Space News reports on efforts by the U.S. Air Force to lease commercial satellite services:
The U.S. Air Force is contemplating a procurement of commercial satellite capacity covering western Africa in a demonstration that industry officials hope is an indication of the Defense Department’s willingness to break buying habits that they say are outmoded and inefficient.
SXC Activities & Events Please let us know if you are interested in attending one or more events/training missions, and we will provide you with more details: October 16th – October 19th: Zero-G Training Mission in Moscow, Russia October 25th: Zero-G training in Bordeaux, France November 5th: Desdemona Training Mission at TNO Soesterberg, the Netherlands November 6th: L-39 Training Mission at KLS Flight Academy Eelde, the Netherlands December: SXC ’s […]
Astronauts Rick Linnehan and Mike Foreman try out a prototype display and control system inside an Orion spacecraft mockup at Johnson Space Center during the first ascent and abort simulations for the program. (Credit: NASA)
HOUSTON (NASA PR) — NASA astronauts recently experienced what it will be like to launch into space aboard the new Orion spacecraft during the first ascent simulations since the space shuttles and their simulators were retired.
Ascent simulations are precise rehearsals of the steps a spacecraft’s crew will be responsible for – including things that could go wrong – during their climb into space. They can be generic and apply to any future deep space mission, or very specific to a launch that’s been planned down to the second. For now, Orion’s simulations fall into the first category, but practicing now helps ensure the team will have the systems perfected for the astronauts in any future mission scenario.
French actor and current tax exile/Russian citizen Gerard Depardieu paid a visit to the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan last week to view the launch of a new crew to the International Space Station and to declare himself ineligible for spaceflight. “I’d really like to, but I’m probably too big for that,” Depardieu is quoted as saying by RIA Novosti. Indeed. This was the first trip to Baikonur for Depardieu, who […]
SpaceX successfully launched its Falcon 9 version 1.1 rocket into space from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California this morning. The upgraded rocket took off on time at 9 a.m. PDT, sending the Canadian CASSIOPE spacecraft and five nano-sats into orbit. The SpaceX webcast of the launch ended with the Falcon 9 second stage in orbit and the payloads still attached. There is no word as yet as to whether […]
Commercial Spaceflight Federation
The Commercial Spaceflight Federation applauds the hard work of the teams at NASA, Orbital Sciences Corporation, Aerojet Rocketdyne and all of the many contractors involved on the success of their second COTS demonstration mission. On September 18, an Aerojet Rocketdyne dual AJ26 engine system successfully boosted Orbital’s Antares rocket carrying the Cygnus spacecraft. Today, Cygnus successfully berthed with the International Space Station and delivered approximately 1,300 lb. of cargo.
Cygnus berthed at ISS. (Credit: NASA)
Dulles, VA 29 September 2013 (OSC PR) – Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB), one of the world’s leading space technology companies, today announced that its Cygnus™ cargo logistics spacecraft successfully completed its rendezvous and approach maneuvers with the International Space Station (ISS) and was grappled and berthed with the station by the Expedition 37 astronaut crew earlier this morning.
Launch Pad 39A with the space shuttle Endeavour. (Credit: NASA)
A cranky Elon Musk has lashed out at Jeff Bezos, Blue Origin and ULA for getting in the way of his plans to lease Pad 39-A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
In an email to Space News, the SpaceX CEO accused Bezos of using a “phony blocking tactic” in a rival bid to control the former space shuttle launch complex.
Blue Origin, which is backed by ULA, wants to convert the pad into a multi-use complex that can accommodate multiple launch vehicles while SpaceX wants the facility for its own use but has agreed to share it if Blue Origin can come up with an actual rocket to launch from it. (more…)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Lockheed Martin PR) – Lockheed Martin submitted its competitive proposal for the U.S. Air Force’s Hosted Payload Solutions (HoPS) initiative aimed at leveraging commercial satellites for some government missions.
According to the August 1 government solicitation, HoPS will provide the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) and other U.S. government organizations with “a capability for hosting Government payloads on commercial spacecraft to meet mission objectives.” The HoPS contract will procure a fully functioning on-orbit hosted payload system and integrated ground system equipment and interfaces that deliver payload data to the government end user. SMC’s Developmental Planning Directorate is the acquisition office for HoPS.
