Virgin Galactic's WhiteKnightTwo with Burt Rutan and Richard Branson
UK ‘yet to embrace space tourism’
BBC News
The UK is ill-prepared to exploit the emerging commercial spaceflight sector, says the president of Virgin Galactic.
Will Whitehorn said Britain lacked the regulatory framework that would help the industry grow but which would also ensure the necessary safety standards. Speaking at a space tourism conference in London, he said current rules would prevent Virgin launches from the UK.
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The Space Frontier Foundation has selected 10 finalists for the Heinlein NewSpace Business Plan Competition. The winner will be announced at the Apollo 11 Anniversary Gala during the NewSpace 2009 Conference at NASA Ames from July 17-20.
Artists conception of WhiteKnightTwo and the SpaceShipTwo space tourism vehicle. (Credit: Virgin Galactic)
The Telegraph reports:
The brewer [Guinness] is putting three once-in-a-lifetime experiences up for grabs themed on the colour of its famous black stout beer.
To mark its 250 years in business, the company is sending one winner into space, another to the depths of the ocean, and a third to an exclusive Black Eyed Peas concert.
Just returned from the Canada Day party at the ISU session at NASA Ames. I confess to not really knowing what exactly Canada Day celebrates, what Canada actually is (a country? state? state of mind?), or much of anything else about our neighbor to the west (east? south?). I have been told I have ancestors from there on my dad’s side. So, I should probably know more. I’ll Google it. […]
The Senate could have a confirmation hearing for NASA administrator nominee Charles Bolden next week. There seems to be no significant opposition to either Bolden or deputy administrator nominee Lori Garver.
Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island, Virginia
WALLOPS: Groundbreaking held at Space Station launchpad
Delmarvanow.com
Maryland and Virginia officials held a groundbreaking at a Monday ceremony marking the start of construction of a new launchpad and other facilities to support Orbital Science Corporation’s Taurus II rocket program.
NASA AMES PRESS RELEASE
News media and the public are invited to join students who recently arrived at NASA Ames Research Center for the 2009 International Space University (ISU) Space Studies Program for a series of Space Panels in July and August.
Panel discussions will take place from 8 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. PDT in Building 3 in the NASA Research Park and will be followed by a reception and news media interview opportunity from 9:30 p.m. – 10 p.m. PDT, on the following dates:
NORTHRUP GRUMMAN PRESS RELEASE
Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has demonstrated rocket engine technology that may enable the return of American astronauts to the moon.
Working with NASA on the TR202 lunar descent engine, the company has successfully demonstrated stable combustion over a broad throttling range, utilizing high-performance pintle injector technology. The ability to throttle thrust level over a wide range is critical to providing a soft, precision lunar landing with hazard avoidance capability.
CSF PRESS RELEASE
Enabling the development of commercial crew and cargo transportation to the International Space Station is the central recommendation of a
policy paper submitted by members of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation to the Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee, also known as the Augustine Committee.
ISU alumni Maynard Holliday, Renee Matossian and Emeline Paat-Dahlstrom catch up during the ISU/SU reception.
Just got back from the ISU/SU opening ceremony and reception. It was a great ceremony that I hope people had a chance to see on the webcast. Got to welcome in a new class of ISU students and catch up with some old friends.
AIAA PRESS RELEASE
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) will present a “Passport to the Future†Teacher Workshop on Aug. 3 – 4 at Denver’s Colorado Convention Center. The event will be sponsored by the Lockheed Martin Corporation.
SPACE FOUNDATION PRESS RELEASE
A dozen participants from 10 different countries, including the Space Foundation’s Vice President – Education Iain Probert, have completed the first stage of the International Space University’s new Executive MBA program, which merges the specificities of a traditional MBA with space applications.
