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October 2005
Space Watch
Week of October 3 - October 7, 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
Senate Requires US to Help Finish ISS
The United States Senate, under support from Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), has required NASA to complete the International Space Station. The legislation, passed by unanimous consent, was attached to the NASA Authorization Act of 2005. The House passed their version of the bill (without the ISS requirement) earlier this year. The two must reconcile their differences in order to pass the legislation.
(News Briefs, Space News, 10/3/05).
Russia Wants Glonass to Compete With GPS
In the hopes of competing with the American GPS navigational system, Russia has passed a series of laws which require Russian consumers to use only those terminals capable of receiving Russian Glonaass satellite signals. Russia hopes that this will stimulate the Glonass program in the consumer world. Glonass was built in the 1980's as a competitor to the GPS network, but the program all but collapsed in the late 1990's. Currently there are 13 Glonass satellites in orbit. Russia hopes to increase that to 18 by 2007 and 24 by 2011.
(de Selding, Peter. Space News, 10/3/05).
Galileo Again Misses Deadline
The European Space Agency and its constituent governments failed to meet a September 30th deadline this week which required them to determine the financing for the Galileo project. Bickering between the governments is expected to push the service date for the program back again, a date which has already slipped from 2008 to 2011 because of financing disputes. Work on the program has been all but stopped because of these paralyzing disagreements. The specific issue this time is the commitment from ESA governments to cover their 50% share of the $482 million project. Some of the governments have refused to sign the contract until they are guaranteed that some of the operating facilities will be located within their countries' territories.
(de Selding, Peter. Space News, 10/3/05).
South Africa to Launch Its Second Satellite
South Africa is preparing to launch its second operational satellite by the end of next year, according to Science and Technology Minister Mosibudi Mangena. The launch is a part of a $4 million project which would result in increased satellite capacity and an LEO observation satellite. The satellite would be capable of supporting disaster management, food security, infrastructure, land use, and countless other services. The program is a joint effort between the government, Stellensbosch University, and the private sector and is likely to be launched from a Russian site.
(Xinhuanet, http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-10/03/content_3580329.htm, 10/3/05).
Civilian Space Tourist Launched to ISS
The third civilian ever to pay for a flight into space is enjoying his fourth day of his ten-day trip. The trip, arranged by Space Adventures, cost the 59-year-old traveler, Greg Olsen, nearly $20 million dollars. "I am having a great time. This is a dream come true, it's an indescribable experience," said Olsen. Two other tourists have paid their way into space, an American in 2001 and a South African in 2002. Olsen plans on testing his company's equipment out on board the space station while he is there. His firm makes electronic sensors for military and civilian use.
(AFP, http://www.spacedaily.com/2005/051004214438.5ot8g43f.html, 10/4/05).
Life Found in Conditions Similar to Mars
A scientific exploration group recently found life deep inside a frozen Norwegian volcano in an environment which scientists consider to be quite similar to that of Mars. The Arctic Mars Analog Svalbard Expedition (or AMASE) was testing equipment to be one day used on Mars when it uncovered a community of microbes deep within the frozen environment. "Our instruments detected minute quantities of aromatic hydrocarbons from microorganisms and lichens present in the rocks and ice," said researcher Arthur Lonne Lane. The finding gives hope that scientists might one day find life on Mars in much the same conditions.
(Space.com Staff, http://space.com/scienceastronomy/051004_mars_like.html, 10/4/05).
Brazil and Russia Reach Agreement on Astronaut
A spokesman from the Russian Space Agency announced this week that Brazil and Russia have reached an agreement on sending the first Brazilian astronaut into space. The agreement, expected to be signed by Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula de Silva later this month will send up Marcus Pontes on board a Russian Soyuz flight as early as April. Pontes will begin his cosmonaut training outside of Moscow once the deal is signed; however, he has previously been trained at the US space center in Houston.
(AFP, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/spacetravel-05zzzp.html, 10/04/05).
Worker Mistake May Have Caused Shuttle Foam Problem
According to NASA officials, workers may have physically damaged the foam of the exterior tank on the space shuttle Discovery before its launch in July. NASA shuttle program director Wayne Hale said that the worker error may have cut or crushed the foam enough during modifications that it weakened the foam and caused a chunk of it to fall off during Discovery's lift-off. Investigators are still checking other possibilities including "normal thermal stresses."
(Carreau, Mark. http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/space/3382680, 10/5/05).
European Satellite to Study Climate Change
Europe is set to launch the first satellite devoted entirely to the study of climate change on Saturday. The CryoSat European Space Agency satellite is set to launch from northern Russia and will be a powerful new tool in studying the thickness of polar ice sheets. Last month, US researchers suggested that the Arctic ice caps are now the smallest they have been for more than a century, but there has been relatively little information about the thickness of the ice caps, and the CryoSat satellite should help with this determination.
(AFP, http://www.spacedaily.com/2005/051006031008.39wybueu.html, 10/6/05).
Russia Launches Successful Reentry Demonstrator
Russian officials have confirmed that a Volna rocket successfully launched a reentry demonstrator vehicle into suborbital flight this week. The Volna rocket launched from a submarine in the Barents Sea, and 35 minutes later, the Inflatable Reentry and Descent Technology (IRDT) demonstrator returned to the Kamchatka Peninsula. The technology, developed by Russian companies, successfully showed that an inflatable cone-shaped reentry vehicle could reduce the cost and weight of these types of vehicles.
(ITAR TASS, http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=2493899&PageNum=2, 10/7/05).
Military
NFIRE Proposal Sparks Space Weapons Debate
The Senate Appropriations Committee has recently included language in the fiscal 2006 defense budget that would revive a kill vehicle to be included in a Missile Defense Agency space satellite. The Near Field Infrared satellite (NFIRE) is due to be launched in September of 2006 and had originally been expected to include an on-orbit kill vehicle; however, due to the perception that the US was seeking to weaponize space, the kill vehicle was stricken from the MDA's plans. In the newest version of the bill, however, the SAC has revived the program, saying that the kill vehicle could provide critical risk reduction for developing missile defense interceptors. The kill vehicle would take the place of a German laser communications program. The language is expected to be debated as the bill goes to the Senate floor.
