attached and a
flame retardant material will be sprayed on the wall. NASA officials
say the work will be complete well in advance of the launch of Atlantis
on a mission to refurbish the Hubble Space Telescope in early October.
(7/10)
Stennis Riding NASA Propulsion Testing Into Future
(Source: Sun Herald)
Bob Cabana, the director of Stennis Space Center, has a unique
perspective on the space agency's history, current work and future.
He's flown in space four times and has served as chief of NASA's
astronaut office. Visit http://www.sunherald.com/business/story/680909.html
to view a Q&A interview with Cabana. (7/13)
Lt. Gov. Folsom: Alabama's Bright Aerospace Future
(Source: Birmingham Business Journal)
Alabama has a rich history in aerospace, aviation and defense.
Typically, the term aerospace is used to refer to the industries that
research, design, manufacture, operate and maintain vehicles moving
through air and space. My office recently participated in the annual
meeting of the Alabama Aerospace Industry Association in Mobile. The
conference was a showcase of the positive statewide impact this
industry is having in Alabama.
People around the country are recognizing the great value aerospace
adds to Alabama and the role we have played in the industry. I have
been honored to serve as national vice chairman of the Aerospace States
Association, a national organization focused on the promotion of
aerospace and aerospace-related issues. It gives me great pride to
represent Alabama aerospace on this national committee comprised of
lieutenant governors and their representatives from across the country.
(6/27)
DOD Will Rebid Tanker Contract (Source: AIA)
The DOD said Wednesday it will reopen the bidding for a contract, which
could be worth as much as $100 billion over 20 years, to replace the
Air Force's fleet of aerial refueling tankers. Top officials indicated
they want the competition conducted quickly, and the Air Force plans to
issue a revised request for proposals late this month or in August. The
Air Force chose a team led by Northrop Grumman, and Boeing protested
the award. A Government Accountability Office report later found the
Air Force made serious errors during the contract competition. (7/10)
500 Florida Jobs For NASA
Workers Could Go Elsewhere (Source: WESH)
The Pentagon is holding off on plans to build military tanker planes in
Melbourne and reopening bids on the project. The plans would've brought
500 new high-tech jobs along the Space Coast just as NASA's shuttle
program was ending. Officials said that, at best, the local project
will be delayed. At worst, jobs perfect for laid-off NASA workers could
go elsewhere. A local job agency is open late and doing a lot of
business with all the people looking for work. Now, there are fewer
jobs on the horizon. (7/10)
Orlando Rocket Firm Wins Air Force Sounding Rocket Contract
(Source: L-3 Coleman)
L-3 Coleman Aerospace has won an Air Force contract for the Sounding
Rocket Program-3 (SRP-3). Coleman will support the Space and Missile
Systems Center (SMC), Space Development and Test Wing for this
follow-on to the existing SRP-2 program. The contract will be performed
over a seven-year period beginning in March 2008.
Coleman will provide launch systems and services for sub-orbital
ballistic trajectories in support of U.S. Air Force and other
government customer experiments that are limited to a “down range”
capability of less than 5,500 km. Launches may occur from any
government or commercial range worldwide and may be land, air or sea
based. Coleman Aerospace will provide development, acquisition and
delivery of missile guidance and control systems, payload systems,
launch vehicle instrumentation systems, flight software, reentry
vehicle configurations, test range support and associated launch
services necessary to accomplish the SMC mission. (7/7)
EG&G Wins NASA Marshall Support Contract (Source: San
Francisco Business Times)
Engineering giant URS Corp., through its EG&G division, won a
contract from NASA to support work at the Marshall Space Flight Center
in Alabama. EG&G will do maintenance and operate facilities at the
center, in Huntsville, in Northern Alabama, just a few miles south of
the Tennessee border. The one year contract has four option years and
is worth a maximum of $153 million. EG&G has done similar work at
the center for 11 years. (7/11)
Magellan Aerospace Wins Lockheed Martin Orion Contract
(Source: SpaceDaily.com)
Magellan Aerospace has been awarded a contract to build the development
heat shields for the Orion Space Shuttle replacement program by
Lockheed Martin Space Systems Division in Denver, Colorado. Magellan's
Aeronca facility in Middletown, Ohio, will develop the lightweight
titanium honeycomb heat shield panels that help protect the space
capsule from temperature extremes. (7/10)
Stakeholders Meet to Ensure Longevity of Space Station
(Source: Space News)
With assembly of the international space station nearing completion,
the major investors — the United States, Russia, the European Space
Agency (ESA), Japan and Canada — are discussing ways to ensure that
neither the U.S. Vision for Space Exploration nor the ostensible
15-year design life of some early station hardware forces an early
retirement of the multibillion-dollar facility.
