November 2004

Space Watch
Week of November 1 - 5, 2004

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 Launches Express-AM-1 Satellite
On October 30, 2004 Russia launched a new communication satellite called the Express-AM-1. The new satellite is a multi-media tool designed to relay television and radio broadcasts, handle phone calls and data flows, provide internet access and help expand VSAT networks. The Express-AM-1, which was built by Russian, Japanese, German, and French enterprises, has a 12-year service life.
(http://en.rian.ru/rian/index.cfm?prd_id=160&msg_id=5029624&startrow=1&date=2004-10-30&do_alert=0, 10/30/04)

Northrop-Boeing and Lockheed Fight For CEV Contract
The Boeing Company decided to team up with Northrop Grumman Space Technology against Lockheed Martin Corp. to compete for a contract to build the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV). NASA had initially thought there would be three bidders to build the CEV, a proposed space shuttle replacement, but now with the Northrop-Boeing team the bidders are down to two. The agreement between the two companies is being finalized and a public announcement has yet to be made. NASA hopes to open up the bid in early 2005 and have at least two companies under contract by the end of the year. The contract to build the CEV will be awarded after a planned flight demonstration in 2008. (SpaceNews, 11/1/04)

Development of Japanese Communications System Hindered By Intergovernmental Disputes
The Quasi Zenith Satellite System (QZSS) is still held up by disputes between four Japanese government ministries. None of the four ministries connected to QZSS -Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology; Land, Infrastructure and Transport; Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications; and Economy Trade and Industry - want to run the project once it is deployed for fear that such a commitment would cut funding to their other space programs. The industry consortium has refused to commit to its 5 billion-yen ($47 million) contract to begin designing the system until the four-ministry deadlock is over. QZSS is a satellite system that would provide enhanced GPS signals and other communication services. Many fear if the project fails, it could hinder or even stop future public-private space endeavors. So far the consortium of Mitsubishi Electric Corp., Hitachi Ltd., NEC Toshiba Space Systems Co. Ltd. and Toyota Motors Corp. has held together. The four ministries will get together on December 31 to try and break the six-month stalemate. (Paul Kallender, SpaceNews, 11/1/04)

Missile Defense Could Be Harmful To Public Health And The Environment
The US Missile Defense Agency recently published a copy of its analysis on the impact Ground Based Midcourse Defense System (GBMDS) would have on the environment. Many are concerned that the missile defense system, which is set to begin operations later this year in Greely, Alaska and Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, could harm the environment and other US satellites. Jonathan Parfrey, executive director of the California chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility, said that the report did not adequately address the health risks of perchlorate, which is used in missile interceptors and target vehicles. Perchlorate can cause ozone depletion and contamination of water supplies and soil. Physicians for Social Responsibility, along with the Union of Concerned Scientists, were also concerned that the report underestimated the threat of debris created by space-based missile interceptors on US satellites. Baker Spring, a senior defense analyst at the Heritage Foundation, stated that the environmental impact of a successful ballistic missile attack however, would be much greater than any environmental damage caused by a missile defense system. The Missile Defense Agency has been conducting public hearings on the report since mid-October in various cities. If a group chooses to sue, the Pentagon will be forced to re-evaluate the environmental impact of a missile defense system, otherwise the GBMDS can begin operating without the completion of the study. (Jeremy Singer, SpaceNews, 11/1/04)

NASA's Swift to Study the Black Hole and Gamma Rays
NASA's Swift spacecraft is set to study the black hole and gamma-rays bursts (GRBs). The Swift's mission is to extensively examine the black hole - GRBs connection. The Swift is a satellite with three telescopes designed to observe the very quick GRBs. The three telescopes will rotate and collect data during the bursts and for weeks after the bursts. The Swift will launch in November 2004 aboard a Delta II rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. NASA, the Italian Space Agency and the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council in the United Kingdom will sponsor the Swift mission.
(Donald Savage and Nancy Neal, http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2004/nov/HQ_04360_swift_prelaunch.html, 11/1/04)

China Announces 2005 Plans for Space Exploration
The China Aerospace Science and Technology (CAST) group announced its plans to send two astronauts into space for five days in 2005. The Shenzhou-VI spacecraft will be launched with two astronauts for undetermined space experiments. CAST highlighted the design and construction of the Shenzhou-VI as lighter with improved technology to reduce energy consumption and provide more reliability and security. The China National Space Administration also announced its plan to launch the Chang'e-I satellite in 2006 for lunar exploration.
(Zhao Huanxinjjii, http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-11/01/content_2162450.htm, 11/1/04)

Russian Space Chief To Discuss GLONASS
Anatoly Perminov will be discussing the GLONASS satellite navigation system on his current trip to the Krasnoyarsk Territory. The GLONASS satellites, which are made at the Reshetney Applied Mechanics Research and Industrial Association in Zheleznogorsk, are to be upgraded under the Global Navigation System program. GLONASS-M, the latest in the series, was launched on December 10, 2003. The satellites provide navigation information and data on locations and speeds of aircrafts, ships and ground vehicles to both military and civilian users anywhere on Earth or in space. (http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=1413116&PageNum=1, 11/2/04)

Policy Makers Favoring Space Experiments Win Re-election
Except for one, all of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives space-related committee members seeking re-election won. Rep. Nick Lampson (D-Tex), the ranking minority member of the space subcommittee of the House Science Committee lost his re-election bid. Many of the re-elected officials are prominent supporters of space exploration.
(http://www.spacetoday.net/Summary/2624, 11/3/04)

After First Mars Experiment Fails, the British Propose A Second
British scientists proposed a new mission, titled, "Beagle 2: Evolution" to explore Mars. This proposal, which follows a 2003 failed mission that sent the Beagle 2 space probe to land on Mars, would entail two identical spacecrafts to land on Mars in 2009. The British have been investigating the failed mission, and have been making adjustments to the design of new space probes and crafts. After the failure of the first Beagle 2 mission, the European Space Agency (ESA) remains skeptical of this proposal. The British are lobbying the ESA to accept the proposal as part of the 2009 space exploration program. (http://www.spacedaily.com/news/beagle2-04n.html, 11/3/04)

