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National &
International Items
Garver Illustrates Choices
Between Constellation and New Plan (Source: Space Policy
Online)
Lori Garver, NASA Deputy Administrator, debuted a set of graphics
illustrating the choices between Constellation and the new plan for
NASA proposed by President Obama. The two slides show NASA's view of
its exploration program for the next 20 years (2010-2030) under the
Obama proposal versus Constellation. The first slide shows three sets
of activities: commercial cargo and commercial crew flights to the
International Space Station (ISS) through 2028, a robust
"transformational R&D" effort with technology demonstration flights
on the ISS and other "flagship" and "small" technology demonstration
flights, and "sustainable exploration" including robotic precursor
flights, heavy lift launch capability, in-space propulsion etc.
The second slide is almost empty by comparison, showing the ISS and
commercial cargo launches ending in 2016, Ares I/Orion beginning in
2015 with a notation that the Augustine committee said 2017, and Ares V
beginning in 2024 with a notation that Augustine said 2028. Deciphering
the slides is challenging in some cases, especially in terms of
answering the question of when human exploration missions beyond low
Earth orbit would begin. The slides are likely to provoke debate about
their accuracy and meaning, but if nothing else they provide insight
into NASA's strategy for building support for the new plan. Click here to view them. (3/14)
Lawmakers Want 30-Day
Study of NASA Gap Closure Options (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
More than a dozen U.S. House members called on the White House to
abandon its plans to cancel NASA’s Constellation moon rocket program
and urged the agency to study ways it could continue developing its own
spaceflight vehicles. The lawmakers want NASA to conduct a 30-day study
that would find ways within NASA’s proposed $19 billion budget to
“ensure uninterrupted, independent U.S. human space flight
access,” according to a letter outlining their request. (3/11)
NASA Conducting Study About Shuttle (Source: Florida Today)
NASA is conducting an internal study to determine whether shuttle
supply lines could be restarted if Congress directs the agency to keep
its three-orbiter fleet flying. The manufacturing of new external tanks
would take two years, likely resulting in a gap between the last
scheduled shuttle mission in September and additional flights. Shuttle
systems largely have been recertified to fly beyond 2010, so the
biggest question is money, a NASA official said Tuesday. (3/10)
Legislation Aim to Extend Shuttle Era (Source: Orlando
Sentinel)
Lawmakers with ties to Kennedy Space Center introduced legislation that
would increase NASA’s budget, likely extend the space shuttle era past
its planned retirement this year and accelerate the development of a
new NASA spacecraft. The Human Spaceflight Capability Assurance and
Protection serves as a companion bill to similar legislation proposed
recently by U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas.
This bill would push NASA to develop its own launch vehicle that could
include pieces of the shuttle or Constellation programs. It also would
increase Obama’s proposed NASA budget of $19 billion in 2011 by an
additional $1.3 billion and add shuttle flights if they were needed to
keep the station aloft through 2020. (3/11)
Editorial: Congress Should Fund Shuttle Extension (Source:
Houston Chronicle)
We agree with Sen. Hutchison that the nation should not be forced into
a false choice between maintaining the shuttle or developing other
programs while relying on the Russians or Chinese for access to space.
We can -- and must -- do both, and additional short-term funding for
the shuttle is the best route to preserving our independent launch
capabilities while building a robust manned space program for the
future. (3/12)
Nelson Suggests Minor Shuttle Extension (Source: Space
Politics)
In a speech on the Senate floor Monday Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL)
addressed a potential minor shuttle extension. He recommended adding
one additional shuttle mission, the “rescue” shuttle that would be held
in reserve if there was a problem on the last currently-scheduled
shuttle flight, to carry additional equipment and supplies to the
International Space Station. “The risk to safety is minimal on a fifth
shuttle flight,” he said. “The President should announce he is asking
NASA to do that fifth flight.” Nelson didn’t address any further
extension of the shuttle.
Nelson also blamed the strong negative reaction to NASA’s new plan in
some quarters to poor decisions by White House advisors.
“Unfortunately, some of his [President Obama's] advisers have not given
him correct information about how to lay out his vision,” he said. And
later: “The President let himself be misinterpreted.” In one case,
planned heavy-lift launch technology and development, he specifically
blamed OMB. (3/10)
Valve Leak Could Push Back
April 5 Shuttle Launch (Source: Florida Today)
A helium leak in one of Discovery's hump-like rocket pods cropped up
over the weekend and if it can't be fixed at the launch pad, NASA might
be forced to return the shuttle to its processing hangar and delay an
April 5 launch. (3/13)
AMS Payload Problem May Delay
Shuttle's Last Flight (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
Possible problems with a $2 billion physics experiment could delay the
space shuttle's final flight and further complicate White House plans
to retire the orbiter fleet this year. At issue is a van-sized device
called the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer that scientists hope will tell
them more about the universe and its beginnings. The AMS is scheduled to fly
aboard Endeavour in July to be installed on the Space Station, but a
potential design flaw has forced NASA officials to consider postponing
the mission.
The trouble lies with the experiment's magnets, designed to work within
a few degrees of absolute zero. The magnets are designed to bend
interstellar particles as they flow through the tube-shaped device;
scientists will be able to identify the electronic charge of the
particles by how they curve. But engineers are worried that heat from
the sun's rays and from the station itself could warm the magnets,
which could make them malfunction or shorten the experiment's
three-year life span. (3/12)
Company Offers Research
Reservations on Final Space Shuttle Mission (Source: AAA)
American Aerospace Advisors Inc. is accepting commercial reservations
for research on STS-133, the last scheduled
Space Shuttle mission, which will provide approximately two weeks of
microgravity time. The company’s commercial payload utilizes flight
proven microgravity hardware equipment flown on several earlier Space
Shuttle space missions. The system accommodates approximately 100
industry/university samples covering a wide variety of research. All
flight results will be the property of the researcher.
The on-orbit research opportunity was enabled through NanoRacks LLC (http://www.nanoracksllc.com), which is working in
partnership with NASA under a Space Act Agreement as part of the
utilization of the International Space Station as a National
Laboratory. (3/9)
Space Shuttles Need $200 Million Per Month to Keep Flying
(Source: AP)
With space shuttle retirement just months away, a senior NASA manager
said Tuesday it wouldn’t be hard to add more flights, provided the
nation is willing to keep paying $200 million a month. Some in Congress
are pushing for additional missions to fill the gap between the end of
the shuttle program and the nation’s next manned spaceship, whatever
and whenever that might be.
Last month, President Barack Obama killed NASA’s Constellation program,
which would have created a shuttle successor to ferry astronauts to the
space station, and ultimately to the moon. Instead, Obama has directed
NASA to turn to commercial companies for getting astronauts to orbit
and, instead, focus on deep-space exploration. Money is the key to
keeping the shuttles flying, said program manager John Shannon.
“The shuttle program is fairly expensive. We burn at about a $200
million-a-month rate. So that gives you a base of about $2.4 billion
per year … almost irregardless of how many flights,” Shannon told reporters. He added:
“Where that money comes from is the big question.” (3/9)
Multi-Year Gap Expected Even With Additional Shuttle Missions
(Source: Space Politics)
David Radzanowski, NASA's deputy associate administrator for program
integration in the Space Operations Mission Directorate (SOMD),
discussed shuttle extension during a panel session last week. He
acknowledged that many believe that flying the shuttle beyond the
remaining four missions is not wise. “Our own Aerospace Safety Advisory
Panel has essentially said that they don’t support extending the
shuttle beyond its current manifest. Essentially they said that the
point to make the decision to extend the shuttle has passed.”
“If we’re directed to do so, and if the money actually shows up, and if
we bring the workforce and the suppliers onboard that we need to move
forward, there would still be a two- to three-year gap between the last
flight and the new additional flights,” he concluded. “That’s just the
way it is, folks, that’s the way it is because it takes us that long to
build an external tank.” (3/12)
Analyst: NASA is Not a
Jobs Program
(Source: FNR)
The President is defending many of his initiatives these days. That
includes the proposal to outsource NASA's current manned space
exploration program to private contractors. The President will appear
at a Florida space exploration
conference in April to explain his plan, while critics say the changes
will hurt space exploration and cut NASA jobs. Joining us to discuss
this is John Logsdon, Professor Emeritus of Political Science and
International Affairs at The George Washington University's Space
Policy Institute. Click here to hear the interview.
