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May
19, 2008
If We Really Want to Explore Space, Maybe We Should Sell It To
the Highest Bidders (Source: Boston Globe)
It the past few years have taught us anything, it is to not
underestimate the intoxicating allure of property. Real estate, it
turns out, brings out the adventurer in all of us. It's unsurprising,
then, that a few enterprising thinkers are hoping to harness that power
in a more exotic neighborhood: space. No one, of course, owns space -
not even the relatively tiny portion of it within humankind's reach.
Recently, however, there's been growing interest in changing that. In
the small community of people who think seriously about space
exploration, a few are arguing that exporting the idea of private
property into space is exactly what we need to do to launch a bold new
space race. Visit http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2008/05/18/my_space/
to view the article. (5/18)
Opening the Space Frontier, One Tourist at a Time (Source:
CNN)
The view will be one unlike any other. Climbing up through the clouds
at a rate faster than the speed of sound, the sky will darken to a deep
blue and then to black. Below, entire mountain ranges, coastlines and
cities will shift into focus as the horizon bends around the curvature
of the Earth - the thin veil of its atmosphere shimmering against a
backdrop of stars. An emerging space tourism industry may give
thousands of travelers this new view of Earth. And then, of course,
there will be the feeling of weightlessness.
What was once an almost nonexistent space tourism industry is slowly
maturing into what some analysts predict could be a billion dollar
enterprise with thousands of passengers by the end of the next decade.
"This is just the beginning of the golden age of space flight," said
Peter Diamandis, chairman of the X Prize Foundation. Visit http://edition.cnn.com/2008/TECH/space/04/30/space.tour/?iref=mpstoryview to view the article.
(5/14)
Google Lunar X-Prize Contenders Slide Show (Source: CNN)
CNN has assembled a slide show of the current contenders for the Google
Lunar X-Prize. Visit http://edition.cnn.com/2008/TECH/space/05/08/lunarx.entrants/ to view the photos. (5/14)
Why the Moon? (Source: Space Review)
With the current presidential candidates showing lukewarm interest, at
best, at continuing the Vision for Space Exploration, developing a
strong rationale for returning to the Moon becomes ever more important.
Eric Hedman argues that it's vital to play up the long-term benefits to
society of exploration. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1125/1 to view the article.
(5/12)
Fly Me to the Moon (Source: The Monitor)
Flying to the moon may be reserved for lucky astronauts, but for
everyone else at least sending your namesake is possible with a new
NASA program. A microchip with names will be onboard a new lunar
orbiter set to launch in late 2008 that will study the moon for a
planned human-staffed outpost. NASA has established a Web site where
anyone can submit their names to the database for flight on board the
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter being built at Goddard Space Flight
Center. Names can be submitted at http://www.nasa.gov/lro. (5/13)
Astronaut Health on Moon
May Depend on Good Dusting (Source: NSBRI)
Lunar dust could be more than a housekeeping issue for astronauts who
visit the moon. Their good health may depend on the amount of exposure
they have to the tiny particles. To prepare for a return to the moon,
researchers with the National Space Biomedical Research Institute
(NSBRI) are evaluating how dust deposits in the lungs in reduced
gravity in order to assess the health risk of long-term exposure to the
particles. The findings will influence the design of lunar bases and
could also provide benefits for healthcare on Earth, such as improved
delivery of aerosol medications to the lungs.
NSBRI Human Factors and Performance Team researcher Dr. Kim Prisk said
there are major questions that need to be answered. “In the big
picture, the questions are: How much goes into the lung? Where does it
go? How long does it stay? And how nasty is the stuff?” said Prisk, who
is an adjunct professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Diego. Visit http://www.nsbri.org/NewsPublicOut/Release.epl?r=108 to view the article.
(5/13)
Mars Probe Set for Nail-Biting Touchdown (Source: New
Scientist)
NASA's Phoenix spacecraft will experience a harrowing few minutes on 25
May when it hits Mars's atmosphere and attempts to land safely on the
surface – without any airbags to cushion its fall. Phoenix will land on Mars's icy
north polar region. Changes in the Red Planet's tilt may have allowed
the abundant ice there to melt as recently as 100,000 years ago,
raising the tantalizing possibility that microscopic life forms could
once have eked out an existence in the region. Life might even be
present there now in a dormant state. The lander will dig down as much
as 50 centimeters below the surface, collecting samples of soil and ice
to better understand the region's past climate and check for
carbon-containing molecules that could be associated with life. (5/13)
Arizona University Team's Mars Mission Gets Ready to Land (Source: Arizona Republic)
The Phoenix Mars Mission has less than two weeks to go before it
reaches the Red Planet. For the University of Arizona-led mission to be
a success, the spacecraft must survive a difficult, seven-minute
journey through the harsh Martian atmosphere. Scientists and engineers
call the descent "the seven minutes of terror." They have reason to be
concerned. NASA's last attempt at a powered landing, the Mars Polar
Lander in 1999, entered the atmosphere and was never heard from again.
Visit http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/videos/phoenix/phx20080327/ to view a video of the
landing sequence. (5/14)
This Time, 'Mission Control' is in Tucson (Source: Arizona
Daily Star)
Though the University of Arizona scientists and engineers leading the
Phoenix Mars Lander mission are millions of miles from the spacecraft,
they might as well be stepping onto the rust-colored planet themselves.
Much like the lander, which officials hope will explore new territory
and expand understanding of Mars, the UA-led team is breaking new
ground in space exploration, becoming the first university to run a
mission's day-to-day scientific research. From a nondescript
adobe-and-brick building just off the UA's main campus, researchers and
students with the UA will call the mission's shots daily, telling the
lander what to do and analyzing the results as it digs into Mars'
northern polar region in search of signs of water. (5/18)
$2.5M Endowment is Inducement for Arizona Space Faculty
(Source: Arizona Daily Star)
Thanks to a $2.5 million donation, the lead scientist on NASA's Phoenix
Mars Mission is ensured to remain at the University of Arizona for at
least five more years. UA senior researcher Peter H. Smith was named
Thursday as the university's first Thomas R. Brown Distinguished Chair
in Integrative Science. The post will rotate every five years to reward
top faculty for "transformational achievements" in their respective
fields. (5/16)
University of California Davis Awaits Next Solar Cycle With
New Telescope (Source: California Aggie)
Although many would groan at the thought of power outages and horrible
reception, astrophysicists and physicists at UC Davis are excited
because it means the chance to observe the beginning of another solar
cycle. The first sign of Solar Cycle 24 appeared on Jan. 4, as a
reversed-polarity sunspot on the sun. It marks the end of the solar
minimum of Solar Cycle 23. Solar cycles, also known as solar magnetic
activity cycles, are the fluctuations of solar energy activity on the
sun. Solar activity occurs on average every 11.1 years. Unlike in
previous years, UC Davis is prepared to observe and study this upcoming
solar cycle with its new telescope and solar filter. (5/16)
Caltech Helps Open the Universe in Microsoft "WorldWide
Telescope" (Source: Caltech)
Panoramic images of the sky obtained at Palomar Observatory and by the
Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS), plus pointed observations from the
Spitzer Space Telescope, form a significant part of the "World Wide
Telescope" (WWT), a new product released today by Microsoft aimed at
bringing exploration of the Universe and its many wonders to the
general public. WorldWide Telescope is a rich Web application that
combines imagery from the best ground- and space-based observatories
across the world, stitching together terabytes of high-resolution
images of celestial bodies and displaying them in a way that relates to
their actual relative position in the sky.
