Artist's conception of Boeing's commercial crew module. (Credit: Boeing)
SPI PRESS RELEASE
Space Partnership International (“SPI”) has announced that it is offering a suite of space insurance products to support NASA’s Commercial Crew Development (“CCDev”) Initiative, The initiative, which includes manned vehicles for space transportation to and from the International Space Station (“ISS”) is designed to usher in a new era of commercial services in low earth orbit.
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Expedition 20 - the first six-strong International Space Station crew - assembled in the Zvezda module for the welcoming ceremony immediately after hatch opening. Credit: ESA
NASA PROGRAM UPDATE
NASA’s “Kids in Micro-g” challenge is accepting proposals from students in fifth through eighth grades to design a classroom experiment that also can be performed by astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Proposals are due by Dec. 8.
Program: NASA Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) Company: United Launch Alliance Project: Emergency Detection System for Atlas V and Delta IV rockets Award: $6.7 million Third Quarter Progress Report (July 1-Sept. 30, 2010) During this quarter, ULA successfully executed the Design Review which is the 3rd of 4 milestones in the July – September 2010 reporting period. In addition ULA performed a real time demonstration at the launch site, demonstrating ULA’s […]
Program: NASA Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) Company: Boeing Company (with Bigelow Aerospace) Project: Commercial Crew Transportation System (CST-100) Award: $18 million Third Quarter Progress Report (July 1-Sept. 30, 2010) During this quarter, CCDev program progressing as planned. Completed 26 SAA milestones on schedule (72% of program milestones), continuing re-plan of Abort System Hardware Demo resulting from the LAS down select decision, installed honeycomb core and thermal ablator (BLA) onto BHS […]
Program: NASA Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) Company: Blue Origin Project: Pusher Escape System and Composite Pressure Vessel Cabin Award: $3.7 million Third Quarter Progress Report (July 1-Sept. 30, 2010) In the third calendar quarter of 2010, Blue Origin fully completed design and assembly of test articles necessary to meet project milestones, conducted briefings of NASA project management staff, completed project milestones A2, B2, B3 and B4, including full completion of […]
Program: NASA Commercial Crew Development (CCDev)
Company: Paragon Space Development Corporation
Project: Life Support System
Award: $.4 million
Third Quarter Progress Report
(July 1-Sept. 30, 2010)
The Flight Preliminary Design Review (PDR) was completed on schedule with zero SAA Milestone Action Items. Several actions and comments were recorded and will be completed or addressed by dates stated in the meeting minutes.
Program: NASA Commercial Crew Development (CCDev)
Company: Sierra Nevada Corporation
Project: Dream Chaser shuttle
Award: $20 million
Third Quarter Progress Report
(July 1-Sept. 30, 2010)
The Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) program continued to make excellent progress per plan during the 3rd quarter of 2010. The CCDev team conducted several internal reviews in July to ensure a proper technical plan and schedule was in place to conduct the Propulsion Module Test Firings in September. Several technical meetings were held in the month including a Reaction Control System Technical Interchange Meeting, mid-term reviews for GNC/Avionics, and a Primary Structure Design and Test Plan review. Additional management staff was added as well as experienced engineers in support of the Structures and Systems Engineering Integrated Product Teams.
As newly emboldened Republicans make plans for major rollbacks of federal spending, one of their own is being honored for maintain the flow of federal dollars into conservative Texas.
Kay Bailey Hutchison is the recipient of the 2011 Quasar Award for helping to pass the NASA authorization bill — which saved thousands of federally funded jobs in Houston — and for ensuring other federal largess.
The Huntsville Times reports that resolution of NASA’s budget could drag well into next year after the seating of the new Congress:
Political observers say it could be February or even longer before NASA gets a budget to pay for the new space program Congress authorized in late September.
Chances are almost zero that the outgoing Congress will write a new FY 2011 federal budget when it convenes Nov. 15 in a lame duck session, according to former North Alabama Congressman Bud Cramer.
NASA MISSION UPDATE
NASA’s EPOXI mission spacecraft successfully flew past comet Hartley 2 at 10 a.m. EDT Thursday. Scientists say initial images from the flyby provide new information about the comet’s volume and material spewing from its surface.
“Early observations of the comet show that, for the first time, we may be able to connect activity to individual features on the nucleus,” said EPOXI principal investigator Michael A’Hearn of the University of Maryland, College Park. “We certainly have our hands full. The images are full of great cometary data, and that’s what we hoped for.”
National Space Society Chairman Mark Hopkins held a press conference this morning in which he unveiled more details of the Kalam-NSS Initiative, a joint U.S.-Indian effort aimed at building clean space-based solar power satellites.
Hopkins said that the program would combine American technology and low-cost Indian manufacturing to generate jobs and clean energy in both countries. A vibrant space solar power program would make the nations net energy exporters instead of importers.
EPOXI Mission’s Close-Up Views of Comet Hartley 2
These close-up views of comet Hartley 2 were taken by NASA’s EPOXI mission during its flyby of the comet on Nov. 4, 2010. They were captured by the spacecraft’s Medium-Resolution Instrument. Image credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UMD
