The Shuttle Landing Facility in Florida. (Credit: NASA)

By Douglas Messier
Parabolic Arc Managing Editor

The state of Florida is looking to not only build a new commercial launch complex at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) but also to manage and develop the center’s Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) as an airport/spaceport.

In a letter to NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and Transportation Secretary Roy LaHood, Florida Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll requested the conveyance 150 acres of unused land at the north end of KSC near the former citrus community of Shiloh for the new launch complex. She also asked NASA to transfer the SLF to Florida.

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A successful HIFire launch. (Credit: DSTO)

CANBERRA, Australia (DSTO PR) — DSTO scientists have successfully conducted a test flight of an experimental hypersonic vehicle at the Andoya Rocket Range in Norway.

The test vehicle reached an apogee of 350 km and then achieved speeds of up to Mach 8 on descent in the experimental band which was from 20.5 km to 32 km in altitude.  All sensor and telemetry systems worked perfectly.

Scientists believe the launch could be a major step forward in the quest for hypersonic flight.

The experimental flight was undertaken as part of a joint research program, HIFiRE (Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation), being conducted by DSTO and the US Air Force Research Laboratory.

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XCOR’s Lynx suborbital vehicle

By Douglas Messier
Parabolic Arc Managing Editor

Various Florida agencies put up more than $5.7 million in “incentive value and financing” to help lure XCOR to set up a production facility and operational base for its Lynx space plane in the Sunshine State, according to the head of the state’s space development organization.

The funding and incentives are being put up by Space Florida, Brevard Workforce, Enterprise Florida Inc., and the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast, according to a presentation by Space Florida President Frank DiBello during the announcement of the deal last month.

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SECURING U.S. LEADERSHIP IN SPACE
Romney-Ryan White Paper
September 22, 2012

Introduction

America’s space program is a strategic national asset crucial to both our security and our economy. The space capabilities of the United States and its allies create strategic military and intelligence advantages that must be maintained. U.S. satellite networks facilitate communications, navigation, remote sensing, and environmental monitoring that support the global economic infrastructure and protect the safety and security of people around the world. It is almost impossible from the modern vantage point to even imagine growing the world’s food, moving its people and cargo, operating its markets, or keeping its peace without operating effectively far above its surface.

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Mitt Romney. (Credit: Gage Skidmore)

BOSTON (Mitt Romney PR) — Today, Mitt Romney released his plan for Securing U.S. Leadership In Space. As Paul Ryan travels to Orlando, Florida, today, he will outline the space priorities for a Romney-Ryan administration.

America’s space program is an integral element of national prestige and power that protects our citizens and allies while inspiring future generations.  It is an engine of technological innovation and economic vitality.  Rebuilding NASA, restoring U.S. leadership, and creating new opportunities for space commerce will be hard work, but Mitt Romney will strive to rebuild an institution worthy of our aspirations and capable once again of leading the world toward new frontiers.

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LONDON (UKSA PR) –UKube-1 – the UK’s first cubesat mission – has ‘booked’ its journey into space on a Russian Soyuz-2 rocket.  The launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrone in Kazakhstan is expected to take place in March 2013.

The UKube-1 nanosatellite is a collaboration between the UK Space Agency, industry and academia.  It will allow the UK to fly educational packages, test new technologies and carry out new space research quickly and efficiently. It is envisaged as the pilot for a full national CubeSat programme.

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First hop of the SpaceX reusable suborbital launch vehicle testbed Grasshopper in McGregor, TX.

Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center

The state of Florida is looking to develop a commercial launch site at NASA Kennedy Space Center that is most likely intended for use by SpaceX, Florida Today reports:

In a letter sent Thursday to NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll requested 150 acres of undeveloped land at the northern end of the space center, near the former citrus community of Shiloh.

With Federal Aviation Administration approval, the proposed launch site would operate outside the jurisdiction of the U.S. Air Force’s Eastern Range, which provides safety and tracking support for all launches from KSC and Cape Canaveral.

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Elon Musk discusses cargo and crew transportation to the International Space Station as well as his plans for Mars, which he calls a “fixer-upper of a planet.”

ORLANDO, FL., September 21, 2012 (Space Florida PR) – On Friday, 10 high-tech start-ups had the opportunity to present their business models to national financers at the Igniting Innovation Showcase, hosted by Space Florida and the Technological Research and Development Authority (TRDA) in Orlando, FL. At the conclusion of the networking event, Space Florida awarded a $100,000 check to BioCurity selected by the judging panel as having the most potential for near-term growth and commercial success, while contributing to Florida’s economy.

BioCurity develops therapeutic solutions for cancer treatment – specifically – the company, based in New Smyrna Beach, FL, has created a topical cream that has the ability to protect cells and tissue exposed to toxic cancer radiation treatments. RadGuard is currently in preliminary trials at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Orlando. (more…)