Chinese Design New Space Outfits
The Chinese have designed lighter and removable space suits for their astronauts of the Shenzhou VI space mission planned for September 2005. The new outfits are made up of a space suit, helmet, gloves and space boots. In addition to the newly designed outfits, the astronauts will have 50 kinds of food and a space toilet aboard the spacecraft. China has not released the costs for the Shenzhou VI mission.
(http://www.spacedaily.com/news/china-04zzz.html,11/4/04)

Launch of NASA's X-43A Has Been Pushed Forward
Due to ominous weather and scheduling conflicts, the final X-43A mission was delayed until least November 15, 2004. The launch of the hypersonic research aircraft will occur at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. Once in the air, the X-43A will use its innovative supersonic ramjet engine to hopefully reach Mach 10 speeds (roughly 6,800 mph). After the mission it is expected that the 50 year old B-52B rocket booster that the X-43A uses will be retired. (http://www.spacedaily.com/news/rocketscience-04zn.html, 11/05/04)

Jupiter Experiences Triple Eclipse
New images taken by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope shows the rare alignment of its three moons: lo, Ganymede and Callisto. Two of the three moons and three colorful shadows are revealed in the image as they cross Jupiter's surface. The reason the moon's shadows appear different colors is because the near-infrared cameras only detect the certain wavelengths, which the methane gas in Jupiter's atmosphere omits. Such an event is only expected to occur roughly once or twice a decade due to the varying orbital rates of the three moons. (http://www.spacedaily.com/news/jupiter-moons-04d.html, 11/05/04)

Commercial Space

Landsat 7 Technical Malfunctions Still Felt By Many
The Landsat 7 satellite has been suffering from a permanent glitch since May 2003. The glitch has caused gaps in the satellite's land remote sensing data, costing heavy users millions in lost revenue. These heavy users of Landsat imagery have yet to find an adequate replacement. Landsat-5, which has been collecting data for 20 years, is beginning to lose capacity. The Landsat 7 gap has cost Earth Satellite Corp. (EarthSat) millions of dollars, causing them to halt many projects due to the higher costs of collecting raw data. Government users have also had to increase spending by millions to cover the costs of other sources of data. The gap, however, has created a new industry for commercial satellite imagery providers. Companies like Space Imaging and Spot Image Corp. are hoping to take advantage of the gap and become a permanent replacement for commercial organizations and government civil agencies that heavily rely on Landsat 7 imaging. (Jason Bates, SpaceNews, 11/1/04)

Russia May Allow Space Privatization
The head of the Russian Federal Space Agency, Anatoly Perminov, mentioned that private aerospace companies could soon develop in Russia. Perminov highlighted that there is growing interest from private companies to invest and that he supports the addition of private companies to the space exploration field. (http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=1416765&PageNum=1,11/2/04)

Britain's Beagle 2 Failure Due To Possible Lack Of Money And Behind The Scenes Tension
British MPs stated that buying the Beagle 2 Mars Lander "on the cheap" (£50 million), along with European Space Agency (ESA) disputes may have led to its ultimate failure. The head of the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee, Dr. Ian Gibson, stated that some people at the ESA were probably happy that the Mars mission failed. Previous reports highlighted technical reasons for Beagle 2's failure, but Dr. Gibson's recent report was the first time the tensions between his committee and ESA were ever mentioned. A Beagle 3 may be in the works, if management problems can be solved. (Roger Highfield, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/11/02/nbeag02.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/11/02/ixhome.html, 11/2/04)

New Satellite Network Launched over Africa
iDirect Technologies and Netcom Africa have announced their plans to create a new satellite network over Africa that will support both C and KU bands. Although satellite networks have been available over Africa for years, this new network will enhance internet access and auto tracking substantially. By deploying an iDirect 5I Hub Chassis satellite, Netcom hopes to meet Africa's growing demand for fast broadband services. President and CEO of iDirect Technologies stated that he hopes, "This partnership with Netcom Africa will mean convenient affordable broadband access for costumers throughout Africa." (http://www.spacedaily.com/news/internet-04zzzzf.html, 11/05/04)

Cornell University Receives Full Control Over Mar's Rovers
The operational control of Mars' two rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, has finally been completely relocated from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena California to the fourth floor of Cornell's Space Science Building in upstate New York. The completion of this move signifies the success of these two rovers. The original plan was for the rovers to crawl around Mars' surface for 90 days searching for evidence of past water presence, but Friday marks the 279th day for the Opportunity and the 301st day for the Spirit. These durable six wheeled, image collecting rovers have surpassed all expectations and NASA has had to extend their 280 million dollar mission twice. (William Kates, http://www.space.com/news/rovers_cornell_041105.html, 11/05/04)

 

 

Military Space

Teets Decides To Keep EHF Satellites At Three
On October 22, Air Force Undersecretary Peter B. Teets decided not to purchase a fourth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (EHF) secure communications satellite. Early next decade, it is expected that the Advanced EHF will be replaced by the Transformational Satellite (T-Sat) communications system, which will be equipped with laser-optical links for super-high capacity. The fist Advanced EHF satellite is set for launch in 2007 and the first T-Sat in 2012. House and Senate members are not expected to be happy with the decision to skip a fourth EHF satellite. Congress did not pass the Air Force's T-Sat requirement in the 2005 defense-spending bill because members want the Air Force to be more cautious. This would entail buying a fourth Advanced EHF satellite, instead of quickly attempting to build a challenging program, the T-Sat. The Air Force would rather not buy a fourth satellite, since it would cut funding for the T-Sat system. The T-Sat satellite is said to have ten times the capacity of the Advanced EHF satellites. Currently Lockheed Martin and Boeing are competing to gain the contract to build T-Sats. (Jeremy Singer, SpaceNews, 11/1/04)

