Membership

Copyright California Space Authority, Inc. 1997-2008
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Coalition Celebrates Birth of the Vision for Space Exploration

When the Space Shuttle Discovery takes flight in May with seven brave astronauts onboard, the fortune of many generations of Americans to come will be along for the ride. That historic voyage will be the first step in the new Vision for Space Exploration, which places our human space program, once again, on a course beyond Earth orbit and outward into the solar system.

The Vision calls for NASA to return the Shuttle to safe flight and to complete the assembly of the International Space Station, which will serve as a research laboratory for future exploration. A new crew exploration vehicle will be developed to carry astronauts beyond Earth orbit to places the Shuttle cannot go. Human and robotic missions to the Moon will establish a long-term presence there, paving the way for exploration of Mars and beyond. The Vision calls for a practical, stepping-stone approach, allowing each milestone to be met as we are able to afford it.

While some may view this next mission as a small step to the Space Station, it will represent the start of a giant leap in realizing a new generation of the inevitable intellectual and material gains of exploration and discovery.

Just as the missions of the Apollo era spawned revolutionary advances in thermal insulation, miniaturization, water purification and digital communications, the challenge of new exploration missions will certainly bring technological advances and may well produce the answers to such earthly problems as environmental pollution, costly (and depleting) energy sources, contagious diseases and mass food production. They will provide critical inspiration to young students to excel in math and science. The jobs they will bring promise greater economic competitiveness and security for our nation.

When Discovery lifts off, it will be launching a new era in space exploration. And the timing couldn’t be better.

During the past 20 years, the U.S. space industry compiled an impressive résumé in space operations – amassing knowledge, experience and capabilities that are essential to long-term human productivity and success in space. Equally important are the critical diplomatic relations developed with countries that have explored space with us and may do so in the future. Robotic predecessors are setting the standards and paving the way for future human missions to the Moon and Mars.

Today there is a new generation of explorers in our space industry, who fully recognize the many benefits and advantages we enjoy as a result of the courage and vision of those who led the way into space. As we assess our children’s future and the world in which they live, we cannot help but recognize the urgency to establish for future generations a legacy of equally great value.

For more than 30 years we have lamented the absence of a clear framework for the future of space exploration. Our nation’s leaders have provided us with an achievable, affordable and meaningful approach. It’s time to get with the program, and to give the Vision, in its entirety, our full support.

CSA is a proud member of the Coalition for Space Exploration

Coalition Celebrates Birth of the Vision for Space Exploration

To celebrate SpaceShipOne and its $10,000,000 Ansari X-Prize win, California Space Authority issued its second collectors’ coin*. Coins were distributed at CSA’s SpotBeam Awards Dinner, in which the Mojave Aerospace Ventures Team was recognized for its achievement with CSA’s SpotBeam Award for Innovation (see page 1).

Mojave Aerospace Ventures is the company formed by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen (Vulcan Enterprises) and Burt Rutan (aviation and now space design pioneer and principal of Mojave-based Scaled Composites). Burt Rutan and SpaceShipOne pilot and first private sector astronaut Mike Melvill were awarded lifetime memberships in CSA for their achievements. President/CEO Jim Benson of San Diego-based SpaceDev, contractee for SpaceShipOne’s unique hybrid motor, is a member of the 2005 CSA Board of Directors.

For his success as the first private businessperson to launch human beings into space, Rutan has been recognized by Time and Life magazines and this year garnered “Entrepreneur of the Year” honors from Inc. magazine. Mojave Aerospace Ventures has landed a contract for a fleet of SpaceShipOne-inspired “spaceliners” by Virgin Airlines’ founder Sir Richard Branson. “Virgin Galactic”, the new company named to operate Branson’s passenger-carrying spaceliner fleet, is planning its first flights for 2008. *First CSA coin featured Mars Rover.

CSA Welcomes Its First Executive Council Members (continued from page 1)

Lockheed Martin employs more than 130,000 people worldwide, principally in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced technology systems, products and services.

Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company is one of the major operating units of Lockheed Martin Corporation and designs, develops, tests, manufactures, and operates a variety of highly sophisticated systems for military, civil and commercial customers. Chief products include a full-range of space launch systems, including heavy-lift capability; ground systems, remote sensing and communications satellites for commercial and government customers; advanced space observatories and interplanetary spacecraft; fleet ballistic missiles; and missile defense systems.

Lockheed Martin Space Systems company is now preparing Space Launch Complex 3E (SLC-3E) at Vandenberg Air Force Base to support west coast launches of its Atlas V. Developed in partnership with the U.S. Air Force under the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) Program, the Atlas V is designed to meet the needs of government and commercial satellite customers worldwide. SLC-3E is scheduled for its first Atlas V mission in fourth quarter 2005.

Lockheed Martin Integrated Systems and Solutions is a leader in net-centric systems and technologies, serving the Department of Defense, intelligence community and Department of Homeland Security. IS&S develops net-centric solutions for command and control; tactical reconnaissance; geospatial intelligence; secure, mobile communications, logistics and combat support.

Lockheed Martin IS&S, Santa Maria, CA, supports the U.S. Air Force Range Standardization and Automation (RSA) program to provide safe mission execution and staunch customer support, standardize designs and interfaces, and improve flexibility, capacity and responsiveness of the Space Launch Range System.

Created to revolutionize access to space, Space Exploration Technologies is developing the Falcon family of launch vehicles intended to provide the highest level of design reliability, the most benign flight environment and a long-term reduction in cost by a factor of ten. Named after the Star Wars Millennium Falcon™, the Falcon I launcher was developed with private funding and was in summer 2004 awarded $8 million by the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) and the US Air Force to demonstrate highly responsive affordable launch capability.
Located in El Segundo, SpaceX was founded by Elon Musk in 2002. Mr. Musk had also co-founded PayPal, the world's largest electronic payment system, which sold to online auction giant eBay for $1.5 billion.
SpaceX now has three launches of Falcon I and one launch of Falcon V under contract. The first launch of Falcon I is planned for the first quarter of 2005 and will carry the Tac-Sat-1 satellite to a 500 km orbit from the SpaceX launch site at Vandenberg Air Force Base.


Aerospace Manufacturing Conference
British American Business Council
Monday, March 7, 2005
Long Beach Marriott

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