NASA Offers Opportunities for Biological Research on Space Station

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WASHINGTON -- NASA invites scientists from around the country to submit proposals to perform biological research aboard the International Space Station. The NASA Research Announcement (NRA), "Research Opportunities in Space Biology," opened Sept. 30.

This NRA challenges scientists to propose experiments that could provide answers to questions about how life adapts and responds to microgravity. Selected investigators will have the opportunity to take advantage of new cell, plant and animal research facilities being developed for the space station. Proposals should demonstrate benefits to astronauts living and working in the harsh environment of space during long-duration missions. They also should improve medicine and health care for humans on Earth.

The NRA also focuses on ground-based research designed to lead to new space biology investigations aboard the orbiting laboratory. The investigations should use microgravity and other characteristics of the space environment effectively to enhance our understanding of basic biological processes and develop the scientific and technological foundations for a safe, productive human presence in space for extended periods in preparation for exploration beyond low Earth orbit. The investigations should apply this knowledge and technology to improve the nation's competitiveness, education and quality of life.

NASA's selection of research projects is guided by recommendations from the National Research Council's 2011 Decadal Survey Report, "Recapturing a Future for Space Exploration: Life and Physical Sciences Research for a New Era." The NASA-developed "Fundamental Space Biology Science Plan" provides an implementation strategy and roadmap based on available flight and fiscal resources.

To read the complete NRA, click on "Solicitations" at NASA's NSPIRES website: http://nspires.nasaprs.com

For information about the International Space Station, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/station

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NASA Offers Opportunities for Biological Research on Space Station

NASA Preparing For Privatized ISS Resupply Launch Next Week

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NASA this week is preparing for the first SpaceX launch under its Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract. NASA has not had the capability, on its own, to deliver and return cargo to and from the International Space Station (ISS) since the space shuttle program was retired just over one year ago.

The launch of the SpaceX CRS-1, or Dragon, spacecraft will take place on Sunday, October 7th at 8:35 pm EDT. If that launch window is not met, there are backup launch windows available on October 8th and October 9th.

On Sunday, SpaceX conducted a successful static fire test of the Falcon 9 rocket that will carry Dragon into space. Meanwhile, NASA is preparing a series of tests for Orbital Sciences Corporations Antares rocket, which will carry the Cygnus cargo spacecraft into orbit during a demonstration mission in the coming months. Orbital Sciences is also part of NASAs CRS contract, and will also be resupplying the ISS in the future.

This launch is one of 12 that have been contracted by NASA to resupply the ISS. NASA states that the Dragon will be filled with around 1,000 pounds of supplies, including materials to support the investigations planned for the ISS crew. The vehicle will also return around 734 pounds of scientific materials and an estimated 504 pounds of ISS hardware.

A Dragon spacecraft has already visited the ISS once, during a successful test mission in May of this year. The photo above is from the launch of that mission.

(Photo courtesy SpaceX)

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NASA Preparing For Privatized ISS Resupply Launch Next Week

NASA building a better solid rocket booster for Space Launch System rocket

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ScienceDaily (Oct. 2, 2012) The largest and most powerful solid rocket booster ever built for flight is being assembled for NASA's Space Launch System at ATK Space Systems in Brigham City, Utah, incorporating new cost-savings measures. The SLS will launch NASA's Orion spacecraft and other payloads beyond low Earth orbit, and provide an entirely new capability for human exploration.

Although similar to the solid rocket boosters that helped power the space shuttle to orbit, the five-segment SLS boosters include several upgrades and improvements implemented by NASA and ATK engineers. In addition, the SLS boosters will be built more affordably and efficiently than shuttle boosters, incorporating new and innovative processes and technologies.

"America's next steps in deep space exploration build on the lessons learned from our nation's rich human spaceflight history. By using the best-of-the-best from shuttle and improving on previous investments, we will produce the needed solid booster for the first SLS flights," said Dan Dumbacher, NASA's deputy associate administrator for Exploration Systems Development at NASA's headquarters in Washington, D.C. "We are encouraged by the progress being made at ATK. Their commitment to deliver a safe and high-quality rocket booster is vital as we build SLS to enable exploration to new frontiers in the solar system."

