Artist conception of SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft in orbit

SPACE FOUNDATION RELEASE

The Space Foundation has chosen two companies to receive 2011 Space Achievement Awards, in recognition of their extraordinary accomplishments in space.

SpaceX is being lauded for becoming the first commercial company to re-enter a spacecraft from low-Earth orbit, and Télécoms Sans Frontières (TSF) is being recognized for its unique use of space to aid communications and save lives during natural disasters and emergencies.

The awards will be presented to both organizations during the Opening Ceremony of the 27th National Space Symposium on April 11 at The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colo.

On Dec. 8, 2010, SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft was launched from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., into low-Earth orbit atop a Falcon 9 rocket. It orbited the Earth at speeds greater than 17,000 miles per hour, reentered the Earth’s atmosphere and landed in the Pacific Ocean that afternoon. The only other entities to successfully recover spacecraft reentering from low-Earth orbit have been nations or government agencies: China, the European Space Agency, India, Japan, Russia and the U.S.

“SpaceX’s successful launch and re-entry signals a new era in space transportation,” said Space Foundation Chief Executive Office Elliot Pulham. “The Space Foundation has long predicted that commercial space flight would take off; it is certainly exciting to watch SpaceX as it boldly redefines the space marketplace.”

Since its creation in 1998, Télécoms Sans Frontières (TSF) has developed a reputation for being among the first to arrive on the scene after a disaster, and has intervened in more than 60 countries, serving hundreds of thousands of victims and 600 organizations (UN agencies, NGOs and local authorities). TSF’s primary tools are light, highly portable satellite terminals (BGAN and VSAT) that are deployable within minutes, providing worldwide coverage.

“Télécoms Sans Frontières’ use of space is an extraordinary example of the concrete, positive impact space has on our lives on Earth,” said Pulham. “There’s nothing theoretical here — this organization saves lives and makes the world a better place because of space technology.”

SPACE FOUNDATION PRESS RELEASE

Over the past five years, the global space economy has grown almost 40 percent, reflecting increasing commercialization, significant globalization, and expansion of military and civil space programs. Plus, the industry showed remarkable resiliency over the tumultuous past 12 months, demonstrating continued expansion into 2010. These findings are among many facts in The Space Report 2010: The Authoritative Guide to Global Space Activity, which was released today at the 26th National Space Symposium in Colorado Springs.

Published by the Space Foundation, The Space Report 2010: The Authoritative Guide to Global Space Activity is the definitive overview of the global space industry that serves as a valuable resource for government and business leaders, educators, financial analysts, students, and space-related businesses. Copies are being distributed to all registrants at the April 12-15 Symposium and can be purchased online from www.TheSpaceReport.org.

Global Space Economy Defies Economic Turmoil; Hits $261.6 Billion

One of the most significant revelations in The Space Report 2010 is that the global space economy for 2009 reached $261.6 billion in government budgets and commercial revenue; almost 40 percent growth in the five years the Space Foundation has been tracking the space economy.

“While other industries struggled dramatically over the past year, the space industry defied the upheaval and broadened its fields of endeavor,” said Space Foundation Chief Executive Officer Elliot Pulham. “This is due, in large part, to the space industry’s growing array of products and services and its increasing globalization.”

The companies that comprise the Space Foundation Index shared in the general stock market recovery in 2009, returning by mid-March 2010 to the level the Index had been in June 2005. The Index tracks market performance of public companies that derive a significant amount of their revenue from space-related assets and activities.

The Space Report underscores the evolving relationship between government and commercial enterprise, a prominent example being the U.S. Administration’s proposed changes to NASA’s programs announced in February 2010.

This evolution will likely include an increasing role for the private sector through development of commercial space markets and continued space technology spinoff into non-space industries, according to The Space Report. Research performed aboard Earth-orbiting platforms, such as the International Space Station (ISS), and increasing government space activity around the world are two burgeoning sectors of the industry with near-term commercial potential. Military activities in space have already led to the commercialization of satellite timing, positioning, and navigation technologies and satellite imagery, and The Space Report forecasts further advances as additional space capabilities reach the commercial sector.

