[CSA] CSA: SpotBeam California, July 6, 2009

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

July 6, 2009

California Items

Augustine Panel Plans California Tour Jul. 6-10 (Source: SPACErePORT)
The "Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee" (AKA the Augustine Panel) will spend the week of July 6-10 in California visiting aerospace industry sites and leaders in Hawthorne, Canoga Park, and Sacramento. The panel is expected to submit their final report to President Obama in August. Click here for information on the panel's schedule. (7/1)

SpaceX Raising Another $60M for Private Space Travel (Source: Venture Beat)
Space travel company Space Exploration Technologies Corp., better known as SpaceX, has raised $15 million of a new funding round, according to VentureWire. The round may eventually grow to $60 million. VentureWire first spotted the news in a regulatory filing and has confirmed the news with Draper Fisher Jurvetson, the firm leading the round. It sounds like the company's fortunes continue to improve. Founded in 2002 by PayPal co-founder Elon Musk, who serves as CEO for both the Hawthorne, Calif., company and electric car maker Tesla, SpaceX really started proving itself last year when it finally launched a rocket into space after three failed attempts. (6/30)

L.A. From Space: New View from JPL and NASA (Source: LA Times)
In collaboration with agencies in Japan, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has put together a topographical map that covers 99% of the Earth's land mass, a more complete map than was previously available. "We've got everything except a very small part of the South Pole and the North Pole," said JPL's Michael Abrams, the U.S. science team leader for the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission Reflection Radiometer project, also known as ASTER. "We're able to cover Alaska, Greenland, northern Asia and Antarctica." The resolution is so clear that you can plainly see Dodger Stadium and other landmarks in pictures of Los Angeles. The most complete previous set of topographical data, collected by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission in 2000, included about 80% of the Earth's landmass. Because the space shuttle had a limited orbit, the radar-imaging device missed land masses above 60 degrees north and 57 degrees south in latitude. (7/1)

Sea Launch Consortium to Draft Reorganization Plan by Fall (Source: Kyiv Post)
The Sea Launch international consortium, which announced its bankruptcy last week, will draft a corporate reorganization program within two months. Sea Launch operations are continuing. One launch from the sea platform and another from the Baikonur spaceport are scheduled for the fourth quarter of this year. (7/3)

Aerojet Gets Air Force Contract for Minuteman Stage Testing (Source: SPACErePORT)
The Air Force is awarding an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract to Aerojet General Corporation, of Rancho Cordova, Calif., for up to $7,332,694. This contract action will provide for testing of Minuteman II Stage 2, SR19 motors to assure rocket motor reliability for use in rocket systems launch programs as launch targets. (6/18)

Zero Gravity Corporation Brings "Out of this World" Experience to Moffett Field
VIENNA, VA - June 10, 2009 - Zero Gravity Corporation (ZERO-G(R)), the first and only FAA-approved provider of commercial weightless flights, will host its exclusive ZERO-G Weightless Experience once again in San Jose, California on Saturday, July 11. Due to increased popularity, ZERO-G is bringing the one-of-a-kind adventure back to Northern California. The experience offered by ZERO-G is the only commercial opportunity on Earth for individuals to experience true "weightlessness" without going to space. This is the identical weightless flight experience used by NASA to train its astronauts and used by Ron Howard and Tom Hanks to film Apollo-13. G-FORCE ONE, ZERO-G's specially modified Boeing 727-200 aircraft, will depart from Moffett Field. To book a seat with ZERO-G, please visit www.gozerog.com.

Each ZERO-G mission is designed for maximum fun. The aircraft's interior is a zero gravity playroom, complete with padded floors and walls and video cameras to record the unforgettable moments. When experiencing zero gravity, guests can fly the length of an airplane cabin like superman, flip like an Olympic gymnast, pour water in the air and watch the droplets hover before their eyes, release a handful of M&M's and chase them down like a game of human Pac-Man, and enjoy 10-times more hang-time than the world's best basketball player. It's not simulated; ZERO-G replicates the same levels of weightlessness enjoyed on Mars (1/3-gravity), the moon (1/6-gravity), and zero gravity. It's an experience unlike any other!

Filmmaker Hosts Space Documentary Event in San Diego on Jul. 26 (Source: SPACErePORT)
The Wonder of it All is a feature documentary focusing on the rarely told human side of the men behind the Apollo missions expressed through thoughtful and candid accounts from seven of the surviving Moonwalkers. Astronauts Buzz Aldrin, Alan Bean, Edgar Mitchell, John Young, Charles Duke, Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt reflect on their childhood, training, the tragedies, the camaraderie and the effect their space travel had on their families. They fulfilled the dream of humankind to set foot on another world and in so doing, forever changed the way we view ourselves. Filmmaker Jeff Roth will sign DVDs during the Comic Con in San Diego on Jul. 26. Visit www.thewonderofitallfilm.com for information. (7/6)

National & International Items

Apollo's 400,000 Strong Backup Team (Source: Guardian)
Falling back from the moon at almost seven miles a second, the crew of Apollo 11 took it in turns to broadcast their thoughts about what their mission meant. Buzz Aldrin spoke not just of it being three men on a mission to the moon, but of their flight symbolizing the insatiable curiosity of mankind to explore the unknown. Mike Collins talked about the complexity of the Saturn V and the blood, sweat and tears it had taken to build. And Neil Armstrong thanked the Americans who had put their hearts and all their abilities into building the equipment and machinery that had made the journey possible. NASA estimated that it had taken more than 400,000 engineers, scientists and technicians to accomplish the moon landings - reflecting the vast number of systems and subsystems needed to send men there. Editor's Note: The average age of Apollo program engineers was 28!

Apollo's Army (Source: Air & Space)
In order to land on the moon “before this decade is out,” overtime was mandatory. George Skurla, who directed the Grumman Corporation’s lunar module work at Cape Canaveral and went on to become the company’s president, said “I don’t think NASA paid for more than about 70 percent of the true human effort that went into Apollo. A lot of people worked day and night.” Stories of broken marriages, absent fathers (back then it was mostly fathers), lost sleep, and crushing stress were common. More than one doctor in the Cape Canaveral area reported high incidences of ulcers, even among children. (6/18)

Memories of Apollo (Source: Air & Space)
"I had a bleeding ulcer at age 26, just before the Apollo 1 fire. Divorces were of course common. A good friend fell asleep on his way in for his 12-hour shift at LC-39, hit a utility pole and was killed. The commute on A1A from Satellite Beach was over an hour. A friend told me of one car pool driver who fell asleep at a the Minute Man Causeway traffic light in Cocoa Beach. It was also common to stop at the 7-11 for beer on the way home. There were probably 50 bars between the Cape gate and the 520 Causeway. But what you really remember are moments like midnight on the launch pad before Apollo 7 or the moment when the Saturn V engines lit up. I still dream about it." (6/19)

National Space Exploration Day

There is a grassroots effort to designate 20 July (the Apollo 11 Moon landing anniversary) as a new, annual national day of recognition for Space Exploration. The group responsible for this effort, which includes members of CSA and AIAA, has created an online petition drive. Members who are interested in more information, signing the petition, or becoming actively involved in this effort should visit: http://www.spaceexplorationday.us/

Was the Moon Landing a Mission to Nowhere? (Source: Independent)
Although we are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the first lunar landing, for many 21 December 1968 is the more important date. It was then that man first left the confines of Earth, when Apollo 8 became the first manned spacecraft to travel moonward. To some, this was the greatest achievement of the Apollo program; astronauts Borman, Lovell and Anders were the first to see the Earth as a planet. Each hour, it had receded a little more into the great cosmic dark. But for the public and the politicians it was actually setting foot on the Moon that mattered, and, just after Apollo 8 made its triumphant return, the crew of the first lunar landing mission were selected.

Even as Armstrong and the crew of Apollo 11 walked on the Moon, NASA's budget was being cut. At an Apollo party, President Nixon said "Here's to the Apollo program. It's all over." In a way he was right. Apollo had become a closed ambition, and, having beaten the Soviets, the politicians couldn't see what else there was to do. NASA had enough hardware for nine more landings leading up to a grand finale: Apollo 20 and a touchdown in the dramatic Copernicus crater...

When the history of the exploration of our Moon is written, historians will recall the first landings and a lull before we returned. Generations have grown up without the inspiration of watching a live landing on the Moon. That will change. Soon, schoolchildren will log on to the lunar base website for science lessons from the Moon and go on virtual reality Moon walks – and, once more, they will dream of being astronauts themselves. Click here to view the article. (7/2)

Going Beyond The Status Quo In Space (Source: SpaceRef.com)
Why the Moon? While appearing barren, the Moon has the resources upon which to build a prototype space civilization. It is a power-rich environment, permitting initial steps to be undertaken using proven, inexpensive solar power generation technology. The Moon is readily accessible from Earth at almost any time. This accessibility makes it a practical site for such a pioneering development - one that is convenient enough to Earth so as to enable trade, travel and telepresence operation. In contrast, Mars and the inner solar system asteroids have infrequent travel opportunities and comparatively long trip times. They won't work for first steps towards economic development of the solar system. With experience and technology from developing the Moon in hand, Mars can then be settled and the rest of the inner solar system can be developed in a cost effective manner. (6/29)

Why the Next Man on the Moon will be Chinese (Source: Guardian)
Since the crew of Apollo 17 returned from the moon in December 1972, no human has ever left low-Earth orbit. Five space shuttles, scores of Russian Soyuz capsules, the International Space Station, and more than 450 men and women have left the Earth since Apollo, but all have been bound to a small shell of space just outside our atmosphere. While NASA works toward re-developing its capability for human visits to the moon, once again, the US faces some serious competition. The same year that President George W. Bush tasked NASA with the 21st century moonshot, Yang Lee Wei became China's first astronaut and, explicit or not, another space race had begun.

