NASA PR — NASA has selected 27 small business proposals that address critical research and technology needs for agency programs and projects for final contract negotiations.
The proposals have a combined value of approximately $16.2 million. Proposals were submitted by 27 high-tech firms in 18 states, partnering with 24 research institutions in 19 states. Negotiated individual awards, each with a value of up to $600,000, will be for research projects for two years.
Orion Program Shrinking To Save Money, Time Aviation Week Lockheed Martin has cut out an entire test article from the Orion crew exploration vehicle that it is recasting in a new role as deep-space Multi Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV), combining test objectives for the remaining articles in an effort to keep the vehicle within the tight schedule set by Congress. By combining the tests that will be conducted with particular […]
Three of the four companies awarded funds under NASA’s CCDev program have optional milestones in their Space Act Agreements that could net them millions of dollars in additional public funding. Blue Origin, Boeing and Sierra Nevada Corporation all included optional milestones that would gain them additional payments from the space agency. SpaceX did not include any additional ones. The details are below. Company Baseline Milestones Award Amounts Optional Milestones Award […]
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych (Credit: SSAU)
“I see our space achievements as a driving force of the country’s development. Participation in space programs indicates technological capabilities, economic prospects and the level of national security of a state,” Viktor Yanukovych stressed.
“This is our ticket to a prestigious club of developed countries,” he said.
Ukraine and Russia have good potential for the development of joint projects in rocket-space industry, President Yanukovych has said today in Yenakiyeve, adding that the issue of joint development of our countries’ rocket-space systems had been discussed during his meeting with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
Via California Space Authority: California Space Day Sacramento CA will begin on Tuesday, May 24, at 8:30 a.m. in the Hyatt Regency Hotel (1209 L Street), across the street from the State Capitol. Space Day participants will meet privately that day with key state legislators and/or staff members in order to discuss vital issues for California space enterprise. This is an opportunity for space enterprise stakeholders to join with the […]
SPACE FLORIDA PR — On September 7, 2011, the Technological Research and Development Authority (TRDA) in cooperation with Space Florida will host the first annual I2 Capital Acceleration Showcase (pronounced I squared for “Igniting Innovationâ€) at the Radisson at the Port in Cape Canaveral, Florida. TRDA and Space Florida are now accepting applications from Florida-based, small to medium sized companies in the state’s key industry clusters of Aerospace/Aviation, Biotech/Life Science, Clean Tech and Alternative Energy, Defense/Homeland Security, and Information Technology/ Telecommunications to present or exhibit at the showcase. The I2 initiative is funded under a U.S. Department of Commerce financial assistance award to Space Florida and was competitively awarded to TRDA.
There was joy at ISRO this week as the space agency successfully launched a PSLV rocket with satellites aboard. The success relieved some of the gloom that had settled over the Indian space agency after consecutive failures by the larger GSLV rocket last year.
The PSLV vehicle placed three satellites into orbit:
In related news, a review board has identified a design flaw in the payload shroud caused the loss of the GSLV rocket on Christmas Day. The failure sent a valuable communications satellite into the Bay of Bengal.
Blue Origin has been awarded $22 million by NASA to develop its orbital vehicle under the CCDev program. Receiving that funding requires the company to meet 10 milestones over the next 13 months. It also could receive an additional $5.172 million if it meets four additional milestones. The vehicle and the development schedule are described below.
Blue Origin Orbital Vehicles — Key Details
Space Florida balks at Scott’s funding plan
Florida Today
A plan to consolidate the budgets of Florida’s economic development and job creation agencies and give greater funding authority to Gov. Rick Scott has the president of Space Florida worried about his agency’s ability to lure business and employment to Brevard County.
London-based Avanti Communications Group has won a $7.6 million refund of its launch deposit from SpaceX. The company had signed to launch its Hylas 1 Ku- and Ka-band satellite on a Falcon 9 rocket, but it shifted the comsat to an Ariane 5 after SpaceX fell behind on its schedule. The satellite operator said in a statement: “Avanti Communications Group plc (LSE: AVN), the satellite operator, announces that it has […]
SPACEX PR — NASA has awarded Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) $75 million to develop a revolutionary launch escape system that will enable the company’s Dragon spacecraft to carry astronauts. The Congressionally mandated award is part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) initiative that started in 2009 to help private companies mature concepts and technologies for human spaceflight.
“This award will accelerate our efforts to develop the next-generation rockets and spacecraft for human transportation,†said Elon Musk, SpaceX CEO and Chief Designer. “With NASA’s support, SpaceX will be ready to fly its first manned mission in 2014.â€
