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April 2005
Space Watch
Week of April 4 - 8, 2005
Welcome to Space Watch. This is a weekly update compiled by The Eisenhower Institute of the most significant news items in civil, military and commercial space.
If you are interested in receiving a weekly email update version of Space Watch, please send an email to spacewatch@eisenhowerinstitute.org with the word "subscribe" in the subject line. Space Watch will be sent out every Friday.
Civil Space
Planet Beyond Our Solar System is Photographed and Confirmed
Astronomers have finally obtained the first photograph of a planet outside of our own solar system. Some scientists had detected the planet using the Spitzer Space Telescope and infrared light, but this is the first physical picture of its existence. The planet is thought to be one to two times as massive as Jupiter, and it orbits a star that is reminiscent of a younger version of our Sun. The star's name is GQ Lupi, and it has been observed since 1999. The leader of the group that pictured the new planet, Ralph Neuhaeuser, says that the system is extremely young, and therefore the planet is rather warm, "like a bun fresh out of the oven." The discovery will be detailed in an upcoming issue of the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics.
(Britt, Robert Roy. http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/050401_first_extrasolarplanet_pic.html, 4/1/05).
Russia Will Prevent Launch Service Dumping
According to the Roskosmos spokesman, the Russian Federal Space Agency will prevent Russian firms from undercutting world launch prices and dumping their services on the international market. Russia is trying to head off those Russian enterprises that have tended to offer substantially lower prices for its foreign customers in satellite launch services. Launch services using the Dnepr launch vehicle is of particular concern for the Russian authorities. The Russian-Ukrainian space company, Kosmotras, has been the primary entity operating the Dnepr space launch system. Russian companies are being asked to hold consultations with federal agencies prior to the completion of launch contracts.
(UPI, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/launchers-05w.html, 4/4/05).
Industry Panel Pushes NASA for Smooth Transition Away from Shuttle
A recent report conducted by an AIA-led Industry Panel has concluded that NASA must soon begin to develop and implement a plan for the phase-out of the shuttle program and integrate it into a new era of space exploration in order to keep the most skilled technicians. According to AIA President and CEO John Douglass, NASA must create "a smooth transition from the shuttle and space station programs" in order to retain "the best and brightest minds in order to take us to the moon, Mars, and beyond." NASA had chosen AIA to spearhead the industry's input.
(SPX, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/nasa-05e.html, 4/4/05)
Task Force Delay Could Set Back Shuttle Launch
The Space Shuttle Discovery, set to launch sometime next month, could face a setback if there are any further delays in the final report conducted by a task force studying NASA's implementation of post-Columbia recommendations. Currently, the shuttle is set to lift off on May 15; however, last week the Return to Flight Task Force postponed a public meeting that was set to be one of the few remaining acts before delivering the final report. NASA has suggested that the postponement was so that the Task Force could obtain additional scientific data. The postponement has caused some raised eyebrows, as the shuttle cannot take off without the Task Force's final report. Discovery's launch window runs until June 3, and after that another window opens in July.
(http://www.flatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050402/NEWS02/504020315/1007, 4/4/05).
Reports Indicate That Half of Known Planetary Systems Could Have Habitable Earths
Using a complex computer simulation, British astronomers have determined that nearly half of the 130-plus stars with known planets have habitable zones in which earthlike planets could possibly exist. The simulation is a highly detailed model of the extra-solar planetary systems and represents over a billion years of planetary evolution. Based on these simulations, the British team derived a set of rules that predict how long Earth-like planets can stay within what they called the "Goldilocks Zone," or the zone where the temperature is "just right" for liquid water.
(Adler, Robert. http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=3040, 4/4/05).
DART Program Appears Ready for April 15th Launch Date
After a nearly 6 month delay and a $10 million price increase, NASA is prepared to launch its Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous (DART) spacecraft on April 15th. The DART program has been repeatedly delayed due to excessive problems with equipment and concerns regarding solar radiation. The spacecraft is intended to rendezvous with an Orbital Sciences-owned military communications satellite and to create the space equivalent of an autopilot. Mission specialists hope that DART's success can translate into future operations, including a Crew Exploration Vehicle.
(Davis, Brett. http://aviationnow.ecnext.com/free-scripts/comsite2.pl?page=aw_document&article=DART04045, 4/4/05).
The European Commission Wants to Double Security Space Spending
A recent European Commission report calls for a doubling of current security-related space spending, which today amounts to about $1.23 billion per year. The report, which does not present a shopping list of proposed space assets, is likely in response to the huge gap in military space spending between Europe and the United States (about 15:1). European government officials also invoked the growing space investments of China, India, and Japan. Five nations (Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain) are currently investing separately in military satellite communication programs and have indicated that they will not be donating these assets to the EU.
(de Selding, Peter. Space News, 4/4/05).
NASA May End Voyager Mission
In order to cut costs, NASA might put an end to the Voyager Mission which has lasted nearly 28 years and has gone further from Earth than any human-made object ever produced. The program, which costs $4.2 million a year, is being touted by scientists involved with the mission as the only plan available to reach the outer ends of the solar system. Many scientists, certain NASA employees, and some Congressional forces have attempted to derail the possible termination. Voyagers 1 and 2 are considered a low priority among the division's 13 "extended missions," or missions that have gone beyond its original task. The Voyagers' original task was finished in 1982 and has been continuously extended since. Final decision on the cuts will be made around April 15th.
(Gugliotta, Guy. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23500-2005Apr3.html, 4/4/05).
NASA Moves Space Station to Protect Gyroscope
NASA has moved the International Space Station in order to release some of the stress on one of its two working steering gyroscopes. The alignment sets the ISS in a nose-first position and has been shown to reduce the current to the critical gyroscope. Recent signs of trouble from the gyro have caused concern inside of NASA, as the ISS is currently down to its last two gyroscopes. As the space station needs two to operate, the ISS is looking forward to the next shuttle mission in order to replace one of the broken gyros with a new one. If a gyro breaks down earlier, Russian thrusters can provide a backup at the expense of the precious commodity of fuel.
(Kelly, John. http://www.flatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050405/NEWS02/504050322/1007/news02, 4/5/05).
American Geologist Hired by Indian Space Agency
In preparing for its historic lunar mission, the Chandrayaan-I, the Indian Space Research Organization has hired an American geologist to work on the project. Geologist Carle Pieters, a professor in the Department of Geological Sciences at Brown University, feels honored to be a part of such an ambitious and historic project. Pieters will lead a team of scientists to map the mineral composition of the moon using state of the art mapping technologies. Such a high level of collaboration between the US and the ISRO has never before been attempted as both countries are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding regarding the agreement. The mission is scheduled to launch in 2007.
(SPX, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/lunar-05q.html, 4/5/05).