(3/9)
Obama Pledges $1.9 Billion to Space Industry (Source:
Orlando Business Journal)
At his upcoming Florida space summit on April 15,
Obama plans to unveil a new plan for NASA that would include an
additional $1.9 billion for Florida alone over the next five
years. That would include a faster pace of rocket launches out of Florida as NASA tests new
technologies, launches robotic precursor missions and resupplies the
International Space Station. (3/9)
In Spaceflight's Murky Future, Old Paradigms No Longer Apply
(Source: Baltimore Sun)
For the first time, a U.S. president has canceled the main future human
spaceflight program, leaving NASA without a direction, soon without a
vehicle to fly people in space, and with its role as world space leader
in doubt. How did we get into this predicament, and is there a path
toward regaining the kind of space eminence Americans have taken for
granted?
As an unapologetic space cadet, I'm appalled by Washington's chaotic leadership and
judgment over several decades. As a critical historian, I am fascinated
by the whole spectacle. We have achieved great things in space over the
past half-century, despite our short attention spans. But, as Wernher
von Braun, author of the Mars exploration paradigm, said, "We can lick
gravity, but sometimes the paperwork is overwhelming." It remains to be
seen whether the public, facing the loss of space eminence and the
rising interest of other nations, will rediscover its fickle enthusiasm
for human spaceflight. (3/10)
Mother of Space Storms Bearing Down on Florida (Source: Daytona Beach
News-Journal)
Congress may keep elements of the Constellation Program on life support
for a few years, but its current incarnation is dead. NASA's leadership
has been quite clear that it does not want it. A change of this
magnitude is certainly traumatic. It will help to think of the new
direction as extending aviation to a higher altitude, and where
commercial transportation goes, business follows.
During this very difficult period, Florida's ability to adapt and
develop an entrepreneurial space industry (NewSpace) remains
problematic. Space Florida has been preparing for
this hurricane for several years and has developed an encouraging
strategy, but difficulties remain. Existing state incentives and
assistance programs aren't easily used to motivate very small companies
to come to Florida, even though one of these
may become the next large aerospace firm in the state.
Incentives need not be limited to state or local government funds;
angel investors and venture capitalists are increasingly recognizing
the potential of the NewSpace entrepreneurs. NASA's recent decision to
assign Kennedy Space Center the mission of engaging
NewSpace companies is a possible source of strategic confusion and
inefficiency. Will these state and federal entities effectively
coordinate their activities, or will cultural and political differences
create obstacles to strategic and tactical cooperation? (3/10)
Florida Governor Dings White House on Space Summit (Source: Politico)
Florida Gov. and Senate candidate Charlie Crist is voicing skepticism
that a newly scheduled White House conference on NASA's future will
soften cutbacks in the manned space program. The Obama administration
plans a conference in Florida on April 15 to discuss
spaceflight and "implications of the new strategy for Florida, the nation, and our
ultimate activities in space." But Crist sounded unimpressed: "While
continuing dialogue about the space program is welcome, I'm afraid we
already know the outcome. Unless we continue the Constellation program
that allows America to be a leader in space
innovation and provides jobs for many Floridians on the Space Coast, this discussion will
leave many of the same problems unresolved." (3/8)
Houston? You Have a Problem (Source: LA Times)
Mark the calendar again for April 15. It's a Thursday. In addition to
your income taxes being due, President Obama has called a special space
summit in the politically important swing state of Florida that day to change the
fundamental direction of NASA in coming years because he believes in
change. Bold change, in fact. This Florida change probably has
nothing to do with Obama's presidential predecessor being from Texas, a state that didn't vote
for the Illinois Democrat when he ran against Hillary Clinton (51-47)
and disliked him even more when he ran against John McCain (55-44).
(3/8)
Texas' NASA Fight Soars Even as State's Clout Fades
(Source: Houston Chronicle)
Texas' hard-charging campaign to save NASA's back-to-the-moon
Constellation program may have star-struck optimism on its side, but
the political and historical realities could prove too daunting to
overcome. For one, gone are the days when House Majority Leader Tom
DeLay, R-Sugar Land, could protect Texas' interests during the
Bush presidency, or Democrats such as Lloyd Bentsen could watch out for
the Lone Star State as a powerful Senate
committee chairman or treasury secretary for Bill Clinton.
Texans have so little clout in Washington nowadays that when U.S.
Rep. Pete Olson, now Sugar Land's Republican congressman,
wanted to meet privately with NASA chief Charles Bolden, he had to
buttonhole the former astronaut after a House panel hearing. And
although thousands of Houston-area jobs are at stake, Texans in 2008
did nothing to help usher Barack Obama into the White House.
Furthermore, history shows previous lobbying efforts to salvage massive
NASA projects have never succeeded. (3/8)
Texas Church Taking Online Prayer Requests for NASA
(Source: Ultimate Clear Lake)
With the president and Congress contemplating a budget that puts
thousands of NASA jobs on the line, shaken members of a Clear Lake
church are petitioning a higher authority. Clear Lake Presbyterian Church is
collecting 500 prayer requests online for people affected by the
changes coming to Johnson Space Center. The congregation has
been charged with asking friends, neighbors and co-workers what they
need during this period of uncertainty, then submitting the requests to
500prayers@xxxxxxxxx. (3/11)
Utah: Save Constellation by Slowing It (Source: Deseret
News)
Instead of following President Barack Obama's proposal to cancel a
new-generation rocket and space exploration program, a bipartisan group
of House members is asking NASA merely to slow its development. A group
that includes Reps. Rob Bishop and Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, asked NASA
to assemble a team of experts to figure how it could continue
development of the Constellation program by using only the money that
Obama proposed in his 2011 budget. (3/12)
Utah Senator: Earmarking
May Be Only Way to Save Utah’s ATK Jobs (Source: Cache Valley
Daily)
Senator Bob Bennett, R-Utah, says he and fellow Senator Orrin Hatch,
R-Utah, are teaming up with Congressman Rob Bishop, R-Utah, in trying
to save NASA's Constellation and Ares programs. Sen. Bennett said
besides losing valuable space programs it would mean the loss of
thousands of jobs at ATK Systems in Box Elder County. He says the only way
that could be changed is through the appropriations process by refusing
to appropriate money for the program the President is favoring.
Congress can appropriate "money for Ares and Constellation and say,
'this is what you have to do, Mr. President,'" Sen. Bennett says.
It's a risky move politically, Sen. Bennett says, because it's an
earmarking tactic. "I know there's people that say, 'gee, you shouldn't
be earmarking.' But the Constitution gives the Congress the power to
determine how the money should be spent," he explained. (3/11)
ATK Realigns for Long-Term
Growth and Announces New Leadership Team (Source: ATK)
Alliant Techsystems will realign its business structure, effective
April 1, into four operating groups: Aerospace Systems, Armament
Systems, Missile Products, and Security and Sporting. The change better
aligns ATK's capabilities and
resources with its customers and markets, and positions the company for
long-term growth and improved profitability.
Blake Larson, who currently leads the Space Systems group, will lead
the newly formed Aerospace Systems group, which will include the Space
Systems group and the Aerospace Structures business of Mission Systems.
Aerospace Systems will have capabilities in solid rocket propulsion
systems, advanced materials, launch structures, next-generation
commercial and military aircraft structures, satellite structures, and
small satellite systems. (3/11)
House Limits Use of Earmarks to Benefit For-Profit Companies
(Source: AIA)
In a move aimed primarily at defense contractors, House leaders have
banned earmarks designed to aid for-profit companies. Under the
agreement between Rep. David Obey, D-Wis., and Rep. Norm Dicks,
D-Wash., only the Pentagon will decide between competing bidders, not
lawmakers. The two powerful appropriators said such restrictions could
have avoided 1,000 earmarks last year. The Senate has previously
rejected a similar measure, leaving its future unclear. Editor's
Note: NASA for-profit contractors have also been the recipient
of federal earmarks. (3/11)
Preserving Alabama Space Jobs a Big Focus
for Shelby (Source: Huntsville Times)
U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby is concerned. As NASA's Constellation space
exploration program hangs in the balance, Shelby told The Times editorial
board on Sunday afternoon he's concerned about private companies
getting into the business of space. He's worried that China and India will "fill the vacuum" if
U.S. manned space flight goes
away. But most of all, Shelby, R-Tuscaloosa, is troubled about the loss
of jobs if Constellation is killed. "The jobs are important," Shelby said. "You lose the
critical mass of scientists and engineers, it's hard to bring it back.