France Considering Bush Proposal To Extend Missile-Defense Umbrella To Europe
Dominique Klein, deputy to the director of the strategic affairs delegation at the France Defense Ministry, stated that France might be willing to accept the November 2002 proposal from President Bush to extend the US missile defense system to NATO countries, only if US authorities agree to share responsibility for defenses operated in Europe and reaffirm that France nuclear forces remain the most important deterrent. France, unlike most NATO governments, agrees with the US that there is a significant threat of a missile strike. If NATO governments were to accept the proposal, installation and maintenance of tracking stations and missile defense launch sites would take place in Europe. Klein expressed his concern however that the system, which is meant to protect citizens, could also harm them if debris from a missile fell to the ground. Klein stated, "Europeans could accept the idea that several hundred Europeans would die from debris from a missile shot down over Europe and that this could save the lives of thousands, maybe tens of thousands, of Americans. But the decision to trigger such an event cannot be made only by people at Cheyenne Mountain. There needs to be a common decision-making policy here." US authorities will have to take these European concerns about safety and cooperation into consideration if they want the proposal to pass NATO. (Peter B. de Selding, SpaceNews, 11/1/04)

Troops Encouraged To Contribute To Future Satellite and Ground Equipment Designs
Michael Shexnayder, deputy to the commander of Army Space and Missile Command for research, development and acquisition, stated that US troops need to speak up about their needs regarding satellites and related ground equipment. These concerns can then be taken into account for future hardware designs. New systems are usually created by technology developers for the use of troops during battles. But, as Shexnayder pointed out during an Oct. 25 panel discussion, if troops share their ideas with technology developers from the start the new systems would be that much more beneficial. (SpaceNews, 11/1/04)

Air Force Deploys Enemy Jam System
The US Air Force cleverly deployed a new space weapon without much notice. The Counter Communications System, which temporarily jams enemy satellites during times of conflict, was declared operational late last month at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The ground-based jammers use electromagnetic radio frequency energy to temporarily knock out enemy transmissions. After some time the enemy transmissions will return to its working stage. This "reversible effect" makes it so enemy communications are temporarily down during times of conflict, but not permanently destroyed. The Counter Communications System is one of four steps laid out in 1996 for the US to gain total control of space. (http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/11/01/satellite.jamming.reut/index.html, 11/1/04)

 

Credits

Compiled by Kavitha Giridhar, Priscilla Wong and Sarah Antos
Edited by Suzanne Vogel

 

Space Watch
Week of November 8-12, 2004

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

More Repairs Planned for Hubble
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center announced its plans to add another task to the robotic mission to repair and refurbish the Hubble Space Telescope. The task will be to replace one of three Fine Guidance Sensors on the telescope. Since the sensor to be replaced is the youngest of the three, NASA engineers were not anticipating this repair. However, according to a Hubble program manager, the light emitting diode inside the Fine Guidance Sensor 2R is apparently wearing out faster than expected. NASA does not expect any problems with the planned repair and refurnish robotic mission. (Space News, 11/8/04)

Computer Chip Defect Affects U.S. Space Programs
An Actel Corporation's field programmable gate array (FPGA), which is a programmable chip containing hundreds of thousands of elements that can be tailored to a customer's needs, has caused disruptions in both civilian and military programs. According to Actel, its space-qualified RTSX-S, the defective FPGA, has a problem with its programming algorithm which causes a disruption in a single router. The RSTX-S has been used on the following NASA missions: the twin Mars Rovers, the Messenger mission to Mercury, and the Swift gamma-ray burst satellite. NASA has formed an investigative team to assess all the programs and missions that could possibly be affected by the RSTX-S. NASA mentioned that several of its contractors using the RSTX-S experienced problems. The U.S. National Reconnaissance Office also announced that it suffered problems from the RSTX-S, but declined to provide specific details. Actel noted that there are a small percentage of defective RSTX-S devices, and that it appears to be clustered in certain programs. Actel has developed a new programming algorithm to reduce the failure rate of the RSTX-S devices already delivered and used by customers. The company is also developing another algorithm to completely eliminate the defect. (Jason Bates, Space News, 11/8/04)

The Soyuz-2Rocket Successfully Launched
Russian space officials announced the successful launch of the Russian made Soyuz-2 rocket from the Plesetsk Space Center. The Soyuz-2 was designed to launch manned spacecraft, and military and commercial satellites into orbit. (http://www.spacedaily.com/news/launchers-04zzh.html,11/8/04).

ISS Crew Submits Research Paper
The journal Radiology published online the first medical research paper submitted by the International Space Station (ISS). The crew conducted part of the Advanced Diagnostic Ultrasound in Microgravity (ADUM) experiment on the ISS. The ADUM experiment seeks to determine the accuracy of ultrasound in unusual conditions, to assess the feasibility of ultrasound for monitoring in-flight musculoskeletal changes, and to determine better training methods. The ISS crew took the first ultrasound examination of the shoulder in microgravity conditions and reported the results in the research paper. Astronauts experience muscle, bone, and tendon loss after prolonged amounts of time in microgravity conditions. The report findings indicate that optimal training with ultrasound equipment will help astronauts perform proper diagnostic ultrasound exams in space.
(http://www.spacedaily.com/news/spacemedicine-04zzu.html,11/9/04)

China Plans Unmanned Mission to the Moon
China space officials announced plans to launch the Chang'e-I satellite in 2007 to orbit the moon, then land on the moon by 2012. According to space officials, the Chinese Lunar Exploration program will focus on unmanned probing. The Chinese Lunar Exploration program is comprised of three stages. In the first stage, the Chinese will focus on orbiting the moon between 2004-2007. From 2005-2012, the Chinese will attempt to land an unmanned vehicle or "moon rover" on the moon to explore and observe the surface for the second stage. The third stage, which is expected to occur sometime between 2010-2017, entails a vehicle landing on the moon to collect soil samples.
(http://www.spacedaily.com/news/lunar-04zu.html,11/9/04)

India Interested In Working on Galileo Satellite Project
Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh publicly mentioned India's interest in collaborating with the European Union (EU) and the European Space Agency on the Galileo Satellite Navigation Project. India and the EU have had preliminary discussions on the issue, and are expected to have more discussions in the near future. The Galileo satellite is expected to enhance the worldwide GPS system. Singh also noted that India is willing to invest in the project without hesitation.
(http://www.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=52012&cat=World, 11/9/04)

