NASA PRESS RELEASE
NASA has awarded contracts to five companies to provide space propulsion systems technologies in support of research and technology development activities at the agency’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland.
Each of the five indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contracts provide for fixed price, cost share and cost reimbursement competitive tasks with a maximum value of $50 million over the next five years.
India developing winged reusable rocket: ISRO
Press Trust of India
India is developing a winged reusable rocket and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has configured a Technology Demonstrator as a first step towards realising it, the space agency said in a report.
Robert Pearlman of collectSPACE.com joins us to tell the story of some amazingly cool space artifacts as well as the future of human space flight in the US. Don’t forget, only 4 scheduled flights remain for the Space Transportation System and STS-131 is right around the corner!
At a recent Congressional hearing, United Launch Alliance offered its full support for President Obama’s plan to cancel the Constellation program and shift human spaceflight to commercially-available expendable boosters. ULA, which is a partnership of Boeing and Lockheed Martin, builds and launches the Atlas V and Delta IV rockets, both of which are candidates to launch human crews and cargo into orbit.
“The administration’s plan makes long-overdue investments in research, technology and upgrades to our launch ranges that are essential to ensuring the United States remains the world’s leader in space,†ULA CEO Michael Gass told Congress.
The endorsement highlights some of the major shifts that would take place under the President’s plan. ULA’s rockets are seen by supporters as flight proven boosters that are capable of handling the load and which could be modified to carry crews. By selecting either of these options, NASA would be capitalizing on billions of dollars spent by the Pentagon in uprating and operating these rockets for the launch of military satellites.
So far, ULA has been marketing Atlas Vs and Delta IVs to U.S. government customers. However, there is growing interest in these boosters outside of the military, not only from NASA but from private sector companies.
“VSS Enterprise” takes flight and “space for the rest of us” moves a step forward, the Martian Rite of Spring commences while the folks at JPL prep a “rover on steroids” for departure for the Red Planet, the Wizard Nebula is ready for its close-up, Roller Derby on Saturn’s rings, Discovery is “go” for launch, orbital Olympics, the crew of STS-134 prepares to go where no one has gone before, […]
An artist's conception of a Virgin Galactic flight above Spaceport America in New Mexico
Spaceport begins work on Virgin Galactic hangar
Las Cruces Bulletin
Virgin Galactic will be the anchor tenant at Spaceport America, and the Terminal Hangar Facility is being built for its operations. Landeene said the foundation for the facility’s steel towers has been laid and the building is on track to be turned over to Virgin Galactic by early 2011.
Ares I-X lifts off from the Cape.
Young Hits U.S. Spaceflight Plan
Space News
One of the aerospace industry’s most widely respected experts told House lawmakers March 24 that NASA’s proposal to rely on commercial crew taxis for operations in low Earth orbit is too risky and urged Congress not to approve the plan.
During a hearing before the House Science and Technology space and aeronautics subcommittee, former Martin Marietta Chief Executive A. Thomas Young said NASA should continue the Moon-bound Constellation program President Barack Obama proposed canceling in his 2011 budget request. Young said the Obama plan would leave the nation reliant on a private sector that is “a long way†from satisfying human space transportation needs….
March 19, 2010 Astronomers get WISE to a mysterious class of space rocks lurking dangerously near Earth and only visible in the infrared, workers at the Kennedy Space Center race to troubleshoot a valve problem with Discovery in hopes of keeping her on track for launch,a string of comets take a death dive, Jupiter’s Great Red Spot gets the thermal imaging treatment, new views of the moons of Mars and […]
Scaled Composites has published the log for the first captive flight of WhiteKnightTwo on Monday. Flight WK2 Flight 25 / CC-01 Date: 22 Mar 10 Flight Time: 2.9 hr Pilot: Stucky CoPilot: Nichols FTE: Kalogiannis Objectives: Captive taxi handling Speed/altitude envelope expansion Captive performance, stability and control evaluation SS2 systems Evaluation Photo and video Results: All objectives achieved. Systems performed as designed. Kudos to the entire team for executing an […]
SPACE FLORIDA PRESS RELEASE
Space Florida is pleased to announce that it is currently engaged in dialogue with Lockheed Martin and ATK regarding the use of Space Launch Complex 46 at Cape Canaveral as a key Florida launch location for the next generation of Athena rockets.
On March 25, Lockheed Martin and ATK issued a press release stating their intentions to offer Athena Ic and IIc launch services from Cape Canaveral, Kodiak Launch Complex in Alaska, Vandenberg AFB (CA) and NASA Wallops Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport.
“The Athena family of rockets holds great potential for accommodating a wide range of commercial, civil and military payloads into Low Earth Orbit and beyond,†noted Space Florida President Frank DiBello. “In addition to discussions currently taking place regarding the Athena, we continue working with a number of launch providers to make SLC-46 a multi-use site, and ultimately increase the total number of launches from Florida.â€
A P3 Navy aircraft with Hanger One at NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California. (Copyright 2009: Douglas Messier)
NASA PROGRAM UPDATE
NASA has contracted with ERC Inc., of Huntsville, Ala., for space technology research and development activities at the agency’s Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, Calif. The contract has a maximum value of $45 million.
This is a cost-plus, fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract. The base contract lasts one year and has three one-year options.
Cariann Higginbotham reports on her trip to South by Southwest, where she spoke on the Moon 2.0 panel. She delivers a quick wrapup of the SxSW Interactive week as well as getting in to finding your inner space geek passion.