"The attitude to the space program in China is a little bit like the attitude towards space exploration in the western world in the 1960s," says Kevin Fong, an expert in space medicine at University College London. "There's a deep fervor among their university kids for space technology. The main difference between China and America now is that China can just do something - they don't need to ask permission or go through a democratic process and get the budget approved." This means that China can progress its space program quickly; if it wants to land on the moon - and many observers think it does - the country could do it well ahead of 2020, the earliest possible date for an American return. (7/2)

Buzz Aldrin Calls For Focus on Manned Mars Mission (Source: Tech Herald)
Legendary Moon walker and NASA spaceman Buzz Aldrin has said the race to establish a permanent Moon base should be the result of international cooperation with the real focus on a manned mission to Mars. Aldrin said the next race to be the first to host a manned presence on the Moon should not be a financially damaging "space race" but an international effort combining the resources of China, Europe, India, Japan and Russia. He said a lunar race is, in fact, a "damaging" detour from what should be NASA's principal objective -- namely, the preparation for a manned mission to Mars. (6/29)

Frontiers are Meant to Challenge (Source: Lompoc Record)
Folks living here on the Central Coast of California have a long and abiding interest in space launches, in large part because we are privileged to witnessed several of them a year. The spectacle of rockets roaring into the heavens from Vandenberg is truly awe-inspiring. And there is an undeniable sense of pride when one of these marvels of modern engineering takes flight, because so many of our neighbors are the geniuses behind the local space program. But NASA's latest lunar adventure comes at a point in time when many believe the half-billion dollars in startup money for a future moon colony might be better spent providing health care to the millions of Americans who cannot now afford such care. With so many on this planet in need, can we really justify the expense, time, energy and resources to continue our push toward the stars? The short answer is, yes, we can — and we should. (6/29)

To Boldly Go... Anywhere? (Source: Space Review)
The "Star Trek" franchise got a much-needed and successful re-launch with its latest movie. Eric Sterner argues that it's also time to re-think what NASA does and how much we are willing to spend to support it. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1405/1 to view the article. (6/29)

President Orders Sweeping U.S. Space Policy Review (Source: Space News)
U.S. President Barack Obama has given his administration until Oct. 1 to scrutinize existing national space policy as part of a sweeping review that could culminate in a new strategy governing American civil and military space activities. Sources familiar with the Obama review say it will address a range of topics that fall into several categories, including space protection, international cooperation, acquisition reform and national space strategy. Led by Peter Marquez, director of space policy for the White House National Security Council, the review will involve a slew of U.S. offices and agencies, including the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the U.S. Commerce, Defense, Homeland Security, Interior, State, Treasury and Transportation departments, and U.S. intelligence agencies. (7/3)

The Need for Space Treaty Updates - Aldridge Commission Flashback (Source: SPACErePORT)
"Property Rights in Space. The United States is signatory to many international treaties, some of which address aspects of property ownership in space. The most relevant treaty is the 1967 UN Treaty on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (the “Space Treaty”), which prohibits claims of national sovereignty on any extraterrestrial body. Additionally, the so-called “Moon Treaty” of 1979 pro-hibits any private ownership of the Moon or any parts of it. The United States is a signatory to the 1967 Space Treaty; it has not ratified the 1979 Moon Treaty, but at the same time, has not challenged its basic premises or assumptions.

Because of this treaty regime, the legal status of a hypothetical private company engaged in making products from space resources is uncertain. Potentially, this uncertainty could strangle a nascent space-based industry in its cradle; no company will invest millions of dollars in developing a product to which their legal claim is uncertain. The issue of private property rights in space is a complex one involving national and international legal issues. However, it is imperative that these issues be recognized and addressed at an early stage in the implementation of the vision, otherwise there will be little significant private sector activity associated with the development of space resources, one of our key goals." (7/2)

Obama ITAR Reform Could Move Satellites Back to Commerce (Source: Space News)
As it launches a sweeping review of U.S. space policy, the administration of President Barack Obama has given indications that it is open to removing commercial telecommunications satellites from the U.S. Munitions List (USML), a shift that could make American satellite companies more competitive in the global market. Ellen Tauscher, who was confirmed June 25 as U.S. undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, said in June that reform of the U.S. export control regime, known as the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), is on the administration's agenda. (7/3)

Bolden and Garver Confirmation Hearing on July 8 (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
A confirmation hearing for Charles Bolden, the nominee for NASA Administrator, is set for July 8 at 2 p.m. in Room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building, according to the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, which will oversee the review. The panel also will question Lori Garver, his nominee for deputy, as well as several other candidates for positions in the new administration, including Polly Trottenberg, who could be the next assistant secretary for Transportation Policy of the U.S. Department of Transportation. (7/1)

Shuttle Endeavour Passes Leak Test – Launch Set for Jul. 11 (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
Space shuttle Endeavour passed a three-hour tanking test on Wednesday without leaking any hydrogen gas. The results indicate that NASA engineers found a fix for a dangerous gas leak that scrubbed two earlier launch attempts. They also paved the way for a new shot at sending the orbiter to the space station on July 11. (7/1)

Knob Freed From Atlantis Cockpit (Source: Florida Today)
A small knob has been freed from the cockpit of shuttle Atlantis, a step toward easing concerns that the orbiter could face a lengthy mission delay or even be retired early. The notched rotary knob, used to fasten a work light to a bracket, wedged itself between the shuttle's dashboard and one of six forward windows during the final Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission in May. But NASA must now assess any damage the knob caused to Window No. 5, which could still result in significant delays if its pressure pane needs to be replaced. (6/30)

NASA Unveils Astronaut Class That Will Never Fly on Shuttle (Source: Space.com)
NASA has unveiled the nine Americans making up its newest class of astronaut candidates, a group that will never fly on the space shuttle. The six-man, three-woman astronaut class of 2009 is NASA's first batch of new spaceflying recruits in five years. The new astronaut candidates will likely only train to fly aboard the space station, Russian Soyuz vehicles, and NASA's shuttle replacement - the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle and its Ares rockets tapped to ferry spaceflyers to orbit and back to the moon by 2020. The 11 astronauts of NASA's 2004 class are all expected to have flown once on a shuttle by the fleet's retirement next year, NASA officials have said. (6/29)

Constellation Battles Numerous Risks - Orion Loses Unmanned Capability (Source: NasaSpaceFlight.com)
The Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) is undergoing further reductions in its capability - including the elimination of the vehicle’s unmanned ability - as Constellation managers attempt to resolve numerous issues ahead of the Orion Project PDR (Preliminary Design Review). Issues noted in the recent “Top Risks” review list 10 serious issues with the Ares and Orion vehicles, ranging from Ares I-X, through to Orion itself. Ares I-X stacking operations on a Mobile Launch Platform (MLP) - one of the key processing milestones - have been delayed by over a week, due to what appears to be issues repairing a broken crane that is being tasked with transferring the assembled Aft Booster for its stacking in the VAB.

“Currently Ares I-Y is scheduled for March 2014 with no powered second stage. Many believe that the program needs to demonstrate two unmanned flights prior to the first manned flight, today’s manifest has only one. The board decided not to change the manifest at this time, but a detailed CR (Change Request) with all the proposed changes, including Orion and Ground Operations impacts and test needs, will come to the board in October.” Ares I itself has three top risks, with First Stage nose first re-entry, now classed as a 4×4 risk and increasing. Range Safety System certification is classed as a 4×5 risk and increasing, while TVC certification is now a noted as a 3×5 risk. (7/4)

Ares 1-X Official Sees Test Launch Slipping Past September (Source: Space News)
The first test launch of the U.S. space agency's Ares 1 rocket program, scheduled for Aug. 30, is now expected to slip beyond September, according to NASA's Ares 1-X Mission Manager Bob Ess. In a July 2 interview with Space News, Ess attributed the anticipated delay to a combination of hardware assembly challenges and launch range availability. Although Aug. 30 remains the official date for launching the prototype rocket from a converted space shuttle pad at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., Ess said the launch is likely to slip easily into the fall. (7/3)

Rocket Alternatives Gaining Traction Against Ares (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
The Augustine Panel has deemed some alternatives to Ares as worthy of further study, including ideas written off by NASA engineers a few years ago as being underpowered, unsafe and unimaginative. One of them is being promoted by the head of NASA's shuttle program. Another is the product of a group of freelance engineers calling themselves the Direct team. Last week, the Augustine Panel said it wants Aerospace Corp., an independent-research group, to analyze Direct's Jupiter rocket, which would use the shuttle's giant external fuel tank and two solid rocket boosters to launch a capsule instead of an orbiter. Last year, when the Direct team first began touting its shuttle-derived design, NASA officials treated members like refugees from a Star Trek convention. NASA's former head of space exploration told Congress that their idea "defied the laws of physics."

