Scootmobiles weren't exactly a craze, but there were enough of them built during and just after WWII for the word to gain currency. In the absence of new cars and with gas severely rationed, backyard inventors were essentially recreating the cyclecar, home building light one- or two-seaters,
It's Official: This is Texas's Worst One-Year Drought on Record
From TreeHugger:
While the East Coast got slammed by an unusually large and northbound hurricane, Texas is still reeling from its worst drought since record-keeping began.
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Caption This for 09/02/11
This week's image:
Be sure to vote for your favorite caption!
Is Coating's Future in Nano- or Bio-tech?
The coatings industry is booming with new advances, from nanotechnology-based films and lubricants to bio-based resins. Which shows more promise, nano or bio? The general public has questions about the safety of nanotechnology while the economics of raising crops for chemicals rather than food has o
How Well Does Engineering Fit in?
The term "teamwork" is impossible to avoid in any published discussion of the operation of a healthcare facility. While not exactly a buzzword, has it been overused? Does the emphasis on teamwork reflect day-to-day working reality for the engineering function in your organization? How well integrate
Is Nuclear Power in Trouble, or is It Media Hype?
A recent Reuters poll of 19,000 people worldwide found that 62% oppose nuclear power generation, and that it's falling behind almost every other form of power generation in acceptance. Could this be the beginning of the end for nuclear? Or is the media hyping up the backlash following the Japanese t
Are You Driving Less in 2011?
With the cost of gas holding steady and the economy seemingly headed south, Americans logged 15.5 billion fewer miles this year than they did during the first half of 2010. So says a new report by the NHTSA, which also found that roadway use is at its lowest point since 2004, and driving is do
Solutions Sought For Growing Space Junk Problem
From Default- Tech - USATODAY.com:
As the scope of the problem grows, the administration has sharpened calls for space-faring nations to confront space junk.
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Setting a Land Speed Record: Preparation (Part 1) – Electrical
The motorcycle that I built was never intended for more than puttering around parking lots, so the conversion to fully legal race bike took several months of planning and work. The first major concern was installing a kill switch and a reliable electrical system to operate it.
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Stacking One Trillion Dollars
From Wired Top Stories:
The claim: A stack of one trillion one-dollar bills would reach to the moon and back four times. Physicist Rhett Allain tests this and estimates the size of a $1 trillion "cashteroid."
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CSF Issues White Paper on Use of Space Act Agreements
Commercial Spaceflight Federation Position Statement:
Commercial Spaceflight Federation Supports Use of Space Act Agreements (SAAs) for Next Phase of NASA’s Commercial Crew Development Program
For the next phase of NASA’s Commercial Crew Development Program, following CCDev Rounds 1 and 2, the Commercial Spaceflight Federation strongly supports the use of Space Act Agreements (SAAs) under NASA’s Other Transaction Agreements (OTA) authority, rather than a Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR)-based approach. SAA’s are the best means for NASA to support commercial development of systems to transport crew and cargo to the Space Station.
Over the last 30 years, the Air Force and NASA have made numerous attempts to replace some of the capabilities of the Space Shuttle, such as satellite launch, cargo transport, and human transport. Examples include Ares I, COTS Cargo, Orbital Space Plane (OSP), VentureStar/X-33, Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV), National Launch System (NLS), and X-30/National Aerospace Plane (NASP). The contrast is stark: of these programs, only the programs that used OTAs resulted in new launch vehicles successfully flying to orbit.
A primary example is the successful development of the two Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicles (EELVs) under Air Force OTAs with Boeing and Lockheed Martin. Both companies received $500 million from the government and contributed additional funds of their own. Both programs successfully met requirements levied by the federal government, and have since been used to launch our Nation’s most critical national security space assets for nearly a decade. Another example is NASA’s COTS Cargo development program, also conducted under an SAA/OTA, was the first NASA program since 1981 to result in a new launch vehicle and spacecraft successfully reaching orbit.
