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February 26, 2008
SpotBeam California Sports a New Look
If
you’d like to provide any feedback to CSA about the new “look and
feel” of this e-publication, and the expanded content as well, simply
hit reply and type away! I apologize for having this second attempt at
sending the SpotBeam in this format. It seems there
are quite a few settings that need to be changed to get this “fancy
stuff” through. Jamie
CSAF White Paper by General Moseley
This white paper charts U.S. Air
Force strategy over the next two decades, and defines the Air Force’s
indispensable role in promoting and defending the national interest.
http://www.californiaspaceauthority.org/images/government/CSAF_White_Paper.pdf
Seastrand to Chair Aerospace
Advisory Committee
SACRAMENTO – Lt. Governor John Garamendi has announced the appointment of Andrea
Seastrand, Executive Director of the California Space Authority (CSA), to
chair the Aerospace Advisory Committee of the California Commission for
Economic Development.
http://www.californiaspaceauthority.org/images/press-releases/pr080225-1.pdf
SURVEY: State of Space Enterprise in California
CSA’s strategic plan implementation process includes
taking the pulse of space enterprise in California using a quick online survey. It
should not take more than 10 minutes to complete. Gut reactions are requested
(no research or digging for data on your part). Survey closes March
31, 2008.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=yFf3MpjT0QryJga7acYF6A_3d_3d
SMC Industry Days - April 15-17,
2008
- Marriott Airport, Long Beach
Early Bird Registration ends March 21st. To register:
http://www.smcindustrydays.org/register.html
Limited number of exhibit spaces available! Contact elizabeth.burkhead@californiaspaceauthority.org
or 805-349-2633. Exhibit information: http://www.smcindustrydays.org/exhibitors.html
Responsive Space Conference - April 28 - May 1, 2008 - Westin LAX
Early Bird Discount ends March 28th. To register go to: www.responsivespace.com
California Space Day Sacramento - May 13, 2008
This is a CSA member opportunity for space enterprise stakeholders to meet
and discuss space policy and regulatory issues with state legislators and
executive branch key officials. RSVP by May 6th to randall.echevarria@californiaspaceauthority.org
or 916-551-1543. More information and online registration:
http://www.californiaspaceauthority.org/spacedaysacto2008/registration.html
ISCe 2008 and ICSSC 2008 - June 10-12,
2008 - San Diego Marriott Hotel & Marina
CSA is Co-Hosting this comprehensive joint industry program featuring the
increasing opportunities for satellite and hybrid network solutions between
commercial satellite operators and the military and U.S. government.
CSA Member Discount! Early Bird Discounts Ends April 30th. To
register go to www.isce.com
5th Annual NDIA National Small Business Conference
May 19 - 21, 2008 - Hyatt Regency La Jolla
http://www.lajolla.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp
No Cost Export Compliance
Training, March 11
http://www.californiaspaceauthority.org/images/events/event_080311_intl.pdf
Michael D. Griffin, NASA Administrator,
Testifies before Committee on Science and Technology
http://www.californiaspaceauthority.org/images/government/pr080220-1_griffin-testimony.pdf
Lockheed Martin-built A2100 Satellite Fleet Achieves 200 Years in Orbit
NEWTOWN, Pa., Feb. 12,
2008 --
The Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) A2100 communications satellite fleet recently
achieved a major milestone by accumulating 200 years of successful in-orbit
operations. The A2100 satellite series, designed and manufactured at Lockheed
Martin Commercial Space Systems (LMCSS), currently consists of 34 satellites
featuring 1254 transponders with an accumulated lifetime of over 7800 years
of successful operations in orbit. The first A2100 satellite, AMC-1, was
launched Sept. 8, 1996 for SES AMERICOM. SIRIUS 4, the
most recent A2100 spacecraft, was successfully launched on Nov. 18, 2007 for SES SIRIUS.
http://www.californiaspaceauthority.org/html/press-releasesandletters/pr080212-1_Lockheed.html
AirLaunch LLC Passes Hardware Milestone:
Horizontal Test Stand Hardware Complete, Ready for Testing
Air Launch LLC announced today that it passed a major
hardware milestone in Phase 2C of the DARPA/Air Force Falcon Small Launch
Vehicle (SLV) program. The company's upgraded Horizontal Test Stand (known as
HTS-2) is now complete, with new hardware and additional sensors and
instrumentation systems for the HTS and the HTS test article installed.
http://www.californiaspaceauthority.org/html/press-releasesandletters/pr080211-1.html
Keeping California Competitive
UC Riverside
Engineering Professors, Graduate Students Examine What Keeps
California WIRED to Innovation
The California Space Authority Takes
Lead on Measuring Economic Health
RIVERSIDE, Calif. –– In the
wake of a report that calls for government to take research
and new intellectual
property into account when measuring the strength of the U.S.
economy, UC Riverside’s Bourns College of
Engineering professors and graduate
students are two years into a
project that does just that, on a smaller scale…
http://www.californiaspaceauthority.org/images/press-releases/pr080130-1.pdf
Benefits and Challenges of Space Enterprise In California - A Point Paper
This point paper was prepared by
CSA and distributed to all the Presidential candidates.
http://www.californiaspaceauthority.org/images/government/pointpaper.pdf
Keck Gives Caltech $24 Million for Space Institute
PASADENA, Calif.— The California Institute of
Technology has received an eight-year $24 million gift?
from the W. M. Keck Foundation to establish
the W. M. Keck Institute for Space Studies, which will bring
together scientists and engineers to
develop new space-mission concepts and technology.
http://www.californiaspaceauthority.org/images/government/pr080128-1_KeckFoundation.pdf
Virgin Galactic Plans Satellite
Launches
The Wall Street Journal, 01/24/2008, Author: Andy Pasztor
(Copyright (c) 2008, Dow Jones & Company, Inc.)