The Space Report 2010 also chronicles how governments around the world are rethinking longer-term, higher-cost strategic programs. Some countries are flat-lining space funding over the next few years, while others plan to increase spending with the expectation of stimulating their economies with innovation that reaches beyond the space sector.

Budget Data, Launches, Workforce Continue to Reflect Globalization Trend

The continuing, escalating growth of the space economy outside of the U.S. is evident by the addition of data on government space budgets for the European Union, Argentina, Chile, Nigeria, Spain, and South Africa in this year’s edition of The Space Report.

The new edition also reports that launch rates have grown 42 percent from 2005 to 2009, with payloads launched growing 46 percent. Of the 78 launches reported in 2009, less than a third took place in the United States. Russia led with 37 percent, followed by 31 percent for the U.S., 9 percent for Europe, 8 percent for China, 5 percent for the Sea Launch/Land Launch consortium that comprises U.S., Russian, Ukrainian, and Norwegian interests, and less than 4 percent each for Japan, India, North Korea, South Korea and Iran.

Reflecting the diversification and globalization of space, The Space Report 2010 has also greatly expanded coverage of workforce issues, with new sections on the U.S. civil space workforce, the U.S. military space workforce, and on European and Japanese space employment.

It closes with an Outlook section that forecasts significant roles for commercial enterprise and international partnerships, which will require far more flexible policies and regulations to manage proposed public-private partnerships for programs such as lunar exploration, hosted payloads, and commercial spaceflight.

The Space Report 2010 is the result of extensive research by the Space Foundation’s Washington, D.C.-based research and analysis group and a team of independent research organizations, thoroughly examining the state of the space industry. The methodology, which is refined every year, involves identifying, gathering, analyzing, and synthesizing data from publicly available sources, as well as industry publications and reports.

SPACE FOUNDATION PRESS RELEASE

It’s not going to be business as usual. That is perhaps the only definitive thing we can say about President Obama’s FY 2011 NASA proposal, released on Feb. 1. The proposal calls for completing the current Space Shuttle mission schedule even if it slips into 2011, canceling the Constellation program and scuttling plans to return to the Moon by 2020, shifting human space transport to commercial entities, extending the life of the International Space Station to carry out additional scientific research, investing in research and development with a significant emphasis on new technologies, cost reduction, and commercial partnerships, and focusing on education to prepare our workforce for further space endeavors.

What we do know is that, despite the uncertainty the industry has endured since the election, it’s not over yet. This proposal has to make its way through Congress, where the battle is likely to be contentious.

Our assessment of the proposal is mixed.

• The President’s proposal gives NASA an additional $6 billion over the next five years, a step in the right direction and a relief in these times of belt-tightening and cutbacks.
• The proposal extends the life of the International Space Station, allowing us to take advantage of 30 years of planning and investment for significant scientific research. The Space Foundation released a white paper, The International Space Station: Decision 2015, last year advocating for extended ISS utilization.
• The proposal strongly encourages commercial space development and cooperation with a larger pool of traditional and non-traditional partners, placing increased emphasis on the importance of international partnerships in accomplishing NASA’s goals, which is good for long-term space advancement.
• There is significant emphasis on science and scientific research, with particular emphasis on long-term innovation and “transformative” technologies. This is a good sign in an era where the United States’ position as a scientific power is waning.
• The proposal focuses specifically on education, which we hope will enable the U.S. to rekindle young people’s interest and proficiency in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The Space Foundation strongly believes in the value and power of STEM education to help stimulate job growth for future space and high-tech programs. We back our belief with a rich space-based education program that reaches across the full curriculum.
• Placing even more emphasis on earth science and climate change applications should have an even greater direct impact on people on Earth and should also serve to better demonstrate the tangible value of space exploration.