At a meeting of the station partners last week, a big topic was the
engineering and financial measures that will need to be taken to keep
the station operating until around 2020 and perhaps beyond. NASA
officials in recent months have sought to reassure their partners that
the end of operations of the U.S. space shuttle in 2010, and the
increasing budget focus of NASA on lunar and Mars exploration, will not
cause the United States to withdraw from the station and leave the
partners with the costs of operating the facility. (7/12)
Editorial: It's All Decked Out, Give It Somewhere to Go
(Source: Washington Post)
Consider the International Space Station, that marvel of incremental
engineering. It has close to 15,000 cubic feet of livable space; 10
modules, or living and working areas; a Canadian robot arm that can
repair the station from outside; and the capacity to keep five
astronauts (including the occasional wealthy rubbernecking space
tourist) in good health for long periods. It has gleaming, underused
laboratories; its bathroom is fully repaired; and its exercycle is
ready for vigorous mandatory workouts.
The only problem with this $156 billion manifestation of human genius
-- a project as large as a football field that has been called the
single most expensive thing ever built -- is that it's still going
nowhere at a very high rate of speed. And as a scientific research
platform, it still has virtually no purpose and is accomplishing
nothing. Visit http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/11/AR2008071102394.html to view the editorial.
(7/12)
NASA Extends Space Station Cargo Delivery Contract
(Source: NASA)
NASA has awarded Lockheed Martin Integrated Systems Inc. in Houston, a
one-year contract extension valued at $42 million to provide
integration services for cargo delivery to and from the International
Space Station. Lockheed Martin has held the station's cargo mission
contract since January 2004. The one-year extension will bring the
total value of the contract to $338 million. (7/8)
Station Spacewalkers to Cut Open Soyuz and Remove Pyrobolt
(Source: Spaceflight Now)
Cosmonauts Sergei Volkov and Oleg Kononenko are preparing for a
dramatic spacewalk Thursday to cut through insulation and remove an
explosive bolt from their Soyuz re-entry craft. The goal is to help
Russian engineers figure out what caused back-to-back module separation
problems during the two most recent Soyuz re-entries - and to make sure
the Soyuz now attached to the international space station will work
properly when it carries Volkov, Kononenko and U.S. space tourist
Richard Garriott back to Earth in October. (7/10)
Price of Soyuz Jumps by 50% (Source: Space News)
The first Russian Soyuz rocket launch from Europe's South American
spaceport is still a year away but the vehicle's pricing already
reflects the sharp increase in the price of launch vehicles in the past
three years, according to European government and industry officials.
The vehicle's sticker price has jumped by 50 percent during the period,
they said. (7/12)
Worms May Yield Salmonella Vaccine (Source: Florida Today)
As the salmonella scare worsens and Florida's tomato industry suffers,
SPACEHAB Inc. and its partners are preparing to ask the Food and Drug
Administration's permission to conduct human tests of a salmonella
vaccine developed partly in space. On the past two shuttle missions,
several strains of salmonella were used to attack microscopic worms.
The bacteria becomes more virulent in space, and the experiment helped
researchers shorten the process of deciding which salmonella strain was
right to make the vaccine.
