Dateline Feb 15, 2006, News from the Internet

• According to Space.com, NASA's future plans include scaling up the HLV to 300,000 lbs to LEO.


• So is NASA Using LOX/methane or not? I don't think even they know.


• NASA seems calm about 19 more shuttle flights by 2010. Mike Griffin says "the remaining manifest is in line with the average over the past 25 years of Shuttle operations." While it is true that over the last 25 years the shuttle has averaged 4.56 flights per year, In the last 3 years, they have averaged 0.33. What a waste. Just scrap the damn thing. If you are interested in a bit of trivia, a list of every shuttle flight is at The Space Place


• Apparently NSS and the Planetary Society are taking different views on lobbying for NASA's 07 budget. Reminds me why I left the Planetary Society and joined NSS.


• Congratulations to NASA's newest class of astronauts.


• LiftPort Group has completed it's second round of testing with a platform and robotic climbers. The company website says LiftPort is "dedicated to building a mass transportation system to open up access to the inner solar system." Good luck!


• Andrews Space has built a 5.4 meter mock-up of the CEV capsule. Looks more roomy than Apollo.
  


• Oklahoma's environmnental impact assessment is out. Enjoy all 253 pages of it.