New process improvements have been implemented throughout the manufacturing of Qualification Motor-1, the next full-scale test article for SLS booster. Four case segments have now been cast, and the motor will begin assembly in the test stand next month in preparation for a ground test in the spring of 2013.

Implementing new handling processes, ATK estimates the total assembly time for the SLS booster can be reduced by approximately 46 percent overall. In one area, ATK optimized inspection methods and replaced x-ray inspections with an ultrasonic examination of the booster's nozzle, allowing technicians to evaluate the hardware on the production floor. In another, ATK reduced the number of moves from 47 to seven during one phase of booster assembly, reducing the chance of any damage in transit and greatly reducing the time it takes to complete that production process.

"By improving upon proven Space Shuttle solid rocket motor hardware and operations, our shared goal is to deliver a safe, affordable and sustainable launch vehicle," said Alex Priskos, SLS booster manager at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. "We are embracing innovation both technically and in our management processes as we design and build SLS. Through the use of new streamlined approaches and techniques we have been able to drive down costs and enhance the reliability of the hardware."

The booster team has successfully completed its Booster Requirements Review confirming the five-segment solid rocket motor had a well-understood set of requirements. The review, held at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, included independent consultants and determined the team is ready to proceed to a Preliminary Design Review in 2013.

Watch a video about the SLS Booster Value Stream Mapping: http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html?media_id=153223311

The initial 70-metric-ton (77 ton) configuration of the SLS will provide 10 percent more thrust than the Saturn V rocket at liftoff. The rocket's first stage will be powered by four RS-25 former space shuttle main engines flanked by two five-segment solid rocket boosters. The SLS solid rocket boosters will generate a combined 7.2 million pounds of thrust to help power the massive rocket off the launch pad.

The Marshall Center manages the SLS Program for the agency and is working closely with our partners at the Orion program office managed by NASA's Johnson Space Flight Center in Houston and the Ground Systems Development and Operations Program, which manage the operations and launch facilities at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

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NASA building a better solid rocket booster for Space Launch System rocket

ATK and NASA Showcase Cost-Saving Upgrades for Space Launch System Solid Rocket Boosters

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PROMONTORY, Utah, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- ATK (ATK) and NASA held an event to highlight progress made in manufacturing the first ground test motor and cost-saving process upgrades for manufacturing the solid rocket booster for NASA's Space Launch System (SLS). These changes have reduced assembly time by approximately 46 percent, saving millions of dollars in projected costs for the SLS system.

ATK's Value Stream Mapping (VSM) process, which is a company-wide business practice, allowed the employees to identify inefficient processes, procedures and requirements to help reach the target condition. Through this process, ATK identified more than 400 changes and improvements, which NASA approved.

"As we were challenged with decreased budgets and a more streamlined workforce, we knew we had to make changes in order to stay competitive, but we also know the importance of ensuring we deliver a safe and reliable product for America's human space flight program," said Charlie Precourt, general manager and vice president of ATK's Space Launch Division. "Through the VSM process we are delivering an even higher-quality product for less cost than originally envisioned for the SLS program."

Many of the process improvements identified through ATK's VSM approach reduced the number of product moves and other redundant processes, limiting exposure and reducing the risk of anomalies during manufacturing. For example, in one area a segment was previously moved 47 times during manufacturing; the ATK teams were able to reduce those moves to seven, saving labor costs and improving reliability.

Another lean manufacturing change involved eliminating some of NASA's requirements for redundant inspections by incorporating ultrasound technology in place of X-ray and other inspection tools. NASA approved all of ATK's recommended VSM changes.

"NASA support and encouragement through this process shows its commitment to building the Space Launch System more affordably to ensure a safe, reliable andmost importantsustainable program for this nation," said Precourt.

VSM improvements have been implemented throughout the manufacturing of Qualification Motor-1 (QM-1). Four segments have now been cast, and ATK will start integration of the motor in the test stand next month in preparation for a ground test in spring 2013.

"America's next steps in deep space exploration build on the lessons learned from our nation's rich human spaceflight history. By using the best-of-the-best from shuttle and improving on previous investments, we will produce the needed solid booster for the first SLS flights," said Dan Dumbacher, NASA's deputy associate administrator for Exploration Systems Development at NASA's headquarters in Washington, D.C. "We are encouraged by the progress being made at ATK. Their commitment to deliver a safe and high-quality rocket booster is vital as we build SLS to enable exploration to new frontiers in the solar system."

