SpaceX Dragon Accepted by NASA

The Dragon capsule by SpaceX has satisfied NASA's safety panel for COTS cargo transport.

Micro-Documentary on Spaceports

Where is Your Nearest Spaceport?

Micro-Documentary by The Futures Channel Provides a Look at a New Generation of Launch Facilities

Burbank, CA -- Whether you’re talking about privately owned and operated rockets to ferry cargo to low earth orbit, or the prepaid customers in line for the opportunity to weightlessly gaze upon Earth from outer space, the “personal spaceflight revolution” will bring a new infrastructure element to our communities: Spaceports.

“Spaceports,” a micro-documentary released today by The Futures Channel, provides a down-to-earth look at this new generation of launch facilities. To date, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has licensed commercial spaceports in five states.

Going on location in New Mexico and Mojave, California, the short video features interviews with FAA Associate Administrator Patricia Grace Smith, NASA Administrator Mike Griffin, Alex Tai, Vice President of Operations at Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic and two-time Space Shuttle Pilot and one-time Space Shuttle Commander Rick Searfoss, among others.

“This film treats viewers to an inspiring preview of coming attractions of the launch facilities and spaceships that will enable the era of space tourism and public space travel. ‘Spaceports’ reveals how the private sector and bold entrepreneurs are bringing innovation and new ideas to an area that has traditionally been the domain of government-sponsored programs,” said Alan Ladwig, Manager of Space Systems for WBB Consulting. Widely regarded as a space outreach pioneer, Ladwig, as an associate administrator at NASA in the 1990’s, spearheaded the agency’s Teacher in Space Program.

Accompanying the video is a “Critical Thinking” section which poses questions that professionals have to consider in planning and building spaceports, and which invites viewers to take part in the discussion. Like other Futures Channel movies, “Spaceports” is designed to enhance interest in math and science by putting those subjects into a larger real-world context, in this case space exploration.

“With captivating video of space travel, simulations, and interviews with experts, students will learn about the exciting opportunities that lie ahead in the emerging personal spaceflight industry,” Ladwig added.

The Futures Channel was founded in 1999 with the goal of using new media technologies to create a channel between the scientists, engineers, explorers and visionaries who are shaping the future, and today’s learners who will one day succeed them.

Watch the movie:

http://www.thefutureschannel.com/dockets/space/spaceports/index.php

Visit The Futures Channel:

http://www.thefutureschannel.com/index.php

Carnival of Space #18

Ken Murphy is hosting this week's Carnival
of Space at:

http://www.outofthecradle.net/archives/2007/08/carnival-of-space-18/

Tether Challenge Teams

Twenty teams are going to try their hand at Beam Power Challenge and Tether Challenge on October 19-21.

Beoing Wins Ares 1 Contract

Boeing has won the contract to design and build the upper stage of the Ares 1 rocket. The contract is valued at $1.8 Billion. I should bring hundreds of jobs to Huntsville, AL.

Beoing

Virgin Galactic Business Not Affected by Accident

The Scaled Composites explosion has had no effect on Virgin Galactic's business. According to Whil Whithorn, four new people have signed up for a suborbital flight. Accidents are tragic, but they are going to happen and it is good to know the dream will continue despite them.

Rovers Keep on Roving

The Mars Rovers, Opportunity and Spirit, have weathered a dust storm and are moving again. I wish my DVD player was that resilient.

Burt Rutan Speaks at Alabama

Jeff Foust has a summary of Burt Rutan's speech at the University of Alabama last Saturday.

XPrize Cup is Coming with Nine Teams

Nine teams are gearing up to compete for $2 million in the Lunar Lander Challenge at this years XPrize Cup. The cup will be held Oct. 27-28, at Holloman Air Force Base in Alamogordo, N.M.

SpaceDev Receives Contract for Lunar Lander

SpaceDev has received a contract to prototype a lunar lander vehicle for the International Lunar Observatory Association.

SpaceX to Hire 150-200 More People

SpaceX plans to hire 150 to 200 more people by the end 2008, bringing their total workforce to 600. This is after Elon Musk reported that SpaceX would be cash flow positive this year.

Carnival of Space #17

Emily Lakdawalla is hosting this week's
Carnival of Space at:

http://planetary.org/blog/article/00001103/

SpaceX Update

SpaceX has a new update. Main points are:

• They have hired 350 more people to support COTS
• All COTS material has been provided to NASA
• Cash Flow Positive in 2007
• Moved Falcon 1 to Merlin 1C engine
• Photos of the Falcon 9 Tank are up
• Falcon 9 Tank delivered to Texas to begin stationary testing on a stand
• Falcon 9 will launch from Launch Complex 40in Cape Canaveral, as well as Vandenberg and Kwajalein
• Falcon 9 demo in 2008 (6 flights on the launch manifest including 3 COTS Demos)
• New building in Hawthorne can fit two Falcon 9's or five Falcon 1's
• They are still hiring

Rocketeers on Book TV

I did some checking and Michael Belfiore will be shown talking about "Rocketeers" on August 25, 2007 at 10:45 am EST(a week from Saturday) at the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum

Carnival of Space #16 is Up

Carnival of Space #16 is up at Brian Wang's advanced nanotechnology blog.