While a salmonella vaccine could be beneficial for the world and
profitable for Spacehab, it is simply a test case to prove the
technique of making vaccines quickly in space. "Our focus is to develop
an ongoing vaccine development model," said Spacehab's president.
"Salmonella happens to be the first in the pipeline. "The reason we
choose salmonella really wasn't about the market value of the vaccine
itself," Royston added. "It was to be quickest to market with it and
then get the others in the pipeline." (7/12)
UA Mars Scientists Are Time/Fatigue Guinea Pigs (Source:
Tucson Citizen)
It was a simple question: Can you tell me the time? The answer, as Mads
Ellehoj discovered, wasn't so simple. "I said I didn't have a watch,
and she pointed to this one and said, 'What's that then?' " Ellehoj
recalled, displaying the fake wristwatch on his arm. "I had to explain
the whole thing about Mars." About 150 scientists at the University of
Arizona have worked on Martian time since the Phoenix Mars Lander
touched down successfully on May 25. Harvard sleep specialists are
studying some of them, and what they learn might help others working
unusual schedules, including those most responsible for earthling
safety: doctors, police and firefighters. (7/12)
NSF Grant Helping UA to Transform Astronomy Education
(Source: UA)
The University of Arizona’s Steward Observatory Center for Astronomy
Education has been awarded the National Science Foundation’s largest
undergraduate education grant – the Phase 3 Course, Curriculum, and
Laboratory Improvement grant. The center's team received $2 million in
funding from the NSF to develop its Collaboration of Astronomy Teaching
Scholars, or CATS, program. (7/8)
College Students Design Future Aircraft in NASA Competition
(Source: NASA)
Sixty-one students from 14 colleges and universities around the globe
have imagined what the next generation of airliners and cargo planes
may look like. Fourteen teams and two individual students submitted
their designs in the annual competition sponsored by NASA's Fundamental
Aeronautics Program, part of the agency's Aeronautics Research Mission
Directorate. The highest scoring graduate team was from Georgia Tech in
Atlanta. Undergraduate team honors went to Virginia Tech in Blacksburg,
Va. (7/7)
South Dakota Scientist Lands NASA Grant to Link Satellite
Data, Internet (Source: AIA)
Scientists at South Dakota State University have received a NASA grant
that will help them develop a way to make satellite data easier to use
and access through the Internet. The scientists will collaborate with
the Center for Earth Resources Observations and Science, the main
federal repository for satellite images. (7/7)
UT Studies in Zero-Gravity (Source: Daily Texan)
A group of aerospace engineering students will float in an aircraft
30,000 feet in the air, experiencing a zero-gravity environment, to
conduct experiments over the Gulf of Mexico. The seven-member UT
Microgravity Team will travel to Johnson Space Center's Ellington
Field, about 15 miles outside of Houston, on Thursday to undergo
training and simulation before boarding NASA's "Weightless Wonder"
aircraft. Some members of the team will board the aircraft on July 17
and 18, where they will test the behavior of nanosatellites - smaller
satellites that perform the same functions as their full-sized
counterparts. (7/9)
Artists Get Creative in Vomit Comet (Source: CBS News)
Three British artists tried Tuesday to make art in zero gravity - one
used the cat and a mouse for a performance piece - aboard an aircraft
used to train cosmonauts, but only one completed his work. The other
two artists felt ill. Visit http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/07/08/tech/main4242885.shtml to view the article. (7/8)
Galileo Key to European Defense, Says Parliament (Source:
GPS World)
While the European Parliament agrees that European space policy should
not support the weaponization of space, it nevertheless recognizes the
need for Galileo to serve the European Union's defense and security — a
change from its earlier stance on the issue. Galileo proponents
originally envisioned the European GNSS as existing completely in and
for the civilian realm — one of the chief arguments for Galileo has
been the fact that GPS is administered by the U.S. military. In fact
the European Parliament in the past has rejected resolutions or
legislation that hinted at a military role for Galileo. But with Europe
having settled on public funding for the project, on Thursday it
recognized the role of Galileo to European defense and military
interests in space, effectively changing its collective mind. (7/12)
Galileo Leads the Race Against Russia's Glonass (Source:
RIA Novosti)
The European Commission has decided to start buying satellites and
ground-based equipment for its Galileo satellite navigation project. By
2010, the system should comprise 30 satellites and a ramified ground
infrastructure. Europe's independence from the U.S. Global Positioning
System (GPS) will cost it 3.4 billion euros by 2013. But the European
Commission thinks it is worth it. Good for Europe, but what about
Russia's Glonass? In the mid-2000s it was declared a priority national
project and a successful commercial undertaking capable of rivaling
Europe's Galileo and America's GPS. In the past few years, though, we
have seen that it cannot rival either. Moreover, it is not clear why
Glonass is not progressing as fast as it should. Visit http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20080710/113714563.html to view the article.