Using their own computers, people from all walks of life can freely
browse through the solar system, galaxy, and beyond. They can choose
which telescope they want to look through, including NASA's Hubble,
Chandra, and Spitzer Telescopes, to view the locations of planets in
the night sky--in the past, present or future--and the universe through
different wavelengths of light to reveal hidden structures in other
parts of the galaxy. Taken as a whole, the application provides a
top-to-bottom view of the science of astronomy. (5/12)
Space Angels Network Featured on Next Stanford Webinar on May
19 (Source: CSA)
Burton Lee, Ph.D., of the Space Angels Network, will be featured on the
next Stanford Webinar Course AA247, Innovation in Aerospace and Space
Exploration, at 2:15 p.m. (PDT). Click here for access. Meeting
Number: 926 021 322. Meeting Password: innovation.
New Data Available on California's Technology Economy and
STEM Education (Source: ASTRA)
The Alliance for Science &
Technology Research in America (ASTRA) has created state-specific
R&D sheets to help illustrate the importance of scientific research
to state and local economies, job growth, innovation, the U.S. standard of living, and
national security. Click here
to view 2008 California data on R&D, and
click here
for a 2006 California STEM education report card. (5/13)
Colorado University Team To Build $34 Million Satellite
Instrument (Source: CU News Center)
A $34 million solar instrument package to be built by the University of
Colorado at Boulder, considered a crucial tool to help monitor global
climate change, has been restored to a U.S. government satellite
mission slated for launch in 2013. The package will be built by
CU-Boulder's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics for the first
flight of the National Polar Orbiting Operational Environmental
Satellite System, or NPOESS.
Known as the Total Solar Irradiance Sensor, or TSIS, the CU-Boulder
package will fly on the first flight of NPOESS in 2013 and is
anticipated to fly on two subsequent NPOESS missions slated for 2015
and 2020. The two latter NPOESS missions are expected to bring in an
additional $30 million to CU-Boulder, said LASP Senior Researcher and
TSIS Project Manager Tom Sparn. (5/13)
Colorado’s University-Led 8th
Continent Announces Business Plan Competition (Source: Businesswire)
The 8th Continent Project announced its 2009 Business Plan Competition
for university students. Formerly known as Lunar Ventures, the
competition focuses on developing viable space-related business plans
for technologies that have real-world potential. The 8th Continent
Project Business Plan Competition challenges students in business,
engineering and science to collaborate in creating business ventures
related to space, but with immediate application on Earth. Teams should
consist primarily of graduate students, although undergraduate
participation is welcome. Prizes for the winner include up to $50,000
in cash and in-kind services. More details about the competition are
available at www.8cproject.com/BusinessPlanCompetition. (5/14)
NC State Astrophysicist Discovers Youngest Known Supernova in
Milky Way (Source: NC State)
A North Carolina State University researcher has discovered the
youngest known supernova in our galaxy. Estimated at a mere 140 years
old, this celestial whippersnapper is at least 200 years younger than
the next oldest known supernova, and its discovery may pave the way to
a greater understanding of exploding stars. Dr. Stephen Reynolds, an
astrophysicist at NC State, led a team of researchers who suspected
that a celestial object known as G1.9+0.3 was a very young supernova
remnant. They examined images of the object that were taken in 2007 by
NASA's Chandra X-Ray Observatory and compared these images to those
taken of the same object in 1985 by the National Radio Astronomy
Observatory's Very Large Array radio telescope. (5/14)
North Carolina Students
Win National Team America Rocketry Challenge (Source: AIA)
A team from Enloe High School in Raleigh, North Carolina, won the
national Sixth Annual Team America Rocketry Challenge Saturday, beating
out 99 rivals for the title. The 10-member team rose to the top of
squads of middle and high school-aged students facing off in the final
round of the world's largest rocket competition held today outside of
Washington, D.C. Mulberry Grove (Illinois) High School took second
place, while Kickapoo High School from Springfield, Missouri, placed
third.
The contest, sponsored by the Aerospace Industries Association and the
National Association of Rocketry, is designed to encourage students to
consider careers in aerospace, as almost 60 percent of the U.S. aerospace workforce is 45
or older, according to AIA statistics. The next stop for the winning
team is a trip to the Farnborough International Airshow and a fly-off
against the winners of the UK Aerospace Youth Rocketry Challenge from Horsforth Secondary School in Yorkshire. (5/18)
University of Wyoming Creative Writing Class for
Extraterrestrials (Source: Christian Science Monitor)
On the windswept campus of the University of Wyoming, spring is
struggling to arrive, students are fighting their way through finals,
and Jeffrey Lockwood's creative writing class is grappling with how to
talk to aliens. And they're not kidding. "So, what this is really about
is a cosmic first date?" Professor Lockwood teases the class. "You want
to look good, but not fake?" His 11 students, gathered for their final
meeting of the semester, are discussing how to describe humanity to
other civilizations. Should they put our best collective foot forward,
and tell stories that illustrate altruism and romantic love? Should
they also explain lying and warfare? There are no easy answers. "I
leave here with a headache a lot," says graduate creative-writing
student Christina Ingoglia. (5/14)
Embry-Riddle Team Among Finalists in Competition to Promote
NASA (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
Two Florida teams landed slots last week in the final round of the
annual " NASA Means Business" competition, agency officials said. Teams
from Daytona Beach-based Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Eglin Air Force Base
campus and Miami International University of Art & Design
competed in the final round of the contest, which was held at Kennedy Space Center. Bentley College of
Waltham, Mass., and the University of Wisconsin in Madison were also among the
finalists. A University of Wisconsin team won the grand prize.
(5/12)
85% of Americans Want a Presidential Debate on Science
(Source: RichardDawkins.net)
A new poll shows that 85% of U.S. adults agree that the
presidential candidates should participate in a debate on how science
can be used to tackle America's major challenges. The
poll found no difference between Democrats and Republicans on this
question. A majority (84%) also agree that scientific innovations are
improving our standard of living. The poll, commissioned by
Research!America and ScienceDebate2008.com and conducted by Harris
Interactive, shows that 56% strongly agree and 29% somewhat agree that
the presidential candidates should participate in a debate to discuss
key problems facing the United States, such as health care, climate
change and energy, and how science can help tackle them. (5/13)
They're no Jack Kennedys (Source: Space Review)
As president, John F. Kennedy provided the nation's infant space
program with strong direction and a bold goal. However, Jeff Brooks
notes, the Massachusetts Democrats currently in Congress don't share
Kennedy's public support for human spaceflight. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1124/1 to view the article.
(5/12)
Congress Aims to Set NASA's Agenda (Source: Florida Today)
The top two lawmakers on a House science and technology committee have
introduced a bill that would reauthorize NASA. Rep. Mark Udall, the
Colorado Democrat who chairs the panel’s space and aeronautics
subcommittee, sponsored the bill along with the panel’s top Republican,
Rep. Tom Feeney of Florida. Udall said the legislation is intended to
provide the next presidential administration some guidance on NASA.
“Without a clear statement of congressional priorities and policies for
the nation’s civil space and aeronautics enterprise, we run the risk of
w in a statement issued today. (5/16)
Lawmakers Seek Stronger
U.S.-World Ties in Space (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
President Bush had a simple plan for NASA in 2004. Stick another
American flag on the moon and launch a new American-led space age. Four
years later, Democrats in Congress have unveiled another idea. Going it
alone is expensive; let's invite the world. The plan is part of a new
congressional blueprint for the space agency. If successful, it could
significantly shift the direction of NASA and change its next big
project from a purely American push for the stars to a global science
project.
