CANNES, France, March 21st, 2014 (Thales Alena Space PR) – IXV (Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle), the European Space Agency’s atmospheric reentry demonstrator developed by Thales Alenia Space, has finished development, and is now completing integration at Thales Alenia Space’s clean rooms in Turin.

The spacecraft will be delivered to ESA’s ESTEC center in the Netherlands, where it will undergo final testing before being shipped to the launch site at the Guiana Space Center (CSG), Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.

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Aviation Week reports that producing RD-180 engines for Atlas V in the United States would be neither inexpensive nor fast: “We hold a license to manufacture and deliver RD-180 engines,” says Matthew Bates, a spokesman for Pratt & Whitney, which formed a joint venture with Russian engine manufacturer NPO Energomash in 1997 called RD Amross. The sole purpose of RD Amross is to provide the engines to the U.S. “A […]

Aboard the International Space Station, astronaut Mike Hopkins works with a cell array for the Selectable Optics Diagnostic Instrument-Diffusion Coefficient in Mixtures 2 (SODI-DCMIX 2) investigation. Findings may help refine petroleum reservoir models for more efficient extraction of oil resources. (Credit: NASA)

ISS Science Highlights: Week of March 10, 2014
John Love, Lead Increment Scientist
Expedition 37/38

The crew wrapped the Selectable Optical Diagnostic Instrument-Diffusion Coefficient in Mixtures 2 (SODI-DCMIX 2) flash disks in bubble wrap bags for return on the Soyuz spacecraft. The purpose of this study is the measurement of diffusion coefficients of selected ternary mixtures taking advantage of the reduced gravity environment on station. Data from these space studies may help the oil industry generate formulas to predict correct measurements for the liquid to gas ratio in potential wells. This information aids geophysics and mineralogy experts as they evaluate the capacity of reservoirs — collections of natural resources that lay hidden in the ground.

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RD-180 test firing. (Credit: NASA)

Orbital Sciences Corporation has dropped its anti-trust lawsuit against ULA over the RD-180 rocket engine — at least for the time being.

“The parties will now undertake to negotiate a business resolution for Orbital’s access to the RD-180 rocket engine, subject to all necessary approvals from the U.S. and Russian governments,” Orbital said in the filing. “If a mutually agreeable resolution is not reached, Orbital will have the option to refile its lawsuit.”

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Credit: NASA

Fouriertransform invests SEK 25 million ($3.9 million) in ÅAC Microtec AB

Uppsala-based ÅAC Microtec AB receives expansion capital to boost sales of their world leading microelectronics systems to aerospace and industrial customers with very high technical requirements.

ÅAC Microtec AB (ÅAC) globally provides high value space solutions and systems for commercial, governmental and educational customers through its partner network and office in Uppsala, Sweden. ÅAC has a unique competence and capacity to develop and manufacture robust, miniaturized multi-functional electronics systems. The company is today a core development partner in leading programs to launch new, smaller satellites. Based on its advanced position in these programs, ÅAC’s ambition is to further strengthen its position as a strategic supplier for the growing aerospace industry.

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JAXA astronaut Koichi Wakata works on the Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR) in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station. (Credit: NASA)

TOKYO (JAXA PR) — The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency will begin the first experiment of the second series for the High-Quality Protein Crystal Growth Experiment (PCG)*1 using the environment on the Japanese Experiment Module “Kibo” of the International Space Station (ISS). Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and Interprotein Corporation will participate in the experiment.

Other than those companies, 18 academic organizations including universities will also join the experiment (as shown in List 1 below).

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Over a BuzzFeed, writer Joshua Wheeler travels to the hardscrabble town of Truth or Consequences, N.M., whose residents are waiting for Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic to begin space tourism flights from nearby Spaceport America, possibly by the end of this year. Wheeler asks whether the town is ready for the influx of high net worth individuals, and whether they will bring the benefits to Truth or Consequences and the […]

RESTON, Va. (AIAA PR) – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and NASA will co-host California Aerospace Week, March 24–26, in Sacramento, Calif.

Featuring a mix of panels, exhibits, hearings and discussions, the event will focus on the importance of aerospace to California. A resolution will be introduced in the California State Senate on the afternoon of March 24, proclaiming the week of March 24–28: “California Aerospace Week”

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Artist rendering of the RS-25 engines powering the liftoff of the 70-metric-ton (77-ton) lift capacity configuration SLS from the pad. (Credit: NASA)

WASHINGTON (NASA PR) — NASA has awarded grants to nine universities for advanced development activities for the nation’s next heavy-lift rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS).

The agency is providing approximately $2.25 million that will be shared by all the proposals under this NASA Research Announcement to seek innovative and affordable solutions to evolve the launch vehicle from its initial lift capability to a larger, future version of the rocket, which will carry humans farther into deep space than ever before. NASA sought proposals in a variety of areas, including concept development, trades and analyses, propulsion, structures, materials, manufacturing, avionics and software.

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TOKYO (JAXA PR) — Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd. (President: Takashige Negishi; hereinafter referred to as “Yakult”) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (President: Naoki Okumura; hereinafter referred to as “JAXA”) today announced that the two parties reached an agreement to start a joint research in the International Space Station (hereinafter referred to as “ISS”) from April 2014.

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