Japan Attempts Manned Moon Flight by 2025
According to a new, ambitious plan announced by Japanese space officials, they hope to man a flight to the moon by 2025. They reportedly have yet to decide if their attempts will be a collaboration with other countries or if they plan to go it alone. The hope is that this plan will rejuvenate a space program that has been recently humbled by launchpad and space probe failures. The agency is asking the Japanese government to increase its annual budget from roughly $2 billion to nearly $2.6 billion. Japanese long term plans include future trips to Mars and other planets. The plan also marks a significant shift away from the unmanned space probes which have distinguished the Japanese program and toward manned-based missions.
(Hall, Kenji, http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/ap_050406_japan_moon.html, 4/6/05).
House Subcommittee Chair Endorses Hubble De-Orbit
Representative Ken Calvert, the Chairman of the House Science Space and Aeronautics sub-committee, recently endorsed the idea of safely de-orbiting the Hubble Space Telescope at the 21st National Space Symposium. Calvert considers the decision to be quite difficult, but suggests that the Hubble mission has performed well beyond its original design and has delivered volumes of data that will keep scientists busy for years. Calvert also indicated the need for military, civil, and commercial space organizations to work together in order to prevent duplication of efforts into space. Calvert warned, "We cannot cling to legacy programs and old ways of doing things."
(Rains, Lon. http://space.com/news/050406_nss_calvert.html, 4/6/05).
NASA Once Again Extends Rover Missions
NASA has announced that it has again extended the mission of the Mars Exploration Rovers for another 18 more months. The programs, designed to only operate for 90 days, have already been extended twice before. The twin rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, have been on the Martian surface since January, 2004 and continue to function well. NASA has not revealed the cost of the extension, but the last extension cost NASA nearly $2.8 million a month.
(http://space.com/news/050405_mars_rovers.html, 4/6/05).
Shuttle Rolls Out, Prepares for Launch
On Wednesday, the Space Shuttle Discovery was rolled out to the launch pad in preparation for its anticipated May 15 launch date. The rollout to pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center was scheduled to have taken place two hours prior to the actual rollout. Because inspectors found a crack in the insulation on one of the shuttle's external tanks, engineers delayed the rollout until they could be sure that travel was safe. The shuttle's arrival is relatively on time and, it is still prepared to make its May 15th date. Some program managers have admitted this week that there was a 50-50 chance of launching Discovery at that time. Also, there has been a delay in the releasing of the report by the Stafford-Covey task force, charged with the reviewing of NASA's implementation of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board. According to MSNBC, there have been some major disagreements among members of the task force regarding NASA's adoption of the recommendations.
(Malik, Tariq. http://space.com/missionlaunches/050406_shuttle_delay.html, 4/7/05).
Astronauts Ready to Fly, Crew Seeks Assurance Before Take-off
The seven astronauts of the Discovery crew, set to lift off next month, said on Thursday that they were ready and excited to fly; however, they wanted full assurances that all recommendations of the Columbia Accident investigators had been satisfied prior to lift-off. "We are not going to fly until we are ready to fly," says mission commander, Eileen M. Collins. She mentioned that the crew is ready to go, but that she is counting on NASA to comply with all 15 of the changes that the Columbia Accident Investigation Board stated must be carried out before the Discovery mission. "We learn more by taking risks," she said, "but we don't want to take silly risks."
(Leary, Warren and Schwartz, John. New York Times, 4/8/05).
Commercial
Lockheed Martin Delivers Rocket for NASA Mars Mission
Lockheed Martin recently delivered the vehicle that will launch the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter mission to Mars later this year. The mission, set to liftoff on August 10, will be launched by an Atlas 5 rocket from Cape Canaveral. The launch vehicle was shipped from Denver to Cape Canaveral and reached its destination several days ago. The vehicle is expected to undergo a series of tests to verify its readiness for the August launch. The Atlas series has achieved a record 76 successful flights in a row, and this will be the third Atlas mission of the year.
(SPX, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/launchers-05x.html, 4/5/05).
Space Race 2: Cheap Launches
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the US Air Force have combined to lay out a challenge for the commercial space launch industry: to launch a small, 1,000 pound satellite into an orbit 115 miles above Earth for less than $5 million. This challenge would shatter the existing launch prices. For example, an air-launched Pegasus booster, which flies similar payloads, costs upwards of $20 million. The Falcon project's goal is to be able to launch within a 24 hour notice. The program began last year with DARPA's award of several six-month launch vehicle study contracts to nine commercial firms. The goal is to provide for a demonstration launch by 2007.
(UPI, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/rocketscience-05t.html, 4/7/05).
Military Space
Teets Resignation Creates More Questions than Answers
Recently retired, Peter Teets, held three key positions in the Pentagon and Intelligence community: Air Force Undersecretary, NRO Director, and Pentagon Space Acquisition Chief. He spent his last days in those positions arguing that the jobs should be integrated under one person. Re-alignment and responsibility questions aside, it will be difficult to replace Teets. Officials say the position demands someone with the rare quality of respect by both the Pentagon and intelligence communities, which are often at odds over resources. Questions also rage about the vacuum of responsibility that has been created by Teets' departure.
(Butler, Amy. http://aviationnow.ecnext.com/free-scripts/comsite2.pl?page=aw_document&article=04045p01, 4/3/05).
DOD Seeking to Increase Funding for Space
According to Pentagon officials, the Department of Defense is looking to substantially increase its funding for space initiatives in the coming years. The Pentagon is reportedly asking for $22.5 billion for space programs in FY06, which constitutes a 13.6 percent increase over this year's space budget. The increased figure represents all of the space programs contained within the Air Force, Navy, Missile Defense Agency, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, as well as other classified work.
(News Briefs, Space Watch, 4/4/05).
Missile Defense Planning Tiny Satellites
According to missile defense planning officials, the MDA is apparently looking into the development of tiny spacecraft to be used to demonstrate new satellite propulsion systems to help calibrate missile tracking. The spacecraft would be developed before the end of the decade. The agency hopes to begin the process soon, by attempting to launch two upcoming small satellite missions as secondary payloads on other military launches. They expect each satellite to cost less than $10 million. Like other MDA programs, the experiment is designed to test technology that could be incorporated on future, space-based systems.
(Singer, Jeremy. Space News, 4/4/05).
Space Radar Program Touted by Northrop
Northrop Grumman Corporation has become a major driving force in the development of the Pentagon's proposed Space Radar demonstration mission. The Space Radar is a proposed constellation of satellites that would be jointly operated by the Air Force and the NRO. It would collect high-resolution imagery for the intelligence community and would be able to detect movement on the ground in support of covert and military operations. Congress slashed the requested funding for the program last year because of a presumed questionable utility. The Air Force, in response, has this year promoted the program, adding a new twist: a two-satellite demonstration that would be launched in 2008. Northrop Grumman hopes to be the lead developer of this demonstration, going so far as to issue requests from companies hoping to build the spacecraft.