LOS ANGELES -- British entrepreneur
Sir Richard Branson, revealing a new wrinkle in his high-profile foray into
space tourism, announced preliminary plans to launch satellites using his
proposed Virgin Galactic venture. The concept of carrying satellites
high in the atmosphere on a carrier plane and launching them from that point
at low cost is still preliminary, according to people familiar with Mr.
Branson's plans, and no firm contracts or customers have been identified. But
such a move not only could help defray some of the hefty initial investment
costs to create a space tourism operation, it is one way to ensure more
frequent flights aimed at keeping pilots and ground crews in top form.
http://www.californiaspaceauthority.org/html/government_pages/pr080128-1.html
"Reaching the Stars" CTE Summit Showcases Benefits of Career
Technical Education
Space Enterprises’ Technician
Needs Featured at Forum
Sacramento, CA -- Former NASA astronaut, Ken Reightler, helped launch California's first annual Career Technical
Education (CTE) Summit today, where policymakers saw the
benefits of CTE in action and were urged to expand CTE instruction in the
state's schools.
http://www.californiaspaceauthority.org/images/press-releases/pr080116-1.pdf
Navy Missile Hits Spy Satellite (Source:
New York Times)
A missile launched from a Navy ship successfully struck a dying U.S. spy
satellite passing 130 miles over the Pacific on Wednesday, a defense official
said. It happened just after 10:30
p.m. EST. A video of the launch and intercept is available
at http://www.breitbart.tv/html/50894.html
Shooting Down Satellite Could Inform Military Strategy (Source:
Washington Post)
The Bush administration's shooting down an out-of-control spy satellite will
help the military advance its anti-missile and anti-satellite planning and
technology, according to space weapons experts and analysts. Both fields are
of high interest to the military and of high concern for many other nations.
While U.S.
officials have depicted the attempt solely as a precaution against the slim
chance that the satellite's hazardous rocket fuel could harm people on Earth,
the test will inherently have spillover military consequences, the experts
said.
To accomplish the task, for example, the Navy has modified its Aegis
anti-missile radar system for satellite tracking, making clear that a system
designed for missile defense can be transformed into an anti-satellite system
in a short time. The attempted shoot-down will also enable the Pentagon to
practice using, in an urgent scenario, key elements of its space defense
apparatus, including the Joint Space Operations Center at Vandenberg Air
Force Base in California and its sophisticated space identification, tracking
and targeting system. The shot further provided an unscripted opportunity to
see whether ship-based missiles can blow up the satellite just as it reenters
Earth's atmosphere -- a key moment in any attempt to intercept an
intercontinental missile that might someday be launched against the United
States.
Space Arms Race Heats Up Overnight (Source: Space.com)
The U.S. Navy's successful missile hit and apparent destruction of a defunct
spy satellite represents a major step forward in the space arms race in the
eyes of some analysts. Others are not so sure. One expert said last night's
hit was not an example of a real missile-defense system, targeting an
unusually low satellite that was essentially a sitting duck with a missile
that is not the nation's top-of-the line for such tasks.
Some say tensions with Russia and China will
increase following the U.S.
anti-satellite demonstration, as both nations had stated their opposition to
the attempt. Others argue the United
States took necessary measures to
ensure geopolitical stability and extend its military dominance. "This
is obviously being hailed as a victory both politically, because the [U.S.]
administration can claim there was no loss of life, and technically because
it worked," said Theresa Hitchens, Center for
Defense Information director. "It helped the [U.S.] Navy
demonstrate the capabilities of its missile defense system."
Stop Shooting Up the Thermosphere (Source: LA Times)
Any student of rocketry, ballistics or barroom darts can appreciate the
Navy's feat this week in hitting a minibus-sized object 153 miles above the
Pacific Ocean. But questions about the timing of and the need for the
Pentagon's destruction of a defective spy satellite will not go away any time
soon. The prospect of a space arms race is unappealing, and there's a reason
anti-satellite missile testing fell into disuse. The more than 50 countries
that maintain satellites are increasingly mindful of the problem of clutter
in the precious resource of near-Earth space. We hope we've seen the last of
shooting up the thermosphere, even for good reasons.
China Expresses Concern About U.S. Bid to Shoot Down Satellite (Source:
Xinhua)
China has
expressed concern about Washington's
decision to shoot down a damaged satellite, urging the U.S. Government to
fulfill its international obligation. Responding to a question on the U.S. plan to
shoot down a damaged satellite, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said the Chinese Government is highly concerned
about development of the situation and has urged the U.S. side to
fulfill its international obligation and avoid causing damages to the
security in the outer space and other countries.