(Selinger, Marc. http://aviationnow.ecnext.com/free-scripts/comsite2.pl?page=aw_document&article=NFIRE10045, 10/4/05).
Congress Makes Major Cuts to Defense Space Programs
The House and Senate budget committees are proposing almost $1 billion in cuts for several space programs in the Department of Defense FY06 budget. They are planning to cut nearly $250 million from the Air Force's $836 million request for the Transformational Satellite program along with $126 million from the $226 million Space Radar program. The Congress has become extremely upset with the fact that some of these programs have cost-overruns of nearly 3 to 4 times over the amount as first estimated by the Pentagon. Representative Dave Weldon of the House Appropriations Committee said that it is difficult to "accept these troubled, long-term military space programs when those on the front line have immediate needs."
(Kelly, John. http://www.flatoday.com/apps/1007/NEWS02, 10/5/05).
GAO Report Suggests Mess in DoD
According to a recently released GAO report, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has let chaos reign in his $22.6 billion ballistic missile space program. The report, "Defense Space Activities: Management Guidance and Performance Measures Needed to Develop Personnel," was highly outspoken in its criticism of the Defense Department's poor management of its space defense programs over the last 4 years under Secretary Rumsfeld. The GAO report cited a large number of cost and schedule over-runs which have contributed to a ballooning budget. "As of June 2005, DoD had completed three of the nine tasks scheduled for completion by March 2005 and one other task," the report said. As a result of poor management, the report suggests that each branch of the US armed forces were all going their own ways and the DoD has failed to reign them in.
(Sieff, Martin. http://www.spacedaily.com/news/abm-05zd.html, 10/6/05).
Commercial
Rocket Racing Plans Unveiled
The recent X Prize founder Peter Diamandis and race car mogul Granger Whitelaw have joined forces in order to mix "NASCAR excitement and spaceflight." The two have made plans to establish a racing league for rocket-powered aircraft. The rocket ‘contestants' would not necessarily reach the threshold called outer space, but they would vie to go the fastest and highest in the atmosphere. The league would have several races throughout the year with the finals taking place at the X Prize Cup in New Mexico. Diamandis tried to paint a picture of what the races would look like, asking reporters to imagine "10 of these fire-breathing dragons" racing in a competition.
(Boyle, Alan. http://msnbc.msn.com/id/9572408/, 10/3/05).
Op-Ed
Op-Ed: US Should Not Be Hasty to Return to Moon
Recently, NASA Administrator Michael Griffin put a price tag on what it would cost for the US to put people on the moon in the next 13 years. Griffin suggested that the final cost would hover around $104 billion without hurting alternative science projects. The mission to Mars, however, was not included in the budget estimate. The op-ed suggests that the US should go slow rather than at "light speed" before money is spent on this project. Money saved over the next several years could go to such alternative priorities as hurricane relief efforts. The op-ed suggests that a clear objective is needed - "not just where to go but why," and they purport that this objective is lacking in NASA's current endeavor.
(Pantagraph Editorial, http://www.pantagraph.com/stories/100405/opi_20051004002.shtml, 10/4/05).
Ted Balaker Opinion: NASA Wants You to Pay $104 Billion for its Mistakes
In his opinion piece, Ted Balaker gives NASA Administrator Michael Griffin credit for admitting fault. He suggests that Griffin did the country justice by admitting that most of what NASA has been dong for the past decades has been a mistake (including the shuttle program and the International Space Station). Balaker, however, suggests that NASA is again making the same mistake with its hopes of going to the moon and Mars. He purports that the $104 billion plan to put America back on the moon is foolish and could cost even more than that over the course of the next decade or so. He supports the commercial space market as a substitute for NASA investment. "How many cosmic hints does NASA need to realize that it might not be long before it's eclipsed by space entrepreneurs? If it wants to stay in the game, NASA should move from player to manager."
(Balaker, Ted. http://www.reason.com/hod/tb100405.shtml, 10/4/05).
Oddly Enough
Satellite Captures Sea's Eerie Glow
Satellites captured a very strange phenomenon back in 1995, and Steve Miller of the US Naval Research Laboratory in Monterey, California, found it recently as he searched the archives of satellite cloud-cover data. The phenomenon is a large glowing area in the ocean which spans nearly 15,400 square kilometers, or the size of Connecticut. The effect has been reported more than 200 times since 1915, but this is the first that has been confirmed by satellite data. The glow lasted for three consecutive nights according to the researchers. No one apparently understands the phenomenon completely, but the most likely theory is that a large amount of bioluminescence from bacteria might be responsible.
(New Scientists.com, http://www.newscientist.com/channel/earth/mg18825195.600, 10/5/05).
Credits
Compiled and Edited by Chad Kreikemeier
Space Watch
Week of October 10 - October 14, 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
ESA Satellite Destroyed After Launch
A satellite on a three year mission to collect data on polar ice broke up in flight after its launch on Saturday. A spokesman for the Russian Federal Space Agency said that remnants of the CryoSat satellite worth $210 million crashed into the Arctic Ocean. After it was launched from the Plesetsk facility in northern Russia, engineers lost contact with the satellite. Engineers believe the booster, which was supposed to lift the CryoSat into orbit, malfunctioned during flight.
(Eckel, Mike, AP, http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051008/ap_on_;_, 10/8/05)
Survey Backs British Space Policy
According to a survey conducted for the British National Space Centre, Britain's space industry wants the government to continue its policy of refusing to invest in astronaut-related programs. The survey, which was completed in September, will help set the British government's space spending priorities before the European Space Agency (ESA) conference in December. The British government has consistently refused to invest in launch vehicles or programs involving astronauts. However, 40 percent of the ESA budget accounts for these programs and missions. The survey also revealed Britain's reluctance to become involved in ESA commercial satellite programs. About 60 percent of Britain's yearly 195 million pound ($347 million) space budget goes to ESA.
