Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center
LABOR DEPARTMENT PRESS RELEASE
During a visit to the John F. Kennedy Space Center today, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announced a grant of $15 million to assist approximately 3,200 workers who will be impacted by the impending retirement of NASA’s Space Shuttle Program. The grant will impact workers from major aerospace contractors, including ASRC Aerospace Corp., Boeing and United Space Alliance.
Coloured trails multi-player game being played by participants in Mars500, gathering human factors information which will help set parameters for future 'electronic partners' to serve crews on deep space missions as part of ESA's MECA project. Results from the game are also being applied to a related effort, the Automatic Mental Health Assistance (AMHA) which seeks to track changing group dynamics over time. Credits: ESA/TNO Human Factors
ESA PROGRAM UPDATE
About to be shut away from the outside world, the Mars500 volunteers still get to have fun. Their duties will include regular playing of video games – though with a serious purpose.
Results from the games will help develop computerised ‘electronic partners’ to support crews on future deep space missions.
The Alabama’s 5th Congressional District just keeps getting curiouser and curiouser. In fact, one could say it has descended into a farce.
If you recall, Rep. Parker Griffith switched from the Democratic to the Republican party last year, citing a lack of seriousness on the part of the Administration on defense and space issues. This was somewhat ironic because by going into the minority party, Griffith largely forfeited his ability to influence these policies. That includes the Administration’s plan to dismantle the Constellation program, an idea that Griffith strenuously opposes.
In case anyone is interested, here’s what Elon Musk’s wife Justine says she wants in their divorce settlement: The house alimony and child support 6 million cash 10 percent of his stock in Tesla 5 percent of his stock in SpaceX (and he retains all voting rights) and a Tesla Roadster (I really, really want one…) You can read more on her blog.
Artists' conception of a Falcon 9 launch from Cape Canaveral. (Credit: SpaceX)
SPACEX FIRST FLIGHT UPDATE
SpaceX is now targeting Friday, June 4th for its first test launch attempt of the Falcon 9 launch vehicle.
The primary schedule driver for the first Falcon 9 test launch has been certification of the flight termination system (FTS). The FTS ensures that Air Force Range safety officials can command the destruction of the vehicle should it stray from its designated flight path.
Bob Zubrin is from Mars and Paul Spudis is from Luna, but there’s one thing they both agree on: NASA’s new human spaceflight policy sucks.
Guy Bluford, Ken Bowersox and Frank Culbertson will be inducted in the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame on Saturday.
The Space Reviews looks at the first flight of Falcon 9, Mars as a destination for NASA, LEGO as a model for space infrastructure, and the ISDC in Chicago.
ESA Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain (Credit: JAXA)
Esa chief Jean-Jacques Dordain set to continue in role
BBC News
Jean-Jacques Dordain, the boss of the European Space Agency (Esa), could be heading for another period in office. It is understood both Germany and France, the organisation’s leading member-states, are proposing he should carry on in the post beyond 2010.
Fresh off a cash infusion from new partner Space Adventures, Armadillo Aerospace CEO John Carmack spent some time this weekend sniping at rivals during the NSS International Space Development Conference in Chicago. Jeff Foust reports in The Space Review:
Carmack generated a little bit of controversy when he compared Armadillo’s efforts with those by competing suborbital developers. Virgin Galactic, he suggested, would not be able to fly as cheaply as Armadillo; Virgin currently charges $200,000 for a ticket while Space Adventures is asking for about half that, $102,000. “I think they have explicitly not chosen the most cost effective solution on this,†Carmack said. “I don’t think they will be able to compete on price, eventually, but some people will prefer their experience.â€
Six weeks after the failure of its first cryogenic stage, ISRO has named a new director of the propulsion center that develops these engines.
International Space Station
China may become space station partner
Xinhua
The European Space Agency (ESA) supports China’s inclusion in the International Space Station (ISS) partnership, the agency’s director-general Jean-Jacques Dordain said on Monday.
He made the remarks on Monday during the ongoing Global Lunar Conference in Beijing, which is organized by the International Astronautical Federation and the Chinese Society of Astronautics.
