Credit: David Wilson, Spaceport America

Las Cruces, N.M. (VG PR) – Virgin Galactic, the world’s first commercial spaceline owned by Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group and Abu Dhabi’s aabar Investments PJS, announced today that Las Cruces resident Greg Powe and New Mexico native Kelly Barncastle have joined its best-in-class team.

Powe, who has lived in New Mexico for 30 years, is the newest addition to the operations team at Spaceport America, where he will serve as the Gateway facilities manager. He brings with him a wealth of managerial experience, including 22 years at the White Sands Space Harbor and White Sands Test Facility where he worked as facilities manager.

(more…)

There was an incident at SpaceX’s McGregor test site last night: Officials said two nitrogen-filled tanks over pressurized and ruptured at the testing site in McGregor around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday. No one was reported injured and the escape of gas did not result in an environmental hazard. People from all across the area reported hearing a loud noise and feeling vibrations…. Everyone has been accounted for and everything had returned […]

Credit: XCOR

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, NJ (Unilever PR) – The phenomenon surrounding AXE Apollo, the largest and most successful campaign in the brand’s 30-year history, is coming to its epic conclusion in December 2013 at the AXE Apollo Space Academy1 (A.A.S.A.). After receiving 750,000 entries from all corners of the world, AXE has selected nine brave recruits to represent the U.S. These recruits will have the opportunity to be selected to embark on a once-in-a-lifetime journey: a trip to space.

(more…)

Ariane 5

Space News reports that Arianespace is looking to counter the growing threat from SpaceX in the communications satellite launch market:

The Arianespace commercial launch consortium is telling its customers it is open to reducing the cost of flights for lighter satellites on the Ariane 5 rocket in response to the challenge posed by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, Arianespace Chief Executive Stephane Israel said Nov. 25.

(more…)

The Terminal Hangar Facility at Spaceport America will house Virgin Galactic’s WhiteKnightTwo and SpaceShipTwo. (Credit: David Wilson, Spaceport America)

Eager to convince skeptical southern New Mexico voters to approve a tax hike to help fund the construction of Spaceport America, then-Gov. Bill Richardson promised that the revenues would bring millions of dollars in direct support to local schools.

Voters in Sierra and Dona Ana counties approved a quarter-cent increase in the local use tax, and Richardson kept his promise. The tax has raised $32 million in revenues so far, with a quarter of it — $8 million — going to local schools to fund additional teachers and new programs.

Now, with Richardson gone due to term limits, that deal is in danger of unraveling as legislators from other areas of the state are eying the revenue.

(more…)

RD-180 test firing. (Credit: NASA)

ULA and RD Amross LLC have asked the court to dismiss a $1.5 billion lawsuit filed by Orbital Sciences Corporation due to a lack of legal standing, the Denver Business Journal reports.

Orbital wants RD Amross to supply it with Russian RD-180 engines for its new Antares rocket. The company has refused, saying it has an exclusive agreement with ULA to supply these engines for the Atlas V rocket.

(more…)

WASHINGTON (NASA PR) — Businesses and individuals interested in using NASA research to develop new technologies and products now have access to an online tool to make the process of licensing easier.

The QuickLaunch licensing tool provides access to a select portfolio of NASA technologies for the purpose of licensing and commercial development.

The tool features pre-approved terms and conditions, including fixed, up-front and royalty pricing, a streamlined process for electronic agreements and significantly reduced response and approval times. It provides access to existing, patented NASA technologies to provide rapid and cost-effective deployment to industry.

(more…)

The 28 Flock 1 satellites before being sent to the launch site. (Credit: Planet Labs)

San Francisco, California, November 26, 2013 (Planet Labs PR) – Planet Labs announced today that it successfully launched its most recent satellites, Dove 3 and Dove 4, into orbit on a Dnepr vehicle. This will be closely followed by the launch of Planet Labs’ “Flock 1” fleet of 28 satellites in December, which will be the largest constellation of Earth-imaging satellites ever launched.

“This is the third rocket launch for Planet Labs this year, and the Dove 3 and 4 satellites are the most advanced and agile satellites we have built to date” said Chris Boshuizen, co-founder and CTO of Planet Labs.

(more…)