Russia and Ukraine's New Satellite Will Study Earth
Next month, the Russian-Ukraine space exploration program is going to launch the newly renovated observation satellite, Sich-1m. This launching signifies a growing bond between the two countries' space agencies. It is becoming increasingly common for communication satellites to be launched with a Ukrainian booster (the Dnepr rocket), at Russia's Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. (http://www.spacedaily.com/news/eo-04zzzzzo.html, 11/9/04)

China and UK's New Satellites Will Help Study Earth
China's Ministry of Science and Technology has recently announced its dedication toward establishing satellites that will observe earth in conjunction with the United Kingdom. The new high-resolution satellites will hopefully provide scientists with information regarding meteorology and natural resources. A database will then be created to store and analyze information. Areas of particular interest will be the Indian Ocean and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Chinese and British Scientists hope to gain a better understanding of global climate change, water resources, and the extent of human impact on land. (http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-11/09/content_2193009.htm, 11/9/04)

Expansion of Brazil's rocket base will displace 200 people
Brazil's spaceport, Alcantara, is tucked behind a fishing village in the depths of the Amazon jungle. New plans to expand Alcantara will regrettably displace an expected 200 people. Human rights activists are up in arms over the displacement. When Alcantara was originally constructed in 1985, the military government displaced roughly 300 people and failed to follow through with promises of compensation. But government officials insist that this time will be different, and they argue that the expansion of the base is essential in order to meet the needs of the international space community. Over the past few years, Russia, China, the US, and Ukraine have all showed interest in launching rockets and satellites from Brazil's tropical Alcantara site. (Steve Kingstone, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3985229.stm,11/9/04)

Japanese Space Agency Sees New Leadership
The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has informed the public of its president's resignation, 5 days after he resigned. The former JAXA president, Shuichiro Yamanouchi simply cited "physical reasons" for his departure, and welcomed the new president, Keiji Tachikawa, former senior vice president at the telecommunications company, NTT DoCoMo. The outgoing Yamanouchi has been leading JAXA since its inception in October 2003, and his job will officially end November 15, 2004. (http://www.spacetoday.net/Summary/2639, 11/10/04)

NASA hopes X-43A Will Travel at 10 Times the Speed of Sound
Next week NASA plans to send the X-43A scramjet aircraft 110,000 feet into the air at record-breaking speeds. The flight will last only about 10 seconds, but in that time period the aircraft is expected to reach speeds close to Mach 10 (roughly 7,200 mph). Propelled by a scramjet engine, the X-43A, does not have to carry oxygen for combustion like most rockets. Instead the X-43A uses the oxygen from the air. The X-43A is the third and last attempt by NASA's $250 million Hyper-X program that has been striving since 2001 to break speed records with scramjets aircrafts (Guy Gugliotta, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38020-2004Nov9.html, 11/10/04)

Space Probe Reveals Possible Ice Volcano on Titan
Whether water exists beyond the earth's atmosphere has intrigued scientists for decades. Thursday, images sent back by the European-American Cassini-Huygens space probe suggests that there is ice on Saturn's moon, Titan. The images reveal that the surface of Titan has been scarred by erosion caused be an ice volcano. The image covered roughly 89 square miles of Titan's surface and was taken from 1,550 miles away. Closer and clearer images taken in the future will hopefully be able to substantiate these recent findings. (http://www.spacedaily.com/2004/041110005954.2xy9bopf.html, 11/11/04)

 

Discovery Rehearsals Begin
Before launching, the Discovery's entire shuttle mission team STS-114 will undergo over 200 hours of flight simulation. During the arduous hours, the flight controllers, astronauts, training instructors, and support engineers will all mimic different segments of the Discovery's Return to Flight to the International Space Station. Planners will then insert problems and assess the entire team's performance. On October 13th the crew is expected to rehearse a docking procedure that will include a rendezvous pitch. The maneuver is similar to a somersault and has never been done before, and will allow the crew to examine the condition of the ISS's thermal protection tiles and wing leading edges. The launching of the Discovery will be NASA's first manned flight since the Columbia accident. (http://www.spacedaily.com/news/rocketscience-04zp.html, 11/11/04)

Russia Commemorates Plesetsk's 10th Anniversary
November 11th marks the 10-year anniversary of Russia's Plesetsk Cosmodrome. Over the past 10 years, Plesetsk has successfully launched 84 carrier rockets and 31 intercontinental ballistic missiles, and orbited 132 spacecrafts. Vostok, Voskhod, Molniya, Suyuz, Cosmos-3M, Tsiklon-3, and Rokot are just a few of the types of carrier rockets launched at Plesetsk. Chief of the Cosmodrome, Lieutenant-General Anatoly Bashlakov, proudly commented "The Plesetsk has become the main launching venue for most spacecraft and testing facility for rocketry. It is here that we plan to develop and perfect the promising Angara missile and space system of a new generation built on the basis of present day Russian techniques and designed to carry the orbiting group over the next decade." (http://en.rian.ru/rian/index.cfm?prd_id=160&msg_id=5076425&startrow=31&date=2004-11-11&do_alert=0, 11/11/04)

RSA Head Will Soon Address the US Congress Regarding ISS's Future
In mid December, the head of the Russian Space Agency (RSA), Anatoly Perminov, is planning speak to the US Congress regarding the future of the International Space Station (ISS). Since the Columbia accident in February, Russia has been the only country able to send crew and supplies up to the ISS. Perminov hopes that he can convince Congress to purchase Russian Progress rockets and Soyuz spaceships that will allow the US to once again join Russia in sending people and supplies to the ISS. (http://en.rian.ru/rian/index.cfm?prd_id=160&msg_id=5077739&startrow=1&date=2004-11-11&do_alert=0, 11/11/04)

European's Smart-1 Heads Toward the Moon Soon
This coming Monday European scientists will launch a very original and experimental type of aircraft to the moon. Moving at just 3 km a second, this "washer machine" sized spacecraft will take an expect 13 months to reach its destination. The aircraft, Smart-1, is going to be propelled by ion drive, or electro chemical propulsion that allows it to carry only a fraction of the fuel most spacecrafts carry. While traveling, the spacecraft will capture images of the lunar surface that will help scientists get a better understanding about how the moon was created. (Tim Radford, http://www.guardian.co.uk/space/article/0,14493,1349165,00.html, 11/12/04)

