High-tech training industry says it could absorb many shuttle job losses Orlando Sentinel
With thousands of Space Coast workers facing unemployment as the U.S. space-shuttle program winds down, Orlando’s high-tech military-training industry says it has jobs for many of those who will be displaced.
But work-force officials in Brevard County aren’t convinced the region’s training-simulation companies will have nearly enough openings for those expected to lose their jobs when shuttle launches end at Kennedy Space Center. Even if such jobs materialize, there is not enough money, so far at least, to retrain space workers to fill them, Brevard officials say….
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden spoke to the Washington Business Roundtable on Tuesday. He gave a strong defense of the Obama Administration’s proposed human spaceflight policy. Some highlights:
At the highest level, the President and his staff as well as my NASA senior leadership team closely reviewed the Augustine Committee report, and they came to the same realization the Committee concluded: The Constellation program was on an unsustainable trajectory. If we continued on our current course, at best we would have ended up flying a handful of astronauts to the moon sometime after 2030. But to accomplish even that limited task, we would have had to make even deeper cuts to the other parts of NASA’s budget, terminating support of the ISS early and decimating our science and aeronautics efforts. Further, we would have had no money to advance the state of the art in any of the technology areas that we need to enable us to do new things in space – no money to lower the cost of access to space, no money for closed-loop life support, no money for advanced propulsion technology, no money for radiation protection. The President recognized that what was truly needed for beyond LEO exploration was game-changing technologies; making the fundamental investments that will provide the foundation for the next half-century of American leadership in space exploration. In doing so, the President put forward what I believe to be the most authentically visionary policy for real human space exploration that we have ever had.
Artist's conception of Orbital Sciences Corporation's Cygnus freighter approaching the International Space Station.
New Private Space Freighter Has Solid Backing Space.com
Orbital’s cylindrical Cygnus freighter includes a pressurized cargo module that can carry up to 5,952 pounds (2,700 kg) of payload. Its service module contains avionics, power, communications and command and control.
“The service module is being designed to human safety standards, because it operates in close proximity with the space station before the robotic arm grapple,” Beneski noted…
Bigelow Aerospace is recruiting professional astronauts. The Las Vegas-based company is building a private space station that it plans to have operational by 2015.
Astronauts
Las Vegas, Nevada Facility
Who May Apply:
Bigelow Aerospace seeks professional astronauts to fill permanent positions. Qualified applicants need to have completed a training program from their government or recognized space agency and have at least some flight experience on a recognized space mission. Specialized training and/or experience (ie: Medical, Payload Specialist, EVA, Pilot, etc.) is not a pre-requisite, but is definitely a plus.
Four Swedes Waiting to Travel into Space Radio Sweden
Four Swedes have so far booked a ticket to fly into space, the news agency TT reports. Now a new space travel agency opens in Sweden…
Ann Klefbom from Umeå has reserved a ticket and hopes to become the first Swedish woman in space. “It is something extraordinary for a completely ordinary middle aged woman, she tells TT.
“IMAX: Hubble 3D” debuts at the Air and Space Museum…we give it the “red carpet” treatment – checking out the movie, checking in with the astronaut stars, listening to the star who voiced it over – Leonardo DiCaprio, and weighing in with the director and the NASA brass about the wow-factor of the IMAX experience. Also: a Falcon 9 “hot fire” disappoints, the shuttle program manager says “no problem” for shuttle to keep flying, and safely — it’s only a question of money — and Obama gets ready to speak up for his controversial new plan for NASA…and braces for what promises to be a firestorm of protest at planned April 15 conference on the future of America’s space program.
Today, Congresswoman Suzanne Kosmas (FL-24) and Congressman Bill Posey (FL-15) introduced legislation to maintain a robust human spaceflight program, minimize the spaceflight gap, and protect Space Coast jobs.
The Human Spaceflight Capability Assurance and Protection Act would extend use of the International Space Station (ISS) through 2020, allow NASA to continue flying the Space Shuttle, and push to accelerate a next-generation NASA-developed space vehicle. A companion bill has been introduced by Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) in the U.S. Senate.
Orion removed from NASA control – MOD positioning for commercial role NASASpaceflight.com
NASA managers are pushing through the shutdown of the Constellation Program (CxP) at a pace, with a series of memos showing all the Ares test flights have already been cancelled, along Orion ‘defunded’ and returned to the sole control of contractor Lockheed Martin. Meanwhile, MOD director Paul Hill has written to NASA administrator Charlie Bolden, requesting the Agency promotes MOD to the commercial sector.
Joint Statement: International Space Station Heads of Agency
The heads of the International Space Station (ISS) agencies from Canada, Europe, Japan, Russia and the United States met in Tokyo, Japan, on 11 March 2010, to review ISS cooperation. With the assembly of the ISS nearing completion and the capability to support a full-time crew of six established, they noted the outstanding opportunities now offered by the ISS for on-orbit research and for discovery including the operation and management of the world’s largest international space complex. In particular, they noted the unprecedented opportunities that enhanced use of this unique facility provides to drive advanced science and technology. This research will deliver benefits to humanity on Earth while preparing the way for future exploration activities beyond low-Earth orbit. The ISS will also allow the partnership to experiment with more integrated international operations and research, paving the way for enhanced collaboration on future international missions.
American Aerospace Advisors, Inc. today announced that it is accepting commercial reservations for research on STS-133 (ULF-5), the last scheduled Space Shuttle mission, which will provide approximately two weeks of microgravity time.
courtneymalloy1: Video: Flight of the Xombie | Parabolic Arc: Masten Space Systems Xombie rocket on a test flight on March 18, 2010... http://bit.ly/atOO7d