We're going to do everything we can to retain this program....I believe
some of us have fundamental disagreements on how the administration
wants to go." (3/8)
NASA's Need to Win Hearts and Minds (Source: Space Review)
Since the rollout of the FY2011 budget proposal last month, with its
major changes to NASA's exploration program contained within it, the
agency has struggled to win support from skeptical members of Congress
and others in the space community. Jeff Foust discusses why the agency
may need to make more of an emotional appeal, rather than just rely on
budget documents, to win support in the coming months. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1582/1 to view the article. (3/8)
Astronauts Memorial
Foundation Urges Obama to Keep Human Spaceflight (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
The Astronauts Memorial Foundation recently sent a letter to President
Barack Obama to urge him to “vigorously support uninterrupted
continuation of human spaceflight and ensure U.S. leadership in space
exploration.” The letter was sent, it said, “In order to honor those
astronauts who have made the ultimate sacrifice to benefit human
exploration, and to allow Americans continued pride in our space
program…” The letter was penned by Michael J. McCulley, former
astronaut, and AMF president Stephen Feldman. (3/11)
Space Station Could Operate Until 2028, Says Consortium
(Source: AFP)
The consortium of agencies building the International Space Station
(ISS) wants to see if the orbital outpost can operate until 2028, the
European Space Agency (ESA) said on Thursday. "There
are no identified technical constraints to continuing ISS operations
beyond the current planning horizon of 2015 to at least 2020," it said
in a press release after a meeting of ISS partners in Tokyo. (3/11)
Last Shuttle Trip to Space to Leave Leonardo Behind
(Source: Huntsville Times)
NASA plans to leave a parting gift to the International Space Station
after the last shuttle mission docks with the floating lab - added
storage space for science research. The Leonardo multipurpose logistics
module - basically a huge, round storage tank - has been used to
transport supplies, food and experiments to the station over the past
decade. It will be modified to become a permanent part of the station.
Marshall Space Flight Center oversaw the construction of Leonardo,
which was performed at the Alenia Aerospazio factory in Turin, Italy. The Italian Space Agency
provided Leonardo as its contribution to the space station program.
(3/8)
NASA Could Buy Plasma Engine for Station Reboost Services
(Source: Flight Global)
President Kennedy laid down a straightforward if daunting challenge:
the Moon. President George W Bush, perhaps looking for a Kennedy
moment, set that challenge again. From President Barack Obama, a more
nuanced directive is no surprise. But while Obama would forego a
headline destination in favour of having NASA develop exotic
technologies to enable human exploration of deep space while the
private sector takes on the low- Earth orbit transport challenge, one
former NASA astronaut thinks he can achieve both goals - and before any
crew is carried aloft in a private rocket.
Franklin Chang Diaz believes that his Variable Specific Impulse
Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR) technology could be the answer to
propulsion problems stretching from the International Space Station to
the Moon. Initially developed 10 years ago in Houston at the Johnson
Space Center's Advanced Space Propulsion Laboratory, then headed by
Chang Diaz, the technology's electric engines promise super-efficient
thrust compared with that provided by conventional rockets. (3/9)
Costs of US Piloted Programs (Source: Space Review)
How much does human spaceflight cost NASA? Claude Lafleur examines the
historical record to determine just how much the space agency has spent
on sending humans into space over the years. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1579/1 to view the article. (3/8)
NASA's Breakdown or Breakthrough? (Source: Space Review)
Much of the attention devoted to NASA's budget request has focused on
plans to cancel Constellation and rely on commercial providers for
human spaceflight. Luis Fernández Carril says that such a focus ignores
the other key features of the budget proposal. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1578/1 to view the article. (3/8)
Space Taxis: Bold New Era or Death of Manned Exploration?
(Source: Earth Times)
The massive cement expanses that dot the flat Florida landscape have been
launching pads for history: the first US astronauts blasted into
orbit, the Apollo missions to the moon and nearly 30 years of space
shuttle flights. But human space travel from Kennedy Space Center will soon come to a halt.
Russian Soyuz capsules as the only means to get humans into orbit - at
least until commercial providers can deliver a series of new spacecraft
to serve as taxis that NASA will pay to ferry astronauts aloft.
"I believe this budget and the vision it represents would end our human
spaceflight program as we know it and would surrender at least for our
lifetime our leadership in the air," said Senator David Vitter, a
Republican who is joined by many members of both parties, particularly
those with NASA centers in their districts. Critics in Congress decry a
loss of US prestige, declining
technological progress, the lack of a distinct inspirational goal and a
fear that emerging powers like China and India will outpace the US. They also worry about
loss of jobs in their districts, with an estimated 7,000
shuttle-related jobs to be lost in and near Kennedy Space Center alone.
But top space officials argue there was never enough money to get back
to the moon under the existing plan, which NASA administrator Charlie
Bolden called "living in a hallucination." Freed of the routine task of
ferrying astronauts to the International Space Station, NASA could
refocus on new and as yet unspecified missions, he said. Obama's plan
must still be approved by Congress, where the next- generation
Constellation spacecraft program was popular, if underfunded. Members
of Congress have expressed ire that they were not consulted, and many
say the details of commercial spacecraft are too sketchy and
potentially unsafe. (3/8)
Musk: Chalk up SpaceX Falcon 9 Aborted Test to Growing Pains (Source:
Orlando Sentinel)
Elon Musk, the CEO and founder of the rocket
upstart SpaceX, Thursday announced that a balky valve was to blame for
this week’s aborted test firing of its flagship Falcon 9 launch
vehicle’s engines. The failure, Musk, admitted, might have been avoided.
“We had tested everything on the vehicle side exhaustively in Texas, but didn’t have this …
valve on our test stand there,” Musk said. “Definitely a lesson learned
to make sure that *everything* is the same between test stand and
launch pad on the ground side, not just on the vehicle side.” (3/11)
SpaceX Test Firing
Successful
(Source: SpaceX)
SpaceX on Saturday successfully completed a test firing of the
inaugural Falcon 9 launch vehicle at Launch Complex 40 at the Cape
Canaveral Spaceport. Following a nominal terminal countdown, the launch
sequencer commanded ignition of all 9 Merlin first stage engines for a
period of 3.5 seconds. Just prior to engine ignition, the pad water
deluge system was activated providing acoustic suppression to keep
vibration levels within acceptable limits. The test validated the
launch pad propellant and pneumatic systems as well as the ground and
flight control software that controls pad and launch vehicle
configurations. The first flight of the Falcon 9 which will carry a
Dragon spacecraft qualification unit to orbit. (3/13)
Air Force Warns of Increased Launch Costs (Source: Space
News)
The Air Force and National Reconnaissance Office could face major
increases in the cost of launching satellites as a result of the Obama
administration’s decision to cancel NASA’s shuttle replacement program,
a top Air Force official said. Gary Payton, deputy undersecretary of
the Air Force for space programs, told members of Congress on Wednesday
that the Obama administration had not asked the Air Force to examine
the effects of canceling NASA’s Constellation program before the Feb. 1
announcement.
The military and intelligence community rely on the same manufacturers
as NASA to build the rockets that launch their satellites, but the
White House plans to turn to commercially owned rockets to launch
astronauts following retirement of the shuttle later this year. Early
information shows the price of rocket propulsion systems for the
military and NRO “might double” as a result, Payton said. Six studies
are now underway together with NASA and NRO to examine price questions,
workforce issues and reliability concerns, Payton said. (3/13)
Operationally Responsive Space: An AIA Priority (Source: AIA)
AIA has released a new white
paper in support of Operationally Responsive Space small launch vehicle
acquisition and space industrial base health. AIA argues for ORS strategies
that ensure support for the U.S. warfighter, promote
competition and help strengthen the U.S. space industrial base.
For years, AIA has led advocacy efforts
to support the ORS effort to develop rapid and responsive space support
for military operations. ORS is an important new initiative that aims
to rapidly deploy spacecraft designed to assist urgent warfighter
needs. Click here for more. (3/11)
USAF To Launch 4 'First-of' Sats in 2010 (Source: Defense
News)
After years of production delays aggravated by cost overruns and
punctuated by capabilities cuts, military satellite programs appear
poised for a few positives this year. Four "first of" satellites are
scheduled to be launched in 2010, including: the first Advanced
Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) communications satellite; the first
Space Based Space Surveillance (SBSS) satellite; the first
new-generation Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite; and the first
Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) satellite.
"It appears that space programs have finally turned the corner," said
Sen. Ben Nelson, chairman of the Senate Armed Services strategic forces
subcommittee. Well, that's one way to look at it. But the Government
Accountability Office has a different perspective. The four launches
planned for this year come only after years of enormous cost increases,
delivery delays, design problems and oversight and management
weaknesses. (3/11)
United Launch Services Wins Air Force Contract for EELV
(Source: DOD)
Colorado-based United Launch Services has been awarded a $6,502,811 Air
Force contract which will provide new capabilities, tools, or resources
required to increase the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle launch rate
(with launch sites in Florida and California). (3/10)
Richard Garriott: ‘Barnstorming Era’ of Space Transportation
is Approaching (Source: Examiner)
Gaming pioneer Richard Garriott, who paid $30 million to travel to the
International Space Station in 2008, says that within three to five
years, the “barnstorming era of space will absolutely captivate the
public’s interest.” Garriott said that a “less-than-stellar amount of
attention” currently is being paid to space travel and exploration.