(de Selding, Peter B., "Space News," 10/10/05)
NASA Hopes to Launch 19 Shuttles before 2010
In a revised space station plan set to be released publicly later this month, NASA reports that it will launch a total of 19 space shuttle missions before retiring the fleet in 2010. The report says that NASA will send Europe's Columbus laboratory module and the Japanese Experiment Module, but not the Russian Solar Power Platform or the Centrifuge Accommodation Module which NASA had previously agreed to send. At the last meeting of all International Space Station (ISS) partners, NASA said it planned to send 28 shuttles by 2010. However, due to NASA's changing budget, the space agency will now only send 18 to the space station, and one on a mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope. The ISS is far behind schedule, and NASA has not sent major hardware to the station since 2002.
(Berger, Brian, "Space News," 10/10/05)
American Space Tourist Returns Safely
The Soyuz spacecraft carrying American businessman Greg Olson and two members of the International Space Station crew landed safely in Kazakhstan on Tuesday. About three and a half hours after leaving the station, the Soyuz TMA-6 capsule landed outside of the town of Arkalyk. The International Space Station crew, Sergei Krikalev and John Phillips, spent six months on the station and were replaced by two new astronauts at the beginning of the month. Olson, who paid $21 million for the trip, spent ten days on the Station.
(BBC, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4329328.stm, 10/11/05)
Problems Encountered as Craft Nears Asteroid
Japan's Hayabusa spacecraft, which is on a historic journey to collect material from a comet, began to have problems as it reached the "home position" of 4.2 miles from the comet's surface. The spacecraft's attitude control system, which controls the vehicles orientation, failed on October 2. Hayabusa was scheduled to launch a small lander to collect matter from the comet's surface. Mission managers are still optimistic that the mission will be completed, but have not been able to fix the problem. Hayabusa has already nearly completed mapping the comet and is set to return to Earth in June 2007.
(Cooke, Bill, http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=3550, 10/11/05)
Chinese Astronauts Launched
Two Chinese astronauts successfully blasted off from a base in China Wednesday morning. Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng left on a Long March Rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert. The space craft is expected to orbit the Earth 80 times in five days before reentering the atmosphere. The names of the two selected astronauts, chosen from a group of six finalists, were only announced several hours before take off. The launch was broadcast on live television, however foreign reporters were barred from the launch base. China is only the third country to launch a human into orbit.
(AP, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/10/11/china.space.ap/index.html, 10/12/05)
First Brazilian Cosmonaut to Begin Training
Colonel Marco Pontes, the future Brazilian cosmonaut, will travel to Russia to start training for his expected space flight set for March 22, 2006. Pontes had been training with NASA in Houston to become part of their crew, but NASA flights have been suspended indefinitely. The agreement between Russian space agency Roskosmos and the Brazilian Space Agency will be signed during Brazilian President Lula da Silva's visit to Moscow from October 17th to 18th.
(Prensa Latina, http://www.-452B-A831-824EFB7D6959%7D&language=EN,
10/12/05)
China Plans to Launch First Woman in 5 Years
After the successful Wednesday launch, Chinese space officials are already speculating on the next manned launch and the crew who will accompany it. Three Chinese men have been launched into space since the country's first flight in 2002, and officials hope to send a woman as soon as possible. "After women go into space, our manned space program will be able to research the differences that a man-mad enclosed space environment has on men and women," Chen Shanguag, director of China's astronaut training said. It takes a period of five or six years to train a new astronaut.
(AFP, http://www.spacedaily.com/2005/051012051712.aq6hdv2h.html, 10/12/05)
New Stars Located Near Black Hole
Astronomers have discovered several large stars located near the edge of a black hole. Black holes are generally believed to swallow everything, even light, in close proximity. Britain University of Leicester astronomer Sergei Nayakshin explains, "Massive black holes are usually known for violence and destruction...It's remarkable this black hole helped create new stars, not just destroy them." The stars have a mass thirty to fifty times more than our sun and are 100,000 times brighter. This indicates that they are burning hydrogen fuel much faster than our own sun and will burn up to 80 percent of their mass in five million years. The study will be published in the November issue of Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
(AFP, http://www.spacedaily.com/2005/051013234006.whpfqc1n.html, 10/14/05)
Military
Air Force Programs Might Be Cut
Under increasing budget pressure, U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Michael Moseley announced Tuesday that unspecified weapons programs may be canceled. "If we have programs that have had exponential (cost) growth, and we need to roll that money back, it's time to be killing things," Moseley said, acknowledging that many Air Force space programs are facing problems. Programs that have been plagued with chronic delays and have runaway cost growth are most likely to be cut first. Moseley did state that the Space Radar, a $34 billion satellite program that will boost U.S. ability to track moving targets, will not be cut.
(Shalal-Esa, Andrea, http://today.reuters.com/business/newsarticle.aspx?type=tnBusinessNews&storyID=nN11495371&imageid=&cap=, 10/11/05)
Satellite Launched from South America
A French military satellite and a U.S. telecommunications satellite were launched on Thursday evening from South America. The Ariane-5 rocket reached an altitude of 870 miles before it released the satellites. The original launching had been planned for late September, but had been delayed due to technical problems. The French satellite has a life expectancy of 12 years and should increase military satellite communication ten-fold. This was the 167th Ariane mission since the first launching in 1979. (AP, http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051014/ap_on_sc/french_guiana_rocket_launch&printer=1, 10/13/05)
Commercial
Japan and Russia Join Forces
Japan's Airspace Corporation wants to collaborate with the Russian Federal Space Agency on everything from space tourism to satellite launches to space funerals. The two companies held talks last April and are planning on new contracts in the near future. One of the many planned missions will be a Japanese satellite launched on a Russian rocket to conduct a scientific and meteorological study.
(Itar-Tass, http://www.tass.ru/eng/level2.html?NewsID=2518095&PageNum=0, 10/14/05)
New Space Explorer Design Unveiled
Northrop Grumman and Boeing has entered their space craft design in the competition for NASA's next manned space mission. The craft is similar to the Apollo design, but is shorter, wider and more capable. The design, which is in competition with Lockheed Martin's entry, is intended to carry four astronauts to the International Space Station and later, to the moon. The proposed shuttle has three sections and is approximately 36 feet long and 13 feet wide. Compared to the Apollo craft it is based on, Northrop's design will carry more fuel and will have more maneuvering capability. It should be able to orbit the moon for six months.