NASA is Dropping the Delta 2

NASA is loosing the Delta 2 and lining up with the Air Force on Delta IV and Atlas V.

More on Bigelow's Sunchaser

Alan Boyle has an article called NEXT UP ... A NEW SPACE STATION? on Bigelow's plan to launch the Sunchaser, a human habitable station, next.

Fire Someone

Neil Cavuto of Fox News thinks whoever built the shuttle tiles should be fired for incompetence. Sadly it is hard to argue with his logic.

SpaceDev Revenue Increases 12%

SpaceDev's six month revenue increased 12% (ending June 30, 2007) from 2006. Revenue was $17.7 million in 2007 vs. $15.9 million in 2006. They also had income of $156,00 for the same period.

Bigelow Aerospace Moves up Sundancer Schedule

I just received from Bigelow that due to high launch costs andn success they are dropping the Galaxy and moving straight to the Sundancer. No word on when it will be up but we will let you know.

From Bigelow:

First, I would like to thank all of you who have written, called and otherwise expressed congratulations to myself and our team on the successful launch of Genesis II. The energy, enthusiasm and encouragement that we receive both here in the U.S. and abroad are an inspiration to us and part of the reason that we believe so strongly in the dream of entrepreneurial space development. I would like to take this opportunity to honor the interest and support that we’ve received from the general public by providing you with this update in regard to our future plans.


As anyone associated with the aerospace industry is aware, global launch costs have been rising rapidly over the course of the past few years. These price hikes have been most acute in Russia due to a number of factors including inflation, previously artificially low launch costs and the falling value of the U.S. dollar. What this now means for Bigelow Aerospace is that to conduct another subscale demonstrator mission would cost two to three times what it has in the past.

This dramatic rise in launch costs has forced us to rethink our strategy with Galaxy. Due to the fact that a high percentage of the systems Galaxy was meant to test can be effectively validated on a terrestrial basis, the technical value of launching the spacecraft — particularly after the successful launch of both Genesis I and II — is somewhat marginal. Therefore, we have decided to expedite our schedule yet again, and are now planning to move ahead directly with Bigelow Aerospace’s first human habitable spacecraft, the Sundancer.

We still intend to construct and test the Galaxy spacecraft and/or various parts of it in order to gain familiarity and experience with critical subsystems. However, by eliminating the launch of Galaxy, we believe that BA can move more expeditiously to our next step by focusing exclusively on the challenging and exciting task presented by the Sundancer program.

With this decision made, the future of entrepreneurial, private sector-driven space habitats and complexes could be arriving much earlier than any of us had previously anticipated. While recognizing the inherent difficulty, all of us at BA are eager to begin work on an actual human spaceflight program, which is the reason that I and others began this effort in the first place.

In the meantime, we now have two spacecraft in orbit — both of which we hope will produce invaluable data for years to come. It’s upon this solid foundation that we will be constructing our most ambitious spacecraft yet, the Sundancer. I will continue to keep you all apprised of our progress, and promise that every effort will be made at BA to ensure that this bold next step into human spaceflight will be a successful one.

— Robert T. Bigelow

About Bigelow Aerospace:
The mission of Bigelow Aerospace is to open the frontier of space to all of humanity by dramatically reducing the cost of conducting human spaceflight activities. The Las Vegas-based firm’s affordable and flexible space complex architecture can be adapted for virtually any crewed or autonomous mission requiring a large pressurized volume. For more information, go to www.bigelowaerospace.com or call (702) 688-6600.

New Space Review

Space Review is out:

Space: the search for a political consensus
While President Bush unveiled the Vision for Space Exploration three and a half years ago, some believe it has suffered to some degree from a lack of high-level attention since then. Frank Sietzen explains why the creation of a broad political consensus, necessary for the Vision to survive, required educating the public on the benefits of space activities.Monday, August 13, 2007

Fifty years of US space policy: the more things change…
Just after the Space Age began the Eisenhower administration published a document outlining why the US should go into space. Taylor Dinerman examines the document and finds its reasons are still at the core of US space policy today.Monday, August 13, 2007

A renaissance for space solar power?
Space solar power has been an intriguing concept for decades, but one that has failed to gain traction because of its high costs and cheaper terrestrial alternatives for energy. Jeff Foust reports that, thanks to a series of event and a new champion for the concept within the US government, space solar power is getting a new look.Monday, August 13, 2007

Chinese intentions and American preparedness
Many people in the West have tried to speculate about China’s military space plans in the wake of its ASAT test early this year. Christopher Stone argues that there’s enough information publicly available today to draw conclusions that should be a cause for concern in the US.Monday, August 13, 2007

A space nerd responds
Louis Friedman of The Planetary Society responds to a recent essay about space advocacy groups, arguing that it’s unwise to pigeonhole his or other groups as being simply “pro-science” or “pro-human”.Monday, August 13, 2007

Review: Rocketeers
Just who are the people at the leading edge of the entrepreneurial space movement, and what motivates them? Jeff Foust reviews a new book that takes the reader on a tour of some of the leading NewSpace companies and people to help answer those questions.Monday, August 13, 2007

Endeavour Crack

Endeavour has a crack in it. NASA is debating about how to fix it.

