NASA’s Embattled Inspector General Resigns
Space.com
NASA’s embattled Inspector General Robert “Moose” Cobb has resigned from his post as the space agency’s internal watchdog after years of criticism from lawmakers.
NASA’s estimates for new rocket soar again
Orlando Sentinel
The cost of getting NASA’s next-generation rocket to the international space station has ballooned from an initial $28 billion to about $44 billion today — and that number is likely to keep rising, according to NASA studies and government officials.
INTERVIEW-Lockheed sees flatter satellite sales
Reuters
A top Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) executive expects sales of commercial and military satellites to level off after years of strong growth, but said orders could still emerge for monitoring climate change and tracking objects in space.
Firing up public called vital to next space age
Denver Post
Winning the enthusiasm of the public and future engineers is critical to advancing the next space age, top aerospace executives said Thursday….
While the human element sharply drives up the cost, sending people to explore space is an essential part of attracting interest and funds, creating relationships and tapping a basic human need, said Roger Krone, president of Boeing’s IDS Network and Space Systems.
Economic Crisis Poses Challenge for Space Industry
Space.com
The space industry is facing enormous challenges because it is an extremely capital-intensive enterprise, and companies and governments around the world are grappling with the greatest economic crisis in decades, according to participants in a panel discussion March 31 here at the National Space Symposium.
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The always quotable and ever optimistic Elon Musk was in Colorado this week for the National Space Symposium, where he managed to make news without actually announcing anything new.
Orion Contractors To Get Major Funding Boost
Aviation Week
Contractors working on NASA’s Orion crew exploration vehicle and its Ares I launcher will get more money this spring — about $1.8 billion for Lockheed Martin’s work on Orion alone — to account for schedule and design changes since the human-rated spacecraft developments started in 2006.
Lunar prize sets Asian hearts racing
Asia Times
While the people who established the Google Lunar X Prize (GLXP) are hoping that the winning team will leave its mark on the moon in the next three years or so, the GLXP has already left an important mark on China.
There has been funny material on television during the last week concerning space. On Monday, Stephen Colbert ratcheted up the pressure on NASA to follow the will of the people who voted to name the space station’s Node 3 after the late-night comedian. Colbert doesn’t quite know what a node is, but he definitely wants his name on it. Watch the excerpt from the March 30th episode here. Meanwhile, over […]
Tests Are Crunch Time for Scramjet Concept
Aviation Week
Boeing will complete assembly of the first X-51A WaveRider static test vehicle over the next two weeks, paving the way for hypersonic flight tests designed to show that the supersonic combustion ramjet is ready for practical application in missiles and space launch vehicles.
Smallsats Could Get Boost in Global Financial Crisis
Aviation Week
Small satellites have been widely regarded as second-rate by Pentagon and intelligence community officials, who opt for massive, high-technology spacecraft lasting a decade or more in orbit. But the time may finally be at hand for skeptics to begin accepting smaller.