Mike Snead assesses the role that scramjets could play in opening up the space frontier to routine, aircraft-like operations in an article in this week’s Space Review. Snead has written a detailed article assessing the pro’s and con’s of this approach that is definitely worth a look.
National Geographic Uses G-Force One to Film Station Identifications
National Geographic broadcasts ‘zero gravity’ idents
Design Week
“National Geographic is today broadcasting what it claims are the world’s first channel idents filmed in zero gravity, developed by Brothers & Sisters.The idents will be used as promos for National Geographic’s Space Week, launching in January.
“The advertising consultancy, which was commissioned in April on the strength of an [...]
XCOR Introduces First Space Tourist, Says Demand High
Their thunder stolen by a leak to The Daily Mail, XCOR introduced its first space tourist, London-based banker Per Wimmer, and said that it has 22 reservations for suborbital flights aboard its Lynx vehicle beginning in 2011.
Vanna Bonta - Space Sexologist
I’m sitting here watching an episode of “The Universe” on The History Channel and guess who pops up on the screen but novelist/poet/actress-turned-citizen-of-the-cosmos Vanna Bonta. She’s apparently working on a flight suit that will allow for easier sexual couplings in microgravity.
There’s a segment showing her and husband Allen Newcome testing their 2suit aboard Zero G’s [...]
NASA Extends Contract for Soyuz Transport to ISS
NASA PRESS RELEASE
NASA has signed a $141 million modification to the current International Space Station contract with the Russian Federal Space Agency for crew transportation services planned through the spring of 2012.
Progress Report: JP Inflates Ascender 100 Vehicle
JP Aerospace has posted updated photos of the inflation of its Ascender 100 airship. The company is working on creating lighter-than-air vehicles that can float into space.
Chiao: Deepen U.S., China Cooperation in Space
Former NASA Astronaut Leroy Chiao makes the case for space cooperation between the United States and China on his blog.
“It makes sense politically and programmatically to cooperate with China, in all areas. Space would be a good place to symbolically signal such a shift in policy. The United States did this with Russia in the [...]

- Study illuminates star explosion from 16th century (AP)
- New Light Shed on Ancient Exploding Star (SPACE.com)
- Russians Track Troubled U.S. Spy Satellite (SPACE.com)
- Odd Comet Possibly from Another Star System (SPACE.com)
- Chinese Space Officials Meeting with NASA Today (SPACE.com)
- 747 to Carry Space Shuttle Back to Florida (SPACE.com)
- Endeavour touches down in California (Reuters)
- Space shuttle glides to safe landing in California (AP)
- Space shuttle Endeavour lands safely in California (AFP)
- Space Shuttle Endeavour Lands Safely in California (SPACE.com)

Links
Events Calendar
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| 29 | 30 | 31 | ||||









