SpaceX Protests Award of Launch Contract to Orbital
Space News
Rocket maker Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) has challenged a U.S. government launch services order placed with Orbital Sciences Corp., arguing that under U.S. federal law the contract should have been competitively awarded.
Prospector Daniel Plainview - a fan of oil, seepage and milkshakes. And, oh yes, blood...lots and lots of blood...
With NASA’s confirmation today of water on the moon, the folks over at the X Prize Foundation have leaped forward to explain what it all means with two blog postings and a press release. To sum up briefly, it is a “game-changing discovery” that makes the south pole of the moon the “most valuable real estate in the solar system” and will “lead to new era of lunar exploration.”
CEO Peter Diamandis can’t quite decide which historical analogy is most appropriate, so he cites two of Earth’s most valuable – and fought over – resources:
The plume created by the LCROSS impact on the moon on Oct. 9. (Credit: NASA)
At a press conference this morning in California, NASA scientists announced that they had discovered a significant amount of water buried under the seemingly dry lunar surface.
Officials at the NASA Ames Research Center revealed preliminary findings from the LCROSS mission, which last month slammed a Centaur upper stage into the Cabeus crater at the moon’s south pole. Measurements of the resulting plume were taken by a trailing vehicle, NASA’s LRO lunar orbiter, and other spacecraft.
ESA’s Director of Legal Affairs and External Relations, Peter Hulsroj, and Estonian Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications, Juhan Parts (right), sign the Cooperation Agreement on 10 November in Tallinn. (Credits: ESA/Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications for Estonia)
ESA PRESS RELEASE
Estonia becomes the fifth European country to sign the European Cooperating State Agreement with ESA. The signed agreement strengthens Estonia’s relations with ESA and defines the legal basis for developing a Plan for European Cooperating State (PECS) Charter, describing activities, projects and budget for Estonia’s cooperation with ESA.
NASA PRESS RELEASE
The 2009 Astronaut Glove Challenge will be held on Nov. 19 at the Astronaut Hall of Fame in Titusville, Fla., near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
The $400,000 prize challenge is a nationwide competition that focuses on developing improved pressure suit gloves for astronauts to use while working in the vacuum of space. The competition is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. EST on Nov. 19 and conclude with an award ceremony at approximately 5 p.m.
DUTCH SPACE BV PRESS RELEASE
Dutch Space, leading space company in the Netherlands, signed a contract with Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB) for the development of solar arrays for NASA’s new cargo missions to the International Space Station (ISS) to be carried out under NASA’s Commercial Resupply Service (CRS) project. The more than USD 35 million contract covers the design, manufacturing, assembly, integration and testing of the solar arrays for nine pressurized cargo missions to the ISS.
A bit more about the growing role of Abu Dhabi in commercial space and Galactic Suite’s planned space hotel from Arabian Business:
The UAE already ranks second on the list of reservations from space fans around the world, beaten only by the US.
Space tourism is seen as a growing business sector in the UAE, with Abu Dhabi’s Aabar Investments buying a 32 percent stake in Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic for $280 million.
Saying his state is losing money, an Oklahoma legislator wants to place tighter restrictions on a type of tax credit that Rocketplane Global and other companies have received, the Oklahoma Gazette reports:
Boeing expected to end stake in rocket firm Sea Launch
Los Angeles Times
After struggling for nearly 15 years to prop up an unusual way to launch satellites into space, Boeing Co. is expected to throw in the towel and walk away from its stake in Long Beach-based Sea Launch Co.
Kjell Karlsen, Sea Launch president, said Wednesday that Boeing was likely to have little or no ownership position in the rocket launch company after it emerges from Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Court reorganization early next year.
SEA LAUNCH PRESS RELEASE
Sea Launch Company, LLC, a leading provider of launch services to the commercial satellite industry, has received interim approval from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware on its motion to secure up to $12.5 million in debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing from Space Launch Services, LLC.
This credit facility will provide working capital to continue Sea Launch operations as the company moves through its Chapter 11 reorganization process. In the next few months, Sea Launch will be preparing a Plan of Reorganization as well as securing exit financing and finalizing a revitalized supply chain management structure.
GeoEye Press Release
GeoEye, Inc., a premier provider of satellite and aerial-based geospatial information and services, announced today results for its fiscal third quarter ended September 30, 2009.
THIRD QUARTER RESULTS
Total revenues were $79.9 million for the third quarter of 2009, a 123% increase from $35.8 million for the third quarter of 2008. Net income for the third quarter of 2009 was $12.5 million, or $0.61 per fully diluted share, compared to net income of $31.6 million, or $1.57 per fully diluted share, for the third quarter of 2008. The 2008 third quarter earnings included a $27.8 million non-recurring net tax benefit which amounted to $1.38 per share of net income.