NASA Hopes Advanced Robot Will Be Able to Service Hubble
In April, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt released a video of a "multi jointed titanium" robot performing the acts of a handyman: twisting, lifting and unscrewing parts of a model of the Hubble Space Telescope. Previously NASA had forecasted retirement for the aging Hubble in the near future, but now scientists hope that the $1 billion Hubble Robotic Vehicle project will provide a 5-year life extension. The robot, aptly named Dextre, will attempt numerous tasks never before tried by a robot in space, such as filling a bag with tools, unscrewing J-hooks and attaching rig jumper cables. By 2007, NASA hopes to introduce Dextre to the Hubble Space Telescope, and begin a month-long repair session. (Guy Gugliotta, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A43778-2004Nov11.html, 11/12/04)

Russia's Cargo Ship Will Push the ISS Upwards
Due to recent magnetic storms, the International Space Station (ISS) has been slipping out of its orbit faster than usual. Typically the ISS, which orbits at an altitude of 400 kilometers, descends on average 150 meters daily, but lately it has been falling almost 300 meters a day. Since receiving its last orbit boost, the ISS has dropped 7 kilometers. In December, Russia plans to send a cargo ship that will not only lift the ISS 4 kilometers, but also deliver Christmas presents to the US and Russian crew members. (http://www.spacedaily.com/2004/041112122521.8yyc6lnp.html, 11/12/04)

 

 

Commercial Space

Next "America's Space Prize" Set
Bigelow Aerospace announced the rules for the next "America's Space Prize" of $50 million. In order to win the contest, a spacecraft capable of taking a crew of no fewer than five people to an altitude of 400 kilometers must be built and complete two orbits of the Earth at that altitude. Then the team will have to repeat the trip within 60 days. On the second trip, the team must complete the orbits with at least five people aboard the spacecraft. The first trip only requires a demonstration that the spacecraft is capable of taking five people. The spacecraft must also demonstrate the ability to dock with Bigelow's inflatable space habitat in orbit for at least six months. The deadline for this contest is Jan. 10, 2010. Bigelow sponsors the contest in order to further the development of space tourism. (Leonard David, Space News, 11/8/04)

Northrop Grumman and Boeing Team Up In Pursuit of NASA Business
NASA's interest in acquiring a Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) and other components of Project Constellation are bringing Northrop Grumman, a defense corporation, and Boeing, the world's largest aerospace company, together in a joint effort. NASA wants to develop an architecture of human and robotic space systems that will allow for travel to and explore the moon, Mars, and the rest of the solar system. A CEV would serve as the primary human transport system in the expected architecture of space systems. The competition to develop the CEV is expected to begin in 2005. Grumman and Boeing will work together to develop a prototype CEV, known as Spiral 1.
(http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/041109/northrop_grumman_boeing_1.html, 11/9/04)

Funding for Orbital Recovery Project is Complete
Thanks to additional financing from the Swedish Space Corporation and SENER of Spain, construction of the ConeXpress Orbital Life Extension Vehicle (CX OLEV) will be made possible. Other key financial supporters in the project are Dutch Space of the Netherlands, and the European Space Agency. All parties involved appear to be pleased with the new consortium and eager to create the innovative CX OLEV. The CX OLEV will hopefully act as a "tugboat" has it guides satellites into their designated orbit. This task will ideally extend the life of satellites by lowering their use of fuel. (http://www.spacedaily.com/news/salvage-04f.html, 11/12/04)

 

 

Military Space

New Global Positioning Satellite Launched
The U.S. Air Force launched a new Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite from Cape Canaveral, FL. The GPS IIR-13 satellite, built by Lockheed Martin, will improve global coverage and enhance the entire performance of the 29 GPS satellites already in orbit. The GPS allows the user to determine precise time and velocity, latitude, longitude and altitude within a few meters. Under contract from the U.S. Air Force, Lockheed Martin is improving the capabilities of eight GPS IIR spacecraft. Lockheed Martin will incorporate two military signals and one civilian signal into each spacecraft, which will improve navigation for military and civilian purposes.
(Steve Tatum, http://www.asd-network.com/NewsPress.asp?ID=1990, 11/6/04)

DIRT Sensors Being Developed by U.S. Army
The U.S. Army is developing Distributed Imaging Radar Technology (DIRT) systems that would be able to collect high-resolution imagery and track moving targets from space. The high-altitude radar DIRT sensors are intended to assist the U.S. armed services in battlefield surveillance and reconnaissance. According to the U.S. Army, DIRT sensors would be able to identify stationary targets and track moving targets throughout the theater in almost real time. DIRT sensors would be mounted on high-altitude platforms for an extended amount of time. Prototype testing may begin in 2007. (Jeremy Singer, Space News, 11/8/04)

Expert Concerned About Plans to Weaponize Space
Physicist Richard Garwin, who is considered a nuclear weapons expert, argues against the U.S. military's proposal to deploy weapons in space. Garwin advocates the creation of an international space treaty to ban weapons and anti-satellite spacecraft. According to Garwin, a treaty would better protect American space assets by discouraging other nations from deploying space weapons, which would be a possible consequence of U.S. space weaponization efforts. Some U.S. military personnel argue that maintaining American space superiority involves both protecting space assets and countering enemies' space assets. Garwin strongly advises that a treaty would be the best way to protect space assets and legitimize the categorization of space weapons and devices.
(Tariq Malik, http://space.com/news/garwin_spaceweapons_041108.html, 11/8/04)

Russia Remains Averse to Deploying Weapons into Outer Space
During the United Nation's General Assembly, Russia announced that they would not be the first country to deploy weapons into outer space, and urged other countries to follow suit. The declaration fueled a resolution by all attendees committing to the prevention of a arms race in outer space. The document was quickly drafted and signed by 167 advocates, a record breaking number. In addition, a Russian-American resolution, stating both countries agreed on "bilateral cuts of strategic nuclear armaments" was signed.(http://en.rian.ru/rian/index.cfm?prd_id=160&msg_id=5077731&startrow=1&date=2004-11-11&do_alert=0, 11/11/04)