(Singer, Jeremy. Space News, 4/4/05).
Op-Ed
Op-Ed: Thinking the Unthinkable About the ISS
In Mr. Dinerman's op-ed, he warns the US that the Russians are not going to allow Americans to catch rides with the Soyuz rockets to and from the ISS for much longer without making the American delegations pay for the services. In fact, according to Space News, Russia will refused to accept US astronauts into the Star City Training Program for Expedition 13 unless Washington promises to pay for those services. It was hoped that ESA or the Japanese could pay for the American use, but this doesn't look like an option. With no movement by either side, the ISS could become an effectively all-Russian station as American entities drop out of the program prior to its final completion. Dinerman envisions a trainwreck up ahead for the ISS program, a trainwreck that could be avoided, but any action would have to begin now.
(Dinerman, Taylor. The Space Review, 4/4/05).
Credits
Compiled by Chad Kreikemeier
Edited by Suzanne Vogel
Space Watch
Week of April 11 - 15, 2005
Welcome to Space Watch. This is a weekly update compiled by The Eisenhower Institute of the most significant news items in civil, military and commercial space.
If you are interested in receiving a weekly email update version of Space Watch, please send an email to spacewatch@eisenhowerinstitute.org with the word "subscribe" in the subject line. Space Watch will be sent out every Friday.
Civil Space
Russia Pursuing New Space Shuttle
Anatoly Perminov, the head of the Russian space agency, Roskosmos, said that the Russians were looking into a new type of manned space shuttle to transport people to and from the ISS. The Kliper space shuttle could replace the Russian Soyuz rockets, according to Perminov. He is advocating a more up to date shuttle. Perminov suggests that the cramped quarters of a three man crew aboard a Soyuz rocket suggest that it is time for a change. Kliper proposals have already been submitted by the European Space Agency. The shuttle is designed to hold up to six people with a projected lifespan of 25 flights.
(UPI, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/rocketscience-05u.html, 4/8/05).
Europe Attempting to Send up Mars Rover in 2011
The European Space Agency set its sights this week on sending another rover to Mars in 2011 despite the loss of its previous lander in December of 2003. A small, mobile lab will be reportedly launched in June 2011 and will arrive on the Martian surface in 2013. The rover would join the other rovers already on the planet in its search for traces of life. The US rovers, Spirit and Odyssey, are considered highly successful operations. The new rover would seek to build on the progress already made by the other US rovers, not duplicate it.
(AFP, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-future-05g.html, 4/8/05).
Canadians Concerned as Titan Launch Delayed
Canadian officials continue to complain about the possible damage to offshore drilling rigs that belong to them due to the scheduled launch of the Titan 4 rocket from Cape Canaveral. The launch was supposed to take place on Sunday, but was delayed for technical reasons. Canadian officials are worried that debris from the rocket might rain down in the vicinity of its coastal drilling rigs in Newfoundland. The shutdown and restart of the program, designed to launch a classified NRO satellite, could cost as much as $250 million. The Canadians do not believe that the US will alter the trajectory of the rocket.
(Ray, Justin. http://www.spaceflightnow.com/titan/b30/050407delay.html, 4/9/05).
Radiation Burst May Have Killed Marine Life
Scientists claim that a radiation blast from an exploding star may have permanently wiped out nearly 60% of all marine invertebrates 450 million years ago. The Ordovican mass extinction could have been caused by one of these gamma ray bursts, sometimes thought to be caused by explosions of stars 15 times more massive than the sun. A burst creates two beams of gamma ray energy that race off across the galaxy in opposite directions. Scientists suggest that a gamma ray burst originating from within 6,000 light years could devastatingly affect life on this planet.
(von Radowitz, John. http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=4378760, 4/10/05).
Argentina Seeking To Be Included in Galileo Effort
The European Commission has indicated that it will attempt negotiations with Argentina, thus increasing the possibility of including the South American country in Europe's Galileo project. Negotiations will commence once the European Council gives its official approval. Reportedly, the Commission has signed cooperation agreements with China and Israel and is in informal talks with numerous others including India, Russia, Ukraine, Malaysia, and Australia. The Galileo system is expected to be operational around the end of the decade.
(News Briefs, Space News, 4/11/05).
Nuclear Energy May Be Included in NASA Plans
NASA is beginning the process of determining where nuclear energy fits in its space exploration strategy. The design and development of these reactors would be highly expensive and fraught with technical and political risks. NASA began what is called the Prometheus program in 2002. The program is supposed to look into overcoming the power and propulsion limitations which are currently holding back a more robust effort to explore the deeper planets of the solar system. Many scientists feel that nuclear power will be one of the only ways to succeed in exploring the deepest recesses in space. This summer, NASA will announce an in-space nuclear power and propulsion demonstration to be launched by 2014.
(Berger, Brian. Space News, 4/11/05).
Space Law Needs Updating
According to Frans von der Dunk of the International Institute of Air and Space Law in the Netherlands, the current space laws need updating. According to the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, countries are allowed to exploit the resources of the moon and other celestial bodies without properly owning any property on them. However, rules don't exist for licensing private firms or exercising legal control over their employees on the moon. Also, the UN 1979 Moon Agreement has not been signed by the US. It is precisely this uncertainty which von der Dunk says should be more fully developed and updated.
(Vergano, Dan. http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/space/2005-04-11-space-law_x.htm, 4/11/05).
Russia Celebrates Cosmonauts Day
Federal Space Agency Chief Anatoly Perminov is expected to congratulate the ISS crew today, as it is the Russian Cosmonauts Day. The April 12th holiday is in remembrance of Yury Gagarin's momentous trip 44 years ago. The first cosmonaut in history will be remembered throughout all of Russia in various planned celebrations.
(Ria Novosti, http://en.rian.ru/rian/index.cfm?=2005-04-12&do_alert=0, 4/12/05).
Russia to Launch Rockets from South America
ESA's spaceport in French Guiana is set to launch Russian rockets in 2008, according to an agreement signed on Monday. The launch will orbit medium-weight satellite payloads from Soyuz rockets. The groups plan to split the costs of the launches.
(McKee, Maggie. http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn7257, 4/12/05).
Next NASA Chief Will Revisit Hubble Decision
The Presidential nominee for NASA Administrator, Michael Griffin, promised Senators this week that he would revisit the Hubble servicing mission before making a final decision. Griffin told senators at a recent confirmation hearing that he will look into the recently released decision, especially after the shuttle mission is up and running again. Griffin says that a robotic mission is out of the question considering its difficulty and the lack of time. He mentioned that his top priorities would be to get the shuttle back into space and to speed up development of the Crew Exploration Vehicle. Griffin is widely expected to be confirmed by the Senate.