New Lunar Program Director at NASA

Richard "Rick" Gilbrech has taken over the exploration systems mission directorate which is in charge of the lunar program.

Space Hotel from Spain

A Spanish company wants to build a space hotel. I don't know who plausible it is. Stay tuned for more information.

Space Things to do on Earth

Alan Boyle has some space related activities you can do without leaving the ground.

Some People Still Don't Know about the VSE

Apparently some people are still unaware we are planning on going to the Moon. Sad, isn't it.

Michael Belfiore Is Working on a New Book

Michael Belfiore reports he has a deal to write a book on DARPA, the Pentagons R&D branch.

Future Moon Base Architecture

New Scientist has an article on the future Lunar Base architecture. Seems like they could talk with Bigelow are using inflatables instead of building their own program.

Robert Bigelow Comments on Genesis II

Robert Bigelow has written comments on the orbiting Genesis II module and the use of its project system (which is pretty cool if you haven't seen it.)

New Space on NPR

NPR has an piece on Elon Musk and SpaceX.

STS-118 Flight is "Textbook"

NASA's shuttle Endeavour was a textbook launch according to NASA officials. STS-118 finally allowed a "teacher astronaut" to go into outer space after the ill-fated Challenger disaster with Christa McAuliffe aboard.

"The launch operation doesn't get any better than this, it really can't," NASA chief Michael Griffin said of the latest launch of the Shuttle Endeavour.


STS-120 will lift off in October. The Shuttle will be retired in 201o at the completion of the ISS.

NASA Space Shuttle Program.

China Wants to Map the Entire Moon

According to China's chief space scientist, Ouyang Ziyuan, says they want to map "every inch of the Moon's surface."

Book Review: Rocketeers

Rocketeers: How a Visionary Band of Business Leaders, Engineers, and Pilots Is Boldly Privatizing Space
by Michael Belfiore
Harper Collins , 2007
Hardcover
ISBN-10: 0061149020



To cut to the chase, if you want to buy a book on the private space industry this year, buy Rocketeers by Michael Belfiore. It is a brilliant look at the recent history of private companies trying to get into space and make a dollar by someone who was at ground zero. It is an easy read for anyone regardless of technical background.

For those of you who interested in more detail, Rocketeers starts out at the second X-Prize flight of SpaceShipOne, as Mr. Belfiore takes us from the VIP section at Mojave back through the Apollo era at NASA and its effect on him. I identified with his excitement and later disappointment at where NASA took us in space.

He follows the history of the X-Prize starting with Peter Diamandis’ ingénues idea to have a prize for going to space. All this leads up to a word picture of what it felt like to see Brian Binnie break the 62-mile invisible wall into space. This marks the beginning of the modern private space age.

Rocketeers takes us to an in-depth peek into most of the major private space companies. He talks with the visionaries and engineers (and even passengers) from the most successful businesses, such as SpaceX, to ill-fated endeavors, like the da Vinci Project and everyone in-between including Bigelow Aerospace, RocketPlane, the Rocket Racing League, and Virgin Galactic. Moreover, he looks at each of these without judgment on their chance of success or importance. He simply reports what they are doing and why and lets the reader decide who is worth watching.

Before you accuse me of taking bribes from Harper Collins or Mr. Belfiore, there are some less than perfect parts of the book. First, the flow-of-consciousness science fiction style Mr. Belfiore uses, while working very well for a first pass through, makes it a little difficult to go back and find some tidbit of info to impress your friends.

I would highly recommend Rocketeers for anyone interested where the next 50 years of space travel is going.

4 1/2 Stars

NASA Seeks Help on COTS Phase 2

NASA is seeking help deciding what to do with COTS Phase 2 (Post 2010).

STS-118 Is Up

Endeavour is up and away. Good luck astronauts.

STS-118 Close to Launch

STS-118 Space Shuttle Endeavour is set to launch at 5:36 pm CST. It should be a sight, as always.

Endeavour Launch Wednesday

The Endeavour Launch tomorrow should be pretty interesting to watch with all the new bells and whistles.

SpaceX Launch Photos

Kimbel Musk has some beautiful photos from SpaceX Demo 2 flight earlier this year.

Apparently Some Russian's Would like to See Space Too

Some wealthy Russians are applying to fly to space as tourists.

SpaceDev has Overhauled their Website

Check it out: http://www.spacedev.com/

62 Mile Club

I received this note from the 62 mile club this weekend.

-------------------------

62 Mile Club is producing a a teleconference on August 15 as well as a live event in Bel Air on October 4th. Save the date if this interests you.