But, there are also areas of concern:

• The proposal has no clearly stated, easily grasped focus, which may prolong the general population’s current lukewarm attitude towards space and cause us to lose even more ground in developing home-grown scientific strength.
• As the Constellation and Space Shuttle programs shut down and new programs get up to speed, there will be significant disruption as the work force shifts from one paradigm to another. Disruption can slow progress.
• Moving many critical functions, including human transport, to commercial entities raises many unanswered questions. The paramount concern is how safety will be monitored and ensured.
• Even with a generous budget increase, the budget remains too small for the U.S. to maintain its current level of space superiority over the long-term. This is underscored by the decision to cancel Constellation and Moon objectives, primarily because of underinvestment.
• The significant change in direction could cause space suppliers and international partners to question whether this direction could also be subject to change.
• While there is breadth in the proposal, there is no overriding inspirational goal – the kind of focus that can rally a nation behind space exploration. This could leave the programs open to cuts and degradation over time.

We have a long road ahead of us: first in Congress and then in the marketplace. The Space Foundation’s goals during this time are:

• To help keep all involved entities talking and working together;
• To help explain and clarify issues for decision-makers and the general public;
• To offer education programs that build our national – and global – strength in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics;
• To help the nation understand the many economic and societal benefits of space exploration; and
• To advance space-related endeavors to inspire, enable, and propel humanity.

Do you have what it takes to become a Space Foundation Teacher Liaison?

Apply now to become one of the select educators from across the nation chosen to be a part of this prestigious, nationally recognized program that provides an elite group of educators with numerous benefits and privileges to help them grow their teaching skills, strengthen their résumés, and influence space and science education at a national level.

Teacher Liaisons are advocates for space science education who receive Space Foundation training and resources to further integrate space into their classrooms and participate in workshops and education programs at the National Space Symposium. The program, which is entering its seventh year, has 275 active participants.

The Space Foundation will select the new flight of Teacher Liaisons in January 2010. Honorees are selected by a panel comprising experienced Teacher Liaisons and representatives from the space industry and the military.

To be eligible to become a Teacher Liaison, you must:

• Be a PreK–20 educator, or other professional or informal educator in the PreK-20 arena
• Want to inspire the next generation of students to pursue and excel in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

You do not need to be a science or math teacher, but you must have a desire to integrate space education within your curriculum.

Space Foundation Teacher Liaisons serve as an active link between the Space Foundation, NASA, and their schools and school districts. This influential role includes numerous benefits, privileges, and activities, including:

• FREE registration to the 26th National Space Symposium held at the five–star Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colo., April 12-5, 2010 – a $1,610 value!
• Special recognition at the 26th National Space Symposium
• FREE admission to the Exhibit Center at the 26th National Space Symposium
• Specialized training and instruction at Space Foundation and NASA workshops with optional graduate-level credit
• Exclusive science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) professional development experiences with optional continuing education credit
• Special space-oriented student programs created just for Teacher Liaisons
• A special logo shirt worn only by Space Foundation Teacher Liaisons

Apply here:

Colorado_Teacher_Liaison_Application_2010.pdf

Non_Colorado_Application_2010.pdf

Or go to www.SpaceFoundation.org/Education/Educators/Programs/Teacher-Liaison-Officers.

Following a National Space Symposium tradition, the 26th edition of the premier gathering of the global space community will feature a panel comprising former leaders of a major space organization. The agenda for the 26th National Space Symposium includes three decades of directors of the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), an agency in the Department of Defense (DoD) that develops and operates overhead reconnaissance systems and conducts intelligence-related activities essential for U.S. national security.

Slated for April 12-15 at The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colo., the 26th National Space Symposium will cover all the critical facets of the space industry – presented by the people who are making the decisions, running the companies, establishing the policies, and setting the course for the future.