But Jupiter, like most of the other designs being scrutinized now, started out as a NASA idea and has been around for years. That is partly what makes it worthy of further study in the committee's eyes. Still, the sudden reconsideration of rocket designs that NASA dreamed up and then rejected is embarrassing for the agency. NASA has already invested four years, and $9 billion, in its Constellation program, though the Ares I and Ares V moon rockets are beset by technical difficulties and cost overruns. Click here to view the article. (7/5)

NASA Pitches Cheaper Moon Plan (Source: Houston Chronicle)
Like a car salesman pushing a luxury vehicle that the customer no longer can afford, NASA has pulled out of its back pocket a deal for a cheaper ride to the moon. It won’t be as powerful, and its design is a little dated. Think of it as a base-model Ford station wagon instead of a tricked-out Cadillac Escalade. Officially, the space agency is still on track with a 4-year-old plan to spend $35 billion to build new rockets and return astronauts to the moon in several years. However, a top NASA manager is floating a cut-rate alternative that costs around $6.6 billion.

The new model calls for flying lunar vehicles on something very familiar-looking — the old space shuttle system with its gigantic orange fuel tank and twin solid-rocket boosters, minus the shuttle itself. There are two new vehicles this rocket would carry — one generic cargo container, the other an Apollo-like capsule for astronaut travel. Those new vehicles could both go to the moon or the international space station. What’s most remarkable about this idea is who it came from: NASA’s shuttle program manager John Shannon. He recently presented it to an independent panel charged with reviewing NASA’s costly spaceflight plans. And he was urged to do so by a top NASA administrator. It shows that top officials in NASA, an agency of engineers who regularly make contingency plans, worry that their preferred moon plan is running into trouble, space experts said. (6/30)

Augustine Panel Finds 'Side-Mount' Ares Alternative "Capable" (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
A study done by NASA engineers at various agency centers on behalf of the Augustine Panel has found that shuttle program manager John Shannon's "side-mount" alternative to the Constellation rockets is capable and affordable. The alternative rocket is similar to the current space shuttle, except that the orbiter mounted on the side of the fuel tank is replaced by a podlike container resembling a giant car-top carrier. The design is called the Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle, or HLV, and was presented to the Augustine Panel at its first public hearing June 17.

Although it is "less capable than the current Constellation" rocket plans, the rocket "is technically viable and delivers 79.9 [metric tons] to [Low Earth Orbit] and 53.1 [metric tons to the moon.]” It added: "HLV low development costs allow work to begin now and take advantage of essential contractor and civil service skills before they are lost." The Aerospace Corporation, an independent aerospace research group, separately has been asked by the committee to evaluate another alternative, the Jupiter rocket project. (7/5)

Boeing Pitches In-Line Shuttle-Based Rocket Alternative (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
It's not just the Jupiter rocket getting a second look, or only independents and small companies pitching ideas. One set of proposals came from The Boeing Co., which is NASA's partner in developing Ares but appears to be hedging its bets. Boeing engineers presented Augustine Panel members with a range of alternatives, including a rocket that resembles Direct's project: a shuttle external tank and solid rocket boosters with a capsule on top. The company also pitched a side-mount concept similar to the one presented by NASA to the Augustine group. A Boeing official said the company remains committed to Constellation. (7/5)

DiBello: NASA Commitment to "Heavy-Lift" Vehicle is Best for Florida (Source: Florida Today)
When asked about which post-Shuttle rocket scenario is best for Florida, Space Florida's Frank DiBello said: "The ones that are best for Florida are to commit to a 'heavy lift' vehicle. Ares 5 does the job as a heavy-lift concept. There's a lot of work associated with that. And then, things associated with lunar are very good for Florida because of the capabilities that are here. We've already demonstrated the ability to launch and do the final assembly and integration." (6/30)

Lessons For The Future of Human Space Flight (Source: Space Review)
As the Augustine commission reviews NASA's human spaceflight plans, it is receiving no shortage of advice. Former NASA associate administrator Wes Huntress offers some lessons learned for the future of human space exploration. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1406/1 to view the article. (6/29)

Commercial Spaceflight Group Lobbies Augustine Panel (Source: Hyperbola)
The Commercial Spaceflight Federation recommended to the Augustine Panel that NASA should invest in commercial human spaceflight capabilities to the International Space Station. Without leveraging the resources of the private sector, NASA will simply not be able to afford to meet the twin goals of (a) fully utilizing the Space Station, potentially through 2020, and (b) conducting sustainable exploration beyond Low Earth Orbit. "We believe this program should be modeled on the success of NASA's existing Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program, which is enabling the development of commercial capabilities to deliver cargo to the International Space Station, based on the principles of fixed-price, milestone-based, competitive awards." (6/29)

Augustine Panel Answers Workforce Question (Source: SPACErePORT)
The Review of Human Space Flight Plans Committee (aka "Augustine Panel"), in answering questions submitted to their website, posted the following response to a question about whether job retention is a factor in their consideration of alternatives to replace the Space Shuttle: "The success of NASA and the nation’s human space flight program is dependent upon a vibrant and motivated workforce. The following evaluation parameter was explicitly listed in the committee's Statement of Task: 'Impact on the nation’s workforce, industrial base, and international competitiveness.'" (7/3)

Michoud Plant Lays Off More Shuttle Workers (Source: WWLTV)
The space shuttle program is winding down and so is Lockheed Martin's presence in New Orleans. Late Tuesday afternoon, the company turned control of the Michoud Assembly plant to a new facility operator, Jacobs Technology. It's a major transition for Lockheed, which has managed the plant for the past 26 years. "As of this afternoon, there's approximately 200 employees who will turn in their Lockheed Martin badge," said a company spokesman. Jacobs Technology hopes to hire many of the laid-off Lockheed Martin employees. Lockheed Martin, Jacobs Technology and NASA will look for opportunities to bring new work to Michoud. Jacobs is talking with commercial contractors. NASA says some defense work may eventually be done at the plant as well. (7/1)

Alabama's Shelby Gets His Way Again (Source: NASA Watch)
Sen. Shelby and his staff have certainly been busy. They don't like the way that the Obama Administration and NASA have been looking at using stimulus money for commercialization. So, how did he act on this? He threatened to put amendments into legislation that would punish various field centers at NASA (other than MSFC of course) that have been involved in commercialization by stripping them of facilities or programs so as to send a message. Shelby has also talked of putting a hold on the nomination of Bolden and Garver if he did not get his way. Apparently, he has gotten his way and The White House/NASA have compromised on how that stimulus money will be spent - to Shelby's satisfaction. Imagine what Shelby will do if/when the Augustine Commission comes back with suggestions that Ares 1 be canceled. (7/1)

Shelby Shifts Stimulus Money to Alabama (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
Alabama Republican Senator Richard Shelby has fought the Obama administration to block $150 million intended to help private companies build rockets capable of reaching the space station. Now, it appears that Shelby has won, in a decision that could have a major impact on the Cape Canaveral workforce and America's continued access to space. Administration and industry sources said Shelby insisted that $100 million of the money — part of $1 billion set aside for NASA under this spring's economic-stimulus bill — be diverted to Constellation, the troubled rocket program meant to replace the space shuttle.

The fight shows the extent to which Shelby will go to defend both Constellation and Marshall Space Flight Center, the Alabama facility developing the Ares I rocket central to Constellation. The Obama administration hopes that the private companies, who've already received NASA money to build cargo rockets, might be able to speed up development of rockets that could launch humans as well. Those rockets would launch from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, where thousands of workers are facing post-shuttle layoffs. And if the rockets showed real promise, they could replace Constellation. Shelby is determined to prevent that from happening. (7/3)

Space Florida Aims to Secure Minotaur Launches (Source: Florida Today)
Space Florida has given the Air Force a proposal to launch small payloads from Launch Complex 46, the easternmost launch pad at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. The Air Force last month issued a request for launch proposals from four spaceports: Cape Canaveral, Kodiak Launch Complex, Alaska; Wallops Island, Va.; and Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. Under the request, a military contractor would launch payloads, possibly small spy satellites, into low Earth orbit using the Minotaur class solid motor rocket, which is built from decommissioned Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles.

In the proposal delivered last week, Space Florida laid out plans to launch the solid motor rocket from Launch Complex 46. "We already have a mobile service tower there," Bontrager said. "It has a lot of quality infrastructure that is in good shape that can benefit any commercial or civil solid motor launch capability that they need." Working for the Air Force, Orbital Sciences Corp. is developing the much more powerful Minotaur 4 from deactivated military Peacekeeper missiles. The rocket can lift a two-ton payload into low Earth orbit. Preparing LC-46 to launch Minotaur rockets would require "a couple of million dollars" in improvements, Space Florida interim President Frank DiBello said. Minotaur launches from the Cape eventually could employ several hundred workers, he added. (7/3)

Space Florida Sets Relaunch (Source: Florida Today)
After some turmoil at the top, Space Florida is back -- we hope -- to doing deals and shoring up the launch industry and jobs in Brevard County. New President Frank DiBello took over after his predecessor failed to produce a business plan, whiffed at lining up investors and ran afoul of lobbying and contracting rules. Click here to view a brief interview with DiBello. (6/30)

Wallops Island facility To Be 'Cape Canaveral of North' (Source: Baltimore Sun)
There isn't much to see yet at the grandly named Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, just the skeleton of an old launch gantry on a piece of oceanfront leased from the federal government. But promoters expect something remarkable to blossom on this sun-baked spit of sand and scrub on the Eastern Shore. David Smith, a state official from Virginia, which joined with Maryland six years ago to operate a commercial spaceflight center with the lofty acronym MARS, says the area is on track to become "the Cape Canaveral of the North."

