SPACEX PR — Hawthorne, CA/Hong Kong, February 8th, 2012 – Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), the world’s fastest growing space launch company, and Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited (AsiaSat), the leading regional satellite operator in Asia, today announced an agreement to launch two AsiaSat communications satellites using SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket in 2014.

“SpaceX is proud to be the choice of AsiaSat, a pioneer in advancing satellite communications in Asia,” said Elon Musk, SpaceX CEO and Chief Technology Officer. “We are producing the most advanced launch vehicles in the world, and the international launch market has responded–commercial launches now represent over 60 percent of our upcoming missions.”

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TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, NM (NMSA PR) – The New Mexico Spaceport Authority (NMSA) Board of Directors reviewed plans today to design, build and program the Spaceport America Visitor Experience. The plan includes two off-site Welcome Centers located in the Village of Hatch in Doña Ana County and in Truth or Consequences in Sierra County, plus an on-site Visitors Center and specially developed behind-the-scenes tours as well as the chance to visit the Virgin Galactic Gateway to Space.

The Spaceport America Visitor Experience will be a professionally designed immersion into the excitement of the world’s first purpose-built, commercial spaceport. Guests will be invited to explore the history, adventure, potential and inspiration of both the next space-age. Officials project attendance will grow to more than 200,000 visitors annually.

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CSF PR — Washington D.C. – The Commercial Spaceflight Federation welcomes Congress’s passage yesterday of the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill, which includes a key provision granting regulatory stability to the commercial spaceflight industry.

The new law’s provision extends a regulatory “learning period” that was created when Congress originally passed the Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act (CSLAA) of 2004.  This learning period was established in law in December of 2004 to allow for several years of flight test and early commercial operation of new human spaceflight vehicles. Congress’s intent was to allow for industry and the FAA to build a database from actual flight experience of what design features, technologies, and operating practices contributed to safety, and initially regulate only those system elements in which safety issues arise.

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NASA held a Commercial Crew session this morning that featured Program Manager Ed Mango and his deputy, Brent Jett. I’ve included some key slides from the presentation along with notes that I took. Above is the schedule, which would have crewed flights to the International Space Station by FY 2017. (more…)

Eric Anderson wants a national conversation about the future of space exploration. It’s an interesting plea because Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich started exactly that a few weeks ago by announcing plans for a moon base by 2021. Mitt Romney, the candidate whom Anderson is advising, mocked the idea while proposing no alternatives of his own. The end result of that conversation was a SNL sketch called, “Newt Gingrich: Moon […]

Together with a team of aerospace experts, Austrian extreme athlete Felix Baumgartner is ready to rise to the challenge of the Mission Red Bull Stratos. His aim is to jump from a balloon in the stratosphere from an altitude of 36,57 meters (120,000 feet) and perform a record-breaking freefall. Baumgartner wants to become the first person to break the speed of sound without the protection of an aircraft while simultaneously collecting data never obtained before for the advancement of medical science. After testing in an elaborate altitude (vacuum) chamber in Texas, the mission has moved on to a decisive phase at Roswell, New Mexico.

ROSWELL, New Mexico (United States) – The Red Bull Stratos team is making final preparations for their attempt to break Colonel Joe Kittinger’s 52-year-old record, a freefall from 31,333 meters (102,800 feet) during his historic “Excelsior III” project in 1960. Joe Kittinger has been involved as an advisor to the Red Bull Stratos project from the very beginning and serves as a mentor to the 41-year-old Austrian athlete.

Felix Baumgartner has already completed record-breaking B.A.S.E jumps in some of the world’s most spectacular locations, such as the World Financial Center T101 in Taipei, one of the world’s tallest buildings. He also did one of the lowest B.A.S.E. jumps ever when he leapt from the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro. In 2003 Baumgartner used carbon wings attached to his body to become the first man to skydive across the English Channel.

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Video Caption: This lengthy hover flight of Xaero was intended to test our new closed loop controller across Xaero’s entire weight regime. Additionally, the modified algorithms were further validated in the presence of high winds, as shown by the fluttering of the tether. The new controller performed beautifully, rendering the flight a total success.

Both NASA and Roscosmos are moving ahead with the recruitment of new astronauts and cosmonauts for missions into Earth orbit and beyond.

NASA’s most recent call resulted in 6,372 applications, which the space agency says is twice as many as normal and the second highest number ever received. In 1978, more than 8,000 people applied as NASA geared up for the space shuttle era.

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Virgin Galactic CEO and President George Whitesides says powered SpaceShipTwo flights are set for this summer in Mojave: “Over the next few months we’re integrating parts and pieces of the hybrid rocket motor into the SpaceShipTwo airframe, completing ground testing of the rocket motor, and then [will] try and start powered flight over the summer,” Whitesides told SPACE.com. Those rocket-powered flights, he said, will continue for some period of time. […]

1. Monday, Feb.6, 2011 2-3:30 PM PST (5-6:30 PM EST, 4-5:30 PM CST): We welcome JEFF KRUKIN back to the program to discuss his Space Vision Roadmap, space policy, and more. 2. Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012, 2-3:30 PM PST 5-6:30 PM EST, 4-5:30 PM CST): We welcome DR. ALAN STERN to discuss the upcoing Next-Gen Suborbital Conference in Palo Alto, CA. Visit the conference website at www.boulder.swri.edu/NSRC2012/Site1/Home.html. 3. Tuesday, Feb. […]