Warm Regards,

Robert Jacobson

62 Mile Club

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Teleconference Info

Do you want to hear an update on the current and future state of space tourism and commercial space enterprise? Listen and participate in a free teleconference hosted by 62 Mile Club on August 15th at 8:30 PM EST/5:30 PM PST.

John Spencer, space architect, and founder of the Space Tourism Society (www.spacetourismsociety.org), will give a behind-the-scenes vantage point of what is taking place in this new industry.
Whether you are part of the ‘old guard’ in the space community or don't know what space tourism is really about, you stand to benefit from what will be an intriguing and engaging teleconference.
There will be an opportunity for some callers to ask questions.

To register for this free teleconference, go to http://62mileclub.com/membership.php



It is our hope that callers will become excited about the future opportunities in commercial space enterprise and will want to know more about how they can become involved.


62 Mile Club’s mission ( http://www.62MileClub.com ) is to promote the commercial space industry to future customers, investors, and the general high-end demographic.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
October Event Info

Our group’s mission, 62 Mile Club http://www.62MileClub.com is to promote the commercial space industry to future customers, investors, and the general high-end demographic. We believe your organization could benefit from a potential affiliation with an event we are hosting on Thursday, October 4, 2007 in Bel Air at the Luxe Hotel.

This kick-off event will help promote commercial space enterprise and 62 Mile Club's role in promoting the space experience. In addition, this date also marks the 50th anniversary of the Sputnik launch as well as the 3rd anniversary of the Ansari X Prize winning flight of Spaceship One. We are inviting high net worth individuals who could be the future customers and investors in commercial space enterprise. They will hear from the ‘movers and shakers’ about the status of the industry and how it could influence their future. At this time, we are working with several options for featured speaker candidates.

Rick Citron (Citron and Deutsch) and Gwynne Shotwell (Space X) will each give a concise presentation about the state of the space industry and where it is going. The goal of the event is to convert the uninitiated and provide an awareness of what this industry is about to a high caliber demographic. We will have strategic high end corporate sponsors (not necessarily space companies) that share the same customer base

The goal of the event is to convert the uninitiated and promote an awareness of what this industry is about to a high caliber demographic.

The evening will consist with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres followed by a featured presentation, and then networking. It is our hope that people go home excited about commercial space and will want to know more about how they can become involved. Industries that stand to benefit from synergies with the commercial space industry include tourism, marketing, adventure travel, finance, and many others.


Event Details
Location: Hotel Luxe, Bel Air,California
Date: October 4th, 2007
Time: 6:30- 9pm

UAH Scholarship for Glen May

A Scholarship in Aerospace Engineering is being established at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (where I am currently getting my PhD) in Glen May's name.

I received this on giving to it:

-----
Make the Checks payable to the UAH Foundation
In the Memo: In Memory of Glen May

UAH
University Development Office
Shelbie King Hall, Room 311
Huntsville, AL 35899

www.uah.edu/giving - Online Gift - for credit card gift, Note: In memory of Glen May

Please let us know if you have any further questions.

Jessica Bumbalough
Executive Secretary- University Development
Shelbie King Hall 311
phone: (256) 824-4438
fax: (256) 824-6462
bumbalj@uah.edu

Rocketplane/Kistler Misses July Funding

Rp/K missed their July 31 deadline to get funding. They are submitting a closure plan by tomorrow.

Accidents and New Space

Michael Belfiore (whose book I promise to write the review to by tonight) has an article in Wired about how the Scaled Composites accident with affect the private space industry.

Space Shuttle Leak

They have found a leak in Endeavour. This could postpone next week's launch.

Space Talk, Memorial, and Calendars at 7pm on Thursday, August 2, 2007

Received this from our local NSS chapter. If you are in the area, come on down.

---------------------------------

Dear HAL5 and local NSS members,

The Huntsville Alabama L5 Society, our local chapter of the National
Space Society, is hosting a Program Night on Thursday, August 2,
featuring a talk on "Living off the Land in Space". The guest
speaker is the book's author, Les Johnson, engineer and now
manager at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center.

============

Before the program, we will have a short memorial service and a
moment of silence for our lost comrade Glenn May, who died last week
while working at Scaled Composites. Please read the kind words of
Greg Allison below. We will be taking up a collection for a UAH
Scholarship Fund in Glen's name.

============

This meeting will also debut the new Space Settlement 2009 Calendar,
a product of our National Space Society and our first professional
calendar. This was the result of the hard work of leader Jim Plaxco
of the Chicago Space Studies chapter, with help from many others
including three HAL5/NSS members: Bart Leahy, Yohon Lo, and myself.
NSS site: http://www.nss.org/settlement/calendar/buy.htm
Art work: http://www.nss.org/settlement/calendar/gallery.htm

The list price of this great 14x11 wall calendar is $14.95 and can be
purchased at the HAL5 meeting or via the Turner Publishing Web site.
Turner adds $1.95 shipping and $2 handling for a total of $18.90, so
buying the calendar directly from HAL5 saves you $4. In addition,
HAL5 will give a $2 discount if you are a current paid member of HAL5
*OR* if you are a current paid member of NSS -- and a $4 discount if
you are BOTH -- for a total savings of $8 versus buying over the Web.

