Forbes list of the top 400 American billionaires include Google co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, SpaceShipOne backer Paul Allen, and Blue Origin founder Jeffrey Bezos.
Isro seeks Russian spaceship for manned flight
Press Trust of India
As part of its ambitious manned space flights programme, India has sought a Russian spaceship for sending “space tourists†into orbit, an official said.
“Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) has applied for acquiring a spaceship for sending space tourists,†Russian space agency, Roscosmos’ spokesman Alexei Krasnov said. He said the deal would be commercial and two space travellers could fly in the non-reusable ‘Soyuz TMA’ ship to be piloted by a Russian cosmonaut.
The Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee will hold a public teleconference on Thursday, Oct. 8, from approximately 1 to 2 p.m.
For the first time in history, a Centaur upper stage will destroy itself without completely ruining a multi-million dollar mission.
NASA MISSION UPDATE
“Always the bridesmaid, never the bride,” as the old lament goes. For almost 50 years, the Centaur high-energy upper stage rocket has been the behind-the-scenes workhorse of NASA’s exploration of space. Teamed with the Atlas and Titan booster rockets, Centaurs have sent probes to the each of our solar systems planets and beyond. Now, Centaur gets its “15 minutes” of fame.
NASA PRESS RELEASE
NASA and Disney Parks, which collaborated to carry toy space ranger Buzz Lightyear into orbit, are launching new efforts to encourage students to pursue studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
The 12-inch-tall action figure spent more than 15 months aboard the International Space Station and returned to Earth on Sept. 11. On Friday, Oct. 2, a ticker-tape parade at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Fla., will officially welcome Lightyear home.
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“Gimme Some Money” by Spinal Tap (“This is Spinal Tap”)
Strapped NASA might need global space partners
Orlando Sentinel
If the White House decides to return astronauts to the moon or send them to explore the solar system, NASA may have to look to Moscow, Paris, Tokyo and possibly even Beijing for help.
The reason: money. Without a massive increase in its budget, the agency won’t be able to send humans past the International Space Station anytime soon, according to a presidential panel that recently reviewed NASA’s manned space program.
Video of Masten Space System’s Xombie vehicle in advance of its efforts to win the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge on October 7-8.
Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin poses Oct. 2, 2009 at the Magic Kingdom with the 12-inch-tall Buzz Lightyear toy that spent 15 months in space onboard the International Space Station (ISS). (Credit: Garth Vaughan/Disney)
DISNEY PRESS RELEASE
Disney Parks and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) today celebrated Buzz Lightyear’s cosmic achievement as the longest tenured crew member in space with a ticker-tape parade down Main Street, U.S.A. in Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort. Some of Buzz’s new friends, including astronaut Buzz Aldrin and International Space Station Expedition 18 astronaut Michael Fincke, attended.
After living his dream of space travel, Buzz Lightyear returned to Earth aboard Space Shuttle Discovery STS-128 on Sept. 11, following more than 15 months of dedicated service on board the International Space Station (ISS). The 12-inch-tall action star flew to space as part of an education initiative between Disney Parks and NASA to encourage students to pursue studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
WhiteKnightTwo carries SpaceShipTwo aloft in this artist's conception (credit: Virgin Galactic)
Space tourism yet to fly, 5 years since 1st flight
Associated Press
It has been five years since SpaceShipOne, the first privately financed manned spacecraft, captured the Ansari X Prize on Oct. 4, 2004, by demonstrating that a reusable rocket capable of carrying passengers could fly more than 62 miles high twice within two weeks — showing reliability and commercial viability.
Enthusiasm over SpaceShipOne’s feats was so high that year that even before the prize-winning flight, British mogul Richard Branson announced an agreement to use the technology in a second-generation design, SpaceShipTwo, to fly commercial passengers into space under the Virgin Galactic banner by 2007.
Indigenous cryogenic engine ready for take-off
The Tribune
T K Alex, director of the ISRO Satellite Centre at Bangalore, told the TNS today that an indigenous cryogenic engine had been successfully developed. “The cryogenic engine is ready. It has already reached the space port at Sriharikota (from Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu)â€, he said.
Over 258 People Laid Off At KSC
WFTV.COM
A round of layoffs hit Kennedy Space Center’s largest contractor, United Space Alliance, Friday. Over 258 people who were employed by the United Space Alliance are out of work.
Many people volunteered for the layoffs, about 93 percent of the more than 258 laid off did so voluntarily and in many cases with a severance package.
Model of NASA's Orion spacecraft
White House Seeks to Restore Human Spaceflight Funding
Space News
The White House has asked congressional appropriators to restore $670 million cut from NASA’s nearly $4 billion budget request for human space exploration in a version of the 2010 Commerce, Justice, Science appropriations bill the House passed in June, according to congressional and administration sources.