NASA Ames and a group of local universities led by the University of California at Santa Cruz are in discussions about the development of a major new campus at Moffett Field to conduct space travel research, the Mountain View Voice reports.
“UCSC, Santa Clara University, the Foothill-De Anza College District and Carnegie Melon University have all signed a letter of intent with NASA Ames, with all of them seeking a major presence in the NASA Research Park planned for Moffett.
“‘It’s an agreement to hold open discussions between us and NASA to see if we can arrive at a plan that will allow us to implement a vision for the research park,’ said Bill Berry, managing director of UCSC’s Affiliated Research Center.”
SPACE FLORIDA PRESS RELEASE
Space Florida recently launched its inaugural unattended microgravity research flight from the Shuttle Landing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center.
Engaging twenty-two middle and high school teachers from 12 counties, this opportunity is one of many innovative Space Florida education programs designed to promote science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education, and engage and encourage student interest in space.
Continue reading ‘Space Florida Inaugurates Microgravity Research Flights’
Leonard David has an interesting piece over at LiveScience.com on the possibility that Virgin Galactic will snag a piece of NASA’s suborbital launch business.
The American space agency recently issued two Request for Information solicitations concerning human suborbital spaceflight. NASA’s Science Mission Directorate is looking to fly payloads and researchers on private spacecraft.
David reports that NASA will review solicitations early next year with the intent of beginning a pilot program around 2010-11.