Proponents of international cooperation see it as an easy way for the
U.S. to project leadership in space while sharing the costs. The
international space station is supported by a total of 15 countries,
including Russia, Canada, Japan and most of western Europe. But the
bill, which would authorize NASA to spend $20.2 billion in the fiscal
year beginning Oct. 1, is likely to face an uphill struggle. In part,
that's because it would give NASA $2.6 billion more than the White
House has proposed. (5/17)
Hutchison May be Key to Extra NASA Funds (Sources: Houston
Chronicle, Space Politics)
Members of Houston's congressional delegation, having failed to
galvanize House support for additional NASA funding, said Texas Sen.
Kay Bailey Hutchison was their last best hope for adding $2 billion in
emergency aid. Houston-area lawmakers — including Reps. John Culberson,
R-Houston, Gene Green, D-Houston, and Nick Lampson, D-Stafford — said
they were counting on the Senate Appropriations Committee, on which
Hutchison serves, after the House leadership spurned their request.
Hutchison, R-Texas, is hoping to attach the NASA money to the emergency
war supplemental spending bill making its way through Congress.
Meanwhile, a Washington Post editorial decried the Senate’s addition of
“pet projects” to the supplemental, citing specifically “such goodies
as $200 million for the space shuttle” in the Senate version, while
praising the House for keeping such provisions out of its version. “If
this counts as emergency spending,” the editorial concluded, “it’s hard
to imagine what budget-busting expenditures would not qualify.” (5/13)
House Bill Would Authorize Additional Shuttle Flights
(Sources: Space News, ERAU)
House lawmakers introduced legislation May 15 authorizing three
additional space shuttle flights before the fleet's scheduled 2010
retirement, including the launch of a science probe removed from the
manifest after the 2003 Columbia accident. the bill seeks $1 billion to
accelerate NASA's space shuttle replacement vehicles: the Orion crew
capsule and Ares 1 rocket. NASA officials have said they could speed
development of those vehicles by about two years — to 2013 — with an
additional $2 billion.
The bill also extends the
possibility of U.S. participation in the international space station
for four additional years by directing NASA to "take no steps" that
would prevent the United States from utilizing the space station after
2016. The bill also includes language directing NASA to work with other
agencies and foreign governments toward the development of a space
traffic control system (5/16)
Florida and Virginia Await
Launch Pad Decision (Source: Spaceports Blog)
The Orbital Sciences Corp. Taurus II launch site decision is eagerly
being awaited by space advocates along the East Coast after an
announcement delay. The Florida legislature enacted three initiatives
to seek to boost the prospects for the commercial space industry -
matching the Virginia offer. Both Virginia and Florida now have enacted
protections from lawsuits for the nascent space tourism businesses, tax
incentives, and millions of dollars for investment in launch pad
infrastructure improvements. Virginia's most important advantages are:
slightly easier boost inclination to the space station, less demand for
range and launch delay conflicts, and Orbital being based in Virginia
and not far from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport. (5/12)
New Mexico Spaceport Director Talks Benefits for Otero County
(Source: Alamagordo News)
Steve Landeen wants everyone to understand what Spaceport America is
and what it is trying to do. "There have been a lot of misperceptions
about what it is we are trying to do," he said. "While legislation has
targeted Otero, Sierra and Doña Ana counties, this is actually
something that will have a positive impact for all of southern New
Mexico." A proposed Gross Receipts Tax in Otero County to help fund the
spaceport would not tax purchases for gasoline, medications and
groceries.
Spaceport America believes it will create a synergy with White Sands
Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base as neighbors, who Landeene
said have both welcomed the concept. While there are other spaceports
in development in Oklahoma, Virginia, Florida, California, Sweden and
Dubai, Landeene said they are all challenged with launch windows. "The
one here would not have that problem due to the restricted air space,"
he said. "We also have at least 300 good weather days each year."
"Altitude is another big benefit," said Dave Wilson of Wilson and
Binkley, an advertising and marketing firm based in Las Cruces. "At
this altitude, the first mile to space is free."
While New Mexico State University has estimated Spaceport America will
create 2,250 jobs, Landeene disagrees. "When you add the tourism
component, the number of jobs will far exceed that figure," he said.
"And the question is: How big a role does Otero County want to have in
this?" (5/15)
Alabama Firm To Build Attitude Controls for Bigelow Craft
(Source: Space News)
Las Vegas-based Bigelow Aerospace, LLC has awarded Orion Propulsion
Inc. of Madison, Ala., a $4.8 million contract to design and build an
attitude control system for the Sundancer commercial space habitat
Bigelow hopes to deploy in 2010. (5/16)
NASA Study Links Earth Impacts to Human-Caused Climate Change
(Source: NASA)
A new NASA-led study shows human-caused climate change has made an
impact on a wide range of Earth's natural systems, including permafrost
thawing, plants blooming earlier across Europe, and lakes declining in
productivity in Africa. Scientists from 11 institutions have linked
physical and biological impacts since 1970 with rises in temperatures
during that period. Their study, to be published May 15, concludes
human-caused warming is resulting in a broad range of impacts across
the globe. (5/14)
Astronomers Mystified by 'Weird' Star (Source: AFP)
Astronomers are puzzled by the discovery of a pulsar with an unusual
orbit never before seen in similar fast-spinning neutron stars that
beam regular pulses of radio waves. Pulsars usually have a circular
orbit around white dwarf stars, but the newly found object travels in
an oval, or "eccentric," motion around a sun-like star. (5/16)
Jupiter Moon 'Could be a Habitat for Life' (Source: The
Scotsman)
Shifting poles on one of Jupiter's moons strongly suggest the presence
of a global ice-covered ocean. The discovery of "wandering poles" on
Europa provides further evidence of a liquid ocean beneath an icy
crust. Many scientists believe the hidden ocean, warmed by tidal forces
from Jupiter's powerful gravity, may provide a suitable habitat for
life. Europa, slightly smaller than the Earth's moon, has a number of
unexplained surface features pointing to a turbulent geological
history. (5/15)
Vatican: It's OK to Believe in Aliens (Source: AP)
The Vatican's chief astronomer says that believing in aliens does not
contradict faith in God. The Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, the Jesuit
director of the Vatican Observatory, says that the vastness of the
universe means it is possible there could be other forms of life
outside Earth, even intelligent ones. In an interview published Tuesday
by Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Funes says that such a
notion "doesn't contradict our faith" because aliens would still be
God's creatures. The interview was headlined "The extraterrestrial is
my brother." Funes said that ruling out the existence of aliens would
be like "putting limits" on God's creative freedom. (5/13)
Malaysian Astronaut Gets Peace Award For Promoting Islam In
Science (Source: Bernama)
The Islamic Shura Council of Southern California has awarded Malaysia's
first astronaut, Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, the Peace Award for his
extraordinary effort in promoting Islam in science. Council executive
director, Dr Shakeel Syed said Dr Muszaphar had stressed the importance
of performing his 'ibadah' (religious obligations) even while carrying
out his work as an astronaut on the International Space Station (ISS).