(7/10)
USAF Says Troops Getting Better Satellite Data Access
(Source: Space News)
U.S. troops deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan recently have seen
improvements in their access to military space assets as a result of
procedural improvements made by the U.S. Air Force, according to a
senior Air Force space official. (7/12)
Spending Plan Appeases UK Physicists (Source: Nature News)
The United Kingdom's Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC),
met to discuss the plan for dealing with a large hole in the UK physics
budget. The STFC is the main funding body for astronomy, nuclear- and
high-energy physics in Britain. In December 2007, the STFC shocked the
physics community by announcing an £80 million (US$158 million) cut to
both budgets and involvement in international programs. Since then,
work has been done to re-arrange the available funds in a way the might
better suit all. The result seems to be a grudging acceptance of a new
plan that protects funding for Jodrell Bank program. (7/8)
India and French Space Agencies Ink Pact (Source: The
Hindu)
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the French Space
Agency Center, National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES), have recently signed
an agreement on the policy for distribution of data received from Megha
Tropiques, an Indo-French collaborative satellite for tropical weather
monitoring scheduled for launch during 2009. (7/8)
India's Space Program Thrives (Source: IT Examiner)
Dr Vikram Sarabhai, the father of the Indian space program, once said
that there are some who question the relevance of space activities in a
developing nation. Indeed, until recently, India never dreamed of
competing with more economically-advanced nations at exploration of the
moon or the planets or manned space-flight. But the space fraternity
was always confident about India’s potential in playing a meaningful
role nationally and internationally, and now this confidence is bearing
fruit, with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) reaching out
to the global market. (7/7)
India Advances Capsule Work (Source: Flight International)
The Indian Space Research Organization has carried out a feasibility
study for an orbital vehicle for up to three crew launching to a 400km
(248 miles) low-Earth orbit. ISRO has budgeted Rp1 billion ($23
million) for initial work. With Indian government approval considered
imminent, the program could start by the year's end. An Indian capsule
would be launched using the country's MkIII three-stage geosynchronous
satellite launch vehicle, which is capable of placing 10,000kg
(22,000lb) into LEO and expected to be ready by 2010. (7/8)
Two Satellites in Orbit After Good Ride on Ariane 5
(Source: SpaceFlightNow.com)
An Ariane 5 rocket roared out of its jungle launch base Monday to put
Arab and Asian commercial communications satellites into space, marking
yet another successful ascent for the heavy-duty booster. (7/7)
Swerve Left to Avoid That Satellite (Source: Tel Aviv
University)
Think you have trouble getting rid of the clutter in your living room?