Space Act Agreements embody a public-private partnership between both NASA and the company to develop a capability that is to be used for both government and private purposes. SAAs let companies focus on the most essential aspects of a program, meeting the requirements for performance and safety at a reduced cost. By contrast, traditional FAR-based acquisition approaches “by and for the government” establish a manager-contractor relationship in which the government directs the contractor, effectively controlling the development decisions. Such a relationship is not conducive to the innovative approach necessary to develop new capabilities that will be owned and operated by commercial companies to serve both government and commercial customers.
In addition, SAAs are more appropriate than traditional FAR-based contracting for the next phase of the Commercial Crew Development Program because:
* SAAs will increase competition and expand NASA’s choices – Traditional FAR-based contracts contain numerous regulations and reporting requirements that would fundamentally change the way some commercial companies have to do business, such that they would likely not participate in the Commercial Crew program. Examples include tracking requirements for all employees’ activities whether engaged in the particular development activity or not and compliance monitoring of numerous legal contracting clauses. SAAs will allow many more companies and subcontractors to participate, bringing low-cost, innovative solutions to federal requirements. This includes commercial entities that previously avoided doing business with the government because of the burdensome obligations imposed by the FARs. The use of FAR-based contracts for the next phase of NASA’s Commercial Crew development program – even fixed-price – will significantly limit NASA’s choices.
* SAAs allow incorporation of safety and performance requirements – SAAs can be written to ensure the proper insight versus oversight level and processes as mutually agreed by NASA and the companies. SAAs allow the tailoring of the public-private partnership to meet both parties’ needs, including levying NASA safety and performance requirements, as was done under the EELV program. In contrast to the FAR, which can be both overly broad and burdensome, the flexibility of a SAA allows NASA and its commercial partners to formulate a relationship that permits optimal results.
* SAAs can include other FAR requirements as needed – SAAs can contain virtually anything both parties agree to include, and have the flexibility to be easily tailored as needed. Traditional FAR-based contracts have numerous legal requirements that cannot be easily modified or waived. SAAs represent the best of both worlds, providing NASA with the ability to incorporate relevant and necessary FAR provisions without imposing the entirety of the FAR that will result in time and money being wasted on rigid, irrelevant, and counterproductive provisions.
* SAAs allow for private investment – SAAs allow funding from both public and private sources to be used in developing capabilities that will be used for both commercial and government purposes. Traditional FAR-based contracting rules do not easily accommodate the use of both public and private funds. Private investment enables a program to achieve the same result at a lower cost to the government.
* SAAs have been proven to lower costs – A NASA cost study showed the COTS Cargo development program has achieved successes at a fraction of the cost of a traditional government launch-vehicle program. If instead of using SAAs NASA had used a hybrid of traditional and commercial approaches, the cost would have been significantly increased, and if NASA had used a more traditional FAR-based approach the cost would have increased further still. The cost-growth that traditionally accompanies the FAR approach often reaches the point where costs become prohibitive and the development program is later canceled.
In summary, the use of SAAs/OTAs is vital for NASA to promote innovation and quickly, affordably, and safely develop crew transportation capabilities. SAAs have been upheld by the Government Accountability Office as an appropriate mechanism for supporting the development of commercial space transportation. For these reasons, the Commercial Spaceflight Federation strongly supports the use of Space Act Agreements (SAAs) for the next phase of NASA’s Commercial Crew Development Program following CCDev Rounds 1 and 2.
To download a PDF version of this document, please click here.
Commercial Spaceflight Federation Hails Space Shuttle Legacy and Welcomes Arrival of the Commercial Space Age
Commercial spacecraft will speed NASA’s return to space once the Space Shuttle is retired
Kennedy Space Center, Florida, Friday, July 8, 2011 – As the Space Shuttle is readied for its final, historic flight today, the next NASA astronauts to launch from America will do so on a commercial spacecraft, in a historic shift.
“With the retirement of the Space Shuttle, it is time to look to our commercial spaceflight industry to provide safe and affordable crew delivery,” said Admiral Craig Steidle, President of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. “The growth of commercial spaceflight will enable NASA to have a bright future ahead.”
“This week, we welcome the arrival of the Commercial Space Age,” added John Gedmark, Executive Director of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation.
