With construction of Spaceport America largely complete and Virgin Galactic unlikely to launch commercial flights for roughly….oh, wait for it….18 months, the folks at the New Mexico Spaceport Authority have faced a bit of a challenge as of late: how to maintain public interest in and enthusiasm for a $209 million, taxpayer-funded facility that is sitting unfinished and — save for a handful of sounding rockets — unused out in the  suburbs of nowhere.

The answer they came up with would be familiar to every political candidate with a floundering campaign or retail giant suddenly facing more nimble competition: a re-branding effort.

Yesterday, the authority launched a brand new website complete with a snazzy new logo and brand identity. And they did so on America’s 236th birthday.

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Fourth in a series of videos spotlighting commercial crew competitors.

“The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and […]

Video Caption: Masten’s Xaero returns to the skies to complete a flight to 444 meters [1,457 feet] AGL – a record for Xaero and the company. Xaero took some time off while the team put significant work into updating her landing gear and cutting mass and solving some guidance issues. Onward and upward!

By Douglas Messier
Parabolic Arc Managing Editor

Russia’s Izvestia newspaper reported on Tuesday that Boeing and Lockheed Martin have been in talks for RSC Energia to supply docking and thermal protection technologies for the CST-100 and Orion spacecraft. Below is an excerpt of the story via Google Translate:

Russian companies could take part in creating the future of American manned spacecraft Orion and CST-100, which develop by Lockheed Martin and Boeing. A report issued late last week, the annual report of the Rocket and Space Corporation Energia says that in 2011 “held a lot of work to identify opportunities for participation of Energia in the creation of U.S. manned spacecraft CST-100 and Orion.”

Energia President Vitaly Lopota confirmed to Izvestia the desire to of the corporation to participate in the American project to build spaceships.

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Rod Castro

DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. (Embry-Riddle PR) — The development of Embry-Riddle’s 90-acre Aerospace Research and Technology Park in Daytona Beach has gained new impetus with the hiring of Dr. Rod Casto associate vice president for research and innovation.

Casto most recently held that same title at the University of South Florida (USF), Tampa, as well as serving as the executive director of the USF Research Foundation Inc. After joining USF in 2003, he transformed school land into a 115-acre research park that successfully attracted several high-tech growth industries. In addition, Casto helped start the Tampa Bay Technology Incubator, creating more than 100 new high-tech businesses.

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Barbara Mikulski visits Wallops to get an update on Antares, the first Orion capsule is prepped at Michoud, Langley conducts experiments on a composite capsule, Charles Bolden is presented with an award, and much more.

Liberty cargo module being berthed at the International Space Station. (Credit: ATK)

ARLINGTON, Va., June 3, 2012 (ATK PR) -– ATK, the company leading development of the Liberty commercial spacecraft, is pleased to announce an expanded crew and cargo capability. The extended cargo configuration will allow the Liberty spacecraft to take full advantage of the launch vehicle lift capacity to transport a pressurized pod (the Liberty Logistics Module or LLM) along with the composite crew module.

Based on NASA’s 15-foot diameter Multi-Purpose Logistic Module design, the LLM will include a common berthing mechanism and will be capable of transporting up to 5,100 pounds of pressurized cargo. With that capability, the LLM could be used to transport four full-size science racks to the International Space Station – along with a team of scientists to perform the associated science.

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MOSCOW (Khrunichev PR) —In the Khrunichev Space Center are close to completing work on the creation of the first stage for the South Korean rocket KSLV-light class 1. In July, scheduled for the test stage to control the test stand of the plant, and in August to implement sending the product to South Korea. The third launch of KSLV-1 launch pad with the National Space Centre “Naro” is scheduled for […]

WASHINGTON (NASA PR) — NASA’S Space Technology Program has selected 14 technologies for development and demonstration on commercial reusable suborbital launch vehicles.

The selected proposals offer innovative cutting-edge ideas and approaches for technology in areas including active thermal management, advanced avionics, pinpoint landing and advanced in-space propulsion. They also address many of the high-priority technology needs identified in the recent National Research Council’s Space Technology Roadmaps and Priorities report. These payloads will help NASA advance technology development needed to enable NASA’s current and future missions in exploration, science and space operations.

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