(Skeen, Jim, http://www2.dailynews.com/antelopevalley/ci_3110981, 10/13/05)
Op-Ed
Op-Ed: U.S. National Security Policy Toward Space: The Debate That Should End but Won't
In his recent editorial, Baker Spring examined the opposition to space weaponization. In 2001, Donald Rumsfeld warned that the United States could suffer "a space Pearl Harbor" if it did not protect its assets in space, and, according to Spring, the Bush administration will soon issue a new space policy directive that will support space weaponization. At the same time, many arms-control groups who believe this will lead to a new arms race have appeared ready to fight such a directive. Spring finds many faults in their argument, however. First of all, these groups claim that space is not currently weaponized despite the presence of a nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missile and satellites that can detect military targets. Spring also argues that outer space is not a sanctuary as these groups believe, but simply an area that is part of the "geographic reality that all militaries have had to account for since the dawn of civilization." In addition to this, these groups insist there are other ways to protect space assets, but, according to Spring, no effective land based systems exist.
(Space News, Opinion, 10/10/05).
Credits
Compiled by Brita Ericson
Edited by Chad Kreikemeier
Space Watch
Week of October 17 - October 21, 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 Will Launch Shuttle in May
NASA managers announced Friday that shuttle flights may resume as early as next May. The shuttle program has been grounded since July 26 when a piece of foam fell off of Discovery's fuel tank during launch. This was the same problem that caused the deadly Columbia disaster. Engineers believe several factors, including the way the foam was applied to the tank and work done near the foam that possibly crushed it prior to launching may have triggered the problem. Managers believe that increased testing and several modifications will have the shuttle ready to launch by May 3 despite setbacks caused by Hurricane Katrina. NASA is planning to retire the shuttle fleet by 2010 and aim to launch as many as 19 shuttles in the next 5 years.
(CNN, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/10/14/nasa.shuttle/index.html, 10/14/05)
Progress on ESA's Soyuz Launch Site
Construction of the European Space Agency's Soyuz launch site in French Guiana is moving forward as planned. The near replica of Russia's Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan is being built in a marshy jungle far south of Europe's Guiana Space Center. Work began earlier this year, and the landscaping aspect of the construction should be complete by early 2006. By April 2007, a team of Russian workers will arrive to build the system to transport the Soyuz vehicle. If all goes as planned, the first Soyuz launch will take place in November 2008. The ESA governments agreed to spend 223 million euros on the site, which will launch military and civil payloads that are too small for the Ariane 5.
(de Selding, Peter B., "Space News," 10/17/05)
China's Astronauts Return in Good Health
After orbiting the Earth 76 times in five days, China's second manned spacecraft returned on Monday to a huge celebration. When astronauts Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng landed at 4:33 a.m., firecrackers were set off, and residents of Fei's and Nei's hometowns performed traditional dances. Wu Bangguo, China's parliament chief, said the mission had "raised China's international status, our economic and technological strength, defense and national cohesion." China became the third country to launch a man into space in 2003. The entire cost of the Shenzhou program has been quoted as costing $2.3 billion, which, compared to NASA's $16 billion budget, is an accomplishment in itself.
(Buckley, Chris and Benjamin Kang Lim, http://today.reuters.com/news/0_US-SPACE-CHINA.xml, 10/17/05)
Venus Launch Scheduled
The European Space Agency will launch a mission to investigate the atmosphere of Venus on October 26 from Kazakhstan. The Venus Express will study volcanic activity and the composition of the planet's thick atmosphere. Despite the fact that Venus is Earth's closest neighbor, the surface and atmosphere of the two planets are extremely different. Venus is plagued with intense volcanic activity, sulphuric acid rain fall, and dense clouds of carbon dioxide. The £115 million Venus Express uses the same technology as the successful Mars Express. The last mission to study Venus was sent 15 years ago by NASA.
("The Daily Telegraph," http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/ixportaltop.html,10/17/05)
Brazil and Russia Sign Deal to send First Brazilian into Space
During his visit to Moscow, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva signed a contract with Russia to send Brazilian astronaut Marcos Pontes to the International Space Station. The flight, which will cost Brazil $20 million, will take place next March on a Russian Soyuz space capsule. Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was pleased with the alliance his country was establishing with Brazil in the space industry. Pontes arrived in Russia earlier this week to begin training and medical testing.
(AFP, http://www.spacedaily.com/2005/051018135625.umy22ttr.html, 10/18/05)
Britain Considers Human Space Travel
Although the British government has been continually opposed to human space exploration, a report by the Royal Astronomical Society revealed the government's new interest in the scientific benefits of sending humans into space. Dr. John Dudeny, deputy director of the British Antarctic Survey told a news conference on Tuesday, "There seems to be a scientific case for humans going to the Moon and on to Mars." Dudeney was part of a three-person panel that explored the benefits and feasibility of British involvement in space exploration. Citing the educational, political, and commercial advantages of space travel, the panel said that Britain could be involved in human space flights to the Moon in as little as ten years. The estimated cost of British participation is 150 million pounds per year.
(Reuters, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/10/18/britain.space.reut/index.html, 10/18/05)
Russia Loses Control of Satellite
Marking the second satellite mishap for Russia this month, engineers were unable to maintain contact with an Earth-monitoring satellite after it lost orientation on Tuesday. The Russian Federal Space Agency blamed Russian company Khrunichev for the mishap. The company, which is the main revenue producer for the Russian space program, is also held responsible for the crash of the European Space Agency satellite on October 8th. Along with the satellite troubles, a maneuver to raise the orbit of the International Space Station on Wednesday also failed when its engines cut off unexpectedly. Engineers, hoping a higher orbit will assist the next docking cargo ship, are expected to try the maneuver again in the near future.
(AP, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/10/19/russia.satellite.ap/index.html, 10/19/05)
First Chinese Space Tourist Books Flight
A Chinese business man Jiang Fang has paid $100,000 to the US-based space tourism company Space Adventures for a 90-minute voyage. Fang will get to experience zero gravity during his sub-orbital flight. The trip is scheduled to take place in 2007, the same year China plans to launch its next manned space craft. American businessman Gregory Olson recently paid $20 million to spend a week on the International Space Station.