“In fact, thanks to commercial spaceflight, the next decade will see more flights to space than in any previous decade of the Space Age. This marks a historic milestone,” noted Gedmark.
“Commercial space vehicles will launch NASA astronauts, private citizens, and scientists and researchers by the dozens, and will even dock with private space stations. These are not dreams; this is near-term reality,” added Gedmark.
NASA’s Commercial Crew Program will enable NASA astronauts to once again launch from U.S. soil on American-made vehicles such as the SpaceX Dragon, the Sierra Nevada Dream Chaser, the Boeing CST-100, and the Blue Origin Space Vehicle. The Commercial Crew Program will create thousands of jobs in the process, including a significant number of jobs in Florida.
Admiral Steidle added, “The commercial space industry is the fastest means to get American astronauts back into space aboard US spacecraft.”
Eric Anderson, chairman of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation and chair of Space Adventures, stated, “Commercial spaceflight is a good-news, made-in-America story that Americans can be proud of – it’s a story about job creation, inspiration, and technological innovation.”
Anderson added, “Commercial spaceflight will demonstrate to the entire world, in high profile fashion, the power of U.S. entrepreneurship and creativity. We are embarking on a truly amazing period for spaceflight – a real sea change.”
Anderson concluded, “As people watch the Space Shuttle’s white contrail stretch across the sky for the final time, we hope they will think, not just of the Shuttle’s proud legacy, but of the dawn of a new era – commercial space flight. Changes like this only occur in a generation – and it will be a change that will profoundly affect our nation.”
About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation
The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever-higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s member companies, which include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, spaceports, suppliers, and service providers, are creating thousands of high-tech jobs nationwide, working to preserve American leadership in aerospace through technology innovation, and inspiring young people to pursue careers in science and engineering. For more information please visit http://www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Executive Director John Gedmark at john@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.349.1121.
# # #
CSF Congratulates United Launch Alliance, NASA on New Partnership
Washington, D.C. – The Commercial Spaceflight Federation is pleased to congratulate United Launch Alliance (ULA) and NASA on their newly-announced Space Act Agreement to help ready the Atlas V for flying humans commercially to space as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The majority of the work under the Space Act Agreement will be completed by the end of 2011, according to ULA.
“I am truly excited about the addition of ULA to NASA’s Commercial Crew Development Program team. Having ULA on board may speed the development of a commercial crew transportation system for the International Space Station, allowing NASA to concentrate its resources on exploring beyond low-Earth orbit,” said NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden, in a press release issued by NASA.
John Gedmark, executive director of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, stated, “Atlas V has flown 26 for 26 successful missions, and the Atlas family has had 97 consecutive successes. The Commercial Crew Program is strengthened by today’s announcement.”
“Today’s announcement further highlights how the Commercial Crew Program is enabling NASA to regain American access to space as soon as possible,” added Gedmark.
CSF Congratulates Winning Launch Providers in Latest Round of NASA’s Commercial Reusable Suborbital Research Program
Washington, D.C. – The Commercial Spaceflight Federation is pleased to congratulate member companies Armadillo Aerospace, Masten Space Systems, Virgin Galactic, and XCOR Aerospace for winning the latest round of contracts today to integrate and fly payloads to space as part of NASA’s Commercial Reusable Suborbital Research (CRuSR) program. The CRuSR program is part of NASA’s Space Technology Program under the leadership of NASA’s Chief Technologist, Dr. Bobby Braun.
Commercial reusable suborbital spacecraft – such as Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo, XCOR Aerospace’s Lynx, Masten Space Systems’ Xaero, Blue Origin’s New Shepard, and Armadillo Aerospace’s modular vehicles – provide the nation with a new low-cost capability to carry payloads and people to the edge of space. NASA is taking advantage of these capabilities with its CRuSR program. Following the Space Shuttle’s retirement, commercial suborbital vehicles are expected to be the next American flights of people into space from US soil.
Admiral Craig Steidle, President of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, stated, “Today’s announcement illustrates the future of NASA-industry partnerships in order to offer R&D, science, and education flight opportunities.”