China Wants US Satellite Downing Data (Source: AP)
China asked the U.S. to release data on the shootdown
of an ailing spy satellite, while the Communist Party's newspaper blasted
what it called Washington's callous attitude toward the weaponization
of space. China
registered its objections well before the satellite's destruction by a
missile launched from a Navy cruiser on Wednesday, which likely accounted for
a mild response Thursday from the Foreign Ministry. "China is
continuously following closely the possible harm caused by the U.S. action
to outer space security and relevant countries," spokesman Liu Jianchao said at a regularly scheduled news conference.
"China requests
the U.S. ... provide
to the international community necessary information and relevant data in a
timely and prompt way," Liu said. In contrast, the overseas edition of
People's Daily excoriated Washington for
opposing a recent Russian-Chinese proposal on demilitarizing space. "One
cannot but worry for the future of space when a great nation with such a
massive advantage in space military technology categorically refuses a
measure to prevent the militarization of space," the paper said. Washington has
rejected the Russian-Chinese proposal for a global ban on space arms because
it would prohibit an American missile interceptor system in the Czech Republic and Poland, while
exempting Chinese and Russian ground-based missiles that can fire into space.
Gates Says US Will Share Data with China (Source:
AP)
Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the U.S. is
prepared to share with China some of
the information it has about the U.S. shootdown of a spy satellite. His comments came hours
after Beijing
complained the missile strike could cause harm to security in outer space and
some countries. "We provided a lot of information ... before it took
place," Gates told reporters during a visit to Hawaii. He said
he is determined to be open about the U.S.
operation and is "prepared to share whatever appropriately we can."
The satellite and the kill vehicle collided at a combined speed of 22,000 mph
about 130 miles above Earth's surface, and that the collision was confirmed
at a space operations center.
Satellite Debris Hits Boy in China (Source: Shanghai Star)
Debris from a space satellite that fell from its orbit struck a six-year-old
boy in Shaanxi Province last week, according to a report in the Beijing Youth
Daily. Wu Fusheng, the father of the boy named Wu Jie, remembers hearing a "thundering" sound and
saw a piece of metal plummet from the sky, finally hitting a persimmon tree
under which his son was playing with other children. The boy was taken to
hospital where doctors found he had suffered a fractured toe and a swelling
on his forehead. The satellite debris was a block of aluminum, 80 centimeters
by 50 centimeters and weighing 10 kilograms.
The accident also hit the Wu family's finances. They had to borrow 400 yuan (US$48) from a neighbor for the medical treatment.
After the incident, the village head noticed that the air had a smoky, gunpowdery smell and thought a plane had crashed nearby.
He requested that the village be evacuated. After a total of 19 metal
fragments had been recovered, it was found that the debris was the outermost shell
of the Resource Second Satellite which had broken up after falling from
orbit. The satellite was supposed to have crashed into an uninhabited
mountain area in Shanyang County but had
landed instead in nearby Yanghe village. The mishap
was blamed on unexpected weather conditions. The government will pick up the
cost of Wu Jie's medical treatment and also pay
some compensation to his family.
Ben Bova: Outer Space Law? It Exists, and
Restricts (Source: Naples News)
When the Soviets launched Sputnik in 1957 it caused an international legal
flap. Sputnik crossed the borders of virtually every nation on Earth without
permission from any government. The Soviets had not bothered to ask for
permission to overfly other nations’ territories. Instead, they established
the de facto principle that air rights end at the upper fringes of the
atmosphere. Therefore, satellites in space could cross national boundaries
without hindrance. The United Nations attempted to draft rational principles
to guide space exploration and utilization. These were incorporated in 1967
into the Outer Space Treaty, which was ratified by the U.S.
The treaty declares that “outer space, which includes the moon and
other celestial bodies, can be freely explored and used by all
countries.” The treaty states that no nation may claim the moon or any
other body in space as its national territory. That’s why Armstrong and
Aldrin announced on the moon that they “came
in peace, for all mankind.” Thus the legal standing of any nation or
private group that wants to develop bases, hotels, factories or other
facilities in space is rather tricky. If a private company (or a government,
for that matter) wants to build a base on the moon and start mining, the 1967
treaty says they are free to do so — but they can’t claim the
ground on which their base stands, nor the raw materials that they are
mining. There’s more work ahead for space lawyers, obviously.
One of the treaty's provisions bans “weapons of mass destruction”
in space and outlaws any kind of military bases on the moon. Around that
time, a group of scientists suggested using nuclear explosives to propel
spacecraft to interstellar speed. Their plan, Project Orion, would have
detonated nukes behind the ship to push against a shielded plate and accelerate
the spacecraft forward. By exploding bombs every few seconds, the ship could
be accelerated to as much as one-third of the speed of light. Project Orion
could have taken us to the stars. But because of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty
and its ban on nuclear bombs in space, Project Orion was scrapped before it
got beyond the paperwork stage. It’s frustrating. In fact, it’s
enough to make you think about Shakespeare’s words in Henry VI, Part
II: “The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers.”
California Launch Pad Remodeled for New Atlas 5 (Source: Lompoc
Record)
Times have changed, not only for the Atlas rocket program but for Vandenberg
Air Force Base's Space Launch Complex-3 (SLC-3), which has been remodeled yet
again to handle the newest Atlas booster. Compared to the smaller Cold War
workhorse - about 85 feet tall, capable of lifting a satellite weighing a few
thousand pounds - the new Atlas is about 195 feet tall and capable of
carrying some of the nation's largest spacecraft. On the East Coast, Atlas 5
is processed horizontally, before being raised to vertical and rolled out to
the launch pad. However, to incorporate that feature into SLC-3 was deemed
too costly, prompting officials to forego that aspect and use the heritage
mode of stacking the rocket.