As part of the event, representatives from NASA Headquarters and Marshall Space Flight Center thanked the ATK workforce for their successful VSM efforts and continued work in producing the first booster for the Space Launch System.

"Our workforce stepped up to the challenge, and our employees brought cost-saving ideas forward that were accepted by our NASA customer," said Precourt. "These changes also pave the way for ATK in producing an Advanced Concept Booster that could be used to support missions throughout our solar system."

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ATK and NASA Showcase Cost-Saving Upgrades for Space Launch System Solid Rocket Boosters

NASA gives ATK a thank you, big check, possible mission to Mars

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PROMONTORY, Box Elder County NASA is giving a big pat on the back and a big chunk of money to the rocket builders at ATK.

It involves work the company is doing to achieve the next giant leap into space, much farther than humans have ever gone before. And it may start with a steppingstone beyond the far side of the moon.

"Well, it's all about getting to Mars," said Dan Dumbacher, NASA's deputy associate administrator, who traveled from Washington to personally thank ATK employees for their cost-cutting efforts.

"A big thank you to the ATK team," Dumbacher said to a crowd of employees gathered Tuesday in one of the massive production buildings on ATK's sprawling facility. "You guys are a big part of us getting back into space and beyond low Earth orbit."

ATK had a big setback a few weeks ago when it lost out to some other companies competing for NASA money. In that showdown, the goal was development of systems for getting astronauts into low-Earth orbits used by the International Space Station.

But ATK is still very much in the running for much more ambitious space adventures thousands of times farther from Earth. Possible destinations include asteroids, the moon and, of course, the red planet.

"(The) ultimate destination is Mars," Dumbacher said. "We're going to Mars. Where we go in between here and Mars is still being sorted out."

About 600 workers at ATK are focused on the project.

"It absolutely gets my juices going," said Charlie Precourt, a veteran astronaut and now a vice president of ATK. "The excitement, the intensity, the pulling together of all the resources that we can to do something we've never done before is always the thing that gets people going."

ATK is adapting the company's old space-shuttle boosters to lift long-range vehicles into space. NASA has already kicked in more than $200 million for ATK's work on the so-called "Space Launch System."

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NASA gives ATK a thank you, big check, possible mission to Mars

NASA Astronauts Dressed Like Jedi Monks in 1964 [PIC]

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On Aug. 13, 1964, four NASA astronauts participated in desert survival training in the dusty sands of Reno, Nev. John Young, Frank Borman, Neil Armstrong and Deke Slayton wore brightly-colored parachute fabric that made the space travelers look like some sort of intergalactic Jedi monks.

[More from Mashable: Pentatonix Covers Gangnam Style in A Capella Masterpiece [VIDEO]]

Add a Wookiee to the mix and you have the premise for a Star Wars sequel starring real life space heros.

Image courtesy of NASA

[More from Mashable: A Clever Guide to Not Failing Miserably on Instagram [VIDEO]]

(H/T Kuriositas)

Image courtesy of NASA

Click here to view this gallery.

This story originally published on Mashable here.

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NASA Astronauts Dressed Like Jedi Monks in 1964 [PIC]

Research and Markets: Advances in Molecular Toxicology, Vol 5

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/4txk36/advances_in) has announced the addition of Elsevier Science and Technology's new book "Advances in Molecular Toxicology, Vol 5" to their offering.

Advances in Molecular Toxicology features the latest advances in all of the subspecialties of the broad area of molecular toxicology.

Toxicology is the study of poisons, and this series details the study of the molecular basis by which a vast array of agents encountered in the human environment and produced by the human body itself manifest themselves as toxins. Not strictly limited to documenting these examples, the series is also concerned with the complex web of chemical and biological events that give rise to toxin-induced symptoms and disease. The new technologies that are being harnessed to analyze and understand these events will also be reviewed by leading workers in the field.

Advances in Molecular Toxicology will report progress in all aspects of these rapidly evolving molecular aspects of toxicology with a view toward detailed elucidation of both progress on the molecular level and on advances in technological approaches employed.