The council is the umbrella organization of 250 mosques and several
Muslim associations in California. There are roughly one million
Muslims in California. (5/13)
Europe Could Get Manned Spaceship (Source: BBC)
A plan for a manned spacecraft has been announced by the European firm
EADS. Its Astrium division has designed a variant of its space station
freighter that could also transport astronauts. Limited details were
released in Bremen, Germany, on Tuesday; further information and a
mock-up are expected at the Berlin Air Show this month. (5/13)
European Manned Spaceflight Plan Proposed (Source: The
Register)
Strong rumors are circulating regarding plans for a European manned
spaceflight capability. A firm announcement is expected later this
month, which would outline a scheme based on modifications to the
existing "Jules Verne" automated cargo module used to supply the
International Space Station. (5/15)
Russia and Europe May Team Up for Moon Flights (Source:
Reuters)
Russia and Europe are teaming up to build a spaceship which will fly
astronauts to the moon, Russia said on Wednesday, although the European
Space Agency struck a more cautious note. The first test flight is set
for 2015 and the first manned flight is planned for 2018, Russian space
agency Roskosmos said. "(This would) enable us to carry crews of up to
six people to near-earth and lunar orbits." Roskosmos said the craft
would allow "expeditions to the moon" but did not say whether landings
were envisaged.
Russia's single-use Soyuz, lately prone to risky landings, has borne
the brunt of carrying crews to the International Space Station while
U.S. space shuttles are set to be retired in 2010. The ESA was more
cautious about the plan. "This is factually correct in the sense that
indeed this is the outline of the system," said an ESA spokesman. "But
we haven't decided upon anything yet ... It's too premature. It's still
at the level of studies." (5/14)
Russian Space Program Bedeviled by Problems (Source: RIA
Novosti)
Sea Launch, the U.S.-Russian-Ukrainian-Norwegian consortium using a
mobile sea platform for equatorial launches of commercial payloads on
specialized Zenit-3SL rockets, has announced that its planned May 21
launch will be postponed indefinitely. This minor setback highlights
major problems plaguing the Russian space program.
The launch was postponed because a similar rocket that lifted off from
the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan in late April failed to place
an Israeli satellite into the intended 36,000-km geostationary orbit.
The customer will now have to use the satellite's precious fuel reserve
in order to attain the required orbit. Sea Launch executives have
therefore decided to suspend operations pending an investigation of the
abortive Baikonur launch.
This is the latest in a series of failures involving the most advanced
Russian launch vehicles and spacecraft. In September 2007, a Russian
Proton-M rocket carrying a Japanese communications satellite exploded
shortly after lift-off. This March, another Proton rocket carrying
AMC-14, a communications satellite owned by SES AMERICOM, a New
Jersey-based satellite operator, failed to reach its planned orbit.
(5/15)
Cause Of Proton Failure Confirmed (Source: Aviation Week)
International Launch Services (ILS) says an independent review of the
cause of a Proton failure in early April concurs with the findings of a
report issued by the Russian State Commission earlier this month. The
State Commission blamed the mishap on a ruptured exhaust gas duct that
caused the breeze M upper stage engine turbopump to shut down
prematurely, leaving its payload stranded in useless orbit. Prime
contractor Khrunichev is running additional analyses and tests of the
Breeze M engine. These activities are expected to be completed by
mid-June, when the failure review board will meet again in Moscow to
determine whether the Proton can return to flight. (5/15)
Russian Astronaut May Be Taken Off Space Station Flight
(Source: Red Orbit)
Russia astronaut Salizhan Sharipov may be taken off the flight to the
Space Station in October 2008. "Salizhan Sharipov, the commander of the
main crew of the next mission to the ISS, has been temporarily barred
from training for the flight by Cosmonaut Training Center doctors," a
source said. The source said the decision made because of the
astronaut's health. (5/14)
Soyuz Landing Problems Concern NASA (Source: AIA)
NASA is concerned that Russia's Soyuz space capsules pose a safety
threat to American astronauts it transports to and from the
International Space Station. Despite an impressive safety record over
40 years, Soyuz has recently experienced two consecutive reentry
failures that space experts attribute to malfunctioning parts and
errors in workmanship. Soyuz will become increasingly important to the
U.S. space program after the space shuttle fleet is retired in 2010.
(5/12)
Korean Astronaut Released from Hospital After Soyuz Landing
(Source: Telecoms Korea)
Korea's first astronaut has been released from hospital and is ready to
resume her research and public duties, the government said Wednesday.
The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology said Yi So-yeon has
been discharged from a Air Force medical facility and visited Korea
Advanced Institute of Science and Technology in Daejeon to examine
research data she brought back from space. The 29-year-old bio systems
engineer, who had been hospitalized since late April, has been treated
for severe back pains caused by dislocation and bruising of the
vertebrae caused during her rough return to the Earth from the
International Space Station (ISS) on April 19. (5/14)
Russian Cargo Ship Lifts Off for International Space Station
(Source: SpaceDaily.com)
A Russian Progress M-64 cargo ship was launched from Kazakhstan
Wednesday to deliver supplies to the International Space Station. The
spacecraft was launched "as planned" at a little after midnight local
time and is due to arrive at the ISS on Saturday. Progress is
delivering a three-ton cargo of combustible energy materials, water,
oxygen, food and medicine for the three-man ISS crew after a problem
with static discharge was identified as coming from solar panels used
to run the computers which control oxygen and water supplies on the
ISS. (5/14)
Space Station Edging Toward Six-Person Crew (Source:
Flight International)
Later this month the International Space Station's partners will
formally agree the arrangement for the transport and emergency return
of the station's crew when it doubles in size to six from May next
year. Already agreed informally, two Energia-built Soyuz spacecraft
will transport two crews of three to the station, one launching in
April and then one in May. The April crew will return to Earth in
October, reducing the ISS complement to three, but two weeks after
their landing the launch of a third three-person crew will take place,
bringing the station team back to full strength. Then in November the
second team of three, launched in May, will depart, leaving that
October team behind and again reducing the ISS to three members. But
two weeks later a fourth team will be launched to return the ISS to
full strength again. This cycle will continue until the station ends
its operational life. (5/13)
On Tap in Space: Urine Will Not Go To Waste (Source: USA
Today)
Astronauts living on the International Space Station soon will take
recycling to new extremes: They'll get some of their drinking water
from the toilet. NASA has spent decades perfecting a system to
transform urine into water that can be used in space for drinking, food
preparation and washing. Agency officials say the water from the system
will be cleaner than U.S. tap water. The new $250 million machine was
being unpacked Wednesday at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, in
preparation for launch this fall.
Russia developed a similar system in the 1980s but it never flew in
space because of concerns over crew squeamishness, says former station
astronaut Leroy Chiao, now a space consultant. He says station crews
expect hardships and aren't likely to object. "You're going (to the
space station) as part of exploration," he says. "This is just
something you have to put up with, and that's OK." (5/15)
New Water Reclamation System Headed for Space Station
(Source: NASA)
International Space Station crews soon will have a new water
reclamation system that will recycle wastewater, allowing up to six
crew members to live aboard the orbiting laboratory. The latest
addition to the station's life support system departed May 12 from
NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., to NASA's
Kennedy Space Center, Fla., for final flight preparations. (5/12)
NASA Extends Space Station Contract With ARES Corp.
(Source: NASA)
NASA awarded ARES Corp. a one-year contract extension valued at $25.7
million for services required to continue the development and operation
of the International Space Station. ARES Corp. has held the station's
program integration and control contract since January 2004. The
one-year extension brings the total value of the contract to $151.8
million. ARES provides integrated vehicle performance and risk
management, configuration and schedule management, information
technology management, resource analysis, and cost estimating services.