Cape Breton Spaceport Plan Still on the Table (Source: National Post)
A U.S. company says it remains committed to its plans to launch tourists into
space from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, despite losing out on NASA's COTS
competition. "Yes, absolutely," PlanetSpace
chairman Dr. Chirinjeev Kathuria
said. The Chicago company
was among 13 bidders in the competition, which was won by Orbital Sciences
Corp. PlanetSpace's proposal to launch cargo and
crews from Florida to the
space station was one of two prongs in its space program, says Kathuria. The other involves plans to launch tourists to
the edge of space from a facility that Kathuria
says he still wants to build in northern Nova Scotia using a space plane the
company calls the Silver Dart.
Nova Scotia Should Get Behind Spaceport, Says Opposition (Source:
CBC)
The Nova Scotia government needs to step up and make sure the proposed PlanetSpace Inc. project goes ahead on Cape Breton
Island, say opposition politicians. Liberal Leader Stephen McNeil said
Thursday that the Conservative government should take a proactive role in
supporting the company that wants to build a spaceport in Cape Breton. The
Chicago-based company, PlanetSpace, lost its bid to
win a $170-million NASA-sponsored competition Monday. But chairman Chirinjeev Kathuria said
Wednesday that his company is still going ahead with plans to develop space
tourism and a low-orbit courier service from Cape Breton. McNeil
said the government should get on board with the project. Right now, the province
has offered PlanetSpace Crown Land in Cape Breton, but
negotiations are continuing.
Zero-G Zero-Tax Bill Passes in Virginia (Source: Spaceports Blog)
Virginia's ZeroG, ZeroTax
measure has passed the 2008 General Assembly and is now on its way to the
desk of Governor Tim Kaine just as the
Virginia-based Orbital Sciences Corp. won a COTS-1 launch contract hailing
Virginia's entry into the future of the multi-million dollar commercial space
launch business. Talk about timing! Patroned by
State Senator William C. Wampler, Jr. (R-Bristol),
the ZeroG, ZeroTax
measure had been pushed by several state legislators at the unanimous behest
of the Virginia Aerospace Advisory Council and the Virginia Joint Commission
on Technology and Science (JCOTS). It gained the unanimous backing of the
State Senate and the House of Delegates.
Orbital Wins COTS Competition, Plans Virginia-Based
Launches (Source: NASA Watch)
Orbital Sciences Corp. defeated 12 other teams for NASA's $170 million COTS-1
re-competition. Orbital is looking to develop an new
medium class launch vehicle they call the Taurus II. The first stage will use
LOX/Kerosine liquid fuel using Aerojet
engines. ATK would develop the Castor-derived solid fueled second stage. The
Orbital proposal mentioned possible crewed missions but did not formally
propose that option. Orbital plans to launch the Taurus II COTS flights from
Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
Cargo Ship May Launch From Virginia (Source:
Florida Today)
Orbital Sciences Corp. will invest $150 million of its own money, augmenting
approximately $170 million from NASA, to develop a new medium-sized launch
vehicle along with an advanced spacecraft and interchangeable modules to haul
cargo to the outpost. The company plans to launch a demonstration mission
from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia by
December 2010. Orbital intends to start launching cargo to the station by
2011, ramping up to a flight rate of eight annual missions to the outpost by
2012. And while the company plans to fly its first missions from Wallops,
future launches from Kennedy Space Center or Cape
Canaveral Air Force Station are not out of the question.
"Wallops is in Virginia, and
we're a Virginia company,
so there's a logical connection there. They are not too far from our offices
-- a few hours -- and we know Wallops real well, so there's a good fit
there," Orbital spokesman Barron Beneski said.
"Would we ever consider launching from Florida? The
answer is yes," he added. "I think it's safe to say that our team
is going to look at all options."
The state of Florida already
is working with Orbital and is hoping to lure the company to the Cape
Canaveral Spaceport. "What Space Florida will do is continue our work to
bring them down here for their operational flights once their demonstration
flights are completed," said a Space Florida spokeswoman. Orbital beat
about a dozen other bidders for the NASA contract. Some of those companies
will move forwared with their plans despite losing
the NASA contract. Four of the companies already are working with the state
on plans to launch from Cape Canaveral.
NASA Selection a Blow to Florida Ambitions, But Launch Site Decision Not
Final (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
In a sharp blow to Florida, NASA on Tuesday chose Virginia-based Orbital
Sciences to develop a spacecraft to supply the international space station
after the space shuttle is retired in 2010. Company officials said they had
not chosen a launch site but were leaning toward Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern
Shore. That decision could undermine Florida's
ambitions to be the nation's spaceport. An Orbital official said both KSC and
Wallops lack the facilities to launch its rockets and that efforts by each to
accommodate Orbital Sciences could play a role in their decision. "Our
preference is Wallops, but we have not closed the door," he said.
Orbital beat out companies that had promised to bring hundreds of jobs to Florida. In
response to NASA's decision, a Space Florida spokeswoman said the agency
"will continue our discussions [with Orbital] for possible future
operational launches in Florida once
they have completed their test demos." Many industry officials say
Orbital has a track record of successfully bringing projects from the drawing
board to the launch pad. Visit http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/orl-cots2008feb20,0,1216392.story
to view the article.
