2011 The year of Private Space?

Leonard David believes 2011 is the year private space (or new space) will take off. Here's crossing our fingers.

SpaceX Makes NASA Look Bad

Robert Block at the Orlando Sentinel thinks SpaceX's ability to launch a cheese-manned capsule into orbit and recover it for $800 million is "raising some serious questions about NASA." Meanwhile, NASA is spending $500 million in six months on a program that no longer exists.

First Android in Space

In February, NASA hopes to launch Robonaut 2 to the International Space Station. R2 (who could resist) is humanoid from the chest up.

How to Colonize Mars

Joel Levine, a researcher at NASA Langley has just published a book called The Human Mission to Mars: Colonizing the Red Planet. I haven't read it yet, but as soon as I can get it I will post a review.

Fox has a overview.

There are no words for how stupid this is...

I can't even bring myself to comment on how dumb this is.

How Many NASA Engineers…

"You are so dumb, really dumb, for real"

Government 1 Common Sense 0

Due to the insanity that is the United States Federal Government, The Constellation program has been cut but NASA is still forced by congress to spend $500 million on the dead Ares 1 rocket through March.

From Fox News:

Constellation is the umbrella program that includes the Ares I, the rocket NASA has been building to replace the space shuttle as means of transport to and from the International Space Station, as well as other spacecraft that would have been capable of performing a variety of missions. President Obama cancelled Constellation last year, but thanks to congressional delays and inaction, the program simply won't die -- and it's costing big bucks.

This is mostly related to the fact that congress can't get a budget passed. Hopefully the next congress can get something together. In a world of deficit hawks and tea parties, however, this seems insane. This is why the government shouldn't be doing so much, they suck at most things.

Top Space News of 2010

Clark Lindsey has his list of the top space related news of 2010.

This is my top three. It is completely based on my own (rational) self-interest. In other words, things that I believe help get my wife and I into space.

3. Bigelow Aerospace signed a deal with Boeing (of all people) to launch space stations into orbit. Apparently, six countries are interested in leasing their very own space station.

2. Scaled Composites/Virgin Galactic had a successful glide test of VSS Enterprise and Eve.

1. It is hard to argue that SpaceX had the best year of any new-space company. They closed it out with a successful launch and re-entry of the Dragon capsule carrying a wheel of cheese on December 8. They also signed the largest commercial launch contract in history with Iridium.

NASA Jumps into Gaming

Apparently NASA is working on a massively multiplayer online game called Astronaut: Mars, Moon, and Beyond. A demo is avalible at their website.

Top Stories of 2009

Alan Boyle at MSNBC reviews the top space stories of 2009 and allows you to vote for your favorite.

Soyuz Launches for Christmas

The Russian Soyuz rocket launched American, Russian, and Japanese astronauts into space yesterday. These three new astronauts will spend Christmas on the International Space Station joining American Jeff Williams and Russian Maxim Surayev.

NASA Should Learn from Silicon Valley and Russia

Former astronaut Edward Lu says NASA should take a lesson from Silicon Valley and Russia and build smaller highly reliable rockets, like the Soyuz, and launch them as fast as new ideas in the technology world.

EU has lots of Plans, but Little Money

The European Union has plans for a Mars sample return mission and manned launches over the next decade. However, it is difficult to see how they are going to increase the spending on space the required 50% given the current budget deficits in Europe.

World Waits on US Plan

According to John Kelly, the rest of the World is talking a good talk about space, but in reality they are waiting on the US, and more specifically the Obama administration, to decide what we are going to do in space over the next ten years.

Obama Pushes Private Space Ferries

The Obama administration, in one of its few nods to private industry, is asking NASA to fund private companies on the order of $3.5 billion to develop private transport to orbit. It is rumored that they may add $1 billion to NASA's budget begging in October of 2010.

This is good news to companies like SpaceX, who are already set to receive $1.6 billion to develop and test their Falcon 9 rocket under the COTS program.

They are also, not surprisingly, seeking international support in developing rockets to land on the Moon and Mars.

Like the old Vulcan proverb, Only Nixon can go to China...

Virgin Galactic wants to Branch Out

Virgin Galactic President Will Whitehorn says that space tourism is just the beginning. He sees Virgin Galactic moving into space science, servicing space server farms and replacing long-haul flights.