(Gugliotta, Guy, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47810-2005Apr12.html, 4/12/05).
Russian Official Says NASA Stole Space Elevator Concept
A Russian professor has accused the United States of stealing the space elevator idea from Yuri Kondratyuk, a famous Russian engineer. The professor, Yuri Vedernikov said that the Russian engineer proposed the idea of a space elevator in the 1920's. Left out of his first manuscripts for fear of misuse, Yuri made several copies of his idea. According to reports, the copy ended up in the hands of NASA. NASA revealed its plans to build a space elevator several years ago.
(MoscowNews, http://www.mosnews.com/news/2005/04/13/sibir.shtml, 4/13/05).
Space Race Between China and Japan Heats Up
Japan's space agency has recently declared its intention to put a manned space station on the moon. The plan was presented 15 months after a rather embarrassing rocket failure that resulted in two spy satellites being destroyed. Adding to the humiliation, China put a man in space just weeks before, a feat that Japan has never attempted. (Ott, Gary. http://www.mywesttexas.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14335458&BRD=2288&PAG=461&dept_id=475621&rfi=6, 4/13/05).
Astronauts Head to Space Station
Three astronauts were blasted into orbit today on a Soyuz rocket for a two-day journey to the International Space Station. The rocket launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Friday. Russian cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev and American John Phillips are headed for a six-month stay on the ISS, while their Italian colleague, Roberto Vittori, is due to return to Earth in 10 days with the current station crew. The new residents' main task will be to prepare for the return of the U.S. shuttle mission to the station.
(CNN, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/04/14/iss.launch.ap/index.html, 4/15/05).
Commercial
Russians Will Send Two Tourists to Space in 2006-2007
Anatoly Perminov, the head of the Russian Space Agency, Roskosmos, said that the agency is developing projects to send two tourists into orbit separately in 2006 and 2007. He said that he is waiting on the other partners in the ISS project to consent to the visits first. Touting the safety of the Soyuz rockets which would send up the tourists, Perminov stressed the fact that the Russian agency fully supports space tourism. No word yet as to who the tourists will be.
(UPI, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/tourism-05m.html, 4/8/05).
Latin American Satellite Pricing War to Slowly Subside
According to sources, the price war among commercial satellite operators in Latin America that has brought profits to near zero for commercial contracts is expected to continue through the entirety of this year but begin to subside by 2006. Latin America is widely considered to be one of the world's most competitive satellite markets. The result has been a five year slide in average transponder-lease contract values. However, there are some projections that suggest satellite operator revenues in Latin America will increase annually by 3.4% over the next decade.
(de Selding, Peter. Space News, 4/11/05).
China Exports its First Satellite
A spokesperson for China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation said that the Chinese will sell a communications satellite to Nigeria. The sale will see the first overseas buyer of a satellite made only by China's space sector. Called a ‘milestone,' the deal marks a substantial breakthrough for the Chinese satellite industry. The satellite will be put into orbit by a Long March 3 rocket from southwest China.
(Xihuanet, http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-04/12/content_2820705.htm, 4/12/05).
Military Space
Air Force and Boeing Close Investigation on Delta 4 Problems
The Air Force and Boeing have announced that they have closed their investigation into the latest failure of the Delta 4 Heavy rocket. The launch, scheduled for late last year, was determined to have a problem that should not delay the next launch of the Delta 4 vehicle. Investigators concluded that cavitation in the liquid oxygen propellant line created bubbles that caused a sensor to incorrectly conclude that the engine was out of oxygen. The engine was designed to shut down automatically in a case such as this. Boeing and the Air Force have now fixed the problem, and it should not affect future launches of the Delta 4.
(Kridler, Chris. http://www.flatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?/NEWS02/504090315/1007, 4/9/05).
European Commission to Increase Space Spending
The European Commission unveiled a proposal which would increase spending on space- and security-related programs between 2007 and 2013. They expect to spend more than $5 billion as part of a major focus on research for the EU. According to certain government officials, the proposal is not guaranteed to pass. Several EU countries have indicated that the program is too ambitious and too expensive. The Commission is not suggesting specific allocations between investments, but that they should be relatively split between security and space related projects. Priority areas include IT, communication, environmental programs, and transport.
(de Selding, Peter. Space News, 4/11/05).
Air Force Begins Including Space in its Curriculum
The US Air Force is reportedly including advanced space-related courses in its curriculum geared towards lieutenant colonels and senior noncommissioned officers. The Space 300 curriculum will touch on such subjects as space policy and space law and will complement the efforts already begun by the Space 100 and Space 200 lower-ranking personnel courses. The program is being created in response to the Rumsfeld Commission recommendations made in 2000.
(Singer, Jeremy. Space News, 4/11/05).
Air Force Splits EELV Launches
The United States Air Force reportedly plans to divide the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle missions between Boeing and Lockheed Martin. The 23 missions will not be awarded on a competitive basis in order to keep both rocket makers viable through 2010 at the very least. This will keep production at a certain necessary level over the course of the remainder of the decade. The split would provide each of the companies nearly four launches per year. The goal is to make sure than neither Boeing or Lockheed are wasting their time and they can keep having enough capacity and work.
(Bates, Jason. http://space.com/spacenews/050411_business_monday.html, 4/11/05).
Russia in Opposition to Space Weapons
Russia's defense minister, Sergei Ivanov, said today that he strongly opposes US plans to deploy weapons in space. The statement comes on the heels of a recent comment by US Air Force Lt. General Henry Obering, who was quoted as saying that modern threats call for the development of space-based defense systems. Russia has continued to push for a UN treaty banning weapons in space and continues to oppose US efforts to deploy a nationwide missile defense.
(AP, http://www.navytimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-783331.php, 4/13/05).
Air Force to Pursue Space Lift System
The Air Force has submitted a request for industry designs of a space launch vehicle that is partly reusable and could be launched more affordably and with less preparation time than is required. The program is called the Affordable Responsive Spacelift concept (ARES), and features a winged, reusable first stage that carries a small expendable second stage rocket. The first stage rocket would return to the launch area and land like an airplane. The vehicle could also be potentially used as a weapon to attack targets anywhere in the world within hours of liftoff.
(Sirak, Michael. Jane's Defence Weekly, 4/13/05).
Orbital Sciences Launches Research Satellite
Orbital Sciences successfully launched its XSS-11 satellite on board a Minotuar I rocket. The satellite is an experimental small satellite for the US Air Force. The hope is to test technologies that will allow for maintenance and visualization of other spacecraft in orbit. The mission took off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The satellite was successfully inserted into its targeted orbit, and this is the third successful launch of the Minotaur I space vehicle.
(SPX, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/launchers-05zd.html, 4/13/05).