E'Prime Shareholders Awaiting Internal
Investigation Findings (Source: Raging Bull)
E'Prime Aerospace Corporation Shareholders are
requesting the release of an "extensive internal investigation
report" into the activities of corporate Officers and Directors.
According to a shareholder website, one preliminary finding indicates that
certain Officers and Directors claimed ownership and control of numerous
companies that were in direct competition with E'Prime,
including USTM, Inc., Space Plane Systems, Inc. and E'Prime
Development, Inc. The report allegedly further reveals that E'Prime resources and assets were utilized to support
these ventures, and that these actions were
undertaken without disclosures required by the SEC. If it ultimately fields
an operational rocket system, the former Florida-based company plans to launch
from Virginia's
spaceport at Wallops Island.
Space Myths (Source: Space Review)
Conventional wisdom in the space field includes a preference for simple
rockets and the development of airplane-like RLVs. Wayne Eleazer
calls those concepts into question. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1061/1
to view the article.
United Launch Alliance Suffers a Setback (Source:
Decatur Daily)
United Launch Alliance suffered a setback Wednesday when NASA awarded a COTS
competitive grant to Orbital Sciences Corp. for space transport services.
Orbital's Taurus II, which uses a Russian-designed engine and a Ukranian-made fuel tank, is
still under development. SpaceX’s COTS launch
vehicle, the Falcon 9, is to make demonstration flights late this year and
early in 2009. United Launch Alliance Atlas V, the favored launch vehicle of Spacehab and other COTS project competitors, has an
11-for-11-success rate. United Launch Alliance’s facility in Decatur, which
employs 630, is the sole assembly facility for the Delta II and Delta IV.
Later this year, the company plans to begin installing equipment to permit
production of the Atlas V.
Spacehab Statement on COTS Loss
Mitigation Strategies (Source: Spacehab)
“While we are disappointed that Spacehab was
not selected as a winner of the COTS competition, we want to be certain to
convey to our stockholders that the Company has been aggressively pursuing
other valuable opportunities including growing our profitable Astrotech subsidiary, primarily through our expanded long
term relationship with the U.S. Government Office of Space Launch and our
announced end-to-end ALLSAT satellite service system. Also, by design, most
of the costs and advanced engineering that were invested in the COTS ARCTUS
Program are also being applied to advance our ALLSAT satellite system,"
said Spacehab CEO Thomas B. Pickens, III.
“Additionally, Spacehab is committed to
commercializing the valuable discoveries that we have uncovered in previous
and in-progress microgravity studies that could soon translate into tangible
vaccines and drug treatments. And finally, the Company is developing various
space technology spin off products including the Mini Mass Spectrometer,
expected to be a robust solution for the security applications market in the
detection of a variety of explosives, illegal narcotics, and biochemical
contaminants."
ATK Receives NASA Contract Extension for Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Motors
(Source: ATK)
Alliant Techsystems received a contract modification from NASA valued at
$812.5 million for the continued production and refurbishment of four-segment
reusable solid rocket motors (RSRM) for the space shuttle program. The
modified contract covers the production and refurbishment of flight and
ground-test RSRMs. "With this contract extension we will continue to
support NASA and the space shuttle program through 2010 when it is scheduled
to retire, and are looking forward to continuing our legacy with a
five-segment booster for Ares I, NASA's new crew launch vehicle."
NASA Insists It Can Fix Flaw in Rocket Design (Source: New York Times)
Preliminary calculations by NASA last summer suggested that the rocket it had
on the drawing board to replace the space shuttle possessed a design flaw:
vibrations in the booster might shake the top of the rocket so violently that
any astronauts riding aboard would suffer severe, perhaps fatal, injuries.
That sounds alarming, but NASA officials insist it is just a step in the
process of designing and engineering — identifying problems and solving
them. And they say the vibrations — “thrust oscillations”
in the language of rocket scientists — are understood and will be fixed
well before astronauts fly. Michael D. Griffin, NASA’s administrator,
said the oscillation “is not a significant problem, and to the extent
that it needs solutions, we’ve got three or four ways to go after
it.”
Marshall Chief Calls for Unity Behind Ares (Source: Space News)
The director of NASA's main rocket development center urged aerospace
contractors to get with the program and stop second-guessing the decision to
use space shuttle-heritage hardware to launch future astronaut crews to Earth
orbit and beyond.
Wayne Hale to Lead Shuttle/Constellation Transition (Source: Florida
Today)
NASA shuffled shuttle program management Friday, sending its chief off to a
newly created post and installing his deputy in the top spot. Wayne Hale, who
played a pivotal role in NASA's recovery from the 2003 Columbia accident,
will lead a new office responsible for developing strategies for a smooth
transition between shuttle and International Space Station operations and
moon missions. The transition will trigger significant job losses, including
2,500 to 3,500 at Kennedy Space Center,
according to local government estimates. A five-year hiatus in NASA human
spaceflight is projected before the U.S. sends
astronauts back to the moon by 2020.
Upcoming Shuttle Launch Postponed Due To ET Delays And Solar Energy
Shortage (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
The space shuttle Discovery's mission to ship part of the Japanese laboratory
Kibo up to the International Space Station will be
delayed one month to May 25. The mission was put off by a delay in the
delivery of the Discovery's external fuel tank and an unfavorable angle
between the sun and the ISS for solar power generation between May 7 and May
25, which could have affected the mission in its originally planned period.
