Cygnus Mission Update Via Orbital Sciences Corporation The Expedition 37 crew aboard the International Space Station has completed unloading the cargo from the Cygnus Pressurized Cargo Module (PCM) Cygnus and has loaded the first layer of waste for disposal. The crew will be working this week loading the second layer of trash. The third layer is expected to be loaded the week of 10/14, followed by PCM close out. Unberthing […]
AUTHOR
Doug Messier
Richard Branson says he had a great time visiting the Mojave Air and Space Port two weeks ago. If only he knew where it actually was: On Sept. 25, Virgin Galactic hosted an annual customer gathering at the Mojave Air and Space Port in Arizona. Oops. And he was just here two weeks ago. California gets no respect. Some folks would probably prefer that the spaceport be part of Arizona […]
ORLANDO, Fla., October 8, 2013 (Space Florida/UCF PR) – This week, representatives from Space Florida and the University of Central Florida (UCF) Office of Research and Commercialization (ORC) announced a call for applications by companies interested in participating in an event that will match financing sources with small, high-tech businesses based in Florida.
The “CAT5 Awards,” (which stands for “Capital for the Acceleration of Technologies in early stage companies) will showcase 10 selected companies in an event that will enable them to present their business cases to venture capitalists, angel investors and financiers, among others. In addition to having the opportunity to present to potential funding sources, the top two business plans will receive $150,000 in monetary awards – with first place receiving $100,000 and second place receiving $50,000, both through Space Florida sponsorship.
Swiss Space Systems will base its North American headquarters at Front Range Airport outside of Denver after signing a memorandum of understanding with Spaceport Colorado last month:
Spaceport Colorado is a statewide initiative to create an aerospace hub at Front Range Airport in Adams County that is designed to attract high-tech research, commercial space development and eventually the creation of a horizontal launch pad for space transport.
A mission concept to enter and explore a skylight on the Moon using Tyrobot. (Credit: Astrobotic Technology)
Tech Updates
Via Astrobotic Technology
https://www.astrobotic.com/updates/technical/
Planetary caverns and tunnels can provide shelter from micrometeorites, radiation, and thermal extremes for human and robotic explorers. They may be the best hope for habitation on the Moon. They could be the best place on Mars to find life. They can provide a window into a planet’s past geology, climate, and even biology. Recently discovered skylights, formed by partial cave ceiling collapse, provide access to intriguing but unknown sub-surface voids. “Skylights are gateways to wonders of exploration, science and resources that await beneath planetary surfaces”, said Red Whittaker, Astrobotic CEO. “Robots are our access to those new worlds.”
SOAR spaceplane atop an A-300. (Credit: S3)
Delémont, Switzerland, 30 September 2013 (S3 PR) — The aerospace company S3 and the Spacepharma SA enterprise, specialised in solutions for medical experiments in microgravity, announce today the signature of a contract relating to the launch of four small satellites in 2018, followed by a monthly launch over two years, making a total of 28 planned launches.
HONOLULU, Hawai’i (AAC/OAD PR) — Craig Campbell, Alaska Aerospace Corporation (AAC) President and CEO, and Jim Crisafulli, Hawai’i Office of Aerospace Development (OAD), jointly signed a Memorandum of Understanding today at the 2013 Hawai’i Aerospace Summit confirming their intention to establish a formal working relationship in state aerospace activities to serve the Pacific Region.
In a video interview with Business Insider, Richard Branson said that space travel will remain very expensive for the next decade, but that Virgin Galactic has an idea to allow people to fly very cheaply that it plans to unveil in about four months from now. He refused to say any more, but the guys over at the Rocketeers blog are speculating that it would involve an official Virgin Galactic […]
An update from Midland, Texas, on plans to bring XCOR to the airport there from California: Marv Esterly, the city’s director of airports, said the airport still awaits its spaceport license from the Federal Aviation Administration, a necessary step for XCOR to arrive. But with the recent government shutdown affecting agencies such as the FAA, Esterly predicts the license, originally slated for the end of the year, may now be […]
This week on The Space Show with David Livingston: 1. Monday, Oct. 7, 2013, 2-3:30 PM PDT (5-6:30 PM EDT, 4-5:30 PM CDT): We welcome Dr. Gil Levin back to the show to continue discussing the possibilities of life on Mars and new analysis of his Viking data. 2. Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2013, 7-8:30 PM PDT (10-11:30 PM EDT, 9-10:30 PM CDT): Open Lines. First time callers welcome. All space […]