Credits
Compiled by Chad Kreikemeier
Edited by Suzanne Vogel
Space Watch
Week of April 18 - 22, 2005
Welcome to Space Watch. This is a weekly update compiled by The Eisenhower Institute of the most significant news items in civil, military and commercial space.
If you are interested in receiving a weekly email update version of Space Watch, please send an email to spacewatch@eisenhowerinstitute.org with the word "subscribe" in the subject line. Space Watch will be sent out every Friday.
Civil Space
To Alleviate Canadian Fears, U.S. Ready to Destroy Rocket
According to Newfoundland's premier, the US is ready to destroy its Titan IV rocket if debris from the launch threatens Canadian oil platforms in the Atlantic Ocean. The launch has already been delayed two weeks because of Canadian concerns. The launch, which will carry a military satellite into orbit, is prompting Canadian authorities to evacuate its workers from the oil platforms.
(AFP, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/launchers-05zf.html, 4/14/05).
Opportunity Has a Significant Break-down
The Mars Rover Opportunity's front right wheel motor has reportedly broken down. This represents a significant failure for the rover. While driving on sol 433, the right front steering actuator stalled. According to sources, the wheel is about 7 degrees off from straight, so it could still be drivable if the problem is not solved.
(SPX, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-mers-05zk.html, 4/15/05).
Chinese and US Rocket Debris Collide in Orbit
The U.S. Surveillance Network of space-watching gear detected a collision in low Earth orbit (some 550 miles above Earth) in January of this year. Apparently, the collision involved a 31 year-old U.S. rocket and a more recent fragment from a Chinese rocket launched in March, 2000. The objects smacked into each other with enough force to create three more pieces of debris. The collision is a sobering reminder of the increased likelihood of accidental collisions with the increasing number of objects in Earth's orbit.
(David, Leonard. http://www.space.com/news/050416_debris_crash.html, 4/16/05).
NASA Aborts DART Mission After Failure
The NASA DART mission (Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology satellite) was aborted 300 feet short of its target due to fuel supplies giving out. The experiment was intended to bring two unpiloted spacecraft within 17 feet of one another. The project which cost nearly $110 million had an unexpectedly high number of navigational errors which would explain the depleted amount of fuel. It was supposed to have steered to within 17 feet of the test satellite. NASA is investigating why the mission ended at its halfway point.
(Carreau, Mark. http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/space/3138337, 4/16/05).
Soyuz Successfully Docks at ISS
The Soyuz spacecraft carrying the next ISS crew successfully docked at the ISS early Sunday. The docking was on schedule and suffered no problems. Sergei Krikalev, the commander of the new ISS team and John Phillips from the U.S. are the newest members to board the International Space Station. An Italian, Roberto Vittori, will return with the current ISS crew on April 24th. The new team is expected to remain at the station for almost six months, and they will be tasked with preparing for the return of the US shuttle.
(APP, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/iss-05zq.html, 4/17/05).
Huge Asteroid Will Miss Earth, May Come Back for Second Pass
The gigantic asteroid which will come precariously close to Earth's orbit in 2029 is expected to miss the planet. However, astronomers do not yet know how Earth's orbit will affect the asteroid. They predict that any disruption in the asteroid's orbit could put it on a collision course with the Earth in 2034 or later. Though the asteroid is expected to come within 15,000 to 25,000 miles of Earth, astronomers are sure that it will pass without harm. Some are calling to begin preparation to ‘tag' the asteroid with a transponder that would allow them to constantly radio the asteroid's position. The asteroid, if it were to hit, would collide with a 1,000 mega-ton explosion. According to Brian Marsden, astrophysicist in Cambridge, Massachusetts, "This is most likely not the object with our number on it, but one day we will have to address this question and we'll need the technology."
(Hawkes, Nigel. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1573790,00.html, 4/18/05).
Jupiter Mission Pushed Back, Nuclear Option Discussed
NASA has decided that the proposed mission to Jupiter's moons is being replaced for the time being by a scientific demonstration mission to somewhere in the inner solar system (perhaps an asteroid or Mars). The proposed replacement demonstration will attempt to test a new nuclear propulsion system. Nuclear power has been discussed lately as an important part of the exploration vision that would send astronauts back to the moon and to Mars. A recent GAO report suggests that the Jupiter decision was a smart one. NASA says that they are not yet canceling the mission, but rather, just delaying it for now, perhaps until 2017.
(Kridler, Chris. http://www.flatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article/504180335/1007 , 4/18/05).
Space Insurance Defends Rates at Insurance Conference
At the 13th International Space Insurance Conference, space insurance underwriters defended their relatively high insurance rates. Some critics have suggested that they are participating in wide-spread price gouging, but they claim that neither their volume nor their profit levels justify bringing those rates down anytime soon. They did indicate that they would be more willing to favor satellite operators with a good background and reliable records. Chris Kunstadter, executive VP of US Aviation Underwriters Group, says that space insurance underwriters have constantly swung back between high profits and steep losses over the past 11 years. This volatile situation is only made worse by the recent failures of satellites in orbit. All of this contributes to the astronomical rates.
(de Selding, Peter. Space News, 4/18/05).
Perfect Spot Found for Moon Base
Researches have identified what would be the perfect place for a base on the moon. The crater found is in almost constant sunlight and not far from suspected stores of water ice. The constant sunlight would be able to provide for the solar energy that would be required on the moon and for constant, comfortable temperatures that aren't found anywhere else on the moon. Most importantly, however, is the hope that local ice water would help sustain life on the base. The crater is estimated to be nearly 45 miles wide and could be a superb staging point as a steppingstone to Mars.
(Britt, Robert Roy. Space News, 4/18/05).
Spitzer Telescope Finds Extrasolar Asteroid Belt
Astronomers using the Spitzer Space Telescope say that they have uncovered an asteroid belt that encircles a nearby sun-like star. The star is reportedly 41 light years from the Earth, and the asteroid belt is much closer to its star than our asteroid belt is to the Sun. There is also apparently 25 times as much material in this extrasolar belt. The Spitzer uses infrared light waves in order to make observations of deep-space objects.
(BBC News, BBC News, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4465329.stm, 4/20/05).
NASA Postpones Shuttle Flight
NASA has reportedly postponed the target date for launching the first shuttle mission since the Columbia disaster. The postponement of a week pushes the target date to May 22nd and is being done in order to enable engineers to complete proper analysis and review the critical changes to the orbiter. According to space shuttle deputy manager, Wayne Hale, the engineers still need to analyze how Discovery's new inspection boom will respond to the stresses of the initial launch. Though Michael Griffin, NASA Administrator, suggested that full compliance with the Columbia Accident Investigation Board might not be possible, the shuttle board is confident of the safety changes that they have made.