Bart will be leading the 2009 calendar effort, and Yohon and I have
already offered our support. If you are interested in helping out,
please see Bart at the meeting or contact us via email.

============

The HAL5 program will be held 7:00 to 8:30 PM in the main auditorium
of the Huntsville/Madison County Public Library, 915 Monroe Street,
downtown Huntsville, Alabama. Here are links to map images and
general contact information:

http://www.HAL5.org/images/library_location.gif
http://www.HAL5.org/images/library_closeup.gif
http://chapters.nss.org/a/lists/USA/ChapList_AL.shtml#HAL5

There is free admission, and the program is open to everyone.
Please attend, and bring a friend if you are able.

After the meeting, we will have our usual post-meeting dinner/dessert
social event at the nearby Denny's restaurant at 9 PM. Join us if you
are able, and get to know members of your local NSS chapter.

SpaceX Update

Elon Musk was on the Space Show. RLV and Space Transport News has the details of the interview.

Alan Boyle and Rocketeers

Alan Boyle talks about Michael Befoire's new book Rocketeers (out tomorrow) in the context of Scaled Composites tragedy.

Light Racers Registration Opens

Spaceward Foundation News Bulletin
PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ted Semon
Spaceward Foundation, Mountain View, Calif.
ted@spaceward.org
(630) 240-4797




MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA; JULY 30 2007 - The Spaceward Foundation opened registration today for the 2007 Great Light Racer Championship.

The Light Racers Championship, a space technology competition, challenges kids, young adults and grown ups to design, build, and race beam-powered lunar rovers that could help NASA get to the ice deposits located in the permanently shadowed craters of the lunar poles.

Total prize purse this year is $10,000, and registration has just opened. See http://www.LightRacers.org for details.

"We are thrilled to have a competition designed specifically for kids - reaching out to the scientists and engineers of the future is the most important thing we can do" said Meekk Shelef, president of the Spaceward Foundation. “We already had a high-school team at the Space Elevator games, but this competition is all about the young students”.

The finals will be held together with Spaceward’s $4,000,000 Space Elevator games at the Davis County Event Center just outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. The qualifying rounds will start on October 15, and the event will be open to the public between October 19 and October 21. See http://www.spaceward.org for details.

“The Light Racers take the concept of power beaming, which is one of the cornerstones of the Space Elevator design, and illustrate how the same technology is useful on a much nearer-term project.” said Ben Shelef, CEO of the Spaceward Foundation. “It is impressive to see how many of the real-life consideration that will go into a beam-powered lunar rover design are tackled by the kids participating in the Light Racer project”.

The Light Racers are also being developed as a platform for teaching Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) to middle and high school students.

For media resources and information visit http://www.spaceward.org/press.html, call (630) 240-4797, or email ted@spaceward.org.

The Spaceward Foundation is a public-funds, non-profit organization dedicated
to furthering space science and technology in the public mindshare and in educational curriculums. We believe that expanding mankind's habitat is essential to its survival, and that the most effective way to induce long-term change is through education.

###



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Registration for the Great Light Racer Championship is now open – Finals to be held in Salt Lake City, Utah on October 19 – October 21.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Spaceward Foundation is a 501(c)(3) educational non-profit dedicated to furthering Space exploration in educational curriculums and the public mindshare - http://www.spaceward.org.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Space Review is Out this Week

This weeks newest Space Review is up

Preparing for the worst

Last week’s tragic accident in Mojave provided a stark reminder of the risks inherent in spaceflight. Jeff Foust describes what the industry is doing to prepare for the day when a space tourist vehicle crashes.
Monday, July 30, 2007

On the loss of our good friend Glen May

Tim Pickens recalls the life of Glen May, one of the three people killed in the explosion Thursday in Mojave.
Monday, July 30, 2007

Jules Verne returns: Will space guns provide low-cost access to space?

Launching people into space using guns was popularized nearly 150 years ago by Jules Verne, but has to date remained in the realm of science fiction. Bart Leahy reports on one venture’s effort to develop a gun launch system that could put payloads into orbit for a fraction of the cost of conventional rockets.
Monday, July 30, 2007

Spacepower for warlords

Space technology and services can do wonders for developing nations, but they can also be used to destabilize vulnerable parts of the world, especially in Africa. Taylor Dinerman describes the problem and what companies and governments need to do to resolve it.
Monday, July 30, 2007

Can’t all space nerds get along?

The space advocacy movement has been best for years by internecine debates regarding the roles of humans versus robots and the government versus the private sector. Michael Huang argues it’s time to set those debates aside in favor of the greater good.
Monday, July 30, 2007

Scaled Family Support Fund

From the National Space Society:
-----------------------
To All NSS Members and Friends:

As many of you have heard, there was a serious accident last week at Scaled Composites, Burt Rutan's pioneering company. Three lives were lost, including Charles 'Glen' May, an NSS member who was a leader within NSS's Huntsville HAL5 Chapter. In addition, three employees suffered serious injuries.