According to NASA, “each successful vendor will receive an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract. These two-year contracts, worth a combined total of $10 million, will allow NASA to draw from a pool of commercial space companies to deliver payload integration and flight services. The flights will carry a variety of payloads to help meet the agency’s research and technology needs.” A total of seven firms were selected.
Admiral Steidle added, “The Commercial Spaceflight Federation applauds the leadership of Dr. Bobby Braun, NASA’s Chief Technologist. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation is a strong advocate for the CRuSR program and for Space Technology.”
NASA Chief Technologist Bobby Braun stated in the NASA press release, “NASA is moving toward the goal of making frequent, low-cost access to near-space available to a wide range of engineers, scientists and technologists. The government’s ability to open the suborbital research frontier to a broad community of innovators will enable maturation of the new technologies and capabilities needed for NASA’s future missions in space.”
Commercial Spaceflight Federation Executive Director John Gedmark noted, “This is a big day for commercial space. Just as 1920s air mail purchases helped jumpstart the airline industry, we expect that NASA’s purchases of flights on commercial suborbital vehicles will help accelerate this new industry. Hundreds of scientists, engineers, and educators have attended CSF workshops on the topic of using commercial suborbital vehicles, and we are thrilled to see that the R&D community will now be able to get rides to space.”
NASA’s full press release can be found at http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/aug/HQ_11-258_Flight_Opportunities.html .
About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation
The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever-higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s member companies, which include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, spaceports, suppliers, and service providers, are creating thousands of high-tech jobs nationwide, working to preserve American leadership in aerospace through technology innovation, and inspiring young people to pursue careers in science and engineering. For more information please visit http://www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Executive Director John Gedmark at john@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.349.1121.
# # #
NBC Nightly News Showcases “New Space Race”
The commercial spaceflight industry was recently featured in a NBC Nightly News piece examining the future of spaceflight following retirement of the Space Shuttle.
“With just one more shuttle mission to go before the program ends this summer, a new space race is already well underway,” says NBC anchor Lester Holt.
The NBC Nightly News video link (”Space Race II”) is available at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/43211040
About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation
The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever-higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s member companies, which include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, spaceports, suppliers, and service providers, are creating thousands of high-tech jobs nationwide, working to preserve American leadership in aerospace through technology innovation, and inspiring young people to pursue careers in science and engineering. For more information please visit http://www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Executive Director John Gedmark at john@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.349.1121.
# # #
Future Scientist-Astronauts and Educator-Astronauts Receive Training at NASTAR Center
Washington, D.C. – The National Aerospace Training and Research Center (NASTAR) in Southampton, PA, a member of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, welcomed last week its latest set of future scientist-astronauts and educator-astronauts for training. Participants are training to conduct scientific research while flying onboard commercial suborbital spacecraft such as those operated by Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin, XCOR Aerospace, and Armadillo Aerospace.
Several videos of the training session are available below:
(Multiple videos with detailed article:) http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewnews.html?id=1531
(Cockpit view during centrifuge run:) http://onorbit.com/node/3322
(SpaceShipTwo acceleration profile in centrifuge:) http://www.onorbit.com/node/3323
Demonstrating the strong interest from the scientific community in using commercial suborbital vehicles for science, research, and education, a total of 42 researchers from 18 different universities and organizations have now each spent three days training at NASTAR Center in four separate classes since the Suborbital Scientist Training Program debuted in January 2010. The upcoming suborbital scientist class on July 11-13 is already fully booked, and a university booked a custom class for July 18-20. The next available slots for potential scientist-astronauts is September 12-14.
Keith Cowing, a Board of Directors member of the Challenger Center for Space Education and well-known space journalist, remarked, “Based on my NASTAR experience (centrifuge & altitude chamber), ANYONE in good health with good training can fly to space. These new suborbital vehicles will inaugurate a new era for education and science, and I’m excited to cover it just as its true potential starts to unfold.”