(Reuters, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/10/21/china.space.tourist.reut/index.html, 10/21/05)
Military
DGA Demands Syracuse 3A Launched and Operational by January
The French defense administration is urging space contractor Alcatel Alenia Space to have the Syracuse 3A satellite fully operational by January. The telecommunications satellite is two years behind schedule and will provide limited communications for 1000 French troops in Afghanistan. Plagued by minor launch-vehicle issues and satellite-arrival delays, Alcatel Alenia Space said it would do whatever it takes to make the deadline. The Syracuse 3 system is part of a 120 million euro contract with NATO over a fifteen year period. The contract was supposed to begin in 2005, the original launch date for the Syracuse 3A. However, now because of the delays, France will receive a reduced payment from NATO. Providing full coverage for Afghanistan, the Syracuse 3A carries nine super-high frequency channels and six extremely high frequency channels.
(de Selding, Peter B., "Space News," 10/17/05)
NASA and Air Force to Resume Work on New Rocket Engine
Testing on the next-generation liquid-fuel engine may resume before the end of the month, officials said. Work on the Integrated Powerhead Demonstrator (IPD), an engine designed to provide twice as much thrust as current shuttle engines, was suspended due to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Engineers are hoping that the IPD will provide a safer and more efficient power source to shuttles. It is designed to run several hundred degrees cooler, and it has the potential to last 10 times longer before maintenance is required. The last test on the IPD was conducted on August 17th.
(Thank, Ker, http://space.com/businesstechnology/technology/051019_ipd.html, 10/19/05)
Commercial
Space-X Sues Boeing-Lockheed Martin
Space Technologies Exploration Corps (Space-X) filed suit on Wednesday, claiming the proposed alliance between Boeing and Lockheed Martin to launch satellites jointly for NASA violated antitrust laws. Space-X wants the US District Court to block the venture and award damages to their own company. The anticipated union between the two companies, United Launch Alliance, expects to save the US government between $100 and $150 million a year. The Federal Trade Commission is also launching an investigation, and a decision may be made as early as next week.
(Reuters, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9767826/, 10/20/05)
Op-Ed
Op-Ed: Pushing the envelope
In a recent editorial, Florida Today expressed its concerns regarding NASA's newest shuttle launch plan. NASA announced earlier this week that it would launch its next shuttle in May of 2006. The editorial cites two main concerns with the planned May launch. First, the problem of falling foam debris during the launch of both the Discovery mission and the fatal Columbia mission has not been solved. NASA engineers believe that several factors contributed to the problem, but have not resolved the issue. The second concern is the critique published by the independent oversight panel that monitored the agency's post-Columbia changes. The report reveals leadership problems and an overwhelming pressure from administration to take risks in order to meet deadlines. If the next flight is not completed successfully, the NASA fleet is likely to be permanently grounded despite promises to International Space Station partners. The editorial concluded, "With so much at stake, NASA should quit pushing the envelope on a launch timetable and concentrate on the debris fix. Without that, nothing else matters."
(Florida Today, http://www.flatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=//1004/opinion, 10/19/05)
Op-Ed: Canada must act quickly to join new space race
Is China the new Soviet Union? That is what Benjamin Sanders asks in his recent editorial in "The Toronto Star." Reacting to China's recent successful trip into space, Sanders speculates that China is the next biggest competitor in the space race against the United States. With the US shuttle system grounded until next year, China seems to be making faster and larger strides into space each year. Although this is only China's second trip into space, the US has had only one flight in the past 32 months, and their next trip is promised to the International Space Station, an obligation under which China is not held. Sanders asks, if China and US are racing to see who can get to the moon first, and as India and Japan are building up their own space programs, what is Canada doing to get in the game? Stressing the educational and scientific benefits of space research, Sanders urges Canada to take swift political action to gain funding for its space program. "Why sit back as other nations move forward when we have the expertise, knowledge and will to do so much more?"
(Sanders, Benjamin, http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?=1129845010878&, 10/21/05)
Oddly Enough
Chinese Astronauts Only Changed Underwear Once
This week, the doctor in charge of medical monitoring in the recent Chinese space exploration revealed how astronauts keep themselves clean. During their 119 hour journey, the two Chinese astronauts could not brush their teeth or take a shower. They were supplied with an oral cleanser similar to chewing gum to use after each meal. Dr. Li Yongzhi reports that there are other alternatives like edible toothpaste and germfree gauze to prevent cavities. The Russians, however, use gauze soaked in saline to clean their teeth. As for showering, the Chinese astronauts were provided with a special tissue to clean their skin, and a special lotion to moisturize it as well. But, even with all that special technology, according to Dr. Yongzhi, the astronauts only changed their underwear once.
(Xinhua, http://english.people.com.cn/200510/14/eng20051014_214308.html, 10/14/05)
Credits
Compiled by Brita Ericson
Edited by Chad Kreikemeier
Space Watch
Week of October 24 - October 28, 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 Asks for $5 Million More
With the hope that it will be able to send 18 shuttles by 2010, NASA has requested a $5 million budget increase. However, at the same time, NASA Administrator Mike Griffin has ordered deputies to create a backup plan that will cut shuttle flights and potentially lay off thousands of NASA employees. More specifically, NASA will plan on cutting back to working on only one shuttle at a time and having only one shuttle hanger fully operational. President Bush's next five-year spending plan will not be presented to Congress until February. However, with continuing costs of the war in Iraq and hurricane reconstruction, NASA's program will probably take a budget hit.
(Halvorson, Todd and John Kelly, http://flatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051023/NEWS02/510230331/1007, 10/23/05)
Russia Accepts New Federal Space Program
On Tuesday, the head of the Russian Federal Space Agency announced that the government had approved the Federal Space Program for 2006-2015. The program will include the construction of a reusable "Clipper" spacecraft and two rocket carriers, the creation of a satellite navigation system to cover all of Russia and the surrounding countries, and the establishment of a new independent orbital group. The country's current orbital group totals approximately 100 satellites and space vehicles, and by 2008, 18 new space vehicles will be added. The 2006-2015 program will also fund the Phobos-Grunt project to collect soil samples from Mars' moon Phobos. By the end of 2006, the Russian space agency hopes to begin preparing a manned trip to Mars.
