The Space Review has three articles about extraterrestrial commerce that are worth a look:
Florida’s two U.S. senators have urged NASA not to build a new commercial launch site in popular wildlife areas but to use existing launch locations instead, the Dayton News-Journal reports.
“There is great promise in the pursuit of a viable U.S. commercial space industry, and this can be achieved while respecting the existing and precious habitat of the Space Coast,” Mel Martinez wrote in a letter to NASA. His colleague, Bill Nelson, wrote a similar letter to the space agency this week.
The space agency is studying whether to build a new launch complex on one of two sites on north end of the Kennedy Space Center. The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and Canaveral National Seashore co-manage the areas.
The proposal has generated strong opposition from birdwatchers, fishermen and other locals who use the popular recreation areas. They fear the sites could be damaged by the rocket facility and closed to users.
One solution would be to situate the new launch complex at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, where there are a number of abandoned launch facilities. Nelson’s letter indicates that Air Force Brig. Gen. Susan Helms, who oversees the station, is willing to work with NASA on finding a location for the facility.
NSS PRESS RELEASE
The National Space Society (NSS) announced today the themes and featured speakers for the 27th Annual International Space Development Conference (ISDC) taking place at the Capital Hilton Hotel in Washington D.C. from May 29, 2008 to June 1, 2008.
The primary theme for ISDC 2008 is The New Pace of Space.
“The purpose of ISDC is to provide a global forum for anyone with an interest in space to learn, interact and discuss the future with the leaders of space exploration, business and science,” said NSS Executive Director, George T. Whitesides.
Continue reading ‘NSS Announces Themes, Featured Speakers from 2008 ISDC’
Commerce Magazine has an interesting interview with Leroy Chiao, calling the former astronaut a rising star in the area of space commercialization. Chiao talks about his transition from NASA to private industry, the future of space commercialization, and his work as vice president of Excalibur Almaz, which is transforming left-over Soviet military Almaz space station hardware into an orbiting tourist outpost. It’s worth a read.
The lineup for Space Access ‘08 in Phoenix has been released. The event, to be held at the Best Western Grace Inn,, will feature Jim Muncy of PoliSpace; Misuzu Onuki, of Rocketplane LLC; Jon Goff; Dallas Bienhoff; Frank Zegler; Henry Spencer; and Rand Simberg.
Among the companies and government agencies confirmed include: Armadillo Aerospace, FAA AST, Flometrics, Frontier Astronautics, Masten Space, Space Studies Institute; SpeedUp, Unreasonable Rocket, and XCOR Aerospace.
For more details, visit the Space Access Society website.