Dr. Alan Stern, associate vice president at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) and chairman of the CSF’s Suborbital Applications Researchers Group, stated, “This shows sustained interest in the researcher/educator community” in suborbital spaceflight. In early 2010, SwRI helped kick off the Suborbital Scientist Training Program in conjunction with NASTAR. (See: http://www.swri.org/9what/releases/2009/nastar.htm)
Training sessions in the multi-day “Suborbital Scientist Training Course” included: Altitude Chamber Flight in a hypobaric chamber; G-Tolerance Flights in a high-g centrifuge; and a distraction factor exercise. Topics covered in ground school included: Intro to Suborbital Flight & Vehicles; Altitude Physiology; Motion & Acceleration Physiology; Space Launch & Reentry Training; Working Under Pressure; and Time Management. (For more info on the training please visit the following link: http://www.nastarcenter.com/space/suborbital_scientist)
Brienna Henwood, Director for Space and Research at NASTAR Center, remarked, “I can’t think of a better way to inspire students to pursue science careers, than by providing hands-on space training and realistic spaceflight opportunities that will enable them to one day join the ranks of an entirely new class of explorer – the suborbital scientist-astronaut. We fully expect that hundreds of scientists will fly into space during the next 10 years as these vehicles start flying, and NASTAR is proud to offer the needed space training services to get them there.”
Other participants included: Cathy Olkin and Constantine Tsang from the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), an nonprofit institution which recently announced it will be buying tickets for scientists’ flights to space as part of a historic deal announced by SwRI to buy seats on the XCOR Aerospace and Virgin Galactic vehicles; Rex Ridenoure, CEO of Ecliptic Enterprises, also a member of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation; Tony Dokupil from NEWSWEEK, and several other trainees.
About the Environmental Tectonics Corporation (ETC) – NASTAR Center
ETC’s The National AeroSpace Training and Research Center (NASTAR) Center houses state-of-the-art equipment and professional staff to support the training and research needs of the aerospace community, including military aviation (fixed and rotary wing), civil aviation (fixed and rotary wing), space travel (government and private) and research support and data collection. NASTAR Center’s equipment and programs are highly modular and flexible and can accommodate a wide range of aerospace training and research requirements. For more information please visit http://www.nastarcenter.com or contact Brienna Henwood at bhenwood@nastarcenter.com or 215-355-9100 x1504.
About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation
The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever-higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s member companies, which include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, spaceports, suppliers, and service providers, are creating thousands of high-tech jobs nationwide, working to preserve American leadership in aerospace through technology innovation, and inspiring young people to pursue careers in science and engineering. For more information please visit http://www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Executive Director John Gedmark at john@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.349.1121.
# # #
Commercial Spaceflight Federation Celebrates 10th Anniversary of Dennis Tito’s Historic Flight
Washington, D.C., Thursday, April 28, 2011 – Ten years ago on April 28, 2001, businessman and entrepreneur Dennis Tito became the first private citizen to pay his own way to travel to space, flying to the International Space Station for an eight day stay before returning safely to Earth. The flight made newspaper headlines around the world, and marked a landmark milestone in the growth of an entire industry devoted to commercial human spaceflight.
Eric Anderson, Chairman of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation and Chairman of Space Adventures, the company that brokered the ground-breaking flight, stated “Tito, a former NASA scientist, demonstrated in dramatic fashion that spaceflight was going to become accessible to private enterprise, not just government agencies. In the 10 years since Dennis Tito’s flight, we’ve seen numerous markets for commercial spaceflight open, ranging from NASA missions and space tourism, to scientific research.”
“Dennis Tito’s journey paved the way for private investors to begin financing an entire commercial spaceflight industry,” said John Gedmark, Executive Director of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation.
A diverse group of investors have since stepped up to the plate to make the new industry a reality, committing a total of approximately $1.5 billion of private investment between them according to an independent study “Commercial Spaceflight Industry Indicators” by the Tauri Group. In 2004, the $10 million Ansari X PRIZE, with funding provided by Anousheh Ansari who herself made a private trip to the International Space Station, was won when SpaceShipOne completed a pair of back-to-back flights to suborbital space. SpaceShipOne was built by the well-known aircraft research and development company Scaled Composites, with funding from Microsoft billionaire Paul Allen.