For now, though, it's the Wal-Mart of spaceports. "They can do more with a dollar than anyone else within NASA," said Robert Strain, director of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, which operates the Wallops Flight Facility where MARS is based. The facility operates out of a one-room former gas station on NASA property, not far from a busy highway that takes beach-bound visitors to the southern end of Assateague Island. It employs six people. Spaceport officials like to tout their cut-rate location, a barrier island just off the Delmarva Peninsula. From here, they say, it's a shorter shot to the orbiting International Space Station, which means lower bills for rocket fuel. Insurance is cheaper, too, since flights go almost entirely over water (trajectories from Florida cross Europe and the Middle East). (7/5)

New Rocket to Create Jobs on Virginia Shore (Source: Baltimore Sun)
Ground will be broken Monday at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Atlantic, Va., on a launch facility that will test a new rocket designed to service the International Space Station once the shuttle retires. Construction will create 250 jobs and the launch site will eventually bring 400 high-tech jobs to the Eastern Shore by 2010, said Maryland Sen. Barbara Mikulski, who will attend the ceremony. The site, which is about 40 miles south of Ocean City, has been chosen by Orbital Sciences Corporation as the base of operations for development, assembly, and testing of the Taurus II rocket. Mikulski is chairwoman of the Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Subcommittee that funds NASA. (6/29)

Ukrainian Workers Needed for Virginia Launch Program (Source: DelMarVaNow.com)
Orbital Sciences Corp. and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport have begun construction of launch facilities for Orbital's Taurus II rocket and its related work with NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program. Orbital ultimately expects to be capable of four to six launches a year from Wallops, launch site manager Norman Bobczynski said. The company's choice of Wallops as the home base for its Taurus II project will bring $40 million to $100 million of investment into the area from Orbital, NASA and the state. A dock will be needed to bring the first rocket stage to the spaceport. The first stage will be built in Ukraine. Some testing and assembly of the rocket will be done by a team from the Ukraine, Bobczynski said, meaning 30 to 50 Ukrainian workers at a time will be at Wallops during the lead-up to launches. The company is working on finding housing for those workers, who will remain in the area for weeks or months at a time and who will need office space outside the Wallops Flight Facility, he said. An 80,000-gallon fuel tank will be shipped to the island from a Mexican manufacturer in November. (6/30)

Virginia Candidates Link Spaceport to Energy Plans (Source: Spaceports Blog)
Virginia's two candidates for governor have linked the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport to the state's energy development plans suggesting that Democrat Creigh Deeds and Republican Robert McDonnell may have a vision for space-based solar power development in the years ahead. Deeds, speaking to a Energy Technology Summit, suggested that the Virginia spaceport become a part of a larger energy technology plan for Virginia while McDonnell spoke of the essentials of coal, nuclear energy and the spaceport as keys to the state's energy potential. While neither candidate for Virginia's executive mansion has directly linked the spaceport's future to space-based solar power, there is a growing nexus between the spaceport and energy that would lead to a conclusion that the two candidates have a vision that would use space-based technologies for future electric power production in Virginia. (6/30)

Brazil Plans to Expand Alcantara Spaceport (Source: Xinhua)
Brazil plans to expand its Alcantara spaceport by building 12 more rocket launching pads at there. Defense Minister Nelson Jobim described the project as one of "international importance." "We must not be naive. There are nations who are seeking to prevent Brazil from entering the exclusive circle of nations that launch rockets," Jobim said. Alcantara, which is located at Maranon in Amazon state, has the broadest launch angle in the world because it is very close to the Equator, a factor that dramatically reduces launching costs, according to the minister.

The base, which was established in 1983, had an original covering area of 62,000 hectares. But the area was then reduced to 8,713 hectares to give more land to home Quilombolas, name for descendants of runaway slaves during time of slavery. Wednesday's proposal would expand the base to 11,287 hectares, still far from the original area. If the plan is approved by the Congress, 2,000 Quilombolas would be transferred to a nearby area. (7/3)

Sweden Considers SpaceX Falcon 1 for its Spaceport (Source: Hyperbola)
Swedish Space Corporation business development manager Mattias Abrahamsson says Spaceport Sweden's future could include launches of the SpaceX Falcon-1, allowing the Swedes to launch satellites from their most northern territory without dropping rocket stages onto their neighbors. (6/30)

Space For More: ISRO Bets on 25% Launch Industry Growth in 2009-10 (Source: Economic Times)
The economy may be witnessing a downturn, but the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is hopeful of registering a 25% top line during 2009-10. During 2008-09 it achieved revenues of Rs 1,000 crore. Mr G Madhavan Nair, chairman of Isro, chairman, Space Commission and secretary, department of space said: “Nearly 15-20% of the revenue is expected from launching satellites on behalf of other countries...We are also enhancing our satellite launch capability with higher payloads at a steady pace. This is expected to attract clients, from other countries and commercial organizations, who are keen to place satellites and equipment in space.” (7/5)

India to Launch Indigenous Oceansat-2 Satellite Next Month (Source: Xinhua)
India will launch its indigenous Oceansat-2 satellite, along with six European nano satellites, next month, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) said Wednesday. "Oceansat-2, weighing around 970 kg, is an in-orbit replacement to Oceansat-1, which has completed 10 years of service. It will carry an Ocean Color Monitor and a Ku-band pencil beam Scatterometer. In addition, it will carry Radio Occultation Sounder for Atmospheric studies developed by the Italian Space Agency,” ISRO Spokesperson S. Satish said. Among the six satellites are Germany-made Rubin 9.1 and Rubin 9.2, and all would be launched from the southern spaceport of Sriharikota. (7/1)

Indonesia Launches Rocket Into Space (Source: Space Daily)
Indonesia successfully launched a home-grown rocket into space on Thursday as part of plans to send a satellite into orbit by 2014, officials said. The RX-420 rocket took off from a launch pad in Garut regency, West Java province. "The RX-420 rocket was successfully launched this morning. We're very happy," Aeronautics and Space Agency spokeswoman Elly Kuntjahyowati said. Another type of rocket which was successfully tested last year will be combined with the RX-420 to carry a satellite into orbit in 2014, she said. (7/3)

Ariane 5 Rocket Blasts Off With Record-Setting Payload (Source: SpaceFlightNow.com)
After waiting out a weather delay and two countdown holds, an Arianespace Ariane 5 rocket launched from the Guiana Space Center at 1:52 p.m. EDT (1752 GMT) today on Wednesday carrying the TerreStar spacecraft, the largest commercial communications satellite ever launched. The craft will provide mobile voice, data and video services across North America. (7/1)

Fresh Satellite Launched by Russia for Sirius XM Radio (Source: SpaceFlightNow.com)
A new broadcasting satellite for Sirius XM Radio launched aboard a Proton rocket to a high-altitude transfer orbit stretching more than 22,000 miles above Earth. The Sirius FM5 satellite, the company's fourth spacecraft, blasted off from the Baikonur spaceport in Kazakhstan. Officials with International Launch Services, the U.S.-based firm overseeing commercial Proton flights, confirmed the Breeze M upper stage completed its first burn to arrive in a temporary parking orbit about 111 miles above the planet. (6/30)

North Korea's Missiles: How Will They Use Their Ultimate Asset (Source: Space Review)
North Korea appears to be preparing for another missile test, perhaps disguised again as a satellite launch attempt. Taylor Dinerman looks at how the West's reaction, including South Korea's development of its own space launch system, could affect the North's plans. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1403/1 to view the article. (6/29)

International Spacemen to Meet in Korea (Source: Chosun.com)
The city of Daejeon will be the venue for the 60th International Astronautical Congress. The major international conference to be held Oct. 12 to 16 this year is often dubbed the "Aerospace Olympics." Some 3,000 professionals from space agencies and industry as well as experts from around 60 nations will attend to share their knowledge about the latest developments in the field. Specialists from NASA, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and more will discuss cooperation with other countries and ways to expand participation of developing countries in Asia and Africa. Companies such as Boeing Astrium and Arianespace will be on hand to exhibit their latest space technologies. (6/29)

ESA Offers Astronaut Training for European Space Tourism (Source: Flight Global)
To aid a European suborbital tourism industry the European Space Agency might provide astronaut training, but its first step is expected to be an annual conference or workshops to facilitate a dialogue between companies and other potential stakeholders. Such training and forums have been identified in ESA's new space tourism position paper. In the paper the agency envisages it providing human spaceflight services including astronaut training, engaging in partnerships with European space tourism ventures and contributing to the development of the necessary pan-European related legal framework. (6/30)

UK 'Yet to Embrace Space Tourism' (Source: BBC)
The UK is ill-prepared to exploit the emerging commercial spaceflight sector, says the president of Virgin Galactic. Will Whitehorn said Britain lacked the regulatory framework that would help the industry grow but which would also ensure the necessary safety standards. Speaking at a space tourism conference in London, he said current rules would prevent Virgin launches from the UK. Galactic expects to start taking fare-paying passengers on short space hops in the next few years. Virgin plans to put satellites in space with the service, as well as people. (7/1)