Cutting-edge reviews by leading workers in the discipline

In-depth dissection of molecular aspects of interest to a broad range of scientists, physicians and any student in the allied disciplines

Leading edge applications of technological innovations in chemistry, biochemistry and molecular medicine

Key Topics Covered:

Metal-independent Pathways of Chlorinated Phenol/Quinone Toxicity

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Research and Markets: Advances in Molecular Toxicology, Vol 5

Special ed students love the new Connecticut Children's Medical Center School

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Tuesday, October 2, 2012 11:06 PM EDT

By Scott Whipple Staff Writer

When we came across 300 John Downey Drive [a former warehouse] we knew we had found the right home, she said.

Brown and other dignitaries helped celebrate Connecticut Childrens Medical Center School Tuesday on John Downey Drive during a special ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Walking through the doors of the new CCMC School, students, staff, parents and visitors have been awed by our expansive and modern state-ofthe-art facility, said Patricia Gerrity, CCMC School principal. Gerrity noted the newest technology in the classrooms, gymnasium and numerous resources for academic enhancement, emotional and behavioral growth.

Annalisa Russell-Smith | Staff Third grader Brianna Williams, left, speaking at the ribbon cutting for her new school, Connecticut Children's Medical Center School on John Downey Drive in New Britain Tuesday morning. At right is the school's principal, Patricia Gerrity.

That there were no stairs to tire you out, she said.

It was the cafeteria that impressed 10th-grader Hilson Mejias.

It was like awesome, he said. And the [school] colors are like a rainbow leading to a pot of gold.

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Special ed students love the new Connecticut Children's Medical Center School

Parliament approves Medical School transfer to Agostinian Fathers

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Parliament yesterday approved the transfer of the former Medical School in Gwardamangia to the Agostinian Fathers.

This was the final process after the Parliamentary National Audit Office Accounts Committee unanimously approved a resolution to transfer the property to the Agostinian Fathers to build a primary school for 400 children.

Government will pass the Medical School in Guardamangia to the Agostinian Order on a lease for 99 years at 1,000 per year as rent.

The Agostinian Order is committed to spend at least 1 million on the project which could include sports facilities apart from the primary school. Works are expected to start once the necessary permits are issued by MEPA.

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Parliament approves Medical School transfer to Agostinian Fathers

REGION: UCR gets OK to open medical school

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After a long wait, UC Riverside has been cleared to open a four-year, independent medical school in August 2013, university officials said Tuesday.

Officials said they were told that they had received "preliminary accreditation" from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, a national accreditation body for medical schools in the U.S. and Canada.

The School of Medicine will begin recruiting for its inaugural fall 2013 class, according to a news release.

"This medical school is critically needed to address our region's physician shortage and stimulate the economy," university Chancellor Timothy P. White said in a written statement.

This was UCR's second try at getting the OK to open.

The School of Medicine sought accreditation in summer 2011, only to be denied because of the state's refusal to commit a regular stream of funding.

At that point, founding medical school Dean G. Richard Olds turned his attention to raising money from local donors.

After securing enough commitments, UCR submitted another application in April.

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REGION: UCR gets OK to open medical school

MCAT revisions bring change for medical school hopefuls

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Freshmen aspiring to be doctors may now have to plan their class schedules a little differently.

The Medical College Admission Test will undergo its fifth revision since it was first administered in 1928 then called the Scholastic Aptitude Test for Medical Students.

In spring 2015, when the new changes will take effect, medical school hopefuls will sit for six and a half hours to take MCAT2015 almost two hours longer than the current version. Each year, more than 85,000 students take the exam.

The test will still consist of four sections, but they have been redivided. It will now consist of Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems, Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems, Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations of Behavior and Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills.

The Writing Section will also be discontinued.

The current version of the test has been in use since 1991, and the new version is likely to be in place until 2030, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges.

The AAMC took into account all medical schools individual comments about the new MCAT, Perelman School of Medicine Senior Vice Dean for Education and professor Gail Morrison said. The new test will assume matriculating students have prior knowledge of biochemistry and statistics.

Familiarity with some concepts from social sciences will also be expected, Senior Associate Director of Career Services Peter Stokes said.

Clearly there is more to being a physician than being a good scientist, Stokes said. The AAMC has been looking at a variety of ways of finding applicants who are likely to bring other valuable skills, knowledge and experience to the profession.