“Since Dennis Tito’s flight in 2001, there’s been a steady drumbeat of accomplishments toward realizing this new future. The Ansari X PRIZE was won, hundreds of people have placed deposits for suborbital flights, NASA lent its endorsement by committing hundreds of millions of dollars through the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) and Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) programs, SpaceX became the first company to privately launch and recover a space capsule, and a whole group of companies began making initial test flights of a new generation of reusable suborbital spacecraft.” added Gedmark. “We are enthusiastically looking forward to what happens in the weeks and months ahead.”
# # #
NASA Announces Its First Payloads for Commercial Suborbital Spacecraft; NASA Office of Chief Technologist Pursuing High-Payoff Projects
NASA’s Office of the Chief Technologist Pursuing High-Payoff Projects Including Prizes, Suborbital Research, Technology R&D
Washington, D.C. – NASA has announced its first four payloads to fly on commercial suborbital spacecraft, kicking off a new era of low-cost technology R&D, science, and STEM education enabled by new commercial spacecraft being developed by Armadillo Aerospace, Blue Origin, Masten Space Systems, Virgin Galactic, and XCOR Aerospace. NASA also announced the latest round of payloads to fly on the Zero-G parabolic aircraft operated by Zero Gravity Corporation. NASA’s suborbital payloads announcement illustrates the high-payoff projects being pursued by NASA’s Office of the Chief Technologist (OCT), a newly formed division whose purpose is to revitalize technology R&D at NASA through innovative research.
The Commercial Spaceflight Federation welcomes the strong support for space technology investments and the Office of the Chief Technologist in the NASA FY2012 proposed budget, including such high-profile programs as Commercial Reusable Suborbital Research, Centennial Challenges, and NASA’s commercial parabolic flight program. Other exciting NASA technology programs being supported by the agency include Cryogenic Propellant Transfer and Storage, In-Space Propulsion, Space Power Generation and Storage, Nuclear Systems, Lightweight Materials and Structures, Human-Robotic Systems, Autonomous Systems, Next-Generation Life Support, Adaptive Entry Systems, and In-Situ Resource Utilization.
CSF Executive Director John Gedmark stated, “Technology R&D is vital to NASA’s future. The Office of the Chief Technologist, under the leadership of Dr. Robert Braun, is pushing the frontiers of technological achievement and perfectly embodying the “can-do” spirit of NASA. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation is proud to be able to support such programs. We look forward to continuing to work with OCT and NASA’s other divisions as the space agency pursues breakthrough technologies in this new decade.”
Commenting on NASA’s suborbital payloads announcement, Dr. Alan Stern, chair of the CSF’s Suborbital Applications Researchers Group (SARG) and Associate Vice President with the Southwest Research Institute, said, “This really is great news for the commercial suborbital industry, and for the research community as well. NASA’s announcement of some of its own first payloads that it will be flying to space on new commercial vehicles, with many more in the pipeline, is a good first step and is welcomed by researchers and technologists alike. The low cost and high flight rates of these vehicles are a real game-changer, and the benefits of these vehicles for education, science, and technology R&D are going to be substantial. Bravo to NASA for taking this first concrete step forward.”
NASA’s Flight Opportunities Program, which consists of the Commercial Reusable Suborbital Research (CRuSR) Program and the Facilitated Access to the Space Environment for Technology Development and Training (FAST) Program, announced that the following four payloads will be flown this year (2011) on suborbital spacecraft, either by Masten Space Systems or by Armadillo Aerospace:
– “Investigation to Determine Rotational Stability of On-Orbit Propellant Storage and Transfer Systems Undergoing Operational Fuel Transfer Scenarios” from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla., NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Fla., and United Launch Alliance, Centennial, Colo.; Sathya Gangadharan, project manager (PM)
– “Printing the Space Future” (3D printing/manufacturing technology) from Made In Space Inc., Moffett Field, Calif.; Jason Dunn, principal investigator (PI)
– “Electromagnetic Field Measurements on Suborbital Launch Vehicles” from Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Lab, Laurel, Md.; Todd Smith and Lars Dyrud, co-PI
– “Precision Landing Exploration Technology (PLANET) Demonstration” from Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc., Cambridge, Ma., and NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Houston; Douglas Zimpfer, PM; Tye Brady, PI
The first two payloads listed above will also fly on the Zero Gravity Corporation’s Zero-G parabolic aircraft, as will twelve other payloads also listed in NASA’s announcement that will fly on the parabolic Zero-G aircraft.