Major subcontractors include Booz Allen Hamilton and Barrios
Technology. (5/16)
MDA Hired for Space Station Work (Source: The Star)
MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. says its Montreal operation
has won a $21 million contract from Boeing Co. to supply communication
technology for the International Space Station. MDA will provide two
spare sets of communication subsystems for providing voice and data
links between the station and the ground. "This solution follows MDA's
other mission-critical solutions currently supporting the ISS, which
includes most recently the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator," or
Dextre, the company said. (5/14)
MDA Will Build Up Space Division and Possibly Try to Sell Again
(Source: Canadian Press)
The CEO of MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates said Ottawa's decision to
block the sale of its space division to an American defense contractor
was a "misunderstanding," and that it could go on the block again in
the coming months. "There are people interested as we speak," MDA
president and CEO Daniel Friedmann said. Friedmann said the company is
not looking for a buyer at this time and will "focus on going after
immediate business, which we think is very strong." (5/13)
MDA Profit Up 23%, but Revenues Slide (Source: Toronto
Star)
MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates Ltd., which had the sale of its
space division to a U.S. defense contractor officially blocked by
Ottawa last week, said profit in the first quarter rose 23 percent, but
revenues fell as the loonie rose. MDA reported first-quarter earnings
of $26 million on revenues of $290 million for the quarter ended March
31. That compared to profit of $21 million on revenues of $306 million
for the first quarter of 2007. Revenues would have been $316 million if
the average foreign exchange rates had been comparable to the first
quarter last year. Revenues in its information systems division – which
includes the space division MDA tried to sell to a U.S. defence firm –
were $96 million, consistent with the first quarter of 2007. (5/13)
Prentice Pushes Vision of Canada as a Star in Space Exploration
(Source: Ottawa Citizen)
Canada must push into space the way the Elizabethans explored the
oceans and new continents, says Canada's industry minister. Expanding
space development will build a "critical mass" of thinkers and
industries that will do things no other country can do -- and will make
money for Canada, Jim Prentice says. The minister responsible for the
Canadian Space Agency hasn't spelled out specifics, but is pushing a
vision for space exploration that is bullish on the agency, space
technology and economic spinoffs from it. (5/13)
Weather Station To Be First Canadian Science Equipment On Mars
(Source: The Canadian Press)
A Canadian weather station the size of a big shoebox with a tiny Maple
Leaf flag and a price tag of $37 million is due to arrive on Mars to
help in the search for water. The meteorological station is part of the
Phoenix Mars Lander. If everything goes as planned on May 25, it will
be the first Canadian science instrument to land on the surface of an
alien world. (5/13)
Australia Needs a Space Program (Source: Nine MSN)
Veteran Aussie astronaut Andy Thomas says it is in Australia's economic
and scientific interests to start its own space program. The US
aerospace engineer and NASA astronaut said the election of the Rudd
government last year offered an opportunity for Australia to take a
fresh look at space. Adelaide-born Dr Thomas said a space program was
inspirational and part of "nation building", bolstered education,
produced a highly skilled workforce and encouraged innovation. A
satellite program could play a key role in national security,
preserving fishing rights and managing crops and mineral resources, he
said. (5/14)
Japan Adjusts Space Policy (Source: UPI)
The Japanese Parliament formally agreed to permit the deployment of
space surveillance satellites as part of the country's ballistic
missile defense program. That decision marks a highly important
reversal of more than a half-century of Japanese policy refusing to
contemplate taking any action to militarize space. The Diet, the lower
and main house of the Japanese Parliament, formally approved the
legislation that will remove exclusive control of space policy from the
country's Technology, Space and Education ministries. Space policy will
now be shaped by the entire Cabinet. Significantly, it also included a
provision to set up a space policy task force that will report directly
to the prime minister. Effectively, that will be the thriving center
that shapes national space policy in the future with the education,
space and technology ministries sidelined to provide only input. (5/17)
China Appears To Regret ASat Test (Source: Aviation Week)
China's leaders miscalculated the international reaction to the
country's antisatellite (ASat) weapon test last year, and likely regret
that they let their research-and-development bureaucracy carry it out,
says a top U.S. expert on the Chinese space program. "The Chinese took
very careful aim and shot themselves in the foot with that test," says
Joan Johnson-Freese, chairman of the National Security Decision-Making
Dept. at the U.S. Naval War College. "I think they now are now
recognizing that the international condemnation due them was actually
moderated." (5/12)
SES Americom Satellite to Carry DOD Missile-Warning Experiment
(Source: Space News)
The U.S. Air Force plans to award a sole-source contract to the
government services division of commercial satellite operator SES
Americom to host an experimental missile-warning sensor aboard one of
its planned geostationary-orbiting telecommunications satellites. The
pending deal with Americom Government Services would involve placing an
infrared sensor built by SAIC aboard a communications satellite built
by Orbital Sciences Corp., according to several industry sources
familiar with the negotiations. (5/16)
Navy Eyes Commercial Satellites to Avoid UHF Gap (Source:
Space News)
The U.S. Navy hopes to place a military payload aboard a commercial
communications satellite to avoid any potential gaps in the UHF
satellite communication services it provides to senior government
leaders and mobile forces around the world. The Navy is planning to
begin a competition this summer for the hosted payload, and is eyeing a
first launch in 2011. The Navy plans to award a single contract in
November. (5/16)
House Panel Gives T-Sat Full Request; Senate Exceeds It
(Source: Space News)
The House Armed Services Committee recommended fully funding the Air
Force's Transformational Satellite (T-Sat) communications system for
2009, several weeks after its Senate counterpart recommended adding
$350 million to the president's budget request for the program. In its
mark-up of the 2009 defense authorization bill, the House committee
fully funded each of the major Air Force space programs at the levels
requested by U.S. President George W. Bush, including $843 million for
T-Sat. (5/16)
House Approves Sherman-Manzullo Bill to Modernize Export
Controls (Source: CSA)
The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation co-authored by
Congressman Don Manzullo (R-IL) that would modernize the federal
government’s inefficient export control policy by strengthening
national security and helping American companies sell more
defense-related goods and services overseas to our allies. Sponsored by
Manzullo and Reps. Brad Sherman (D-CA), Joe Crowley (D-NY) and Roy
Blunt (R-MO), the Defense Trade Controls Performance Improvement Act of
2007 (H.R. 4246), as amended, became Subtitle A of Title I of the
Security Assistance and Arms Export Control Reform Act of 2008 (H.R.
5916), a broader international security assistance bill approved by the
Foreign Affairs Committee last month. (5/15)
Air Force SBIRS Launch
From Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: ULA)
The Air Force has awarded United Launch Alliance a contract
modification to launch the Space Based Infrared Systems (SBIRS) GEO-2
satellite aboard an Atlas V Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle. The
anticipated launch period is December 2010 to March 2011 from the Cape
Canaveral Spaceport. The SBIRS GEO-2 will provide missile warning quick
reaction alerts, and wideband data to technical intelligence analysts
and war fighters. (5/15)
Arianespace Reschedules Skynet 5C / Turksat 3A Launch to May 30
(Source: Arianespace)
In order to perform complementary checks on the Ariane 5 launch
vehicle, Arianespace has rescheduled the launch of Skynet 5C and
Turksat 3A from the original May 23 target date. Liftoff of the Ariane
5 launcher is now set for the night of Friday, May 30. (5/14)
SpaceX Seeks Lift From 3rd Launch Test (Source: Orlando
Sentinel)
When Elon Musk got into the rocket business six years ago, the whiz kid
and co-founder of PayPal Inc. wanted his new company to become the
Wal-Mart of space by doing things faster and cheaper. "Why is Wal-Mart
lower-cost? Well, it's not because they do one thing 100 percent
better. It's because they do 100 things 1 percent better," Musk told a
small gathering of space enthusiasts and reporters Wednesday.