After more than 50 years of launching rockets and satellites into
space, the human race now has to deal with the clutter left behind --
or is it "above"? Dead satellites, spent rocket stages, paint flakes,
and coolant from nuclear-powered satellites continue to orbit the Earth
at ultrahigh velocities. It's a serious subject. Space debris threatens
the lives of astronauts and the launch of new satellites today, says
Dr. Noam Eliaz at Tel Aviv University. An expert in materials science
and engineering, Dr. Eliaz is working with a team at Soreq NRC to
create and test new materials to make the heavens safer for satellites
and astronauts alike. (7/10)
Where's My Rocketship? (Source: Space Review)
Four years after SpaceShipOne soared into space, the promise of a
vibrant suborbital space tourism industry remains unrealized as vehicle
development plans are delayed or fail outright. Jeff Foust studies the
current state of the industry and looks for common factors that could
explain the delays. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1165/1 to view the article. (7/7)
SpaceX Dragon
Demonstration Development Vehicle Nears Completion (Source: Flight
International)
Development work for Space Exploration Technologies' first Dragon
flight vehicle should be completed by the end of the year. The vehicle
will be used for SpaceX's first of three demonstration flights of its
Falcon 9 rocket, Dragon spacecraft launch system for NASA's commercial
orbital transport services program. The 5h flight will take place in
2009 and will be one of the first four launches for Falcon 9. (7/9)
Sea Launch Prepares for Next Launch (Source: AP)
Sea Launch Co.'s oceangoing rocket platform and command ship are en
route to the equatorial Pacific to launch a satellite for Dish Network
Corp. Long Beach-based Sea Launch says liftoff of the EchoStar 11
satellite is planned for July 15. The satellite was built by Space
Systems/Loral of Palo Alto, Calif., and is designed to last 15 years.
(7/10)
Sea Launch Transitions to New Leadership (Source: Sea
Launch)
The Sea Launch Board of Directors has appointed Kjell Karlsen as
President and General Manager. Karlsen replaces Robert A. Peckham, who
will be pursuing other opportunities within The Boeing Company. Kjell
Karlsen joined the Sea Launch team in 1999, as Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer. He has been overseeing finance, accounting,
taxation, contracts, pricing, insurance, customer finance, and
enterprise and partner services. (7/8)
Sea Launch Follows a Unique but Successful Path to Space
(Source: Spaceflight Now)
Sea Launch engineers say the three-week round-trip journey across the
Pacific Ocean is the most rewarding part of their jobs. The cruise is
the culmination of nearly two months of work preparing the rocket,
payload and launch teams for the mission. Prior to operations at Home
Port, about 18 months goes into the planning, flight design and
logistics. Visit http://www.spaceflightnow.com/sealaunch/echostar11/tour/ to view the article. (7/9)
Lockheed: U.S. Must Pay
for Rocket-Test Cleanup (Source: Washington Times)
One of the nation's largest federal defense contractors says the U.S.
government should pay the cleanup costs - likely in the tens of
millions of dollars or more - from pollutants leaked during the
production and testing of U.S. military and space rockets.
Federal policies at one former Lockheed Propulsion Co. rocket plant in
California allowed for burning toxic chemical waste in open, unlined
dirt pits during the 1970s, according to a lawsuit that Lockheed Martin
Corp. filed against the U.S. government. The practice has been linked
to pollution in groundwater and soil. (7/7)
Quintron Provides Communication System for Delta II
(Source: CSA)
Quintron Systems, the recognized leader in advanced interoperable voice
systems and physical access control/intrusion detection systems,
participated in the successful launch of the United Launch Alliance
(ULA) Delta II rocket from Vandenberg AFB with the NASA Ocean Surface
Topography from Space Mission (OSTM) / Jason 2 spacecraft payload. ULA
voice communications was provided by the Quintron DICES equipment, now
in the tenth year of operation for the Delta II launch vehicle at VAFB.
In addition to DICES, Quintron engineers and technicians provide
on-going pad operations support, including closed-circuit television
distribution, range and vehicle safety systems, and related control
system transmission and distribution across the VAFB operating theater.