The fuel tank was to have been delivered in time for the Discovery's original
April 25 launch date. The new date for the Discovery's mission will not
impact the rest of the shuttle launch program for 2008.
Atlantis Leaves Space Station After Making it More
European (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
Washington (AFP) Feb 18, 2008 - The US space shuttle Atlantis left the
International Space Station Monday after a nine-day visit that gave the
laboratory a European annex -- and a French scientist to bolster its crew.
After closing the hatch on Sunday, shuttle pilot Alan Poindexter gently
unlocked latches and released powerful springs that pushed the spacecraft
away from the station.
Shuttle Atlantis Returns to Florida Spaceport After Successful Mission
(Source: NASA)
Space shuttle Atlantis and its crew landed at 9:07 a.m. EST Wednesday at
NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., after completing a 13-day journey of
nearly 5.3 million miles in space. The STS-122 mission expanded the size and
research capabilities of the International Space Station with the delivery of
the European Space Agency's Columbus
laboratory.
Florida Spaceport Expansion Plans Threaten Hot Fishing
Spot (Source: Daytona Beach News Journal)
Worry is spreading through the regional angling community that Kennedy Space
Center's plan for a new launch complex involves permanently closing a popular
portion of the Mosquito Lagoon. That would halt fishing on half of a sport
fishing area so treasured it's known as "The Redfish Capital of the
World," not to mention badly tarnishing the allure of a resource that
attracts untold thousands of dollars to local economies. Tom Lelle, owner of Lelle's Bait
& Tackle gave a hint of the potential impact new restrictions on this
area might bring. "I hate it when the shuttle is out there on the
pad," he said. "Every day that it's out there it costs me $500. If
people can't go surf fishing at Playalinda Beach . . .
why would they come use my bait shop?"
Space Center
officials said nothing has been decided yet but would not rule out possible
closures. And they are holding a series of meetings to hear people's
concerns, beginning this week in Titusville and New Smyrna Beach. NASA
wants to build a 200-acre Commercial Vertical Launch Complex on one of two
potential sites. The first is by the beach just south of the existing shuttle
launch pads. The second is at the water's edge of the Mosquito Lagoon and at
a crossroads of public access leading to boat ramps at Haulover Canal, Bio Lab
Road and Eddy Creek as well
as to Playalinda Beach, Merritt
Island National Wildlife Refuge and Cape Canaveral National
Park.
Space Florida Offers Bonus for Florida Launch Under Google Lunar X PRIZE (Source:
Space Florida)
Space Florida will be
a new preferred partner and Florida will
become the first preferred launch site for the $30 million Google Lunar X
PRIZE competition. Each preferred partner offers additional prizes or
strategic services at a discounted rate to all competition teams. As the
first preferred launch site, Space Florida will
award an additional prize of $2 million to the Grand Prize winner of the
Google Lunar X PRIZE competition.
The Google Lunar X PRIZE is an unprecedented international competition
encouraging privately funded teams to land a robotic craft on the Moon. The
craft must be capable of completing several mission objectives,
including roaming the lunar surface for at least 500 meters and sending
video, images and data back to the Earth. More information can be found at: www.googlelunarxprize.org.
The First 10 Teams in the Lunar X Prize An Odd Lot (Source: WIRED)
The first 10 teams in Google's $30 million robotic race to the moon include a
Jesus freak, a Linux geek and a guy who recently bought 30 books on space
exploration. Each promised to be the first to send a privately funded rocket
to the moon and deploy a rover that will explore that distant hunk of rock.
Joining them are heavy hitters in robotics and aeronautics, including the Carnegie Mellon University crew
that won the DARPA Challenge and the Romanians who made a run for the money
in the Ansari X Prize. Visit http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/02/the-first-10-te.html
to view the article.
California Space Authority Supports Lunar Simulant
Testbed (Source: CSA)
The California Space Authority is supporting a JSC-1A Lunar Simulant Testbed program is
seeking statements of interest from members who might have interest in ISRU
or lunar systems. The potential opportunity outlined in this solicitation
represents a unique capability to conduct testing with a large quantity (8
tons) of JSC-1A lunar simulant. Potential uses
include operational testing of surface systems, dust mitigation, and surface
mobility. The solicitation document can be found at http://regolith.csewi.org/files/CSEWI_LunarSimulantTestbed_RFI.pdf
Moon Landing May Land Students Jobs (Source:
Huntsville Times)
NASA probes headed for the moon's surface could be riding on the ideas of Huntsville's young
engineers. The University of Alabama at Huntsville has four
teams of students working on unmanned lunar lander
concepts. About 30 senior students are taking part in a NASA-sponsored
management class - known as the Integrated Product Team - that teaches
management to the young engineers "and hopefully will give NASA
something back in return in the form of useable engineering work," said
Dr. Matt Turner, a UAH research engineer who manages the class.
MIT Scientists Will Develop Moon-Based Telescope (Source: AIA)
NASA has selected scientists at MIT to develop a moon-based radio telescope.
The telescope, which would be installed on the far side of the moon, could
shed light on the origins of the universe. "The telescope will look at
radiation from very, very early in the history of the universe. We want to
see how the gases (formed) into galaxies," said professor Jeffrey
Hoffman, a member of the Lunar Array for Radio Cosmology project.