However, he expects space to attract more notice as private industry
ramps up space-travel options, and as NASA phases out the shuttle
program and begins focusing more on potential missions to the moon and
Mars. (3/11)
Starfighters Plans KSC
Flight This Week (Source: SPACErePORT)
Starfighters Aerospace will conduct research/training flights aboard
their F-104 jet aircraft on Monday and Tuesday from the Space Shuttle
Landing Facility at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. Starfighters is the
only FAA-approved provider of such services to commercial customers,
and they have provided recent flights for suborbital spaceflight
trainees. Click here for more on Starfighters.
(3/12)
Astrodocs: For These
Physicians, Space is Their Workplace (Source: AMA)
Since 1973, 23 U.S. physicians have launched
into space. They have taken part in spacewalks, treated fellow crew
members and conducted medical research. They have participated in 49
space missions, conducting dozens of spacewalks and experiments to
advance space exploration and the understanding of how space affects
the human body. They take care of the health needs of fellow
astronauts, and, through their research, have helped further medicine
on Earth.
They have made history: the first black person to walk in space was
Bernard Harris Jr., MD, in 1995. In 1997 J.M. Linenger, MD, PhD, MPH, set the record for the
longest duration flight for a U.S. man -- 132 days, 4 hours and 1
minute in space. (That mark has since been broken.) They also have died
on missions: David Brown, MD, and Laurel Blair Salton Clark, MD, were
on the shuttle Columbia when it broke apart while
re-entering Earth's atmosphere on Feb.
1, 2003. "The role of the
physician-astronaut is a very vital one to NASA's mission," said
Jeffrey Sutton, MD, PhD, president and director of the Texas-based
National Space Biomedical Research Institute, which works with NASA to
sponsor research at universities nationwide. Click here to view the article.
(3/14)
Bigelow Job Opening for
Astronaut
(Source: SpaceRef.com)
Bigelow Aerospace seeks professional astronauts to fill permanent
positions. Qualified applicants need to have completed a training
program from their government or recognized space agency and have at
least some flight experience on a recognized space mission. Specialized
training and/or experience (ie: Medical, Payload Specialist, EVA,
Pilot, etc.) is not a pre-requisite, but is definitely a plus. Click here for information. (3/13)
EADS-Astrium's Space Tourism Business-Jet (Source:
Aviation Week)
EADS-Astrium's space tourism business-jet is being designed to carry
four passengers 100 km up into space, giving them more than three
minutes of weightlessness, the Astrium space jet takes off from a
standard airport using its jet engines. However, once the craft is
airborne at an altitude of about 12 km, the rocket engines will be
ignited to give sufficient acceleration to reach 100 km. In only 80
seconds the craft will have climbed to 60 km altitude. The seats
balance themselves to minimize the effects of acceleration and
deceleration, ensuring the greatest passenger comfort and safety. (3/12)
New Suborbital Spaceships Spark Scientific Frenzy (Source:
Space.com)
Anticipation is on the rise for a new crop of commercial suborbital
spaceships that can serve the scientific and educational market. These
reusable rocket-propelled vessels are expected to offer quick, routine
and affordable access to the edge of space, along with the capability
to carry research and educational crew members.
There are a number of "cash and carry" suborbital craft under
development by such groups as: Armadillo Aerospace, Blue Origin, Masten
Space Systems, Virgin Galactic, as well as XCOR Aerospace. The Vehicle
builders still face rigorous shake-out schedules, flight safety
hurdles, as well as extensive trial-runs of their respective craft
before suborbital space jaunts become commonplace. (3/12)
ZERO-G Announces "Weightless Lab" Research Program
(Source: ZERO-G)
The ZERO-G Weightless Lab provides an affordable first step for
space-based scientific research projects. It is a specially designed
two-day program that provides commercial access to Martian, Lunar, zero
and hyper gravity environments for scientific research. The program is
open to academic, corporate and government agency applicants. It offers
clients the availability to charter a section of the ZERO-G plane
rather than the entire plane, for the two-day program. A July 22-23
flight is planned in Florida. Click here for information. (3/11)
Space Florida Secures Licenses for Launch Complexes 46 and 36
(Source: Space Florida)
Space Florida has secured Air Force Real Property Licenses for Space
Launch Complexes 46 and 36 at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. As a
result, the 45th Space Wing now grants Space Florida full rights to proceed
with construction and refurbishment work at either launch location.
These licenses are in line with the 45th Space Wing’s mission, assuring
access to the higher frontier. “This will help us better execute that
mission. It’s a win-win-win for the Air Force, the state of Florida, and the nation,” said
Col. Ed Wilson, 45th Space Wing Commander. (3/12)
Boeing To Modify F-16s To Be Targets at Cecil Field Spaceport (Source:
Aviation Week)
Boeing has won the U.S. competition to convert surplus Lockheed Martin
F-16 fighters into drones to replace the QF-4s now used as full-scale
aerial targets for weapon-system testing. The company has received a
$69.7 million contract for the first phase of the QF-16 program,
covering engineering, manufacturing and development. Most of that will
occur in St. Louis, while flight testing and
production will occur at Boeing’s plant in Cecil Field, Florida. Editor's
Note: The F-4 target drones operate regularly over the Gulf of Mexico, remotely flown from
their home base at Tyndall Air Force Base in Northwest Florida. I imagine many of the
F-16 drones will also fly from Tyndall. (3/12)
Private Texas Spaceport
Gets NASA Backing (Source: El Paso Times)
On Texas Highway 54, a quiet and isolated corridor along the Chihuahuan Desert, most inhabitants of the
area are rabbits, lizards and snakes. But travelers spot something
strange as they reach the halfway point between Van Horn and the Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Far off to the east of
the highway, an 84-foot-tall base building and a red structure emerge
from the desert. When vehicles arrive at 35961 Texas Highway 54, they find a blue gate
with high-tech surveillance cameras and identification-checking
devices. It smells like danger and reminds the traveler that this is
not just any ranch.
On this remote site lies a billionaire's idea of the future -- a
commercial spaceport to send tourists and NASA astronauts to outer
space. Aerospace company Blue Origin built the facility about five
years ago. Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos owns the company. The
project's most visible breakthrough came in 2006, when it vertically
flew and landed an egg-shaped rocket it calls New Shepard. Last month,
Blue Origin was one of five commercial aerospace companies to receive
federal money for rocket research. NASA awarded the company $3.7
million to work on an advanced technology, which detaches a crew cabin
from its launcher if the vehicle malfunctions.
The link with NASA placed the company as a finalist in the suborbital
space race. FAA officials said Blue Origin does not have an active
experimental flight permit. But the company could be getting ready to
launch three people into space in 2011 and 2012. Until then, company
executives said, they would not reveal any more information. (3/14)
Student-Built Spacecraft Will be Launched at Wallops
(Source: DelMarVaNow.com)
Not much bigger than a child's toy block, two spacecraft designed and
built by university students in Kentucky and California will fly in
space for a short period this month to gather information that may be
applied to future small Earth orbiting space vehicles. The spacecraft
will fly on a NASA suborbital Terrier-Improved Malemute sounding rocket
between 6 and 9 a.m. March 11, from NASA's
Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The backup launch days
are March 12 and 13. (3/10)
Weather Scrubs Virginia Launch of Student Spacecraft
(Source: WTVR)
NASA has scrubbed the launch of two student-designed spacecraft from
its Wallops Island spaceport on Virginia's Eastern Shore because of bad weather.
The launch had been scheduled for Thursday. NASA said a launch won't be
attempted Friday or Saturday because of rain and winds. The next
attempt won't be until March 22 at the earliest. The spacecraft will
fly on a NASA suborbital Terrier-Improved Malemute sounding rocket.
They will be ejected during the suborbital flight and will gather
information that may be applied to future small Earth orbiting space
vehicles. (3/11)
Editorial: Tell My
5-Year-Old That We've Given Up on Space (Source: USA Today)
My 5-year-old daughter knows their names: Earhart, Lindbergh, Yeager,
Shepard, Glenn, Armstrong, Aldrin, Gagarin. In New York, she has visited the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum and attended lectures in
the planetarium of the American Museum of Natural History. She
has seen a shuttle streak skyward from a Florida beach. To her, manned
exploration of space is about more than technical capability. It is an
_expression_ of her curiosity about the world. The questions that begged
answers, and the humans that dared answer them, inspire her. (3/10)
Buzz Lightyear was First on the Moon, Say One in Ten
Schoolchildren (Source: Daily Mail)
Toy Story hero Buzz Lightyear was the first man on the Moon, according
to one in ten schoolchildren. Many pupils thought the animated
character - not American astronaut Neil Armstrong - was the first to
take one small step for man in 1969. It means big-headed Buzz, whose
motto is To Infinity and Beyond, has finally got the recognition he
craves. Other names primary school children suggested might have beaten
NASA to the Moon included billionaire Sir Richard Branson, the
legendary American cyclist Lance Armstrong and even the Star Wars hero
Luke Skywalker. While some findings raise a smile, it suggests that
school children aren't tuned into our scientific heroes in the same way
that they might be to sporting or music legends, said one teacher.