Guinness Offers Drinkers Chance to Win Space Flight (Source: Telegraph)
Guinness has launched a competition offering drinkers the chance to win a trip into space aboard Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic spacecraft. The brewer is putting three once-in-a-lifetime experiences up for grabs themed on the color of its famous black stout beer. To mark its 250 years in business, the company is sending one winner into space, another to the depths of the ocean, and a third to an exclusive Black Eyed Peas concert. (7/1)

Laliberte: Cosmonauts Are Much Like Street Performers (Source: Russia Today)
Former fire-eater and founder of Cirque du Soleil Guy Laliberte has booked a place for this September, becoming possibly the last space tourist for many years. Speaking with RT, he compared cosmonauts to street artists. From now on he will be part of space history as the first Canadian space tourist. But the world is likely to remember him as number seven – the seventh eccentric who made his dream come true. The seventh and the last for some time, as the future of space tourism appears vague, after the Russian Space Agency said all trips to the ISS after 2010 will be professional-only. Click here to view an interview with Mr. Laliberte. (7/2)

Rocket Racing League Gets Financing, New Leadership, New Planes (Source: Parabolic Arc)
The Rocket Racing League has completed a $5.5 million dollar financing round, ensuring the next phase of development of the league. It also announced the appointment of a new President & CEO and the commencement of manufacturing activities for its next generation Rocket Racer. The financing round puts the League on track for execution of its plans to launch the world’s first interactive sport pitting pilot against pilot in manned rocket powered airplanes competing through a Raceway-in-the-Sky. Ramy Weitz is the league's new chief, taking over from Granger Whitelaw who will remain actively involved as Co-Founder, director. July 2009 also marks the kick-off of the manufacture of the League’s next generation Rocket Racer, in a collaborative partnership with Texas' Armadillo Aerospace and Velocity, Inc., of Sebastian, Florida. (7/4)

ULA Provides Summer Jobs for Space Coast Teachers (Source: Florida Today)
In an effort to enhance the awareness, knowledge and motivation of classroom teachers related to science disciplines, United Launch Alliance is sponsoring two Brevard County school teachers this summer through the Florida Summer Industrial Fellowships for Teachers (SIFT) program. Andrea Marston, a chemistry teacher at Merritt Island High and biology major from the University of Arkansas, is working with the Delta IV launch team. At the same time, Elizabeth Youngs, a science research, integrated science and physical science teacher at Viera High and an earth/space science major from Florida Tech, is working with the Mission Assurance group. The SIFT program’s role is to provide positions with industry, government or other organizations/institutions for teachers to encourage the transfer of this practical experience into the classroom and benefit students and tomorrow’s workforce. (7/2)

Rocket Launch Helps Prepare MSU Faculty for Training Students (Source: MSU)
Three Montana State University instructors who want to help future scientists and engineers develop experiments for space recently launched experiments of their own. During a weeklong RockOn/RockSat workshop in Virginia, Ross Snider, Randy Larimer and Angela Des Jardins joined nearly 100 university instructors and students from 21 states who prepared experiments for flight. A rocket carrying their experiments was launched at 5:30 a.m. June 26 from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, reached an altitude of 73 miles, then returned to Earth where the experiments were recovered. (7/1)

West Virginia State Hosts NASA Day (Source: Herald-Dispatch)
West Virginia State University's fifth annual NASA Day was held on July 1 at its campus in Institute, W.Va. More than 400 young people joined NASA officials and university staff and partners for the daylong event to learn about engineering and science, then put that knowledge to practical use through interactive activities, including creating their own bottle rockets. (7/1)

USAF Boosts Space Situational Awareness (Source: Aviation Week)
U.S. military officials say they expect to have enough personnel and new computing power in place by October to warn U.S. and foreign satellite operators of possible collision hazards to their roughly 800 maneuverable platforms. An initiative to boost so-called conjunction analysis—prediction that two orbiting objects could collide at high speeds—took center stage for military officials after a defunct Russian communications satellite crashed into an operational Iridium spacecraft on Feb. 10, creating a new debris cloud comprising about 700 objects.

At the time, the Joint Space Operations Center (JSPOC) at Vandenberg AFB, Calif., was monitoring about 140 spacecraft for possible collisions. That number has been on the rise since, and officials plan to routinely conduct potential-collision analyses on 800 spacecraft by this fall. As of May, the center was scrutinizing 330 satellites. However, this will require more workers to be assigned permanently to the mission; the center has been using personnel pulled from other assignments to fill in since the collision. (7/3)

Lockheed Awarded Concept Development Contract for Air Force Space Fence (Source: Lockheed Martin)
The Air Force has awarded Lockheed Martin a $30 million contract to begin concept development for Space Fence, a system of land-based S-Band radars and supporting operations centers that will detect and report on objects and debris orbiting the Earth. Lockheed Martin was one of three industry teams to receive contracts. The Air Force Materiel Command's Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts leads the procurement for Space Fence, which is intended to significantly enhance space situational awareness as legacy systems in the Space Surveillance Network (SSN) are retired. (6/30)

Space Command Resources Increased by Force Realignment (Source: USAF)
The Air Force released its proposed FY10 force structure announcement, supported by the FY10 President's Budget, resulting in an increase in personnel throughout Air Force Space Command, civilian and military. "The proposed increase of approximately 700 positions across the command will help AFSPC meet our ongoing commitment to space and cyberspace missions," said Gen. C. Robert Kehler, commander of AFSPC. Final decisions will be made only after the appropriate environmental analyses have been completed and the National Environmental Protection Act conformity requirements have been met. (6/29)

DOD Spy Agency May Face Ax (Source: DOD Buzz)
The Senate Intelligence Committee may try to break up the nation’s storied spy satellite agency — the NRO — once a paragon of American technological brilliance and now considered by many a troubled bureaucracy that has had trouble getting the big things right. In parallel, the Director of National Intelligence was briefed June 23 by a panel of distinguished experts about the best path ahead for the National Reconnaissance Office. The panel “considered options to break up NRO or reassign functions but recommended continuation of a single, unified program,” a former senior intelligence official said. The report about the Senate committee came from this same source, a respected insider. (7/1)

Military Seeks Common Ground with Scientists on Fireball Data Flap (Source: Space.com)
Some scientists have been unhappy that a purported clamp down was afoot on their use of data snagged by U.S. military spacecraft – hush hush satellites that from time to time catch natural cosmic fireballs blazing through Earth's atmosphere. Digging in on this story is not easy. Military higher-ups and the agencies involved are guarded about how potent their satellite sensors are as they stare at Earth for nuclear detonations, missile launches and the like. In a new exclusive interview with SPACE.com, U.S. Air Force Brigadier General Robert Rego, who is in charge of the policy guidance behind the data release, said the Air Force Space Command is "circling the wagons" to close some loopholes in the dissemination of potentially sensitive information. U.S. Congressman Dana Rohrabacher said he's monitoring the situation and expects a solution that favors the needs of scientists. (7/3)

Auditors: Galileo Project Ill-Conceived (Source: AFP)
Europe's much delayed satellite navigation network project Galileo has been ill-prepared and badly managed, the European Court of Auditors charged. "The programme lacked a strong strategic sponsor and supervisor: the (European) Commission did not proactively direct the programme, leaving it without a helmsman," the auditors' court opined after carrying out an audit of the ill-starred project. As well as the commission -- the EU's executive arm -- the 27 member states came into criticism for promoting their own industries first and foremost.

"Owing to their different programme expectations, member states intervened in the interest of their national industries and held up decisions. The compromises made led to implementation problems, delays and, in the end, to cost overruns," the official auditors declared. The 30-satellite network is meant to challenge the dominance of the US-built Global Positioning System (GPS), which is widely used in navigation devices in vehicles and ships. The EU aims to have it up in space by 2013. (6/29)

China Unveils Fund to Finance Aerospace Industry (Source: Space Daily)
China has unveiled the country's first national fund aimed at investing in aerospace, state media reported, as the country tries to compete with the industry's heavyweights. Investors in the fund, which expects to raise 30 billion yuan ($4.4 billion), include state-run operations such as Xi'an Yanliang National Aviation Hi-Tech Industrial Base. The fund is located in the northwestern city of Xi'an, one of five aircraft industry bases set up in China. This is the first time the country has launched a fund to help develop the aerospace industry, which has previously relied on government special-purpose financing. Xi'an Yanliang National Aviation Hi-Tech Industrial Base focuses on the manufacturing of passenger aircraft and is involved in developing the homegrown mid-range aircraft ARJ-21 with 70 to 90 seats. (6/30)

Japan a Low-Key Player in Space Race (Source: Japan Times)
Japan has launched Earth observation, communications and weather satellites as well as other space vehicles since it began its space program in the late 1960s. The program initially fell under the authority of the National Space Development Agency but is now under NASDA's successor, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA. Last year, U.S. space shuttles brought components of Japan's Kibo (Hope) space lab to be attached to the International Space Station. Despite the recession, the government budgeted ¥344.8 billion for space exploration in fiscal 2009, an increase of 10.4 percent from the previous year. Despite such ambitious outlays, Japan lags behind other nations in space. (6/30)

Inflatable Tower Promises Easy Access to Outer Space (Source: Discovery)
An inflatable tower nine miles tall and tethered to a mountain top could cut the cost to launch spacecraft, reduce the need for geostationary communications satellites, and improve cell phone signals. "This structure could be made of commercially available materials," said Brendan Quine, who, along with Raj Seth and George Zhu at York University in Toronto, Canada, wrote an article detailing their tower in the journal Acta Astronautica.