Scaled has announced information on a fund for those wishing to support the families of the deceased as well as the injured and their families. The National Space Society urges all of its members to give generously to support these heroes.

Please send contributions to Scaled Family Support Fund, c/o Scaled Composites, 1624 Flight Line, Mojave, CA. 93501.
Acct # 04157-66832
Wire transfer ABA Routing #1220-0066-1

Please make checks payable to the account number or to the name of the fund.

NSS Statement on Accident at Scaled Composites: America was built on the courage of those who dared to explore new frontiers. From Lewis and Clark to the Apollo astronauts, great men and women have tested themselves against the frontiers of their age.

In the course of their efforts, these heroes may pay the ultimate cost, as they did yesterday in Mojave. When that happens, it is the highest duty of all of us to care for the injured, to mourn the departed, and to care for the families. An honest investigation must be conducted to learn what went wrong, and to fix the cause so that it does not happen again.

But when the investigation finished, our duty is to carry on the work of those heroes, to redouble our efforts to scale the peaks that they were climbing. That is what we learned from Apollo 1. That is what they would want.

The frontier of space is far from tamed. The men and women of Scaled Composites are engaged in one of the great efforts of our time: opening space for all humanity. That is a noble pursuit, perhaps the most noble of all, and we must all be thankful for their work, and for their sacrifice.

Let us not shirk from what happened yesterday. Professionals will find the cause. The program will continue. The effort to open space cannot be stopped. Now is the time to honor those men by honoring the cause that they were engaged in. Those of us who are part of this great endeavor, whether as participants or as supporters, let us carry forward this message of perseverance to our own communities, to our elected leaders and to the media. Now more than ever, the nation needs to hear your voices.



National Space Society
Katherine Brick
Email: members@nss.org
Phone: (202) 429-1600

STS-118 Countdown

STS-118's countdown will begin August 4 (next Saturday). Endeavour is set to launch at 7pm on August 7.

A Tribute to Glenn May

I received permission to post this from Greg Allison of our local NSS chapter about Glenn May. Glenn died in the explosion at Mojave yesterday.

-----------------------------------------------------------

We lost one of our own yesterday. Glenn May was a member of HAL5, was a key player in our HALO program, and he worked for me at HARC on our BLRV and CATS Prize rockets. Though he lived in Memphis back then, he came to Huntsville frequently to help us work on our rockets. Glenn worked really hard at all of our test firings and launches too. Glenn built the first rocket bike. We all cheered as he blasted past us at our old test site on it.

I am devastated... Glenn May was a good guy and a good friend. He was the best hand on the launch boats when we went out to sea to launch our rockoons. When every one else was grumbling Glenn was all smiles and eager to work. His broad smile and easy manner are the things I will remember the most. He used to call me from time to time and talk about how he missed the trees out this way after he moved to the Mojave to work for Scaled Composites. He pondered moving to Huntsville. At one time he even thought about renting a room in my home.

The business is very risky, but also very worthy. I knew space tourism would take lives, but I had hoped it would not happen this soon. It is especially very hard when it happens to a friend. Glenn was a pioneer. Those of us that knew him will miss him dearly. This is very hard for all of us. I know Glenn would want us to press on. He died doing what he loved the most.

Glenn always wanted to go to space. Now he is up there with our creator.

God bless the families of those brave pioneers we lost yesterday.

Respectfully,
Greg Allison

Explosion at Mojave Kills 3

An explosion at Mojave Airport in one of Scaled Composites' private test site. Burt Rutan told reporters that the blast occurred as the company was testing the propellant flow system for SpaceShip Two.

One of the men killed was Charles "Glen" May, who was a member of the Huntsville HAL5 and HALO project. He will be missed.

Ours prayers go to all the families.

Robert Heinlein's Legacy

Taylor Dinerman has an editorial in the Wall Street Journal about the life and legacy of Robert Heinlein, the greatest science fiction writer of the 20th century.

Space Law Probe Blog Flyby

Space Law Probe has a good roundup of what's going on in the blog'o'sphere.

Crew/Carg Missions Out

According to NASA Watch, the JSC has said that crew and cargo missions to the Moon are out. Cargo with have to fly on separate missions. I wonder if they would consider buying cargo flights to the Moon when the time comes? Like a lunar COTS. Just a thought.

Space Elevator Games

The 2007 Space Elevator Games have been set. The Spaceward Foundation announced today the event will be held outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. Qualifying rounds will start on October 15, with the actual event between October 19 and October 21. Good luck to all the contestants.

Pentagon Uses Internet to Study Space Solar Power

The National Security Space Office, or NSSO, is using the Space Frontier Foundation's forums to get ideas for a space based solar power array to provide energy to the Earth.

Space Tourism Roundup

The Christen Science Monitor has a roundup of space tourism activities called: Space tourism industry is lifting off

Gillette's Hitch a Ride to Outer Space Contest

Gillette is offering a ride to space on a sub-orbital spaceship provided by Space Adventures. Only for Canadians, though.

Tour News: Rasmussen Is Fired!