Students who have taken psychology, cognitive neuroscience, statistics and epidemiology courses will now have use of this knowledge in medical school, Morrison said. The AAMC recognizes that these liberal arts courses will be helpful for students.

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MCAT revisions bring change for medical school hopefuls

Commission Approve Opening Of UC Riverside’s Medical School

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RIVERSIDE (CBSLA.com) There are only a handful of medical schools in California, and UC Riverside has just been added to the roster.

Officials have given preliminary approval to UCR medical schools proposed courses, which means the university can soon begin accepting applications, a campus spokesperson announced Tuesday.

This is momentous for Inland Southern California and for UC Riverside, UCR Chancellor Timothy P. White said.

This medical school is critically needed to address our regions physician shortage and stimulate the local economy, said White, who credited the Riverside communitys support in reaching this point.

The Liaison Committee on Medical Education withheld accreditation approval in 2011 because Californias budget crisis would prohibit UCRs medical school from receiving sufficient funds.

The university has since secured millions in private donations, including $20 million from Riverside County, allowing plans for the medical school to move forward an endeavor that began in 2006.

Classes will be held in the new School of Medicine Research Building and the renovated School of Medicine Education Building, campus officials said.

Prospective students can begin submitting applications to the four-year program later this month when the medical school is added to the American Medical College Application Service.

This will be the sixth medical school added to the UC system, which hasnt inaugurated a new campus M.D. program since the 1960s.

(2012 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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Commission Approve Opening Of UC Riverside’s Medical School

UC Riverside gets preliminary OK to open med school

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A national accrediting agency has approved UC Riversides plan to open a full medical school and to start enrolling future doctors next summer. It would be the sixth medical school in the University of California system and the first to open since the late 1960s.

Last year, the same panel rejected the proposal because it looked too risky after the state refused to fund the school. But UC Riverside officials have since secured enough other public and private financing for a program that they say will help ease a doctor shortage in the Inland Empire and improve public healthcare there.

Because we had tried and failed before, it is all the sweeter to have succeeded a year later, said UC Riverside medical school Dean G. Richard Olds, clearly pleased with the news.

The preliminary accreditation from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education allows UC Riverside to start recruiting students with the goal of enrolling 50 a year beginning next August, officials said. The agencys action was reported to be the first time in three decades that an American medical school was approved after previously having been denied.

Badly stung by last years rejection, Olds and other UC Riverside leaders campaigned for and won about $100 million in donations and pledges to support the school for 10 years. The donors included the UC system itself, Riverside County, the quasi-governmental Desert Healthcare District and affiliated hospitals.

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--Larry Gordon

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UC Riverside gets preliminary OK to open med school

Medical charter school opens doors to first students

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Medical charter school opens doors to first students

While jobs are in short supply in many industries, that's not the case in the medical field.

A new charter school in Lehigh County is now trying to address that need. The Medical Academy Charter School in Catasauqua is the first of its kind in the Lehigh Valley. It's goal is to better steer kids into the field of health care.

Between the algebra and history of the Jamestown settlement is an art class teaching students how drawing can turn to healing for the sick.

"This is an example of a Zen tangle art therapy method that psychotherapists may use to draw out emotions in patients," said teacher Carol Traynor.

The new school is using the promise of a career in health care to draw students in.

"This is where the jobs are going to be now and in the near future. It's ever growing," said Joanna Hughes, CEO and principal of the school, which opened in September to 9th and 10th graders.

The school, which will expand to 11th and 12th graders, infuses health care sciences into the general curriculum, Hughes said.

"We will provide the children with opportunities so that can be an x-ray tech or a phlebotomist or someone who works in the office doing billing," Hughes said.

Taylor Fullin, who wants to be anesthesiologist, transferred from Northampton Area High School.

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Medical charter school opens doors to first students

UC Riverside medical school clears hurdle

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A national accrediting agency has approved UC Riverside's long-embattled plan to open a full medical school and to start enrolling future doctors next summer, officials announced Tuesday. It would be the sixth medical school in the University of California system and the first to open since the late 1960s.

Last year, the same panel rejected the proposal because it looked too risky after the state refused to fund the school. But UC Riverside officials have since secured enough other public and private financing for a program that they say will help ease a doctor shortage in the Inland Empire and improve public healthcare there.