(Gugliotta, Guy. "NASA Postpones Shuttles Return to Flight by a Week," Washington Post, 4/21/05).
Russia Plans to Launch Satellites from MiG-31s
According to the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Russia and Kazakhstan are attempting to develop a satellite launching system that would orbit payloads up to 200 kg from MiG-31 fighter jets. The Ishim ‘space missile' will be able to put satellites into low earth orbit. The MiG would release the launching device from an altitude of 25,000 meters, and the Ishim would do the rest. The program is expected to cost $1.5 billion over the next 15 years, but the program has the potential to save billions in launch costs.
(SPX, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/launchers-05zh.html, 4/21/05).
DART Program May Have Actually Touched Target
According to a contractor involved in the program, the DART rendezvous satellite may have actually gotten closer to its target than previously thought. According to the President of Orbital Sciences Corporation, the satellite may have actually bumped the target satellite. He said that although all DART programs systems ran smoothly, the satellite ran out of fuel due to GPS coordination problems. The program's goal was to approach its target, the MUBLCOM satellite, and NASA had originally reported that the program failed 300 meters from its target.
(de Selding, Peter. http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/050422_dart_update.html, 4/22/05).
NASA to Relax Safety Standards
According to documents anonymously forwarded by NASA employees to the New York Times, NASA is reportedly going to relax safety standards before launching the shuttle mission. The relaxed standards cover the risk of damage to the shuttle from debris during the launch. NASA has reportedly changed the level of acceptable risk ranking from three-sigma level to a two-sigma level. NASA officials have concurred with the released data, but are disagreeing with the assertion that the mission's safety was being compromised. They believe that the move is neither unprecedented nor unreasonable.
(Schwartz, John. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/22/science/22nasa.html?pagewanted=2, 4/22/05).
Commercial
New Chinese Satellite Equipped With Anti-Jamming Device
According to Hong Kong-based APT Satellite Holdings Limited, they have launched a satellite, called the APSTAR VI, which is equipped with an anti-jamming device. The satellite was launched on April 12th aboard a Long March Chinese rocket. The satellite is expected to be operational in the summer and was manufactured by the French company Alcatel Space.
(XNA, http://www.spacewar.com/news/cyberwar-05j.html, 4/15/05).
House Committee Hears Testimony on Commercial Space Industry
The House Committee on Science's Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics heard from a number of experts on the commercial space industry, including Burt Rutan. Rutan designed the world's first privately developed passenger-carrying spaceship. He claims that the future for commercial space flight is bright, but that certain regulations might hinder the growth of the industry. Representative Mark Udall (D-CO), ranking member on the committee says that both sides of the aisle have long agreed on the importance of a healthy commercial space sector. He also says that the committee aims to "carefully consider all of the advice they received in order to move forward to address commercial space issues in the coming months."
(House Science and Technology News, http://www.house.gov/science_democrats/releases/05apr20.htm, 4/20/05).
Military Space
NFIRE Experiment More Fully Explained
According to MDA budget documents, the Near Field Infrared Experiment (NFIRE) satellite slated for launch in 2006 or early 2007 will "help mitigate homing and guidance risk for both terrestrial and future space-based boost phase interceptors." Until now the satellite program was extremely mysterious in its purpose. Some assumed that the program would be a stepping-stone towards a space-based weapon. However, upon criticism, the NFIRE project, designed to distinguish between a missile and its hot exhaust plume, dropped the controversy-causing projectile that could be fired toward a warhead.
(Singer, Peter. Space News, 4/18/05).
MDA to Evaluate Possible Space-Based Interceptors
The US Missile Defense Agency reportedly intends to spend $675 million from 2008 through 2011 in order to develop an experimental constellation of space-based missile interceptors to be launched in 2012. Currently there is no money for the Space Test Bed in this year's or next year's budget, but the hope is that the MDA could start the program up again in 2008. MDA Director, Trey Obering, indicates that there are no firm plans to deploy operational space-based interceptors, but that the potential is being looked into. The Test Bed evaluation will draw upon the knowledge gained from next year's NFIRE experiments.
(Singer, Jeremy. Space News, 4/18/05).
XSS Mission Objective Criticized by Some
The US Air Force indicated that its $80 million XSS-11 satellite, launched on April 11th, will begin conducting close-up inspections of inactive satellites and spent rocket stages in six to eight weeks. Many critics suggest that this new satellite is a prelude to placing weapons in space. The Air Force denies that this program is intended to demonstrate anti-satellite abilities, saying instead that the program is intended to pave the way for on-orbit inspections of satellites. The XSS-11 is the smallest satellite ever built by Lockheed Martin and is designed to conduct experiments for at least one year.
(Singer, Jeremy and Bates, Jason. Space Watch, 4/18/05).
Op-Ed
Op-Ed: Griffin Should Reverse Hubble Decision
In Robert Roy Britt's recent op-ed, he suggested that outgoing NASA chief Sean O'Keefe made one glaringly bad decision: canceling the mission to service the Hubble. According to Britt, scientists and the greater community love the pictures and data that the Hubble provides. Griffin's recent statement that he will reassess the decision made by O'Keefe lends some hope to those wishing to save the Hubble. Above all else, Britt suggests that Griffin should ask himself this question: "If NASA cannot service the greatest telescope of all time, how can the agency truly get back on its feet, inspire the nation, and carry out the vision of returning to the moon and then sending humans to Mars?" Britt suggests that a bold and noble effort by NASA is needed to get the agency back to where it used to be.
(Britt, Robert Roy. http://www.space.com/news/050418_hubble_op-ed.html, 4/18/05).
Op-Ed: Ranking Our Space Policy Alternatives
In his recent op-ed, Sam Dinkin contends that he is a strong supporter of space access, and he put together a list of policy options that he would recommend for space policy decision-makers. First he wants the US to encourage foreign nations (China and Russia) to sell their launches at marginal costs instead of just for ‘government launches.' He also wants to subsidize the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle manufacturers on a per-launch basis instead of a flat fee. Next he suggests that the US should help to establish international cooperation, with a threat of unilateral action by a certain date, to establish a lunar property rights regime. He would like to encourage insurance reform, introduce a broad-based subsidy per pound of payload delivered to orbit, subsidize tracking costs, and to start backing away from and renegotiating treaties that limit weapons in space.
(Dinkin, Sam. http://www.thespacereview.com/article/358/1, 4/18/05).
Credits
Compiled by Chad Kreikemeier
Edited by Suzanne Vogel
Space Watch
Week of April 25 - April 29, 2005
Welcome to Space Watch. This is a weekly update compiled by The Eisenhower Institute of the most significant news items in civil, military and commercial space.
If you are interested in receiving a weekly email update version of Space Watch, please send an email to spacewatch@eisenhowerinstitute.org with the word "subscribe" in the subject line. Space Watch will be sent out every Friday.
