While NASA retreats to building a capsule, two private companies push commercial spaceplane concepts.
This nicely illustrates the contrasting levels of innovation between NASA and the private sector.
The contractor who manages the shutte program for NASA, United Space Alliance (USA), has proposed taking over two shuttles and flying them privately for NASA through 2017. Key quote:
USA’s current estimated price tag of $1.5 billion per year would represent a substantial drop from previous funding levels, which have seen shuttle program costs rise as high as $4 billion per year. United Space Alliance says its plan would take advantage of shuttle infrastructure and a workforce already in place. Some shuttle production lines would have to be restarted — for example, the operation that builds the shuttle’s external fuel tanks. But USA says the first commercial shuttle flights could take place in 2013. That would beat the 2016 deadline specified in last year’s legislation, as well as the development schedule laid out by SpaceX and USA’s other commercial competitors.
Federal and NASA agents raid the home of two former United Space Alliance employees.
A natural gas leak prompted the evacuation of several buildings at Kennedy Space Center today, including the Vehicle Assembly Building and the Orbiter Processing Facility.
The Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer, WISE, has completed its four month extended mission, finishing a scan of the heavens that discovered more than 33,000 asteroids and comets.
Discovery has once again rolled out to the launch pad for its final mission.
The chimp that took America into space.
Using skateboards to test a prototype lunar lander.
Here we go again: NASA’s already overbudget Mars Science Laboratory rover is in need of even more cash.
Private space marches on! NASA is in negotiations with Bigelow Aerospace to buy one of their inflatable space station modules and attach it to ISS.
How’s this for your evening television entertainment: Beginning 8 pm on Saturday, NASA TV will show the docking of the next Russian Progress freighter to ISS.
NASA is so desperate for business they put “for rent” signs up!
Wayne Hale nails NASA’s biggest spaceflight problem. Key quote: “We always stop.”
Though the money is not yet appropriated by Congress, NASA has set the date, June 28, for a third and final space shuttle mission.
Is the NASA solar sail satellite NanoSail-D alive? Only your ham radio operator will know!
NASA has named a replacement for astronaut Tim Kopra, who injured himself in a bicycle accident, for the next shuttle mission.
NASA’s safety panel fears the consequences of the present confusion in space policy.
And NASA thinks it can compete with SpaceX or Orbital Sciences? The agency is asking for billions more to build the Orion capsule.
The lead spacewalker for the next shuttle mission, the long-delayed last flight of Discovery, has apparently broken his hip in a bike accident. Key quote:
NASA does not train backup crews and a replacement, even a recently flown veteran, would need time to rehearse spacewalk scenarios and receive mission-specific training for Discovery’s flight. How long that might take, if required, and what impact it might have on the shuttle’s launch date is not yet known.