Moderated by Gen. Thomas S. Moorman, Jr., USAF (Retired), chairman of the Space Foundation Board of Directors, the NRO panel comprises:

• Hans Mark, Ph.D., under secretary of the Air Force/secretary of the Air Force and NRO director, 1977-1979
• Edward C. Aldridge, Jr., under secretary of the Air Force/secretary of the Air Force and NRO director, 1981-1988
• Martin C. Faga, assistant secretary of the Air Force for space and NRO director, 1989-1993
• Jeffrey K. Harris, assistant secretary of the Air Force for space and NRO director, 1994-1996
• Keith R. Hall, assistant secretary of the Air Force for space and NRO director, 1997-2001
• Peter B. Teets, under secretary of the Air Force and NRO director, 2001-2005
• Donald M. Kerr, Ph.D., assistant to the secretary of the Air Force (Intelligence Space Technology) and NRO director, 2005-2007
• Scott F. Large, assistant to the secretary of the Air Force (Intelligence and Space Technology) and NRO director, 2007-2009

Previous National Space Symposia have featured panels comprising former leadership of the U.S. Space Command, the U.S. Strategic Command and NASA.

In addition to the panel, the agenda will also spotlight the NRO with a featured presentation by Gen. Bruce Carlson, USAF, (Retired), current director of the NRO.

Headquartered in Chantilly, Va., the NRO was established in 1961 as a classified DoD agency. Declassified in 1992, the NRO is one of 16 intelligence community agencies. It is a hybrid organization, consisting of some 3,000 personnel, jointly staffed by members of the armed services, Central Intelligence Agency and DoD civilian personnel. The director of the NRO reports to both the director of national intelligence and the Secretary of Defense and also serves as the assistant to the secretary of the Air Force (Intelligence Space Technology).

The 26th National Space Symposium, includes presentations, panels, workshops, and forums covering all aspects of space, a number of special dinners and luncheons, and presentations of space-related awards.

The Exhibit Center, sponsored by AMERICOM Government Services (AGS), is already sold out and a number of key sponsorships have been taken. In addition to AGS, major co-sponsors include Northrop Grumman for the spectacular Opening Ceremony, and Boeing for the Corporate Sponsorship Dinner. Other Symposium co-sponsors to date are ATK, Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Cisco Systems, Inc., GMV, General Dynamics, International Space University, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, Raytheon, SAIC, and United Space Alliance.

Additional sponsorship opportunities are available; interested companies should contact Sponsorships@SpaceFoundation.org. To be put on the waiting list for exhibit space, contact Exhibitor@SpaceFoundation.org.

Some of the solutions to many developing nations’ social and economic woes might just come from the most unlikely place – outer space.

The Colorado Springs-based Space Foundation said in a white paper released this week that the ability of space-based technology to overcome infrastructure and access issues might help solve previously insurmountable economic, public health, and standard of living issues for developing nations.

Plus, the highly collaborative nature of space research, development, and deployment could speed the process along because developing nations could easily benefit from existing policies and resources developed and managed by wealthier and more advanced space-faring nations.

Solutions from Space: Space Applications for International Development, which can be downloaded free from the Space Foundation’s website (click here), emphasizes the importance of science and technology – particularly space technology – in addressing many of the serious social and economic challenges developing nations face.

Communications satellites, for example, can connect people in remote areas, provide medical expertise to areas where specialized personnel are not available, help students and teachers access educational content, and promote business and growth.

Remote sensing satellites can provide disease avoidance and food security information, inform policy-makers about changes in land use, facilitate timely natural disaster relief, monitor conflicts, and help identify where aid is needed most.

In addition, indigenous space activities can enable wide-reaching economic growth, allowing countries to break the cycle of poverty and international aid. Investing in space capabilities spurs progress in science and technology, develops educated citizens and technology-smart governments, and encourages high-tech industry to grow. Investing in space activities can help developing nations take control of their futures.

