An Almaz space station module being transported on the Isle of Man. (Credit: Excalibur Almaz)
EA PRESS RELEASE
Excalibur Almaz Limited (EA), the international commercial space exploration company, is exporting two partially completed Almaz space stations from Russia to the IOM today. The stations and Excalibur Almaz’ reusable return vehicles were developed by EA’s Russian associate, JSC MIC NPO Mashinostroyenia.
The robotic lander prototype's propulsion system, shown during a hot-fire test, consists of 12 small attitude control thrusters, three primary descent thrusters to control the vehicle’s altitude, and one large “gravity-canceling†thruster which offsets a portion of the prototype’s weight to simulate a lower gravity environment, like that of the moon and asteroids. (Photo Credit: Dynetics Corp.)
NASA PROGRAM UPDATE
NASA’s Robotic Lunar Lander Development Project at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., has completed a series of hot fire tests and taken delivery of a new propulsion system for integration into a more sophisticated free-flying autonomous robotic lander prototype. The project is partnered with the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md., to develop a new generation of small, smart, versatile robotic landers to achieve scientific and exploration goals on the surface of the moon and near-Earth asteroids.
ULA's Atlas V
In my talk with David Livingston on The Space Show last night [listen here], he mentioned a Space News story from last month about a spike in U.S. launch costs that I had missed. I looked it up today and here’s the essence of it:
While 2011 is expected to be a banner year for NASA’s planetary science program with three missions scheduled for launch, future initiatives are threatened by budget uncertainties and a dramatic spike in the price of launch vehicles, according to an agency official.
“This is a really difficult financial environment,†Jim Green, NASA’s director of planetary science, said Dec. 15 at a meeting of the American Geophysical Union here.
Rides into orbit for NASA’s 2011 planetary missions, the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), the Juno mission to Jupiter and the Moon-bound Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL), were purchased under the first NASA Launch Services (NLS) contract. That contract, which does not include specific quantities of rockets to be purchased or delivery dates, sets prices for launch vehicles and related services for NASA’s planetary, Earth observing, exploration and scientific satellites.
New Mexico Spaceport Authority Executive Director Rick Homans has resigned after being ordered to by new Gov. Susana Martinez, the Las Cruces Sun-News reports: Meanwhile, some Spaceport America board members expressed concerns about Martinez’s move and questioned whether Homans’ departure was good for the $209 million spaceport project as it goes through a key stage. Homans, during an emergency meeting in Las Cruces, read a lengthy resignation statement, saying he’d […]
ESA PRESS RELEASE
Expected key events of the year (follow the ESA website to get the final dates):
Release of the first processed data package from Planck’s first full-sky scan, which will help the investigation into the origin of the Universe.
Location: Planétarium. Cité des sciences et de l’industrie (La Villette)
Date : 11 January
Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain will provide media with a synthesis of the major achievements of 2010 and the key milestones foreseen for 2011.
Location: ESA HQ, Paris
Date: 14 January
I had a very nice discussion with Dr. David Livingston last night on The Space Show. We talked about the future of entrepreneurial space, what NASA is up to, and a range of other topics. You can listen to the archived version here. I want to thank David for having me on the show. It’s a great honor to be invited on. He and his listeners asked great questions that […]
A rocket goes bada boom, a sunset on Mars, Zombie sat ate enough brains to come back to life, continued Ares development and a look forward to what we’re thinking of doing in Spacevidcast 400.
Will Whitehorn gives a pat on the back to Richard Branson as he greets Virgin Galactic ticketholders during the Oshkosh air show in 2009.
Below is Virgin Galactic’s official press release announcing Will Whitehorn’s departure from the company. With traveling and the holidays, I overlooked it until now.
VIRGIN GALACTIC PRESS RELEASE
Dec. 23, 2010
Will Whitehorn, President of Virgin Galactic since the formation of the company in 2004, is to retire from that role in January 2011. George Whitesides, who was appointed as the first full time CEO in May 2010, assumes the title of President and CEO.
Copenhagen Suborbitals testing the parachute systems for the spacecraft Tycho Brahe on Oct. 13, 2010. (Thanks to Clark Lindsey at Hobby Space for this link.)
Terminal Hangar Facility at Spaceport America.
The Las Cruces Sun-News reports that New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, who has taken over from Bill Richardson, may shake things up a bit at the New Mexico Spaceport Authority:
Martinez said her transition team had requested information, such as a contract between Spaceport America and anchor tenant Virgin Galactic, from the Richardson administration and, as of Thursday, hadn’t received it. She said she wants to audit that contract and spending on the $200 million construction project.
iRings lunar wheels undergo testing. Photo: Brad Jones/Neptec Design Group
McGill University Press Release
Creating a wheel for some of the worst potholes known to humankind is just one of the extraterrestrial challenges a team of McGill students and professors face in developing and testing a wheel prototype for the new Lunar Exploration Light Rover (LELR).
The new Canadian rover will be used during lunar exploration to carry payloads, cargo and crew, as well as enable drilling and excavation, manipulator and tool integration, and vision and state-of-the-art communications systems.
A Russian Soyuz spacecraft in orbit
RSC ENERGIA PRESS RELEASE
Dec. 30, 2010
An enlarged Board of Directors meeting was held at S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia, where the President and General Designer of the Corporation V.A. Lopota reviewed the company performance in 2010 and set tasks for 2011.
The corporation has fulfilled its annual work plan, including an intensive plan of activities under International Space Station Program including the launch of four manned spacecraft Soyuz TMA and the launch of Russian research module Rassvet. Flight tests of the new-series Soyuz TMA spacecraft has begun. Three upper stages of the Block DM type have been built and delivered for launching navigation satellites under Glonass program. Work has been continuing on the development of unmanned spacecraft and systems for various customers.