The attitude seems to have paid off -- at least in the boardroom, if
not on the launchpad. Customers have lined up to buy rides aboard his
rockets, and Musk has a contract with NASA to develop a spacecraft to
ship cargo to the international space station. But Space Exploration
Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, did not successfully complete either of
its two test flights, despite a second effort last year that reached
space but did not get into orbit. A third launch, scheduled for June,
is critical for no other reason than Musk once said he would reconsider
the space business if his company had three consecutive failures. He
now calls that comment "stupid" and vowed he was in it for the long
haul. (5/15)
SpaceX Targets Late June for Next Rocket Launch Attempt
(Source: Space.com)
The third time may be a charm, but even if it is not SpaceX's founder
says he is committed to the launch business and now regrets having said
two years ago that he probably would have only three chances to launch
his Falcon 1 rocket successfully. With a backlog of 12 launches on the
manifest through 2011 and a newly inked launch services agreement with
NASA potentially worth $1 billion, the Hawthorne, Calif.-based company
actually managed to add new customers to its roster since the March
2007 launch attempt left the Falcon 1 with an 0-2 record. (5/16)
SpaceX Claims Crew Transfer Ability By 2011 (Source:
Aviation Week)
If NASA decides by this summer to proceed with the development of crew
transfer capability under the agency's Commercial Orbital
Transportation Services (COTS) program, SpaceX founder and CEO Elon
Musk says his company could be ready to conduct crew flights to the
space station by early 2011. NASA is funding SpaceX and Orbital
Sciences Corp. to develop cargo capability for the International Space
Station (ISS) under COTS, but so far has held off on greenlighting the
crew transfer portion of the program, known as "COTS D." Only SpaceX
has been actively working on a COTS D concept, with Orbital focused
exclusively on cargo at this point. (5/14)
Orbital Propellant Depots:
an Idea Whose Time has (Almost) Come (Source: Space Review)
On-orbit propellant depots has for years been an interesting concept,
but one that was still far in the future. Jeff Foust reports on why
some people believe that the depots' time has nearly come. Visit http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1127/1 to view the article.
(5/12)
Hubble Mission Delays Test Flight of Ares Rocket (Source:
Florida Today)
A five-week slip in NASA's final Hubble Space Telescope servicing call
will trigger a mirror-image delay in the first test flight of a new
Ares 1 moon rocket. The $320 million Ares 1X test flight had been
slated to lift off from Kennedy Space Center on April 15. But launch of
Atlantis and a Hubble repair crew faces a delay to Oct. 3 from Aug. 28,
which will push the test flight to late next May. The two missions are
inextricably linked. NASA aims to have Endeavour on pad 39B ready for a
rapid-response rescue mission if Atlantis is seriously damaged when the
Hubble crew blasts off from nearby pad 39A. (5/16)
NASA Plans Boeing Contract for Ares Parachute Testing
(Source: NASA)
NASA plans a sole-source contract with Boeing to support a requirement
for Ares I First Stage drogue and main parachute drop tests at aircraft
extraction loads of 60, 70, 75, 80, 85, and 90,000 pounds to support
the deceleration sub-system development for Ares I First Stage.
NASA/MSFC intends to purchase the services from Boeing. The Boeing C-17
is the only cargo aircraft, commercial or military, capable of air
dropping loads above 60,000 pounds at altitudes of 25,000 feet to meet
the deceleration subsystem parachute test qualification and schedule
requirements for Ares I First Stage.
The C-17 was designed by
Boeing to carry loads in excess of 60,000 pounds, although the Air
Force does not have supporting documentation to that effect. The Air
Force requires that Boeing, the original equipment manufacturer,
perform the analysis for the C-17 due to its unique knowledge of the
C-17 aircraft. Boeing retains proprietary information including
drawings and specifications concerning the C-17, and the information
concerning the C-17 is not available to another contractor. Click here for information. (5/12)
Lockheed on Track with Orion (Source: The Gazette)
While the number of privately funded space flights increases, only
projects funded mostly by public agencies such as NASA have actually
reached the moon. Under a 2006 contract, Bethesda aerospace and defense
giant Lockheed Martin Corp. is working on the Orion spacecraft, part of
NASA’s Constellation Program, whose goal is to land astronauts back on
the moon by 2020. NASA’s Apollo 17 project in 1972 was the last
involving humans on the moon. The Orion project is going well and is on
schedule, said Joan Underwood, a spokeswoman for Lockheed Martin Space
Systems Co., a unit based near Denver. (5/14)
Lockheed Wins GPS 3 Contract (Source: SpaceToday.net)
Lockheed Martin has won a contract worth nearly $1.5 billion to develop
the first block of next-generation GPS satellites. The Air Force
awarded Boeing the $1.46-billion contract for the first two GPS Block
3A satellites on Thursday, with options to build up to 10 more for an
additional $2 billion. Lockheed beat out a bid from rival Boeing; both
companies have won contracts for GPS satellites in the past. The GPS 3
satellites, scheduled to begin launching in 2014, will feature
additional signals to improve accuracy as well as antijamming measures.
(5/16)
GPS Contract Will Add 400 Jobs at Lockheed Pennsylvania Plant
(Source: Philadelphia Business Journal)
Lockheed Martin said winning the new GPS-3 contract will mean the
addition of 500 jobs, including 400 at the company's Newtown, Pa. site.
Other members of the Lockheed Martin team include ITT Corp. and General
Dynamics Corp. (5/16)
Lockheed to Pay $10.5 Million for Titan Rocket Overpayments
(Source: AIA)
A unit of Lockheed Martin Corp. settled a federal civil investigation
that alleged the company overbilled the Air Force and Pentagon for work
on the Titan IV rocket. Lockheed agreed to pay $10.5 million to resolve
allegations that it requested unwarranted progress payments from 1998
to 2001. (5/13)
Deals Spark First-Quarter Sales Hike for Lockheed Martin
(Source: AIA)
Bolstered by several deals including a $1.4 billion contract with the
Canadian government, Lockheed Martin Corp. announced first-quarter
earnings of $730 million on net sales of $10 billion, an 8% sales hike
over last year's first-quarter results. The results are an "excellent
start," said Bob Stevens, Lockheed chairman, president and CEO. "We are
meeting this goal by building on our core capabilities and continuing
to be responsive to customers while delivering greater value to them."