Solutions from Space: Space Applications for International Development contains a number of recommendations on how space technology can enhance developing nations’ science and technology capacity to stimulate economic growth, including:

• * Space programs in developing nations should focus first on programs with direct benefit to society, keeping costs as low as possible and ensuring that the benefits are clearly communicated to the public.
• Space solutions should be culturally appropriate to ensure that they are more readily adapted and accepted.
• When creating national policies and regulations, developing nations should create logical regulatory schemes, provide clear guidance on how to work within existing regulations, and coordinate with the common principles and procedures among nations with existing space legislation.
• To reduce risk and costs, developing nations should consider international collaboration as a method for incremental space program development.
• Studies should be initiated – either by local governments or by companies interested in identifying new markets – to define the market for space-related solutions in developing nations, to provide understanding of the complexities and differences in various areas, and to suggest the best ways to proceed in introducing new technologies.

“The Space Foundation believes that developing nations will reap tremendous benefits by using space assets,” said Marty Hauser, Space Foundation vice president – Washington Operations, Research & Analysis. “There is a need to further develop and implement applications that directly address the challenges faced by these countries. The developed world can cooperatively support building indigenous science and technology capacity to help achieve this goal.”

According to the report, the number of developing nations beginning or expanding space activities is already growing, including India, Brazil, and Nigeria. It says that developed nations are also recognizing the value of applying space applications to the needs of developing nations: NASA provides satellite data and expertise to the Famine Early Warning System (FEWS) for developing nations; Africa and the European Union have a partnership with the African Union for Science, Information Society and Space; and the United Nations Program on Space Applications promotes practical uses of space technology in sustainable development.

“Commercial companies are involved as well,” said Hauser, noting that Intelsat, a major satellite communications company, supports projects using satellite-based models for improving education and health in Africa, and that a number of satellite companies, such as SES World Skies, offer communication services in developing areas. “These activities are having an impact.”

Solutions from Space: Space Applications for International Development goes on to say that developing nations do not need to invest significantly. Applications – such as famine prediction maps – created by countries with well-developed space programs or by international groups, such as the United Nations, may be provided to developing nations for little or no cost. But, the report says, there is additional benefit to creating indigenous programs, even as simple as a group of space experts who help the country understand how space assets can address national goals. “This understanding can guide national space policy, give the nation a voice in international efforts, and provide a starting point for identifying and cultivating strategic partnerships with nations with advanced space technology,” said Hauser.

To read Solutions from Space: Space Applications for International Development or download a copy, go to www.SpaceFoundation.org/research.

A new aerospace-themed middle school created through a partnership between the Space Foundation and Colorado Springs (Colo.) School District 11 (D-11) opened Aug. 18 with more than 500 students, 42 teachers, and onsite support from the Space Foundation.

The Jack Swigert Aerospace Academy is named in honor of Colorado native and astronaut John L. “Jack” Swigert, who served on NASA’s Apollo 7 and Apollo 13 missions. Swigert died of bone cancer in 1982 shortly after being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

The Jack Swigert Aerospace Academy curriculum, which is collaboratively developed by the Space Foundation and D-11, uses space and aerospace themes and principles to teach a broad range of subjects, with focus on improving students’ proficiency in science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics (STEAM).

District 11, the Space Foundation and a large cadre of community volunteers, including The Broadmoor Hotel, Ft. Carson Army Base, Peterson Air Force Base, Freeman Decorating (Denver), The Larson Group Architects, the League of United Latin American Citizens, and Production Printing helped ready the campus for today’s opening.

In addition, 11 Jack Swigert Aerospace Academy teachers undertook special training this summer at Space Foundation Space Discovery Institute classes on Earth Systems Science and Lunar/Mars Exploration and Base Construction. The two special courses, offered exclusively for D-11 teachers, were among the 17 week-long Space Discovery Institutes the Space Foundation conducted this summer in Colorado Springs, Charles County, Md., and Omaha, Neb.