The tower itself would be 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) tall, 230 meters (754 feet) across, and weigh approximately 800,000 tons, or about twice the weight of the world's largest supertanker when fully inflated with a variety of gasses, including helium. To keep the Kevlar-laminate tower from floating away, and to provide access, three elevator tubes would anchor the tower to the ground. An elevator ride to the top would take about 40 minutes moving at 22 miles per hour. Click here to view the article. (7/3)

Boeing Working on Revolutionary Space Power System (Source: Boeing)
An industry team led by Boeing has received a contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for work on Phase 2 of the Fast Access Spacecraft Testbed (FAST) program. The $15.5 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract is currently funded to $13.8 million. DARPA’s FAST program aims to develop a new, ultra-lightweight High Power Generation System (HPGS) that can generate up to 175 kilowatts — more power than is currently available to the International Space Station. When combined with electric propulsion, FAST will form the foundation for future self-deployed, high-mobility spacecraft to perform ultra-high-power communications, space radar, satellite transfer and servicing missions. (7/1)

DHS Still Has More Satellite Issues to Address (Source: HLS Watch)
Besides its recent decision to terminate the National Applications Office (NAO), DHS/FEMA — along with NGA — has several other satellite-related issues that warrant immediate attention. First, DHS has no single point of contact which handles satcom questions for first responders. Or if one exists, it is not well known. Second, while satcom appears to be a simple and straightforward solution, first-responders report that there are many issues that make satcom not as user-friendly as it could otherwise be. (7/1)

Venture to Build Military Satellites (Source: Wall Street Journal)
A clutch of former Pentagon brass is helping to start a company that offers a new service: satellites intended solely for military communications that would be built, launched and owned by private investors. The new company, called U.S. Space LLC, attempts to meet a need that the U.S. military has struggled to fill. As U.S. forces deploy to out-of-the-way regions, the Pentagon frequently needs more satellite capacity for communications and distribution of surveillance videos than it can get its hands on. The military's own satellites are expensive, and often take too long to deploy to satisfy fast-changing battlefield needs. Meanwhile, the military hasn't always been able to lease sufficient bandwidth on traditional commercial satellites, particularly in remote areas such as Afghanistan.

The new company intends to build and launch relatively small and inexpensive commercial satellites that would be optimized for military use and leased only to military customers, according to Mark Albrecht, the company's chairman and co-founder. Backers said the price of the satellites would be held down by keeping them small, modular and relatively basic, without tailoring them for special needs and piling on bells and whistles. The company's board members count three former Air Force generals, including retired Lt. Gen. Michael Hamel, who until recently served as the military's top uniformed space-acquisition official; retired Major General James Armor, a former space policy maker; retired Major General Craig Weston, who is also the president and chief executive of U.S. Space. The company's backers include firms headed by former Attorney General John Ashcroft and former Defense Secretary William Cohen. (6/30)

Cargo Ship to Undock From ISS, Serve as Technical Platform (Source: RIA Novosti)
Russia's unmanned Progress spacecraft, due to undock from the International Space Station (ISS) on June 30, will be used as a technical space platform before being dumped in the Pacific. The modified version of the standard Progress craft docked on May 13, bringing 2.5 tons of supplies to the orbiter, including food, water, scientific equipment and messages for the three-member crew. It took the spacecraft five days instead of the usual two to reach the ISS, as the freighter underwent a number of flight tests en route to the orbital station. The freighter, equipped with an on-board digital control system, replaced the analog-controlled Progress spacecraft. (6/29)

NASA Wants Australian Wattle Plants in Space for Clean Air (Source: Daily Telegraph)
Astronauts exploring the far reaches of our solar system could in the future be breathing clean air from Australian plants such as wattles. The plants are a step closer to aiding deep space probes after the seeds of four types of Australian flora survived six months aboard the International Space Station. Canadian-born NASA astronaut Gregory Chamitoff, who was on that mission aboard the shuttle Discovery last May, said the seeds completed more than 2800 orbits of the Earth with no signs of "space fatigue or damage".

"From NASA's perspective, we are interested in seeds that might be hardy enough to survive long duration exposure to the space environment and then germinate in greenhouses in space or on other planets," he said. "Ultimately, this will be essential to support self-sustaining outposts or colonies with food and oxygen." (6/29)

Mysterious Light Originates Near A Galaxy's Black Hole (Source: Space.com)
Photons with a trillion times more energy than visible light are flying out of a relatively nearby galaxy. Until now, scientists didn't understand this light's origin, but a new study shows that its source is a giant black hole inside the M87 galaxy. The radiation takes the form of high-frequency gamma rays. "We detect it in roughly 25 galaxies so far but we never knew where exactly it was coming from," said a study team member. "Only in the case of M87 were we able to narrow it down to the black hole vicinity." (7/3)

Uranium Found on the Moon (Source: Space.com)
Uranium exists on the moon, according to new data from a Japanese spacecraft. The findings are the first conclusive evidence for the presence of the radioactive element in lunar dirt, the researchers said. They announced the discovery recently at the 40th Lunar and Planetary Conference. The revelation suggests that nuclear power plants could be built on the moon, or even that Earth's satellite could serve as a mining source for uranium needed back home. The Japanese Kaguya spacecraft, which was launched in 2007, detected uranium with a gamma-ray spectrometer. Scientists are using the instrument to create maps of the moon's surface composition, showing the presence of thorium, potassium, oxygen, magnesium, silicon, calcium, titanium and iron. (6/30)

NASA Chimps Earn Comforts After Taking a Punishing Step for Mankind (Source: Times Online)
Lounging on his back with the breeze ruffling his hair, Marty the chimpanzee is scratching his belly as he watches for the golf cart that delivers bananas at around this time every day. From his shady lair he can gaze at the blue sky and open fields that stretch for miles around. But his Utopian existence and relaxed demeanor speak nothing of the horrors he endured in the five decades before he was granted peace at the Save the Chimps sanctuary in Fort Pierce, Florida. One of dozens of infant chimpanzees seized in Africa for the US Air Force in the 1950s, he was recruited into the military’s air and space research program, which helped to pave the way for America’s first manned spaceflight in 1961 and, ultimately, the Apollo 11 Moon landing 40 years ago this month. (7/4)

NASA Increases Contract for Aerospace Vehicle Technology (Source: NASA)
NASA has increased the value of a current contract supporting R&D in structures and materials and aerodynamic, aerothermodynamic and acoustics technology for aerospace vehicles by nearly $20 million. The modification brings the value of the contract to $58.75 million. The contract was awarded to Analytical Services & Materials, Inc., Hampton, Va.; Boeing Company, Huntington Beach, Calif.; Lockheed Martin Corp., Palmdale, Calif.; and Northrop Grumman Corp., El Segundo, Calif. in August 2004. The period of performance ends in February 2010. (6/29)

ABS Buying KoreaSat-2 (Source: Space News)
Satellite operator Asia Broadcast Satellite (ABS) of Hong Kong, which in June announced a joint agreement with SingTel Optus for the purchase of the new ABS-2 satellite, announced July 2 it was purchasing the aging Koreasat-2 satellite from South Korea's KT Corp. and moving it to ABS slot at 75 degrees east. (7/3)

$738M Financing Package Gives Globalstar New Lease on Life (Source: Space News)
Mobile satellite services provider Globalstar Inc. has completed a life-saving financial package featuring key backing by France's export-credit agency, Coface, a deal whose $738 million in total value will permit Globalstar to build and launch 24 second-generation satellites by the end of 2010, Globalstar Chief Executive Jay Monroe said. (7/3)

Ball Gets Analyst Upgrade, NASA Contract (Source: Daily Camera)
Ball Corp. is aggressively cutting costs and could soon benefit from a rising volume, an analyst said. Ball's volume hit a bottom in the first quarter "with an aggressive cost-cutting program and likely price increases in 2010 setting the stage for outsized earnings growth over the next three years." Separately, Ball's aerospace unit was awarded a $9.7 million contract to assess and potentially refurbish a NASA instrument to measure gases in Earth's upper atmosphere, officials announced Monday. (6/30)

GeoEye Receives Additional U.S. Government Awards Totaling $25 Million (Source: GeoEye)
GeoEye, Inc. has won government awards totaling more than $25 million to supply geospatial products and services. Under awards during the first and second quarters of 2009, GeoEye will provide the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) a significant amount of value-added, imagery-based geospatial-intelligence products. Imagery processing and production will be performed at GeoEye's advanced imagery processing centers located in Missouri, Colorado and Virginia. These awards are in addition to the Service Level Agreement (SLA) modification to the company's existing NextView contract with the NGA announced Dec. 10, 2008. (7/1)

Northrop Grumman's Ronald Sugar: Quietly in Command (Source: LA Times)
The former whiz kid from South Los Angeles often shuns the limelight. 'If you met him on the street, you'd never know he runs one of the world's largest defense companies,' a Wall Street analyst says. Much like Northrop Grumman Corp.'s stealthy B-2 bomber, the company's chief executive has flown under the radar for most of his career overseeing the development of many of the nation's top-secret weapons. Unassuming and devoid of the cigar-chomping flamboyance that distinguished aerospace executives in the past, Ronald Sugar often shuns the limelight. Click here to view the article. (7/5)

California Aerospace Events Calendar

Augustine Panel Plans California Tour Jul. 6-10
The "Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee" (AKA the Augustine Panel) will spend the week of July 6-10 in California visiting aerospace industry sites and leaders in Hawthorne, Canoga Park, and Sacramento. The panel is expected to submit their final report to President Obama in August. Click here for information on the panel's schedule.