(5/15)
EADS Returns to Profit in First Quarter (Source: AP)
Airbus parent EADS returned to profit in the first quarter as the
planemaker increased deliveries and the company cut costs, helping
offset the weaker dollar. EADS reported a net profit in the January to
March quarter of euro285 million ($440 million), compared with a loss
of euro10 million a year earlier. In the previous five quarters, EADS
has been in the red four times. (5/14)
Nilesat Selects Thales Alenia for Next Satellite (Source:
Space News)
Telecommunications satellite operator Nilesat Co. of Egypt has selected
Thales Alenia Space of France and Italy to build the Nilesat 202, which
is scheduled to be launched in late 2010 aboard a European Ariane 5
rocket, industry officials said. (5/14)
Orbital Partners With Thales Alenia to Build Koreasat 6
Satellite (Source: Orbital)
Orbital Sciences Corp. has signed a contract with Thales Alenia Space
of France to supply its STAR satellite platform and carry out final
spacecraft, payload and system integration and testing for the Koreasat
6 commercial communications satellite to be built for KT Corporation of
the Republic of Korea. The spacecraft’s engineering, manufacturing,
integration and test activities will take place at Orbital’s satellite
manufacturing facility located in Dulles, VA. Thales Alenia Space will
act as prime contractor for the project, provide the communications
payload and deliver the Koreasat 6 satellite to KT. (5/14)
EchoStar Halts Work on CMBStar Satellite (Source: Space
News)
EchoStar Corp. is suspending construction of a satellite that was to
have been launched this year to provide video programming to mobile
handsets in China pending further assessment of whether the satellite's
performance specifications can be met, EchoStar said May 13. The
company said it may take a charge of up to $100 million as a result.
(5/13)
Intelsat Says Market Remains Robust (Source: Space News)
Satellite-fleet operator Intelsat said May 15 that demand for satellite
capacity continues to grow in most places around the world except the
Asia-Pacific region. The company reported that revenue for the three
months ending March 31 grew by 11 percent over the same period last
year, to $572.7 million, and 13 percent if its declining point-to-point
telecom-trunking business is excluded. (5/16)
Intelsat Reports First Quarter 2008 Results (Source:
Intelsat)
Intelsat, Ltd., the world’s leading provider of fixed satellite
services, reported revenue of $572.7 million and a net loss of $412.7
million for the three months ended March 31, 2008. (5/17)
Emerging Markets Drive Eutelsat Sales (Source: Space News)
Satellite-fleet operator Eutelsat recorded an 8.9 percent increase in
revenue for the three months ending March 31 compared to the same
period a year ago, with growth particularly strong in the
satellite-television markets in Russia, Africa, Turkey and the Middle
East, the company reported May 15. (5/16)
GeoEye Plans California
Launch on Aug. 22 (Source: PR Newswire)
GeoEye, Inc. announced an August 22, 2008 launch date for its
next-generation, earth imaging satellite GeoEye-1. Boeing Launch
Services and GeoEye finalized this launch date in an amendment to the
Launch Service Agreement that was signed on May 7, 2008. (5/14)
DishTV to Launch Captive Satellite by June-End (Source:
Business Standard)
DishTV is all set to extend its satellite channel capacity to 420 with
the launch of its own satellite Argani scheduled by the end of June
this year. Once operational, the satellite would also enable DishTV to
provide broadband internet service to its subscribers. DishTV, which
has offered a free-of-cost set top box (STB) to all new subscribers, is
looking at doubling its customer base of 310,000 in next 45 days. The
company's plan to double customer base comes ahead of its satellite
project being handled by Chinese satellite company ProtoStar. (5/16)
XM Posts Wider Loss,
Awaits FCC Decision on Sirius Marger (Source: Wall Street
Journal)
XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. posted a wider first-quarter loss on
higher marketing costs as it continues to wait for clearance on its
pending acquisition by rival Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. The merger of
the nation's only two satellite-radio companies, originally announced
in February 2007, is still being reviewed by the Federal Communications
Commission. The $4.3 billion deal was expected to have closed already.
(5/12)
Sirius Satellite Quarterly Net Loss Narrows (Source:
Reuters)
Sirius Satellite Radio, which plans to merge with rival XM Satellite
Radio, said its quarterly net loss narrowed on increased revenues from
new subscribers to its pay radio service. Sirius, whose acquisition of
XM still awaits the approval of the U.S. Federal Communications
Commission, reported a first-quarter net loss of $104.1 million,
compared with a net loss of $144.7 million a year earlier. Revenue
climbed 33 percent to $270.4 million. (5/12)
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Last Week’s DOD
Contract Awards in California
PAE Government Services,
Inc., Los
Angeles, Calif., was awarded $56,183,925 on Apr. 30, 2008, to
exercise the first option period under a firm-fixed-price,
indefinite-quantity contract (N33191-07-D-0207) for base operating
services at Camp Lemonier, Djibouti, Horn of Africa. After exercise of
this option, the current total contract amount will be $119,717,229.
The contract contains three additional one-year option periods, which
if exercised, will bring the total contract value to $177,585,524. Work
will be performed in Djibouti, Africa, and work is expected to be
completed Aug. 2009. Contract funds will expire at the end of the
current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Europe
and Southwest Asia, Naples, Italy, is the contracting activity.
Pacific Scientific
Energetic Materials Co., – Calif.,
Operations, Hollister, Calif. is being awarded a $9,992,000
firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for
laser initiator system components to support the Missile Defense
Agency’s Ground-based Midcourse Defense System. This acquisition
consists of various components of a laser initiator, and these items
will be used as test assets. These items are required for life
accelerated environmental testing; parametric testing critical for the
identification of current failure mechanisms; analysis of root cause
failures; potential refinements or upgrades; mitigation of risk;
sustainment, storage, and service life involving the unique equipment
of the currently deployed GMD system. Work will be performed in Hollister,
Calif., and work is expected to be completed by May 2012. Contract
funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract
was not competitively procured. Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane
Division, Crane, Ind., is the contracting activity.
Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Va., is
being awarded a $6,489,820 modification to previously awarded contract
(N00024-07-C-4404) for the USS Nimitz (CVN-68) FY08 Planned Incremental
Availability (PIA). A PIA provides for an extensive renovation and
modernization of an aircraft carrier, including alterations and repairs
as well as inspection and testing to all ships systems and components
ensuring safe and dependable operation of the ship. Work will be
performed in San Diego, Calif. and work is expected to be
completed by Dec. 2008. Contract funds in the amount of $6,489,820 will
expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The
Southwest Regional Maintenance Center, San Diego, Calif., is the
contracting activity.
PC Specialists, Inc., (Technology Integration
Group) of San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a firm fixed
price contract for $11,835,021.11. This action will provide for D630
Dell Latitude laptop computers (qty 895) 385 Client Pro Desktop (qty
3,664), 755 Optplex Desktop computers (qty 654) in various
configurations. This procurement will provide critical replacement
computer equipment to deployed forces supporting Operation
Iraqi/Enduring Freedom throughout the United States Central Command’s
Area of Responsibility. The contract ensures interoperability,
interchangeability, and standardization for in-theater data
communication systems. At this time $11,835,021.11 has been obligated.
Shaw AFB, S.C., is the contracting activity.
Scientific Research Corp., Atlanta, Ga., is being
awarded a $28,442,422 indefinite-delivery-indefinite-quantity,
cost-plus-fixed-fee (with an option to issue cost-plus-incentive-fee
and fixed priced orders), performance based contract for engineering,
technical, logistical, sustainment and administrative requirements on
software defined radio systems/equipment. The work required under the
contract will be performed over a number of current and future systems
and architectures for a variety of different sponsors. This contract
includes four one-year options which, if exercised, would bring the
cumulative value of this contract to an estimated $164,997,475. The
work for the contract will be performed in Charleston, S.C., (90
percent) and San Diego, Calif., (10 percent) and is expected to
be completed by May 2009. If all options are exercised, work could
continue until May 2013. Contract funds will
not expire at the end of the fiscal year. The contract was
competitively procured under full and open competition. The Request for
Proposal was posted on the SPAWAR Systems Center E-Commerce website and
one offer was received. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center,
Charleston, is the contracting activity.