(RIA Novosti, http://en.rian.ru/russia/20051025/41887631.html, 10/25/05)
FTC Delays Decision on ULA
Faced with deciding whether or not a proposed joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin is legal, the Federal Trade Commission stalled by asking the companies for more information. The alliance between the two aerospace giants was first announced in May, but needs FTC approval under the antitrust law. The 30-day review period of the United Launch Alliance (ULA) by the FTC ended on Monday, but no decision was made. Claiming that ULA would be anti-competitive, SpaceX filed a lawsuit to block the alliance last week. Boeing and Lockheed Martin claim the alliance will save the federal government $100 million a year. The two companies remain confident that the FTC will approve of the ULA.
(GMT, http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/051024/lockheed_boeing.html?.v=2, 10/25/05)
NASA Contestants Fail
No one was awarded the $50,000 prize in NASA's space elevator contest this year. None of the ten finalists were able to meet the qualifying criteria of the final competition. To win the Challenge, teams had to construct robotic climbers powered solely by light to scale a 200-ft cable at a speed of 1 meter per second. If that wasn't enough, the climbers had to carry a heavy load at the same time. The best effort was made by the University of Saskatchewan Space Design Team whose robot carried its load up 40 feet before failing. The money left from this competition will roll over into next year's contest.
(Sherriff, Lucy, http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/10/25/space_elevator/, 10/25/05)
Budget Cuts Won't Stop May Shuttle Flight
NASA remains confident that it will launch the next Space Shuttle in May of 2006 despite a possible budget crunch. Claiming that scientists have made progress in determining why insulating foam was lost from the external fuel tank in the past two shuttle missions, NASA is considering a tentative window of May 3-23 for the launch. With an imminent federal budget cut, NASA may not be able to fulfill its promise of completing 19 shuttle missions before the fleet is retired in 2010. A NASA leak suggests that only eight flights will actually proceed.
(Warwick, Graham, http://www.flightinternational.+for+May,+but+more+cuts+possible.html, 10/25/05)
Students Launch Satellite
After more than a year of building, students from 20 universities across Europe successfully launched their own satellite on Thursday. The satellite, launched from the Plisetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia, is about the size of a washing machine. Students hope the satellite will settle in orbit at a height of around 505 km. More than 200 university students from 12 countries participated in the project.
(Reuters, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/10/27/space.students.reut/index.html, 10/27/05)
House Votes to Amend Iran Nonproliferation Act
The US House of Representatives passed legislation to allow NASA to purchase International Space Station (ISS) flight services from Russia. The Iran Nonprliferation Act prevents NASA from purchasing hardware and services from Russia as long as Russia is assisting Iran with its nuclear program. An agreement providing the US with free flights aboard Russian shuttles to the ISS ended last month with the last astronaut flying to the station at no cost. Bill S.1713 was passed by the Senate last month, but the House decided to amend the bill slightly. The Senate will more than likely approve the amended bill.
(Gugliotta, Guy, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/26/AR2005102602200.html, 10/26/05)
Russian Rocket with Eight Satellites Blasts Off
A Russian rocket carrying a Russian Mozhayets-5 educational satellite and seven foreign minisatellites was successfully launched from the Plisetsk Space Center on Thurdsay. The main payload carried on the Kosmos-3M rocket was the Mozhayets-5 which was designed by students of the Mozhaisky Military Space Academy to test laser optic communications. Two similar satellites are already in orbit. The minisatellites launched alongside the Mozhayets include the China-DMC, Britain's TopSat, Iran's SINA-1, Norway's Ncube-2, Germany's UWE-1, Japan's XI-V, and the European Space Angecy's SSET Express.
(RIA Novosti, http://en.rian.ru/world/20051027/41908489.html, 10/27/05)
Iran's First Satellite Launched
Iranian satellite Sina-1 was successfully launched on board a Russian rocket on Thursday morning. Polyot, a Russian company, built the $15 million research satellite for Iran earlier this year. The Sina-1 will monitor Iran's agriculture and natural resources with a telecommunications system and cameras. The Director General of Iran Electronic Industries Ebrahim Mahmoudsadeh stressed that this is just the first step in Iran's space program which began in 1998. This launch makes Iran the 43rd country to own a satellite in orbit.
(BBC, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4381436.stm, 10/27/05)
Commercial
Boeing Strike to Affect Launching
A looming strike at Boeing may delay the Delta rocket launch schedule next week. With Boeing union members already preparing to go on strike in the following days, things are already going awry. The spacecrafts scheduled to launch on November 7th were supposed to be moved from the processing building to the launch pad earlier this week, but they were not touched. Citing the lack of retiree benefits, vacation time and insurance costs, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers rejected Boeing's latest contract offering. The workers are critical to launchings and, without them, all future liftoffs will be grounded.
(SpaceFlight Now, http://www.space.com/news/sfn_051027_boeing_strike.html, 10/27/05)
Star Wars-Style Pod Racing
The Rocket Racing League (RLL) can best be described as a cross between Star Wars Pod Racing and Formula 1. This is the new formula racing competition that is growing in popularity. Earlier this month, the first demonstration flight of the new RRL series was held at the X PRIZE Cup in New Mexico. This vehicle is a precursor to the Mark-1 X-Racer currently under development. The RRL combines competition with rocketry science, to the appeal of many. The X PRIZE Cup takes place in New Mexico every year, with elimination rounds held across the US preceding this final event. The course the vehicles fly is two miles long and 5,000 feet high. Each pilot has his or her own virtual tunnel or track of space in which to fly their vehicle.
(Gizmag, http://www.gizmag.com/go/4783/, 10/27/05)
Energia Plans New Launch Site
Russian Energia and Space Corporation announced it will build a new launch site for flights to the moon. "Our task for the near future is to carry out fundamental space research, practice long-term interplanetary flights, build a site for flights to the Moon and create a new space transport system," said Energia's president, Nikolai Sevastyanov. He made the announcement while officially welcoming home the latest crew from the International Space Station.