Civil Space
NASA Officials Deny Loosening Safety Standards
In response to a recent New York Times article, NASA officials have denied that they have loosened safety standards in order to return the shuttle mission to flight. The Times had reported that documents by NASA engineers show at least three areas where major changes in assessing risks occurred. According to one source, one of the presentations said that lesser standards must be used to support accepting the risks of flight "because we cannot meet" the traditional standards. NASA officials have claimed that although engineers had disagreed as to the best ways of mathematically testing safety standards, that each of them ultimately agreed as to the acceptable risk levels.
(Sentinel Staff Writer, http://www.orlandosentinel./space/orl-asecnasa2s&ctrack=1&cset=true, 4/23/05).
ISS Crew Back On Earth, According to Plan
The Expedition 10 Crew of Salizhan Sharipov, a Russian cosmonaut, and Leroy Chaio, his U.S. partner, are back on earth after a successful landing of the Russian Soyuz spacecraft on Monday. The crew made its return from the International Space Station where they had spent 193 days in orbit. Returning with the crew was Italy's Roberto Vittori, who had spent 10 days on board the ISS on a scientific mission. Vittori reportedly conducted 22 experiments on board including tests on astronaut fatigue, durability of microsatellite components, and various other tests. The capsule made a soft landing in darkness near the town of Arkalyk at 2:08 am. Accompanied by two Mi-6 helicopters, everything reportedly went according to plan. The Russian cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev and John Phillips, an American, have replaced the Expedition 10 Crew onboard the space station.
(AFP, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/iss-05zv.html, 4/25/05).
Griffin's First Press Conference Lays Out Tough Choices
In Michael Griffin's first press conference as NASA new Administrator, he outlines some of the tough choices that face the agency as it begins to turn towards the new exploration vision outlined by President Bush. Here are a few excerpts from his press conference: On the upcoming shuttle launch decision: "..if we've got a close call or a tie vote, I decide. But I'm hoping that it's not a close call, it's not a tie, it's an obvious decision." On aeronautics' future: "I am one of those who believe that the nation...needs an aeronautics policy," though "it is not as high a priority as returning NASA to a path on which space exploration is prominently featured." On the ISS and the Iran Non-proliferation Act: "The fact [of restrictions] have eluded no one. There is an interagency group that is examining the issue and putting together alternatives to be considered on the Hill."
(Berger, Brian. Space Watch, 4/25/05).
DART Spacecraft Hits Target Satellite
NASA's Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART) apparently hit the spacecraft that it was designed to approach on April 16th. NASA is reporting that neither spacecraft was damaged. The target spacecraft (an experimental military communications satellite, MUBLCOM) is reportedly orbiting at a higher level than it was prior to the collision (between 5.5 and 9.25 kilometers higher). The DART spacecraft was intended to maneuver within five meters of the MUBLCOM spacecraft, back away, and re-approach the satellite before "retiring." The DART mishap could have occurred due to the system running out of nitrogen propellant. Officials have indicated that after contact, the DART program successfully completed its retirement phase.
(Young, Kelly. http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn7303, 4/25/05).
Senator Hutchison to Propose Making ISS a National Lab
The chair of a subcommittee that oversees NASA, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, is pushing a plan to make the International Space Station a national laboratory, which would be responsible for cutting edge research. Hutchison offered the idea last week at a Senate Commerce hearing. The goal would be to create a program not unlike Livermore or Sandia national labs, which are currently performing research in support of the nation's interests. Her approach is contrary to the approach being pushed by the Bush administration. She submits that the facility is "capable of doing much more for our nation- and for the world."
(Clark, Colin. Space News, 4/25/05).
Russian Space Agency to Replenish Satellite Fleet
According to Anatoly Perminov, the Russian Space Agency's director-general, Roskosmos is planning on replacing its satellite-based communications, navigation and Earth observation systems with newer upgrades. Under the new program, which may roughly cost $7.5 billion to implement, Russia is expected to launch nearly 26 spacecraft next year alone. The goal of replenishing their aged fleet of satellites also calls for a refurbishing of the ISS and the Russian run Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Russia has nearly 99 satellites currently operating in orbit.
(Saradzhyan, Simon, Space News, 4/25/05).
ESA Unveils its Own Space Plans
European space scientists recently began to lay out their plans for future space exploration. The broad blueprint forecasting the years from 2015 to 2025 lays out a series of goals including visits to the outer solar system, landings on near-Earth objects, and a search for conditions that might support life on other worlds. The real question for ESA is about funding from the 25-nation European Union. Even if ESA's current science budget of $470 million does not increase over the next several decades, ESA Science Director David Southwood thinks that the blueprint's goals can still be carried out. The lack of certainty regarding future funding, however, cannot stagnate the present push for exploration, according to officials. For a space-science mission to be launched by 2015, designs would have to begin by 2007.
(de Selding, Peter. http://space.com/spacenews/businessmonday_050425.html
Europe Prepares Its Own Exploration Blueprint, 4/25/05).
Japanese Astronaut to Become a National Hero
When the Discovery space shuttle takes off on its Return to Flight mission, Soichi Noguchi will become a Japanese national hero. He will be the sixth Japanese astronaut to go into space. He is already getting celebrity treatment as more than 70 Japanese journalists came to Houston this week to interview him. The achievement will be important for Japan, whose space-faring ambitions include future manned trips to the moon.
(Peterson, Patrick. http://www.flatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050426/NEWS02/504260338/1007, 4/26/05).
Sea Launch Successfully Launches Space-way Satellite
A Space-way heavy TV broadcasting satellite was successfully launched from a floating platform on the Pacific Ocean yesterday. The Sea Launch Zenit 3SL launch vehicle successfully inserted the Space-way 1 satellite into GEO orbit. The satellite, a Boeing 702, weighs nearly 6,000 kilograms, making it the heaviest commercial communications satellite ever launched. It will be used by DirecTV in order to provide local HD television programming. A second Space-way satellite is scheduled to be launched later this year on board an Ariane 5 launch vehicle.
(Mosnews, http://www.mosnews.com/news/2005/04/26/seelaunch.shtml, 4/26/05).
Russia to Send German Into Space
Roskosmos, the Russian State space agency, and the European Space Agency have signed an agreement to allow a German astronaut, Thomas Reiter, to fly to the International Space Station in July, 2005. He will join the 11th Expedition Crew that currently occupies the ISS, and he will be scheduled to leave when the 12th crew arrives. Reiter is expected to help carry out scientific research and technical duties on board the station. This is not his first assignment in space, however. In 1995, he worked on board at Mir for 179 days.
(MosNews, http://www.mosnews.com/news/2005/04/27/thomasreiter.shtml, 4/27/05).