Northrop Grumman Space
& Mission Systems, San Diego, Calif.,
is being awarded a $18,553,362 five year
indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for highly
specialized, critical and essential subject matter expertise to perform
studies, analysis, tradeoffs, requirements analysis, design,
development, test certification and documentation and/or enhance
existing combat system interface simulation, and test and analysis
systems associated with combat system development and life-cycle
engineering support. In addition, the contractor shall install and
checkout simulators, and test equipment at various AEGIS Land Based
Test Sites (LBTSs) and/or shipyards. Work will be performed in
Dahlgren, Va., (90 percent); Moorestown, N.J., (5 percent); Wallops
Island, Va., (3 percent); and San Diego, Calif., (2 percent),
and work is expected to be completed by May 2013. Contract funds will
not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was
competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website,
with one proposal solicited and one offer received. The
Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, Dahlgren, Va., is the
contracting activity.
Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin
Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded an advance
acquisition contract with an estimated value of $197,050,000 for long
lead materials and effort associated with the Joint Strike Fighter Air
System Low Rate Initial Production Lot III procurement of 8 Air Force
Conventional Take Off and Landing, 8 Marine Corps Short Take-off and
Vertical Landing and 2 United Kingdom, STOVL aircraft. Work will be
performed in Fort Worth, Texas, (35 percent); El Segundo, Calif.,
(25 percent); Warton, United Kingdom, (20 percent); Orlando, Fla., (10
percent); Nashua, N.H., (5 percent); and Baltimore, Md., (5 percent),
and work is expected to be completed in Feb. 2009. Contract funds will
not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not
competitively procured. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River,
Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-08-C-0028).
Nova Group/Tutor-Saliba, a joint venture, Napa
Calif., is being awarded a $35,000,000 modification (second
increment) to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract
(N44255-08-C-6000) for replacement of the CVN maintenance pier at Naval
Base Kitsap. The work to be performed provides for all labor,
materials, and equipment to demolish the existing Pier Bravo and
construct a new ship repair wharf, including the replacement of
approximately 300 lineal feet of quay wall (Structure 729), the
strengthening of the sheet pile wall west of the Dry Dock 6 mole, and
the demolition of Pier 8. An additional $48,877,000 will be funded
subject to the availability of FY10 funds making the total contract
amount $122,877,000. Work will be performed in Bremerton, Wash., and
work is expected to be completed by Jan. 2012. Contract funds will not
expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The
Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Northwest, Silverdale, Wash., is
the contracting activity.
I.E. Pacific, Inc., San Diego, Calif.,
is being awarded $7,111,000 for firm-fixed-price task order #0002 under
an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award construction
contract for design and construction of a weapons and armaments
facility at the Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake. This
task order contains one option at $880,000, which if exercised, will
bring the total contract amount to $7,991,000. Work will be performed
in Ridgecrest, Calif., and work is expected to be completed by Oct.
2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal
year. Four proposals were received for this task order. The Naval
Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the
contracting activity.
Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., is being
awarded a not-to-exceed $61,154,903 modification to previously awarded
contract (N00024-07-C-5444) for MK15 Phalanx Close-In-Weapon System
(CIWS) ordnance alteration kits, spares, and associated hardware. The
US Army procures Land-Based configurations of the CIWS system to
support the Global War on Terrorism. Work will be performed in
Louisville, Ky., (22 percent); Andover, Mass., (19 percent); Tucson,
Ariz., (16 percent); Syracuse, N.Y., (9 percent); Long Beach, Calif.,
(9 percent); Radford, Va., (7 percent); Burlington, Vt., (7 percent);
Palm Bay, Fla., (3 percent); Pittsburg, Pa., (2 percent); Bloomington,
Minn., (2 percent); Salt Lake City, Utah, (2 percent); Norcross, Ga.,
(1 percent); and New Albany, Ind., (1 percent), and work is expected to
be completed by Sept. 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $1,494,004
will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea
Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., is the contracting
activity.
Martin-Baker Aircraft Co., Ltd., Middlesex,
England is being awarded a $42,172,647 modification to a previously
awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-07-C-0011) to exercise an
option for 178 Navy Aircrew Common Ejection Seats (NACESs), including
78 for the Navy F/A-18E/F and E/A-18G; 12 for the Marine Corps
F/A-18A+; 46 for the Government of Canada; 42 for the Government of
Australia and 285 thermal batteries for the NACES, including 251 units
for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corp and 23 units for the Government of
Finland and 11 units for the Government of Switzerland. In addition,
this contract provides for associated component parts and production
support for the U.S. Navy production aircraft and the Governments of
Canada and Australia. This contract combines purchases for the U.S.
Navy and Marine Corps, ($21,795,277; 51.69 percent); and the
governments of Canada, ($10,550,649; 25.01 percent); Switzerland,
($49,085: .12 percent); Finland, ($102,632: .24 percent); and Australia, ($9,675,004: 22.94 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales
Program. Work will be performed in Middlesex, England, (71.5 percent);
Johnstown, Pa., (16 percent); Northridge, Calif., (7 percent);
and Ronkonkoma, N.Y., (5.5 percent), and work is expected to be
completed in Dec. 2009. 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.
Communication & Power
Industries, Inc., Palo Alto, Calif.,
is being awarded a $12,757,800 firm-fixed-price,
indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for major
repair/remanufacture of Traveling Wave Tubes (TWTs) and new TWTs for
the AN/SLQ-32 Electronic Countermeasures System. The AN/SLQ-32
Electronic Countermeasures System performs deception jamming of missile
seekers and noise jamming of targeting radars. It can track multiple
emitters and provides ship protection from radar-directed anti-ship
missiles as well as confusing targeting radars on hostile platforms.
The TWTs are integral parts of the jammer. Work will be performed in Palo
Alto, Calif., and work is expected to be completed by May 2013.
Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.
This contract was competitively procured with a minimum of four
proposals solicited and one offer received via Federal Business
Opportunities website and the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane
Acquisition Department’s website. The NSWC Crane, Crane, Ind., is the
contracting activity.
Vision Systems
International, San Jose, Calif., is being awarded a
$6,235,379 firm-fixed-price, definitive-contract for the stand-up of an
organic repair depot for the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System. The
repair depot shall be established to provide Naval Surface Warfare
Center (NSWC) Crane with in-house repair capability for failed Display
Units. Work will be performed in Crane, Ind., and work is expected to
be completed by April 2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end
of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively
procured. The solicitation was posted on Federal Business Opportunities
website and the NSWC Crane website, with one proposal solicited and one
offer received. NSWC Crane, Crane, Ind., is the contracting activity.
Harper Construction Co.,
Inc., San
Diego, Calif., was awarded on May 9, 2008, a $22,022,448 firm-fixed
price contract for re-stationing of 31st Air Defense Artillery
including construction of primary infrastructure and site development. Work will be performed at Fort Sill, Okla., and is
expected to be completed by Mar. 1, 2010. Contract
funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were solicited on Sept. 21, 2007, and two
bids were received. U.S. Army Engineer District, Tulsa, Okla., is the
contracting activity.
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