(SPX, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/lunar-05zzn.html, 10/28/05)
Military
Hardware Delivered for SBIRS
Northrop Grummon delivered the final laser-gyro reference system, called the Common Gyro Reference Assembly (CGRA), to the US Air Force Friday. This system will become part of the Air Force's Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS), the nation's next-generation missile warning system. It also has the capabilities for surveillance, intelligence, and reconnaissance missions. The CGRA is fault tolerant and has four independent gyros, of which only three are required for operation.
(SPX, http://www.spacewar.com/news/milspace-comms-05zzzzc.html, 10/28/05)
Op-Ed
Op-Ed: The US Navy: lost in space?
According to Taylor Dinerman, despite the Navy's history in successful space programs, it is letting the Air Force set priorities for all of the country's space-power programs. The National Research Council's recent report, "The Navy's Needs in Space for Providing Future Capabilities" states that in nine of the sixteen areas of space expertise, the Navy rates "red" for effectiveness, meaning the naval management has failed to take responsive actions. Dinerman points out that the Navy has been busy working on other projects like the war on terror and a new shipbuilding program. But, the Navy has not updated their space policy guidance since 1993. In the past, the Navy made a lot of contributions to the US space program including satellites to support ballistic missile submarines and the Ultra High Frequency communications area. However, Dinerman believes that if the Navy does not start initiating new space programs, it will fade into the background. "The Navy has a lot to offer the US military space effort and of course it uses space assets as much or more, than the other services...Their responsibilities for their part of America's overall spacepower cannot be neglected. Navy space deserves more attention."
(Dinerman, Taylor, http://www.thespacereview.com/article/480/1, 10/24/05)
Credits
Compiled by Brita Ericson
Edited by Chad Kreikemeier
Space Watch
Week of November 14 - November 18, 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
McCartney Performs for Astronauts
Two astronauts on the International Space Station received a live wakeup call from former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney on Sunday morning. McCartney's live performance of "Good Day Sunshine" and "English Tea" in California was beamed directly to NASA astronaut Bill McArthur and Russian cosmonaut Valery Tokarev in the first ever live concert linkup to the space station. McCartney reportedly came up with the idea after learning that NASA's Mission Control used a recording of "Good Day Sunshine" to wake up the Space Shuttle Discovery astronauts in August with word that they could begin their return mission to Earth. McArthur, who did several flips during the performance, thanked McCartney profusely for playing the songs, saying, "We consider you an explorer just as we are."
(AP, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/11/13/mccartney.space.ap/index.html, 11/13/05)
Japan Loses Robot on Asteroid Mission
Japan's second attempt to send a miniature robot to gather information on the asteroid Itokawa failed when the robot was lost before reaching the asteroid. Hayabusa, the unmanned Japanese space probe, released the robot on Sunday to collect information from the surface of the asteroid. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency stated that scientists had miscalculated the best time to release the robot due to the satellite's constantly changing altitude. Minerva, a robot measuring 10 centimeters long, was supposed to land on the asteroid and send images and other data including the surface temperature of the asteroid back to the satellite. The first attempt to release Minerva was aborted earlier this month due to technical problems. Hayabusa, launched in 2003, is scheduled to attempt its own landing on the asteroid on November 19th.
(Reuters, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/11/13/japan.probe.reut/index.html, 11/14/05)
Ariane-5 Rocket Finally Launches
After several postponements, an Ariane-5 rocket launched two satellites into orbit Wednesday night. The heavy-lift rocket blasted-off from the French Guiana carrying the US satellite Spaceway-2 and Indonesia's Telkom-2 satellite. Both satellites, together weighing more than 8 metric tons, were successfully released into orbit. The Telkom satellite was built in the US and will provide telephone, data and video transmissions across southeast Asia, while the Spaceway satellite will be used by DirecTV to transmit high definition television throughout the US. Technical problems plagued the rocket last week and prevented it from launching on schedule.
(Reuters, http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArtic&archived=False, 11/16/05)
Senate Passes NASA Budget
Congress approved a bill to provide $16.5 billion to NASA in the 2006 fiscal year, a compromise of earlier budget proposals. The Senate passed the appropriations bill with a vote of 94-5, while the House passed to same bill last week with a 397-19 vote. Money will be directed toward work on the Crew Exploration Vehicle and Crew Launch Vehicle, as well as toward shuttle and station operations. Specific funding for a future shuttle servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope was also included, provided NASA decides that the mission is safe to attempt.
(Florida Today, http://www.flatoday.com/apps/NEWS02/511170365/1007, 11/17/05)
ISS Crew Moves Soyuz
The two astronauts aboard the International Space Station briefly left their posts early Friday morning to move their Soyuz spacecraft to a new docking port. American astronaut William McArthur and Russian Valery Tokarev undocked the Soyuz TMA-7 from the Pirs module at 3:46 a.m. EST, and 19 minutes later, docked the spacecraft on the port of the Zarya module. This move was necessary to make room for a spacewalk next month. However, despite these preparations, a Russian official has told Russian press that the spacewalk may be put off until after the Expedition 12 crew completes their stay on the station in April due to delays in the next shuttle launch.
(RIA Novosti, http://en.rian.ru/russia/20051117/42126519.html, 11/18/05)
Iran Says Satellite has Spy Capabilities
In an AP interview this week, the head of Iran's space program said that his country's recently launched research satellite has the ability to spy on Israel. But, Ahmad Talbzadeh stressed that it is only being used for research purposes. "Technically speaking, yes. It can monitor Israel - but we don't need to do it. You can buy satellite photos of Israeli streets from the market," said Talbzadeh. Combined with several menacing warnings to Israel from Iran's president, officials in Israel have begun to worry about a possible attack by Iran. "We know that they spy on us," Chairman of the Knesset Defense Committee Ephraim Sneh (Labor) told AP. "What they are trying to do is look for places where a mega-terror attack can take place." Despite doubts from the US, Israel and other countries, Iran has consistently claimed that it does not have any nuclear weapons in its possession.
(HaLevi, Ezra, http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=93213, 11/18/05)
Commercial
Orbital Wins Maylaysian Contract
Orbital Science Corporation has won a contract from Measat Satellite Systems, a Malaysian satellite operator, for a new communications satellite. The Measat-1R satellite will be based on Orbital's Star platform and is scheduled to launch in September 2007. The new satellite will replace the Measat-1 already in orbit. This is the fourth commercial satellite order for Orbital in 2005.
