SPACE FLORIDA PRESS RELEASE
Nov. 3, 2010

The European Business Innovation Centre Network (EBN) and Space Florida last week initiated a Memorandum of Understanding to develop new market opportunities and resources for Small and Medium Aerospace Enterprises in Europe and Florida.  Ongoing activities will further business development and job creation initiatives in the aerospace sector for Florida, as well as establish Florida as the threshold to American markets for European SMEs.  The agreement was signed at the European Satellite Navigation Conference in Munich.

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As reported on Parabolic Arc several months ago, Burt Rutan will be retiring from Scaled Composites. An announcement on the company’s website today confirmed the earlier report: Burt Rutan, founder of aerospace research firm Scaled Composites in 1982, has announced his plans to retire in April 2011. He currently serves as Scaled’s Chief Technical Officer and following his retirement, Burt will assume the title of founder and chairman emeritus. Burt […]

NASA PRESS RELEASES

NASA’s EPOXI mission continues to close in on its target, comet Hartley 2. On Nov. 4 at about 10:02 a.m. EDT, the spacecraft will make its closest approach to the comet at a distance of about 434 miles.

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Romain is the first victim of Diego’s astronaut-style cut using a vacuum cleaner.

Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center

The mid-term Congressional elections will bring some major changes to Washington come January. The Republicans will take control of the House of Representatives while the Democrats will have a smaller majority in the Senate. Space News spells out what the change could mean:

Reps. Frank Wolf (R-Va.) and Ralph Hall (R-Texas), who both won re-election and are expected to assume leadership of key NASA oversight committees, have criticized Obama’s plans to cancel the nation’s Moon program and outsource crew transit to and from low Earth orbit.

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Roscosmos Head Anatoly Perminov

ROSCOSMOS PRESS RELEASE

The 11th meeting of the Russian–Chinese Space Cooperation Subcommittee finalized in Beijing today, on Nov. 2.

The meeting is attended by the delegation of Federal Space Agency led by Roscosmos Head Anatoly Perminov. The  Subcommittee deals with preparation of the Heads of the Governments.

Roscosmos Head Anatoly Perminov, who chairs the Subcommittee on the Russian side, appreciated Administrator of Chinese Space Administration Chen Qiufa and Chinese colleagues on organization of the Meeting on behalf of the Federal Space Agency.

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The Coalition for Space Exploration’s latest PSA.

Test firing of Orion's main engine. (Credit: Aerojet)

AEROJET PRESS RELEASE

Aerojet, a GenCorp (NYSE:GY – News) company, in conjunction with Lockheed Martin and NASA, successfully completed acceptance testing on the second R-4D development engine. The R-4D is the Aerojet engine that will be used on NASA’s Orion crew exploration vehicle for the service module auxiliary propulsion. Eight R-4D engines, arranged in four pods of two each, will provide thrust for critical Orion maneuvers.

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SEA LAUNCH PRESS RELEASE

Sea Launch Company has successfully completed its Chapter 11 reorganization process, effective October 27, 2010. As part of the court-approved Plan of Reorganization, Energia Overseas Limited (EOL), a Russian corporation, will have acquired a majority ownership of the reorganized Sea Launch entity.

The Plan of Reorganization was approved by Judge Brendan Shannon, in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Delaware, on July 27, 2010. The successor entity, Sea Launch S.a.r.l., will be responsible for corporate functions at its operations headquarters and will maintain some assets at Sea Launch Home Port, in the Port of Long Beach, in Southern California.

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No pact likely on US commercial satellite launch by ISRO Indian Express With the US still in the process of finalising export reforms on commercial satellites by restructuring the US Munitions List on spacecraft, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is not expecting to see a much anticipated Commercial Satellites Launch Agreement (CSLA) inked during the visit of US President Barack Obama later this week. The CSLA, seen as a […]

NASA PRESS RELEASE

NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate has amended its announcement, “Research Opportunities in Aeronautics 2010,” to solicit additional proposals. The announcement has been modified to include new topics in support of the agency’s Hypersonics Project.

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NASA Administrator Statement On 10th Anniversary Of Crews
Aboard The International Space Station
Nov. 2, 2010

On Nov. 2, 2000, the first crew arrived aboard the International Space Station to live and work aboard the orbiting laboratory. The following is a statement from NASA Administrator Charles on the 10th anniversary:

“Today, we celebrate ten years of humans living and working continuously aboard the International Space Station. This global milestone is tremendously significant, both for NASA and our partners. It recognizes the success of an amazing feat of engineering and a magnificent leap forward in the story of human achievement. I congratulate the entire station team and the thousands of people worldwide who have helped us reach this anniversary.
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