Swedish-US Team Successfully Test New GPS Guided Artillery Shell
The US's Raytheon Missile Systems and Sweden's Bofors Exalibur joint team reported last month that their experimental artillery shell performed far above expectations. Launched 20 kilometers from its target, the 155mm artillery shell was guided by a global positioning system, and then landed vertically a mere 11 feet away from its intended location. Such accuracy is attributed not only to GPS, but also a new 155mm light howitzer XM777 gun launcher that used a "tactical propellant charge of modular Artillery Charge System-Four." (http://www.spacedaily.com/news/gps-04zzzzi.html, 11/12/04)

 

Credits

Compiled by Priscilla Wong and Sarah Antos
Edited by Suzanne Vogel

 

Space Watch
Week of November 15-19, 2004

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

Smart-1 in Lunar Orbit
The European Space Agency (ESA) announced that its unmanned probe, the Smart-1, is safely in lunar orbit. This is the ESA's first moon exploration mission. Over the next few weeks, Smart-1 is expected to orbit closer to the moon to gather data on its surface. Smart-1 was specifically designed to observe deep craters on the moon's surface in order to determine if water ice exists. The presence of water ice would bring scientists closer to the possibility of developing a human settlement on the moon.
(http://www.spacedaily.com/2004/041116072202.5nmv9j0p.html, 11/16/04)

New ISS Crew Practicing on Robotic Arm
The new crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS) is undergoing training on the robotic arm. All ISS crews are required to train on the 58-foot robotic arm, which is called Canadarm 2, once landing at the station. This week, NASA astronaut Leroy Chiao positioned the Canadarm so mission control engineers on Earth could observe an outside panel of the ISS. The Canadarm has video cameras mounted on it, which allows video to be transmitted to Earth.
(http://www.spacedaily.com/news/iss-04zzw.html, 11/16/04)

ISRO and CNES to Work Jointly on Megha-Tropiques
On Nov. 12, 2004, ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair and French National Space Centre (CNES) President Yannick d'Escatha signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to work jointly on a satellite mission. The MOU outlines the agreement made between ISRO and CNES to collaborate on the atmospheric satellite to be called Megha-Tropiques. The satellite will investigate the contribution of the water cycle in tropical climate. Three scientific instruments will be a part of the Megha-Tropiques: a multi-frequency Microwave Scanning Radiometer (MADRAS), a multi-channel Microwave Instrument (SAPHIR), and a Multi-channel instrument (SCARAB). The launch is planned between 2008-2009.
(Antariksh Bhavan, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/iss-04zzw.html, 11/16/04)

NASA Wants to Increase Reward Amounts
NASA is lobbying Congress for permission to grant prize awards over $250,000 in the Centennial Challenges program. NASA is hoping that during the current lame-duck session, Congress will approve NASA's request. The Centennial Challenge program is intended to stimulate the industry and breakthroughs of technologies that would be beneficial for NASA's interests.
(Jefferson Morris, http://www.aviationnow.com/avnow/news/channel_aerospacedaily_story.jsp?id=news/PRIZE11164.xml, 11/16/04)

Russia May Offer Tours of Baikonur
Rumors of possible sightseeing tours of the premier Russian space station have been circulating for the last couples of weeks, but not until Wednesday was anything confirmed. Given the growing public interest in the space stations, the Russian Space agency announced that it was considering opening up parts of the space center to sightseeing tours. This announcement has resulted in a surge of proposals submitted by private tour operators, but no contracts or agreements have been finalized.
(http://en.rian.ru/rian/index.cfm?prd_id=160&msg_id=5092658&startrow=11&date=2004-11-16&do_alert=0, 11/16/04)

ISS Receives a Weak Boost
The Russian space freighter, Progress, failed to boost the International Space Station its needed two miles. Instead, the minute boost raised the ISS a mere 0.6 miles. Regardless, Rob Navaias from NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston Texas announced that the boost failure would not hinder the next cargo spacecraft's voyage scheduled to dock December 24.
(http://www.floridatoday.com/!NEWSROOM/spacestoryN1118ISSBRF.htm, 11/17/04)

Battle Continues over NASA's 2005 Budget
The Bush administration sent a letter to Capitol Hill declaring that the President does not agree with either the House's or the Senate's budget for NASA's 2005 fiscal year. Believing NASA to be one of his main concerns, the President wishes to allocate $16.2 billion, and has decided he will not sign the House's significantly lower proposal of $15.1. The President also claims the Senate's $16.4 billion is out of his acceptance range, especially due to $800 million emergency funding the Senate would allow. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson and Barbara Muikulski, who are strong advocates for the additional emergency funding, have not given up hope and are still "actively working with the White House" to make sure NASA receives the funding it needs to continue its "return to flight" program and Hubble Space Telescope refurbishing. (http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/space/2906814, 11/17/04)

Swedes Plan to Study Matter in Gravity Free Environment
Next week the Swedish Space Corp. (SSC) is planning to launch a Maxus 6 rocket into space in an attempt to better understand how gas, liquids, and solids are affected by gravity. The 50-foot long solid fuel rocket will be launched from the remote Esrange launch pad in Northern Sweden. Once launched, the Maxus 6 rocket will go 441 miles into the air, float weightlessly for 12 minutes, then return to earth. While suspended, 8 microgravity experiments, financed by the European Space Agency (ESA), will be conducted. The voyage will enable scientists to view results of experiments that gravity has never tampered with.
(Tom Grandell http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=624&u=/ap/20041118/ap_on_sc/sweden_space_launch&printer=1, 11/18/04)

Satellite Launch Indemnification Bill Will Be Extended
The House and Senate have both unanimously passed a Science and Committee bill (H.R. 5245), which will extend the law that satellite-launching companies must buy private insurance against "damages or deaths sustained by individuals not involved in the launch." The President is expected to sign the bill before it expires December 31, thus extending the bill for the next 5 years. Science Committee Chairman Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY) who is a strong proponent of satellite launchers getting the insurance cover they need to remain competitive introduced the bill. (http://www.house.gov/science/press/108/108-322.htm, 11/19/04)

