MOJAVE, Calif. (Virgin Galactic PR) – Virgin Galactic, the world’s first commercial spaceline, announced today that pilots Frederick “CJ” Sturckow and Michael “Sooch” Masucci have been selected to join its commercial flight team. As Virgin Galactic clears its final flight test program milestones with powered flight tests now under way, the necessary addition of new pilots will enable the company to meet the test schedule demands and prepare for subsequent commercial operations.
The Shuttle Landing Facility in Florida. (Credit: NASA)
By Douglas Messier Parabolic Arc Managing Editor
NASA is still reviewing options on what to do with the Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF), which has been largely idle since the last space shuttle touched down 18 months ago.
“Regarding your request for the Shuttle Landing Facility, NASA is currently assessing responses to the recently published Request for Information (RFI) seeking to identify entities that may be interested in maintaining and operating this National Asset,” NASA Associate Administrator L. Seth Statler wrote in a Nov. 30 letter to Florida Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll. “A decision regarding the disposition of this asset will follow the completion of the RFI response assessment and review of the Space Florida proposal.”
Kennedy Space Center, Fla. (Sept. 24, 2012) – Space Florida has closed on a $62.5M credit facility with Bank of America to support the construction of the Space Shuttle Atlantis Exhibit at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
Endeavour and the shuttle carrier aircraft over Houston (Credit: NASA)
NASA PR — Space shuttle Endeavour has returned to California, its state of origin, 21 years after rolling out of the Palmdale assembly facility. At 3:50 p.m. EDT, Endeavour, mounted atop NASA’s 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA), landed at Edwards Air Force Base, just down the road from where it was built.
Following an overnight stay, the SCA and Endeavour will complete the ferry flight with a salute to the Edwards Air Force Base area early Friday. At 11 a.m. EDT (8 a.m. PDT), NASA Television will air the departure of Endeavour from Edwards as it begins its California flyover:
Some very sad news to report: Sally Ride, who became the first American woman in space aboard the shuttle Challenger on June 18, 1983, has passed away after a long battle with cancer. Ride was the first to break through into the all-male astronaut corps and inspired women everywhere. She will be sadly missed.
Below is a statement published on the Sally Ride Science website, followed by tributes from President Barack Obama and NASA.
“Sally Ride died peacefully on July 23rd, 2012 after a courageous 17-month battle with pancreatic cancer. Sally lived her life to the fullest, with boundless energy, curiosity, intelligence, passion, joy, and love. Her integrity was absolute; her spirit was immeasurable; her approach to life was fearless.
CAPE CANAVERAL, FL (Space Florida PR) – Craig Technologies announced today that the company is expanding its manufacturing capabilities by negotiating a loan for 1,600 pieces of Space Shuttle processing equipment from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
Through a competitive Request for Information (RFI) process, the company signed a non-reimbursable Space Act Agreement with NASA giving the woman-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned firm full use privileges of the equipment currently housed at the 160,000 sq. ft. NASA Shuttle Logistics Depot (NSLD) in Cape Canaveral. The depot was once part of United Space Alliance’s Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) activities during the Shuttle Program.
Video Caption: Skywalker Sound, the George Lucas audio department responsible for so much science fiction, turns its golden-eared genius to mixing and enhancing the real sound of a Solid Rocket Booster from lift-off to splashdown. Credit: NASA Glenn Research Center / Skywalker Sound
Editor’s Note: This video was shown by Rex Ridenoure of Ecliptic Enterprises during a talk he gave at the LA Space Salon last week. Ecliptic supplied the cameras that recorded the video. I know the space shuttles are retired, but it was just such an awesome video I thought I would post it.
Space Newsreports that United Space Alliance has been ordered to stop pursuing new business, signaling the likely end of a Boeing-Lockheed Martin joint venture whose main task was operating NASA’s now-retired space shuttle fleet.
The Houston-based company, formed in 1995, has a contract with NASA to complete close-out of the shuttle program that expires at the end of September. Although the article does not say definitively that the company will be shutting down, that is the belief of several sources quoted.
Based on the article, Boeing and Lockheed Martin will compete against each other for future operations contracts rather than competing through USA.
It’s only two days after Christmas, but the holiday cheer that usually extends through New Year’s Day seems to have worn off for some pundits. Some are looking back in horror, others ahead with trepidation…
Lunar scientist Paul Spudis says good riddance to the year in space in Annus Horribilis: Space in 2011. So, what went wrong? The space shuttle program ended, the commercial crew effort appears doomed, NASA’s new mission statement lacks any actual missions, the Space Launch System is a bloated mess, the James Webb telescope is sucking the life out of the science budget, and John Marburger passed away.
Gee, that does sound bad. Now, I’m seriously depressed…and I was pretty happy until just now.
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