(7/9)
ViaSat Opens Office in Tampa (Source: Tampa Bay Business
Journal)
With plans to hire up to 20 employees by the end of the year, ViaSat
Inc. is set to open a new 6,000-square-foot office near the Tampa
International Airport. ViaSat typically provides military
communications through satellites. The Tampa location will be the
company's 11th in the U.S. and will focus primarily on information
assurance products that protect classified military and defense data
while in transit over IP networks either when crossing classification
domains or at rest on hard drives.
"Tampa is an ideal location for us because it is close to ViaSat
customers and the region is a strong source of experienced engineers
with Type 1 security clearance," said a ViaSat official. Fred Rhyne,
director of the Tampa office, said the location of four major
universities in the general region will help feed the talent needed to
run ViaSat's location. In 2007, ViaSat signed a $33.5 million contract
with Harris Corp. in Melbourne to construct additional hardware to be
integrated into the Multifunctional Information Distribution Systems
terminals that provide the U.S. military with secure, jam-resistant,
digital tactical communications. (7/10)
Long Wait for Satellite Radio Deal May End Soon (Source:
AP)
Sirius Satellite Radio's acquisition of rival XM Satellite Radio
Holdings may be cleared by federal regulators this month, and it can't
happen fast enough for XM. As the regulatory review drags on, the
company is struggling to add enough new listeners to cover its massive
operating costs, and slumping automobile sales further dim future
prospects. Analysts say lobbying by traditional broadcasters opposed to
the deal is one reason the regulatory review is taking so long. (7/7)
Rascomstar Orders Replacement Satellite (Source: Space
News)
African satellite operator RascomStar-QAF has authorized the start of
work on a replacement satellite for its Rascom-QAF1 satellite and has
secured a launch date for mid-2010 to assure it is in orbit before the
company's current spacecraft is forced into retirement, RascomStar-QAF
Chief Executive Faraj Elamari said. (7/12)
Diane Murphy Joins SpaceX as Vice President of Marketing and
Communications (Source: SpaceX)
SpaceX has hird Diane Murphy as the company as Vice President of
Marketing and Communications. Ms. Murphy assumes the newly created
position with responsibility for all aspects of marketing and
communications, including strategic planning, media relations,
advertising, video and web content, exhibits and trade shows, community
affairs, and event management, as well as serving as company
spokesperson. (7/11)
YC-15 Dedicated on Edwards Air Force Base (Source: CSA)
Boeing's YC-15 was dedicated in a short, but hot ceremony this morning
on Edwards AFB. The aircraft, a technology demonstrator for and
forerunner to, today's C-17 airlifter resides at the Century Circle
just outside of the main or west gate of the Air Force Flight
Center/Edwards AFB. Visit http://www.californiaspaceauthority.org/html/government_pages/pr080709-1.html to see photos of the
event. (7/9)
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Last Week’s DOD
Contract Awards in California
Lockheed Martin Space
Systems Company, Sunnyvale, Calif.,
is being awarded a $16,709,000 unpriced modification #PH0015 to a
previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00030-07-C-0100) 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. Contract funds will not expire at the end
of the current fiscal year. The Strategic Systems Programs, Arlington,
Va., is the contracting activity.
R.A. Burch Construction
Company Inc.,
Ramona, Calif., is being awarded $10,498,088 for
firm-fixed-price task order #0003 under an
indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award construction
contract (N62473-08-D-8607) for design-build of the operational storage
facilities at Naval Base Coronado, San Diego. Work will be
performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed
by February 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the
current fiscal year. Five proposals were received for this task order.
The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif.,
is the contracting activity.
CACI-CMS Information
Systems, Inc.,
Arlington, Va., is being awarded a $7,922,421
indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Professional
Business Information Technology Support Services to the Military
Sealift Command (MSC). The contract includes support and training for
MSC’s Financial Management System, Human Resource Management System,
Standard Procurement System, Budget Preparation System and global help
desk tier II support. A $500,000 minimum for
the entire contract period is obligated at the time of contract award.