Michael Rasmussen, the leader of the Tour de France and the winner of Stage 16, is out. He was fired by his team Rabobank for lying about his location during a pre-tour drug test. According to cycling ethics agreements, Rabobank has pulled out.

The good news is Alberto Contrador is the new leader. Go Team Discovery.

This is one crazy tour.

Intro to the Bigelow Galaxy

Bigelow Aerospace has an article about what to expect from the larger Galaxy module coming to an orbit near you.

Bigelow Aerospace Fly Your Stuff Photos Up

Bigelow's Fly Your Stuff is up.

They also have a video here.

Real time tracking of Genesis I & II

Doubts about COTS

Tommy Holloway, chair of the International Space Station (ISS) Safety Task Force and former ISS manager for NASA, doubts that COTS will work for the ISS supply gap between 2010 and 2014.

Of course he doesn't. Cause in NASA's world commercial development is a risk and government development is always successful (note the sarcasm). Hopefully that attitude is changing.

SpaceShipTwo at EAA AirVenture

Wil Whitehorn says SpaceShipTwo developed by Scaled Composites as the commercial successor to the famed SpaceShipOne may be at Wil Whitehorn EAA AirVenture in 2008. Lets keep our fingers crossed.

Plug-n-Play Satellites

The Air Force is holding a meeting next month about plug-n-play satellites using USB ports and auto-discovery. This is part of the Operationally Responsive Space program.

Michael Belfiore "Rocketeers" Goings On

Michael Belfiore has a lot going on with the release of his book "Rocketeers" coming out soon.

He should be on Book TV soon. I hope to see it.

It is brilliant so far by the way. Review coming closer to the release date of July 31, 2007.

Apparently, he was just in my neck of the woods. To bad I didn't know. I would have loved to meet him.

Babe in the Universe was at the National Air & Space Museum at his book signing. Luck girl.

Tour News: Rasmussen Proves Himself

After being the best climber in the tour for what seems like forever, Michael Rasmussen of team Rabobank pulled away from both Discovery hopefuls, and extended his lead by winning Stage 16.

Standings:

1 058 RASMUSSEN, Michael DEN RAB 76:15:15.000 00:00:00.000
2 112 CONTADOR, Alberto ESP DSC 76:18:25.000 00:03:10.000
3 041 EVANS, Cadel AUS PRL 76:20:18.000 00:05:03.000
4 111 LEIPHEIMER,Levi USA DSC 76:21:14.000 00:05:59.000
5 031 SASTRE, Carlos ESP CSC 76:24:27.000 00:09:12.000
6 071 ZUBELDIA, Haimar ESP EUS 76:24:54.000 00:09:39.000
7 018 VALVERDE, Alejandro ESP GCE 76:28:43.000 00:13:28.000
8 027 KIRCHEN, Kim LUX TMO 76:30:01.000 00:14:46.000
9 118 POPOVYCH, Yaroslav UKR DSC 76:31:15.000 00:16:00.000
10 219 SOLER HERNANDEZ, J COL BAR 76:31:56.000 00:16:41.000

I haven't given up on Discovery yet, though.

Back to space.

NASA Announces STS-120 Crew

NASA announced the crew for the October flight of Discover, STS-120. It boast the first female ISS commander,Peggy Whitson and a Malaysian orthopedic surgeon Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor. The launch is planned for October 10 of this year. If all goes well, it will the be third launch of a shuttle this year.

China Sells Space Food

A Chinese company that provides food to taikonauts is getting ready to sell the food to the public. It should be on grocery store shelves in China by the end of the year.

Eyewitness: A View From Space

At the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, a panel spoke on the new space race. In their view this includes NASA, China, India, Russia, and private space firms.

Greg Olsen, the third tourist on the International Space Station said, "The Russians and the Americans were first, but it doesn't belong to us. It belongs to everybody."

It is interesting that they seem to believe that space exploration needs to be "planetary." I have never understood this belief. Everything else in our world gets better through competition. Why is space different?

Alexhandre Vinokourov Is Out

I know this has nothing to do with space, but Cycling is the greatest sport outside of Auburn football. If you don't care, please feel free to ignore -djs.

For all you Tour de France fans, Alexhandre Vinokourov has tested positive positive for doping. It is a sad day for cycling. Astana, the Swiss team, has pulled out. On the plus side, Alberto Contrador of Discovery is in 2nd overall.

Overall:
1. Michael Rasmussen (DEN) RAB - 2,750.4km in 69h52'14" (39.359km/h)
2. Alberto Contador (ESP) DSC at 2'23"
3. Cadel Evans (AUS) PRL at 4'00"
4. Levi Leipheimer (USA) DSC at 5'25"
5. Andreas Kloden (GER) AST at 5'34"
6. Carlos Sastre (ESP) CSC at 6'46"
7. Haimar Zubeldia (ESP) EUS at 7'27"
8. Andrey Kashechkin (KAZ) AST at 7'54"
9. Kim Kirchen (LUX) TMO at 8'24"
10. Mikel Astarloza (EUS) at 9'21"

I won't be terribly unhappy if Rasmussen pulls it off. He is a great mountain rider. I have watched him win the King of the Mountain a couple of times. Levi Leipheimer would be cool, since he is Discovery's leader, but I think Contador is the better rider this year.