For NASA, 'The Right Stuff' Takes on a Softer Tone (Source: USA Today)
Social skills weren't part of the job description for America's first
astronauts. Piloting the one-man Mercury capsule was a dangerous new
endeavor. A sure touch on the stick and a willingness to risk death trumped
being a nice, chatty guy. And some of the first space fliers weren't. Mercury
astronaut Alan Shepard was known as the "Ice
Commander" for his chilly glare. Colleagues Deke
Slayton and Gus Grissom thought they'd had "a deep talk" if they
exchanged 40 sentences during a cross-country flight, Tom Wolfe wrote in his
book The Right Stuff.
"The old concept of The Right Stuff— the rugged test pilot, the
individualist — is just not going to work," says Jason Kring, a professor who studies human-spacecraft
interaction at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. For the
first time in decades, NASA's new astronaut ranks will not include anyone
whose sole job will be to pilot spacecraft. With the shuttle retiring in 2010
and its replacement on the drawing board, there will be nothing to pilot. Now
NASA is looking for those who can play well with others in the close quarters
of the International Space Station. station
residents need to understand humans at least as well as they understand
machines. Crews now include three people, usually two Russians and an
American or one Russian and two Americans. Next year, the crew will swell to
six and begin including astronauts from Japan and Europe. Visit http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/space/2008-02-03-nasa-astronauts_N.htm
to view the article.
What Should Happen to the Body if an Astronaut Dies on
Mars? (Source: Popular Science)
I can say with fair confidence that if an astronaut died on a short mission
to the moon, the craft would turn around and come back. But it gets thornier
if the astronauts are on Mars, or even halfway there—any place where
turning back would be inadvisable or even impossible. There are really only
two options for the body: Leave it there or bring it home. My guess is that
NASA would make every effort to bring the body home. Returning the body would
most likely be incredibly important for the other crewmembers, who would have
formed an extremely strong bond with one another during the three-year
mission (and although the astronauts chosen for this mission would have such
a demeanor that they would be less likely to freak out about sharing the ride
home with a dead body, they may need to undergo grief counseling en route).
In addition, when a person dies, his or her body becomes the property of the
next of kin, who would have the legal right to ask to have the body returned.
NASA would certainly take such a request into consideration. The cause of
death could be a huge factor in the decision. If the astronaut died from
falling into a canyon, retrieving the body could put other crewmembers at
risk. There’s also the extremely remote chance that the
astronaut’s suit could suffer a breach and he or she could become
infected with a deadly organism that could endanger the rest of the
crew—and Earth. There is no evidence that any such organism (or any
organism at all) exists on Mars, but there still needs to be a plan in place
for this scenario. Without a way to contain its spread, we’d have to
leave the body behind. But this in turn raises concerns about contaminating
Mars.
NASA Works to Reduce Risks so Humans Can Reach Mars (Source: St.
Petersburg Times)
An undisclosed medical problem forced German astronaut Hans Schlegel to miss
his first planned space walk last week. But Schlegel was lucky. He recovered
in time for Wednesday's excursion outside the space station to help swap out
a cooling system. It could be a much different picture for astronauts who
travel to Mars, a treacherous 30-million-mile journey that NASA has begun to
plan. The trip there would take half a year. Along the way, astronaut's bones
would shrink 1.5 percent each month, making them more fragile.
Their bodies would be exposed to radiation that could damage their DNA or
cause cancer. Their hearts would weaken from the months of pumping blood
inside a weightless body. Space travel could tear down their minds, as well
as their bodies. Imagine stepping outside the space shuttle, staring back at
Earth. Unlike Apollo astronauts who stood on the moon, Earth would not look
like a giant, swirling-blue globe. It would look like one of the stars. Visit
http://www.sptimes.com/2008/02/18/Worldandnation/NASA_works_to_reduce_.shtml
to view the article.
Screening and Training for Commercial Human Spaceflight (Source: Space
Review)
As the commercial human spaceflight industry emerges, companies will be
flying people who do not meet the same rigorous medical guidelines of
government astronauts. Jeff Foust reports on the screening and training
issues companies in the field are considering as they seek to maintain
customer safety while maximizing the number of people who can fly. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1062/1
to view the article.
Center Urges U.S. Space Systems Export Control Changes (Source:
Defense News)
Washington should remove American-made satellites from a list that complicates
sales to other nations, and take a number of other steps to help reverse the
nation's dwindling dominance of space, according to a new Center for
Strategic and International Studies report. U.S.
officials should take steps to revamp the current export control regime,
which a CSIS working group has concluded "constricts U.S.
engagement and partnership with the rest of the global space community"
and also has failed to prevent "the rise of foreign space capabilities,
and in some cases has encouraged it."
Europe Willing To Buy U.S. Parts for Galileo (Source:
Space News)
Managers of Europe's Galileo satellite navigation system are willing to
purchase U.S.-built components for Galileo satellites and have assumed that
U.S. government technology-export hurdles would not be an issue, according to
Giuseppe Viriglio, director of navigation at the
European Space Agency (ESA). The 30-satellite Galileo project is often
presented as guaranteeing Europe's
strategic autonomy in positioning, navigation and timing services. As such,
the principal contracts will be awarded only to European companies, Viriglio said. But for subsystem components Galileo
builders will be free to use contractors outside of Europe, even if that
means being subject to U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations, or
ITAR, rules, he said. "The situation with ITAR is complicated, but we
have no intention of exporting Galileo."