Although classes have started, work is still underway at Jack Swigert Aerospace Academy, further improving the facilities, creating state-of-the art teaching laboratories, and developing additional space-related curriculum. Colorado Springs Utilities is planning a community service project on Oct.10 at the campus.

The Academy occupies three of the four buildings on the campus; the fourth will house the Space Foundation Discovery Institute – a national professional development center for teachers and an education destination for students. Space Foundation education professionals will relocate to the Space Foundation Discovery Institute over the coming months.

In addition to providing onsite training and support for Jack Swigert Aerospace Academy teachers, the Space Foundation Discovery Institute will provide training and support for teachers and students from throughout District 11 and from around the world. It will house classrooms, the NASA Educator Resource Center, and eventually include three major laboratories: a simulated space mission operations center to open in early 2010; a simulated Martian terrain laboratory to open in early 2011; and, as funding becomes available, a Science on a Sphere facility in early 2012.

“The opening of the Jack Swigert Aerospace Academy and Space Foundation Discovery Institute is the realization of a dream for both the Space Foundation and District 11,” said Elliot Pulham, chief executive officer of the international, non-profit organization, which is headquartered in Colorado Springs. “We are developing a powerful education model, using proven space- and aerospace-based methods, that will benefit our children, our community, and the world.”

Academy Principal Larry Bartel acknowledged that putting the new school together in the short time between the School Board’s June 10 approval of the plan and the Aug. 18 opening was a challenge, but, he said, “The community embraced this new school in a way that I’ve never seen before. We had volunteers lined up at the door, we have a strong team of mentors, and we’ve even been ‘adopted’ by U.S. Army’s 4th Battalion 42 Field Artillery Regiment at Ft. Carson.”

“We knew this plan was challenging,” added Pulham. “But, when you reach, why not reach for the stars?”

On Aug. 26, District 11 and the Space Foundation will host a Jack Swigert Aerospace Academy and Space Foundation Discovery Institute grand opening celebration from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the 4220 East Pikes Peak Ave. campus to give parents and community members a chance to become part of the new school.

The Space Foundation is a recognized leader in global space awareness activities, educational programs that bring space into the classroom, and major industry events, including the National Space Symposium, which brings more than 8,000 space leaders from around the world to Colorado Springs each spring.

About School District 11
Colorado Springs School District 11 is the largest school district in the Colorado Springs area with 35 elementary schools, nine middle schools, five high schools, six alternative schools and six charter schools. As one of the oldest school districts in Colorado Springs, District 11 enjoys a long and distinguished history of providing excellent education. The district is committed to providing the best in educational choices for the 21st century graduate and offers many unique and exceptional educational opportunities – elementary, middle, and high school International Baccalaureate programs and fine arts focus schools, a math/science magnet middle school, CORE Knowledge, Advanced Placement courses, unique Gifted and Talented services, a comprehensive Career and Technology Education program, a digital high school at the Citadel Mall, and the only public Montessori program for elementary students in the region. District 11 staff excellence includes such recent honors as a Colorado Title I Distinguished School, the Colorado High School Chemistry Teacher of the Year, a 2009 National PTA Parent Involvement School of Excellence, and a 2009 Colorado Trailblazer School to Watch. D-11 students consistently take top honors in state and national academic competitions in forensics, history, geography, writing, foreign languages, vocational education, music, art, English, math and science. For more information, please watch Comcast Channel 16, visit www.d11.org or call 719-520-2005.