TDF coverage

Okay back to space...

Carnival of Space #12

They just keep coming. It is getting hard to keep up.

Masten Space Update

Masten Space has an update on their rocket tests.

More on Northrup Grumman & Scaled Composites

Jeff Foust has more on Northrup Grumman's buyout of Scaled Composites. It sounds like very little is going to change.

News Day has more.

Selenian Boondocks discusses what this means. It think Jon makes a lot of good points.

Space Adventures Plans for the Future

Space Adventures has said what their future products will be. They include: private spacewalks, customer stopovers at commercial Earth orb outposts, and public flights to the Moon.

State of RLV 2007

Taylor Dinnerman wrote a summary of the state of RLVs in 2007 on the Space Review this week.

Phoenix Launch Media Event for Launch

The Phoenix Mars Lander is set to launch August 3. NASA has set up a press conference at Kennedy Space Center at 2 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, Aug. 1.

ISS as National

I go this from the Space Advocate this morning -djs.

From this story in Space News.

The International Space Station (ISS) should be used as a national laboratory to support scientific research and commercial business development. Congress supports this idea and NASA is now moving in the direction of helping to make the national lab concept a reality. This is good news for taxpayers wanting to ensure that America maximizes the value of its investment in space.

While NASA will continue to pursue research aboard the ISS that is specifically designed to support its long-term exploration goals, it will open up Station facilities for use by other government agencies -- such as the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and the Departments of Energy, Commerce and Agriculture -- as well as private firms eager to exploit the unique micro-gravity environment found on Station. Medical and health care breakthroughs alone that could improve the quality of life for all people would justify this expanded approach to using the ISS.

Northrop Grumman Buys Out Scaled Composites

Northrop Grumman has bought out Scaled Composites, the builder of the famed SpaceShipOne. Not sure what this means for Virgin Galactic yet. Stay tuned.

NewSpace 2007

NewSpace 2007 is going on as we speak. Clark Lindsey is blogging there.

Two Move Space Tourists

Space Adventures has booked two more seats for tourists on upcoming Russian trips to the ISS. No word on who they are yet, but reports are that they paid $30 million. It is not clear whether the price went up or they are going to do something special. Previous tourists reportedly paid $20 million.

[update: According to Eric Anderson the price increase is due to the dollar falling against the ruble.]

Brazil Gets Back in the Saddle

Brazil launched a sounding rocket to revive its stalled space program. A deadly accident in 2003 brought the South American space program to a halt. There appears to be hold, though, that they are back on track.

NASA Creates a Virtual Space Station

NASA has a ISS reference guide online that lets you see the space station up close and personal.

Rocketeers Has Arrived

I have just recieved my copy of Rocketeers. I shall have a review by early next week. I love blogging. Where else have a gotten to ready awesome books 11 days before they hit the stores. Based on first glance, it looks like a page turner.

What to do with the COTS Money

If RpK fails to meet their financial milestones, NASA will keep the money in COTS. Perhaps giving it to SpaceDev.

COTS Overview

Andrew C. Schneider has an overview of the purpose of NASA's COTS program.

Orion to Study Cheap Rocket for the Army

Orion was awarded a contract from the Army to study a rocket called Responder. It is designed to launch 22 pounds to low Earth orbit for under $1 million.

Scotland and England Battle of Space Tourists

Scotland and England are fighting over who gets to launch the first space tourist in Britain. (From RLV and Space Transport News).

NASA Awards Ares Engine Contract

NASA has awarded the contract for the J-2x engine for the upper stage of the Ares to Pratt and Whitney. The contract is valued at $1.2 billion.

Bush Speaks on Space Policy

President Bush actually talked about space policy and NASA in Ohio recently.

World's Largest Telescope is Open for Business

The World's largest telescope, with a 34-foot wide mirror, got first light on a mountain top in Spain's Canary Islands on Saturday.

How a Rose on Mars Inspired SpaceX

Keith Cowings Devon Island Journal talks about how the idea of growing a rose on Mars led to SpaceX. It also has the happenings at the Mars simulated base.

Sorry for the Brief Interruption in Your News

I have been locked away testing tactical systems for two weeks. Now we continue with you regularly scheduled news.

Rocketplane/Kistler Funding by End of July

RpK plans to have their funding complete for the COTS program by the end of July. SpaceX finished their funding earlier this year.

Congress Trying to Give NASA More Money?

Wonder of wonders. The Senate Appropriations Committee yesterday approved legislation to increase NASA funding to $17.46 billion for fiscal year 2008. This is an increase of $1.2 billion.

Genesis II Images Released

New high-res images of the Genesis II have been released by Bigelow Aerospace.

More on XCOR's Investors

Forbes has more on the private investment firm, Boston Harbor Angels, and XCOR Aerospace.