(Orbital, http://www.orbital.com/Template.php?Section=News&.php&PressReleaseID=532, 11/15/05)
NASA Hopes Commercial Flights will Continue Life of ISS
NASA administrator Michael Griffin said Tuesday that after the US shuttle fleet is retired in 2010, he envisions commercial flights continuing to make trips to the International Space Station to carry supplies and crew members. Griffin acknowledged that the exploration of space can not be solely supported by taxpayer dollars, thus a need for private industry in space has been created. He hopes that the space station will promote "commercial space ventures that will help us meet our exploration objectives and at the same time create new jobs and new industry." He also suggested that the private sector could develop moon habitats for astronauts and orbiting fueling depots, among other things. "I think we are on to something big - something akin to what we saw with the personal computer 25 years ago," said the NASA chief.
(AP, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/11/16/nasa.exploration.ap/index.html, 11/16/05)
Orbcomm Announces new GES in Kazakhstan
Orbcomm has commissioned a new Gateway Earth Station (GES) in Kazakhstan to be fully operational by December 1, 2005. "The commissioning of this Gateway Earth Station in Kazakhstan is an important milestone for Orbcomm as we continue driving our international growth strategy through the expansion of our global network," said Jerry Eisenberg, chief executive officer of Orbcomm. Gateway Earth Stations are terrestrial links to the Orbcomm network of satellites. The new GES will provide a 1500-mile coverage radius, allowing the company to expand data services into parts of Russia, China and the Middle East.
(SPX, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/satellite-biz-05zzzzzzz.html, 11/16/05)
Sea Launch and DirecTV Sign New Contract
A new contract between DirecTV and Sea Launch will send a DirecTV satellite into orbit in early 2007. The spacecraft is one of three Boeing 702 models ordered by DirecTV and is among the largest and most powerful Ka-band satellites ever created. The satellite, which will be launched from Sea Launch's Odyssey Launch Platform, will deliver high-definition programming to all 50 states. This is the seventh new contract Sea Launch has signed in 2005. President of Sea Launch Jim Maser said, "With three successful launches to date for DirecTV, Sea Launch is proud to be entrusted with yet another spacecraft launch to occur in early 2007."
(SPX, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/launchers-05zzzx.html, 11/16/05)
Military
India to Launch Israel's Spy Satellite
Israel has opted not to send its next spy satellite on its own rocket, but has instead decided to launch it aboard India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). According to a report in Spacenews, Israel's Ministry of Defence and satellite producer Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd are nearing an agreement with their Indian counterparts for the planned October 2006 launch of TechSAR. The 250-kilogram satellite is Israel's first synthetic aperture radar imaging satellite. On January 9, 2002, India and Israel signed an umbrella agreement for space collaboration. This is the second contract between Israel and the Indian Space Research Organization.
(SPX, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/israel-05i.html, 11/14/05)
EU to Set Up Spy Satellite System
The European Union announced Monday that it is building its own network of spy satellites called Global Monitoring for Environment and Security. Officials hope that GMES will help the European Union become a military power, as well as help in relief efforts after fires and natural disasters. Management of the system will be under the European Space Agency. The entire project, scheduled to be operational by 2010, is expected to cost $2.67 billion between 2006 and 2013, with funding coming from national governments, private firms, and the commission.
(Rennie, David, http://www.washtimes.com/world/20051115-104933-9880r.htm, 11/16/05)
Op-Ed
Narrow window of opportunity
In his recent editorial published in Florida Today, Sam Durrance stresses the need for Florida to take the lead in space research and development. Noting that Florida has always played a crucial role in the space program as the primary launch site, Durrance wonders why Florida's role in research activities has been continually lackluster. Gov. Jeb Bush created the Florida Space Research Institute in 1999, but it has yet to produce the innovations and opportunities seen in California, Texas and Colorado. But, with NASA's new Vision for Space Exploration, Durrance believes that Florida has a chance to jump back into the game. NASA needs to find ways to enable humans to live and work in a hostile space environment, and Florida has the ability to make a significant input in this process. "I believe a window of opportunity has opened for Florida to become a player in space R&D. Given the speed at which NASA is making its exploration decisions, the window won't stay open for long."
(Durrance, Sam, http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/99999999/OPINION/504100309/1004, 11/18/05)
Oddly Enough
Engine Trouble Keeps "Star Trek" Actor Grounded
The ashes of "Star Trek" actor James Doohan were scheduled to be launched into space next month, but, due to engine problems, it may be February before the actor's remains make it to space. "We want to fly," Charles Chafer of Space Services Inc. said, "but, this will give us the opportunity to accept some additional participants for the ride." The rocket of course, was not carrying just Doohan's ashes, but those of 168 people from eight countries. Doohan, who played engineer Montgomery Scott in the original "Star Trek" television series, had asked for his remains to be launched into "the final frontier" following his death. Space Services has already launched the remains of "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry.
(AFP, http://www.spacedaily.com/2005/051116024325.rqpir774.html, 11/16/05)
Space Reality?
A British commercial broadcaster has developed a new reality TV show that will take contestants to outer space. Only, despite what they may think, the contestants will never actually leave England. The show, called "Space Cadets," will convince contestants that they are training in a Russian space camp for a chance to launch into orbit for 5 days. However, the contestants will actually board a plane that circles the North Sea several times before landing in a former UK military facility, completely dressed as a Russian launch site. Russian food, light bulbs, and even toilet paper, among other things, will be imported as scenery for the show. Then, after training, the contestants will board a space craft taken from the "Space Cowboys" movie set, where a complete launch will be simulated. How will the show end? Well, if all goes as planned, the astronauts will eventually be allowed to go on a space walk, where they will be surprised to find friends, family and Mother Earth just outside the door. Previous astronauts have been used for consultation so that all simulations are life-like, and the makers promise the show will only be a one season event.
(Dawley, Heidi, http://medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/article_1375.asp,
11/17/05)
Credits
Compiled by Brita Ericson
Edited by Suzy Vogel