Further payload selection is continually ongoing, as the solicitation remains open at: https://c3.ndc.nasa.gov/flightopportunities/applications/ .
About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation
The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever-higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s member companies, which include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, spaceports, suppliers, and service providers, are creating thousands of high-tech jobs nationwide, working to preserve American leadership in aerospace through technology innovation, and inspiring young people to pursue careers in science and engineering. For more information please visit http://www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Executive Director John Gedmark at john@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.349.1121.
# # #
Commercial Spaceflight Federation Applauds Winners of Round Two of NASA’s Commercial Crew Development Program
The Federation Congratulates NASA’s Efforts to Restore US Crew Transportation Capability Following Retirement of the Space Shuttle and Decrease Reliance on Russian Soyuz
Washington, D.C., Monday, April 18, 2011 – The Commercial Spaceflight Federation congratulates NASA on its announcement today to award a total of $269 million through NASA’s Commercial Crew Development Round Two (“CCDev2”) Program. The winners include CSF members Blue Origin, Sierra Nevada Corporation, and SpaceX. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation would also like to congratulate the Boeing team that includes CSF Member Bigelow Aerospace. The awards will allow US commercial companies to achieve critical milestones on the path to achieving commercial human spaceflight capabilities, thereby enabling America to end America’s reliance on Russian vehicles to send humans to space, lower costs to the U.S. taxpayer, replace some of the capabilities of the Space Shuttle when it retires later this year, and help spur new technology innovation and job growth in the U.S. space industry.
The CCDev2 program represents the continuation of NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (“COTS”) Cargo and CCDev programs, under which companies have been developing various commercial launch vehicles and spacecraft. Awards will take the form of milestone-based, fixed-price, pay-for-performance NASA investment using Space Act Agreements instead of traditional government contracts. The program will culminate in a Commercial Crew Program in which companies will demonstrate the capability of taking NASA crews to and from the International Space Station.
“Today is a landmark day for commercial spaceflight. This is a big step towards opening up the space frontier,” said John Gedmark, Executive Director of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. “Leveraging private investment is the only way NASA can make its dollars go farther in these times of belt tightening. And by investing in commercial spaceflight rather than continuing to sending billions of dollars to Russia, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program is creating American jobs instead of sending them abroad.”
“Today’s announcement marks a critical milestone on the path to a commercial human spaceflight sector that will lower the cost of space access and open new markets,” said Eric Anderson, Chairman of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. “To have a large and diverse group of U.S. companies among today’s winners, including both established contractors and newer entrants, emphasizes that American industry is ready to handle the task of commercial human spaceflight—safely, affordably, and rapidly. We expect immediate job creation across the United States, including in Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Virginia, and Washington state.”
Anderson added, “A major advantage of commercial spaceflight programs over traditional NASA procurements is that the CCDev program is commercially structured so that NASA pays only when performance milestones are met. These agreements are fixed-price, milestone-based, and leverage private investment. These companies are investing their own money alongside NASA’s money adding even more investment in the final system. Each taxpayer dollar goes farther.”
The Commercial Spaceflight Federation is pleased to congratulate:
• Blue Origin of Kent, Washington, which will receive $22 million for orbital commercial spaceflight vehicle design and development, including testing of its pusher escape system and engine testing.
• Sierra Nevada Corporation of Louisville, Colorado, which will receive $80 million to mature the Dream Chaser human spaceflight system, focusing on multiple spacecraft items.
• SpaceX of Hawthorne, California, which flew its Dragon capsule to orbit and recovered it successfully last year, which will receive $75 million for items including launch escape system engine maturation and crew accommodation prototype development.