Europe Urged to Give Allies Access to Galileo's Best Signal (Source:
Space News)
The vice president of the European Commission said Feb. 21 that the United
States and other European allies should have access to the encrypted service
of Europe's future Galileo satellite navigation system, just as U.S. allies
have access to the military signals of the U.S. GPS system.
Europe’s SES Prepares to Order Two Satellites (Source: Space
News)
Satellite-fleet operator SES expects to order two new satellites in the
coming weeks, increasing the number of satellites under construction to 10,
to reinforce its coverage in North and South America, and the trans-Atlantic
region, SES Chief Executive Romain Bausch said Feb.
18. SES is expected to order its biggest-ever satellite from Loral, a
70-transponder satellite called NSS-14 that will be launched in late 2010
into SES New Skies' 22 degrees west orbital slot, according to industry
officials.
European Texus 45 Suborbital Rocket Successfully
Launched from Sweden (Source: SSC)
The sounding rocket Texus 45 was successfully
launched today from the Swedish Space Corporation’s launch facility Esrange Space Center in northern Sweden. The rocket
provided 398 seconds of weightlessness for the three experiments onboard. The
Texus project is a sounding rocket program with the
primary aim to investigate the properties and behaviour
of materials, fluids and biological samples in a weightlessness environment. Texus 45 is funded by the German space organisation DLR and carried out jointly by DLR, EADS Astrium, Kayser Threde and SSC.
Are the UK's Space Goals Beyond its Means? (Source:
New Scientist)
The British National Space Center's new UK Civil Space Strategy document is
at best a case of the left hand of government not knowing what its right hand
is doing and at worst a joke in the poorest possible taste. Around two months
ago, the UK
government emasculated astronomy and physics research funding in the country.
Now, the BNSC has produced a 42-page document talking about the future role
of the UK in
world-leading space initiatives. What planet are they on? It is certainly not
Earth.
China Set to Launch Record Number of
spacecraft in 2008 (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
China will
launch a record number of spacecraft this year amid a rise in tensions among
world powers over the militarization of space. China plans to
send up more than 10 missions this year, said Yang Baohua,
head of the China Academy of Space Technology. "China's space
technology has entered a new stage. The design and manufacture of satellites
takes less time, and homemade satellites are more reliable and have a longer
lifespan," Yang said. China has
launched an average of eight spacecraft in the past two years.
Iran Gives Details on Controversial Space Launch (Source:
SpaceDaily.com)
Iran said on Tuesday a probe it sent into space on the back of rocket had
reached an altitude of 200 kilometers (125 miles) and returned to earth after
minutes. Kavoshgar (Explorer) was launched earlier
this month on what Iran touted
as its first rocket to be sent into space on a mission to prepare for the
launch of its first home-produced satellite this summer.
"Kavoshgar had two sections. The first section
separated after 100 seconds and returned to earth with a parachute. The
second continued to an altitude of 200 kilometres,"
said the head of Iran's space
organization, Ahmad Talebzadeh. "The second
section of this rocket received data on the atmosphere and the
electromagnetic waves on its path and simultaneously made contact with the
base and returned to earth with a parachute after five to six minutes,"
he said.
Japan Launches Experimental Internet Satellite (Source: Reuters)
Japan launched an experimental communications satellite on Saturday as part
of an ambitious space program that could help ensure super high-speed
Internet access in remote parts of Japan and elsewhere in Asia. The H-2A
rocket carrying the 2.7 ton "KIZUNA" (WINDS) communications
satellite took off from the tiny island of Tanegashima,
about 1,000 km south of Tokyo. The KIZUNA, equipped with three antennas
targeting Japan, Southeast
Asia and the Pacific regions, is referred to as the
Wideband InterNetworking engineering test and
Demonstration Satellite or WINDS.
Russia’s Gascom To Buy 8 New Satellites
(Source: Space News)
Russian satellite-fleet operator Gascom, flush with
cash from a booming domestic and regional business, plans to quadruple its satellite
capacity by 2015 by launching eight new satellites, the Moscow-based company
said Feb. 22.
Election May Affect NASA Future (Source: Florida Today)
Amid an election year that will put new leaders into the White House, many
are questioning the direction of the nation's space program. The discovery of
a serious vibration problem with NASA's Ares 1 moon rocket is causing
consternation among some in the aerospace industry. Some are campaigning for
a switch to an alternative derived from the Atlas 5 and Delta 4 rockets
developed under the Air Force's Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program.
Others are re-examining the moon-bound course President Bush and Congress put
NASA on after the 2003 Columbia
accident.
The timing of these issues is not coincidental. "My own opinion is the
time is right for this kind of questioning to happen before the new
administration takes office," said Scott Hubbard, former director of
NASA's robotic Mars exploration program and a member of the Columbia Accident
Investigation Board. "I started thinking last year, 'Gee, I wonder what
will happen when the administration changes,' "
Hubbard said. "Many of us want to make sure we take a critical
look at where we're going." Visit http://www.flatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080224/NEWS02/802240330/1007
to view the article.
Clinton Backs Space Exploration Policy | 