(3/13)
FAA Bill Set to Advance, but NextGen Funding Remains Vague
(Source: AIA)
Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., agreed Wednesday to lift his hold on the FAA
reauthorization bill, allowing the measure to move forward as early as
today after it was stripped of language that would have encouraged
unionization at FedEx. But even without the FedEx provision, the FAA
bill faces plenty of controversy in the Senate -- especially when it
comes to funding for NextGen air traffic control. The Senate bill
mandates that owners update their aircraft with new avionics but
provides no help with the bill, estimated at $2 billion to $4 billion.
(3/11)
LaHood: Washington Looking at NextGen Funding Help
(Source: AIA)
The Obama administration "wants to be helpful" in funding the NextGen
air-traffic control system, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told
airline executives on Tuesday, while refusing to give any details on
what that help might look like. Airlines have complained that Washington is providing $8 billion
to high-speed rail projects while failing to help the air travel
industry in the face of a severe downturn. While stressing the
importance of modernizing ATC, LaHood said high-speed rail will
continue to be a priority for the administration. (3/10)
NASA Study: NextGen Could Give New Aircraft [and Spacecraft]
Types a Lift (Source: AIA)
Implementation of the NextGen air traffic control system could allow
advanced short-runway airliners and large commercial tiltrotors to
improve the U.S. air system's capacity without compromising
conventional aircraft operations, according to a new study. The
NASA-funded study looked at the potential introduction of five classes
of advanced aircraft -- 737-sized cruise-efficient
short-takeoff-and-landing (CESTOL) airliners, 100-passenger tiltrotors,
unmanned aircraft, very light jets (VLJ) and supersonic transports --
and found that the CESTOL and tiltrotor aircraft would be beneficiaries
of NextGen. Editor's Note: NextGen work is also being
done to accommodate commercial spaceflight operations within the
National Airspace System. (3/11)
Does NASA Have an International Future? (Source: Space
Review)
The administration's decision to cancel Constellation and abandon the
Vision for Space Exploration is another example of a decision made by
NASA that impacts international partners. Taylor Dinerman argues for
more stable multi-year funding for the agency for it to be considered a
good partner by other nations. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1581/1 to view the article. (3/8)
Uncertain US Space Future Launches International Shake-Up
(Source: Earth Times)
For a world that depended on the United States as the cornerstone of
international cooperation in space, NASA's uncertain way forward has
triggered a reshuffling of global ambitions. Will Russia gain unprecedented
leverage in space and on Earth? Will China build its own competing
coalition of manned space efforts? These questions are raised by the
looming retirement of the ageing US space shuttles later this year and
the scrapping by President Obama of a new moon-worthy spacecraft under
the Constellation program.
The most obvious change will be the rise in Russian prominence. After
2010, its Soyuz will be the only way for humans to reach the ISS, after
a decade-long cooperation by space agencies, including the US, Russia, Japan, Canada and Europe. Russian space agency
chief Anatoli Perminov indicated that Moscow plans to jack up the
price of its services in 2012 after existing agreements expire. While
he did not give any exact figures, the US is already paying $306
million to use Russia's services through 2011.
And it's clear to many that Russia hopes to boost its share
of the space technology market with the profits. (3/8)
NASA Supporting ITAR
Reform (Source:
Space Politics)
NASA is involved in President Obama's export control reform effort,
deputy administrator Lori Garver said. “This is an administration-led
issue,” she said in response to a question on ITAR. “We are trying to
get all the data we can about the kinds of things that ITAR
restrictions have kept us from doing that have actually led to this
nation being less secure rather than more.” She said that most people
in the industry acknowledge that ITAR has been a “hindrance” to
companies as well as organizations trying to cooperate with
international partners on space projects. “NASA is one of the reasons
why ITAR needs to be reformed, but not the only one. This is an
administration-led activity we are active participants in.” (3/12)
New Export Promotion Cabinet Could Boost Space Business
(Source: New York Times)
President Obama on Thursday announced a broad effort to promote
American goods overseas, hoping to bolster competitiveness abroad and
create jobs in the United States. But trade specialists
questioned whether the plan had the potential to double exports in five
years and create two million jobs — the president’s goal — saying the
major challenge would be to overcome stiff trade barriers and create
new markets. Editor's Note: This initiative was
discussed at a recent spaceflight group and was considered a positive
development for the U.S. space industry. (3/12)
Gates To Outline Export Reform Plan by April (Source:
Space News)
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates will outline in the coming weeks a
plan to reform the U.S. export control system that governs the sale of
sensitive technologies overseas, including U.S. commercial
communications satellites, according to U.S. President Barack Obama.
During a March 11 speech at an annual Export-Import Bank conference
here, Obama said his administration had completed a sweeping assessment
of current export laws and regulations governing the sale of sensitive
technologies to foreign countries, and that Gates would unveil
subsequent reforms before the end of March. (3/11)
US Lifts Sanctions Against
Russian Space Company (Source: Space Daily)
The U.S. government has lifted sanctions against the Russian space
organization Glavkosmos. The United States imposed economic
sanctions against Glavkosmos on July
30, 1998, accusing it of export
control violations and engaging in proliferation activities related to Iran's missile program. The
sanctions barred the company from exporting or importing goods to the United States and also blocked it from
receiving any U.S. assistance. (3/14)
Russia, India May Jointly Make Glonass, GPS Navigation Devices (Source: Space Daily)
Russia and India might establish a joint venture to produce navigation
equipment for GPS and its Russian
equivalent Glonass, the head of the Russian federal satellite
navigation operator said. Glonass - the Global Navigation Satellite
System - is the Russian equivalent of the U.S. Global Positioning
System, or GPS, and is designed for both
military and civilian use. Both systems allow users to determine their
positions to within a few meters. (3/9)
European Officials Poised To Remove Chinese Payloads From
Galileo Sats (Source: Space News)
The European Commission appears set to order the builders of the
initial four Galileo navigation satellites, now in final assembly, to
remove their Chinese-built search-and-rescue payloads as part of an
evolving security and technology-independence policy, European
government and industry officials said. Similar motivations will
prevent the builders of the full 30-satellite Galileo constellation
from purchasing search-and-rescue terminals from Canada’s Com Dev despite Canada’s status as an associate
member of the 18-nation European Space Agency and Com Dev’s
acknowledged expertise in the technology. (3/12)
China's Fourth Spaceport
To Be Completed By 2015 (Source: Space Daily)
China's fourth space center, Wenchang, will be put into service between
2014 and 2015, not in 2013 as it was previously announced, the CCTV
channel reported on Tuesday. Located in a forest of coconut palms on
the northeast coast of the Hainan tropical island, Wenchang
will be the country's first low-latitude space center. Its latitude of
only 19 degrees north of the equator will contribute to lower fuel
consumption and maximum payload. (3/9)
Longer Marches (Source: Aviation Week)
The Chinese space industry is studying a Moon rocket in the class of
the Saturn V while separately moving ahead with a medium-heavy launcher
that will complete a modern, modular family of launch vehicles. Chinese
space engineers appear to be planning to assemble manned lunar
spacecraft in orbit with two or more launches per mission. The
medium-heavy launch vehicle, previously foreshadowed as a relative of
the new Long March 5 heavy launcher, is being developed under the name
Long March 7. Long March 5 and 7 and the lighter Long March 6 will form
a family of rockets, says the China Academy of Launch Vehicle
Technology. (3/12)
China Plans to Launch
Third Unmanned Moon Probe Around 2013 (Source: Xinhua)
China plans to launch its third unmanned probe to the moon, Chang'e-3,
around 2013 and expects to complete the three-phase moon mission in
2017, said Ye Peijian, chief designer of Chang'e-1, the country's first
moon probe. The Chang'e-3 mission will include an unmanned soft landing
on the moon and the release of a moon rover to prospect the surface and
interior of the moon. (3/10)
China's First Two Women Astronauts Selected (Source:
Xinhua)
China has selected its second batch of astronauts, including five men
and two women, the first time women have joined the country's space
mission. The two women astronauts, both aero-transport pilots from the
People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force, might take
part in manned docking of China's future space lab, said
Zhang Jianqi, former deputy commander of the country's manned space
program. "In the selection, we had almost the same requirements on
women candidates as those for men, but the only difference was that
they must be married, as we believe married women would be more
physically and psychologically mature," Zhang said on the sidelines of
the annual parliamentary session. (3/10)
Do Women Make Better Astronauts? (Source: Guardian)
As China selects two women to
train female potential astronauts, an expert from the country's air
force claims women will deal better with space travel than men, citing
better communication skills and the ability to deal with loneliness. Do
you agree? Click here to place your vote. (3/9)
Korea’s New Satellites to
Improve Daily Life (Source: Korea Times)
The hit-or-miss weather forecasts are on everyone's list of the most
annoying things in everyday life here. But Korea's space agency claims to
have a remedy ready when about $314 million state-of-the-art
meteorological satellite is launched next month. The Communication,
Ocean and Meteorological Satellite (COMS-1), which will be
strapped to a European rocket and blasted into geostationary transfer
orbit (GTO) next month, is the first in a series of new Korean
satellites to be launched from this year to 2013. The Korea Aerospace
Research Institute (KARI) said that the wealth of satellite images,
data and communications functions provided by the new fleet of craft
will have visible effects in science research, industry and the daily
lives of people. (3/8)
France To Pay Russia One
Billion For 14 Soyuz Carrier Rockets (Source: Space Daily)
France has put aside some $1 billion to buy 14 Soyuz carrier rockets
from Russia, French satellite launch firm Arianespace CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall said.