• The Boeing Company of Houston, Texas, whose team includes CSF member Bigelow Aerospace, which will receive $92.3 million for CST-100 crew spacecraft maturation and launch vehicle integration, focusing on multiple items including launch escape system propulsion.
About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation
The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever-higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s member companies, which include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, spaceports, suppliers, and service providers, are creating thousands of high-tech jobs nationwide, working to preserve American leadership in aerospace through technology innovation, and inspiring young people to pursue careers in science and engineering. For more information please visit http://www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Executive Director John Gedmark at john@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.349.1121.
# # #
As President Obama Marks Final Launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour, Nation Looks to Commercial Space for the Future
Press Conference with Winners of NASA’s Commercial Crew Development Program to Take Place at Kennedy Space Center, Florida on Thursday, April 28
Kennedy Space Center, Florida – As President Obama and Americans nationwide honor the historic accomplishments of the retiring Space Shuttle, an exciting new era of commercial spaceflight is being readied. Tomorrow morning NASA will hold a press conference at Kennedy Space Center with commercial space pioneers.
“Once the Space Shuttle retires this year, the next vehicle to carry astronauts into space from Florida’s Space Coast will be a commercial spacecraft – and this marks a historic change, perhaps the biggest in NASA’s fifty-year history,” said Bretton Alexander, President of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation.
America’s space program received a huge boost earlier this month when NASA awarded $269 million in competitive agreements to four pioneering commercial space companies who are developing the capability to take crews to low Earth orbit commercially: Blue Origin, The Boeing Company, Sierra Nevada Corporation, and SpaceX. The program will create thousands of jobs across the United States, including a significant number in Florida. Company executives and senior NASA officials will be participating in a press conference at Kennedy Space Center at 11 am EDT on Thursday, April 28.
What: Press conference with winners of NASA’s $269M Commercial Crew Development Program
Where: NASA Kennedy Space Center press auditorium, also carried live on NASA TV and online:
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html
When: 11am Eastern Daylight Time, Thursday, April 28
Who:
- Rob Meyerson, President and Program Manager, Blue Origin
- John Elbon, VP and Program Manager Commercial Crew Transportation, the Boeing Company
- Mark Sirangelo, Chairman, Sierra Nevada Corporation Space Systems
- Garrett Reisman, Senior Engineer, SpaceX and former NASA Astronaut
- Phil McAlister, Acting Director of Commercial Spaceflight Development, NASA Headquarters
- Ed Mango, Program Manager of Commercial Crew Program, NASA Kennedy Space Center
Commercial Spaceflight Federation President Bretton Alexander continued, “These private companies are building and testing real spaceships that will inaugurate a whole new kind of space race.” Alexander added, “NASA’s Commercial Crew Program is on par with the government Airmail Act that spurred the growth of early aviation and led to today’s passenger airline industry, which generates billions of dollars annually for the American economy.”
“Commercial spaceflight is about innovation, inspiration and jobs,” noted Eric Anderson, Chairman of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. “We’re at the forefront of major innovation, and the commercial spaceflight industry can serve as an example to the world of the power of American entrepreneurship.”
Anderson added, “We are really at the threshold of something truly transformative. We’ve seen numerous markets open ranging from NASA missions and space tourism, to scientific research.”
John Gedmark, Executive Director of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation stated, “Commercial spaceflight is a great deal for the American taxpayer. NASA will no longer have to send money to Russia to buy seats for our astronauts. We can spend that money to create jobs here at home instead.”
Gedmark concluded, “We’ll finally be able to realize the sci-fi future people have been dreaming about, one that inspired an entire generation of dreamers and innovators. People are again imagining a future like we saw in the landmark film ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’, where private spacecraft offered frequent flights into space. This is going to be one of the most exciting stories of the 21st century, and we are just at the beginning of that story.”
About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation
The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever-higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s member companies, which include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, spaceports, suppliers, and service providers, are creating thousands of high-tech jobs nationwide, working to preserve American leadership in aerospace through technology innovation, and inspiring young people to pursue careers in science and engineering. For more information please visit http://www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Executive Director John Gedmark at john@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.349.1121.
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