MOSCOW (Khrunichev PR) — The Khrunichev Space Center continues to work on the Angara 1.2ML booster (ML stands for “Maiden Launch”). Last week Khrunichev specialists conducted Angara 1.2ML PLF and Ascent Unit fit check at Space Rocket Plant. Also completed are the assembly and standalone tests of Stage 2 pneumatic and hydraulic system (PHS). Electrical checkouts at the Integrated System Test Console (ISTC) will be the final phase of Stage […]

Pacific sunset from the Santa Monica Pier. (Credit: Douglas Messier)

By Douglas Messier
Parabolic Arc Managing Editor

I had the opportunity to escape from the Mojave last weekend to attend the BIL Conference down in Long Beach. It was a nice break. I got to see some cool talks, meet some new friends, and sit barefoot on a beach beside a vast ocean which I had all but forgotten even existed.

Not bad for two days.

I just wish I could have stayed longer. Returning to the High Desert was like traveling back in time: it felt like spring in LA, but it was still winter in the Mojave. Cold and windy.

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Brevard County, Fla., EDC PR (March 4, 2013) – The Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast (EDC) is pleased to announce that Northrop Grumman intends to expand its presence on the Space Coast and add more than 900 jobs, including hundreds of engineering positions.

As part of consolidation within its Aerospace Systems sector, Northrop Grumman today announced plans to open a Manned Aircraft Design Center of Excellence in Melbourne, which will include aircraft design work currently being performed at the company’s Bethpage, N.Y., facility. The company will also establish an Aircraft Integration Center of Excellence in St. Augustine.

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By Douglas Messier
Parabolic Arc Managing Editor

The Mojave Air and Space Port has decided not to bid to become a prime site for the testing of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), but it will likely become a team member on separate proposals being submitted by two other California groups.

On Tuesday, the spaceport’s Board of Directors approved moving forward with plans to join proposals that Ventura County and Inyokern Airport will submit to the Federal Aviation Administration. The FAA will designate six sites around the country for UAS testing later this year.

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RocketMotorTwo firing in Mojave. (Credit: Virgin Galactic)

At a luncheon with business leaders on Tuesday, New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez and Virgin Galactic CEO George Whitesides urged state legislators to complete work on an informed consent law designed to protect the space company from lawsuits.

Whitesides also laid out a schedule for powered flights of SpaceShipTwo that has the vehicle flying into space by the end of the year. The appearance coincided with the release of a picture showing the latest test firing of the rocket’s hybrid motor in Mojave, Calif.

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HUNTSVILLE, AL (Team FREDNET PR) – The Open Space Society (https://teamfrednet.org/), the latest entry in small satellite access to Earth Orbital Space today announced the availability of its first Small Commercial Payload Launch Opportunity. The initial launch, which leverages The Open Space Society’s technology developed during its five-year history as well as its participation in the NASA Innovative Lunar Demonstrations Data (NASA ILDD) program and Google Lunar X PRIZE (GLXP), will take place in January 2015. Expanded launch details will be made available in a subsequent announcement.

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Marcia Smith over at Space Policy Online reports that the GOP has introduced a measure in the House that would provide some relief for NASA on funding commercial crew and the Space Launch System despite the sequestration of funds that began last week.

The continuing resolution bill would provide full funding for the government through the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30. The government is now operating under a continuing resolution that ends on March 27. If no agreement is reached by the deadline, the federal government would shut down.

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Scaled Composites did another test firing of its hybrid RocketMotorTwo engine last Thursday evening. Virgin Group CEO Richard Branson has posted a description of the test firing by Program Manager Matt Stinemetze on his blog along with a photograph. Stinemetze describes the nighttime firing in vivid detail and concludes: “The first in a rapid series of final confirmation firings leading up to SpaceShipTwo’s first rocket powered flight was completed in […]

Uwingu PR (Mar. 5, 2013) — Space start up Uwingu™ announced today that has recruited a distinguished board of 15 advisers to assist the company in strategic and operational planning.

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Richard Branson and then-Gov. Bill Richardson. (Credit: Douglas Messier)

By Douglas Messier
Parabolic Arc Managing Editor

Forbes has released its annual list of the world’s billionaires. There are a record 1,426 individuals with an aggregate net worth of $5.4 trillion in the world. The table below shows the tiny handful of this group — nine individuals — who are currently or have been previously involved in space projects.

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