Archive for September 29, 2009

What to launch? Contractors waffling on Ares; future may be with Delta IV

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The aerospace giants contracted to help build NASA’s next-generation spaceships, including Utah’s ATK Space Systems, are quietly hedging their bets and stepping back from the Ares rockets that the agency has staked its future on after the shuttle retires next year. In recent weeks, Lockheed Martin Corp. and the Boeing Company have reached out to NASA officials, lawmakers …

Read More at Standard-Examiner…

John Kelly: Spaceflight plans leave station out in the cold

The gap between the retirement of the shuttles and the first flights of the replacement system was a numbskull idea from the start.

Read More at Florida Today…

Spaceflight plans leave station out in cold

The gap between the retirement of the shuttles and the first flights of the replacement system was a numbskull idea from the start.

Read More at Florida Today…

Astronauts could reach Mars in 2020s, panel says

NASA can’t afford to go beyond low-Earth orbit without extra cash, says a review panel ? but a funding boost could get crews into orbit around Mars relatively quickly

Read More at New Scientist…

Mother Nature prevails; NASA scrubs Discovery landing

Unable to find a break in the weather at Kennedy Space Center, NASA managers on Thursday scrubbed its plans to land the space shuttle Discovery in Florida and gave the astronauts a bonus day in orbit.

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Presidential panel calls for expanded business role in space exploration

A presidential task force recommends an expanded role for private aerospace companies in U.S. space exploration, plus more money for NASA, if the nation wants to explore space beyond earth orbit.

Read More at Denver Business Journal…

Fall’s fortunes: Mark your calendar with these autumn events

New England is at it’s best in autumn. The slugginess of summer is gone, the leaves turn bright and the air is crisp. And the arts community goes into full bloom in the fall. There are about 14,572 worthy cultural events between now and Thanksgiving, so it’s amazing that we somehow pared down the list. Please note: This is just a sample of the great events scheduled for the fall. So now is the …

Read More at The MetroWest Daily News…

NASA’s New Spaceships Could Tag-Team Asteroid

A manned asteroid mission using two Orion spacecraft, docked nose-to-nose to form a 50-ton deep space vehicle, is being studied by Lockheed Martin Space Systems.

Read More at SPACE.com…

Space shuttle fueled for second launch try

NASA prepared for a second bid to launch the shuttle Discovery and seven astronauts on Wednesday on a mission to deliver lab equipment, supplies and spare parts to the International Space Station.

Read More at Canada.com…

Bad weather delays space shuttle launch

NASA delayed a Tuesday morning liftoff of the space shuttle Discovery because of stormy weather at the Florida launch site.

Read More at Canada.com…