The new deal marks another step in cooperation between Russia and France in the space sector.
Arianespace signed a contact with Russia's space agency in 2008
for the launch of 10 Russian Soyuz-ST carrier rockets from the Kourou
space center in French Guiana. (3/8)
European Satellites Wait Out Shuffling Dnepr Manifest
(Source: SpaceFlightNow.com)
Several European satellite missions are in limbo due to technical and
political trouble plaguing the Dnepr rocket, a converted ballistic
missile from the Soviet nuclear arsenal. The Dnepr's missile heritage
makes it a responsive and accurate satellite launcher, but the
111-foot-tall rocket has been bitten by political wrangling between Russia and neighboring countries
before. Four European satellite missions are scheduled to launch on
three Dnepr flights over the next three months. Two of the missions
will blast off from the Baikonur spaceport, and another launch will
originate from the Yasny space base in southern Russia. (3/10)
India's Space Program in Take-Off Mode (Source: Earth
Times)
As the United States winds down its space shuttle program, emerging
economy India is developing its own reusable launch vehicle that it
hopes will make it a space power. The Avatar, a reusable launch vehicle
(RLV), would be capable of delivering a 500 to 1000-kilogram payload
into orbit at a fairly low cost. The Aerobic Vehicle for Hypersonic
Aerospace Transportation (Avatar) is just one example of how far India's space program has
traveled since it first launched a sounding rocket in 1963 from a
fishing village Thumba in southern Kerala.
India's space scientists have,
over four decades, slowly but steadily developed a mature capability
despite small budgets and an embargo on high technology transfers
because of its nuclear tests. "With a miniscule budget, we have
developed cutting edge technology," said Madhavan Nair, former chairman
of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). Today, India's Department of Space
encompasses the ISRO, more than a dozen research and development units,
and the Antrix Corporation, a state-owned company that markets space
products and services. More than 500 small and medium industries
contribute to the programs. (3/8)
Indian Forestry Satellite Planned by 2013 (Source: The
Hindu)
Union Minister for Environment and Forest Jairam Ramesh has announced
that the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) will launch a
dedicated forestry satellite in all likelihood in the year 2013.
Against the biennial exercise in vogue, the facility will help to
continuously monitor the forest cover, health and diversity. Similarly,
efforts are on to launch an indigenous satellite for monitoring
greenhouse gases and aerosol emissions next year, which will place India on a rung occupied by a
select few in the world. (3/8)
Costa Rican President-Elect Looks to Boost Costa Rica Into
Space (Source: Tico Times)
At the top of President-elect Laura Chinchilla's agenda for her meeting
with United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on last Thursday
was convincing her that Costa Rica's should be a part of international
space programs. Costa Rica's own Franklin Chang, a
retired NASA physicist and astronaut, is developing new plasma engines
for space travel from a plant in Liberia, in the northwestern province of Guanacaste, and Chinchilla wants to
ensure that his products are incorporated into worldwide projects.
“We want recognition for Costa Rica, so the country can enter
this special industry,” Chinchilla said, seeing in the space industry
an opportunity to stimulate more high-paying jobs and international
prestige for the Central American country. “We hope that Costa Rica is the first Latin
American country (to enter the space industry.)” She said she will push
the new Legislative Assembly to quickly ratify the Convention on
Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space, which is a
requirement for Costa Rica to collaborate in space
technology. (3/8)
Former Astronaut Chang
Urges Costa Rica Aerospace Development (Source: Inside Costa
Rica)
Costa Rica's own former NASA astronaut, Franklin Chang-Diaz, feels that
Costa Rican businesses should take advantage of the aerospace
technology that is ripe for local businesses to be involved in a field
with enormous possibilities. Chang said that now is the time to take
advantage of the success of the plasma engine that was developed in Costa Rica at his AdAstra laboratory
in Liberia and soon will be launched
into space.
The former astronaut is urging Costa Rican entrepreneurs to take
advantage of the results of his experiments that soon will be tested in
space. The revolutionary plasma rocket engine is expected to eventually
be cheaper to operate that conventional models and reduce travel time
for space missions. Chang's hopes that the plasma engine will boost
commercial spacecraft into higher orbits, stabilize space stations and
then power the trip to Mars. The possibilities of the project for Costa
Rican companies are endless. One of those businesses, said Chang, would
be maintenance of the space station and the hundreds of satellites
currently orbiting the earth.
For Chang, now is the time for Costa Rica to insert itself in the
business that is at a crucial stage of aerospace development. Editor's Note: Costa Rica should establish the same
pro-space policies and laws that now make the Isle of Man a haven for space
businesses and entrepreneurs. (3/14)
Controversy Deepens Over European Weather Satellite Contract
(Source: Space News)
German government officials are blaming their own tactical error during
negotiations with France for the controversy that has blocked approval
of Europe’s $1.7 billion next-generation weather-satellite program
since the beginning of the year and now threatens to cause lasting
damage to the 18-nation European Space Agency (ESA), German government and
industry officials said.
ESA’s ruling council is
scheduled to meet March 17 in Paris to attempt to forge a compromise
that would permit the German government to save face while at the same
time approving a Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) contract valued about
around 1.25 billion euros ($1.7 billion) with a consortium led by
Thales Alenia Space of France and Italy, and OHB Technology of Germany.
(3/11)
Galaxies Converging on
Hydra in Unexplained Phenomenon (Source: USA Today)
Galaxies traveling at million miles-per-hour speeds appear headed on
one a one-way track toward the constellation Hydra, astronomers report
Thursday, a "dark flow" baffling to cosmologists. Since 1998,
astronomers have known that galaxies throughout the cosmos appear to be
expanding away from one another in all directions at an accelerating
rate, ascribed to a "dark energy" cosmological force that counteracted
gravity's attraction.
But in the Astrophysical Journal, a team led by Alexander Kashlinsky at
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., report a group of
galaxy clusters as far as 2.5 billion light years away (one light year
is about 5.9 trillion miles) appear headed for Hydra, aimed in one
particular direction, posing a puzzle that can't be explained by dark
energy. (3/11)
Project Exoplanet Brings World Together (Source: Times of
India)
Fourteen exoplanets have been discovered since the year began while the
figure for 2009 was 84, said eminent astronomer Malcolm Longair, of the
Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge. Exoplanets are those
planets that lie outside the solar system. There are billions of stars
in our galaxy and a significant percentage of these have planets
orbiting them. "As of February 27, 429 exoplanets were
discovered, some of these by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and the
Spitzer Infrared Observatory", he said at the Tata Institute of
Fundamental Research.