Space 101, Jul. 16

Save the Date! Space, Aerospace and Government Industry Knowledge for the Non-Scientist (Aerospace/Space 101 - "Rocket Science" Basics for Suppliers and Other Non-Scientists) - In today’s business climate, fundamental technical knowledge of the aerospace industry is key to building the right strategy, winning and supporting customers, as well as driving business stability and growth. Accurate communication and understanding of key technical requirements provides suppliers with a competitive edge and is key to success and mission assurance as it provides basic technical understanding by multiple company functions through out the supply chain.  Industry experts will explain this and more on July 16 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at SpaceX near LAX airport. The day will include a tour of SpaceX's vertically integrated launch facilities as well as lunch. For more details, contact Dianna Minor at (805) 349-2633 or DM@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

Splashdown 2009 Event Planned at Alameda on Jul. 24-26

In 1969, the aircraft carrier USS Hornet recovered the first two NASA missions that landed men on the moon – Apollo 11 and Apollo 12. The ship is the largest surviving artifact from these incredible events, which are among the most important in the history of humankind. Celebrate the 40th anniversary of man's first steps on the moon by attending Splashdown 2009 on the USS Hornet - the primary recovery ship for the Apollo 11 and Apollo 12 missions. On Saturday, July 25th, the featured speaker will be former astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the 2nd man to walk on the moon. Alameda, CA. Visit http://www.uss-hornet.org/posters/splashdown/index.shtml for information.

45th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference & Exhibit Planned Aug. 2-5

Insertion of Innovative Technology into New and Evolving Systems - The objective of JPC 2009 is to identify and highlight how innovative aerospace propulsion technologies get inserted into both new and evolving systems. Special panel sessions to be announced will focus on advanced system applications that can be used to showcase the propulsion systems, components and technologies that enable them. To be held at the Colorado Convention Center. Register at www.aiaa.org

Space-Enabled Global Communications and Electronic Systems Industry Update, August 6

Co-Hosted by CSA and Cisco in Irvine.  Tour included. "Space" has served as a utility for the communications industry for years and 21st century emerging technologies will increase performance, reliance on space, innovative technology requirements and opportunities for communications products providers and electronics suppliers. Visit http://www.prestoregister.com/cgi-bin/order.pl?ref=csa-event&fm=9 to register.

Export/Import Controls Training Planned in San Jose on Aug. 12-14
A U.S. export/import controls training and education “one-stop-shop” program called “Partnering for Compliance™” West Coast will take place at the Hilton San Jose Hotel on August 12-14, 2009. Kindly consider assisting us to get the details out to businesses, particularly small-to-medium businesses, which would benefit from participation. Confirmed government participants include: Commerce (BIS – licensing & enforcement, Anti-Boycott & Commercial Service); State (DDTC – licensing & enforcement); Defense (DTSA); Homeland Security (CBP & ICE); Treasury (OFAC); U.S. Census Bureau AND NASA; Baker & McKenzie (D.C. & Chicago); Braumiller Schulz LLP (Texas), and U.S. Trade. Visit http://www.partneringforcompliance.org/pfcwc09.pdf

Satellite Educators Association Conference in Los Angeles on Aug. 13-15

NASA is supporting the Satellite Educators Association Conference XXII. Join the Satellite Educators Association for an education conference being held Aug. 13-15, 2009, in Los Angeles, Calif. The annual conference is for educators interested in discovering ways to use satellites and related technologies in the classroom. Participants learn ways to help students appreciate and understand the complex interrelationships among science, technology, individuals, societies and the environment. Conference attendees also learn to develop and apply inquiry and technology skills to study authentic questions and problems. The conference is sponsored by California State University Los Angeles, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NASA, Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing, Lockheed-Martin and Northrop Grumman. For more information, visit http://www.sated.org/index.html.

Hands-on Astronomy and Earth-science Teacher Workshops for Grades 4-12 on Sep. 12-13

A weekend of hands-on workshops and informative science talks will be offered as part of the 120th anniversary meeting of the nonprofit Astronomical Society of the Pacific. These workshops will take place Sep. 12-13 at the Westin Hotel near the San Francisco Airport in Millbrae, Calif. The program will include space science and earth science workshops for educators of grades 4 through 12, as well as sessions for educators who work in informal settings (such as museums, nature centers, amateur astronomy clubs, and community organizations.)

A limited number of travel-support scholarships (of up to $300 per person) will be made available for educators. Visit http://www.astrosociety.org/events/2009mtg/workshops.html

AIAA Space 2009 Conference & Exposition Planned in Pasadena on Sep. 14-17

The U.S. government’s massive space modernization program has reached its apex; a new era of human space exploration is beginning as we transition from the Space Shuttle to Constellation; the effects of a complex and dynamic globalized economy are helping shape the market; and the new U.S. presidential administration and Congress mean potential changes in priorities and emphases. The AIAA SPACE 2009 Conference & Exposition will examine these issues and more and will be attended by leaders from all corners of the space community, including key government and industry decision-makers. Register at www.aiaa.org

APSCC 2009 Satellite Conference & Exhibition Planned in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Sep. 29 – Oct. 1

The Asia-Pacific Satellite Communications Council (ASPSCC) is holding the 2009 Satellite Conference and Exhibition on Sep. 29 - Oct. 1 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Visit http://www.apscc.or.kr/ for information.

CSA Annual Supplier Innovations Forum Planned in El Segundo on Oct 7

CSA is pleased to announce that Boeing Satellite Systems is graciously co-hosting the CSA Annual Supplier Innovations Forum, inclusive of all agencies, primes and suppliers on 10/7/09 at BSS in El Segundo.  CSA greatly appreciates Boeing’s support, as well as Raytheon’s co-host support of the 2007 Forum, NGC’s co-host support of the 2008 Forum, and The Aerospace Corporation’s support of the inaugural Keynote in 2007 by Dr. Wanda Austin. Save the date!

California SpotBeam Awards Dinner - Nov. 18

Join us at California Space Authority's Signature Event, the 2009 California Space Enterprise  SpotBeam Awards Reception and Dinner, to be held on November 18, 2009 at the Proud Bird Restaurant in Los Angeles. For sponsorship opportunities contact Elizabeth.Burkhead@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Registration: http://www.prestoregister.com/cgi-bin/order.pl?ref=csa-event&fm=1

Last Week’s DOD Contract Awards in California

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $441,938,182 modification to definitize the previously awarded Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Air System Low Rate Initial Production Lot III advance acquisition contract (N00019-08-C-0028) to a cost-plus-incentive-fee/award-fee contract.  In addition, this modification provides for common and unique performance based logistics support and hardware for the sustainment of seven U.S. Air Force and one Government of the Netherlands Conventional Take-Off and Landing aircraft; seven U.S. Marine Corps and two United Kingdom (UK) Short Take-Off Vertical-Landing aircraft; material necessary to support activation of JSF bases; two Aircraft Systems Maintenance Trainers; one Weapons Loader Trainer; two Full Mission Simulators; one USMC and one UK Deployable Mission Rehearsal Trainer; sixteen LM-STAR avionics test stations; hardware and software for the Integrated Training Center; CVN Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS) shipboard certification and deployment; ALIS depot trade study; and associated technical and financial data.  Work will be performed in Orlando, Fla. (42 percent); Fort Worth, Texas, (37 percent); El Segundo, Calif., (9 percent); Warton, United Kingdom, (4 percent); Nashua, N.H. (2 percent); Baltimore, Md., (1.5 percent); Cleveland, Ohio, (1.2 percent); Cheltenham, United Kingdom (1.2 percent); Rolling Meadows, Ill., (1.1 percent) and San Diego, Calif., (1 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2011.  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.

The Boeing Co., Huntington Beach, Calif., is being awarded a ceiling $31,635,782 cost-plus-fixed-fee term contract for Design Agent engineering services support for the AN/USQ-82(5) system as a part of DDG Modernization.  Work will be performed in Huntington Beach, Calif., and is expected to be completed by July 2014.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This contract was not competitively procured.  The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, Dahlgren, Va., is the contracting activity.

Soltek Pacific Construction Co., San Diego, Calif., is being awarded $17,595,000 for firm-fixed price task order #0010 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N62473-08-D 8615) for design and construction of a Combined Arms Military Operations in Urban Terrain training facility at the Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms.  Work will be performed in Twentynine Palms, Calif., and is expected to be completed by January 2011.  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.

McDonnell Douglas Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Boeing Company, Long Beach, Calif., is being awarded a $46,070,000 contract modification for the C-17 Globemaster III Sustainment Partnership contract to increase funding for FY07 Material Improvement Projects for the USAF.  At this time, the entire amount has been obligated.  MSW/516 AESG/PK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.

Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a potential $20,139,580 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Net-Enabled Command Capability (NECC) systems engineering support for the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA).  NECC provides seamless integration of information for the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, combatant commanders, and the military services, ensuring synchronized joint and multinational operations, as well as joint Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (C4I) to support the entire force projection cycle.  NECC support services include technical operations, integrated logistics, test and evaluation, training, modeling and simulation, security engineering, and other related systems engineering support.  This contract is one of three contracts awarded: all awardees will compete for task orders during the ordering period.  This two-year contract includes one three-year option period which, if exercised, would bring the potential, cumulative value of the contract to $55,419,565.  Work will be performed at DISA locations in the Washington, D.C. area, and work is expected to be completed June 30, 2011.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This contract was competitively procured via publication on the Federal Business Opportunities website and posting to the SPAWAR e-Commerce Central website, with three viable offers received.  The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific (SSC Pacific) is the contracting activity.

General Atomics, San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $573,000,000 ceiling priced, undefinitized contract action for the production of the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) CVN 78 Shipset.  EMALS is the catapult launch system on CVN-78 class aircraft carriers, replacing the steam catapults used on prior generations of aircraft carriers.  Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., (49 percent); Tupelo, Miss., (19 percent); Mankato, Minn., (12 percent); Waltham, Mass., (4 percent); and various locations across the United States (16 percent), and work is expected to be completed in September 2015.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to FAR 602-1.  The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, N.J., is the contracting activity.

Raytheon Co., El Segundo, Calif., is being awarded a $22,584,562 delivery order against a previously issued basic order agreement (N00019-05-G-0008) for the procurement of 151 electro optical sensor unit weapon replaceable assemblies (WRAs) from ATFLIR pods or spare deliveries; 154 laser WRAs from ATFLIR pods or spare deliveries; 154 laser electronic unit WRAs from ATFLIR pods or spare deliveries; 32 visible channel assembly; and 12 visible beam splitter. This effort will include the production, implementation, and ILS efforts and modification labor associated with ATFLIR IR-marker retrofit engineering change proposal in support of the F/A-18.  Work will be performed in McKinney, Texas, (60 percent); and El Segundo, Calif., (40 percent); and is expected to be completed in July 2010.  Contract funds in the amount of $3,242,394 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.

Brandes Associates, Inc., Santa Barbara, Calif., is being awarded a $16,731,943 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to research, design, develop and deliver an Advanced Systems Integration and Operations Center (ASIC) to the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD).  The ASIC will provide new functionality and network outreach, encompassing network centric warfare and operations, fleet exercise collaboration and support of other country and organization exercises and objectives, support testing and training for the Department of Defense, to include joint service efforts.  Work will be performed in China Lake, Calif., and is expected to be completed in June 2014.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This contract was competitively procured under an electronic request for proposals as a 100 percent small business set-aside; one offer was received.  The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, Calif., is the contracting activity.

Oceaneering International Inc., Chesapeake, Va., is being awarded an $11,984,265 firm-fixed-price contract for the Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) service life extension program (SLEP) for the LCACs 30 and 56.  The LCAC SLEP will extend the service life of LCAC from 20 to 30 years, sustain/enhance craft capability, replace obsolete electronics, repair corrosion damage, reduce life cycle cost by improving reliability and maintainability, increase survivability, and establish a common configuration baseline.  The LCAC SLEP scope of effort includes repair and upgrade of the buoyancy box, gas turbine engine replacement, installation of a new skirt, installation of an integrated C4N equipment package, and accomplishment of selected craft alterations and repair work.  This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $35,227,516.  LCACs 59, 62, and 79 are included as option crafts.  Work will be performed in Camp Pendleton, Calif., and is expected to be completed by January 2011.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This contract was competitively procured and advertised via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with 24 proposals solicited and four offers received via the Federal Business Opportunities website.  The Southwest Regional Maintenance Center, San Diego, Calif. ,is the contracting activity.

Douglas E. Barnhart, Inc., San Diego, Calif., is being awarded $10,122,318 for firm-fixed price task order #0003 under a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award construction contract (N62473-08-D-8608) for design and construction of a child development center at Naval Base Coronado.  Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed by January 2011.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  Four proposals were received for this task order.  The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.

Sundt William Scotsman, a joint venture, Tempe, Ariz., is being awarded an $8,553,732 modification under a previously awarded firm-fixed price contract (N62473-08-C-3511) to exercise option 0002 which provides for the furniture, fixtures and equipment/collateral equipment for temporary facilities of administration, billeting, armory, storage and maintenance buildings at Marine Corps Base and Marine Corps Air Station, Camp Pendleton.  The total contract amount after exercise of this option will be $81,573,825.  Work will be performed in Oceanside, Calif., and is expected to be completed by July 2010. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.

Straub Construction, Inc., Bonsall, Calif., is being awarded $8,516,000 for firm-fixed price task order #0005 under a multiple award construction contract (N62473-08-D-8616) for design and construction of a consolidated communications/electronic maintenance shop at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.  Work will be performed in Oceanside, Calif., and is expected to be completed by January 2011.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  Six proposals were received for this task order.  The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.

Sundt William Scotsman, a joint venture, Tempe, Ariz., is being awarded a $6,312,999 modification under a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N62473-08-C-3511) to exercise option 0004 which provides for the furniture, fixtures and equipment/collateral equipment for temporary facilities of administration, billeting, armory, storage and maintenance buildings at Marine Corps Base and Marine Corps Air Station, Camp Pendleton.  The total contract amount after exercise of this option will be $73,020,093.  Work will be performed in Oceanside, Calif., and is expected to be completed by July 2010.  Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, Calif., is modifying a $75,209,000 fixed- price incentive firm contract for Long Lead funding of two Global Hawk Block 30M air vehicles, each including airborne signals intelligence payload and enhanced integrated sensor suite payloads, three Global Hawk 40 air vehicles, each including an MP-RTIP payload , and three  ASIP retrofit kits.  At this time, $75,209,000 has been obligated. 303rd  AESG/SYK, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity.

JK Hill & Associates, Inc., Virginia Beach, Va., is being awarded a $13,500,000 fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for comprehensive aircraft maintenance and technical support services for Marine Light Attach Helicopter Training Squadron (HMLA/T-303) located at Marine Corps Air Station, Camp Pendleton, Calif.  Platforms supported are AH-1, HH-1, and UH T/M/S aircraft.  This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $67,700,000.  Work will be performed at Marine Corps Air Station, Camp Pendleton, Calif., and is expected to be completed by Jun. 30, 2014.  Contract funds allocated at time of award will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with two offers received in response to the request for proposals.  The Regional Contracting Office – MCI-West, Camp Pendleton, Calif., is the contracting activity.

Raytheon Co., Network Centric Systems, Fort Wayne, Ind., was awarded in Jun. 26, 2009 a $ 21,746,737 cost-plus-fixed-fee and fixed-price contract for Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop the generation Network Centric Radio System (NCRS), with additional capabilities and an assured affordable price to the user. DARPA envisions two critical technologies for achieving these new goals: 1) a backbone radio architecture that enables a versatile IP networks and a radio gateway that enable legacy analog and digital communications systems to be internetworked.  As with NCRS, the MAINGATE enables heterogeneous groups of radios to be integrated into a heterogeneous network tolerant to high latency and packet loss.  The technology development for the program will permit affordable, tactical, real-time, high fidelity video, data, and voice services to be deployed in a network environment to support tactical operations in either maneuver or dismounted operations.  A MAINGATE node consists of the gateway hoc network (MANET) IP radio, WAN port, LAN port, and operator console for a recurring production unit cost target (sell price to government) of $ 60, 000 (constant FY09$) per unit for a volume purchase of 1,000 units after the successful satisfaction of the base program objectives.  Work is to be performed in Fullerton, Calif., (19.54 percent), Fort Wayne, Ind., (25.88 percent), Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., (7.19 percent), Vienna, Va., (3.20 percent), Cambridge, Md.,(7.02  percent), Columbia, Md., (22.45 percent), and Melbourne, Fla., (14.72 percent), with an estimated completion date of September 2012.  Bids solicited on the World Wide Web with three bids received. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Va., is the contracting activity.

Science Applications International Corp., San Diego, Calif., was awarded on Jun. 26, 2009 a $ 12,431,184 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for threat detection alongside or approaching a roadway.  Work is to be performed in San Diego, Calif., (26.4 percent) and OCONUS (73.6 percent) with an estimated completion date of Dec. 09, 2011.  Bids were solicited using FedBizOpps with one bid received.  U.S. Army Corp of Engineer, ERDC Contracting Office, Vicksburg, Miss., is the contracting activity.

Interstate Highway Construction, Inc., Englewood, Colo. was awarded on Jun. 25, 2009 a $8,192,258 firm-fixed-fee contract to design/build for F-35 ramp and security upgrades and main base runway, Phase 4, at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Services consist of (1) design and construction of a concrete aircraft parking ramp for eight aircraft to support operational testing of the F-35C aircraft.  The parking ramp will include grounding points, tie downs, standard aircraft marking and asphalt shoulders; and (2) main base runway, Phase 4, which completes the repair to the main base runway, approximately 2,000’ by 150’ at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.  Work is to be performed in Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., with an estimated completion date of Jun. 30, 2010.  Bids were solicited using fbo.gov and ASFI with four bids received. U.S. Army Engineer District, Los Angeles, Calif., is the contracting activity.