"Because we had tried and failed before, it is all the sweeter to have succeeded a year later," an elated UC Riverside medical school Dean G. Richard Olds said in a telephone interview.

The preliminary accreditation from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education allows UC Riverside to start recruiting students with the goal of enrolling 50 a year beginning next August, officials said. The agency's action was reported to be the first time in three decades that an American medical school was approved after previously having been denied.

Badly stung by last year's rejection, Olds and other UC Riverside leaders campaigned for and won about $100 million in donations and pledges to support a scaled-down school for 10 years. The donors included the UC system, Riverside County, the quasi-governmental Desert Healthcare District and affiliated hospitals.

However, Olds said the medical school will still need about $15 million a year in state general revenue funds if it is to expand and win full accreditation over the next six years.

Observers say that the state may find it hard to keep denying funding and to threaten the school's permanent future once the doors are open to students. Critics, however, contend that a new medical school is the kind of unnecessary expansionism that UC and the state can no longer afford while basic education programs have suffered large funding cuts and tuition has increased rapidly.

The school would be the only one in the UC system without its own hospital, an arrangement that vastly reduces costs through partnerships with local hospitals and clinics.

"This is a momentous decision for Inland Southern California and for UC Riverside," UC Riverside Chancellor Timothy P. White said in a statement. "This medical school is critically needed to address our region's physician shortage and stimulate the local economy."

Dan Hunt, the national agency's co-secretary, could not be reached for comment Tuesday. Traditionally, the accrediting committee does not reveal details of the internal debate that may surround its decisions.

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UC Riverside medical school clears hurdle

Liberty boys soccer team looks for strong finish

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Liberty senior Ian Larimer remembers fondly the 2010 soccer season, and he hopes history repeats itself two years later.

Larimer was a sophomore on the Hurricanes' team that qualified for the District 11 Class 3A playoffs as the No. 10 seed with a 10-8 record. Liberty then went on an unlikely postseason run that ended in the district final with a 2-0 loss to Easton.

Now a captain on a Liberty team fighting for a district tournament berth, Larimer sees some similarities between this year's team and that one.

The Hurricanes are 5-6-2 overall and 5-4-1 in the Lehigh Valley Conference. They host Whitehall today.

"We started that year 0-6," said Larimer, a sweeper. "Leading into that season there were a lot of long faces because we thought we'd struggle. But we moved some guys around, some younger guys stepped up and Richard Guedes was our leader offensively. Everyone wrote us off and that ended up motivating us. I think this year could be very similar."

For Liberty to be a district Cinderella, though, it needs to finish the season strong. Coach Jason Horvath's squad has five games remaining Whitehall, Bethlehem Catholic, Stroudsburg, Easton and Freedom and needs to win two conference games to qualify for the tournament.

Horvath and Larimer admit the season has been a disappointment to this point, but both coach and player believe there is still time to turn things around.

"It's been different than I expected the season would be," Horvath said. "We didn't get off to the best start and we've been clawing our way back slowly. We play to our potential in spurts. But we've made some changes in our lineup and in our formations, and I hope we're coming together now."

"This is a four-game week [Liberty lost to Northampton 2-0 Monday] and it's a big one," said Larimer, who moved back to his natural position of sweeper after starting the season at center midfield. "We're trying to win every game. From here on out is what counts."

Senior Sean McIntyre leads the Hurricanes in scoring with five goals and seven assists. Larimer has six goals and three assists while junior Tresor Butoyi has added six goals and an assist.

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Liberty boys soccer team looks for strong finish

FCC seeks input on Liberty bid to control Sirius

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WASHINGTON (AP) Federal regulators on Tuesday opened up a public comment period on an application by John Malone's Liberty Media Corp. to take control of satellite radio company Sirius XM Radio Inc.

The Federal Communications Commission said petitions to deny the application are due by Nov. 1. Responses to those filings are due two weeks later, with a final rebuttal to the responses by Nov. 20.

The FCC is looking into Liberty's proposed takeover of Sirius, in which Liberty already has amassed the equivalent of a 47.3 percent stake. If the commission approves, Liberty has said it will buy up enough shares within 60 days to give it majority control.