NASA Takes Small Step Toward Welcoming China's Involvement In Space
China's invitation to and participation in a NASA three-day workshop to discuss the developing US space initiative this week signified how increasingly comfortable the US is becoming with China's endeavors in space. In the past, China's involvement in space has been frowned upon by the US. As a Communist country, China was not allowed to join the World Space Congress 2002 or board the ISS. Now, due in part to China's increasing importance to the US in international affairs, particularly with regard to North Korea, the Bush administration and NASA seem willing to overlook these issues. (http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/space/2908518, 11/19/04)

EU and ESA Talk To Increase Integration in Space Policy
On November 25, a large number of Europeans involved with the space industry are scheduled to meet and discuss ways in which the European Space Agency and the European Union can collaborate and coordinate on space activity. This new ‘Space Council' will be lead by Mrs Edelgard Buhlman, a German and current Chair of the ESA Council at ministerial level, and Mr. Laurens-Jan Brinkhorst, the Dutch current chair of the EU Competitiveness Council. During this historically significant meeting, participants hope to establish an overall European space policy. (http://www.spacedaily.com/news/esa-general-04z.html, 11/19/04)

 

Commercial Space

Oil Company Invests in a Global Seeps Study
The SCS Corporation announced its commission of a Global Seeps Study by Infoterra, a geospatial information European-based company. Infoterra is contracted to provide a complete satellite image based study across 16 million acres. According to SCS officials, the intent of this project is to identify and locate oil seeps. The satellite imaging will provide detailed data and allow for the company to address oil seeps.
(http://www.spacedaily.com/news/eo-04zzzzzs.html, 11/16/04)

Boeing Hopes to Incorporate Supersonic Technology in Future Aviation Models
After the breathtaking success of NASA's Hyper-X (or X-43A) that almost reached speeds of Mach 10 (roughly 7,200 mph), Boeing announced its desire to include some of the X-43A's supersonic technology in future designs. Boeing's R&D team, Phantom Works, helped NASA develop the X-43A's airframe thermal protection, and the flight control and navigation systems. One of the main reasons the X-43A was able to reach such record-breaking speeds was due to its ramjet or scramjet engine. Scramjet engines are air breathing, and do not require oxygen storage for combustion. Scramjet engines also have significantly fewer moving parts, creating a smaller more reliable aircraft. In the future, Boeing hopes to incorporate this successful technology toward space, military, and civil endeavors.
(http://www.asd-network.com/NewsPress.asp?ID=2099, 11/17/04)

Zoo Counts Wildlife from Outer Space
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) at the Bronx Zoo has recently paired up with Digital Globe, the owners of the satellite Quickbird. Orbiting 280 miles above earth, Quickbird has captured such high-resolution images of zoo's grounds, that scientist can detect and identify each animal. In the future, the WCS hopes to use this technique to monitor endangered species and wildlife populations that are difficult to accesses. (http://www.spacedaily.com/news/eo-04zzzzzu.html, 11/18/04)

 

Credits

Compiled by Priscilla Wong and Sarah Antos
Edited by Suzanne Vogel

 

Space Watch
Week of November 29 - December 3, 2004

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

House Approves Space Tourism Bill, Now Waiting for Senate Decision
On November 20, 2004, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Commercial Space Launch Act, which establishes the regulatory framework for private space travel in the U.S. The flight of SpaceShipOne and the rising interest in space tourism propelled Congress to re-evaluate its position on the issue. The bill requires the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of Transportation, and the Secretary of Transportation to develop safety regulations, oversight mechanisms, and liability procedures. The bill is currently awaiting Senate action.
(http://www.spacedaily.com/news/spacetravel-04zzk.html, 11/23/04)

Next ISS Crew Announced
The new International Space Station (ISS) crew set for launch in April 2005 for a six-month mission has been announced. NASA astronaut John Phillips and Russian cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev will take over for the current ISS crew. Both Phillips and Krikalev are experienced space explorers and have been to the ISS before on earlier missions. Krikalev will serve as Station Commander and Phillips will serve as Flight Engineer and ISS Science Officer. They are expected to board the ISS in May 2005, and their mission is titled Expedition 11.
(http://www.spacedaily.com/news/iss-04zzy.html, 11/24/04)

European Space Council Works Toward Common Space Program
On November 25, 2004, the European Space Council met for the first time to lay the foundation for creating a common European space strategy and program. The European Space Council is made up of 27 European countries, which are members of the European Union and/or of the European Space Agency. The first meeting did not include discussion on specific issues, but it provided the opportunity for members to become acquainted with other members and issues. The next two meetings scheduled in 2005 are planned for negotiating, prioritizing, and developing issues regarding space policy and programs.
(http://dbs.cordis.lu/cgi-bin/srchidadb?CALLER=NHP_EN_NEWS&ACTION=D&SESSION=&RCN=EN_RCN_ID:22983, 11/26/04)

Mission to Repair Hubble May be to Costly
NASA's proposal to send two remote-controlled robots to repair the Hubble Space Telescope is estimated at a cost between $1 billion and $2 billion. The estimated costs of the repair mission are causing a stir. Some experts argue that the mission and the Hubble should be terminated. Some experts note that it should be a manned mission and not a robotic one, but NASA argues that it is too dangerous of a mission for astronauts. Others are worried about the failure of the robots, and thus, the large waste of money that would result. NASA must decide soon what to do about the Hubble and how to pay for any costs.
(John Kelly, http://www.floridatoday.com/!NEWSROOM/spacestoryN1128HUBBLE0.htm, 11/27/04)

Analysts View Bush II's Space Plans as Wasteful Spending
At a Brookings Institution forum, two respected budget analysts argued that President George W. Bush's proposal to send astronauts to the Moon and then to Mars is fiscally unsound. Alice Rivlin, a former White House budget director, and Bill Niskanen, the Chairman of the Cato Institute, both see the proposal as a waste of money and believe that the Bush administration will be unable to meet his stated goal to reduce the federal deficit by 50%. The analysts call for the proposal to be cut completely, and that the NASA budget as a whole could be cut further.
(http://www.spacedaily.com/news/nasa-04zs.html, 11/29/04)

U.S. and Ukraine Developing Space Partnership
The Ukraine National Space Agency has been invited by NASA to be a partner in space exploration programs. NASA's invitation to Ukraine is part of the new international partnership program that the agency is developing to strengthen the U.S. space agenda. Ukraine has been asked to collaborate on a new international space strategy.
(http://www.spacedaily.com/news/spacetravel-04zzm.html, 11/29/04)