Additional funding will be added to the contract upon the issuance of
task orders. The contract includes four one-year options that, if
exercised, would bring the total contract value to $41,840,831. Work
will be performed in Washington, D.C. (50 percent); Arlington, Va. (25
percent); other MSC locations - Norfolk, Va.; San Diego, Calif.;
Yokohama, Japan, Naples, Italy; Guam; Pusan, Korea; Pearl Harbor,
Hawaii; Singapore; Bahrain (23 percent); Defense Finance and Accounting
Systems sites (1 percent) and United States Transportation Command,
Scott AFB Ill. (1 percent), and the work is expected to be completed in
July 2009 (July 2013 with options exercised). Contract
funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract
was competitively procured via the Military Sealift Command, the Navy
Electronic Commerce Online, and Federal Business Opportunities web
pages, with more than 100 proposals solicited with two offers received.
The U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command, Washington, D.C., is the
contracting activity.
Tower Solutions, Pine
City, Minn.; Floatograph Technologies, Marion, Ind.; and US Tower
Corp., Woodlake, Calif., are being awarded modifications to
previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity,
firm-fixed-price contract (N00164-08-D-6613) for various commercial and
modified commercial mast systems including but not limited to
pneumatic, manual and electrically driven systems of a locking and
non-locking type in support of multiple expeditionary systems
engineering programs including, but not limited to, sponsors such as
Special Operations Command, US Marine Corps, Army, Navy, and Air Force.
Specific requirements will be identified with each delivery order.
These three contractors are being awarded Multiple Award Fair
Opportunity Contracts IAW FAR 16.5, and are added to the original
contract awarded to Will-Burt Company in Orrville, Ohio, in December
2007 using a “Rolling Admissions” clause. The maximum estimated total
value of all four contracts will be $15,000,000. Work will be performed
Pine City, Minn.; Marion, Ind.; and Woodlake, Calif., and work
will be complete in December 2012. The Naval
Surface Warfare Center Crane Division, Crane, Ind., is the contracting
activity.
The Air Force is modifying
a cost plus award fee contract with Northrop Grumman Mission Systems
of San Jose, Calif., for $6,265,665. The purpose of this action
was to settle ASIP U-2 Flight Test REA. At this time $5,768,665 has
been obligated. USAF/AFMC, Reconnaissance Systems Wing (ASC) is the
contracting activity.
Jaynes Corporation of
California,
San Diego, Calif., was awarded on July 9, 2008, an
$18,277,623 firm-fixed price contract for construction of an Army
Reserve Center. Work will be performed in Garden Grove, Calif.,
and is expected to be completed by May 31, 2010. Contract funds will
not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were
solicited on April 29, 2008, and eight bids were received. U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Ky., is the contracting activity.
The Air Force is modifying
a fixed price incentive firm contract not to exceed $324,600,000 with Northrop
Grumman Systems Corporation, Integrated Systems Air Combat Systems
of San Diego, Calif. This contract will provide 2 RQ-4B Block
301 Global Hawk air vehicles, 3 RQ-4B Block 40 air vehicles with
MP-RTIP sensor, 1 mission element, 1 launch and recovery element, and
associated equipment; option for 4 EISS sensor payloads. At this time
$180,351,181 has been obligated. 303 AESG/PK, Wright-Patterson AFB,
Ohio, is the contracting activity.
MEC Earth &
Environmental, Inc., San Diego, Calif.,
is being awarded $13,727,945 for firm-fixed price Task Order #0002
under an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity environmental multiple
award contract (N62473-08-D-8816) for remedial design and remedial
action at Installation Restoration Site One at Alameda Point. The work
to be performed provides for architect-engineer environmental services
for Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability
Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and Underground Storage
Tanks Programs. The contract contains ten options totaling $7,106,256
which may be exercise within 696 calendar days, bringing the total
contract amount to $20,834,201. Work will be performed in Alameda,
Calif. The Naval Facilities engineering
Command Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.
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