While the HST has a mirror measuring 2.5 meters, the size of JWST’s
mirror is 6.5 meters. The project is an international one with
collaboration among NASA, the European Space Agency and the Canadian
Space Agency. The launch, scheduled for 2014, will be from the European
spaceport of Kourou in French Guyana. (3/8)
Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) -- 25 Years
and Counting (Source: USA Today)
This year marks a double anniversary in the search for Search for
Extraterrestrial Intelligence. It was 25 years ago last month that the
SETI Institute began its work to see if we are alone in the universe or
one among many intelligences populating the stars. But the search goes
back further still. It's been 50 years since Cornell University astronomer Frank Drake
began Project Ozma. That ground-breaking work, using the National Radio
Astronomy Observatory at Green Bank, West Virginia, was the first to begin
searching the skies radio signals that might indicate life in other
solar systems. (3/12)
Warp Speed Will Kill You (Source: Space.com)
Captain Kirk might want to avoid taking the starship Enterprise to warp
speed, unless he's ready to shrug off interstellar hydrogen atoms that
would deliver a lethal radiation blast to both ship and crew. There are
just two hydrogen atoms per cubic centimeter on average in space, which
poses no threat to spaceships traveling at low speeds. But those same
lone atoms would transform into deadly galactic space mines for a
spaceship that runs into them at near-light speed, according to
calculations based on Einstein's special theory of relativity. (3/8)
Search on for Death Star
that Throws Out Deadly Comets (Source: Daily Telegraph)
NASA scientists are searching for an invisible 'Death Star' that
circles the Sun, which catapults potentially catastrophic comets at the
Earth. The star, also known as Nemesis, is five times the size of
Jupiter and could be to blame for the impact that wiped out the
dinosaurs 65 million years ago. The bombardment of icy missiles is
being blamed by some scientists for mass extinctions of life that they
say happen every 26 million years. Nemesis is predicted to lie at a
distance equal to 25,000 times that of the Earth from the Sun, or a
third of a light-year. Astronomers believe it is of a type called a red
or brown dwarf – a "failed star" that has not managed to generate
enough energy to burn like the Sun. (3/13)
Q&A: Europa and Jupiter Mission (Source: BBC)
The US and European space agencies have drawn up plans for a major
space mission to the Jupiter system, to launch in 2020, a talking point
at last week's Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Texas. The
Europa-Jupiter System Mission will focus on Jupiter's icy satellites
Europa and Ganymede, investigating their chemistry and geology. Dr
Robert Pappalardo from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has led a study
to scope out the venture. He told BBC science reporter Paul Rincon why
this mission could yield "spectacular results". Click here to view the Q&A.
(3/8)
Saturn Moon Has Slushy Center (Source: National Geographic)
Saturn's largest moon, Titan, is perhaps best known for its unique,
hazy atmosphere and lakes of liquid methane. But a new look at Titan's
insides reveals even more oddities: Beneath the brittle crust of ice
lies a layer of slush. Deeper still is an underground ocean over a
solid core of rock and ice. This new picture is based on measurements
of Titan's gravity field. The measurements were made by clocking the
speed of the NASA-ESA Cassini orbiter with
extreme precision—gauging how many five-thousands of a millimeter the
craft traveled per second. (3/11)
Proposed Mission Would Return Sample from Asteroid "Time
Capsule" (Source: NASA)
Meet asteroid 1999 RQ36, a chunk of rock and dust about 1,900 feet in
diameter that could tell us how the solar system was born, and perhaps,
shed light on how life began. It also might hit us someday. "This
asteroid is a time capsule from before the birth of our solar system,"
said Bill Cutlip of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt,
Md., one of the leaders of Goddard's effort to propose a mission called
OSIRIS-REx that will return a sample from RQ36.
If selected, Goddard will provide overall mission management for
OSIRIS-REx, working with the Principal Investigator, Dr. Michael Drake,
Director of the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory at the University of
Arizona, who will lead the OSIRIS-REx team. Lockheed Martin Space
Systems will build the spacecraft. (3/11)
Water Discovered in Apollo Moon Rocks Likely Came from Comets
(Source: Space News)
Genuine moon water has been found for the first time in rocks that were
brought back to Earth during NASA's historic Apollo missions 40 years
ago. The water is similar to that detected in comets, suggesting that
the moon's scarce supply got there through the impacts of these icy
bodies. (3/11)
Russian and Japanese Space Chiefs Discuss Mission to Mercury
(Source: Itar-Tass)
The chiefs of the Russian and Japanese space agencies have discussed
details of the project for a mission to Mercury to be implemented with
the European Union's participation. (3/12)
Magnetic Flows Cause Sunspot Lows, Study Shows (Source:
Science News)
Newly reported observations of gas flows on the solar surface may
explain why the sun recently had such an extended case of the doldrums.
From 2008 through the first half of 2009, the sun had a puzzling dearth
of sunspots, flares and other storms, extending the usual lull at the
end of the 11-year solar activity cycle for an extra 15 months.
Findings from the study, which relied on the orbiting Solar and
Heliospheric Observatory, or SOHO, may also suggest a
better way to forecast the intensity and duration of future solar
cycles. (3/11)
Alternative Energy Crops in Space (Source: R&D
Magazine)
What if space held the key to producing alternative energy crops on
Earth? That's what researchers are hoping to find in a new experiment
on the International Space Station. The experiment, National Lab
Pathfinder-Cells 3, is aimed at learning whether microgravity can help
jatropha curcas plant cells grow faster to produce biofuel, or
renewable fuel derived from biological matter. Jatropha is known to
produce high quality oil that can be converted into an alternative
energy fuel, or biofuel.
By studying the effects of microgravity on jatropha cells, researchers
hope to accelerate the cultivation of the plant for commercial use by
improving characteristics such as cell structure, growth and
development. This is the first study to assess the effects of
microgravity on cells of a biofuel plant. (3/9)
Ex-NASA Official Pleads Guilty Over Contracts (Source: AP)
A former high-ranking NASA official has pleaded guilty in Mississippi to designing contracts in
a way that netted him more than $270,000 in illegal profits. Liam P.
Sarsfield, a former chief deputy engineer in Washington D.C., controlled a $1.5
million fund and designed contracts that wouldn’t have to be put out
for bid. He steered the contracts where he wanted them to go, including
to Mississippi State University and a company in Ohio, prosecutors said Monday.
Authorities say some of the money ended up in the hands of another top
NASA official who faces nine felony charges in U.S. District Court in
south Mississippi, home to NASA’s Stennis Space Center. Courtney A. Stadd,
NASA’s chief of staff and White House liaison from 2001 to 2003, is
charged with steering contracts to his consulting firm’s clients,
including the university, which scored a $600,000 contract to study
remote sensing technology. Prosecutors say the men conspired. (3/10)
Florida Ethics Commission:
Mixed Findings on Andrews Institute Space Tourism Case (Source: Florida Today)
The Florida Commission on Ethics found probable cause that Brice Harris
violated state law by taking employment with the Andrews Institute in
connection with a contract that he managed on behalf of the state. The
Commission did not find probable cause on two other complaints that he
misused his position to direct grant funding to the Institute, or that
he violated another statute regarding his employment with the
Institute. A hearing on the single probable-cause issue is pending.
(3/10)
Navy Considers Backup
Plans After Another MUOS Satellite Delay (Source:
SpaceFlightNow.com)
The U.S. Navy says it will not start launching its next-generation MUOS
communications satellites until September 2011. As a result, military
space officials are racing to develop several options to diminish a
pending gap in critical tactical mobile communications. The Mobile User
Objective System, or MUOS, satellites will replace an aging mix of
obsolete military satellites. (3/12)
SAIC Wins Johnson Space
Center Safety & Mission Assurance Contract Extension (Source: NASA)
NASA has exercised a $60 million, one-year extension option for a
contract with SAIC of Houston to provide support to safety and mission
assurance activities at the agency's Johnson Space Center. The Safety
and Mission Assurance Support Services contract helps ensure safety,
reliability, maintainability and quality in the International Space
Station, space shuttle and Constellation programs. (3/9)
Raytheon GPS Contract Could Grow as
Demand Rises
(Source: AIA)
An $886 million contract awarded to Raytheon Co. for the upgrading of
ground positions for the U.S. Global Positioning System could wind up
being worth more than twice that much as the demand for GPS increases globally. The U.S. is currently the only
provider of global GPS signals, and the total
market for the equipment today is about $20 billion, a Raytheon
official said. (3/5)
Lockheed Martin Division to Build GeoEye2 Satellite in California (Source Denver Business
Journal)
Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. will engineer and build the next
satellite for GeoEye Inc., a remote imaging company. Lockheed won the
contract to build GeoEye2, a high-resolution orbiter, for
Virginia-based GeoEye. GeoEye collects and sells satellite imagery for
mapping, environmental monitoring, national security and other
purposes. The company employs more than 500 people, about 130 of whom
work in Colorado, where it processes
images taken by satellites and monitors the company’s older orbiters.