Japan to Make Space a Top Priority
In response to the recent, successfully launched Chinese manned space rocket, Japan has begun to make space advancement a top priority for its government. Keiji Tachikawa, head of the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency has indicated that Japan is experimenting with a new hypersonic vehicle with the cruising speed of March 5. He hopes that this could be developed in the next 20 years despite a severe budget decline since 1999. Japan is not precluding the use of cooperation in space development, however. Tachikawa says that Japan should find ways of cooperating with the various other Asian countries.
(UPI, http://www.sciencedaily.com/upi/-bc-japan-space.xml, 4/27/05).
Shuttle Launch Delayed Again
According to NASA sources, the agency is planning on yet again delaying the launch of the shuttle Discovery, this time by nearly two months. It says that it needs time to ensure that the fuel tank does not shed dangerous pieces of ice at liftoff. The earliest the shuttle might take off now has been pushed from late May back into early to mid-July. NASA's new administrator, Michael Griffin, relayed the bad news at a televised news conference suggesting that the delay is the result of new launch-debris reviews. Saying that "we are not going to rush to flight, and we want to be right," Griffin offers that the agency is doing everything that it can to make sure the shuttle is as safe as possible. The launch window in July lasts from July 13th until July 31st. If it does not fly, the next window would not come until September.
(The Associated Press, MSNBC News, http://www.eisenhowerinstitute..msnbc.com/id/7668159/print/1/displaymode/1098, 4/29/05).
Commercial
Rutan Describes Two Scenarios and Two Concerns
In Burt Rutan's recent testimony before a House of Representatives Science committee, he describes two scenarios for "personal space flight" and two concerns regarding the same. Rutan's first scenario involved using lower-cost versions of classic boosters and spacecraft in order to direct personal spaceflight. The goal here would be to enter as many passengers a year to partake in the experience at ever-decreasing costs. Rutan, however, finds this method unappealing and instead calls for a scenario where the major players seek to quell the dangers of space flight instead of seeking extensive improvements in affordability. Rutan also warned against extensive licensing regulations from the FAA's Office of Commercial Space Transportation and the excessively prohibitive ITAR export regulations. Both are major concerns to a developing personal space flight industry.
(Foust, Jeff. http://www.thespacereview.com/article/362/1, 4/25/05).
Space Insurance Underwriters Found to Be in Violation of ITAR
According to several U.S. and European officials, the recent on-going legal dispute between Echostar Communications and the world's major space-insurance underwriters have uncovered multiple violations of ITAR regulations by insurance company underwriters. The U.S. State Department has long held that insurance companies have been the weakest link in the current satellite export regulations and may choose to make an example of the EchoStar case in order to spur other insurance companies to more closely abide by ITAR rules and regulations. The two branches of the U.S. government that directly deal with these export controls are the State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) and the U.S. Defense Department's Defense Technology Security Administration. According to rules established by these departments, satellites are considered weapons under export rules and are subject to strict controls.
(de Selding, Peter. Space News, 4/25/05).
Military Space
Air Force Seeking Partially Reusable Rocket
The U.S. Air Force has begun to make plans to develop partially reusable rockets that could quickly and cheaply launch small satellites. The hope is that they can develop a launch system that reduces costs by 2/3, can launch on two days' notice, and will be available for use by 2018. The Air Force is projecting to spend nearly $250 million on the Affordable Responsive Spacelift (ARES) system, to be demonstrated in 2010. The system will reportedly launch satellites at nearly 1/3 to 1/6 the cost of today's rockets. The ARES system will have a reusable first stage vehicle which would return to earth and land like a conventional aircraft.
(Singer, Jeremy. Space News, 4/25/05).
U.S. Air Force to Buy New High-Altitude Vehicles
The United States Air Force is looking into establishing a program by 2008 which would provide for high-altitude atmospheric vehicles that could provide satellite-like services. One such vehicle for these satellite services is a balloon-mounted communications relay that could dramatically expand the range of communications on the ground without sending up expensive and time-consuming satellite resources. A prototype of the balloon vehicle, called Combat SkySat, was demonstrated in mid-March of this year.
(Singer, Jeremy. Space Watch, 4/25/05).
US Demonstrates Micro-Thrusters
The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has reportedly begun demonstrating miniscule thrusters capable of pushing mini spacecraft. These tests have been done in the past, but DARPA claims to have increased the efficiency of the tiny thrusters by nearly 50 to 100 times. The thrusters, developed by Amish Desai of Tanner Research in Pasadena, have achieved the highest known level of thrust per unit of propellant of any mini thrusters ever designed. The innovation uses a black powder propellant and an aluminum structure. DARPA hopes to one day use the tiny thrusters on guided munitions, small satellites, and small air vehicles.
(UPI, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/rocketscience-05x.html, 4/25/05).
Russia Claims US Ready to Deploy Orbital Missile Interceptors
Russian officials reportedly are expecting the United States to deploy orbital space weapons. They have been particularly critical of Lt. Gen. Henry Obering, the director of the US Missile Defense Agency, who has outwardly stated that new global threats highlight the need to create space-based defensive systems. A leading research associate at the World Economy and International Relations Institute, Vladimir Belous, stated that deploying space-based anti-ballistic missile systems "will reduce the threshold of global military danger" and that "an arms race will begin in space." A leading Russian authority on strategic arms, Alexei Arbatov, suggests that Russia should try to convince the United States that various accords and international law restrictions would better protect its space assets than the deployment of anti-satellite weapons.
(Ria Novosti, http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20050426/39745041.html, 4/26/05).
India to Prepare for Star Wars
India's Air Chief S.P. Tyagi is reportedly trying to convince his government to prepare for future wars in space by setting up an Indian Strategic Aerospace Command. Tyagi is convinced that space-faring nations have already begun to involve themselves in orbiting offensive space weapons and that the Indian government should begin to develop capabilities to degrade these weapons. Tyagi also describes his country's nuclear strategic policy as a "no-first-use" policy designed as a retaliatory device for anyone choosing to strike India.
(Chennai Online, http://www.=%7BA5D72B41-8CBB-onal, 4/26/05).
Op-Ed
Op-Ed: Don't Wait for Cheap Orbital Access
In Sam Dinkin's recent op-ed, he begins by suggesting that the nation's Interstate Highway System, initiated by President Eisenhower, would never have succeeded had the government not have helped subsidize its construction. Comparing the highway system to the future space development system, Dinkin proposes a ten year, $150 billion federal subsidy to help bootstrap space development. Suggesting that the subsidy would help boost the private space enterprise, Dinkin suggest that all the industry needs is a "consistent high demand pumped by an initial subsidy."
(Dinkin, Sam. http://www.thespacereview.com/article/361/1, 4/25/05).
Credits
Compiled by Chad Kreikemeier
Edited by Suzanne Vogel