Peter Diamandis at Arizona Science Center

If you are in Phoenix next month...


PHOENIX, AZ -- 05/06/09 -- The MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Enterprise Forum of Phoenix will host an extraordinary event, Rewarding Breakthrough Innovation, on June 4, 2009, at the Arizona Science Center where Arizona business leaders and community members will meet the key figure in the development of the personal spaceflight industry, Dr. Peter H. Diamandis. He will be sharing his experiences, vision and passion for having created many space-related businesses and organizations including the X PRIZE Foundation, the Rocket Racing League, Zero Gravity Corporation, Singularity University and Space Adventures, Ltd.

The evening experience includes a direct conversation with Dr. Diamandis exploring how Arizona can participate and contribute on a global scale by advancing opportunity through science, education, technology and entrepreneurism. The presentation by Dr. Diamandis will highlight the X PRIZE Foundation, where money is rewarded to directly fund research in areas of exploration in space and underwater, life sciences, energy and environment, education and global development to benefit humanity. He will share how to get involved and even compete for the million dollar prizes like the $10 million Ansari X PRIZE awarded in 2004 to Mojave Aerospace Ventures for the world's first private spaceflight on SpaceShipOne.

He will also incorporate highlights of his vision and role as the Vice Chancellor and Chairman of Singularity University, a revolutionary education program that focuses on inspiring leaders who strive to understand and facilitate the development of exponentially advancing technologies and apply, focus and guide these tools to address humanity's grand challenges. Registration is required.

"The exciting event is part of the continuing series presented by the MIT Club of Phoenix, now the newly formed MIT Enterprise Forum of Phoenix, with a mission of fostering entrepreneurship and exploring innovation with unique access to leaders and pioneers in areas of business, technology and science," said Armando Viteri, chair of the MIT Enterprise Forum Phoenix. "We are privileged to have Dr. Peter Diamandis share his experiences and encourage us to use imagination and change the way we see ourselves on this planet."

Seating is limited and registration is required. Attendees will have a chance to personally greet Dr. Diamandis in an open networking session beginning at 5:00 PM. Hors d'oeuvres will be served. The live presentation will start at 6:00 PM and opportunities for question and answer will be 7:30 to 8:00 PM.

To register for the event, visit http://tinyurl.com/c6vs7b or call 602-640-9005. Members of the MIT Enterprise Forum, MIT Club of Phoenix, Arizona Science Center and All-Ivy Council of Phoenix members pay $50 by pre-registering and all other pre-registrants pay $60 to attend. If seating is available, the cost on the day of the event is $75. MIT students and their parents attend for $40. Arizona Science Center is located at 600 East Washington Street Phoenix at Heritage and Science Park in Copper Square. Registration for the event is open through midnight June 2, 2009. Corporate sponsors include Osborn Maledon, Stearns Financial Services, Arizona Science Center and Advisory Board Architects.

MIT Enterprise Forum of Phoenix -- The MIT Enterprise Forum of Phoenix is a chapter for the MIT Enterprise Forum, The Global Entrepreneurial Network. Formerly the MIT Club of Phoenix, a chapter of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Alumni Association, the new MIT Enterprise Forum of Phoenix is dedicated helping technology entrepreneurs with direct access to experienced and successful CEOs through a series of coaching panel events of local business experts. MIT Enterprise Forum of Phoenix brings together local, national and even global leaders and entrepreneurs from real companies discussing real issues, providing everyone a front row seat to behind-the-scenes success. The organization has the mission to enhance the value of the MIT degree, build community, and celebrate shared experiences.


Media Contact:
Jamie Glass
Email Contact
602-369-5537

2010 NASA Budget Request Released

The 2010 NASA Budget Request has been released. For more information check out NASA's budget site. RLV and Space Transport News has comments specific to COTS.

White House Statement on NASA Review

The White House has released a statement on the study they are currently undergoing on the Ares program.

Masten Space B-750 Engine Test Video

Masten Space has released a video of their B-750 engine test. Enjoy!

May 11 Shuttle Launch in HD

NASA will begin broadcasting in high definition (HD) from the Kennedy Space Center Friday at Noon (EDT). It will continue through the weekend. On Monday, at 8:30 AM EDT, it will begin launch coverage. The Shuttle Atlantis should liftoff at 2:01pm EDT.

NASA streaming and schedules are at:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv