TWIS exclusive – SpaceX issues a financial challenge to the big space contractors, Last shuttle launches slip, video diary from Mars 500 crew, check out Japan’s solar sail, kids discover Mars Cave, John Glenn joins the save shuttle fray, new Hubble images show star formation, and Ariane launches. The full interview with Ken Bowersox is below.
UP Aerospace Spaceloft XL rocket lifts off from Spaceport America in New Mexico on May 2, 2009.
With cheaper launches, sky’s the limit for Highlands Ranch rocket maker
Denver Post
Since 2006, UP Aerospace has launched nine times from Spaceport America, including in 2007 when Larson sent up ashes of “Star Trek” actor James “Scotty” Doohan and astronaut Gordon Cooper into space, along with student experiments and some commercial payloads.
An artist's conception of a Virgin Galactic flight above Spaceport America in New Mexico
The Denver Post does a deep dive into the history of Spaceport America, revealing a bit of spaceport envy among Coloradans:
Stars were aligned for New Mexico’s spaceport
Names from space exploration history pushed for New Mexico’s future
New Mexico officials believe the spaceport will be an economic driver for the state:

X PRIZE PRESS RELEASE
TheX PRIZE Foundation, the world leader in incentive prizes to drive innovation, and LEGO Group, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of play materials for children, has announced the twenty finalists for MoonBots, a global educational contest.  Using LEGO bricks and MINDSTORMS components, the challenge requires teams of students to create simulated lunar rovers similar to those competing for Google Lunar X PRIZE, a competition that will award $30 million to privately funded teams that explore the surface of the Moon with innovative robots. More than two hundred teams from sixteen nations registered for MoonBots and completed the requirements of the first phase of the competition, which required both in-depth research about lunar exploration as well as the use of Computer Assisted Design (CAD) software to mock up a lunar robot.
Artist's conception of Boeing's commercial crew module. (Credit: Boeing)
Space.com has an update on Boeing’s planned CST-100 orbital transport, which would service both the International Space Station and Bigelow Aerospace’s private orbital facilities:
The new Boeing space capsule is a project using the company’s recent $18 million award from NASA to advance the concepts and technology necessary to build a commercial crew space transportation system. It is one of several efforts by different U.S. companies to come with new spaceships to fill the void left by NASA’s retiring shuttles.
SECURE WORLD FOUNDATION
Exchange of Views Statement,
United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space
June 2010
Mr. Chairman, on behalf of the Secure World Foundation (SWF), I would like to offer congratulations on your election as Chairman of this Committee. We look forward to your guidance of the committee’s work for the next two years. I would also like to congratulate Ambassador Ciro Arévalo-Yepes of Colombia on his distinguished chairmanship of this committee over the past two years. Among other activities, he has played an important role in enhancing the knowledge of COPUOS activities in external organizations.
I also note the continued excellent work of the Office of Outer Space Affairs (OOSA) under the direction of Dr. Mazlan Othman. We are confident that this committee and OOSA will continue successfully to provide support for the peaceful uses of outer space resources, especially for emerging space States.
SWF is pleased, once again, to attend this Committee meeting as a permanent observer. In all of our work, we actively promote the development of sound policies to support the long term sustainability of outer space activities and the peaceful use of space activities for the benefit of Earth and its peoples. Today I would like to summarize a selection of this year’s activities so far in the four major themes in which we are active:
SWF PRESS RELEASE
Dealing with the troublesome trend in the growth of Earth-circling orbital debris is a major element to ensure the sustainability of space. Moreover, human and environmental security can be maximized by global cooperative use of space systems to benefit all of humanity.
These were among the topics highlighted by Secure World Foundation (SWF) during the Fifty-third session of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), held June 9-18 in Vienna, Austria.
NASA's Orion spacecraft
Orbital Urges NASA To Hold Orion Lifeboat Competition
Space News
An Orbital Sciences Corp. executive told a Capitol Hill audience June 24 that the contract for the space station crew lifeboat NASA has been directed to build should be put out for bid rather than assigned to Lockheed Martin without a competition.
CSA PRESS RELEASE
June 25, 2010
The California Space Authority (CSA) announced today receipt of a Finding of No Significant Impact and Finding of No Practicable Alternative (FONSI/FONPA) for the California Space Center. This document is the formal completion of a two-year National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process. Its completion is a significant milestone toward development of the multi-faceted facility, which is devoted to the inspiration of students to study science, technology, education and math as well as to educate the public about space enterprise in California.
A compilation video of work being done by teams around the world in pursuit of the $30 Million Google Lunar X PRIZE.
NASA PRESS RELEASE
NASA is challenging college students to design concepts for inflatable habitat lofts for the next generation of space explorers. The winning concepts may be applied to the exploration habitats of the future.
SPACE FLORIDA PRESS RELEASE
June 24, 2010
Today, the Space Florida Board of Directors approved a research and development partnership with Avera Motors, a new automotive company currently located in Rockledge, Florida. The company – whose parent company has a history of advancing space-related technologies – has developed and plans U.S. manufacturing of innovative performance vehicles that are ultra-efficient, environmentally-friendly and affordable.