Its biggest competitor is Colorado-based DigitalGlobe. Work on GeoEye-2
will be handled primarily at Lockheed Martin Space Systems’ campus in Sunnyvale, California. (3/11)
EADS Reports $1.04 Billion Loss in 2009 (Source: AIA)
The European Aeronautic Defense & Space Co. said that reduced
revenue from its delayed A400M military transport program and
provisions against losses caused the company to move into the red in
2009. EADS posted a net loss of $1.04 billion last year, but the
company said it had reached an agreement with European governments to
save the A400M project. (3/9)
Astrium Shrugs Off Galileo Loss, Reports Strong 2009
(Source: Space News)
Europe’s Astrium space hardware and services provider reported a 12
percent increase in revenue and a 33 percent increase in backlog in
2009 compared to 2008, with its services business growing by nearly 18
percent, Astrium parent EADS reported March 9. (3/9)
GeoEye Reports Strong Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2009 Results
(Source: GeoEye)
Total revenues were $73.2 million for the fourth quarter of 2009, an
80.0 percent increase from $40.7 million for the fourth quarter of
2008. Net income for the fourth quarter of 2009 was $11.7 million,
compared to a net loss of $3.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2008.
Revenues related to contracts with the U.S. Government, the Company's
largest customer, were $52.2 million for the fourth quarter of 2009,
representing 71.3 percent of total revenues for the period. (3/11)
Loral Reports 2009 Year End Financial Results (Source:
Loral)
Loral has reported revenues and net income were $993 million and $232
million in 2009, compared to revenues and net loss of $869 million and
$(693) million in 2008. Reported revenues and net income were $260
million and $60 million for the fourth quarter of 2009, compared to
revenues and net loss of $230 million and $(629) million for the fourth
quarter of 2008. (3/12)
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Last Week’s DOD Contract
Awards in California
KOR Electronics, Cypress,
Calif., is
being awarded a $44,444,241 firm-fixed-price,
indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity time-and-material contract for
the procurement of up to 200 production miniaturized I/J band digital
radio frequency modulators (DRFM) for the Navy and Air Force. DRFMs are
installed in systems that are used to evaluate U.S. weapons systems and train
fleet operators. In addition, this contract provides for one lot of
engineering, technical, and repair services in support of the Navy/Air
Force Airborne Threat Simulation Organization. Work will be performed
in Cypress, Calif., and is expected to be
completed in March 2015. Contract funds will not expire at the end of
the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via
an electronic request for proposals as a 100 percent small business
set-aside; two offers were received. The Naval Air Warfare Center
Weapons Division, China Lake, Calif., is the contracting
activity.
Marvin Engineering Co.,
Inc., Inglewood, Calif., is being awarded an
$11,717,049 modification to previously awarded firm-fixed-price,
indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-08-D-0012)
for the procurement of 377 LAU-7F/A missile launchers for the Navy.
Work will be performed in Inglewood, Calif., and is expected to be
completed in October 2012. 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.
Freeman Holdings of
California,
dba Million Air Victorville*, Topeka, Kan., is being awarded a
maximum $9,548,338 fixed-price with economic price adjustment contract
for fuel. Other location of performance is California. Using services are Army,
Navy and Air Force. There were originally two proposals solicited with
two responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current
fiscal year. The date of performance completion is March 31, 2014. The Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., is the contracting
activity.
ViaSat, Carlsbad, Calif., was awarded on March 10, 2010, a $21,470,330
firm-fixed-price contract and delivery order for Multifunctional
Information Distribution System-Low Volume Terminals (MIDS-LVTs). The
MIDS-LVT provides secure, high capacity, jam resistant, digital data
and voice communications capability for U.S. Navy, Air Force and Army
platforms. This delivery order combines purchases for the United States (68 percent); the
government of Germany (11 percent); and the
governments of Australia (18 percent) and South Korea (3 percent) under the
Foreign Military Sales program. Contract funds in the amount of
$1,573,644 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Work will
be performed in Carlsbad, Calif. (30 percent) and in
various other sites worldwide (70 percent), and is expected to be
completed by Feb. 28, 2012. This contract was
competitively procured via the Space and Naval Warfare Systems
E-commerce Web site, with two offers received. The synopsis was
released via the Federal Business Opportunities Web site. Space and
Naval Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, is the contracting
activity.
United Launch Services, Littleton, Colo., was awarded a $6,502,811
contract which will provide new capabilities, tools, or resources
required to increase the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle launch rate
(with launch sites in Florida and California. At this time, the entire
amount has been obligated. SMC/LR, El Segundo, Calif., is the contracting
authority.
O’Neal & Associates,
Inc., Miamisburg, Ohio, was awarded on March 8, 2010, a $10,000,000
cost-plus-fixed-fee contract. This award
exercises option for 88,313 hours of support and maintenance of the
Electronic Maintenance System (EMS) next generation software. The EMS software is a suite of web-based software
modules consisting of content development, content management, and
deployed applications currently used in thousands of Army fighting and
tactical vehicles for system diagnostic troubleshooting and maintenance. Work is to be performed in Warren, Mich. (10 percent); Miamisburg, Ohio (75 percent); and National
City, Calif. (15 percent), with an
estimated completion date of Sept.
30, 2010. One
bid was solicited with one bid received. TACOM, Warren, Mich., is the contracting
activity.
Guam Pacific
International, LLC*, Barrigada, Guam (N40192-10-D-2800); Bulltrack-Watts,
JV*, Marysville, Calif. (N40192-10-D-2801); Niking Corp.*, Pearl
City, Hawaii (N40192-10-D-2802); Overland Corp.*, Ardmore, Okla.
(N40192-10-D-2803); P&S Construction Inc.*, Lowell, Mass.
(N40192-10-D-2804); and Pacific West Builders*, National City, Calif.
(N40192-10-D-2810), are each being awarded an
indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award construction
contract for new construction, renovation/modernization and routine
repair/maintenance of government shore-based facilities in Guam. The
dollar value for all six contracts combined is $100,000,000. The
contract also contains four unexercised option periods which, if
exercised, would increase cumulative contract value to $500,000,000.
Guam Pacific International, LLC, is being awarded task order 0001 at
$12,959,699 for the complete design and construction of a combat
support vehicle maintenance facility at the northwest field area of
Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. Work for this task order
is expected to be completed by July 2011. All work on this contract
will be performed in Guam, with an expected
completion date of March 2015. Contract funds for task order 0001 will
not expire at the end the current fiscal year. This contract was
competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online Web
site, with 13 proposals received. These six contractors will compete
for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contract.
The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Marianas, Guam, is the contracting
activity.
Marvin Engineering Co.,
Inc., Inglewood, Calif., is being awarded a
$9,895,746 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price
contract (N00421-06-C-0050) to exercise an option for 324 production
BRU-32 B/A ejector bomb racks and three periodic production samples for
the F/A-18 E/F/G aircraft. Work will be performed in Inglewood, Calif., and is expected to be
completed in May 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the
current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting
activity.
Ecology and Environment,
Inc., Lancaster, N.Y., is being awarded a
maximum amount $40,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity
contract for environmental planning and engineering services for
National Environmental Policy Act and Executive Order 12114,
Environmental Effects Abroad of Major Federal Actions – Aircraft
Homebasing Issues. Work will predominantly be performed in Virginia (25 percent), North Carolina (25 percent), Florida (15 percent), California (15 percent), and Washington (15 percent). Work may
also be performed within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command,
Atlantic area of responsibility and the adjacent waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, including the
continental United States, the Caribbean, Europe, and North Africa (5 percent). However,
tasks associated with this contract may be assigned anywhere in the
world. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months, with an
expected completion date of March 2015. Contract funds will not expire
at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively
procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online Web site, with four
proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting
activity.
BAE Systems Technology
Solutions & Services, Inc., Rockville, Md., is being awarded a
$23,237,133 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee
term, level of effort contract (N00421-06-C-0085) to exercise an option
for maintenance, logistics, and life cycle services in support of
communication-electronic equipment/systems and subsystems for various
Navy, Army, Air Force, special operations forces and other federal
agencies. The estimated level of effort for this option period is
342,000 man-hours. These services are in
support of the Special Communications Requirements Division of the
Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division. Work will be performed in
Chesapeake, Va. (32 percent); Fayetteville, N.C. (28 percent);
California, Md. (22 percent); San Diego, Calif. (6 percent);
Fort Bliss, Texas (4 percent); Fort Walton Beach, Fla. (2 percent);
Panzer Kaserne, Germany (2 percent); Homestead, Fla. (2 percent);
Tampa, Fla. (1 percent); and the District of Columbia (1 percent). Work is expected to be completed in March 2011.
Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.
The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting
activity.
Science Applications
Technology Services Co., San Diego, Calif., was awarded a
$50,841,636 contract which will provide for Option 3 for system
engineering and integration contract. This will provide proactive
technical management to enable more effective program execution. At
this time, $25,578,521 has been obligated. GPSW/PK, El Segundo, Calif., is the contracting
activity.
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