The Texas spaceflight informed consent law would be significantly expanded to provide significantly greater protections for spaceflight operators, manufacturers and component suppliers under legislation now making its way through the State Legislature.

The bill is one of three measures being considered by lawmakers during this session. The other two measures would clarify the liability of municipalities and add a commercial spaceflight representative to the state’s Aviation Advisory Committee.

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PALO ALTO, CA (Anna Eshoo PR) — Following a meeting with Congresswoman Anna G. Eshoo (D-Palo Alto), GSA, NASA, and the White House at the Capitol on Tuesday, February 26, the General Services Administration will issue a Notice of Intent regarding Hangar One and Moffett Federal Airfield, which reflects the following:

1. Moffett Federal Airfield will NOT be excessed. It will remain a restricted Federal Airfield and NASA will remain its custodian.

2. The Notice of Intent outlines a competitive bid process and the Request for Proposal (RFP) will be released this spring seeking a qualified lessee to provide for the rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of historic Hangar One. (more…)

Blue Origin successfully fires the thrust chamber assembly for its new 100,000 pound thrust BE-3 liquid oxygen, liquid hydrogen rocket engine. As part of the company’s Reusable Booster System (RBS), the engines are designed eventually to launch the biconic-shaped Space Vehicle the company is developing in collaboration with NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Meanwhile, NASA and Blue Origin signed an agreement last week to extend their Commercial Crew Development Round 2 […]

Greetings friends of the suborbital frontier!

A reminder that the NSRC-2013 abstract deadline is fast approaching! Abstract submissions for the Next Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference (NSRC-2013) are due in only *3 days* on Thursday March 7^th!

Session topics include planetary science, atmospheric science, microgravity sciences (fundamental biology and physics), astro/solar physics, education, public outreach, life sciences, suborbital and commercial markets and policy, technology and technology testing. A full list of session topics can be found at https://www.boulder.swri.edu/NSRC2013/Site2/Abstracts_Submit.html.

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Space Access Conference Update
By Henry Vanderbilt

Less than six weeks till our next Space Access Conference, April 11-13 in Phoenix Arizona.  It’s the place to be for the latest on the technology, business, and politics of Radically Cheaper Space Transportation.  Time to book those flights soon, while they’re still cheap!
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This week on The Space Show with Dr. David Livingston…. 1. Monday, March 4, 2013: 2-3:30 PM PST (5-6:30 PM EST, 4-5:30 PM CST): We welcome the return of HENRY VANDERBILT to discuss the upcoming Space Access Conference, commercial and NewSpace. 2. Tuesday, March 5, 2013, 7-8:30 PM PST (10-11:30 PM EST, 9-10:30 PM CST): We welcome the return of DR. HENRY HERTZFELD, Professor at GWU and the Space Policy […]

Artemy Lebedev

ZERO2INFINITY PR — Mr. Artemy Lebedev lives in Moscow and is the founder of design company Art. Lebedev Studio. He is one of the most successful web designers in Russia and a prominent blogger.

“My dream is to see the whole world, so far I have visited most of the countries. With the bloon I will really see the whole world – on a single journey”, says Artemy Lebedev.

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Dragon berthed at ISS. (Credit: NASA TV)

HAWTHORNE, CA (SpaceX PR) — SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft was berthed to the International Space Station at approximately 8:56 a.m. EST Sunday, installed onto the Earth-facing port of the Harmony module. Dragon arrived to station with over 2,300 pounds of cargo and packaging to ensure safe travel, and during the next 22 days, astronauts will unload and then load cargo, including materials to support critical science experiments. (more…)

Dragon berthed at the International Space Station. (Credit: NASA)

NASA Statement — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 11:49:57 AM PST — International Space Station Program and SpaceX managers Saturday gave the go-ahead for the SpaceX’s Dragon cargo vehicle to rendezvous with the station on Sunday, March 3.

The station’s Mission Management Team unanimously agreed that Dragon’s propulsion system is operating normally along with its other systems and ready to support the rendezvous two days after Friday’s launch on a Falcon 9 rocket from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

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