The Future of Russian Space Programs Announced
For Fiscal Year 2005, it is estimated that the Russian space budget will increase about 133% from the 2004 level. A majority of the budget allocation will fund the International Space Station program, but other programs are likely to get a boost in funding and resources. For instance, the Radioastron project, which attempts to launch a radio-telescope into orbit by 2006, has been given priority by the Russian space officials. There are several other space programs that will likely benefit from the increase in budget allocations.
(Yury Zaitsev, http://en.rian.ru/rian/index.cfm?prd_id=160&msg_id=5145316&startrow=11&date=2004-11-29&do_alert=0, 11/29/04)

ISS Crew Relocates the Soyuz Spacecraft
The International Space Station (ISS) crew undocked the Soyuz TMA-5 spacecraft from the Pirs Docking Compartment and relocated the Soyuz to the Zarya dock. The Zarya module is located about 45 feet from the Pirs, and the entire docking process took 24 minutes to complete. The purpose for relocating the Soyuz is to prepare for two planned spacewalks for early next year.
(http://www.spacedaily.com/news/iss-04zzza.html, 11/30/04)

The U.S. And Russia Plan To Collaborate On Future Lunar Exploration
In a brief speech to the press, the head of Russia's space agency, Anatoly Perminov, announced that NASA has proposed a future program aimed at furthering our understanding of the origin of the moon. Russia has accepted this offer of collaboration even thought the financial details and timeframe under consideration still remain uncertain. Since the announcement, the media has speculated the joint deal would result in Russia investing 15 billion dollars over the next few years. (http://en.rian.ru/rian/index.cfm?prd_id=160&msg_id=5157847&startrow=1&find=space, 12/1/04)

Head of NASA meets with head of China's space program to exchange ideas
On Thursday, chief of NASA, Sean O'Keefe met with head of China's National Space Administration (CNSA) Sun Laiyan. The meeting, held in Washington DC, was called for by CNSA to discuss "areas of mutual interest". Unfortunately, until China's proliferation policies meet the approval of the U.S., little collaboration can evolve. This meeting marked the second time this fall that CNSA has meet with NASA officials. In mid-November, the State Department agreed to allow CNSA officials to participate in a NASA workshop focusing on international partnership. Regardless of these interactions, O'Keefe emphasized in a press release that before NASA could consider any type of partnership, issues of human rights and proliferation would need to be resolved. (http://www.spacedaily.com/2004/041202172517.m1jf4xgy.html, 12/2/04)

Clipper Spacecraft replaces Soyuz
Russia revealed a model for a new spacecraft, the Clipper which will hopefully replace the Soyuz spacecraft. Currently, Russia relies upon the Soyuz spacecraft to transport goods to and from the ISS. The proposed Clipper spacecraft would have a piloted compartment that could be reused (unlike the Soyuz that is completely disposable). Designers of the Clipper at the Energia corporation hope that, the clipper will be able to withstand being launched up to 25 times before retirement. By reusing the spacecraft, Russia's costs will be significantly lower that the U.S.'s proposed spacecrafts destined for the ISS. (http://www.mosnews.com/news/2004/12/01/newshuttle.shtml, 12/2/04)

 

Commercial Space

Malaysia's Purchase of U.S. Satellite Made Possible Through American Financing
Binariang Satellite Systems Sdn Bhd of Malaysia was granted a $138 million loan from the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im bank) to purchase a telecommunications and broadcasting satellite from Boeing and other American suppliers. The Ex-Im bank financing will support sending a 48-transponder satellite into orbit next year, and allow the company to buy launch insurance.
(http://www.spacedaily.com/news/satellite-biz-04zzzzzzzzw.html, 11/30/04)

Problem with Intelsat Satellite Threatens $3.1 Billion Deal
An electrical problem on an Intelsat Satellite ruined the satellite and threatened the negotiated takeover of Intelsat Ltd. The loss of the satellite allows for the buyout firms to pull out or renegotiate terms. The $3.1 billion deal to buy Intelsat will likely be renegotiated to ensure that the purchase occurs.
(http://biz.yahoo.com/rb/041129/media_intelsat_2.html, 11/29/04)

Telemedicine for Global Healthcare Summit Hosted by India
In March 2005, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) will host an international telemedicine summit, which will focus on the technology-based system of telemedicine or tele-health in rural communities. The purpose of the summit, titled, "INTELMEDINDIA-2005," is to promote the benefits of satellite-based telemedicine technology as an effective means to deliver healthcare to rural and remote areas.
(http://www.onlypunjab.com/fullstory1104-insight-Indian+space+agency+to+host+telemedicine-status-15-newsID-100244.html, 11/30/04)

 

Military Space

Russia Will Work with India to Upgrade GLONASS
Head of Russia's Space Agency, Anatoly Perminov, recently announced that Russia has plans to join together with India as it renovates its satellite navigation system: GLONASS. The two countries joint venture will also promote the "peaceful use of outer space." During the system's overhaul, the GLONASS-M and GLONASS-K satellites that Russia currently operates will be replaced with new GLONASS satellites which will provide much more precise positioning. In concluding, Perminov emphasized that both Russian and Indian rockets and launch sites would be used. (http://en.rian.ru/rian/index.cfm?prd_id=160&msg_id=5157621&startrow=1&find=space, 12/2/04)

Us Army to Build Blimp That Will Enhance Communication
During Operation Iraq Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S. Army discovered that their communication coverage failed in fast moving convoys. In attempts to improve their communication system, the US Army Research, Development, and Engineering Command (RDECOM) has decided to build a blimp equipped by the Geneva Aerospace's advanced communication technology. Acting like a satellite, the unmanned blimp will have the capability of floating one mile above the surface and moving at the rate of 50 mph. For up to 24 hours the blimp will be able to remain in the air under the complete control and guidance of a pilot on land. (http://www.spacedaily.com/news/uav-04zzzk.html, 12/2/04)

 

Credits

Compiled by Priscilla Wong and Sarah Antos
Edited by Suzanne Vogel