Liberty saved Sirius XM from near-bankruptcy in February 2009 by agreeing to lend it up to $530 million in exchange for preferred stock that amounted to a 40 percent stake.

Since then, Sirius recovered from its tailspin and as of the end of June it had more than 22 million subscribers.

Sirius shares rose 7 cents, or 2.7 percent, to $2.64 in afternoon trading. Liberty Media shares were up 34 cents at $105.11.

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FCC seeks input on Liberty bid to control Sirius

Liberty runs away with Rees Jones title at Haig Point

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Liberty's Niklas Lindstrom took medalist honors with a 3-under-par total of 213 for 54 holes and the Flames had the top four individual scorers as they cruised to a 24-stroke victory over East Carolina at the fifth annual Rees Jones Collegiate Invitational at Haig Point Club on Daufuskie Island.

Host South Carolina finished third in the 12-team standings.

Lindstrom, a junior who didn't make the travel squad for this tournament a year ago, shot a 2-under-par 70 Tuesday to finish ahead of his second-place teammates by six strokes. Ian McConnnell, a junior from Riverview, Fla., who led after the first 36 holes with a 2-under 142, finished tied with Max McKay, a senior from Jacksonville, Fla., and Chase Marinell, a junior from Ft. Myers, Fla., at 3-over 219.

Liberty's team score of 6-over-par 870 in the play-five-count-four format was lowest in the tournament's short history. East Carolina rallied to overtake host South Carolina for second place with a total of 894.

The Gamecocks, who were led by Dykes Harbin, were third with 896. Harbin, a senior from Augusta, Ga., posted a 5-over total of 221 to take sixth place among individuals.

Defending team champion Kennesaw State (2010 and 2011 winner) finished eighth among the 12 teams with a 921 total.

"I wanted to break par today and finish with an under-par total," said Lindstrom, a 22-year-old who was a top-20 ranked amateur in Sweden before coming to school at Liberty in Lynchburg, Va., sight unseen in August 2010. "I've been working on my short game and my driving, and that has been the key. I played well in my last tournament and I felt I had my game going.

"Last year, I didn't play good enough and I was outside the team for this tournament. Now I have rebounded and it feels really good."

Lindstrom's went 73-70-70 and his final round was good enough to tie for low score on the day. It was one of just four scores under par for the third round. Overall, there were only seven scores under par for the three rounds on the 7,380-yard, par 72 Rees Jones-designed course and Lindstrom had two of them.

"I'm excited about how well the guys played," eighth-year head coach Jeff Thomas said. "This team has a lot of potential. I think we can be even better if everyone starts playing well. If they start pushing each other, the sky's the limit."

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Liberty runs away with Rees Jones title at Haig Point

Sirius XM and Liberty Media Play Nice

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There will be an interesting speaker at Liberty Media's (Nasdaq: LMCA) annual investor meeting next week.

Mel Karmazin -- Sirius XM Radio's (Nasdaq: SIRI) opinionated CEO -- will be a presenter at the Oct. 10 powwow.

The move makes sense at first. Liberty Media is nearing majority control of the satellite radio provider. It's simply a matter of time before John Malone's eclectic media conglomerate bumps its stake in the satellite radio provider above 50%, a move that will likely result in a shareholder spinoff. If Liberty Media wants to get its investors excited about the appendage, having Karmazin sell them on Sirius XM's potential is smart. If Karmazin doesn't want to see Sirius XM's stock take a hit after the spinoff, it's in his best interest to encourage Liberty Media investors to hold on to their eventual shares.

Karmazin speaking at the meeting makes sense for both sides. However, weren't the two factions in a war of words just last month?

Karmazin started things up recently.

"My instincts today are that Liberty does not need me at the company," he said at an investor conference three weeks ago, pointing out that he has historically been expensive to keep.

Karmazin's current deal as Sirius XM's CEO ends this year, and there has been no public chatter as to where things stand in terms of negotiating an extension.

"It's very clear to me that if I were Liberty, I would sit there and say, 'I'm not sure we need Mel.'"

Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei seemed to agree a week later.

"The business will not fail without Mel," Maffei said at a different investor conference. "Graves are full of replaceable people."

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Sirius XM and Liberty Media Play Nice