About the Space Foundation
The Space Foundation is an international, nonprofit organization and the foremost advocate for all sectors of the space industry – civil, commercial, and national security. Founded in 1983, the Space Foundation is a leader in space awareness activities, space-related educational programs, and industry events, all in support of its mission “to advance space-related endeavors to inspire, enable, and propel humanity.” An expert in all aspects of the global space industry, the Space Foundation publishes The Space Report 2009: The Authoritative Guide to Global Space Activity and provides three indices that track daily performance of the space industry. The Space Foundation will sponsor the Strategic Space Symposium with USSTRATCOM Nov. 2-4 in Omaha, Neb., and the 26th National Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colo., April 12-15, 2010. Headquartered in Colorado Springs, the Space Foundation conducts research and analysis and government affairs activities from its Washington, D.C., office and has field representatives in Houston, Texas, and Cape Canaveral, Fla. For more information, visit www.SpaceFoundation.org. Follow us on Twitter: SpaceFoundation.

SPACE FOUNDATION PRESS RELEASE

A dozen participants from 10 different countries, including the Space Foundation’s Vice President – Education Iain Probert, have completed the first stage of the International Space University’s new Executive MBA program, which merges the specificities of a traditional MBA with space applications.

The 18-month program includes both distance learning and four two-week residential “modules.” The classes cover space-related areas of finance, economics, business law, policy, and project management. The first module, conducted in early June at ISU’s central campus in Strasbourg, France, provided financial and economic baseline concepts and a technical and organizational overview of the space sector. Students will attend additional modules conducted in partnership with the International Business School on the Isle of Man, The Space Policy Institute of George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and the Space Foundation in Colorado Springs, Colo. Following the formal coursework, each participant will prepare a thesis and defend it at a final session at ISU’s central campus.

The students came from a variety of backgrounds and employers, including large aerospace companies, government space agencies, small- and medium-size space-related organizations, and consulting firms. They are expected to graduate in December 2010.

The Space Foundation and the Secure World Foundation co-hosted a standing-room-only policy briefing on space weapons earlier this week in Washington, D.C.

The audience comprised primarily congressional staff, representing the House and the Senate at both an office and a committee level. Other attendees included representatives from a number of major aerospace companies.

Space Foundation Vice President – Washington Operations and Government Affairs Brendan Curry moderated a panel featuring: Brian Weeden, a consultant with Secure World Foundation on space security and sustainability issues; Bruce MacDonald, senior director with the Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States; and Eric Sterner, a fellow with the George C. Marshall Institute.

The panelists addressed a variety of technical, policy, geo-political, and legal considerations regarding space weapons, including the need for “rules of the road” for space operators and for a solid verification mechanism for arms control agreements. They also talked about how the unique characteristics of the space environment require extra vigilance and cooperation from all operators and about the need for space debris remediation.

The briefing was part of the Space Foundation’s ongoing program to educate elected officials and their staffs about space issues and developments.

Nominate yourself or someone else for induction into the prestigious Space Technology Hall of Fame® in 2010. The program honors innovations by organizations and individuals who transform space technology into commercial products that improve life on Earth. Nomination information, including online and downloadable nomination forms, is available on www.SpaceTechHallofFame.org.

The deadline is August 10 and anyone may submit a nomination of a technology that was developed for space and then modified or adopted for use on Earth.

The Space Foundation, in cooperation with NASA, established the Space Technology Hall of Fame in 1988 to increase public awareness of the benefits that result from space exploration programs and to encourage further innovation. Since that time, 61 technologies have been inducted.

Inducted technologies include energy-saving technologies, life-saving medical devices, health improvement technologies, satellite and telecommunication technologies, and practical commercial devices. Some noteworthy examples are the automatic external defibrillator; non-invasive breast biopsy technology; MRI and CAT scan imaging; anti-shock garments; LASIK eye surgery; implantable pacemakers and hearing aids; and technologies that power cellular phones, terrestrial networks, and satellite broadcast television and radio communications. The 2009 inductees were a life-saving food supplement derived from algae and space shuttle-based aerodynamic vehicle design that has revolutionized large trucks.

Each nomination is reviewed for completeness, assessed by technical experts, and then ranked by a prestigious panel of judges who look at economic benefit, public awareness, societal benefit, longevity, and public/private/partnership investment. Award ceremonies for the 2010 inductees and honorees will be part of the 26th National Space Symposium, which will be held at The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colo., April 12 – 15, 2010. Conducted by the Space Foundation, the symposium is the premier annual gathering of the global space community.

