New Mexico’s effort to build a giant spaceport in the middle of the desert has been causing a shortage of a critical element that nearby residents can’t do without: water. Cutter residents Jim and Sylvia Smith have been hit especially hard.
SPACE FLORIDA PR — Aerospace-related economic development played a significant role in the 2011 Florida Legislative Session, with more than $43 million being committed for growth of the industry in the coming year. Governor Rick Scott laid out an aggressive plan, not only for Florida’s overall economy, but for Florida’s space industry in particular, and that plan was formalized through the Legislature.
The above chart from a GAO report released last week shows the sad state of the commercial launch market in the United States over the past decade as business has fled elsewhere and U.S. launch providers have focused on providing services to government clients.
After reaching a peak of 22 launches in 1998 (see fig. 1), the number of commercial space launches declined through 2001. This was due to a downturn in the telecommunications services industry, which had been the primary customer of the commercial space launch industry. Most of these launches were focused on putting payloads (e.g., satellites) into orbit. The 2004 spike in launches was caused, in part, by the five manned flights of SpaceShipOne, the only manned commercial spaceflights to date.
This week on The Space Show…. Monday, May 9, 2011, 2-3:30 PM PDT. For the first hour of the program, we welcome Mike Gold, Director of D.C. Operations & Business Growth for Bigelow Aerospace, LLC. The last 30 minutes of this show will be a discussion related to the interview with Mr. Gold. . CLASSROOM: Tuesday, May 10, 2011, 7-9 PM PDT. This is the special 10th Anniversary Space Program […]
Virgin Galactic has eyes on posh hotel in T or C Las Cruces Sun-News Truth or Consequences boasts a hodgepodge of local attractions: an expansive lake and tandem state park, a downtown full of quirky art museums and shops and a lineup of natural hot springs. Not on the list? An upscale hotel. But that may be about to change. The area will need luxury lodging to accommodate the tourists […]
Space Florida PR — Melbourne, Fla. – Space Florida today announced that it plans to award $100,000 to a selected company from those presenting at the I2 Capital Acceleration Showcase (www.i2Florida.com) on September 7, 2011 in Cape Canaveral.
I2 stands for “Igniting Innovation,” and is an initiative focused on assisting high-potential, Florida-based private companies in the development of their businesses and capital raising efforts. Small to medium sized companies in the state’s key industry clusters of Aerospace, Aviation, Biotech, Life Science, Clean Tech, Alternative Energy, Defense, Homeland Security, Information Technology and Telecommunications are eligible to participate. The I2 initiative is funded under a U.S. Department of Commerce financial assistance award to Space Florida and was competitively awarded to the Technological Research and Development Authority (TRDA).
New Mexico Spaceport Authority Executive Director Christine Anderson has terminated a two-year, $1.3 million agreement with an outside contractor that has provided many vital services to the state in its construction of Spaceport America, the Albuquerque Journal reports. Anderson said the firm was doing work that should be done by state employees.
Plans by the California Space Authority to build a space education center in the town of Lompoc are moving forward. CSA originally planned to build the center at Vandenberg Air Force Base, but that effort fell through due to excessive reviews that would be required. The Central Coast Democrat Examiner reports:
Hope for a more fiscally sound future in Lompoc may be found in a space education center. The City Council voted unanimously in favor of signing an agreement to negotiate with the California Space Authority (CSA) for development of the center. A $200 million local project with a potential $2.3 billion economic benefit in its first decade.
The Las Cruces Sun-News has a report about problems at New Mexico’s $209 million spaceport project:
Widespread frustration among Spaceport America contractors about cost overruns and late payments for their work recently led one firm to walk off the job site.
The departure of the subcontractor, Bowers Electric, could throw another wrench in the $32.5 million terminal-hangar, already four months behind schedule. The iconic building – expected to house the spaceport’s anchor tenant, Virgin Galactic – is the largest unfinished component of the $209 million spaceport’s first phase.
Below is a mashup of Republican and Democratic press releases describing last week’s House hearing on the FAA’s Commercial Space Transportation Office’s budget. Lawmakers expressed concerns about the large budget increase requested, the potential rate for commercial space, and whether the FAA could balance its dual role to regulate and oversee the industry. The piece has been edited to eliminate duplicate content and to improve flow and clarity.
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The Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics held a hearing to review the Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 budget request submitted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Office of Commercial Space Transportation (also referred to as AST) and to examine new initiatives in the request to expand the office’s roles and responsibilities.
A scientific satellite championed by Al Gore that has been grounded for eight years might finally see the light of space thanks to a military program to evaluate new rockets. Aviation Week reports:
Air Force officials are proposing in their fiscal 2012 budget plan to fund a launch of a NASA satellite to provide competition for potential new entrants to the rocket market.
The service is requesting $135 million in the fiscal 2012 budget, sent to Congress in February, to fund the competition for launching NASA’s Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) satellite, says Maj. Gen. John Hyten, director of space programs for the Air Force’s acquisition office. The satellite, formerly known as Triana, was proposed by former Vice President Al Gore while in office to provide a near constant stare at Earth from geosynchronous orbit as well as other scientific data. It was pulled from the ill-fated 2003 Columbia Shuttle mission and shelved thereafter during the George W. Bush administration.
Blighty’s Skylon spaceplane faces key tech test in June: Helium pre-cooler vital for SABRE airbreather rocket
The Register
A British firm seeking to build a radical spaceplane – the Skylon – able to fly to orbit from a runway takeoff without any jettisoning of fuel tanks or boosters says that it will test its main technical special sauce this year.
The announcement was made at a spaceplanes conference in California last week. Roger Longstaff, engineer at Reaction Engines Ltd, said that the company intends to test its amazing “pre-cooler” technology in June.