Launch of Atlas V NRO satellite on June 20, 2012. (Credit: ULA)
Centennial, Colo.,, July 25, 2013 (ULA PR) – During the last eight days, the United Launch Alliance (ULA) team has completed five major processing activities, including one launch, on three different launch pads at both Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida and Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB) in California.
The latest edition of The Lurio Report has a story on Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ plans to conduct animal experiments aboard XCOR’s Lynx suborbital spacecraft: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) – In part two of my report on NSRC-2012, I mentioned that a speaker from MHI had discussed results of biological tests performed on parabolic aircraft flights (Vol. 7, No. 5). He’d said that a suborbital reusable vehicle company was soon expected […]
This week on The Space Show with David Livingston: 1. Monday, July 29, 2013, 2-3:30 PM PDT (5-6:30 PM EDT, 4-5:30 PM CDT): No show as I am the designated driver for a friend undergoing sedated medical tests. 2. Tuesday, July 30, 2013, 7-8:30 PM PDT (10-11:30 PM EDT, 9-10:30 PM CDT): OPEN LINES. All space and STEM calls welcome. First Time callers welcome. 3. Friday, August 2, 2013, 9:30-11 […]
July 24, 2013 (FSDC PR) — The Florida Space Development Council, a statewide chapter of the National Space Society, invites nominations for the Bumper Award, to be provided annually to individuals or organizations that have had the greatest positive impact on Florida’s space industry, or to Floridians who have had the greatest impact nationally. FSDC members and non-members are encouraged to submit 2013 nominees using a simple online form, available here. Nominations will be accepted through August 31, 2013.
The International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) is working on a study on space mineral resources that it plans to submit to the heads of 40 space agencies at an upcoming summit, according to study chairman Art Dula.
The study, titled “Space Mineral Resources – Challenges and Opportunities,” will “provide a logical, systematic and practical road map to promote and encourage near term evaluation, development and use of space mineral resources (SMR) in space,” according to a description on the IAA website.
Imagine a plant you can grow in the barren oil fields of West Texas that when you process its berries, jet fuel worth billions of dollars comes out. And that crop is there because of America’s space program.
That’s what Richard Godwin and his Florida-based company, Zero Gravity Solutions Inc. (ZGSI), are hoping to make possible. The company, which just went public, is using space-based genetic research to modify a tropical plant called jatropha curcas to grow in the cooler environment of West Texas. The plant’s berries could produce up to five to six tons of fuel per hectare.
NewSpace 2013 Panel Discussion
Technological Capstone: Spinning In Technologies to Sustain
Long-term Human Presence in Space
Panelists
Editor’s Note: Strangely unmentioned in the press release below is the announcement last month that 3D Systems “had joined Planetary Resources’ core group of investors and will be a collaborative partner in assisting Planetary Resources to develop and manufacture components of its ARKYD Series of spacecraft using its advanced 3D printing and digital manufacturing solutions.” This is one of Diamandis’ companies. You think that would be relevant, but apparently not.
ROCK HILL, S.C., July 24, 2013 (3D Systems PR) – 3D Systems (NYSE:DDD) announced today that its Board of Directors has elected Peter H. Diamandis a director of the company.
Dr. Peter Diamandis is the Chairman and CEO of the X PRIZE Foundation, which leads the world in designing and launching large incentive prizes to drive radical breakthroughs for the benefit of humanity. Diamandis is also the co-Founder & Executive Chairman of the Singularity University, a Silicon Valley based institution teaching graduates and executives about exponentially growing technologies and their potential to address humanity’s grand challenges.
Greg Kennedy (Credit: Citizens in Space)
DALLAS, PHILADELPHIA, and WASHINGTON, July 26, 2013 (USRA PR) — Citizens in Space, a project of the United States Rocket Academy, has announced the selection of its fifth citizen-astronaut candidate.
Informal educator and aerospace historian Greg Kennedy will join four other citizen-astronaut candidates who are training to fly as payload operators on the Lynx spacecraft, currently under construction by XCOR Aerospace in Mojave, CA. XCOR expects to begin Lynx test flights later this year.
“We are pleased to welcome Greg to our astronaut group,” said Edward Wright, citizen-astronaut candidate and project manager for Citizens in Space. “His experience and skills will help to strengthen our program and expand our outreach in new directions.”
A note from NASA: As follow-up to the Asteroid Initiative Request for Information, please hold September 30-October 2 for a technical workshop at the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston, Texas, to discuss both the Asteroid Redirect Mission and the Grand Challenge. Virtual participation options will be available during the workshop, so please mark your calendar even if you aren’t able to travel to Houston during that time. Further details […]