Additional information about the Space Technology Hall of Fame, including a complete list of inducted technologies, is available at www.SpaceTechHallofFame.org.

 

Business Strategy Innovation did some blogging from the incentive2innovate conference co-sponsored by the X PRIZE Foundation and BT Global Services at the United Nations. There is a more detailed account of the conference at this MIT site. There are videos and additional details on the incentive2innovate website.

The 62mileclub has a nice roundup of the Space Business Forum, which was held last week in New York City. The event was sponsored by The Space Foundation and Toffler Associates.

The Space Foundation has released the following statement from Space Foundation Chief Executive Officer Elliot Pulham regarding the FY2010 NASA Budget Request:

“The NASA budget proposal is disappointingly business-as-usual. Despite what appears to be an increase to the top line, the NASA budget continues a more-than-two-decade decline in real, inflation-adjusted dollars.

“On a potentially positive note, the White House decision to conduct an independent review of the Constellation program and options for the best way forward might at least be interpreted as evidence that this administration is, indeed, interested in the nation’s space agency. Unfortunately, NASA still has no Administrator. But, this is not for lack of effort by the White House, which has gotten near the finish line with an Administrator candidate on at least four occasions only to see those potential nominations collapse at the eleventh hour.

“Our overarching concern is that NASA doesn’t get the respect it deserves: for its past performance or for its potential as an economic engine and provider of technology critical to U.S. national capabilities and sovereign options. NASA inspires the public, creates tremendous national pride and sense of purpose, and holds the technical keys to many of the most challenging problems our nation faces. NASA should be at the forefront of our economic recovery strategy, yet its budget will have the agency languishing in the backwaters. For example, given the administration’s professed concerns about carbon dioxide emissions and global climate change, the pittance provided for aeronautical R&D into cleaner and more fuel-efficient aircraft is incomprehensible.

“What is most lacking in this NASA budget is context: a national space strategy that rationalizes what the agency is tasked and funded to do and places these roles and responsibilities in proper relationship with other government-funded space activity.

“We can be gratified that our obligations to our international partners will be honored by the schedule of remaining shuttle flights. But, the looming gap in U.S. human spaceflight capability and the absence of a strategically planned program of broad international engagement in solar system exploration leave the U.S. extremely vulnerable to loss of leadership in space to other, ascending players.”

Elliott Pulham, CEO of the Space Foundation

SPACE FOUNDATION PRESS RELEASE

Space Foundation Chief Executive Officer Elliot Pulham was awarded the U.S. Air Force Distinguished Public Service Award by Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley and U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff General Norton A. Schwartz last night at special ceremonies at Bolling Air Force Base, in Washington, D.C. The presentation took place at a dinner capping the first 2009 meeting of the U.S. Air Force Civic Leader Program.

From 2006-2009, Pulham was a member of the Air Force Civic Leaders, a hand-picked group of community leaders from across the United States who serve a sounding board for the USAF Chief of Staff and provide feedback to the Air Force on USAF strategic direction, mission, and community relations. A recognized expert on global space issues, Pulham served as the Air Force Space Command (AFSPACE) representative.

According to the citation presented by the Department of the Air Force, “Pulham distinguished himself by service as an Air Force advocate under the Air Force Civic Leader Program. . . With both an intimate knowledge of Air Force operations and a deep grasp of social and economic issues . . . he expertly advised the Secretary, Chief of Staff and senior Air Force leaders on these matters while serving as an Air Force Civic Leader.”

Among the contributions for which Pulham was recognized were dissemination of information about the Air Force’s missions, roles, requirements, and major programs to the public and individual advice concerning the development of programs and methods to attain maximum understanding and cooperation between affected civilian communities and the Air Force.