Dateline March 28, 2006, News from the Internet

• Nasa has extended the CEV phase I contract. In other words they are putting off selecting a contractor for the CEV until August 31.
• Morris Jones talks about China's plans in space.
• NASA has a web site to view the total solar eclipse during the early hours of March 29. The video stream begins at 5am EST (4am CST). Totality should be at 5:55am EST.
• A Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) component the proximity communications link (PCE), had a successful communications downlink from the ISS this month.
• Apparently there are about 90,000 - 130,000 millionaires (based on the Zogby/Futron study of 2002) that would be willing to pay $200,000 for a suborbital flight.
• The 2006 Space Journalism prize is up for grabs again.
• NASA has restarted two canceled asteroid missions. Jeff Foust wonders where the money will come from.
• Greg Olsen talks with Forbes about his trip to the ISS and possibly going on the Russian/Space Adventures trip around the Moon for $100 million. (warning this is a video not for the bandwidth limited.)
• Ben Bova (noted Scifi writer) says scientist who are against the VSE are missing the point. (Thanks to Out of the Cradle for this one)
• In a press release yesterday, Space Adventures announced the first UAE citizen in space.

  Adnan Al Maimani will be the first national from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to launch from the future commercial spaceport to be located at the Ras Al-Khaimah International Airport.

  
  "I am honored to represent the UAE as the first national to fly to space, but even more thrilling is that I’ll launch from Ras Al-Khaimah," said Adnan Al Maimani. "I have been interested in space exploration as long as I can remember. Space Adventures is providing the opportunity to experience what I never thought could be possible in my lifetime. If I could fly today, I would!"

  
  Apparently we as humanity are united in the love of cool ass rockets and launching into space.