Cirque du Soleil’s Guy Laliberte is ready to fly to the International Space Station, red noses in hand.
Ares 1-X undergoing assembly
Nearly six years after President George W. Bush launched the program, NASA’s Constellation program still lacks a sound business case, a defined schedule, and clear cost estimates. So says the Government Accountability Office in a new report titled, “Constellation Program Cost and Schedule Will Remain Uncertain Until a Sound Business Case Is Established.”
NASA's not sure whether vehicles like SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft will be able to fill the crew transport role left by the retiring space shuttle.
Bolden Says Commercial Crew a Tough Sell for NASA Old Guard
Space News
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden told an audience of space entrepreneurs and U.S. lawmakers he is skeptical of the private sector’s ability to take over manned operations in low Earth orbit, but is hopeful commercial space companies will succeed.
“I would be telling you a lie if I told you we’re on board, we’re really excited about this,†the former astronaut said during a commercial space seminar held Sept. 23 on Capitol Hill. Bolden was referring to a private-sector push for NASA to outsource manned missions to and from the international space station after the agency retires its aging space shuttle fleet in the next year or so….
Alan Boyle has an excellent story about the discovery of water on the moon and its impact on space policy. Alan starts out by pointing out an obvious aspect that has sort of gotten lost in all the hoop-de-la-dee-dah surrounding the announcement:
Is this week’s revelation that water ice is more prevalent on the moon than scientists expected a “game-changer” for future spaceflight, as some experts think? Actually, the rules of the game for going beyond Earth orbit haven’t changed – but the latest findings could bring new attention to options in the old playbooks.
Well said, Alan.
ISRO is rethinking its Chandrayaan-II mission in the wake of the discovery of water on the moon.
Chandrayaan-1's Moon Impact Probe took this picture on its way down to the lunar surface on November 14, 2008. Credit: ISRO
India’s own probe also found water on moon: ISRO
The Economic Times
India’s own Moon Impact Probe (MIP) on board the country’s maiden lunar craft had discovered water on the moon, a finding confirmed by US space agency NASA’s probe that was also aboard Chandrayaan-1, India’s top space scientist G Madhavan Nair said here on Friday.
Indians are celebrating the role that their lunar orbiter Chandrayaan-1 played in the discovery of water on the moon.
South Korean astronaut Soyeon Yi attended ISU at NASA Ames this past summer.
Images on right captured by the DragonEye LIDAR system during its recent flight aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour (ISS image courtesy NASA).
SPACEX PRESS RELEASE
September 25, 2009
Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) announces the successful demonstration of a proximity sensor, called DragonEye, on NASA’s STS-127 shuttle mission. DragonEye launched aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour on July 15th, 2009, and was tested in proximity of the International Space Station (ISS) in preparation for future visits by SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft.
ASTROTECH PRESS RELEASE
Space-age biotech company lands in Austin
Austin American-Statesman
The satellite and space research company Astrotech Corp. officially splashed down in Austin this week, with a private dinner for business leaders Monday night and a Wednesday night reception at the Long Center where the guests included a NASA executive.
Participating in the check presentation at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex Rocket Garden are, from left, Robert Crabbs, associate director of UCF's Florida Space Institute; Jaydeep Mukherjee, director, NASA Florida Space Grant Consortium, and interim director, Florida Space Institute; Sreela Mallick, assistant director, NASA Florida Space Grant Consortium; Roy D. Bridges, Jr., director, Space and Science Services, Northrop Grumman Technical Services, and Roy Tharpe, director, Space and Science Services, Northrop Grumman Technical Services and chairman of the National Space Club Florida Committee.
NORTHROP GRUMMAN PRESS RELEASE
Northrop Grumman Corporation recently partnered with the University of Central Florida (UCF) Research Foundation and the NASA Florida Space Grant Consortium to sponsor several programs that will encourage students to continue their studies in science-based programs at universities and colleges in Florida. The programs will be administered using a $25,000 grant Northrop Grumman awarded to UCF Research Foundation.